Whoa sorry it took so long. Prom and graduation and writer's block. That's what I'm blaming. This is sort of M chapter cause of events.

Autumn-robin: Thank you!

Night Owl: Thank you so much!

Sugar C: Thank you! Yeah it was good. I guilty already have Chapter 8 written. hehehe.

Fictiongal232: Thanks for reading!

Adam: Go away.

Guest: I love Thom and Bristel. LIKE TONS. :)

Day 3

When Madge awoke in the morning she was alone. It was the maids and Casper's day off. Her father was taking her mother to her weekly therapy sessions in the Capitol. Her father said it helped her, Madge thought it made her worse. She didn't want to talk about her problems.

She got out of bed and yawned. Madge stood up and let herself slide on the wooden floor. She opened her drawer and pulled out a bright pink romper. She pulled on a light colored jean jacket and green sandals. In the kitchen she pulled her hair into a messy bun and searched the cupboards.

Madge thought about heading over to the bakery but Peeta would probably ask about Gale. She sighed and leaned against the counter. The large fridge stood across from her. She pulled open the doors and took out the orange juice. Just as she was taking out a glass there was a knock on the back door.

Madge put away the orange juice and the glass and waited until there was another knock. She wandered out to the hall. She looked outside and was surprised to see Gale. He was rocking on his heels. She opened her door and smiled. "Hey." He beamed and let himself in.

Madge moved out of his way and closed the door behind him. He held up a bag in his right hand. "Strawberries." He winked.

"Thanks. I was just thinking about breakfast." She took the bag into the kitchen. He followed and leaned against the doorway watching her grab out a bowl and the sugar. "What?" She smiled and rinsed the berries under cool water.

"Nothing," he laughed and walked up behind her. His hands smoothed over her hips and his lips grazed her neck.

"Liar…" She turned off the water and put the strawberries into the bowl. She pushed past him and went into the dining room. She pulled out a chair for him. She handed him a fork and together they stabbed at the fruit.

"How did you sleep?" He asked with a mouthful of strawberry.

"Fine, you?"

"Good." She looked over at him and smiled.

"What do you have going on today?" He asked and she raised an eyebrow.

"This, obviously." He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Fine then would like you to come over to my house?" She was surprised by the offer.

"Sure. I would love that." He nodded.

"What have you done so far today?"

"This…" He nodded.

"I guessed that."

"How?" She giggled.

"I don't know- lucky guess?" He smiled and nudged her hand.

"What have you done so far today?" She glared and smirked.

"Hunted. And got this." He rolled up his shirt and showed her a nasty scrap. "On the fence."

"Gale!" She cried and set down her fork. He shrugged.

"It's not so bad."

"It needs to be cleaned out, come on." She dragged him out of his chair and up the stairs.

"It doesn't need anything." He said and sighed as she pushed him back on the bed.

"Yes it does. Wait here." Madge ran back into the hall and pulled open the closet door. Her hands waved in front of her as she searched the shelves for the first aid kit. She found the large package on the bottom shelf. She dragged it along the floor and back into her bedroom.

"Wow." He said and crossed his arms, "Nurse Madge to the rescue." She stuck her tongue out and struggled to bring the kit onto her fluffy mattress. Gale took it from her and set by his hip with little effort. Madge stuck her tongue out once more.

"You don't want that to get infected, you'll feel awful." She said and rubbed her forehead. He raised an eyebrow but let her pop open the plastic lid and shuffle through the supplies. Her eyes lit up as she picked out the materials she needed.

"I could do all of this at home." He said, absentmindedly pulling at her comforter. She sighed.

"Gale…" She warned and narrowed her eyes. He chuckled.

"Sorry Nurse." He winked and held up his arm. She watched his face as she dragged the disinfectant. He barely moved. She laughed. "What?" He asked and looked over at her.

"Nothing." She said and rubbed some cream along the scrap with a cue-tip. Finally she plastered a beige bandage over the whole thing and smoothed the edges down. "What do you think?" She asked and chewed at her bottom lip.

Gale looked at it critically before smiling and pecking her cheek, "Perfection." She blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." She pulled a stand of her hair behind her ear.

"Like you, Nurse Madge." She snorted. "Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah… let's put the dishes into the sink and the rest of the berries away." They poked at each other as they walked down the stairs and back into the dining room. Gale carried the bowl and Madge carried the bag. They smiled as they separated to opposite sides of the kitchen.

Finally Gale was opening the side door and escorting Madge down the walk and out of the gates. The town was busy. Madge smiled up at him. They took the path behind the store fronts and entered the seam.

Gale knocked on the crumbling door and entered, pulling Madge in by her hand. His mother was drying dishes with a coal stained towel and a young girl with long dark hair was sitting on the floor by her with a rag doll. A mini Gale who looked Prim's age and another brother were fencing with sticks in the middle of the room.

They all stopped like they were frozen in time. The girl's eyes widened to saucers. The youngest boy dropped his stick and his jaw slackened. The other boy smirked. Gale's mother smiled gently. Madge hid further behind Gale or, at least, she tried. Gale moved her out in front of him.

"This is Madge." She tried to smile but her bottom lip quivered. She wasn't for being the center of strangers' attention.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Hazelle." His mother said warmly and moved on to the next dish.

"I finally get to meet Gale's Madge. Man he hasn't stopped talking about you." The boy carrying the long stick said. He set the make-shift sword on the couch. "He even talks in his sleep about you."

"That's enough, Rory." Gale grumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. Rory snickered. "That's Posy." He gestured to the girl on the floor. She scrambled up to her chubby legs and brought over her doll. "That's Vick." He nodded to the boy behind Rory.

"Hello." Madge said to the family. Gale squeezed her hip. After that it wasn't so awkward. Gale led her to a seat at the table and the kids molded around her. They asked her simple questions, like what her favorite things were.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Hazelle asked, wiping her hands on a ripped apron. Madge looked over at Gale.

"Yeah, Ma. If it isn't too much of an inconvenience." Gale answered for her.

"I don't wish to intrude." Madge said, standing. Gale coaxed her to sit down.

"You won't." Hazelle smiled and set Madge's place for her. Hazelle set a tan bowl of ration biscuits in the center of the table. It took all of Posy's efforts not to reach for one; Madge could tell by the way the little girl's tongue darted out.

Madge can't help to have a sinking feeling in her stomach. If she knew they were having dinner she would have brought something. Possibly tarts or salad. Hazelle placed a dark round plate onto the table. It displayed what looked like crab cakes.

"It smells delicious." Madge said, smiling.

"We make do." Hazelle said and moved back to get a bowl of plain backed potatoes. It seemed like it was Gale's job to distribute food. Madge hardly thought about how her portion was the smallest. She understood.

Posy finally got her biscuit and she smiled triumphantly up at Madge. Madge let the others have one but Gale set one on her plate in the end. Her hands rested on her lap along with all the others. She wondered if they all waited to get food, then they eat together.

"Let's say Grace." Hazelle said and nodded at Vick. He turned bright red and looked over at Madge. They folded their hands in front of them and bent their heads down.

"Help this food for us be blessed, give us good health, and our daily bread. Never let the monsters get us from under our beds." Gale restrained a snort but Rory didn't try to hide his.

"Thank you, Vick." Hazelle said kindly. Madge stuck her fork in the breaded cake and pulled it apart. Steam and meat fell out in chunks. Her mouth watered. She watched the others take a bite. Gale watched her take a bite.

Madge had to hold back a groan. The meat was tender and full of herb and spice. "What kind of meat is this?" She asked wiping her chin. Madge volunteered to help with the dishes and Gale took over Hazelle's spot.

Gale kissed her forehead and handed her a plate to dry. "What are we going to do after this?" He asked quietly and placed the newly dried plate into a rickety cupboard.

"We could back to my house, no one is home. It gets lonely." She admitted.

"Why are you home alone?" He asked bringing out another plate for her to dry.

"My parents are in the Capitol with Casper." She said and took the plate from him. Dragging her cloth over the top of it.

"What are they doing in the Capitol?" He continued. She sighed. "If you don't mind me asking, of course." She raised an eyebrow.

"My mother sees a doctor there." She turned the plate over and scrubbed.

"Is she sick?" He asked worriedly.

"I would say she's more weak than sick. Like mentally." Madge said and set the plate up in the cupboard.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Gale said quietly. "That must be hard."

"I'm used to taking care of her. It's not too much of a burden." Gale smiled sadly and moved away from the sink to dry his hands.

"My hands were getting cold." He laughed and moved back to hand her another plate. They were silent after that. Making communication with only their wandering eyes and hands. It was pitch black when they finished with the dishes.

The rest of the family was in the living room. Hazelle was mending a gray shirt with a patch; Posy was talking to Vick quickly her little mouth moving with funny words and phrases. Vick moved a train with wooden wheels back and forth on the floor.

Rory looked up from his busted game bag and raised an eyebrow. "Headed out?" He asked the two of them.

"Yeah, that okay?" Gale smirked.

"Oh sure… it's okay." Rory said wagging his eyebrows. Madge tried to fight the butterflies in her stomach.

"Don't wait up, Ma." Gale said and grabbed a jacket.

"I won't." She smiled and waved to Madge, "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure was mine, really." Madge said looking around at the happy family. Gale led her out the door and out into the gravel street. The lights were dim to none in the seam and Gale had to drag her along.

Gale couldn't help but walk fast through the dark but Madge was having a hard time keeping up with his long strides. "Slow down." She whispered.

"Sorry." He chuckled and slowed his pace. Madge took his hand instead of his sturdy grip on her arm. She guessed he was smiling down at her by the way his breath found her forehead. It wasn't as dark in town when they approached it.

Gale took the path she always took behind the shops. As they were weaving around the bend, Gale bumped into someone. Madge froze, fearful it was a Peacekeeper. "Sorry." Gale muttered and drew Madge behind him.

"It's not problem…" Someone's sly voice said. It raised the hair on Madge's neck. She looked around to see a man taller than Gale. He looked as though he was seam with dark hair and skin. Gale shuffled them forward but Madge couldn't help looking back.

The man was biting into an apple watching them disappear around the bend. She looked up at Gale, "did you know him?" She asked.

"Unfortunately." Gale muttered with a hard jaw.

"Who is he?" Madge wondered.

"Trouble." Gale sneered. "Don't go out at night alone." She raised her eyebrows but said no more. Madge unlocked the side door of the dark mansion and led Gale in by the hem of his coat. She flicked on the hall light.

Gale dropped his coat on the bench by the door and pulled Madge to him. He lowered his lips onto her neck and grazed his nose across her collarbone. She cleared her throat and tried to move away from him. "Sorry." He smirked and let her go.

"It's fine." She pulled on her hair and sat back on the couch. He wandered over and sat next to her. "I'm just not sure what I'm doing." Gale laughed and pulled her closer.

"That's alright." He murmured and pulled her hair away from her face. His lips were warm under her ear and they dragged across her cheek and over the bridge of her nose. Madge closed her eyes and sighed. She could get used to this.

Her lips reached up to find his. They molded together and Gale pulled on her hip, drawing her closer than before. Madge pulled on the ends of his hair and turned, trying to feel the most of him against her. Gale sighed and his hands roamed the length of her body.

He moved her down the couch gently and laid her back. Gale started playing with the fabric of the romper. Her eyes were closed and she tried to envision the events that were to come. She was nervous. The heat radiating off his body rose Goosebumps on the skin exposed to the air around her.

His shirt found the floor and she found warm skin under her hand when she reached up to him. He pulled on her romper. "Can I take this off?" He whispered into the crook of her neck. She nodded slowly. He dragged it down over her strapless gray bra and along her stomach.

She turned her head away from him. Her eyes were still closed but she didn't want him to see her blazing cheeks. The Goosebumps followed his hands. He lingered on her ribcage, feeling the swell of her breathing and the smooth skin under her bra.

She trembled. He chuckled, his slight stubble scratching the skin. She subconsciously arched her back towards him. Gale took the opportunity to take the romper down along her legs and onto the floor next to his shirt.

His fingers pulled at the elastic of her bra. She turned her head back into the pillow trying to make him slow down. He didn't ask if it was alright. Gale pulled her forward and unlatched the back. It bunched up on her chest and she was forced to ditch it.

Now she could feel her cheeks and the skin bubbling in the dark. He was crushing her lower body. She could feel him through the harsh jeans rubbing against her naked legs. The belt buckle dug into her abdomen.

Without thinking Madge unhooked the belt around his waist and pulled it through the loops. Gale was lazily kissing and nipping at her throat. She tried to force the button of his jeans but her hands were shaking. He helped her.

She heard the zipper and she could feel herself curling up. "Relax." He whispered above her and ran a finger over her breast. How was she supposed to relax? She focused on her breathing. As he fell away from her and the jeans were on the ground, her breathing was lost in thought.

A mew bubbled up in her throat as he touched her and pulled at her cotton underwear. It wasn't usual that someone would stop by to check on her but Madge could see it happening today. "Are you okay?" Gale whispered to her chin as she felt the skin against skin.

"I don't know." She whispered back. Was that an okay answer? He chuckled and it vibrated through her skin into her furiously beating heart. Was he going to stop and help her figure it out? Gale pulled her underwear down and that was enough of an answer for Madge.

"Tell me if I'm going too fast." He whispered and his lips pulled on her ear. The words died on her lips and she arched her back towards his fingers. "Should we go somewhere more comfortable?" Madge found herself nodding.

Gale hoisted her up and carried her limp body up the stairs. The stairs creaked under their weight and the door brought a breeze to Madge's face as it opened. Her room was warm and the sheets looked inviting. He lowered her down onto the pillows.

Somehow they were naked. Madge tried to think back to when she was clothed but her head pounded painfully. Gale was groping at her chest and whispering things into her ear. All she could do was stare at the ceiling. "Ready?" Her brain turned sideways in thought.

Was she going to faint? Madge could feel the blood draining from her head and the tears fogging her eyes. Her body shook uncontrollably. The room felt like it was shifting. She might throw up on him. Stretching and burning that's all it was.

"STOP." She cried and pulled on his arms. "No, please. Stop." He froze and she could feel his breaths and pounding heart.

"Sorry." He breathed and moved her hair out of her eyes. He moved inside her and she screamed.

"I told you to stop!" Gale was shaking now.

"Madge…" He stuttered. "You didn't say anything." Her legs ached. Her head ached. People do this for fun? He shifted again but this time it wasn't searing pain that numbed her.

"Oh…" She mewed and her eyes fluttered open. Gale's eyes were wide and dilated. He raised an eyebrow.

"Better?" He whispered and ducked to take her lips.

"Much…" She groaned. Gale flopped over a while later. Their bodies confused by the cool air around them.

"My arms." He groaned and waved them. Madge snickered.

"Who's strong now?" She grinned. He looked over and glared.

"Easy for you to say. You just laid there and looked beautiful. That's not hard." She shrugged. Gale pulled back the sheets and the two climbed back and tangled together in a fit of limbs. Madge tried to keep her eyes open.

When her eyes peeled open it was morning. Gale's head was peeking out from under a pillow and his back rose and fell with heavy sleeping breaths. Madge blinked up at the ceiling and raveled in the memory of last night's events.

So yeah... not the best but pretty good. Review! :D

Erin