Here She Is

Here She Is: Part 1

Peeta drapes his arm over my protruding belly and his other rests on my pillow as I struggle to find sleep another dark night. I blench every time I feel our daughter kick me. I'm beginning to grow restless. My eyes are forcing themselves open. When in reality all I just want one full night's rest.

I groan, knowing that Peeta is still awake, sinking further into is touch.

And that's when I feel it.

That was definitely a pop, no doubt.

I sit up as fast as I can and gasp, feeling a wetness trickle from where...

Peeta lifts head his from resting on my hair and our fingers no longer are entwined. "Katniss." Peeta begins. "Are you alright?" He adds, nervous filling me up inside.

"Peeta, my waters have broken." I gasp.

"What? Really?!" He shoots up beside me and looks at a wet patch seeping through the material. My eyes widen and Peeta gets out of bed and runs to grab the bag we had packed in preparation. This isn't a drill. This isn't a drill.

"P-Peeta, could you get the towel?" I ask, panic shooting through my voice. I stand up, and then I'm overcome with the most excruciating pain I have felt in a very, very long time. I double over and let out a sharp cry.

Peeta runs back to me from the bathroom, no towel in hand and wrap his arms around me. I wail and he does what he can to comfort me. He quickly kisses my head and stays with me, like he always said he would.

I grip onto his shoulder tightly as I wait for the pain to pass. "Peeta, please, the towel?" I say with a shaky voice, the liquid establishing a steady stream down my legs. I straighten myself up since the pain has subsided for now.

"Okay, but please sit down." He begs and directs me to the bed. As I sit, I notice I'm shaking and tears are spilling down my face. Peeta bends down to kiss the tears away and stroke the side of my head. "It's going to be okay." He states before running back to the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the cupboard. In a few seconds, he is back by my side and get onto his knees. He wipes away the liquid streaming down my legs.

"Theria said it could come out in a trickle, or all at once. I was hoping for the latter." I say, grabbing half of the towel and pressing it to where the liquid is escaping.

"We should probably call in, now." I add with urgency, referring to the small medical clinic that was established in twelve a while back. Theria has been my midwife for these long nine months.

"Okay, I'll call them." Peeta goes to grab my phone which has the clinics phone number and dials it. He comes back to sit by me and wrap his arm around my shaky figure. I lean onto him.

"Hello. District 12 Medical Clinic. How may I be of assistance?" I manage to hear what the receptionist says through the speaker.

"Hi, I'd like to inform Theria the midwife that my wife Katniss Mellark has gone into labour and will be arriving soon." Peeta replies as he strokes my hip.

"Okay. I'll let her know now. Just say it’s your wife when you arrive." She adds through the phone and my husband thanks her before dropping the call.

"Do you want to head there now?" He turns to look at me. I try to prevent the light-headedness I feel when he speaks. I shake my head and press my hand to where our daughter kicks.

"Yes." I say, wincing, and stifling a cry when I feel another wave of pain hit.

"Just nod for me okay? Do you want to walk?" He also asks me. I nod, gathering myself. I wipe my eyes to try and clear up the steady flow of tears that have seemed to commence. I begin to feel afraid, it's really happening, now..! I don't know if I'm ready!

I let out a whimper, not of pain, but of fear.

Peeta stands up in front of me and takes my hands into his strong and warm ones. He slowly hoists me up and he instantly wraps his arms around me again. "I'm not going to leave you. You know that?" he reminds me, just before walking towards the door.

I nod again, hooking one of my arms around the back of his neck, the other cradling my inflated belly as we step foot outside. I lean into him as we walk, hoping to shrink away and disappear. The pain however brings me back to reality.

As we approach the medical clinic, Peeta scoops me into both of his arms. Entering, Peeta walks to the front desk with me still in his arms. "Katniss Mellark." He states and the receptionist looks up. "Okay, come with me." She says, getting up from her seat.

We walk down the small corridor and enter a room. I see Theria and am shrouded with at least a small amount of relief. I'm thankful that Peeta decided to pick me up when he did. I felt as if I was ready to keel over.

Theria greets us and I am laid down on the bed that occupies the room.

She begins asking me questions, "Did your waters break with a gush, or a trickle."

"Trickle." I answer.

"What colour was the fluid?" She asks, again, pen poised.

"Almost clear, I think." I say, puzzled.

"Have you felt any contractions yet?"

"Plenty." I groan, and she chortles. Peeta continues to stroke my arm as I answer more questions from Theria. 

(Fast forward)

I double over in pain again. This is going to be a long night.

Sometime later, I'm lying on the bed, sitting up, as Theria checks how much I have dilated.

"You're in luck." She quips, "You're fully dilated, already."

"I've been meaning to ask, Theria. What does that even mean?" I ask, with panic.

"It means that I'm going to ask you to push when you feel another contraction."

"Wait... what?!" I cry in panic.

Peeta immediately places his hands on my cheeks and turns my head. "Katniss, you are strong and brave. You can do this. If you've coped through many hours of this already I know there's no way you can give up. Our daughter’s going to be here really soon. Theria and I are going to be right here with you."

"Oh my goodness." I breathe, "I don't know if I can do this." I sob, letting out a shaky breath. "I can't do this. I can't do this." I cower, before I feel the baby kick again. She probably wants this to be over just as much as I want it to be.

"Katniss, look at me." Peeta demands and I face him again, looking towards him with terror ridden eyes. "It's okay." He tries to persuade calmly. I'm so scared. 

I relax my features and nod slowly, taking in a deep breath. I grasp his hand and sit back on the bed to await another contraction, and it's not long until the next one comes.

Theria is yelling at me to push and I try doing so. I fling my head back in agony and wail. I have Peeta's hand in a vice grip now.

He kisses my hand grasping his as I start bringing our child into the world. Peeta places his free hand on my neck and slowly strokes the sweat slicked skin. He carefully rests his forehead against my temple and begins speaking encouraging and comforting words into my ear. All I can just make out.

Many contractions later, and many tears later. I hear something ripple through the air. They’re not my cries.

They are her cries.

They are our daughter's cries.

I'm gasping and panting, desperately trying to catch my breath as I rest my head back onto the bed, closing my eyes but I manage to pick out the three words that Theira exclaims.

"It's a girl."