DISCLAIMER: HG characters do not belong to me.
A/N: This update came much later than I wanted, I see that I posted this story exactly one year ago so I really want to finish this up as soon as possible! As always thanks for the reviews.
Chapter 127-Arrival
November 5 (Sunday)
Katniss stares out the window as she sees Sienna, Avery, and Jackson out in the field playing with the newest addition to the Hawthorne family, a 15 week old puppy named Lady.
Over the summer Harper's health had declined greatly, and at the end of July the tough decision was made by Gale to put Harper to sleep. Harper had lived to the age of 14, for which Katniss felt was an extremely long time for a large dog as large as he was. She knew Harper's long life was due to his close bond to Gale. Devastated, Katniss had comforted her children for weeks after his passing. By the time fall had rolled around, Katniss had thought about surprising Gale with a new puppy for his birthday. She had found out from one of the teachers at school that a local resident had a puppy that she could not find a home for due to the puppy being the runt of the litter, and after meeting the sweet small female Katniss decided on a whim to adopt her. Katniss brought the puppy home two days after Sienna's 9th birthday.
Hesitant at first to get attached to another pet, Gale became attached to the puppy after just one night, and had asked the kids to name her the next day.
"I think we should call her Lady" Sienna had suggested.
"No! Her name should be Woody" Jackson shouted in response.
"I don't know if Woody is the best name for a girl buddy" Gale had said gently to his son.
"Avery what do you think?" Katniss asked.
Avery scrunched her face in response, thinking hard she then says, "Lady is a nice name, she's really sweet."
And so the decision was made that the small but affectionate black dog would be named Lady Wood Hawthorne. Gale and Katniss choosing the middle name of Wood to appease 3 year old Jackson.
Having only had Lady for a couple of weeks, Katniss had to adjust to having a puppy in the house. Thankful that Gale had experience with rearing a puppy, he had helped prepare the house with the needed chew toys and puppy pads while Lady was being house trained.
Katniss watched as the kids took turns teaching Lady to respond to her name, along with Gale playing fetch with her outside. Despite the fact it was the beginning of November, it was an unusually warm day and Katniss was getting the lunch Gale had prepared ready to take outside for all of them to eat. After everyone's plate was fixed, Katniss goes outside to let them know the food was ready.
When she approaches the meadow, she stops abruptly as she feels a strong kick. Looking down at her protruding abdomen she gently touches her it, feeling another strong kick in response.
Having just begun the sixth month of her pregnancy, Katniss had been having a lot of difficulty breathing the last few days. She took the day off last Friday and went to see her doctor in the District's downtown area near Gale's work.
"How long have you been having trouble breathing?" her doctor, Sarah Pace asks as Katniss takes another deep breath as she listens with her stethoscope.
"About five days" Katniss says in response.
After asking for Katniss to take a few more breaths Dr. Pace removes the stethoscope from her ears and says, "Well, everything sounds good. We can't do any scans because we don't want to risk harm to the baby. At this point I think it's best that you continue to keep doing what you are doing. Your weight is good, your bloodwork so far looks good. Breathing can be difficult in this trimester."
"I usually never had trouble breathing until the very end."
"Which is normal, but, you are older now Katniss."
Not wanting to get into a discussion about her concerns about the side effects some of the other victors had due to their exposure in the arena, Katniss didn't protest when Dr. Pace assured her that her pregnancy was progressing as normal and that there was no need to worry, she chose to keep her concerns to herself, even from Gale.
Standing outside in the unusually warm fall day, seeing her three children playing together happily and feeling her baby move inside her, her fears and emotions take control and she begins having trouble breathing and feels the tears form in her eyes. She gasps for air as she watches Lady run over to Gale as he calls to her and watches as Avery chases after the dog and is scooped up by Gale.
"Daddy stop" Avery says giggling as Gale tickles her, then picks her up and places her on his shoulders.
"Mommy, what's wrong, why are you crying?" Jackson asks as he tugs on Katniss's dress, causing her to snap out of her trance and look down at her son.
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Katniss is unable to answer and can only shake her head as Gale having put Avery down comes over to her and says, "You okay Catnip? You look like you saw a ghost" as he places his arm around her, resting his hand on the side of her swelled stomach.
Realizing that she had seen this very scene before her in a dream, without the presence of Lady, she feels her heart begin to slow down as she says, "Fine-I'm fine" and forces a smile, relieved she didn't scream in response as she had when she woke from her dream all those years ago.
"Ready to tell me what was really bothering you earlier?" Gale asks as Katniss climbs into bed beside him.
Doing her best to act as if nothing was wrong she shrugs as she picks up her book and says, "Seeing the kids with Lady, made me miss Harper and then, I felt the baby kick. I was just-overcome with emotion."
"You felt the baby kick? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want a bunch of hands touching my stomach! If you would have tried to feel, then Sienna would want to and Avery, and Jack. I wasn't in the mood" Katniss snaps back at Gale.
"Katniss-this is our last baby…."
"I'm the one who has to go through this for the fourth time! Forgive me if I want to keep some of this to myself!"
Gale grabs the book from her hands and tosses it aside. She squints her eyes in anger as he says, "Something's wrong."
"Nothing is wrong" Katniss shouts.
"I know you better than you know yourself. I know when one of your moods is due to hormones or something else. Now out with it!"
Katniss throws her arms up in frustration and says, "Last week I started having trouble breathing."
"Did you see Dr. Pace?"
"I did on Friday. She thinks it's a normal side effect. But I just-I have this feeling…"
"That it has something to do with the arena? That what happened to Peeta and the others will happen to you?"
"Yes."
"Can some testing be done?"
"Not until after the baby comes."
"Maybe you should see another doctor, get another opinion."
"No. I trust Dr. Pace. I just have to wait and see. I'm sure it's nothing."
"But you're scared."
"I've been scared Gale. Ever since I found out about the consequences of being in the arena. I let my guard down in front of the kids. It won't happen again."
"Katniss-"
She holds her hand up to stop him from continuing, "I don't regret anything we did. Having Jack, deciding to have this baby, none of it" and she leans in and kisses him softly.
They are interrupted by the sounds of a howling Lady coming from downstairs. Gale pulls back and groans in response.
Katniss chuckles and says, "So much for trying to keep her crated at night."
Gale gives her a quick kiss before running downstairs and coming back up a few minutes later with Lady in his arms, the puppy licking his face is appreciation.
Katniss pets Lady as she drifts off to sleep laying in between Katniss and Gale. Gale says softly, "When is your next appointment with Dr. Pace?"
"December 3."
"I'm coming with you to the next appointment. I should have been there last week."
"Gale-"
"Don't argue Katniss. We're partners remember?"
She nods and smiles softly, reaching for his hand as she drifts off to sleep.
February 1 (Thursday)
"Breath in" Dr. Pace says she listens to Katniss's lungs with her stethoscope.
Katniss takes another deep breath and looks over at Gale, who nods at her in response.
"Everything still sounds good. The baby has dropped, you still having trouble breathing?"
"Yes, but it has gotten better in the last couple of weeks."
"Probably because the baby is preparing to be born. I think it's best if we induce you on Monday. Can you make arrangements?"
"But my due date is the 15th!" Katniss protests.
"We'll be here on Monday" Gale says rising from his seat.
"But-"
"Katniss, your second daughter came two weeks early remember?" Dr. Pace asks.
"That was different."
"The baby is healthy. The baby's weight is good, no problems with your bloodwork. I think it's best if the baby comes early to help your body start to recover."
"Gale" Katniss says, her anxiety rising.
Gale wraps his arm around Katniss and pulls her close, trying to comfort her as Dr. Pace says, "Do you trust me Katniss?"
"Yes" she says, slight hesitation in her voice.
"Then I will see you at the hospital on Monday at 7 am."
February 5 (Monday)
Katniss sighs in relief as she hears soft cries coming from the other side of the room. The baby had just been pulled out a few minutes ago, Dr. Pace arranging for Katniss to have a C-section birth. Not wanting to have a C-section but understanding the reason Dr. Pace recommended it, Katniss feels pressure as her abdomen begins to be stitched up. Despite only a few minutes going by, it feels like an eternity as she waits for someone to announce if it is a boy or girl. Just as she was about to call out for Gale, she sees a small white bundle come into view and turns her head as she sees a newborn baby beside her head.
"We have another beautiful girl Catnip" Gale whispers into her ear as she holds her arms up and he places the unhappy newborn in her arms.
