Day 16

I woke up later than usual the next morning. Gale was already gone, at his gun thing. I asked around, and apparently Peeta was there too. Everybody except for me seemed to have this tattoo-schedule on their arm, telling them what to do and where to go, which sounds disgustingly I just sort of wandered around, eating breakfast, and trying to learn my way around the complex, even though I really only knew the hospital section.

I also tried to learn how to swim better – I'd changed into the mermaid chest-wrappings, which revealed I had little fins sticking out of my shoulder blades, interestingly enough – when I crashed into Annie, one of Peeta's friends that I'd been incredibly rude to that one day at breakfast.

"Sorry," I immediately apologized, trying to hold out an arm to steady her, but balance underwater wasn't quite the same as it was on land and I think we both just ended up tipping over.

It took me a second to recognize a new sound and reorient myself, but I soon realized she was laughing. I shot her a reproachful look. "Sorry," I repeated.

"It's all right," she managed, her voice high and tittering on her giggles. "I just haven't fallen over quite that badly in years. You're Peeta's friend, right?"

"Yeah," I answered cautiously. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot – er, tail – My name is Katniss and I'm usual not a jerk to unsuspecting people like you."

She smiled. I was struck by the thought that Annie was beautiful; then I remembered watching her games, using blood to survive, and tried not to let it show on my face. "I'm Annie Odair," she said. "Are you lost?"

"It doesn't really matter," I answered. "I don't have anywhere to be."

"We're near the hospital section," she told me anyways.

"Oh. That's where I stayed, last time. Thought it looked familiar."

"Do you want to come with me?" she offered suddenly.

I blinked in surprise. "Ah…"

"It's just, I really don't want to be alone," she started rambling, "and I know we just met, except for that one time, but you were just being defensive. Peeta's like that too, sometimes…pretty often, actually…" She faded away, then took a breath, as if steeling herself for something. "I'm going to see my child for the first time."

I raised my eyebrows. "Um…wow." I glanced down at her stomach automatically, but then I remembered that awkward conversation with Peeta the other morning. "You guys do a…egg thing, right? With your kids?" I didn't really want to think about it too much.

She nodded. "My child is in a nursery right now. I wanted to postpone the appointment until Finnick gets back from duty, but he really wished for me to go, and write him about the gender, and I…"

Annie trailed off again. I didn't push her. "Okay," I said softly. "I'll go with you."

She smiled widely. I realized, slightly belatedly, that her eyes were also blue, like Peeta's. "Thank you," she offered.

The nursery in a mermish hospital, unlike normal spaces, was sealed off almost completely. Special regulators monitored the water flow; a specially trained doctor was the only one to enter, once per day. We only stood outside, watching through the window in an adjacent standing room. The doctor didn't question my presence.

It was a boy.

"A boy!" Annie was still crooning on our way to lunch. "In four months, a precious little boy! I hope he'll look just like Finnick. What to name him? I'd like to name him after Finnick's father, but Finnick will probably want to name him after mine…Katniss, can you imagine?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "I have my hands full looking after my little sister back home, and she's thirteen. It's a good thing she's smarter than I am."

Annie flashed a smile at me. "I'm glad you're here, Katniss."

"I'm glad I could help," I replied. Against my better judgment, because I knew better than to get close to people, I really did… "If you ever need company again, I'm here." I showed her my bare arm for confirmation. "Schedule's clear and everything."

"That means a lot, Katniss," Annie answered, voice warm.

"Anything you need," I reiterated.

A/N: Sorry about the delay, guys. This isn't my favorite chapter, so I guess I procrastinated putting it up. I couldn't think of a way to fix it, so...here it is. Necessary for the plot, I assure you. If you have any suggestions, please review!