Suzanne Collins owns all rights to the characters! Not me! This isn't the real story either!
Chapter 12
"Haymitch please let me go back in with her. I need to protect her." Peeta says calmly.
"No! No!" I sob into his chest.
"Katniss I have to get you home from the arena."
"No!" The tears are coming down in buckets. It's then when I start screaming. "Do you remember how I say 'I love you more than my life'? You're not dying to protect me!"
"Katniss. Your family needs you." Peeta says. Wait. Family. Mother. I'm going to the arena pregnant! I hate Snow! What are the odds of this being on the card? He gets rid of the rebellion leader, and it stops the uprisings.
I know what Peeta's saying. I'm needed to stay alive because I'm pregnant. No. I would stare at the wall all day. I would be like my mother. I shouldn't turn in to that. I wouldn't be able to take care of our child, protect it. Peeta should come home not me. I look at my family. Three people (counting Peeta). Peeta has more family than me. More to come back to.
I jump up and run to the bathroom. I pull Peeta with me. Odds are the bathroom isn't bugged.
"What Katniss?" Peeta asks calmly. In answer, I throw up. Peeta rubs my back.
"This has to be planned. Stopping the uprising and getting rid of me. All in one neat little package." I'm done crying; I'm angry now. Peeta pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his shoulder, and he leans his on mine.
"I'm sorry this happened," Peeta says rubbing my back. I laugh.
"You say that a lot." He laughs too.
"I love you."
"I love you." Peeta starts to break. It's like I can hear it. He starts sobbing.
"Peeta. We have three months before we go." Seeing him cry. Hurts. Bad. Like someone shooting me in the heart.
I fall away from Peeta and into a ball on the floor. I wrap my arms around my legs. I don't cry I just sit there not knowing what to do, or what will happen. The idea that I could have a family, even a messed up one, was delusional. Stupid. I'm going die. And I'm going to kill my baby in the process. But in a way, I guess I'm saving it from the headache of having me as a parent and no Dad.
Peeta looks at me with a glint in his eyes. "Katniss.."
He leans down and holds his hand out to me. I grab it and press it against my check. He picks me up still curled up in a ball. Just then the door opens. Haymitch.
"Had to make sure you weren't doing naughty things. Not that you two would ever do that."
"Haymitch! We're not in the mood to deal with you. If you can't be nice just leave us alone for once!" Peeta yells, an oddity in this world. I cling to Peeta tighter, and he wraps his arms even tighter around me.
"Fine, I'll be nice. I'm sorry this keeps happening to you. The thing was revoked, Snow came, and now this." He says then points at my stomach. "I'm sorry about that too."
Peeta sits on the counter top, and I burrow into his chest. "I'll be six months when we go. I'll be showing by then. Especially if I can't wear baggy clothes."
"They'll find out." Peeta pushes my hair out of my face. When he does, I can see the tears he's holding back. I put my hand on his check.
"It's okay."
"Your Mom is kind of worried about what you're doing in the bathroom with your so-called boyfriend. So you might want to go back out there." Haymitch says.
"I had to throw up originally," I say laughing at how stupid that sounds.
Peeta gives me a hand to get off the counter. I grab his hand and don't let go. I can see tears in his eyes. He needs to stop holding everything in. Mom looks at me with worried eyes, and Prim is nowhere in sight.
"What exactly where you doing in that bathroom?" I'm going back into the arena and she's worried about me in the bathroom with my husband, parents.
"Crying. Throwing up from fear." Peeta and I sit down on the couch.
"We better go. Love you." Peeta says. I sigh.
"I love you more." Peeta still has tears in his eyes as he leans down and kisses me. Seeing him walk out the door hurts me.
"You don't even need to worry Katniss. Peeta will make sure you come home." Mom says smiling. She puts her hand over mine. How do I explain this to her?
"Mom that's not what I want. If you could save Dad by taking his place, would you try to?" She frowns.
"Yes. There is a thick line between your Father and I and Peeta and you. We were married and had kids. You and Peeta aren't married and no kids." That thick line is not as thick as she thinks.
"Mom I need to tell you something. Promise you won't get mad and hate Peeta and me." Maybe before I die, she should know one of the secrets.
"You're pregnant?!" She screams. Ugh.
"That wasn't what I was going to say! Peeta and I are married, we went down to the Justice Building and got married." She wears a calm expression.
"When?" I bite my lip.
"The day after we came home from the victory tour." She laughs.
"That long and I didn't know. I should have known. You both acted so much more than just teen dating." She laughs. I'm shocked.
"You're not mad?"
"I'm not really shocked. You seem a lot more serious than most kids your age. And you seem like you love him." She sighs. "Don't tell Prim. She is handling this awfully without knowing this."
"I know. I'm sorry for bringing this to you. I better go talk to Haymitch about my strategy for the games." I walk out the door to Haymitch's house.
"Umm. Haymitch!" I shout.
"What Sweetheart?" He asks walking out in front of me.
"Let's go for a walk." Haymitch looks curious but doesn't say anything till we are out of victors village.
"I want Peeta to win. Let's try to save him this time."
"Katniss you are pregnant. I don't think this is the best idea for you. The boy would kill me if he knew you wanted me to help him win."
"If I live Haymitch, I'll be heartbroken; I will be like my mom was. An empty shell that can't take care of her kid because her husband died. I don't need to put my kid through that. The Capitol will know I'm pregnant. And it'll be in the Games, and I won't be able to live with that." I fall to my knees again, not crying but just broken.
Haymitch tries to pick me up. "Sweetheart it'll be the same thing for him. Except for his pregnant wife is dead. It won't be any easier on him. Katniss get up off the street." I get up, lost in the daze of what could have been.
"Don't you see Haymitch, Peeta and I never win. The president threatens our families, we are victors you know how bad that is, I got pregnant, and this happens! Us star-crossed-lovers-of District 12 never win!" I scream angry at the world, at Snow, and most of all at me for my stunt with the berries.
"Sweetheart it'll all work out. Come on when you get home you can consult your husband. Don't you want to see Peeta?" He knows what gets me out of a start of shock. I actually smile. Haymitch looks over at me and shakes his head.
"I'd blame the pregnancy, but I really think you are bipolar," Haymitch says.
"There you are I've been looking for you! Your mom said you were on a walk with Haymitch. I got worried. She called my house to see if I could stay and comfort you tonight. " Peeta says. He warps me into a tight hug.
"You worry too much."
"Uh. I have a right to be worried about my wife."
"I have a right to be worried about my husband as well. I kind of told my mom."
"About which one?" Peeta asks.
"She's got two secrets one: she's pregnant, two: she's married." Haymitch laughs.
"That I'm married. She asked me if I was pregnant and I told her that wasn't what I was going to say. She didn't mention it again." I smile. Peeta hugs me even tighter. I lean up and kiss Peeta. Haymitch grabs Peeta's shoulder.
"Boy stop yours in public. Continue quietly in her room later." We stop kissing, and Peeta puts his arm around my waist. When we are about to walk in the bushes beside us rustle. Peeta pushes me behind him.
"Who's there?" I ask. Gale jumps out.
"Me." How much did he hear?
"What are you doing?! What did you hear?" I scream stepping next to Peeta. Gale looks at me shocked.
"I went to your house to see how you were taking it. Your mom said you weren't there. I came walking back to my house. I saw you, Haymitch and Peeta, so I hid in the bushes. Is that a crime?" He says annoyed. If he heard something about me being pregnant, Peeta's dead.
"What did you hear?!" I say angrily.
"Was there something I wasn't supposed to hear? Something your mom wouldn't like? Like Peeta in your room tonight? She would hate that." Gale smirks. Peeta laughs. Gale's face goes stony.
"What baker?"
"Her mom called my house asking if I could comfort Katniss tonight," Peeta says rolling his blue eyes.
"She wouldn't." Gale dismisses. Even I'm shocked she did.
"She did," I say smirking.
"What was the first thing you heard?!" I ask angrily.
Gale looks startled. '"Didn't mention it again' and anything after that. What do you victors have an actual secret?"
"Yeah. But it's just for victors." I smirk.
"Like this year's games?" he remarks coldly.
"Shut up Gale," I call to him. I lean into his chest my head against his arm socket. Gale smirks.
"Aw. She's going back in. And you're going to go to want to protect her. And one of you or neither is coming back."
I turn my face to Peeta and bury my face in his chest. Peeta rubs my back trying to calm me.
"Gale say anything you want to me. Whatever you want. Don't upset Katniss." Ever so protective Mellark.
"Does Katniss-"Gale tries to say.
"If you really love her, you wouldn't be upsetting her," Peeta says. Gale storms off towards the seam, mad.
"Well, that was interesting," Haymitch says.
"At least he didn't hear about the secrets," I say trying to think on the bright side.
"Come on let's go to Victors Village," Peeta says.
"Bye. Don't do anything loud." Haymitch says going to his house. When we get to my home, we go our separate ways from Haymitch.
"He loves to torment us over that."
"Yes, he does." We walk into my house and find my mom still up on the couch. "I see you found her."
"What happened now?" she asks looking at my face.
"Gale. He was hiding in the bushes. And mentioned the Games." He stops there. But I can see him mouthing "About us not coming back together" when he thinks I'm not looking. I am not blind Mellark.
"Gale isn't as nice as he used to be," I mutter.
"I should have known you two were married," Mom says after a minute. "I mean you're together all the time. And you are always sweet to each other. And you are like extra parents to Prim." I lean against Peeta's chest. It feels like home. But Peeta is home.
"You were mad I was engaged, I wasn't going to tell you." Mom laughs.
"I thought you were faking. I don't care if you really love him." I sigh thinking of how things could have turned out if the upcoming games didn't involve us.
"I don't care if he stays here Katniss. I know you'll want to spend most of your time before.... with him." Mom whispers before we go to bed.
"Thanks, Mom," I say back. I try to run up the stairs and I feel my fattening stomach bounce under Peeta's sweatshirt. I collapse into Peeta arms on the bed.
"I can't believe I got us into this. If I died last year in the games. None of this would happen. You would be a victor by yourself no one trying to kill you." I state calmly rubbing my stomach.
"Katniss. I wouldn't have wanted that. I still don't. I'm so much happier than I ever was without you. I may have a lot more to worry about." He puts his hand on my stomach.
"But it's worth it," Peeta says.
"I don't think me living last year was right. Peeta we have three months together. And one of us will be a lot more hurt than we would have been a year ago." I say tearing up.
"Katniss, honey. Let's forget what happens in three months. Just live in the moment." Peeta says trying to calm me down.
"I'm tired of being the weak one," I mumble. Peeta shakes his head.
"You are so much stronger than I'll ever be. You can hunt, you take care of your sister like a mother, you took care of your family, you have gone through the games without being dead most of it, you didn't cry at the train station. I'm the weak one."
"But you never cry nowadays." I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Yeah. I guess I don't." He whispers in my ear, "I'm not the hormone-crazed pregnant girl either." I laugh. "That could be why I'm like this now."
Peeta strokes my hair. "I'm sorry about that."
"Peeta as much as it's my nature to blame someone. It is more of my fault." I shrug it off. I was the one that started making out with him and started it all.
"Having Gale see us was funny," I say.
"If you consider him almost finding out we are more with fiancées funny," Peeta says.
"Having my mom know and not hate us makes me happy." I smile.
"I'm not telling mine. They'll just freak out with the.. upcoming thing.." Peeta says wearily.
"I thought we should train. Like the careers. I know you have a knife and a bow." Peeta says after a minute of silence. Peeta needs to train if he's going to win.
"Sure. We can do that. I can't do much though."
"If it gets to be too much you won't have to do it." A while passes, and I think about the upcoming months. What I as a pregnant teen will have to go through. But Peeta will be with me.
As much as I don't want that for him. I can't deny how much I truly want him to be there with me. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" I ask.
"Yes, but refresh my memory." Says Peeta jokingly. I laugh.
"I love you more than anyone has loved anyone before. More than there are trees in the forest. More than I love hunting." I say. It's true. But I've never told Peeta any of this. I'm not good at telling people my emotions. Peeta wraps his arms around me even tighter.
"I bet I know someone who loves someone more," he whispers into my ear.
Him that is what he says. "Trust me. You don't know someone who does."
"I do. And he loves you actually. More than there is paint combinations." He does love me a lot.
"Why do you have to have painted as a hobby? You get the hobby were there are more things." I sigh. Peeta laughs.
"I'll give you this. You must love me a lot to love me more than hunting." I smile. "Yes, I do."
Haymitch helps us train, and Effie sends us DVDs of the other Victors we may face. My mother makes our energy drinks and treats our sores. Peeta and I are the same. He is a demanding trainer when we train, but we are together more than we ever were before now. Peeta lives with us now. Our parents do not care, so he goes to the bakery some not very often though. Prim avoids us. Won't even speak to us. Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months.
Too soon I'm six months and its time for the reaping. I walk into Peeta and my bedroom and see the dress I wore last year lying on the bed. "Mom!" I yell.
"What Katniss?" she says from behind me.
"Can you find me a shirt and skirt? Baggy shirt?" I ask.
"Why would you want-" she starts.
"You don't want to know." I interrupt. She looks at me eyebrows raised then nods her head and walks to her room. She comes back with a dark purple blouse and black bottoms.
"Thank you," I say dressing.
I know she suspects it. Almost everyone does. I'm not slim. I'm big for most pregnancies. Positively bigger than I was last year. I'm very nervous about my stomach and going to the Capitol. I get dressed and look in the mirror. The baggy shirt helps cover it some.
"Hey, gorgeous," Peeta says from behind me. He went to his parent's house to visit. While I visited my mother because Prim won't talk to me.
"I don't know who you are talking to, but it sure isn't me," I respond.
"I sure am. And don't believe you aren't for a second."
"I've believed it for years."
"Come on Katniss it's almost two." Peeta frowns and leads me to the door. I wrap my arm around his waist and he wraps his around mine. Peeta walk to the square by ourselves Mother and Prim left earlier and who knows where Haymitch is.
Peeta and I check in. And spot Haymitch in a small roped off pen by himself.
"You're over here miss." A peacekeeper directs me.
"Can I stay with him?" I gesture towards the men's sections, who is currently only entertaining the one and only Haymitch Abernathy.
"No miss you can't."
"Please?" I ask.
"No." he rudely yanks me away from Peeta and into a different roped off area. I'm about to start crying, but then I remember sponsors.
I look over at Peeta and shrug my shoulders. I look around and realize the whole District is watching me. They probably saw the whole show with the peacekeeper too. Effie walks on stage, and even she looks out of sorts. "Ladies first!" she squeals. Everyone knows it is me.
"Katniss Everdeen." She says. I knew it was me, but it is still bad to hear it.
"It's Katniss Mellark," I shout walking to the stage. The crowd gasps. I try to walk normally, but rarely can I master it. I'm hobbling. I somehow do manage to climb the steps to the stage.
"Well Katniss Mellark," Effie says with tears in her eyes. She barely has time to call Haymitch's name before Peeta volunteers. I start to shake from tears that are falling heavily in my mind. My face may look emotionless. But inside I'm a wreck.
"Our newest tributes. Katniss and Peeta Mellark, but they aren't siblings." Effie says sadly. And don't forget baby Mellark as well. I mentally add. The whole District looks at us with sympathy.
"Shake hands." The Mayor says. Peeta and I hug instead.
Peeta's arm encircles my waist, and we walk into the Justice Building. Thread is there.
"Fresh meat." He says smiling. We don't get to say our goodbyes. They lead us to a car in the back where Haymitch is waiting.
"Katniss Mellark?"Haymitch asks.
"Yes?" I respond.
"You idiot! Why would you do that?! Announce your last name! Are you crazy?" He screams.
"Probably," I say smugly.
"Snow will hate you!"
"He already does," I say rolling my eyes.
"Why did you do that?" He asks.
"They didn't say my last name." I shrug.
"I guess this will be one of those bad things we just have to laugh about." He responds heading towards the cart of liquor. We watch until my home fades.
Thanks for reading!!!
~K.D. Howell