Chapter Two: Stretch or Taut

A/N: Thanks to RoryFaller and Belle543and for their support and betas. As always, thank you to Swishy Willow Wand for her brilliant initial idea.

Disclaimer: I do not own the HG trilogy or any of the characters created by Suzanne Collins, although I sure wish I did.

Tetanus: (from Ancient Greek: tetanos "taut", and teinein "to stretch") is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers.

The departure of Fawn the Flirty receptionist was met with a sigh of relief and a hearty round of applause. Fawn did manage to snag herself a man, an electronics engineer from District Three. Ira was a regular at the medical center and his file was as thick as Madge's hand. The balding hypochondriac was thoroughly smitten with his "little sparkplug" and got Fawn a job as a receptionist in his division. Fawn gave no notice when she left, which thrilled the rest of the staff. Her time at the medical center was brief and she would not be missed.

That was, until the arrival of Mona the Miserable receptionist. With her questionable personal hygiene, grating voice and sour disposition, Mona made Fawn look like Employee of the Year and everyone missed Fawn very much. At least Fawn was pleasant and got some work done, whereas Mona's main activities were snarling at patients, criticizing staff, agonizing over her latest imagined ailment and analyzing her last fight with her on-again-off-again boyfriend. Those activities only occurred when she took a break from complaining about…everything. The coffee. The room temperature. The width of the desk. The firmness of the chair. The color of the waiting room. The smell of the copier. The texture of the paper. Nothing was off limits and she irritated everyone, especially Madge.

Madge liked to think that she was a tolerant human being. She was patient. She was kind. She was willing to cut someone a break if they were having a bad day. However, the day Mona complained about Madge "coddling the patients" was the last straw. Mona was easily the most wretched human being Madge had ever met and her blood pressure skyrocketed as soon as she heard Mona's nasal whine. The medical center was a far cry from a calm and therapeutic place of healing and Madge's nerves were shot.

It was the end of a very long week for the entire staff. There was an overabundance of patients and the staff members were working 12 hour days. Mona reluctantly agreed to stay late, triggering new complaints about her fibromyalgia and bunions. Four more fun filled hours to spend with Mona not answering the phones or checking the patients in. At least she converts air to carbon dioxide, Madge thought.

The longer work hours gave Mona extra time to ramp up the tension in the office, which appeared to be her newest diversion from actually doing her job. Her first week, she gave everyone "pet names." The pet name she bestowed upon Madge was "Blondie," which was one of the less obnoxious ones she gave out. Even so, it set Madge's teeth on edge. In general, she hated nicknames. Her entire life, all she ever wanted to be called was Madge.

Mona now criticized each and every member of the nursing staff. Pluto's charts were messy. Lucina didn't spend enough time with patients; Madge spent too much time with them. Phoebe and Calliope were not speaking to each other because Mona told Phoebe that Calliope said she was fat. Juno wasn't talking to anyone because…well, no one knew why Juno wasn't talking to anyone because JUNO WASN"T TALKING TO ANYONE. Neptune was the only member of the staff who could do no wrong, but that was only because he was fairly new. By Friday morning, the tension was as high as one of Effie Trinket's wigs and Madge's mood that day was as foul as Mona's body odor.

It didn't help matters that the day held special significance for Madge. Had the District 12 mayor not died in the bombing of the District, that day would have been James Undersee's 65 birthday. Madge was especially close to her father and she felt his loss keenly. Maia Donner Undersee was bedridden and heavily sedated for the majority of her daughter's life, effectively leaving James Undersee to raise Madge on his own. He doted on his only child and spoiled her where he could, frequently bringing her ribbons and trinkets when he was forced to travel to the Capitol. While her father wasn't an overly affectionate man, he always seemed to know when Madge needed a hug and she really needed one right now. She seriously doubted if anyone would ever care that much about her again.

That morning, Madge's very last ribbon from her father unraveled to the point where it was now unwearable. Somehow she managed to stuff down the sob that threatened to escape from her chest and gently placed the frayed remnants of the light blue silk ribbon in a small box on her dresser. Madge was no stranger to putting her own feelings aside and doing her duty. Today her duty was taking care of the sick men, women and children of District 13, so she tied her hair back with a standard issue plain brown hair elastic and headed out the door.

Treating a hypochondriac was very different from working with one for five days a week and, in the four weeks she had worked in the medical center, Mona had diagnosed herself with no less than 12 rare and deadly diseases. This morning it was the Bubonic Plague. Since Madge had drawn the short straw on Wednesday when Mona was positive that the boil on her butt was really a malignant melanoma, Madge was temporarily off the hook. Neptune was up to bat today, and he would most certainly fall from Mona's good graces today when he told her that she most certainly did not have the Bubonic Plague. Madge overheard Mona say, "Just don't give me to Princess Madge over there," as she launched into a tirade about what an awful nurse Madge was. She plastered on a tight smile and headed in to Exam Room 1 to see her first patient.

It took a rusty nail for Rory Hawthorne to become the hit of the medical center waiting room. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a group of gorgeous female nursing students who were waiting for their instructor to appear and they thought his injury was fascinating. The teenager, who looked older than his 14 years, loved every minute of it. He couldn't believe his luck when his older brother deposited himself in the far corner of the waiting room and buried his nose in a book.

Gale was just happy that Rory finally relented and agreed to get the tetanus shot. They argued about everything anymore, and the injury was no exception. It had somehow degenerated into the same old accusations from Rory. Stop telling me what to do. You're never here. You don't know any of us anymore. Once again, Hazelle intervened and talked Rory into visiting the medical center.

Once again, Gale's good intentions were misinterpreted. To Rory, it was Gale telling him what to do. To Gale, it was trying to take care of someone he loved more than life itself. The soldier had seen the end result of untreated tetanus and it was the last thing he wanted for his cocky little brother. The lockjaw, muscle spasms, difficulty in swallowing, fevers, sweating, and racing heart rate—tetanus wasn't pretty. Although the lockjaw might shut him up for two seconds, he thought.

Gale and Rory hadn't been getting along lately, their relationship deteriorating dramatically over the last year. The usual teenage angst bullshit, the counselor for their housing sector had called it. Not that Gale was ever a usual teenager or had the luxury of behaving like one. He loved his brother, but he resented that Rory didn't appreciate how good he had it. His life would be so much easier than Gale's, but all Rory did was complain about being underground. The kid was careless and sloppy. No discipline, Gale thought. Rory, on the other hand, resented how distant and angry Gale had become.

The flirty receptionist was replaced by a miserable one, who barely gave Gale a second glance when they arrived for their appointment. He had decided to let Rory bask in the glow of his new admirers and slunk off a too-small chair off to the side of the room. Gale's nerves were stretched pretty thin after his first session with the base shrink. Post traumatic stress my ass, he thought. Let me go shoot something and then I won't be stressed, he griped. The muscles in his back and neck were tight, which only added to his discomfort.

When his name was called, Rory reluctantly extricated himself from the gaggle of girls. Gale silently trailed behind; not only had he promised his mother that he would make sure Rory went to the infirmary, he now had to make sure he actually got the shot. The receptionist, a razor-thin, elderly woman named Mona, was intently reading an article about the Bubonic Plague and barely acknowledged them as they shuffled by her, Gale's trademark scowl firmly in place.

"Well, we meet again, Soldier Hawthorne," Madge said, as she entered the examination room. She smiled briefly at Gale, who found his scowl slowly replaced by a smile. He suddenly found himself looking at Madge as he never had before. She doesn't look right, he thought as he again folded himself in to yet another too-small chair. There was a hint of dark circles under her eyes and she looked tight as a bow string.

Slim folder in hand, she sat down in front of Rory and smiled at him. "Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm from D-12 too. I'm Madge," she introduced herself to her young patient. "It says here that you stepped on a rusty nail?" she asked. Rory was stunned speechless. "I don't know if you remember me?" he thought. Not remember the mayor's daughter? Rory could only nod at the beautiful woman who gently removed his shoe and was now examining where the rusty nail had punctured his foot earlier that day. After a cursory examination of the wound, Madge left the room to get the tetanus shot and supplies to clean and properly bandage Rory's wound.

Rory let out a low wolf whistle and said, "Damn, I should step on rusty nails more often!" Gale glared at him and smacked him in the back of the head. "That is Madge UNDERSEE, dumbass," he snarled. "Mind your manners," he added. He didn't like the way his brother was looking at Madge, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

When Madge returned to the room, she immediately began working on Rory. The young woman was effectively ignoring Gale, so he allowed himself to really look at her. Madge wore the same drab gray dress as last time, but she had repaired the ripped pocket. He could tell that she had done it herself by the uneven, awkward stitches and, for some reason, he was proud of her for that. She wore sensible, flat black shoes and worn woolen black tights, which did little to disguise her long, shapely legs. A standard issue medical personnel watch and tiny silver stud earrings were her only jewelry. No wedding or engagement ring, Gale observed. Her golden hair was pulled back in to a low ponytail, but some stray wisps framed her face. There were definitely dark circles under her baby blue eyes and she looked pale. He could tell that her smile and cheery demeanor were forced. Gale Hawthorne knew tense and this woman was wound pretty darn tight.

Madge quickly drew up the medication from the glass vial and gathered up the necessary supplies, including a pair of stainless steel crutches. She directed all of her comments to Rory, treating him like an adult. This also impressed Gale. When Gale was Rory's age, he hated when the adults talked about him as though he wasn't even there. He swore that when he was the adult, he would never do that. It looked as though Madge was a kindred spirit in that respect.

"I'm so glad that you had the good sense to come in here, Rory," Madge said as she prepared his bicep for the shot. "Tetanus is nothing to play around with," she added, as she grimly described results of untreated tetanus in excruciating detail. She explained to him about lockjaw and the muscle spasms, which become worse as the disease takes hold. "These convulsions can be so severe that they can fracture the spine," she said. She knows her stuff, Gale thought.

At this point Gale almost thought Rory might already have lockjaw, because the teenager was rendered mute the minute Madge touched him. All he could do was simply nod his head violently, as he hung on to the pretty nurse's every word. Rory didn't even flinch when she gave him the shot; simply smiling like an idiot as Madge gently patted his arm and praised him for his bravery.

Madge handed the discharge instructions to Rory, but she acknowledged Gale at this point. "Rory, you're going to be a little sore around the injection site, so here is some acetaminophen," she said. Madge gave them extra supplies and told them how often to change the dressing. Rory was hanging on her every word, which made Gale smirk. Madge detailed some of the other potential side effects and made sure that the brothers understood the signs of an allergic reaction. Rory was still mute and could only nod his head, leaving Gale to handle the rest of the paperwork.

"No hair ribbon, Undersee?" Gale asked teasingly, as Madge began cleaning up her table. She tensed up suddenly and slammed the box of 4x4s down on the table. The calm, cool nurse was gone and a very angry woman replaced her. Madge was eye level with Gale now that he was sitting down. She whirled around to glare at Gale, knocking the table hard. For the first time in a long while, Gale was afraid.

"Madge. MY. NAME. IS. MADGE," she ground out, eyes blazing. "Not Undersee. Not Princess. Not Blondie. It's Madge," she spat. "While we're at it, wipe that stupid smirk off your face! These discharge instructions are important, the least you could do is pretend like you give a damn if your brother's foot gets infected," she yelled. Madge was on a roll and everything came out. "I'm a damn good nurse and I work my ass off here. I'm not a princess! I take care of myself! My father isn't here to give me ribbons anymore," she yelled.

Rory gasped, which snapped Madge out of her rage. It was then that she suddenly realized that the saline had spilled from the table and contents of the box of 4x4s, gauze and ointment were right in the middle of the puddle. The precious supplies were ruined and she was horrified by her own behavior. Madge suddenly dropped to her knees to clean up the mess and attempt to regain her dignity.

Gale hadn't meant to upset her, but he could tell he had touched a nerve. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Why did I say that? He mentally berated himself. Gale knelt down to help her clean up and gently took hold of her elbow. "Madge," he started. When she didn't look at him, he put his finger under her chin and turned her head towards him. He could see that she had tears in her blue eyes and that she was struggling to maintain her composure. "I'm sorry. You're right; I should call you by your name. You ARE a good nurse and I can tell that you work hard here," as he pulled her up in to a standing position and then sat her in the chair. Gale briefly turned to Rory and nodded towards the door, before he finished cleaning up the mess.

"Um, thank you for the extra supplies and for the information, Madge," Rory said as he hopped down from the examination table. "I promise I'll keep my foot clean and everything," he added as he hobbled out to the waiting room on his new crutches, leaving Gale and Madge alone. Something else was going on between his brother and the nurse and Rory was not about to stick around and find out.

Gale scooped up the last of the ruined supplies and dropped them in the trash can. He returned to his kneeling position in front of the silent, shattered woman and gently took her hands in his. The tension had been replaced by an awkward silence, which was just as bad as far as Gale was concerned. The floor was hard and his knees were killing him in this position, but he didn't care. He could easily see Madge's eyes from this vantage and he didn't want to look away. She needed someone and he desperately wanted it to be him.

"It's just that you had—have—such beautiful hair and you always had such pretty ribbons in your hair when we were kids," Gale said quietly, trying to explain himself. Madge closed her eyes for a few seconds, collecting herself. "That was a very long time ago," she whispered and her gaze returned to the floor.

"I'm sorry about your parents," he said softly. "I don't think I've ever had the chance to tell you that. Your father was a good man," he added. It was true. Mayor Undersee was a fair man who had done his level best to protect them from the Capital. Like so many other good people in District 12, he did the best he could with what he had to work with. "I know he would be really proud of you, Madge," Gale said, sincerely.

With that last statement, Madge looked up and met Gale's intense gaze. "Today would have been his 65th birthday," she said, slowly. "It feels good to say it out loud, to say it to someone who actually knew him and appreciated how hard he tried," she added. Gale could see the tension lift a bit and she almost smiled. "My father called me his princess and he always said 'Princesses should have pretty things.' He was the one who gave me the ribbons and he's gone and so are they," she said. Gale realized what he had done, albeit unintentionally. "I'm nobody's princess now," she whispered, as the tears began to fall.

Instinctively, he took Madge in his arms, enveloping her in a hug. She cried as Gale held her. This feels right, Gale thought. When she was done crying, a gentle smile lit up her features. It was a true smile, a real one and Gale felt good. Madge kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "thank you," before leaving the room for her next patient.

Gale meandered out to the waiting room to collect Rory. He even chuckled when he saw that Rory was being held hostage by Mona, who was regaling him with her "brush with death" at the hands of "that incompetent boob, Neptune."

"Come on bro, you know this place better than I do and I need your help with something," Gale said as he rescued Rory from the evil clutches of Mona the Miserable. Rory smiled at him and Gale knew that they were going to be OK.

At the end of the day, Mona handed Madge an envelope addressed to "Miss Madge Undersee." Inside it was a 5 yard reel of 3/8" light blue silk ribbon with a note. It said:

Madge,

You'll always be a princess to me and your dad was right, princesses should have pretty things.

Until next time,

Gale

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