A/N: 13 Weeks Pregnant

Madge is already back in Doctor Paige's treatment room when Gale arrives. He rushes in clearly distressed and takes the seat by her side. "I'm so sorry I'm late," he says quickly. He's wearing the same tight green shirt Madge remembers from the first day he showed up at POP, and he's sweating. "I run training for the new police force," Gale tells her as he tries to steady his breathing. "Self-defense, hand to hand combat," he carries on. "We ran over today."

"It's okay," Madge says softly.

She tries smiling but she still feels a bit deflated from her revelation with Oliver. When she got home after her failure of a date she was a wreck. Lora was already in bed so Madge slipped into her own room without waking her friend and cried herself to sleep. The man she liked has a wife, she lost her chance to go to Augmentum, and she's pregnant with a bastard baby. Life in New Panem clearly isn't all it's cracked up to be.

"Where's the doctor?" Gale asks, looking around the room.

"She'll be back in a second," Madge tells him. She leans backwards on the reclining bed she's in and rests her head against the cushion, letting out a quiet breath. Gale readjusts how he's sitting in his small plastic chair as well, his eyes focused on Madge. He knows from looking at her that her mind is somewhere else. He pinches his lips together and his eyes drift to her stomach. She's still small. Madge doesn't look as though she's pregnant. "Gale," Madge finally says.

"Hm?"

"You said you wanted to meet me halfway," she says. Gale lifts his gaze to her and nods his head, he did say that. He shouldn't have shut Madge down when she asked for dinner, and he hasn't any right to be rude to her. If they're going to be co-raising a baby then he wants to help her during this pregnancy as best he can. "I need your help."

Gale's eyes flicker toward the door. The tone of her voice makes him nervous, and he'd much prefer Doctor Paige to come in at this point.

"Anything, Undersee."

Honestly? He expects her to say something about money. He doesn't expect her to say, "My dad's birthday is next weekend."

Gale blinks a few times and nods his head. "That's… okay? And?"

"The first trimester is over," Madge continues, gesturing toward her stomach. "That's what Doctor Paige said when she was in here earlier. She said that means the chance of miscarriage is significantly lower. So… I'm going back to 12 for his birthday. And I want to tell my dad. About the baby." Gale looks toward the door another time, still really hoping the doctor comes in soon. "But he's traditional."

The realization of what Madge wants hits him like a bullet. "Oh, God," Gale exhales.

"I want you to come to District 12 with me," Madge says.

Gale's entire body feels cold. "Madge…"

"I need you to be there with me," she carries on, panic starting to creep into her voice. "He's going to want to know who the father is, he's going to want to know that I'm at least… dating, the father, that—"

"You want me," Gale cuts her off, "to go to District 12 with you, and be your fake boyfriend?"

Madge sighs, resting her head backwards again. "Well when you put it that way—"

"No," Gale cuts her off. "No! I'm sorry, that just isn't happening." With perfect timing there's a gentle knock on the door, and Doctor Paige peeks her head inside. Gale sighs and Madge crosses her arms tightly over her chest.

"Gale!" the doctor cheers. "I'm glad you could make it."

When the appointment is over Madge marches off without saying goodbye. Gale swallows his pride (and a groan) before starting after her, tugging on the hem of her shirt to stop her from getting too far away.

"Where's Lora?" Gale asks. "This isn't the best part of 2, Undersee, you can't go walking off alone."

"The bus stop is two blocks away," Madge says. "Lora has a meeting. It's fine, Gale, I know where I'm going."

A frown takes hold of his face. "You don't have a car?" he asks. "You don't drive?" Madge mimics his frown and crosses her arms over her chest. "Are you kidding?" Gale continues.

"If you keep me here any longer I'm going to miss my bus," Madge huffs. Gale steps backwards and she sigh before moving to turn around.

"Let me drive you," Gale says quickly. Madge pauses and looks down at the cracked cement of the sidewalk. "At least let me drive you home." She looks up at him and finds sincerity in his eyes, and eventually she nods. Gale tips his head to the side and together they walk side by side to the back lot where he's parked. "You really should learn to drive," Gale murmurs as they reach his car. "It's not too difficult."

Madge climbs into the passenger seat, still frowning. She's been frowning this whole time. "The bus is fine," she tells him. "Make a left at the street."

They spend the car ride in silence. Madge is impressed that his vehicle is so clean but opts to not say anything. She doesn't like cars very much. Her father had one in District 12, and probably still does now, and used it to ride back and forth from home to the Justice Hall. Madge still associates cars with the Hunger Games, with impending doom. But Gale seems relaxed behind the wheel, so again she keeps her mouth shut.

Finally about ten minutes later they arrive at Madge's apartment building. Gale shifts his car into park and looks up at the crumbling, tattered building Madge lives in.

"This… is where you live?"

Madge reaches for her seatbelt. "It's what I can afford," she answers as she unclicks.

"This is disgusting, Madge." She turns to look at him, again still frowning, and he shrugs. "This is the worst part of District 2," Gale says. Windows from the building are falling off of their hinges. There's no outside security or some sort of swipe to get into the building, just anyone can walk in. And it's dirty. There's trash all over the sidewalk. "I can help you get set up somewhere better."

"No."

"Christ," Gale huffs. He drags his hand through his hair. She turns to reach for the door and he stops her. "Madge," he tries. She doesn't turn to look at him, but she no longer reaches for the door. "If I could go to District 12 with you, I would."

"Do you work?" she asks immediately. "You have a meeting, or something? That's why you can't go?"

He blanches at the sternness of her voice. "No, but—"

"Do you have plans?" Madge tries again.

"That—no, but—" he fumbles for his words and Madge reaches for the door again. "I haven't been back," he rasps. Madge freezes with her fingers on the handle. Her eyes are on the street outside the car and he cuts the engine. "I haven't been back to 12 since the war," Gale tells her. Slowly Madge turns her head to look at him and she finds Gale's gaze distant. "Since they made me film propos there."

Madge isn't sure how to take this news. "Not even to see your family?" she asks.

"No." Madge opens and closes her mouth as she tries to figure out how to respond to this. "I don't expect you to understand," Gale carries on. "I'm just…"

"Not ready," Madge fills in his silence. He sighs loudly, finally shifting his gaze to her. "It would only be for two… for two days," she tells him. "One night. My dad has extra rooms, we could stay there, you wouldn't even have to…" she trails off, knowing that she isn't providing the best answer. Of course if Gale went to District 12 he should see his family. Avoiding them isn't the way to go. "Never mind," Madge murmurs.

"It's not that I…" Gale starts again. "I want to be there for you," he tells her with a deep voice. "I feel like I haven't been. There's not a lot I can do besides be by your side, but this is something I could do, I just can't."

Madge isn't sure if it's her hormones or the fact that Gale's being completely genuine with her, but Madge reaches over and grabs his hands. "I'll figure something out," she says gently. Gale's eyes have shifted to where their hands are linked. "But I do wish you could come with me," she says again. She squeezes Gale's hands and smiles a tiny smile. "Thanks for coming to the appointment today," she says. "And for the ride."

She releases her hold on him and goes back for the door handle, and then climbs from his car without another word.

He calls his family again.

Gale swore to himself he'd never go back to District 12, but Madge has presented him with the opportunity. He debates with himself all through the night, he wakes up in the closet with bruises on his knuckles and more chunks of wall below his fingernails. He tries to make different plans, different excuses. If he goes to District 12 with Madge he can support her, but he can also see his family.

The benefits of going with Madge mean if his family doesn't want to see him, he has an excuse of someone else to stay with. The cons are that his family might not want to see him, and he's not sure he can handle the weight that goes with that. And if they do want to see him, his mother will certainly want to know why it's taken him so long, and why Madge Undersee is the reason for his arrival. Katniss is also in District 12, and he hasn't spoken with her in years. She's just another piece in the puzzle that Gale doesn't even want to think about.

But he calls them, because he's been thinking about them anyway. Ever since his last meeting with Doctor Carlson he's been thinking about his family a lot. After waking up in the closet they're the first thing on his mind, and he races to his phone to dial their number.

Vick's the one to answer this time, and Gale tears up at the sound of his baby brother's voice. His voice is deeper than Gale expects, but Vick is fourteen now so Gale should have expected some sort of change.

"I just can't believe it's really you," Vick is saying. Gale currently sitting on the ground with his head back against the wall. "Ma's out," he tells Gale. "She's got her own little shop in town now. Did you know that? It's a laundry place, she makes pretty good money."

"I didn't know that," Gale says. "And what about you?" he presses. He wants to know everything. "Are you becoming an apprentice, or something?

Vick laughs. "I'm still in school, Gale."

"Right, right." But Vick's laughter makes him feel infinitely lighter, so he keeps asking questions. "What are you hoping to be? Are you doing any sports? Tell me everything." So Vick launches into an explanation of everything that's been happening. He's started wrestling at the school, something that Gale never expected, and talks about how he goes fishing every once in a while with Rory. "And what about Rory?" Gale asks. "How… how's he?"

"He's fine," Vick says. But that's all he says.

Gale hesitates. "Does he know I've called?"

"Yeah," Vick says. Again, that's all. "Are you coming home soon, Gale?" Vick asks.

"I might be," Gale admits softly.

Vick perks up at that. "Really? When?"

"Ah, it's not… it's not set in stone," Gale murmurs. But he wants to. God, does he want to go home. "But it's not like you guys are going anywhere," Gale prompts. "Right? So if I just show up one day you'll probably be there."

"Of course we'll be here," Vick says with a laugh. "I'm going to tell Ma you said this though, get her hopes up," he warns. "That means you've got to follow through, cuz of Ma. And Posy. I'm telling them."

Gale laughs along with his brother, but his stomach is filled with knots.

Monday at work Madge is overly distracted. Her eyes drift to the windows of the conference room so many times that Benny has to snap in front of her face to keep her attention on the map they're pouring over. Just outside the window Lora is frantic, reorganizing her current cases with people who are still in POP and aren't traveling to and another country.

"It's just temporary," Lora was saying, but Madge knows that isn't entirely true. Her trip to Augmentum is going to be for a week, but if it goes well (and it will because Lora is fantastic) then they'll want her back. For a long time. Months.

"Madge," Benny says for the fifteenth time. "Should we take an early lunch?" he asks.

"Yeah," Gale answers before Madge can, his eyes hesitantly flickering in her direction.

With a sigh, Benny stands from his chair and starts for the door. "I don't understand you two," Benny murmurs angrily before excusing himself from the room and leaving the two of them alone.

Gale sinks backwards in his seat and Madge sighs too before propping up her elbows and lowering her head to her hands. She feels very alone. Gale won't come with her to District 12, her best friend is leaving, and she really doesn't have too many other people. She's pretty sure even Benny's angry with her, which makes sense, considering she and Gale are having a child and neither of them bothered to tell him. And she never told Lora about Oliver, because it was just another thing for her friend to worry about.

"You wanted that job," Gale says softly. "The one Lora has."

Madge doesn't bother lifting her head. "Is it that obvious?"

"Your boss told us you applied." Slowly she tilts her head and looks over at him. "But it's a little obvious," Gale adds. Madge smiles weakly before lowering her head back down. Gale's quiet for a little bit longer, studying Madge with her head down. His first thought is maybe she isn't used to not getting what she wants, but that's obviously not true. Madge has been a hard worker ever since the war, she's probably had a lot of let downs. Gale takes a deep breath. "Augmentum's not all it's cracked up to be," Gale tells her. "Pecuniam is where you want to go."

Madge looks back over at him. "Pecuniam?" she asks quietly. She knows the name, she's studied it before. She just isn't sure what would make it better.

"East. Across the ocean." Gale rocks backwards in his seat. "I've been to both."

She blinks a few times, sitting up in her seat. "You have?"

"I have," Gale echoes with a nod. "And Augmentum is… well, beautiful." Madge scoffs, and a small smile slips onto Gale's face. "But you would like Pecuniam more, I think."

"Why?"

"Augmentum's beauty is in the jungles, the nature. The people are incredible but no one goes traveling to make friends, they go to find themselves. And Pecuniam… the architecture, the structures." Gale dips his head into a nod. "That's what you'd like."

Madge presses her lips together to try and stop herself from smiling. She adores this side of Gale, she wonders why he keeps it hidden. He's thoughtful, and he really does care. She knows this must him trying to make up for the fact that he isn't going to 12 with her, but she doesn't mind too much. There's sincerity in her eyes that Madge can feel in her blood. Again she wonders why he thinks he's going to be a bad father, because that's completely impossible. He's going to be extraordinary.

"When did you go?" she asks.

"About a year ago," Gale tells her, looking out the conference room window to Lora anxiously fluttering back and forth. "We're the whole reason that POP can make these connections. We set the groundwork when we visited."

"I didn't know that," Madge admits. He's still looking out the window but now her eyes are trained on him. "Do you like traveling?"

"I love it," Gale murmurs. More than anything he wanted to disappear into the crowds of another country, immerse himself in their culture, forget Panem forever. But he's done too much harm, he has to deal with the pain he's caused. It's why he works with security and defense, it's why he's still in Panem. He has to right his wrongs, not pretend they don't exist. "We should get lunch," he finally says, pushing himself from his chair. "But Pecuniam," he says as he stands. "That's what you want to jump on." He starts for the door and stops. "I'll even put in a good word for you," he says before leaving the conference room, leaving Madge sitting with a smile on her face.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Lora asks as she darts from one suitcase to another. She's leaving in a few hours and Madge is settled on the couch. "I have a direct line to you so I'm going to call you every night, okay?"

"You're leaving for a week," Madge says with a smile, watching her friend panic. "I think I can handle myself for a week."

"But like, getting to the train station?" she asks. Lora stops fussing over her suitcase and stands tall. "And going to 12?" After Madge found out Gale wouldn't be joining her to District 12, Lora offered to put her trip on hold to go with her to her old home. Madge insisted that she would be okay without her friend. "And telling your dad?"

Madge waves her hand. "I'll be fine," she says.

Lora goes back to stuffing clothes into her suitcase. It's always a little brisk in District 2 but it's one of the warmer seasons in Augmentum. Apparently they're going to be traveling to different countries, up and down the coast. So they won't be seeing just one country in Augmentum, but many. Madge is infinitely jealous.

"I still can't believe he won't go with you," Lora muttered, shoving in another pair of underwear. "It's not like you're asking him to marry you."

"The war was hard for him," Madge says. He had to lead hundreds of people out of District 12 and that was still only a third of the entire population. There were so many people he couldn't save, and Madge knew Gale took that loss personally. "I can understand why he doesn't want to go back."

"It's been four years since the war," Lora says. "You're making excuses for him."

Madge huffs, sinking further into the couch. It's just another thing she has to do alone. She settles with her hands across her stomach and reminds herself that she's going to be doing a lot of things alone. Gale's announced he wants to be part of the baby's life, and he wants to support Madge so she doesn't have to go through this alone, but there's little doubt in her mind she's going to end up by herself eventually. She always does. That's just how it works.

"I'll be fine," Madge says again. Her dad's going to be confused, and probably angry, but she'll manage. "I don't want you to worry about me, okay? Just focus on having fun."

"Focus on getting some of these contracts sealed," Lora mutters in response.

Madge smiles. "But focus on the fun in the evenings." She's seen pictures of some of the places that Lora's going and she can hardly believe it's real. The way that so many countries in Augmentum have built their communities to flow with the environment just astounds her. "And bring me back something?"

"You know I will," Lora cheers.

While waiting for her train at the station Madge pages through a book. She hardly ever has time to read anymore and she wants this weekend to be at least a little bit relaxing.

She's excited to see her father. They talk on the phone at least once a week but nothing's the same as being home with him. She's hoping to see Katniss and Peeta too, but because they refuse to use the telephone and she only recently decided she's going home for the weekend, she hasn't had time to write them. She hopes that they aren't busy, but they usually aren't, so fingers crossed. Delly too, if she has a chance. Haymitch called the other day and said he'd be waiting at the train station to pick her up, so that's another friendly face she's looking forward to seeing.

The trains used to take around a full day to get from the Capitol to District 12, and because Madge is in 2 it's about the same distance. But District 6 has been working hard with the Capitol's technology to enhance the trip, and the ride alone should only be about twelve hours now. Though Madge can't say she's a fan of the Capitol absolutely ever, she does appreciate their access to technology. It's going to be an evening ride, so she's set to arrive in District 12 on Saturday morning around 7am.

"Madge?"

She looks up from her book to find Gale standing in front of her with a small backpack slung over his shoulder. She lowers her book and frowns. "Hey," she says. Her eyes dart to his bag. "What are you…?"

He looks horribly pale and keeps glancing around as though he's scared there's going to be an attack from Panem's Protectors.

"Would you mind if I came with you?" he asks. "To 12?"

Madge blinks a few times. "I thought you weren't ready."

Gale's face morphs in frustration at her words. "Well I'm here, aren't I?" he mutters. Madge holds up her hands in mock defeat. "So you're—"

"It's fine," she says, nodding her head and smiling. She tips her head to the spot beside her on the bench. "Have a seat." Gale fidgets a little bit more before sitting beside her, dropping his bag on the ground by his feet. Madge looks over at him as he scans the train station constantly. "What made you change your mind?" she asks.

Before he can answer a loud overhead voice calls out, "All aboard for Districts 10, 11, and 12. I repeat Districts 10, 11, and 12."

Gale looks like he's going to regret this decision, but he stands and follows Madge to the train anyway.

A/N: Pecuniam = Europe, basically. In Latin Pecuniam stands for Money (according to Google Translate anyway) and in my head I'd expect Europe to still be pretty money based after all the environmental business. What do you think made Gale change his mind? Sorry for such a late update, I kind of forgot it was Friday! x