After dinner, the doctor let me go back to my room. As me and Peeta walked, I said, " I wonder if people back at the normal lunch table have noticed anything,"

"You think? Your appetite has gone up wildly, your stomach is fat," I frowned at Peeta, "and you sleep until lunchtime. I think you should tell your family, at least,"

"Oh… Should I tell them that the child is… you know… not yours?" I asked Peeta.

We had gotten to my room so I stopped in the hallway.

"No. That would just cause confusion for your mother and Prim, and hurt for you and Gale. Everyone is still at dinner, so—" Peeta stopped when he saw a neatly hand-woven basket sitting covered on my bed. "What's that?"

We walked into my room and over to my bed. On top of the basket, a little not was pinned. It read:

Katniss,

I know you have been a lot hungrier than usual, thanks to your current… condition. I talked to the Officials and they have agreed to let me join the groups of Hunters that go out daily, to hunt for you specifically. It is a major exception to the rules, and the President seemed pretty upset about allowing me. I'm not sure how long I will be allowed to do this, but I will do it as long as I possibly can. So in this basket is some rabbit and squirrel I caught and cooked for you.

Congrats on becoming a newlywed. I have to say I didn't expect that to happen, that's for sure. My hatred (or jealousy, more like) for Peeta has gone down some, but not enough for me to be happy it was him instead of me. Yes, I know he is there with you, but what else can I say? Anyways, I hope everything works out well for you.

-Gale

P.S: You might want to tell your mother and Prim sometime. They are getting suspicious.

I hadn't noticed how much I had missed home caught and cooked meals until I tasted Gale's squirrel. I ate until I was full, and once I was, I put everything back into the basket. Peeta had refused any of the meat, claiming it was meant for me and only me. I knew this was true, but it couldn't hurt just offering.

Without bothering to shower, I changed into clean, grey cotton pajamas and washed my face. Peeta was already waiting on my bed, holding that small ringed sketchbook of his. When he saw me, he closed it and put it on the nightstand. "I take it you aren't going to talk to your mother and Prim today?"

I shrugged. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Or the next day, or the next…or the next…" Peeta grinned at me and I scowled back at him.

Ignoring Peeta, I crawled under the covers and crossed my arms.

Peeta tried to gently tug my arms free, but to no avail. "I didn't mean it, Katniss. Stop glowering and be happy for once!"

I rolled my eyes up at him.

"Okay, fine. Don't be happy. See if I care." Peeta grumbled.

He obviously didn't have a very good humor, because he didn't seem to get that I was joking. Somehow I managed to get him to open his arms and I settled myself into them. Even though I was sort of tired, sleep didn't come right away like I thought it would.

"Hey, Katniss?" Peeta asked me in a quiet voice, abandoning his attempt to be grumpy.

"What?" I turned my head to look at him.

"Is this all just a… act? I want to make sure this is purely for your sake and happiness and not someone else's. Not even mine. Especially not mine."

"Peeta, if this was all just an act, I wouldn't be so happy all the time." I said.

Peeta laughed. "Not your most convincing argument."

I laughed with him." You are right. What will it take to prove to you I love you and wanted to marry you? What will convince you that I'm not lying when I say I would die without you?"

"I don't know. I'm pretty convinced already, but I just need some reassurance, self-stability maybe."

"Mmhm…" I sighed, sinking into the bed. Sleep was already sneaking up on me fast, and I wasn't sure I wanted to follow it yet.

I felt Peeta's lips kiss my forehead gently. "Goodnight."

"'Night. I… love…" but before I could say the last word, sleep won me over and everything faded away.