DAN POV
I haven't seen Charlotte in a few days now. I'm told that she's improving rapidly, that she no longer wants to murder me, but her memories will always need help. For one reason or another, her video-therapy, where they replay events of the Games to her, has been halted. They say the high stress that it can bring is not what she needs right now. I know that they're hiding something, I just have no idea what.
In the meantime, I let my own body heal, and I frequently spend time with Maisie - she really keeps me going nowadays.
CHARLOTTE POV
It's been much easier to sleep ever since my shackles were removed. Apparently, I'm no longer seen as a threat to others, or myself. Occasionally the nurses will stop by and give me various supplements along with my food, I suppose it's to help my body heal faster. I'm happy to take whatever they can give me, mostly because it's building my strength back and it's taking away the persistent nausea that plagued me in the Capitol.
Is it strange to want to see Dan? Though I can't remember a lot about him, I want to re-meet him. I know he cares, it's just that sometimes my mind glitches and can't process that the way I should. However, the doctors say I'm getting better, and I'd like to celebrate that.
Yesterday, a mirror was brought to my room, as a way for me to visually see my own progress in weight gain. While I haven't gone over to it yet, I can at least see in my face that my cheeks are finally rounding out again. The food that they give me might taste bland, but I know that it's beefed up with extra nutrients and calories.
Yet, only now do I wonder why things seemed to change so rapidly in the way that I'm being treated. New protocol perhaps?
Gingerly, I run my hand over the bump on my arm from where they took a blood sample a few days ago.
DAN POV
The next day, I am summoned by Ms. Coin.
"How are you this morning?" Alma asks as I walk through the Command doors.
"I'm fine. What's this about?"
"Take a seat, please," she offers. I sit down opposite her. She then takes a deep breath.
"I heard that you and Charlotte spent a lot of time together while you were in the Capitol. Is that right?"
I nod, confused as to what she's asking.
"I know that this is strange to ask, and it's not my place, but our medical team needs some important information..." she hesitates.
"What are you asking me, exactly?"
"We need to know if there is any possibility that you two were intimate with each other. Don't be afraid to answer honestly. In District 13, we do not judge, and this question is purely a medical one."
Stunned, I ask, "Why do you need to know?"
"With all due respect, please just answer the question."
"Okay, then yes. But, Ms. Coin, how is this relevant?"
She is silent for a moment, then rises from her seat. "Come with me and I'll explain."
As we enter the hospital wing and go to where Charlotte is being kept, Alma says to me, "Keep in mind that Charlotte's memory is one that she feels she cannot rely on." We then walk into the observation room, and I can see Charlotte through the pane of glass. The door is shut behind us.
Coin then continues, "She does remember that night with you, but our medical staff has informed me that she seemed unsure of whether or not her memory was real."
I say, "Ms. Coin, with all due respect, I would like to know why this matters all of a sudden."
She turns to me. "Our team did a routine blood draw on her a few days ago, and when they ran it they found something peculiar. Charlotte has rather high amounts of hCG in her system. Do you know what hCG is?"
"No, ma'am. Is she okay?"
"It's a hormone, called human chorionic gonadotropin. While other things can give off this hormone, it's most commonly found during pregnancy," Alma explains. I freeze.
Looking at Charlotte's sleeping form through the glass, I ask, "She's pregnant?"
"It would seem so. We haven't told her. We don't know how she would react. I am telling you this because we wanted to know what you thought of it."
"It's not fair to her, now is it? She deserves to know, and she has the right to make her own decision about it. This is not my decision to make, Ms. Coin," I say sternly.
She replies, "While I admire your ideology of letting her make a choice, we have to consider that she isn't in the proper state of mind to make that choice."
I scoff, "Oh, so she can't say yes to an abortion, but she's mentally stable enough to have a child? I'm not sure if her body can even handle it right now, let alone her mind."
Alma says, "I understand that. The medical staff understands that. What I want from you is to talk to her after she knows, give her some time to think things over the best that she can, given her state. We will respect her decision as much as you will."
"Thank you."
"Now, the ultimate question is, do you want to tell her, or should a member of staff do it?"
I ponder this for a second. "I think that it would sound better coming from the mouth of a doctor."
"Alright. You will report here at 9:00 tomorrow morning. Charlotte will receive the news tonight and you'll be briefed on her reaction. Until then, get some rest and try not to dwell on worry."
As I go to sleep that night, I can't even find any particular word to describe what I'm feeling. A few good ones would be anxiety, fear, numbness, and most of all, worry. I hope that Charlotte can come to a decision easier than I can, because I have no idea how to feel about any of this.
