Pregnant In the Quell

Chapter Thirty Two

I know that feeling. That was a pop for sure. I feel a warm liquid seep out of me and I feel my first contraction.

"K–Katniss?" Johanna says. "Are you alright."

"Call Peeta. I'm going into labor." I basically scream as a contraction hits.

"Oh my god!" She yells. Everyone begins to scramble around, trying to help me.

"Come here, Katniss." My mother says. "We need to track how far apart your contractions are."

"Agh!" I scream as another one hits. "They're so close." I cry.

"Okay!" Effie yells. "Johanna, you take Katniss upstairs to change. Cressida, take Luna and Posy to your house. I'll call the hospital."

"Okay, Katniss. Can you walk?" Johanna asks.

"Yes. Yes." I insist. "Mom, can you help me? You and Johanna can each take one of my hands."

Johanna and my mother help me up the stairs, and Johanna grabs me one of Peeta's t-tshirts.

"Can you get me a pair of my shorts?" I ask.

Johanna quickly attends and I remove my wet clothes.

"Peeta's here!" My mother yells from downstairs.

"Hey, sweetie." He says, embracing me in a hug. "You're alright." He says as grabs a towel. He wipes my legs and holds the towel where the liquid is still escaping.

I give him a small smile, despite the pain. He knows exactly what to do. He hasn't forgotten anything. He always makes everything feel better.

"Here," he says as he pulls his shirt over my head. He grabs my shorts and gives me the towel to hold. "Keep holding this there. I'll help you get your shorts on. Has it stopped?"

"I think so," I breathe before doubling over in pain.

"How far apart are they, Katniss?" My mother asks as she peers in the door.

"5 minutes!" I scream.

"Okay, I have clothes packed already. Let's go!" Peeta says, picking me up.

I throw my head back and clench my stomach as another contraction passes. Peeta places me in the back seat of Effie and Haymitch's car. It's much bigger than Peeta and I's so I have room. Peeta sits in the back with me, and my mother and Effie sit in the front.

"I called Haymitch." Effie says. "Johanna dropped the kids off with Alder, so she, Gale, and Cressida are on their way. Haymitch is getting a ride with Pollux."

"Okay.." I breathe.

As another contraction passes, I clench Peeta's hand tightly and sit up, screaming for dear life.

"It'll be okay, Katniss." Peeta coos. "Just tell me when another one is coming and I'll help you through it."

As we pull into the hospital, Peeta picks me up and carries me, along with our bags. He checks in, and I am rushed into a room immediately.

___
Six Hours Later

"Okay, Katniss." Dor says as she removes her gloves. "You're about 4 centimeters dilated.  That's good. We're making progress."

I lean back onto the bed as Peeta strokes my hair. I've been in labor for six hours already, and it seems like absolutely no progress has been made, though my contractions are ten minutes apart, and excruciating.

As Gale, Cressida, Haymitch, Effie, and Johanna enter the room, I wail in pain as another long, sharp contraction forms.

"H–hey." I manage to say in a shaky voice afterwards.

"I think we're going to head out. It's getting late." Effie says.

"Y-yeah sure. We'll call if anything happens." Peeta replies for me.

As they walk out of the room, Peeta sits next to me and rubs my abdomen. "Why don't you get some rest?" He asks. "You need the energy for pushing."

And so I do just that.