Author's note: Thanks to those of you who have added this to alerts and favorites. Thanks also to those of you who have reviewed. I hope you keep loving it! This chapter's kinda fluffy. I hope you enjoy! Please review if you feel so inclined.

Happy reading!

Chapter Two

Peeta walked up the stairs to his room. It was slow going on one leg with a crutch. Katniss had been experiencing debilitating nausea lately. She wasn't even able to eat much. Peeta balanced a glass of tea on a plate as he stumbled up the stairs.

"I can just spend the next couple months on the couch, Peeta." She said as she pushed herself up and took the cup from him. "Especially now that your leg is out of commission."

"The bed is more comfortable." He said. "And I can get around just fine." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He spread his hand over her stomach "How do you feel?"

"Fine." She pushed his hand away. "As fine as I can be. Hazelle stopped by this morning. She said it's normal."

"And she would know as well as anyone, wouldn't she?" He put his hand on her stomach again.

"Peeta." She scolded.

"What's wrong with me touching you?"

"It's where you're touching me." She complained.

"Well, this baby will be here in a few months, like it or not."

"I don't."

He moved his hand away like it had been burnt.

"And now you're upset." Katniss put the tea cup on the night stand and rolled away. "I can't do this, Peeta. I know I have to, but I don't know how."

He looked at her for a long time. He put the crutch on the ground and then stretched out on the bed behind her. "Have you talked with Annie or Gale?"

"Yeah." She said softly. She sniffed. "It hasn't helped."

"What will help?"

"Not being pregnant." She replied in a low whisper.

Peeta was silent. He just held her.

"Say something." She demanded.

"If that's what you really want…"

"Don't. I could never do that. I may not want this, but I'm not going to get rid of it." She rolled over in his arms. "And you would hate me if I did that." She kissed him. "Sometimes, when I'm not too nauseated to move, I'm happy about it. And I know you're happy. You've told everyone who would stop long enough. Some people you've told three times and they just smile at you and nod. Haymitch said he's getting tired of you talking about it so much." She smiled. "He told me it was almost enough to make him start drinking again."

Peeta laughed, "He'd never hear the end of that from Hazelle."

"Nope." She took a deep breath. "I'm tired of being in this bed all the time."

"Well, you seem to be doing better these last couple days."

"I have been. Maybe if I eat something…"

"Want me to bring you something?"

"And have you fall down the stairs and make a mess? No thank you." She pushed herself up and sat there for several seconds. She smiled and swung her feet off the side of the bed. She sat there again and waited. When nothing happened, she stood and made her way to the door. "You're not going to force me to cook for myself in my fragile state, are you?"

Peeta laughed, "Fragile? When have you ever been fragile?" He followed her out into the hall. Then made their way slowly down the stairs, leaning on each other.

There was a knock on the front door as they both stepped onto the main floor. Katniss went to answer it while Peeta turned toward the kitchen.

"Posy. Hi." She said cheerfully to Gale's sister. "Please come in."

She stepped inside the door. "I just stopped by to see if you were feeling up to joining us for supper. Mother is making plenty. Though with Haymitch, that doesn't always mean much." She laughed.

"Not at all. Especially since he stopped drinking." Katniss joked. "Let me ask Peeta. Come on in." She walked to the other end of the house.

"You need to get well enough to hunt, sweetheart. There is not a damn thing in this house worth eating." He straightened up from the refrigerator. "Oh, hey, Posy."

"Hazelle sent Posy to invite us to supper." Katniss explained.

"Thank God." Peeta said. "Yes!"

Posy laughed. "Okay, I'll go over and tell her."

"Tell them we'll be right over." Katniss said.

"Will do." She skipped out the front door.

"Hazelle and Posy have been so good for Haymitch." She said as soon as the door closed.

"They have. Imagine him falling in love with her."

"Him falling in love with anyone." She said with a laugh. "And not his alcohol." She stood for a few seconds. "I think I'm good." She walked up the stairs. "I'll be right back down."

"Take your time, sweetheart." He called.

A few minutes later, Katniss and Peeta made their way across the street to Haymitch's house. Peeta held her hand. She looked slightly green but swore she was fine for the moment.

"You're here." Haymitch said flatly when he answered the door. "Well, I guess you should come in." He stepped to the side and motioned for them to enter. He had a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Hazelle is fattening me up." He said as he led them into the dining room.

"Just getting you healthy again." She commented as they came into the room. "Posy, please bring the chicken in."

"Yes, Mother." She said and walked into the kitchen.

Hazelle examined Katniss. "You okay, Katniss?" She asked softly.

"Fine." She lied.

Posy came back in with the chicken. The scent hit Katniss like a wave. She clapped her hand over her mouth and turned on her heel and ran from the room.

"Katniss." Peeta called as he turned and started to go after her.

Hazelle put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go." She followed.

Katniss sat on the front steps with her head on her knees. "I'm sorry." She looked up. "Hazelle, tell me it doesn't last forever."

She smiled and sat down beside her. "It doesn't." She put an arm across her shoulders.

"I was mostly fine until the chicken walked through the door." She leaned her head on Hazelle's shoulder. She was quiet for a while before saying, "You're more like my mother than my own."

"You mother loves you, Katniss. She just has trouble showing it."

"Your husband died in that explosion, too. How did you go on?"

"I had my boys. And Posy on the way. I couldn't afford to do anything to endanger them. My husband would never have liked it."

"But Mother almost let us starve."

"You never would have let that happen. I knew from the moment I met you that you were a strong one." She turned her head and kissed Katniss's forehead. "I knew when you volunteered for Prim that you would do everything in your power to make it back here. And I know that you'll get through this."

She sat up. "Thank you." She said softly. She stood. "I'm going to try again."

Hazelle stood beside her. "Good."

They walked into the house. Rory and Vick were taking their places at the table as they came back in. Katniss stood in the doorway for a few seconds before she took her seat beside Peeta.

Hazelle said, "Start without me." She squeezed Haymitch's shoulder as she walked past him into the kitchen.

They hesitated only a second before the men all dug in. Posy and Katniss watched them, exchanging amused looks. Hazelle came back in just as Katniss put a few small things on her plate. She sat a steaming cup down beside her.

"This tea should help." She said softly. "I'll give you some to take home. I should have given it to you earlier."

"Thank you, Hazelle." She said, sitting back and sipping the tea.

"And now that we have that settled…" Haymitch said, giving Hazelle a significant look.

"Oh, we're actually telling them that?" She said with a smile.

"Telling us what?" Vick asked.

"You finally asked, didn't you?" Peeta asked Haymitch.

"Asked what?" Rory demanded.

"Well, it was more of her demanding. 'Marry me or I stop cooking for you.' I couldn't refuse that one." Haymitch said. He looked around the table at everyone.

The boys both put down their forks and stared daggers at their mother's new fiancé. Posy shot up from her seat and ran squealing to throw her arms around the both of them. Katniss and Peeta just sat and watched it all.

Katniss asked after Posy took her seat, "Have you told Gale yet?"

"Not yet." Hazelle smiled. "We'll call them later."

Haymitch brought the woman's hand to his lips and kissed it. It was the most affection anyone had ever seen him give, though Peeta had noticed the tender looks he sent her way when he thought no one was watching.

Vick cautioned, "I'm watching you, Abernathy."

Haymitch smiled, "I assure you, Vick, if I hurt your mother in any way, I know I'd regret it. And not just because I know you and your brothers will kick my ass." He pointed Katniss's way. "She'll shoot me where I stand."

"Just so you know." Rory warned. He picked up his fork and looked back down at his plate. A smile played on his lips.

Vick stared him down for the rest of the meal.

"Can you believe that?" Peeta asked as he settled into bed beside Katniss that night.

"I can. They've been sweet on each other for a while." She snuggled into his side.

"You seem to be feeling better." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I do feel better." She turned her head and kissed his shoulder. "That tea is magic."

"Magic, huh?" He turned. "You feeling up to some, uh…?" He kissed her. It suggested a lot more than the soft, sweet kisses he'd given her the last several days.

She smiled when he pulled away. "Are you up for it?"

"I always am." He kissed her again, rolling on top of her.

They simply kissed for a while. Peeta's hands started moving over her slowly. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding his face close to hers as he pushed at her clothes. He rested his hand on her stomach and looked down at her.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier." She said softly. "About not wanting to be pregnant."

"Don't apologize, sweetheart. I understand. Not entirely, but I do." He kissed her softly.

He sat back and pulled off his shirt. He pulled on her and relieved her of the rest of her clothes. He rolled onto his back and tugged her down on top of him.

"You okay?" He asked softly.

She nodded. She kissed him again and moved over him. "Are you?"

"Perfect." He slid his hands from her waist up her side and cupped her breasts. "I love you."

She smiled. "I love you, too."

They started moving together, kissing again and again. Katniss lifted Peeta's hands above his head, threading their fingers together. She kissed him deeply. She sat back, running her hands down his arms and resting on his chest.

He said her name over and over as he watched her moving over him. His hands rested on her hips. She answered with a soft moan. And with a few more gentle strokes, they both met their release.

Katniss collapsed on his chest. He stroked her hair, working to regain his breathing.

"I love you, Peeta." She panted into his chest. "So much."

"I love you just as much." He answered.

They lay in silence for a long time. He kissed the top of her head.

She kissed his chest and rolled away. "I forget how much I enjoy that."

He chuckled. "I don't. But I love you more than sex."

She laughed. "I'll accept that compliment." She turned her head. "I love you. Sometimes I'm just so…It hits me like a truck." She slipped her hand into his. "I know you're always there, but I take you for granted. I'm sorry."

"Why are you talking like this? My Katniss isn't so emotional."

"Yeah, well, your Katniss is having your baby and I'm starting to get emotional because of it." She rolled into his side. "She's also exhausted. Goodnight."

He chuckled. "Goodnight, sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."

She sighed and pressed her eyes into his shoulder. "Me too."