Baby of Panem

Baby

"Just like that Katniss, I need you to keep going."

"Get her out!" I scream at them as the pain worsens, I know something is ripping me apart. I can feel it happening and the pain is becoming unbearable.

"Peeta, you need to help her breathe and help her push. This isn't going to be clean or pretty like if she'd delivered in a medical setting. No matter what you see, you cannot pass out on me. Katniss, bare down for me as hard as you can. This baby is almost out."

I can hear Peeta saying something to me as I struggle to do as Finnick says. My vision is becoming fuzzy and I can't tell what's going on or where the voices are coming from, but I keep breathing and pushing as I hear them telling me. I feel a pop, more tearing, and then all the pressure subsides as the sensation is replaced with a burning pain. I can hear crying in the distance and am vaguely aware of my daughter being placed on my chest. I notice Peeta covers her with something and places a hand over her, helping me hold her on me. I'm glad for his help, I don't feel strong enough to hold her on my own. As I start to feel as though I'm coming back into my body, I feel more pressure and tugging.

"Katniss, I'm getting your placenta out. You're going to feel some pulling."

I feel something slip out of me again as the pain gets worse. I can feel wetness continuing to spread along my legs and pool underneath me. I think I'm sweating. I feel nauseous and I can't focus on anything. I lay back more, the only thing holding me up is Peeta's body. I can hear him saying something, but I can't make it out. I feel someone taking my baby away, but I can't reach back out for her. My arms fall limp at my sides. I see black spots. Someone wipes at my forehead with something cold. I hear shouting and more crying, then suddenly it all stops. I don't hear anything; I don't feel anything. Everything just goes black.

I feel water pouring on me and hear a voice I don't recognize. I can make out that the voice belongs to a woman. I feel her wiping something across my forehead. I can't make out what she is saying. I blink, the sun hurting my eyes as I close them again. Nausea comes in another wave, I gag as I feel her helping me onto my side. Nothing comes up.

"Katniss," I can make the words out this time.

I open my eyes as she repeats my name. I open my eyes, first noticing my surroundings. I notice waves washing onto the shore. I'm on the beach. I can feel the sand on me. I turn my head to look at the woman helping me. I recognize her now. She helps me into a sitting position and dabs my head again. She hands me something to drink as she helps me sit. My throat burns as I try to talk. I take a drink, just water I notice.

"Jo..Johanna," I finally force the words out, taking another sip of water, 'What happened? Where's Peeta?" I feel my stomach, "Where's my baby?" I try to fight her grip to stand, not doing a good job and fumbling back into a sitting position.

"Hey, slow down. Relax. Peeta is okay. You had the baby. You should've seen all the gifts that started pouring in just minutes later. Everything you could need to take care of your baby, they sent you. Pain medication and antibiotics too. They even gave you a new wetsuit, pads, and some spray to help with the pain. They let medics into the arena to check on you. You were losing a lot of blood Katniss. Finnick managed to stich you up before the medics got her. They checked on you and the baby. They offered to take her to a nursery in the capital so that she would be safe outside of the arena..."

"What?" Panic rises in me, they tried to take my baby. Snow tried to take her, "Where is she? Please tell me you didn't let them take her! They can't take her! Peeta never would've said yes! Where is she?! Tell me that you didn't let Snow take my baby!"

"Katniss, she's safe. Peeta has her. He told them where they could shove it. He has her by the water." She smiles as she helps me to my feet, "Lets go meet your daughter."

She helps me walk down the shore, as we get closer, I see Peeta holding our baby, watching the sunset. I try to keep from crying, partly from pain, but mostly from the overwhelming feeling of knowing that for right now, my baby is safe. I notice Finnick sitting off to the side with some other victors, I think district three. Peeta looks up at us as we get closer. I sit down next to him and reach for our baby; he hands her to me gently and I look at her. She is so tiny in my arms, so innocent. This was never a world I wanted my children to know, yet here she is, right in the middle of it. In the middle of the arena. All I want to do is keep her safe, keep her innocent. I know this means that either Peeta or I have to make it out of this arena and take her home.

I notice that she's wrapped in a pink blanket with a matching bonnet on her head. The trim of an outfit is visible at the top of the blanket. She sleeps as I hold her, clearly at peace. I notice Peeta putting an empty bottle into a bag beside him. Johanna wasn't kidding when she said that gifts came pouring in after I had her. I know Snow must have his reasons for allowing this, for making sure I would stay alive. But right now, all I can focus on is holding my baby girl and keeping her safe from this world and these games.

"What do you want to name her?" Peeta looks over at us, I don't have to think. I already know her name just by looking. She's already strong and a fighter. Just like Rue.

"Rue Primrose Mellark." That's our daughter's name, my daughter. I would do anything to protect her. I feel a new desire inside of me, one that I've felt before but not as strongly. A desire to live, to stay alive for her. To keep Peeta alive for her. Peeta nods, kissing my cheek as he repeats her name.

I hear the capital song playing overhead in the arena and look up to see which tributes have fallen today. After the fallen tributes projection is over, a new projection is shown. A projection of Peeta, our baby, and me. I move to look at Peeta, as the projection version of me does the same. This is a live projection. I realize that Snow is exposing where we are.

"I would like to wish a personal congratulations to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark," I hear Snow's voice overhead, "On the birth of their baby girl, Rue Primrose Mellark. With these unprecedented circumstances, I would like to issue a new rule. No one may harm this baby girl. She is to survive, regardless of who becomes our victor of the 75th annual hunger games, this baby is not to be harmed. That is all and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Panic rises in me. Snow has just placed a target on our back and exposed our current location. He has forbidden anyone to kill my daughter, which is exactly what I want, her to be safe, but if we don't survive, what will become of her? We have to win. Peeta and I have to win, or at least one of us.