Pregnant In the Quell

Chapter Eighteen

I wake up to small noises coming from the cot. Dahlia is wide awake, looking around the room.

I try to stand, but I wince in pain.  Peeta immediately gets up to help me.

"What a great mother I am," I whisper. "I can't even get my own daughter out of her cot."

Peeta let's out a giggle. "After what you went through yesterday, no one is judging your pain. I'm surprised you can even move."

I smile at him, and I then notice Gale in the doorway.

"Hey, Catnip," he says. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," I reply with a smile.

"How's Dahlia?" Gale starts. "I brought something for her, just a small gift."

Gale makes his way towards Dahlia's cot, and pulls out a stuffed animal.

"It was Posy's," he says with a tear trickling down his eye. "I grabbed it when I was trying to get everyone out of 12. It's my last thing to remember her bye, and I want her to have it, as a momentum. It meant a lot to Posy."

"Gale," I whisper. "I'm so sorry. Thank you for giving this to her."

Dahlia then starts to cry. "She's probably hungry," I insist.

"Or she needs her diaper changed," Peeta says with a laugh.

"I'll do it if it needs done. Can you hand her to me?"

Peeta picks her up carefully and places her in my arms.

"Yep, she's hungry," I say with a giggle. "She likes her food, just like her mommy."

Peeta laughs. "Maybe, one day, I'll teach her how to bake."

I smile at Peeta.

"I can go, if you need to feed her," Gale says.

I nod my head. "Come back later, though. I miss you!"

Gale gives me a hug, and waves bye to Peeta, that's when Prim and my mother come in, along with Haymitch.

"Ugh, Haymitch!" I joke. "I need to feed her."

"Calm down, sweetheart," he starts. "I'm not looking.

"Whatever," I say as I put a blanket over Dahlia's head and my breast.

"How was she last night?" My mom asks.

"She was good," I say. "She only cried once for a feeding. I was surprised."

"Wow," my mother says. "She's very well behaved already."

I give her a slight grin.

"She looks just like you when you were a baby, Katniss. Same features."

Peeta and I both smile ear to ear, and Peeta strokes my hair.

"She even looks like Prim a little," I insist.

Prim giggles.