Rescue Me

Seventeen

I woke early the next morning by someone touching my shoulder. I quickly opened my eyes to see I was still in Cato's room in the hospital. It was Zane, I blinked a couple of times to allow the blurriness to go away.

"Sweetheart, don't you want to go to your own bed?" He asked. All that was heard in the familiar hospital room was the beeping of Cato's monitor. The nurse had given me a chair, but my knees were bruised from the amount of time I spent on the floor - next to him.

"I'm fine," I said grogginess was all that could be heard. "I want to be here when he wakes up." I heard him sigh as I rested my head on my arms again. Pain was the only thing I have been feeling lately. I haven't left this room in days, merely to go to the bathroom and then I return. I've skipped meals, I haven't seen my friends, and I haven't been to my room to actually sleep.

"That could be weeks," He said and touched my shoulder again. "Let me take a shift, go sleep in your room. Eat some breakfast, spend some time with your friends." I couldn't think of anything but Cato now that he was back. I certainly wouldn't be able to withhold a conversation with Roland if Cato was lying in this bed in an unconscious state.

"I don't want to leave him," I tell him in a whisper. I've been crying every so often, it felt good to have him here - but at the same time it felt like a tease. They have no idea what happened to him, because the other doctor, that's not related to me, can't read him correctly. They take his blood, there's nothing in his system. They do a test on his heart, it's perfectly fine. I just hope that he doesn't end up brain dead.

"I promise to get you if anything happens," He explained. I stared at Cato who had a tube down his throat now, and eventually sighed.

"Do you promise?" I asked. Cato's dad nodded and he helped me stand. I looked back at Cato and another sigh escaped my lips.

"I have a good feeling about him Kat," He reassured me. I didn't know if I could believe him or not. He seemed as if he didn't know the real truth. "He'll wake up eventually."

"Okay," Was all I could force out. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I should at least shower. "I'll be back later." I walked out of the room staring at my feet that shuffled through the medical floor. I see my father and he gives me a smile.

"Good to see that you left his room," He explained. I furrowed my eyebrows at his comment. "It's not healthy for you to stay in there all the time. You've gotten skinner, have you had a decent meal since he's been here?"

"I can't talk to you right now, it's too early," I muttered. I see the woman he was talking to staring at us a couple of feet back. She was in a nurses dress. "When are you going to introduce me to the woman you're interested in?"

"Soon enough, you seem to have a lot on your plate right now." I shrugged as I pulled my jacket closer to myself. I always have a lot on my plate, I'm in the process of learning to balance it. "Go get some sleep my darling."

And I did just that. I walked back to my room, peeled off my sweatshirt and climbed into my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

-

I woke up on my own this time. No one had shaken me awake for the first time in days. I glanced at the clock that hung on my wall. It read 2:36 PM. Usually this would bother me that I have woken up so late. But since I haven't had a good night sleep in days I deemed it to be okay.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the water. I stared at myself in the mirror and a look of disgust appeared. My hair was greasy, my skin was oily, I had bags underneath my eyes. I looked like the version of me that had just gotten out of the Hunger Games.

I stepped into the warm water and stayed there for a while. Allowing everything to slide off of me. This was the best feeling I've felt in the past couple of days. It was frustrating to still only be able to sit and not do anything for Cato. Once again it felt as if I were in a glass cage, just observing from the inside. I stepped out of the shower once I felt like I was clean and wrapped the towel tightly around my body.

After getting dressed, I stepped out of my room. I even felt my stomach growl as I started to walk around. I made my way to the cafeteria to see a bunch of familiar faces. It was lunch time for some, I woke up at the right time.

Roland takes a double take when he sees me. "Hey," He breathed. I respond with a closed mouth smile. "How are you?"

"Peachy." I grab some food and pull it into my plate. "I feel like shit."

"I'm sorry," He said genuinely. "Sometimes I wish I could take the pain away that you feel." I pursed my lips as I follow him back to the table. My eyes land on Aiden and he shifts uncomfortably. I sit down anyway, and Charlie sends me a warm smile.

"Hi Charlie," I said feeling myself start to warm up since he was here. Roland glanced at me since he didn't expect my tone.

"How are you feeling?" Charlie asked.

"I feel alright physically." He gives me a sorrow look. Nobody pushed me talking about my feelings again.

"So," Roland said and raised his eyebrows at me. "Coming back to the guard?"

"No no yet," I said blandly. I knew he was searching for things to say, but I wasn't in the mood to talk. I glanced at Aiden who just continued to stare at me rudely. I bet the bags hadn't disappeared. Charlie nudged Aiden as he continued to stare. "What have you guys been up to?"

"Guard, Rodgers has taken over since Colonel Hadley obviously can't be around much," Roland said. He thought at the mention of Cato's name I'd get upset, so he glanced at me. But I stayed the same, not angry nor upset and continued to poke at the food on my tray. I scooped some of the mashed potatoes up and put the spoon in my mouth.

"Have you heard about Katniss?" Aiden asked finally speaking words. I looked up, my eyebrows were furrowed. I saw Roland give him a look out of the corner of my eye.

"Why?" Aiden looked between the other boys. Had something happened to her?

"She was attacked, you didn't hear?" He asked.

"Dude," Charlie said and hit his shoulder roughly. Did they not want me to know?

"She deserves to know, aren't you two good friends?"

"What happened to her?" I asked. Why wouldn't anyone tell me?

"She was attacked," Aiden explained. My heart beat quickened it's pace. Who the hell would attack Katniss? She's like a idol around here. How could Coin let this happen?

"By who?" I asked quickly. Aiden looked at Charlie who looked at Roland.

"Peeta attacked her," He explained. Oh my god. I processed what I had just heard. Peeta attacked Katniss?

After this I got up and sprinted out of the cafeteria.