Trying to help Katniss hold it together has done some good in trying to help him hold it together. He needed to be there for her, had to hold it together for her. As the hours wound on and the ghosts kept coming, kept accusing (and they were right; they were so right), he slowly began to lose it, any help to be gained from being there for Katniss sliding away.

He keeps his arms locked around her as if she could hold him steady, his cheek is pressed against her shoulder. Closing his eyes doesn't help. He can still see them, hear them accusing him. "It can't be real. It--they're dead. They're all dead and this can't be real."