Katniss POV

I threw my head back against the wall trying to keep my tears in. It had been two days. 48 hours since someone came through. Two days without food or water.

If I had known this would happen, I would have conserved my food and water. I've gone days without food when I was younger in district twelve. I'd gone days with minimal fresh water in the arena. Yet, I had scarfed down my food, eager to have something to eat. I would normally be fine, but not like this.

I swallowed back my tears for the millionth time today. My throat had already gone raw from screaming. I yelled for hours for someone to come see me, but no one came. I winced as grabbed my left hand, bruised from my excessive pounding against the metal walls.

Sleeping was difficult as well. Well, even before the lack of nutrition, sleep was hard. My condition didn't go well in a harsh mattress on the floor of a prison.

Why had no one come yet? This had been their idea, to do this to me. They loved checking up on me and seeing how their torture method was coming along. I always tried to ignore them and apologized profusely after.

Had something happened to them? They had been anxious for the last week or so. Maybe the rebellion had finally ended. Maybe we had won, and they had lost.

The thought put a smile on my face. The image of Panem in victory, free from Snow and free from the hunger games. No more children would have to fight to the death in those stupid arenas. Parents would be free to watch their children grow up without fear of losing them.

My smile was quick to diminish, however. If we indeed had won, what if they refused to tell them about me? What if I was stuck here, left to die with no one searching?

My fear built every minute. The lack of food and water were sure to hurt, but a deeper fear was clouding over me. It had been a while since it moved. Had the lack of food and water get to it as well? But I had to push that thought aside. The only reason I was fighting was for it, I couldn't think after everything…

I ran my fingers through my hair again. I redid my braid to pass the time. It hung long down my back. Normally I did that, or I talked or sang to it, to pass the time. I couldn't even think of the second, so I pushed the thought out of my mind.

I must have dozed off because I was woken up by a slight discomfort. I actually did start to cry. It had moved after hours of not. My heart leaped in my chest. It kicked again.

"Hey," I ran my hand along my protruding stomach. "I'm here," I said softly.

It kicked again. I let out a small whimper. Most of the time I invited these delicate kicks, but these were more painful, almost urgent. It wasn't backing down. I stood up, sometimes walking helped calm it down.

"Why are you kicking so much?" I mumbled.

But then I reached the end of my cell and I heard something. It wasn't far off, but close. Pounding of steps and voices. They were searching, searching for me.

"Help," I yelled through the bars of my cell. My voice was hoarse from yelling before, but now my life and more importantly my baby's life depended on it.

"Katniss?" a male's voice called back. The voice was familiar. I shut my eyes, thinking back.

"Gale," I screamed out.

"Guys," he called out and I heard the footsteps get closer and closer to my cell.

I pounded against my cell and I'm sure it was trying to help as well. I called out again. "Gale!"

A moment later, a flashlight shone into my cell. I had to cover my eyes from the intense light. My cell had a small window from up above, but I hadn't had this direct light in months.

Gale scanned my face with the light but gulped as he brought it lower. Instinctively, I placed my hands protectively over my stomach. Gale's face softened even more.

"Catnip," his words were careful. "You're?"
"I'm pregnant, yes," I said hurriedly. "As much as I'd like to catch up, I've gone a couple of days without food and water. My baby needs something to eat."

Gale nodded quickly and another man I didn't recognize cut the lock to my cell. I searched the other faces but recognized none. My heart sank when he wasn't there.

"He was hurt in the final battle," Gale said answering my unspoken question. "He wanted to come, so much, but he needed to rest. But Katniss, it's over. We won."

Finally, a final click was revealed, and the man opened my cell door. I cautiously stepped out. It had been months since I had been anyway except my cramped corridors. They had taken my shoes ages ago, so my feet brushed the hard metal floor. I hadn't realized there was a step down until I tripped.

Gale was quick to catch me. He grabbed my right arm, but his other hand rested on my stomach. It kicked in response. Gale's eyes widened and he dropped his hand as soon as I was steadied.

"Relax Gale, it just kicked," I smirked.

He swallowed. "Right. Umm, here," he began to take off his shoes. "You need them more than I do. They might be a little big." He slipped them over my swollen feet.

"Thank you," I replied.

"Can, can you umm, walk?" Gale asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pregnant, not handicapped."

"I know, I just," Gale shook his head, his eyes drooping. "How did this happen? Did they hurt you? Do you know who the father is?"

I shook a sharp intake of breath and slipped my hands over my stomach. "Can we talk about this later? I'm thirsty and hungry and I want to make sure it's okay."

Gale gulped but nodded. He reached to his side and took out a walkie-talkie. "Haymitch, we found her."

My heart fluttered at the thought of my old mentor leading the search for me.

"Is sweetheart okay?" he muttered through the walkie-talkie.

"Uhh," Gale responded.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the device from Gale. "I'm fine, just hungry and dehydrated."

"We'll bring you to the hospital," a pause. "I'm glad you're okay."

I smiled. "Me too."

Gale and the other man led me out of the prison. It was odd to think that what had held me for months would no longer be part of my life. Not only that, but their torture had failed. There would no longer be a Hunger Games.

Gale stayed next to me the whole walk out. I could tell he was trying to process what was going on with me. Me and my baby. He kept glancing at my bump and abruptly turning away when I caught him looking.

Finally, we reached outside. The sun was just setting on the horizon. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air. It moved happily in response.

"Hey sweetheart, how's, woah," Haymitch stopped suddenly. His eyes gazed down to my belly. "Shit."

"Hello to you too," I smirked.

He gulped. "I'm sorry. Uh, we were just expecting you, not.."

"Gale had the same reaction too. Can we just go to the hospital?" I asked.

Haymitch nodded and turned to Gale. "Can you notify the hospital? She should get the best medical care. I'll ride along with her in the ambulance."

Gale nodded and he headed off. Haymitch helped me into the ambulance and shut the doors behind us. He handed me a water bottle and I drank it quickly. The car lurched and we were on our way.

"How far along are you?" he questioned.

I shrugged. "I'm guessing around six months."

"Do you, do you know how this happened?" he asked.

My face darkened. "Can we not talk about this now? How's everyone?"

"Katniss," he sighed. "You have to know that we just fought a war. Not everyone came out of it. And I don't want to upset you with the baby."
I shifted. "So, people died? People close to me?" Haymitch stayed silent confirming my suspicions. I slid my hand around my abdomen as my child moved. "I asked Gale about," I gulped. I hadn't said his name in months. "About him. He said he wanted to come, but he was hurt and needed to rest. Is that true, or is he dead?"

Haymitch shifted in his seat and hesitantly placed his hand on my stomach. It was an odd feeling to have someone else place their hand there, but I liked it. He was comforting and the baby kicked happily in response. His face broke out into a smile with the kick.

"He's okay, recovering, but okay," he said.

"I think it likes you," I muttered.

Haymitch removed his hand. "It?"

I shrugged. "I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. And calling it baby just seemed so real."
"It is real, Katniss," he said.

I placed my head against the rocking car. "Can you keep him away, at least for now? I'm sure he'll want to see me, but like this," I trailed off.

"I'll do what I can, but he's going to fight everyone to see you," he responded.

"I know," I bit my lip. "I just can't see him. Not unless we do a paternity test."

Haymitch's eyes widened. "You think it's his? Did you two ever?"

I hissed. "Can we not talk about this?" I sighed and slid my hand over my stomach. "But yes, they said it was his."

"Said? What do you," but just then the doors opened. I was truly losing my sense of self, I hadn't even realized we had stopped.

The man who had been with Gale was standing before us. "We are at the back of the hospital. They've cleared a private room for you Ms. Everdeen and the only people there are your doctor and an obstetrician," for the baby. Thank God. "Will you be needing anything else?"
"Just discretion," Haymitch answered for me. "The girl's been through a lot, we don't need any rumors flying about her," he warned.

"Of course, Mr. Abernathy. The soldier quickly rushed away. Haymitch stood up and got out of the car and offered me his hand. I scowled and he laughed. "There's that girl on fire I missed."

I sighed and helped myself out of the car. I relished in the wind again. Some days, I thought I would never get out of there, but here I am.

I followed Haymitch inside. True to the man's word, inside the hospital room, there were only a few people. Two doctors and a few nurses milling around. The woman doctor smiled at me.

"Ms. Everdeen, welcome. I'm Doctor Conroy and this is Doctor Murphy. He's going to check your vitals then I'll check your baby's, does that sound alright?" she was kind and her voice relaxed me.

"Can you check me quickly? I just want to make sure my baby's alright." I shook as I said the words.

"Absolutely. Actually, you seem to be in pretty good health besides your recent lack of food and water. We can hook an IV up and let Doctor Conroy examine the baby if that would make you more comfortable?" he asked.

I nodded quickly. "Please."

They began to hook up an IV and administer fluids immediately. A nurse rolled a cart to Doctor Conroy.

"This is an ultrasound machine. We'll be able to see your baby on it. Is it okay if I roll up your shirt?" I nodded. "I'm going to squirt some gel on your stomach now. It may be a little cold, but just relax as I check your baby."

The gel went on and I shifted slightly at the sensation. It wasn't too uncomfortable, just different. The Doctor had a light smile on her face as she was dragging the probe around my abdomen.

"Is it okay?" I asked shifting slightly.

Doctor Conroy nodded. "She looks perfect."

"Thank god, I was getting annoyed with her calling the baby 'it'," Haymitch remarked.

"She? I'm having a girl?" I bit my lip.

"A healthy baby girl. She looks perfect. No abnormalities. I would say you're around 26 weeks."

The Doctor turned the screen around and I began to cry at the monitor. On the screen was my baby girl. And the Doctor was right, she was perfect.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

The Doctor began to wipe off the goop. "Don't thank me. You are doing all the work. Whatever your situation was, you stayed healthy and calm enough to let her grow. You're doing a great job Katniss."

I bit my lip. "Can you do something else for me?"

"Name it," she replied.

"How would we do a paternity test?" I asked shyly.

She didn't seem surprised at all. "In the past, we would have had to go into the amniotic fluid to check. But with our new technologies," no doubt Capitol technologies, "we can do a blood test to check. Is there a father you would like to check with?"

I gulped. "Peeta."

Haymitch sat up in his seat. "You think it's bread boy's?"

I sighed. "It's a long story, but I'm pretty positive. Can you just check?"

The Doctor nodded and wrote on her clipboard. "We won't even tell him we are doing the test, not until you are ready. We have to take some blood from you already, so I'll just order this test. Peeta is at this hospital too, so I'll inform his doctor to keep it discreet but to get more blood from him. Does that sound okay?"

"Yes, thank you so much," I smiled. I really liked this doctor. She was kind yet also smart. She was being very gentle with me, which normally I hated. Yet, at this moment I felt like I could snap at any moment, so gentility was a necessity.

Doctor Conroy then handed me a picture. It was from my ultrasound. It was of my perfect baby girl. I took a sharp inhale at seeing her again. This was just another step in the process. It was one thing for someone to tell me I was pregnant. Another to get the symptoms. Yet even another to see my stomach grow and my baby kick. But now, I could actually see her.

"I'll be back to check on you two later but try to get some rest. We still have some blood tests to do, but otherwise everything is checking out okay," she smiled and squeezed my hand as she left.

"I'm going to give you something to help you sleep," Doctor Murphy said. "It won't hurt the baby, but you've been through a lot and you need rest."

I nodded as I felt my eyes droop. I was finally safe with my baby.