After I had told Peeta and the excitement had dialed down I decided I should go tell Haymitch. I had found him passed out drunk. Memories of what felt like lifetimes ago hit me. I grin slightly to myself as I grab a small bucket and fill it up with water. I dump it on him and jump back quickly in case he still slept with a knife. He grumbles as he wakes up.
"Haymitch." I turn to the door when I hear the familiar voice. Effie? What was she doing here? "Katniss? What are you doing here?" She beams and rushes up to me pulling me into a hug. I roll my eyes slightly but hug her back.
"What do you want, sweetheart?" he slurs at me. The smell of alcohol hits me as he speaks. I wrinkle my nose the smell unpleasant. I look between him and Effie narrowing my eyes slightly.
"Yes, dear what are you here for?" For some reason this made me laugh a little. I stop myself pressing my lips together as I clear my throat.
"What are you doing here, Effie? I thought you were in the Capitol." She sighs and looks at Haymitch. He shrugs and nods almost as if telling her to continue. I arch an eyebrow confused.
"Truth is. I - I missed you guys. You, Peeta, and Haymitch. We're a team. I'm moving here." She grins widely and my eyes widen. I hadn't expected that coming. I thought Effie was perfectly happy in the Capitol
. "And are you staying, with Haymitch?" She bites her lip and nods. Haymitch and Effie living in the same house would be quite amusing.
"I need someone to keep the house clean." Haymitch slurs. Well that made sense. Of course that would be why Haymitch wanted her to stay. I roll my eyes and laugh slightly again.
"Well, alright." I had almost forgotten why I had really come here until Haymitch asks again.
"Why did you come here and wake me up?" He tosses the bucket just off to the side of me to get his point across that he wasn't happy about it.
"If you're not in a good mood guess I can come back later." I roll my eyes and turn to leave. Effie grabs my arm stopping me. I sigh and turn to them again. "Alright. I wanted to tell you that I'm -" I bite my lip unsure how either of them will react.
"You're what, sweetheart?" Haymitch arches and eyebrow and I finish.
"Pregnant." I purse my lips waiting for their reactions. The silence only lasts a few seconds but it felt like forever.
"Oh, isn't the lovely! Little Katniss's and Peeta's!" Effie beams and hugs me again. What was with the plural.
"It's just one, at least I think so." Hope so I add in mind. One baby was enough for now. I was still worried and still slightly scared.
"That's still wonderful!" I look at Haymitch who still hasn't said anything.
"Congratulations sweetheart." He says with a grin. I smile slightly.
"I better go back. Let you finish moving in." I say to Effie before leaving. It takes a few weeks for Peeta to finally calm me down. After about another week I wake up and walk into the bathroom. I grab a shirt and jeans to change into. As I pull off my pajama shirt I gasp at the small bump on my stomach. I drop the shirt to the floor and turn to the mirror. I stare at the bump wide eyed. I hadn't noticed it before, today it seemed a lot more prominent.
"Katniss…?" Peeta walks into the bathroom. " Aren't you coming down for breakfast?" I nod and turn to him.
"Yeah it's just.." I place my hand on the bump and he smiles.
"Haven't you noticed your stomach growing these past few weeks?" I shake my head. He noticed but I didn't I guess I don't spend too much time looking at myself. He picks up the shirt I had dropped and hands it to me. "Finish getting dressed. I'll be downstairs." He kisses my forehead as I take the shirt in my grasp again. He leaves and I pull the shirt over my head. I would need bigger clothes soon. If Cinna was still around I know he'd make me some in an instant. I purse my lips and push the thought aside.
I change into my jeans quickly before going downstairs. I blink when I see Haymitch, Effie, Greasy Sae, Annie, and little Finnick sitting in the kitchen as well. I hadn't expected everyone to come over for breakfast. I sit down between Peeta and Annie.
"This is why you wanted me to come down so quickly, huh?" I look at Peeta with a small smile and he nods leaning over placing a kiss on my nose.
"We thought we should do something to celebrate." I look down at my stomach as Annie talks wondering how I hadn't noticed before. It seemed so obvious today for some reason. Everyone starts talking and eating. I pull my eyes away from the bump the fear slowly creeping up on me again. What if something happened to mine and Peeta's baby, before it was even born? I had always been afraid to have a kid of my own since I was little. I didn't want to bring a kid into a world with the Hunger Games, but those were over. Gone forever. So why was I still afraid?
Maybe because of the nightmares that I had every night. I was afraid of my daughter, or son going through that. I shake the thought out of my head. Nightmares were inevitable, of course. Not like mine and Peeta's but every now and then anyone would get a nightmare. Little Finnick was alright. I looked over at him as he ate the smile on his face, how happy he was. Unlike Prim, Rue, Peeta, Annie, Myself and so many other kids were just a few years ago.
I eat my food and join in the conversation. There was no reason to live in fear anymore, I needed to let go of all that. It was easier said then done though. After breakfast we all sit around and talk for a while.
"So guys, have you thought of any names for the baby yet?" Greasy Sae asks excitedly. I look at Peeta at the same time he looks at me, we were in sync a lot of the times. I loved it.
"No, not really." I say as I look back at Greasy Sae. I hadn't even thought about names actually, I had been too busy getting over my fear that something would happen to the baby, that something would take him or her away from me. Peeta reassured me hundreds of times that nothing was going to happen. I believed him, but my nightmares caused me to hold on to that fear.
"We'll name her - or him when he or she is born." Peeta says and smiles. I nod in agreement. It would give us time to think. After everyone leaves snow starts falling.
"Everyone left in time." I say as I stare out the window at the snow.
"That they did." Peeta replies as he starts a fire.
"I'll go make hot chocolate." I say as I get up and walk into the kitchen. This felt a lot like the day Peeta and I had finally admitted to have fallen in love with each other all over again. My eyes trail down to the growing bump. I place my hand on my stomach and close my eyes a smile forming on my lips. Peeta was right, there was nothing to be afraid of. I grab cups and fill them with hot chocolate before walking back to the living room.
I walk over to Peeta to find he had put down a blanket and a bunch of pillows for us to curl up on. I smile and hand him his cup before I sit down curling up close to him. I lay my head on his chest setting my cup on the floor next to me. He wraps his arms tightly around me as he presses his lips to the top of my head.
"I love you, Katniss." He whispers slightly. I close my eyes smiling.
"I love you too." I whisper back. I whisper one more thing, "Stay with me."
I could hear the smile in his voice as he replies, "Always."