The sunlight pours in the open window and I wince, trying to bury my face in the covers. I move against a warm weight and smile when I see my husband's face inches from mine. I lean up to kiss his cheek, his nose, his chin, and finally his lips. He moans a little and turns his head. I glance at the window and decide it's too late to go hunting. More than likely, I will stay in bed with Peeta all day. He was right, he hasn't been gone that long but it felt like years.
I push the blankets back and pad into the bathroom. When I'm finished I wash my hands and glance in the mirror before heading back to bed. Peeta is still asleep and I yawn and think I might join him for a few more hours. Then my eyes fall on the bedside table, where my medications are.
Oh my god. My medications.
I start hyperventilating and Peeta is sitting straight up, reaching out for me.
"Baby? Katniss, what's wrong? Talk to me."
"My…my pills," I gasp out. "I didn't…I haven't…"
"Katniss, what IS it?" I point to the tray of medicines and he turns, frowning.
"I don't understand."
"My birth control! I forgot to take it!" I see him freeze and turn pale. He turns to look at the medicines and turns back to me.
"So what do we do?" his voice is low and wary. I am shaking and start rocking back and forth. He moves forward and his hands go to my arms, shaking me gently.
"Hey, hey, it will be ok. I promise, everything will be ok."
"How do you know," I shriek. "I could be pregnant Peeta!" Oh god. Oh god that word. I shake my head and leap out of bed. He follows me, ignoring his state of dress.
"Katniss, listen to me. You need to calm down. Let's call your mother and see if there is anything we can do." I nod and run into the study to dial her number. Peeta follows me, wearing his boxers, and he wraps a robe around me.
"It'll be ok," he whispers in my ear before he kisses my cheek. I try to steady my breathing as I put the phone on speaker. I hear my mom's voice and I suck in a breath. Peeta glances at me and moves closer to the phone.
"Mrs. Everdeen, it's Peeta and Katniss. We need to ask you a question."
"What is it, dears?" Dears? Since when does my mother use petnames? The woman is giving me whiplash with her mood swings. I glance at Peeta and bite my lip. Well, at least I know where I get it from.
"We wanted to ask you if there is anything to take when you have missed your birth control." The line is silent and I squeeze my eyes shut. Oh my god we are confessing to my mother that we have sex! I mean, we're married, I know she knows but I mean, my husband actually talking to my mother about this…ugh. I think I'm going to be sick.
"How late is she?"
"I was supposed to take them yesterday," I find my voice. "With everything that's happened…I forgot."
"Alright. You're not that late. Call your OBGYN and tell her you need a hormone tablet. Tell her you were late on your birth control. And you two be careful for a few days, alright? You might want to seek other methods for a few days." I wince in mortification. I see Peeta is red too.
"Ok Mom. Thanks."
"Call me if there's anything else." She seems as anxious to end this call as I am. I press end and breathe deeply. He pulls me into his arms and he rests his chin on my head.
"Do you want me to go to the doctor with you?"
"Don't you need to get back to work?"
"I just got back. I wanted to spend the day with my wife." I smile up at him and see his face soften.
"You won't see me complaining. Let me get dressed."
When I'm dressed and ready, Peeta is waiting patiently by the door. He pulls my father's hunting jacket off the rack and offers it to me. We walk quickly to town and he shivers.
"4 was a lot warmer, even with it being winter. We should really look into getting a carriage and some horses. Or even a car."
"Do we leave Victor's Village that much?" He shrugs, his teeth chattering.
"I still make the walk to the Bakery. It's not a long walk but in this weather it's pretty awful." I squeeze his hand and he pulls me into his side. People call out and wave to us as we pass and we don't do more than nod in their direction, too cold to stop or remove our hands from our coats.
When we reach the doctor's office, Peeta takes my jacket as I sign in at the window. The woman takes the clipboard and smiles cheerfully. No one should look that happy in a doctor's office.
"Take a seat, Miss Everdeen and we will be with you shortly."
"Mellark," I correct her. "It's Mellark now." She giggles and her hand claps over her mouth.
"Of course. Mrs. Mellark. So sorry." I cast her a puzzled glance before I rejoin Peeta in the waiting area. He has a broad grin on his face and my brow raises even higher.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just love hearing it come out of your mouth."
"Hearing what?"
"My last name, as your name. I always thought of "Mrs Mellark" as my mother but growing up, I would always practice saying your name with mine. Ryean would tease me to no end whenever he heard me saying it. 'Katniss Mellark this, and Katniss Mellark that. That stupid 'Peeta and Katniss sitting in a tree' was his favorite rhyme when we were younger." I can't help but smile at the blush that stains his cheeks. I kiss him softly and smile.
"I love the sound of it too," I breathe and he looks lost in love.
Doctor Mersa calls me back and I tug on Peeta's hand. We follow her to the back room, and she gestures to the examining table. Peeta stops in the doorway and when I turn to look at him, I see his eyes are wide and he is shaking. I rush to him and grip his face in my hands.
"Peeta, look at me. You're ok. You're safe. You're in 12 with me. We're ok. We're together." He stares at the examining table until I am able to tear his gaze away. He blinks and looks at me and I can see his eyes darkening, almost turning black. My hands move down to slide into his and I squeeze them tightly.
"Stay with me, Peeta. Just stay with me."
"Mellark. It's Mellark now." A broad grin covers my face at her stern words. I hear the nurse giggle and Katniss sits next to me, rolling her eyes. When she looks at me, my smile only grows.
"What?" she asks suspiciously.
"Nothing.I just love hearing it come out of your mouth."
"Hearing what?"
"My last name, as your name. I always thought of "Mrs Mellark" as my mother but growing up, I would always practice saying your name with mine. Ryean would tease me to no end whenever he heard me saying it." I blush as I realize what I just told her. Whatever. She knows I have been in love with her since I was a child. She quirks an eyebrow and I shrug. "'Katniss Mellark this, and Katniss Mellark that. That stupid 'Peeta and Katniss sitting in a tree' was his favorite rhyme when we were younger," I mumble and she laughs. She leans in to kiss me and presses her forehead to mine.
"I love the sound of it too," she practically purrs. I suck in a breath as my eyes bore into hers. God I love this woman. I will never ever get used to being able to call her mine.
Before I get lost in my thoughts, I hear someone call Katniss's name. She rises and I watch her, uncertain if she wants me to go back with her. But when she tugs on my hand, I know I'm supposed to follow her.
Her doctor leads us to a room in the back and I try to banish the uneasy thoughts I'm feeling. But when we enter the room, I lose control.
I'm slammed down onto the table and my hands are held down over my head while someone cuffs them to the table. I struggle renlentlessly, screaming for them to let me go. A Peacekeeper punches me in the stomach and I wince and try to double up but am now unable to move. I feel my legs being strapped down as well and a hand rests on my throat.
"Are you going to try to escape, Mr. Mellark?"
"Go to hell," I snap. My reward is a sharp punch to the face. I blink as I feel blood drip from my lip. Someone moves a chain over my throat and I gasp as I feel my breath leaving me. It's not tight but if I try to move, I'll choke. Someone yanks on my hair and my head hits the metal table again.
"You haven't been honest with President Snow," the Peacekeeper snaps.
"Fuck you! I haven't lied about anything! Let me go, damn it!" I feel my arm being turned and some sort of prick. I wince as I feel pain flooding through my entire body. I grit my teeth to keep the screams in. But they wind up escaping. They echo around the sterile room.
"Peeta! look at me. You're ok. You're safe. You're in 12 with me. We're ok. We're together." I squeeze my eyes shut.
Mutt. Capitol Mutts. She's a mutt. She'll kill you.
She loves you. You love her. You have to protect her.
They destroyed her. They turned her into a mutt. You have to kill her before she kills you.
"Stay with me Peeta. Just stay with me."
Stay with me.
Always.
Don't let him take you from me.
Stay with me.
Always…
Two for the price of one ;) haha. I worked the 24 hour event at Disney World today so I'm wide awake, haha! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I'll have more up later this week! I wrote a chapter today that I seriously was bawling through the whole time-I can't for you all to read it! Anyways, going to bed! Keep those awesome reviews coming! XOXOX