Finding the Missing Piece: Book 6

Chapter Twelve

Katniss POV- (That night)

"Katniss, are you still not asleep?" Peeta glances back at me suddenly, laughing.

I feel my face get red and try to hide it, even though it's dark, "I'm sorry." I say.

He chuckles, "How long have you been staring at me?"

I shrug my shoulders, "A few hours." I say embarrassedly.

Peeta snorts and turns over, facing me again, "Go to sleep."

I make a face, "Rye is wide awake right now and I can't get comfortable at all." I say truthfully.

He sighs, "What can I do?"

"Nothing probably." I say truthfully.

Lately I've been finding it harder to fall asleep mostly because of Peeta's absence but a lot of it is because of Rye and my huge belly.

He's been wide awake and active during the night lately and I can't get comfortable. My back hurts, my feet hurt, and I'm huge.

"Would you like me to accompany you in your all nighter?" He asks me.

I snort, "No."

He scoffs, "I'm offended."

"You're tired. I can see it."

"I'm honestly not but it's also about 1am and I've been asleep so maybe that's why I look tired?" Peeta says sarcastically.

I give him a look and roll my eyes, "Go back to sleep." I say hitting him with my pillow.

He holds onto it as I try to pull it back, "Only if you join me." Peeta says holding his other arm up.

I shake my head.

"Come on, Katniss? You need to sleep too."

"I can't." I say truthfully.

There's just too much on my mind, too much excitement and too many pregnancy problems, and too much worry about Peeta.

"Well, I'm home now so you don't have to worry about Willow. You can sleep in as long as you'd like."

"You aren't going back to work anytime soon, are you?" I ask him, knowing I will dread any response he gives me.

Peeta sighs, "Believe it or not, I had a lot of time to think while I was laid up in the hospital..." He starts.

I shrug my shoulders, waiting for his answer.

"And I decided that I'm probably not going back to work full time until Rye is at least one which was the original plan and I have about three months until he's here." He says.

I smile a little.

"I mean by the time I'll be released back anyways because of my leg is about the time he would be born. I may as well just wait."

"Are you sure you want to be away that long?" I ask him.

I know how much he loves working at the bakery but I also know how much it means to him to spend as much time as he can at home with us.

"Yeah, I love that place but it's not like I couldn't go in occasionally. And I will have to so I can check on things, pay them and pay bills or order supplies. We still own the place, obviously." He shrugs.

I smile a little and he smiles back.

"I'm serious, Katniss." He says.

I nod my head, trying to hide my excitement.