Disclaimer:- I am going to stop writing unnecessary disclaimers so here's the fit and final disclaimer to you all which will run for the entire length of the story.

I don't own the Hunger Games Trilogy. All I own is the plotline to this story and a bunch of other stuff which would make for a long list if I start listing them out. Which I am not gonna do. So I leave it upon your judgement to figure out what I own and what not.

Thank you and I love you all so much for your reviews and favourites and follows and visits! You boost me to write. The only thing that is holding me back is time. Don't have enough to write any.

And also, I am finally getting the hang of writing a long story with a developed plotline! Thankyou so much for your constructive criticism!

A/N:- I suggest you read the story all over again since me myself had to do it to recollect the plotline. I am so sorry for the long wait. I am done with my exams so you can expect updates twice a week from me. If you remember the story then very well :D Or if you want I can put up a summary chapter of all the nine chapters including this one as the next chapter...?


The corridor is empty, eerily quite except for the plopping noises produced from water drops falling onto the cement floor. There are no windows whatsoever giving me a chilling sensation clawing up from the small of my back to my neck. My footsteps echo, loud enough to wake the dead though I don't have the slightest of clue where I am and where I have to go. Maybe I am just walking... but where to?

The plopping noises become louder and louder as I turn around the corner. Green fluorescent lights, dimly light up the hallway giving it a ghostly appearance. In spite of the chilling sensations giving me goose-flesh, I break into sweat which travels down the length of my spine.

I must be closer to the plopping noises and one more turn to the left and the hallway ends. Abruptly. A metal door obscures the noise and though I have no particular reason to go around prodding, my fingers curl around the handle and pull the door open with all my strength.

A strangled scream escapes me, tearing at my throats when I see the last person I expected to see on the other end.

My dad lies in a tub full of water, breathing or rather wheezing in large amounts of air. The electrode on the far side of the tank produces a spark, which captures my attention only for a jiffy quickly to be drawn to my father who lets out a ear piercing shriek.

"DAD!" I shout, running to him. But even though I run as fast as I can, I can't seem to reach him, like I am running on the same spot. I run, harder and harder but don't move one inch and give up falling to my knees.

Tears blur my eyes but I don't blink them away. Instead they just obscure my view, everything turning into a haze. I see my dad extending his hand towards me and I try to reach it but then suddenly a current travels through his body turning his hand into a limp one, falling onto the side of the tub.

"DAD!"

"Madge! Wake Up!"

Someone's tugging me.

"Madge! It's just a dream! Wake Up!"

"Dad?" I answer through a haze.

"No Madge. Open your eyes, it's Gale," Lights pierce my eyes, hurting it.

I sit up for a minute, blinking my eyes to bring them back into vision. The first thing that meets my eyes are a pair of liquid orbs, looking at me.

"Gale?" I rub my eyes to get some sleep out of it and the reality comes crashing back to me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice sounds scratchy, like I have been screaming a lot. Apparently I have.

"It's my house, remember?" I take his appearance in. Disheveled hair, lean blue jeans, no shirt on and I turn my head away to look at the window before I become bashful.

"Yeah I know," I take the mug he is holding out and move into my bed leaning against the headboard so that he has a place to sit. He does, looking at me questioningly. "I meant, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you screaming," he averts his eyes to look at the floor for a minute before bringing it up to me.

Oh yeah, that. My eyes trail down from his face to his chest down to the waistband of his pants and blush a bright red when I hear him cough. I look up to see that he is suppressing a smirk, poorly.

I pull the sheets near me taking into consideration that the sweat is making my or rather his shirt stick to my body and sip from the mug that he offered me. Coffee. Nice one that too.

"Sorry if I woke you up." Not one night and I am already a burden to him. What must he think of me?

"Not a big deal," he waves his hand dismissing my apology, " I was already up at 4 in the morning. I had just finished taking a bath when— you know..." I screamed. I nod. I now see that his hair is wet, sticking to his forehead in curls. I gulp.

"Um... don't worry about the shirt. I figured we will go shopping like I told you the day before yesterday. I got your dress ready and—"

"The day before yesterday?" Don't tell me what I think it is.

"You slept a day at a stretch, Undersee," he smirks and I don't know how but I felt warm inside. Was it because he called me Undersee like the old times.

"I guess," I get up to go to the bathroom to take a quick bath and going for shopping when I realised that I slept in one of Gale's shirts. Nothing else.

So all I do is sit there. For the longest time, with Gale sitting there all puzzled. When he realises, he looks away for a second or two, gets up muttering a quick "sorry" and leaves the room.

I sigh and looking at piles of clothes, my clothes that I originally wore, on the adjacent chair and make it to the shower all right.


Gale's POV

Seeing Madge after all these years, fills me up with feelings. Good but with a bad one too. Like I finally got hold of something I have been missing in this new life of mine. A piece of home. A piece of my past life.

But along with it comes an unknown fear. The sense that something is going to happen. Has already happened.

Or it might just be my nerves, fretting unnecessarily over something that is too shallow.

Madge's been vague. Way too vague. It might have to do with the fact that Madge seemed pretty shaken up. Like she can't get herself to talk about what happened to her before she came across me.

And how is it exactly that she happens to known where I live when no living soul from my past life happens to known where I live except for in District 2. Stumbling across my house by chance for someone like Madge is far away from a lucky shot.

I had this sense of dread once. Just once. Right after Katniss got reaped for the Hunger Games. The sense that that was it. My last ditch effort at volunteering incase any of my siblings got chosen. Not that it matters now but the nagging that something bad was going to happen then was so overwhelming, that it kept me from sleeping properly almost an entire year. And I wasn't wrong either. My worst of all nightmares came true. The fear that I wouldn't be able to do anything to protect my family. It was the day Seam kids were getting enlisted for the tesserae. It was the day Rory signed up for tesserae. More than once.

The phone rings me back to life, gradually increasing in volume. I pick the phone up before it gets any of the neighbour's complaining.

"Hello?"

"Gale," Risa's voice rings out on the other end.

"Risa? Is that you?" I asked confused as ever.

"Yup. Heard some girl happens to be screwing you?" She answers, teasingly.

"Who did you hear it from?" I asked annoyed. Frankly, it's not her concern who stays with me and who doesn't. Since the phone's cordless, I start to move around the kitchen preparing what could qualify as a breakfast.

"Yohan," that tattletale.

"What does it have to do with you?" I answer a bit harshly than intended too.

"I don't know except for the fact that I am supposed to be your lieutenant and supposed to be taking your care and have you not get distracted by all the fancies," she says. I can practically imagine her coiling the cord in her index finger, sneer all over her face.

"As of now, you are the one distracting me from cooking my breakfast," I smirk into the cordless simultaneously popping open two eggs into a frying pan. Scrambled eggs seem likely right now.

"Should I be calling an ambulance? Shouldn't you be lying down. You must be tired," I roll my eyes at her sarcasm.

"Risa—"

"No no wait. Shouldn't you be taking your prescriptions?" Her laughter rings out on the other line of the phone.

"I am hanging u—"

"Okay fine," she huffs but still a giggle or two escape her.

"Seriously Gale, you have never cooked your breakfast. Or lunch. Or Dinner. Never. What in the world has had you cooking your breakfast?"

"Well since you already know about the girl I might as well tell you. She is staying here till she gets settled properly so I'm coo—"

"What?" Her scowl cuts me off. I drop the spoon I was placing on the dining table and hold the cordless properly since I have been walking around with a craned neck and the phone in between my jaw and my shoulder.

"What what?"

"She's still there?"

"Who's still there?"

"The girl..."

"Ofcourse she's still here. What did you expect?" she sounds like she's a bit jealous. Am I too full of myself?

"Yohan said she left after he found you and her in your bedroom," I frown. What has Yohan been telling her? She would skewer me like a pig if she learns anything otherwise.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Who are you talking about?"

A quick look at the clock tells me it's been an hour and a half since I have been in the kitchen.

"You know what Risa, it's late."

"But—"

"Never mind. I will talk to you later. Bye," I hang up the phone and rush quickly upwards towards my bedroom door.

I quickly rummage through my wardrobe and find my shirt pulling it on.

I quickly walk up to her bedroom door and knock. It was a bit odd, regarding the fact that it's my house and I have a habit of barging in right away.

When no one answers, I knock persistently once more before pushing the door open.

One of my shirts is hanging from a chair nearby and all of a sudden, my throat goes dry. I turn to the bathroom door listening to the shower running.

She should have been out by now. I walk up to the door to knock only to stop at the last minute.

Humming. Madge is humming. Weirdly enough it went completely in sync with the shower. I lean every so slowly not to make any kind of noise but—

"Hello? Gale?" Fuck.

"Madge?"

"Yes?"

"Nothing. I was just checking up on you. Thought you drowned yourself or something," I sounded like such a stalker.

"Oh, okay. I will be out in a minute," she turns the shower off by the sound of it.

I walk back down to the kitchen without a word and leave her to change in her bedroom.


When I reach downstairs, I hear laughter. To be frank, it sounds rather weird not because I haven't heard laughter for days or months or eons but because it's Gale's house that I am hearing laughter in.

It ceases when I walk into the dining area. I see Gale with his head in his hands, sitting on one of the chairs with a girl, tall and lean, sitting on the adjacent chair. She has blond hair too, more on the brownish side. Pretty. Her face scrunched up, only for a second before she brings her mask back on.

And then there's that guy Yohan. He, unlike blondy, smiles at me. A warm one and walks up to me extending his hand.

"Ms. Undersee I believe," he says shaking my hand. Gale looks up from his hands and raises his eyebrow. What took you so long?

"You can call me Madge," I smile pleasantly at the young fellow. I am gonna stay here for a while. Might as well make friends.

"Madge... hmm... is that short for something?" Yohan looks at me. A snort escapes Gale and I turn to look at him. He does remember that. As soon as our eyes meet, he distracts himself with playing around with the scrambled eggs and I smile a bit. I see blondy giving me a pointed look with I choose to ignore.

"Nope. It's just Madge," I smile and make my way to the table. I sit one chair away from Gale and Gale gets me a plate of my own.

"By the way, my name's Yohan," he sits beside me, "and that's Risa," he points to blondy across the table. Hmm... I think I prefer blondy, which is ironic since I too am blond, more on the blond side too.

I tip my head towards her once and take in a bite of the scrambled eggs.

"Who made these?" I ask getting in one more scoop of it. It's heavenly.

"I did," Gale says giving me a pointed look.

"Well, they are really good,". Gale smiles a bit and gets down to eating his share of it. Yohan gets his own plate but blondy stays the same, glaring at me.

"Well, you didn't have to go through all that trouble for me," I say with a mouthful, not very convincing, is it? Yohan sighs and gets a spoonful for himself.

"Yeah well I didn't. I was gonna cook it for myself anyway," and then the weirdest thing happens. Yohan and blondy exchange a look which is pretty clear that Gale does not cook. Often.

After we are done, I pick my dish and just as I am about to pick up Gale's he stops me by holding my wrist.

"What are you doing?" he asks standing up but not leaving my hand nonetheless.

"Since I am already here, I figured I did rather do dishes and not be a burden on you," my eyes roam to his hand on mine. He leaves it and my eyes go back to his. I can't figure out the way he is looking at me but we stay there like that for a couple of seconds before blondy clears her throat. Gale's eyes jerk away and he coughs lightly to cover the silence.

"I'll help you with the dishes," Yohan pipes up and picks up the other leftover dishes leading me to the sink.

I start the tap and pour all the dishes into the sink. I look over my shoulder to see blondy talking to Gale about something. Red hot hatred boils up in me and I divert my attention to washing dishes.

"So you single?"

"What?" The question is so out of nowhere that I whip my head to look at him. He is blushing, looking down at the dishes, busying himself with washing one.

"Um... no but I am not looking to get into one," I say glancing over my shoulder. My eyes meet Gale's and we both turn away.

"Err... right,"

"Yohan, let's go we're getting late," blondy's agitated voice pipes up.

"I am still to do the dishes Risa,"

"Let it be. Since General is not going to come today, he might as well help her with the dishes," she starts to go after the door.

"Risa," Gale drags his hand through his face but she replies only by banging the door loud. Yohan flinches and gives me an apologetic look before leaving.

Gale turns to look at me, "I told her I wasn't coming today."

I nod my head and go back to washing dishes. He comes up beside me and picks up the wash cloth.

"Girlfriend?" I concentrate on getting the grease on this plate. Apparently he doesn't do much dishes. Oh yeah, he doesn't cook to begin with.

"No," I look up to him and our hands brush while I am handing him the dish to dry and pull my hand so quick that I drop the dish. It shatters.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" I lean down the same time he does and bang our heads together.

"Ow," he rubs his head and looks up and at the same time I do.

His face is mere inches away from mine and I can smell his soap, citrus, on him. His eyes trail from my eyes to my nose to my lips. I can't help but stare at his eyes, seeing them roaming all over my face. He wets his lips and my insides groan. He starts to lean in ever so slightly.

I can't help but stare, stare as he leans in and just when I feel the lightest pressure of his lips on mine, a heavy feeling settles in my stomach.

"I am so sorry," I say pulling away and standing up. Gale stands up too and rubs his neck.

"It's okay. You go get ready and we'll go shopping right away," he says turning to the dishes and I quickly leave the place. I break into a run when I am out of his sight and lean against the door once I am inside the bedroom.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I put my hand on my mouth and release a sob that I have been holding inside me. I can't afford to fall for him. I can't. No. It would only make it difficult to get my father back.

Tears run down my cheeks and I count to ten to calm myself down, breathing heavy.

I have to put it together if I have to save my dad.

I have to be brave.

I have to be what I am not.

I have to kill Gale.


A/N:- Okay, long chapter. I am tired. I am really tired and so let's all blame it on my laziness to not go through the chapter again to check out for errors. So if you find one, please let me know.

I love the way you guys review me what you think Madge should be doing. But well, even though I want her to confess up to Gale as much as you guys want, it's not going to happen until it's going to. So all I have to say is stay tuned!

What do you think about me putting in Gale's POV a couple of times? Coz I think I need to explain his side of the story for it kinda became necessary.

How do you like it? We are getting into the core of it now... :D