CHAPTER 3

I'm sitting up on the bathroom sink waiting for the test results when I hear a knock at the door, "You can come in."

Peeta opens up the door and leans against the countertop to see. Right then the test clears up. And together we're staring down at a little blue line. Negative.

I toss the stupid device into the trash can and catch my arms around Peeta's neck, while his wind around my waist and I release a frustrated sigh. We've been trying for four months now and still nothing. I can't help feeling a little anxious.

Peeta rubs a hand up and down my back comfortingly, and I wrapped my arms a little tighter around his neck, burying my face into his shoulder.

"Hey," he says gently, his breath warm at my ear, "It's fine. We can always try again."

His hands fall to rest on my hips as I pull back and I look him in the eyes, "Peeta, we've been trying for four months and we haven't gotten anywhere. What if…" He presses a finger to my lips to silence me and my eyes drop to the floor.

"Don't start thinking things like that." He picks my chin up and waits for me to look him in the eyes, smiling sweetly when I finally meet his gaze, "The odds haven't been in our favor just yet. But they will be. I promise."

His optimism is beginning to get on my nerves, "How can you say that and seem so sure about it?"

He grins a little wider, "Because I am sure about it. Katniss, when people want something bad enough, it will come to them. We just have to be patient." I'm still not convinced. Peeta smirks and hooks an arm under my knees to scoop me up off the counter, "Come on. We need to get your mind off all this and I think I know just the thing." He sets me down in our bedroom and tells me to get dressed in something comfortable.

I sigh and change into a pair of pants and a short-sleeved shirt then head down to meet him at the front door. He gives me a stupid grin when my eye catches the basket at his side. I roll my eyes sarcastically, "A picnic? Really? Could you be any more cliché?"

He scoffs a little and grabs my hand, pulling me out the door, "We'll see if you still feel the same way about our picnic once you've had a few cheese buns."

Half an hour later we're situated on a large blue blanket in the meadow. There are dandelions everywhere, and their cheery golden glow does help to lift my mood some. After we've finished off our little basket of cheese buns, venison sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies, Peeta pulls me close to him and we lay down together to watch the clouds roll by.

It's a strange pastime, I think. There is nothing to gain from it really, although I must admit it is rather relaxing.

Peeta starts to tell me some story about an order he had had called in yesterday morning. It has something to do with Haymitch and an order for two hundred bright pink cupcakes to be delivered to the Capitol for someone's birthday. I'm not really paying much attention though. I try to listen to him, but my mind is still clutching to the image of that little blue negative sign. The same one I've been seeing for weeks.

He gives my shoulder a nudge, "You're still upset aren't you?" I don't have to answer him. He can read me like an open book and knows that it's still on my mind. I nod slightly in response anyway. He sits up, and because I'd just been leaning on him, I am now sitting up as well. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I nod again and take a minute to collect my thoughts. He waits patiently for me to speak. I don't even try to be eloquent. I just let the words fall out of my mouth in a string of rambling, "We have been trying for months now. Not that the whole process isn't you know…great, I mean…that's not the point. What I mean to say is that I do want for us to have a baby and we've been doing everything right but it still hasn't happened yet and…" my voice catches in my throat for a second when I voice what's really been troubling me in the back of my mind for the last few weeks, "And I'm afraid. What if there's something wrong with me. What if we can't have a baby?"

He took my face I his hands and captured my gaze, concern and sympathy spread across his brow, "We just have to be patient. It'll happen when the time is right. In the meantime you have to stop scaring yourself like this. Anxiety isn't good for you. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, especially if we want a healthy baby."

I see a twinge of concern flicker across his face for a moment at that comment, but it's gone just as quickly as it left and he gives me a devious smirk, "Besides, baby making is fun work wouldn't you say?"

I can feel my ears burning up a bit, it's ridiculous that I still get flustered when he tries to talk about that kind of thing. The blush spreads a bit to my face when I reply with a slightly embarrassed laugh, "Well…yeah. More than fun…"

"Downright pleasurable," he teases, twitching his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh shut up," I say in mock annoyance, pushing him playfully.

"You feel like playing around then?" He gives me a mischievous smirk and before I can crawl away, he pulls me down on the blanket and tickles me. I can't hold back the laughter as his fingers assault my sides. I poke him in the ribs back and he jerks away from my hands laughing. We become absorbed in the tickle fight and laughter for a short while until we collapse on the blanket together and call a truce. We stay outside a little longer until the sun begins to set, then head back home for the night.