Slide Away

n i n e t e e n

As everyone in the room gets ready to help deliver the twins, I notice that Katniss is relaxed and now longer looks like she's in pain.

"Did the drugs finally kick in?" I ask.

"Kinda." She nods.

Prim raises the bed enough so Katniss is sitting up slightly. For some reason not only do my hands shake, but hers do too. She tugs at my arm and I look down at her.

"This means we can actually cuddle now." She whispers.

I chuckle, "I've missed cuddling."

"Me too but now we have two new cuddle buddies." Katniss grins and I just shake my head, smiling.

I can't tell if she was trying to calm my anxieties down or calm her own down. Either way both our hands stopped shaking and I felt a little calmer. Is Katniss could push away ever fear she had than so could I.

"Alright, let's deliver some babies." Mrs. Everdeen smiles.

------------------------------ Katniss's POV ---------------------------- 

"When you feel contraction, I want you to hold you breath, push, and count to ten okay?" 

  I nodded my head and as a I felt a contraction coming I took a deep breath. I held in and pushed. 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, 4 Mississippi, 5 Mississippi. One of my hands gripped Gale's with the other gripped the sheets. My body was covered in sweat and even though I was given something for the pain I was still in pain. It wasn't the pain that was bothering me. It was the fact that with every push, I felt weaker. 8 Mississippi, 9 Mississippi, 10 Mississippi.

"I can see one of the babies heads!" My mother exclaims.

"Your doing amazing Katniss." Prim nods.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It was crazy to think that my sister was here, helping deliver my kids. One day she would be an amazing doctor, there was no doubt in my mind. 

I take another deep breath and then push.

1

2

3

4 

5

6

7

8 

9

10

"Another push and we should have a baby." My mother smiles.

A groan escapes my lips. Delly never told me how hard this part was. God. I felt not only physically drained but emotionally drained, mentally too. Why the fuck was this so hard?

"Ready?" Gale asks.

I nod my head and take a deep collected breath. One more push and you'll get to meet one of your babies. One more push. A contraction hits and I push with everything I have. I close my eyes tightly and clench my jaw.

"Baby one!" I hear Mom exclaim.

  I lay back, breathing heavily. Prim cuts the babies imbecile cord and smiles looking down at the baby our mother had put in her hands. The baby screams and cries in Prim's hands, failing its arms and legs. I wanted to look at my baby, but Prim walks across the room and hands the crying baby to my mother who helps a nurse do a check up.