CATO POV
Ugh. I can't believe I just kissed her. How could I do that to myself? To Clove? I recall our conversation as she was dying.
"Cato," she said in a choked whisper, raising her trembling hand to touch my face. I watched in horror as her tan face paled and a ghostly shadow swam in the depths of those black eyes I knew so well. Knew from those times on the playground as little kids. How I failed her, broke my promise. "I'm sorry," I gasp, struggling to remain composed for the dying girl. She grinned at me and said, "Please kill 12." "Not unless you help me." I tried getting her to stand, but Clove simply stumbled back into her position on the ground. "It's no use, Cato." I held her gently in my arms, watching her chest heave rapidly as she sucked in air. Finally, she became still and did not move. Her eyes met mine and she stroked my blonde, blood-slicked hair. The feel of her cool fingers felt good against my raging flesh, burning with hatred and pain. "I love you, Cato," she whispered as I leaned down so she could give my cheek a kiss. I felt a tear trickle from my blue eyes. She laughed. It was a croaky sound. "I love you too Clove." I waited, but my black eyed girl did not respond. "Clove?" "CLOVE!" I lay over her lifeless body, cursing Thresh, cursing the Capitol, cursing myself for letting her go to the Feast without me by her side. I held her until the hovercraft came to carry her away; away from me. Gone. To dispose of her somewhere I would never find her. I gave her black hair a final pat and kissed her eyelids shut and walked away, seething.
I felt the tears trailing down my face without intending for them to be there at the memory. Katniss watched me with confusion and something else I could not identify; then, I knew what it was. Pity. "Don't look at me like I'm weak," I snapped, turning away from her. "I don't think you're weak," she told me, gripping my shoulder tightly. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah." She paused, inhaling deeply. "I feel sorry for you." "Well, don't," I replied coldly. "Cato," she said, my name sounding weird coming from her mouth. "We both lost a lot." I did not respond. "And I'm sorry about Clove." "DON'T SAY HER NAME," I bellowed, kicking the seat which gave a startling bang sound. "Just don't." I forced myself to stay strong for her. Because I needed to. If I was going to keep any of the sanity I had left. "Fire Girl," I began, wording carefully. Her Seam eyes met my blue ones. "Yes?" "Let's give the Capitol what they deserve." She actually grinned at me; she had a pretty smile. Her grey eyes darkened and she said, "Let's." "For Peeta and Clove," I said. "For Peeta and Clove," she agreed. And for a fraction of a second, I saw a flicker of revenge in her eyes; the same look that had made me fall in love with Clove. I fell asleep under a quilted sky of black, the color of my dead girl's eyes.
