Disclaimer: The characters in this story and The Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins.

I'm standing with the other eighteen year olds waiting for the reaping to begin. I know she's waiting next to Katniss. I can see her pale gold hair gleaming to the right. I try to catch her eye but she's looking straight ahead at the stage where the escort is just stepping up to the mic.

Please not Madge. Please not Katniss. Please not Prim.

That is what keeps on playing over and over and over again in my mind.

I can hear a shocked murmur ripple though the crowd and I realize that I missed the name that was called. And when I look over to the right I see that Katniss is looking straight at me while Madge is no longer standing next to her. And then I see the white of her dress as Madge makes her way towards the stage.

I start moving forward but someone grabs the back of my shirt and holds me in place. I look behind me and see that it's Thom holding me back. He's one of the few people in the district who know that Madge and I have been seeing each other in secret for months now. The other is Katniss who is still looking at me and shaking her head.

I look back towards the stage and I see Madge standing up there, tall and straight. Her father is looking at her, his face grey and drawn. And she is looking at me, her eyes full of angry tears that she doesn't let fall.

The escort moves towards the reaping ball with all the boy's names. I look back at Madge and I keep my eyes on her as she keeps her eyes on me. She still won't let her tears fall and I'm proud of her for it.

Gale Hawthorne!

It takes me a moment to recognize my own name. There's a child screaming and I think it must be Posy. I look back at Madge and I see her close her eyes. A tear spills over and down her cheek.

And then the anger comes; I feel it in every part of me until I have to clench my fist to stop my hands from shaking.

I feel Thom give me a quick push and I start making my way up to the stage. I don't remember how I get there but the next thing I know I am standing on the stage looking out at a sea of faces I suddenly no longer recognize. Then I turn to my left and see Madge standing there looking at me with her eyes full of determination and angry, angry tears.

The Mayor starts to read the Treaty of Treason. His voice isn't as strong as usual and I hear him pause frequently but it all sounds distant and removed. All I see are the blue of her eyes and I remember.

I remember a time when I would have mistaken the disdain in her eyes as disdain for me. I remember when I hated her for what she had and what she ate and what she wore. I remember my shock at accidentally hearing her muttering in anger against the capitol after the last reaping. I remember challenging her about it. I remember meeting her in the meadow all through summer when we were both supposed to be asleep in our beds at night. I remember hatred and anger turning to confusion and then admiration. I remember one evening, looking into her eyes and realizing I loved her.

I don't know how long it takes but it feels like too short a time before the escort is telling us to shake hands. But Madge doesn't pause, she walks into my arms and I hold her tight and sink my hands into her beautiful, heavy, gold hair. My forehead is pressed against hers and I hear her murmur softly that she loves me, she loves me, she loves me, she loves me. I don't say it back. I can't. I can't say anything right now, too full of anger at the Capitol. Too full of fear for my family. Too full of fear for her. So I do the only thing I can do and catch her lips with mine. And as I pull away I hear her breath hitch softly as she looks up at me and I can see everything she feels reflected in her eyes.

I look to the left and see Peacekeepers approaching us, they look angry and grim and I wonder if Madge and I have just guaranteed for ourselves a swift and certain death or a long and painfully drawn out punishment.

I turn to my right and there is a sea of faces looking at us in confusion. Katniss is looking at someone in the boy's section. And then she turns to face us and raises the three middle fingers of her left hand to her lips and then holds them out to us. And then the blond baker boy in the boy's section does the same. And this continues until everyone in the square is raising their hands in support.

Madge and I let go of each other and do the same until the peacekeepers reach us and pull us back behind the doors. I don't know if they will give us time with our families after what we've just done so I search for my family in the crowd. The last thing I see is my mother standing with Posy and Vick and Rory at the back of the square. Posy is sobbing but her little hand is held high.

A/N: If there are any similarities to stories out there then I apologize; it was unconsciously done. I read a LOT of Gale/Madge stories around the time this idea came to me. If you have any concerns about the same then please PM me and bring it to my attention.

I have some more ideas but I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this or not. It's been a long time since I felt like writing anything. In the unlikely case I do, it will probably just be a series of one-shots or something.

If you liked it, I hope you will review!