A week after her talk with Katniss, Effie shot up out of bed in the middle of the night. Her hand gripped low on her stomach as the muscles of her stomach tensed sharply. She gasped, "Haymitch!" She hissed and shook him awake.

"What?" He groaned, "What is it?"

"Something is wrong. I think… I think I'm having contractions." Effie got out of bed and felt her leggings and the sheets. Her water didn't break yet. She wasn't ready for this to happen yet. It was early. She had a few more weeks to go still.

Haymitch flew out of bed and pushed her to sit, "I'm calling the doctor, you don't move."

He hurried from the bedroom and ran down the stairs. Several minutes passed and Effie felt another contraction. It seemed too close together to be a good sign. She wiped at her eyes and breathed slowly. Her hands holding her stomach.

Haymitch returned with the phone and handed it to Effie.

"Hello?" Effie breathed slowly.

"Effie, can you tell me what the contractions feel like?" Dr. Lowery asked through the phone.

Effie nodded, "They feel like a tight muscle. Kind of sore, and they're not lasting long. I've had two since I woke up. Am I in labor?"

Dr. Lowery paused for a second, "I'm surprised you haven't asked about these earlier. It is a contraction, Effie, but not a labor one. They're practice contractions, called Braxton Hicks." He assured her quickly, "They've probably been happening and you haven't been aware of them until now. It's your body getting ready for labor. It's a good sign you are having them. You are not in labor yet. It could be soon, and these practice contractions will start to be a little stronger. Labor contractions are going to be a sharp pain, they'll last longer and it'll be harder to talk and move through them."

Effie visibly relaxed and so did Haymitch. His hands gently touched her belly as she talked. "Thank you, Dr. Lowery. I appreciate you answering me so quickly."

"Try to get some rest, Effie. Please call me back if anything else troubles you." He hung up and Effie handed the phone back to Haymitch.

"You're okay?" He asked softly, looking completely unsettled.

"Yes, it's practice contractions. I hadn't noticed them before. It scared me." Effie frowned and looked down at her belly.

Haymitch breathed a sigh of relief. He kissed her softly and tucked her back into bed. In a moment he was tucked behind her and resting his hand on her belly. "You need anything, sweetheart?" He could tell she was still on edge.

"No, just calming down. Thinking about names. We really need to pick something." Effie admitted.

"It'll be hard to come up with a name if we don't know what it is or what it looks like. We'll name it when it's born."

Two weeks passed uneventfully. It snowed more and more, and it became so cold that Effie sometimes refused to leave the bed. Christmas was a quiet affair with just the kids. By then Effie had finished scarves and gloves for everyone. Katniss and Peeta gave Effie a set of children's books to read to the baby. Which she cried over for nearly ten minutes and had to excuse herself to calm down. After the kids went back home, Effie was slowly making her way upstairs.

"Effs, wait up." Haymitch called and hurried after her.

She lingered in the hallway outside their room, "What is it?"

Haymitch tugged her toward the nursery. "I want to give you your present now."

"Oh, I'm allowed in there now?" Effie huffed. That had been an issue for several days. She was nesting and wanted to organize and unpack things from her friends and many of the things she had bought. Haymitch refused to let her do any of it.

Haymitch opened the door and turned the lights on. Inside the nursery was completely finished. The beautiful furniture was set up, the walls were painted a faint green hue. White trees were painted onto the walls. Shadows and silhouettes made the walls look to be a delicate forest. Effie waddled over to the closet and admired the neatly hung onesies and baskets stuffed with things the baby would need. The dresser and changing table were stocked. It was perfect. Thin string lights gave the room a warm soft glow. Paintings of cute woodland animals were scattered around a wall that was void of trees. A thin strip of the wall was centered and left blank, no doubt a spot for the baby's name to be painted on.

Effie beamed and turned to face Haymitch, "You're so sneaky!" She gasped and hugged him. "I love it. It's perfect!"

He laughed and kissed her softly. "I worked on it during your many naps. Merry Christmas, Effie."

Effie kissed him back quickly. "My gift pales in comparison to this." She worried and looked up at him.

"I love that blanket you made me, and the hat. I promise, plus there's one more thing I want to give you that'll be a gift for me too." He pecked her cheek.

Effie raised an eyebrow at him, "Haymitch I can't sleep with you. Not tonight. Dr. Lowery said I could go into labor if we do that."

Haymitch laughed raucously, "… Not what I was getting at but glad to know you've got that on your mind."

Effie flushed and swatted at him, "Stop it." In reality, it had been hard not being intimate. They hadn't been together since the night she got back. It wasn't for lack of want, they both wanted it. Finding a way to get comfortable ruined many moments for Effie. Her insecurities about her body, despite his assurances that she was beautiful. "You know I want to... It's not…" She stammered.

Haymitch kissed her cheek, "I know sweetheart." He ran a thumb across her cheek. "I've got something to take your mind off it." He winked and reached into his pocket.

Effie looked up at him and scowled at the cheeky comment, "You're unreasonable. You know that? Not everything is about sex."

"Only when you tease me so." He grumbled and placed a velvet black bag in her hand. It was a small bag that cinched shut.

Effie smiled, "What is this?"

"You already know what it is." He reminded. "Open it, sweetheart."

Effie looked at him quizzically, the baby and the hormones made her forget many things. She gently tugged the bag open and upended it into her palm. Two slender rings tumbled into her hand. They were intricately braided and simple. It shone brightly even in the dim light of the nursery.

"Marry me, Effie." He asked again, "Right now. What do you say? I promise you it's not because you're pregnant. We both know doing the 'right' thing has never been something I'd do. I love you, and when things settle down, we'll make this legal. Things are going to change Effie." He said, his hands cupping her face.

He was being strangely hopeful. What was this talk of change? Effie suspected that it had something to do with the not so secret phone calls he was making at night when he thought she was asleep. "Haymitch…" Effie breathed and looked up at him. "I don't know what to say." It was so unlike him to be so hopeful, so passionate.

He picked up the tiniest ring, "Say yes, you already did once." He slid it onto her finger. He tried several times to find a finger that it fit. District 12 had a poor selection of rings. He found that even the ring was larger than her fingers and fit nicely on her thumb.

Effie suddenly felt uneasy, "I don't remember that, Haymitch. This is reckless, what's the rush? We have time. We've been together for years and we didn't need rings." She didn't know where these words were coming rom. She vaguely remembered the conversation they had in bed. She suspected that was fueled by endorphins and passion.

Haymitch looked worried, "You're freaking out."

"You're worrying me… Haymitch." She frowned and looked at the ring on her finger already. "I know somethings going on. Those calls you make. That meeting. What aren't you telling me. We're a team, Haymitch. What's happened that all of this needs to be done now?" She gestured to the rings. "I don't need you to marry me to make me happy. I'm happy already. I'm beyond happy. This is enough for me. Isn't it enough for you? Why test the waters? The risk we take by doing this. They have so much on us…"

Haymitch kissed her hard. He pulled away after a long moment, "Eff, it's nothing you need to worry about. I'm done living under their thumb, Effie. Fuck what the Capitol wants us to do. I'm done playing their games. Marry me. It's always been you that I wanted. You've been there when no one else has. You cared when I was an ass to you. You always came back. I need you Effie. Say yes now, and one day I'll get you everything you deserve. A house full of kids, a sparkling ring and a huge wedding."

Effie was aghast as he spoke. Her eyes sparkled with tears, "Haymitch…" She breathed. She couldn't deny him, not when he spoke so freely. She felt her lip tremble as she nodded furiously.

"Say it sweetheart.. I need you to say it." He held her face in his hands. The room was so charged with emotion.

"Yes, Haymitch. I'll marry you." She gasped and kissed him softly. Her shaking fingers took the larger ring, identical to hers and slid it on his ring finger.

Haymitch kissed her hard, and held her tightly. Effie felt like she was floating. She desperately wished her belly wasn't in the way. "I love you, Effs…" He smiled and looked down at the rings on their fingers. "I'll find one that fits better."

Effie smiled, "No, I love this one. Don't change it." She looked down at it on her thumb. "It's perfect."