California Love

Chapter 23: Hospital

I open my eyes slowly and look around the hospital room. There is a sharp pain in my stomach and I can see Johanna and Peeta sitting on the other side of the room.

Peeta is siting with his head in his hands and I can see his body slightly shaking. Johanna sees I'm awake and walks over. "Hey," she says, and I smile, but I think it turns out as more of a scowl.

"What's wrong with Peeta?" I ask, and she looks over her shoulder and sighs.

"You know how you wanted the option of keeping both babies, even if there was a high chance you wouldn't survive?" I nod my head and she sighs again. "Well, Peeta still hasn't come to terms with the fact that he nearly lost you." I feel my eyes glaze over with tears and I try to hold them back as I look over to where Peeta is sitting. His body is wracked with sobs and I feel a tear slip from my eye, and then another after that.

"Peeta," I whisper and he lifts his head. His cheeks are tear stained and his eyes are red. "I'm going to get some food." Johanna says and turns around to walk silently from the room. I lift my hand up and stretch it out towards Peeta; he stands up slowly and walks over to my side, taking my hand in his and kissing it gently.

"I'm sorry." I whisper and he shakes his head. "No, Katniss," he murmurs. "Don't apologise. You have nothing to be sorry for." He brushes my hair back from my face. "No, but I nearly died. And I'm sorry. I hate that this has happened and that we lost one of our babies." I say, my voice rising steadily.

"I hate that we can't just have a normal life without any drama. I hate that I love you too much to let you go and let you be free of me. I'm sorry you have to put up with me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I start crying.

I bury my face in my hands as the tears fall. I feel the bed beside me sink and arms circle around me, keeping me warm and making me feel safe. "Katniss, I could never leave you. I love you too much." He whispers and I cry even harder. "And it's not your fault the baby died, you're beautiful and I can't lose you. Do you hear me? Never are you to die, and leave me here, okay?"

I lift my head from my hands and turn my head so our faces are inches apart and slowly nod my head. I can feel his warm breath on my face and the tears slowly stop as I gaze into his eyes. I don't know who leans in but five seconds later we are kissing, so passionately I think I might explode. His lips are warm against mine and it's a feeling I have missed for a few days. I try to shift on the bed so I can reach him more easily but the heart monitor comes off my finger and a loud beeping rings through the room.

Peeta jumps up from the bed, his face flushed. I flop back on the bed feeling the blush rise to my cheeks as the loud beeps blare constantly. The door opens and a nurse comes in and re-attaches the clip to my finger and the beeping goes silent. Peeta sighs as he sits on the chair beside my bed and takes my hand his both of his, warming it up.

"When am I free to go?" I ask the nurse, and she lifts the clipboard from the end of my bed. I watch her eyes flit as she reads the print on the paper. "You have to stay here for about three days and then we will see how your progress from the surgery goes from there." She says and I nod. "Thank you, is there anything else I should know?"

"Well, you might experience some dizziness, and you may feel faint. You will also get stomach pains and, of course, the normal signs of pregnancy, since you are still pregnant." It is Peeta that speaks up next. "So, is there anything that I can do? To help her?" The nurse nods. "Yes, definitely. It is important that you stick by her side. She will become quite emotional due to the loss of your baby, as well as her current pregnant state."

Peeta kisses my hand again and nods. "I'll stand by her, you don't have to worry about that." I smile at him and he kisses my forehead. "I'll leave you two alone then." She says and I thank her as she walks out.