Sorry I've been kinda busy lately with extra hours at work, Thank you all for you patience. Hope you enjoy this chapter, there is more to come, bare with me.
Chapter 17
Oh Dear
(Katniss's POV)
The snow continued to come down in sheets, covering everything in a coat of white, nothing could be seen but an endless white blanket. My mother and Haymitch talked quietly to on another from the kitchen while Gale hovered over Peeta and I while we worked on the book, taking our time to make sure everything was perfect. Gale's presence alone was enough to make me cringe. I avoided eye contact, but a distance between him and I on the couch and even went as far as snuggling up to Peeta, letting my head drop against his shoulder. Gale hated the gesture and rolled his eyes, hopping up from the couch to move over to the window, peering out into the deadly storm as it whips and rages outside. Gale shook his head as he peered out the glass window and whistled softly to himself. The amount of snow that fell from the sky was massive and unbelievable. We were definitely going to get snowed in the house after the storm let up which it doesn't seem like it has any intention of letting up at the moment.
"There all done" Peeta says as he shows me the drawling he has done of Cato. I'm impressed because it looks exactly like him, down to the determined, hateful eyes that I have stared into more than once. Cato; I had no words to describe him but strong, fierce, determined, hateful, Peeta would know more about him then me considering he spent the most time with the careers that I did. He got to talk to them, listen to their conversations, he his life joining them for me. Everything he did in those first games was for me and that made me love him even more.
Peeta jumps from the couch shooting a glance in Gale's direction who still has his hands behind his back, gazing out into the blizzard. He frowns slightly, his blue eyes boring into the back of Gale's head. The hatred that seeps through his body is frightening. What is going through his head is the most terrifying thing of all. Not knowing what he is thinking, how he'll act towards a severe situation. I love Peeta, but sometime he frightens me to the point of wanting to slip away and hide in the closet.
"You hungry?" Peeta asks stretching his arms over his head.
I shake my head and lean back against the couch, sighing heavily as the baby starts her rounds of kickball with my bladder. The nudges and kicks aren't like the ones before, these are so much more painful, it actually hurts every time she moves. I let out a breathy sigh and grit my teeth through the pain. Peeta studies me as I do so and his face turns into a twisted concern. My groan must have alerted Gale as well because he turns from his place by the window and shoots me a look on concern. I pay no attention to the two men that are looking at me as if I'm about to pop. Fear suddenly consumes me, is that what's going on? Am I having the baby so soon or is it just fake contractions that my mother was telling me about.
"Katniss What?" Peeta asks in a state of panic "The baby? What's wrong?"
I don't answer him I'm in too much pain and all I can do is clutch my stomach and wait for the pain to go away. Peeta's shouts of worry must have alerted my mother and Haymitch because both of them bolt into the living room at top speed. My mother gently nudges Peeta away from me, crouching down to look at me more closely, she pries my hands clutching hands away from my belly.
"Oh my god sweetheart don't go into labor with me in the house" Haymitch comments.
"I don't think she is going into labor. I think it's fake contractions. Katniss, take a deep breath and focus."
I do as she says and the pain suddenly vanishes. I relax a bit and gaze up at all the people huddling around me, it makes me nervous having everyone around me and I just wish they will leave me alone. I don't want anyone but Peeta.
"False contractions" My mother states in a professional tone of voice as a couple of minutes tick by "If she was in labor she'd have another one by now."
"Mom, Please tell me that's not what real contractions feel like" I hope not because even though it lasted a couple of minutes, that hurt really badly and I don't think I'd be able to handle it, actually labor was going to be way worse than that and I know for a fact that I won't be able to get through it. Once my mother comes to the conclusion that I'm not in labor she hikes back into the kitchen to clean while Haymitch plops down in the recliner stating that he needs a drink to deal with all this craziness. Peeta moves toward me, taking a seat next to me and bringing me into his arms. The concern written on his face wont go away, he's worried and that's the last thing I want him to feel right now.
"You were scared" I mumble into his chest.
"Terrified" He admits.
"I'm okay, the baby is okay" I assure him.
The storm last a couple more hours before coming to a complete stop. There is not much to do but lay in bed or on the couch, listen to Haymitch and my mother picker or feel the judgmental eyes of Gale as he studies Peeta and I wrapped in a blanket by the fireplace, shaking his head as if he is disappointed at the fact that I chose someone way better than him. It as true though, Peeta was the better man between the two and if their positions were reversed, if I chose Gale instead of Peeta then Peeta would not think twice about interfering; as long as I was happy. The day is completely boring we eat, cuddle, work on the book, have small conversations with Haymitch. I still refuse to knowledge my mother in any way or Gale for that matter.
It's late in the afternoon when Haymitch decides to try to leave, He twists the doorknob and uses his body weight to try to pry open the door, but it wont budge. He bangs on it as hard as he could, but it still wont come open. Gale comes over to give him a hand, but between the two of them the door still wont open. Soon Gale, Haymitch and Peeta are all pushing as hard as they can, but no luck, we are all snowed inside the house which in a way I knew it would happen, the blizzard outside was a bad one.
"Well shit I guess where stuck here" Haymitch growls.
"Guess so" Peeta smiles "Stuck in a house with no booze"
Haymitch's eyes widen "Your serious?"
"Yup" Peeta nods.
"And why the hell don't you have any booze in this house."
"Okay one it makes her sick, two we have more important things to order from the capitol than alcohol and three we can't stand the fact that your basically killing yourself overhear"
Haymitch frowns at the accusation "Excuse me boy" He points a threatening finger at Peeta. "But I have been drinking far before you were even born and I'll be damned if I stopped now. It helps me just like kissing and...doing whatever it is you two do helps you."
Peeta sighs "I understand Haymitch, but it can kill you and that's the last thing we want. You've been there for us, we've been through a lot together and I'll be damned if I watch you waste away to nothing."
"Give me a break." Gale mumbles rolling his eyes.
I shoot him a dirty look and was about to open my mouth but another false contraction hits me like a ton of bricks and I squeeze my eyes and wait for the pain to go away, clutching the side of the couch, it hurts so badly; it's almost unbearable. I soon can't take the pain and cry out, once again alerting everyone in the room.
"Katniss?" My mother asks in a worried tone.
"It's not stopping" I cry and fresh tears start to stream down my face.
"Okay take a deep breath. I want you to do me a favor and relax, if it happens again I'll check your cervix"
"Mom I can't be in labor its way to early" I panic, what if there was something seriously wrong with me or the baby. I glance over at Peeta who was as white as a ghost. He looked like he was about to be sick, in an instant he was by my side, crouching to my level, taking my trembling hand into his. Haymitch and Gale stood there clueless and shocked, Haymitch shakes his head and stalks off into the kitchen, mumbling something under his breath that sounded like 'damn kid can't hold it in', I want to laugh but yet cry at the same time.
"What should we do if she is in labor?" Gale asks.
"Well then I'll need you to get towels from upstairs, we already have blankets and pillows, we can't cut the cord without a sterilized knife."
"Mom, its coming back." I yell and crush Peeta's hand between mine. He didn't complain about the pain, just remained in his crouching position. "Mom make it stop its to early he wont make it."
"Katniss you need to calm down. Your overacting."
I get angry at her words. "I am not there is something wrong with him. He's not supposed to be born for another 2 months I just hit my 7th month." The pain subsides for the time being and I lay there on the couch gazing up into Peeta's beautiful blue eyes. He is scared shitless I can see it as he gazes back at me.
"Okay she can't give birth here, so we are going to have to get out of this house and load her into an emergency hovercraft" My mother says.
I shake my head multiple times, I can't have everyone knowing my condition, I've worked so hard in keeping this pregnancy a secret and I'll be damned if my mother ruins it but revealing the facts. She can deliver the baby now if it is time, she's done it plenty of times before . I've witnessed many women giving birth at home, its simple isn't it. Then again it's dangerous, death is something that comes knocking at your door when you were a pregnant woman in District 12. I focus on Peeta who is whispering comforting words to be, but I pay no attention. The pain is back and stronger than ever and I have never felt anything like this in my entire life. I've been stabbed, shot, choked, beaten, my bones cracked, and I rather go through all of that then what I am going through at this moment.
It feels like my entire insides are being ripped out of me. The contraction ends and I lay there panting like a dog, hanging onto Peeta's hand for dear life. Gale has come back into the living room holding the phone from the kitchen, I didn't even realize he had left to begin with. He looks at me in sorrow, wanting to do everything in his power to take away my pain and honestly I wish someone would.
"I can't have this baby not yet." I mumble.
"Shhh. Take a deep breath and focus on me." Peeta says running a hand gently through my hair. He leans over and gives me a soft peck on the lips. The pain is gone for the moment, but I know it will be back, I have to accept the fact that I may or may not be in labor, and that in a few hours the baby that I have carried for 7 months will be here, in my arms and hopefully be staring up at me with his striking blue eyes.
"What are you doing with the phone?" I question.
"Your not having the baby here, Katniss." She turns her attention to Gale, then Peeta, then Haymitch "I need you three to find a way out of this house and start shoveling the snow away from the front door so we can help her to the train station.
"No, no, no, I want Peeta here" I whimper like a child and clutch his hand. Peeta has to stay here with me. I'll go crazy without him next to me, this is something I'm not able to handle alone. Peeta and my mother exchange glances and he nods slightly at her and then turns his attention back to me.
"It'll be only for a minute. I'll help Gale and Haymitch shovel and then be back before you know it" He smiles.
"Please stay with me" I beg.
"Always." He leans down and gives me a deep, lingering kiss before pulling away slightly and returning to his normal height. He gives me a soft smile before stalking over to Gale and Haymitch who are standing by the door in deep conversation. Tears begin to fall out of my eyes as yet another contraction rips through my body.
"Your about 20 minutes apart." My mother says taking Peeta's place beside me. "I need to see how dilated you are, it may feel uncomfortable at first, I need you to take your pants off and get as comfortable as possible." My mother orders.
I struggle in obeying her orders, but managed to slip my pants and panties on, not caring that there is literally two other men lingering in the house that can walk in any second and see my nude lower-half. My mother fixes that problem by throwing a blanket over my lower half.
"Okay, Katniss I'm going to see if you are beginning to dilate. This may be a little uncomfortable" She warns and then she pulls back the blanket revealing my most private area and sticks her hand and fingers into places that make me feel very comfortable. I pray to god that I am not in labor, but the contractions come on strong and I know this is not false one.
My mother pokes at my skin and then withdraws her hand from my area. He stands back up to her normal height and pulls the blanket back over my legs. She mumbles under her breath and begins pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back. Her mumbling I irritating me and I feel like there is something she is keeping from me. So many questions buzz through my head, Why am I going into labor this early? Is something wrong with my baby? Am I endangered? So many questions and she doesn't say a thing.
"Well?" I ask impatiently "What's wrong with my baby?"
"Katniss, You are in early labor. Your cervix is about 2cm dilated."
"Why am I going in early?" I shout.
"I don't know yet, but we got to get you out of here and on an emergency hovercraft to either 4 or the capitol. Once the boys get the door cleared I'll be calling four and have them send a hovercraft."
"I'm not allowed to leave" I cry and clutch the blanket as yet another contraction hit me.
"I know but we don't have a choice here. The baby is by far more important than your banishment."
Her words anger me, so she doesn't care if I get in trouble for leave my designated District, if I get in trouble for leaving it gives her every opportunity to take the baby for herself while I rot away in some jail cell, My mother is truly a piece of work. I want to shout at her, tell her how much I hate her, but I don't have the strength to. All I can do is sit and listen to her dial a number on the cordless phone and talk very softly into the mouthpiece. Tears rush out of my eyes as pain engulfs my entire body. I can't do this I can protect or care for this child. I'm to screwed up in the head to be able to care for her. I never wanted kids in my entire life, but here I am in labor, screaming my head off at the pain, wishing that it would go away, dying in the arena would have been easier than going through this hell.
My mother comes back into the room with a professional look on her face "They are on their way, hopefully Haymitch, Gale and Peeta can dig out the snow before they get here."
"Where am I going? Who did you call? District 4?"
My mother bites her lip and shakes her head "You need the best care possible, the baby is going to be premature."
"Who did you call" I screams as pain engulfs me. She is quiet for a couple of minutes, her eyes cast down looking at her shoes. She looks guilty, like she has done something horrible and maybe she has and I just don't know it yet. I had a bad feeling deep down and usually my bad feelings are correct.
"Who Did you call" I hiss with gritted teeth.
My mother takes a deep breath "The capitol hospital"
To be continued...