What If

Chapter Twelve:

Katniss

"Good morning," the unfamiliar voice of a doctor in District Thirteen told me. I blinked and forced myself to sit up, overcoming the nausea.

"Why are you here?" I asked groggily. The doctor sat down in a chair next to the bed I was in. It had been, what, a few days since I had been in the games? The days were foggier than ever, and I now wore a mentally disoriented medical bracelet around my hand.

"I came to check on you," they informed me as they read through a chart. "Vitals, heathy. No serious injuries in the arena. And your baby is—"

Then it hit me. My hands found my stomach. How had I completely forgotten about them, the only link to Peeta that I still possessed?

"How are they?" I asked shakily.

The doctor glared at me, clearly upset by my interruption. The people in thirteen were very proper, at least that's what my impression was. "They are healthy. A little stressed from the arena, but that can be expected. You're around five and a half months now."

"Five and a half months," I whispered. Peeta has to be back in four and half months, he can't miss seeing them born. "You said they're stressed—will they be alright?"

Tears began welling in my eyes. I couldn't imagine the pain of miscarrying this baby. Before, the fear was there, but now it was more terrifying than ever. If I lost it, I would not only lose this baby, but also my link to Peeta.

The doctor appeared to notice the tears in my eyes and spoke in a gentler tone to me. "They will be fine, Ms. Everdeen. Would you like to know the gender?"

"No," I said quickly. If I didn't have Peeta at my side, then I didn't want to know.

"Eat your breakfast," they said and then walked out. I sighed and pushed the tray of mushy substances away from me.

After a few minutes, Prim walked into my room. She was taller than the last time I'd seen her, and a bit skinnier. The circles under her eyes had darkened as well. She was now wearing her blonde hair in one intricate braid instead of two. She wore the signature baggy jumpsuit that was the uniform of District Thirteen. Her bright blue eyes lit up when she saw me.

I instantly pulled her into an embrace when she got near to me. The last time I'd saw her, fully conscious, was the day of the reaping when I was certain I would be dying for Peeta. I thought that I would never see her again.

"Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear, not wanting to let her go.

She nodded as we pulled apart, our hands still interlocked. "I'm alright, Katniss."

Prim then filled me in with everything that had happened to her and our mother. She informed me how, thankfully, Gale had gotten them and a few other hundred citizens of District Twelve out in time before the bombings. She also informed me that Buttercup was safe and in Thirteen as well, which I rolled my eyes at.

"I couldn't leave him, Katniss," she protested as she saw my dismay. "I'm just worried what they'll do to him in Thirteen..."

"He'll be okay, Prim," I responded. "He's a cat."

"Still," she said. Then she sat down next to me and sighed. "President Coin wants to see you."

"President Coin?" I asked. The name sounded vaguely familiar, like I'd heard the doctors whispering it as they had treated me. "Did she say why?"