~Three Months Later~

Katniss's P.O.V.

I woke up for the seventh time with morning sickness. But by this time it is almost eleven thirty. I was trying to sleep in for a bit. I have my four month scan at 12:30. Peeta couldn't make it. But I plan on giving him a surprise. He has been certain we are having another girl, and giving Aster the idea of fun times with a sister. I have a feeling that this is a boy. Too much trouble already. I bet when he's out here, we'll have an adventure for sure. I didn't want a baby shower, to the displeasure of my girl friends. So they have been instead, sending me nonstop packages of clothes, and necessities for either a girl or boy. But we will share the news later. Even though my mother's instincts aren't wrong, despite what my daughter and husband think and say. I clean myself up and get myself dressed. I am lucky my mother gave me maternity clothes for this pregnancy. I didn't have any for Aster, but she wasn't that big. But even so, I, was big. I loaned a lot of Peeta's old clothes. Which he got sick of in my fifth month since I would change and get them dirty all the time. I leave my room and have a pleasant surprise waiting on my nightstand. I go and sit down and read the small note, left by a vase of tiger lilies.

"A sweet bouquet for a sweet woman.

Dropped by a bit ago. I assumed that you were preoccupied with.. Issues. But left them here for when you returned. If you drop by the Bakery after your appointment, I'll have your favorite and Aster's favorite as a snack. And be sure to let me know what we get to prepare for. I have an idea for the nursery.

With Love,

Peeta"

I put the note down. I smile and pick up a lily. I smell the sweet scent. How these are my favorite. I notice a small box behind the vase. There are two upon further examination. I picked one. I open it. I smile and laugh lightly to myself.

~To the Best woman in my life, Peeta~

I take out the bracelet. It is a simple gold band and has a charm with the first letter of my name. There is a loop in the bracelet itself. I put it around my wrist. I assume the other box is for Aster. So I'll let her enjoy opening it. I get up and go to Aster's room. She's playing with her dolls and has Apollo and Daisy with her too. I stand in the doorway and watch her for a bit. Peeta insisted we change her room again. So we did. And she loves it.

"Aster, sweetie." I say.

She looks at me with a smile. "Hi Mommy!" She beams.

"Daddy left a gift for you." I say and show her the box.

She squeals with delight. "What is it, Mommy!?" She exclaimed.

"Come here and let's see." I say and go sit on her bed.

She gets up with me, and I give her the box. She opens it.

"OOH! It's pretty, Mommy!" She says and smiles from ear to ear.

"Here, I'll put it on." I say.

She holds out her wrist and I put it on. Her's is simple, but a little different from mine. Her's has a pearl next to her pendant.

"There. Now we match." I say.

"Mine has an A, Mommy. Not a K. A for Aster." She says,

"That's right, Aster." I say and smile proudly at her. "Have you eaten?"

"Daddy made me breakfast while you were asleep. But I'm not hungry." She says,

"Well, I have to go to the doctor. Then Daddy will bring us lunch in the meadow. Sounds good?" I say.

"Ye-up!" She says, "Is the doctor going to be Grandma? And is she going to check my sister?"

"No, Flower. It won't be Grandma. She does other things in the hospital. But we can say hi to her if she isn't busy, okay?" I say.

"Okay. I'll go get shoes on." She says with a smile.

She hops on her bed and leaves her room. Apollo and Daisy follow not so far behind. Those dogs love her. Will never leave her side. Probably follow her when she leaves home, I'm afraid. I get up and carefully go down the stairs. I go and grab my boots and put them on.

"Mommy! I need help!" I hear Aster call out. She comes into the living room and has her shoes on the wrong feet.

"Oh, come here, Flower." I say.

I picked her up and set her on my lap. "Remember Aster, follow which way your feet go." I say and trace my hands along her feet. Then the shoe.

"Ohh. Right! I forgot, but I won't next time, Mommy." She says,

"It's alright. Mommy is always here to help." I say with a smile.

I boop her nose and she giggles. She does it to me and then hugs me.

"I love you, Aster Pearl." I say and kiss her head.

"I love you, Mommy." She says,

~

"Congratulations again, Katniss." Dr. Mangum says. "And I could've sworn you told me that there were no more coming."

"I thought so too. But.. Here we are." I say with a smile. "And this is the one you would've help come here."

Aster waves to her and smiles widely. "Hi!" She says, "I'm Aster. I'm five!"

"Hello there, Aster. I'm Dr. Mangum. It's nice to meet you." She says to her,

"Is my baby sister okay?" Aster asks her.

"That's what we came here to see." Dr. Mangum says.

She has me lift up my shirt and she applies the gel. Which is colder than I remember. She moves the wand around my stomach. A loud thump comes over and over.

"That's their heart, Aster." I say to her.

"It sure is loud." Aster says and plugs her ears.

"Now for the unveiling moment.. The next Mellark baby is a.. Girl! Congratulations!" Dr. Mangum says.

"Yay! I knew it, Mommy. So did Daddy!" Aster says excitedly.

I laugh a little to myself. "You sure did know." I say to her with a smile.

Dr. Mangum wips off the excess gel. She hands me the picture of my new daughter.

'Peeta will be so excited.' I think. 'As I am.'

~

Peeta's P.O.V.

I finish the cupcake for Aster and then set them aside. I get the dozen cheese rolls for Katniss out of the oven and put them in a box. The front door rings and I go out to the counter. And to my surprise, my two favorite girls are there.

"Hi Daddy!" Aster exclaims.

"Hi sweetie." I say.

I go from behind the counter to meet them. I bend down to catch Aster in my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck and giggles.

"How are my two favorite girls?" I ask.

"You mean three favorite girls." Katniss says and kisses my cheek.

"Wait.. so we're having a girl?" I ask and grow excited.

"Yep! Imma have a sister to play with, Daddy!" She says and squeezes my neck.

"And Daddy will have to help me braid both of your hair." Katniss says and gives me a smirk.

"Oh goody." I say. "Are you two ready to go home?"

"Can I have a treat, Daddy? Please?" Aster asks.

"Well, actually. I made a special treat for you. Both of you." I say and smile.

I set her down and went behind the counter. I get the treats for Aster and Katniss.

"I have to punch out, then we can go." I say and kiss Katniss.

"Don't be long. I want to go to the meadow." She says,

I go to the back and punch my time card.

"Have a good night, Peeta." Dallan says to me.

"You too. Don't forget to lock up." I say.

I grab my jacket and keys then head out.

"Shall we, my Ladies?" I ask and motion for Katniss's hand.

"We shall." She says and takes mine.

~

Katniss rests her head on my chest as we sit on the ground. She holds Aster close to her. She tired herself out from playing. Katniss plays with her hair and braids it. I trace my fingers through hers.

"So.. what are we going to name her?" I ask Katniss.

"I'm not sure. All I've had on my mind was boy names." She says with a little laugh.

"Well, I have a few." I say with a smile. "How about Holly Sage Mellark?"

"It's pretty. What do you think about River Olive Mellark?" She says,

"I like that. A lot. Do you think she'll be a River or a Holly?" I say.

"Maybe Autumn? Or a Nova even? Claire?" Katniss asks.

I laugh a little. "Why don't we keep brainstorming? I mean we do have five more months to decide." I say.

"That is true. I'm just excited. Even though she isn't a boy like I was hoping." She says,

"I mean, we can always have one more?" I say hopeful.

"Not a chance. I think Aster and another one of her will be enough." She says,

"Oh dang." I say and laugh.

"Don't try to touch me again, you hear? I'm sick of this." She warns.

"I'm sorry. No more touching. I swear." I say and kiss her head.

"Thank you. Only if you protect yourself.. I'll consider it." She says with a smirk.

Aster makes a small noise then wakes up.

"Hi, Flower." Katniss says.

"Hi Mommy." Aster says and yawns. "Hi Daddy."

"Hey baby girl. Sleep well?" I say.

"Uh Uh. Can we go eat out?" She asks.

"What do you think?" Katniss asks me.

"What do you want, Aster?" I ask.

"Ummm... pizza!" She exclaims with a smile.

"Sure, Flower. We'll go have pizza." Katniss says.

"Yay! Thanks, Mommy!" She says and hugs her tight.

~

Katniss's P.O.V.

"You better not stay up late, or you and Daddy will be in trouble." I say to Aster as we walk out of the restaurant.

"I won't. I love ice-cream, and cupcakes Daddy makes. I'll go to bed early, Mommy. Cross my heart." She says and takes another lick from her ice-cream cone.

"And you better too, Mister." I warn Peeta and give him a glare.

"I swear too." he says and kisses my cheek.

I hold tighter to Aster's hand as we walk to the parking lot. Suddenly we hear a lot of yelling. It's coming from the bar across the street.

"Mommy? What's going on?" Aster asks me and moves closer to me.

"Don't worry, Sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are right here." Peeta says to her.

"Go get in the car." Peeta says to me softly.

I nod. I pick Aster up and we go to our car. I unlock it and start to strap her in her car seat.

"Where did Daddy go? Is he okay?" Aster asks me.

"He's okay. I promise." I say.

"KATNISS!!" I hear Peeta yell.

I ran to him. Upon seeing the fiasco, I stop dead in my tracks.

"Gale stop! Stop it!" I scream.

I rush over to break them up. He pushes me aside in his fit of drunkenness. I fall to the ground and land on my hip funny. I try to stop him despite my pain.

"Gale you're drunk, stop it! Stop it!" I yell at him and try to pull him away from Peeta.

"Calm down, Gale!! This isn't you!" Peeta says.

"Get off me!!" Gale yells.

"Momma!!" I hear Aster cry.

I turn around fast. I see my daughter struck in fear. I don't know what to do.

"Aster. Go back to the car, NOW!" I say to her sternly.

I get hit in the face by an accident by Peeta trying to contain Gale. I hear Aster scream but my eyes are clouded with tears.

"GO NOW, ASTER PEARL!!" I yell at her, not meaning to be mean to her.

"Katniss, are you okay?" Peeta says and helps me up.

"I am." I say.

Gale is coming back to his senses. I'm guessing he was drinking a lot, since he passed out.

"I'll go call Aleree. Go make sure Aster is okay." Peeta says to me.

I nod. I go back to the car. And I breathe easy when I find my daughter safely inside.

I take her into my arms and hold her close to me. "It's okay, Flower. We're okay. I'm okay." I say soothingly.

"Wh-wh-why d-d-did Uncle Gale hu-hur-hurt you, Mommy?" Aster sobs and clings to me.

"Shh. Shhhh, it's alright now Aster. Just calm down, sweetie." I say.

"I-I-Is m-m-my si-si-sister okay?" She asks.

'I hope to God.' I think.

"Yes, Flower. She's okay. I'll go to see if she's okay." I say.

~

"I'm so sorry about this, Katniss. I had no idea.. And with you being pregnant... I'm so sorry." Aleree apologizes.

"It's alright Aleree. I promise I'm okay." I tell her and hug her. "What's going on with you two? Gale never drinks."

She sighs. "Can we talk somewhere else?" She asks.

I see my mother with Gale and Peeta in the kitchen. Aster is with Haymitch in the living room.

"Yes, the office will be more private." I say.

I take her there and lock the door. Aleree starts to cry.

"Hey, sit down." I say and pull her a chair.

"I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry." She says and wipes her face.

I sit down. "What's been going on?" I ask.

"Gale and I... it started back when he went with you hunting a couple months ago. I've been thinking about a family before, I just never asked him. So I did. And he said yes. So we...." She explains. "After about constant negative results, I went to the doctor. And.. they.. I found out that I'm infertile. And.. Gale.. hasn't responded well about that as you can tell."

"Aleree.. I'm so sorry." I say and hold her hand.

"These things happen." She says,

"I'm sorry that it is to you guys." I say.

"I've been trying to see what options are. Explaining them to Gale. He just.. Can't take it. I never realized how much he wanted kids of his own. And.. now that we can't.. I just don't know. He has never turned to alcohol. Not a drop. I don't know why now. I just want my Gale back." She says,

"I'm so sorry. I couldn't even imagine what that'd be like. Have you thought of adoption? Or maybe a surrogate?" I say.

"I was going to ask him about that. But he left this morning and I hadn't seen him until you called me. At this point.. I wouldn't care what I did to have children. Just as long as I have Gale back." She says,

"I've known Gale my whole life." I start. "He loves family more than anything. Especially his. And mine.. When I had one."

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I.. had a sister. She..uh.. She passed away during the war." I say.

"Oh my.. I'm so sorry, Katniss." she says.

"Gale took care of her when I was in the Games. And his own miraculously. He saved them when Snow destroyed 12. And barely half of the District. He cares a lot about people. And you too. I'd talk to him. Help him see this through." I say.

"I will. Thank you, Katniss. You're a very strong girl. Gale was lucky to have you." She says and hugs me.

'I think I am more lucky to have him.' I think.

There is a soft knock on the door. It opens slowly and Aster looks inside. She looks simply distraught.

"Come here, baby girl." I say.

She walks to me carrying her blankie in one hand and sucking her thumb on her other. I picked her up and set her on my lap.

"Gale's doing better, if you want to see him now." Haymitch tells Aleree.

They both leave us. I hold Aster tightly in my arms. She rests her head on me.

"Are you tired, Ast?" I ask her softly.

She shakes her head no.

"Do you want to sleep with me and Daddy?" I ask.

She nods. I hold her closer to me and stand up. I leave the office. I poke my head in the kitchen and catch Peeta's attention. I nod my head upstairs then to Aster. He understands. I go to my room and set Aster on the bed. I climbed in with her. She gets as close as she can to me. I look at her, but can tell she's so afraid to be here in the now.

"Aster Pearl?" I say.

She looks at me but her eyes are glossed in fear.

"Do you need to talk, sweetie?" I ask her.

She takes her thumb from her mouth. "He was scary, Mommy. Uncle Gale." She says,

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Sometimes.. We get upset, and don't take help from those we care about. And it may seem scary. But they don't mean it. But.. sometimes they hurt their family by accident. Like Uncle Gale did." I explain.

"So.. he was sad. And he didn't know that you and Daddy wanted to help him?" She asks.

"That's right. But Uncle Gale and Auntie Aleree are going to talk and make things better. Alright?" I say.

"And they will be okay?" She asks.

"They will be, Flower. And maybe you'll have a cousin to play with someday soon." I say.

"But, Sister is okay, right?" She asks.

I take her hand and place it on my stomach. "She's alright." I say with a reassuring smile.

I feel her stir around inside of me and kick. "Feel that?" I ask her.

A wide smile grows on her face. "Yeah. She's moving! That's cool!" she exclaims.

"Come here, Ast." I say. I sit up and place her head on my stomach.

She giggles wildly. "You sound hungry. And she's making a lot of noise." She says,

"I am hungry, Flower." I say and laugh lightly. "I'm always hungry. You made me want fruit, cheese buns, pickles, maple syrup, and chocolate."

"All together?" She asks.

"Yep." I say.

She scrunches up her nose and covers her mouth. "That's gross, Mommy! Yuck!" She says,

"It wasn't to me. And you loved it!" I say and poke at her tummy.

She giggles and pokes mine. I start to tickle her and she squeals in playful delight.

"Stop it, Mommy! That tickles!" She screams.

I let her go and we both laughed. She hugs me tight and pulls me back to lay down.

"Will you sing, Mommy?" She asks and sucks her thumb again.

I nod and push her long dark curls from her face.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow.

A bed of grass, a soft, green, pillow.

Lay down your head, and close your eyes.

And when they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm.

Here the daisies guard... you from every harm.

Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow with them true.

Here is the place.. Where I love you."

Aster's beautiful blue eyes flutter shut and she snores softly. I kiss her forehead gently. I feel a hand touch my shoulder. I sit up and look into my other favorite person's blue eyes.

"Liza wants to talk to you." He says,

"Okay." I say.

I carefully get out of bed, not wanting to wake Aster up again.

"Is she okay?" He asks me worried.

"Now she is." I say and hold his hand.

"Thanks to her amazing mother." He says,

"I suppose." I say and smile.

"And that soothing voice that makes everyone listen." He says and kisses my cheek.

We go to the kitchen where my mother and Haymitch are.

"Sit here, Katniss. I need to make sure you're both okay." She says,

I sit down on the couch. She checks me out.

"What I can tell, I think you only have a bruised hip. Just take it easy okay? Call your OB if it doesn't seem okay." She says,

"I will, Mom." I say.

"How's the little Sweetheart?" Haymitch asks me.

"Shaken. But.. alright now." I say. "How's Gale?"

"I sent him home to rest. And gave them referrals to Fertility Treatments. I think they'll be okay now." Mom explains.

"That's good." I say. "I was worried."

"Put some ice on that hip and go to bed, Katniss. We don't want you to be on bed rest for this little cutie. And congratulations." Mom says to me with a smile.

"Thank you." I say.

"Congratulations, Sweetheart." Haymitch says to me.

"Thank you, Haymitch." I say.

"I'll make sure she rests and stays out of harm's way." Peeta says to them.

"If you can. I'm stubborn that way as you know." I say to him and smirk.

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. 

Shout out to @moon-light-girl for giving me ideas and support!! ❤❤❤

SOOOOO!!! That was something... Sorry for the hearts I hurt and or people I hospitalized from this chapter!! But I did it for a reason! K!!? I ALWAYS do! Anyways, thanks for reading! Please vote and comment suggestions and or feelings or emotions!! Have any ideas, comment or pm me!! The next part will be even more amazing! I swear!! Lots of love and more!!❤❤❤

BYEEEEE!