Katniss laid in her bed. She was trapped in herself. Cato had died. Her heart was dead there was nothing for her. She knew that she should fight her way back. She could hear the cries of Prim encouraging her to come back. She could even hear the voice of her mentor. She could not understand what he was saying. She just wanted to die and join her Cato.
Yet, fate had other desires for her. Five months after her arrival in 12 she awoke. She awoke in Victors Village with anger and fire. She dressed and left for her woods. She grabbed her father's bow and shot at everything. She stopped at her old home in the Seam.
She had just set her catch on her old table when she heard a voice. "I wondered if I would ever see that fire again."
"Haymitch. How did you know?" Katniss glared.
"I am not stupid. I made sure to know who you were. I wanted and needed you to wake. The Capitol is not happy with you. They expected you to die here. I knew your fire could not be burned out yet. You have no idea what you have started. How many are looking to you?"
Katniss threw her knife in Haymitch's direction. "I am not happy with the Capitol either. Why could they not let me die like Cato? Why could I not join him? I have nothing but Prim now. There will never be another."
"I understand your pain, Sweetheart. I have been there. I also know that there is something greater at work here that is beyond you, me, and the Capitol. You are the center of it."
Katniss rushed him and pushed him into the wall. She held her arm at his throat. There was fire and steel in her voice. "I do not give a damn. The Capitol can go to hell. If I could; then I would kill Snow myself; however, I feel that he is already dying. He has the look of death. I would love to speed it up alongside the Gamemakers, Sponsors and all those that relish watching innocent children become murderers. It is sickening. They are all sick. They can all go to Hell. I pray that I never have to step foot back in that place, because I do not think that I could control myself. I have nothing."
She pushed away from Haymitch. She collapsed on the floor. "He made the fire in me rise with just a look. His ice sent shivers through my body, and my fire would answer. I could feel it tingle and warm my blood. Cato was it for me. There will never be another for me. I am doomed to a lonely life like my mother."
She wiped the tears. She looked up at Haymitch with sadness and fire in her eyes. "I want to improve the Seam. We could take the meadow near the fence and plant some crops for the Seam. I want to fix the houses. Prim and the Seam are my focus now. Everyone else including the Capitol can go to hell. I am done. I just want to be left alone. If they cannot leave me alone; then I hope everyone is prepared to burn, because I will burn them all before, I let my fire die."
She stormed out of her house and stomped to the Hob. She quickly passed out her catch to everyone and spoke to them all. She assured them that she would be fine, and everything will get better. She never watched Haymitch speak to a person down an ally.
Cato was in the training room when Brutus came up to him and whispered. "You need to watch the screen. You might see something that will interest you."
Cato nodded he understood. His days consisted of working at the Academy and drinking himself to sleep at night and dreaming of his Fire Girl. He sat in front of the screen. He watched Caesar talk about next month's announcement for the 3rd Quarter Quell. The screen flickered. His bottled dropped. He heard Katniss' voice. "Haymitch. How did you know?"
He walked up to the screen. He placed his hands to go over Katniss' face. He could hear the fire in her voice and see it in her eyes. He watched her collapse as she spoke about him and doomed to a lonely life. "You are not alone. I am here. Just believe." He froze the screen at the end and fell to the floor. He knew that they were going to kill her.
A month had gone by since the video of Katniss aired. He watched as they announced the Quarter Quell. The Victors were to be reaped again. He knew that Katniss was going back to the arena. He knew that he was going to be there with her. If they kill her; then he wanted his last moments to be with her. If she died, then he would too.
He watched as Peacekeepers come and go. He watched more and more Hovercrafts appear. He knew that other districts rebelled after Katniss' appearance. He was playing everything close to his chest. He was just bidding his time. Time could not move much slower.
He intensified his training including survival. He knew that he was going to back in the arena. He watched as the older victors also started to increase their training. They watched and whispered about him. He never said his intention of volunteering, but they knew he would. They watched and advised.
The day of reaping had finally arrived. He watched as Enobaria was called as the female tribute. She was angry. They all were. Their escort was about to reach for the male's name when Cato stepped forward. "I volunteer as tribute." He smiled as he spoke the same line a year ago and did not wait. He turned and glared at the other male tributes to argue. They all nodded.
He was on his way back to the games. They took them straight to the train. He waited for each tribute train to arrive. He wanted to be one of the first people she saw. It was noon of the second day. He heard the Tribute train from 12. It was the last one. He could feel people begin to push against him. He turned and glared. Everyone stepped back. He did not have his sword, but these people watched him snapping people's neck with his bare hands.
The person he saw was Haymitch. He smiled and nodded. He stepped aside. Katniss stepped down and Haymitch nudged her arm. He nodded his head towards Cato. She stopped. She shook her head. She threw herself at Cato. "If this is a dream; then I never want to wake. Don't let me go."
He held her tight against his chest. He breathed in her scent. "It is not a dream. I am here. You truly melted my heart. I do not plan on letting you go."
He placed his hands on either side of her face. He brought their lips together. Steam rose as passion quickly began to engulf them. "I am sorry. This is all my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut. I did not know that I was being recorded." She leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered. "This is their plan to kill me. They will not let me walk out of the arena."
Cato nodded his understanding as he moved them through the crowd. He watched as Cinna and her prep team took her away. Cinna nodded towards Cato. Cato watched her disappear. He watched as Portia, Peeta's stylist last year came and took him away. He sat and waited. He was dressed as an ice warrior. He knew something was going on because the parade had started.
Soon, Cinna appeared. He directed Cato to the chariot. He watched as Haymitch rode in the 11th chariot with Chaff. He felt Katniss step up next to him. "They lied to you both. They tried to keep you two apart. Show them now that they are beneath you, and you can't be separated. I am still betting on you, Girl on Fire." Cinna smiled and stepped away as the chariot began to move. Katniss leaned over and kissed him. He noticed the flames and steam. She was stunning. It was the burning ember of coal. He watched as she glared into the screen and the audience as they shouted for her. His eyes became iced steel as they came closer to the podium. She glared into the eyes of President Snow and surprised him by smiling and winked at the President. He felt his hand being squeezed. He squeezed her hand back.
Cato took a moment to look. He noticed virtually all the districts were mixed. He noticed 1, 5 and 10 were not. Snow smiled but his eyes betrayed him. He knew that Snow was not allowing anyone to walk out of the arena. He knew that there was something more happening. He was determined to find out as soon as possible.