Baby of Panem

District 12

I open my eyes slowly, I was dreaming of seeing Peeta there, holding Rose, smiling at me. Then he notices I'm awake and he walks over with her and sits down next to me. He bends down and kisses me gently then I sit up and lean against him. Just like how it should be. I look over at her crib, there is a guy  standing beside it. I don't even look at the face, I just know it's him. My heart skips a beat and tries to leap right out of my chest. Peeta. He's back, he's back and he's with Rose and he is here and he's mine. Then the person turns around. Gale. I guess I had known it was him all along, I just didn't want to admit it.

"Morning Catnip," he smiles.

"I thought we were just taking a nap when I fell asleep," I sit up in the bed to look outside, that's when I remember. I can't look outside.

"I was just taking a nap. I was going to let you sleep as long as you needed, which just so happened to be through the night."

"Thanks Gale. Where's Rose?"

"She's with Prim. Don't worry, everything's fine."

"Okay." I feel like I can't breathe, like everything is crushing me. I repeat my list in my head.

My Name is Katniss Everdeen.

I am 17 years old.

I was in the hunger games twice.

I escaped.

The capitol wants me dead.

I should be dead...

"Catnip, Coin wanted to speak to you again." I stop the list and try to face reality.

"About what?"

"They want to let you, us, go back to twelve. Not for a long time, just so you can see what the capitol did to it. They think it will give you motivation to be the Mockingjay."

"I can't be the Mockingjay. If they wanted me to be the Mockingjay, they should have rescued Peeta." I look up at Gale. His face tells me everything, this trip isn't just for me.

"I'm going back Katniss. You can do what you want."

"I want to come."

"Get changed, we're going today."

Gale walks out of the room and I'm grateful to have some time alone. I pull on some clean clothes before sitting back down on my bed. How could all this have happened? I have become a victor, mother, and the Mockingjay all with a year. I wish Peeta was here. No. Peeta won't ever be here, he is dead. It's better than way. Snow can't hurt him then. I feel a weight crushing me. I don't know if I want him to be alive or dead, I just know that I don't want Snow to torture him.