To anyone passing by, the diner was quaint. The left side of the diner, facing south toward oncoming traffic was worn, the paint chipping off in grotesque strips that lay like corpses upon the cracked asphalt. The bay windows along the front were slightly grimy, allowing only the strongest rays of the sun to penetrate within. In the parking lot, several large oil stains graced the pavement, ornamenting the ground with a rainbow when the sun hit its peak.
It was generally populated only by regular town folk. Travelers didn't usually stop to investigate, picking instead the sickeningly gilded tourist traps which stood upon the side of the road like gaudy whores; places that were all flash and no soul. It was for this reason that Detective Hawthorne preferred the tiny diner. When you have a busy job, you grow to like small, peaceful places where nothing particularly exciting happens and nobody is bothersome.
He pulled up to the place around eleven on a Friday night, swinging his dented Ford into his spot at the far corner of the lot near the trash bin. Technically the spot wasn't his but he had parked here in the same spot since he got promoted to this part of the District, and everybody knew it. Inside, the crowded booths surprised him until he figured out that the owners of the local shoe depot, the Cartwrights, were throwing some sort of graduation celebration for their daughter Delly. The party was cute, but inconvenient. The crowd was slightly aggravating to his already frayed nerves, until he saw his table already waiting for him.
The sigh that managed to escape him when he sat down onto the stained, plush cushions was embarrassing but nobody was around in his section, per usual. The owners had been school friends with his mom, and they figured they could grant him the rather small favor of privacy for all of his hard work when he moved into the city. His compensation, he liked to privately joke to himself.
The file in front of him however, wiped any good feeling he had left in him away in seconds. It was a manila envelope, four inches thick with dark, garish printing coating every inch of the pages inside. He had been recently investigating a string of illicit activity all stemming from the same group, and their kingpin leader, Cornelius James Snow was at the top of his investigation. He had been committing major fraud for five years; at least that's how long he had been able to delve into his past so far.
He had a pretty good partner helping him with the case named Peeta Mellark. He was nice enough, though he had a rather strange tendency of being overly excited and energetic in the early morning and he always brought in fresh bakery goods that were not good for his physique. In his opinion, Peeta was even crazier for settling down with his girl Katniss, though even he had to admit that she was a nice enough girl. They both had been trying to trace Snow's life, leaving nothing uncovered so that there was no chance that the son of a bitch could find a loophole out of jail. Today alone he had made six major phone calls, had two conferences, and one very long meeting with the Police Chief.
No wonder he had a splitting headache.
But Gale always prided himself on a rather good work ethic. And he did his best thinking alone with a cup of hot coffee in this very booth. He had cracked enough cases here, enough that he knew where he was going when he pulled out of the parking garage at the station even before he had definitively made up his mind.
He cracked open the file, and slowly began to read where he had left off. Sae would be around soon to get him his coffee. She was a nice gal; old, but fierce and as steadfast and energetic as a twenty-something year old. For a year now she had been bugging him every chance she got to set him up with some nice girl. She hadn't listened to his protests and had set him up with her niece, a quiet girl with too bright eyes that reflected everything and a rather pointed chin. He had declined the second date. But it had got him out of her needling attentions. So far, anyway. But for all her meddlesome ways she understood him and knew his order by heart.
So when he saw the white apron shifting in his peripheral vision, he grew a little confused. When he had a case open like this, Sae knew better than to talk. In fact, everyone did. So this…had to be someone else. Someone new. Perfect.
Annoyed, he looked up at her to tell her to get him a coffee. Maybe even to demand that she leave and Sae come back. He expected a nervous girl with a twitchy smile. Someone trying to make some cash while in school. What he did not expect was the pretty little blonde staring down at him with her notepad out and her pen at the ready.
"You ready to order, or do you need some more time?"
"I uh…no. I'm good I know what I want."
She nodded her encouragement, shifting her pen so it was pressing into the crisp paper. Beyond that though, she did nothing.
"I'll have a coffee and a steak, medium. Broccoli and some mashed potatoes too if you have them."
Her pen was scribbling across the paper now. She was quick. Already she was done, and looking up at him, as if awaiting some actual challenge that he was supposed to give her. He wondered if she would say something, like a 'that's it?' if he didn't start speaking soon.
Instead she asked, "Want cream and sugar?"
He nodded. "Four cream and two sugars. And can you bring me a spoon? They always forget it." But then he felt self-conscious, and he mumbled a quick please as well, which he only knew she heard by the quick uptick of her mouth.
"That's it? Jeeze, when Sae said you were rough, I was expecting a little…I dunno. Someone more of a challenge. You just sound stressed."
He laughed before he could help himself, but again felt embarrassed. He had the vague feeling that everyone in the restaurant was staring at him with mouths agape, but couldn't bring himself to check his assumption.
"Where is Sae by the way?"
She smiled this time, a real genuine one that lit up her face. Wow. She was pretty.
"She told me you liked to pry. She's at home. Her husband Harold has pneumonia so she's off tonight. Told me it was the first time she's taken a break since she started here. Didn't ask how long she'd been working this place, but I figured it was a fair number of years."
He nodded again. This time she blushed. "I'll be back with your coffee."
He watched her walk away. Damn. She had nice legs and a nice ass too. She wasn't a girl, she was a lady no way around that.
But there was no use thinking about all of that. There was plenty of time tonight, when he finally went home and could slip into his large, cold bed. Now however, he had to work on this case. Except no he wasn't going to because she was back with his coffee, balancing it perfectly on one tiny palm.
"That was fast. Might've even broken Sae's record."
She grinned, brushing some hair behind her ear. "You think? I wouldn't say that aloud though, or else when Sae gets back I'll be on the specials list. I don't know how kindly she'd take to me taking over her 'favorite customer'."
"Oh, I'm her favorite am I?"
"You could be God Almighty himself, the way she talks about you."
He laughs again, only it's a little darker this time. More out of contempt than anything else. "I'm more a sinner, not a saint." As he chuckled, he began to pour in his cream and sugar, watching it dissolve in the hot liquid. And he was about to take his first sip of that heavenly energy infuser when he noticed his waitress' nose crinkle in disgust.
"What?" It's not like there was poison in it. Not unless she did it herself, and then she'd have to be a pretty horrible assassin if she did.
"All of that artificial sugar can't be good for you."
He felt his lips twitch into a smile. He hadn't voluntarily done that in a while. Not for a girl his age anyway.
"Oh? And what would you suggest? Some soy latte with real granulated sugar and whole milk?"
But she was already shaking her head and heading back into the kitchen. And coming back with another steaming mug.
"What the heck is this?" he asked apprehensively when she set the mug down in front of him. "Looks weird."
She rolled her eyes. "It's not weird. It's orange tea. It's invigorating, and it doesn't need any of that crap to make it taste good."
"Still looks weird."
She begins to laugh now, and it's so sweet and wonderful that he doesn't want it to stop at all. "You're impossible. Just try it, will you?"
"You like my complaining. I bet you think it's charming."
"I bet your mother thinks it's charming," she shoots back at him. She's obviously smart if she can dish out a retort about as quickly as he can.
"Ouch. Don't go for a cheap shot. That's not ok." He fakes a wounded look, and it makes him happy that she laughs at it.
"Fine. Fine." She holds up her hands, palms up. "Just try it, will you?"
There's a ding in the background.
"That's dinner." She rushes off to get his food, and he can't help but let his eyes inspect the gentle curves in her body, accentuated by the light blue diner uniform she's wearing. It's not a terrible outfit, he muses for the first time. The dress show's off her legs well. While she's gone, he tries the drink. It's good. Citrus-y, he'd describe it as if that was an actual word. Good. He pretends it's not when she comes back though.
She sets the plate down in front of him, and he gets a whiff of the delicious smell. "So how did you like it?"
He shrugs his shoulders, and stuffs a piece of meat in his mouth, chewing it slowly.
She groans, and starts to turn away. "I'll check on you later, ok Hawthorne?"
He swallows quickly. "Wait. What's your name?" She turns back to him, and he really can't believe how desperate that sounded at all. Seriously he sounds like he's back at high school. "You know, so I can get you if I need something."
She smiles. "I'm Madge. Madge Undersee."
It's familiar, the name, but he can't figure out from where. He doesn't give it too much thought.
/
The rest of his meal, he watches her. He tries to be discreet about it, but he really can't help it. She fascinates him. She moves so easily between tables, laughing and joking with customers. She brings some lightness to the meal and she puts her customers at ease, helps them unwind from the tense ride. And do they appreciate it.
Several other boys in the place are checking her out as well. He hates to put himself into the category but God, could he help it? She was perfect. And he was…going to be a coward. No way was he going to ask her out. He wasn't getting her digits and besides she had to be taken, right? No way would anyone sane let her just walk away from them. Though, that's what he was going to do right? But it was different. He had a dangerous job. And almost no time to devote to her. It'd be unfair to the both of them.
It doesn't stop him from concocting the fake conversation in his head though, as he munches dinner and reads without really understanding his file.
"What are you reading?"
He looks up, rather startled that she managed to sneak up on him while he was attempting to pull himself together to try to plan what exactly they can do next.
"Reading a case file for work and failing to figure out a way to take this guy down."
She looks actually impressed and he wonders if it could really be that easy. "So you're a cop?"
He lets another quick laugh escape him. Boy was she good at getting them out of him. "No. I'm a Detective. There's a difference actually, though not many people really know that."
"Oh, my apologies. I'll keep that in mind."
"You better. Now that you know, you can't get out of it if you make the mistake."
"And what happens if I do mistake them again?"
His hand is shaking underneath the table. He swallows hard.
"You'll come arrest me right?" She nudges his shoulder, and then smiles. "I'm just going to leave your check here for you. My shift's up and I have an early day tomorrow."
He nods. There goes his one and only chance. "School in the morning?"
She laughs, and shakes her head. Her hair shimmers. "No. I graduated school two years ago. I teach piano lessons."
"Piano, huh? Impressive Madge."
She smiles, shrugs. "I'll see you around, Detective."
He watched her leave the diner. Then he kicked himself for not making more of an effort. Thank God his mother wasn't there.
/
"Hey sugar, you miss me?"
For some reason, he feels a little spark of disappointment deep in his chest when he hears her voice. Usually, Sae's got a calming influence on him. He can feel secure and almost happy. But he can't lie to himself and say he wasn't hoping he might see Madge again. She'd been…nice.
"So happy to see me, you're speechless. That's a first, won't your mother be disappointed that she wasn't here as a witness."
He rolls his eyes and flashes a smile because it's what he's supposed to do. What he'd normally do. But he doesn't really want to. What he wants to know is where Madge is.
"Case been going well?"
He tips his head. Really, it's been going well, if looking at it in the perspective of an officer chasing a case. But as a human, it's only getting worse. Snow's been connected to the murders of at least twenty three children in the area; a number too high to be acceptable. They've been calling forensics for sample analysis, and looking into Jane Doe and John Smith cases all week. It's why he hasn't gotten back to the diner in a while. He's been so depressed with all this dark news that as soon as he's clocked out he's just gone straight home to bed.
"Been ok. More leads."
She nods thoughtfully and gives him a smile. "I'll be back with your coffee."
"No, wait." He's suddenly nervous and conscience of everything and it's so hard to define why except that he knows that Sae will be able to connect the dots and he doesn't exactly want that when he can't even connect all the dots.
She's just standing there with a look on her face, half amused and half surprised.
"Can I have some orange tea instead?"
She raises an eyebrow. "Since when did you start drinking tea?"
He blushes. Or he figures he's blushing because his cheeks are heating up. He doesn't have a goddamn mirror.
"A friend introduced it to me recently." Which isn't exactly a lie, except he and Madge aren't really friends.
She says nothing. She does something worse. She fucking smiles.
He knows he's done for.
/
The next time he sees Madge Undersee, she's behind the counter at the bar. At first, he starts over toward his regular table as if everything is as per usual. But then he hesitates. Though he's seen her, she hasn't seen him as of yet. She's been too busy wiping down the counter and chewing her bottom lip, too absorbed in her work to notice his entrance. He wants to sit down where he usually is and pretend that there's nothing out of the ordinary. But then he wouldn't be a very good detective if he did. So he switches directions and slips into the seat in front of the counter.
It startles her, and he almost tries to hide a smile when he watches her jump and look at him. And instantly, he sees her smile.
"Detective Hawthorne" she says softly, "it's good to see you here again."
"Miss Undersee," he tips his head. "Always a pleasure."
She smiles, diverts her eyes to the table and begins to scratch at a piece of sauce that's stuck to the table like gorilla glue. "We're being very formal today, aren't we."
He's not very good at talking with girls like this. But he thinks that she's being playful. At least, he hopes he correct in assuming that he hasn't upset her by calling her Miss. He decides to continue to play along. Test the water.
"To be fair, you started it by calling me detective."
"To be fair," she quickly replies "you never told me your name."
"Oh." Now he feels stupid. "It's Gale."
"Gale." The way she says it, it's like she's testing out the word. "I like it."
He smiles. "Thanks. I like it too."
She smiles. "I'll be right back with your coffee."
"I'd prefer some of that orange tea instead, if you don't mind."
She turns on the spot, her hair cascading over her shoulder because of her sudden stop. "I thought you said it was weird" she accuses, hands on her hip.
He shrugs. "When I'm wrong I admit it. And I was mistaken on that point. It's actually pretty good once you get used to it."
She grins at him, an extra-large smile this time. "I'll be back."
He's excited, but nervous and he rubs his palms on his jeans slowly so that he has something to do. It's suddenly really important to him that he move around.
Later, when he gets his order, she jokes with him while rolling some silverware in cloth napkins. He likes that he's entertaining her and that she's totally into their conversation. But then the kid five tables down spills his drink and the glass shatters and his parents start yelling and it's a big mess.
At first he wonders if she'll be upset. He realizes that in her position, he'd probably want to throttle the kid and make him clean it up himself. Instead, she brings over a piece of pie for the kid, and soothes him while scraping up the glass with a small brush. He even catches the kid smiling and flirting. It's cute. And it's pretty goddamn amazing that she handled the situation the way she did.
When he leaves, he catches himself looking back at her, even giving her a little wave and a tip of his hat. As he pushes open the door he has the vague vision of what might have happened if he had chosen to stay just a little bit longer.
/
His mother notices that something has changed before he does. She's making her weekly call, just to confirm that he hadn't starved himself to death or been kidnapped, although at 6'2 it'd be pretty damn hard to get kidnapped he ruefully thinks.
"You seem overly happy," she brings up after their formalities and their talk on the weather. He'd be in the middle of telling her about this wicked paintball game he'd done with some of the guys from the department, just as a way to relax and de-stress. Normally he wouldn't be into something that sounded so lame when inserted into a casual conversation. But everyone had agreed they'd needed something to do besides focus on the case when tensions rose to a fever pitch at work. And there was nothing like shooting something.
He quickly diverts the conversation after quickly telling his mother that it's nothing really, only the promise of a promotion and pay upgrade. He doesn't really believe that he's changed much. He assumes that it's because his mother doesn't see him very often since he's moved away to practically the other side of the country.
Until he finds a blonde piece of hair reposing upon his pillow.
He's confused at first. Clearly, it's not from his fucking head. But then of course he smells the faint stench of perfume lingering in the room like stale air and he supposes it must have been from the girl he met at a bar last night. Or the night before. Or last week. Which is strange because he's always been into brunettes.
And then he thinks maybe, maybe he has changed just a little.
/
It's Wednesday. Hump day. The worst day in the history of days. His main man Cornelius Snow has jumped ship and ran for it. Behind him are a long string of deaths. His latest: Finnick Odair. Poor kid was ripped apart. Looked like it had been a message and he can't help but feel responsible because they had been conversing, always on the down low. It makes him wonder if maybe there was a fucking insider that he'd have to worry about now.
So yeah, he's pissed and on edge. Maybe he's gripping the steering wheel too tightly. And it's raining too. So it's not really his fault that he jumps in his seat and almost hits the girl walking along the side of the road when she just comes out of fucking nowhere. She's walking too close to the shoulder of the road, like she doesn't have a care in the world, like she owns the goddamn road.
He's charitable. So he rolls down the window to tell her to move over so she doesn't get hit by an asshole. He'll clearly omit the fact that he almost hit her too. But when he hits the brake and sticks his head toward the window, he pauses. Because there's a wet piece of hair sticking out from the hood of her sweatshirt and it's blonde and even wet it shines in the light.
It's Madge fucking Undersee.
"Undersee!"
At first he thinks that she can't hear him because she clearly doesn't act like she heard him. But then she slows and turns around and her whole face lights up and he's surprised that the rain hasn't stopped and the moon hasn't peaked out from the thunderous clouds.
"Detective Hawthorne," she smiles at him. Still acting like there's nothing wrong or even weird about walking along the busiest road in town in the middle of a downpour.
"What are you doing walking home in weather like this?"
She tilts her head a little, and more hair spills out like liquid gold. "I'm finding myself suddenly dispossessed of a ride home so I'm walking." Her mouth suddenly sets into a thin line and she's gripping his car in a tight grip. "You know, I'm not some damsel that just withers when something goes wrong right?"
He shakes his head. "I knew that since I met you Madge. What happened?"
She shrugs. "I broke up with my boyfriend and he kicked me out of the car."
He feels the deep frown etching onto his face. What a fucking idiot. Why would you break up with someone like that? But of course he'd never say something like that ever because he doesn't do gutsy, rash things. Not anymore.
"Need a ride?"
She doesn't really reply. Not really. She just gets in the car, and winces when her shoes squelch on the floor of his car.
"Where to?"
"1274 Wilshire Boulevard."
The address sounds really familiar to him, but he can't really figure out where he's heard it before. "Sure, that's on my way home."
She laughs, and shakes her head. "No, it's not. You were going southbound, toward the apartment complexes on 125th street. You'll have to turn two blocks from now and go the opposite direction. But thanks for trying."
He nods and feels pleased with himself that he's able to get her to smile at him. He didn't know if he could get her to do that on a night like tonight. Hell, he didn't think he'd be able to crack a joke but Madge Undersee gets her to do some things he never thought he'd ever do.
They drive in silence for a while. Periodically, he turns to look at her face when he knows that she isn't paying attention. The unnatural color that the stop lights paint onto her face make her look ethereal but beautiful. He thinks, without a doubt, she's the most beautiful girl he's ever had inside his car. She makes him nervous.
But it's not until he pulls up to her house…no. Mansion that he realizes who she is and why he knew her address and why her name was so familiar.
"Your father is the Mayor."
She rolls her eyes. "Correct. You may pass go and collect 200 dollars."
He frowns. "Why are you working at a diner if your father is the mayor? You could have any job in the district."
She whips around at him and her eyes are all fire and brimstone and god he'd be dead if she could do that by just glaring at him.
"Because I'm my own person Gale and I can succeed on my own terms."
She starts to reach for the door handle, but for the first time he gets some insane courage and he pulls her back around to face him.
"I know. I know you're not your father. I shouldn't…I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it."
She frowns but she doesn't pull away from him so there's something. And he's finally able to feel how silky and soft her skin is. He's wanted to do that. "You said it though. Everybody says it. That's why Cato and I broke up."
He doesn't like the name Cato. At all. "I think he's an incredible idiot to let you walk away from him, Madge."
"Really? Why's that?"
He blushes. This is it. Sink or swim. "Because…because you're incredible. You're caring. And hardworking and witty and smart. And you're so beautiful."
And now he's sure his face is as deep a shade of read as a plum. And he's waiting for her to just laugh and leave. Or smack him.
Then she brushes her lips against his, and his eyes snap open. He didn't realize that they had gotten so close.
"I have to get in. Daddy will be waiting."
He nods. "Wait there. Please."
He gets out of the car. He can't believe it. He's so happy he could fly. He can't stop smiling and he's fumbling with his keys. He wants to unlock the trunk and get out an umbrella for her but he can't so at the end of it all he just holds her hand and leads her up to her door.
She gives him her number. He promises to call. She kisses his cheek.
He thinks maybe he knows why Peeta would settle down now.
/
Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked it! It just sort of popped into my head and it was really only supposed to be like a two pages but it got so much bigger than that. Hopefully you found it bearable. Shoot me a review so I know how I did! I appreciate every reader. Thanks so much for giving it a chance :)
Josh