Eclipsed

by Shannamon

One shot meant to work with Scars From Tomorrow. You will probably need to read that story first for this one to make sense. SFT as told from Madge's POV.

I am 99% sure that you will have to read my other story Scars From Tomorrow for this one to make sense. The idea for this story came to me while I was in the middle of writing a chapter for that story. This is my one shot which will probably turn into a two parter about Madge and everything that she is kind of going through while Katniss and Peeta are off at the Games. I always thought that Madge was a really strong character that could have had a bigger part in THG world, so here it is for my little world. I'm really happy with it, I hope you enjoy. :)

---

There is something about them, it's in the way they move, the way they love each other. When they look at each other their eyes fill with light, a spark that shouldn't exist in her anymore, but it does when she's with him. Everything that she's been through should have snuffed out spark within her but it didn't, it made her stronger. She's not cautious with her heart, he taught her to love openly and completely. I've never had a sister, but I think she's taught me what it is to have one. When we are together we have fun, she takes me to a meadow that is only just beyond the fence. It's not scary here; I'm not brave enough to go right into the woods like she is.

We've known each other for most of our lives. Even from a young age it would be hard to see that Peeta and Katniss weren't destined to be together. They always had a light around them, something that set them apart from the others. When we were kids everyone plays with everyone and they were always the kids that you wanted on your team, no matter what the game we were playing. Even then I was shy, Katniss always made sure to include me in whatever we were playing. She would take my hand and teach me the game or to make sure that I got my turn and that I was having fun. Seam and Merchant kids aren't aware of the social norms until about the second or third year of school, there was a day that one of the kids must have heard their parents talking and called Katniss "Seam Trash", it broke her heart, she cried. Peeta was the only one who didn't take part in the teasing; he even tried to get them to stop. He pushed down and hit one of the boys for taunting Katniss, but the damage was done.

I don' t even know if she remembers it now, maybe she's been through so much that something that trivial has been forgotten. I stayed quiet, I didn't want to be friends with anyone who could do that to sweet friendly Katniss, and so I just stayed an outsider, always to myself. Katniss was gone from school for about a month, I heard later that her parents tried to home school her, but then the attendance officer went to the Everdeen home and made her come back. When she did she was changed, there was still something about her that made her different from everyone else, but it was suppressed now, and she kept to herself like me. Peeta was the right type of person, merchant through and through, he was basically idolized, popular with everyone, but even his influence couldn't get everyone to accept her. So that was the first time they were separated. Girls could see that spark in Katniss, instead of being drawn to it like I was as a moth is to a flame they feared it. Girls can be cruel, Katniss was teased and mocked and she couldn't understand why, she didn't know it was because someone like Peeta Mellark was so infatuated with her, and that they all envied her. She was so much different than the rest of us, a sea of blond hair and light eyes; we were no match for her exotic looks, the dark hair and olive skin that separated her so much from us. I remember telling my father that I wished I looked like the girls from the Seam, and he would look at me with love in his eyes and tell me to be happy in my own skin, that everyone has their own beauty on the inside and that should be what matters most.

The year in school when we were nine after the break from the Hunger Game she returned to school a changed person again, she became stronger somehow in spite of the teasing that she received from everyone. Whereas I faded into the background from our peers, Katniss rose above them. She walked with an air of confidence, never needing their approval, as if she was the one who chose not to be part of their group, I admired her for it. I couldn't help but notice the way Peeta always looked at her, it seemed that he was always aware of her, he watched her walk home from school with her family, the cute little sister, the adoring parents who were so in love with one another. He fought so hard for her in those early years. When it became obvious to him that things were never going to go back to the way things were, that the kids had chased her away and that she wouldn't be a part of his daily life he resolve himself to watching her from afar. He would get in fights with kids to get them to stop them from teasing her. She would leave school in such a rush so that she didn't hear what was being whispered behind her back, or worse, so she didn't have to be ridiculed to her face that she never got to see how many fights Peeta got into for her. That he would stand up for her even to kids who were bigger than him and his brothers would have to come to his rescue. It stopped after a year or two, when it wasn't worth teasing Katniss if it meant running into any one of the stronger Mellark boys.

I remember walking just behind them one day when Peeta's brothers were telling Peeta to forget about the Everdeen girl, that their mother would never allow them to be together anyway. Peeta just remained silent, and stopped walking allowing his brothers to continue on without him. I walked up next to Peeta and stopped beside him. "Katniss is not the type of person you forget about, how can they not see that?" I asked him, he smiled with the relief that at least one person understood and we went our separate ways.

Katniss and I always sat at the same lunch table, but at opposite ends. The day after I spoke to Peeta I finally worked up the nerve to sit right across from her. We sat in silence, eating our food, Katniss' lunch was so meager compared to mine, I slid an apple her way only to have her slide it right back. "I don't need your charity." She said to me with a scowl. I didn't know how to react, so I just took the apple back and ate the rest of my lunch in silence while she ate hers.

"It wasn't charity," I said in a small voice. "I just…" I trailed off not knowing how to finish that sentence; I didn't really know what charity meant to be honest. The brief moment that I held her attention was lost as she glanced toward Peeta Mellark sitting at a table with his friends. "I just wanted to be friends I guess." I say long after the moment to finish my sentence was gone. She looked at me skeptically, but sat with me for the rest of the lunch period. We did the same thing day after day, sitting together in near silence, each of us asking only one or two things every day until eventually, somehow, we were friends. We would laugh; make fun of the same teachers and the ridiculous lessons that were taught to us.

"I don't know why they only teach about coal, there are lots of people here who won't end up in the mines." She said to me one day. "I'm not." I nodded my head; I believed that if Katniss didn't want to be a coal miner, she wouldn't be.

The fall when we were eleven Katniss glanced toward Peeta in the lunch room like she always does. I finally got up the nerve to ask her, "Do you even realize how often you look at Peeta Mellark?"

"What? I do not." She whispered.

I just shrugged my shoulders, "It's ok, he looks at you too." I had noticed that he does it almost as much as she does, if not more so because I sit behind both of them in class, actually I sit in the very back corner of the classroom. We are seated in rows alphabetically from front to back, they happen to sit right beside each other, and I couldn't help but notice how often they look at each other, it's almost constant, as if they are taking turns looking at each other with this kind of longing for each other. I don't know how anyone else doesn't notice.

Katniss looks back at him and I can tell that they've looked at each other at the same time by how quickly she looks down at her hands. "He's probably just like them; he probably thinks I'm seam trash."

"No, he doesn't." I say so seriously that she looks up at me. I lean toward her as I say, "Peeta's not like them, just like I'm not like any of them. He's just better than us at hiding who he really is. He knows how to blend in." This makes her smile and look at him again, this time I notice they both look at each other at the same time and don't look away. He just returns her smile.

That winter her father died. I was so sad for her, my father presented her with the medal of honour, all I could do was stand by and watch as her world fell apart. I hugged her as the ceremony ended hoping that it provided her with some kind of comfort. I had to watch her as over the next few months it became painfully obvious that her home life was in despair. She had a weak starving look about her, I remember when Prim became ill at school and didn't come back, and then one day Katniss didn't come back.

Rumors went around the school; Mrs. Everdeen went crazy and killed Prim and then she killed herself, my father was told what happened by the Peacekeepers and so I knew the whole story, of how she was now living with the Mellarks. She returned to school only a week later; she didn't look as bad as I anticipated her to. She still had sadness to her, but there was hope there as well. When I saw her enter the classroom that morning I ran over and gave her a hug. We sat together at lunch; I never asked her any questions about what happened. I figured that she would tell me if she ever needed to. Since she was living with the Mellarks we got to walk part of the way home from school with each other now. Peeta was always around, but he gave us our privacy, it was also obvious that they had a bond with each other. Now that she was living in the merchant area of District 12 I felt confident enough to walk to the bakery to visit her after school sometimes, she even came to visit me at my house. Once in a while she would spend the night at my house, it was fun. We weren't noisy girls, so we never disturbed my mother. Katniss asked what was wrong with her, why she had headaches all the time. I told her that she missed her sister, and that she died when they were both very young. Our first reaping was right around the corner so I didn't mention how she was reaped for the Hunger Games.

She changed again thanks to the Mellarks, and maybe that's what lead to all this and why Gale thought he had a chance with her. She doesn't guard her heart; she's lost people, so she knows the importance of telling people when they are important to her, if she loves you she'll tell you. She has a happy life again, just in a different way than before, she hugs her brothers Rye and Graham, but she never does that with Peeta. They are cautious of each other. They know what lies beneath, and that when that when it's time to let their love consume them they won't be able to stop it. So for now they grow together, I've been there for most of it, but like everything else I blend into the background, just like at home. I look too much like them both, my mother and my aunt who were twins; it hurts my mother to see me. Sometimes I unknowingly do something that reminds her of aunt Maisilee; it can put her in her room with a headache for days. My father tells me that when I was a baby I really helped her come out of her depression, I try to be happy that I was at least able to bring my mother a few years of happiness before it hurt her too much to even look my way.

I know more about Katniss then she will ever know. I know what it is to feel like you're not enough for your own mother, someone who should love you unconditionally. I know how to deal with someone who wakes with crippling night terrors, someone who has seen death and can't escape it. I explain this to her after the incident with her mother and sister, that I can at least relate to what she is going through, she seems to appreciate it. We become close. She tells me her secrets, I'm her confidant. She tells me about how she thinks Peeta could like Delly Cartwright more that her, I assure her that Peeta doesn't. She walks to her first reaping holding Peeta's hand, it's the only day of the year they allow themselves to break that barrier between them, allow some sort of affection for one another to show through, but when they separate in to their respective sections of twelve year old boy and twelve year old girl she stands beside me.

When school started again in the fall things were different. We weren't little kids anymore, anyone who is reaping age moves on from middle school to secondary school. People changed, they grew, and I noticed Katniss was particularly jealous of Delly Cartwright as usual. She was probably one of the only kids who didn't outright tease Katniss when we were younger and she was a really sweet girl. Her parents and the Mellark family were very close and Peeta and Delly pretty much grew up together as little kids and stayed in the same circle of friends. I would watch as Katniss would scowl and writhe in her seat whenever Delly got too touchy with Peeta, but really she was that way with everyone. Delly Cartwright doesn't have a concept of boundaries.

She tells me the day after she meets him in the woods; I was surprised one day in the fall when Katniss seemed particularly talkative at lunch. She sat down and immediately said to me, "I met a boy this weekend." I nearly choked on my milk. Katniss had notice a boy in this world who wasn't Peeta Mellark. "He's right over there, his name is Gale Hawthorne." I looked to where she discretely indicated. My jaw nearly dropped to the floor that was not a boy that was a man. "He's in the same year of school as Graham. I met him in the woods when I was hunting yesterday."

He's older than us, he's so handsome. I feel bad for Peeta, to lose her to that boy that already looks so much like a man. I had a hard time tearing my eyes away; he was obviously from the Seam, dark hair, grey eyes, and dark complexion. I'd noticed him in the hallways of our school, but never in a million years did I ever think that he would be someone that I would be discussing with Katniss. "What did Peeta think?"

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"When you told him that you met another boy?" I clarified.

She just shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, he just asked who he was. That's all really. He's going to teach me how to make snares for hunting; I'm going to teach him how to shoot with a bow in exchange for the information. I wish I didn't have to do that much, but you should have seen how many rabbits he caught in just a day, as many as I can catch in a week sometimes." She said in an impressed sort of way.

When she said that she met a boy, I thought something different, I glance at Gale again. "So, did you like him? Gale I mean, did you like him?" I ask, Katniss just looks at me questioningly. Her eyes subconsciously drift to Peeta and she immediately scowls. I turn my attention to where I know Katniss is looking. Peeta looks like he's consoling Delly for some reason. He just patting her on the back and taking to her in an obviously sympathetic way. Katniss hands tighten into fists, Gale is completely forgotten. I look between the two boys; there should be no competition in my eyes. Gale is tall, strong; he has the Seam look of dark hair and grey eyes. Peeta looks every bit the twelve year old kid he is compared to him, he's cute at best with his ashy blond hair that is a bit scruffy, but his eyes do set him apart. Most merchant kids have blue eyes, myself included, but his are different. They are so bright, so full of life. It's obvious which of the two boys captures Katniss' attention, and it's not Gale Hawthorne.

I'm sitting with her the day that Delly kisses Peeta's cheek, she runs out of the lunchroom and Peeta runs after her. I don't know what he said to her, but they don't return. I see them together in the school yard when we are all dismissed to go outside, he doesn't leave her side for the rest of the day.

As time goes on Katniss starts to resemble more and more that happy girl she used to be before she was ridiculed in elementary school and before her world was changed forever. Katniss can't forgive what happened years ago, so she and I stick together through the years. We become close, sister like. I know her as well as anyone other than Peeta. She confides in me, she tells me when we are fourteen when she and Peeta have their first real kiss. She tells me that they love each other, but that they are going to wait until they are older to be together since she is still living with the Mellarks, almost as a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Mellark She wanted it to happen, but she knows that they can't be together just yet, it would be far too scandalous if Mr. and Mrs. Mellark allowed her to keep living with them if their children were dating. Katniss has been fully accepted into the merchant way of life, some people like to forget that she was ever an Everdeen.

Time passes and we all grow in more ways then one. She calls Gale her friend now, everyone knows they go into the woods together to hunt, they are partners now. She brings him with her whenever she trades at the back doors of the merchant business or homes. My heart nearly pounds out of my chest every time she brings Gale to my house to sell me the strawberries they pick. I don't know how she doesn't notice the effect he has on me, or maybe she does and she brings him so that we have an excuse to say two words to each other. Then my heart drops. The winter just before Katniss turns sixteen I see the change in Gale, he's falling for Katniss, it really is too bad that he doesn't realize that he doesn't stand a chance with her, especially when Peeta has grown from a little boy into his more manly body. He's tall now, not as tall as Gale, but still tall. He's got these muscular shoulders and arms now as well. Katniss loves that about him, that he's so strong. I see her push his scruffy hair from his eyes, he likes that. When they talk in class her hands always linger over his shoulders when she walks passed him. Sometimes their moments are so unintentionally intimate. It's not Katniss' fault that he fell for her, who wouldn't? I never even told her that I had a crush on him.

I was standing beside her when she was reaped. That morning she and Gale came to my door and sold me strawberries. I had already taken the strawberries to Mr. Mellark to make into a cake for later, Katniss invited me to the Mellark home for dinner later, they were going to celebrate Rye's last reaping. I look at Katniss and see the shock on her face, she looks like she's about to faint, but when they call her name again she snaps back to reality and begins to walk forward. I don't know what to do, I look to my father on the stage, and he knows she's my best friend. He has a pained look on his face. I look around the crowd, I find Gale, he looks like he wants to do something but there is nothing anyone can do for her now, she's as good as gone forever. I think of my mother, only a victim of the Games by losing a loved one, but as the mayors daughter I've been to almost every dinner with the Victor for the past five years when they roll through District 12 as part of the Victory Tour. They are always a little weird, some crazy, but always some form of shell of a human being. You can't come out of those games the same way you went in. You lose a part of yourself.

"NO!" A voice rings out, breaking the silence. I don't immediately see the speaker, but when he says "Katniss, no!" I know it can only be Peeta Mellark. I watch him as he desperately volunteers, Effie Trinket is trying to gain control of the situation, but my father tells her to just let it happen. Watching him desperately volunteer brings tears to my eyes that I wipe away quickly. After everything that they've been through together why this too? They have been through enough, why can't fate allow them to be together. Now, even if she is cunning, and strong, and smart enough to win she will be destroyed. He was the one who helped keep the spark within her alive; he won't be here to keep the flame within her if she returns. It's so unfair. When Effie calls for applause all is quiet. Never before have there ever been two more recognizable tributes in district 12. She is well know to both Seam and Merchant alike, he's the lovable bakers son who makes everyone feel welcome and can make you laugh, even if you are spending your last coin. I kiss my three middle fingers and raise them in tribute to the old gesture of our district. My father told me of how this was customary to do after every reaping, but the Capital put an end to that decades ago. It showed too much unity, and unity within the Districts is dangerous. I'm surprised when everyone follows my lead. I recognize that she is determined not to show any emotion for the cameras, but I see her falter for a fraction of a second. Peeta seems to be following her lead, they resemble Careers. Neither one of them appear afraid, they look cold and determined. Then they do something else that has surely never been done before, when Effie tells them to shake hands they break that barrier that they built between them, Peeta pulls Katniss into a protective embrace, the wind pulls her hair around them and I can tell they are whispering to each other and then they are taken into custody and guided into the justice building.

When the crowd is allowed to disperse I head straight to the justice building and look for my father. When I find him he immediately opens his arms and I don't hesitate to walk into them.

"Why?" I ask. "Why her?"

My father shakes his head sadly and whispers to me, "She went into the woods. She wasn't afraid, they can't have that. It would have been Gale too if Peeta hadn't volunteered."

I bury my face in my father's shirt; leaving my tear drops behind. He usually knows a week ahead of time who is going to be reaped. Normally it's random, there's never anyone of importance to teach a lesson to in this district. It's more about population control here, can't let the coal miners or merchants out number each other. Knowing that my father knew this was coming makes me feel bad for him, he liked Katniss, and it must have been torture for him to keep this from me. He knows I would have warned her immediately if I knew.

He guides me to the hallway to wait my turn to visit her. I sit in the seats in the hallway. After a few minutes the door to the male tribute's visiting room opens and the Mellark family begins to exit at almost the same time Peacekeepers pull Gale from Katniss' room. He shouts "Katniss, remember, I love you!" But I don't think she hears what it is that he wanted her to remember, the door was slammed shut partway through his declaration. I'm sure Peeta heard it though, Gale turns around and looks into Peeta's room I can't see Peeta, but after a moment of hesitation Gale goes to meet with Peeta, and the Mellarks go to Katniss. I wait patiently for my turn. I find myself wishing that I brought something for her. I had time; I could have made it home and brought her a gift. Then I remember I'm wearing aunt Maisilee's pin. It's perfect, I've never seen her Games before, but I know she finished in the top three, so this pin has to be lucky.

When they call my name I take a deep breath. I saw that Katniss was staying strong for the cameras, not wanting to show weakness. I don't want this goodbye to be overly emotional and threaten that for her, so I speak urgently, "They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of home. Will you wear this?" I ask her as I hold out the pin in my hand.

"Your pin?" She asks me. I hope she doesn't know that this was once worn home by a dead tribute; this pin means so much more to me than that. It was worn by my mothers sister who was so much stronger then her. This pin represents strength to me; my aunt was in the games with forty seven other tributes and placed third. She was amazing, and I know this pin will help Katniss too, I don't know how, but I just know deep down that she needs to wear this.

"Here, I'll put it on your dress alright?" I fix it to her dress before she can protest. "Promise you'll wear it into the arena, Katniss?" I ask. "Promise?"

"Yes." She assures me. I know time is running out, so I kiss her cheek and say, "Thank-you for teaching me what it's like to have a sister." I see a flicker of emotion in her eyes and before I can leave she hugs me tightly to her. When she lets me go I leave quickly, not wanting to be the cause of any tears spilled here. The Peacekeepers guide me through the hallway and outside to the doors of the justice building where Katniss and Peeta will be leaving to head for the train station shortly. I take my place amongst the crowd who is gathered to watch our tributes leave. I find Gale near the front of the crowd and stand beside him. He's got a full view of the doors that will open any minute and we will have our last glance of our tributes.

"She can win you know." He says to me.

I look at Gale; I don't really know what to say. No one comes back from the Games the same person they were when the left. I hope he realizes this. Just then the car that will take them to the tribute train arrives and anyone with a television camera all gather at the door, but Gale and I still have a clear view. When they pull the doors open Peeta and Katniss are kissing. I cover my mouth in surprise and stifle a laugh, I notice Gale scowl and his hands clench into fists. Katniss and Peeta jump apart as quickly as they can, but everyone has already seen, and the cameras have captured their image. I watch them walk by us and into the car and drive away. I can tell that Gale is upset by what he just saw; he excuses himself to go find his family.

The next day is required viewing, so I gather with everyone else in the district to watch the tribute parade on the large viewing screens in front of the Justice building. I'm standing, watching them recap the arrival of the tributes to the Capital and I'm surprised when Gale stands beside me. "She only had five slips, five out of thousands. I keep asking myself why did this have to happen to her." He says to me. I look at Gale; his face is so contorted with guilt. "I should have volunteered, not him." He says.

"You couldn't, you have your family." I say to him quietly. I wish there was something I could say. I wish I could've told him that every single one of those thousands of ballots had her name on them, his too. The Hunger Games for the most part is not left to chance. There's no coincidence that the winner is usually from Districts 1, 2 or 4. It's against the rules to train a tribute, but that rule is over looked year after year. I decide to select the things that I can share with him, "All we can hope for now is that they become a popular pair. The winners are usually the tributes who were favorites of the people of the Capital." That much is true. There are often some surprises though; Johanna Mason for example wasn't supposed to win.

We watch as the tribute parade starts. They are amazing, the old coal miner uniforms that our tributes normally wear are no where to be seen, and instead are replaced with a costume that makes it look like Katniss and Peeta are on fire. "They're dazzling." I say. They are holding hands and raise them in the air and the people love it, they go crazy, it seems they already have a fan base; most people are holding signs that say District 12 or Star Crossed Lovers. I smile; this is a good sign for them. Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman are providing commentary and explain that the Star Crossed Lovers refer to Katniss and Peeta and the fact that they are obviously in love but doomed at the same time. Gale scowls at the monitors. I smother a giggle.

"What?" He asks me.

"Nothing, it's just...well didn't you know?" I ask. His obliviousness is comical.

"Know what?" He asks again.

"Well...that Katniss and Peeta were always destined to be together." I say. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye but doesn't respond. I decide to leave it at that.

Over the next week Gale and I always seem to run into each other at these events. We watch over the course of the week as Katniss and Peeta play up the Star Crossed Lovers label that was given to them. They are inseparable, just like I knew they would be if they ever allowed themselves to love each other like they do. They actually look happy sometimes, some kisses I can tell are staged for the camera, but once in a while you can tell it's just for them. I find myself being almost happy that this happened; at least they have this short window to be teenagers who are drunk with love for one another.

"What are they doing?" Gale says in exasperation one day as we watch them sneak off from whatever training centre they are supposed to be at. "They need to be learning this stuff; they should be picking up weapons, an axe or something. Learning how to fight, not making out in the corner for everyone to see! It's like they've given up already!"

A few people who are standing around us turn to look at Gale. I place my hand on his arm and quietly say "This is part of their act. Don't you see that no one is paying attention to them? They just left the fire starting station. Peeta is a baker; don't you think he knows how to make a fire? All those ovens? He probably knows ten different ways to start a fire and to keep it burning. Katniss knows how to make fires right?" I ask him. His face still shows his anger but he nods his head. I lean in close so no one can hear and hope that if there are any listening devices around they won't pick up my voice, "They aren't showing their strengths. Katniss hasn't so much as looked at the bows yet. They are making themselves look weak so they won't be a target." Gale looks at me and I just shrug my shoulders as if that should have been obvious and turn to watch the screens some more. "They know exactly what they are doing." I assure without another glance at Gale.

A few days later my theory proves wrong when Katniss scores herself an eleven after the private skills demonstration for the Game makers. Peeta eight is more what I expected from them both. Gale pumps his fist and let's out a whoop along with most people, there's a lot of cheering. An eleven is unprecedented, to me it just looks like she's painted a target on her back, she's sacrificing herself for Peeta.

The next night is the interviews. They look amazing and I cry through most of it.

The morning after the interviews the games are set to start. I head to the Justice building to watch with everyone else, I look for Gale and I'm disappointed when I don't find him. I do see his family, but he isn't with them. I wait, but find I'm too anxious, so instead I decide I'd rather watch alone anyway. I start the walk back to my house but I'm too on edge. I don't know if I'm ready for the games to start. Instead, I take a detour the meadow where Katniss often took me. I liked it there because I often felt free, we laughed loudly together here, and we sang songs together loudly. With my mother's constant headaches I've been taught from a very young age to be as silent as I can. Katniss respected that, but she said that doesn't mean that I can't let myself go once in a while. When I get to the meadow I'm surprised to find Gale here. I walk toward him and sit beside him. We are both silent for a few minutes, then he says, "We sat here together the morning she was reaped. I told her that we could do it, run off into the woods, and survive. She laughed, but really I was only half joking. I was planning on asking her to marry me, we wouldn't have to get married right away, but at least she wouldn't have to depend on the Mellark's anymore."

I'm sitting, but have the sensation that I would fall over in shock if I could. "What? She loves the Mellarks! They love her! She doesn't depend on them for anything. That's why she hunts, you must know that." I say quite loudly. Gale almost looks shocked at my tone of voice; I don't think he's ever heard me say so many words all at once before. "Besides, Katniss loves Peeta! You'd have to be blind not to see that. They've been in love with each other for forever!"

He stands up and looks me in the eye, "Peeta's like a brother to her." He says.

I laugh and shake my head in disagreement. "Have you ever said that to her? You've never heard her correct someone when they call Peeta her brother?" I ask. I can tell from the look on his face and the silence that follows that he has. "Graham and Rye, they are her brothers. Not Peeta." I check my watch for the time and realize that the games are about to start. "I'm going home to watch the games. Would you like to join me?" I ask.

He shakes his head and sits back down on the grass. I leave him there and head back to my home and during my walk I realize how incredibly rude I just was to Gale. I resolve to apologize to him later. I arrive home and turn on the television; my father will be at the Justice building watching with the majority of the District. The alarm for the tributes to mount their docking platforms goes off just as the doorbell rings throughout my house. I quickly run to answer it before whoever it is can ring again and disturb my mother. I'm surprised again when I swing the sore open to find Gale on the other side. "Did it start?" He asks.

I shake my head, "They're just about to launch the platforms." I say, motioning for him to quickly follow me. We race in to the living room just in time to see all of the tributes pushed into the arena from below ground. The camera pans to a shot of the arena itself, it looks like the woods of District 12, but there is also a lake. When the gong rings out we watch the events unfold. When the girl from District 1 sets her sights on Peeta and Katniss I grab onto Gales hand and close my eyes until he lets out a breath and says "They're ok, they made it to the woods." I open my eyes again and watch the carnage until I can't bare it any longer and stand up.

"They'll be fine for tonight, they got away quickly." Gale says to help calm my nerves. He stands up to go too; we both silently leave the house and walk toward the Justice building.

"It seems so unreal, that we are here, just walking, being free while they are in those Games fighting for each other's lives." I say.

"Are you ok? You're trembling." He asks.

I hug my arms around myself. "No, I don't think I am." I say. "I've never known anyone who went into the games before. I didn't think this would ever happen to her, to them."

Gale nods his head and we keep walking in silence until we reach the Justice building where it is still showing the carnage at the cornucopia. "Would you like to watch at my house tonight? I had a good haul this morning. We'll have plenty of food to share today." He says to me. I look at Gale and give the best smile I can.

"Sure, that would be nice." I accept. "Gale, I don't think I know where you live." I say to him.

He nods his head, "I'll walk with you from your house. A nice girl like you shouldn't walk around the Seam alone anyway." He says with a bit of a teasing tone to his voice. We part and I walk up the steps of the Justice building and sit beside my father on the platform.

"They're being smart. They got away fast, they're looking for water now." father tells me. I put my head on his shoulder and we watch the games from the platform of the Justice building for hours. Before I go home I buy a cake from the Mellark bakery. It's Mr. Mellark who serves me. It looks to me like he's been running his hands through his hair, he resembles Peeta a lot. Peeta gets the striking blueness of his eyes from his father, his mother and brothers all have the same kind of dullishness in this blue colour. "How is everyone holding up?" I ask. Mr. Mellark gives me a sad smile, "We're holding in there. It's tough." He says. I can't imagine how hard it is for the Mellarks to watch these games. They've as good as lost two children to these games because even if one survives, they'll be left with the empty shell of the person they once were, and that's best case scenario.

I head home with the cake wrapped in the bakery box tucked under my arm, and change my clothes just in time to meet Gale. I wait for him outside so he doesn't have to ring the doorbell again. My mother knows what day it is; she's likely pretty much catatonic, but the doorbell would make her headache worse.

"What's this?" Gale asks as he takes the package from my arms.

"Cake, for dessert." I say to him. He stops abruptly.

"We don't need this." He says as he tried to hand it back.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I told you there would be enough food to go around. We don't need this." He says again.

I look at him skeptically. "I didn't bring this to insult you or anything. It's rude to show up at someone's house for dinner without bringing something to contribute to the meal. I didn't know what to bring so I figured I'd bring this for dessert." I explain. Gale seems to be weighing my explanation and then continues the walk toward the Seam. I guess he accepted my explanation.

I've never been to the Seam on my own. The houses are tiny, but the people seem happy. I watch as the children play freely, laughing and giggling. It's nice here. I see a Peacekeeper that I recognize and wave to him. He waves back and continues on his way. "You know the Peacekeepers?" Gale asks me.

"Not all of them, sometimes I go with my father to the Justice building when he has meetings. Sometimes they come to our home, we have a meeting room that is used when there is just a short meeting and my father can't leave my mother for very long. Most of them are ok." I say. "Knowing the Peacekeepers is just one of the perks of being the mayor's daughter." I say in a haughty voice that I hope he knows is fake. I realize I don't know him well enough to know if he will understand that I am joking, I make jokes like this with Katniss all the time, and I know the Mellark boys have heard me make these jokes from time to time if they are around. But I really don't know Gale's type of humor at all.

I'm rewarded when he shakes his head and has sort of a half smile on his face that makes him look a lot less serious then he normally does. It's nice.

Soon we are at his home; it's kind of exactly what I expected. The house is tiny and old, but as soon as we walk in it has a very warm feeling of being home. The house itself is as clean as any home you would find in the merchant area, or ours that is kept up by various housekeepers that my father hires. Gale's mother Hazelle is actually one of the people that he hires to do our laundry once a week, so I'm familiar with her. The house is very cluttered in a way that you would expect from a large family of five living in it. I like it, it's very welcoming. Gale introduces me to his siblings; Rory, Vick, and little Posy absolutely steal my heart. When I sit down to dinner Posy sits on my lap immediately and begins to stroke my long ponytail. "Wow, you have pretty hair." She says to me, her little voice filled with awe, she's so cute it makes me laugh out loud. "It's like sunshine."

"So is this your new girlfriend Gale?" Rory asks in a way that I'm sure is meant to embarrass his older brother as he takes his seat at the dinner table.

"Yeah, is she?" Chimes in Vick as he sits beside Rory.

Gale gives his brothers a look of warning and scoops Posy off of my lap and places her in her own seat. "Actually I'm Katniss' friend, I was having a hard time today and Gale thought it would be easier to watch the Games with people instead of being alone." I say to save Gale from killing his brothers.

"Oh my, are you alone a lot dear?" Hazelle asks as she serves everyone their food.

"I try to keep busy, but yes. My father works a lot, my mother…" I trail off not wanting to explain that whole can of worms.

I'm surprised when Hazelle pats the back of my hand that was on the table with hers, and when I look at her I find that her eyes are filled with understanding. "I remember what happened. You don't need to explain." She assures me. I realize that she is about my parents' age; she may have known my mother and aunt.

Dinner is noisy and wonderful and I love every minute of this chaotic family life. The food is delicious, although I have to admit that I am used to finer meals, but I know how people in the Seam feel about wasting food so I eat every morsel that is given to me. The kids love the cake, I'm sure they can count on one hand the number of times they've had cake in their lives. For the most part the Games that night are uneventful. They do show how Peeta builds a hiding spot under a willow tree. It's very good, they'll be undetectable and I feel certain that they'll be safe. It gets late quickly and Gale insists that he walk me home. "Sorry for my brothers and sister." He apologizes. "They can be a bit much."

"No, it was wonderful, the whole night was wonderful. I don't get to have dinner with such a large family ever. It really makes me look forward to having my own family one day." I say.

"Oh, you've thought about the kind of family you want?" He asks me.

"Yes, I want a large family. I know my father would like that too, to have many grandchildren. I want to have lots of babies, noisy ones!" I say with a laugh. He looks at me skeptically and then laughs.

"I suppose that you'd want a nice merchant husband to support you and all of these babies." He says to me.

I stop laughing and look at him seriously. "Not necessarily. I'll have my family with the person that I fall in love with, I'm certain of that much. Their class doesn't matter to me, what's important is love." I say.

"Your father would let you marry a coal miner?" He asks.

"If that's who I fell in love with then, yes, he would." I say confidently.

"No he wouldn't." Gale challenges.

"Yes, he would." I insist. I look around quickly, the area that we are in at the moment is quite clear, there's nothing in particular to mount audio recorders to, but I'm not willing to take the risk it. I speak in a hushed voice as I say, "The classes are only there because we allow them to be. It's in the Capital's best interest that we aren't unified within our own District. We need more people to see past that barrier of Merchant or Seam, only then can we hope to band together and have a chance at equality like it was before the Dark Days." I don't really know what's gotten into me, but I challenge Gale. "The morning they were reaped, you sold me strawberries with Katniss. You commented on my dress and I saw how upset you got when I make the joke that I want to look my best for the Capital and you laughed and asked how many entries could I possibly have. You can't really think that the entry system isn't designed to create resentment amongst our own people within the district." I look around, remembering to keep my voice hushed, it was rising a bit, but I can see my house in the distance and know that I must keep my voice down, especially here. "Don't think that the number of times you signed up for tesserae actually matters, they're going to pick who they want to pick, simple as that." As I say this last part Gale's eyes widen in surprise. Then just for good measure I say to him, "You know, you should be especially thankful that Peeta volunteered for the Games this year." I look around and speak in a loud clear voice. "Thank-you for walking me home Mr. Hawthorne. I hope to see you again soon." I don't wait for him to respond; I just walk quickly to my front door and shut it firmly behind me. I go to the window and peak out, he is still standing where I left him as if he is still absorbing the information that I just shared with him.

I'm certain that is the last time Gale Hawthorne will ever speak to me, but the next day as I watch Katniss and Peeta search desperately for water in front of the monitors at the justice building Gale stands with me. It continues this way for us for the next few days, we watch together as they find water, we are at my house watching in the living room the day they get separated by the fire, we watch Katniss and Peeta get injured, Katniss get treed, Peeta gain an ally in little Rue and share all his secrets about Katniss. He knows a lot about her. "This is all the same stuff he told me about Katniss the day I met with him at the Justice building after she was reaped." I look at him, not pressing for more details but he gives them on his own. "When he met with me…he told me not to let her burn out, that she's going to need someone to help her put herself back together. I told her that it won't be me that she wants; I always knew…that it was him. I didn't notice at first, but when I realized that I cared about her that way I realized that I had competition. Whenever our paths did cross, it was so obvious that she loved him too. I just thought that maybe if she knew that I loved her too, then maybe I had a chance. I promised him that when he sends her back alive that I'll try to put her back together, that I'll be there for her; give her something to live for."

I sit quietly, absorbing the information that he just gave to me. I put my hand on his and look at him, "It won't work." I say. I look upstairs, where my mother is, "When you lose someone that close, like how Peeta and Katniss are, they take a part of you with them. She's already lost her whole family, that spark in her should have been burned out a long time ago. Peeta, he's her spark. When he's gone she will be too, it'll have to be him who lets her go, and not this way. If he dies she will never leave those Games, her body will return, but the Katniss you and I know won't. The Katniss you fell in love with will be gone." I say gently.

He seems to contemplate this for a few moments then stands abruptly. "It's getting late, I should go."

I nod my head and walk him to the door. I watch him walk out into the night; I've given him a lot to think about. I watch late into the night as Katniss gets her burn medicine from her sponsors and then gets the signal from Rue to cut down the Tracker Jacker nest. When she finally stops to rest and falls asleep I head to bed, but find myself tossing and turning all night. This is exciting stuff as far as the Hunger Games go, there will probably be a live feed of the outcome of the Tracker Jacker plan in the morning, so before dawn breaks I gather a blanket and head for the Justice building. When I get there Gale seems arriving at the same time as me. I spread out my blanket and sit, when he spots me I pat the ground beside me and Gale takes his seat next to me on my blanket. "Sorry I left so quickly last night…I had a lot to think about. You were right." He says.

"Yeah, I know." I say with a smile. He smiles back at me. We sit in silence, and about a half hour later, just as dawn is breaking, Katniss continues to cut down the branch with the Tracker Jackers. We gasp as she is stung not only once, but three times before the branch falls and breaks open. That could be lethal all on its own, then she falls from the tree painfully and I cry out and cover my eyes with my hands.

"It's ok, Peeta's there!" Gale says. I open my eyes and watch as Peeta runs past Katniss and takes the only set of bow and arrows from the dead Glimmer from District 1 and hurriedly puts them on Katniss and tells her to run. He pushes her, urging her to run, but you can tell the effects of the Tracker Jacker venom are affecting her. Then Cato bursts through the brush and we watch as Peeta and Cato start to fight viciously until they both succumb to their own Tracker Jacker stings. At this point we realize it's a waiting game to see who wakes first and takes out their victim. It's going to be agony. The camera changes shots to show Katniss, unconscious in a shallow hole, screaming and clawing at images that only she can see through her hallucinations, then it shows the other tributes who were stung, the Girl from District 4 also dies as a result of too many Tracker Jacker stings. "Peeta was only stung once, he could wake before Cato." Gale says hopefully.

I decide to go to the Mellark's home to watch with Peeta's family. Surprisingly Gale comes with me. Its hours before he wakes up, most of this is spent in tense waiting and people trying to make small talk with each other. When he finally does we all watch the events unfold, we watch as both boys wake at almost the same time, groggily try to understand what's going on and then realize the immediate danger they are in. Each makes it to their weapon, Mrs. Mellark and I scream as we watch Cato bring his sword down like an axe on Peeta's leg, I hug Mrs. Mellark from one side and she's holding on to Mr. Mellark who sits on her other side, through my tears I watch as Peeta throws his knife into Cato's throat, effectively ending his life, but the damage has been done. Peeta sits in agony for what seems like an eternity before he manages to come to his senses and remove the backpack from Cato, a move which no doubt saves his life. He messily pulls bandages out of the backpack, and covers the wound only enough to not leave a trail of blood behind him and drags himself as far away as he can. When he discovers the healing ointments and water in the backpack he quickly applies it and does his best to camouflage himself into the environment.

"He'll be ok, that Capital stuff can heal even that wound in a matter of hours right?" Graham says hopefully.

"Yeah, and the other Careers are all passed out, they all have to have about three or four stings each right? That'll buy them a few days' time." Gale says in assurance.

"Peeta killed the number one Career to get. Cato was set to win these Games, but he didn't count on how strong Peeta was. Did you see how surprised he was when Peeta fought him barehanded? He really regretted throwing that sword away. He and Katniss are sure to make it to the end now, everyone else will be cake compared to them, and these Games won't last much longer." Rye says in a half-hearted way. He's always so easy going, the jokester, but I think part way through his rambling he realized what would happen if Katniss and Peeta made it to the end of these Games together. I meet Gale's eyes with my own and he just gives me a sad look. We thank them for letting us watch with them and excuse ourselves to leave, but just we get up to leave there is a loud knocking on the door. Mr. Mellark gets up and answers it; he comes back upstairs followed by a small film crew from the Capital.

"Hello, congratulations. You're son has made it to the top eight. We're here for the interviews." The woman says and walks around the room shaking people's hands. She introduces herself as Cressida.

"How did you get here so fast? Were you just waiting outside the door waiting to hear if Peeta lived or died?" Rye asks with a laugh that dies out slowly when he realizes how close he is to being right.

"The Justice building, actually, is where we were waiting. So, who might you two be? Are you Peeta's sister?" Cressida asks me.

"No, I'm just a friend of Katniss', and this is Gale Hawthorne, he's one of her friends too." I say. Gale gives them a steely glare that causes Cressida to take a few steps back and look him fully up and down.

"What kind of friend? A boyfriend?" Cressida asks sounding hopeful. I quickly look at Gale and back to the woman, I can see how her mind is working.

I want to set the record straight but just as I'm about to Rye says, "He's her hunting partner."

"Hunting?" Cressida asks in a surprised voice. The room falls so silent you can hear a pin drop, to break the tension I laugh loudly.

"Ha, ha, that's Rye. He's such a jokester. Good one, no, no, Gale is Katniss' ex-boyfriend. Um, they broke up a while ago, Peeta mended her heart but we all remain friends." I say quickly.

Cressida undoubtedly doesn't believe me, especially with the skills that Katniss and Peeta have more than demonstrated that they possess. Luckily Gale is good looking enough that they'll want to believe my story more then she'll want to alert the authorities and investigate the treason that may or may not have happened. And so this is how the Star Crossed Love triangle starts. I make a point of reminding everyone that anything that would be considered a punishable offence should not be mentioned at all. When Gale hears the story they want to spin him into it takes a lot of convincing to get him to play along. His mother is a big part of that. The reporters are done with us in a matter of hours, all it really consists of is a question and answer session that they have to get done as soon as possible, they need to edit their footage together and have something to present hopefully before the next tribute dies and there are no longer eight tributes to highlight.

For the next few days we watch as Peeta tries desperately to heal himself, and we wait for Katniss to wake up, while at the same time hoping the other careers say asleep. Gale and I are watching together at his house when Katniss finally does wake, we watch her stumble around the forest until she finds water. She begins to undress herself to clean herself in the stream when she notices something. She hides herself in a nearby bush and the screen switches camera angles as if the Gamemakers can't decide which angle they might have luck seeing what she is trying to hide. "What do you think is going on?" I ask Hazelle. Her lips form a tight line, her eyebrows furrow, and she shrugs her shoulders. Katniss comes out moments later and washes herself and her clothing in the steam, no hint as to what it was that caused her to hide a moment before. Gale and I watch the Games together, almost every minute, as much as we can. Some nights we stay up late, like the night that she destroyed the food and spent the night shivering under a bush. It was obvious she was in so much pain, Peeta's leg had much improved, and he tried walking on it that day but couldn't go long distances. He searched for water, found the same stream that Katniss found, but he was still very far away from her. He took a break there, applied more medicine, and wrapped his leg in clean bandages. He heard the explosion, but had no clue that it was caused by Katniss. We were at Gale's home again the next day when Rue was killed. It was devastating, I think all of us girls cried especially when Katniss used her beautiful voice to sing to Rue, but then everything that came afterward seemed so much worse. Katniss stumbled around and she didn't even notice she was leaving a trail of blood behind her, she was bent over holding her stomach, as if she was having cramps that wracked her body and the pain brought her to her knees. She felt between her legs and her fingers came back covered with blood. "What is that?" I asked.

Hazelle's eyes widened and fresh tears came to her eyes, she covered her mouth as she gasped, obviously realizing what was happening to Katniss. "She's losing a baby." Hazelle whispers.

"What!" I cry out. "She can't be, they don't touch each other, and they don't even kiss. She told me herself, they would never be together until after they were eighteen and married. They knew how this would look to everyone else, what they would think about Mr. and Mrs. Mellark."

"Well it looks like they've been doing more than just kissing since they've been to the Capital." Gale says with bitterness in his voice. I give him a scowl of my own, though it must look quite pathetic through my tear stained face.

"It's been nearly a month, it would be quite early, but still, it's possible. If they thought it was their last chance to be together before one of them died…it could happen." Hazelle says in a non-judgemental way. I really like Hazelle, she's so understanding.

We watch as Katniss drags herself to the stream; the water turns red with blood. She cries, screams, and apologizes to Peeta even though he isn't there to hear her. Its agony, I watch that spark that's in her dim, we watch her lay next to the stream and give up. I can see it; she's resolved herself to death, it's hard for me to watch, so I excuse myself to leave, Hazelle nods her head and give me a hug before I leave, Gale insists on walking me home.

The walk is quiet, like most of our walks. I wave to the Peacekeepers that we pass, they wave back. Gale gives a kind of snort and says, "Ok, you're the mayor's daughter, I get it. Perks. You don't need to wave to every single Peacekeeper we pass just to prove a point." He says in a way that I think is meant to cheer me up, but I'm not really in the mood at the moment.

"I wave to them so they see that you are with me, so they know not to give you a hard time when you walk home after curfew." I explain. Every District has a curfew, usually it's midnight, and I know I've kept him out later than that, especially in the past few days since we've been watching the Games late into the night, although it's only dusk now, the sun is just beginning to set.

"Peacekeepers never gave me a hard time, even before they saw me walking around the District with the mayor's daughter." He says to me with that adorable half smile that he does when he's trying to be funny, "That's the perks of being a hunter and being the person who puts fresh meat on their table for an affordable price."

My heart is still heavy, thinking of Katniss in her current situation, but I manage a smile. It's not hard to talk to Gale anymore, we carry on light conversation, and our walk brings us close to the justice building just as we hear Katniss' voice call out "Peeta!" from the speakers for the monitors. Gale and I break out into a run and make it to the Justice building just as she calls his name out again. I quickly scan the crowd but don't find anyone I know; I see my father on the platform and run up the steps. "What happened? He's not…"I ask, not able to finish the sentence.

My father smiles at me to my surprise, "They just changed the rules, two Victors are allowed if they are from the same district. Peeta and Katniss are the only two from the same district left; this rule change is specifically for them." He says and gathers me into a hug; I jump into his arms, laughing with relief.

"She needs to stop yelling his name out like that." Gale says from behind us in a worried voice. "Someone will find her, and not necessarily Peeta."

We watch as he is right, Clove from District 2 finds Katniss before Peeta does, she's injured and can't fight her for long but Peeta makes it just in time to kill the bigger girl. Most of the people of the district stay at the monitors in front of the justice building to watch as Peeta and Katniss are reunited, people actually cheer, and we watch as they find a shelter. And while we all know what happened to Katniss only hours earlier, we all watch as she tries desperately to conceal the truth from him, trying to spare him the heartbreak of knowing they lost their child to the Games. It's late when they are settled for the night; I realize that I haven't formally introduced my father to Gale. I do, they shake hands, and Gale heads home while I head home with my father.

"They're going to do it, they're going to win. When they're together nothing can stop them." I say to my father as we walk home.

There's sadness in his eyes, as if there is something he knows but can't say it. "Yes honey, I hope so."

When we get home we turn on the television just in time to see the hungry red head from District 5 eat from a patch of berries that Thresh from District 11 pretended to eat from. The berries are Nightlock; she's dead in a matter of seconds.

I wake early the next morning, I turn on the television and watch as Katniss and Peeta realize that this is going to be the last day of the Games, shortly after there is a knock at my door. I answer it to find Cressida, the director who filmed us for the top eight interviews on the other side of the door, she's different somehow. She a little more natural looking, her Capital accent less pronounced. "Good morning Madge, we're gathering all of the family and friends of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. It looks as if the end of the Game is near and we want to have footage of everyone watching the end of the Games. We are asking everyone to gather on the stage platform in front of the Justice building as soon as you are able."

I agree to go, and walk there on my own. My father is already there, I take a seat beside him. Soon Gale arrives and he sits beside me, his family follows shortly after and the Mellarks aren't far behind. The day isn't as eventful as I think it was planned to be. Thresh waits in hiding on his side of the arena, Peeta and Katniss do a lot of walking to the Cornucopia, they were very far away from it. Katniss is ill, it's speculated through the commentary of Caesar and Claudius that she is badly in need of some antibiotics. That maybe she has an infection of some sort. It's all very nerve racking for those of us who were selected to be on the platform. They make it to the Cornucopia at dusk, but it's rather obvious that Thresh has no interest in leaving his hiding place near the lake. That's when they send the muttations and we watch as Thresh is taken and savagely tortured. We watch as Katniss makes a tourniquet for Peeta's mauled leg. We are all filmed through the night, it's been a long day, and the kids Rory, Vick, and Posy thankfully can't help but fall asleep through the night. They are spared having to listen to Thresh's screams and watch Katniss and Peeta basically freeze to the point where a few times we think they've died.

Just as daybreaks we watch Katniss put Thresh out of his misery, and his cannon booms but still no hovercraft to take them home. They dismount the Cornucopia and stumble their way to the lake, thinking that the body has to be removed. Then we are in for a real spin when we hear the announcement that the rule about having two Victors has been revoked. Almost the whole District is watching with us in front of the Justice building at this point, most have stayed through the night and there are loud cries, even screams when we all realize what this means. The Gamemakers intended Katniss and Peeta to make it to the end together, they are expecting them to turn on each other, but the exact opposite happens. We watch as each tries to commit suicide, declare their love for one another, and then Katniss pulls some Nightlock berries she had kept with her. They decide to die together, they share what should be their last kiss and they put the berries in their mouths, only to have Claudius Templesmith shout for them to stop and he declares them both the winner of the 74th Hunger Games. We are still holding our breath until Katniss and Peeta spit the berries out and seem fine. We watch the hovercraft collect them and trumpets are blaring noisily, every person in District 12 cheers, we are having our own celebration. People are shouting and I've basically been crying all morning at every turn of events, but now they are tears of joy. Gale is so happy that he grabs me around my waist and lifts me up and spins me. When he puts me down we lock eyes with one another for a split second before even more people are jumping around us. It's such a joyous event and the celebrations last long into the evening even though most people are dog tired from staying up all night.

People are floating on air all week; I spend a lot of time in the meadow. I have a hope that even though I know Katniss will return a changed person, maybe she has a shot at still being somewhat the same. She didn't have to lose Peeta after all.

I get to be on the train platform the day they arrive back, people from the Capital were at my home all morning preparing it for a Victor's lunch which is an exclusive event, only for friends and family of the Victor or in this case Victors. When Katniss gets off the train I can't help but cry at the sight of her, we hug one another and sit together through most of the lunch, whenever Peeta lets her out of arms reach we talk about things that she's been through. I don't pry for details, I know what she wants to share she will. Gale and his family were invited to the lunch as well, but they don't stay for very long. I know Katniss notices that he seems familiar with my home, he even comments on how I told him that we had a small meeting room and that this is anything but small. "I think this room alone is as big as my whole house." He says.

When he and his family leave Katniss asks what's going on between me and Gale. "What do you mean what's going on? Nothing." I say. Katniss gives me a smile and looks at me meaningfully.

"You're even more shy then I am and it took me years to get to know Gale. I've been gone a few weeks and it looks like you two are actually friends." Katniss observes. I have to think about that for a moment. I didn't actually realize that Gale and I became friends, but I guess we sort of did.

"We might be friends, we basically watched every moment of the Games together. It helped, you know, to not watch them alone." Katniss' face seems to falter; I think she was looking to talk about anything other than the Games. I quickly try to make her happy again by saying, "I'd like to be his friend, but since everything ended, we haven't spent that much time together."

Katniss laughs, "That's ok, he's the best friend I have next to you, and we only spend our time hunting. If we're not hunting we don't see each other, or hardly talk at school. You just need to find something you have in common with him that you can spend time doing with him. That's the trick." Katniss says to me with a wink, Peeta walks up to her and they leave with the rest of the Mellark family after Katniss and I share one last hug.

The rest of the day is filled with me feeling like a stranger in my own home. It's filled with people from the Capital cleaning up, so I decide to go out for a walk and find myself in the meadow. I lay in the grass, happy that Katniss is home and that she seems unchanged, happier even. I know this part won't last and that the way she is for me is very much different than how she will be alone with her family, but at least I do still have my friend. I hear footsteps and before I can even look up Gale sits beside me. He's got quite a few rabbits hanging from his belt. "Do you really think it's safe to be hunting when there are so many people from the Capital here?" I ask.

"Still gotta eat." He responds.

I look at him and say, "I understand that, but just don't do any trading or anything until they are gone. Keep those for yourself. Even though you're not reaping age anymore doesn't mean you're safe." I look around, the meadow has always felt safe to me but I still lean in and whisper to him, "You still have your two little brothers to think about. Don't send them in to the Games just because you've forgotten to be cautious."

He gives me a hard look. "Are you saying that they would go into the Games because of me?"

Again, I whisper, hoping that he gets the hint and starts to whisper too, he said that a little too loud for my liking. "Don't forget, you owe Peeta Mellark for more than just those cookies that he gives to your siblings, and for bringing Katniss back." I look around once more just to be safe. "You never know who is watching, waiting to catch you doing something you shouldn't be doing."

He leans away from me and looks at me from the corner of his eye, "How do you seem to know so much?" He asks.

"Perks." Is all I say, he smiles then and fully laughs out loud. I smile and sit up a bit. I love the air out here, I close my eyes and let the warm summer air flow around me, somehow Gale's laughter makes everything so much better.

"Ok, I'll remember to be more cautious." He assures me.

Gale knocks on my door the next day. I open it and find he has been followed by a pack of reporters. I quickly stand aside so he can come in and when he is he bursts out, "She's changed. She can't hunt anymore."

"What?" I ask confused by his words.

"Katniss. We were hunting this morning and when she shot a rabbit she...well I don't know. She freaked out. She ran out of the woods and when I finally caught up to her the reporters caught us together." He says in a rush.

There are a lot of thoughts going through my mind at the moment. "What do you mean they caught you together? Together doing what? Where is Katniss?" I ask.

"I caught up to her and I hugged her." Then he smiles, "it was good." I cover my mouth with my hands to hide my smile. He notices, "What?" He asks innocently with a shrug of his shoulders. "It was nice, it made me feel better after what Peeta said to me this morning." He goes on to tell me that he ran into Peeta as he was leaving from giving his family bread and he insinuated that the hug Katniss gave Gale the day before when they departed the train wasn't genuine. That she was coached on how to react to Gale.

"Well, you can't blame the guy for being defensive. You declared your love for his girlfriend, he's not an idiot. He knows if you can find a way to worm yourself between them you'll do it. Although I think you should really reconsider. I think you'll end up being the one who get hurt in all of this." I advise. "But, I do think Katniss was genuinely happy to see you. The hug was real, but she really does only see you as a friend." I say.

"Yeah," his mood changes again. "She said that much, Haymitch took us to his house to save us from the reporters. She just kept saying over and over how much she loved Peeta, how she could never love anyone other than Peeta. I couldn't listen to it anymore so I just left them there and came here. I couldn't think of anywhere else to go." Gale says in a pouty manner. I have to let out a quiet laugh.

"Katniss probably never will love anyone but Peeta. She's been in love with him since," I try to think of when it all started for her, but I really can't. "Well, since forever probably. You saw them through the Games, they were just meant to be together. They would die without each other." I say dramatically. "Maybe it's because you haven't seen them together very much, but I have. They just, gravitate around each other, for each other. They are each other's spark, light, they are each other's everything." I say.

Gale looks at me skeptically. "I think you've lost your head for that Star Crossed Lovers bit."

I shake my head. "No, I haven't. The Star Crossed Lovers are exactly what you think they are, a creation of the Capital. But Katniss and Peeta, deep down at their core are so much more than that. The Star Crossed Lovers just give the people what they want, a show, they are a pair of mindlessly in love teenagers. The real Katniss and Peeta are more." I hesitate trying to think of how to explain what they are. "Remember when Katniss gave up, and then when she realized they could be together she lit back up with life and how when Peeta could hardly move because he was in so much pain and when he heard her voice he got up and ran for her and save her. That's what they are for each other, they complete each other. They are what the other needs them to be. Peeta's like her light and Katniss is his strength. That's what it is to be in love like they are, being what the other needs you to be. Being aware of what that other person needs." I can see I've given Gale a lot to think about, so I look out the door and find that the reporters must have gotten bored waiting for Gale and left. I tell him it's clear to leave and so he does.

When Gale started working at the mines I realize that I've become accustomed to his visits. I begin to feel lonelier than ever. Hazelle must see this because when she comes to pick up our laundry she invites me to dinner at her house. I go to the Mellarks to pick up some fruit pastries that won't be available much longer. I head to the Hawthorne's early and play with the children for a while. Gale comes home and we have dinner, he walks me home. A routine is formed. I'm at the Hawthorne's almost every night for dinner, if my father is finished with his business at the Justice building early I'll stay and have dinner with him. Hazelle insists that I stop bringing baked goods and begins to teach me how to cook so that I am able to contribute something to the meal without feeling guilty about coming empty handed. She says help in the kitchen is more than enough, it turns out I'm good at cooking and I like it. I only know how to make a few basic dishes until Hazelle teaches me so much more. One night when Gale is walking me home he tells me that Katniss managed to sneak out of her house and ask him to meet him for hunting this Sunday. However when Sunday comes around my father is home in the morning to tell me that today is the first Parcel day and that we will be on camera later. Some people from the Capital come by later in the day and dress us each, even leave clothing that we may need for future appearances on camera. I look at the clothing and it is all beautiful. I tend to wear skirts most of the time and with some alterations I can see how I will be able to turn some of these into everyday wear. Katniss and Peeta end their tour of the District at the Justice building where my father and I also have a few lines to say. I finally get a moment alone with Katniss as the reporters are packing up their cameras.

"I haven't seen you all week." I say to Katniss.

She has a bashful smile on her face as she says, "yes, Peeta and I have been very busy. Moving into the new homes and all."

"New homes?" I ask in are ask in a teasing tone. "I stopped by the bakery this week and Rye said that you and Peeta moved into one home." She can't hide the wide smile that comes across her face and I hug her. "I'm so happy for you both."

"Thanks." She says.

Then I remember to ask, "How was hunting with Gale this morning? He said you had a hard time last time you tried."

"I didn't get a chance to. The stylists and prep teams arrived early this morning, they almost caught me sneaking out into the woods. I didn't even have a way to tell Gale I wasn't going to make it." Katniss reveals to me on a whispered voice. "The hunting part will be fine. Peeta and I have been sneaking out at night to practice." She assures me.

What follows is the holiday for the visitors. Peeta and Katniss have to be on Star Crossed Lover duty all week, but the rest of the district enjoys the break from work and the last week before school starts. There's a dance at the end of the week and I wear a blue dress that was left for me with the clothing from the Capital.

I wear it to the dance and I can't help but be disappointed at the underwhelming response I get from Gale. I don't know why I'm surprised; he was never interested in me and I knew that. Hazelle notices my disappointment though and suggests to Gale that it might be nice if he asks me to dance. We do have a few dances together, and when he focuses on me we have a really good time together, but when he dances with Katniss he gets upset afterward and leaves the dance. I head home after that too.

School was never all that much fun for me, but now that Katniss isn't here it's that much worse. I'm determined that I've let myself get entirely too close to Gale and his family, so I'm resolved to returning to my former life of solitude. I spend a lot of time at home, or hanging around the Justice building waiting for my father to finish work. After about a week I cross paths with Rory, Vick and Posy who are walking home from getting a loaf of bread from the bakery at the merchant square while I'm walking toward the Justice building. Posy leaps into my arms and they all insist I come home with them for dinner; I can't help but to allow them to take me to their home. The season is changing and the colours of fall are all around us. The Seam looks nice, I smile and wave to some of the families that have become used to seeing me on my path to the Hawthorne home. Hazelle is happy to see me, I help prepare dinner and when Gale returns home we all eat. He walks me home and we again fall into easy conversation, he tells me about life in the mines and talks about some of his new friends. It's easy to fall into a routine. Over the next few weeks I'm a regular at their home, I think I may have forgotten how to be lonely. I spend my Sunday afternoons in the meadow, there are very few afternoons I can spend just sitting and watching the clouds drift across the sky, it will be far too cold for this soon, Gale always meets me here. Instead of berries he skins a small squirrel and we roast it over a fire that he teaches me how to make. I contribute a roll for each of us and we enjoy our lunch. "Have you seen her lately?" He asks me.

"Yes, she invited me over for tea. They seem to be settling in to their home quite nicely. Very domestic." I say, Gale scowls.

"I just don't understand why she hasn't met me for hunting on Sundays. She knows I'll be here." He mutters.

"She knows, she's just being cautious. I don't think she wants a repeat of what the Capital did when they saw you do something as innocent as hugging within the District. Can you imagine if someone saw her sneak off into the woods with you? The scandal." I say with mock horror. He gives me that little half smile.

"I just wish that things would go back to the way they were." Gale says.

I let out a deep sigh, "Yeah, I do too." I don't know what comes over me, but I lay my head down on his shoulder and close my eyes allowing myself this one moment of comfort. It takes me a moment to even realize what I just did, and when I do I sit back up straight, I'm afraid to look at him so I just tuck my hair behind my ear and laugh a little. I stand up and fumble for a moment, gathering the blanket that I was laying on and in my perhepherial vision I see Gale watching me with a strange look on his face. "Even if things went back to the way they were, she would still be his, you know that right?" Then I realize that this was kind of a mean thing to say. I shake my head, "I'm sorry, I'm sure that's not what you meant."

Then I do probably the worst thing, I basically run all the way home with my tail between my legs, leaving Gale in the meadow all by himself. My father is home for most of the day today and he sees a change in my mood. He asks me what's wrong and I tell him nothing, "Well, if nothing is wrong why can't you sit down for more than a minute at a time. You're pacing all over the house." My father observes. I decide I can't stay in the house anymore, so I go to visit Katniss. Sunday the bakery is closed, and I know she and Peeta tend to spend that day with the Mellarks. I try their home first; I knock on the door and I'm surprised when Katniss herself answers the door. "Madge!" She greets me warmly and hugs me. She invites me in and I find that I've interrupted a bridal shower of sorts. "Tule and Graham are having their toasting in less than two weeks. Can you believe it?" Katniss says to me. I see Tule is standing in what must be her mother's Toasting dress and Mrs. Mellark and Tule's mother are sizing it for Tule's slender frame.

"Congratulations." I say to Tule and the rest of the women in the room.

Katniss makes me feel at home, we spend the day together talking and catching up. As the group is putting everything away and the tea and snacks are put away Mrs. Mellark says loudly, "If only Peeta would get the nerve to ask Katniss for a toasting, my life would be complete." And then laughs.

I look at Katniss wondering how she would respond, she laughs when she says, "I thought we all decided that we are too young for a toasting? And besides, what about Rye?"

"Rye will find his woman in good time, but if you and Peeta are both old enough to live in the same home together you are old enough for a toasting don't you think?" Mrs. Mellark says with a slightly accusatory look. Katniss looks away guiltily after that remark.

They make me laugh. "What about you Madge, word around the District is that Gale Hawthorne has his eye on you." Tule asks seriously. I immediately stop laughing and can feel the blush rise in my cheeks.

"What? Why would anyone say that?" I ask.

"Well, people have seen you visit his home often, Hazelle talks about you endlessly." I forgot that Tule's family is part of that rare group that transcends the classes of Merchant and Seam as well. They may be Merchant class, but Tule's father builds all of the Seam homes, and he tries his best to build them to the highest quality he can given the tools and materials he's allowed access to. He's a very respected man amongst the coal miners and thus, his family has always been welcome to the Seam.

"No, it's not that way between Gale and me, we're just friends. His family has been very nice to me." I say nervously. "It's not me he's interested in."

The women nod as if they don't believe me, but I find this opportunity to leave and Katniss follows after me. "Don't mind them, they gossip. It's kind of like the Capital around here; people believe what they want to believe." She says in a light hearted way. "Have you really been spending a lot of time with Gale?" She asks.

I nod, "He mostly asks about you. He's been waiting for you to go hunting in the woods on Sundays you know." I say.

Katniss looks to the woods and gets a serious look on her face, "Yeah, I've been meaning to go, I just needed to be sure that the reporters were gone."

We walk silently for a few steps and I decide to walk her home. She invites me to Graham and Tule's toasting, I agree to go. I let her talk most of the way to her house. When we do arrive as soon as her hand touches the doorknob the door is thrown open and before she can say anything Peeta kisses long and deep. "What kept you away for so long?" He asks in a low seductive voice when he finally ends the kiss.

"Um, Peeta we have company." Katniss says and he glances at me and I wave at him timidly. He steps away from Katniss slightly embarrassed and I can't help but laugh.

"It's ok; I should be heading home anyway." I move to walk back down the steps.

"No, Madge I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting Katniss to bring anyone home with her. Please, don't feel like you have to leave." Peeta says apologetically.

"Yes, please stay. We haven't had much company lately." Katniss insists. I hesitate but allow them to persuade me to stay.

I'm glad I did, we have a fun night, they still are teenagers after all, and dinner is not all that formal. They have something called hot chocolate they say they had for the first time on the tribute train. We end up not really having dinner, we just dip pieces of bread in the hot chocolate, and it's delicious. We spend the evening laughing and I let them tell me stories about drunken Haymitch and Effie Trinket, or Peeta's brothers.

They are amazing to watch. They have the same kind of humor as each other. I don't know if they realize it but they are always touching each other in some way. They share quick small kisses when one leaves a room for even a second, when they sit next to each other they hold hands, Katniss will trail her hands across Peeta's shoulders when she walks passed him. They seem so happy; it must be such a relief for them to finally be together after years of suppressing their true feelings for each other and all the hard things they had to overcome to get here. I suppose I would never want to let the person I love out of my sight either if I had only recently finished fighting for their life.

I leave just as dusk begins to take hold of the sky, there's still some daylight, but when I finally do get home it is dark. Gale is sitting on my doorstep when I arrive. He stands when he sees me approach. "Hi." I say to him awkwardly.

"Hey." He says to me as he looks at his feet. "I was, well...actually we were all a bit worried when you didn't join us for dinner." Gale says timidly.

"Oh." I say. "Um, I didn't realize that I was expected tonight. I don't usually come on Sunday's because my father is home." I explain, although I'm sure that Gale knows this.

"Oh, right. I forgot about that. I guess I just wanted to make sure that it didn't have anything to do with, um, earlier today, you know, in the meadow." Gale says and clears his throat.

"Yeah, sorry about that." I say.

"Oh, no. Don't be sorry. I didn't think anything of it, but you just seemed so uncomfortable after, I just wanted to make sure that you are ok." He explains.

"Yes, everything is fine. I'll see you tomorrow for dinner?" I ask. He smiles at me.

"Yes, tomorrow. I'll make sure my mother knows." I watch him as he leaves.

The rest of the week goes by quite normally. I go to the Hawthorne's for dinner most of the week, everything is absolutely ordinary until Sunday. I sit in the meadow like I usually do, waiting for Gale to finish hunting but he doesn't show up. I head home and later in the day there's a knock on my door and it's Gale.

"I kissed her." Are the first words that come from his mouth when I open the door.

"What? Who?" I ask.

"Katniss, she came hunting this morning and after when we were putting our stuff away I kissed her." Gale says in a rush. I don't know what to say to him, I stand aside and let him in the house. We sit at my dining room table and he tells me the whole story. About how it was just like old times, she was the girl that he fell in love with again and he just couldn't help it. He had to do it once, just once he tells me. Then he went to the Hob and Peeta seemed to just know what happened and told him that if Katniss wanted Gale he would stand aside but that he was going to fight for her. He tells me everything that was said between him and Peeta. I lean back in my chair not knowing what to say but listening until Gale runs out of things to say.

"I don't understand Gale. Why are you here? Why did you think that this was something that I wanted to hear?" I ask him.

"I don't know, you're the person I got to whenever I have to talk something out. I think you're the smartest person I know." He says to me.

"Not this, I'm not on your side when it comes to Katniss and Peeta. They are happy together, they belong together, and they always have. I've told you this, many times in fact. Why, why would you think this isn't something that would upset me? If I'm the smartest person you know why wouldn't you listen to me?" I ask again.

He shakes his head, "Didn't you hear me? She didn't push me away, she was confused. It's what I've been saying all along. She just needs to see passed Peeta Mellark, she need to see that there was someone else standing right in front of her who could love her too, she's just been hung up on him for too long."

"Don't you think the same thing applies to you too? That you can't see what's right in front of you because you've been in love with the wrong person this whole time?" I ask before I can stop myself. I want to take it back, I clamp my hands over my mouth but I see the dawning of understanding come over Gale.

"What?" He asks incredulously.

"Don't make me say it again." I shake my head and try to get myself back on track. "She probably didn't push you away because she didn't want to hurt your feelings. She was probably confused because now she has to decide whether to tell Peeta what happened, which she should do." I say firmly, "but if she does that then she loses one of her best friends. She can't continue on as your friend if you are going to randomly try to kiss her, not to mention that when she does tell Peeta he would probably come close to killing you. Or she has to figure out a way to make it clear to you that she loves him without absolutely tearing your heart out, because that would result I her losing you as a friend too." I can't stop talking, and I'm pretty angry about this whole thing. "I can't believe you would do this to her. And Peeta's right by the way. You need to get over this imaginary Katniss you are dreaming of. She's not a poor girl from the Seam who needs rescuing from the Merchant family who adopted her." I walk to my front door and Gale follows me. I open it and stand aside, allowing him to leave. I'm so angry with him. "She loves them, and she loved you too, as a friend Gale. She doesn't have many people in her life that she can trust, and you were one of them. Katniss is going to go through hell now trying to figure out a way to keep you both. Way to go." And slam the door shut in anger.

After school the next day I head to Katniss' house in the Victors village. I'm determined to listen to whatever she needs to tell me, I'm sure she's upset about this whole Gale thing but I'm surprised when I do find her. She's so happy; she shows me the ring Peeta used to propose to her the night before. She tells me not to tell anyone, they'll announce it a few weeks after Graham and Tule's toasting. I'm so happy for her but I can't help but ask, "What about the kiss?"

Katniss falters, "What kiss?" She tries to shrug it off.

"I know about it. He told me." I say.

"He told you? Why?" She asks surprised.

"We're friends. He thought I'd understand but I got pretty upset with him. Are you going to tell Peeta?"
I ask.

"Yes, but later. After I manage to have a talk with Gale." She says. "I need to explain to him that I don't feel the same way. I'll admit, the kiss surprised me, I didn't know what it meant, but if I have to lose Gale then that's what's got to happen I guess. I love Peeta." Katniss says to me sadly. "I hope it doesn't go that way, but I don't think I'll have a choice."

I manage to avoid Gale for the rest of the week. I visit the Hawthorne's, but often leave before dinner; I volunteered to help Katniss with the toasting preparations anyway. The bakery is closed for the day, Peeta decorates a beautiful cake for them, and the toasting is held at the spare Victor's house that Peeta is supposed to be living in. The whole ceremony is beautiful; it's nice to be a part of this happy event for the Mellarks. It could have been a very somber occasion.

Sunday rolls around and in the afternoon there is a knock on my door. I open it to find Gale, I haven't seen him since I basically yelled at him for kissing Katniss the previous week. "Hey," He says to me nervously.

"Hi." I greet him.

"So, you weren't at the meadow today." He begins. "I haven't seen you all week."

"Yeah, I've been busy." I say to him shyly.

"Yeah, I heard one of the Mellark boys had a toasting." He says.

"Yep, Graham." I say.

An awkward moment passes. "So are you still mad at me?" He finally asks.

I let out a small laugh. "I don't know."

"Would it help if I tell you that you were right? Last week I mean." Gale says with a shrug of his shoulders and that adorable half smile.

"Right about what, exactly?" I ask teasingly.

He looks at me seriously, and for the first time deeply into my eyes, his are grey and seem to reflect the light around him. "Everything Madge, you were right about everything."

The way he is looking at me is intense; I look down at my feet and tuck the loose strands of hair behind my ear. He gently places his hand under my chin and raises it until we are looking at each other again. He's smiling at me and I smile back.

That's our starting point; from there we add little things over the next few weeks. We start with hand holding while Gale walks me home after the dinners that I spend at the Hawthorne home. When he is finished work in the mines if I spend the night at home with my father he joins us, they get to know each other. He knows how close my father and I are to each other and that it's important to me that they get along. I also don't think that he believed me that my father would let his daughter marry a coal miner, but my father is more than friendly to him and they get along very well.

Katniss and Peeta announce their toasting; I'm very busy the week before helping Katniss get ready. She decides to wear a white dress that Cinna designed for her, it's not too over the top, it looks like something anyone one else would wear, it's just so obviously new. There aren't many people invited, and the toasting is held at the bakery, not at the Victor home where they live. They say this place has more meaning for them. The Hawthornes are invited, my father and I both attend, Haymitch Abernathy and Delly Cartwright and a few of Peeta's other friends from school are the only others who are there who aren't family.

Peeta holds his piece of bread into the fire first and says "I love you, my hope and my light, my reason to fight for life. You keep me going when my world doesn't have reason to; you are the spark that shows me the kindness in life that is worth living for and that we are only just getting started. You are my reminder that as long as we have each other I have a purpose, that there is so much more to experience in this life together." Then he pulls his bread from the fire and feeds it to Katniss.

Katniss holds her bread into the fire and starts her own lines, ""I love you, my hope and my light, my reason to fight for life. You keep me going when my world doesn't have reason to; you are the spark that shows me the kindness in life that is worth living for and that we are only just getting started. You are my reminder that as long as we have each other I have a purpose, that there is so much more to experience in this life together." And she feeds her toast to Peeta. Everyone claps, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark are crying, so am I and pretty much everyone else in the room. It's all very beautiful.

They are smart, they don't want it to get out to the Capital that they are married so they hold the toasting on a Parcel day. A day when everyone in the District is in the street celebrating. They even arrange for anyone who knows how to play an instrument sets up right outside the bakery and lots of people gather to dance. Before they leave the bakery Katniss changes into her regular clothing so if there are any reporters around they won't become suspicious of what just happened inside. The Mellarks open the bakery only to allow the children to come in to get a free cookie, the celebration lasts late into the night.

"Don't they look so happy?" I say to Gale as I watch Katniss and Peeta dancing. The air is chilly, it's mid-October, but that doesn't stop anyone from having a good time.

He suddenly takes my hand and we're dancing too. I laugh loudly and let him lead. "I'm sure they are happy, but I've had enough of watching them for a while, haven't you?" Gale says and spins us. It seems like we are the only two people in the whole District tonight. Then it starts to happen, we stop moving and his hands are on my hips, I look deep into his eyes and we bring ourselves to each other until my kiss is on his lips. It's sweet, it's my first kiss. And I realize that the sparkle in his eyes is there for me, and he finally sees me.