How Could You? - An Everlark AU

Chapter 30

Katniss's P.O.V.

I wake up to the sound of the hospital monitor. I let my eyes flutter open. I feel exhausted and sore as hell. But still numb a little bit. I look around the room and Peeta nor HU are there. It's just me. I rest my hand on my stomach. All I feel is stitches. I am still swollen but at least I can breathe again. The door opens and a nurse comes in. The nurse wheels in the bassinet and I see my children in them.

'Congratulations, Mrs. Mellark.' She says quietly with a smile. She puts the bassinet by my bed and hands me the one of the twins.

I hold Josie in my arms first. She is so small, a bit pale, but beautiful. She and Charlie are smaller than Ruby was. Most likely since they had to share my body whereas Ruby had it all to herself. She is a replica of Peeta. Her blonde curls, cute nose, his ears. She's amazing.

'Hi there, Miss Josie Mira.. Good to see you finally sweetie. Welcome to the world.' I say softly and try to swallow my tears of joy. I brush my finger on her face. I kiss her forehead.

Charlie wakes up and starts to cry. By some instanct I just know how to balance the both of them in my arms. I manage to keep Josie calm and while I take my time for Charlie. He is a replica of me. My hair, my eyes, my cheeks and ears.

'Hey, Mister Charlie Jo. it's okay. I'm here. Momma is here. You're safe in my arms. Your sister is too. See, she's right here.' I say soothingly to him.

He starts to calm down and I kiss his head and try to keep him calm. I look at both of my children in my arms. They are more than I could ask for. Maybe enough to have another. There is a quiet knock on the door and then it opens. A Nurse leads all of HU and Peeta inside. They all gasp and come a little closer. I smile at them all. Peeta comes by my side and kisses me. He smiles proudly down and our children.

'Jesus, Kat, they're beautiful. What are you gonna call them?' George asks her.

'Well, I was thinking of Josie for her. And Charlie for him.' I smile as I watch Jordan's face light up with delight.

'Name him after me?' He asks as if he hadn't heard me the first time.

I laugh and nod, 'why wouldn't I?'

'Then who's Josie named after?' Jorel asks me.

I look at him and I want him to figure it out. Which he does as his face lights up with joy just like Jordan's did.

'Named after me?' He asks just in case.

I laugh and nod as a huge smile grows on his face. I've never seen him so happy apart from the day he proposed to Vanessa and married her. Jorel looks at me for permission to hold Josie. I nod and hand her to him as his eyes gloss over with tears of happiness.

'She's so beautiful.' He whispers as we all crowd around them.

'Hey there, Josie.' He says as she grabs his finger in her tiny fist.

We all laugh and take turns cradling her in our arms. I know she's much too light to be classed as a 'healthy' baby but she seems to be doing alright.

After they've all had their turn holding Josie, it's Charlie's turn to be held. And Peeta's turn to hold his new daughter. Jordan's face lights up when it's his turn to hold him. His smile is just as wide as Jorel's, maybe even wider if that's possible.

'Hey, little man! I'm also Charlie!' He chuckles quietly.

We all laugh along with him as Josie and Charlie look around in confusion at us all.

'Hey, I think it's time we get Ruby.' Peeta suggests.

'I'll get her.' Dylan volunteers.

He leaves the room, leaving the rest of us to talk amongst ourselves, and enjoy the new additions to this crazy family. Not even five minutes later, he comes rushing back in.

'She's gone!' He exclaimed angrily as he burst into the room.

'Who's gone?!' I asked.

'Ruby! She's not in the nursery! She's gone!' He said angrily.

'Well where the hell could she be?!' Danny asks.

'How should I know?! We have to find her. She couldn't just walk out of here. She's only 1 years old!' Peeta says.

'I'll go look, right now. She can't be far. Has to be in this hospital somewhere.' Jordan says.

'I'll go too.' Jorel and George say too.

'We won't come back until we find her, guys. She has to be here somewhere.' Dylan says to Peeta and I.

'I'll stay with them.' Danny says. 'Go find her.'

They all nod and leave the room in a hurry. Peeta holds me and tries to comfort me. I have no idea what could happen to her. Why would someone take my daughter? She's never done anything wrong. None of my children. If anyone, it should've been me taken, if she has been. I close my eyes and bury myself into Peeta a cry softly. I think the best instead of the worst. But they still think that something terribly wrong has happened to my daughter.

'They'll find her, Katniss. If it's the last thing they do.' Danny says. 'We'll tear the whole fucking Capitol apart if we have to.'

'I want her back....' I whisper, voice breaking and tears streaming down my face. 'I want my daughter.'

'Kat, don't give up hope. She must've just wandered off. She'll be found and brought back to meet her new brother and sister, I promise.' Peeta soothes, and I can hear him trying to hold back his own fear and sadness.

I look up at him with my broken grey eyes. He smiles softly and kisses me. He hugs me tight and I can feel his tears hit my neck. We hold onto one another and don't want to let go. Too scared of the pain and sadness.

'Hey, you guys should get some sleep, okay?' Danny says. 'I'll wake you guys up when they are back.'

We both nod. He heads to the door and leaves. I look at the twins who are sleeping peacefully next to my bed.

'They'll be okay too, Katniss. Let's get some sleep, alright?' Peeta says and turns my chin to look at him.

I nod a little. He lays down with me in his arms. I face my children and not take an eye off of them. Eventually the exhaustion of labor and surgery gets to me. I almost fall asleep when the scent of death comes into my nose. White roses....

I start to panic at remembering the first time I encountered the exact same roses. They're from Snow, leader of the mafia. If you're given a white rose, then you know you're in trouble. I sit up fast and I spot it on my nightstand. My soul leaves my body.

'Kat, what's wrong?' Peeta asks me, concern laced in his tone.

'No.. why would he...? I never.... Oh God, Ruby... My daughter.... She's in the hand of that snake...' I think, panicked.

I start hyperventilating as him and Danny try desperately to calm me down. It doesn't work as the same searing pain as before rushes up my spine, causing me to cry out in pain as I slip back into the dark world.

~

Peeta's P.O.V

'Kat? Kat!' I say as I watch her lose consciousness, 'Kat, stay awake please!'

Her heart monitor is flatlining, and she's bleeding everywhere. Her olive skin is fading away. I'm on my own as Danny runs to find a nurse to help Katniss. We're both worried about her.

He comes back in the room with a nurse who presses a button on the wall which triggers an alarm which in turn rings down the hallway, alerting nurses and surgeons to come into Katniss's room and help her survive.

'What's gonna happen?' I ask a nurse who's sorting something with a machine.

'She's lost a lot of blood.' She tells me, 'She's torn all over again and even deeper too. She'll need a transfusion but her blood type is the rarest and we haven't a match at this hospital or in this area. I'm sorry. We may not be able to save her.'

I don't even want to believe what I heard. I can't... Katniss can't die.. Not now... Why her? I can't lose her.. I love her. I can't lose her.. But... I am..