Somehow

Chapter 31

Katniss P.O.V.

"Breathe, Katniss," Peeta says as he rubs my back.

"Did you call Mom?"

"Yeah, but she's not answering," Peeta says. "Her phone might be out. It is snowing pretty hard out there." I start bawling and Peeta frowns at me. "Honey, it's okay. It's all alright."

"I'm sorry," I cry. "But I'm in labor and it's late and Mom won't answer her phone and I'm so tired."

"Then go to sleep," Peeta says as he wipes my tears away.

"I can't." I'm literally shaking because I'm so tired, nervous, and excited at the same time. 

"Look at me," Peeta says. "Youre fine, honey. I'm right here. Go to sleep." I nod my head and close my eyes, but I can't fall asleep.

When I had Willow, I was too worried about wether I was going to be a good mother or not that I barely even though about actually having to give birth. This time around, I'm more terrified about what's to come.

I try to clear my mind, knowing that I have to get some sleep, but I can't. 

"Peeta," I say tiredly. "Take me over there."

"What?"

"Take me to Mom's."

"Katniss, it's snowing so hard out there that I wouldn't be able to see to drive."

"What are we going to do, Peeta? I'm in labor. This baby is coming now."

"I know, Katniss, but the last thing you need to do right now is worry," Peeta tells me. "Everything's going to be okay."

"What time is it?"

"Two in the morning," Peeta says. I smile a little.

"We might end up having a Christmas baby after all."

"Do you think this baby's going to wait that long?" Peeta asks.

I laugh a little. "I don't know. It doesn't hurt too bad right now and my contractions are still far apart. Maybe."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," I tell him. "I'm just really nervous."

"Don't be," Peeta says. "I'll be right here with you the entire time."

"I know you will be," I say. "I just hope this baby can wait until Mom gets here."

"I'm going to be honest, Kantiss," Peeta says. "If it keeps snowing like this, they'll probably shut down the roads."

"Gosh. I hope not."

"Why don't we call the hospital, Katniss?" Peeta asks. "They could still send help if we called right now."

"No," I say as I shake my head. "I know we talked to the doctor about a home birth, but that was only if Mom was too sick to help me, and she's not. She'll get here on time."

"Katniss…"

"No. I don't want a random doctor coming to our house to help me deliver our baby. I'll be fine."

Peeta shakes his head. "If we have another baby after this one, let's plan it to where they won't be born in the winter." I laugh weakly. "Try to sleep," Peeta says. You need as much energy as you can get."

"I'll try," I sigh as I lay my head back on my pillow. I close my eyes and slowly doze off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Forty-Five minutes, Katniss," Peeta says as he looks down at me. "They're getting closer." I take a deep breath and release his hand.

"Try calling Mom again."

"I just did," Peeta says. "Do you need anything?"

"No," I say as I shake my head. "How long did I sleep?"

"A couple hours," Peeta replies. "You slept a lot longer when you had Willow."

"I've got a lot on my mind right now," I say.

"Hey, I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you or our baby," Peeta tells me. I nod my head.

"I know. I'll just feel better when we can call Mom and let her know what's going on," I say. "You'll also need to call Haymitch later so he'll know he has to watch Willow."

"He wouldn't be able to bring her home in this weather anyways."

"Come on," I say. "It can't be that bad."

"Katniss, it is completely white out there," Peeta says. "It was hard to see when I took her over there, and it's snowing a lot harder now." I shake my head.

"Mom's not going to make it on time, is she?" I ask Peeta.

"I don't know, Kat," Peeta says with a shrug. 

I laugh a little. "How on earth can you be so calm?"

"I just know that you and the baby will be okay," Peeta says.

"Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

"What if we can't call Mom in time and she doesn't make it and you have to help me?" I ask him.

"I'll say this a million times if I have to," Peeta says. "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you two. No matter what. Okay? You're going to be fine. Both of you will be."

I nod my head. "Will you go get me a glass of water, please?"

"Yeah," Peeta says as he stands up. "I'll be right back." I nod and Peeta leaves the room. I try calling mom again, and thankfully she answers this time.

"Hello?"

"Mom," I cry, relieved that she finally answered.

"Katniss? What's wrong?"

I take a deep breath to calm myself down. "I'm in labor."

"What? How long?"

"My water broke a few hours ago," I tell her. "We've been trying to call you ever since."

"My phone was dead and the electricity went out for a while," she says. "How far apart are your contractions?"

"Forty-Five minutes," I say. Peeta comes back in with a glass of water. 'Thank you,' I mouth as he hands the glass to me. "Mom, do you think you could make it?"

"I don't know, Katniss," Mom says. "It just depends on when the snow lets up. Even then, the roads will still be covered."

"What do we do?"

"Is Peeta there with you?"

"Yeah."

"Let me speak to him," Mom says. I hand the phone over to Peeta. 

"I'll go out in the hallway so you can rest," Peeta says. I nod my head and he leaves the bedroom to go talk to Mom.