A/N - Well howdy, howdy, howdy! I told you I'd be busy this week (and coming week). I am S-O, SO SORRY about not getting this chapter up sooner... PLEASE forgive me! But... The long awaited Chapter 17 is here! YAY! And FINALLY! Again, I feel horrible for the long delay, I never like being an author that leaves a story hanging. ALSO: I pretty much didn't get to squeeze any of the preview I gave you from the previous chapter. I can 100 and 10% guarantee you it will be in the next Chapter(18).

Also, the story will start to begin.. what's the word... Picking up some. Instead of writing day-by-day like I do most of the time.. I'm going to start to let weeks pass, not right away though.. don't worry! I GOT THIS ;)

REMINDER: I will NOT be able to update, write much OR post until next week. I am COMPLETELY busy June 17th through the 22nd! I apologize AGAIN for more delays! I promise, after this it's SUMMER writing for me! :D

Anywho, this chapter isn't my best but I tried with having a busy schedule. Again, Chapter 18 will be up next week, I'm estimating it Monday-Tuesday the 23rd-24th. Sorry again! But for now.. ENJOY Chapter 17. You may have to reread Chapter 16. Check the Facebook page for updates. I LOVE reviews! MUCH love - Macayla

Run.

I'm running. Fast, holding something in my shaky hands. The rain pounds my face, mixing with my sweat and tears. There's others, running alongside me. But where am I running to and why? I follow the mass of people…

The mines.

That's where. Just as the group of people I'm with approaches the mine entrance,

An explosion.

We can hear it.

Then another.

Suddenly I hear a baby cry, my baby. In my arms. I fall to the ground,

screaming Gale's name.

I wake up screaming. Not Gale's name, but screaming. Opening my eyes doesn't help the darkness, it's not yet morning.

"Gale!?" I say, expecting that my screaming woke him up.

No answer.

I panic.

I shout his name again and still no answer. Squinting through the darkness doesn't help, I get up, easing myself to the couch and feel for him. Gone.

It was just a dream, Katniss.

It was a dream. It wasn't real. But I need to see Gale, feel him to know it's true. Where in the hell is he? The back of my head nags with the word, 'dead'.

It was just a dream, Katniss. Just a damn dream.

I shout his name yet again, thinking somehow he'll hear me, where ever he is. He always wake's up and comforts me during a nightmare, stroking my hair until I fall back asleep. Nightmares that seem to be more repetitive now of days.

The mines.

He is there. But no… it's Sunday. Yes, the mines are open, but only the overtime miners work the weekend shifts. I slowly, and carefully move through the darkness and into the kitchen, searching for the lone candle and matches we leave there every night, incase of emergencies or simply to find the bathroom in the night. After some stumbling, I find the table, stubbing my toe and cursing under my breath.

"Kat?"

I turn around, squinting through the darkness, praying, willing it to be Gale. But it's not, it's Prim. I can see her small frame through the faint moonlight coming in through the window.

"Go back to bed." I answer, a bit to harshly.

"What's wrong?" She asks, calmly and sweetly.

"Nothing Prim! I said go back to bed!" I shout at her, instantly regretting it.

She looks at me… hard. Her innocent eyes staring into my cold ones. Even though I'm upset about my damn nightmare, it's no use taking it out on Prim who did nothing to me. After a few seconds though, she doesn't move or say anything so I decide to finish doing what I was. I turn back around and grab the lone, long white candle from the table, picking up the tiny box of matches. I take one out, scratching it alongside the box, instantly creating a flame. I hold the flame up to the wick, lighting the candle and causing a soft glow to radiate around my vision. As I set the matches back down I notice a note on the table…

Gale's handwriting.

I do my best to ignore my unmoving sister and I pick up the note, it reads 'Catnip' on the top. I carefully but nervously and quickly unfold it-

"Catnip,

Thom came by and told me of an emergency break down somewhere in the mines, He thinks the shaft. Were needed. I'm sorry, I'll be back as soon as I can. Take it easy, remember what your mom said. And please don't go hunting without me, we can go tonight if we have to. I love you.

Gale."

"What did mom say?"

I turn around again and Prim is peaking over my shoulder, reading the note.

"I told you to go to bed!" I say, yet again, more harshly then intended. She only stares at me again.

"Are you okay, Kat?" She asks.

I could tell her, that I had a nightmare of Gale being blown to bits and me… a widowed mother, just like our own. But why would I burden Prim, who's only thirteen with things much too hard for her to understand? Besides that would be telling her of the ba-

"Kat?" She asks again, obviously when I don't answer right away. I take a deep breath before answering.

"I'm fine Prim. Please. Go back to bed." I answer, gently.

Yet for a third time she looks hard into my eyes, as if she's trying to see beyond them. Her eyebrows cease and I know what that means. She'll always do that when she's concentrating. Her face hardens and her lips quiver for a split second.

"Love you." She says, turning on her heels toward her bedroom.

I watch her, as her small, dark figure disappears into the darkness and into her bedroom, the door clicking shut behind her. If I hadn't felt as though I was drowning before, I definitely do now. Now I long for Gale more. I hold on tight to the candle and note in each hand, this time, being careful where I step. I slowly make my way back into the living room, this time sitting down on Gale's bed, the couch. I place the candle on a little stand on the table next to the couch, afterwards laying down and pulling the covers around me, the note clutched like a lifeline in my hand. I bring some of the covers to my noise. They smell like Gale. There's nothing more I want right now then him, to wake me of this nightmare that seems so overly real. I need him to tell me it's not real. To prove it to me. To prove that it won't ever happen. We had this conversation once, when I first started having these terrible nightmares of Gale dieing, just like our fathers.

We had only been married for one week, exactly when I first had one. It was horrible. Nightmares weren't new to me, even of ones similar. But I had gotten use to the ones of my fathers death, I learned how to deal with them. Teaching myself not to scream, only to clutch my hands into fists on behalf of not waking and continuing to scare my innocent little sister. When I first had the dream, it was the same, only replacing my father with Gale, and my mother with myself. It scared Gale nearly to death. Not the dream, but his screaming, wailing wife next to him. But of course, he was there. Telling me it was only a dream, that everything was fine, and it wasn't real. That night I told him, it could have been. That it can happen. His only reply was 'It could happen to anyone'. I fell back asleep, continuing to have the same dreams. Now my unborn baby is thrown into my nightmares.

"Katniss?"

I sit up slightly…

Gale.

I start to get up, trying desperately to throw the covers off, but I can't. His strong hands are pushing me back down.

"Gal-"

"Shh." He says, not letting me protest.

But I obey, letting his hands gently push me back. His hands that are real. He carefully undoes the note, now crumpled from my hand, throwing it to the ground. Then he begins to wipe something from my cheeks, tears. I hadn't known I was crying.

"Bad dream?" He asks, almost in a whisper. I stare into his face, a face that is beautiful but yet so strong. The light is however dim, the candle losing it's flame.

I nod my head yes for an answer. He lifts my shoulder, scooting me more into a sitting position and takes a seat behind me. Bringing me back down to rest on his chest, his legs on either side of me. He starts massaging my shoulders.

"Gale it was horrible!" I say through a choked voice. His hands making soothing circles on my shoulders calm me of sorts.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks. His voice seems gentle enough to calm rough waters but yet so powerful to me.

I shake my head 'no' in reply. Yes, sometimes talking about them calms me but Gale should not know our own child is now in these horrible dreams. Somehow I fall back sleep while Gale whispers soothing words to me. No dreams haunt me.

XX

"Kat Kat! Wake up!"

Through my closed eyelids I feel a heavy pressure on my stomach. I open my eyes to find Posy on top of me, her head inches from mine.

"Good morning Pos." I reply, coughing.

I had almost forgot I fell asleep on Gale until I hear him yawn behind me. I can tell immediately from Posy's look she's in one of her 'hyper moods'.

"Gale Gale's? Can we go to the lake!?" She asks, bouncing up and down on my stomach.

"Don't do that Pos. Your hurt her!" Says Gale panicky.

I'm not sure if Gale meant 'her' as in me or the baby. But I agree, she most likely shouldn't be doing that. She listens immediately and stops.

"No lake today princess. I'm tired." He replies to Posy. Her face hardens and saddens.

"I'll take you." I say to her, hoping a trip to the lake will stop the though of that nightmare that still seems to haunt me.

Gale of course starts to protest, but again, after a quick 'conversation' in which Posy remains part of, I win. A trip to the lake it is. It seems as though all at once everyone wakes. Gale tells everyone of our trip and everyone's in on it. Hazel immediately starts on breakfast in the kitchen, reminding Gale and I to hunt while were out. As I'm leaving the kitchen and up the stairs I run into a sleepily Prim. I apologize but she shrugs it off, acting like it never happened. It's another positive feature Prim has and I lack. Forgiveness.

Gale and I head up the stairs together, both changing into something more suitable for swimming. A tank top and shorts for me. Gale speaks above the loud talking and clanking from downstairs-

"I don't know what were going to do with you when you start to show." He says, grinning while taking a seat on the bed.

His words hit me as I pull the tank top over my head and past my stomach. It will grow… and I know I'll be miserable. 'I don't want this. I don't.' but thinking of those words which seem to be so repetitive in my head will do nothing. It can't reverse it. Maybe I will be an alright mother. Will I every learn to enjoy motherhood? Absolutely not. But I of course will look forward to my child. I make a decision, right here and now to quite my job once the baby is here. It's not like it brings in much money, nothing really. If we didn't hunt that would be different, but we do. I don't want my child to have to be raised like I was, with only seeing my parents on the weekends. Yes, my mother was always home but she was always assisting patients. I want my baby to have his mother there, whenever he needs me. Another thought hits me and I tell Gale it before I can respond to it myself-

"Gale, I want to quit my job."

I almost clap my hand over my mouth, but thankfully I don't. Of course I do in nine months, but why would I say something like that now? Without telling Gale the latter? I have no excuse to quit it now. I do somewhat enjoy my work. Gale looks at me hard, leaning back on his elbows on the bed. His legs hanging off.

"Alright." He answers, not smiling but shrugging. "But don't do this for me." He adds after a few seconds, dropping his gaze.

I slowly walk, taking a seat next to him on the end of the bed. My weight making him bounce, causing his attention toward me.

"Why would I do it for you?" I ask gently. Curious for the answer.

It is true that most woman (but not all) that work are either unmarried or windowed. Of course my mother worked while she was married, but she worked much harder and busier after fathers death.

"Because. We please each other. We do the things the are best for not just ourselves, but for the people around us." He answers. "Katniss, just because were going to be parents doesn't mean we have to quit everything we do. To stop being the people that we are." He adds.

He's of course right, absolutely right. But having a child means we have to put him or her first, and not ourselves.

"I know Gale. I just want to be here for it." I say.

For the first time since I've heard about my pregnancy yesterday, I allow my hand to travel to my stomach. Resting gently on my abdomen. Gale smiles when he see's this, I hold in mine though.

"I know you do baby. And if that's what you want… it's fine with me." He responds.

I know when Gale treats me like this that I don't deserve it. I'm too much of a bitter person to be treated so fairly by someone like Gale. Someone who cares about his family too much to care what others think of his actions.

Finally I release my smile, whereas Gale most likely thinks it's because I got my way (again), but it's not. I stand up, sitting back down on Gale's lap who's still leaning back on his arms. I swing each of my legs on either side of him. He raises his eyebrow-

"Hmm.." He wraps his arms around my waist, letting his head drop on the bed. "So I give you what you want and I get this in return." He says jokingly.

I start laughing at his comment and his laughter follows. I would love nothing more the to give him what he (and myself) wants right now. I lean down, resting my chest on to his, placing my arms above his head. Our lips crash together passionately.

A hungry kiss.

The kind of kiss I quickly learned that meant more. It's not the kind of kiss you give to someone who's saying goodbye, but to someone who's saying hello. A different kind of hello. As soon as my lips find Gale's neck and his hands find my butt were interrupted by the sound of three things. Glass breaking. Posy's cheerful scream. And a knock at the front door. Gale and I both sigh in unison. Would five more minutes be to hard to ask for?

"Katniss!?"

I hear Rory scream from downstairs. Gale sits up, causing me to stand but he remains seated.

"Looks like your needed." Gale says causally.

"Oh, your going to pretty boy." I answer, pulling at both of his hands.

He sighs again but obeys. As were walking down the stairs together I try to figure out who it could be, someone obviously for me. Then I remember, my mother said she would drop by again. As soon as my feet hit the last stair I am sadly mistaken. Instead of my mother I'm greeted by a giddy Madge Undersee.

"Hello Katniss!" She exclaims.

For the past four or five weeks I've barley had time for any of the few 'friends' I had/have. I haven't missed Madge all that much though. She's alright, but she's not my favorite person. Especially when she said those hatful things about Gale.

I look at her now, always being more beautiful then me. She wears a bright (which anything bright in twelve is rare) yellow dress, missing the usual 'District 12 worn look'. Her hair falls in tight, blond curls at her shoulders. The sides pulled back by a white ribbon. I've thought recently Gale deserves someone who looks like Madge. Beautiful… girly. Nice (for the most part). I guess I've somewhat envied her, I'm not sure why though. Dress's and ribbons aren't partially my thing. I'm knocked back into my senses when I feel Gale nudge my shoulder-

"Hi." I choke out.

"I wanted to see if you had plans today. The wrestling team is practicing!" She says, cheerful and annoying as ever.

"Were going to th-!" Posy pipes up behind Madge.

"Were going to the hob. We do have plans, sorry." Gale finishes Posy's sentence from behind me.

It's true that she knows we hunt, but knowing we make 'fun trips' out of the woods too, might not be a smart idea. After some short and completely boring conversation she finally leaves.

"Thought she'd never leave." Gale says from behind me while I help Hazel pack a small lunch to bring. I only laugh at his comment, although I agree.

After a short and none-filling breakfast. The six of us head out, with a the lunch and swim gear in hand. Hazel insisted in staying back, complaining of the far walk. The walk does seem like forever (for me), but after crawling under the fence and a good twenty minute walk (with Posy complaining the whole time) we finally make it. Gale and I don't even have time to set the blanket down before Prim, Rory and Vick dive in. Posy walk's around the edge, trying to find a shallow spot.

"Gale go help her!" I say, laughing almost at Posy's confused reaction and her disappointed reaction at the sight of her brothers and Prim leaving her far behind.

Gale doesn't answer right away, only looks to the semi-laid out blanket and back to me, mostly my stomach.

"I'm fine Gale! Go!" I shout, hitting him with a towel.

He laughs but strips his shirt off, running and jumping into the water with Posy. At first she screams, but then cheerful laughter follows with Gale's. My back is turned but I listen to the sound. That sound. The laughter of a child and man. Brother and Sister. Daughter and Father. That can be, no, will be Gale in a few years. Laughing with his own child… our child. I oddly find myself smiling.

'Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected'

I hold on to that brief glimpse of sunrise from what seems like such a storm.

"Katniss? Do you need help?"

I turn around to see a smiling Prim, shinning with water from the lake. It's amazing how much she resembles our mother.

"No. I've got it." I reply, setting down the last blanket and piling the clean towels together. I throw one to her.

I follow with her sitting on the blanket. I hadn't realized that I'm nearly winded. I'm not sure if it was the walk or the work of setting up blankets that did me in. I find myself wanting to do nothing more but to take a nap yet again.

"Katniss?" I hear Prim speak above my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I reply, laying down on my back and enjoying the cool breeze from the shade.

"You haven't seemed like yourself." She replies, quietly and sweetly.

"I said I was sorry for yelling at you last nigh-"

"I'm not talking just about last night. I'm talking about all day yesterday. You know you can talk to me Katniss." She says, folding her arms together.

Gale and I agreed to do this together, to be by each other's side when we tell our siblings. But right now is the perfect time. No one's near us, and the only sounds are those of laugher and bird singing in the distance.

"Prim.." I begin, sitting up and taking her small hand into mine. Hands already scared from needles and mashing herbs.

As soon as I start, I stop. How in the hell am I supposed to tell Prim this?

"What Kat?" She says gently.

"Prim…" I start to stutter. Why can't I just say it? Why am I so nervous.

Is it because I have to say those words? To only confirm it to myself. It's one thing being said to, but it's another when saying those words. I take a deep breath, the words flow out before I can stop them….

"I'm pregnant Prim." . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 18 Preview: How will Prim respond to the news? Will she take the news as Katniss expected or will it shock her? How will Katniss start acting when she starts to experience other pregnancy symptoms? What will happen when Prim brings home a mysterious, strange note from school? And what will take place when Katniss takes the "issue" about Mr. Hawk to the Justice Building behind Gale's back?