The Hunger Games: Uprising!

Chapter 45

I can hear voices. Haymitch and my Mother I think. I struggle to open my eyes but the lights are so bright it hurts. I force them open, squinting to alleviate some of the discomfort then look around the room, my eyes feel sore, gritty, and my muscles stiff and weak. I'm in medical, I look toward the doorway to see Haymitch stood facing my mother. He has both of her hands in his and he gazes down into her eyes, I can hear them talking in hushed tones but I can't make out what it is they're saying. Suddenly my mother leans forward and rests her head on his chest and he embraces her. I'm shocked, am I dreaming, is this some sort of drug induced hallucination, are my mother and Haymitch really together? I don't understand.

Just then I hear a hissing sound from some machine next to me and I feel a warm sensation spreading through my arm. I look toward the sound to see a tube fixed to my left arm which is restrained to the side rail of the bed. I start to feel lightheaded and queasy as I feel my eyes become heavy and I allow them to close.

I wake to find my arm is no longer tied to the bed, the machine has been removed to the side of the room and the lights have been turned down low. I look toward the door to see Peeta sleeping, slumped in a chair with a hospital blanket wrapped around him. I croak out his name...

"Peeta"

His eyes blink open instantly, he throws the blanket to one side and jumps to my bedside.

"Kat, your back with us, I've been so worried about you, everyone has" He leans forward and kisses my forehead and I run my hand through his hair. For some reason I've missed this simple sensation, of touching Peeta, smelling his scent.

"What happened, I remember falling on the floor and Mom putting me on the bed but I don't remember anything after that"

"Your Mom sedated you, You've been here for over a week Kat"

"But what happened Peeta, why did they do that?"

"Your Mom said you needed to rest, and this was the only way to make you stop. You've hardly slept since we returned from the district 2 propo mission and you haven't eaten properly in ages"

I suddenly remember what happened the evening I collapsed in my mother's surgery room. The cramps in my stomach, the weak queasy feeling. My eyes start to well up with tears at the thought of me losing our baby out of my own stupidity.
"Peeta, what about the baby?" I say dreading his answer.

"She's fine now. Your Mom said it was like a warning, that you're body was telling you to slow down. Yes, the baby was in distress and if it'd happened somewhere else we probably would of lost her, but fortunately they managed to calm things down. To begin with you collapsed from the trauma of what happened but your mother together with the doctors decided to extend it to allow you and the baby to rest"

I look away from him, ashamed at my reckless attitude to my pregnancy. What if I had lost the baby, how would I of coped with the grief, how would Peeta handle it and would he forgive me? I start to sob quietly and I feel Peeta climb on the bed next to me. I start to laugh slightly through my tears hearing him curse at the size of the small hospital bed as he trys to get closer to comfort me. I scoot over to give him space as he lies ontop of the covers and props himself up on an elbow.
"Hi" he says smiling at me.

"Hey" I reply, a lonely tear rolling down my cheek.

"Why so sad?"

"I've been such a fool Peeta, what if I'd lost the baby, how would we of carried on. I just couldnt forgive myself if something happened, and I'd of let you down"

"Hush. Nothing bad's gonna happen. Yes, we've had a scare and its woken us both up to what we should be doing. This isn't your fault Kat, it's mine. It was me that talked you into this back in our house the day Wolfe treatened us, even if the shoot at District 2 had gone to plan it was still a lot to do for someone in your condition. We're having a baby Katniss, maybe we should just focus on us for a change and let the rebels sort themselves out."