Happy MLK. To celebrate, I've uploaded the chapter that I've been so stoked to upload. Yay! Hope it goes way past expectations. and if it doesn't... well...

Chapter 8

The day I've been dreading has finally crept up on me and swallowed me whole. That's how I would describe it. My secret is out. They know. They now know… I'm pregnant.

I get shot in my shoulder, inches away from my vital organs… and the baby. After I got shot, rebel soldiers backed the citizens of District Two away. I don't know if they continued fighting. I'd like to think that even though they fired at me, that person was not speaking for everyone, and that they had agreed to stop the Capitol. All I remember is being taken to the hovercraft and then seeing Gale lying on a cot beside me.

I'm at the hospital. I'm back in the same room when I was first brought to District Thirteen. They took out the bullet, and it seemed that nothing was seriously injured but when they were going to give me pain killers, Dr. Odessa had informed them of my state. Surprised? They probably all had disapproving faces. Coin wasn't there before they told my mother. I wonder what her reaction was. I wasn't awake then. When I first woke up, Dr. Odessa was there. She told me I would be okay, and about what happened in District Two. Then she told me that she told the doctors and my mother that I was pregnant. I was mad at first. Saying how she ruined my chances of saving Peeta and them in the Capitol. I got over it. It was going to happen. Dr. Odessa understood. She gave me a pickle, and left.

I was expecting a visit from my mother, but she didn't come that day. Maybe she was really upset at me, for not telling her. Maybe she thinks I didn't know. That seems unlikely, because I'm about 3 months. I did get a visit from Haymitch.

"Hey kid wake up." I open my eyes and see Haymitch by the bed. I rub my eyes and brace myself for what he has to say.

"I heard about your little situation there." He says, in a sober tone. "Didn't think you would keep it a secret forever did you?" I keep my gaze down.

"I had to." I say determinedly, but my voice sounds dry.

"To save the boy, right? You kept it a secret so nobody would stop you from marching into battle. You are a fool. You're probably crazy, but hey, people do stupid stuff for the ones they love." He says. I look at him. I'm surprised he said that. "You-love-him. This isn't just a plan that we came up with. This is all you. You're having his kid, right?"

"Yeah." I say trying to keep my voice from cracking. I slowly move a string of hair out of my face. "I do… love him."

"This was bound to happen. All he cared about was you. It would be heartless, if you didn't feel anything at all for the boy. Who am I to speak about his mushy stuff. I'll leave it to your mother." I look down at my hands. Then he gets some kind of sad expression on his face.

"It's a little bit of bad time to be having kids, isn't it?" He has a sober expression. "Just a few know about this. I got to go. I'm looking into plans. Don't get hormonal on me." He smiles a little, but I know he's still a little disappointed in me. Disappointment can make you feel really bad. Don't cry. Don't cry. I give out a sigh.

"So." I say, letting out a deep breath. "What are they going to do with me now?" Haymitch shrugs, like don't ask me.

I'm let out of the hospital and the first thing I do is find Gale. Thank goodness, he's going to be alright. He's going to be bed-ridden for a few days so he can heal. He was shot right above his heart. I reach his room and a doctor comes out of the door. He gives a polite smile and nods an "okay" for me to go in. Gale is bandaged across his chest and watches a small screen on the wall. He sees me and he smirks. I sit in a chair beside his bed.

"Hey Catnip." He says.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Like shit, but I'm okay." I laugh a little. "What happened in Two?"

"I gave a speech." I say, and he looks at me doubtfully. "Instead of listening to Boggs, I ran to an injured, armed citizen and told him to join us." He laughs. "Well, I actually said more, like how they could team up with us, and we could take down the Capitol. How there would be no more Hunger Games, and districts would be free."

"Did they listen?"

"Yes, they did. It was dead silent, until a single person shot me."

"You got shot?"

"Yes, but in the arm. Neither side went on a full attack, but I was taken to the hovercraft, so I don't know what happened after that." I say. "The whole mission was pretty successful, but for that one little part." Gale laughs a little.

"Can't laugh too much. My ribs hurt." He says smiling. I give him a sympathetic glance. I wonder if he knows about me being pregnant. No, he doesn't. He would be upset if he knew.

"I'll let you rest now. Let you heal up." I start getting up.

"Katniss," he calls. I stop in front of the door. "Next, the Capitol." He says. I nod and leave the room. I don't think I'll be going on that mission. They still are going to rescue them, right? Even if I'm not going? They'll bring them here and give them the trial. Finnick has been wanting to go. I've been wanting to go.

I'm walking slowly. Taking my sweet ol' time. I find myself in front of the small room where my mother works. Through the small window I see she's not with a patient. Before I think too much, I open the door. My mother looks up from a paper and her face saddens. She walks up to me. I don't say anything. Then, she hugs me. It's unexpected. I think. The first thing I thought to happen was to be yelled at or something. I hug her in return. I've needed this. A hug from my mother. We break away and she looks right at me

"Katniss, I'm still disappointed in you." She says.

"You have every right to be." I say. I deserved to be yelled at.

"First, the fact that you're pregnant. You weren't thinking, were you?" that was a rhetorical question because she keeps going. "Then you find out you're pregnant, and keep it a secret! Dr. Odessa keeps your secret and lets you go. Thirdly, you go on these extremely risky, dangerous missions, while you know you're pregnant! Are you crazy? You are in no condition to be in a battle." She takes a breath. "Why?" she simply asks.

"I don't understa-…"

"What was the reason that kept you from telling me and telling Plutarch and everybody involved in this whole Mockingjay business?"

"I had to keep it a secret, so I could continue to be the Mockingjay. I asked for the immunity of the tributes in exchange for me being their Mockinjay. If I didn't act on it, the immunity would be taken away. If they knew I was pregnant they would cancel the agreement, since I would have to stay in District 13." She just looks at me. What else can I say? She has to understand.

"Who knew, when Dr. Odessa told you that you were pregnant?"

"Dr. Odessa told Coin. Coin told me to not tell anyone." I say. I don't want to tell her I told Prim, or she would get in trouble too.

"That's all who knew?" I don't say anything, and she infers I didn't tell anyone else. She's probably upset at President Coin, but she's just a healer, and she can't tell the president what to do. At least not yet. "You have been taking vitamins?"
"Yes."

"Hopefully, this baby will come out healthy, and unaffected of what you have done." She says.

Days later. The news of my pregnancy is only held between important officials that have to deal with me; Coin, Boggs, I think Plutarch and Fulvia. So, people like my stylists, the crew, Finnick, and Gale and everybody else don't know. They're going to find out sooner or later. On my schedule is Command. Probably about the mission to the Capitol. I walk with Gale, who is almost completely healed, and Finnick, who is finally getting his chance. We all take seats at the large table.

"We are planning a rescue mission for the captured tributes. We do not want to start a full on battle there yet. We will be entering and leaving as undetected as we possibly can. In and out quietly." Says Boggs.

"Quietly? We can't just blow them up while we're at it?" says Finnick.

"It is a rescue mission. We want to get our targets out of there as safely as we can." He says. "We'll organize a team They'll be going through the tunnels under the building where they are being held. It shouldn't be too difficult, because the dungeons are on the lowest level."

"You're sure they're there?" Finnick asks.

"Yes, our insider intel has confirmed that they are all being held there. The insiders' cover might be blown on this mission, but it is for an important purpose."

"I have to go." I say.

"Request denied." Says Boggs. Gale and Finnick are confused as why is that.

"What do you mean she can't go?" asks Gale. "Didn't you say that we were all able?"

"I did, but due to some circumstances, she cannot go on this mission." Says Boggs. I give a glance to Coin, but she is expressionless.

"Please, let me go. My condition doesn't really affect me. The last mission I was fine." I say.

"No, Katniss." He says. "You know why." He says more softly. Gale and Finnick look at me uncomprehending of what is going on. "Gale, Finnick, you two will meet here in Command twenty-one hundred hours tomorrow." Says Boggs. President Coin does not say anything. Her expression is a mix of sternness, and discountenance. I don't know what she thinking right now. Possibly thinking about how to punish Peeta for being a traitor. When we're dismissed, I leave in front of Gale and Finnick. I walk briskly and look at my schedule for my next period. Gale and Finnick catch up to me.

"What were they talking about?" asks Gale sternly. Keep walking, keep walking. "Katniss, what were they talking about?" he says again.

"A condition." I respond.

"A condition?" He says doubting.

"I have some sort of health condition that makes Boggs thinks I'm not able in the mission."

"What kind of condition?" he asks. He's not buying it. He seems frustrated for me talking in circles. I'm trying to think of lie, but I can't. I'm trying to think of a way to say it lightly, but I can't either.

"I, I can't go because…" Ugh, this is hard.

"What is it?" he asks. I can't tell him here in the hallway. I need to get somewhere more private, or at least stall some time. I start running down the hallway.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hear Gale say behind me. Gale and Finnick run after me. Where can I go? I run till I get to my boarding cell. I go in and leave the door unlocked. If he's still determined to find out, this where I'll tell him, but if he's not coming, that's fine with me. They both come in. Gale and Finnick come in, getting fed up for trying to get an answer.

"What is it?" asks Gale.

"Katniss what's wrong?" Finnick says a little more kindly. I stand in the corner, trying get myself to say it.

"Katnis- …" Gale says in a raised voice. He won't let me think! He's yelling.

"I'm pregnant!" I shout. I walk a few steps back and rub my forehead. Why did I shout at him? He was only asking.

"I'm sorry for shouting." I say. There, I said it. I feel terrible. Gale is shocked and so is Finnick.

"You're…" Gale brows furrow together.

"Yes, I'm pregnant." My voice lowers with each word. "They found out when I was admitted to the hospital for the gunshot wound." I say softly. Finnick cocks his head to one side. Finnick glances at Gale then at me.

"It's Peeta's, isn't it?" asks Gale. I nod. He crosses his arms over his chest and doesn't look me in eye.

"Did you find out then?" Finnick asks. I shake my head. "So, you've kept it a secret this whole time?" asks Finnick.

"Yes, so I could go on the missions and keep the agreement with Coin." Finnick nods in comprehension, but he looks sadly at me. I did it for Peeta, but also for Johanna, and Annie. Finnick is unsure if he should leave me alone with Gale, who's about to explode. I motion for Finnick to go ahead and leave. He nods sympathetically and closes the door after him. Here we go.

"I don't get it." Says Gale

"Get what?"

"You're forced to be with him, then almost marry him, and then you go have a baby with him? You didn't want to get married or have children. You said you weren't in love with him."

"I do."

"You do what, Katniss?"

"I do, love him." I say for the first time confidently. Gale gives a sad chuckle.

"You're fooling yourself. You're having his baby, and telling yourself that you love him. Would you love him if you weren't forced to be together and having his baby?"

"Yes, I would be. He loves me, and though it took me awhile to really figure that out, I realized I share that same feeling, that I couldn't live on without him."

"I hope, for your sake that what you're saying is true. If it's not, then you really screwed up." He walks out and slams the door. I sit on the bed. I don't cry, because I'm sure what I said is true. I should be upset about probably losing my best friend. It's probably selfish to think he'll still go on that rescue mission. I try to make myself feel better, by telling myself that I had to tell him sooner and later, and that his anger will subside. I lift my shirt a little and put my hand where the baby is supposed to be.

"We're causing a lot of trouble, me and you."

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- cheezebuns