Our Life After

A Real Family

*Peeta's POV*

I'm sitting in the waiting room again, waiting for Katniss to come out of her test. I am hopeful that this time, things will be different, but then there's a doubtful part that says she'll come back with a negative.

But then, I see Katniss literally running out of the room, tears on her face. I feel my heart sink. It didn't work, we can't have kids. But when she gets closer, she starts smiling and laughing and jumps into my arms.

"Peeta...... it worked. You're going to be a daddy! We are going to be a Real Family!"

Every thing inside of me leapt for joy. Even though we were still in the waiting room of the doctor's office, I picked Katniss up and spun her around. I couldn't be happier. The girl I fell in love with is now carrying a child. MY child. We drive home with giant smiles on our faces that are impossible to take off.

I burst through the front door, and pick Katniss up again. But this time, I press her up against the wall, and I kiss her like I mean it. She starts giggling and wraps her legs around my waist. We stay there, joined by every part of us, and we are a huge wad of happiness that no one can ruin. Since she can't, I pull away and set her down on the couch.

We sit in silence for a while before I ask her the obvious, "Should we tell people now? Or should we wait?"

"I'm not sure," she replies, "We could tell Haymitch today, since he's so close."

"Who do you want to tell in total?"

"My mom, obviously, Haymitch, Effie, Gale, Johanna, Annie, and Finnick. Other than that, I can't think of anyone else who really needs to know."

We walk hand-in-hand to Haymitch's house, and knock on his door.

" Hello," Haymitch says.

"Hello Haymitch," I answer, "May we please come in to talk?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

We sit in his living room, just as we did when we announced our wedding to him. Katniss is still holding my hand, and I can tell she's nervous. I take this opportunity to make her talk, so she doesn't explode.

"Haymitch, Katniss has news from the two of us to share with you."

"Oh," she says sounding surprised that I volunteered her to do the talking, "Well, Haymitch, you know I've never been crafty with words, so I'll just say it. Peeta and I are going to have a baby."

Haymitch take a a second to laugh, and says, "Well it's about time."

We call some other people to share the news, and I tell Katniss to call her mom. "I'm worried what she will say," she says, "I'm not sure what she'll think."

"Just do it," I urge, "You'll feel better once it's done. I promise." But I know that's easy for me to say. I don't know what's going through her head, because I have no family to tell. She whines about it for a little while, but then reluctantly gets up and wanders over to the phone and dials her mom.

She starts talking, and I watch her carefully, studying her emotion. She has a worried but happy expression on her face, which I would love to paint. She hangs up.

"And," I say, "How'd it go?"

"She's very happy for us, but she is worried I'm too young. I am only 20."

"20 or not, you'll be a great mother."

I scoop her up and carry her into the kitchen, place her on a stool so we can talk while I cook. I make a fancy roast with carrots and potatoes and her favorite gravy. After dinner, we watch a movie called, "The Spectacular Now" and she falls asleep halfway through.

At the conclusion of the movie, I carry her upstairs to our room, and lay her on the bed, and she looks beautiful. This is a moment I cannot pass up, so I grab a blank canvas and just draw her. After I've finished a vague outline with which I am satisfied portrays her beauty, I climb in bed with her, and soon enough, I'm fast asleep.