I can't breathe. I can't move, I can't think. I can't do anything but stare down at the little flashing stick that I hold in my hand.

Pregnant. 2+

Why can't I move? I want to move. I want to laugh or cry or call Peeta or do something! But I can only sit here. Staring.

After what seems like hours, I get up to toss the stick but find that I can't. It's proof, right here in my hand. I walk to the mirror and gaze at my reflection. I raise my shirt a little and turn to the side, cocking my head. Well of course I can hardly see anything. But I can just imagine Peeta kissing my belly and talking to the baby…

I gasp. How am I going to tell Peeta? What will he say? I know he'll be excited. He is always holding baby Aran every chance he gets. This…this is different. This will be his child.

His and mine. Ours. Our baby.

Oh god. My hand goes to my mouth and I run into the bathroom, just in time to kneel over the toilet.

He wants this. We both do. We had this conversation so recently and decided we would try. I just didn't think it would happen so quickly! According to this…it happened before our conversation!

I'm still in the bathroom when Peeta comes home and knocks on the door. I gasp, realizing I'm still holding the positive pregnancy test.

I hastily wrap it in a tissue and stuff it under the sink. The door opens a second later and I groan as I look up at his worried face.

"Katniss, what's wrong?"

"I…I've just been feeling ill today."

"Have you eaten?" I shake my head and he purses his lips as he sits on the tub behind me, gathering my hair in his hands.

"How about I make you some soup? Might be easier to keep down."

"Ok," I say weakly. He wraps my hair in a bun and kisses my forehead as he hurries out of the bathroom. I lean over the toilet and close my eyes.

I'm not sick, Peeta. I'm pregnant.

I'm going to have a baby. Your baby.

Peeta…you're going to be a daddy.

None of them sound right. Nothing sounds special enough. This is Peeta's dream, his greatest wish since he married me, and now I can give this to him.

I decide like Johanna, I will wait to tell him. Until I find out the perfect way to reveal it, I won't say anything. I won't tell the girls either. We'll see how long I can keep this secret to myself. Halloween is in two weeks. Peeta and I have yet to figure out what we are going to the party as. I'll find a way to tell him then.

As it turns out, I actually can keep this secret to myself. Quite well, in fact. Halloween was a lot of fun and Peeta gave me some of the best sex I have ever had. I briefly felt guilty, wondering if it was ok to be doing this with a baby inside me, but I remember my mother giving that advice back in the Seam and she said sex does not harm the baby. I press my palms to my stomach every chance I get. Peeta has commented that I have this lovely glow lately and I cover it up by attacking him with kisses. The baby is already messing my hormones, that's for sure. I literally can't get enough of him. After our fifth round one night, he leans over me, panting and shakes his head.

"Shit Katniss, what has gotten into you? Are you trying some kind of new birth control?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"Last time you were this horny you were just starting your pills. I don't think we have had this much sex since we got married." I raise my brow as I run my fingers up and down his biceps.

"Are you complaining?"

"Hell no," he laughs. "I'm just curious, that's all." That's Peeta. Ever intuitive and always in tune with my feelings. I lean up and kiss him and he immediately stops questioning me as I grind my hips upwards, feeling him stir deep within me.

The next morning, I decide to call Dr. Mersa. I tell her my news and ask her how soon I should come in. She says it's a good idea to check on the baby, and when I tell her how far along I am, she says that it's about time for an ultrasound. I grip the phone.

"Is that where you can see it?"

"Sometimes you can't see much but you should be far enough along that we can see a heartbeat."

I suddenly know how to tell Peeta and decide this will be my anniversary gift to him.

On the morning of our fifteenth wedding anniversary, I wake up to him kissing his way down my body. He catches my eye and grins as my head falls back and my hips jerk upwards.

After we make love twice, he goes down to cook breakfast and comes back with a tray for both of us. We chew our food silently as I ponder how I should go about this.

"What do we have planned for today," I ask him quietly.

"I was honestly looking forward to just spending a day in bed with you. It's getting colder outside and god knows we haven't had a lot of free time lately."

"Ok," I say slowly. "But…I have a doctor's appointment this morning. Maybe you could come with me and we can get some lunch before we come home?" His brow furrows.

"What kind of doctor's appointment? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just a routine check up. You know, every day stuff."

"On our anniversary?" his voice sounds strained and I bite my lip.

"Doctor Mersa is out of town for the next several weeks. This was her only day available." He sighs heavily and reaches for a cheesebun.

"Alright. I'll get a shower and get dressed."

"Hey," I stop him and he raises a brow. "Aren't you going to ask me to join you?" His face breaks into a smile and his eyes light up.

"Mrs. Mellark, would you join me for a shower?"

"I would love to, Mr. Mellark, thank you for asking." I say as I take his outstretched hand and follow him into the bathroom.

I shift uncomfortably as I wait for them to call my name. Peeta flips through the pages of an old magazine and hums softly to himself.

"Katniss Mellark." I jump to my feet and Peeta looks up in me in confusion.

"Honey, you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine. Come on, they're waiting for me." I squeeze his hand and follow the nurse to the back room. Peeta doesn't seem to be too suspicious as Doctor Mersa hands me a gown to change into and pulls a machine and a screen over but he frowns as he squeezes my hand.

"She's ok, right?"

"She's just fine, Peeta. Katniss this is going to be a little cold," she says quietly as she spreads some thick goo over my belly. Peeta's confused frown hasn't left and I start to wonder if this was a good idea. Surely he is worrying about me right now. The screen flicks on but Peeta's eyes remain on me. Doctor Mersa moves a wand device over my stomach and I suddenly hear something. It's faint but oh my god does it make my heart flutter. I squeeze Peeta's hand and I sit up a little. His arm goes behind my back to steady me and he looks pale.

"Katniss. Peeta. You might want take a look at this," she says softly. My eyes go to the screen and they instantly fill with tears. There on the screen is the proof that I can't deny. A tiny being, a combination of Peeta and me. I immediately start to hope he or she will have Peeta's eyes. His smile, his golden curls, his patience, his sweet heart, his passion, his talent for baking. I don't think I want anything of mine to pass down to it. Let it be all Peeta.

Doctor Mersa rises to her feet and mutters that she will be right back, disappearing from the room as she gives me a wink. Peeta is staring at the screen with wide eyes and a gaping jaw. He turns back to me, his eyes echoing his disbelief.

"Katniss?" I take his face in my hands and gently kiss his lips before I pull away.

"Happy anniversary, Peeta. This is our gift. Our little miracle." He's still not getting it. In fact, I become afraid that he may have an episode. He starts sweating, his hands are shaking, and he's biting his lip. My grasp on his cheeks tighten.

"Peeta, are you-"

"Real or not real, Katniss. We're going to have a baby." I give him a weak smile.

"Real, Peeta. Look at your baby." His eyes go back to the screen but only for a moment. They bore into mine, almost piercing my heart and soul.

"Our baby," he says in the barest of whispers. I nod and bite my lip as I wait for him to move or say something else. When he does, I squeal as he pulls me into his arms and crushes my lips with his. He breaks away and then he is kissing my face and neck and hands and anywhere else his lips can find. I giggle as I swat him away and his arms wrap around my waist.

"Oh my god, Katniss! Oh my god!"

"I love you, Peeta. Are you happy?"

"I love you, Katniss. I love you so much…more than I have ever loved another being. I can't…this is…is this really happening?"

"You're going to be a daddy," I breathe gently and his eyes soften and fill with tears.

"Oh Katniss," he says weakly and he pulls me into my arms and I feel his tears on my arm.

"Please don't cry, Peeta," I say in a muffled voice. "Please don't. Please be happy."

"I have never been so happy. I thought the day you became my wife was the happiest day of my life but this…this is the moment I wish I could freeze and live in forever." I smile up at him as I gently ruffle his curls.

"Hold off on that, Peeta. I'm sure you will have so many moments that you will want to freeze. We have so many moments ahead of us."

"You're right. And I can't wait to live each and every one of them with you."

END