Chapter 19

Willow Marie Mellark

(Peeta's POV)

I'm furious at the fact that I'm not allowed to be with Katniss and my child. I pace back and forth across the marble floor of the waiting room, my hands tucked behind my back, hair untidy and sticking up in every direction. I literally am going to flip out on the next person that says the wrong thing to me and I hope that would be Katniss's mother considering she got us all into this mess. Of course we couldn't have the baby in 12 since there was nothing there but ruins, but did she have to go and call this forsaken place. I would of been happy with the original plan in having the baby in District 4. Lynn caught my eye and I shoot her a nasty glare.

"Peeta, dear sit down, stop the pacing" she orders me softly.

"Do not address me right now if you know what's good for you." I'm surprised I haven't fallen into an episode the way I'm feeling right now, all the anger that is bottled up inside me, it is dangerous for anyone to be around me right now. I'm not sure how long I paced back and forth, waiting on some news that hasn't come, but when someone did enter the waiting room carrying a large chart and a professional look on their face. I stopped pacing and gave him a pleading look, begging him to tell me everything was ok.

"Are you waiting on Miss. Everdeen?"

We all nodded our heads. He turned and looked at me with a small smile appearing on his lips "Mr. Mellark we are pleased to inform you that you are the proud father of a little girl weighing 6 pounds 2 ounces. She is in fact early and premature but everything seems to be functioning and normal. we still want to keep her for at least a week and keep an eye on her. As for Miss. Everdeen there were a lot of complications and it was very difficult to keep her stable. She had flat lined several times during the procedure and we believe the amount of stress and damage she has taken caused her body to shut down."

My heart sank and I suddenly burst into tears not caring who was around to see me. Lynn did the same thing and Haymitch put a comforting arm around her.

"Miss. Everdeen has fallen into a coma. and we think its because of the stress and since her body sustained a lot of abuse during the rebellion, it is possible it had trouble carrying the child and it became to much for her."

"I need to see her, please and I want to hold my daughter" I growl through tears. I didn't care if I had to force entry, nobody was going to keep me from my daughter or from Katniss. I glance up and my eyes land on Haymitch, he gave me a slight nod and a worried look. He may not show his emotions to often but there was no doubt that he was worried for Katniss just as I was and just as everyone else was or so I thought, before the doctor led me down the thick marble hallway Lynn rose from the comfort of the maroon waiting room chair, her eyes on me at first then towards the doctor in the white coat.

When will the child be released? There are certain actions that need to be taken." Lynn asked avoiding my eyes.

"It will be at least a week before she can go anywhere" He replied eyeing her suspiciously.

I shoot her a venomous look that makes her quiver and follow the doctor out of sight. I follow him closely with my head down, my blue eyes locked on the floor in front of me. We stop outside what could only be Katniss's room and I'm not so sure if I'm prepared to face whatever is on the other side of that door. Would she be able to hear me in her coma like state? Could I possible get her to wake up?

"There is something else you should know. Miss Everdeen may not get a chance to ever have children again, it came to a shock that she was actually able to get pregnant after everything that happened to her. Anyway, sit with her, talk to her maybe you can bring her out of this coma. I'll have a nurse bring in your daughter in just a couple minutes."

I push open the door and my heart sank. Katniss lay there motionless, as still and as stiff as a board. The only sound that could be heard in the room was the soft beeping of the machines she was hooked up to. I slide into the maroon chair next to her bed and take her clammy hand into mine, forcing our fingers to lace.

"I love you,Katniss. I really, really do" I mutter in her ear, leaning over and placing a kiss on her cool lips "come back to me, come back to us. The baby is going to need you more than ever and so do I. Please Katniss we got a lot of things we are going to have to deal with and I cant deal with them myself." I stroke her hair, place kisses on her lips, cheek and forehead, but still the only sound I got in reply were the machines that were keeping her alive. The door opened a couple minutes later and a pudgy looking nurse with curly brown hair came waddling in with a tiny pink, squirming bundle. I lock eyes with her and she smiles.

"This is one gorgeous baby" She smiled "you must be very proud. You two did very good" The pudgy nurse approaches me, I lean back in the chair and allow her to place my daughter in my arms for the first time. She whimpers and squirms at first, struggling to open her tiny little eyes, but one she does she takes my breath away. Katniss and I have made one very good looking kid.

"Hey baby" I smile stroking her tiny head "I'm your daddy, I love you very much sweetheart."

"She still needs a name" The nurse smiles from the doorway "whenever your ready to give her one, let us know and we will write it on her birth certificate" with that said she disappears from sight. I turn my attention back towards my daughter.

"your mama said if you were a girl to name you Willow. Do you like that? Willow Marie Mellark?"

She whimpers in response.

I smile and place a small kiss on her delicate head "So it's settled Willow Mellark. I think we should let mommy hold you for a bit" I gently shift forward and place her on Katniss's stiff chest. I wanted her so badly to wake up and take the child in her arm, have her hold the baby and never let go, but she didn't. She lay there as still as a statue. I'm not sure how much time passed, but the pudgy nurse returned to feed Willow and give her a diaper change. I gave her the name and she smiled taking the child from my arms, a protective instinct washed over me as she lifted Willow out of my arms, but there was nothing I could do about it. I stayed by Katniss's side for what seem like hours, begging her to wake up, but nothing I said or did worked, I didn't expect it too anyway.

"I love you" I say leaning over and whispering in her ear. "I love you so much Kat. I need you to fight and come back to me and Willow. We can get through this, we are a team. I know you can hear me " I shift so I'm leaning over her, placing a kiss on her lips "Baby, come back to me, to us, to Willow. Don't let this be it" I kiss her again and lean back in the chair placing my head in my hands and holding back the tears. The door opens and I peer over my shoulder at the intruder and roll my eyes as Lynn comes into view followed by Gale, Haymitch is nowhere to be found.

"How is she?" Lynn asks.

"How do you think" I hiss. I'm really not in the mood to put up with these two, if anyone is responsible for the state Katniss is in its these two. They were the ones who put Katniss under the stress, pretty much telling her that she wouldn't be a good mom, that it was for the best that Lynn take Willow off of her, that Katniss was too unstable to take care of her own child.

"The baby is beautiful" Lynn said with a smile "You two did very well."

I rise from the chair and turn towards Lynn and Gale. I shoot them both poisonous looks which makes only Lynn cringe. Gale isn't impressed with it and moves into the room and takes my abandon chair by Katniss's side which I have half a mind to throw him out of it and smash his face in. I watch him take her hand in his and I cant help but snap at him.

"Get off of her, now"

Gale shoots me a nasty glare and withdrawals his hands and merely sits there examining every inch of her. There is an eerie silence that falls between the three of us and Lynn is the first one to break it.

"Haymitch went off to find Effie, said the capitol streets are packed full of people and reporters"

"So its no secret that we're here" I hiss.

Lynn frowns "Afraid not, you guys have been on the news since we arrived. Reporters are fighting each other, trying to be the first one to capture a picture of the star-crossed lovers baby."

"And this is all your fault, both of you" I accuse.

Gale raises from the chair and glares daggers at me "How the hell is it my fault. I've done nothing but take care of her while you were playing mental case in the capitol. You shouldn't even have come back"

Lynn butts into the conversation "Peeta, you and Katniss have been through some real traumatic horrors. A baby isn't what neither one of you need right now. You two cant even take care of yourselves. How are you going to take care of that little girl down the hall huh?"

"She is mine and Katniss's responsibility, and I'll be damned if you take her away from her mother and father. I will protect my child no matter what do you understand me. Your not taking my baby."

"You may not have a choice."

I sneer at Lynn if it was a fight she wanted, then a fight she got, only two people mattered most to me and that was Willow and Katniss and I wasn't loosing either one of them.

To be continued...