A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the cliffhanger, I just couldn't think of anything to write until now. Also, I have been a little busy beta-ing a few stories. But, enough excuses; it's time for the story!
I can't believe the last few minutes. In ten minutes –tops- it went from the final three, to… the end.
"If you had to choose one way to die, how would you choose?" Katniss said.
Marvel froze up, closing his eyes, "I know I can't win, it's two against one," he said. Smart man. "So… just make it quick please."
Katniss shares a look with Peeta. "Okay," she said, turning back towards Marvel. She shoots him right in the heart. The cannon sounds. I'll bet he didn't feel a thing.
Katniss looks over at Peeta. "We did it! We won Mellark!" Oh yea. I didn't even think much of that rule; most pairs were either both gone, or one of them was gone. And quite frankly, I didn't think Peeta would make it this far.
But then, the inevitable happens.
"Attention tributes: The former rule regarding that two victors can win has been, uh, suspended. Only one victor may remain." Claudius Templesmith announces. I don't really care. Catnip could take on Mellark if she had her eyes closed. Plus, we have our deal.
But, they seem to care. The look shell shocked for a moment, like they cannot believe what just happened. Peeta recovers first. "Go on Katniss," he sighs. He sounds… exasperated. "You know they have to have a victor."
She suddenly comes out of her trance. "They can't do this. They can't just say we can both win, and then take it back!" she said. You're dancing with the line Katniss.
Peeta raises his eyebrow. "Of course they can. They can do whatever they want. They always have to win, you know that," Cocky son of a bitch. If Katniss wasn't about to kill him, the capital would.
Katniss looks like she is about to cry. "I can't do it Peeta. I have single handedly killed more than two/thirds of the arena. I am not going to kill you too," She said, actual tears going down her face. I am half glad half… not glad that she is crying. On the one hand, if she succeeds in getting them both out of there, then she will seem like a traumatized little girl who doesn't want to make her last kill. On the other, she is actually crying. And I can't help but wonder if they are real or not.
Mellark looks pained, "Come on Katniss. Just shoot me and get it over with. Then you can go home to your true love." He spits the last part out, like he was dared to put dirt in his mouth.
Katniss shakes her head, still crying. "No," she throws her bow and arrows down. "I am not going to let them win. I don't want to change. I just want to be good old Katniss, the girl who kept her family alive after her dad died. The girl who loves to play house with Prim. The girl who is in love, and only realized it a few weeks ago. The girl who doesn't like to kill," I can see how carefully she phrased her words. Right now, the Capitol is absolutely in love with her. And there is absolutely nothing the game makers can do about it.
Peeta looks on the verge of tears as well, "I can't kill you. I made a promise."
"Then break it!" I bite my tongue to stop from screaming. You can't possibly be thinking of doing this, can you? How could you even think of leaving me?
Peeta shakes his head, "No. But I think I might have an idea. One that would suit both of us."
He walks over to the night lock berry bush. He takes a handful, and gives half to Katniss. Her eyes widen. "Peeta… this doesn't seem right," she said. At least she has some sense.
"It's either this, or you killing me."
"I don't know. It feels like we are breaking the rules." I snort. She is about to commit suicide, and she is worried about what the capitol thinks? Oh wait, I get it.
"Please? For me?" He asked with pleading eyes.
She sighs. "Okay. But I don't agree with it."
"You don't have to," Are they really doing this? "On three?"
No. No no no no! This cannot be happening!
"One," Mellark said. I gawk at the screen.
"Two," Catnip said. I let out a strangled cry, and my eyes well up with tears. All eyes are on me.
"Three," They said together. I let the tears fall. My eyes are steaming, and I let out a sob. I don't dare take my eyes off the screen, and I stand up in defiance. This. Can. Not. Be. Happening. They raise the berries to their mouths. I fall to my knees, just as they pop them in.
I sob again, head in my hands. Posey has her hand on my arm, silently crying as well.
"Stop! Stop!" Templesmith cries. I dare to look up. They haven't swallowed yet! They spit the berries out! They are going to come home! "Ladies and gentlemen, the victors of the 74 Hunger Games!" he said exasperated.
They look at each other. Katniss is crying. "Is this real? Did we really just win?" She asked.
"I think so," Mellark said. He doesn't look happy. Probably because he knows that if the capitol doesn't kill him, I will.
Katniss launches herself into Peeta's open arms, still crying. "We did it! We survived!" She sobbed.
They are lifted into the hover craft that takes up the victor. The screen goes black. I think I might cry.
And I do. I am sobbing for a whole different reason now. And I don't care about the stares.
On the way home, I put Posey on my shoulders, her giggling the whole time.
"Gale, is Kat coming home?" She asks innocently. I forgot about her nickname for Katniss.
"Yes," I say, a tear running down my face. "Yes she is."
"Then why are you crying?"
"Because I am so happy. Kat's coming home!" I say excitedly.
"I know that. You just told me." She rolls her eyes.
"Boy, your teenage years are going to be fun," She giggles and I smile. My Catnip is coming home!
The day has come for when we see the Victor watch the recap of the games. As I watch her watch the recap, I can tell she winces at certain parts and laughs at others. And toward the end, she cries a little.
"So Katniss, tell me. It seemed like you didn't agree with Peeta's plan. Care to elaborate?" Caesar asks.
"Well, I really just wanted to either go home myself, or not at all. And when Peeta came up with his plan, I didn't like it at all. It felt like I was…" She pauses, thinking of the right word, "Betraying the Capitol and the game makers. Like I was throwing all their hard work away." Good job ass-kissing the capitol Catnip.
She smiles, "I honestly thought that I would just die. That it didn't matter I so terribly broke the rules." Laying it on a bit think there, aren't you? But I hear cries and sighs from the background. No one in their right mind would accuse her of defying the capitol.
"Well I think I speak for all of us, that we definitely forgive you." Yells of agreement from the audience. A tear goes down Katniss's cheek. "I mean, you were just trying to stay yourself, right?"
She nods, and roars of approval come from the crowd. "Thank you, so much, for understanding."
"Now Peeta," He says, turning to him. I can see Mellark gulp. "What was going through your head when you decided to defy the capitol?" he asks. Strange. Usually he helps the tributes.
"Well, I was just trying to make it so that neither one of us had to kill the other. It never came to me that I was defying the capitol. I truly am sorry." Shouts of outrage. They are not going to let him off the hook.
"Surly you had to know. It had to cross your mind, at least when Katniss said 'I think we might be breaking the rules.' Not even then?"
Peeta flushes. "Maybe I knew. In the back of my head." Shouts of outrage, of disdain. I can see Katniss smirking, just a little.
"Peeta! I had no idea you were such a rebel." Caesar says, putting an emphasis on the word rebel. Someone hates Mellark almost as much as I do.
"No really! I was just trying to make it easier!" He Peeta says, trying to recover.
"And why would that make things easier?" Caesar asks.
"I didn't want to kill her. I love her," Katniss rolls her eyes at the forgotten announcement. "And she obviously wasn't going to kill me, so I did the only thing that came to mind: Suicide." The audience grumbles, not truly buying his story.
"Okay, if you insist." Caesar says unwillingly. He turns to the camera. "Well that is all the time we have today, but don't forget to tune in tomorrow to see the tributes return home!" As if we have a choice.
But right now, I don't care. My Catnip is coming home!
Okay, so I don't know if I should end it here, or keep going. Also I have a poll up on my wall, to see which story I should write next. You can leave a review, and tell me what you think, otherwise I'll write you later. (He he :D)