Author's note: Sorry it took so long to get this to you guys. I've started yet another story and I took some time to write the first chapter of that. I've also got a giant reading queue that I hope to make a dent in. So the updates will take a while, sorry. Just hang in there with me, I beg of you. And if you just can't get enough of my writing, perhaps you can go look at all my other stories if you haven't read them.

Thanks to every one of you fabulous people who have added this to favorites and alerts. And all reviews are very much appreciated and welcomed. Thank you all!

Happy reading!

Chapter Twelve

Katniss walked silently through the forest. She had her bow in her hand. The forest was oddly quiet. None of her traps that she'd set held any game either.

And then she heard a sound that was a little unfamiliar at first. Then she realized what it was: a crying baby. She stalked slowly forward. She knew that the sound of a cougar sometimes sounded like a crying baby. Maybe she had one in her last trap.

When she got to the trap, though, it wasn't a cougar. It wasn't an animal of any kind. It was an actual baby.

Katniss awoke with a start. Already the nightmare was starting to fade. She rolled over and reached out and placed her hand on Peeta's chest.

Peeta smiled at her touch. He placed his hand on top of hers.

"Are you awake?" She asked softly.

He mumbled, "Maybe."

She sighed and curled into his side. "I had another nightmare. That's almost every night for the past couple weeks."

"Just a dream, sweetheart." He said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I know." She paused. "I don't feel so good."

She felt him shift under her. "Katniss?"

"I don't know." She let out a long breath. "The nightmare must have made me sick to my stomach. I don't even remember it anymore."

"Are you okay?"

She turned her head and looked at her husband. She smiled slightly, "I'm fine."

He kissed her forehead. "Are you going to go back to sleep?"

"I don't think so."

"You want me to make you some breakfast, then?"

"When are you going over to the bakery?"

He smirked, "Whenever I want. I'm the boss." He kissed her and then got out of bed. He reached over and fiddled with the alarm for a moment. It was almost five.

"Just something simple, Peeta. Don't go crazy." She called after him.

"I know."

Katniss smiled and rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. It had been just a few days since the incident in the kitchen on her birthday. Since then, their lovemaking had been a lot more sedate and traditional. But she had enjoyed it nonetheless.

She felt another wave of nausea like earlier and closed her eyes. She breathed deeply through her nose as she tried to calm her roiling stomach. But this time it didn't settle. She hurried out of the bed and into the bathroom.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked softly from the doorway.

Katniss leaned back against the bathtub. "I'm okay."

"You sure?"

She nodded and then paused. She hoisted herself up over the toilet again and heaved. Nothing came up. There was nothing there.

Peeta kneeled down beside her. "If you want me to stay home today—"

"No, you have to finish the cake. The wedding is only a few more days away."

"Are you sure?" He smoothed his hand over her hair.

She smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine, Peeta."

He kissed her forehead. "You'll call if you need anything?"

"I will."

"Good. I have a plate for you sitting beside the bed."

"Then I'll clear out so you can shower and head over to work."

"I love you."

"I know." She smiled and squeezed his hand before she left the room, closing the door behind her.

She paused in the bedroom. On the table on her side of the bed sat a plate of scrambled eggs and a cup of tea. She walked over and regarded the breakfast he'd made for her. She suddenly wasn't very hungry. And the thought of eating scrambled eggs turned her stomach anew.

She picked up the plate and carried it downstairs, holding it away from her slightly. She sat the plate on the floor and called softly to Buttercup, who she knew was lurking somewhere. She picked up a roll off the counter and returned to the bedroom.

She sipped the tea and nibbled on the roll as she listened to Peeta in the bathroom. He was singing something familiar. She smiled and was taken back to the cave all those years ago when he had confessed that his love for her had started their first day of school when she had sung that song he was singing now.

She got out of the bed and walked into the bathroom with him. She joined in the singing as she undressed and stepped into the shower.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Feeling better?"

She nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips. "But I gave the eggs to Buttercup. I'm sorry. I wasn't up for eggs. I ate one of the leftover rolls from last night."

He gave her a concerned look. "Katniss—"

She cut him off with a kiss. "Sorry."

"I'm not upset, sweetheart. I'm worried."

"No need to be. I'm fine. Now go finish getting ready. That cake won't decorate itself." She kissed him again and then shoved past him to get under the shower spray.

He ran a hand down her side before he stepped out of the shower.

Peeta heard the bell over the front door ring. He was expecting Haymitch and Hazelle to come by to check the progress of the cake. He walked into the front of the shop and saw Katniss chatting kindly with Vick over the counter.

She looked up and met his eyes. She smiled and he could see there was something bothering her. He walked over.

"Stop flirting with my wife, Vick." He teased.

The younger man blushed and mumbled an apology.

Peeta clapped him on the shoulder. "There are some cakes that need to be taken out of the oven. Will you get them for me please?"

He nodded and pushed into the back of the bakery.

He walked around the counter and sat Katniss down at a table in the corner. It was the one he usually chose for consultations. "So what's up, sweetheart?"

"I can't just stop in to see my husband at work in the middle of the day?" she asked, trailing a hand down his arm.

"Not when I know something's wrong." He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. "Tell me."

She kissed his hands one at a time and then placed her hands on the side of his face. She kissed him softly. "I love you. And everything I do is for you. I only ever want to make you happy. You know that, right?"

He nodded. "Same here."

"Even when it means I'm doing something a little terrifying."

"What are you saying?"

"Peeta—"

The bell over the door rang again and they both looked up. Haymitch and Hazelle stepped inside the shop.

"I'll be right with you." Peeta assured them. He looked back to his wife. "You want to see the cake?"

She nodded. "As long as it's okay with the happy couple?" She asked the older pair with a smile.

"Fine by me." Haymitch said. "I don't really care about what the cake looks like, just what it tastes like. And I still have to wait a few days for that."

They all walked to the back of the bakery. Vick waved at his mother when she greeted him.

"Oh, Peeta, it looks wonderful." Hazelle said. "Thank you. It's almost too pretty to eat."

"Yeah, right." Haymitch said. "It's pretty, but I want to eat it right now."

Katniss laughed. "I agree."

"Right on, sweetheart." Haymitch said, clapping her on her shoulder. "I'll just be glad when this wedding is over."

"That's when all the fun really starts." Katniss said with a grin. "The fighting and all that."

"You two lived together for years before you were married. You should have gotten the fighting over."

"Well, it was kind of a big fight whether or not I changed my last name."

"I remember hearing that one. It's kind of odd when a man doesn't want his wife to take his last name."

Peeta shrugged. "What can I say, I'm very proud of Katniss Everdeen."

"But I'm the exact same person as Katniss Mellark." She rested her hand on her husband's back.

"We've already had the discussion." Haymitch said. "And came to a good compromise."

"And what is that?" Vick asked, coming closer.

His mother smiled, "Hazelle Hawthorne-Abernathy. It was his idea." She nodded toward her fiancé. "There wasn't much of a fight about it. I just wanted to change my last name, but he suggested I should keep the former one attached to honor my late first husband."

"No to mention Posy overheard her saying something about changing her name and she got upset." Haymitch put in.

"Understandable. I know if my mother decided to get married to Alexander, I don't know how I'd feel. Much less is she changed her last name to Ross. Iris Ross sounds weird. She's been Iris Everdeen for so long."

"But she'll always be your mother." Hazelle assured her.

"I know." She exchanged a look with Peeta and then glanced up at the clock. "The train will be here soon. I promised Finn I'd meet them at the station." She kissed Peeta's cheek and started to leave out the back door.

He caught her hand, "Hey, you came here to tell me something."

"I did." She looked between the others in the room who all mumbled something about needing to be somewhere else. As soon as they were gone, Katniss looked down at her hands as she twisted her fingers together. "You see, we're… You ready to try out this baby thing again?"

He smiled and smoothed his hand over her hair. "I'm in if you are."

"Good. We have a little over seven months to figure it all out." She leaned into him and buried her eyes in his neck. "I just pray it works out this time. I don't know if I can handle losing it again."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I know." He kissed her. "I love you, Katniss. We can do this."

"Let's not say anything yet, though. This week is for Haymitch and Hazelle."

"I agree."

She lifted her head and kissed him. She had a smile on her face. "We'll celebrate tonight."

He smirked. "Practice at how quiet we can be?"

"Exactly." She kissed him softly. "Want me to bring them by to say hi?"

"Just bring them home. I'm sure they'll be tired. I'll close up early today."

She nodded. "Will you stop by the market on the way home and get some potatoes and carrots? I'll start some squirrel for stew."

"Sounds good." He kissed her again. "See you in a bit."

"Bye." She squeezed his hand and then left.