Pregnant In the Quell

Chapter Sixteen

Peeta drapes his arm over my protruding stomach. I struggle to find sleep. I blench every time I feel our child kick me. I'm beginning to grow restless. My eyes are forcing themselves open, when in reality, all I want is a full nights rest.

I groan, knowing Peeta is still awake. I sink further into his embrace.

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 his head from resting on my hair and his fingers are no longer entwined.

"Katniss?" Peeta begins. "Are you alright?" He adds, nervousness showing in his face.

"Peeta, my water broke," I gasp.

"What? Really?" He shoots up beside me and looks at the wet patch seeping through the material of the bed sheets. My eyes widen and Peeta gets out of bed to grab our clothes.

"P-Peeta could you get me a towel?" I ask, panic shooting through my voice. I stand up, and I'm overcome with the same pain I felt when I had lost the baby in the arena and the pain I had felt when Peeta threw the chair at me. I double over, and let out a sharp cry.

Peeta runs back to me, and wraps his arm around me. I wail, and he does what he can to comfort me.

I grip his shoulder tightly and 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 as he directs me towards the bed. As I sit, I realize that I'm shaking, and tears are streaming down my face. Peeta bends down to wipe the tears away. "It's going to be okay," he says, running to the bathroom to get the towel.

He returns a few minutes later, and bends down to wipe the liquid from my legs. I grab the towel, and press it up to where the liquid is escaping.

"We should probably go now," I add with urgency.

"Just nod for me, okay? Do you want to walk?" I nod my head.

I attempt to stand up, but the pain overcomes me again. I let out a groan, and then Peeta decides to go get Haymitch.

"I'll be right back," he yells as he walks out the door.

Peeta returns with Haymitch in a matter of seconds.

"I heard you screaming and I was on my way down here! We need to get you to the clinic!"

Peeta stands in front of me, and scoops me into his arms.

As we walk to the clinic, millions of things are swarming around in my head. "It's really happening. I'm not ready!"

As we approach the hospital, Dor greets us.

"Lay her on the bed," Dor says as she pulls up the monitor. She begins to ask many questions.

"Have you felt any contractions?"

"Plenty," I say.

Dor chuckles, and places her hand on my stomach. "I'm very proud of you, Katniss."

I just give her a grin, and she continues with the questions.

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

***

About seven hours later, I'm lying on the bed, sitting up, as Dor checks how much I have dilated.

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

"Wait, what?" I cry in panic.

Peeta immediately places his hands on my cheek and turns my head. "Katniss, you are so strong and brave. You've coped through many hours of this already, and I know that you can do this.

"Oh my goodness," I breathe. "I don't know if I can do this." I sob, letting out a shaky breath.

"Katniss, look at me," Peeta demands. "You can do this."

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 sure enough, it's not long until the next one comes.

Dor is yelling at me to push, and I try doing so. I fling my head back in agony. I grip Peeta's hand as hard as I can.

As I feel the next contraction, I push as hard as I can, determined to get my baby out.

Many contractions later, and many tears later, I hear something ripple through the air.

They're not my cries.

They're her cries.

They are our daughter's cries.

"It's a girl!" Dor exclaims!

I'm gasping and panting, desperately trying to catch my breath. I rest my head back on the bed, and examine my beautiful daughter.

Our beautiful daughter.

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CHAPTER CREDIT TO @FLOWERKATNISS