It's been one week since I married Peeta. One week of marital bliss. The best week of my life, plain and simple. The day after the dinner with his family, we locked ourselves in our house and spent the whole day wrapped around each other in bed. If I ever thought I couldn't love Peeta any more than I already do, that day proved me wrong. We blocked out the real world, all our problems, and just focused on each other. There were times when we went slow, taking the opportunity to memorize the sight and every inch of one another. Other times, passion overtook us, and I've never seen Peeta more determined. It was honestly quite sexy. A few times, he grabbed his sketchbook and drew me. At first I was hesitant, and asked him to let me put at least some clothes on. He refused, telling me yet again how beautiful I am, and that he wanted to capture it. He promised only he and I would ever see them. I gave in. How could I not? When I finally agreed, he sat next to me on the bed, flipping through the book, apparently looking for a specific drawing. When I saw it, I gasped. It was of me, asleep in our bed. I am naked, sweat glistening all over my body. The sheets are messily pooled around me, covering only a fraction of my nude figure. I have a small, satisfied grin on my face. When I ask him when he did the sketch, he tells me the first time we made love. I'm overcome with emotion, unable to process the truly remarkable way that Peeta sees me.

After that day, though I was fairly sore, I got back into my routine, as did Peeta. I hunted, he baked. We spend as much time as we can together. I usually go to the bakery and have lunch with him. Sometimes his brothers join us, and I find myself laughing more and more each day. I haven't spoken to his mother since that night, but Peeta tells me she's now taken to insulting me whenever I'm not around. He says he tries to ignore her, but yesterday he apparently blew up at her and stormed out. I actually scolded him when he told me, telling him that even if she's a complete and utter bitch, she's his mother. He nodded somberly.

Right now I'm out in the woods hunting. I find myself walking around with a permanent smile on my face as I think of my wonderful husband. The fact that we're married, for real, for life, has finally sunk in. I think Peeta was afraid that I would come to regret marrying him, but he couldn't be more wrong. Like I said, it was the best decision I've ever made.

Suddenly I find myself in the clearing where I used to meet up with Gale. I sigh, thinking about how my friendship with him has completely fallen apart since I started dating Peeta. He's like a different person now. He scares me, and I used to trust him completely. Now, I'm not sure what he's capable of, and it frightens me. I sit down on a log in the middle of the clearing and rest, planning out the rest of the hunt in my head, eager to get to the bakery and see Peeta.

I hear leaves rustling down the hill a bit to my left. My reflexes take over and I have an arrow knocked and aimed in an instant. When the person steps out into the clearing, I gasp.

It's Gale.

The last time I was alone with him, he backed me up into a tree, and I had to kick him in the crotch to get away. At least now, I have a means of defense, and am ready.

"What do you want, Gale?" I ask evenly. Honestly I'm just tired of dealing with him at this point. Yet I know that a major confrontation is coming.

He throws his hands up to show me he's unarmed.

"I just want to talk, Catnip."

"Don't ever call me that again," I snarl.

"Okay, Katniss."

I lower my bow a little, but still keep it ready in case. He slowly makes his way towards me, still with his hands raised, cautiously.

"Can I sit?" He asks.

I nod slowly and motion to the other side of the log, as far away from me as possible. I sit down but keep my bow in my lap.

"What do you want, Gale?"

"I just want to talk. I miss you."

"I miss you too, but I don't know if I can forgive you."

"Forgive me? For what? You should be the one asking for forgiveness!"

"What Gale? Why is that?"

"Because you're with him! I always thought it would be me with you. We used to spend every day out here together. I thought you loved me!"

"Gale, you're like a brother to me. Nothing more. If I ever gave you the impression that I was in love with you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

He grunts like he doesn't believe me.

"Look, it's not too late. You can still leave him and be with me. I'll forget all about what you've done to me. You know it's right. You know I can make you so much happier." He refuses to give up. If it didn't piss me off so much, I'd admire his resilience.

"Gale you are so, so very wrong. How can you think you would make me happier? Ever since you showed up at dinner that one night, you've made me nothing but miserable when you're around. Peeta has had to console me about you. That's something I know you'd never do."

"How do you know that? You've never even given me a chance!"

As if to prove his point, he reaches over tentatively and puts his hand on my shoulder. As I am staring at the ground, I didn't notice until I felt his grip. I immediately shake it off violently.

"Don't touch me!" I scream.

"Why not!?"

"You know why, Gale. Don't act naïve. I know how smart you are."

He scoffs, and I glare at him.

"Katniss, you're making this so much more difficult than it has to be," he tries in a gentle voice. It does nothing to calm me. In fact it has the opposite effect.

"Gale, you are the one making this difficult. I just want to be happy with Peeta, and you refuse to leave us alone. Like I told you that night, I would be willing to still be friends, and hunt with you. But you don't seem to be able to want just friendship."

"Why can't we just try? See if we can work?" He asks.

"No, Gale. I'm with Peeta. Even if I wasn't, my answer would still be no."

"What? Why?"

"I told you, you're like a brother. Maybe, once, a long time ago, I had some kind of feelings for you, but no longer. The Games changed me Gale, and Peeta is the only person who understands me. He gets me."

"So that's why you're with him? Because of the damn Hunger Games? I knew I should have volunteered for him," he snivels. I cringe at the mere thought of going through the Games without Peeta.

"No. It's one of the reasons I like being with him, but I'm with Peeta because I love him. It's as simple as that."

He seems crestfallen at my words. I hope I'm starting to get through to him.

"Why won't you leave him?" He whimpers. I sigh.

"Gale, let me explain something to you. If this situation was reversed, and I came home from the Games and decided to be with you, this is what would happen. Peeta would be absolutely heartbroken. I know that. But not only would he try and hide that from me, to spare me pain, he would also let me be with you, and not get in the way. Because what Peeta cares about, when it all boils down, is my happiness. He would let me live my life, as long as he thought I was happy. When I told you I was dating Peeta, the way you reacted proved to me why I could never be with you that way. You seem unable to move on, to let go, to understand that I don't want to be with you. You're unable to let me live my life the way I've chosen to, and that's unfair to me. You obviously don't really love me, or else you'd want me to be happy. I need you to get that it's never, ever going to happen."

He contemplates what I've told him for a moment.

"You're acting like you're going to be with him forever," he quietly says.

If only he knew the truth. Would that finally get him off my back? Or would that completely send him over the edge? I realize that I don't want him finding out from a television interview, or hearing it from someone else. No, it has to come from me. I owe him at least that much. Oh, the things I do for love. But I know it's worth it.

"Gale."

"Katniss?" He seems hopeful.

"I need to tell you something. But before I do, you have to promise me that you'll keep it a secret. You can't tell anyone. I've never asked much of you Gale, but I'm asking you this. Promise me."

"Okay, I promise. It stays between us," he says, almost giddy. I can only imagine what he thinks I'm about to say.

I take a deep breath. I know this is going to kill him.

"Gale, Peeta and I are already married."

His eyes widen in complete surprise. It's definitely the opposite of what he thought I was going to say. He probably thought I was going to tell him that I would cheat on Peeta with him or something.

"What?" He asks in disbelief. "No. You're lying."

I sigh deeply. I grasp my chain and pull my ring out, showing it to him.

"We got married a week ago today. Only a few people know."

"Katniss, you're not serious."

"It's true, Gale. This is my wedding ring. My name is legally Katniss Mellark."

"I – I – I don't know what to say," he stutters.

"Friends usually say 'congratulations'," I point out.

"You know I can't congratulate you for marrying another man. Especially him," he snaps.

"Why not Gale?" I yell. I thought maybe, just maybe, if I told him I'm married, he'd finally get the picture. "Why can't you just be happy for me? We will never be together, Gale. I'm married to Peeta, and I will be married to him until my final breath. Whether that's tomorrow or sixty years from now, my mind will never change."

"Look, Katniss. I'm going to ask you one more time." I sigh, knowing what's coming. "Divorce the baker boy and run away with me. Please. I love you. I've always loved you. I can love you so much more than him. I know it."

"No, Gale. Get it through your head. You're destroying any chances of ever being my friend again."

"Do you really mean that?" He scoffs.

"Yes. I love Peeta. I always will. And if you keep insisting that I leave him, I'm through with you. He's my husband, not you, not ever."

"You're not the Katniss Everdeen I thought I knew," he tells me with venom in his voice.

"My name is Katniss Mellark, Gale. Now and forever."

"Fine, Catnip," he snaps.

"I told you not to call me that," I say angrily. I'm fed up with his attitude.

"You know what? Fuck you, Catnip. One day you will be mine. I'm going to steal you back like the baker boy stole you from me!" He screams.

That's enough. I raise my bow, arrow knocked, and point it between his eyes.

"Leave, Gale. Right now. Walk away if you know what's good for you. If you ever come within fifty feet of me or my husband, I'll put an arrow through you. And you know I won't miss. And don't you dare tell anybody about me and Peeta being married. You promised me. From all of our years of friendship, you owe me at least that."

He looks at me, anger flashing in his eyes. Without another word, he gets up and stomps away.

I can't help the tears that flow down my cheeks. I've lost him. For good. One of the only people, before Peeta, that was always there for me. He helped me feed my family, made me laugh and smile, and taught me how to make snares. I partly blame myself, but I know that it's wrong. I want to be with Peeta, and he can't accept it. I gave him numerous chances, and told him repeatedly I would still be his friend. He chose to ignore that and try to get me to leave my husband.

I suddenly feel the need to have Peeta's arms around me. It's the only place I feel truly safe. I found that out in the cave during the Games. When he holds me, everything else fades away, and it's just me and him in a bubble. The world could come crashing down around us, and we'd never bat an eye.

I get up and sprint down the hill into the woods. I quickly stash my bow and quiver. I look around me as I run, now that my only defense is my knife, and hope I don't run across Gale. I don't know what he'd do now.

Thankfully I don't see him. I squeeze under the fence and run to the bakery. I whip open the door and bend over, exhausted and out of breath, emotion racking through me. Peeta apparently sees me, because soon I feel his arms snake around me, and I bury my face into his chest and sob. Instead of trying to coax what's wrong out of me, he lifts me up bridal style and takes me through the back of the bakery.

He sits down with his back against the outside wall. I stay on his lap, my tear stained face still buried in his shirt, soaking it. I am gripping his shirt with both of my hands as tight as I can. It's like I'm afraid if I let go, he'll disappear. He doesn't say a word, just strokes my hair with one hand and my thigh with the other. It helps to start calm me down.

After a few minutes, I've stopped crying and look up into his eyes. He's gazing at me with pure love and concern. My breath hitches at the intensity of it. I can't help myself, leaning up and pecking him on the lips, thanking him silently for being here for me.

"I'm sorry, Peeta," I whimper.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Katniss," he gently tells me. I nod.

"I soaked your shirt," I point out.

"That's okay," he smiles. "It's just a shirt. You're my wife. I kind of think you're more important."

I smile at him. He can make me feel so much better with just a few simple words.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" He softly asks.

I nod slowly. He waits for me to start patiently.

"I saw Gale while I was hunting," I begin. I feel him tense at the mention of my former friend. When I told him about my last encounter with him in the woods, I had to physically hold him back from going to find Gale and doing god knows what to him. "Peeta, it's okay, I'm okay. We just talked for a while. I kept giving him chances to move on and told him we could still be friends. He refused. He kept telling me to leave you and be with him, claiming that he loves me."

"Oh, Kat, I'm so sorry. I wish I was there to help you," he whispers.

"Thanks, Peeta. Anyways, he just wouldn't listen. I tried to tell him why I could never be with him. I even told him that if I wasn't with you, I still wouldn't be with him, but he didn't believe me. Finally I had to tell him that we're married. I'm so sorry, Peeta. We agreed to keep it a secret and I blurted it out to your family and now I told Gale. I just didn't have a choice."

"Katniss, you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad he knows that you're my wife. How did he react?"

"Well I made him promise he wouldn't tell anyone. I hope he meant it. He didn't believe that we're married, so I showed him my ring."

"Then what?"

"He told me to divorce you," I say softly.

Peeta tenses again and looks at the ground, breaking eye contact for the first time.

"Peeta, look at me," I whisper. He slowly looks back up. I can see the wariness in his eyes. I would do anything to get rid of that look. "Peeta, please believe me when I tell you that is never going to happen. I will never leave you, no matter what you say or do. There's no way you're getting rid of me. I married you because I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and that's never going to change."

Slowly, a wide smile creeps across his face, and his eyes turn a bright shade of radiant blue.

"Peeta, I love you," I say with as much ferocity as I can muster.

"I love you too. More than I love anything or anyone in this world," he tells me. I smile back at him, and lean down for a kiss. I'm sure he can taste the saltiness from the remnants of my tears, but he apparently doesn't care, because once our kiss ends, he peppers both my cheeks with kisses, taking away my tears and my pain.

"Can we eat lunch now?" I ask. He laughs heartily and I join him.

"Sure, Kat. Let's go inside. I made you some cheese buns."

"You did? You're such a good husband," I tease, pinching his nose.

It still amazes me how Peeta can turn my moods around on a dime. It's one of the many reasons I love him. Maybe one day I'll sit down and compile a list of all the reasons, but for now, I'm still discovering a new every day.

We eat lunch, and my mood has improved greatly. We joke and flirt, talking with the customers who come into the bakery, as we're sitting at one of the small tables out front. Everyone seems to want to talk to us, the famous star-crossed lovers. They're always so glad to see that we're really together and happy. I think a lot of them saw through the act at the beginning, at least my side of it. Peeta's feelings were never in doubt.

Lunch finished, I reluctantly say goodbye to Peeta, kiss him, and head home. I have about an hour to kill before my doctor's appointment. I wish I could spend it with him, but he has to get back to work. Peeta and I both have regular doctor's appointments once a month with a doctor who is shipped in special from the Capitol. They tell us it's to keep tabs on our health after the trauma our bodies went through at the Games. I guess they want to keep their Victors healthy. So they can use us some more, no doubt. The thought makes me sick. But I know I can't refuse, so after relaxing on the porch, I head back to the village and to the small healer's building where I will meet the doctor.

Thankfully, my doctor is a woman. With some of the questions she asks, I'm not sure if I could be totally honest if it was a man. Her name is Dr. Sutherland, and she's actually really nice. She understands the burden that Peeta and I carry, and tries to make my visits as painless and quick as possible.

"Afternoon, Katniss," she says happily when she enters the small exam room. I'm on the table in the typical hospital johnny.

"Afternoon, Dr. Sutherland," I reply.

"How are we feeling today?" She asks.

"Pretty good. I went hunting this morning, like most mornings. I had lunch with Peeta." I smile when I think of him.

"Good, good. Are there any problems you want to talk to me about?"

I think for a moment.

"Yeah. The last few days I've been more tired than usual. I'm getting enough sleep, I know that. It's frustrating. Yesterday I had to cut my hunt short by two hours because I couldn't lift my bow. Today I ran to the bakery and I was completely exhausted. That's really unlike me."

"Hmm," she ponders. She flips through my chart, and thinks for a minute.

"Katniss, I need to ask you some personal questions, okay?"

I nod.

"Are you and Peeta sexually active?" She bluntly asks.

"Yes. For a little over a week," I honestly tell her.

"Do you use protection?"

"No. We didn't even think about it," I glumly say.

"Now, when you went into the Games, the Capitol gave you a shot. This shot regulated your periods and also gave you birth control. However, it seems that it wore off naturally about a week after you returned home. Your last blood work showed me that."

"What are you saying, Doctor?" I plead.

"Katniss, I'm going to take a blood sample. I think you may be pregnant."

I thought that was what she was going to say. Pregnant. With a baby. Peeta's baby. Suddenly I can't breathe. I told him I wanted this, didn't I? Now that the possibility is real, I don't know how I feel. But she hasn't confirmed it yet.

"Please find out," I whisper.

She nods and quickly takes a blood sample and scurries out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I can only think about if I'm really pregnant. What will Peeta think? I know he would be ecstatic, but are we both ready for this? What would my mother think? I'm only sixteen. I'll be seventeen in a few months, but I'm still young. The Games aged me and Peeta mentally, but people still view us as kids. I feel a fair amount of fear creeping up inside me. I know I can't let that overtake me. If there is a baby inside me, growing slowly, I need to give it the best care possible. That means being in the right frame of mind. Now I think about what it would be like to have a little baby, half Peeta and half me. I can picture Peeta holding the infant, the same look of love he gives me in his eyes. I see the baby in my arms, and know instantly how much I would love it. How much we would both treasure it, and want to protect it.

Dr. Sutherland quietly re-enters the room. I look up at her, but she's wearing an emotionless mask, not revealing anything to me.

"Please, just tell me. Don't beat around the bush," I ask, the pleading obvious in my tone.

"You're pregnant, Katniss," she simply states.

I gasp. It's real now. I had no idea they could tell this early on. I mean, Peeta and I just started having sex a little over a week ago. Can I really already be pregnant? I guess, since that's what she's telling me. The Capitol does have some really crazy technology, I guess.

Apparently she takes my silence for hesitation.

"Katniss, I'm sure you want to discuss this with Peeta. There are options available if you two come to an alternate decision. There's always adoption or abort-"

"Don't you dare finish that word," I interrupt harshly. I will never let anyone harm my baby. I've only known about it for about a minute, but I already feel the incessant need to protect it with every fiber of my being.

"Very well. I'm sure you and Peeta have a lot to talk about. I'm going to start you on some pre-natal medicine, and recommend you come here every three weeks for a check up. I will follow closely from the Capitol. If you have any questions, call me. I realize this is a shock, but it's very real."

"Thank you, Doctor," I mutter. I'm still floored. She nods with understanding. "Doctor, please promise me you won't tell anybody about this. Nobody can know yet."

"Why?" She asks.

I sigh. I can't believe I'm about to tell yet another person. Good job keeping the secret, Katniss, I scold myself.

"Peeta and I are married. We're keeping it a secret. We can't have anybody know I'm pregnant either. I know it's inevitable that the country will find out eventually, but we want it to be on our terms."

"Okay, Katniss. If that's what you wish. Doctor-patient confidentiality requires me to respect your wishes. I will speak to the healer here and let them know about the situation as well. Perhaps you can have your mother help, I know she's a healer."

"Thank you," I breathe in relief.

She talks to me for another twenty minutes, giving me an overview of what to expect in the coming weeks. She gives me some anti-nausea medicine in case I start throwing up. She recommends I keep hunting for the time being, to get the exercise and keep my mind occupied, but tells me there will be a point where I won't be allowed to go into the woods anymore. I expected as much.

I walk home slowly, pondering everything I've just learned. I walked in expecting a regular check up, and I walked out with the news that in nine months, Peeta and I will be responsible for a tiny, helpless infant. At first, the news hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm starting to come to terms with it, and actually begin to get excited thinking about what it'll be like having children with Peeta. I know what a great father he will be, and I can only hope I will make half as good of a mother.

Peeta comes home before dinnertime, and suddenly I'm scared again. Not because I'm pregnant, but because I frankly have no idea how to tell him. I'm unusually quiet during dinner, but Peeta doesn't make a big deal out of it. He probably still thinks I'm reeling from my confrontation with Gale. In the whirlwind since I found out I'm pregnant, I'd almost forgotten about my morning adventure.

We finish dinner and I know I have to tell him. He asked me how my doctor's appointment went, and I had shrugged it off. It's eating me up. I need Peeta. I need him to take me in his arms and tell me everything's going to okay. I need him to reassure me that we can, in fact, do this, together. I need him to kiss me. I need to feel his love, our undeniable connection.

Without a word, I take him by the hand and lead him up the stairs. At this point, I'm winging it.

I turn into the spare room across the hall from the bedroom we've turned into Peeta's art studio. I stop in the middle and face Peeta. He can see the turmoil in my eyes and takes my hands in his, giving them a reassuring squeeze. It gives me the courage I need to tell him the truth.

"Peeta, we need to paint this room," I tell him, gazing into his blue eyes.

"Why?" He asks, puzzled.

I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

"Because in nine months or so, we're going to have a very small person living in here," I blurt out.

He's shocked. A look of pure surprise comes across his features. His jaw slackens, and for once in his life, Peeta is utterly and completely speechless.

"Peeta?" I prod. "Honey, say something."

"I love you," he mumbles.

I giggle involuntarily. "I know that. I love you too."

"Is it true? Are we really having a baby?" He asks in disbelief.

I nod enthusiastically. He quickly wraps his arms around me and picks me up off the floor, spinning me around joyously.

"Katniss! This is amazing! I can't believe it! A baby! You and me! We're going to be parents! I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you!"

I'm laughing listening to him ramble on, happy with his reaction. It has done wonders to my psyche, letting me know how invested he truly is. He finally puts me back down and kisses me. It's a kiss unlike we've ever shared. We're both pouring our love into it, our tongues dueling for supremacy, my eyes unable to do anything but slide shut. I moan from the back of my throat when his hands come to rest on my butt, squeezing gently as he is prone to do. I'm suddenly aware we haven't made love since last night, and that's a long time in our young marriage to go without being physical.

When the kiss finally breaks, he rests his forehead on mine and we stare into each other's eyes. No words are needed. We know. We can have entire conversations just with our gazes.

"Husband," I finally whisper, "take me to bed."

He doesn't need any more encouragement, lifting me so I'm straddling him, and we kiss all the way to our bedroom.

An hour later, we're absolutely spent, and I'm lying on top of him, recounting my visit with Dr. Sutherland in detail. He laughs when I tell him my initial reaction. He's delighted, as I was, when I tell him the doctor thinks the conception occurred on our wedding night. He's surprisingly okay with the fact I admitted to her about our marriage. He tells me it was the right thing to do. We both agree the time for us to make everything public is fast approaching. We decide to revisit that issue in the coming days, and come up with a feasible, realistic plan that will benefit our new family.

"You know, I can't believe this," I tell him.

"What?" He asks.

"I always said I'd never get married or have kids. Now, I'm married at sixteen, and only a week into my marriage, I'm already knocked up. What have you done to me, Mellark?" I tease.

"Oh, you know you like it," he teases back, giving me a quick kiss. "Besides, you were a willing participant, were you not, Mrs. Mellark?"

I shrug my shoulders and nod. We chuckle.

"Well, I can stop if that's what you want," he says, mockingly serious.

"Peeta Mellark, if you value your life, you will keep pleasing your wife whenever she wants."

He smiles wide.

"Yes, ma'am. Gladly."

"Besides, we still haven't christened the kitchen or the downstairs coat closet," I point out. "I was serious when I said every single room, Peeta. And don't think I've forgotten about the guest bathroom, either."

He actually looks a bit frightened. I laugh and give his nose a kiss, then tuck my head under his chin, listening to the beat of his heart, playing with his wedding ring.

"The kitchen, really?" He asks after a minute. "Don't you think it would be kinda uncomfortable in there?"

"Nah," I reply causally. "The table will do just fine."

"Katniss Mellark! We eat off of that table! Your mother and sister eat off that table all the time!" He seems to be almost offended. I guess he doesn't realize I'm not joking. Or, maybe he does. Either way it's going to happen sooner or later.

I shrug again, still fingering his ring. I grin.

"That's what soap is for, Peeta."

A/N: Yeah, I know that was probably pretty obvious with how often I have them being intimate, but what the hell. It's supposed to be a fun story, and I know this will add some drama and fluff (not that I need anymore fluff, but it's just too much fun with these two). Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and encouraging. It's good to know your work is appreciated. If you have any ideas for future chapters or things you'd like to see, feel free to let me know. I'm always up for a suggestion. Lastly, someone made a very good point in the reviews about how Snow would already know about their marriage at this point. I thought about it for a while last night, and I've decided I'm going to ignore the supposed surveillance in the District. I mean, I've already made the characters ridiculously OOC and completely altered the storyline, so what do I have to lose? Besides, I'm sure it'll make it more dramatic when they do finally confront the bastard. Thanks for pointing that out, by the way.

For future reference, that is not the last we will see of Gale Hawthorne. I realize some of you might not like the way I'm portraying him. I'm well aware it's very different from who he is in the books. It's not that I don't like him, I just wanted to add a little angst to the storyline. Don't worry though, you know he could never really come between Peeta and Katniss. At least, not in my fic!