I'm not going to waste time chatting. Quick, start reading! (PS: I know she doesn't know what Cra-Z glue is, but it seemed funnier so just pretend for me, okay?)
My eyelids had felt like they had been Cra-Z glued shut, and my stomach felt like it had been cut open by a saw and sewn back shut with a rusty needle. It took all of my eyelids' strength to peel them open and glance around.
Peeta was crouching next to my hospital bed, holding my hand to his face and had his eyes closed tightly. He looked as if he was the one in pain, but I knew that was because of me.
I opened my mouth and through my swollen throat, I croaked, "Is he okay?"
Peeta raised his agonized blue eyes up to mine slowly as if he knew I was awake and said, "I should… get the doctor."
"Peeta, tell me!" My throat was burning really bad, but it was all I could do to not scream. "Is he okay?"
"I don't… know. I'm going to get the doctor." He let go of my hand and disappeared through the door.
A few minutes later, Dr. Longarden strode in and sat on his doctor stool with a bad-news look on. "Katniss, I am going to cut to the chase and be blunt with you about this. Is that okay with you?"
It is always good to get the pregnant ladies' permission before saying something. "Yes."
Peeta stood beside me and took my hand. I could feel his was shaking. Peeta wasn't nearly this messed-up when I had learned my baby was a muttation, but now he was acting as though the doctor had told him it was his true destiny to become a ninety-year-old lady.
"That was a very close call to death, Ms. Everdeen." The doctor began. "The umbilical cord had wrapped around the infants' neck and had nearly asphyxiated it. Luckily the operation was done when it was, or else you would have lost the child."
The trembling in Peeta's hands had stopped, but I could tell he was still very frightened.
"Here's the catch, though…" Dr. Longarden leaned forward on his elbows. "The way everything is positioned, this will continue to happen and the next time it does, you won't be as lucky."
"So what are you saying?" my eyelid twitched.
"I am saying it might be necessary to remove this child before the due date so nothing tragic will happen."
"You mean kill him?" My voice rose and I was rewarded with a stab of pain through my abdomen.
"No. I mean remove this child before the due date." The doctor said exactly what he did just a few second ago. "By C-Section."
My lip stated to tremble and I felt hysteria rising in my chest, but I fought it down. "But I need time to prepare! I need clothes, and-and-and…." A tear fell from my left eye and spattered onto the blanket.
"You have the option of aborting it." Dr. Longarden suggested.
No. I refused to let anyone touch my baby with intentions other than… happiness and… life. "How many days do I have to make my decision?"
"I cannot answer that. Only time can. The sooner the better, though." He looked at his watched and glanced at the door. "You will be released in an hour under medications."
I pouted and sank down into the covers as the doctor exited the room. I looked over at Peeta through the tears in my eyes and all I saw was a blurry shape with blond hair, but I think he looked sad, too.
"I'm so sorry, Katniss." he said softly, not looking me in the eye. "I wouldn't have done that if I had known what would have happened."
"It's not your fault so stop saying that it is." I snapped at him, but felt sorry and redeemed myself. "It would have happened if I hadn't have hugged you."
He laughed bitterly. "Who knew a hug could be so fatal?"
"Stop that." I ordered him. "Stop being so pessimistic."
Peeta looked up at me. "Well, I'm not going to be put through that again. We have to do something fast about the baby or you are going to be put in even more danger."
"It's not my life I'm worried about." I said quietly. Maybe my voice was meant to be apologetic or concerned, but it came out as argumentative. "I'm going to have him taken out early, Peeta. And I want your help with preparing things."
Peeta inhaled slowly. "I will do anything you want me to. What do we need to get done?"
"We need to get clothes and some place for him to…sleep…" An idea dawned on me when I said that. An idea I think Peeta had, too.
"…The astronomy lab." Yup. Peeta had the same idea as I did.
"Can I put you in charge of getting that ready?" I worried that it was too much to ask of him, but Peeta seemed fine with it.
"Of course. What will you be doing?"
"I am sure there are some types of vendors here. People have to get new clothes from somewhere. I will find those vendors and get supplies and clothes and such. I know Mother has some money saved from district 12 because it was in her pocket when the bombing started."
"Please don't over-work yourself. Get someone to help you." Peeta begged. I could see he was really concerned about my safety, but he didn't have to be.
"Don't worry, Peeta. I will." I smiled a little bit and brushed a bit of hair from Peeta's face to show how completely unworried I was. But the truth was, I worried a lot. After all, I only had three days.
HA! I bet you didn't see that one coming! That's okay. Neither did I to be honest. I only came up with the idea at the beginning of this chapter. You guys said you wanted the chapters longer, so the next one will be longer, okay? I hope you got the whole "after all, I only had three days" thing. In her dream, Madge said "Save him or lose him. Three days" So that means at the end of three days the baby will die if she doesn't get it out. OO I just told you a major part of my story. I hope you are happy. That's okay. Karen8tor, thank you again for the awesomeawsomeawesome idea of the astronomy lab! It is going to be a nursery and it is all thanks to you for that idea! See you next chapter! -TheSoggyBug