The Hunger Games-One Direction Edition

Chapter Twelve

**This chapter makes me bawl for hours..."More Than This" by 1D, my favorite song...**

Lauren’s Point of View

I didn’t have to look at Niall the next morning to be able to tell that today was the final day. The calm before the storm that would sweep us all away. We ate all of our remaining food, since who else was going to eat it? The worst part is the waiting, the long pause before the rumble of thunder and the flashing of lightening that brings our thoughts back to reality. I meet Niall’s eyes, smiling weakly as his eyes shine with a sad kind of pride and happiness. A long lost joy finally found at last, but only when it’s too late. A loud snap outside of the cave has me scrambling for my bow, readying it only a second too late.

The spear is thrown at me, aimed at my chest, when Niall shoves me out of the way. A scream tears from my throat when it drives itself deep into his med-section, and I fire three arrows at the attackers. The first boy, the one I think is from Seven, is pierced through the neck and his eyes fill with the fear of death as he falls to the ground. Thread is hit with one in the chest and the other through his shoulder, his eyes angered by my victory. I know the boy from Seven dies quickly because before I can finish him off, his eyes close and his cannon fires. Making my way to Thread’s thrashing body, I drive an arrow through his skull, my eyes flashing with hatred as his cannon fires. A strangled groan brings my attention back to Niall, his hands outstretched to me as I fall on my knees and tears stream down my face.

“I’m so sorry, I should have protected you!” I wail, burying my face into his chest as he rubs my back.

“I can’t live without you! Without you, I’m nothing, and there will be no meaning to my life!”

“Lauren, I love you. That’s all that matters,” he whispers, and I kiss him through my tears. I laugh weakly as he smiles and he strokes back a wet curl, his eyes still sparkling with pure joy. “I need you to live on, for the sake of us. It’s not your time.”

“But why does it have to be yours then!” I cry, sobs shaking my body.

“Because I vowed my life to you when I first fell for you. You rescued me when you laid in my arms, we are the same, you save me and without you, I’m broken,” he whispers, and I wail as he begins to feel cold. “Please, just sing something for me, Lauren…My final wish…”

“Of course Niall,” I manage to choke out. “Anything for you.”

“I’m broken, do you hear me? I’m blinded, ‘cause you are everything I see…I’m dancing’ alone, I’m praying, that your heart will just turn around…And as I walk up to your door, my head turns to face the floor, ‘cause I can’t look you in the eyes and say…”

I swallow back another round of tears and take a shaky breath as I recognize the melody. “When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight, it just won’t feel right, ‘cause I can love you more than this, yeah…When he lays you down, I might just die inside, it just don’t feel right, ‘cause I can love you more than this, can love you more than this…”

“If I’m louder, would you see me? Would you lay down in my arms and rescue me? ‘Cause we are the same, you save me, when you leave it’s gone again…” Niall sings his verse, his eyes filling with tears as he realizes that this will be his last time singing it.

“And when I see you on the street, in his arms I get weak, my body fails, I’m on my knees, prayin'!” I cry, burying my face in his chest as he can only softly sing the chorus.

“I’ve never had the words to say, but now I’m askin’ you to stay, for a little while inside my arms…And as you close your eyes tonight, I pray that you will see the light, that’s shining from the stars above,” his voice barely reaches me now, his breathing shallow. “And I say, when he opens his arms and holds you close tonight, it just won’t feel right, ‘cause I can love you more than this…”