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 15

KATNISS POV

We finally make it back to the beach and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to crumple up in a ball and fall asleep. I am exhausted. The heat, the vomiting, Wiress Death…they are all wearing on my already fragile body and, as I curl up next to Peeta in the shade of some trees, my thoughts drift back to the life inside me. The life of the child I am so unsure of, the life of the child that I am worried I may have already lost.

I listen to Beetee as he begins explaining his plan. How we will use the tree and the lightening with the copper wire to destroy the remaining careers. I don't love the idea, because after that, we will all be enemies, we will all need to fight each other.

But Peeta seems completely engaged in the plan, only breaking his trance to shoot me a worried look every few minutes. I know he is not just worried about me, he is worried about the baby as well. The way his eyes linger on my still flat stomach tell me so.

He has every right to be worried. I can feel my body on the verge of complete physical exhausted, and I don't know how another life, so fragile as the one I am carrying, could survive this stress.

I silently wonder if I have already cost the baby its life. The baby I love but am unsure I truly want, the baby that is part of Peeta, the baby that Peeta deserves. Peeta would have been a great father; it seems so unfair he will be denied the privilege. Assuming the child is still alive and I survive the arena to give birth, it will be at the cost of Peeta's life. If Peeta survives, he still will never meet the child because the child will die with me. It seems so unfair.

"Katniss, are you in agreement?" Beetee's voice pulls me from my thoughts and then I realize all eyes are on me. The group is clearly waiting for something from me.

"Sorry, what?" I ask. I truly have no idea what they need from me.

"Do you agree? To the plan tonight?" Beetee asks.

I look to Peeta for confirmation. Truth be told, I have hardly been listening to the plan. I have the basic understanding of it, but I rely on Peeta to tell me if I should agree.

Peeta nods carefully.

I take a deep breath and nod back at him before looking to Beetee. "Yes, I agree."

"Excellent…so we will leave in a few hours then," Beetee seems satisfied.

I swallow hard, realizing I agreed to do something in a few hours that I do not even fully understand. Worse, if it does work, there is a good chance our alliance will be the only Tributes left. That is dangerous.

PEETA POV

I can tell Katniss is uneasy about the plan that Beetee has come up with, and if I weren't in on the plan for the Rebellion, I would be too, because it would mean that we would all want to kill one another after the Career's are killed. Fortunately, Haymitch has kept me in the loop and I am desperately depending on Beetee's plan working, so I can get Katniss and our child out of here safely.

"Want to sit by the water?" Katniss asks after silence falls over the group huddled under the trees on the shore.

I look at her, and can tell she just wants some alone time; probably to talk everything over, and so I nod, standing and helping her to her feet.

We walk a few yards down the beach, away from the group, until Katniss is certain nine of them can here us. Then she sits down and motions for me to follow.

"I don't like Beetee's plan, Peeta. Its too dangerous," Katniss says quietly.

I try not to smile at how well I know Katniss. I knew this would be a concern of hers, and a valid one if I didn't know that the point of the plan was to get Katniss out alive.

"Katniss…they have kept us safe this far. We need to take out the careers," I remind her.

"Right, but then what?" She leans closer to me. "Then we take out each other. They will come for us."

"I won't let them," I tell her and pull her close, kissing her forehead, and wanting so badly to tell her that they will not touch her, that they want to keep her and our unborn child as safe as I do. But I can't; not now. That would risk the President knowing too much.

"Peeta…" Katniss says softly.

I sigh and pull the medallion that Effie made me for the arena from around my neck. I had her make it before I knew Katniss was pregnant, before I knew the plan, but it still holds some value. Katniss will make it out of this arena no matter what. My hope is that I will be with her, but I know there is a chance that won't happen and that is a chance I have already accepted.

"You mean everything to me, Katniss. You will get out of here…because you are strong…because your family needs you…" I fiddle with the medallion in my hand and then add, "Because our baby needs you."

"Peeta, this baby needs you too," Katniss tells me and I can hear a softness in her voice that is rare. She only speaks to Prim in this manner.

"Its not the same," I say.

"Of course it is," She fights me.

I chuckle at her, trying to make light of the situation. "First off…without you that baby won't be born," I point to her stomach. "And second, a child would be more then lucky to have you…"

"I'll need you," Katniss tells me in a whisper, and then adds, "I already do. I can't do this alone."

"You won't be alone," I tell her and hand her the locket. I watch as she opens it and looks shocked at the three pictures I have chosen for it; one of Prim, one of her mother, and one of Gale. I let her soak the images in and then continue.

"You will never really be alone, Katniss. Even if I am not with you, a part of me will be," I motion to her stomach. "And your family will be, and they need you, and you have a future with them."

Katniss looks up at me with tears forming in her eyes. I can only blame the hormones or her acting has just gotten better. "No, I need you."

I try to protest, but am cut off with her lips crashing down on mine, and it feels so different then it did when we were faking our love story for the Capitol. This kiss feels real, more real then even the fleeting kisses on the night we conceived our child. This is the best kiss I have ever shared with Katniss and the last memory that will play in my head if I do die tonight.

KATNISS POV

I listen to Peeta's speech after he hands me the locket, but it only angers me. I need him; I need him to be with me and I will be broken without him. I realize that now, as he tries to softly say goodbye to me. I cannot do this without Peeta.

"No, I need you," I tell Peeta as tears form in my eyes. I cannot lose him. I don't think he has a clue how important he is to me.

Peeta goes to argue with me. I can see it coming, so I stop him. I crush his lips with mine, the only way to keep him quiet, and am surprised when I feel such a strong warmth creeping up from my core. The same warmth I felt a few days ago, when I realized my feelings for Peeta were complicated.

I kiss him until I need to come up for air, but even then it doesn't seem long enough. I look into his eyes, the blue eyes I hope our child manages to inherit, and I realize just how lost I would be without him. Baby or not, Peeta is an integral part of my life now. I need him maybe even more then I thought I needed Gale.

"We should just go, Peeta. We can still go now and be safe," I try one last time.

Peeta shakes his head. "We are safer where we are for now. We will be the first to get out of there when we need to."

I don't understand why Peeta doesn't want to listen to me or why he is being so stubborn. I need him to listen to me and decide to use the ultimate leverage against him.

"For the baby. Help me keep the baby safe," I don't even feel guilty using the child I am still so unsure of against Peeta. I am coming around to the idea of the baby, and certainly want to keep it safe, but at the same time, its so foreign to me it doesn't seem real, and I don't mind using it to get my way.

"Katniss…" Peeta starts.

"Please, Peeta. Think about the baby," I try one more time and actually hear the desperation in my own voice; I hope he does too.

Peeta seems to contemplate my words for a split second but then shakes his head. "I am thinking about the baby. Just trust me on this. We will be okay."

For the first time in my life, I feel like I have lost a battle to Peeta. This is the first he doesn't ultimately give me my way and I have to respect that, so eventually I nod.

"Do you have a plan?" I ask.

Peeta nods and pulls me closely, kissing my forehead and wrapping one hand around my still flat stomach. I am hardly a week pregnant; I don't know why he expects to find at my waist yet.

Still, I can feel he is trying to show me he will protect this baby and me and so I nod against his lips. I just hope he really does have a plan and I hope it is a good one, because we will need it when the careers are gone.

PEETA POV

I keep my arms wrapped firmly around Katniss even after I feel her nod against my lips. I know this is her way of accepting the plan to stay with the other tribute, and I am glad because I know that is essential to our rescue, to the rebellions plan.

"Trust me," I whisper against her forehead.

"I do," Katniss tells me and I can hear in her voice that she really does. I feel her relax against me and realize that this feels so real. The kiss did too, like she actually wanted to do it, rather then just for the cameras.

Part of me allows myself to think this is the case. It would be nice to know Katniss does have a deeper level of feeling for me aside from her ally, and the father of the child she is carrying but doesn't really want. I don't blame her for that, but I know deep down, whether she wants that baby or not, she will love it just the same when it gets her.

Katniss sighs in my grasp and I look down to see her eyes slightly closed.

"Tired?" I ask.

Katniss looks up at me and pouts. "Stupid hormones."

I smile when I see her smile slightly. It is so rare to get a smile out of Katniss ever, yet she always seems to be able to at the most stressful of times, like in the middle of an arena. This is just another part of Katniss I love. Despite what others may think, she does have a sense of humor.

"I'm sorry. I think those may be my fault," I tease her.

"Well, you certainly helped," She teases back, leaning back into my chest.

I relax, holding her there. I want to keep her like this forever, safe in my arms, and I do, until Beetee tells us its time to start hiking toward the tree. And with this final direction from Beetee I realize it is only a matter of hours until Katniss, and hopefully me, are safe somewhere with Haymitch and the other rebels.