TUSETHA (Edited)

10 ~ Arrival

The eight and a half months I was pregnant flew right over ours heads. Our twin girls were expected to arrive any day now. Early on in my pregnancy we had a press meeting, announcing that our little bundle of joy would be arriving early the next year. Since then I had weekly checkups for ultrasounds and blood tests here and there. I grew accustomed to my swollen feet, bloated figure, and ever growing diet - although Haymitch didn't...

I now sit in a simple hospital gown, my legs tiredly hanging in the stirrups of my bed. A whiny noise emitting from the back of my throat as another contraction rushes over me like a wave of despair.

"You're doing great, Princess..." Haymitch reassures me and kisses my head. "They're almost here, I promise you."

"I've been sitting here for 17 hours, Haymitch!" I say through my tears. "They're not coming anytime soon."

Dr. Evers steps into the room, putting on a fresh pair of disposable gloves.
"Everything okay, Mrs. Abernathy?" She asks with a tired smile.

I close my eyes and cover them with my forearm. "Define 'okay.'"

She sits on a stool by my legs. "Ah, Mrs. Abernathy, I know it's late. But you're doing a wonderful job-"

"At doing nothing." I cut her off and take my arm off my face. "I'm doing nothing."

"You're getting the babies ready for the world. Slowly but surely." She smiles. "I'm going to check one more time to see if you're ready."

I nod slightly and gently grasp Haymitch hand as she checks my dilation for the 9th time today.

I can see her eyes brighten the slightest bit as she stares up at the ceiling. "Well, Mrs. Abernathy." She stands and walks over to the trash bin, disposing her gloves. "It looks like you're ready to bring these beautiful little babies into the world. I'm going to go get ready while the nurses bring you to the delivery room." She leaves to do as she says.

I sigh and lay my head back. "She's so optimistic it's sickening." I chuckle softly.

Haymitch smiles down at me and kisses my cheek. "Now you know how I feel."

Hours upon hours pass before my first baby girl is born. The doctor promptly cuts her umbilical cord after cleaning out her nose and mouth, being sure to get rid of all the amniotic fluid. She lays her on my chest after attempting to rid her of fluid she was surrounded in for many months. The brunette little baby wails, her face red and her knuckles white as she clenches her fists.

I weep with relief, holding the baby closer as Haymitch stares at us both, too overwhelmed with emotion to react.

"We only have a short amount of time before you have to start pushing again, Mrs. Abernathy." Dr. Evers reminds me, a nurse wiping the sweat off her forehead with a wash cloth.

I nod, looking to Haymitch. "Will you hold her?" He stares at the wailing baby, nodding slowly. I carefully hand her over to him as my body throbs in pain.

I suffer in pain as the minutes drag on, having made the mistake to refuse pain meds. There's a sense of relief as my second baby is born only....I don't get the chance to see her before both the twins are hurried out of the room, only one baby still crying.

"H-Haymitch, what's wrong?" I force myself into a sitting position, ignoring the pain shooting through my body. "Why isn't she crying?"

A look of worry washes over his face. "Princess, I don't know."

"Haymitch, please," My eyes well up with tears. "Please find out what's wrong, I want my babies."

(A/N: Apologies for how short this is and for how long it's taken me to write it, I haven't had much inspiration. Comment! Vote! And as always, keep on reading my little Hayffie shippers! I'd love suggestions for the next chapter!)