Peeta POV- (Late that night)
"Uncle Peeta?" Carter asks me out of the blue, taking her eyes off the television for the first time in a while.
Willow is snoring and Carson is in my lap asleep, Carter on the opposite side of me, had her head laying on the arm of the couch, I actually thought she was nearly asleep.
I look over, "Yeah?"
"Is my Daddy really my Daddy?" She asks me softly, sounding as if she's been in deep thought about the question for a while now.
My heart sinks and I wonder if I should tell her the truth or not.
But if I lie I don't know what it will make her think of me in the future when she finds out that Blake is not really her dad.
I want her to always trust me, just the way I want Willow too as well and Carson and Finn too. And the new baby when it gets older.
I swallow hard, "Yeah, I think so."
"Because I don't look like him and one day I founded a picture of my Momma and me when I was a baby with a different guy. And it wasn't my dad. It was someone else." She tells me, confused looking.
Poor kid.
She's six years old and asking me this.
I know it's not my place to tell her anything about Brandon but I feel like she deserves to know, even if she's only 6 years old. She obviously knows something about it or has her suspicions.
If Bristol gets mad with me for it she will just have to be mad at me because I can't lie to Carter about something this big.
I think a few minutes before deciding to do it completely, Carter obviously getting frustrated with me and herself.
"Sweetheart, I am gonna tell you the truth but you don't need to be upset about it or anything, okay?"
"Okay." She says nodding her head.
I take a deep breath and try to decide how to put this all without making it sound as awful as it was.
I start from the beginning since she really doesn't know just how far we go back.
"Katniss and I met your Mommy when we were only 18 and in college and your Mommy had a boyfriend." I start.
Carter nods her head.
"A few months later they got married and they told us that they were gonna have you." I say.
She smiles a little.
"You moved to District 12 when you were only one day old. Did you know that?"
Her eyes get big, "Really?"
"Yep. Right after you were born, Aunt Katniss, your Mommy and I all drove from District 5 to District 12 with you and did you know Aunt Katniss was the first person to ever hold you?" I tell her.
"Aw. Were was my Daddy?"
"He was at work far away so he couldn't be there." I say softly.
She nods nonchalantly, not really bothered by it.
"You use to stay with Aunt Katniss and I so so much that everyone really thought you were our baby." I say, trying to put a lightening on the mood.
Carter laughs a little, "Where was Willow? Where was Willow at?"
I smile, "We didn't have Willow because Aunt Katniss and I weren't married yet. But we got married when you were one month old and you came to our wedding and slept the whole time." I tease her, chuckling.
She laughs, "I'm sorry. I bet I was sleepy."
"You were or maybe you were bored." I smile.
Carter smiles, "Maybe but I wish I could have been there when I remembered it."
"We have lots of pictures of you there. Maybe I can show you tomorrow." I say.
She nods excitedly.
"And did you know that when you started talking, you use think that I was your dad?" I say.
I remember that made Katniss so mad and now that I'm older I see where it may have bothered her but I still to this day think it was all blown out of proportion.
There were worse things happening at that time than an innocent baby talking.
"Aw." She says softly.
I nod.
"I wish you were my Daddy."
I smile sadly, not really knowing what to say.
"But when you were really little, you were still a baby, your Mommy left your real dad because he was really mean to her and she wanted to protect you." I explain.
"Oh. That's good." She says softly and frowns.
She scoots closer to me and hug her a little, "She wanted to make sure that he never ever hurt you and then she met Blake when you were about two I think." I recall.
"So he got to be my new Daddy?"
"Yep and he loved you so much that he wanted to be your real Daddy so now he is." I say softly.
She nods her head and I can't tell if she's upset or not.
"Blake is a really good Daddy to you and Carson though. He loves you both so much and he's nice and he loves your Momma too." I tell her truthfully, or from observation.
"I know that. My other dad sounds not very nice." She frowns.
I sigh, "He was usually nice to me and I don't think he would've ever hurt you but you never know. And I don't think he hurt your Mommy on purpose but it's still not nice to treat your family mean."
"Yeah, I am glad she found Blake because he is nice."
"Me too. He makes her really happy."
Carter nods, "I like him too but I still just wish that you were my Daddy because you are the best Daddy ever to Willow."
"Well, thank you. And even though I'm not actually your dad, I'll always be your uncle and you can talk to me about anything, alright?"
"Okay." She says looking down.
"Are you okay?" I ask her softly, she's heard a lot of sad things today.
She nods her head and hugs me, "I feel better now."
I smile sadly, "Good. I'm sorry that today wasn't very good for you. I hope I didn't upset you with that though and it might make your mom mad but she will just have to mad at me." I say truthfully. She doesn't seem too bothered by it so what does it matter?
"I don't think she will be mad. And I won't let her be mad at you." She says and hugs me again.
I kiss the top of her head the way I do Willow when she's upset.
"I love you. Don't ever forget that no matter what." I say truthfully.
"I won't. I love you too." She says softly.
I smile sadly, "I think we better get the these sleepy-butts to bed. Willow is gonna be so excited to see Auntie Katniss tomorrow." I chuckle.
"I am too. I miss her."
"Me too. Do you want to go to bed now or do you wanna come back down and watch some more tv?" I suggest, not really knowing what else to do at this time of night.
"Could we talk more? I like talking to you." She says softly.
I feel happy when she says this.
"Of course." I say smiling.
I carefully take Willow's head off my lap and stand up with Carson in my arms.
"I am gonna go put your sister in Willow's bed and then I'll get Willow and come back." I say.
She nods and goes back over to her side of the couch.
I take Carson upstairs and lay her in Willow's bed and keep the door open in case she wakes up and then I go her Willow and put her in my bed and come back down to Carter.
"Uncle Peeta, what was my real Daddy's name?"
"His name was Brandon." I tell her, wondering what her knowing his name will hurt.
"Oh."
"Yeah." I say and sit back down. She scoots closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder the way Willow does when she wants my attention.
"What do you think Auntie Kat's baby is gonna be?" She asks me after a few seconds.
"I don't know what I think. If it's another girl, Finn is gonna luck out." I say laughing.
He's already lucked out with Willow and Carson so he will luck out completely if this baby is a girl.
She laughs a little.
"Willow is so happy about it." She tells me.
"I hope so." I say truthfully.
All I hope is that she's happy that it's happening finally.
"She is."
I smile.
"Good. How is first grade? It's been awhile since I've been there." I laugh.
She makes a face, "I don't like it. The kids in my class are too loud."
I nod, "Yeah, I'm glad Willow is quiet most of the time and that you are too."
"The kids yell a lot and make me feel bad. It hurts my ears because there's so many kids and people and it makes me feel bad." She says with a frown.
Poor Carter.
I remember being that way sometimes but not in first grade.
"And they're not very nice to me."
"Why aren't they nice?" I frown, angry that anyone picks on her.
Luckily, Willow has complained about anyone being mean so I hope that doesn't happen for awhile, even though in sure it's bound to happen eventually.
She sighs, "They just aren't."
"They're not nice to you?"
She shakes her head, "And I don't do anything at school but my papers. I don't talk either." She says upset sounding, frustrated no doubt.
"I was like that when I was really little but once I got older I wasn't so shy. I bet it will be the same for you." I say, hoping there's a a bright side for her.
Carter sighs, "I hope so because I don't like it at all." She shakes her head.
I frown.
It's sad that she's in first grade and already hates school.
I hope Willow doesn't feel that way.
"Well, don't you ever ever let anyone be mean to you. If they're mean to you tell your teacher."
"I do but they call me a tattle-tell." She says.
"It doesn't matter what they call you, sweetheart. They don't need to be mean to you. You're one of the sweetest kids I've ever met and you don't need to be treated badly."
She makes a face, "Thanks."
"I am serious. I know you're little and really shy but it doesn't mean they can be mean to you."
"I wish I was like Willow."
"Why?" I ask.
She sighs, "Because she isn't shy. She talks to lots of people and I get too scared to."
"She can be shy too, sweetheart. But you're so smart. You and Willow are so much alike too." I say truthfully.
There's so many things Carter and Willow do that resemble one another, maybe it's because just like their mothers, they're also best friend.
"But there's just something about you and Willow that most kids your age don't have." I inform her, knowing she will understand what I'm trying to tell her.
"Really?"
Katniss and I both agree that it's something about things we faced that made them the way that they are.
Carter with everything that happened with Brandon and Willow from Katniss's depression and mine before she was born.
There's something they get that a lot of kids don't get until they're older which is the ability to understand what others really, deeply feel no matter if they tell you or not. They're sensitive and caring. They've both been that way since they were born. So observant and they've been able to tell when someone was upset.
They're like chameleons in a sense.
They adapt to the atmosphere that other people put off.
"Yes. You and Willow have really big hearts and you're both so so smart." I say truthfully, hoping she understands.
She nods her head and looks at me.
"How come you love Aunt Kat so much? Is it because she's beautiful?" Carter asks me, going from one extreme to the next.
It's questions I've gotten from Willow thousands of times but haven't had the time to get this personal with Carter before.
Willow and I have heart-to-heart conversations all the time but I think this is really the first time Carter and I have gotten to have one since she's been able to talk at least.
"It's not just because she's beautiful but that makes it even better." I chuckle, looking up at a family picture of us from a few years back when've Willow was about 3.
"How come?"
"Does she make you happy?" I ask her, hoping her answers are good.
"Yeah. Her makes everyone happy. Everybody likes her." Carter says plainly.
"Exactly. It's because she's so so nice to everyone, she's funny and makes me feel really really good."
"Oh. She makes me happy too."
I smile, "That's why I love Aunt Katniss. And because she puts up with me." I chuckle.
"I think she loves you because you're really nice to her and to Willow and because you're really pretty even though you are a man."
I laugh a little, "Well, thank you."
She laughs too and then it gets a little awkward.
"How come you like to cook so much, Uncle Peeta?"
I shrug, "I don't know. I think it's because I have been cooking and baking since I was your age." I say.
"Woah. That was a long time ago."
I chuckle, "A little over twenty years." I inform her.
She makes a face, "You're really old."
I start laughing, "Yeah, I know. Willow tells me almost everyday."
Carter giggles.
"How old is my Mommy?"
"She's older than me!" I say and she smiles.
"I think she's one year older than me so that makes her like 28."
"Yeah, you're right she is older than you."
"Yep, because I'm only 27. How old are you?"
"I'm six." She says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
I laugh, "Oh yeah. I forgot. That's what happens when you get old."
Carter laughs, "Is getting old fun?"
"I think so."
"Do you have a Mommy and Daddy?" She asks me.
"I do."
"Oh. Are they nice?" She asks.
I nod my head, "Yes. I have two brother's too." I say.
"Aw, are they nice too?"
I smile sadly, "Yep. I love them a lot."
I say, dismissing my feelings towards my mother.
It's been years so I may as well stop hating her, even though I'm never gonna really forget what she did to me, I've forgiven her for whatever reason.
For myself I guess.
"Where do they live?"
"They live really far away." I say softly.
She nods, "Aunt Kat's mom and daddy too?"
"Yeah and her sister too. Her mom lives closer though but we don't see her." I inform her.
"Oh. I bet she loves them a lot too."
"She does. Your Aunt Katniss loves everyone." I say truthfully.
Well, almost everyone.
"That's why you love her?"
"Yep. One reason."
She smiles, "Her is so nice, Uncle Peeta. My Momma loves her so much too."
I smile, glad that Bristol obviously let's Carter know her feelings towards Katniss. It makes me prouder of the person she is and prouder to call her my wife.
"She loves your Momma too. So so much. And she loves you and your sister too, just like she does Willow. And so do I."
"We love you guys too."
I smile and glance up at the clock seeing that it's already 1am and we've been here for hours
"Well, sweetheart. I think we better go to bed. Do you want me to go tuck you in?" I ask her.
"Please?" Carter asks softly.
"Sure." I say and we get up.
We go upstairs and she lays down in Willow's bed, next to her sister who's maneuvered herself around in her sleep.
"Goodnight, Carter." I whisper softly and smile smiles at me.
"Goodnight, Uncle Peeta. I love you."
I lean down and kiss her forehead the way I do Willow every night before bed and she sighs.
"I love you too. I'll see you in the morning." I say softly and she nods. I leave the room and go across the hall to my baby who's maneuvered herself around the bed too.
I chuckle and pull her back over to Katniss's side of the bed, bringing her head to the top of the bed instead of the side.
I swear she moves so much in her sleep it's ridiculous but it's entertaining to say the least.
"Goodnight, baby girl." I say softly and kiss her forehead too and go turn the light out.
Even though Carter and I have a good relationship, it's nothing compared to the one I have with Willow.
I could talk to Willow for hours and hours without ever getting bored or running out of things to say. Kind of the way it is with Katniss. Willow never runs out of questions to ask me and I am so amazed by how smart she is for being so little and the questions she asks.
Willow knows about what happened to my family and Katniss's too. Her mom and dad and Prim, but I have to remember I am going to have to tell Katniss and Bristol about things I discussed with their children while they were gone so I may be looking at having two angry women at me.
I lay there for hours, anticipating tomorrow when I get to see Katniss.
We are never away from each other and I'm going crazy without her but luckily Willow is here and two extra people too, so it's not nearly as bad as it would be if I were alone.
I'm still just worried about her though.
Her doctor's appointment is next week and they're doing lots of tests on her this time to make sure nothing is wrong with the baby and to make sure she has a healthy pregnancy from this point forward.
I think it's because she had trouble getting pregnant, but Katniss is so so afraid something will be wrong but I think the baby will be okay.
But she's been really really sick off and on and I don't know why and I really don't think she knows why either.
Eventually I fall asleep, in hopes that tomorrow night I get to have Katniss in my arms once again.
***HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEN THOUGH ITS JANUARY 2nd LOL I FORGOT TO TELL YOU YESTERDAY!!
Also any ideas will help