We set camp by the beach, pretty quickly, after we realise the only water visible to us in this entire arena is the main lake. Finnick and Annie retreat to the water, a familiar reminder of District 4, while Peeta and I stay back on the dry sand.
"Katniss?" Peeta breaks me out of my own thoughts and he must have noticed my face fall. "Hey, hey what's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's stupid."
"If it's bothering you, it's not."
I sigh and think back to the numerous conversations with Gale I used to have.
Gale turns from the screen. "How the fuck is he so clingy?"
A fellow miner, Thom, passes a comment. "The kid is right. You may not think so, but these things are important in a relationship. If it's true love then you'll know what your partner is feeling."
"Oh like you'd know." Gale sneers. "She told me so many times she'd never have kids and now look at her. Pregnant in the arena by a boy she doesn't like."
"People do change, you know? She may not have wanted kids before, or even been in love with him, but the moment they came out of that arena, that was it. They were in love and had gone through an experience not even you could know about."
"She can't be in love with him! She's in love with me!"
Posy chuckles from her perch in the Hob. "No. You are in love with her. I don't think she ever loved anyone before the Games."
"You lot are so gullible. I'm going to work."
Gale storms out of the Hob, as the others shake their heads and return to their shopping and selling.
"The truth be told, Peeta, I never wanted kids."
"Love, you should have told me."
"I thought it would be obvious. Who would want to bring up children in a world like this? Where our government is willing to throw us to our death for entertainment and leave us to starve."
"Katniss, we have money. We won't allow that to happen. I will go without for our kids. I promise you."
"But what about those who can't? Peeta, after my dad died, my mum went comatose! She barely functioned, she left two kids under the age of 13 to fend for yourself! I would have died that day outside the bakery if it weren't for you. Snow hates me, and the likelihood of me getting out of here is slim to none! This is no world for children let alone my children!"
"My god, she did it. She finally confessed to him." Haymitch sinks back in his chair and looks over to Effie. Who's crying.
"Effie? Are those tears?"
"I just can't believe that's how you district people feel! Here in the Capitol you don't have kids because it ruins your figure but you guys don't have kids cause they'll die! That's so sad!"
"What the? You can't be serious."
"And- And Katniss could have died without Peeta! That's true love!"
Haymitch rolls his eyes and returns to watch the star crossed lovers.
By now, fat tears are rolling down my cheeks and I furiously brush them off. "I'm scared, Peeta, and I'm always going to be scared."
"I'm scared too. But that's why I love you. We're doing this together and that's not going to change. We will get out of here, and the twins will live a good life. And if we can, we'll help those other children, in the same position as you were. Look at me, Katniss. I can't promise you I can fix this, but I can promise you I will be here every step of the way." Peeta takes my hands and pulls me closer to him. "I love you, Katniss Everdeen."
"I love you too." Peeta pulls me in for a short but sweet kiss that reassures me. Finnick and Annie, who have probably been standing quite close to us for a while now, approach with an offer of taking the first watch shift, and we accept. Rest seems like a good idea especially as one of us is pregnant with twins and the other died and came back less than a day ago.
When we wake up, it's not in a peaceful way. The sounds of screaming resonate from the other side of the jungle and we hear it before we see it. The wave crests over the cornucopia and we run. We run far into the jungle to escape the thundering water and once we finally stop, there it is. A silver parachute. Annie delicately picks it up and hands it to me. It's a silver object that seems familiar but I can't quite place it in my mind.
"Haymitch, I'm sorry but you are one of the most idiotic people ever. They're thirsty. So send them water. Not some random metal object."
"Effie. You are one of the most pretensious people I have ever met. In case you hadn't noticed, there are animals in that arena."
"And why would that help find water?"
"Those animals need a water source. The Game makers have placed water inside those trees, and that metal object is a spile."
"A spile?"
"You tap it into a tree containing water and it will release the water to them. Katniss used to hunt and I'm certain she'll recognise it sooner or later."
