If It Means A Lot To You (A Hunger Games Au)

Chapter 4

Marley woke up, jerking to sit straight. She was breathing heavily, looking around at her surroundings, until they landed on the sleeping figure a few feet away from her. She reached out to shake him by the shoulder.

"Niall?"

The boy stirred, mumbling slightly before turning around and blinking lazily over at Marley. When his eyes came into focus, he sat quickly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Marley?"

She didn't say anything, instead looking at their surroundings. "How far did we get?" Niall asked as he watched the girl look around the woods. "Marley," she looked over at him, "how far did we get?"

"I dunno. We're pretty far deep in the woods, though. I'm thinking we're almost to the end of it."

Niall nodded, "We should start walking." Marley smiled at him, both standing and packing their things.

*

He watched in the shadows of the trees, making himself unseen to the two teens of District 12. He had been running after them ever since the beginning, not once loosing the trail of the two. It had been hard at first, following the girl. Thinking of it now, he might as well kill them. What's the point in stringing out their lives? It'll only be a matter of minutes before he attacks them. now, he just needs the right moment...

*

"Stop." Niall said quickly, his hand shooting out to halt the girl. Marley looked over at him with questioning eyes.

"What's wrong?"

As Niall attempted to reach out for the blade hidden in his jacket, the loud shot of a cannon was heard. The two turned to each other before sprinting in the opposite direction.

They ran quickly, making sure they didn't run into anybody on the way. They stopped abruptly, Niall taking in a sharp breath. He looked around carefully to make sure his eyes weren't lying to him. Marley, who was behind him, wiped her eyes quickly, making sure that she wasn't crying on film, at least not like this; not with tears in her eyes.

"I thought they collected them."

Niall looked around, his eyes sweeping over the scene, landing on a boy a few feet away. He walked over carefully, bending down to pull the spear from the dead boy's grip.

"What District?"

"Seven."

"Yeah; Mine."

Niall's heart stopped. After the voice called out, everything seemed to slow down.

He turns.

He sees her.

They make eye-contact.

She loads the bow she has.

She pulls; and releases.

He screams.

And then... and then he doesn't know.

Everything seemed to slow down, and then everything seemed to quicken. Moving quickly, he throws the spear, running towards Marley. She falls slowly in his arms, the arrow clutched in her fist.

"Niall." Her breath hitches.

"Im here. I'm here." Niall replies, brushing the hair away from Marley's face. Her eyes are fighting to stay open, her other hand intertwined with Niall's.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry."

"Niall, it's not you're-"

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry."

Marley, in spite of her state, smiled up at him. She sighs, "Look at me. I was willing to do eveything to stay alive. I followed you, and was the look-out. And I couldn't even do that right."

"No, Marley," Niall argued quietly, "You were amazing. it was me who turned my back. I'm so sorry."

She hissed in pain quietly, before talking once more,

"You know, when I was little, I always used to tell my older brother what fun it would be to play these games. That was, until I knew what the games were really about; And because my brother was reaped three years ago.

"I thought it was unfair that he was going to be able to play in the capital while I stayed at home. And that was when my mom told me what the games really were. I didn't know what to say. I lost my brother, lost my best friend, and all I could do is cry.

"But that's really it isn't it. We can't all win this. Not even the victors."

"Marley-"

"Niall," Marley whispered, their eyes never once leaving each other's, "you have to go home. You can't leave your family. Not like I left mine. Please, take care of them both."

Niall hushed her softly, "It's okay. I' not leaving. You're okay. I'm right here."

It was useless to tell her lies, as he watched through teary eyes, she took her last breath, followed by a cannon.

Niall let out a quiet sob, leaning his forehead against hers. He mumbled things to her like "I'm sorry" and "my fault" and "sorry". He layed her down gently, brushing away and petting her hair softly.

He got up after what seemed like forever, leaving Marley, walking over to the girl from seven, and taking the bow off her, and taking the spear out of her stomach as well. (He didn't take it, instead throwing it down next to her body.)

He picked up her backpack, leaving the two girls in the field, along with the rest of the dead tributes.

*

"No!"

"You have to stay calm! We can still get him."

"He won't care! She was the only thing that was worth living for! Now she's gone and he won't care!"

"We can still kill him."

"I don't want to just kill him; I wanted to enjoy it. But now I can't because she's dead!"

"We'll figure it out, yeah?"

"Fine! Make it quick."

*

Niall sobbed quietly into his hands. He tried to steady his breathing, realising that he was still on camera.

Don't loose your head. Keep it together.

He stood up, and even though it was dark, he decided to keep on moving. No use in staying put.

~

A/N: So the next chapter'll will be a little different, but hope you like it anyway. Any erros, mistakes, mispells etc. shout it out to me so I can fix it! :)