Author's note: So, I think one more chapter and an epilogue after this. Thank you for sticking with me and I hope you like how I have presented these characters. Thank you for reviewing. Thank you for adding this to alerts and favorites.

Happy reading!

Chapter Seventeen

When the sky started to lighten on the horizon, she finally gave up on sleep and went downstairs. She started tea and stood at the sink watching the sunrise. As she was staring out the window, she felt Peeta's arms wrap around her from behind.

He asked softly in her ear, "Is there enough of that tea for me?"

"Mm-hm." She leaned back against him.

"You okay?" he kissed her neck.

"Yeah, I'm fine. My back hurts."

He rubbed her back. "You sit down. I'll finish the tea."

"You sure?"

He kissed her cheek. "Go sit. I'll make tea and I'll start some cinnamon rolls. How does that sound?"

She smiled. "Sounds great." She pressed a kiss to his mouth before walking into the living room.

The pain in her back moved around to her stomach. She suppressed a groan. After a while it passed and she sat back.

"Are you okay?"

She looked up. "I think I just had a contraction."

"Did your water break?"

"Not yet. It could be nothing."

"You said that last night."

"We'll just keep an eye on it." She took the offered cup of tea from him. "Hazelle said all her pregnancies were different, but that Gale was the longest. Annie said Finn took a while, too. They both said the first might take longer."

"So…" He reached out his hand and placed it on her stomach. "We might be able to hold our daughter tomorrow?"

She put her hand on top of his. "Yes." Her voice trembled.

"It'll be okay, sweetheart."

"I sure hope so." She sipped her tea and patted his hand. "I'm so scared."

"I know." He gathered her to him, sipping from his own cup. "You're okay with Primrose-Rue?"

"Yes. As long as I can pick the next name."

"So does that mean…?"

"Maybe in a few years. I liked having a younger sister. Did you like having brothers?"

"I guess." He said softly. "She was cruel to all of us. It seemed like she targeted me more, though." He kissed her temple. "But I'd have a whole houseful if you'd let me."

"I know you would."

"You still want those cinnamon rolls?"

"No, I want to stay like this for a while longer. Quiet, alone. We won't be much longer."

"What do you think about that?"

"I don't know." She swallowed. "I just want this all to be over with."

"I just want to hold her. Argue about who she looks like."

Katniss chuckled, "Yeah."

"Who do you think she'll look like?"

"Haymitch."

They both laughed.

"If she looks like Haymitch, we're all in a lot of trouble. Hazelle won't stand for it." Peeta said, still laughing.

"Oh, he'd be so dead." She turned. "And what about me?"

"What about you, sweetheart?"

"If our daughter looks like Haymitch." She teased.

"I'd love her. And you. I'll always love you. One night of stupidity wouldn't change that." He chuckled in her ear. "But I know you wouldn't have had much opportunity."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Hazelle is almost always with Haymitch. And when she's not, I'm home."

"There have been a few times when he and I were alone."

"So should I be scared?"

"No, honey, I don't think so."

He kissed her neck. "You never call me honey."

"Well, I just felt like it." She finished off her tea. "It feels odd to call you honey or baby or dear. You're just Peeta. You're my Peeta. And I love you more than anything."

"I love you, too." He kissed her under her ear. "Do you want anything or need anything?"

"Just hold me." She snuggled close. "I didn't sleep well last night."

"I'm sorry. You can sleep now. I have nothing else to do today. I'll hold you."

"I don't know if I can." She struggled to stand up. "I have to pee. I hate being pregnant."

He chuckled. "Not long now, sweetheart."

She wondered off to the bathroom.

Peeta headed toward the kitchen with the tea mugs.

Katniss called, "So, I think this is really happening."

He walked toward the bathroom. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, yeah." She opened the bathroom door. "I'm having another contraction." She held her stomach and leaned against the door frame.

"Come on." He supported her and walked with her back toward the couch. He looked at the clock. "About a half hour, I guess."

"Hm?" she asked as she came out of it.

"In between. It was about a half hour."

"Right."

"Do you want me to get Hazelle or call the doctor?"

"We should call the doctor, just to be sure."

"Okay." He went into the office and made the call. He explained about the situation and was told by the doctor to keep an eye on the time in between and to call again when they were closer. Just what they already knew, but it was good to be reminded.

He walked back in and told Katniss what her doctor had said.

"So now we wait." She said.

"Seems like it. Let's do something. We could play cards."

She smiled. "Could you maybe just hold me some more?"

"Yeah, of course. Come here." He pulled her against him.

She dozed for a while until she was hit with another contraction. Peeta murmured in her ear, encouraging her to breathe and relax.

When it passed, Peeta said, "About 27 minutes."

"Okay." Katniss sighed against him. "You don't have to babysit me, you know."

"But I want to be here." He kissed under her hear. "I love you."

For the next several hours, there was no progress. The contractions remained the same distance apart. Katniss encouraged Peeta to eat something, despite not feeling up to eating herself.

"But I am thirsty."

He poured her a glass of water. "I want you to eat something. You haven't all day."

"I know."

"I'll make you something."

"I can't believe this isn't moving any faster."

"You said it might take a while." He headed toward the kitchen. "I heat up some of that squirrel."

"I wonder if Annie knows any tips to move this along." She pushed herself up off the couch and waddled into the study.

"Cresta-Hawthorne residence." Finn said when he answered.

Katniss chuckled. "Hey, Finn."

"Hey, Katniss. How's it going?"

"Oh, it's going. Is your mom around?"

"She's up with Pearl. I'll go get her. Here's Dad."

"Hello there, Catnip." Gale said on the other end.

"Hey, Gale. How's that baby?"

"Growing like a weed. Maggie's a little jealous."

"Oh, I bet. Give her an extra hug for me."

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted some pregnancy advice from your wife."

"She's a good resource having done it three times."

"Yep."

"And here she is."

"Katniss?" Annie's soft voice came through the phone.

She sighed. "Annie, hi. How is Pearl?"

"Exhausting. Be prepared." She chuckled.

"But a good exhausting, right?" She rubbed her stomach.

"A very good exhausting."

"Good." She nodded, though she knew Annie couldn't see. "So the reason I called…I'm having contractions."

"That's great. How far apart?"

"About a half hour apart and have been since this morning. So, do you know of any way to speed it up?"

"Hazelle told me sex."

"Well, that's kind of the last thing on my mind right now." Katniss said with an embarrassed laugh.

"I know it seems like it, but it actually helped with Mags. But, you can walk around, that helps just as well. It worked with Finn."

"What about Pearl?"

"She was ready to meet us, so I didn't need any of those tricks."

"Well, thank you."

"I hope something helps. And keep yourself hydrated."

"Okay. Thanks, Annie."

"Any time. And let us know when that little girl is here so we can plan a trip. I want our girls to be best friends. And of course Pearl needs to meet her family."

"We will. Peeta will. I'm sure he'll want to call everyone. Even in the middle of the night."

"We wouldn't mind that."

"No, I'll make sure he knows better. You've got a little one. Bye, Annie."

"Bye. Take care of yourself."

"I will." She walked into the kitchen and started pacing.

"What are you doing?" her husband asked as he watched her.

"Walking. Annie said it might work."

"Good. I really, really just want to hold her." Peeta said giddily.

She laughed. "I like to see you like this. You're like a little boy getting the thing you want most in the world."

"It is the thing I want most in the world, sweetheart."

There was a knock on the door then. Katniss went to answer it.

"Looking good." Haymitch said fondly as he kissed the young woman's cheek and patted her stomach.

"Don't feel good." She was then hit with another contraction.

"What's happening?"

"Just in labor. No big deal." She said through her teeth.

"Shouldn't you be with the doctor?" he asked, concerned.

The pain passed. "They're too far apart." She led him into the kitchen. "And they have been all morning." She told her husband. "Just had another one."

He looked at the clock. "Well, you've gained five minutes. Keep walking."

She nodded. She'd already started per pacing back up.

Haymitch watched her for a while and then said, "Hazelle sent me over to invite you to supper tonight."

"No." Katniss said. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Maybe if we're lucky, by supper time we'll be having a baby." Peeta said.

"Or, I could still be walking."

"Is there no other option?"

"Nothing that sounds appealing right now."

Haymitch asked. "Are you going to be okay?"

"It's just a baby, Haymitch." Katniss said. "I'll be fine. Your wife had four of them and is still kicking." She grabbed her stomach. "Speaking of kicking. Calm down in there, Prue."

"Prue?" Haymitch asked.

"I like that." Peeta told his wife. He turned back to his old mentor. "Primrose-Rue. It's what we're naming her. Prue is her nickname, I suppose."

Katniss nodded and continued her circuit back and forth across the room. She rubbed her stomach. "Maybe you should just come out a little faster, baby girl."

"Can I get you anything or do anything?" Haymitch asked awkwardly.

"Not unless you have some magical way to transport her out of me." Katniss said.

"No. Sorry."

"Then I don't think you can help me much. Tell Hazelle thanks, but no thanks."

"Okay." He left without another word.

Peeta shook his head. He passed his wife a piece of leftover squirrel.

Katniss nibbled as she walked.

"So what was that other suggestion?" he asked, eating his own bit of squirrel.

"I'm not telling. Because I'm not feeling it and I know you'll try to convince me. And probably succeed."

"Well, if it could make her come sooner…"

She sighed, "Sex."

He smiled.

"No."

"But, sweetheart—"

"Peeta, I'm feeling very unsexy right now."

"But you're so beautiful."

"Not helping." She glared at him and tossed the bone in Buttercup's bowl. "Mm, another one." She rubbed her stomach.

He looked at the clock. "Well, about 20 minutes now. Getting closer." He walked over and rubbed her stomach.

"I want her here already."

"Me too."

"I love you. But I'll show you that way some other time."

"You're showing me right now." He kissed her softly. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Maybe we should call the doctor."

"Do you feel okay?"

"Yeah, but I feel like it's almost time and I want to be prepared."

"You sure?"

"Might as well get her here. And call my mother to let her know." She made her way slowly up the stairs.

He hurried after her, supporting her as she went along.

Post chapter note: Having never been in labor myself, I from personal experience how it happens, only what my research says. If it seems inaccurate in any way, let me know how I can fix it.