We'll Be Alright

Part 1

I wake to small hands touching my face. Jolting awake, I find myself staring into the wide eyes of my daughter, Marnie.

"Mommy?" she whispers. She looks so concerned, and for a moment I think something terrible has happened.

"What is it, baby?" I ask her.

"You had another dream. You were screaming again. I got scared, Mommy."

She's right. I was having a nightmare. Now that I'm heavily pregnant with my second child, the fear of Peacekeepers breaking into my home and taking my children has begun again. It happened when I was with-child the first time, too.

"I'm so sorry, my angel. I'm okay, I promise." She seems to relax at this.

I slide out of bed and scoop her into my arms.

"You're getting to be big, my special girl," I whisper to her, and she giggles. There is nothing I love more than the sound of my daughter being happy.

Sometimes I worry that she won't feel safe in this home. I have my nightmares. Peeta has his hijacking flashbacks, and although they're scarce, they're serious when they occur.

"How's my sister, Mommy?" Marnie asks me, and places her delicate hands on my ever-growing tummy.

"How are you so sure it's a girl, pumpkin?" I tease. "How are you so sure it's even human? Maybe it's a big, scary monster!" I tickle her with these last words, and she cackles and pushes my hands away.

"Let's go back to bed, my flower." I take her hand and lead her back to her room.

When Peeta painted the space, he made sure to consult with Marnie first. He let her tell him everything she wanted on the walls, and he never questioned a thing she said. That's what I love about him. I knew he would be a good father, so tender and gentle, but at the same time, so disciplinary and so much like a teacher to her.

I lay Marnie in bed and turn to go, but her hand stays on my arm to stop me.

"Will you sing me the Meadow song, Mommy?" She looks up at me with her big blue eyes. Those eyes get me every time, whether she's begging for an extra pastry made by Daddy, or trying to get out of trouble.

"Of course, cupcake," I respond, and sit back down beside her on this tiny bed, beginning to sing.

By the time I've finished the song, Marnie's asleep and it's almost dawn.

"Wow," I whisper. I hadn't realized how much time had gone by since she shook me awake from the hell that, for me, comes with sleep.

I slip out of Marnie's room and into my own. I pick up the book that Peeta and I made such a long, long time ago and turn to the first page. There's no point in trying to sleep anyway.

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By early morning I've gotten dressed and am making pancakes for Marnie and Peeta.

My husband trudges into the kitchen, still shaking off sleep, and wraps his arms around my waist from behind and kisses my neck.

"Good morning," he says into my ear, and even though I'm facing away from him, I can hear the smile in his voice.

"Good morning," I say back, and I turn around so his lips can meet mine.

He grins against my mouth. "You're cooking?" he asks sarcastically.

"Don't be a smartass," I respond, and tangle my fingers through the long waves of his hair to continue the kiss.

"Gross!" I hear from behind me. Marnie's awake and covering her eyes from the sight of her parents locking lips in middle of the kitchen.

Peeta and I both chuckle. Marnie finally peeks out from behind her hands.

"Are you guys done yet?" she groans. She definitely got that cynical tone from me. I smile down at her and kiss the top of her head.

"Good morning, baby bear," I say to her. "Have you gotten your books together yet?"

She recently started kindergarten and, much to my and Peeta's relief, she loves it. Most parents can't say that, but luckily, not a day has gone by where we've had to force her to get ready and go to school.

"Yes, Mommy, I have, while you and Daddy were KISSING!" she exclaims, and I laugh again.

She scampers to the kitchen table to go over a paper for homework, and I gaze at her.

She was unfortunate enough to inherit my crazy, dark-brown locks, though I was pretty excited to see the charcoal-colored fuzz that covered her head when she was born.

Her beautiful cornflower-blue eyes, given to her by Peeta, roam over the paper, deep in concentration. She does much better in the school environment than I ever did, thank God.

I never thought I'd be here, with one perfect child already showing signs of both Peeta and me. And with one on the way, and who knows how that one will turn out. But I'm excited for this journey that we'll all take, and I can't wait to see where it lands us.

"Katniss?" Peeta's voice interrupts my reverie.

I turn around. "Yeah?" I ask.

"Pancakes are burning."

"Shit!" I exclaim.

"Mommy, that's a bad word!"