Chapter Nine

Peeta had woken up in the middle of the night, confused and disorientated. Katniss had been passing his bedroom when she heard him groan and when she peered into the room to check on him, he had hung over the side of the bed and vomited. Haymitch took a look at him. He checked his eyes and his focus before concluding that he was concussed. Katniss was alarmed by this. You weren't supposed to let someone with a concussion sleep. They were lucky he had woken up at all!

Broderick returned in the morning and gave them some advice. Peeta had to get plenty of rest and not strain himself until he was completely recovered. When he examined him further, Broderick discovered a bump on Peeta's head which had been hidden by his hair. This suggested that during the attack, he may have whacked his head multiple times against the wall or door, blinded by rage when Katniss escaped. This also explained why he passed out so quickly afterward.

"Keep something cold against the bump. Like some ice or a wet towel. Do this every three to four hours," Broderick told Katniss as they left Peeta's room with Haymitch watching him. "Don't let him do anything strenuous. If he isn't any better in forty eight hours, come and see me again." He handed Katniss a packet of paracetamol. "They will subdue the pain. Don't let him take any more than two every four hours."

"Okay," Katniss said. She led Broderick out and thanked him avidly. Without his help, who knew what state Peeta would be in?

When the medic was gone, Katniss pulled the ice cube tray out of the freezer and dumped them all into a kitchen cloth. She ascended the stairs and returned to the guest room, where they had moved Peeta to in the middle of the night. "Broderick says to keep that pressed against the wound," she said, handing Haymitch the cloth.

"Thanks, sweetheart," said Haymitch.

Peeta wasn't asleep-he hadn't been since he woke up and threw up-but he was extremely disorientated. His eyes were drooped and he was muttering quietly to himself. It unnerved Katniss to see him like that. Almost as much as the hijacking attack had unnerved her.

Willow was distressed as well. Haymitch had been visited by Hazel Hawthorne and she gave him the walkie that she had used for Posy. It had been the only thing that had come with them when Gale evacuated everyone before the bombing. She had heard about Willow and wanted to help so she gave Haymitch the walkie to give to Katniss. Just like everyone else, she was too nervous to give it to Katniss directly.

Willow didn't have time to enjoy the leisure of her new toy. She was too upset, like she sensed there was something wrong. Her clothes were dry and she didn't have to be wrapped up in a blanket anymore. Haymitch had sorted that out for Katniss while she kept an eye on Peeta. After he had thrown up in the middle of the night, Katniss had been afraid to leave his side.

"We're losing two more days," Katniss said fearfully.

"Two more days?" voiced Haymitch.

"To get rid of Willow," Katniss explained.

"Sweetheart, I don't know if that's going to happen for a while now. If Tax's ma couldn't take her, I don't think there are many other options," Haymitch said as softly as he could. "Not until the roads through the Districts are finished anyway."

That's what Katniss had feared. She chewed on her thumbnail anxiously before pulling the comforter further up Peeta's body. "I can't look after a baby for six months Haymitch," she said. "Peeta thinks he can but look at where the stress has led him."

"This wasn't stress, Katniss," Haymitch replied. He kept the cloth pressed against the bump on Peeta's head, the water from the melting ice dampening the material and causing water to soak the younger boy's forehead and hair. "I'm sure he was stressed-he is an eighteen year old boy looking after a baby after all-but it wasn't that that caused this. You know yourself what caused this."

Katniss wished she didn't. She wished that it had been Willow because they then had a stronger case of getting rid of her. It was awful of her to think that way but Peeta needed to be shown that looking after a baby wasn't good for them. But it hadn't been Willow that caused the concussion. It had been the venom in Peeta's blood. It had been the result of his tortures. Nothing else.

"I just don't want Peeta in danger of hurting himself," Katniss said feebly.

"I know," Haymitch replied. He glanced to Willow and sighed. "Would you like me to look after her for a while? You'll have to watch the boy."

Katniss nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

It surprised her how well Haymitch got on with Willow. They bonded really well. Almost as well as Peeta did with Willow. Or maybe it was just Katniss that Willow didn't get along with . . . Either way, Katniss was grateful for Haymitch's aid.

Haymitch picked Willow out of the walkie and carried her downstairs. He supported her with one arm and carried the walkie with the other. Katniss shut the door behind him and took Haymitch's place holding the ice against Peeta's head. He was still muttering to himself which worried Katniss immensely.

"Peeta?" she asked gently. "Peeta, are you feeling alright?"

"Where . . . where's Willow?" Peeta asked back, sounding confused.

"She's okay. Haymitch has got her," Katniss replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm going to be sick again," Peeta answered.

Katniss quickly grabbed the bucket they brought up for him and helped Peeta sit up just in time for him to be sick into the bucket. She kept the ice against his head, hoping it soothed him while he vomited. She remembered when she had been in the room next door and when Peeta had helped her mother look after her when she had jumped the fence and hurt herself. A part of her was glad that she could return the favour. She just wished she could have done it in easier circumstances.

"You good?" she asked when it subsided.

"No," Peeta mumbled.

Katniss knew he wasn't referring to his sickness but to something else. She sighed and removed the bucket from under his chin, gently helping him sit back against the head board. "Don't beat yourself up about what happened," Katniss said firmly. She pulled a tissue out of the box beside the bed and handed it to Peeta to clean his mouth up with. "You know that I would never blame you for your attacks. And if Willow could understand what was going on she wouldn't blame you either."

"I could have hurt her. I could have hurt you both," Peeta groaned.

"But you didn't," Katniss replied.

"This time," Peeta contradicted.

"Peeta," Katniss sighed, "you aren't a bad person. I know that you would never, ever intentionally set out to hurt me or anyone else in any way. In fact, not just I know that. Loads of people know that. Even the goddamn medic-from the Capitol, might I add-understood that it wasn't your fault. The only person pointing the finger is you."

Peeta frowned, clearly still confused. Katniss exhaled, knowing that she shouldn't be arguing with him when he was so disconcerted. She stroked the ice across his forehead, trying to smooth down any frayed nerves. Caring for Peeta came to her like second nature. For most of her life Katniss had looked at how her mother had nursed people back to health and couldn't understand how it was possible. Yet she looked out for Peeta like she had been doing it her entire life. That's what they did, she supposed. They protected each other.

"Try to relax," said Katniss. "Don't dwell on it. Stressing about it isn't going to help your head."

"My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton balls," Peeta muttered.

Katniss fished out the paracetamol that Broderick gave her and fetched a glass of water from the kitchen. Haymitch was in the living room, hanging a piece of fabric over Willow's head. She was laughing and grabbing for it, clearly appeased by simply grappling for the material. "Here," she said when she returned to Peeta. "Take these."

She watched him swallow two of the tablets and put the glass onto the bedside table. Peeta offered to hold the ice himself but she turned him down. She liked having something to do, especially if it meant getting him back on his feet. "Do you"-she stopped, reconsidering what she had been about to ask.

"What?" asked Peeta.

Katniss bit her lip nervously. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No," admitted Peeta. Katniss nodded rapidly, feeling like a fool for even asking. Peeta saw this and quickly said, "It's not because I don't trust you, I promise. I just don't want to distress you with the things that I see. There's a lot that happened to me in the Capitol that I'd prefer to keep hidden."

"That can't be good for you," Katniss answered.

"You're probably right," Peeta agreed. "Doesn't mean that I'm going to put your own state of mind at risk. Especially when you're improving so well. Johanna calls every few days and we chat about it a lot."

Katniss felt a jealous tug in her gut. She knew that Peeta didn't talk to Johanna about what he saw during his attacks because he trusted her more with the information. It was because they had both endured torture in the Capitol. They understood each other in that way and there was nothing that could shock them. Peeta was protecting Katniss by not telling her. However, she still felt really envious of Johanna for having that piece of Peeta's trust.

"You don't have to talk to me about it," Katniss said, smothering the spite that threatened to bubble up in her tone. "Just focus on getting your head straight again."

"I can't stay like this all day," said Peeta. "Someone has to go and look after Willow."

"Haymitch is doing it," Katniss reminded him.

"But Haymitch has to go home at some point. You didn't expect him to stay the whole time, did you?" asked Peeta.

Katniss didn't want to admit that she had. Haymitch did have a rough night. He preferred sleeping in his own bed and he didn't sleep a wink here in Katniss'. Katniss tried to ignore this the next morning, especially when it became clear that Peeta had concussed himself. She knew that she'd have to send Haymitch home to rest sooner or later. But then what about Willow? Peeta couldn't do it. Not in his condition. The stress could make him worse.

"I'll do it," Katniss decided.

Peeta didn't seem convinced. "Katniss"-

"No, I will," said Katniss, trying to hide the fear in her voice with authority. "It's just a baby. I mean . . . how hard can it be?"

"I don't at all believe that you think that," Peeta said flatly.

"Believe what you like," Katniss replied. "I'll send Haymitch home later and I'll watch Willow. If I have any questions I'll come to you, alright?"

Peeta still didn't seem sure but he couldn't argue. What was he to say? He couldn't even sit up without getting dizzy, let alone stand, and if he tried to carry Willow around the house he'd probably stumble over himself and fall. Besides, Katniss wasn't like him. She wouldn't take a random fit that could endanger Willow. The worst thing she could do would be take a mood swing because of a triggered memory-whether it be the rebellion, their lost friends, or Prim-that could result in Willow's neglect. Maybe if he stayed awake and called Katniss every half to three quarters of an hour to check up things would go okay.

Anyway, Katniss would have questions. She had never looked after a baby before so hopefully she'll be constantly in and out of the room seeking advice from him. She had some knowledge from when Primrose had been a baby but the full responsibility of caring for her sister hadn't been on Katniss' shoulders then. No . . . that came much later.

Katniss smoothed the cold cloth against Peeta's forehead one last time before asking if he could take it while she went to talk to Haymitch. "Keep it pressed against the bump on your head," she explained as Peeta took over for her. "Broderick said to do this every three to four hours."

Peeta nodded and placed the cloth against his head. "Got'cha," he replied. The relaxing cool of the ice against his injury was very relaxing and his eyes fluttered shut to focus on that instead of the pain. Katniss found herself smiling fondly. She wished he didn't beat himself up so much. He wasn't a bad person.

Haymitch was still doting over Willow in the living room. It was almost comical how much he had taken to Willow. And how remarkably fast it happened too. Katniss wondered if she was doing something wrong. Maybe she wasn't trying hard enough to bond with Willow. Okay, she knew she wasn't trying hard enough. Honestly, she wasn't trying at all. But it seemed that Willow had taken a strong disliking to her anyway, even though they knew nothing about each other.

"Hey, Haymitch, you should go home and get some sleep," Katniss said, approaching the sofa where the two sat.

Haymitch shook his head. "I'm fine," he insisted.

"No, you're not. You didn't sleep last night," said Katniss. "Don't think I don't know how to see through the 'I'm fine' shit. I've pulled it enough myself."

Her mentor sighed and when he looked at her, Katniss could see the fatigue in his pale grey eyes. "You have, haven't you?" he said. "Are you sure you can look after Willow?"

Katniss nodded, acting confident and firm. "Yes," she said. "If there's a problem I'll call you. Or go across the road to get Broderick again if it's emergency. It's still raining so he should still be there."

Haymitch, not having a strong enough case to argue with, nodded and stood up. Willow made an unhappy noise, clearly not pleased that he was leaving. Haymitch smiled at the baby and pulled a funny face, making her laugh and smile again. He turned to Katniss and said, "The storm is expected to end sometime tonight meaning rebuilding will resume tomorrow."

"I see," Katniss replied, heading for the door to let him out.

"Do you think your friend will be coming to find you? That Leevy girl?" asked Haymitch as he followed her.

"Probably. Why?"

"I can look after Willow and the boy if you want to go with her."

Katniss turned around and frowned. "Why?"

"Because the baby is sweet. I don't know . . . The innocence is nice to be around," Haymitch explained. "I don't know how to explain it all that well . . ."

"I understand," said Katniss. "Sure. If Leevy comes I'll go with her and you can stay with Willow." It was a weird request for Haymitch to make but now she had an excuse to blow off babysitting if the rain stopped in the middle of the night.

"Do you think you'll be okay for the rest of the day?" asked Haymitch as Katniss opened the door.

"I'll be fine," Katniss said, despite her own reluctance. "I have Peeta upstairs-even if he's only half sentient-and Willow shouldn't kick up that much of a fuss. She seemed fine with you." Katniss shrugged. "I mean, how hard can it be really?"

Haymitch chuckled, making Katniss' face fall. "You have no idea."

A/N: This chapter is slightly shorter, I know. I just felt this was an appropriate ending given for what I have planned for the beginning of the next chapter :-)

Please let me know what you think! :D