Chapter 11

We both stare at the end of the bed, our hands tangled together, waiting to see what I've just given birth too. A moment later, a small, shrill cry fills the room and I feel my heart grow a million times bigger. We watch the doctors gather up something between my legs and then we see it. In a tangled, bloody, white mess, our small baby. The little baby they hold onto is ours. I don't realise I'm crying until I feel tears fall onto my cheeks as a sob escapes and the bundle passed into my arms.

"Congratulations! It's a girl!"

I look to Peeta for half a second, the smile on his face and the tears on his cheeks are severely contagious and I find myself chuckling a little.

"I knew it!" He whispers with a little laugh attached to it.

Looking down at our baby girl, I take in what we created. The tuff of my hair atop of her head the same colour as mine. Her small yet plump lips which Peeta has given to her, wide as she cries showing off soft pink gums. The cute button nose which is so tiny fitting perfectly with her face. She's absolutely perfect. She is exactly how I imagined that she would be. I am instantly filled with something I have never felt before. I feel it to a certain degree with Peeta, something even more similar with Prim, but still nothing on the same level. It's love, a pure love from a mother to her child. I didn't know if I was going to have the instant connection with my child that you hear about. I knew that I already loved her without even knowing her gender, but I didn't know whether I was going to be able to love her the same way which others have spoken about. She is mine. I created her. Peeta helped obviously, but she grew in me, I fed her, kept her as safe as I could in the environment that is surrounding our lives, she is mine. I am so thankful for that night the Quell was announced. Now, more than I ever thought that I would.

As I stare down, teary eyed at my beautiful daughter, I am completely full. I'm so glad that Peeta was able to make it here to see our daughter born. I snatch my eyes away from my daughter to look at Peeta for a moment. I can see that he is thinking the same kinds of things that I am. He's so excited. The love and admiration that his eyes cast down onto our daughter are the most beautiful thing I have seen. Peeta's eyes flick over to lock with mine. His smile and excitement are contagious and I become even happier to a complete different level. With my face now sharing one of the biggest smiles in my life, Peeta leans down and presses his lips to mine in a compassionate, thankful, relieved, happy kiss. It makes me feel the love only Peeta is able to give me.

"Thank you, Katniss. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

"If I could carry her, I would have." He says pulling away to stare at our daughter again.

I stay looking at him for a few minutes, just watching his facial movements as he takes in all of our daughter. I don't bother to say anything else. I am exhausted, but it's worth that pain one-hundred times over just to see her beautiful face as fresh as it is now. I can't wait until she gets bathed and has her natural colour come to her face instead of the bluey veiny girl she is now. Still beautiful, but I can't wait to see her when her body start adjusting to this outside world instead of the cramped inside of my overgrown uterus. She is really incredibly beautiful. I can't stop myself from thinking it. She is absolutely adorable and a complete person from half of Peeta's genetics and the other half mine. She's precious. I'm scared to hold her because I don't want to bruise her silky soft skin. I don't want to squeeze her and crush her bones by accident from how fragile she is. I don't want her to ever feel like she is alone and without anyone in this world. I know that for as long as I shall live, whether that is only a few more weeks, or whether it's forever, but I will make sure that she is happy, loved and safe in this world.

As I think all of these things, I can see that Peeta is doing the same thing. He's saying, thinking, promising all of these things to himself for our daughter in his head as he stands there with his eyes not leaving her small, precious and beautiful body. He is so overwhelmed with happiness and love that I just can't stop flicking my eyes between her and him. Makes me even more see the similarities between the two of them. Makes me so happy and excited to see. I can't wait to see all of the amazing and beautiful interactions that they will share together for what I wish was the end of time. I can't wait to see them drawing together and Peeta's face light up and him always lifting her up with his beautiful words even if she can't draw because of her Katniss artistic trait she may possess. I can't wait until I can watch Peeta draw millions of different pictures of her. I can see hundreds of art books filled with pictures of our daughter. This moment having the most variations of all, that I am certain. I can see Peeta falling asleep with our daughter as he reads her books to try and get her to see and the beautifully amazing image that is. Every image I imagine is absolutely breathtaking and I'm very excited for when it can finally all unfold in our future lives together as a family.

"She's so breathtaking, Katniss. I'm just speechless. She's everything I've ever imagined."

Looking up at him from the looks of our daughter, he's leaning over both of us and staring in absolute awe. He is so happy, overjoyed and it all shows so clearly over his whole face. He is the calmest I have ever seen him, and for the old Peeta, that's something I never thought he could have topped. But, he never ceases to amaze me every single moment of my life. I can't stop myself from looking between the two of them. They just look so similar except for that brown hair which covers the top of her head. She is incredible. She is perfect. I had a baby. I have a baby. I have a daughter. I am a mother.

My name is Katniss Everdeen. My home is District Twelve. My home was destroyed by Snow. Snow took Peeta from me. Peeta is back here with me now, hijacked but coping. I am now a mother to a beautiful baby girl. And I am absolutely in love with her and everything about her. Peeta and I are bonded for life, and I couldn't think of anyone better to be bonded too.

I am in love with my daughter. And I love Peeta. I'm so glad for everything which has led towards this day right here. I would do some of the things differently, but if I had, she wouldn't be here today. So, I am glad. Because I can feel my whole life is now fulfilled with this beautiful girl inside my arms on my chest. She is everything. And I can't wait to fight to give her a happy and safe home and life to live until she is old and wrinkly. Being a mother was never on my to-do list, but I'm so overwhelmed and grateful that it did happen, because I don't want to ever live in a world without her again. She is everything. She's my everything. She is Peeta's everything. She's our everything. I'm so glad she is here.

Elenore says something about me needing to push something else out, but I don't really pay attention because after that, she says, "Maybe Daddy can hold his daughter?"

I look straight to Peeta and watch his eyes go even wider and filled with excitement and also terror about what if he hurts her.

"She won't bite, she doesn't have teeth." I tell him.

He breathes hard and then shakes away his scared look from his face which is now scattered with complete happiness as he nods his head yes. Elenore reaches and grabs her from my arms and walks over to Peeta, our girl now gathered in a blanket. Peeta holds out his arms and Elenore passes over our daughter into Peeta's arms.

Peeta is now finally holding his baby girl. The one who helped him come back from the worst possible torture that a person can endure. And now she is in his arms, forever calming him. His face says it all, tears dripping down his cheeks, completely happy. This is a moment he dreamt about forever. They direct me to push some more, but I don't tear my eyes away from Peeta, searing this moment into my own mind to remember until I die. He slowly sways with her, taking in every single little movement she takes and every breath she takes. He chuckles watching with more tears dripping onto his cheeks. How happy he is, is exactly why I wasn't worried about him being a dad, hijacking and all. He was born for this. And you can see it. No one can tell me different, he's a born dad and will always love this baby, will die for this baby. Will do anything for this baby. The same as me. This baby has no idea how much her parents will do to give her the life she deserves. Snow must die. So then, I can have my daughter safe from all of this forever.

:-:

The next hour is filled with stitches, tests on our girl and making sure I am safe from any post delivery complications. Soon, we are both ruled completely healthy and it makes me so happy to hear. I did half wonder if my constant stress attacks and high blood pressure would somehow affect her, but she's a fighter, just like her mother and father. Even the near miss from the bullet while I was in Two caused no problems to her growth or anything. Our perfect healthy girl. A nurse helped me get her to feed for the first time, it was a strange sensation, now our girl is snoozing in my arms wrapped in a white, pink and blue soft blanket with a matching hat. I don't want to let her go. Peeta just sits in the chair next to me watching over us and taking in the sight of us with nothing but love filling him from inside out.

Haymitch comes in after the nurses all leave. He's very cautious walking in, I'm sure wondering what sort if sight he may see coming in. With tired eyes, I look at him wearily stepping into the room. His face softens like nothing I could ever imagine coming over the now sober drunks face. I smile at him as Peeta turns around to noticed him, breaking his sights of our daughter and me. Peeta rises to his feet and walks up to him.

"Thank you for getting me here in time, Haymitch. That's something I'll never forget."

Haymitch chuckles and nods his head.

"I had too. Sweetheart over here was going to cut me into tiny pieces while I watched if I didn't get you here." He gestures towards me, I don't even care. He knows it was just talk, but already know I'm forever grateful for what he's done to create this forever memory for us.

"Even if she did, I'm so thankful for being able to be here for this moment." Peeta thanks him.

Haymitch steps towards him, pulling Peeta in for a hug, one of only a few they have ever done. "You both know I'll do anything for you kids, even if it puts my life in danger of you both." He says, pulling away and giving Peeta a reassuring slap of congratulations on the back.

"Now, have we got a Miss or Mr Sweetheart here?" Haymitch queries, looking into the bundle I cradle in my arms.

"Peeta? You wanna tell him?"

I know he's dying to tell everyone that he was right with what she was going to come out as. And I know he'll be so happy to tell our favourite one and only mentor. Peeta from behind Haymitch now steps past him and settles on the small space on the edge of the bed next to me, wrapping his arm around our daughter and me.

"Katniss and I have a daughter." Peeta announces proudly, rubbing my shoulder.

Something I never thought I would see come up on his face, a proud smile creeps without a hesitation, even his eyes glaze pride. He softly shakes his head and steps closer towards the bed, eyes searching for a look to the prodigy of his two Victors.

"Congratulations you two. I'm so happy for you kids."

"Thank you." I murmur softly.

Haymitch's eyes flicker to me, with no words, him saying that means more to me than anything. I smile at him and then feel movement in my arms, which makes my eyes dart down to the warm baby in my arms. She just adjusts herself before she settles down with a small coo.

"Do you want to hold your granddaughter?" I offer to Haymitch.

Peeta and I have been talking about this for a while now. Haymitch has been a father figure to us both, family that we never knew we needed or wanted. I have had my moments with the old man, but he has done nothing but help protect Peeta and I for the entire time we have known him. I know that same protection was going to reflect in our daughter too. I have never been more certain of anything in my life. Our daughter will have our chosen family surrounding her for her entire life, but now she has a grandfather, something that we cannot give her with blood.

Haymitch lifts up his eyes from my daughter and to match mine.

"Granddaughter?" He repeats on his tongue.

I nod my head.

"Katniss and I decided on this a few weeks ago. You have been another father to both of us, seems fitting that you are her grandfather." Peeta tells him.

Haymitch looks shocked at this news, something he didn't expect to come out of our mouths.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she needs a grandfather and I know you will be that for her." I add, adjusting the girl in question in my arms.

Haymitch lets out a long exhale and that's when I see what could be moisture gathering in his eyes. He shakes his head trying to rid them from his eye sockets and then nods his head.

"I would be honoured to be her Grandpa."

Peeta and I both crack a smile and our girl in my arms coos again and I look up to Haymitch, who has pride written into his features.

"I think she wants to meet you."

His eyes show that he's almost scared at the thought. Haymitch has probably never held anything so small and innocent before. The most precious thing he has probably ever held was an expensive bottle of alcohol, which this little alive thing in my arms is not.

"You'll be okay." Peeta assures him.

Hesitant, he nods his head 'yes'. He comes closer to me and I shuffle her in my arms so I can carefully pass her over to Haymitch. Gently he grabs her from my arms while Peeta shows him how to hold her safely and then Peeta's hands gingerly move away knowing she's safe in his arms. Watching Haymitch hold her is strange. I know this is not something he will ever get used too. The town drunk safely holding onto a newborn. He watches her softly fuss in his arms with so much admiration. He stays silent watching her for a few minutes, the same as Peeta and I.

"Hey sweetheart, I'm your Grandpa." Haymitch introduces himself to the pink bundle in his arms. Him using the same term of endearment on our daughter as he does on me makes me smirk. His eyes gloss over as he watches her and it makes me happy with the decision Peeta and I both made.

While I watch Haymitch and my daughter, Peeta sits beside me and strokes my hair, relaxing me. If I wasn't so content on watching our daughter, I would have fallen asleep. Today has been one of the most challenging moments of my life, mentally and physically. There would be no surprise if I did fall asleep. I don't know what time it is and how long it's taken for her to come into this world. All I know is that today has been the longest day of our lives and I don't want to miss a moment of it. I just want to stay here and enjoy this moment for the rest of my life. Peeta kisses my forehead every few minutes, so thankful for giving him what he's always wished for. And I'm thankful that he came to witness her birth. That will be something that he will never forget, and either will I. Soon, I notice that my eyes drift shut, and no matter how hard I try to keep them open, they continue to fall without my consent. It's Peeta's hand brushing my hair that lulls me into my post birth sleep.

:-:

I must sleep for a few hours because when I wake, Haymitch is gone and my mother and Prim across the room and are cuddling our baby. They stay in the room with us for a few hours before I need to sleep again, as they go to leave, Coin's personal assistant comes into the room with a vase of hydroponic flowers, attached with a card saying 'Congratulations Mockingjay'. I don't think it could sound more sincere even if she tried. She just wants me back into the field of the Capitol as soon as she can get me away from my daughter. I try not to think about it, the thought of not being able to be near her is more than I can ever imagine. I don't know how I am going to leave her. I look over to her little bassinet where she is sleeping soundly, little brown eyelashes softly laying upon her rosy cheeks, little brown tuffs of hair sticking out from underneath the pink beanie which she has keeping her little ears warm. Her body rising and falling with deep breaths as she dreams deeply not even a consideration of this world around her.

Peeta is asleep in a chair next to me, his hand resting on her bassinet in a protective way. It's been a long day for the pair of us, Peeta has overcome his Mutt self today, watched his daughter be born and all while I delivered her. I'm so glad that this journey I have taken into becoming a mother was picked with Peeta helping me as the father. I can't imagine ever allowing myself to become a parent. It would only be Peeta who would convince me to have a child. Here I am now, laying in a bed next to him as he protectively watches over her whilst the pair of them sleep. It's a sight I never realised how much I wished I wanted to see until now.

My eyes flutter shut, but before I can drift into sleep, a small cry carries out through the dim hospital room. Panic instantly rushes through me. What's wrong? Is she hungry? She can't be I just fed her an hour ago before she went to sleep. Does she need a diaper change? I don't know. Is she hurt? Before anymore thoughts rush through my head, Peeta wakes to her cries, jumping up to look into the bassinet his hand has been resting. He softly shushes her as he picks her up and rests her against his chest. Her small cries change as her voice is muffled into his shoulder. His voice breaks her cries, "It's okay, baby girl. You're okay." He repeats this as he starts slowly walking around the room, patting her on the back with his head looking down to hers.

"Is she okay?" I ask slightly worried, trying to get a peer at her crying face.

"She's okay, Katniss. I've got her." He replies, not changing how he's soothing her as he talks to me.

"Does she need something? I only just fed her."

Her cries start to soften and she starts nuzzling into Peeta's chest.

"She just needed a cuddle, Katniss. She's okay. I promise. You get some sleep. I've got her." He looks over at me and cups her tiny head into the palm of his hand as he still walks around the room.

"Are you sure, I can take her. You need sleep too." I say, stifling a yawn.

Peeta tilts his head and walks towards me, our daughters cries now almost gone. He's now next to me, my head the same level as hers, I can see her small eyes fluttering down again as she starts to settle. I smile and kiss her forehead which Peeta tilts to my direction, "Sleep. You gave birth today. You need it more than me. You've carried her for all this time, it's my time now, Katniss. You've done the hard part, now it's my turn." His lips come down to mine and he pecks my lips softly.

"Okay." I breathe, settling down into my soft pillows. I allow myself to start letting sleep take over me. The last look I have the day of our daughter's birth is Peeta's hand holding her head and him kissing the top of her head. All with the proudest and widest smile on his face. Peeta's a father. I'm a mother. Our daughter is here. We will never be alone again. Seeing Peeta holding our daughter so protectively behind my eyelids, I drift into a deep slumber, knowing that she is safe.

:-:

The next day, I wake to her cries early in the morning needing to feed her. I feed her and then Peeta changes her. He nurses her back to sleep again whilst I nod back off. During the night this happen a few times, it's a nice routine we get going. Peeta doesn't mind doing the dirty work at all, he's just happy to be helping care for his daughter. She is the light in his life and nothing would ever change that picture, he's the happiest man in the world. It's when I wake around six in the morning I realise that we need to actually name her. If Peeta had it his way she would be 'Baby Girl' because he's been referring to her as that since the beginning basically. Even without mentioning it out loud, I know that's what he's always called her. As for other actual names, we are stumped. We don't have any top names, I just couldn't imagine trying to name her without knowing if it would suit her at all.

"Peeta?" I call next to me.

He fell back asleep a few hours ago with me in the chair beside me, close to her so he could calm her if she needed. His eyes open straight away and look to me concerned.

"Are you okay? What do you need?" He asks rushed, pushing himself from his seat and running his hand through his hair, the curls bouncing into a different position.

"I'm fine, but she—"

"—Is she okay?" He cuts me off, moving to look over her to see if something is wrong with her.

"Peeta, stop. You worry more than me. Nothing's wrong. She perfect." I say with a proud smile on my lips.

Peeta rubs his eyes pushing the sleep away and waking up properly.

"She is perfect." He agrees. A smile crawls across my face and I rub my now deflated skinned belly and look over to her, reaching for her crib with the blank name card on it.

"She needs a name."

A light goes off in Peeta's mind as he realises the same as I. "Right."

The next hour we juggle names. Ivy, Alora, Layana, Cassia, Azalea, and Sequioa. Nothing seems to fit. We come to two names- Juniper and Zinnia. We test them, but I don't think they're quite right still.

"Katniss?"

"I don't think they fit, Peeta. Why is she so hard to name?" I almost want to cry, I don't wanna leave her with a name we both aren't happy with. She deserves a name that works for her.

"What's the name of that tree we were under before you went into labour?"

I think back, that seems like a lifetime ago. I can barely even remember what happened before then, seems silly now. I think back and then, it pops into my head and it clicks. It's perfect. I lean over to her bassinet and I pick her up into my arms, cradling her against my chest, looking into her tiny and perfectly pink face.

"Willow. Her name is Willow." I announce.

Peeta's breath hitches and I feel him wrap his arm around me, looking down into our daughter's face in my arms.

"It's perfect." He confirms it.

Our daughter. Willow. A few minutes later, we fill in her birth certificate, staring at our choice and agreeing wholeheartedly that her name is Willow.

Willow Juniper Mellark

Daughter of Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen

Baby girl born: 1st February at 5:37pm

Weight: 6lb 8oz