Children of The Games Chapter 49: Treating the Issues, a hunger games fanfic

First off, my friend LyndseyRyder12 still isn't back yet, and I am worrying about her. In case you forgot, she has a story called The Way Things Should Have Been, and it is a prequel to Children of the Games I am pretty sure. I think that is what we had discussed, but don't hold me to that. She is writing an awesome story, and it's like I said, AWESOME. I think all of you should read it when you have time. I don't think her chapters are that long, and there are only 6 or 7 I believe. She might also read and review on your stuff if you PM'd her and asked. She likes finding new reading material. Secondly, the role play is still open for audition by PM. I really would love for all of you to do it. I love the people I am talking with now. It seems like right now I am going to have a Katniss and a Snow, but even that isn't quite set in stone yet. I am still trying them out and seeing what I think. But I can't have a role play with 3 people. It wouldn't really be that fun. If you are interested in joining, send me a PM. PLEASE. I'd love to have you. And third and probably finally, this chapter is going to have some drama...just a warning. There might be language. There might be some intense love between some characters. There might be some breaking down and sobbing until people pass out. Ok, maybe not that last thing...or maybe I will do that. Not sure. I'll have to write it and see if I want to do that kind of chapter. Either way, it should be good. We shall see. Time for me to stop writing here and start writing the chapter, so I'll leave. See you later!

Luke POV-

"I don't understand...Liz and I are meant to be together...I need to stay here with her...please , give me another chance. I can't live without her. I need to be here when she is able to leave the hospital in three days. Please, let me stay with her."

I stand in front of Cato, trying as hard as I can to last through this talk. I've had a few one on one sessions with him before, but never like this. I've never felt scared enough to want to back out. And I've never felt sad either after it. Maybe a bit sympathetic for Cato and Clove, but not for myself. I had never felt bad for myself after one of these. Now I did.

"Luke, this is a lot better then the other option."

I know about this 'other' option. My father told it to me as soon as he and Cato discussed it, though I don't think that Cato knows that I know.

"The one you discussed with my father, sir?" I ask.

Cato looks shocked for a second, like I figured he would look, but his gaze only falters for a second before he goes back to what he looked like before. In the end, he nods, and then continues to stare me down.

"Yes." He says simply.

I know that I am giving him a blank look, but he doesn't falter in his expressionless stupor. He won't smile at me, or say a word. It's like he wants me to say everything he's thinking before he utters a word.

"I don't want to leave her." I reply.

Cato crosses his arms over his chest and scowls. "Do you think I care what you want right now, Luke?"

I fight for control over my own mind. I fight to keep his words and his thoughts out of my mind, but to little avail. Soon I am wondering what I am thinking, thinking I can marry Liz. I don't deserve her. I've hurt her too much already. It was only a matter of time until someone corrected me and sent me back to where I was supposed to be. District 12 is where I am supposed to be. I shouldn't have tried to make Cato and Clove like me. I shouldn't have tried to be the best boyfriend in the world, because here, in the end, it didn't matter. I was still going to be forced to leave the girl I cared about behind.

"I don't, sir. But I do think that you know Liz won't be happy about this either."

"I know, but-"

"No. Listen to me, Mr. Hirsch. I know that you know Liz won't be happy, and even if you don't care about the fact that I don't want to leave Liz, I do know that your a father, and father's care about their children's happiness. You care about what will make Liz happy. And you know that if you make me leave her, she won't be happy."

"Luke, I'm not trying to make you leave her for good. I'm not going to make her do anything terrible. I'm putting your relationship...on hold. Your going to leave this hospital when this conversation is over. Your going to go back to the hotel, get your things, and then you will go to the train station, with Effie, and your going to go back to District 12. Your going to stay there for three days. And then, you may come back to this hospital. And then, and only then, will I let you know whether you are still marrying my daughter or not."

I am confused beyond belief. On hold? He wants to make my relationship with Liz go on hold? How insane is he? Does he not get that the two of us are totally, and completely in love? We will not be separated, not for anything in this entire world. At least, I know I won't leave her for anything. I don't know how much self control Liz has, or if she can truly go against her parents and rebel if she had to. I don't want to ever make her have to find out if she can or can't.

It isn't my goal to try and rebel against Cato and Clove. I just want their daughter to have the best. And I honestly think that I am the best for her. I will fight for her as much as I have to without making her fight back.

"Luke, let me make this simple for you. I will put this into terms you will understand. I am making you leave here for three days, for while Liz is on her first set of treatments for the internal bleeding and the...heart attack. After that three day period, her body will have either decided she is better, or rejected it, and we'll have to try another set of treatments for her, this one lasting for 5 days instead of 3. Let me remind you that your wedding is in two weeks and five days, which is 19 days. If Liz has to go through her second treatment, there will only be 11 days left. If that second treatment does not work, they will put her on one more treatment plan, which lasts for 7 days instead of the original three, which will make it only 4 days until the wedding. If Liz does not react well to those treatments, then she will not be able to continue with non-invasive treatments. She'll have to get surgery to her heart, which will put her on bed rest for 8 weeks after that, totally going beyond your wedding date, and making everyone, particularly President Snow, extremely upset. My point to this story is that if Liz does not react well to that first set of treatments, then I am making Liz give her ring back to you. She will not be marrying you if she has to go through with more treatments."

I can only nod occasionally throughout all of this, pretending I understand all of it. All I really gathered from that huge thing is that Liz and I will not be getting married if she has to go through with more then one round of her treatments. I don't really understand how any of that has to do with how I could be good or bad for Liz, but I'm not about to protest about any of this. Oh wait...yes I am. I am totally going to protest on this.

"And how does this have to do with me?" I ask.

Cato tilts his head and looks at me, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Your not understanding one thing, Luke. Your the cause of Liz's heart attack. You said it to Clove and I yourself. And Liz is going through treatment for both a heart attack and internal bleeding, the original reason why she was here in the hospital. The treatment would have been fairly simple. If she had only had to go through treatment for the internal bleeding. But now she has to also go through the treatment for a heart attack, which is a little bit more challenging to handle. If it weren't for you, she would be able to leave within the next day and a half. But now she has to do treatments, and she won't be able to go home for at least another three days."

I feel so guilty. I didn't even think of it like that. I didn't realize that I was to blame for the issues Liz was facing. And now that I do know that I am the cause, I can understand why Cato wants me to leave. He wants Liz to be able to go through her treatments without thinking about me and what I did. What I could do. Until Liz is recovered, I should stay away. It would be a lot better for her. It's perfectly fair for Cato to ask that of me. And I have no right to be questioning it.

"I understand now, sir." I say glumly.

Cato gives me a small, sympathetic smile. "I know this is hard, boy. But you and Liz will both be better off with a little break. You should go home. Hang out with your friends for a few days. Have fun. I promise, I will have someone call you if Liz goes South on the charts...I mean, you'll know if something bad happens. Alright?"

I nod. "Yes sir. Give Liz a kiss on the cheek for me. Please." I say quietly.

"Of course. And if you don't mind...I don't want her to know I made you leave. Alright? Make up any reason you like. I'll even let you leave a note on her pillow. Just make sure she doesn't know I made you leave."

This is bogus! He wants me to lie to her! Yeah, because that's totally how I want my relationship to be! NOT! I won't argue. I won't. I can't, or this will only get worse.

I leave the room without another word, knowing if I say something, I'll regret it later. I have to fight not to respond to anything Cato says. I've decided that he wants me to crack. He wants me to say something bad so he has further proof that I am not right for his daughter.

I spot my parents sitting in Liz's room, my mother on one side, my father on the other, and Liz is sleeping, her breathing soft and gentle. Her face is pale, but her lips are shaped into a beautiful smile. She's dreaming about something wonderful, I can tell. And this is a dream, not a nightmare. I have never seen Liz have a nightmare, but I know that this isn't it somehow.

My mom sees me first, since she is facing me. "Luke," She whispers, motioning me inside. "Come on in."

I oblige, walking in and taking a seat at the foot of Liz's bed. My dad looks from Liz's sleeping face to mine.

"Has Cato told you yet?" He asks.

I nod. "Told you what?" My mother asks, her head snapping around to face my father and I.

"Luke has to leave for a few days so Liz can go through with her free. Or at least, that's what Cato's reasoning is."

My mom rolls her eyes. "Your joking. Tell me that your joking."

My dad takes her hand in his. "I can tell you anything you want me to, sweetie. But it doesn't make it true." He laughs and my mom rolls her eyes again.

"Let me try this again. Is Cato serious?"

My dad nods. "He is. This might be the only thing he's been serious about in the past few months."

"Well...I don't approve of this, Peeta. Go...go beat up Cato." She says, swatting my dad on the arm.

My dad makes a sound that I'm pretty sure is a cross between a laugh and a snort. "You want me to beat up Cato Hirsch? The scariest, most vicious Victor in the history of all the Hunger Games?"

My mom takes her hand out of my dads quickly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes. And your overreacting. Cato isn't that bad. Go do something about this, Peeta."

"But-" My dad protests.

"Now, Peeta!" My mother commands in a steely tone.

My dad doesn't make a move to get up. "I can't. He's already made up his mind. And when he makes up his mind, there is no changing it. I'm sorry, Katniss. But I can't do anything to counteract this. Otherwise bad things will happen. People will get hurt."

My mom nods. "Luke, go get your things from the hotel, and then come back here so we can all say goodbye before Liz wakes up. And I don't care whether Cato told you to or not, your leaving Liz a note saying where you went at the very least."

"Cato did tell me to do that, mom. He isn't entirely bad, you know."

Both my parents roll their eyes. "You didn't know them 15 years ago." My mom comments.

I walk out before they can start talking with their 'when I was your age' stories. I hate those with a passion.

Dr. Mars sees me at the reception area and gives me a smile, as if she knows what's going on. She stays at her station, because Clove is there with her talking, but her assistant, a nurse with blue skin, comes running over to me, smiling a huge smile with overly white teeth.

"Ohmygod, Luke! I heard that Liz is going into her treatment today. I just wanted to say that I feel really bad for you, and that I hope she doesn't die."

I blink a few times, trying to figure out how to respond to this. "Um...thanks...I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name. What is it?"

She bats her eyelashes for a second. "Uhhhhhhh...Velvet. My name is Velvet."

Her blonde hair falls into her eyes, and she flirtatiously flicks it out of her eyes.

"Alright, thanks. Got to go, Velvet, but I'll be back in a hour or two to say goodbye to my family. Then I'll be heading home for a few days."

Velvet throws a blue hand over her mouth. "That's tragic. Hurry back. We here in the Capitol love you so much, Luke."

I nod and walk out before she can do anything else, and as I'm leaving I swear I can hear her murmur 'Damn it Snow. Making me pretend my name is Velvet.' but then I dismiss that idea and leave it out of my brain. I don't know what I would do if she kissed me or something. I'd probably faint.

The hotel isn't too far away, so I don't bother getting a cab or anything. Within 20 minutes I'm back in the room Liz and I share. Some of her clothes still lay on the floor next to my pillow. I know what your thinking too, but it's not like that. She threw her clothes on the bed after she finished with her shower and getting her pajamas on. There wasn't any...any of that. So relax yourselves.

I collapse onto the bed face first and just cry. I cry until I feel better, because I couldn't cry when I was in Cato's presence.

But now I have nothing to hold me back. There's no reason for me to shelter my emotions from. I sob, my body shaking with every passing minute. I must have stayed there for 20 minutes before I finally remembered what I was doing there. And it wasn't sobbing into a pillow that smelled like Liz's vanilla shampoo and moping. It was to get my things so that I could leave and go home.

I pick up all my clothes off the floor, ignoring if they are clean or dirty, then go in the bathroom and grab my razor and shaving gel out of the medicine cabinet over the sink, and then being the good person I am, I wipe everything down and make sure the toilet seat is down. Liz will have this bathroom to herself for a few days at least if they release her from the hospital to be able to come here. Then I make the bed and, because I don't want to lose everything I have of Liz, and I don't know if I'll be seeing her in three days or three weeks(I'm extremely sure that Snow will still make us get married, even if Cato and possibly Clove do not approve.), I take one of her tank tops and put it into my suitcase as well with everything else.

I make sure that I have completely regained my composure, and then I walk out of the hotel and back to the hospital, ignoring Velvet the creepy nurse, Clove, and even Dr. Mars as I am walking back to Liz's room. I'm careful to make sure that Liz is asleep before I walk in. I don't want her to have the opportunity to see me before I leave. That would mean a tearful goodbye, and a in depth explanation of why I am leaving, where I'm going, and all the general information I really do owe Liz. She deserves to know all of this stuff. She deserves to have her boyfriend by her side at every second of every day, and I intend to be there for her as soon as my three day separation from her is over. I hate to sound mean and evil, but if Liz's treatment doesn't work, it isn't really and truly my fault. I'll feel terrible of course, but I don't know if I would say all of this is my fault...partially. I have internally decided for myself that I am partially responsible for Liz's condition, but not all of it, like what Cato thinks.

Liz is still asleep, so I walk inside wordlessly, kissing her on the forehead. Nobody else is in the room, so I sit down on the edge of her bed, and I just look at her. She looks so peaceful. I can see the wires sticking out of her arms, helping her to breathe just in case she might be having any trouble...it pains me to see her looking so weak. For a girl who is always so strong and brave, it's strange seeing her look so vulnerable.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

I turn around to see Clove leaning in the door frame, smiling at me, her grey eyes bright.

"Yes. She's...she's more then beautiful." I reply.

"I said the same thing when she was born. Back then we could barely see her, since she didn't have a lot of hair obviously, and she didn't have teeth yet and everything, but even when she was a baby, we, Cato and I, we knew that she was just going to grow up to be so beautiful. A lot of people say that she has more of me then her father, but I think she has more of her dad then she does me. He's...well, he's more attractive then me in general. I have the personality, he has the looks."

I laugh. "I don't want to respond to that. Your husband would beat me up if I said what I wanted to."

Clove raises an eyebrow. "Like you beat him up?" She asks.

I gulp, swallowing the growing lump in my throat and trying my hardest to fight my tears. "I'm so sorry."

Clove comes over to me, putting her hand on my shoulder. "And I forgive you. Cato...not so much, as I'm sure you could tell. But I do, and that's all that matters. Nobody really cares about anything Cato says."

"I kind of do."

Clove pouts. "Darn. I thought there was someone who didn't. Everyone cares about what he says."

Both of us burst into laughter. "I'm sorry Cato is bullying you out of being here. I really do wish you could stay to be here and see Liz recover."

I smile at her. "I wish I could be too. It's alright. I need to go home. My friends have missed me, so I can spend a little time with them, and...I don't mean to be mean, but how do you know Liz is actually going to recover?"

Clove snorts. "Luke, being mean is respected in my family. Feel free to be mean anytime you feel like it, because I will never, ever criticize that. And as for Liz...I don't know that she'll recover. But I have to hope that she will, because she's my little girl. And she has to recover, because she has to marry you. She has to have something in her life that is able to be enjoyed."

"She loves you a lot too, Clove."

"Yeah, I know. Just write your note and leave, before Cato realizes your still here."

"Can you keep him occupied for another 15 minutes?" I ask.

"Yes. Absolutely. I...I'll do something." She replies, pulling the top of her shirt down a little bit. "Yeah, I can totally do something."

She turns around and leaves, and I go for a piece of paper and a pen, writing a note to Liz quickly.

Liz,

Don't worry. I'm not dead. I'm perfectly fine, and at home. My friends have been sending me messages on instant message, and they really miss me. I feel bad making them think I don't care about them anymore. I'm going back to District 12 for three days to spend some time with them and check in with Madge on the whereabouts of the Games(otherwise known as making sure that none of my friends are getting Reaped this coming year for the Games and that I won't be a mentor. I really don't want to be there). I promise, I will be back in three days, and I will be thinking about you every second. Good luck in your treatments, though I know you won't need it. I know you'll be just fine. I love you.

-Luke

I sit the note down on the bedside table, give Liz a quick kiss on the lips, and then I walk out, making sure not to look back. Effie is in the hallway to make sure that I am actually leaving, to Cato's joy, and she quickly walks me down the hall.

"Come, come. We have to get to the train station...and away from Cato...he scares me. But no matter, let's go home. I'm sure your friends missed you terribly."

"Yeah. I'm sure they did." I say, smiling, for Effie's sake. I can tell she is trying to be as positive about this as possible. And I am trying to be positive back, because a depressed Effie is not something you want. Like...at all.

I'm sure I'll be just fine.

Liz POV-

I open my eyes when I feel the pinch in my arm. Instantly I figure that one of my IV's have come out, so my hand flies to my right arm, where I find that all of the IV's are in fact still poked into my arm, and only hurt when I touch them, so I stop touching them.

I then see a nurse poking a needle into my arm, her mint green skin making my skin look even paler. "Ow!" I shoot, as she presses all of the liquid in at once and increases the force. "Well, you've gotten through your first injection. There are three more today, and then you have to take some pills, and then you are going to go back to sleep for a few hours, and then we'll do some blood work, and we'll get our day one observation. Then we'll repeat the process tomorrow. Sound good?" The nurse says in a high pitched voice.

I can only nod, pretending I'm alright with this. I hate needles, blood, and pills...god I hate this treatment so far.

"We can do all the needles at once if you want." She adds. It's like she can sense my discomfort, though I doubt she could see the emotion when it's hidden so well.

"How many more do I have?" I ask.

"Three." She answers.

I nod. "Alright. But...this is going to sound weird...are there going to be other nurses doing it?"

"We can get other people to do it if you want. Would it make you feel better to have your parents do two of them, and I can do the other one?"

I smile. "Yes please. That would make me feel a lot better." I laugh.

The nurse smiles at me and leaves the room, no doubt off to find my parents. I reach on the bedside table, looking for the cup of water I swore I put there last night. It isn't there, but in the spot where it was there is a folded piece of white paper, and I pick it up, worried it's a note from Snow. What could he want this time? To my shock, it isn't a note from Snow. It's a note from Luke.

Liz,

-Luke

I refold the note, touched at how he said he loved me, and how he knew I was going to be just fine. That makes me feel a lot better, though I do still worry about him. I mean, couldn't he have given me more notice? He left so...suddenly. And he didn't even wake me up to let me know. He left a note, which shows he cared enough to want me to know about it, but at the same time...I'm going to miss him. Doesn't he know how important this treatment is? It's really important, and I really wish he was here with me, helping me and guiding me through it.

"Hey there, sickie." I can hear my dad before he's at my side, even though I'm still focused on the note sitting in my lap.

"Cato, stop calling her that. It's not going to help at all." My mother says sternly.

Katniss and Peeta follow them into the room a minute or two later, settling on one side of the bed while my parents are on the left, so they can do two of the three injections. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Katniss glaring daggers at my dad, and my mom is trying to smile and make it seem like it isn't happening. Peeta has a look of absolute terror on his face, but of what I have no idea.

The nurse walks in holding a tray with three syringes on it. I can see the needles. They are huge.

"Oh my god!" I practically scream.

"Don't look at them." Peeta instructs, covering my eyes.

"Peeta, get off of me." I laugh, and everyone else laughs too. Peeta uncovers my eyes, but he pushes my chin so I am looking at him and Katniss.

"I'm going to give your parents the syringes now. Alright? Just keep looking at Katniss and Peeta for me. Ok sweetie?" the nurse says.

"Ok." I murmur, choking back the tears I don't want coming out. Katniss gasps, and then covers her mouth with one hand.

"It'll be over before you know it." Peeta says gently.

"Here. Hold my hand. Squeeze it when it hurts." Katniss adds, and I take her hand, grasping it tightly.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your hand." I chuckle, and Katniss looks at me with a smile on her face. "It's fine. I've had my hand squeezed really hard before. I doubt you can do it any harder then your mother."

She looks at my mom, and I know my mom is probably glaring at her right now, but now I'm curious.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was there when she was in labor with you. She was there with me. And we...held each others hands. Squeezed each other when it hurt."

"Really?" I ask, kind of stunned.

"Yeah. It was one of Snow's ideas. We were hanging out on my porch when your mother went into labor...and well, I had to support her as a friend."

"That is true. I didn't have a mom there to help me. Not that my mother would have helped me if I went into labor anywhere else."

The only thing I can think to say is "I was born on your porch, Katniss?"

Peeta laughs. "Yup. We were all there. Luke was an infant, and I gave him to Katniss' sister Prim and ran outside to...um...comfort your father."

"Comfort him?" I ask.

"Mmmmhmm. Your dad was in hysterics. Probably more then I was." My mom laughs.

I feel the pinch of the first needle in as I'm laughing. "OW!" I scream. Then the pain of the second one comes in, and the third, and I squeeze Katniss's hand so hard I'm sure I'm cutting off circulation.

"Sorry." I choke out.

"It's fine, honey. Take a deep breath." I do as she says and find that I feel a lot better. And then the pain is gone, and I look over, seeing the empty syringes. "Sorry, sweet pea. Went as fast as we could." My dad mumbles, looking down at my arm, where there are three little puncture wounds, blood at the surface. Katniss gives me a little half squeeze half hug and my mom copies her, probably worried Katniss is acting more like my mother then she is. I don't blame her. I'm just glad she's doing something for once.

"You did awesome, baby." My dad says, squeezing my left hand. Pain ripples down my arm, and I cringe.

"Sorry." He mutters, taking his hand off mine.

"Oh, what a lovely picture." I hear a snake like voice say.

I look to the doorway, seeing President Snow.

"I am sorry to interrupt. But I wanted to announce the mentors of next years Games. I thought maybe you would like to know them, seeing as all of the people in this room are Victors."

I roll my eyes and see my parents doing the same. I'm sure Katniss and Peeta are doing the same. I know Luke would be if he were here.

"Who are they?" I ask.

"Well, for District 2, it will be Cato Hirsch for the male mentor, and Elizabeth Hirsch Mellark for the female mentor."

"Oh joy. A father daughter team." I mutter.

"Oh, it gets better, Liz darling. Where is your sweet little...boy toy?"

Nobody makes a move to say anything, so I decide to reply myself. I would hate to keep Snow waiting.

"I'm afraid you just missed him. He's probably on a train right now, on his way back to District 12."

Snow's lips pull back, exposing his overly white teeth. "That is a shame. I'm sure he would have loved to know the mentors for his district."

Katniss rolls her eyes. "Yes, yes, Snow. Do tell us. I already know I'm the female mentor. Who's the male?"

"Your son. It's a family affair for the four of you, eh?" He laughs.

I can feel my jaw drop in shock, but I regain my cool quickly.

"Oh, so this isn't enough for you? You want Luke and I to be driven even farther apart, don't you?"

"Well, I would never, ever want-"

"Bullshit! YOU WOULD. YOU DO, and...a-and you want Luke and I to fall out of love. Argue. Kill off each others tributes and direct them to do things that would make the other mad just so one of them could possibly survive. Your a sick, tw-twisted man, Snow."

I'm crying now, more then I want to. I don't like crying in front of anyone, least of all my parents and President Snow. Especially not together. But now I don't even care. I feel terrible, and my parents both shelter me between them.

"Leave, Snow." Peeta says gently.

"I don't think I will." Snow replies.

"Please, do leave." Katniss adds.

"No thank you." Snow says icily, tossing me a smirk as I'm still sobbing.

"GET OUT! CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH!" My mom shrieks.

Snow only laughs. "Leave, or so help me...I'll call off the wedding."

That makes the wicked old man stop. He doesn't like his power possibly being taken away. Not in the slightest.

"Good day, Hirsch's. Mellark's." And with that, he's gone.

My dad turns to me. "Are you alright? No heart palpitations or anything?"

I shake my head. "Good." He growls. "Give me your engagement ring." He says.

"What?" I ask, but he's already down on my hand pulling the ring off my finger. I still haven't finished my crying yet, and I certainly won't stop after what my dad said after this.

"What? Dad! Give that back."

"Your relationship with Luke is on hold. If this treatment works, you and Luke will still be allowed to be together and be married. If not, well then...this thing you two have is over."

Nothing could have prepared me for that.

Alright, there's the chapter. I hope you all liked it. Please, leave me a review, and tell me what you are thinking. I would love to hear from you and know what you are thinking. The role play(RP) is still open, so PM me if you are interested, or just put it into your review, and then we'll be all set for that. I am also very open to having ideas, so if you have any of those, please PM me with them(and please, do PM them to me. I don't want people to happen to see them, and then have me use them and they already know what's going to happen. That would be bad.). Until next time, au revoir(this means farewell until next time in French)! Also, I did all of this with no spell check, so hopefully it's ok.