Life Will Go On - sequel to Our Love Will Remain

Chapter 20

After a little kissing and touching in the shower, we dry off and go to sleep. I wake up to nightmares a few times, as usual. But then, I wake up to something else. Pain, shooting up my spine.

"Ugh." I say with a faint voice and Peeta stirs and wakes up.

"What is it, Katniss?" he asks, because I think he knows this isn't about a nightmare. Just when I am about to answer I don't know, another pulse of pain hits. This one stronger and more painful than the previous. That's when it hits me. But I'm not due until two weeks. Lane has told me about Braxton Hicks. Fake contractions. But these seem real. They feel like the ones I had when Ivy was about to be born.

"Ah!" I outburst when another contraction hits. Peeta gets hysterical.

"Katniss, you've got to tell me right now what's happening." he says with a determined voice. I moan a little because of the pain and then answer.

"I... think I'm having... contractions..." I say and the colour is drained from his face.

"Are you sure?" he asks, putting his hand to my stomach. I close my eyes tightly and grit my teeth.

"Not entirely. But I'm pretty sure." I say. I open my eyes and he says:

"I should take you to the hospital." Then another contraction hits, and it's so painful I fall down onto the bed again and moan and groan in pain. Peeta freaks.

"Katniss? Katniss, honey, please answer. Are you in a lot of pain?" he asks and that's when I get enough.

"DO YOU THINK I'M IN PAIN? WHY DO YOU EVEN HAVE TO ASK!" I yell at him, instantly feeling guilty. My hormones have started flowing. Peeta doesn't look hurt, he just inhales a few times and then looks a little more calm.

"Lie down and make yourself as comfortable as possible and keep breathing, I'll call Haymitch to get Ivy." he says. I nod and close my eyes. He finishes the call a minute later, and after another minute I hear the front door open and close. Haymitch peeks inside our bedroom.

"Haymitch, go and get Ivy and take her to your house, Katniss is going into labor." Peeta says with a frustrated voice. Haymitch looks shocked, but then nods and walks out.

"We need to go to the hospital." Peeta says and just as he's getting up and starting to walk towards the closet, I stop him.

"No! I... can't..." I say with a faint voice.

"What?" Peeta says, and just as he realises he's made a mistake it's too late.

"DON'T YOU FREAKING UNDERSTAND THAT I CAN'T MANAGE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW! I NEED TO GIVE BIRTH AT HOME!" I yell at the top of my lungs. Again, Peeta doesn't look offended, he just has an expression filled with terror and fear. When I say the last part, he immediately grabs the phone and calls the hospital. He paces back and forth in front of me while he is waiting for them to pick up. When they do, he speaks super fast.

"Hi. My wife is in labor and she is in too much pain to give birth at home, so we'll have to have our midwife sent here, would that be possible. No, not yet." he says. Then, something wet starts running down my leg. Without thinking, I yell to Peeta:

"PEETAMYWATERJUSTBROKE!" He seems to understand and then looks a little panicked and runs up to me with the phone. He starts stroking my forehead and I close my eyes. He continues the call.

"It just did. Could you send Lane here as soon as possible? Oh, Katniss and Peeta Mellark." he says, still trying to be polite. When he doesn't get an answer, and I moan in pain because of another contraction, he yells at the person in the phone. "COULD YOU PLEASE DO THAT ALREADY! SHE'S IN PAIN!" he yells and I take deep breaths. I see sweatdrops forming on Peeta's forehead and feel mine heating as well. This is gonna be a long night. When Peeta has finished the call and apologized for yelling, he starts making the bed, and then he gets towels and spare sheets from the wardrobe. Then, he turns to me.