If They Had Lived

Chapter 17

1. Okay.... I REALLY wasn't planning to upload so soon..... but you guys REALLY made my day :3 With all of your RAPID comments and votes so THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you enjoy this chapter ;)

AND I WOULD loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove to hear your comments on this chapter!!!

Just FYI :P

-CFF

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Cato, myself, Halozay, Dres, and about fifty PeaceKeepers are are on the way to District Two via train. The RSR heard reports of potential bombings there. So McClaire has ordered RSR to evacuate all PeaceKeepers and if possible, all citizens loyal to the Capital. Its been two days since I heard the conversation in Danielle's room. I haven't told Cato yet. So far, she hasn't done anything but I'm still alert. How could she turn against me like that? How could she love Cato? HE'S MARRIED! And to me, her ex-best friend! Did she mean everything she said? How could she... was she lying? The whole thing is confusing.

Anila and the twins are still in the Capital. We decided it was safer if they stayed instead of returning back to the District. Cato and I had a long argument about whether or not I was going to be allowed off the train because of my condition. I remained stubbornly firm, instisting that even if Cato locked me up here, I would find a way out and join them. And he knows I can do it. So he agreed to let me come on the conditions that I obey him at all times, even if its something I would never do otherwise, and take it easy. Those are both easy to follow.

Our group in this train car has already been debriefed. I turn away from the window I had been staring out of as a noise distracts me. I had heard a small sneeze from behind some weapon crates to my right. I walk over to them. To my shocked astonishment, there sits my son, Chase. He grins cheekily. "I'm riding train mommy!" My jaw drops. Oh no. What am I going to do about him?!

"Cato!" I call out. He makes his way over to me saying, "Yeah Clover? What is..." His voice trails off as he sees Chase sitting there, grinning innocently up at the both of us. "Oh." Cato says quietly. I turn to my husband, worry filling my voice. "Cato, what are we going to do? We can't just leave him here by him self with all of these weapons and explosives..." I guesture to the crates around me. Cato is silent, he's thinking. "Yeah. He's not staying by himself, for sure. Well. I guess we could take him with us. We'd just have to hold him the entire time." Its still not the safest choice. We're about five minutes from District Two, so we can't turn back now. I'm not happy with the situation but what else can we do except hope things go off without a hitch. The train pulls into District Two's station and everyone piles out.

After about two hours, we've evacuated half the District. McClaire has sent orders to our Team Leader, Halozay, to return to the train. Apparently he's insisiting in insane urgency to get out the hell of here. We are on our way back when we hear it. The sound of a falling bomb, its high, squeaky whistle piercing the air. Cato only has time to wrap his arms protectively around me and our son, pushing us to the ground, before the bomb lands. I see black street pieces fly, bodies falling, killed instantly on impact from the bomb, and the beginning of fires.

And then all is silent. I hear a massive ringing in my ears. I look around to see almost all of our team of Peace Keepers either covered in rubble or pierced by shrapnel from the bomb. Cato and Chase stand up, covered in grime and dust, and look around. To my left I see Halozay and Dres also get up off the ground. Dres has a bleeding cut on her left arm and Halozay is coughing. But other than that, and being covered in dust and filth, they are both fine. We're the only survivors.

I try to stand up and call out in pain. A large, black, rock of rubble is pinning my leg, squishing it immensely. Cato gets down next to me and stuggles to lift it. And then we hear the sound of a coming plane, a little ways off. A plane brought the last bomb, is this one also bringing one? Cato doesn't hesitate. He turns to Chase and yells at him to go, to run away from here. Chase begins to cry. He shouldn't be here, why did we let him come?

"No!" He wails. I plead, "Go on Chase! Mommy and daddy will be right behind you but you have to go." His tears slip down his scared, frail face. I say once more, begging, "Please Chase! Go!!" He turns and runs away. "Cato, go!" I lean forward, to try and move the rock. Intense pain shoots through my body as soon as I lean forward, making me lie back down. Dammit, forget that! "Cato please!! Get Chase to safety. I can get this off." Cato stops pulling and looks me in the eyes. "No. I'm not leaving you."

Cato keeps trying to pull the rock off of me. Dres and Halozay have also fled, who knows where. As Chase disappears behind a pile of rubble, Cato yanks the black rock off of my leg with a groan. A bomb does fall, but thankfully its ways away, so far we can only hear the fall. Cato helps me up and we walk away from the destroyed scene, calling for Chase. After a minute or so, I hear him calling in a small scared voice, "Here Mommy." I turn around a corner to see him held by some rebel. Chase turns to me, tears in his eyes, his face plainly frightened more than words can say.

The rebel has a sword drawn. Cato comes up behind me. His face grows white as he sees the sword at our son's back. "Mommy," Chase whispers. No. No, don't let it happen, it CAN'T happen!!! I'm shaking violently, I'm so scared. I want to call out to my baby, but my dry mouth refuses to form the words. I hear Cato's voice and can tell he's also struggling to conceal his fear and anger. The rebel has the look of a morphling, his black hair in clumps, his eyes wide, his body shaking. He's jerking every milli-second, his jittery eyes survey us, his hands shake the weapon in his hand. Cato speaks to the man.

"If you kill the boy, I will kill you before you can move an inch. Just... let the boy go, and you're free to leave. Don't kill him. Don't be like the Capital." The man's eyes spark at the name of the Capital. He yells back at Cato, his voice is slurred like he just got off a high. "I know you! You're with them. Those pathetic murderors, they killed my daughter in the Games. They're all murderors the lot of them!!" His voice continues to rise "They kill innocent people and get away with it!! What makes you think I can't do the same?!"

Cato and I reach the same conclusion in a split second. Cato starts to dart forward towards our son. My eyes see it all. The flash of the sword. The rebel's blood shot eyes full of fury. The body of my precious first born son crumpling to the ground.

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-CFF