Brutal, bloody mentor.

The beginning of the end.

Everything became a blur from then on, ''Home to her'', his words echoed through Deja's head, even when she was being pushed on stage, she heard silent as she stumbled to the seat, unsure of whether everyone was silent or if she had gone partially deaf. ''Wha-what?" She asked trembling as Caesar tried to guide her and help her, thinking she was just nervous but in reality it was way more than that, her world had collapsed on her. She felt herself being pushed down and realised she was sitting in a chair, the same chair Cato had just broken her heart in, ''Deja from Two everybody!" Caesar was shouting to get her attention, she loosely came to her senses, ''Hi.'' She said bluntly, everyone laughed unsettingly, apparent to her nervousness.

Cato stared at the screen open mouthed, she was a mess and all because of him, well, not him, because of Snow. Always someone else to blame, a voice in the back of Cato's head sung, it was true, although Snow had told him; ''Put to sleep the rumours or I will put her to sleep the moment she enters the arena.'', if Cato had never pursued her, then they'd both of been able to go into the arena, guilt and emotion free, but instead he not so subtly got attached to the girl and now put her life and heart on the line. When Deja started hopelessly mumbling about her love of the Capitol's cheesecake she started seeming like her normal self and had the Capitol citizens falling in love with her, when Caesar hugged her goodbye Cato felt a pang of jealousy, which he put aside when he realised she was on her way backstage and he was not prepared to have a huge show in front of half of Panem.

As far as Deja was aware, everyone else had gone to the afterparty, but she couldn't bare to look at anyone yet alone talk to them. The moment she got into the empty apartment she collapsed to the floor, she didn't cry but just sat, unmoving and unfeeling, her legs had given up on her and she lay back, how was she even going to be able to get off her starting plate. ''Deja?'' Cato's deep voice alarmed her and her instant thought was to run away and possibly stab herself but she decided to stick with cold and detached, ''Shouldn't you be talking or reminiscing about your Fiancee?" she said bitterly, Cato rolled his eyes, him too putting on a cold act in hopes she go crawling back to him, ''You seriously believed that? I had to say that! I may be a lot of things but I am proud to say I am faithful!" Cato retaliated, Deja laughed, ''You don't know the first thing about faith or love." Deja still couldn't get up but she replied coldly, thinking it was just a verbal fight before, well, the physical fight in the games, 'or love.' It rung through Cato's ears, images of the blood, the face of the murderer, the screams, how helpless he was, memories flooding in because one person accused him of knowing nothing of love. He tried to contain it, contain the everlasting rage, conceal the urge to cut out Deja's tongue for daring saying that damned sentence. But it was hopeless.

His hands clenched in the way that was not unfamiliar to Deja, his pupils dilated, darkening his light blue eyes so much even she could see it from the few feet that separated Deja and the beautiful man that was now transforming into a brutal monster. She still couldn't find her feet as she tried scrambling up from the ground, but it was futile. He started to advance to her, his eyebrows furrowed and mouth clenched, his jaw lifted intimidatingly, she started to plead, it wasn;t her fault, he hadn't told her anything about himself and the disturbing past and memories that were fixed into his head. but once his rage had consumed him, it was near impossible to stop. ''Please Cato I'm sorry can we jus-" Her pleading was cut off by the large hand at her throat, pulling her up against the wall, her feet hanging inches above the ground, she grabbed his large hand that grasped her neck, ''Please." She managed to just about get out, weezy and faint but he heard it. Cato looked into her fear loaded eyes, she started to cough and kick her feet, attempting weakly to get air and her feet firmly on the ground, ''Say it.'' He said, loosening the grip on her neck so she could speak, first thing she done was take a large breath in and spoke breathlessly, ''Say what?" He pulled her back and threw her against the wall, ''You know what! Say it or I swear to god!" Cato said, Deja squinted in pain, ''Cato, I-I-" He closed his eyes and smiled, awaiting the three words he had been deprived of for so long, ''-I, I can't." His eyes snapped open as Deja said it, he lost control and placed his other hand to her neck, blocking off her airways and squeezing tight, his intension to make her suffer instead of a quick 'snap and dead'. Deja shut her eyes and waited for death, as a single tear trailed down her pure face and dropped off her chin onto Cato's hand, the tear almost awakening him from his rage and he looked down at the defenceless Deja who was slowly losing consiousness in his grasp, caring Cato awoke and instantly pulled away, Deja fell to her hands and kness onto the ground, grasping her neck, coughing and choking trying to breath again. She could feel herself slipping and she collapsed, the last thing she saw was a sad looking Cato reaching down to scoop her up, she closed her eyes as darkness took over.

''Let the games begin.'' Was the last thing she heard before being totally consumed by the dark.