Finding the Missing Piece: Book 3

Chapter Ten

Katniss POV- (3am)

Carter has woken up three times already screaming and it's only 3am.

Bristol, I can see is getting frustrated.

We are all three extremely exhausted and it's only the first night with Carter at home.

She's not really hungry though, just restless, I guess.

"Hey, you go to bed. I'll keep her calm. You need some sleep." I suggest to Bristol.

She frowns and looks down at Carter who screams in her baby crib.

"You sure?" She asks.

I nod, "Yeah, it'll be fine. I'll figure something out. You need to get all the sleep you can." I tell her truthfully.

"Thank you, Katniss." Bristol says smiling tiredly.

"No problem." I say.

Bristol sighs, "If you need me come get me."

"I will. Goodnight." I assure her.

"Night." She says simply and walks back to her bedroom.

I just stare down at Carter as she continues to scream.

"Hey." I say softly, setting my hand on her belly.

She stops screaming and just whines softly, and opens her brown eyes widely.

I hover over her and she gives me a pout.

"I don't play that pouting game like Peeta and your Mommy do." I laugh a little.

Just like that, her face turns neutral, serious.

I can't help but laugh a little bit as I realize she just wants to be held.

I carefully scoop her up into my arms.

She just stares up at me and blinks repeatedly.

"Sweet girl, you know it's night time? You're suppose to be asleep." I inform her as I walk into the living room.

I grab a blanket and her pacifier and carefully lay her on the blanket. She starts to whine so I lay flat on my stomach next to her and she turns her head to face me.

"What are you doing, baby?" I ask her sweetly.

She closes her eyes, as if to be shy.

I smile a little, then I get an idea and decide to play patty-cake with the tiny newborn.

I sit up crisscrossed with Carter laying flat in front of me.

I take her tiny, wrinkly fingers and begin singing.

"Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man..." I begin.

"Bake me a cake as fast as you can. Roll it, pat it, mark it with a 'B' and put it in the oven for Carter and me!" I cheer, gently moving her little arms around and she smiles a little bit.

I giggle back, "You know, you're the only baby I've ever seen so happy and making so much noise at a few days old." I tell her.

I remember my mom telling me how I was always so serious.

No one could make me smile or laugh, not even a hint.

Prim was a little different.

She was an extremely sensitive baby.

I remember glaring at her once because she had pulled my braid. I was like 4 or 5 maybe and she bursted into tears right then.

I wonder what Peeta was like as a baby or as a child even?

Cinna told me a little bit but I wish I could've seen it for myself.

I have a feeling, he was the kind of kid that ran into walls and apologized to them afterwards.

I let out a silent chuckle, thinking of my sweet baker.

I'm knocked from my thoughts when Carter let's out a sigh and begins rubbing her eyes with her little chubby hands.

"Are you finally sleepy?" I ask her, feeling quite sleepy myself.

She just looks up at me and yawns, closing her eyes for a long period of time, opening them every few seconds.

I laugh and decide that was a 'yes'.

I carefully pick her tiny, 7 pound body up and hold her to me, careful with her wobbly head and neck. I take her pacifier and gently pop it in her mouth. Then, I begin rocking her back and forth as her eyes eventually grow completely heavy and she falls asleep.

As time ticks by, I get sleepier so I decide it's time to hit the hay.

I decide to lay Carter in her little bassinet and I carefully, and quietly roll it into the living room.

I slip some socks on her little feet and flip the lights out.

She doesn't budge.

I lay down on the couch with Carter sleeping within a few feet of me, just in case she wakes up, I can get to her quicker.

I soon fall asleep, it wasn't until I woke up to my phone going off, that I realized how exhausted I was myself.