Always

Too Soon

A.N. HUGE QUESTION BELOW IN THE A.N. Make sure to read it and answer in the comments.

The blood begins to pool around my feet as I stand still, shocked and scared at the realization of what's happening. It's too soon, the baby won't live if I go into labor. The island is suddenly quiet as I move my hand  to rest above my belly button, just grazing my stomach. Afraid that if I touch it too hard, I might loose the baby. I could loose him.

"Katniss," Peeta whispers so softly it comes across as a whimper. He always stays strong for me, but at the sight of his child dying before his eyes he finally cracks.

I sink to my knees and Peeta drops with me, taking my hand and cradling it as if I could break. And he's right, I could break. Any second.

Finnick and the others slowly walk back to the beach, giving us time to grieve.

"You're loosing the baby, aren't you?" Peeta asks me and his eyes are filled with so much worry and grief that my heart clenches inside. I don't want to nod my head, I don't want to say yes. Because I know the moment I do, the moment I tell him I am, it'll be true.

And it can't be true.

Yet somehow I muster up enough courage to nod my head just the slightest before I break apart into tears.

He holds me and kisses my temple, trying to help me through the pain. How can he watch his child die? He's so much stronger than I ever thought he was, and I love him even more for it.

"This isn't real, this can't be real." I mumble to him and I see the tears trailing down his cheeks. He just shakes his head and frowns. Abruptly he stands and walks towards the center of the beach, leaving me lying on the sand.

"Why aren't you helping her? Can't you see that she's loosing the baby, that our child is dying!" He yells into the sky. "Haymitch, I know you can do it! Just send something, anything. I'm begging." He pauses and looks at me before looking back at the sky. "This is your grandchild, Haymitch."

Peeta and I had decided that when the baby came, he would call Haymitch his grandfather. When my father died, I hadn't wanted kids so the thought of any future child not having a grandfather wasn't a big deal. But my child needs a grandfather. Mr.Melllark could teach him to bake and Haymitch could teach the child to be strong willed. We hadn't asked him yet, but I guess now we don't need to.

Peeta stands waiting for something to magically fall from the sky, just like all other times. Yet nothing comes. And slowly the blood continues to flow out.

Peeta gives up and lies back down with me, taking and linking our fingers together. We are united.

The noise of the parachute falling from the sky is music to all of our ears and Peeta runs faster than ever to reach it. Inside is a vial of purple liquid with a small note beside it.

I'd rather be called Pops. -H

His note brings tears to my eyes and I tech forward grabbing the liquid and gulping it down. Hopefully it isn't too late.

The sun is shining brighter than ever as the girl and boy continue to dance and make flower crowns. She must see him first, and then the boy follows her eyes. Landing on the tall man in the meadow. He picks a dandelion and begins walking towards me. I know those shoulders and those eyes. His hair is familiar and his skin is still pale. His laugh fills the air as the kids embrace him in a hug, pushing him to the ground. I stand to walk towards him, but just like the previous time, he disappears. Only the dandelion is left in his presence, tucked behind the girls ear.

Peeta's warmth is not beside me when my eyes open and I know that sooner or later the roles will be reversed. Peeta will be waking up alone in our bed, because I'll do anything to get him home. I feel him take my hand and I tune my head to look at him, his piercing blue eyes that are puffy from tears gaze into mine.