AN: Coming to an end… :) I need some ideas for sequel names. Please help! Enjoy…
Katniss
We are greeted with bright flashes from snapping cameras and loud cheers and claps coming from the crowd. I smile and glance at Peeta who's smiling too, the nervousness gone from his eyes. He let's go of hand so he can wave before covering Hope. I feel my smile grow; he's already protecting her.
I look at each face in the crowd, anxiously looking for my parents and Prim. My eyes fall on a small blonde girl with a huge grin on her face. I look at the two adults behind her and tears flood my eyes. When did I get soft? I blink them back and start walking towards them, nervousness spreading through me again. What are they going to say about Hope? I look behind me and see that Peeta is following me. I reach my family and release the breath I didn't know I was holding when my father puts his arms around me. "Are you mad?" I say and I yell at myself for sounding childish.
"Never mad," he replies and I sigh in relief. "But we will be having a big talk when we get home," he adds and I smile slightly.
I pull away and hug Prim and my mom. "Where is she?" Prim asks excitedly. I step aside and her eyes fall on Peeta who is smiling down at Hope with so much love in his eyes. She runs towards Peeta and hugs his waist. He looks at her in alarm but crouches down so she can see Hope. He puts Hope in her arms and she takes her gently. Prim glances at me and smiles before walking slowly to my parents.
They both look at my baby and their eyes flood with tears. My mother takes Hope from Prim and holds her for about a minute before passing her to my father. The smile on his face widens and I glance at Peeta in disbelief. He's happy! I realise the roars from the crowd are getting quieter and look to find most people walking home. A croaky voice fills my ears and I spin in the direction it came from. "How could you be so stupid?" Standing in front of Peeta and I is Mrs. Mellark.
I had totally forgotten about her but the surprisingly calm look on Peeta's face shows me he expected his reunion with her to be something like this. "A baby? At your age and with her?" the witch snaps. Mr. Mellark puts a hand on his wife's shoulder but she slaps it off angrily.
"It's none of your business," Peeta says and I can tell he's trying so hard to keep calm. I glance at my family and wish they weren't here to see this. I have a bed feeling that this isn't going to end well.
"It is you ungrateful boy," Mrs. Mellark snarls. "I thought you knew not to mess around with a Seam brat!"
"She is not a brat!" Peeta yells, his face turning red in anger. I'm suddenly grateful that the crowd has disappeared.
"She isn't is she? She's a dog! A mutt!" That does it.
"Don't you ever talk about my daughter like that again!" my eyes widen when I realise it's my mother who speaks and not my father. I didn't know she had it in her.
"You're not any better. Running off with him!" she yells, pointing at my father.
"Let's go," Mr. Mellark says.
"I'm not finished here!" the witch replies and turns to face Peeta again. "Don't you ever come near my house again! You are a disappointment!"
"He can do what he wants!" Mr. Mellark yells and I gasp in surprise. The baker barely speaks and now…
"Don't you dare talk to me like that again," Mrs. Mellark speaks.
"We talk about this at home," the baker replies, his voice back to calm and quiet. He turns to face Peeta and I. "You are welcome to visit anytime you like and I'm so happy that you three are all safe," he says and with a smile he glances at Hope and then walks away.
"Don't come near me again!" the witch growls before marching after her husband, Peeta's two older brothers following her silently.
I turn to face Peeta and he smiles sadly at me. "I'm so sorry," he whispers before kissing me gently. "Are you okay?"
"I've never been better," I say and that's not a lie. It's good to be home.
We walk back to our home in the Victor's Village and we all pile into the living room. My parents send Prim into another room, not wanting her to hear our conversation. I take Peeta's hand, knowing what's coming next. "You can take Hope with you if you like," Peeta says and hands our baby to Prim and she carries her out.
"So," my mother starts. "I guess you didn't know you was pregnant?"
I shake my head. "Not until it happened," I reply and look down in embarrassment. Not at Hope but at the way I acted when I had her. I was yelling and crying and I bet I looked terrible but the last thing on my mind was looking good when I was giving birth.
"We just want you to be… careful next time," my father adds and my face heats up and I don't have to look at Peeta to know that his face is cherry red.
"It's not like we planned it," I argue.
"We know. People make mistakes-" Peeta and I cut my mom off at the same time.
"She is not a mistake!"
"We know. What your mother meant is that it wasn't planned and as beautiful Hope we don't want another grandchild anytime soon," my father says.
"Trust me, the next grandchild you have will belong to Prim," I reply.
"Hey, you said we only have to wait fifteen years," Peeta says and I smile, he always finds a way to lighten the mood.
"We'll see," I say.
"That's all we wanted to say, really. We are not mad, just a little… disappointed. You two are so young and-" I cut my mother off again and ignore the frown on my father's face.
"Age is just a number, mom. We've been in the Hunger Games twice- I think we're mature enough," I reply. My mother sighs in defeat. "Besides we can't change anything now." She nods and we sit in silence for a minute before a loud cry from another room fills our ears.
We all jump out of our seats and into the kitchen where we find Prim rocking Hope in her arms while singing a lullaby. "I think she's hungry," she says as she finishes the song. I sigh in relief; I thought something bad had happened. I smile and take Hope off her before walking upstairs to my room, Peeta following me.
"I thought something bad had happened," Peeta whispers.
"We're going to think that whenever she cries," I say and sit on my bed. I lift my top and Hope sucks on my breast. "Do you think we're going to be good parents?"
"No," Peeta replies. "We are going to be brilliant." I look at him and smile, knowing that he's right. If we give our baby enough love then we'll be good parents. I look back down at Hope. This little girl will be loved not only by Peeta and I but also by the rest of my family… and the Capitol.
AN: Epilogue next chapter and then I'll be writing the sequel. Please review and sequel name suggestions are very welcome!