8:16am
She was running late. The morning had been chaotic. Her alarm didn't go off. She woke half an hour later than usual and realised she didn't have time for breakfast. She had to be in a meeting first thing and she couldn't be late. The bakery across from work would have to do.
But she had missed the train and had to drive herself to work, into the city at peak hour. She cursed herself as she drove into the heart of the city, bumper to bumper with all the other cars heading to work. She felt the need to curse everything.
She hated Mondays. She hated idiotic drivers and tailgaters. She hated who ever designed the roads and who thought of putting tolls in. She cursed her alarm. She cursed the train. She cursed the meeting she had to conduct. She cursed her friends bachelorette party that cut into her meeting prep.
Today was not her day but she didn't realise her day would get a whole lot worse and traffic jams and meetings were the last of her worries.
8:24am
Monday mornings were the busiest. The bakery was located in the main pedestrian mall in the CBD of Panem, Victor Place. It was in the main business and finance area of Panem. Three of the major banks and other corporations. And Capitol TV television studio was located across from the bakery. The bakery usually filled with workers, shoppers and tourists. Victor Place was iconic and attracted everyone.
And especially since Christmas was the next week, people flocked to see the large Christmas tree, were shopping and the bakery was known for those stopping in to order Christmas treats. He liked being busy, it made the long hours and hard work worth it. The joy of people's faces when they bought cheese buns, or Christmas cookies for their children. It was all worth it.
He moved around to the back of the store and checked his phone.
Hey, I'm running late. Didn't get to have breakfast could you have a coffee and something for me ready. Traffic is mayhem. I'll message you when I park the car. K.
He pockets his phone and goes and gathers his paperwork. The main rush will finish in about half an hour but he knows the staff can manage. He sits himself down in the front of the store like he usually does each Monday to do the paperwork and greets the usual customers and does the roster for the next week.
He sips his tea and nods at a customer who sits down at the table across from him. He turns his attention back to the paperwork and tries to get over the strange chill that runs down his back.
8:44am
Once she parks the car she shoots through a message and practically powerwalks. She had ten minutes to get to work and get her coffee and breakfast.
Her phone sounds in her hand and Prim's name flashes across the screen.
"Hey Prim, what's up?"
"Hey, just confirming that you'll be picking me up this afternoon at the station."
"Peeta will be, I won't be done until 5, and he's going to entertain you until I'm finished. 4 'clock?"
"Yep. You alright, you sound puffed?"
"I'm running late for work. I'll call you later alright? Text me when you get on the train."
"I will. See you later sis."
"Bye Prim."
She ends the call and navigates her way up the stairs of the carpark and through the CBD to Victor Place. She spies the bakery and powerwalks to the entrance.
She steps into the bakery, tables occupied, Peeta gone from his usual spot out the front.
"Hey, you made it." She hears and turns to see Peeta. "Come round the back."
"I can't. I'm late." She tells him. "Is my order ready?"
"Just come around the back."
She smiles at the staff at the counter and follows Peeta to the back. Her phone sounds and she reads the text.
Annie - Meeting postponed til after lunch. Don't rush here. See you when you get here.
"Everything alright?" He asks.
She nods with a smile, exhaling. "Meeting has been postponed."
"So you do have a minute?" He asks with a smile.
She nods with a smile and he pulls her into his office. He hands her a takeaway cup of fresh juice and a paper bag.
"You're order, and yes I know you asked for coffee but I know this is better for you, now sit here and breathe and eat." He says pushing her down into the desk chair.
She doesn't protest the change of drink, the fresh juice better for her than the coffee and takes a seat, sipping her juice and seeing what he gave her for her breakfast. She takes a bite of the cheese bun and smiles.
The two of them had become roommate's years before, he had a room to rent and she needed somewhere to stay. They had known each other since school and found it an easy arrangement. Becoming friends quickly. They settled into a routine of Friday night dinners and movie nights. Doing the dishes and housework. He brought her lunch and coffee and listened to her bitch about work.
They weren't dating or romantic with each other, it was a platonic relationship mostly. She still stole his clothes or climbed into his bed when she had nightmares. They were known to walk in on each other when they were in the bathroom and start up a conversation not caring what state of undress they were in. Or even their continuing of conversations with the bathroom door open while one of them used to toilet.
She bought his underwear and he bought her tampons.
And when their friends stopped by they always shook their heads at their arrangement and were always wondering if it was more than just being close friends.
Their friends just didn't know they had slept with each other on numerous occasions, declaring it as helping each other out. Especially after failed dates and failed romances.
They just hadn't acknowledged the feelings they had for each other. Or at least she hadn't.
"So you're still right to get Prim at 4?"
"I sure am. I'll take her to do whatever 16 year old girls like to do."
She smiles at him. He loved her sister nearly as much as she did. He didn't have any siblings and didn't know what it was like having a younger sibling. Even if he was twelve years old than Prim he was very protective of her.
"Maybe she'll tell you about the boy she's been talking to." She jokes.
"There's no way she'll tell me. Remember the last boy I threatened?" He chuckles. "Yeah, she won't be introducing us to anymore of them."
Katniss chuckles and sips her coffee. "She's going to ask about us again and she'll continue to ask why we're not together. Are you ready to hear three weeks of questions?"
"Sure am."
Though since she last had visited something had shifted between the two friends. A big change that was ultimately going to change their lives.
"I'm excited to tell her." Katniss tells him sipping her fresh juice.
"Me too. She's not going to believe us."
A knock sounds at the door and one of the employees, Bristol stands at the doorway.
"Sorry Peeta, a customer would like to speak with you."
"Ok, did they say what it was about?"
"No, he just said it was urgent though."
"Ok. Tell him I'll be out in a second." He tells the girl. "You sit here. I'll be back."
He kisses the top of her head and leaves the room.
9:03am
"Who is it?" He asks Bristol.
She points him to the table where a man sits. The same man who he nodded at while he went through his paperwork. He walks out towards him and takes a seat at the table.
"Hello, I'm Peeta. I'm the owner. How can I help you?"
9:06am
Katniss flicks through her Facebook newsfeed while she eats, footsteps alert her to a worker coming into the office. Bristol looks distressed.
"Bristol, what's going on?" She asks, wiping her fingers on the napkin.
"I need Peeta's keys."
"Why?" She asks standing up.
"He says we're closed."
"Bristol, what is going on?" Katniss asks the girl, gripping her shoulders.
"Peeta just said that everything is OK. To tell everyone to remain calm."
Bristol is gone in an instant and Katniss follows her out to the front. Peeta looks pale, almost like he has seen a ghost. He meets her eyes across the room, they are wide and full of worry and she knows everything is wrong.
She watches Bristol lock the door with shaky hands and turns her attention to a man. The same man she assumes wanted to speak with Peeta. He holds a shotgun and removes his cap revealing a rebel bandana.
"This is an attack. I have a bomb". He declares.
9:44am
The staff and customers are lined up at the northern wall of the bakery. Most of them seated out of view. At least one person stands at the windows, facing directly at the Capitol TV building. Their hands pressed to the windows above their heads. Two of them hold up a black flag with the rebel's pledge. Eyes closed.
"You." The gunman points his gun at Peeta. "Call the police and tell them the country is under attack."
Peeta takes out his phone from his pocket and dials.
"Hello, my name is Peeta Mellark. The country is under attack by rebels." He tells them. "Radio bombs are located around the city. Victor Place, Village Quay and Quell Street. I have a gun pointed at me. And that myself and others being held hostage at Mellark's Bakery in Victor's Place."
9:51am
"You will be my secretary." He says pointing at Katniss. "You three will make phone calls. I want to speak to the President. I want a rebel flag delivered. I want my demands met. Keep pushing until my demands are met. I want to speak with the President."
Frantic phone calls are made and the people at the windows switched around. Peeta stood at the window and made a decision, he would go down with this ship. He wouldn't leave like a coward to save his own skin.
He stood and listened to the demands being made. He heard the noises from outside in Victor Place. He heard the sirens of the police arriving at the scene. Ordering evacuations and shouting out orders.
And he wondered, how safe was the City of Panem. Three bombs located around the city. Millions of people in the city. He prayed they'd evacuate the day care centre in the floor above.
He mostly prayed that Katniss would escape unharmed.
"You. What's your name?" He demands.
"Delly."
"Delly. You work here. You'll take people to the bathroom." He tells her. "Got me?"
"Yes."
Peeta feels his stomach churn but knows Delly would be the best person. She'd be supportive. She'd do him proud.
"Your name. What is your name?"
"Katniss." She stutters.
"Call the government. Beg to speak to the president."
10:07am
"Remember. I have a bomb in my backpack." He warns.
Peeta feels the tears form in his eyes. And he listens to the demands being made during the phone calls. He wished he just gave Katniss her order and let her go. At least then she'd be safe.
He opens his eyes, peaking outside the windows for a brief moment. And it is chaos. Buildings are being evacuated and police are arriving. Tactical operations arriving and Peeta knows that they are treating this seriously. He closes his eyes and prays because that's the only thing he can think of.
10:55am
"Switch." He demands.
Katniss looks up and watches as Peeta switches with one of the young workers. Peeta comes and sits down as close to Katniss and she nods that she is alright. His eyes flit down to her stomach and back to her eyes. And she knows he is staying put. He's holding down the fort. He is going to do everything to protect everyone else.
Katniss exhales and tries her best to hold in the tears.
Then she remembers Prim. And her phone is in the office.
"May I use the bathroom?" She asks.
He nods. "Delly, take Katniss."
Delly is fast at Katniss' side, placing her hands on Katniss' shoulders and guiding her to the back where the toilets are. They were out of view.
"Let me grab my phone." She whispers to Delly and steps into the office and finds her phone, pocketing it before letting Delly take her to the bathroom.
Delly waits, watching as a guard and lets Katniss have her moment.
She sees a text from Prim.
There's a hostage situation. Are you alright? I can't get the train to Victor Place. Where do I go? What do I do? Please tell me you're alright.
Katniss dials Prim and she picks up instantly.
"Katniss. What is going on?"
"Let me speak. I'm in the bakery. I'm alright. Ring Annie or Johanna, they'll look after you. I love you. I'll try and call you later. Just be brave little duck."
"Katniss, is Peeta with you?"
"Yes but he is alright. Just call Annie or Johanna. I love you. I've got to go."
"Katniss, keep me updated."
"I will. Bye little duck."
"Bye.
Katniss bangs her head against the stall wall and places her hand on her stomach.
She steps out of the stall and Delly smiles at her.
"I'll keep Prim updated when I can. Give me her number."
Katniss hands over the number and Delly saves it to her phone.
"Come on."
11:43am
Katniss has been pushed to the window. Peeta now making phone calls. He steals glances across to Katniss. She's been there for almost an hour and with the exhaustion from standing in the one spot he can see her getting weaker.
"White shirt stop talking." The gunman shouts.
Peeta knows between the hostages they have been sharing words. Asking if each other is alright in hushed tones.
"Excuse me leader, I'm not feeling." An elderly gentleman says. Peeta recognises him as a regular and knows that he is nowhere unwell. He's the fittest man he knows.
The gunman studies him for a minute and shakes his head. "Don't lie to me."
He looks over at Katniss to tell him, to try and opt for an opportunity for her to leave but he knows she won't.
But a lawyer who is a regular does speak up.
"Leader, I am pregnant. I thought I'd let you know." The blonde lawyer says.
"Ok. But you'll still stand at the window."
Katniss doesn't flinch to say anything.
"Keep calling. Remind them of the bombs. Keep demanding for the president and my flag." He urges, pointing the gun towards the table with Peeta and the few others making phone calls.
12:33pm
Katniss has been moved away from the window having almost passed out. Delly is giving her water and food. Peeta trying his best to fuss over her.
Katniss takes deep breaths, trying to get her breathing steady and her heartbeat down.
"Owner, keep calling." He says pushing the barrel of the gun into Peeta's back.
Katniss could see the dislike the gunman had for Peeta. The power Peeta had over the gunman. The gunman had utter dislike and hate for the power he knew Peeta had and she just hoped it didn't end badly for him.
1:59pm
"Leader, can I use the bathroom?" Peeta asks.
Leader nods and Delly takes him to the bathroom.
"Peeta, are you alright?" Delly asks.
"I just need a minute. A minute to not be strong."
Delly nods and gives him some time alone.
He is nauseous and anxious.
He kneels in front of the toilet and waits.
Before he spills the contents of his stomach into the bowl.
After his minute he splashes his face with water and stares at himself in the mirror.
"You can do this."
Delly pokes her head into the bathroom.
"Annie is looking after Prim. She's got her at her house."
Peeta thanks her and lets her lead him back.
2:12pm
Katniss stands at the window. Face down, eyes closed. Peeta on the phone making the gunman's demands.
The gunman becoming more agitated as his demands aren't met. He hones in on Katniss, using her body as a shield, gun trained on her back.
She thinks this is it. This is how she'll die, in front of everyone. Prim will definitely see it.
But he leaves her alone and she exhales.
But the nerves still fill her stomach.
3:37pm
Peeta holds Katniss' hand. Squeezing it.
"You should escape." He whispers to her.
"I'm not leaving you."
"You have to." He pleads. "Please."
She stares at him almost heartbroken and the sound of a glass breaking alerts them to the drama unfolding. The front door has been opened and two hostages have escaped.
The gunman is furious. Especially when a third escapes through a fire exit. A shot is fired above the door and Katniss curls herself into a ball. As he begins to have a meltdown.
"What happened?" he asks gasping. "Where is the guy with the white shirt? The police. The police have helped them. I have to kill you now." He states. "That's it. I kill three of you. An eye for an eye." He begins to say. "For their mistake three of you will die."
Words of pleas are said, frantic pleas to spare the deaths of three of the now 15 being held hostage.
"The police didn't help them. The police didn't help them. They just ran out." One of the young bakers says.
"Thank you. I was about to shoot you. Alright. No one dies. But I warn you, the next time someone leaves one of you will die. Deal?"
"Deal."
"If someone else leaves, someone will die. An eye for an eye." He eyes us all. "Now move."
4:21pm
Any noise has the gunman jumping, agitated that the police have found a way in or someone is escaping. The gun trains on someone until he is relieved that its nothing.
A noise though does sound from outside the bakery.
"Delly, go see what that was."
Katniss has taken a seat while Peeta is pressed up against the window.
When Delly comes back informing him that it was nothing a policeman is seen.
"You. Write a note. Go away or I will kill them."
The boy scribbles out a note.
"Good. Delly take it to the window, hold it for two minutes."
Delly does as she is told and Peeta watches the police retreat backwards away from the bakery.
"You, be careful or I might misunderstand you." He threatens to Bristol, holding the gun at her face after she had moved, stretching her legs out in front of her.
There's silence for a little while.
"Leader, I'm hungry, can I get something to eat?" Katniss asks, nerves filling her belly.
"Delly, go and get Katniss something to eat and anyone else who's hungry. And get me some tea."
"Can I help Delly?" One of the boys asks.
"Yes. Help her." The gunman says.
Katniss waits and the boy, Thom serves them tea, like he would serve any patron, professional and well mannered. She thanks him silently and takes a sip of her tea.
Delly serves them food, sandwiches, pastries and cakes and it is silent while everyone eats, reenergizing themselves despite the adrenaline that is coursing through their bodies.
The adrenaline that would surely run out.
4:59pm
Delly has escorted Katniss to the bathroom or what they have now dubbed the safe haven. The moment where they can breakdown and have a moment. A place where they can contact to home or cry into Delly's shoulder.
Delly is supportive. She offers her phone for calls. Words of encouragement. She becomes a comfort.
Katniss pees and steps out to wash her hands. Delly is standing there watching her, watching them like a guardian angel.
"Can you tell Peeta that I love him?" She asks Delly.
Delly smiles and places her hand on her shoulder. "You'll do that when we leave."
"But can you just tell him."
"Yes."
When they step back out they notice how shaky the hostages are and Katniss then notices two of the workers missing.
Their deal made known. An eye for an eye.
One of them would be dead.
5:43pm
"Thom, read out the news headline." The gunman demands.
Peeta gives all his faith to the boy to think on his feet. To not give away the truth.
"3 people have escaped. Police are on the scene. 3 people have escaped as others are held hostage. The prime ministers and presidents of the world are being addressed."
The gunman nod and then turns on the radio.
"Mellark's bakery siege, five people have escaped."
The whole room goes tense. Everyone looking between each other.
"What?" The gunman asks. "What happened? Where are the girl's? Where's the girl who was on the floor?"
Peeta is fast to think. "You know, the media is lying."
"Yeah, the media is lying. They're just trying to make you look bad." Everyone says.
"The press makes things up. It wasn't five, it was only three."
"They're just trying to make you look bad. It was only three."
He believes them and relief washes over everyone. They've been spared for a moment longer.
7:03pm
The radio remains on. The talkback station still playing. The gunman waiting for the president.
"Listen to that. President Snow won't even call in to save your lives."
The media no longer is talking to them. The negotiator not meeting their demands. Their ideas are running out. If they can't appease him, they'll be dead.
"I know. You three. Come with me. We'll make videos, pleading for the president to speak to me. You'll hold up the flag."
Katniss stands and follows him to the corner with the other team. The flag is held up in the background like a backdrop. The gunman directing them in what to say.
"My name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm an executive in Panem. This is a message for President Snow. We're here with our leader who has asked for two simple things. One is to send a rebel flag. The other is for President Snow to talk to him on live media. Two simple requests, if these demands are met, one of us will be allowed to leave."
With the three videos shot, he directs for more calls to be made.
"Get them to play them on live media." He demands.
But they are unsuccessful and are becoming desperate. With no airtime, they are losing their lifeline.
They were feeling abandoned. They felt as if their lives weren't worth anything anymore. They felt as if they were being left to die.
10:43pm
He was agitated. Everyone else, running out of hope.
Everyone feeling like they were going to die as it moved close to the 14th hour.
Katniss was losing hope, thinking about Prim and how she'd have no one. She was fearful.
There was nothing she could do to get herself out without risking the lives of the others.
Katniss has gone to the bathroom again for another moment alone. A moment to hear Prim's voice.
She dials Prim and the answer is immediate.
"Katniss." She exclaims. "How are you doing?"
"I just wanted to hear your voice."
"Katniss, you can get through this. You should try and escape."
"I can't Prim. An eye for an eye. He'll shoot someone."
"Isn't your safety more important?"
"Prim, I'll be a coward if I run."
"You will not be. Please, just consider it."
"I love you Prim."
"I love you too Katniss."
Katniss hangs up, feeling a pang of guilt. She exits the stall and straightens her shirt.
"Peeta and I are having a baby Del."
Delly pulls Katniss into her arms. "I'm so glad you realised how much he meant to you. He'll make a good dad."
Then the walls come tumbling down and Katniss realises the missed opportunity.
The two of them aren't together. Just two friends coming together to raise the child they created after continuous hook-ups. Their child, a result of too much alcohol and carelessness after a messy breakup of Katniss' boyfriend of the time.
She realises how much she loves Peeta and feels guilty that she never got to love him unconditionally. And she knows they have to survive so she can really tell him how much she loves him.
12:08am
"Only a few can make a phone call." He states. "That is all."
Katniss is given the opportunity to ring Prim again. She speaks to Annie, Johanna and even Finnick.
Peeta squeezes her hand and listens to her speak what she thinks is her last words to them. His heart breaks.
And he realises he'll never get to tell her how much he loves her. They can't speak to each other and the words he wants to tell her are too painful. Long winded apologies fuelled with grief, sorrow and sadness. Words filled with regret.
Words to their unborn child.
He realises the words he's left unspoken, left too late. Words he should have told her the minute he realised how madly in love he was with her.
And he thinks back to the night before. Katniss in his bed, her belly exposed to him.
"You've popped more." He tells her with a wide smile. "It really looks like a baby is growing in there now."
"22 weeks and I finally have a belly." She says relieved. "I wanted to get really fat and order you around the house and make you tie my shoes of a morning."
"But this little bump is so cute." He tells her, resting his hand on the swell of her belly. The swelling they've been waiting for impatiently for the past couple of weeks.
He looks at her. She's happy and she has been since they found out. And he knows how much he loves her and wants to be with her but he knows tonight is not the night to tell her. Tonight is for celebrating the pop of her belly and the caressing of the soft skin of her belly.
"I can't wait for you to arrive little one." She tells her stomach as she rubs the skin. "You're daddy and I are very keen to meet you."
"I love you so much." He tells her belly, pressing a kiss just above her belly button.
He listened to the other goodbyes and he knew the energy was gone. Everyone knew this was it.
It was like poison in the heart. The last goodbyes.
Katniss though looked at Peeta and felt a sense of calm.
She felt grateful for her family. Her friends. She was grateful for experiencing the joy and happiness of being pregnant.
If he shoots her, she'd be OK with it as long as she doesn't see it or feels it.
1:43am
Hope is running out. They wonder when their time will come.
"Tell them to turn them off Katniss. Tell them to turn the lights off." The gunman demands and she stands up. "I have to kill one of you."
Katniss looks around. Bodies are slumped. Exhaustion and fear bringing everyone down.
"I need to kill one person."
She takes her phone and goes to the corner of the bakery.
"Hi, I'm Katniss Everdeen. I'm one of the hostages. He wants the lights out. Can you please shut the lights off?"
1:53am
The outside lights are still on.
"Why aren't the lights off?" He demands. "Up. Up. Up."
Katniss is pulled to her feet and pushed to stand at the doors, made to stand looking out onto the street. She can feel the gun pressed to the back of her head.
This was how she was going to go.
She could feel the tension in the room. Hear the scuffle. She could sense Peeta debating on what to do.
But he doesn't shoot, he grabs her by the neck and drags her to the supply room, pushing her up against the wall. The gun pressed below her ear.
His breathing gets heavy as he stares at her.
"Please leader please. Please don't shoot me. Please don't shoot me. I'm pregnant and I only have my sister." She pleads.
He looks her straight in the eyes.
"You have fifteen minutes." He tells her.
She swallows the lump in her throat and watches as he grabs Delly who's come back from the toilets. Delly in front of him. Katniss at the back of him. They were his human shields as he walked throughout the bakery.
He stops them at a set of doors.
"Block that entrance." He demands Delly. "Cover it so they won't come in here."
Delly starts blocking the exit, gun pointed at her. Katniss stands behind him. Waiting.
A breaking glass sounds from outside the supply room.
"What was that?" HHHe asks before pushing Katniss out of the way and running out of the room.
Katniss falls to the ground. Delly falling to the ground also.
Katniss tries to make herself as small as possible. Tears falling down her eyes. She hopes Peeta has escaped. She hopes everyone else has escaped.
A gun shot sounds, glass shatters and time goes still.
This wasn't going to have a peaceful outcome and she knows it.
Peeta watches as six escape.
"Go Peeta." The lady urges him.
He shakes his head. He's not going anywhere. He's staying until the very end. He was the owner. He wasn't leaving now.
He squeezed the hand of the lady beside him and they watched and waited.
Katniss waits, hiding herself and waiting for him to come back. The gunshot, she doesn't know what it means. So she waits. She waits for something to happen.
Peeta watches as the gunman comes back. Marie, hauled up onto her feet by the gunman, urged to the centre of the room.
Marie's mother pushed to the centre. The others urged to the middle. Pushed and ordered. Rearranged. Peeta knows this is the end. They'll be his human shield when the police swarm.
"You." The gunman says pointing at Peeta. "Kneel down. Put your hands on your head."
Peeta kneels, obeying the demands, putting his hands on his head. He doesn't realise that he is sobbing. Sobbing, understanding that this is it. No more days left in his life. This is the moment he'll leave the earth. He'll leave behind his few family members. Katniss. His unborn baby. Prim. His friends.
He feels the gun pressed to the back of his head and holds his breath.
Time stills for a moment when he no longer feels the gun.
And he thinks about what his child will look like. The colour eyes he or she will have. Who the child will look like more. He imagines everything from first seeing the baby. To the smiles, the giggles, the words and the steps. He imagines the first day of school, the first tooth. He imagines a life.
A life he won't get to experience with their little one.
A gun shot sounds.
Katniss squeezes herself further into her hiding spot and sobs as she hears the groan of despair following the sound of the shot.
Choked sobs and screams sound but Katniss hardly registers them. She's in too much shock to comprehend everything.
The noise is deafening that follows. Katniss sobbing as the explosions and shots sound in the front of the bakery. Light flashes. Things break. Katniss sobs harder.
The beautiful bakery Peeta spent turning it into the beautiful place it was is being shot up. Destroyed and defiled. Never to be the wonderful place it ever was. From this day on it's now to be affiliated as something that no business owners wants upon their business.
And she waits.
She feels hands and is lifted to her feet. A sniper is standing there holding onto her.
"You're safe now." He tells her. "You're safe. You're safe."
And disbelief washes over her.
She's rushed through the fire exit as the standoff continues, officers greet her, push her into the building next door where she is sat down and she doesn't know what to do.
Whether to laugh or cry. She's still in disbelief that she has been rescued.
Then it goes silent. The shooting stops. The fire alarm shrills.
And she thinks that Peeta is dead.
5:32am
Everything is a blur. The siege over. Lives lost. She knows that.
She's been hooked up to IV fluids for dehydration and placed on a monitor to check the baby is fine.
She rests in her bed. No one has said anything to her. She just waits for Prim.
She mourns for Peeta because she knows he is dead. That's the reason why everyone is so quiet and won't answer her questions.
She sobs and wonders what the point is anymore? Everyone she loves has gone.
It'll only be Prim.
Prim and this child. The child with a dead father.
Someone else she's sure she loves is gone and she's no longer whole.
She turns to face the window, its dark out. And she feels a kick. The first kick and she wants to curl up and hide.
She can't do this without Peeta.
7:32am
"Katniss, wake up." Prim says shaking her awake. "Come on Katniss."
Katniss doesn't want to wake up.
But she has her sister. That's all she needs.
She pulls Prim to her body and holds her so tightly, letting her sister cry. Cry all the pain and worry out. Those hours of uncertainty are sobbed into Katniss' neck.
"I'm Ok." She reassures her.
Prim pulls away and stares at her sister. Katniss grabs her sister's hands and guides them to her stomach.
"How do you feel about becoming an aunty in about eighteen weeks?" She asks Prim.
And the pain goes away as a smile washes across her face.
"Really?"
Katniss nods. "We were going to tell you. I just wanted to wait a while."
"We? Peeta and you?"
Katniss nods and Prim just smiles.
9:12am.
"I just want to go home." She begs Annie. "Please."
The waking hours are hard. No one tells her anything. She doesn't ask because she already knows.
"I'll go and ask them but Katniss this is for you. They want to make sure you're healthy and the baby too."
"Please Annie." She begs.
"Ok. Stay put."
Annie leaves the room. Prim down at the cafeteria getting breakfast with Johanna.
The baby's heartbeat sounds in the room. The only sound calming her.
She closes her eyes and lets the heartbeat lull her, calm her down.
But she opens her eyes when she feels a person in the room.
"Katniss, I'm Doctor Abernathy. Are you up for a walk?" He asks her.
9:24am
She stands in the doorway of the room. Monitors beep and sound. She calms her breathing.
She was this person's emergency contact. She didn't even know that they put her down.
Another kick comes to her stomach and she steps closer to the bed where the person lays down, pulling her IV drip with her. Their waking from the anaesthesia administered for the surgery to extract the bullet from their leg, to remove bullet fragments, glass and other foreign objects.
They look peaceful despite the hours of terror. Like a small child. Unharmed from the world.
The person stirs awake and their eyes search the room, adjusting to the light and finding her.
A smile comes to their face, their eyes shining.
"I thought you'd want to see me when you woke." She tells them, smiling slightly.
"You're right about that." They speak softly. "Is this real?"
She nods and steps forward taking the persons hand into hers and smiling at them.
"Real. The nightmare has ended."
"For now."
She takes the hand and places it on her stomach.
"Can you feel that?"
The smile grows wider, eyes filled with amazement. "Wow."
She nods and stares into the eyes filled with joy and she knows, she's learnt that she's been given a second chance. They've been given a second chance and she doesn't want to waste it.
She leans her lips down, touching his lips until she feels dizzy with gratefulness and love.
"I love you so much Peeta. I've loved you forever and I'm not wasting a moment without you. I need you. We need you." She says touching her stomach with his hand. "I just wish I realised sooner."
"My love don't dwell, you have me now. I'm not going anywhere." He starts. "And if this has taught me anything, I realised how much I needed you in my life. We got through that." He says smiling. "I know this isn't very traditional or very much planned. I'm probably still high on morphine but Katniss, I love you and I want you to be my wife. I want to marry you, the minute we leave here, I want to marry you, bind my life to yours and be by your side. I want to be more than just your friend, I want to be your husband."
She smiles at him and kisses his lips. "I know you might still be high but yes. I want to become your wife. I don't want to waste a minute without you. I want us to be a family before this one comes."
"You've got one thing wrong."
"What's that?"
"We've always been a family."
…
20th of April, 2:14am
He is a father. He's world just became brighter and bigger. His family just expanded for this little one who took her breaths the same time their biggest nightmare ended. Her journey into the world lasting almost those same 18 hours they were inside that terror.
He still walks with a limp, his scars are healing. She still has nightmares and moments of fear.
He still can't believe he escaped unscathed.
But the months after were hard. But they got their lives back on track. Their child grew and they become thankful for their lives. They now sport silver bands on their left ring fingers.
They sought for normalcy and painted the nursery together. They bought baby things and prepared for their impending parenthood.
They prepared for their world to become whole again.
He watched her belly swell big enough so she can't see her toes and he ties her shoes for her of a morning. Just like she wanted to happen.
He kissed her every chance he got and reminded her how much he loves her.
The bakery remained closed and will until he's ready. He still doesn't know if he can bare to return to what was once his pride and joy.
But the group of survivors became their friends despite the loss of two of them. They all still struggle everyday just like Katniss and he. They moved on together and have truly began living their lives after the nation stood still and waited and then came together to mourn and built the sea of flowers as a tribute.
Prim described them as black flies. A song she had seemed to listen to on the train when she found out about the siege. A song she sung repeatedly while she stayed with them.
Black flies on the windowsill
That we are
That we are
That we are to hold
Comfort came against my will
And every story must grow old
That same song him and Katniss listened to and sung to as they moved on with their lives.
They counted down the days until the baby arrived and kept their minds off of the torture they endured.
But he can't help but think of the two others, not so lucky and he feels guilty that they died instead of him. It was his bakery, his ship. He was going down with his ship, he'd stay there until the very end.
He still has dreams, sees the eyes of the woman shot instead of him. Her groan of disappear still haunts him.
But Rosie, their baby grips his hand and holds on with all she's got. She rests in her mother's arms, adapting to this new life, gripping his finger because at this stage this is all she knows. Her mother and her father and she begs for the unconditional love they will give her.
They'll adapt together, that's what she told him. Every day that passed they'll adapt, they grow and they'll recover. Now from this day on, they adapt to their little Rosie.
He meets Katniss' eyes, smiles at her.
And he knows, she'll heal them, she'll make them stronger and braver. She'll be there on bad moments and after nightmares and moments. She'll be a good moment.
Katniss meets his lips and pulls away smiling down at their little girl. Their little girl who they almost never meant.
"She'll forever be a good moment in a bad day."