STAY WITH ME

Chapter 2

"Peeta!" I gasp.

"Katniss, you're okay, we're okay. Is your PTSD worse now? Katniss talk to me!" Peeta whispers urgently.

My eyes find his and I calm down a bit. According to Dr. Aurelius, I have something called PTSD. Stands for Post-trauma Stress Disorder. I was getting better before, but every time something really good or really bad happens, I start to get pulled into my nightmares and flashbacks again. I'm lucky to have Peeta, him being there every time I need him.

I slowly get out of bed, not knowing how much damage I've already done to the baby from screaming. I walk outside, and I see Haymitch opening his door.

"Morning, Sweetheart." He says in his usual surly voice.

"Effie and alcohol or just plain Effie?" I ask.

Haymitch says he tries his best to stay sober for himself, but we all know it's for Effie's sake. Of course, she doesn't know and Peeta and I are good at secrets. Peeta because he's just Peeta, me because I just don't talk much to people.

"Both"Haymitch answers heavily. "She's trying to take away my alcohol forever, but sometimes I just need it, you know, sweetheart? Now, uh, you don't mind if I sometimes come over to your house and store some of my liquor there just in case? I mean, you don't even live there anymore."

"Sure, but my mother's there, You want me to tell her or you just wanna' barge in there? You know, I am sick of your surly voice greeting me everyday and soon my bab-"I say with irritation, but then I realise I let it slip.

"Baby?" His eyes drop onto my stomach. He then looks up as if to ask if I've told Peeta. I nod. I don't want people to know because then there will be cameras sticking up everywhere, and I'm kind of sick of show life, from what has happened in the past. Haymitch then walks off to my house, so I decide to go to the woods and bring some fresh game for everyone. We've become a good family, Haymitch with Effie and me with Peeta.

I understand Haymitch better than anyone else, though. It's what Peeta said in the Victory Tour before the Quarter Quell. How I understood Haymitch without even talking. I didn't believe him that I was so alike with Haymitch, and I only understood just before the actual war began.

Bad life. The odds are never in our favour. It's the line that was written on the entrance of District 11 when we went there after my first Games with Peeta. My head hurts again, and I feel an urge to vomit. The baby. Finnick somehow manages to crawl into my mind again and I run into my house and let everything out in the bin. Finnick, baby? How does Finnick have anything to do with the word baby? Then I remember, in the Quell, Peeta lied that I was pregnant. Finnick kept on covering for me whenever I had a breakdown and blamed it on my pregnancy. Back then, I loathed him. Classic, handsome and vain man whose interview was about his 'love'. Blah. blah, blah, I thought as I was waiting backstage at the interview. Rue, Finnick, my most loved allies are gone. Johanna's bound to be in District 7, hacking things with her axe to let her anger out.

"Katniss? Can you hear me?" Peeta's worried voice wakes me up from my thoughts.

"Yeah." I smile, trying to look like I'm fine.

Except I'm not.