Forever [Prim/Cato]

Chapter 18 - The Promise

Prim:

There's a dull ache in my head when I wake up, an almost certain symptom of the drinks we all had last night, though I can't shake that I've also had a pretty consistent headache since a few days ago.

I am vaguely made aware of Cato speaking softly as I come to. It's early, too early, but the nightmares that have ensued are a clear enough warning that I will not be sleeping so soundly anymore. I am laying with my head half on Cato's lap, his left arm curved around me to hold me tightly against him in my sleep. My arms are also thrown around him, one behind his back and the other holding onto his legs. I am clinging onto him, and as I shuffle against him to release myself, he looks down at me with a sweet smile.

Cato looks forward once again, nodding a few times to whatever he was hearing on the phone. I sit up and scoot closer to him, leaning to place my head on his shoulder.

Memories of last night come flooding back, of Willow's confusion and anger with us for everything that has consumed us over the past couple of days. Both Cato and I tried to talk to her last night, but she wouldn't open the door. Luckily for us, that changed. After a few drinks, Cato had become emotional about her being angry with him, moving to stand outside her door with his hand pressed up against it, and spoke through the door, willing her to just come out and see everyone. She didn't respond to him right then, the look on his face as he walked back to us so pained, but after a minute or so, she'd shyly come out. Willow frowned at us, but as she looked at her dad, I caught her eyes soften just a bit. Willow sat beside her Poppa and Cinna, allowing herself to be distracted by the other 3 adults, and even as a consolation, Cato allowed her to have one drink. It loosened her up and she was able to have some fun surrounded by those that love her so much that they would commit treason for her. Though Willow was still noticeably upset with us parents as she dragged herself to bed when the night was over, I didn't care. I was happy to see her smile and laugh with her family.

I'm desperate to make it out of this. I need her to have the chance at a future that she always dreamed about.

I am snapped out of my thoughts as Cato waves his hand in front of my face. He frowns down at me and pulls the phone away. "You okay?" he whispers to me.

I nod once, turning to bury my face into his neck. He must have caught me lost in thought again. I don't want to make everything about the negative, but with everything that has happened, I realize that these could be the last moments we have together. I want to cherish every second... but then it always come back to the reality that it will end. All of this is going to end, and soon.

Cato furrows his brows again before turning to the phone. "One second," he says into the receiver before placing the phone down beside him. I look up at him, confused, as he turns to me. Cato wraps his arms around me and scoops me into his arms, pulling me into his lap. I curl my legs up and settle in as his arms reach around to pull the duvet around me, keeping me warm and safe, and then his left arm is wrapped back around me again. My head goes back into his neck and it takes all of me not to cry for the fiftieth time in days.

Once I am where he wants me, Cato leans down to kiss me. "Better?" he asks.

My heart skips and I nod. I reach my hand up to cup his jaw in a silent act of love. Cato smiles and leans into my hand for a moment before he's picking his phone back up.

"Okay," he says to whoever is on the line, "where were we?"

This is my safe place, with him, no matter where we are. When we met, I remember how I was so in my head with my world and how it seemed to be spiraling to an end all within a week of being reaped. And yet, when Cato would appear, in an elevator, on the rooftop, even in my mind, it would all go away. There was a shift in the matrix, and suddenly I didn't worry about the Hunger Games, or how my mother and Katniss were doing, or Peeta's uncomfortable gestures. All I worried about was him, what he was thinking, if he was thinking about me, if he felt the same. I remember thinking about how sad I was for my life to end, that I wasn't going to get married and have babies, and later that Katniss would never meet my babies...