Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Peeta's lie about Katniss' pregnancy is tested by the Capitol, leaving the Lethal Lovers only one option going into the Quarter Quell.

CHAPTER 5

KATNISS POV

The weight of the doctor's words hit me like a ton of bricks, though I don't know why I am completely surprised. Wasn't the point for me to get pregnant? Wasn't that what I wanted?

However, now that it is official it seems too much. My hand is shaking, no my entire body is shaking. I want to pass out, the only reason I don't is because the look of utter disbelief on Snow's face is keeping me connected to the situation.

I can't look as surprised as I feel or Snow will know this was all just a ploy to end the Games. I need to look like I knew this all along, that I am…happy.

I feel Peeta's hand grasp mine and it steadies me. I don't feel so uneasy on my feet now. Its as if he is the rock that holds me in place. Maybe he is that rock; maybe he always has been.

"Well…this is…news…" Snow finally manages out.

"No it isn't. It was news when I told Caesar. Now…its just repetitive…" Peeta speaks up.

My watery eyes turn in disbelief to Peeta. I have never heard such defiance in his voice and it frightens me. I don't need Snow to hate him too right now.

Snow seems equally surprised by Peeta's words and seems to be formulating a response.

"Can we go now? I'd like to make sure Katniss gets some rest…" Peeta says, the same tone in his voice.

"I…suppose…after all, this is something we will need to discuss," Snow dismisses us with a wave.

I am grateful Peeta got us out of there as quickly as he did. I feel like I am going to throw up and I am happy to take the steady hand he offers on my back as he guides me out of the room.

The second we step out, more reporters and cameras are in our face. I blink in shock at the noise and can feel my eyes well up with tears. I don't want to answer any questions; I don't want to think right now.

Again, I am lucky to have Peeta, because he fields any question that comes our way as he directs me toward the elevator.

"So, is the baby official now?" Someone asks.

"President Snow knows Katniss is pregnant now, yes…" Peeta responds.

"Any names picked out?" Someone else asks. Such a trivial question in my mind.

"Not yet…just enjoying the last few moments we have as a family…" Peeta responds. I think this is brilliant. Pull at their heartstrings; remind them that we are still expected to go into the Games right now.

Finally, we make it to the elevator and Peeta holds up our intertwined hands and gets cheers from the crowd. Then he closes the door to the elevator, hits the number twelve and up we shoot.

I lean against the elevator wall, my eyes closed, when I realize Peeta is still holding my hand, or rather I am clinging to his hand.

"Katniss…" Peeta says cautiously.

A single tear falls down my cheek.

"Katniss…" Peeta's voice has a hint of worry in it, but it seems far away.

My legs feel weak. I open my eyes to see that I am no longer standing, but rather sliding down the elevator wall, and Peeta is lumbering quickly towards me.

Then everything goes black.

PEETA POV

I watch Katniss' body slide down the wall of the elevator and her arms go limp next to her. I lung forward, trying to wake her. I can feel my heart beating through my chest.

"Katniss! Katniss!" I try to shake her awake.

She has passed out.

"Katniss!" I shake her once more.

The elevator door opens and Effie and Haymitch are both standing their shocked.

"What happened?" Effie gasps.

"She passed out…" I say, gathering Katniss in my arms without hesitation and move out of the elevator, toward her room.

"Call a doctor!" Effie calls out.

"NO!" I scream at the avox who is about to do Effie's bidding. "No Capitol doctors! She is fine…I'll handle it…"

I don't want a single Capitol doctor looking at Katniss right now. It's an internal feeling, to protect what is mine and right now Katniss and the child inside of her are mine.

I move into Katniss' room and gently place her on the bed.

Haymitch is on my heels.

"So I take it she is pregnant…" Haymitch jokes.

I glare at him.

"She was probably in shock…she will be fine…" Haymitch offers.

"Here…" I hear Cinna's voice.

I turn to see Cinna carrying a small white tub of something. He hands it to me.

"What is this?" I look the tub over.

"Just…get it on Katniss' tongue. It will wake her gradually…" Cinna says.

I cock an eyebrow at the Capitol medication. I don't trust it.

Cinna seems to understand me, and I get now why Katniss cares so much about him. He reads people well. "Trust me. It's safe…it will regulate her blood sugar and let her gradually come out of this. I would never give it to her if it wasn't safe."

I trust Cinna and so I gently open Katniss' mouth and pour the liquid onto her tongue.

"That's it?" I ask.

Cinna nods.

I relax a little and just hope Katniss comes out of this soon. We need to talk. I feel awful that this is happening to her.

As I pull a chair up next to Katniss' bed and take her clammy hand in mine, Effie comes into the room.

"Haymitch! You are being called downstairs…they want to discuss the Games!" Effie says, a hint of happiness in her voice.

I am surprised. I knew they would want to discuss the ramifications of Katniss' pregnant state on the Games, but I didn't think they would do it so suddenly. This gives me some hope. Maybe, by the time Katniss wakes up I will be able to tell her we are going home with our child on the way and her pregnancy wouldn't be a total waste.

I hate thinking of it that way, because deep down, I know I always wanted children with Katniss. But we are too young, and this is not what she wants. Still, it's happening, and I am hoping we can make the best of it. What I do know is, I love Katniss and I will love this baby.

KATNISS POV

I slowly open my eyes but the light seems far too bright and I quickly roll away from it, only to find Peeta slumped in a chair on the side of my bed. His hand is clutched tightly around mine and I realize he is asleep.

Suddenly, images of the last thing I remember come flooding back. The elevator, the cameras, Snow…I'm pregnant.

On instinct, my hand moves out of Peeta's grip and flicks to my flat stomach. My movement has woken up Peeta.

"Katniss?" Peeta's voice is groggy but he seems relieved to see me.

"What happened?" I ask softly.

"You passed out…yesterday…" Peeta sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looks so much older, all of the sudden, the stubble on his chin growing in.

I breath uneasy, I don't know what to say.

"Do you feel okay?" Peeta doesn't let the silence get between us.

"I…I think so…" I move my limbs. Everything feels fine.

"Good…I was a little worried…" Peeta says, his eyes darting quickly to my stomach before he looks back at my eyes.

Suddenly, seeing those blue eyes is too much and I feel some tears in my eyes. Instantly, it all seems like too much. I am pregnant with his child, a child that could have those same beautiful eyes. A child I don't really want.

"Katniss…please…" Peeta moves to wipe a tear off my cheek which only makes me cry harder.

"I'm really…I'm…" I can't bring myself to say the word.

"You're pregnant…" Peeta's hand drops from my face as he finishes my sentence. His eyes divert to his own hands and I know he feels guilty. "I'm sorry…"

"Peeta…" I feel the need to touch him. This isn't his fault, its something we brought on ourselves, it's a way to save our families, and I just need to keep reminding myself of that. "This isn't your fault…"

I gently take his hand in mine and he quickly looks up at me.

"It is my fault…I did this. I made up the lie, I made this happen to you," Peeta sounds angry and I am not sure if he is mad with himself or with the situation, but his anger scares me slightly. I don't usually see him like this.

"We did it to protect ourselves…and our families…" I remind him.

"And now we have another family to worry about…" Peeta looks at my stomach.

I understand what he says, and I realize he is just as torn up, confused, and upset by this pregnancy as I am. Suddenly I realize that maybe neither of us wants this baby. What an awful situation for a child that didn't get to choose.

"We will make it work," I tell him, and I can't believe I am the one who needs to comfort him now.

"Well…hopefully it does. Haymitch went down yesterday to talk about the Games now…hasn't been back since," Peeta tells me.

I consider this to be a good a good sign. If they are taking that much time to deliberate the Games then it can only be a good thing. Maybe we will actually be able to get out of these Games and go home. Then we just have a baby to worry about.

"Do you…are you hungry? I could go get some food or something…" Peeta goes to stand.

"No," I suddenly hear myself saying as I grab for his arm.

Peeta looks confused at how hard I am holding his arm. It even confuses me.

"Don't…do leave me…I don't wanna be alone," I hear myself saying, and I know it is true. Peeta calms me; I don't want to be alone right now.

"I'm going to be right here…" Peeta goes to sit back down.

But I don't want him to sit next to me. I want to feel safe and protected, like I used to when I woke up from nightmares and he was there. I move over in my bed. I know I am being selfish, and I know I am hurting Peeta because he does love me so, and he will do whatever it takes to make me comfortable and happy.

Peeta smiles at the invitation and slides into bed next to me, allowing me to cuddle up next to him. There is nothing sexual about it; he is just keeping me safe like he always seems to want to and in that moment I realize something. Maybe, someday, somehow, I can love Peeta back in some way. I don't know if it will ever be the way he loves me, but I need to try. Any life I wanted before, with Gale or alone, is now gone. This child and Peeta are my new future whether I want it or not.

PEETA POV

I am surprised when Katniss moves over in her bed and asks me to join her, but then again I know I shouldn't be. Whether she loves me or not, I know she always sleeps better when I am with her, and truth be told, so do I.

I don't hesitate, and quickly slide into the bed next to her. I wrap my arms protectively around her and allow her to nuzzle her head onto my chest. I am surprised by how tightly she holds me back.

I sit there, inhaling the scent of her shampoo for a long moment before I can still hear her uneven breathing and realize she is not asleep yet.

"We are going to be okay…" I whisper to her.

Katniss moves her head up so that her eyes are locked onto mine. Her eyes are a beautiful grey, and I hope our child has the same ones.

"I don't know how we can be…" Katniss admits.

"Because we will make it work," I tell her and I mean it. Despite how she feels about me, I know I am madly in love with her. Baby or no baby, that wouldn't change, and we both knew we would inevitably end up together. I hope some day, maybe, I can get her to like me half as much as I love her.

"I'm scared," Katniss whispers.

I chuckle a little and she sits up, instantly looking offended. I know I need to explain myself.

"Don't you think I am too?" I say.

Katniss looks confused at me for a minute but then her face seems to relax. "I guess so…"

I nod at her because its true, I am scared. I am scared that I have trapped Katniss, scared I am going to be a father, scared that all of this work might not keep us out of the Games, and worse, if it doesn't, then I know Katniss will be left alone with this baby.

"Why are you scared?" Katniss asks me softly after a long moment.

"Because…I know you don't want this…" I tell her the first, and most important reason. "And I'm scared you will hate me for this…"

Instantly, Katniss is sitting up next to me, her eyes bearing into mine. "Peeta…I'll never hate you…we knew we were on this train together, right?"

I smile at the analogy Haymitch likes to use about mine and Katniss' inevitable future together. "Right…"

"So, don't be scared about that…" Katniss settles back against my chest.

"Fine…then I am scared because…well…there's a baby coming…" I say the next thing that frightens me.

I feel Katniss move closer to me and her head nod against my chest. I know this scares her too, because its something she never wanted, and even if she had, we are so young.

"I know you don't want this—" I start again.

"Shh…" Katniss shakes her head against my chest and silences me, and I know tonight is not the night to have this conversation.

Still, I can't help but feel like we are on borrowed time. "You will be a great mother…that kid will have the best arrow shot for miles…"

I feel Katniss smile a little against me. "And be a good baker…"

"And a great trapper…" I add.

Katniss laughs a little now. "I'm not that good…"

"Better then me…this family will never go hungry," I catch myself saying before I even realize it. Instantly, I freeze, wondering if my words of family and hunger went to far.

Katniss seems uneasy for a minute but then relaxes again. "You're right…"

"We will be fine…" I tell her again.

Katniss nods now. "If it helps get us out of the Games…"

"And saves our families…" I add.

Katniss nods again.

"Plus…I think it will be a pretty good looking baby…if it takes after you," I tell her, trying to make the situation light again.

"You're not so bad looking…" I hear Katniss breath against me and I can tell she is fighting sleep.

I contemplate, but then decide to kiss the top of her head. "Get some sleep, Katniss…"

I feel her relax against me and I am just about to shut my eyes when Haymitch suddenly comes stumbling through the door, though I can tell, for once, he is not drunk.

Instantly, Katniss sits up and I let the arms I was holding her with fall as I pull myself up in bed as well.

"What?" I ask, seeing no real answer to anything in Haymitch's eyes. I know he was at the meeting over the pregnancy and the Games for hours now. He must have some news.

Suddenly, Haymitch is shaking his head, and I know whatever he is going to say I don't want to hear. I can tell Katniss feels the same way as I feel her tense next to me.

"The Games are still on…" Haymitch says sadly.

I feel as if the entire world has fallen down around me, and I go numb with anger. This is wrong, we did everything to stop this. How could they do this to us? I am so angry, I hardly notice Katniss break down into tears next to me until the bed nearly starts shaking from her sobs.

Then I remember, she is pregnant; I got her pregnant to stop this and all it did was bring another innocent life into this.

The thought of this alone makes me shake as well, but with rage, and within seconds I am lunging out of the bed, looking for anything from the Capitol that I can shatter.