CHAPTER 2
When we are all up in the morning, have eaten and are ready to leave, I make a dash for the bathroom. As I run to the bathroom, I push Gale out of the way, when I make it to the bathroom, my breakfast make a re-appears. Well the vomiting has started for this pregnancy. Great. I rinse out my mouth and let Peeta know.
"You right?" he asks
"Yeah" I tell him.
Within a matter of minutes we're at the train station about to get on the train. When we step in the train it looks familiar and when we step through the second door both Peeta and I gasp. It's the train we went on with Effie Trinket on our first trip to the hunger games.
"What?" Gale says arrogantly
"This is the train we went on to go to the games." I tell him.
"Oh really?" Gale asks sounding taken-a-back.
"Yes" Peeta say's coldly.
We walk off with Rue to my old room on the train, leaving Gale alone. I already feel like more cheese buns, not how they make them in the Capitol, how Peeta makes them but he's not allowed in the kitchen so he can't make any for me. No one knows about Rue so when we introduce our six year old child we will also introduce our forth coming son.
I fall asleep late that night and begin to dream. My dream is about the hunger games, the last one with the previous tributes in it, I'm in my room on the train and Peeta is with me, we are just sleeping. Suddenly the lizard mutts that killed Finnick are in our room try to kill Peeta and take him from me too. I hear someone screaming, when I relies it's me and that I have woken and Peeta is trying to pull me from the nightmare completely. I bury my face into his chest, crying.
"Mummy?"
Rue! I forgot she's in the room with us; no, I never wanted her to see me like this.
"It's ok" Peeta tells her "Mum is ok, she just had a nightmare"
"Mum? Are you ok?"
"I, I'm fine" I tell her "Go back to sleep."
She does as she is told, and I tell Peeta all about my dream.
"Nothing will keep me from you ever again." He tells me and we both go back to sleep.
When I wake up in the morning it is not how I expect. Someone is knocking on the door.
"We've got another big, big, big, day" Effie calls from outside the door.
"Effie?" I call back
She pushes the door open and stands there holding a clipboard, she has a turquoise wig on and a satin green calf length dress and the usual little niknakes.
"Well I see you two still don't get up early in the morning" she say's
"Effie …." Peeta starts
"Ooh, who is this?" She gestures to Rue.
"That's our, daughter, Effie." Peeta informs her.
"Daughter? What is her name?"
"Rue." I tell her.
"Should I wake her Peeta, Katniss?" she asks us.
"No, she was pretty tired last night, I'll carry her" Peeta says softly.
So we get changed and leave the train because we had already reached the Capitol while the three of us slept. There are cameras everywhere wanting to eat up our images once again. A few people gasp when they see Peeta carrying Rue. Effie escorts us back to our old home in the Capitol, the apartment we stayed in during our first hunger games. Our interview with Caesar Flickerman is tonight, I'm a little nervous, but Peeta and Caesar a practically old friends. I haven't seen Gale since we left him in the dining room last night but I really couldn't care less.
Peeta, Rue and I are playing Rues favourite game, celebrity heads, when my old prep team comes in bobbing up and down like they did when I first met them.
"Katniss! Peeta! And; who is this?" Octavia beams
"Hey guys" I say "This is our daughter, Rue"
"Oh, she's so pretty" Viena says politely
"Thank you" Rue says
"We have to make you three up" Flavius interjects
"How did you know about Rue?" Peeta asks
"We didn't we were just told to make up Katniss and her company" he replies
So they begin to fix us up, only unlike last time they don't wax all the hair of my arms and legs, that was the old Capitol fashion, but not anymore. By the end of it all I am wearing a long deep blue dress with small sparkles in it every so often. My hair has been left long and lose and I have flat black shoes on, no heels. Peeta has a simple black suit on only, he has a blue tie and cuffs, so we are still represented as a partnership, matching. Rue has a lovely pink dress that has a flowing skirt. The necklace she wears is a heart with two blue diamonds in it. Her hair has been done up in two low, long brown pig tails. Her shoes are very similar to mine only pink.
We get to the studio and Caesar has already began, we are late within less than a minute of arriving he introduces us.
"Please welcome Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." The crowd cheers.
We both take hold of Rue's hands and walk onto the stage; a collective gasp fills the room.
"Welcome Peeta, Katniss." He begins gesturing to the three seater couch provided "Who is this young girl, you've got with you?"
"This is our daughter, Rue." Peeta says introducing her.
"Your daughter?"
"Yes, also we've been married for six and a half years"
"Congratulations. How old are you, Rue?"
"I'm six" she says in a very small voice that no one can miss because of the microphone.
"Well I don't think they could shock us anymore, ladies and gentlemen" says Ceaser
I look at Peeta, smile and simply touch my abdomen.
"Well we can Ceaser," Peeta says, meaning for me to finish for him
"We are having another child, we found out very recently only a couple of days ago actually, we are having a son and no we have not picked a name yet"
"Well than, Katniss, Peeta, you introduce us to your six year old child and the child who has not been born yet."
"Yes" is all I say.
Peeta brings the conversation back to life. Just as I begin to feel the last meal I ate churning in my stomach.
"I still, work in the bakery, my family owned-"
"Peeta," I cut him off.
"What? What's wrong?" he asks, I can see the worry in his eyes.
"I'm going to be;" I hesitate "Remember before we got on the train the other day?
"Yes, is that what's about to happen?" he asks
"Yes" I say, I'm trying to hold it in until I get off the stage,
"Caesar, we need to go for just a minute, pregnancy issues." Peeta explains
"Ah, yes, well than how about we have a short add break."
"That would be nice." I say my voice shaky from the strain of holding down my vomit.
A crew member of the television show tells us the add is showing and Peeta picks up Rue while I get off the stage as fast as possible with-out running. Someone is waiting behind the curtain with a large bucket that I seize immediately and rip off the microphone on my chest. The add break is almost over by the time the entire contents of my stomach is in the bucket. Peeta has gone to get me a glass of water, and Rue waits with me on the floor.
"Mummy, why were you sick?"
"Your brother makes that happen, but he can't help it." I tell her.
"Ok" is the only reply I get.
Peeta is back with my water I rinse my mouth out and spit the contents into the bucket. I ask someone what they want me to do with it and they just tell my they will deal with it because the add is over and we are to walk on stage now. Rue is very tired, I would carry her back onto the stage only I'm not leaving this glass of water, so Peeta sits her on his hip and we walk back onto the stage. The rest of the interview fly's by, with Peeta keeping an annoyingly close watch on me. During the interview, to help calm Peeta down, I pick Rue up and sit in her spot then just sit her on my lap. It works; Peeta doesn't seem as tense when Caesar tells us that our interview time is up.
When we get back to our apartment it's late and Rue is extremely tired. I can smell the lamb stew, still my favourite dish from the capitol. Rue has never tried it, and she hasn't eaten much today so we make her stay up to eat. Once she is in bed, Effie goes as well leaving Peeta and I alone. We have seconds of the lamb stew and a memory suddenly hits me. Peeta and I in the cave that served as our home during our first hunger games, we had lamb stew sent to us from some sponsors and Peeta licked the plate clean to spite Effie.
"Katniss," Peeta's voice brings me back to the present.
"Yes?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"Just that night in the cave when we had the lamb stew, and you licked the plate clean." I'm surprised when I start laughing, and Peeta joins in.
Then he suddenly stops.
"What?" I ask
"I was just thinking about the baby." he tells me
"What about the baby?"
"Well, the fun part, you know before the baby comes," I must look like I don't get it because he continues "Naming the baby."
"So you were thinking about naming the baby. Do you mean thinking of what to call him, as in thinking of actual names or-"
He cuts me off "Thinking about the both of us picking out his name. Coming up with some ideas, I want to think of some, write them down maybe."
"Ok sure, sorry I'm a little scatter brained." I tell him.
We sit there for a bit waiting for the other to go first.
"Look how about we both write some names down and then we'll look at each other's lists and cross of the names we don't like and work it out from there." Peeta suggests.
"Ok I'll get some paper." So I do and I get us both a pen.
After about five minutes I have only written three names on my list; Sam, Keetin, and Denis.
Peeta and I swap lists. I read his list of ten names but only one sticks in my head. I'm about to voice the name when Peeta speaks.
"You want to call our son Keetin?"
"I couldn't think of any names and I know it's boring to mix our names but I didn't want to have just two names on the list."
"Okay but I crossed that and Denis off the list, sorry"
"That's ok; I'm surprised you didn't cross them all off." Then I continue "You thought of naming him after Gale?"
"Well yeah, he's your best friend; he saved a lot of district twelve during the rebellion, so I thought it would be nice."
"Alright, the only other name on your list I like is Jack"
"That was quick, I mean narrowing it down to three names" He says.
"Mhhm" I say filling my mouth with some more lamb stew.
Peeta just laughs.
"Ok so our son will be named, Sam, Gale, or Jack."
"You're going to name your son after me?" Gale asks
How did he get in here?
"We're considering it." Peeta says.
"Really?"
"Yes" I say harshly
"I'm guessing it wasn't your idea Katniss, considering the way you said that."
"Your right it wasn't my idea." I snap "You've been arrogant, and rude to us. I really hate you at the moment."
"Fine."
"Is that all you can say?" I ask
"What?"
"You're my best friend you seemed happy for about two seconds until you saw Peeta with me and then when you found out I married him and had a daughter with him, you acted overly sullen. Then when we found out we were going to have another child we were so happy and you just got worse." I say just an octave bellow yelling.
"You didn't tell me you were with him" Gale yells back.
"God. You can't handle that, can you, that I chose Peeta and not you"
"What?" He says
"I didn't and still don't need either one of you to 'survive'"
"You heard that conversation?"
"Yes and I was so angry at both of you for that."
"Why were you angry at me?" Peeta asks
"Because you didn't stick up for me. You were both implying that my decision would be based on who I needed to stay alive, not who I loved, in that way." I say and storm out of the room.
"I'll be in bed or throwing up if you need me Peeta." I tell him as I leave, so he knows it's just a build-up of anger not me actually be angry at him.
I do throw up, on my way back to bed I check on Rue, in Peeta's old bedroom. She looks so cute and vulnerable. I sit on the floor by her bed just watching her sleep, like Peeta apparently does when I sleep. I fall asleep with my head hung back on Rue's bed. I dream again tonight about my son, he is six and Rue is twelve. They are playing together in the meadow near my old home in the seam. Peeta wakes me.
"Katniss, what are you doing in here?"
"I just wanted to watch her for a while" I say sleepily.
"Ok, are you going to sleep in here or are you coming to bed?"
"Uh, I'll come to bed." I say getting up.
The rest of my sleep is dreamless. When I wake up it's to the smell of cheese buns, I roll over and find Peeta is not there. I sit bolt upright in bed.
"Peeta!"
He runs in "What?!"
"Where were you?" I ask accusingly
"Making cheese buns, the kitchen is pretty close to this room."
"Oh" I say, then a thought hits me "Where's Rue?"
"Still asleep."
"Ok. Do we leave today?"
"I'm not sure, ask Gale." He suggests.
Great, I don't want to even see Gale let alone talk to him.
So I get dressed and start looking for Gale, which doesn't take very long, he's eating by himself.
"When do we leave?" I ask
"Oh, hi, did you forget how to be pleasant?" he asks sarcastically.
"Yes. Now when do we leave?" I say harshly.
"You know I think I rather talking to your husband." He says and storms off.
I go and tell Peeta and he just tells me he'll ask later. So I just wonder around. At eleven o'clock I wake Rue up; we let her sleep in because she has been so tired for the last few days. She asks if she can have something to eat, which of course I say she can. She has some lamb stew, and bacon. The smell of the bacon reaches me and makes me gag, and I have to go and throw up again. After drinking a lot of water I come back to eat with Rue and luckily there is no more bacon smell. I eat a lot of the cheese buns, Peeta was allowed to make, very fast. We play a game with Rue, for a while. I ask Peeta if he can go ask Gale when we leave and he does. I also think to see my mother, who hasn't seen Rue since she was four and still may not know about our son. She does not usually watch television. When Peeta gets back he tells me we are leaving in one hour, so the three of us pack. I also tell Peeta that I want to see my mother, so we can tell her about our son and so she can see Rue. Not long after my sister died, my mother stayed in the Capitol, now she lives in district four, it used to be known for fishing.
"Rue," I call. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes" she tells me from Peeta's old room.
So in a matter of minutes were all ready to leave. We get outside the building and there are people waiting to see Rue, even more so now they know she's our daughter. The drive to the train station seems to takes a while, probably because I want to see my mother and tell her about the baby. We reach the station and are on the train in less than a minute. Rue remembers where we slept and goes in to play. Peeta and I continue our conversation on what to name our son.
"Which one do you like the least, Gale, Sam or Jack?" Peeta asks.
"I don't want to name him after Gale." I say forcefully.
"Okay then. It's either Jack or Sam."
"Yeah" I trail off.
"Any ideas on how to choose?" He asks.
"None." Then an idea hits me "How about we ask Rue?"
"Ok, now?"
"Yep, come on." I say dragging him along with me.
We run off to our room where she plays.
"Rue." Peeta says.
"Yes?"
"What should we name your brother Sam or Jack?" I ask
"Um," She says "Jack."
"Ok then that's your brother's name, Jack Mellark."
We get to my mother's at about seven at night and we had left at about twelve thirty. She hadn't heard about the baby otherwise she would mentioned it.
"Mum," I say while she giggles about something with Rue "We have something to tell you, can you come here?"
She does, rather quickly.
"I'm pregnant again, this time with a boy."
"We're going to name him Jack, Rue helped pick the name." Peeta tells her.
"Oh, really?" She says.
"Yes" Peeta says
"Does Gale know?"
"Yes, he was there when we found out" I tell her.
"Oh" is all she can manage.
"Aren't you happy?" I ask feeling slightly insulted.
"Yes," she begins "What's his middle name going to be?"
"Um, I haven't even thought about that, Katniss?" Peeta asks me
"No idea." I say "Why?"
"Just curious." She replies vaguely.
I stand up frustrated.
"What, what aren't you saying to us?" I demanded!
"I just, thought you'd name him after Gale that was always my dream that if you had a son you'd name him after your best friend." She says defensively.
"Well I'm not living your dream." I yell at her.
"Fine, I'm sorry. "
I walk away to the room Peeta and I are staying in at my mother's house. I start to think about actually calling my son Jack, it sounds; odd. I don't like it. I want to change his name. I don't have any idea, now, on what to call him. My stomach begins to lurch, the moment I consider going back to the living room. I run for the bathroom and once again my previous meal makes a re-appearance. Peeta is in the bathroom just as the last remainders of vomit leave my body.
"Are you ok?" He asks a little breathless.
"Yes." I say wiping my mouth "You don't need to freak out every time I chuck, it's just the baby."
"The baby? We're not calling him Jack, then?" He asks.
"Well, I don't really like the name that much, now that I think about it."
"Uh," he says
"I'm sorry" I say
"That's ok" he says "Can we still get Rue to help choose her little brothers name?"
"Yes, I want her to do that too, it's cute"
"Ok, but, we need to start thinking about his name again." He says slowly.
"I know." Is all of my reply.
I come out into the lounge room again when dinner is ready. I eat the bland mish mash of vegetables and turkey, robotically. All I want to eat is cheese buns. Rue doesn't want to eat her peas, if she had have eaten a lot of recent I would have let her off today, but since she hasn't eaten much I make her eat all of her peas. After Peeta, Rue and I have finished dinner and Rue is ready for bed I get her to say goodnight to my mother. She does and then runs to Peeta and I and says goodnight to the both of us. Peeta and I stay up after my mother to think again, about what to name our son. I suggest a fair few this time; Luke, Cooper, Chris, and I also say Sam again, because I like the name. Peeta has a large list of names, just like before. He also thought of Sam. Some names out of what Peeta suggested that I liked where Leo and Simon.
"Which names do you like the least?" I ask
"Uh, even though I thought of it too I like Sam the least"
"Me too" I answer truthfully.
"Interesting," He says mimicking Haymitch. I give a full hearty laugh and Peeta joins in.
I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and head into the kitchen to get a glass of water for the both of us. I set the glasses down on the table and sit back in my seat. I lean forward to brush the hair out of his eyes and he catches my hand and presses it to his lips.
"So" he whispers against my hand, and touching my abdomen to gesture towards the baby "We aren't calling him Sam."
"No" I say equally as quiet.
Then he pulls my arm around his shoulders so that our mouths are almost touching and pulls me in for a kiss. We kiss for a while, until I have to throw up. I feel bad when I get back.
"The throwing up had nothing to with your kissing, just the baby." I say matter-of-factly.
Peeta and I go up to bed hand in hand. I don't fall asleep for hours, whereas Peeta is out like a light on our fold out bed.
I'm still awake when Peeta wakes up at six a.m., used to the bakery time table.
"Already awake?" he says in a surprised tone, I'm never awake this early.
"Haven't gone to sleep." I tell him.
"What? Really?"
"Yes, don't worry about it, it happened with Rue."
"I know, and you had to go to hospital so they could give you sleep medication, you had to stay there for four weeks." He says louder than he usually speaks but not as loud as yelling.
"Ok, if it happens any more I'll tell you, and I'll get something for it." I assure him.
"You better; I don't want you in hospital again, unless you're actually having a child"
"'A' child?" I say.
"Yes, we might have more so after our son is born, if we do have more children that is, the only reason I want you in a hospital."
"Ok." I say.
We are leaving my mother's today, Rue is not happy with that. We eat breakfast in silence; Rue doesn't speak because she is grumpy with Peeta and I, because we can't stay longer. My mother won't speak to me until I say something first and Peeta doesn't know what to say to any of us. When we finish, I go up the hall to get Rue's, Peeta's and my bag. I drop them on the floor, and go throw up again. I say goodbye to my mother, give her a hug and wait by the door for Peeta and Rue. Peeta joins me at the door after saying goodbye to my mother. Rue stands crying in front of my mother.
"Rue" I say softly "We have to go."
"I don't want to." She screams and clings to my mother.
A memory hits me. When I volunteered for Prim in the hunger games, she wrapped her arms around me like that.
"Rue, nothing is going to happen to her."
"I know."
"Than what's so bad? I promise well come back when you have school break."
"NO!" She shouts "I want to stay"
"Peeta?" I say.
He walks over to her, crouches down and puts his arms out for a hug. Rue miss reads that she thinks he means to hug her goodbye and let her stay here. Peeta stands up with his arms locked around her, while she kicks and screams and cries.
"I'm sorry" He says to my mother.