Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own THG or else I wouldn't be here.

"I volunteer." Cato said firmly and strode forth onto the stage earning a sad glance from his best friend in the crowd. It was finally his year and no one was going to take this victory from him not even—

"I volunteer."

Clove? What? No!

He looked at her as she walked up the stairs; her face was void of all emotion. She wouldn't meet his stare. Cato bit his lip, he had told her his plan many times and she had picked this year out of her two remaining to volunteer. He exhaled sharply and folded his arms across his chest. A glare set on his young handsome face.

Clove rolled her eyes at his stance, and groaned internally at the argument that was bound to happen once they were alone.

"Boys." She scoffed as they were escorted into the justice building for their goodbyes.

As Clove sat waiting for her visitors, her head snapped up and was suddenly surprised when the door opened to reveal a very angry and frowning Cato. He walked in and stood in front of her visibly fuming.

She sighed and stood up too, rearranging her dress appropriately. "Lay it on me."

"What the hell Clove? Do you know what this means? I thought we discussed this already! We agreed that I would be doing this alone. What—" Cato started, but Clove cut him off.

"I know what this would mean Cato, I'm not stupid." She said evenly, raising her chin defiantly.

"Are you sure you're not? What part of my year did you not understand?" Cato tried being calm with her but he couldn't see why she was being so difficult.

"I understood all of it."

"Then why—" Cato ran his hand through his hair.

She cut him off again, "Just let me help you!"

Apparently her reasoning fell on short ears when Cato's eyes flashed dangerously, "Who's going to help you? I won't lose you Clove…"

"I can take care of myself and you don't have a choice. There's nothing left for me in District 2 and you know it! You're all I've got now." She retorted, "and besides, I already knew that I was born to die. I'm ready for it. I've been ready…"

"Alright, alright. Fine." Cato said exasperated.

He didn't argue anymore. He realized that there was no point when Clove had her mind set on something. She was possibly almost as stubborn as he was. He sighed and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you." Cato said softly, blue eyes meeting green.

Clove smiled. This gesture was Cato's way of hugging now, since he wasn't so comfortable with physical contact anymore unless his intention was violence. He's been closed off ever since—her thought process was interrupted when a peacekeeper found out that Cato was in her room.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be in there." the peacekeeper said gruffly and grabbed Cato's shoulder to pull him out the door, but Cato shrugged him off and managed to twist the man's arm behind his back.

"Do. Not. Touch. Me." He spat at the guard and released him, causing him to fall against the door. Cato rolled his shoulders back and walked out leaving the peacekeeper to nurse his wounded pride.

Clove shook her head and raised her eye brows incredulously at her short tempered best friend. Just then her parents walked in and saw the peacekeeper massaging his now bruised wrist. Her father's eyebrows furrowed.

"Clove—" He said slowly.

"It wasn't me." She shrugged.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" a woman asked.

"Yes, mom I'm sure. I have to." Cato said quietly.

"But do you really?" she asked again more desperately. Unlike most parents, she believed that there was no such thing as bringing honor to the district and she tried her best to instill that belief onto her children. She knew that Cato was not volunteering for that reason though, what he was volunteering for was something entirely different.

"Mom…you know why I have to do this." He said reassuringly, and moved to hug her.

"Su just let the boy go. Your lack of faith in your son is insulting." Cato's father rolled his eyes.

Susan turned to glare at her husband, "Well your arrogance could be the death of him Caspian! How can you be so sure?"

"How can you not? Do you not believe that he'll win?" He asked gesturing to his son.

"I do! I'm just worried that—"

Cato sighed, "Enough. I'm going and coming back a victor. No need to worry Mom, I can do this." He understood where his mom was coming from; he had heard the same phrase and felt the same worry when—no. Now was not the time for that, he had to be strong for his parents, for Clove, and his little sister Cassandra. She was 10 years old as of now and still had some time before she was eligible to be reaped but she understood the games.

He walked over to where she was silently watching the heated debate. Cato crouched down so that he was now looking up to her and offered a small smile.

"What do you think about all of this Cas?" He said gently holding her small hands in his. Cato wanted her to have an opinion too. Cassandra was probably the only person he was really close to nowadays other than Clove.

"I think..." She bit her lip, "I think I'm going to miss you." Her eyes dropped to their hands.

"Hey, I'm coming back. I'll be gone for a week tops." He offered her a lopsided grin.

She looked back up at him smiling, "Promise?" she whispered sticking up her pinky.

Cato wrapped his larger pinky around hers, "I promise Cassie." He whispered back firmly and kissed her on the forehead.

"Alright your five minutes are up." The peacekeeper said interrupting them, and held the door open.

Cato stood up and hugged his mother again and received a pat on the shoulder from his dad before they started for the door. At the last second, Cassie ran back and hugged him before following her parents out of the door again.

He only had a few minutes to regain his composure before his second visitor walked in. A flash or recognition lit up his eyes when he saw who it was.

"Kane." He nodded in greeting.

"Hey Cato." The fourteen year old replied.

"It's been a while kid." Cato said with a strained voice. He looked so much like her, so much that he could've been her twin. Same colored eyes and hair, everything, the same.

"Yeah, well." Kane said nervously and scratched the back of his neck, "I just wanted to say good luck on behalf of my family."

Cato nodded in thanks. "Oh I almost forgot," the boy realized and reached into his pocket pulling out something, "for you." he extended his fist out and dropped whatever he was holding onto Cato's outstretched hand. It was a gold mockingjay pin.

"She would've wanted you to have that as your district token." Kane said quietly. Cato's jaw clenched at the sudden impact of emotions that he was trying to hold in. His grip tightened around the district token and he swallowed the lump in his throat that threatened to choke him.

"Thank you." He held his other hand out and the younger boy shook it firmly and left.

"Come along now you two, we don't want to be late." The escort said waiting by the train. Cato and Clove had just walked out of the justice building when Clove stopped by the exit.

Cato turned around furrowing his eyebrows at her hesitation. What's wrong?

She simply let out a shaky breath. Nerves are getting to me.

He squeezed her shoulder lightly, a reassurance. I'm right here.

Clove nodded in response and they both proceeded to board the train, Cato glancing at the escort's four-inch platform shoes as they walked in. He swore things would break if they had tried putting him into shoes like that.

Only a man from the Capitol would have the balls to wear those in public, he thought.

A/N: The story is going to be Cato-centric for a bit before Katniss comes in and joins the mix, but I'll have flashbacks to fulfill your Catoniss needs until she shows up. To clarify there will be no Clato in this other than friendship and sibling-like affection. This happens to be my first story on Fanfiction so constructive criticism is welcome.

Til' next time.

~Alis-May