A/N: Hi everyone so you're either going to hate or love this chapter but it has so many feels and I just sobbed my eyes out rereading it I hope you're all happy. By the way, Sam, who writes Cato would like you to know that if you didn't cry in this chapter, she didn't do her job. Starts with Peeta's POV.

That's what I hear as I fall back asleep, knowing that it's safe for now and that I'll probably wake up in his arms. Part of me wonders what the people back at home are saying. Thinking. Laughing, probably. ~

"Peeta? I'm waiting for the 'no, I love you more'..." He's asleep already! "Goodnight, then. I'll love you more in the morning." Finally, my eyes give out and allow me to sleep. ~

When my eyes creep open on what I assume to the next morning, Cato's still asleep. He looks so docile asleep. I start fixing his hair in front of his face, carefully touching his porcelain skin. ~

That night, I have the worst possible sleep of my life. Dreams of killing him, like I was supposed to. I don't want to anymore. "I'm sorry...please don't die." I don't want to kill him. Not now, not ever. ~

I hear him whisper. "Shh... No one's dead." I say into his ear. "You're only dreaming, love..." ~

I stabbed him through the heart. "I'm sorry, Peeta," I tell him as I watch him bleed to death. Crying, both of us. How did I let myself get this attached? ~

"Cato...please, wake up." I shake him gently. "It's Peeta. There's nothing to be sorry for." ~

"PEETA!" I scream as his cannon fires. What a mangled, bloody mess. ~

I quickly press my lips against his to wake him up. I can't hear him yell anymore. "Cato!" ~

Oh god. "Peeta?" I keep my eyes shut tightly and feel around me. Then, I grasp an arm. "Hello?" ~

"It's me...I'm right here." I kiss his forehead. "Don't worry." ~

"I-" I let out a loud, hacking cough and open my eyes. "Hi..." ~

"Are you okay?" I know nightmares, and they're not pleasant at all. ~

"Physically, no. Mentally, a little better now that you're here." ~

"You were just having nightmares..." But he screamed. People could find us. "We have to go somewhere safe...it stopped raining, but we need shelter." ~

"My entire body aches, Peeta." All I want right now is a tissue. I had no idea I was so susceptible to colds. ~

"Do you..." I sigh. "Do you want me to carry you?" I begin grabbing our packs, the two jackets, then reach my arms out to him. "I think I could." ~

I laugh at the ridiculous idea. "I doubt it, but go ahead. I dare you to try." ~

I put my right arm through his left and under his back, and my left under his knees before lifting him into the air with ease. "For such a muscled guy, you're really not that heavy." I comment. He's lighter than the two bags of flour I'd carry around the bakery at home. ~

"Where are you taking me?" ~

"I figured I'd walk along the river for a while. When we were first around there, there were some more wooded areas and I think a cave...hoping for the cave, really." It's probably safest, where the least people will be able to find us. ~

"Oh, spending time with you in a cave? That sounds exotic." Sounds nice. ~

"Exotic?" I laugh. "Everything here's exotic-nothing's real." I begin walking with him in my arms. "But if you wanna think of it that way...I won't object." ~

"No, I mean you...me...alone in a dark cave." ~

"Do we have the same definition of exotic?" I blush slightly. Okay, I correct myself from earlier. Very, very forward. ~

"I hope so." I smile. I think he knows what my definition of exotic is. "I was hoping a little bit...more intimate." ~

That makes me blush harder, and causes my heart to pound faster. "I-I...can deal with that." That would be more than good. Makes me a little nervous...but I want to. ~

"Good. Because I won't take no for an answer." Well, if he didn't want to, I would take no. I'm not pressuring him into anything. ~

Luckily for my suddenly sex-clogged brain, the cave I'd seen earlier is getting closer. So I don't have to think of a logical response. "Look." I nod ahead to show him where we're headed. ~

I turn my head in the direction of where we're headed. "Oh yay," I cough. "Can you nurse me back to health when we get there?" ~

"I'm not much of a medic," I admit, smiling, "but I'll do my best." ~

"You know how to make me feel better." ~

"No," I tease. "I think you'll have to tell me." ~

"Lots of kisses," I pause, "and sex things." ~

"'Sex things'?" I blush a bit, laughing at his terminology. It's hard to believe we only meet about a week or so ago. We come up on the cave, and I kneel down to get inside, dropping a bag before laying Cato down with his head resting on it...just to be careful. "Good?" ~

"Thanks, Peeta." I fluff the bag to rearrange the items in it to make it more comfortable. "And yes, sex things." ~

"Just...your wording. It makes me laugh." Of course, I'm awkward saying things like that, too. But part of me feels like he'd be one to just come out and say it. ~

"What's so funny about my wording?" ~

"'Sex things'?" I laugh, kissing his forehead. "I don't know, I find things funny that most people don't. It's a higher level of humor." I joke. ~

"Oh, of course it is." His humor is a special kind. I like it. "The highest level." ~

"Maybe, one day, I'll teach you my secrets. Let you into the Peeta Mellark School of Humor." ~

That one day will never come. "And let me guess, you're the only person who goes there?" ~

"Well, obviously." I smile, running my fingers through his hair. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be so exclusive." ~

"And what would Professor Mellark have to teach me?" I laugh. ~

"Well," I sit by him, crossing my legs. "First rule, everything Peeta says is funny. Second rule, everything Peeta thinks is funny...is funny. Thirdly, anything at all has the contention of being funny...as long as no one gets hurt. Seriously. And lastly, anything Peeta doesn't think is funny is definitely not funny." ~

"Those seem like some pretty strict rules...agreeing with Peeta's humor?" I shake my head. "I'd probably flunk out." ~

"I'd keep you around, don't worry. As long as you'd agree to stay for late night study sessions." I laugh. "With snacks and everything." I tried not to think about any of these happy things that we'd never get to have...but bringing them up really did help. It made them seem plausible. Real. I forgot we were in the Games. We could walk outside and be coming out of a pillow fort in the cellar of the bakery for all I wished and dreamed. But...as I've learned before, not all dreams come true. ~

"I'm up for a study session right now." Whatever can make me feel better...bring it on. ~

"No, no," I tease, pulling a blanket out of one of the bags. "You said you weren't feeling well, and though you insist 'sex things' will make you feel better...you probably just need some rest." ~

"I just woke up though..." I hold my arms out to him. "Peeta," I whine, "I know you want some." ~

"I'm only looking out for you here, though." Of course I want some. As nervous as it makes me. ~

"Please," I whisper. ~

I don't answer for a second before crawling next to him and kissing him ever so innocently. "Only because you said 'please'." ~

So that's the magic word. "Thanks, Lover Boy." I pull him closer. "Now, don't you want to earn the title Lover Boy?" ~

"...It is pretty misleading..." ~

"Then start loving me," I demand, gripping the base of his shirt, asking if I could pull it off. I give him a look that says 'please.' ~

"...You think I'm going to stop you?" I give a small smile, allowing him to go on as he pleases. ~

Excitement overcomes my thoughts as I rush to take his shirt off. For someone who comes from a district that doesn't get much to eat, he isn't bad looking on the chest and stomach. "Nice." ~

Even a simple comment like that gets a blush out of me. "Thanks." ~

"Well, go on." I gesture to my shirt. "It's uh...kinda hot in here." And it's not just the air temperature. ~

"I thought you'd never ask." I grip the bottom of his shirt and remove it. Oh god, he's fit. His chest, arms, stomach, everything. I can hardly emotionally control myself, pulling him in for a heated kiss, partially driven by my immediate desire for him. ~

Now, we're both naked on our top halves, with our skin rubbing up against each other. The feeling is a little strange at first, but I like it, and he seems to really like it, so I keep going. "Oh," I get out in our kiss, bringing my hands down to the waistband of his pants. Waiting for him to let me. ~

"Please," I whisper, pulling him closer and almost atop me amidst our second, long, hot kiss. And damn, is he a good kisser. Not like I've kissed anyone else, but...I can tell that he's good. Really. ~

I unzip his pants as quickly as possible and tear them off his legs in just a few seconds. "Peeta's naked." ~

"Almost," I correct him. "Can Cato be, too?" I look at him hopefully. ~

"He'd love to be." It's getting a little too hot in here for comfort. ~

I take that as a cue to pull his pants down his legs, leaving the both of us in just our underwear. Even that almost doesn't really count because the cloth is so thin and he's so close and I can hardly even emotionally handle myself at this point. "Cato..." I say, almost in a moan of need. ~

When he begs for me, I look down at our boxers. "Wow, the Capitol really went thin on the underwear." I kiss him again. "Speaking of the Capitol, I'd like to say that this is probably the sexiest Games they'll ever see." I can't recall anyone getting almost naked with someone else in any of the Games ever. ~

"Let them have their show..." I pant. "All I can think about now is you and me and how badly I need you." ~

He wants me so bad right now that I have to comply. "Then have me." I hug him tightly and kiss him passionately. Oh, how good he tastes. Maybe he tastes like...cinnamon? That's it. "So...good." I slip in tongue with this kiss. ~

Oh God. "You're perfect..." I get closer, if that's possible, wrapping my arms and legs around him in some sort of desperation...as if this is the last and first time we'll have this. ~

"I know." I run my hands all down his bare back and feel something way down low, touching me...and it isn't his hands. Well, someone's excited. "I wish we were able to go all the way here." ~

"We'll never be able to." I whisper, tucking my head into his shoulder. If it's not here, it's never. But I don't know if I'd want that on live television. ~

"Well, why not now?" ~

"I mean...you said 'I wish', so I assumed there was something... Preventing you. Or us. Or something." I rush out. ~

"The Capitol. They can see us, you know...they might screw everything up while I'm screwing you. Like...kill one of us or something." We can't die yet. I want to know more about him, and make sure he knows someone can love him. ~

"Well..." I smile, looking down at our lack of clothing. "Everyone can see us." I laugh, holding his hands. "But I understand...I can't lose you. I promised I wouldn't leave, remember? That it'd be us in the end. I have to protect you till then...and even after, I said I'd find a way to follow you forever." ~

I look down at the ground. "Don't go." Following me forever sounds scary and sad and sweet all at once. I'm not sure I can handle that. "Until the end." ~

"Peeta Mellark doesn't break promises." ~

"Neither do I." ~

"Then I promise that I'll do everything I can to make sure you win these Games." ~

I'll respect his decision to not want to go home, but I don't want to leave without him. He's my only friend. "I'll win for you." ~

"I'll hold you to that." I kiss him innocently, just once, just to show him how happy he's made me. "I wish I could tell you everything about me. I want you to know it all..." But there's not enough time for all of the crap I've gone through. ~

"Maybe one day, I'll find out. I just wish I could tell you about me. You'll find out I'm not so perfect." ~

"No matter what you told me, I'd still think you were perfect. They say that love...is seeing an imperfect person perfectly." I hold his face in my hands admiring him. "But you're just plain perfect." ~

"You're perfect too, sweetheart," I laugh. "Don't sweat it." ~" As perfect as a single person could be, that's him. ~

I want to smile, but only find myself wincing at his words. Sweetheart. I try to shake it off as best I can before opening my mouth again to speak. "...Thank you." ~

"Wait, did I do something wrong?" He hesitated. And made a face. ~

"It's just...a weird thing. I don't like being called sweetheart." I whisper. "If you don't mind." It's so nice sounding. I love the name. But it's forever tainted in my mind. ~

I slowly shake my head in slight confusion. "No, it's fine...dear? You seemed fine with that one before." ~

"That's nice." I smile. "It's just...people back home used it in mock." It's true. Not the whole truth, but most of it. ~

"Why?" ~

"I don't know, just... it had a nice connotation to me, once. But not really anymore." Sweetheart. What a fool I was. ~

"Alright. I won't ask you again." I lean forward and kiss him again. "Sorry if I get you sick." ~

"I can deal with being sick if it's your sick." I'm lovesick. A lovesick boy. I still am a fool. ~

"But you need to stay strong," I laugh. "So that you can help me make it to the end." ~

"I'm obviously stronger than you expected. You didn't even think I could carry you with all the bags." ~

"Well, you did. You're strong, see?" I smile. Self esteem boost for him. ~

"I suppose." I smile, before feeling a little bit of a grumble. "My stomach, however, isn't." Hungry. Definitely. ~

"Your stomach can go look for food in..." I point to one of the bags, "that one." ~

"I can make food." From working in a bakery, you get good knowledge of all different types of food. "You too?" ~

"I think food would be good for me...for my sore throat, crackers, but we ate them all. I don't know what else there is." ~

"I'll go rummaging..." I crawl over in my boxers to the bag he pointed at, zipping it open and looking through. "It's all packaged food and stuff." Definitely not the best for health, but it'll do. ~

"That-" I choke on my own words and go into a coughing fit, "-might be good enough." ~

I think for a moment. "Maybe I can go out and get some berries or something to go with it. Something natural'll do you well." ~

I try to sit up but collapse to the ground from exhaustion. "Without me?" ~

"There are bushes right outside the cave with raspberries and blueberries on them...I'm not five." I laugh, standing to pull on my pants again. ~

"Good, because if you were five, I'd be seven. And I am definitely not seven." I think for a moment. "Maybe mentally, I'm seven. But no." ~

"Then I'll go out and get the berries." I pull on the plain shirt I was given to wear today, glancing out of the mouth of the cave. "It's windy, though. Can you toss me a jacket?" ~

Groaning, I feel around for a jacket and toss it to him. "Why are you making me do work?" ~

"Jeez, I just asked." I laugh, pulling it on. ~

"But now I can't be out there to protect you," I whine. I don't want him out there alone. ~

"Don't worry!" I shake my head, smiling at him. "You can watch me from the mouth of the cave, if you're so anxious about it." ~

"I just don't want you to get taken out by some random tribute...or one of them." ~

"I promised, remember?" I laugh, walking to the mouth of the cave. "Besides, I'm invincible." I put on my best Cato face. "I can't die. Don't you worry about me, dear." I mock his nickname for me. ~

"Oh, Peeta, you're so strong, and confident, and I adore you," I mock him back. It's nice, just fooling around here. That one break of just pure enjoyment and happiness before the Games start taking toll on the both of us. "See you soon, love." Because I do love him so. ~

I wave back at him before stepping out into the clearing. It's cloudy, but no one's really around as far as I can tell, which is always good. I step over to a bush with what I know are raspberries on it, take one, holding it up to show Cato and smiling, putting a bunch in my pocket and eating one. So sweet. A few bushes over is one with what appears to be blueberries. They're really good in the muffins my dad makes at home, so I take a few of them, too. Lastly, there's one that isn't so familiar, but they're darker. I know they aren't nightlock, because nightlock is more circular whereas these are more...bunched? Like grapes, almost. I pierce one with my finger and smell it. Smells sweet enough. I take the one in my hand and pop it into my mouth...but it's so bitter. Ew.

But then, everything starts to hurt. Like little pins all over my body. I go to yell out to Cato...but my throat won't make any noise. Little grey specks begin clouding over my vision as my knees grow weak and I fall to them...before everything just goes black. ~

Suddenly, I hear a cannon. Then a drop to the ground. Fearing the worst, I call out of the cave, "Peeta?"

No response.

I put my pants and my shirt back on quickly and run over to the mouth of the cave, only to see Peeta on the ground by a bush. "Peeta!" I run over to him and roll him onto his back. His eyes are closed and he isn't breathing. Oh god. "Peeta, get up!"

No, this was all too convenient. The cannon sounded while I wasn't looking and Peeta thought it would be funny to play dead again. He isn't even breathing right now-he's gotten all too good at this. "Peeta...not funny. Get up before some tribute comes out of nowhere and kills us both for real!" He still doesn't stir, so I slap his face. His cold face. "Peeta, you keep dying on me, and it isn't funny anymore!" My voice breaks on 'dying'. "This better be a fucking joke! It's not funny...I know I have to think things are funny if you think so, but...it just isn't. Come on, Peeta! Before they take you away...I said it isn't funny, Peeta!"

Okay, now I'm really starting to get nervous here. If Peeta being unresponsive isn't bad enough, I see ripples in the water and feel the wind pick up. That's familiar. When I look up, I see something far off in the distance, and I know deep down inside of me that it's a hovercraft coming to take him away.

I shake his stiffening body. "You said you'd protect me all the way to the end! That you'd follow me forever…you're not holding up your end of the deal here, Peeta! You can't do that if you're...dead." I choke on that last word. And I think I'm losing my fucking mind. "Peeta...I love you. Please don't be dead...I need you to be here. We never finished spending our short time together…" The first of many tears starts coming out. Right now, it's only a quiet sob, but I can tell that it'll be getting worse. "But...I'm glad we were together in the first place. I don't want you to be dead. I want you here. You can't just be gone like that." I'm stating the obvious.

The air is getting chillier as the wind picks up. "PEETA!" I slap his unmoving body. "I need you back here now! We made each other who we are today...I was there for you when nobody else was...I made you feel like you had a purpose…and you did have one." I finally collapse onto him and cry into his shirt. "You made me realize that I could love. We were meant to meet here. You...you were the best boyfriend that I could ever have."

It's so close now. "They'll be taking you soon..." I take it in. "I know I'm alone now…and I knew you'd have to go, but why didn't I realize that until now? It's because you...you trapped me in your perfectness, remember? I miss you…dear." All I wanted was to be able to say goodbye before it happened. And I couldn't even have that.

This is when I realize the hovercraft is right above us. Some force inside of me is making me walk away so that the Capitol could collect his body. Standing back at the mouth of the cave, as I watch Peeta get carried up into the sky, I say, "You weren't such a bad guy either, Peeta."

I shut my eyes tightly and leave them closed for almost a minute. Maybe I imagined everything—when I open my eyes, Peeta will jump out from behind one of the bushes or trees and say something stupid like, "Gotcha!" When I really do open them again, the spot where he was is still vacant. So he's really gone.

What I do first is sit inside the cave and stare out into the arena. It seems so peaceful out there. There was no way that he could've gone some other way. He got his wish. He was killed by a plant; it was the nice, calm death he wanted. But he could've said goodbye, at least.

Then, I lie down on the cold ground and think to myself. I'm lying down for I don't know how long, maybe an hour—but I can't tell if I slept or not. I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to have to readjust to my surroundings or the bright sunlight shining in from outside the cave. Suddenly, I hear:

It'll be alright, love.

I can hear Peeta, but I can't move. I'm afraid.

Cato…please wake up. It's Peeta…please, wake up…

I shoot up immediately and open my eyes. Looking around, I find nothing and no one. The sobbing comes again for the first time in at least an hour. I cry out, "Peeta, stop messing with me!" Then I lie back down and try to sleep.

I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.

Then why did you have to leave? You said you didn't want either of us to spend time in the arena without the other.

I'll follow you forever.

Does this mean you're still here?

I don't hear an answer to my question.

"So it's just me?" I say aloud. The question that comes out of my mouth sounds familiar, though. I think to myself, sorry, it's just me. Of course. That's what started my first conversation with Peeta. It's what he said the night he won me over. "Congratulations, Peeta. Emotional and physical checkmate." I sigh and sit upright. "Nicely done," I say to no one.

After endless hours of lying here, I decide that maybe I should get going. The sun is starting to set and still the Games go on. I take a deep breath and start gathering my packs together. There's the food that we never ate, the blankets we never needed—things that I will probably end up using on my journey through the arena. When everything is in the two packs, I feel around in the now-dark cave for my jacket and come across the sleeve.

"I'll win these Games. I'll kill them all for you, Peeta." I slip the jacket on over my arms because I'm finally starting to feel the chill of the air outside. Taking one last look around to see if I'm missing anything, I stand up and start walking to the cave, packs in hand. As I'm about to leave, I put my hands in my jacket pockets for warmth, but I find something in the right pocket. I take the mystery item out and discover that it's an empty wrapper. What? I drop everything, rip the jacket off, and examine it in the light of the setting sun. The first thing I notice isn't the color black as opposed to maroon, but instead, the number twelve stitched into the back. Looking at the damn thing makes me want to die, but I can't afford death at this point. Sighing, I put the jacket back on, pick up the bags, and walk out into the open arena. "I swear it. I'll win like you wanted me to, even if I have to kill them all myself. I promise."

A/N: And…that's that. Let me know how you feel about this and if the experience was as emotionally tumultuous for you as it was for me and my Cato writing it. Also, please let us know if Sam did her job and made you cry…I'll see you all soon, dear readers. xx