Peeta
Late morning sunlight refracted off of some unknown object casting a rainbow across his bedroom wall. He studied it thoughtfully, watching how the colors shifted and blended into one another. He had been awake for some time, but Katniss was still peacefully asleep curled against his back, her arm draped lazily around his waist. Her soft breaths tickled the hairs on the back of his neck. He smiled disbelievingly. Had last night actually happened? He still didn't know where his boldness had come from. He had spent the last few weeks being so cautious with her. Perhaps it was the bath she had given him that had encouraged him to give in to what his body and been screaming at him to do for months.
The uncomfortable fullness in his bladder caused him to move slightly. Katniss stirred behind him before burying her head further under the blanket. He carefully removed her arm and slipped out of the bed reaching down to pick up his sweats and boxers. He quietly left the room, quickly making his way across the house to relieve himself. On his way out of the bathroom he noticed the stripe of bright sunlight emanating from beneath his studio door. Easing the door open, he was greeted with a room bathed in light. He had chosen this room to be his studio because of the large east facing windows. He often found himself in here in the early morning hours when the way the sunlight poured those windows gave him the best artistic light.
It was a beautiful, clear autumn day with blue skies and rustic colors falling from the trees. He thought about staying in the studio for an hour or two and working on his latest painting; the one that had caused his tears yesterday. It would be a quiet activity allowing Katniss to sleep in. What little knowledge he had about pregnant women mainly revolved around how tired they were supposed to be. Katniss put up a strong front, but he knew she had to be exhausted. He had to admit that he slept amazingly well when she was by his side. The past two days he had seen no nightmares or frequent wake ups. Strangely, the dull ache was back behind his eyes. He rubbed his temples and wondered if he might need glasses. He had hoped that with better sleep the ache would disappear. Maybe he was still more tired than he realized. Maybe it was just his body's way of dealing with all the stress he'd been through. Still, he wished it would go away. It was like a nagging reminder of all the things that had gone wrong in his life. Leaning against the window frame, he ran is hands through his hair and sighed. He didn't have it in him to paint, not today. He was content to sit by the window and watch the world go by for a little while. He had always been happy observing the way things looked and acted, even as a little boy. Perhaps that was why he saw so many things that others missed. He wondered if that was the artist in him.
A small gasp broke him out of his reverie. He spun around and found Katniss standing in the doorway. Her eyes were wide as she took in the room, scanning the walls and easels. A smile tugged at his lips and his lower body stirred to life at the sight of her, sleep mused hair flowing down her back and his t-shirt hanging off her frame. He wanted to scoop her up and drag her back to his bed. Instead he leaned against the window frame and allowed her to see this other side of him, the side he kept hidden from most people. She hovered in the doorway, arms wrapped around herself hesitating just a moment before entering the room fully.
"Is it ok if I look at everything?" She asked in a timid voice while gesturing to the stacks of canvas propped up against the walls and the unfinished work on the easels.
He nodded. His posture reflected a nonchalant stance even has he gulped down the nervous energy that had seemed to work its way from his stomach to this throat. He had never let anyone see his art before it was finished. There were some pieces he never showed anyone at all.
"I can see why you chose this room," she said as her fingers combed through a stack of landscape oil paintings. "The windows let in so much light."
She wandered the room for a few minutes more before stopping at the canvas he had been working on the day before. It was only partially finished. All that was available to view at that moment were light sketches and some color on the larger portions of the work. The canvas showed a teenage boy with his back turned to the viewer. His blonde hair was a little bit too long so that it curled at ends by his ears and the nape of his neck. He wore jeans and a t-shirt. A black apron hung loosely from his neck, the ties undone and hanging at his sides. The laces of his left shoe had become untied and laid precariously at his feet. His hands were perched on his hips and his arms were covered in flour. He stared out a large window onto the street as a woman passed by on the sidewalk and a red truck drove by. The boy's stance seemed defiant like he was plotting his escape.
"Is this you?" She asked as her fingers reached out to trace the outline of the boy.
"No. It's Rye."
"He looks so rigid and defiant. Was he angry?"
Peeta let out a long breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. "This is the day he told our parents that he didn't want to be a baker and that he was leaving to go to school."
"I'm guessing they didn't take it well?"
"Mother didn't," he said with a humorless laugh. "I think dad understood, but I was only 16 at the time so Rye was leaving them in the lurch."
"What does Rye do now?"
"He works at the bakery," Peeta said with a smirk.
Katniss laughed and then said solemnly, "It makes me sad for him if being a baker is not what he wanted to do."
"Me too," he sighed. "It's my fault. Once Proja finished business school, he came back to the bakery with the intention of taking over one day. After the crash, Rye came back, and he's been there ever since."
Katniss took Peeta's hand and squeezed gently. "Is he mad at you?"
He looked down at her, a sad smile gracing his lips. "Rye gives me a lot of shit, but he has been there for me more than anyone else. He's stepped in front of my mother and taken blows that were meant for me. He's lied and taken the blame for things to keep me out of trouble. I think he will always try to protect me, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. He hasn't spoken to me in a while. I know he's miserable and I know it's my fault."
She leaned her cheek against his, cradling his face in her hands and brushing his hair from his forehead. He winced slightly as he leaned into her touch. A sharp stabbing pain radiated behind his left eye and then disappeared. The concern was instantly evident in her eyes.
"Just a headache," he said with a half-smile and a shrug.
"You need sleep. More than just a handful of hours," she said while her thumbs ghosted over the dark circles still present under his eyes.
"With you in my bed? And, the image of you wearing nothing but my shirt floating around in my head all day? Sleep seems like cruel and unusual punishment. I'll take something for the headache. Don't worry."
"I'll be in your bed tonight, but we will only be sleeping."
His lip came out in a pout and she laughed. "Now, what happens before bedtime tonight is fair game," she teased. "I could use a shower before I make my debut with a movie star. Want to join me?"
He scooped her up in his arms and she muffled her squeal of surprise and delight against his chest as he practically sprinted to the bathroom
Katniss
Life was curious. How many times had she thought that in the past several weeks? Who would've ever imagined that a poor country girl from a small no name town would be pregnant, in love and living with a talented artist and chef and on her way to spend Thanksgiving with a movie star and his family. She had never dreamed that she would lead anything but a boring, average life. The odds never seemed to be in her favor. Yet, here she was driving past beautiful, opulent homes, her fingers intertwined with Peeta's and her foot nervously tapping the floorboard. The sheer magnificence of the neighborhood they had entered caused the butterflies to flutter furiously in her stomach. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, worrying it with her teeth. Peeta tenderly squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. He had told her at least twenty times as they were getting ready that Finnick and his family were just regular people and that she had nothing to be nervous about. She was sure that Peeta believed that but judging from the way Finnick and his family lived, they were most definitely not regular people. At least not the sort of regular people that Katniss was used to encountering.
Peeta slowed the car and pulled into a driveway stopping at a closed, intimidating looking iron gate. He rolled down the driver side window and pressed a small white button attached to a metal box located discreetly inside one of the brick pillars that accented the driveway.
"Happy Thanksgiving motherfucker!" A male voice crackled through the speaker on the box followed by the sound of laughter.
"Finnick!" Another voice, female this time, shouted. "Hey, Peeta, honey. Come on in."
The iron gates slowly swung open. Katniss smoothed her hands over her plain hunter green blouse. She looked down at her black leggings and black boots and suddenly felt ridiculously underdressed for such a fancy neighborhood. Peeta had told her not to worry about dressing up, that Finnick and Annie would most likely be wearing jeans and t-shirts and that he wouldn't be surprised if Jacob was wearing a superhero costume. Still, she couldn't help feeling self-conscious and completely out of place in this environment.
Peeta eased the car through the gate and drove up a long tree lined driveway until the house came into view. To her, the house seemed massive and much nicer than any house she had ever been in but compared to the other homes in the neighborhood it was understated. She could imagine the neighbors calling the home "cute" or "charming." Although she could tell it was a newer home, it had an older plantation style look to it. Open-flame gas lanterns lined a brick walkway. A white picket fence extended the length of the property. A three-car garage sat to the right, another brick walkway connecting it to the main home. The front of the house had large off-white pillars lining the front porch with an observation deck above connected to the second story. Dark blue plantation style shutters adorned all the windows. The house had a welcoming feel even with its large size and that helped to ease Katniss's nerves.
Peeta parked the car in front of one of the closed garage doors. He turned to Katniss and smiled then mimed taking a deep breath in and out before grabbing her fingers and kissing the back of her hand. As they exited the car, a sound that could only be described as a boyish squeal of delight pierced the air followed by a series of giggles and the stomping of small footsteps. Before Katniss could figure out what was happening, a blur of copper hair and boundless energy hurdled through the air and landed in Peeta's arms.
"Hey buddy," Peeta said as he staggered to keep his footing.
He lowered the boy to the ground and the tiny tornado proceeded to run to the back of the car ignoring Katniss's presence completely.
"Did you bring my cheese buns? Today is Thanksgiving! Daddy got a new boat. Do you want to go out in the boat, Peeta? I can do a flip. Watch me do a flip. Can you do a flip? I grew another inch since the last time you were here. Mama said I'm going to be taller than daddy. You're not taller than daddy. Why are you so short? I want a puppy for Christmas. Do you think Santa will bring…wait…who's she?"
The boy rattled off his questions as Peeta knelt down beside him with the biggest smile lighting up his face. He waited patiently for the list of questions to end before answering.
"I did bring cheese buns. I'm excited about Thanksgiving too, bud. If we have time we can go out in the new boat. I don't know if I can do a flip. I was just born shorter than your daddy, but he is pretty tall. If you're good and your mama and daddy agree, then Santa might bring you a puppy. And, this is Katniss." Peeta grabbed her hand pulling her closer. "Katniss this is Jacob."
"Hi, Jacob," she said as the boy's eyes raked over her.
"Peeta's never brought anyone with him before. Why didn't you come for his birthday? My birthday is in July. I'm 8. How old are you? Is that a baby in your belly? My teacher had a baby in hers."
She laughed as she responded. "I'm 24 and it is a baby in my belly." She turned to Peeta, "I missed your birthday?"
"Uh, it was a couple weeks ago. October 17th," he answered sheepishly. "We weren't really talking much then."
Before she could say anything else, a familiar voice joined the conversation.
"I see you've met Jacob. Now you know what you have to look forward to in your future."
She turned to find herself standing face to face – well, chest – with Finnick Odair and he was just as handsome in person as he was on television. She could practically feel the charisma and charm coming off him in waves and he was being nothing but polite and nice. She wasn't sure what it would be like if he was actually trying to charm her. Maybe it was Finnick's easy-going nature, but she found herself able to converse with him without any of the nervousness that she thought she would feel.
"I think I would be okay with that," she said with a smile. "Jacob seems like he is a very good and very smart boy."
Finnick chuckled. "Oh, you don't know the half of it. He's on his very best behavior today because somebody wants to eat his weight in cheese buns and pie." He winked at Jacob as the boy bounded off with several covered dishes from the back of the car and disappeared behind the front door. "I'm just teasing," he continued turning his attention back to Katniss. "I'm sure you'll both be great parents. It's fun…exhausting and sometimes a little frustrating, but fun."
"You're just happy that you get to play with toys again," Peeta said with a smile as he embraced Finnick in a hug. He then gestured to Katniss, "Finnick this is Katniss. Katniss, this is Finnick Odair."
Finnick lowered his top half and swept his arm out to the side in a dramatic bow. A wide grin lighting up his face making him look impossibly more handsome than he already was. His head tilting up to give Katniss a wink with smiling eyes. She felt herself smiling in return without even thinking about it, a faint blush creeping on her cheeks.
So that's what it felt like when he turned on the charm.
Peeta rolled his eyes and backhanded Finnick's arm. Peeta grabbed her hand and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially as Finnick grabbed the rest of the covered dishes from the back of the car. "Now you've done it. Get a couple of glasses of wine in him and he'll be making those eyes at you all night just to watch you blush."
"I heard that," Finnick said as he closed the back of the car. "You sound like Annie. Always taking away all of my fun." His lip came out in a mock pout. Then he leaned in closer and said, "It would only have taken one glass of wine."
He elbowed Peeta playfully in the ribs before heading up the walkway to the house. Katniss watched the exchange with an amused expression on her face. When Peeta had said that Finnick was like family she just assumed it meant they were really good friends, but the relationship between the two men was definitely brotherly. Watching them interact would make anyone think they had grown up together and shared a familial bond. She wondered if Peeta shared the same relationship with Rye.
She and Peeta followed Finnick into the house as he gave her a quick tour while leading them to the kitchen. She took in the elegant surroundings with wide eyes. It was truly the most gorgeous house she had ever set foot in, but she could also see that a family lived there. There were toys in the living room and shoes by the door. A superhero costume was laying half folded on the stairs. They walked past a large entryway that lead to a formal dining room with seating for twelve and a crystal chandelier adding light to the room. The table had festive decorations, plates, cutlery and name cards at every seat. She gave Peeta a questioning look and saw that he noticed the table too. He shrugged in response as they continued to follow Finnick through the house.
They finally reached the kitchen and, as beautiful Peeta's kitchen was, this kitchen was stunning. And, massive. A large marble island with seating for six sat in the middle of the room surrounded by white cabinets, stainless steel high end appliances and marble countertops. The rear of the kitchen featured floor to ceiling windows overlooking a vast lake. There was a smaller dining table located by the windows that Katniss could tell was what they primarily used for eating and by the looks of the papers on the table, Jacob's homework.
As Peeta helped Finnick put the food away, a woman Katniss recognized as Finnick's wife, Annie, bustled into the room. She was an inch or two taller than Katniss with striking green eyes, flowing brown hair and a kind smile. She threw her arms around Peeta as he lifted her off her feet in a hug. Then, before Katniss knew what was happening, Annie was embracing her too. Katniss, unused to receiving hugs from strangers, stood stiffly at first before wrapping her arms around Annie who seemed to be a genuinely kind person. Annie fawned over Katniss's small belly and lamented over the harder parts of pregnancy as she checked the turkey in the oven. Peeta and Finnick talked amongst themselves and Katniss watched Jacob playing with trucks in a small room off of the kitchen that seemed to be set up as a playroom. Finnick pulled out a seat at the island and motioned for Katniss to sit. She was grateful for that. She felt awkward standing in their small eating area trying to follow a conversation about things she didn't have any idea about. Peeta joined her giving her a small kiss on the cheek as he sat down. Katniss caught the happy look and smile on Annie's face as she witnessed the exchange.
"So, I have some news," Finnick began. "We have a few extra guests for dinner. I hope that you won't mind."
"I saw the dining table set for twelve and I was curious about that," Peeta said.
Finnick nodded giving them both a slight apologetic look. "I know we usually do a small dinner, but with our shooting schedule, a couple of my coworkers are stuck here for the holiday and I felt bad not inviting them over. They are each bringing a date as well. It is really only eleven of us all together, but Annie insisted we set the table for twelve. Just in case." He winked at his wife and she rolled her eyes, but also playfully pinched his side.
"Are the other people actors too?" Katniss asked. She worried that she would feel even more out of place if more beautiful and famous people showed up.
"Just one, Cashmere Johnson. She's bringing a date named Joe. I've never met him, but if Cas likes him then I'm sure he's cool. Then, Rue Matthews and her date and Marvel Walsh and his date. They are both crew members on the set."
Katniss nodded politely, but she was sure her heart had stopped at the name Marvel. It was possible that it wasn't the same Marvel that she had slept with right before meeting Peeta, but what were the odds that there was someone else in their area with that ridiculous name. Her body flooded with embarrassment and regret. She felt bile rising in her throat and she excused herself to the small powder room down the hall. She quietly shut the door and slumped against it letting her body slide down until she was sitting on the floor.
There was no way she could leave, so she was going to have to get through this dinner one way or another. The rational part of her brain reasoned that it was possible that Marvel wouldn't even remember her. It was a one-night stand that happened months ago. They both had been drinking. If she hadn't fallen asleep unintentionally letting him spend the night in her bed, then she probably wouldn't remember him well at all. That made her breathe a little easier. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. If he did recognize her, she would just have to find a way to talk to him privately and clear the air. Then, she would have to tell Peeta and that was not something she wanted to bring up right at the beginning of this new relationship between them. She didn't know how he would react to having one of her past sexual encounters shoved in his face.
She sighed and pulled herself off of the floor. She washed her hands and took a few deep breaths before pulling the door open to find Annie standing there with her hand raised ready to knock. They both smiled shyly at each other. Annie shrugged and let out a little laugh.
"I wanted to check on you," she said. "When I was pregnant with Jacob, I was sick all the time. Whoever coined the phrase 'morning sickness' has never been pregnant."
Katniss smiled and ducked her chin still unsure of how to behave around Annie and Finnick. The only other person she knew that was genuinely this nice to strangers was Prim. "I'm okay," she replied. "I just got light headed all of the sudden and wanted to splash some water on my face." The lie left her easily and she hoped that Annie would buy it.
Annie eyed her carefully for a moment and then grabbed her hand pulling her back toward the kitchen. "When was the last time you ate something? Dinner isn't for another hour or so. Let me get you a few crackers and I can make you some ginger tea. It'll help settle your stomach."
Katniss could only nod and blush slightly at the kindness. She was starving. She had shoved a piece of toast in her mouth before leaving the house, but that was all she'd had time to eat. The shower that she and Peeta had taken lasted entirely too long and they had to rush to get out the door on time. She settled back into her seat next to Peeta who gave her a small smile although she could see the concern in his eyes. She ate her crackers and drank her tea as the group fell into easy conversation. Finnick regaled her with stories of awkward teenage Peeta and their son's antics that made her laugh. She heard about how Finnick and Annie met and how they had to keep their relationship a secret even after their son was born.
After just a short time she started to forget that Finnick was famous. Peeta was right, Finnick and Annie were just people; kind, funny and charming people. She was starting to feel happy that Peeta had brought her to meet them. She didn't have very many friends and she was hoping that she would be able to call the Odairs friends one day. Then, a chime rang, and her breath caught in her throat. Finnick walked to a small box mounted in the kitchen wall and she saw that it had a touchscreen with a monitor that allowed the viewer to see who had rang the buzzer.
"It's Cashmere," he said to the group. "It looks like there's another car behind her too. Good! I'm starving."
As Finnick pushed a button to open the gate, Jacob ran into the room complaining that he was also hungry. Annie shushed him with a few of the same crackers she had given Katniss and a promise that they were be eating very soon. Katniss's palms began to sweat, and she wiped them on her pants gripping her knees to steady the nervous shake in her hands. Finnick and Annie walked to the front door leaving Katniss and Peeta alone in the kitchen.
"You okay?" Peeta asked, his knuckles brushing against her cheek.
She nodded in reply and he didn't say anything else, but she didn't miss the questioning look he gave her. Voices floated into the kitchen from the hall and she and Peeta got up from their seats to go and meet the new guests. As they rounded the corner Katniss nearly ran right into the last person she every expected to see: Johanna Mason.
"Jo?" Katniss asked, her eyes flitting from Johanna to the glamorous blonde behind her then to a confused Finnick and Annie.
"Holy shit! Katniss? And, Blondie? What the hell are you two doing here?" Johanna exclaimed.
"We could ask you the same thing," Peeta chimed in, a hint of confusion and amusement in his voice.
"I'm on a date with this gorgeous creature," Johanna replied, flashing a sweet smile at the woman behind her and bringing the woman's fingers up to her lips.
Katniss couldn't argue that point with her. Cashmere was gorgeous with her flowing blonde hair, blue eyes and perfect hourglass figure. Katniss touched the hem of her shirt and ends of her hair self-consciously. Cashmere reached her hand out towards both Katniss and Peeta and introduced herself before Finnick made his way in the middle of the group to introduce the couple still standing behind him. That's when Katniss's eyes landed on Marvel. He was still looking at Finnick as he made the introductions, but then Marvel's gaze landed on her. She watched as he took her in, his eyes zeroing in on the obvious swell of her belly and then darting quickly to Peeta before coming back to her. She saw the recognition in his eyes, but as he reached out to shake hands he feigned complete ignorance of ever knowing her. She relaxed a bit after that, but she didn't miss the way that Marvel kept looking at her bump or the questioning look in his eyes when he did.
Once the last guests arrived, a young girl named Rue who worked in the makeup department and her boyfriend, everyone sat down for dinner. Mercifully, Katniss and Peeta were seated at the opposite end of the table from Marvel and his date, a short and slender girl named Clove. Jacob, who was brimming with excitement at getting to dine at the large table full of adults, kept everyone entertained with his questions and jokes. Katniss smiled at the boy who was so much like his father and wondered who the child growing in her belly would be like. She hoped it would take after Peeta who was gentle, patient and kind. She was surly and sullen enough for the both of them without adding a tiny version of herself to the mix.
With their bellies full and the dishes washing in the two huge dishwashers, everyone retired to the backyard to sit around a small fire pit and enjoy the unseasonably warm evening and view of the lake. Jacob grabbed Peeta by the hand pulling him up and begging him to come and look at his father's new boat. Finnick, eager to show off his new toy, ran from his place by the fire to catch up with the duo. Johanna plopped down the seat vacated by Peeta and leaned close to Katniss to whisper.
"This is crazy right? Who would've thought two little white trash, poor girls would be dining and cozying up to movie stars?"
Katniss looked away for a moment, watching Peeta listen to a very animated Jacob. "None of this seems real. Not this dinner, not this house, not this baby, not Peeta, none of it. I feel like I'm going to wake up in my shitty apartment at any minute and this is all just a strange dream."
Johanna nodded, following Katniss's line of sight a knowing grin beginning to form.
"Don't," Katniss warned.
"Are you and Blondie finally bumping uglies again? I was trying to figure out what was different and now I know. All that sexual tension is gone. Finally! It was becoming fucking painful to watch you two skirting around each other while making doe eyes behind the other's back."
Katniss rolled her eyes. "I never made 'doe eyes.'"
"Sure, you didn't," Johanna deadpanned. The smile returned, and Katniss braced herself. "You know I need details. I bet he's pretty good at it, huh? I'm guessing he's all sweet and considerate but also not afraid to just throw you down and get it."
Katniss didn't answer, but the blush spreading across her cheeks said everything for her.
"I knew it," Johanna said, reaching between them to pinch Katniss's side playfully. "Good for you. If you ask me, he's a keeper. And, you're still a dirty, little slut."
They both laughed drawing the attention of the others still sitting around the fire. Johanna squeezed Katniss's hand and got up to go sit near Cashmere. The two women leaned close whispering and smiling sweetly at each other. The sight made the smile on Katniss's face grow wider. She hoped this relationship would be the one for Johanna. She deserved all the happiness in the world and maybe Cashmere could be a little bit of that happiness for her. Across the fire pit someone cleared their throat catching Katniss's attention.
"I hope you don't think I'm rude. I just love babies. When are you due?" Clove asked.
"Oh, um in April," Katniss replied shifting in her seat. She watched as Clove started counting backwards on her fingers and groaned internally because she knew some invasive question about her sex life or body was coming next.
"Looks like someone found a way to beat the heat during the summer," Clove said coyly with a wink.
There is was. Katniss would never understand why people felt it was okay to get so personal with pregnant women.
"Yeah, I guess," Katniss said with an uncomfortable laugh.
Marvel choked on his beer, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as Clove patted him between the shoulders. His eyes found hers and he raised his eyebrows while looking briefly at the house. He dropped his gaze and then rose to excuse himself. He sought her eyes one more time before walking back into the house. Katniss looked out at the lake and saw that Peeta, Finnick and Jacob had taken the boat out and would be gone for a little while longer. As she turned her attention back to the group she found Johanna staring daggers at her, a questioning look in her eyes. She must have caught the silent exchange between Marvel and herself. Katniss gave an imperceptible shake of her head and Johanna frowned slightly before turning her attention back to Cashmere.
After she let enough time pass, Katniss excused herself from the group and walked nervously back into the house to find Marvel. As she tiptoed through the kitchen an arm reached out and pulled her into the room she immediately recognized as Jacob's playroom.
"Here I thought I gave you some world class dick, or at least it sure seemed like you thought it was world class, but you never called or texted. So, I just chalked you up to another bar slut looking for a good fuck to get off, but imagine my surprise when I show up to find you here. And, fucking pregnant too" Marvel whispered through clenched teeth, his hand still clasped around her bicep.
"You're not the only one surprised," she spat, wrenching her arm from his grasp. She had to physically restrain herself from commenting on what he thought was 'world class dick.'
He released a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall. "So, I did some thinking because you sluts blur together in my mind, but I'm pretty sure we fucked near the end of July. Sound right to you?"
She nodded focusing her attention to a fleet of toy construction trucks parked on a shelf to the right of his head. Her fists were balled at her sides and shook with barely concealed rage. She could hardly stand being in the same room with him at this point let alone looking him in the eye.
"So?" He gestured to her stomach. "Got something you want to tell me?"
She met his eyes, a sneer forming on her lips. "Absolutely, not. Trust me when I say that I completely regret ever sleeping with you and I know I wouldn't sleep with a stranger without protection. So, don't worry. You're off the hook and we thankfully never have to see each other again after tonight."
He looked her over, his eyes narrowing. He pushed off the wall. "Funny, because I remember it differently. I remember you loving this cock so much that we fucked three times. Twice without protection."
Her eyes went wide and her mind scrambled trying to recall all the details of that night. Admittedly, most of the details were fuzzy. She had been very drunk. Her heart started racing. She grabbed the back of rocking chair near the wall to her left.
Marvel stalked towards her, his lip curled "Don't worry sugar tits. I don't want a fucking kid and I definitely don't want some whore I met in a bar, so hopefully you're right. And, if you're not, you better not come after me for fucking money when I didn't even get a say in it being born."
With that he strode out of the room and back outside. Katniss fell into the rocking chair. Her body still shaking with rage but also now anxiety and guilt. Fat tears traveled down her cheeks which she hastily wiped away. She couldn't be caught crying here. She took several deep breaths. She could see through the playroom window that Finnick was docking the boat and that Peeta would be back and looking for her in a matter of minutes. She stood and hurried to the hall bathroom. Thoughts collided in her head as she splashed water on her face and willed her body to stop trembling. She felt sick. She was just beginning to build something with Peeta and he was genuinely happy about the idea of being a father. What if this baby wasn't his? The anguish that swept over her at the thought of telling Peeta that nearly knocked her to the floor.
She leaned against the sink, her head bowed and focused on the swell of her stomach which was more prominent in the evening after she had eaten. She brushed her hand over it lightly. She had just started to get excited about the prospect of having a child that was half Peeta's. He was like a warm ray of sunshine on her otherwise bleak life and she could hardly wait to see what he would be like as a father. She suspected he would be amazing at it. She had spent a good portion of the day watching his interactions with Jacob. He was warm, caring, affectionate and playful. He was a natural. As she brushed her hand over her belly and steeled her nerves to go back outside, a sadness fell over her. What if this baby was Marvel's? What would that life look like? What would the baby's life be like to have a father that wanted nothing to do with it?
"I'm sorry," she whispered before pushing off of the sink and walking back outside where the group and Peeta were waiting on her.
Sorry I wasn't able to get this posted on Thursday! I tried, but the holidays are crazy here with two kids, two dogs and a husband :). I hope to have the next chapter up soon. The drama is amping up!
Many thanks again to everyone who is reading. I hope you're still enjoying the story!