Fate

Chapter 8

Katniss P.O.V.

Peeta and I sit side by side on the couch, waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting for what we already know to be confirmed. I had to have blood work sent to a hospital in the Capitol so Snow could have proof. And now we're just waiting for the results.

The front door opens, and Peeta and I look up to see Haymitch walk in.

"Hear anything yet?" he asks. I shake my head, and Haymitch plops down in the chair across from us.

I didn't want to tell anybody yet in case we are wrong. But Peeta decided that it would be a good idea to at least tell Haymitch, so we told him last week. The day after I became suspicious.

The phone finally rings, and I feel like I've turned to stone. I look over at Peeta, and he pushes my hair back out of my face.

"I'll be right back," he says. I nod, and Peeta stands up off the couch.

"You okay?" Haymitch asks me. I shrug my shoulders.

"I think so," I reply. "This is all just happening so fast."

"Well, it had to happen eventually," he retorts.

"That's not why we…"

"I know," Haymitch says quickly. "That's not what I meant."

Peeta walks back into the living room, and I quickly stand up. 

"Well?" I ask anxiously. A huge smile spreads across Peeta's face as he walks over to me and wraps me up in his arms.

I feel like I'm frozen. Even though I basically already knew, it's like my mind can't comprehend it now that we know for sure. I pull back a little, and I don't even realize that I've started crying until Peeta reaches over to wipe my tears away.

"I meant what I said the other day," Peeta says. "I'm going to protect you two."

"I know you will," I say. I turn to face Haymitch, who hasn't moved a muscle. "What do we do now?"

Haymitch shrugs his shoulders. "I guess we just wait until we hear from Snow."

I nod and take a deep breath. That seems to be all we do anymore. Wait for Snow to tell us what we're supposed to do next.

"In the meantime," Haymitch says as he stands up, "just don't do anything stupid. A lot of people thought you were already pregnant, so you have to act as though nothing's changed."

"We know," Peeta says. Haymitch starts towards the door, stopping at the last second.

"Congratulations, by the way," Haymitch calls out over his shoulder before he shuts the door behind him. I turn back to look at Peeta, and he again pulls me in closely.

"I love you," he says softly in my ear, one hand resting on my stomach.

"I love you too," I mange to choke out. It's like my brain has gone foggy. I can only think of one word. 

Baby.

Repeated over and over in my mind. Overwhelming me.

"Katniss," Peeta says as he pulls me back a little. "You're shaking."

"I… I'm okay," I tell him. "It just seems like this past week, I've been waiting for proof. I thought I had come to terms with it. But now that we have that proof, I'm not so sure what to think about it." Peeta gently takes my arm and pulls me over to the couch.

"What do you mean?" Peeta asks me. "Do you not want this baby?"

"Of course I do," I say quickly. "I just wish that it didn't have to happen like this. We're going to spend the next twelve years dreading every mile stone in our baby's life. Everything our baby does will lead up to the moment that…" I stop and swallow hard.

"Katniss, I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure that Snow doesn't touch this baby," Peeta says in a sincere tone. "I don't care what kind of power he thinks he has over us. He will not harm you or the baby. I can promise you that."

Peeta leans over and slowly kisses me. "I can also promise you that I'm not going to leave you."

"I know you won't," I say truthfully.

"Don't worry about anything," Peeta says softly. "The only thing you need to focus on right now is taking care of yourself and our baby." When Peeta says 'our baby,' he smiles again, and I can't help but to smile back at him.
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"How are you feeling?" Peeta asks as he lays down beside of me on our bed. I laugh a little.

"I'm fine. Just like I was when you asked me five minutes ago," I tell him. "I'd tell you if I wasn't okay."

"I know," Peeta says as he reaches over to move a strand of hair out of my eyes. "I just worry about you."

"Worrying is exactly what you told me not to do," I remind Peeta.

"That's because you have no reason to worry."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Oh. And you do?"

"Yes," Peeta says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "I have to make sure that you and the baby are taken care of, and that you're comfortable." I smile sleepily at him.

"I'm okay," I tell him turthfully. "Just a little tired." Peeta leans in and presses his lips to my forehead. 

"Go to sleep then," he says quietly. "I'm right here." Peeta wraps me up tightly in his arms, and I lay my head over on his chest. I close my eyes, but it doesn't take me long to determine that I can't go to sleep just yet.

I gently place a hand on my stomach. I never though I'd ever be a mother, but now there's no going back. Not that I'd want to, anyways. Maybe I won't be the world's greatest mother, but I'll definitely try my best. And I know Peeta is going to be an amazing dad.

"Peeta?"

"Hm?"

"Are you asleep?"

"Yeah," Peeta replies sarcastically as he opens one eye.

I laugh at him and roll my eyes.

"I was just wondering how we were going to tell our families."

Peeta takes a deep breath. "When do you want to tell them?"

"I want to wait as long as we can," I say.

"I don't know how long that will be," Peeta tells me. "They'll find out soon that it's not a lie this time."

"Yeah. I know."

"Go to sleep," he says. "We'll talk more about it tomorrow."

"Okay," I sigh as I get comfortable again. Peeta kisses the top of my head.

"Like I said. Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay, Katniss."