Fate

Chapter 2

Katniss P.O.V.

"Change of plans," Haymitch says as Peeta and I sit down for breakfast. "We aren't leaving until tomorrow." I give him a look.

"Why?"

"Snow wants to throw you two a party," Effie says. "To celebrate the 'baby.'"

"But Snow knows that I'm not pregnant," I say.

"But he wants everybody else to think that you are," Haymitch says. "That's why he gave you such a short amount of time to actually conceive."

"This is ridiculous," I mumble. "What time do we have to be ready?"

"Five-thirty," Haymitch says.

"Well, I'll be in my room until then," I say as I get up out of my seat.

"You haven't ate breakfast yet," Peeta tells me.

"Yeah, sweetheart," Haymitch says. "Don't you know you're supposed to be eating for two now?" I roll my eyes and walk off, listening to Haymitch's laughter get farther and farther away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I lay in bed and stare up at the ceiling. Haymitch came to talk to me after breakfast, reminding me that I have to act the part tonight. I start mentally ranting about how unfair it all is. But my thoughts are cut short when someone lightly knocks on the door.

"Come in," I say, already knowing who it is. Peeta walks in, and I sit up as he shuts the door behind him.

"Can we talk?" he asks. I nod my head, and he sits down beside of me.

"What are we going to do about this whole mess?" I ask as I look down at the floor.

Peeta takes a deep breath. "We both know that there's only one thing we can do to make sure that our families stay safe," he says.

"I know," I say.

"Katniss." I look over at Peeta, and he shakes his head. "I don't want you to do something that you don't want to do. Not when it's something like this. I don't want you to do this if you don't truly want it."

"Peeta…"

"I'm serious, Katniss," he says. "I know that there's a long list of people we love who we're trying to protect, but maybe there's another way. I want to protect you too, Katniss."

He reaches over and takes my hand in his. I look over at him. My heart starts racing. I know what's coming.

"I love you, Katniss."

The words form on my tongue, but I can't bring myself to say them. What if I regret them? Everyone I love is in danger right now. Maybe I'm just swept up in the moment.

After a few moments of me not responding, Peeta goes to stand up.

"I'd better go get ready," he says. But before he can walk off, I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck. He embraces me back and I bury my face in his shoulder. Peeta pulls me back and kisses my forehead before walking out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Remember, you two," Haymitch says. "You're supposed to act like a happy, expecting couple."

"We know," I say. "Let's just get this over with." Haymitch gestures us forward, and Peeta and I link arms before we walk into the room. We're met with applause and flashing lights of the cameras.

I try to put on my best smile, but all I want to do is go hide in my room.

It's afwul. Having to act like I'm pregnant. Answering all the questions. Do we want a boy or a girl? Do we have a name picked out yet? It's sickening.

But the worse part is Peeta. The look in his eyes as we pose for pictures; with his hand on my stomach and my head resting on his shoulder; is slowly killing me inside.

No matter how delighted his smile makes him look, he can't mask the joyless expression his eyes hold. I know how bad he wants this. How much he wishes that there really was a baby lying just below his fingertips.

And he knows that the only way his dreams are going to come true is because we've been forced, and our families lives have been put on the line. But that's not the way he wants it to happen.

It makes me feel so guilty. Knowing that I'm the only person standing between what Peeta wants, and the way it should happen.

Towards the end of the night, Haymitch can tell we're almost at a breaking point with all the questions and attention and acting. He walks over to us and tells us what we've been waiting to hear all night.

"You two can leave now," Haymitch tells us. "If anyone asks, I'll tell them you got sick or something. They'll understand."

"Thank you," I tell Haymitch before Peeta and I leave. It seems like forever before we finally reach the door to my room. I don't give Peeta a chance to walk off. I grab his arm and pull him into the room, shutting the door behind us.