I wake up on Cato's chest and feel the warmth radiate off of him. I smile down at him and shake him awake. He turns over, pushing me off of him. I feel a sharp pain in my back but mostly miss his warmth.
"Morning Clove" he says sweetly. I smile and kiss him quickly. He starts to stroke my hair and watch his icy blue eyes and he watches me with a passion. I can trust it, I see it in his eyes. I just can't trust anyone else, that's fine. At least I have my Cato back.
"You hungry?" I ask sitting up. I can't sit here all day. I push through the pain and walk around to the other side of the bed. He looks at me amazed and nervous and I give him a faint smile. He sits up and follows me to the kitchen. I look down just as I am about to open the door and see I don't have a shirt. Did he strip me down last night? Did he let anyone use me?
'No, he didn't' I tell myself, but even I doubt myself. 'He wouldn't do that'
"Why am I half naked?' I ask, still feeling the pain. Cato smiles and I slip on a jacket. It hurts so much and I have to groan halfway through the process.
"Sorry Clove, you were sweating last night" he says holding my side and opening the door for me. I smile at him and we walk to the kitchen. No-one else seems to be up as I start breakfast. I make Cato and I some bacon and eggs.
"You want crispy or burnt to death?" I ask jokingly. He smiles. I give him some crispy strips of bacon and some scrambled eggs.
"Why scrambled?" he asks.
"It's all I can do" I say "you know I'n not that good a chef" I smile and he laughs playfully. He starts to eat quickly and I get us some water. I give him a glass and struggle to sit down. He sees this and helps me sit. I smile gratefully and start to eat. I eat about half of my meal but soon get full. Cato offers to eat the rest and I let him.
"Wow Clove! You got better and fast!!" I hear Katniss yell. I smile and we hug, painfully. She sits across from Cato and next to my seat. I make her some bacon and extra for Cato and anyone else who wants to join. I giver her a plate and she thanks me quickly before digging in.
"So what's the plan for today?" I ask sitting at the table with a full stomach and a body in pain.
"Boggs said we would work in the District" she starts between bites. "Strengthen the rebellion" she says exagerating. I nod, Katniss gets up and leaves to go to her room.
"Where are you going Clove?" Cato as I get up and start walking to my room.
"I want to see my back" I say carefully. He smiles and follows me. I step into my room and Cato sits on my bed. "Do you mind?" I ask, nervous. He shrugs and I take off my jacket, slowly and sorely. I turn around quickly to hide my burns and see the incision mark on my back. It goes from my neck angled down to the side of my ribcage.
"Clove you okay?" Cato asks getting up and walking next to me. I smile weakly. He runs his hand down my arm and it sends chills down my spine.
"Why is it that I'm the only one always getting hurt?" I ask laughing at all the times I have gotten injured and everyone else was fine. He smiles.
"You're the important so people target you" he says slowly rubbing my shoulders. I smile and melt back into him. He holds me close.
"Clove you know you're beautiful?" Cato whispers looking at me through the mirror. I blush and look down to my feet.
"Sure" I say sarcastically "If beautiful is beaten, battered and broken" I say sadly. He looks into my eyes through the mirror and I smile shyly. He strokes my hair and I finally feel safe.
"Why can't our lives be normal?" I ask sadly. "The Games are normal for us but I mean the whole getting kidnapped by the Capitol, being manipulated and abused" I add but refuse to mention rape and sex trafficking. He smiles and breathes into the crook of my neck. I sigh heavily and there's a knock at the door.
"Clove! Cato!" we need you to come to a meeting" I hear a voice, Katniss, call out. I smile at Cato and slip my jacket back on. I kiss his cheek and we walk to the living room. A group of soldiers and rebellion leaders are gathered around our living room table. It's a mess and nothing is where it should be. I stay close to Cato, not trusting any of these men.
"What are we doing today?" I ask carefully sitting next to Cato. He helps me down and sits close to me. I smile and the group as a whole starts to discuss the plan.
"We're going to meet with Lyme" Boggs says standing in the center of the group. "She's a Victor and the Rebel leader in 2" he says officially. I smile and nod.
"We need 5 to go" he says looking over the group. "How about Clove, Katniss, Gale, Sai and I" he suggests everyone nods but I feel Cato tense up.
"I have to go" he says, well demanding. I look down and can tell everyone is watching us. I look up and Boggs nods. Cato holds me, tight, and very protectively.
"Okay Sai would you mind staying in town?" he asks awkwardly. Sai, a young blond girl with a bright green streak in her hair nods and walks off. Our small group gather up and walk to Lyme in the Justice Building.
"How do we get in?" I ask nervously while holding tight onto Cato. We keep walking until we're in the Main Square.
"She's secretly a rebel" Boggs starts as he pulls out a small screen and draws it out. "We have to get captured again" he says. "She's arranged to have us brought to her and we will talk about further plans" I smile and we walk to the large, Justice Building. Boggs gestures me to go in and I of course have to be followed by Cato. I hold his hand tightly and we walk in.
As soon as we step into the door we are surrounded by 5 peace-keepers. I try to back away but hit a hard object. I look behind me slowly and it's another peace-keeper. I let out a screech and they laugh. I glare at them, still afraid and lean onto Cato for support. That hurt my back.
"What do we do with them?" one of the peace-keepers asks into a microphone "We could take the girl and-" he's stopped by the voice on the other side, thankfully. I look at Cato and he is obviously very uncomfortable and angry.
"Lyme would like to see you in her office" the peace-keepers says finally. They lead us to the elevator in the corner of the open room and I see out of the corner of my eye, the rest of our team. They shout and get "caught" by more peace-keepers. We are all led to the elevator and I stand in front of Cato as we slowly pile in. It feels awkward and I start to get a sickening feeling.
"Where are you taking us?" I ask nervously. They unload us into a small room and only one peace-keeper stays with us, sadly though they decided to elctro cuff us and tie us up.
"You and Cato are going back to the Capitol" he says bitterly "Snow says you weren't done with both of your rehab" I glare at him and he shrugs.
"This didn't go as planned" Katniss says bitterly. We all nod and Boggs looks around for an escape. He gestures to the door and I hop sorely to the door. I try to open but it's locked.
"I am not going back there" I say angrily. I look around the room and see a camera in the corner. I look bitterly and just try to figure out a plan.
'Be weak' I think 'maybe surprise them?' I am interrupted from my thoughts by a yank on my arm. A peace-keeper jabs my back and I scream in pain. Cato runs up to me but gets pulled back abruptly. I thrash away from the pain and 'accidental' hit a peace-keeper in the ribs with my elbow. He screams in pain and I laugh.
"Don't touch me" I say innocently. One grabs me and drags me out. I scream and thrash in pain as he pushes me on a elevator. We go up to the 4th floor. He pulls me out of the room and leads me down a very familiar corridor.
"Lyme we have one of them" he says bitterly as he pulls me into Lyme's office. Lyme is very pretty, for her age. She still looks 20 even though she's at least 35. She smiles at me but talks to the peace-keeper bored and unamused.
"Leave her here" she says looking at me "I know this one personally" I look away bitterly, going along with her act and the peace-keeper leaves.
"Clove" Lyme whispers "play along, I will turn off the camera soon" I smile weakly and she starts screaming at me.
"I didn't even want this!" I yell back even though I couldn't make out any word she said "They picked me up!" I yell and she hits me. Well not hit, she slides her hand in front of my face as she slaps her leg at the same time. I scream in pain and try to hit her. I hit her desk and she laughs. She jumps up at me and slaps the button on her desk. She immediately stops and I smile.
"Good job Clove" she starts and I smile.