I'm glad to do another chapter! Yay! I'm glad people read my first chapter and liked it! Thanks to all those who reviewed!
I also noticed this while looking for Hunger Games fan fiction… there is a lot of 'what if Katniss was really pregnant' for Mockingjay. Not much for Catching Fire. So this is fun doing something that not many people do!
I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES SO DON'T SUE ME!
Chapter 2:
The next day the reaping is very easy. I get chosen so quickly it only takes a minute or less. Haymitch gets picked and then Peeta makes this whole speech about how he can't let Haymitch go back into the games with me going in so he volunteers. It almost makes me cry on public TV, almost. I'm stronger than that.
I'm expecting us to be taken into the Justice Building for our good byes, but we're just escorted through the mob of ridiculous reporters to the train. When we get inside we wave until District 12 is less than a speck in the distance. I lean my head against Peeta's shoulder and close my eyes. He kisses the top of my head and rests his head on top of mine as we watch the speeding country roll by.
After half an hour of just watching silence the sun is setting and Peeta says: "We should go to dinner." I keep my eyes closed and nod my head.
We walk silently back to our rooms. Peeta only dips into his room a moment to freshen up. All I want to do is change clothes. I quickly change into a blue shirt and black pants. I keep my shoes on though, they were my mother's and I want to remember her.
I meet Peeta in the hall and we walk to the dining room in silence again. I try to think of something to say… but I don't have anything. Even Peeta, who is so good with words can't think of something to say.
When we reach the dining room Effie is already scolding Haymitch about them not being on the train for two hours and he already looted the kitchen of all the alcohol. Wow, he works fast.
Effie stops her rant when she sees us and smiles. Haymitch is lying face down on the table, so all we get from him is a grunt. I don't mind. I'm hungry, I always seem to be. Now that there is a baby in me I need to eat more. Well, that's what mother said. But I don't really trust mother… I guess I'm going to have to trust her, this time only!
When the food is brought I dig in quickly. It's some kind of sushi with a fish in it. I don't really know how fast I'm eating until Effie coughs politely. I stop eating so fast but still eat two more plates. Peeta stifles a laugh when he sees me. He knows why I'm so hungry and I can tell he thinks it's funny. I hit him playfully with my napkin.
This makes Haymitch look up. He grunts again and goes back to playing with him sushi.
Later we go and watch the recaps in the TV room. Peeta gets his notebook and takes note on who will be our competition. I sit next to him and curl up against his side. He wraps his arm around me and pats my stomach grinning slightly. I want to laugh too, but not because I find it funny. He's tickling me!
The recaps are boring and just like all the others that I've seen. Nothing special happens. We watch them while Peeta makes notes and Effie does these strange little comments about either this person or that. I don't really pay attention. I like watching Peeta's hand. The way it moves it so rhythmic and slowing I almost fall asleep a few times. Then I'm jerked awake by the loud snore of Haymitch who is sleeping in a chair by the TV. The bottle of liquor that was in his hand slips out and crashes to the floor. He wakes with a start, looks around and goes back to sleep. Effie is constantly poking him to get up and go to bed and finally I'm too tired to stay awake.
I bid Effie and a snoring Haymitch goodnight and kiss Peeta on the for head.
When I reach my cabin I fall asleep quickly. But I am awakened by a nightmare a few hours later. Peeta isn't beside me so I grab my robe and go look for him. I hear sounds from the TV room. When I enter I find Peeta still siting where I left him. His pen draws noted on his paper. I sneak up behind him and kiss him on the cheek. He jumps and looks at me, smiles and motions for me to sit with him.
"Can't sleep?" he asks.
"Can't go back to sleep. I had a nightmare." I shrug.
"I heard you screaming. I was just about to go wake you up but you stopped so I figured you were alright." He shrugs and I nestle closer to him. He is very hot; I can feel his body heat.
"Hmm." I say. "What are you watching?" I indicate the box of tapes on the table in front of us.
"Johanna Mason. She was cannibal." I feel Peeta shudder and I do to. I do not want to get eaten by a cannibal. Peeta leans forward and pulls another tape from the box. It has a big number 50 plastered on it. We didn't bother to watch this video before because it feels like invading Haymitch's space. I don't know why.
"Want to watch it?" I say. I don't want to wait for an answer; I pluck the tape out of his hands and slide it into the player. (A.N) if you want to know what Haymitch's Hunger Games were like go and read the book. I think it's on page 196 and on. I don't feel like copying it all down, plus that would be plagiarism and I don't want to get sued.)
When it's done we just sit in silence until we hear a gruff voice behind us.
"Well, now ya saw it." We turn and see Haymitch standing in the door way. Looking stern but not mad. "I used the Games as a weapon and I paid the price too." He nods at me. "And they'll make you two pay for what you did in the first Hunger Games too." He goes and slumps into an armchair.
"What did they do to you?" Peeta asks. I wish he wouldn't have asked that. I squirm next to him.
"They got rid of my family. Killed my girl. Everything I loved. Don't think they'll hesitate to kill off you two." He nods at my abdomen. "You can't keep that hidden for long." I'm shocked he found out and Haymitch laughs at the face I'm making. "You didn't think you could keep that from 'yer mentor did ya?" I nod my head and Haymitch laughs so hard he falls off the arm chair he was perched on.
"Let's go." Peeta whispers in my ear. I don't hesitate when he pulls me to my feet and we walk back to our compartment. Peeta doesn't even dip inside his this time. We just go right into mine. I have to use the bathroom and when I come out Peeta is already in bed. I climb in and rest my head on his chest. I don't think I'll have any nightmares this time.
Chapter 3: (A.N) so ya this is going to be a double chapter. I didn't want to make a boring chapter so I just added this one with the opening ceremonies)
When I wake with Effie knocking on my door and shouting at me that my prep team will be here in 5 minutes. I groan and Peeta wakes up.
"Everything alright?" he asks. I groan again. This time not because of my prep team or Effie. I can feel something or someone rolling around in me. Since we hadn't told anyone about the baby I felt like we should at least tell our prep teams and stylists. I told Peeta this and he agreed that this was a good idea. They would find out anyway.
"Here, lie down." Peeta orders. I do as he says and he lies next to me. I close my eyes and Peeta strokes my belly. It isn't very big so all it does is tickle me. I giggle. But my eyes are very heavy and I fall back asleep.
My sleep is interrupted about a second later with my prep team bursting into my room. They all fall silent when they see that I was asleep.
Peeta is ordered to leave for his prepping. And with an apology he does. I sit stubbornly on the tip of my bed and look down. I look up just as Peeta is leaving and he mouths "are you going to tell them now? I'll tell mine now." I nod my head for both of those while my prep team looks confused.
When the door closes they all burst into tears. They all go to doing my hair and nails, but they keep smearing it with their tears. I find myself consoling them which is pretty silly considering that I'm the one who's going to die.
After a while they fall silent and I take my chance to tell them.
"What would you say if I told you I was pregnant?" I ask as innocently as possible. They don't buy it and look at me with stunned faces. They all drop what they are doing.
"OH MY GOD!" they all scream at once. I have to cover my ears from the noise.
I give up that I'm just asking a simple question and hiss at them: "But it's a secret! Don't announce it to Panem!" I think for a moment. "Until tomorrow night." They all bust into questions and I do my best to answer. Most are obvious and they answer them by themselves so I don't have much work to do.
Although soon enough they are crying again and they have to go back to work. When they're done 5 minutes later I feel like I could be wrung out like a wet rag.
"Remember! It's a secret!" I shout over their shoulder which only brings on a new flood of tears.
Cinna is waiting at the door and walks in as soon as they leave. "What secret?" he asks mildly.
"I'm pregnant." I say with a shrug. Cinna raises an eyebrow and has me stand up. He twirls me around and even pokes my abdomen a few times for kicks. I laugh every time.
"We'll have to take new measurements. Although I think you'll be fine for the dress we already have for you." He says in a cheery voice. "Since when I walked in you were talking about it being a secret I guess you don't want people to know for now?" I nod my head. "That will be tricky but we can make it work."
He does some touch ups on my make-up and hair then slips my dress over my looks simple. A black dress that goes down to my ankles. Cinna presses a button on my wrist and it sparks to life and lo and behold… I look like fire. My dress looks like the burning coals and my face reflects it like fire. Cinna flips it off so it can save power. He puts a crown on me to finish the look.
"Now, this time we don't want either of you two to be smiling or waving or do anything besides hold hands."
"I wont have a problem with that." I say. Easy.
Cinna escorts me down into the loading room. He has things to do so he says good luck and leaves. I look around. I don't see Peeta or Haymitch so I go over to our chariot. I pet the horses. For a minute. I hope I'm not noticed. I get no such luck.
"Hi Katniss!" I turn and see Finnick Odiar standing next to me. Uncomfortably close actually.
"Hello Finnick." I say. I move a little farther away from him. He smiles coyly.
"Want some sugar?" he asks. No. I think. It could be bad for my baby. But what does one sugar cube do?
"Thank you." I say. I take the smallest one from his hand and pop it in my mouth. It tastes good.
"It's too bad you got put back in these games. What a coincidence!" he throws up his hands in mock frustration. Ya. I think. A coincidence, that's what it was. "oh well, some things you just cant change." He sighs. "You could have had everything. Jewels, Money, anything!"
"What about you?" I ask. "Don't you deal in Jewels and Money?"
"I haven't done that in years. I deal in secrets now." He all but whispers. I shiver at the way he says 'secrets' and I'm glad that I took a step back from him. "What about you? Girl on fire, do you have any secrets from me?" he leans in and I take another step away.
"No, I'm terribly an open book." I say.
"Unfortunately that is true." I take another convulsive step beck and bump into Peeta standing behind me.
"Hello Finnick." He says.
"Hello Peeta. Fancy seeing you here?" Finnick says back. Peeta smiles. "I don't really." Finnick smiles. Then saunters away.
"What did Finnick want?" Peeta asks me. I turn so I'm facing him very closely. He is wearing the same thing I am except not in dress form.
"He wanted to know my secrets." I say. "I didn't tell him anything. I'm not an idiot."
Peeta nods and we are told to go stand in out chariots. Peeta gets in and holds his hand out for me. He helps me up and we stand in silence while the other chariots roll out. Every time the doors open I can hear the defining roar of the crowd outside. I adjust Peeta's tie while he straightens my crown. I take his wrist and press his button. He instantly comes to life. He looks beautiful. When he presses mine we both glow with life.
When the doors open for us I have to suppress my smiles. Cinna told us to look serious; I thought that would be easy. Wrong. The crowd is ballistic! Waving and screeching our names. But I look forward and keep a straight face for most of it. But I crack at the very end when we're about to go back inside. My smile flashes for a moment with the berets amount of laughter.
When the doors close I crack up laughing. Peeta looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Katniss, are you alright?" he asks. I just can't stop laughing. I don't even know what's so funny! Stupid hormones.
Haymitch, Cinna, Portia, and a few other tributes that I recognize wander over to us. Chaff from 11 with the other girl… Seeder? Yes, that's her name. I stifle my laughter so that it's just a crazy grin when we reach them. Seeder hugs me and Chaff kisses me right on the mouth. I jerk away. With my smile whipped off my face. I wipe my mouth on my glove while he and Haymitch laugh. I want to kill him right now.
We are directed to the elevator.
But someone comes up behind me. Johanna Mason from 7 tosses her costume behind her. Not caring where it goes. She now has nothing on. I shut my eyes. I still don't like nudity.
"I Love your costume!" she says. I hate this kind of thing. I have never been good around girls, especially when they want to talk to me.
"Um… thanks." I say. Wow… real smart. I realize I'm still holding Peeta's hand and I squeeze it. "Cinna's helping me make my own clothes." I say. Johanna's face lights up and she starts rambling about clothes. I have no idea what she's saying.
We get on the same elevator and she starts talking with Peeta. I just zone out and look at the elevator walls. Johanna finally gets off and this time it's Peeta who laughs.
"What?" I say. Peeta doesn't answer and just keeps laughing all the way to our floor. Effie and Haymitch meet us up later once Peeta has calmed down. I still pester him about what's so funny. I'm waving my arms around like a maniac trying to get him to tell me.
When Effie and Haymitch get here they lead us to the dining compartment.
"Oh look! There are two Avoxes this year!" she exclaims. I turn to see what she's talking about and I see him.
It's Darius. He's been made into an Avox.