Chapter 10

(Gale POV)

I feel like I want to break into a run, like I can't get us out there fast enough. Can't wait for her to experience it. As soon as that word "okay" crossed her lips, we start heading for the fence. It's insane and crazy stupid to take her out passed the fence but I just can't help it. I have to take her, have to let her see what it feels like. Neither one of us utters a word all the way to the fence but when we arrive at the edge of the fence, I pause and look down at her. Her eyes are wide and there's an eager look on her face.

"You ready?" I whisper.

She nods. I climb through the fence and then hold the wires down with one hand and hold out my other hand to her to help her through. She bends down, gathers up her dress with one hand holding it up a little, and places one hand in mine. When she takes it, her hand feels so small as mine closes around it. Once she's through the fence, we have to cross the area between the fence and the treeline of the woods before we're safely out of anyone's sight.

"Run to the treeline?" I more ask than tell. She'd run the other night when she was getting that medicine for me so I know she can do it, even in her fancy clothes.

And she does. We do. We run, still hand in hand, all the way to the trees. Once we're totally hidden from view of town, I turn towards her. It's dark but because it's such a clear night, I can still see her face when we're this close, even in the dark of the trees. She's smiling and biting her bottom lip and a little bit breathless.

"So it's dark and you won't be able to see much but if you're up for it, there's a spot I can take you too that I think you'll like." I tell her. I still haven't let go of her hand and she hasn't released mine either. With my free hand I reach over and tuck a stray blonde curl back behind her ear.

"I'm up for it." She breathes out.

"It'll be darker the deeper in the trees that we go but don't worry, the spot I'm taking us too isn't too far. Just try to walk were I walk." I tell her as I lead us in, being careful to move branches out of her way. I go a lot slower than if I were by myself or if I were hunting but it still doesn't take long until we're at the clearing I had in mind. I lead her to the middle of the clearing and we sit down.

"So you having fun yet?" I ask. We were silent as we walked here and now I can't wait any longer, I have to know what she thinks.

"The sky. It's so pretty. I've never seen it like this." She says tilting her head back and looking up at the night sky. It's covered in stars. I've seen it like this plenty of times but being from town, she probably hasn't ever really seen what the night sky looks like without all the lights of town intruding on it.

"Lay back, you can see them better." I say as I lay back in the grass. She does.

"It's so breathtakingly beautiful. Better than any pictures I've seen in books. Better than I ever imagined it would be. It's almost...enchanting."

"So I guess that means you were right. It's pretty special out here." I point out.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm out here!" She tells me excitement lacing her voice.

"I can't believe I brought you. We might both be crazy, you know that?"

She sits up, turning towards me. "Thank you. Thank you for showing me this."

I shrug and smile up at her. "I couldn't not bring you. Not after you described it that way. I don't think there are many people who could sound so excited about the woods having not ever been out here before."

"I've never told a single person that I wanted to see what was out here. Never."

"It can be our little secret." I tell her.

"A shared secret with Gale Hawthorne. There's something I never expected." She muses.

I laugh a little. "Me neither."

"It's nice though. I like it." Her voice soft and whisper like. She's biting her lip again and all it makes me want to do is kiss her.

I sit up facing her and take her other hand, interlacing our fingers. I stare at her, our eyes locked on each other. I lean in and whisper. "I really want to kiss you right now."

Her eyes are dancing with excitement but still locked with mine when she whispers back. "So kiss me."

And I do. I kiss her.

(Madge POV)

When he leans in and kisses me, it's not like any other kiss I've ever had. It's thrilling and leaves me feeling as if I need more. More kisses with him. With Gale. Like the one kiss couldn't possibly be enough to satisfy me. When the kiss breaks, he leans his forehead against mine for a moment, his eyes still closed. I can hear nothing except my own heart, beating wildly in my ears. His lips meet mine again and his hand leaves mine only to reach up to rest against my cheek as we kiss. When the kiss ends, I don't talk. I just lean back into the grass again, the stars swirling in the sky above me. He does the same. I close my eyes and plead for this to be real. Plead for this to not be a dream. It's too perfect. Too wonderful.

"We should probably head back soon." He says quietly after a little while. I know he's right but I don't want to. I don't want this moment to end.

"Can't we just stay?" I ask, knowing that we can't, just wishing that we could.

"Not tonight. But we can come back. We can do this again...if that's something you want."

"That's definitely something I want."

"So these dating rules you have, you said you can still date anyone you want right? That it doesn't have to be arranged for you?" He asks.

I nod, nervously biting my bottom lip. I want nothing more than to date him. It's the first time I've ever wanted to date someone and it's both the scariest and most amazing feeling all rolled up in one.

"Would it be entirely crazy if I wanted to be the guy that you dated?" He asks me. His voice is low and quiet, almost like he's nervous to ask me.

A smile spreads across my face and I shake my head no. "No, it's not crazy."

He leans towards me, kissing me again before standing and pulling us to our feet. He never lets my hand go once. Not as we walk quietly back through the woods, not as we climb through the fence, not as we walk back through the meadow. It isn't until I'm at the back steps of my house that our hands part and it leaves me with an aching sort of feeling. An emptiness that makes me miss the feel of his hand around mine.

"So I'll see you tomorrow? Save you a seat at the viewing?" He asks as he gazes down at me.

"See you tomorrow. Goodnight Gale." I promise with a little nod.

He leans down and kisses me one last time, his fingertips gently tilting my face up to his. "I hope you had fun tonight, goodnight." He whispers as our lips part and the kiss ends.

And I did. I had more fun in that small amount of time on this one date than I ever have in my life. He watches me as I go inside, only leaving once I close the door behind me. Inside, I lean back against the door and close my eyes. The feeling I have couldn't possibly last long enough. I couldn't possibly ever have my fill of it. It's surreal and wonderful and I never want it to end.

A/N: So I realize this chapter was INCREDIBLY short in comparison to my usual chapters and for that I'm sorry! I just wanted this chapter to only be about their time in the woods and didn't want to clutter it with anything else. I'm hoping to get another chapter, if not two, up this weekend. And thank you to all of you who take the time to read and review this story! Knowing there are people out there wanting to read this really fuels my desire to keep writing and get chapters to you that much sooner!