Fighting (Sequel to Fate)

Chapter 12

Katniss P.O.V.

"Are you ready to see your baby now?" Mom asks as Peeta carefully helps me up onto the hospital bed.

"Definitely," I say as I lay a hand on my stomach.

"Have you two decided if you want to know the sex?"

I look back at Peeta, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"You're the one who has to carry the baby," Peeta tells me. "You chose."

"No," I say as I shake my head. "This is our baby." I reach over and take Peeta's free hand in mine, and he smiles at me.

"Well, what do you think?" Peeta asks me.

"I think I'd like to be surprised for once," I say.

Peeta chuckles and nods his head in agreement. "Me too."

I smile at him and look back at Mom. "I think we're going to wait."

"That's fine," Mom says. "Now I have to warn you, this may be a little cold." I nod my head and watch as Mom pulls my shirt up over my stomach. She squirts some kind of gel over my taut skin, making me flinch.

"Told you," Mom says as she laughs a little at me. I smile at her, and then turn my attention to the blank screen beside my hospital bed.

"Alright. Here we go," Mom says as she flips a switch on the side of the screen. Peeta and I squeeze each other's hand, letting the anticipation build up.

"Right there," Mom says as she points to a spot on the black and white image. "That's your baby."

"Oh my gosh," I breathe as tears form in my eyes. Peeta presses his lips to my knuckles as he lets his own tears fall. Watching him makes my heart absolutely melt even more.

Peeta doesn't remember much about our baby, yet here he is, so overjoyed about seeing him or her for the first time, that he's crying.

Peeta and I look at each other in awe, and he leans over to give me a quick kiss.

"She's beautiful, Katniss."

I give him a look. "She?" I ask, Peeta laughs and nods his head.

"I just have a feeling."

"Peeta, if you want to know then that's fine," I tell him.

"No," Peeta says as he shakes his head. "I'm just guessing."

"Everything looks okay?" I ask Mom anxiously as I look back up at her. She looks at the screen for a moment before nodding her head.

"Baby's heart rate is a little fast, but not enough to worry about."

Peeta leans his chin over onto my shoulder while his thumb rubs up and down the side of my stomach, making the baby go wild.

"Look," I say as I point to the screen excitedly. "You can see the baby kicking their little feet out. That's amazing." I look back at Peeta, and he moves his hand across my stomach. We watch on the screen as the baby's feet move to keep up with Peeta's hand.

"Stop," I laugh as I push Peeta's arm away from me. "I know the baby's fun to watch, but you have to remember that the baby is inside of me. I can feel every movement."

"Sorry," Peeta laughs.

"Do you have any questions?" Mom asks us. I take a deep breath and turn to look at Peeta.

"Can I talk to Mom for a moment?" I ask Peeta. He nods his head.

"I'll wait for you out in the hallway," Peeta says. He kisses my cheek before leaving the room.