Cato POV:
"Cato," I hear a worried Peeta call. I turn to him and his face is completely pale. "Katniss' water broke. We need to go to the hospital now."
"Ok," I say. "You and Katniss can get in my car and I'll take you there." Peeta tells Katniss that.
Katniss says, "I need a girl with me. Clove!" Clove comes jogging over and almost fall because you her shoes. I grab her arm so she keeps her balance. "Hospital. Now." Clove nods and gets in my car. It amazes me how girls can say two words and now exactly what they're best friend needs.
Peeta helps Katniss into the backseat and he gets in after her. I go over to the driver's side and I'm about to get in until I hear Gale ask, "What's going on?"
"Katniss is going into labor," I say. "Meet us at the hospital. You'll have to drive Finnick and Annie." Gale nods and goes off somewhere. I get in the car and drive to the hospital while Clove and Peeta both try to keep Katniss calm. We arrive at the hospital at the same time as Gale, Johanna, Finnick, and Annie. Peeta and them all help Katniss inside. Clove and I walk behind everyone. "You don't want to be apart of that?"
"Not really," she says. "They'll only allow Peeta back there. I let Mrs. Everdeen know we're here and she should be here soon." Clove looks around and sees Mrs. Everdeen come running out of her car. "Or they're here now." Clove waves her over. She explains to her that Katniss is already inside. She both run inside. Clove and I walk inside and see everyone but Peeta and Mrs. Everdeen in the waiting area. Clove and I go take a seat across from Gale and Johanna.
"This is so exciting!" Annie says. "I can't believe Katniss and Peeta are gonna be parents! Isn't it great, Cato, that it's the day before you leave tomorrow?" Everyone stares at Annie in shock that she just said that in front of Clove. Everyone knows that Clove doesn't know. "Oh, I wasn't supposed to say that."
"What do you mean leaving? Where are you going?" Clove asks confused.
"Can I talk to you outside, Clove?" I ask. She nods we get up and go walk outside. I hear Johanna say, "Nice going, Annie."
We sit at a table outside of the hospital. They are quite a few families around us so hopefully she doesn't get too mad at me for not telling her now. "What was Annie talking about?"
"Please don't be too mad at me for not telling you until now," I start.
"I don't promise anything," she says crossing her arms.
"Well," I continue. "I'm leaving for San Diego tomorrow."
"Why are you going to San Diego?" Clove asks.
"To join the Marines," I say.
"What?" Clove asks raising her voice. "You're leaving for the Marines tomorrow and you didn't tell me until today? Who does that, Cato?"
"I didn't know how to tell you, Clove. I basically got kicked out of college and needed a plan. My dad thought it'd be a great idea. It actually has brought us a lot closer. I didn't want to tell you because then it would become real that I'm actually leaving you and my family and everyone else here," I say. "I don't want to leave, but it feels right for me."
"Well, I really can't be mad at you if you think serving our country is right for you because my dad and your dad both did too," Clove says. That's how our parents became friends because they trained together. "But I'm pissed that you didn't tell me and that you're leaving. We're Clato. We're stuck together and neither of us are allowed to leave each other."
"I know, Clove," I say. "If we were still dating, I almost definitely wouldn't leave, but we're not. You've got Alex and I've got nothing here anymore. I mean, sure I've got all my friends, but no one I'm in love with. Well there's you. Shit, I shouldn't have said that. Honestly, I don't know what I'm trying to say."
"Shut up," Clove says with tears in her eyes. She pulls me into a hug. "I'm gonna miss you so f**king much."
"I'm gonna miss you too," I say. I feel tears come to my eyes. Great, now I'm gonna start crying. We both sit there hugging each other and crying. "Great, Clove. You made me cry."
"That's my job. To make you an emotional wreck," Clove says. "Should we go back inside?"
I shake my head. "I don't think I'll be able to sit in a hospital waiting room for that long. Let's just stay out here for a little while." Clove scoots over to me. I put my arm around her. Her phone goes off and she checks it. "Who is it?"
"Alex," she says. I sigh. She's knows I don't like them together. We're f**king Clato! "he heard Katniss is in labor. He's on his way."
"Why?" I whine. "Who knows how long Katniss will be in labor. I can't be with him that long."
"Thanks, Cato. I love the support here," Clove says. "Do you want me to tell him not to come?"
"No, it's fine," I say. "As long as I get to hang out with you without him around."
"Of course you will," she says. "What time do you leave tomorrow?"
"Ten in the morning," I say.
"I'm gonna miss you like hell," she says.
"I know. I'm probably gonna have to force myself not to cry on the plane and at the airport. I'm probably not gonna be able to stay here the whole time if Katniss doesn't have Willow or Michael in a few hours," I say. Everyone gave Katniss names we want her to pick for her baby. We each gave a boy and a girl name. I picked Willow and Michael, Clove picked Grace and Tyler, Annie picked Morgan and Jordan, Finnick picked Rebecca and David, Gale picked Quinn and Caleb. "I need to finish packing and wanna spend time with Cali too."
"I'm sure Katniss will have her baby while you still here," Clove says. I see Alex get out of his car. Clove gets up and goes over to him. He sees that she been crying and asks if she's ok. "Yeah. Let's go inside." We all walk inside and wait for Katniss to have her baby.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~time flash to a few hours later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katniss POV:
"Congratulations, Katniss, it's a beautiful girl!" my mom says holding my crying daughter. "We're gonna go get her cleaned up then you can hold her, ok?"
"Ok," I say exhausted. I was in labor for eight hours until I could finally start pushing. That took an hour and a half. I lay back on the hospital bed and Peeta sits down next to me.
"You did it!" Peeta says.
"I know. I'm really tired," I say.
"But it's all worth it, right?" Peeta asks. I nod. "So we need to pick a name. Do you like any our friends gave us?"
"I really like the name Willow," I say.
"I think it's perfect," Peeta says smiling.
"So Willow it is," I say. The door opens and it's my mom with Willow.
"Here's your baby, honey," my mom says handing her to me.
"Hi, baby girl," I say quietly. I look up to Peeta. "This doesn't feel real, Peeta."
"I know," Peeta says. I look back at my beautiful daughter with my dark hair and Peeta's blue eyes. My mom leaves the room. "Hi, Willow. We're your parents. We gonna protect you from everything. You know, stuff like boys and mean girls and--" Peeta says before I interrupt him.
"Peeta, she's like ten minutes old. She doesn't need to worry about those sort of things yet," I say.
"Or ever," Peeta says in a baby talk voice.
"You're gonna be a great dad," I say.
"You're gonna be a great mom, Katniss," he says. The door opens and it's all of our friends.
"What's the name because I need to rub it in there faces that they're gonna have to pay me?" Johanna asks.
"Willow Marie Mellark," Peeta and I both say.
"Yes!" Cato says. "Pay me, ladies and gentlemen." Everyone gets out $50 and gives it to Cato. "I'm $250 richer."
Clove and Annie come over and see Willow. "Oh my gosh, she's the cutest thing ever," Annie says. Finnick clears his throat. "I mean, the second cutest thing ever, after Finnick."
"Wanna hold her?" I ask Annie. She nods. I give Willow to Annie and she starts to talk to Willow. Everyone does the same thing for a few minutes except Cato. "What about you, Cato?"
"I'm not very good with kids," Cato says scratching the back of his neck. He looks over at the clock and it reads 1:30 in the morning. "Hey, I've gotta go. You people better come to my house to say goodbye tomorrow."
"You know I'll be there," Clove says hugging Cato.
"Same," we all say. We all say goodbye to Cato and he leaves. Everyone else leaves except Peeta. I stay in the hospital until the morning and Peeta said he'd stay with me. My mom takes Willow to the nursery. Peeta and I both fall asleep.
Clove POV:
I wake up at 6:30 and go get ready. I put on a gray t-shirt and jeans. I walk into my room and put on my red converse. I see a flannel shirt Cato left over at my house on the floor. I put it on and go downstairs. I grab a granola bar and go outside. I walk to Cato's house. When I get there it's 7:45. Cato has to leave by 8:00 to get to the airport and go through security and make it to his plane on time. I ring his doorbell and Mr. Hadley answers it.
"Hey, Clove," he says. "Come on in." I walk in and see Cali sitting in Cato's arms crying.
"Hey," Cato says as he sees me walk into their living room. He lets go of Cali and comes over to me. "That's my shirt."
"You want it back?" I ask with my voice shaking. I'm hoping he says no. I want to keep something of him while he's gone.
"Do you want me to take it back?" I shake my head with a tear running down my cheek. "Then keep it." I wrap my arms around him and let out a sob. "I love you so much," he whispers.
"I love you too. Can you please not go? You can become a football coach here and stay at my house. My dad won't care. It'll be great. You'll have a job and you won't have to leave," I say.
"No, Clove. I've got to do this," Cato says with his voice shaking. I feel my shoulder start to get wet. I look up to him and see he's crying. He starts to sob. "Damn it, Clove! You're doing your job again."
I laugh. "Your welcome." The door opens again and it's Johanna, Gale, Finnick, and Annie.
"Hey, guys," Cato says breaking our hug.
"Hey, Peeta and Katniss really wanted to be here, but Katniss can't leave the hospital yet and Peeta doesn't want to leave her. They want you to give them a call if you can," Gale says.
"Will do," Cato says. He looks at the clock it's 7:55. "I really should go." We all go outside to Cato's car. He hugs each of them. He goes over to his dad and I swear his dad sheds a tear. Cali runs over to him and he kneels down to her height and hugs her. Cali is bawling her eyes out. I can't blame her, I'd do the same thing if Kay were leaving. Cato breaks away from her grasp and walks over to me. He hugs me and he starts bawling. Thank God, his dad is driving him or else he wouldn't make it to the airport. This is really strange for Cato to be crying this hard in front of so many people. "You make this so hard. I love you so much, Clover. I hope Alex makes you the happiest girl ever. If he breaks your heart, let me know and I'll come home and kick his ass."
"Will do," I say between sobs. "I love you to, Hadley. You better call me whenever you can."
"You know I will," Cato says. He breaks our hug. "My clothes look good on you, but they'd look better on my floor." That was basically the same pick up line Cato used on me after we hooked up. He and his dad get in the car. He waves to all of us as he pulls out of the driveway. I watch the car go down the long street. Then, the car disappears. Cali runs over to me still hysterical. That's it. He's gone. My first guy friend, my first date, my first kiss, my first boyfriend, my first love, my Cato is gone.
Hey, guys. This is the last chapter of this story. All that's left is the epilogue. I'll be breaking that up though. I'm so emotionally wrecked from this story. Sorry if it spoiled anything for you. I have another fanfiction I'll tell you guys about after the epilogue. So yeah. Katniss and Peeta had a baby girl and Cato had an emotional goodbye. Imma go and cry now because of the Clato goodbye. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you all have a great day! district13gal and I are both so thankful for all of our readers! I love you all so much! Who's going Black Friday shopping tomorrow? I am! I saw the Final Girls (an Alexander Ludwig movie) and it's hilarious! Y'all should watch it. Peace out girl scout!
~~Nickie