A/N: This is the first chapter where K/C gets a little steamy, so little warning for anyone who is uninterested in reading that. Just skip the section between the three lines! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far, there is not a whole lot left. I do plan on writing a second, and taking them through the entire series. So don't fret, there is much more to come! Happy reading!

"I am so sorry, my baby boy. I never wanted this for you. I never wanted you to end up there." Tears were rolling down my mother's cheeks as she whispered to me. Her face was so heartbroken, staring down as I curled in her lap. I knew I wouldn't see her for a long time, knew what was coming, knew we had no other option.

I tried to stay strong, keeping my chin held high for her. Maybe, if I didn't cry, she wouldn't either. But then, my eyes drifted to Alice. Toddling across the floor, playing with a small ragdoll I had made for her. The tears came without me ever realizing it.

"I know Mommy. I will come back someday, I promise." I wept into her, wrapping my arms around her neck. A few pounds on the door made me jump, digging my face farther into her neck, wrapping my arms tighter around her.

"You have to be strong my boy. You can't ever forget that this is not who we are. You can't ever lose your empathy my boy. Killing is not a game, it is a tragedy. Remember?" Her voice was rushed now.

"I remember." The pounding at the door became louder now, I knew they were here for me. Alice began to cry, running over to where we sat. She climbed between us; her tiny hands fisted into my shirt.

"Bub-bub" She wailed, hiding her face in my shoulder. Words were always difficult for her when she was upset. I pried my arm from around my mother, bringing Alice into her embrace. My mother was whispering into my ear now, fast instructions, whispers that would echo in my head for years to come. The door flew from its hinges.
"No! NO!" My mother was frantic now, refusing to accept reality. I felt hands wrapping around me, pulling me from her. I screamed as they separated us, Alice's wailing lost in the commotion. I was holding onto her now with only one hand, barely hanging on.

"I promise! I promise! I love you!" I screamed to her, one last goodbye.

And then I let go.

"Cato" A soft voice in my ears, "Cato, can you hear me?"

An angel was whispering to him, the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. It soothed the pounding pain in his head and the aching in his body. His eyes opened to dim light, the angel leaning over him.

Katniss.

She was better, awake. Her face had regained all it's color. The dark, terrifying veins that had been crawling up her neck were no longer visible. Her arrows were visible over her shoulder. Her eyes were open, revealing the beautiful grey color he had missed. She was alive. He felt a grin spread across his face at the realization that he had saved her.

"Hey" she smiled and cupped his face. "Hey there, good to see you're still living. I was worried there for a bit."

"Worried?" His voice was raspy, "Why would you be worried about me?" He asked, emphasizing the last word.

"Well, I woke up yesterday afternoon and you were all messed up in a massive pool of blood next to me. What happened?" She asked.

Oh god, she has no idea. About any of it, about the poison, or the feast, or… oh fuck, the rule change.

"The knife, Clove's knife. It was poisoned." He decided to start with. He sat up, the sleeping bag falling off of him left his bare chest exposed to the cool air. He felt goosebumps spread across him.

"Clove is dead." Katniss answered simply.

"I know." He put his hand to his head, finding a bandage instead of the running blood this time.

"Did you kill her?" She asked, sliding closer to him.

He looked at her, "No." She cocked her head to the side, questions in her eyes. "No, Thresh did."

"Thresh?" Katniss shook her head.

"There was a feast. You were dying, you needed the antidote. Brutus couldn't afford it, they jacked up all of the prices. So, I went. Clove almost killed me, but then Thresh heard her talking about Rue… and he killed her." He explained. His arm was throbbing, the dull ache had risen to a sharp pain after his fight with Clove. Katniss was silent, absorbing the information.

"You look better." He said simply, raising his hand to her head. The fever was gone.

"I'm fine. My side hurts, but you… you stitched it up pretty well. I don't think I'm still poisoned?" She looked down at her hands.

"No, you're not. You had these big black veins all across your body, and you just looked- you looked like you were dying." He cupped her face in his hand, the fire that ran up his arm had been long missed.

"Oh, well I am sure you're glad I'm back to my prettier self then." She chided.

He scoffed at her, pulling her towards him. They were only a breath apart, their lips almost touching. Her body pressed against his bare chest made the fire even more intense. He wondered how he had ever survived with all of the layers between them before.

"Katniss, you look beautiful even when you're dying." He smirked at her, before crashing his lips to hers. They were frantic now, the days spent with one of them unconscious dying, separating them. All of the pain and heartache he felt while watching her die slowly, he poured into this kiss. She healed it with a singular touch, her hand running up his back. Leaving a trail of fire across his bare, scarred skin, before twisting in his hair. He pulled away from her begrudgingly, there was one more thing she needed to know.

"There's something else." He breathed. Katniss' breath was ragged, desperate for him to return.

"What?" She pulled back and looked him in the eyes, sensing the serious tone in his voice.

"When they announced the feast, they announced something else." He told her, a smile spreading across his face.

"What is it, Cato?" She asked.

"We can both win. They changed the rules. Two people can win as long as one is a male and the other is female." The smile on his face was wider than he had ever smiled before. Katniss was silent, staring at him at shock for a moment before her grin appeared and she was leaping into his arms.

"Oh my god! Holy shit! Holy shit! We can win! Oh god" She exclaimed, pulling back to plant kisses all over his face. She peppered him, smiling and laughing. He didn't think he had ever seen her look this happy before.

"I get to come home with you, love." He smiled at her, unable to contain his own joy.

"We can win." She said simply, a bright smile on her face before leaning in to kiss him once more.

This kiss was feverish, all joy and desperation. They moved in sync, a sudden need for one another rising as their lips moved. He felt the fire consume him once more, smiling into the kiss and slipping his tongue across her lips. She moaned into his mouth as she climbed on top of him, her legs wrapping around his waist as she strattled him. He felt his own arousal begin as he pulled her closer, her hands running across his bare chest, wrapping around him. He pulled her too him, as rough as he dared to be, threading his hand in her braid, and forcing her head even closer to him. He heard her whimper his name as her hands traced the scar she had ages ago, and suddenly the realization dawned on him that he was completely naked aside from his boxers.

"Katniss," He broke the kiss, her breathless in his lap, "Where the fuck are my clothes?"
She blushed as he broke out in laughter, bashful as she pointed to tiny gap in the rock where sunlight streamed into the cave. His clothes were wet, lying out on the rock to be in the sunlight. "They were covered in blood and mud, and I needed to dress your wounds… so I took them off and washed them." She answered, obviously uncomfortable.

"Katniss, you naughty little thing!" He teased her, "Did you sneak a peek while you were playing nurse? I won't be mad." He smirked at her.

She scowled at him, smacking his arm playfully, "In your dreams."

He laughed then, the shaking of his body causing pain to shoot through him. He ignored it, too enthralled by the happy energy they shared now.

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to be naked for a bit while my clothes dry. Very smart move Katniss." He smirked at her once more, flexing his arms. She blushed again.

"Shut up you pig, maybe I hate it."
He pulled her closer again, threading his hands into her braid and pulling her close. She let out a soft moan as he raised his hips up, allowing her to feel him for the first time. "No, I don't think you do." He whispered to her, crashing his lips onto her. They were a flurry of kisses and wandering hands for a moment before he slipped the sheath of arrows from her back. He opened her jacket, slipping it from her shoulders. Her nails dug into his back as he slipped his hand up the back of her shirt, he dipped his head leaning forward to place a trail of kisses up her neck towards the back of her ear.

He lingered there for a moment, sucking and nibbling at the skin before he regained control of himself and just placed one kiss over the spot. Katniss tried to pull him back towards him to place her mouth on his again, but he stayed still.

"Not while everyone is watching, beautiful." He whispered in her ears, wrapping his arms around her. She gasped, realization hitting her that they had just done that in front of the entire nation.

"But don't think I am anywhere near done with you yet." He smirked into her ear; his voice so low that he was sure the mics would not pick it up. He felt her body flush for a moment as they stayed locked in their embrace.

They sat in comfortable silence, arms wrapped around one another, as they calmed themselves down. When the thunder started, and the sunlight turned into grey fog, they stayed there. It must have been nearly half an hour before Katniss finally whispered to him,

"We can go home." Her voice filled with hope, a smile in her voice.

Yes Katniss, we can go home.