[Peeta's POV]
The bell sounds at the bakery door just as I'm pulling another batch of cheese buns from the oven. When I step outside, I find Delly Cartwright pacing around in front of the counter. Opening the back of the display case, I ask, "What's wrong, Delly?"
"It's Katniss," she says urgently. "Haymitch sent me over here—he says you're to go home at once."
I drop the rest of the cheese buns haphazardly onto the display platter. Leaving the metal tray on the counter, I sprint for the door.
When I get home, Haymitch is stalking back and forth in front of my house nervously. Several black cars are parked in the square as well. When Haymitch sees me, he jogs over.
"Listen, Peeta. She just collapsed—it was bad. They're saying that something about the arena messed her up, and her body's not handling the baby right. She could miscarry," he says in a low, strained tone.
"Where is she?" I ask frantically, my voice the exact opposite of his.
"They've got her lying down. Peeta, she needs you more than anything right now. You have to be there for her. She can't be strong for herself anymore."
[Katniss' POV]
When I wake up, it's in a darkened room—my bedroom, I come to realize. I'm only vaguely aware that there's someone else in the room with me, their even breaths coming from somewhere beside me. A cool hand runs across my forehead, and a voice whispers, "Katniss, please come back to me. I need you."
I struggle to open my eyes and sit up, but the hand lowers me back to the pillows.
I look up to see Peeta beside me, his blue eyes welling with concern. He pushes a few damp strands of hair from my face and takes my cold hand in his.
"When did you get here?" I whisper.
"Only a few minutes ago. Katniss, they want to do something called an ultrasound on you, to see if anything's wrong with the baby."
"Who's doing it?"
"Dr. Aurelius. They figured you'd trust him."
"They figured right," I say, and a hint of a smile plays across Peeta's lips. Suddenly he turns toward the door as Dr. Aurelius walks in, wheeling a large monitor behind him.
"Hello, Katniss and Peeta," he says in a friendly tone. "Katniss, I'm going to use this to see inside your uterus. Don't worry—it won't hurt." He holds up a little white box with a cord that connects to the monitor. Then he pulls back the blankets and pulls up my shirt, leaving my abdomen exposed. He swabs it with some kind of gel and places the box on top, moving it around a bit.
I squeeze Peeta's hand tightly, scared of what the doctor might find, when the monitor is suddenly scored with flecks of black and gray and white. Dr. Aurelius looks intently at the picture for a few moments before turning back to us.
"Well, your baby appears to be doing all right. Katniss, by the way, I want you on strict bed rest until this baby is born. Peeta, you are my Peacekeeper here. She is not to get up unless it's absolutely necessary. Understand?"
We both nod agreement, silent tears of joy streaming down both our faces.
"Oh, by the way," Dr. Aurelius says on his way out, "it's a girl."