Chapter 48: Delivery
Three months after feeling the first movements of their baby, Katniss and Peeta have returned to the Capitol. Katniss is eight months pregnant and the doctor has advised that, in light of the possibility of complications, she should attend a Capitol hospital where urgent treatment would be available if needed. Katniss, of course, does not want this. It is so different to her and Peeta's first experience when Prim was born. But they both agree there is a real risk attached to this baby's birth and making sure the baby is OK is the most important thing. Thankfully, the pregnancy has been without complications up to now and the baby's movements were strong. Katniss' mother is attending to Prim back in District 12, with some help from Haymitch, as Peeta and Katniss aren't sure what the outcome in the Capitol will be. It gives them a little bit of time to spend alone together and reflect on what their future with this new baby will look like.
Gale had got word to them six weeks after leaving District 12 that he was now working undercover in relation to the Capitol Rebels and Snow. Paylor had decided that the time had come to do some serious digging in relation to Snow's whereabouts, after Gale had confronted her again and threatened to reveal the Government's secret. She knew she had no room for movement after having put the issue on hold for three months. It had to be done. Snow had to be found and Gale was not going to back down. She both admired and detested his stubbornness and wondered what it was about District 12 that had bred these kinds of people…Gale, Katniss, even the drunken, but silver tongued, Haymitch. She couldn't explain it, but she had to accept that they were right and, if she were to be true to her original calling in helping to establish the Rebellion, she would need to act now. She assigned Gale to head up the Taskforce which would recapture Coriolanus Snow.
Gale's current mission is to infiltrate some of the Rebel strongholds and glean any information he can in relation to Snow. Any other intelligence relating to Rebel plans would be a bonus. As Gale is too recognisable as one of the right hand men of the Revolution, he needs other Peacekeepers to volunteer to do the job of infiltrating Rebel ranks. Certain death would be the outcome of arousing these peoples suspicion. That's why Gale needs volunteers. Their acceptance of the mission must include an understanding of the outcome if they failed. Gale would go himself if he could, but is forced to accept the task of co-ordinating and overseeing the operation with the hope they can get some useful information soon. They had waited too long already.
After two weeks of anticipating, with visits to the hospital every other day, Katniss finally goes into labour. Katniss and Peeta had been staying in the apartment Gale had organized for them during her last hospitalization and only ventured out when absolutely necessary. Today, they had taken a short walk into the Capitol to get some supplies and on their return Katniss' contractions had begun. Peeta had immediately called the hospital to let them know she was in labour and was told they would send transport to collect them both. Katniss was afraid. She didn't want to go to the hospital. She just wanted to stay with Peeta and let him look after her again. She didn't trust anyone in the Capitol anymore and didn't want to be with anyone, except Peeta, when their child was born. Peeta tries to reassure her, telling her he will not leave her side and that everything will be OK. He needs her to stay calm. Her fear will only make things worse for her and maybe the baby, too.
"Katniss, it's OK. We've done this before, together, in less ideal circumstances. I am going to be right there with you the whole time and I won't let anybody do anything that could harm you or the baby. I promise".
Katniss looks at him uncertainly. She trusts Peeta, but she knows neither of them will be in control the way they were when Prim was born. She feels another contraction beginning.
"Peeta!" she gasps as she grabs his hand and squeezes it tightly. Katniss tries to manage her breathing while she waits for the contraction to ease. He rubs her back as he holds her hand, kneeling beside her. Tears begin to fill her eyes. Peeta understands.
"Katniss, it's OK" he tells her again. "I am coming with you. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby, I promise".
Katniss allows Peeta to help her up as the transport arrives. She won't let go of his hand even for him to grab her bag for the hospital, so he leaves it behind and walks with her to the waiting vehicle.
As she climbs into the back, Katniss looks at him and, before she can even ask him, Peeta replies, "Always".
The trip to the hospital is short and so far Katniss is handling the contractions well. When they get to the hospital they are brought to a private room and Katniss is immediately attached to monitors which will read the baby's heartbeat and her contractions. There is also a blood pressure cuff wrapped around her arm. They ask Katniss if she wants anything for the pain, but she refuses. She doesn't want any more drugs in her system…not after all the heartache they had caused already. Peeta doesn't move from her side and, in between the contractions, the two of them wonder whether this new baby will be a boy, as Katniss had foretold, or a girl. Katniss really wants a little boy who will look just like Peeta. The baby is already strong like him and she imagines how proud Peeta would be to have a son.
The medical staff continue to monitor Katniss and she hates that she cannot move around to make herself more comfortable as the labour intensifies. She never likes having things attached to her and feels a bit like a caged animal right now. The staff offer her something for relaxation, something she can breathe in and that doesn't need to be injected. Peeta raises his eyebrows at Katniss as if to say "what do you think?" in a gesture which prompts Katniss to consider the offer. She knows Peeta finds it hard to see her in pain and was valiant the last time in enduring her labour. Katniss decides that might be OK and agrees to use the mask they give her. It makes her a little drowsy, but doesn't take away any of the pain of the contractions. She squeezes Peeta's hand and continues to control her breathing to try and combat the pain.
After several hours, Katniss removes the mask from her face and begins to make that guttural sound again…the one Peeta had heard Katniss make the first time, just before Prim was born. The nurses had been checking her and knew she was getting close to delivering the baby. Suddenly, there is a room full of doctors and nurses crowding around the bed, watching Katniss and waiting expectantly for the baby's head to crown. They have prepared everything they need for any emergency procedures which adds to the fear Katniss has been feeling. She pulls her knees up to her chest and Peeta holds tightly to Katniss' hand as she begins to push. He helps to sit her forward so that she push down and, after several attempts, the doctor tells them the baby's head is visible. Peeta looks at Katniss and squeezes her hand, giving her the encouragement she needs to go on.
Within minutes, the baby's head is out and the doctor invites Katniss to push one more time to help release the baby's shoulders from the birth canal. With a shout, he delivers a healthy, fully formed and perfect little boy. The baby's cries are loud and he sounds offended to be so rudely taken from his safe hiding place into the harsh lights of the hospital room. The doctor hands the baby straight to Katniss who lays him on her chest and "ohs" at him, sympathizing with him and telling him it will be alright. Peeta puts his arms around them both and begins to shed tears of relief. He is so happy and so proud. Finally, they have their baby and he is a fine child. Katniss has done it again. He kisses her on the lips and keeps his arms around them as they both take in this moment.
A little while later, once Katniss has rested and the baby has been fed, they decide on his name. Peeta has known for a long time what he wanted to call this baby...if it was a boy. He tells Katniss. There is a Latin word which means "painter", that is also the shorter form of the name given to a constellation of stars which, when translated from Latin, means the "painter's easel" – Equuleus Pictoris. Peeta wants to call their baby Pictor, or Pik for short. Katniss ponders the meaning of the name and considers its significance, to Peeta, to his creativity, to the unknown future which is yet to be painted on this child's life. She also considers that the name resembles Victor, with the V replaced with a P…for Peeta. Peeta is a Victor. He always will be in her eyes. Katniss agrees with Peeta. Their new baby's name will be Pictor Mellark, or Pik for short.
Peeta and Katniss spend the rest of the day lying with Pik in their arms, embracing the goodness wonder of eachother and the fate that had brought them together.