Burning Heart ~ Cato 2 (Completed)

Chapter Seventeen

The metal chair is cold against my back, and still very uncomfortable. My knees bounce as I wait for Haymitch to exit. He gave me one rule for my private session, no funny business. I decide to go in there and just shoot, I have to make sure a bow ends up in the arena.

The door opens and I stand. A worried and pissed Haymitch walks out, his teeth clenched. 

"Haymitch?" I ask and he shakes his head. I turn to the door and place my hand on the cold handle. I take a deep breath and walk in, gasping at the horror before me. 

Three target dummies lay in the ground in front of me, names painted on their chest, weapons sticking out of them. The first one has a knife sticking out of its chest, and I don't have to look at the name to know that it is Maysilee, the girl tribute from Haymitch's games. The second causes me physical pain. The name Peeta looks like it's written in blood, blood coming from the ax centered in his forehead. The last one causes me to suck in a breath. The name Rue is written delicately in a soft yellow, framing the spear centered in her stomach. 

Boiling anger and hatred enters my veins and I look up at the Gamemakers. They watch me like hawks. Plutarch Heavensbee gives me a slight nod when the other Gamemakers aren't looking. I walk over to the bows and pick up the largest, deadliest one there is. Slinging it over my back with a quiver, I pick up a training dummy. Using the noose Finnick tied, I hang the dummy up, dipping my hand into some leftover camouflage paint. 

I spell out a name and walk all the way to where I am under the balcony. I nock the arrow and shoot it, smiling as the arrow hits and goes straight through the dummy's heart. I throw the bow from my back, smiling at the Gamemakers. I can feel the shock radiating from them as I saunter out, leaving Seneca Crane's fake body swinging from a noose, an arrow through his heart. 

I laugh as mine and Haymitch's scores come on the screen. Haymitch fights to conceal his smile. 

"You both made twelves!" Effie exclaims. "How wonderful!" 

Haymitch and I exchange looks, knowing the same thing. They gave us high scores so we will be targeted. I stand and stretch. 

"I'm going to go up to the roof for a bit," I say and everyone nods.

"I'll come too," Haymitch says. I pause, not sure how to tell him why I'm going. Haymitch grabs my elbow and guides me to the elevator, not saying a word. I open my mouth to say something and he shushes me. 

When the door opens I am shocked to see Cato and Johanna already there. 

"What's going on?" I ask in confusion. Jo rolls her eyes.

"A wedding," She says. Haymitch's arm loops through mine and I freeze.

"What?" I ask, my breathing labored. 

"Well, since the games are happening, y'all won't be able to have your wedding. Since I'm ordained, we thought, why not?" She answers. I look at her confused. 

"You're ordained?" She waves my question away. 

Haymitch begins leading me to Cato and the full extent of what's happening hits me. I stare into Cato's blue eyes, and can't help but wonder what would have happened if we had actually had a wedding the way we were supposed to. Katniss was going to be my maid of honor, Prim the flower girl, and Meina was going to be there. I never imagined my wedding to be on the roof of a slaughterhouse, with Haymitch walking me down the aisle. With Johanna ordaining. 

We stumble through the motions, Cato stuttering, Johanna having to compose herself, and Haymitch sneakily wiping at his eyes. Finally, after all the blunders it truly happens. 

"Do you, Cato Porcius, take Ashlynn Quarry to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Johanna asks. I smile, knowing that he really had no choice but to say yes. If he said no, we would lose a tribute before the games even officially started. He stares into my eyes, and I notice the pink sheen coating his. His Adam's apple bobs as he takes a deep breath.

"I do," He says and I feel tears prick at my eyes. His grip on my hands tighten.

"And do you, Ashlynn Quarry, take Cato Porcius to be your lawfully wedded husband?" She asks me. I freeze, knowing that the next two words I say will change my life forever. Time seems to freeze, just as it did when Cato proposed in this very spot. Except, this time there is nothing to worry about. No snakey eavesdroppers, no worrying about the future. For once, all I can focus on is now. Focus on the soft, strong hands gripping mine. On the loving blues eyes pleading with mine. 

"I do," I finally say, after an eternity. Cato seems to glow, and Haymitch wipes harder at his eyes.

"Well then, I guess I pronounce you, Husband and Wife. You may now kiss the bride," Johanna says, her voice cracking slightly. Cato leans down as I lean up. He takes his lips in mine and time seems to stop again.  Cato's hands move from my face to my waist, as the kiss deepens. I pull back first, looking into Cato's eyes. He wraps his arms around me and I rest my head on his chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart.

Haymitch and Johanna excuse themselves, leaving us standing on the roof, listening to the celebrations happening below. As I listen to the beating heart of my husband, I can't help but let the sinking feeling that someday, possibly soon, I will hear the beating stop. I push the thought away and grip Cato tighter. I will do anything in my power to prevent that. My blood freezes as it dawns on me.

I would be willing to give up the entire revolution if that meant sparing Cato. 

I love Cato. I love Cato Porcius more than life itself. 

"I love you," I whisper into his chest, as the tears begin to stream.

"And I love you, Ashlynn Quarry-Porcius."

My eyes lift to behind him and I feel a slight wave of anger. 

She was behind him.

She tilts her head, a twisted smile crossing her face. Her auburn hair gleams in the city lights, and her emerald eyes stare into my inner being.

She slowly lifts a knife, miming it across her neck.

I blink and she is gone, and Cato is pulling back from the hug. 

"Ash, are you okay?" I force myself to look into his eyes, to ignore the urge to tell him what I just saw.

"Yes."