Reprogram (Hunger Games Cato/OC)

Chapter 6

Reprogram 6

Axel quickly fell asleep, but I tossed and turned anxiously. Finally, I got up, grabbed my axe and some night-vision goggles, and headed out into the forest. Before I knew where I was going, I was already there. The Careers' camp. Clove and Marvel were sleeping, and the muscular figure of Cato was pacing back and forth uneasily, clearly on watch. He stalked forward and scanned the tree line anxiously. I ripped off the goggles. It was light enough to see in the clearing because of the moon.

"Hazel!" He hissed, loud enough for me to hear, but quiet enough that it didn't wake Marvel or Clove. "Hazel, are you there?" I stepped from the shadows and stood in a beam of moonlight, which I assumed was a pretty cool effect. He spun around and saw me, face instantly easing from a wrinkled mask of fear and anxiety to one of peace and relief. He rushed forwards and engulfed me in a huge embrace. I flung my arms around him, too, relaxing into the feeling of his arms around me. He held my head against his chest, and I felt very secure there. I pulled away and glanced into his ice blue eyes, tinted and colored differently because of the moonlight.

"Hi," I whispered. He grinned.

"I was afraid today that Axel would figure out what was going on between us."

"No, he'd never guess." I fell silent. I felt bad all of a sudden for deceiving him. Cato seemed to sense this and didn't ask me any more questions. I didn't want Axel to ruin our tryst like he had earlier. We just stood there for awhile, soaking up each other's company. Cato snapped out of the trance first.

"Hey, I wanted to show you something." He grabbed my hand and pulled me along towards the lake. Right before we plunged in, Cato swerved to the left and we dove into the undergrowth, branches hitting my face and scratching my arms. I sucked in a breath and held it. Very soon, we emerged on the other side of the thorns and brambles and I glanced around, awestruck. We were in a moonlit clearing and a waterfall crashed down into the lake, the same lake that was in the clearing with the cornucopia. I gasped.

"Oh, Cato, it's beautiful!" He grinned his gorgeous smile and his adorable eyes seemed to gleam.

"You know, forgetting we can be killed at any moment, I'm happy right now." I grinned and he squeezed my hand. "I'm joking." He placed a hand on his sword hilt. "I'd never let anyone hurt you." I grinned and hugged him. His strong arms closed around me, muscles flexing against my back. He pulled away and touched my face gently near my scalp. I felt a wetness there, and Cato frowned at his bloody fingers.

"You're hurt. I'm so sorry." He pulled me towards the lake and to my knees. We knelt by the stream and, in his rush to clean my cuts and scratches, Cato accidentally dunked my entire head under the freezing water. I gasped in surprise and inhaled water. I began thrashing crazily and frantically pulled my head out of the water. Cato made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and grabbed my shoulders. I blinked water out of my bleary eyes, choking all the while. Cato laid me down on the grass and pushed his lips onto mine. He blew air into my lungs and I bucked up into him and pushed him off me, rolling to the side to spit up water furiously.

When no water remained in my lungs, I sat up weakly to see Cato looking at me worriedly. "You okay?" He asked me. I nodded.

"I'm so sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were safe." I grinned.

"It's fine." He ripped off his shirt and used it to towel off my face and wring out my hair. I grinned at him and bit my lip, glancing at his bare, muscular chest. He grinned and hugged me tightly, his warm skin contrasting with my cold face. Cato pulled away and stood up, pulling me to my feet and towards the waterfall.

Right beside the waterfall, on the inside chasm, was a little space big enough for two people to lie down comfortably. He pulled me inside. "I love you, Hazel. More than anything. Spend this night with me?" His voice was barely more than a whisper.

I nodded and he grinned, bending down to press his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he snaked his arms around my waist. We slid sideways down the wall, still locked in our embrace. My head rested on Cato's bare chest, and his strong arms were locked around me. "I love you, too," I whispered.

"Sleep," he replied. "Sleep, my love. Nothing will hurt you." I smiled and sank into sleep.

When I awoke, Cato was gone. I stepped around the waterfall, soaking my face with mist. He entered the clearing, and when he saw me, his face lit up. He ran to me and kissed my cheek. I grinned. "Hey. Where'd you go?" He held up a rabbit.

"Hunting for breakfast." He made a fire and smoked it on a spit. After we'd eaten, I asked Cato,

"How many tributes are left?" His brow furrowed.

"Not that many. Maybe ten? Eight?" I frowned and sat up from where I was lying on my back. He smiled at me. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to let anything hurt you." He leaned in and kissed me gently. I pulled away.

"But we can't both win." I got to my feet, and he followed.

"What are you saying? You're going to kill me?" I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, but got cut off. "Because I'd die for you. Hazel, I'd die for you." I shook my head again.

"Cato, there's no life without you. I love you, and I don't see how I'll go on if you die."

"You'll find somebody else, like that Axel kid." I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"But Axel and I can't both win either. Don't you see that?"

"What are you saying, Hazel?" He spoke slowly and clearly, as if he were struggling to form his words correctly.

"What if it's just all three of us in the end? What do I do? I can't kill either of you, and I can't break my alliance with Axel now." Cato's gorgeous eyes filled with tears. He transfixed me with his gaze.

"Are you breaking up with me?" I hung my head.

"I don't know, Cato... I have to get back to Axel, and you have to get back to Clove and Marvel. We have obligations, and we can't just forget them now that we've found each other."

Cato looked very desperate, yet determined. "Hazel," he begged. His voice was shaky. "Please. Just hear me out." I sat down next to him, and relief spread out over his face. "Okay, in District 2, we're trained to perfection. All weakness and squeamishness is crushed out of us, or we're either killed, or deemed weak and shunned, which is worse than being killed. We are programmed to kill mercilessly, to win at all costs. There is no room in our training for girlfriends and lovers. Those are for after we've won. Never are we supposed to fall in love in the arena, never. Ever. I'm certain my mentor is in the control center with the Gamemakers right now, cursing my name and banging his head on the control panels."

Cato took a deep breath before continuing. "Hazel, you've reprogrammed me. Somehow, you've gotten past all my defenses. Every barrier my training built up, you've struck to the ground. You are amazing, and I love you. I should be incapable of these feelings, but my trainers never accounted for you. You are the most phenomenal, adorable, stunning, intelligent, skilled, powerful, incredible girl I've ever met. I love you, so much. So much, Hazel." He'd taken my hand during his speech, and squeezed it now. I had tears rolling down my cheeks. My lips were trembling from the beautiful things he'd said.

He stood up and pulled me with him into a hug, strong arms closing around me, blocking me out from the world. He pulled back and kissed me passionately, gently cupping my face with one hand and tangling the other in my hair. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck and weaving my hands into his hair. We pulled away breathlessly, panting and grinning at each other. But then I remembered where we were, and what I had to do.

"Cato, I'm so sorry. You're a really sweet, strong, protective guy, and I love you very much, but I have to do this." He looked squarely at me, not saying a word. I opened my mouth and tried to say the words that would separate me from him, but no sound came out. I tried again, and spoke. "I'm sorry, Cato. Goodbye." I turned and fled the clearing, leaving the boy I loved behind me.