What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 13

What if?

What if I'm stuck here? With Peeta..... Until tomorrow. What if I have to sleep here? What if I have a nightmare? What if something happens to Sophie while I'm gone? It would be all my fault. What if Haymitch can't handle her? What if this is going to be horrible? What if there is going to be awkward silence the entire time? A odd tension between us?

What if.............

---

"Katniss?"

Peeta says, resuming me to reality. I look at him and say trying to sound casual rather than nervous

"Mhm?"

He smiles a little to himself at my daydreaming before answering

"I said ' I guess your stuck here. There's no way you can go out in that'"

I sigh and look out at the storm that has arose outside. He's right. I can't. I sit down his couch and let out a quiet moan. Peeta sits down on the couch also, a good few feet between us. I can tell he knows I'm not impressed with the situation. He is probably thinking it's because of him. If only I could tell him about Sophie. The truth is I can. But then what could happen..... It's a thought I immediately push away. I ask Peeta

"Can I use your phone?"

He replies

"Yeah. It's in the office"

I nod and walk down the hallway and enter the office. The room itself is almost identical to mine other than the layout of furniture different to mine. I find the phone upon the desk. I immediately dial in my house number and ring, praying Haymitch will have the sense to pick up. A few seconds later I hear on the other side of the line

"Hello Sweetheart"

" I can't get out"

He laughs a little and says

"No kidding sweetheart"

He laughs a bit more. I say angrily whisper, aware Peeta is not that far away

"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!THIS ISN'T FUNNY!! I'M STUCK HERE UNTIL TOMORROW!"

He says

"That's why it's funny.Because you don't like it and your reaction is hilarious. You'd swear your being killed"

I sigh in frustration. I take a moment to calm myself before saying, my voice returned to it's usual calm state

"Can you mind Sophie for the night?"

He sighs loudly and says

"6 bottles"

He's talking about the liquor I promised him.That's his payment he was supposed to get today once I came home. And unfortunately I can't say no without him bailing out on me

"All right. 6"

He mutters a small yes. I roll my eyes. The man's excitement for liquor is sad. I ask him

"So how's she doing?"

I can't help but feel nervous leaving her this long. He replies

"She's sleeping. She was very quiet for a baby. A few goo goo's and that was it. She spent the time lying on the floor"

You would think this would sound odd but to me it's not, knowing that she has been attempting to crawl for awhile now. I wish I knew what age she was, to know if this was normal or not at her age. I ask him

"Are you sure you can manage her until tomorrow?"

He says

"Of course I can. You told me where her food is, she's a good kid I'll be fine"

I breath out while saying

"Okay..."

He says back

"Katniss.. I think motherhood is rubbing off on you"

I scoff.

"Listen I have to go. I'll be home as soon as possible tomorrow"

He says

"Bye sweetheart. If your not back by tomorrow afternoon I'll assume you two hit it off and made out"

He laughs. I make an angry sound before hanging up. I then run my fingers through my hair and sigh. I then walk out of the room and back to my seat on the couch. When I sit down I feel Peeta's eyes on me but I just look straight ahead, doing my best to avoid his eyes. He then says

"Who were you calling?"

I swallow the newly formed lump in my throat and force the lie in my mind into words

"Sae. She usually checks up on me around this time"

He nods. We spend another while watching TV in silence. I feel the cold night settling in outside as even now goosebumps form along my arms. Peeta soon notices and asks me

"Are you cold?"

I shake my head but despite my answer he gets up, coming back a few moments later with a huge blanket. He places it on my shoulders before sitting back down. I notice after awhile that he also has goosebumps. I reach over and give him a section of the blanket though still leave a fair amount of space between us. Peeta looks at me with a questioning look. I say to him

"Your cold too"

He nods and looks to the floor. But when my eyes look at him a few moments later I catch him smiling. After awhile I feel myself tiring, my eyes coming slowly droopy. I lay my head back on the pillow behind my head. And then I fall half asleep, still hearing all around me but my eyes shut. Not long later I heard Peeta getting up. I then feel the blanket being raised to me chin and a soft warm finger gently rubs my skin as it guides a stray hair on my face behind my ear. He must think I'm asleep because I then feel the warm sensation of his lips on my forehead before I he walks away. I can't help but smile just as I am pulled deep under into the world of my sleep, the place where my nightmares pounce upon me...