Everlasting

Chapter 9

Katniss P.O.V.

"Peeta!" I say urgently as I shake his shoulder. His eyes fly open and he gives me a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

"Rye's fever has gone up," I say as tears fall down my face. Peeta quickly sits up and takes Rye from me. Rye is screaming to the top of his lungs, and his little hands are balled up into tight fists.

"Peeta, something's hurting him," I cry. Peeta places a hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eyes.

"Honey, listen to me," Peeta says softly. "He'll be fine. I'll call Ellen and see what she says. We'll take him to the doctor in the morning. Just calm down please." I nod and Peeta quickly leaves the room with Rye. It isn't long until Willow comes into the room.

"Mommy," she whines.

"What's the matter, baby girl?" I ask her. She walks over to me and I pick her up. She leans her head over on my shoulder and looks up at me.

"Mommy, I'm so tired and I can't sleep 'cause Rye keeps a cryin' and… and…" she starts crying and I pull her closer to me.

"Willow, I know you're tired, but that's no reason to cry."

"Yuh-huh," she whines. "'Cause I gots to go to stool if it not snows and I will be so, so tired," she says dramatically.

"Baby girl, I know it's been a rough night for all of us," I tell her. "So if you're still really tired in the morning, then Daddy and I will let you stay home and rest."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh," I say softly as I kiss the top of her head. "So don't worry about it. Go back to bed. Try to go to sleep." She nods and slowly starts back to her room. Peeta come back in carrying Rye and sits down beside of me on our bed.

"Ellen said that the hospital probably won't do anything until his fever gets really high since he hasn't had any other symptoms," Peeta says.

"So what do we do until morning?" I ask him.

"Keep a cold, wet rag on his forehead," Peeta says.

"Okay," I barely say as I nod my head.

"Here, you take Rye," Peeta says as he passes our baby boy to me caefully, "and I'll go fix a rag for him." I nod and cradle Rye close to me.

"You're okay," I say softly as I run a hand through Rye's blonde hair." Mommy and Daddy are going to take care of you. That's our job, you know. To always take care of you and your sister, and to make sure that you two are okay." Peeta comes back in and gently places the rag on Rye's forehead.

"There you go," Peeta says quietly as he sits back down beside of me. Rye continues to fuss, so I start to rock him.

"See. You'll be okay, baby boy," I tell him.

"Why don't I take him downstairs with me?" Peeta says. "That way you can get some sleep." I shrug my shoulders.

"It won't do any good," I say truthfully. "I can't sleep without you anyways." Peeta gives me a sad smile.

"Just try to relax. Okay?" I nod my head and Peeta takes Rye downstairs.
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I don't sleep. I knew I wouldn't. So when I look up at the clock to see it's seven in the morning, I'm not surprised that I'm more tired than I was when I went to bed.

"Katniss?" Peeta says softly as he comes into the room carrying Rye.

"Yeah?" I reply sleepily.

"Willow's school was called off this morning for snow, so I'm just going to stay home too," Peeta says. I nod my head and carefully take Rye from him.