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 11

KATNISS POV

I am grasping onto Peeta. I feel safe in his arms. He always knows what to say to make me feel better, though deep down I still feel responsible for Mags' death. I allow myself to relax for a second and close my eyes. However, when I open them, a pair of yellow eyes is glaring at me.

More eyes pairs seem to come out from the forest. I shift my eyes, and see wild beast emerge. Mutts.

"Peeta…back up slowly," I say.

Peeta shift his head and he sees the monkeys as well.

"What…" Peeta hardly gets out.

One monkey jumps down and snarls at Peeta, bearing his teeth. I instantly back up, pulling my arrow into my bow. Without hesitation, Finnick is on my side with his trident.

"Peeta…back up…very slowly," Finnick instructs the same as I already have.

Peeta does so, moving as carefully as he can but it doesn't seem to be any use. In a second the monkeys are bearing down on us.

And we fit. Finnick with his trident, Peeta with his machete, me with my bow. We fight like hell.

I take two mutt monkey's out, but it doesn't matter, more seem to keep coming through the forest.

I glance over to see Peeta fighting off two at once. I arch my bow to take one out. Peeta glances back at me and seems to see something behind me.

"Run, Katniss! Through the trees!" Peeta orders.

I am slightly confused, but only for a moment. Just long enough for Peeta to sprint toward me, taking my arm and pulling me forward; then we are off.

I am aware that Finnick is behind me, beating the mutts off as Peeta pulls me forward.

And suddenly we are back on the sand, exposed to the center of the arena just as the sun begins bursting through the trees.

"They're gone," I hear Finnick gasp behind me. I can tell he is tired.

I turn to see the mutts have stayed in the tree line, as if they cannot come onto the sand. It is strange, but I am too tired and hot to be concerned with it now.

"We're safe," Peeta gives me a small grin.

I smile back, but what is behind him looks too perfect to ignore, and every part of my body aches. I can't tell if it's from the last day or if its from the pregnancy. The second part has skipped my thoughts until now. It seems I can only remember I am carrying Peeta's child when my own life isn't in direct danger. Some mother I will make.

I move past Peeta and wade into the water. The Cornucopia is a couple hundred yards from me, and it looks much bigger then it did before, but I hardly pay attention to it, as I let the salt water move over my torn up skin. It feels so soothing.

PEETA POV

A few hours have passed since the fog and mutt attack and I am so happy we are all okay. We lost Mags and I know Katniss carries that burden, but she shouldn't. I am certain Mags knew what she was doing. After all, she knew the plan. She knew she needed to protect Katniss.

I sit in the shade of the tree line with Katniss next to me. Both of us relax as we watch Finnick spear us a few fish to eat. I am not extremely happy about giving Katniss raw fish, since I am certain raw meet is not good for anyone, let alone pregnant women, but I know I have no choice. It may be the only food we have for awhile.

"What are you thinking about?" Katniss asks.

I glance over to see her watching me curiously. It makes me smile; I know she doesn't mean it, but her curious look is identical to her suspicious look, the same look she gave me after she tried to kill me, when Haymitch tried to explain me saying I had a crush on her made her desirable in the first Hunger Games. I think she looks beautiful when she looks at me like that.

"Peeta?" Katniss asks.

I realize I have not answered her. I clear my throat and motion to Finnick. "Thinking about how I am not excited for you to eat raw fish."

Katniss makes a funny face at me and if we were anywhere else, I would chuckle a little, but we are in an arena, and I am serious about what I am saying.

"Because of the baby…" I explain finally.

Katniss' face flushes red and she glances down at her stomach, as if she forgot about the baby until now.

"Right…" Katniss finally manages out and then takes a deep breath, as if she wants to continue.

"What?" I finally ask.

"I doubt raw fish will be the biggest problem," Katniss finally says.

It's my turn to make a funny face in my own confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I've been dehydrated, attacked by mutts, nearly suffocated by poisonous fog, and fallen more times then I can count…I don't think I am doing a very good job of keeping this baby safe," Katniss admits.

I can't help it. I am shocked. Katniss actually looks like she is genuinely concerned; concerned about the child I know she doesn't want. The one I forced onto her in a last ditch effort to save her life.

I reach my hand out; taking hers in mine. I can feel how calloused it is, and I am certain the top is scabbed up from the poisonous fog.

"You're doing fine," I tell her. I think she is doing the best she can, and I don't want her to feel guilty if something happens. It will be out of her control.

"I love it," Katniss mumbles.

"What?" I am not sure if I have heard her right.

Katniss hesitates and bites her lip before she looks up at me, as if she has just lost a battle.

"I love it…the baby," Katniss admits.

I smile at her. I can't help it. I knew eventually she would love the child, whether she was happy or scared or concerned, I was never worried she wouldn't love it. She may not have wanted it, but I was certain she would love it anyway.

Its her nature. She might not agree, but she is nurturing and she likes to take care of people. She took care of Prim nearly her whole life, she took care of her mother when she was sick, she took care of Rue before she lost her life, she takes care of Haymitch and watches his drinking, she takes care of Gale's family and hunts when he cannot, and she takes care of me.

Not just in the arena. Certainly, Katniss saved my life, but she also took care of me; she still does. She is protective of those she cares for, and this baby will be one of them as well.

However, to hear her say she loves it already lifts a huge weight off of me. I was so worried she would hold a grudge against me for getting her in this situation, and the child because it is a direct product of me, and the game the Capitol continues to play with both of us.

But she loves it, which means it is all the more important that she survives. She loves the baby, and they will live a long life together, even if I am not with them.

"What?" Katniss breaks my train of thought.

I glance back at her, realizing I have just been smiling for the last minute without a word.

"I knew you would love it," I tell her. "And you are going to get a chance to watch this baby grow…and it is going to love you just as much."

Katniss gives a small laugh, but I can see a few tears forming in her eyes.

'Yeah…well…assuming I don't screw up as a mother…" Katniss says.

"Impossible. I've seen you with people around you…you're a natural protector and you are a nurturer. You are going to be amazing," I tell her and mean every word.

"You will be too…" Katniss tells me, with a few tears in her eyes.

I just nod, because I can't promise her I will be there. I want to be but I can't promise it.

Katniss is then wiping a few tears from her face. "You will."

"Even if I'm not…you are going to be incredible," I tell her what I want her to hear, what I need her to hear. "You are going to make it…and you are going to be incredible."

A few more tears fill her eyes. "Don't talk like that…I can't imagine any of it without you."

I never imagined I would hear those words from Katniss. I know how she feels about me and how she feels about Gale. I have always been in second place, and I am okay with it if she is happy. So to her she doesn't imagine her life without me now is unbelievable. I practically need to pinch myself to believe her, but then quickly remember where we are. She could be saying all of these for the cameras, to keep up the act, but if she is, her acting certainly has gotten better because I am struggling to tell the difference.

And then she surprises me again and leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

I feel myself to rigid, and I can't tell if her kiss is for the cameras or for real. I want to ask her, but don't get the chance as Finnick comes up with a few fish on the end of his trident.

KATNISS POV

"You are going to make it…and you are going to be incredible," Peeta tells me as we sit in the sand and talk about our potential as parents.

And tears swell in my eyes, and I hate it. Stupid hormones. I have never cried like this in my life.

"Don't talk like that…" I tell Peeta because I don't want him to give up so easily. I don't want him to talk like he is already gone. The truth is, I need him, more then I ever realized before and I need him to know that, so I tell him the truth. "I can't imagine any of this without you."

And I mean it. I can't see my life without Peeta anymore. I don't even remember life without having him by my side. I need him, and I can't go on this adventure of parenthood without him.

Peeta looks like he wants to retort and say something that will only make me cry more, so I decide to stop him. I kiss him on the cheek to keep him quiet; I kiss him to let him know my words are true, I kiss him because I want to.

I feel him go rigid, and it makes me feel awful. He probably thinks the kiss is an act for the cameras, but it isn't. I want to tell him that, but I don't get the chance.

"Fish?" Finnick is walking up the beach with a few fish on the end of his trident.

Peeta and I slide away from each other a little as Finnick enters our circle.

"Don't make me break you two lovebirds up…" Finnick gives us a toothy grin.

I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Despite the fact that the entire world has seen Peeta and I kiss, I still get embarrassed in front of people who are actually in our physical presence even if it is only a kiss on the cheek.

PEETA POV

I watch Katniss cautiously bite into the raw fish. I wanted to cook them, but we all knew making a fire on the beach was too big of a risk. Still, I am nervous about what raw fish can do to Katniss' stomach, or the baby.

I see, after a few bites, she looks a bit pale and it worries me.

"Katniss…are you okay?" I ask.

She glances up at me and nods, but I don't believe her. "Just trying to get the fish to sit in my stomach."

I knew it wasn't good for her, and I am worried she is going to throw up her food, which I know she needs to keep herself healthy.

"Try and keep it down," I tell her, gently patting her shoulder.

She cocks an eyebrow but nods and I am instantly embarrassed by my action. Of course Katniss knows how important it is to keep her food down. She has spent half her life starving; she knows better then to throw up anything.

I want to apologize, but I don't have time as a huge rumbling comes across the lake from us.

All three of us move our attention across the lake and see a huge wave coming through the tress, onto the lake and crashing against the Cornucopia.

A few seconds later a cannon goes off. A tribute has died in the wave.

"What was that?" Finnick asks as he stands.

I join him, as the water level rising on our side of the lake from the wave. "No idea."

And then, another sound startles me just as much as the sound of the wave crashing did.

I turn to see Katniss throwing up the fish she had just eaten.

Instantly, I am at her side, rubbing circles on her back as she tosses up the last of the nutrients I am certain she had.

"Katniss…" I whisper softly.

She just puts a hand up and I hold my breath until I can tell she is certain she is done being sick. She then wipes her mouth and sighs.

"Sorry…" Katniss mumbles.

"Maybe fish weren't the best idea," Finnick says from behind us.

I turn to glare at him, but realize he is genuine in his word and he looks as if he feels terrible about catching us the fish in the first place, which he shouldn't. It was still some nutrients.

"Are you okay?" I sit down next to her and notice Finnick walk back to the water.

Katniss nods and takes a small amount of water I offer her. She carefully sips it out of a shell I have been using as a cup, clearly wanting to make sure she doesn't throw that up as well.

"I need to eat something," Katniss says after a long moment.

I nod. I know she doesn't, and the fact that she is worried about her nutrients worries me.

"We will find you something you can keep down," I tell her.

Katniss gives me a tight smile but I know she does not believe me. I know she knows as much as I do; food is scarce.

And just when I am about to start a fire despite Katniss and Finnicks wishes to properly cook the food for Katniss, I am surprised by a familiar beeping down.

Finnick hears it too, and rushes toward a sponsor gift that has just landed.

"What is it?" Katniss asks, peaking her head around my shoulder as I am blocking her view from Finnick.

"Its from my District," Finnick opens the box and grins madly. "Biscuits!"

I feel my grin shifting from ear to ear as I see Finnick lift a tiny, slightly green tinted, roll from the box and tossing it to Katniss, who nibbles at it cautiously but is able to keep it down. Suddenly, I feel renewed; someone out there has taken the time to make sure Katniss eats properly, someone who I am certain is connected to Haymitch and the entire upcoming rebellion.

KATNISS POV

The bread goes down and stays down much easier then the raw fish, but I am still worried. I know there is no way I am getting enough nutrition to keep the baby healthy. The thought of worrying about the baby almost seems absurd. Only days earlier I was angry I was pregnant. Now, I am worried I am slowly killing the baby; Peeta's baby.

I am not sure what changed my mind about the baby, and I am not even sure if it is completely changed or if I just don't want to give Snow the power to take something else away from me. Either way, I don't think it will matter. Even if somehow I do make it out of here, which if I have any say, Peeta will walk out instead of me, I don't think the baby will make it.

I have already put its little life through far too much and we have hardly been in the Games for two days. If this continues to go on, there is no way the baby will make it anyway.

"Feel better?" Peeta's voice breaks me from my thoughts.

I glance up to see him offering me his piece of bread.

"No, Peeta…you eat," I immediately say.

Peeta shakes his head and places it in my hand. "I kept my fish down…plus, I want to give the baby something."

I blush at his mention of the baby and divert my eyes to the bread in his hand, which I do take. This is the second time Peeta has offered me bread that has kept me full. I will always continue to owe him.

The three of us remain silent, and I keep my eyes on the sand, when again, Peeta breaks my attention.

"Look," Peeta says, and I can tell he is smiling even before I lift my eyes.

I glance over to see him grinning and holding out a tiny pearl. It is beautiful.

"Came from the clam," Finnick says, motioning to the shell in Peeta's hand.

Peeta nods, clams are not something we saw much of in District 12 and Peeta seems mesmerized by the pearl. "Do they all have them?"

Finnick grins and shakes his head. "No, only the special ones."

Peeta then swings the pearl in my direction. "For you."

I blush a deeper shade of red then before but take the pearl. It is beautiful, just like Peeta. "Thank you."

Peeta seems satisfied that I have taken the gift, and just as the silence begins to fall in, we hear rustling down the beach and voices.

Instantly, all three of us our on our feet, weapons drawn, to see who is coming onto the beach.

It is Johanna, and she is followed by Wiress and Beetee. The three of them stumble onto the beach and appear to be covered in blood. None of them have seen us yet and I am certain we can get away without being noticed.

That is, until Finnick starts screaming.

"Johanna!" Finnick yells, flagging down his arms and running toward the new group on the beach.

"Finnick!" Johanna seems equally as happy to see Finnick.

I, however, am cautious. I don't particularly enjoy Johanna's company and don't trust her, despite what Haymitch says about her.

"Looks like we have more allies," Peeta seems far too eager to join the new ranks on the beach.

I reach out and grab him before he can run off after Finnick. "Can we even trust them?"

"You said you wanted Wiress and Beetee as allies," Peeta reminds me.

I want to argue, but I know Peeta is right. I did say that. Still, it doesn't make me trust Finnick or Johanna any more then I did before, and the fact that Peeta gladly runs toward them, only makes me wonder about his ability to trust.

I follow Peeta out of instinct to keep him safe, my bow drawn in case I need to fire it.