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Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

Chapter 10

I wake up late in the morning, and instantly wish I hadn't. I throw on a jumper and rush downstairs to the TV, and throw myself on the sofa at the same time as I switch it on. It flashes instantly to the Games, and I sit on the edge of my seat as it switches between live footage and reruns.

Katniss is still in the tree, which is good. The Careers and Peeta are sleeping below - I'm still shocked over his behaviour, and I'm no close to understanding it.

Katniss is awake, and looking up at something amongst the branches. A camera? Or- I gasp and turn up the sound, and I can hear it - a faint buzzing.

(Italics) tracker jackers, my mind whispers. Deadly, especially to Katniss, who was right beneath them, and unable to move. Could this be the end? Was I about to see the death of my friend?

I pull a blanket over me, as I'm shaking, but I realise I'm not cold. I'm scared, I'm so scared for her. I freeze when she moves, untying herself from the branch, and as she begins to move closer to the nest. I'm not sure if I'm breathing when she begins sawing at the branch that the nest sits on, the vibrations causing the wasps to buzz louder and louder, till it sounds like they're all in the room, they're around me, they're angry and- I must've let out a small scream, because Toby comes in running. He finds me curled up on the sofa at an odd angle, the blanket twisted around me, my eyes wide. I'm shaking badly, and he moves quickly. He untangles the blanket from me and pulls me up so I'm sitting. He mutes the TV and I manage to shake less and look at him.

"She's gonna be okay, Madge." He says fiercely. "She's a fighter. I lived in the Seam, I've seen her bring back the things she shoots from the hunt. She shoots them right through the eye. And if she doesn't use her bow, she uses snares. Clever, quick snares. She's clever and strong and a hunter. Madge, she's going to be alright." His voice softens as he keeps going. I nod with him, wishing his words were true.

"Madge, look at the TV. Watch." He orders. I look, and don't say anything. I feel numb, and I'm worried that if I speak, I'll cry.

Katniss is still sawing, but a sting has appeared on her neck, and another on her arm. Toby wordlessly switches the sound back on, and I flinch when the branch snaps. It hits the ground with an almighty bang, and then there's tracker jackers everywhere, in the air, on the Careers. Their screams are in unison, loud and desperate. They sprint away, but the blonde girl with the bow seems confused, and drops to the ground. The angry wasps swarm onto here, and I'm shaking again, frozen in place as her struggles become slower and her screams die out. As soon as the cannon fires, the cameras switch to Katniss, zooming in on her as she drops to the ground and fumbles over Glimmer's distorted body, eventually pulling the bow and quiver from her. I have to look away when they show Glimmer's face; it's unrecognisable now. I feel sick, but I have to keep watching to find out if Katniss is okay. She has paused, a few metres away from the hive, which have dissipated into the air, hunting for the remaining Careers that managed to run away. Suddenly, Peeta crashes through the leaves to Katniss, and screams at her, "Get out of here, Katniss! Go!" She looks confused but manages to stumble away, clutching her precious bow in one hand. A small dark shape follows her in the trees.

The cameras focus on Peeta as suddenly Cato appears, and an intense fight begins.

"I can't do this." I say, standing up quickly and losing my balance slightly from dizziness. Toby gets up to help me but I shake him away, making my way upstairs to my bedroom.

This time, I cry silently. The hot tears roll down my face as I change with shaking hands. When I come downstairs, I'm still crying, but I don't let Toby see. I walk straight past him and out the back door.

It's pouring heavily with rain and it soaks through my clothes within a matter of minutes, but I don't care. I don't stop crying as I walk slowly, not really knowing where I'm going till I slip under the fence.

The forest had been so quiet last time I was here, but now it was alive with the sounds of the rain. It hammered against the leaves and made the soil smell. I loved it.

By now I think I've stopped crying, but I'm not sure. The rain is too heavy to tell. I wander amongst the trees, trailing my fingers against the damp moss that seemed to grow on every surface possible. I touched the leaves that hung the lowest and enjoyed the feeling when the water splashed against my face or hair. My boots made a squelching sound every time I took a step, and I was cold, really cold, but I still felt numb, so I didn't mind being cold so much.

I walked and walked until I couldn't anymore, and sat against a tree, leaning my head back. The rain isn't as heavy as before but still pours down relentlessly at an even pace. I close my eyes and try to forget about what I have just seen.

I stir when I hear my name being called.

"Madge? Madge!" Gale calls. He's looking for me.

I try to move, but I find I can't. The numbness from before is gone, and I start to feel cold. Really cold. Gale's voice starts to move further away and I panic.

"Gale," I croak. It's not enough, he can't hear my over the rain. At least it's not dark, I have time.

"Gale!" I call again, slightly louder. I flinch at how weak my voice sounds.

"Madge?" His footsteps start coming closer, faster and faster.

"Gale! Gale, Gale, Gale..." My voice gets quieter as I keep saying his name, over and over. Why am I so weak? So tired...

"Madge!" He cries in horror when he sees me. He rushes over and pulls me into his arms. I'm unable to return the embrace, as I've started shivering violently.

"Madge, Madge, Madge..." He whispers, rocking me slightly. His arms are wrapped right round me, trying to keep me warm, to protect me from the cold that feels like it's seeped into my bones.

"What happened?" He asks, pulling away slightly so he can look at my face. He looks so concerned, so upset...

"Katniss..." I manage to whisper. He stiffens at the name but lets it pass. I hope that he understands what I mean. "Is that why... You're here?" It's such an effort to speak. I've never felt this cold in my life.

Gale nods wordlessly, and I shiver again. He takes off his jacket and wraps it round me, and I'm too cold to protest. It warms me up slightly.

Gale stands up like he's leaving, and panic floods through me again. Then, suddenly I'm hoisted up into his arms, carefully cradled against his chest.

"You're gonna be okay, Madge, you hear me?" Gale says fiercely. Wow. Do I really look that bad? I don't feel too bad, just… cold.

He sets off at a light jog through the forest, and I bump against him slightly as he moves. When we get to the fence, he holds it up for me, and I manage to crawl underneath. He follows quickly, and then I'm in his arms, bouncing against his chest. When we reach the end of the street, he doesn't know what to do. He pauses and looks at me.

"What do I do if your Dad sees me carrying you?" He asks quietly.

"I don't know," I manage to croak back. I can see that Gale is torn – he doesn't want to leave me, but can't risk what my father would say if he saw me like this. He would blame Gale, and I wouldn't be able to stand that.

Eventually, he starts jogging again, and I pull his jacket tighter around me.

Thankfully, Toby answers the door, though not without a shocked look on his face.

"What happened?" He gasps, taking in my shaking, Gale's jacket wrapped round me, my shivering body held tightly in his arms. Gale takes a hesitant step forward, wanting to get in out of the rain. Toby moves out of the way, and Gale walks in, trying to not look shocked at the interior of my house. I know by the Capitol's standards that we're not rich, but I was still the mayor's daughter.

Gale sets me gently down on the sofa and then turns to Toby, who has followed us into the room.

"I found her… At the school." His lie isn't very convincing, but Toby seems to buy it. Gale continues, "She had been sitting there for a long time, I don't know why. She said it was because of what happened to Katinss. I don't think she's hurt, just really, really cold." He sounds genuinely concerned, scared even, and I want to reach out and take his hand, but I'm still frozen. It feels like my body is not my own.

Gale and Toby talk quietly in the kitchen for a while, which annoys me a lot. I wanted to be a part of the conversation. Just when I feel like I've thawed out enough to yell at them, Gale comes in through the door. He walks quickly over to the sofa and crouches beside me so that we're eyelevel.

"Madge," he takes my hand in both his warm ones. "You try and get better for me, okay?" I nod, and curl my fingers around his. I didn't want him to leave.

Gale leans in closer to me, and hesitates. Finally he sighs, and lets me go.

"Wait," I call after him. "Will you come see me tomorrow? Here?"

"I don't think that would be… Possible." Gale glances upstairs, to where my father's office is.

"It's okay. He's heading out to the Capitol tomorrow for two days, I'm not sure why…" My voice trails off as I think about this. I'm not lying, but it does seem odd. Why was my father taking this unexpected, unexplained trip?

"Then… I'll try, Madge. I will." Gale says slowly.

"Promise?" I croak.

"Promise." He replies, before turning and leaving. Toby comes into the room, and I know that he listened to our entire conversation. He sits on the arm of the sofa by my feet and smiles at me, but it turns into a smirk. Not a nasty smirk like Zach's, just a cocky one.

"If you weren't ill I'd be getting every detail from you about that boy." He grins at me. "I didn't know you were like that, Madge. Running off with boys from the Seam." I manage a snort and raise my eyebrows.

"I didn't run off with him, I genuinely went out on my own and he found me." I say, playfulness gone, willing him to believe me. Toby sighs and pushes his hair away from his face absentmindedly.

"I believe you. He seems like a good kid, but you know what your father would say if he knew you were hanging out with a boy from the Seam… An old one at that." He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I laugh an odd, strangled laugh, as I'm still cold.

"What must he be, Madge? Nineteen?"

Toby lets me go not long after this, but not without copious amounts of teasing. I drag my tired body upstairs and peel off my wet clothes. There's a hot water in my bed, which I presume was put there by Toby. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I drift into a heavy sleep.

So, what did you all think about this? I thought seeing as Katniss will be unconscious for two more days, it'll give Madge and Gale some time to get closer without needing Katniss to be the reason to bring them together.

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