Pregnant In the Quell

Chapter Twenty Three

I lay in Peeta's strong embrace as he rubs my back.

"We should get some sleep," he whispers. "We have a big day tomorrow."

"I know," I say, "There's just a lot on my mind right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks.

"Yeah.. It's the baby. I can't stop thinking about her lately. I know I need to accept what has happened, but I just wonder what life would be like if she was still here. She'd be starting school. She'd have an amazing life."

I look over towards Peeta who's trying not to bawl his eyes out.

"It's okay if you need to cry, honey. I understand."

"No," Peeta whispers. "I just miss being a parent, even if it was only for a month."

"I know," I whisper.

"Katniss?" He whispers.

"Yes?"

Peeta turns to me and places his hand on my cheek.

"I love you so much. No matter what happens, I know you'll always be there. I don't know what life would be like without you. I just love you so much, and I don't want you to think anything else. I know I haven't been the same since the baby died, neither of us have been, but I want to be. I want to be normal again."

I interrupt Peeta with a passionate kiss.

"I love you, Peeta Mellark."

Peeta grins, and then begins to kiss me more passionately. He slides his tongue across my bottom lip asking for entrance, and of course, I accept.

Peeta flips me over, and I am then laying on top of him. He squeezes my breasts while he explores my mouth.

"It's been so long," I say as I come up for air.

"Do you want to?" Peeta asks.

"Yes," I say.

Peeta rips my clothes off and then his too. He pulls me in for a deeper kiss, and then slams me onto the bed.

I giggle a little.

Peeta smiles and begins to kiss me again.

"You ready?" He says with a heavy breath.

"Yes." I reply.

Peeta enters me from the front, and I gasp. I let out soft moans as he moves in and out of me.

We spend the rest of the night doing the same thing.

***

My alarm goes off at 6:00, and Peeta is already in the doorway summoning for me to get out of bed.

"Ugh," I groan. "How are you up? We got absolutely no sleep last night."

Peeta smiles and then pulls me in for a kiss. "Yeah, but it was for good reasons."