Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or its characters. Also, I would like to apologize for how it's literally been six months since I updated it. I just got kind of bored of it, but now I am currently in a very Hunger Games mood, so I have been spending a lot of time working on later chapters, editing the old ones, adding new things in, and so on and so forth. Happy reading! New chapter probably up in a few days :)

I'm awoken from a relatively dreamless sleep by Cato. "Time for our watch, Lover Boy," he says, shaking me awake. Even though I wasn't dreaming, being awoken from my sleep is rather irritating.

I moan. "Fine," I say. I pull on my jacket, grab my spear, and exit the tent. Marvel walks into the tent after I exit, taking my sleeping bag.

"Anything interesting?" I ask him as he starts finding a comfortable position in the sleeping bag.

"No, but Clove fell asleep. I think I saw someone creeping around the edge of the woods, but I aimed my spear at them and they ran away. But I think you'll be okay if you're on watch with Cato," Marvel says. I nod in agreement.

"Get out here Lover Boy!" Cato yells from outside the tent.

"Got to go," I say. But Marvel is already sleeping soundly, not surprisingly. I wish I was going to sleep. But I know I'm not going back to sleep until tonight because Cato and I's watch is the last watch of the night.

"I'm here," I say, sitting in a chair near Cato.

"Good. Now keep an eye out for anyone who might want to take anything. We have a pretty fair amount of food here, so I don't blame them for trying," Cato says. He sounds angry, and I want to ask him what's wrong. But I'm afraid he'll hurt me. Why be afraid? You know he will at some point. Right now he's keeping you alive so you'll help find the girl you love so he can kill her. But if it were to come down to him and you, he'd surely kill you, I tell myself.

"You sound upset. What's going on?" I ask without thinking. Damn it Peeta!

Cato looks at me with anger. "NOTHING'S FREAKING WRONG!" He then punches me to the ground, and kicks me in the leg.

"What the hell man? I just asked if something was wrong. Didn't have to get all violent on me! I'm sorry, okay?" I say. "Please don't hurt me."

"I just…well…I'm sorry, okay. You wouldn't understand!"

"Do you hate me, Cato? Why haven't you killed me yet? Why are you being nice to me? I thought you'd be torturing me, making fun of me!" I suddenly say. "And I might understand." I add, because I really want to hear why he's upset.

"Whoa man, all the questions? Really?" I nod. "Well, I'll answer them for you. Of course I hate you, you're another enemy in this arena, you took away attention from me with your whole "I love Katniss" bit, you totally wiped me off the floor at the opening ceremonies, why wouldn't I hate you?"

"Look, I didn't mean to, I just want to get out of these Games alive like the rest of us, okay? And the "I love Katniss" bit is real! I LOVE HER! She's my true love, and I cried every night before this arena because if I want to live, she'll have to die!" I look at him with anger in my eyes, and for a split second Cato actually looks scared. "Now please finish answering my questions."

"I haven't killed you yet because you're useful, and I'm not exactly being super sweet to you, but I'm nice to you because I have to keep you alive to find Katniss. And I don't make fun of you because it's not cool. And based on your interview, you have quite the way with words. I'm sure you'd come up with so many comebacks. Besides, I leave the making fun of you to the girls. They always whisper about how much of a wimp you are. I won't disagree with them, though. They also whisper about how stupid loving Katniss is. I don't know what to say about that. And I'm not torturing you because you haven't given me a reason to. You listen to orders, don't insult me, and just do whatever without protest. If you didn't, I probably would torture you," Cato says. "That answer your questions, Lover boy?" I nod. "Good. Now shut up and keep watch." I nod, but I'm scared of Cato, always.

After a couple of hours, I'm bored. Nothing's going to happen, anyway! Like, Marvel already scared off someone during his watch, I doubt anybody would come around now. I just hope Katniss is okay. That's all that matters right now. She just has to be okay. I try to think of who's still alive, to keep me entertained. Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Clove, Ian, Malena, and I are still alive. District 5 girl, District 10 boy, Thresh, Rue, and Katniss. 12 of us left. I think about the other twelve kids. What if they all came here thinking they could win? What if their families need them! They probably all have people they love. All have people that love them. Some of them might have had girlfriends, boyfriends. A couple might have been 18 and ready to marry when they got home. I think of all the possibilities. I didn't even know any of their names! I'm sure they all knew mine. Peeta Mellark, the boy who loves the Girl on Fire. Who could forget me? I didn't even know any of the Career's names before this arena, and they all knew mine! Well, I knew Cato's and that's it.

You know, I'm still curious as why Cato was so angry. I ask, but very calmly, "Cato, please tell me what's wrong. You'll feel better if you talk about it. I will listen, and maybe I will understand."

Cato, without looking at me, says, "Fine. I'm bored anyway, and it doesn't seem like anything's going to happen." He finally looks at me. "Clove and I are in love. We've been best friends since…we were four years old. We grew up together. The first time we kissed was back in District 2 a few months ago. We've been together since. I've told her I love her a couple of times. Every night, I snuck into her room and lay there with her. Now I'm in these Games, and I have to kill her! I'm only in here because my stupid mother made me volunteer for my wimpy little brother!" Cato puts his face into his hands, and I think he starts crying. "Now are you happy?" he asks.

"That's quite the story, Cato. But I do understand. Katniss, I love her, and now I'm in these Games with her. The only difference in our stories is that she doesn't love me back…" I stop there, because Cato isn't listening. I know he doesn't want to. I shouldn't have asked him to tell me, now I've just made him angry.

For the rest of our watch, I just stare at the sky, waiting for something to happen.

Later that morning, Cato falls asleep. I let him sleep. Then I talk to myself a little bit as I stare into the woods. No one can hear me anyway, so I can talk to myself as much as I freaking want to.

"I wish that I could just get out of here. All of us do. But I want Katniss to win. But I also want Katniss to love me. I want to kiss her, because I never have. She's my life, even though we didn't talk before these Games. I want her so bad. I wish there was a way for us both to get out of here alive. I would do anything! Kill my family, I don't care!" Wait, I shouldn't have said that. "Wait, forget the family part! Just I wish I could think of a way to get us both out of here alive. Why can't we all just live? No one deserves to be in here!" I have so much more I want to say. That the Capitol people deserve to be in here. That they can't make us live like this. But do I want to get killed? No. I'll just keep my mouth shut.

A few hours later, the sun starts rising. I decide to make some breakfast for everyone. I get out the leftover meat from last night, slice some apples, and get some crackers. The meat on crackers is delicious, and I starting eating my share before everyone else is up. I lay it all out on a plastic tarp on the ground, along with some purified water. I'm eating peacefully, and that's when Cato grabs me and throws me to the ground.

"Why did you let me sleep? You should have woken me up you retard! You could have not been able to stop what could have come without me! WAKE ME UP NEXT TIME MELLARK!" Cato exclaims, waking up everyone else, who then walk out of their tents scratching their heads and yawning. Cato slaps me a couple of times. "Understand?"

Before I can say anything, Marvel comes over to Cato and punches him. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY FRIEND DIRTBAG!" They start punching each other, and luckily Cato doesn't have any weapons, or else Marvel would be a goner.

Glimmer and Malena watch, commenting as Marvel and Cato fight. Clove just rolls her eyes, and Ian ignores it and immediately gets his share of food. I sigh. This is my fault. I have to think of something to stop this. This can't go on forever. Cato can't kill Marvel! After a while, Marvel doesn't sound good.

"ENOUGH!" I yell, causing Marvel and Cato to stop fighting and stare at me. "Save that fighting for after you kill all the other tributes. Now shut up and eat your breakfast!" I say, handing them their share. They take it, and Cato surprisingly doesn't punch me, but he gives me a very dirty look.

"Fine then, lover boy," Cato says, biting into his food with much force.

"Thanks man," Marvel says, eating his food. "And this is good."

"No problem."

All of us sit in silence, eating. There's not really much to say. At least, I don't think there is. I'm sure someone will probably start a conversation soon.

I think for a little bit, after finishing my food. I wonder if there is a way to show these Gamemakers I'm not a piece in their Games. How can I? How can I show them that I'm not some pawn they can play with and do whatever they please? I don't know what to do. Maybe I should just try to be myself, stay the same way I am. But if I get out of here, I'll be changed.

"I wonder how that stupid girl on fire Katniss got a higher score than me!" Clove exclaims out of nowhere. "I mean, an 11? What could she possibly have done? Stripped for them? That probably wouldn't have been a pretty sight," Clove says with a smirk. Stripping for them? What? That's probably something Glimmer would do. I can't help snicker at the thought.

"What are you laughing at, lover boy?" Cato asks. "Do you know what she did?" Cato looks at me. Of course I know what she did. And I'm laughing at the idea of Glimmer stripping for the Gamemakers. But I don't say it out loud.

"I'm laughing at the impossibility of Katniss getting an 11! I mean, I love her and all, but an 11? That's just stupid," I say. It was hard to get it out, but I'm pretty good at lying.

"Oh, well I don't blame you. But seriously, do you know what she did?" Cato asks. Everyone is looking at me. I gulp, but I try not to look nervous.

"No clue. It's a secret, right?" I say.

They all seem convinced. "Well I wish I knew. There's not a way in the world that she can get a higher score than Cato and me!" Clove is really mad about this. But there's not really anything she can do about it now.

"You know, if we actually had sponsors, shouldn't we have gotten stuff by now?" Glimmer asks.

"Well we actually have everything we need and more, so I think we're good," Marvel says rolling his eyes.

"I was just asking, ok?" Glimmer says, offended at Marvel's eye roll.

Cato ignores the little conversation between Marvel and Glimmer. "Today, I'm going to train Ian, Glimmer, Malena and lover boy with weapons so they can help defend our camp and kill people. As far as I know, they suck with weapons," Cato says to Clove, who nods in agreement.

Ian shrugs, as do I, but Glimmer and Malena look highly offended. They both open their mouths to say something, but nothing comes out. Can't think of anything to say, I guess. What is there to say? They both know they suck with weapons.

"Well thank you for your help Cato," I say.

"Eh. What else is there to do? You're pretty handy with that knife but mostly you suck," Cato says. Well thanks for the encouragement, Cato.

"Thanks," I say sarcastically. I don't think Cato hears me.

We spend the whole day, practicing throwing spears, knives, and other weapons. He doesn't teach us how to use a bow and arrows, because no one here really knows how to use them. I'm very sore by the end of the day. Cato beat me up a couple of times for almost hitting him with a knife, so now I have gashes and bruises all over my exhausted body. Not only am I tired and just want to sleep, Cato decides we go hunting tonight. Fun. You know what the best part is? I still mainly suck with weapons.

The whole night hunting is uneventful, and all that happens is that I'm still hurting all over, and exhausted since I got no sleep! No one did, but my day was especially exhausting compared to everyone else. Cato was extra hard on me. On the bright side, I'm still alive, and Katniss is still alive.

Once we're back to camp with some game that Clove killed, Cato starts a fire to cook the meat. I'm not even hungry, I'm too tired. I don't feel that well, a little warm. Probably from the heat of the fire. I just limp over to the tent. I enter the tent, and climb into my sleeping bag. I start sweating immediately, so I shimmy out of it. It's still hot, so I take off my jacket, and lay down on the sleeping bag, and try to fall asleep.

I close my eyes, and I'm out like a light.

Katniss is in the final battle with Cato. I'm already dead. She aims her arrow at his heart, but misses. Cato throws a punch at Katniss, knocking her off the Cornucopia. She falls into dirt, and can't get up. I think she broke her leg. That's when Cato raises his sword, and stabs her in the stomach killing her, and he wins the 74th Annual Hunger Games.

"Peeta, wake up! Come on, someone's lit a fire!" Marvel is shaking me awake. Good, my nightmare wasn't real. But how long have I been asleep? I pull on my jacket.

"What time is it?" I ask Marvel, standing up.

"About midafternoon. But Glimmer spotted smoke in the sky. We're all going to go after it and find out who the lucky tribute is today. Ian is going to stay here and guard the camp. Now let's get going!"

I walk out of the tent, and grab my emergency pack for in case we ever had a situation like this. Ian is sitting on a chair around where our fire usually is. "Bye Ian, take good care of our camp!"

"Sure thing. See you all soon!" Ian replies.

"Come on, lover boy, hurry up!" Cato yells at me. Turns out everyone is running ahead to the woods to track down the fire. I hope it's just someone's fire burning out and the tribute has gone away. I don't want to witness the death of anymore tributes.

"Coming!" I half run, half limp. I'm feeling better from all the sleep I got, but still, I'm tired and really don't feel all too well. And I'm stiff from sleeping in the same position for too long. And I feel really gross. A few days without a shower is nasty.

I catch up to them, and we start hiking into the woods. It's hard to not be noisy when you walk, so I just keep being loud, because there's no point in trying to be quiet. We're still trying to track down the source of the smoke, now, and I can smell it.

After a couple of hours, we still haven't run into any tributes, or fires. Maybe it was a hoax that the Capitol designed? I'm confused.

"OH MY FREAKING GOD!" I hear Marvel yell. What is he yelling at? It smells like fire.

I look up, and see a huge wall of fire moving towards us. All of us just looked at it, speechless. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU IDIOTS? RUN!" Marvel yells, as it keeps surging forward.

Finally some action, huh? I'm glad too, I am really excited to write this next scene! But then it will be just a chapter more of boredom, but after that it's EVERLARK! I'm really excited to write the cave scene from Peeta's POV to be honest. I will have the next chapter up soon. Also, I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long, I just never got back to it. But I'm getting back to it now, and I went back and edited all the chapters and made them better than before so if you're a returning reader make sure to take a look at it! But until next chapter, bye!