Warning: This story may contain triggers pertaining to certain things, such as suicide, grief etc. It is not my intention to harm, upset or offend anyone in the writing of this piece.

I own nothing except the story idea.

Five Times

The first time it happens, Gale doesn't take notice. He's aware of her presence, of course. He can always hear the screams in the night. But she has Katniss and Haymitch and even Finnick is attempting some kind of companionship. But the girl with strawberries is just as she always was to him; just there. When Katniss arrives to the canteen for lunch that day, she tells him that Madge had fallen over, that she'd had a knife in her hands.

Gale goes back to his food.

The second time it happens, Gale raises an eyebrow, even lifts his head slightly and takes himself away from the meeting at hand. But just for a moment. Three soldiers dressed in full gear trot along the corridor outside the conference room. The last in line reaches for the radio in his back pocket. Katniss is called a moment later. She rushes from the room. Haymitch steps out for a minute, and looks solemn when he returns. He says that Madge had broken a glass and cut her hand.

Gale goes back to the plan.

The third time it happens, Peeta is back. Katniss is healing and Haymitch is with her. When the call comes again about Madge Undersee, Gale is the only one there. He follows his orders and arrives at her room. The door is wide open and she is screaming in the bathroom. He rushes in and finds two soldiers and her carer trying to subdue her. She's soaking wet, hazy looking and wrapped in a dressing gown. The soldiers call for his help but he is stuck staring at her. Someone shoves him and he takes a breath. Madge looks right at him, her eyes burning holes through his. She runs to him and wraps her arms tight around his waist. It's enough time to sedate her, and she crumples in his arms. He's told that she must have fallen asleep in the bath.

Gale hands her off to the soldiers and disappears.

The fourth time it happens, Katniss is with Peeta and Haymitch too. Madge is screaming again, crying out for someone to just let her go. Gale doesn't understand and certainly doesn't want to. He doesn't want to look at her; she's a painful reminder of his home, and all that might have been good about it. He'd never made an effort, told himself he didn't like her much. Whatever girl he might have cared for was gone, anyway. She wasn't worth the aggravation. His radio sounds; someone calling his name. He picks up and hears his commanding officer on the other end.

'She's asking for you,' he says. 'Won't settle for anyone else.'

Gale arrives in time to drag her inside and down to the bunkers before the toxic fumes consume them both. She says she didn't realize the time. Gale shoves her back against the wall and shouts.

'You could have died,' he says.

'I already did,' she screams, beating his chest with balled fists. 'Don't you understand that?' she says.

'You left me,' she says. 'You should have left me again.'

The fifth time it happens, she's in the armoury and Gale is called to come and get her. He doesn't hesitate this time. He stays calm as she moves around the place, a gun in one hand, a pair of dog tags in the other; Gale's dog tags. He doesn't mind.

'Madge,' he pleads.

'Why couldn't you leave me again?' she whispers.

'Madge,'he says again.

She looks up at him, chin wrinkling, lips trembling and tears streaming.

'I left you,' he says. 'But I came back.'

'I can't survive this,' she says.

Gale takes a step closer. He whips his arm out and pushes the gun from her hand. Next he wraps his arms around her and she collapses against him, shaking in his arms as her cries echo through the base. Gale holds her tighter, allowing himself some tears too because the girl in his arms, the broken shell of a vibrant shining light in his dark life is not herself anymore. The memory he has of her is all but faded, charred like the district they had to leave behind. He left her with it, and the girl he pulled from the wreckage and carried to safety is not the same.

Gale lifts her up, cradling her against his chest.

He takes her to her room and sits down on the bed with her. Her tiny, fragile hands are clinging to his shirt and he can feel the cold chain of his dog tags against his neck. He stays with her until the screams stop and she is finally, really asleep.

There isn't a sixth time.

Had a blast of inspiration for this pairing.
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