Dangerous Love

~11

"Brook get the door," Finnick shouted from the kitchen.

"It's your house Finnick," I sighed and made my way to the door. The door opened before I got there and Crixus came in.

"Ah, hello Baby Odair," he said taking a sip from his bottle, alcohol hitting my nose.

"You have a new drink?" I asked as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me to the living room.

"Yep. They call it whiskey," he said taking another sip. "You've got a few more years then you can try it."

"I know what whiskey is. My father used to drink it."

"Ah, I drink too because I have to deal with two Odairs," Crixus said taking a seat next to Mags and kissed her temple.

"But, my father is also an Odair," I whispered as I grabbed a seat on the floor as Annie and Finnick came in from the kitchen.

"Ah, you all ready to hear what heinous idea the Capitol comes up with for this third Quarter Quell?"

All the Victors had gathered at Finnick's house to hear the announcement of the seventy-fifth Hunger Games. The anthem started on the television and I pulled my knees to my chest as Crixus went on.

"The twenty-fifth the people of the districts had to vote on the two tributes. The fiftieth double of the tributes were reaped. Ah, they might do triple the tributes."

I rested my head on my knees as President Snow appeared on the screen. I was hit with revulsion at his snake eyes and had to swallow the bike don't as he began to talk about the games and the past two Quarter Quells and then he went on to announce the rules for the third Quarter Quell.

My heart started to pound and my hands began to shake. I was safe but the poor kids of the district would have to face whatever he announces and I would have to help those poor kids to live through the games.

"On the Seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of Victors."

I started blankly at the television watching Snow's lips move but not comprehending the words. I'm to be safe. The winner of the games is to be safe.

This is all my fault. I was unable to stop the rebellions. I should have died in the arena. Keeping myself and Cato alive brought all this. I put everyone in this room in danger. I put Cato back in danger.

Annie's cries shake me from my stare and I turned my head to the other Victors. All in states of shock, fear and anger.

A hand touched my shoulder and I turned to Crixus. He was holding his bottle of whiskey out to me with a grim look on his face. "I think it's time for your first drink Baby Odair."

I turned away from him and stood up. I couldn't breath. I started towards the front door and I could hear Finnick calling for me.

I stumbled down the porch steps and into the cold air. I still couldn't breath as I started towards my house rubbing my chest. I threw the door open and could hear that my phone was ringing. The ringing stopped and then started up again seconds later.

I stumbled to the phone and then sank to the floor with the phone in my hand. With shaking hands I held the phone to my ear.

"Brook!" Cato's panicked voice sounded across the phone. I took a deep breath as tears streamed down my face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" I sobbed.

"Sorry?" He sounded confused. "None of this is your fault."

"I should have died. Snow is doing this because I wouldn't kill you. I broke the rules."

"Then I'm at fault to. It was my plan to kill ourselves."

"No. It's me-"

"Well we just won't play into his plan." Cato said as Kato the cat, climbed into my lap purring against my arm.

"What do you mean?" I asked wiped tears of my cheeks and taking a deep breath.

"Snow wants one of us to go into the games. Both our districts have multiple Victors. Neither of us will go in. Promise me. Promise that neither of us will go back in. We know this is his plan. Us not going will anger him. We can't play into his hand. Promise me Brook. Promise me."

"I promise Cato. I promise not to go back in the games."

"I promise to," Cato said and sighed. "See I always have a plan." I sniffed and pulled Kato against my chest and purred against my throat. "I wish I was there with you."

"I wish that too. We really should have just ran away that night when the train was refueling.

Cato chuckled. "Yeah we should have. Living together off the land." A thud sounded him his side of the phone and I sat up straight.

"Cato?" I said.

"Fuck," he said and sighed. "I have to go Brutus is here. I'll talk with you later. Think of me to keep your nightmares away."

"I love you," I whispered.

"And I love you."

The phone went dead and I held Kato to my chest As I crawled to the dying fire in my fire place. I gave myself a wide breadth from the fire and curled myself around Kato. I fell asleep the thoughts of Cato's arms around me.

But the nightmares still came.