After talking some sense into both Katniss and Cato, I was finally able to have a peaceful visit home. Mother and Katniss sat with me and Cato and we talked about everything, from the past, to the present, and even the future. It was nice having all of the people I loved in one place.

I did have to tell them that I wouldn't be staying, and that this was just a short trip before I would have to be back at my new 'home'. Mother cried a little and Katniss remained silent, trying not to break down like she had only an hour before in her room. I was upset that I couldn't stay home.. I would miss the real home-cooked meals that would be made, all the peaceful moments I had to myself, and all the fun I would have with all my schoolmates. But, as I thought about it more, I realised that I would rather be with Cato anywhere than nowhere at all. I already knew what it was like being without him for only two days.. imagine what I would be like for more than a week?

Sadly, I had to bid my family goodbye the following night and get back onto the train en route to District 2, where I would be meeting Cato's mother and his brother Charlie. I was excited, of course, but I was also so nervous to meet them. His family sounded so sweet, but what if his mother didn't like me and his brother didn't either? And what if he left because of it? Cato loves his family, so he would probably do anything to keep them around, even get rid of me.

The goodbyes were pretty emotional because we all knew that it would be a long time before I would ever see them again. I was hoping that my next approved visit would be soon.

Leaving so soon and being on the train toward District 2 really stressed me out more than I thought it would, so I could barely sleep. Cato scolded me for not wanting to sleep and forced me to rest, but it's not working. I just couldn't sleep, especially not with him here. He had decided that he would go watch some television for a while. So, he was there, and here I was, unable to sleep soundly.

Maybe it was the fact that I was afraid to be alone because when I closed my eyes, the horrors of the Games came running back. When I killed that guy at the bloodbath, killing the guy from Four, or even being attacked.. when my eyes closed, I saw Peeta the most.

After trying to go to sleep for an hour, I had managed to finally sleep, but as soon as that happened, the nightmares started. They were of everything that happened in the Games at once, but everything individually at the same time. I jolted awake after getting stabbed in the gut by Peeta and found that my eyes were filled with tears and my face was stained with them as well.

I hadn't expected these to come back. The last one I had was the second day I had been without Cato after the Games, and still they weren't about the Games, they were about losing Cato. After that, I haven't had disrupted sleep until now.

I didn't want to bother Cato with this because he may get upset about how it included Peeta, but once I realised the tears wouldn't stop flowing, I had to find him. I quickly walked out of the bedroom on the train toward the sitting room where Cato was sitting, watching television with a pair of glasses on.

Since when does he wear glasses?

There's a lot I don't know about him.

Cato moved but didn't look up from what he was watching when he heard me walk into the room. "I thought you were supposed to be sleeping, baby," he commented.

"I can't fall asleep," I cried, choking on my tears and fear.

Cato's head snapped up and he surveyed my face, most likely counting every tear. He reached his arm to me and motioned for me to come forward. I walked toward him and took his hand, moving to sit down on his lap where he cradled me.

"What's wrong, Kitten? Why are you crying?" he asked, picking up a remote to pause whatever it was he was watching. I could tell from his facial expression that he was clearly worried about me, like he always is.

I shrug, not really knowing where to start. "The nightmares are coming back," I told him, latching onto him with my arms. He used his thumb to wipe the wetness under my eyes.

"Which ones?"

"The ones about.. you know who."

Cato's arms tightened around me, and I braced myself for the anger, the yelling, and the fight that always comes when the deadly topic is even mentioned in the slightest.

Cato rubbed my back. "I'm sorry, Rose," he mumbled, placing his chin on top of my head.

He didn't yell.. oh my word.

"You're not angry?" I gasp, turning to look at him. His face was calm.. there was no sense of anger at all. He looks worried.. yes, but I didn't know he wasn't going to yell, or even frown.

Cato frowns then. "Why would I be angry?" he asks me, seemingly confused. I thought he would have realised by now that Peeta was a touchy subject, but I guess he's a clueless as I am sometimes. I think it's just that he's an in-the-moment type of guy.

"Because you're always angry when Peeta's involved," I tell him. "You always yell at me when I say his name."

Cato chuckles and rubs his eyes. "So.. you're saying you want me to be angry with you?" he asks with a smirk.

I laugh and shove his arm playfully. "No! I just didn't expect you to be this calm about it," I admit honestly.

Cato rubs his chin thoughtfully, staring at the frozen television screen. "Well, I really don't think it'd be right to yell at you when you come crying into my arms," he says. "I should be angry at myself because I didn't protect you from him."

"Don't be."

"If I wasn't, it'd mean I didn't care."

I nod once, trying to process this new caring and compassionate Cato. It's not like he wasn't all those things before, because he was.. sometimes. But it's just that he's not this way when it comes to people he hates.

"You're right."

"I know." There's the sassy Cato I know.

It goes silent for a while and he plays the TV again.

"Cato?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you wearing glasses?"

Cato pauses the TV again, answering my interruption for the umpteenth time. "Because I need them to see."

"I thought your vision was pretty good, though," I told him. He has never worn glasses in front of me before.

"I need them to read and when I watch the TV. But other than that, I really don't need them."

"Oh." I nod.

We stop talking again and I watch as he un-pauses the TV. He was watching the cooking channel.. wait, what?

"Cato..?"

"Yes?" he answers slowly, not taking his attention away from the screen once again. He seemed so interested in what he was watching. Since when did Cato enjoy cooking? He does not seem like the cooking channel type. He's more of the fighting channel type.

There's so much I don't know about him.. geez.

"Why are you watching a tutorial on how to sauté?" I ask with humour engrained into my voice. I could only imagine Cato cooking.. but the image wouldn't come into my mind. It was so odd.

"Because I want to," he answers simply.

"Why do you want to?" Just say it, Cato. Say you like to cook!

"Because I like cooking."

"You do?" I ask in disbelief. I thought he'd be too embarrassed to admit it to me.

He being un-characteristically sweet to me as of lately.

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"Can I just watch the show, Rose?" he sighs, trying to focus on how to effectively cut a bell pepper.

I pouted up at him. "But you promised you'd tell me something new about yourself whenever you could," I pleaded. I knew I was at an advantage with this one. We've been alone plenty of times, and since the Games, he hasn't owned up to his promise.

Cato curses under his breath, knowing I got him good with that one. "I forgot about that," he says, pausing his show in the middle of adding onions to a pan based with oil.

"Yeah. So tell me," I smirk.

"Well," Cato sighs before beginning, "I started learning to cook when I was around eight years old. My mum would sing in the kitchen while she cooked and I liked to listen. Then one day, she asked me to help her.. I guess that's where it all started," he explains in one big breath.

"What can you make?" He could be one of those people that claims they can cook, but can only do one dish (me), or he could be a master chef and cook better than his whole district combined.

"Anything."

"Really?"

"Yes, anything."

"I'm going to test you on that claim one day," I tease, poking at his cheek when he smiles.

"I'll be waiting."

"Okay. Challenge accepted."

Cato plays his show once again and I sit watch silently as he processes all of the information on sautéing. It fascinated me to see him so transfixed by cooking out of all things. He would nod his head from time to time, or even call out some of the instructions before the cook even had a chance to say anything. Sometimes he would even kiss my temple.

Cato was beautifully multi-talented, and while some of his skills may not be some to brag about, many of them are spectacular. Like his ability to protect, and to love. When he's committed to something, he doesn't quit until he reaches his goal. I don't think he even realised that he is so goal oriented, but I did. I notice everything about him.

"Stop thinking so much, Rose," Cato said, interrupting me from my thoughts.

"How do you know that I'm thinking so hard?" I gasp.

"You either smile or your nose scrunches."

"I can't," I say. "Sometimes it just happens and I can't stop it."

"You're supposed to be sleeping," he sighed, wrapping his arms back around me in a cradle. He kissed my forehead and rubbed his palm up and down my leg.

"I can't sleep if you're not in there with me."

Cato sat for a moment before he lifted me off of his lap and stood to turn off the TV. "Let's go to bed, then," he said, reaching his hand out for me.

"Oh no," I shake my head. "I can wait for you to finish. You don't have to come to bed right now." I didn't want him to stop because I needed to sleep.

"I know, Rose, but you need sleep more than I need television," he said. "Come," he ordered me, reaching out his hand again.

I took his hand slowly and let him lead me to the dark room at the end of the corridor. We settled into the bed, and almost immediately, I was able to sleep soundly.

•

Cato woke me up the next day as we were approaching District 2. My heart was racing as I scurried to take a shower so that I looked and smelled appropriately for his mother.

Cato was calm, a little too calm. Maybe he was just as nervous as I was but didn't make it so obvious.

I couldn't figure out what to wear.. I didn't want her to think I was underdressed with leggings, but I didn't want her to think I was overdressed in a dress.

I probably stood in the closet for a half hour before Cato stepped out of the shower and followed me into it. His shirt.. he didn't have one. It made me shake.

I groaned in frustration for the tenth time when Cato walked into the closet, snatched up the first things he saw and walked right back out.

When he finally came back from getting dressed he walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my front.

"What's wrong?" he asked, placing a chaste kiss to my neck.

I sigh and throw my hands down. "I can't find anything to wear!" I yelled.

"For what?"

"Meeting your mother."

Cato laughed like I made a joke. "Why do you need to wear something special for my mum?" he asked, turning my body around for me to face him. He raised my hands and placed them around his torso.

"Because I want to make a good impression," I pouted.

Cato smiled and chuckled. "Trust me, you could smell like shit and mum would still love you."

I scrunched my nose at his vulgarity but smiled. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes, Kitten, I'm sure."

"Okay. Well then, why don't you pick something out for me?"

Cato shrugs and lets go off me, turning to the closet. He stood for a moment before picking out a pair of yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt.

"Seriously?"

"You want to be as comfortable as possible right?" he asks.

"Yea."

"Then here you go. And hurry up, we're almost at the station." Cato walked out of the room, leaving me to change into the clothes that he picked out. It was so weird.. he was fine shirtless in front of me but he was afraid to see my stomach in the arena.

Cato burst through the door right as I was putting on my pants.

"Are you done?" he grumbles, throwing himself on the bed.

"I just have to brush my hair," I told him. He was very impatient, but then again, he didn't have to take very long to look so heavenly. All he did was throw on a shirt and rustle his hair.

Cato groans and stands up again. "That'll take forever!"

I laughed and pulled the brush through my hair. "No, it only takes a minute."

"That's forever! We're at the station and I want to hurry up and get home," he replies. I could tell he was very excited to see his family. Cato was literally shaking with excitement. He paced the room the entire minute it took me to brush my hair and walked in and out of the room six times while I slipped my shoes on.

"Are you really that nervous?" I asked as we finally walked out of the room and toward the exit on the train.

"I'm not nervous," Cato answers, "just excited."

"About seeing your family?"

Cato nods. "It feels like it's been forever."

He takes my hand and leads me out of the train. The first thing I saw was the huge ocean. It seemed like it when on forever. I had never seen so much water before in my entire life. We didn't have an ocean near Twelve, and in the arena we only had the small pond. The water was unbelievably blue and clear.

I smiled as Cato pulled me toward his home. District 2 had much more scenery than Twelve with nicer buildings. This would be the perfect place to live. Too bad we have to live in the Capitol.

"You like the ocean?" Cato asks, interrupting me from my thoughts. I smile and nod. "We can go this afternoon, if you'd like?"

"Really?" I gasp. I could literally sense my eyes twinkling with delight. I would love to go into the ocean.

"Yes."

"Wait, I can't swim," I said with a frown. Remembering that only made me sad. The water here was probably very deep, and I was not going to get into that water knowing that there was a chance for me to drown.

"I can teach you?" he suggests.

"Okay," I smile. Cato nodded and rubbed my hand with his thumb. "But wait, what if I can't get it?"

"Then I just won't let you go," Cato answers. A blush rises up my cheek and I turn to stare at the ocean again, not responding to what he said.

Cato had been very sweet for some odd reason. I don't know what it is, but we haven't gotten into an argument and he hasn't been rude to me for much longer than I have expected. It was refreshing. We could talk and act normally around one another for once.

I kind of think that all the issues we had before were mostly due to the stress of the Games and Cato's non-existent competition with Peeta. Every issue (almost every issue) we've argued about has been linked to what we had been through.

After walking through an entire deserted town area, we finally started to pass small, cozy-looking cottages.

Cato turned into a walkway of one of the cottages and began to walk up a small set of stairs. The place was very quaint.. red-bricks, flowers planted along the lawn, fire coming from a chimney.

"Is this it?" I whispered, although I don't really know why. I guess the nerves were building back up again.

"Yea."

Cato knocked on the door before twisting the knob and stepping inside. He lead me through the door and closed it behind us as I surveyed the area. It was very clean, neat and organised. There was a fire going in a fireplace, the furniture was in some way 'modern', and there was a small staircase in the back.

"Mum?" Cato called out to for his mom. "Charlie?"

"Why do you say 'mum'?" I ask. It was weird hearing him pronounce it that way.

Cato shrugs, letting go of my hand to walk around in search of someone. "That's just the way I was taught."

"Oh."

"Cato?" a small voice called out.

A boy came running down the stairs. He was literally a smaller version of Cato, a skinnier and less muscular one. His blond hair flopped around on his head and his eyes were a vibrant green.

"Hey, bud!" The boy, who I'm assuming is Charlie, ran into Cato's arms and Cato squeezed him tighter than ever. He was almost immediately calmer. They hugged for a very long time, telling each other how much they missed the other. Cato listened and smiled as his little brother told him about how well he did on his reading assignment in school. It was very obvious how much Cato cared for his family.

Cato was home now.. and it was the time for me to see the real him, the one that doesn't hide behind an image.

Yaaaaay for a new chapter. And this one isn't as late as the others that I posted.

Wassup people?! How are y'all doing? What's life like? Good.. bad.. all of the above? My life is pretty hectic right now. I have so much to do and not very much time to do it all, so I'm a bit stressed out. Things with the basketball player are on and off, so that's all confusing. But, I have nothing to complain about!

Lemme know whatcha thought of the chapter. And make sure you vote, comment and share. And thank you so much for reading!

ALSO: I AM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE EDITS AND SEND THEM TO ME! I WILL BE POSTING THEM IN EACH CHAPTER! SO IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME ONE, EMAIL THEM TO

myeshathomas28

Cheers. 😳 laters, baby.

Myesha xx