Somehow

Chapter 19

Katniss P.O.V.

Fifty minutes apart. Forty-five minutes. Forty minutes. Thirty-five minutes.

I grab the phone and quickly dial the bakery's number. For two weeks, my contractions have been random and mild, now they're getting closer together and intensifying.

Peeta's been so worried about me, so he's only been going to work every other day. He also hasn't been letting me help get Willow ready for school because she throws such a fit.

"Hello?"

"Peeta," I say through gritted teeth as I lay a hand on my stomach.

"Katniss? Honey, what's wrong?"

"Peeta, I think I'm in labor," I say nervously. His end goes silent for a moment. "Peeta? Are you still there?"

"Y-Yeah. I-I'm still here, K-Katniss," Peeta stutters. "A-Are you sure? What… Did your water break?"

"No. But my contractions are closer together," I reply. 

"How close?"

"Thirty-five minutes."

"Okay. Are you sitting down?"

"Yeah." At this point, I'm near tears and I'm wishing this baby wasn't so eager.

"Kaniss, listen to me," Peeta says as calmly as he can. "You're going to be okay. You and the baby both. Just sit tight. I'm on my way."

"Okay," I say shakily. "Please hurry, Peeta."

"I will, honey. Don't worry. I love you."

"I love you too." I watch the clock as I wait for Peeta to get home. When it gets close to time for my next contraction, I brace myself by gripping onto the arm of the couch. It hits just as Peeta walks through the door. 

"Katniss!" he says as he rushes over to me. I look at him and start bawling. "Shh. You and the baby are going to be okay. Listen, Katniss. I called Ellen. She's going to meet us at the hospital."

"No, Peeta. I don't want to go to the hospital. Mom's supposed to help me deliver the baby."

"Katniss, she said that if we get you to the hospital before your water breaks, they might be able to give you something to stop the contractions. Okay?" I nod my head. "Let's go," Peeta says as he helps me up. We get out to the car and I look over at Peeta.

"What about Willow?"

"We'll figure that out later," Peeta says as he begins to drive away. "It's still a few hours before she comes home anyways." Just as we're pulling up to the hospital, my next contraction comes. I gasp and grip Peeta's hand. "Breathe, Katniss." Peeta says as he rubs my back.

Once all my muscles relax, I look over at Peeta and nod my head. "I'm okay, now," I tell him. Peeta gives me a nervous look.

"Let's go have another baby, I guess."
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An hour later, I'm laying in a hospital bed and hooked up to all kinds of machines. One's monitoring my heart rate, another is monitoring the baby's heart rate, and another machine is keeping track of my contractions. 

Peeta sits beside of me with my hand held tightly in his. They won't let Mom into the room until the doctor decides what needs to be done, so Peeta knows that I need him now more than ever. Just as the doctor walks into the room, my stomach tightens again. I gasp and squeeze Peeta's hand. When I can finally relax again, the doctor starts to speak.

"Since your water hasn't broke yet, well go ahead and take care of that, then we'll get you prepped for delivery."

"Wait a minute," Peeta says. "Is there something you can give her to slow this down?" he asks.