Selected Future (Hunger games-Cato love story-AU)

A Last Goodbye - Epilogue

/Cato's POV\

Looking back at the Games and how everything just seems to unravel the more a person delves themselves within this massacre, grief follows. Even though I know death and sadness was something to expect from the Games, there are still some goodbyes too painful to even think of possibly going through. Yet, here I was kneeling on the hospital floors crying like a child in pain. My heart is aching feeling the soft skin I'm griping in my hands. It shouldn't of ended this way, it's unfair.

Through the numbing grief, I feel a hand on my back in comfort. I look up to my mentor who couldn't help but wear a deep frown on her aged face, much like how I probably have right now. She smiles sadly, "Cato, I know it's hard... but we have to do this. For her." I clench my eyes shut not wanting to accept that the one line of wire holding Ash within my grasp will be cut. It's only fair that she no longer is put through all this pain, but this ache in my heart is trying to create a wall around my logical reasoning. My grief it's trying to make me believe that I could hold onto this wonderful person just a little longer. That I could somehow heal her of all her pain and agony. But I can't. Even if I wanted to I can't.

The damage is done.

The tears are still falling and the pain continues to spread, but I stand nonetheless. I softly sit on the edge of the bed beside Ash's hip before slowly raising her hand to my mouth for one last kiss. Slowly I lay it gently back down before leaning forward and hold my forehead against her own. The soft wheeze from the oxygen tubes hooked up to her ring in my ears as I try not to break into a sob again. I had to be strong for the both of us. Reminiscing on the path we took that lead us here I smile a bit at the good, and sigh at the bad. So much life taken too soon.

I look back at the only person who has been the rock within this whole situation and I meekly nod. She nods back before turning away quickly and stepping to the door beckoning the doctor into the room. The second I saw the man step into the room my body went rigid and I knew that it was ending soon. This battle was a long one, and once again I lost something dear because of it.

I turn back to the girl who somehow stole my shattered heart in such a short amount of time. This one burning star that I promised with my whole being to protect was nearly extinguished and there was nothing I could do, but let her light die out. We've fought through thick and thin, yet the world still beat us at our own game.

As I hear the doctor shuffling through the room and the sounds of button being pressed, the silence room grows almost deadly. I hold my breathe, wanting to hear her one last time. Even if was the machine relaying her soul back to me. The tears began to puddle once more on my eyelids as the painful lump of a heartbroken sob sits annoying in my throat. Taunting me with the pain of what I'll endure within the next couple seconds. I don't want her to go... but she has too.

I can't stop her...

I hang my head as I hear my name being called by the doctor. I nod meekly, wanting the pain to be done and over with. We've both suffered enough... and then it just seemed like time stopped.

The beeping from earlier, the wheeze from the oxygen mask, even the small shuffles from the doctor all vanished into this air as I looked at this broken girl laying in a hospital bed. A once vibrant soul now laid unmoving, and cold, on her own deathbed. I hated the pale color of her cold skin. How she looked worst as the seconds pasted by. I wanted her warmth back, her laughter, her smile... her love.

These stupids Games took her from me and I can never reverse time. I feel lonely, and heavy. Guilty... guilty that I couldn't protect her.

I didn't realize I was sobbing until I felt arms engulf my shoulders, trying to console my grief. I lean into Lyme's embrace as my cries seem to raise the more I think of what happened. And I can't take back what I never got to do. I lost my Star, my light.

As time passed the pain remained the same... even years later as I sit in my home office filling out papers for a wedding order. I smile thinking how Ash would of teased me for taking over as owner of the bakery. Of thinking of her as I took in a small little baby boy from the orphanage and named him after his late mother. She would laugh and joke, but I know she would be happy. I know deep down she would be proud that I moved on in life and I put myself forward, not caring what others thought of me. I fought my demons, both at the Capitol and District Two. But I also won the battle I had in my own head. I realized that things happened for a reason, and who I am today raising Ash as I look over the bakery is because my Dear Love taught me something unconsciously.

I was my own person, and no one could take that from me.... especially the Hunger Games.

To the Capitol and Panem, I may be labeled as a cold-blooded killer that has no remorse for my opponents. That's their opinion. To me and Ash, I am Cato Hadley.

A 24 years old single father to a lovely boy who just learned how to draw and who surprises me with his own creativity; An owner to the only bakery in the District; and most importantly, the husband to an amazing woman who I still know watches over her little family.

She may not of admitted full heartedly, but I could feel the connection I had with Ash. She continues to guide me whenever I fall short and I'm forever grateful. Her memory is what I'll always carry with me until the day I can reunite with her up above. So, until then I will continue to run this business as I raise Ash to be strong and quick-minded like me. But also, kind and compassionate like his mother. Though she's absent, he'll grow up knowing her. He'll be the best person he can be... himself. As he grows I'll be there to guide him as much as I can

And this is how my story ends.... a man who gained and lost everything he had, before finding the treasure he thought he'd never find.

I am Cato Hadley and I am proud to have loved a woman who taught me how to be me...

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It's Done!!
After so long of me procrastinating and hitting wall after wall I have finally been able to finish the ending for this book. I know a lot of you are probably disappointed in how it ended. Buuuut, this is how I finalized on ending it.
I know, I know, it sucks but I couldn't think of any other way it could of ended. Especially with how bad she got hurt.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this book! Sorry it took forever for me to finish and upload and all that. I'm glad it's done cuz that means I can officially start on a different book that has been sitting on my tablet for about almost two years now?
Sorry, I'll cut this note short, just know I'll post a last note again then I'll be done with this book.

As always! Vote, Comment, Share! It was a pleasure writing this for you and I hope to continue to write better stories in the future for you! Until the next book my lovely readers!

Sincerely,
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