The night before the people from the Capitol are scheduled to come, Gale watches a parachute float right into Rory's hands. Inside the box is a tiny syringe that must have cost a fortune. Katniss and Peeta must have done something spectacular. The swelling in Madge's ankle immediately lessens and she seems more alert. It's a small comfort, watching her write more names on the wall. Snow must be furious. There are only eight tributes left in the games: Rory, Madge, Annie, Trevor, both from Two, and the brother and sister from Eight. The ones from Two have systematically cut down the other tributes, while the rest are barely getting by. Their backpack had been filled with rations, a lucky find in the barren city landscape of the arena, but their supply is running out.

Gale can tell that Rory is exhausted and part of him wants to tell Madge to let the kid rest- but he knows that they have to keep vigilant. Madge is still ill, and probably hallucinating, and the ones from Two are getting frustrated with finding them all. The brother and sister from Eight have been hiding underneath the city the entire time, but Gale doesn't think the girl will last another day there. They're actually lost, and can't find an exit.

His mother makes him go to bed, and takes his post, because when the cameras come, he's the one who has to be ready to put on a show.

-oOo-

When the cameras come to Twelve, Gale meets his 'girlfriend's' father at the Justice Building. He meets him for about two seconds and then he's whisked away by some short man with a flaming wig.

In a whirlwind of activity, he's primped and plucked by a crew of teal skinned goons, given a list of questions to choose from, placed in some room he didn't know existed, and now he's waiting for the cameramen to come.

Gale taps his fingers on the armrest of the chair he's been seated in and it bothers him, having to talk to these kinds of people- these people who like to watch children die. But he'll do whatever it takes to get Rory some help. And Madge.

He owes Madge this, at least.

He manages to hold in his scathing comments when the people from the Capitol come in and talk like he isn't even there. They talk about the latest fashions and trends and about parties and people he couldn't care less about.

The man with the flaming hair from earlier sits across from him and a big guy with a strange mustache holds the camera.

"So, Gale, how does it feel to have the love of your life and your little brother in the Games?"

Gale settles his glare on the microphone and manages to grit out, "Not too great."

"Yeah, tough luck-"

Gale laughs, "Luck? Ha! You've got to be kidding me."

Samuel, the interviewer, raises an orange brow and pushes the microphone closer to Gale.
"What do you mean?"

"The reaping this year was ridiculous. The odds weren't in my favor, were they? Never been in our favor…"

The cameraman looks uncomfortable and Gale knows he's making Haymitch proud.

"What about last year's victors- Katniss and Peeta- The odds were definitely in their favor-"

"If you say so."

Samuel laughs nervously. "Well, just last night they partnered together with the Finnick Odair to get your girl some medicine. What do you have to say about that?"

"They're trying their best," he coughs and continues, "The mentors this year must be pretty upset."

Samuel takes a deep breath and motions that he only has so much time left.

"Perhaps, but that's the point of the Quell now, isn't it? To make a statement."

Gale scoffs. "And what a message it sends. We tried to kill you once, but hey, your family will do just as good- if not better."

Samuel's had enough. "Gale, if you could say anything- anything at all- to Madge and Rory, what would you say?"

Gale waits. Thinks about it. Waits some more.

He takes the microphone from Samuel and looks right into the camera.

"Rory, I want you to do whatever it takes. Don't hold back, kid, I've seen what you can do." He has to stop before he gets too emotional. He moves on to Madge.

"Madge- I- I should be there with you, but since I can't- you make 'em pay, Madge, make 'em regret ever doing this. To you- To Rory- To everyone."

-oOo-

He shakes hands with the Mayor as the Capitol team travels back to their train, surly and sullen because their footage with the Mayor and Gale can't be erased from Panem's ears and eyes. Gale isn't sure what to say when Mayor Undersee asks him to join him for a drink. He just nods and follows him into a dimly lit room.

He feels very out of place as he sits down across from the Mayor and takes a glass from the older man.

"You have a lot of people putting faith in them now, Mr. Hawthorne."

Gale frowns and says, "I would hope so."

The Mayor sighs and looks even older as he tilts his glass in small circles and stares at a spot on his desk.

"What an awful position to be in, torn between your brother and your girlfriend."

Gale flinches at the last word.

"Sir, Madge and I- um-"

The thing was- There had been something between him and Madge. Not anything substantial, but… could there have been? Gale wasn't really sure. He wouldn't get the chance to be sure, considering Madge had all but declared her death a total of seven times in the Games since the initial interview.

"She spoke about you- quite a few times, actually."

Gale blinks, "Really?"

"Oh, yes. Especially after she brought you her mother's morphling back in January-"

Gale is stunned. "She what?"

The Mayor looks at Gale strangely before asking, "You didn't know?"

"No."

"Oh, well, Thread was quite harsh on you- really, that man needs to control himself. If I'd been there… Well, can't dwell on that. Madge told her mother everything, who told me everything too. She saw the whole thing in the square and wanted to help. That's my Madge, always trying to help. Her mother offered the morphling and made her take it to Iris Everdeen. Iris, Maybell, and Maysilee used to be great friends before the last Quell."

Gale doesn't know what to say. He's still reeling from the initial shock. He definitely owes Madge, big time.

"Poor Madge. And your little brother too.. Such a terrible place they're in.."

"Terrible.." Gale repeats quietly.

The Mayor gives him a level stare and downs his drink in one shot. He leans back in his chair and looks at a picture of Madge and his wife that sits on his desk.

"Tell me, Gale…" The Mayor slides a slip of paper across the desk and Gale picks it up, "What would you do to get them out?"

The scrap reads: '13 lives'.

Without missing a beat, Gale says, "Anything."


A/N: please review and let me know what you think, some advice would be nice, or tell me what you think is going to happen.