Fighting (Sequel to Fate)

Chapter 27

Katniss P.O.V.

I was relieved to find that Peeta survived the hovercraft ride despite his injuries. He was rushed into surgery as soon as we landed here in Thirteen, and Mom made me get checked out even though I argued with her.

She kindly reminded me that there's nothing I can do for Peeta anyways, and I would just be in the doctor's way. Mom won't let me leave until my blood pressure and the baby's heart rate go down a lot. We're both stressed, which Mom told me had been the cause of the pain I've been feeling.

"Can I go now?" I ask Mom impatiently. "Nothing's going to change until Peeta's out of surgery and I know how he's doing. Monitoring me is pointless."

"If I let you leave, you'd just be sitting in the waiting room by yourself so there's no difference other than I can watch you here."

"You have an answer for everything and it's getting really annoying."

Mom laughs at me.

I take a deep breath and look up at Mom again.

"Can I see the baby?"

"Of course," Mom tells me. "Give me just a moment."

Once Mom gets the equipment set up and the machine turned on, I burst into tears.

"Look at how much she's grown since the last time Peeta and I got to see her."

"She's a big girl. I estimate that she'll be around eight to nine pounds when she's born."

My mouth drops, and Mom laughs at me.

"Eight pounds?" I ask nervously. "She looks big enough now. How the heck am I supposed to birth an eight pound baby?"

"Your mind may be overwhelmed for the moment, by when it happens, your body will know what needs to be done."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"That is always a risk with any birth," Mom tells me. "But please do not let that frighten you any. There's also a lot that could go right."

I take a deep breath and look at Mom.

"Do you think that you cold go find out how Peeta is doing for me?"

"Of course," Mom says. "And you can go to the waiting room now."
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Once Mom unhooked me from all of the machines, I left the room and walked down the hall to the waiting room. When I walk in, I find Haymitch sitting there.

"I was wondering when you were gonna show up."

I take a deep breath. "Mom wanted to make sure that the baby and I are okay."

"Are you okay?"

"Mom says I am."

"No," Haymitch tells me. "Are you okay?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Ask me when this is all over with."

I have to wait a few more minutes before Mom comes in. She walks over and sits down in the chair beside of me.

"How is he?" I ask Mom anxiously as I turn towards her.

She takes a deep breath. "They got the bullet out of his right arm."

"What about the second bullet?"

"That's where it gets tricky. If the bullet had just went into his shoulder, it would be easier. But the bullet went in at a downward angle somehow and..."

Mom stops for a moment, and I raise an eyebrow to express my impatience.

"And what?"

"The bullet is too close to Peeta's heart for them to be able to determine what a possible outcome might be at this point in the surgery."

I feel the tears fall down my face.

"He might not make it?"

"If the bullet stays where it is currently at, it would certainly improve Peeta's chances for survival," Mom tells me. "But, if that bullet was to move during the procedure and penetrate his heart or a major artery..."

She doesn't have to finish that last sentence.

"What are the chances of Peeta surviving this?" I ask Mom.

"There's a forty percent chance that Peeta will die on the operating table."

My heart starts racing.

"That's almost half."

"Look on the bright side," Haymitch tells me. "There's a sixty percent chance that Peeta will make it through this."

I look back at Haymitch and give him a death glare.

"Not helping," I say as I shake my head at him.

"Katniss," Mom says gently, drawing my attention back to her once again. "I know you're overwhelmed now, but this might be a good time to look at your options."

"My options?" I ask her.

"For the baby."

"What?"

Mom sighs. "Can you really handle taking care of this baby on your own?"

"I won't be alone. Peeta will help me."

"I'm talking about if Peeta doesn't make it," Mom tells me. "I'm serious, Katniss. Maybe you need to find someone to take her."

My mouth drops open.

"So first you tell me that my husband could die on the operating table, and now you're suggesting that I give my daughter up before she's even born?"

"Katniss, all I'm asking is could you really raise a newborn without any help?"

"I'll have you and Prim to help me."

"I am not going to raise my Grandchild, Katniss."

"I didn't say that. This baby is mine and Peeta's no matter what. I would take the full responsibility for her. I was just saying that I wouldn't necessarily have no one to help me."

Mom gives me a look. "I think you really need to consider it, Katniss."

"And I think that this conversation is over."

When Mom sees that she's not going to change my mind, she leaves the room.

"I don't believe her," I say as I relax into my seat. "What do you think I should do about this?" I ask Haymitch.

"Stand your ground," he says. "You handled that well."

"There's no way I could give the baby up," I say. "Especially if something were to happen to Peeta. The baby would be all that I'd have left of him." I shake my head. "I can't believe that she even suggested that."

"What harm can she do?" Haymitch asks me. "It's your decision."

"I know," I say. "And as long as it's my decision to make, this baby isn't going anywhere."