Complete

Chapter 26

Katniss P.O.V.

"Mommy!" Willow screams from her bedroom. I know she's probably had a nightmare, but I can't get to her right now. I'm currently bent over the toilet dry heaving. All of the contents that were in my stomach are long gone.

Everytime I move my head just the least little bit, the room starts spinning. My legs are so weak right now that I know there's no way they'd hold me up.

I feel so helpless.

"Mommy, help!"

"I can't, Willow," I try to holler, but it comes out as barely a whisper. I know what I have to do.

I crawl over to the sink and grip the counter top. I carefully pull myself up and take a deep breath. Miraculously, I find the wall and lean up against it. I slowly make it over to the bedroom door, listening helplessly to my baby girl scream.

"Willow," I say as loud as I can manage. I grip onto the doorframe and close my eyes. "Willow. Come over here, baby girl."

"Mommy?"

"Willow, you have to come to me."

I hear Willow's feet come running towards me, and I force my eyes open. She has tears running down her face, and she looks mad. 

"I was hollering for you. Why didn't you come?"

"Willow," I breathe out. "Momma's not feeling too good right now. I'm sorry."

Willow gives me a concerned look. "Are you sick, Momma?"

"I'm fine now, Willow."

She frowns at me. "I'm sorry I got mad at you, Momma."

"It's..." The room starts spinning again, so I slide down on the floor, leaning my back up against the doorframe. "It's okay, Willow. I understand."

She kneels down beside of me and wraps her arms around my neck. "Mommy, do I need to call Daddy?"

"No, Willow. Don't wake him up. I'm fine, baby."

"Okay."

I run a hand through her hair. "Are you alright?"

She nods her head. "I had a bad dream and woke up really, really scared."

I take a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I tried to get over to you."

"I know," Willow says quietly. "Momma, can I sleep with you?"

"Of course, Willow," I tell her. "Give me a minute to get up off the ground."

I wait until the dizziness mostly subsides before carefully standing up off the floor. I make my way slowly over to the bed, and Willow crawls up beside of me.

When I wrap my arms around Willow, I notice that her body is still shaking. 

"Willow, do you want to talk about it?"

"No, Momma," Willow says as she shakes her head at me. "It's okay. It was just scary."

I pull her tighter to me and kiss the top of her head. 

"I know it is, Willow," I tell her softly. "But you're okay now. Mommy's right here to protect you."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"When will the babies get here?"

"Around four and a half months," I tell her.

Willow frowns. "That's a long time."

"It will go by quickly," I assure her.

Willow places her hands on my belly. "Are they moving yet, Momma?"

"A little bit," I reply. "But I don't know if you can feel them yet or not."

"Oh," Willow says softly.

"Go back to sleep," I tell her. "We both need all the sleep we can get."

"But, Mommy, I'm scared to go to sleep."

"Willow, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yeah," she sighs. "Actually, I changed my mind."

I laugh a little bit. "Okay," I say softly. "Go ahead and talk."

Willow shakes her head. "Mommy, I had the same bad dream that Daddy has every night. Something bad happens, and he is not here to protect us."

My heart drops. "Willow, did Daddy tell you that he has nightmares every night."

Willow nods her head. "He said that since he doesn't live here no more, he worries that you, or me, or Rye will get hurt and he won't be able to do nothing about it."

Great. Just another sign of the destruction I've caused.

"Momma, I'm done talking now," Willow tells me through a yawn. "I am really super tired."

I laugh a little bit. "Okay, Willow. Go on to sleep, baby girl."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Willow, hurry up! Daddy will be here in a minute to take you to school!" I holler up the stairs.

"Okay, Mommy!" Willow hollers back.

I look out the window to see Rye running towards the house, so I go over and open the door. Rye runs right over to me, giggling the entire way.

"Mommy!"

"Good morning, munchkin," I tell Rye as I pick him up off the floor. I look over to see Peeta headed this way.

He looks tired, and what Willow told me last night comes flooding back to me.

"Wi-oh?" Rye says as he looks around curiously.

"Willow's upstairs," I tell him. "She'll be down in a minute."

"She'd better hurry or she's going to be late," Peeta says.

I look over at him. "It's my fault," I tell Peeta. "She didn't sleep too good last night, neither of us did, so I let her sleep in a bit later this morning."

"Yeah. I know the feeling," Peeta says. He looks over at Rye in my arms. "Alright, buddy. Let's get you in your carseat."

"No," Rye whines as he lays his head over onto my shoulder. "Mommy."

"No. You need to go with me," Peeta tells Rye.

"He can stay with me today," I tell Peeta.

He shakes his head at me. "Katniss..."

"I'll be fine," I argue before giving Peeta a chance to speak. "Let him stay."

"You need to rest," Peeta tells me as he tries to take Rye from me. "You just said you didn't sleep good last night."

I roll my eyes. "So? Peeta, I can handle him by myself for a few hours."

Peeta sighs. "Okay. Fine."

"I'm ready, Daddy," Willow says as she comes down the steps. She comes over and gives me a hug.

"Have a good day at school, Willow," I tell her. She nods her head at me.

"I will, Mommy."

"Go on out to the car," Peeta tells her. He looks at me and begins speaking once he makes sure that Willow is out of earshot. "I'm going to take off early today," he tells me. "You and I need to talk."

Peeta turns and walks out the door.