A/N: I was reading a Harry Potter fic the other day and had a wee thought. How do you feel about the multiple P.O.V's in chapters? If it's reads disjointedly I would consider changing chapter to chapter instead of halfway through. I personally like writing both of their opinions on different scenes, but I can see how it might make the flow a bit strange or repetitive. Let me know! :)

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Chapter 10: Lucky Denver Mint : Part 1

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Madge's P.O.V

It's been exactly fourteen hours and thirty-six minutes since I saw it, but the horrified expression on Gale's paint covered face is still making me grin. Ahhh, sweet sweet revenge. Serves him right for not knocking the frame like a gentleman does when...er...entering a lady's quarters through the window. Not that it's at all possible to mistake Gale Hawthorne for a gentleman. My blood boils when I think of all the things he said to me last night, all that crap about the proletariat and lemmings. I suppose I could have told him about the Mockingjay, but then I would have had to explain how I know about the resistance and reveal my role in sending our mutual best friend to her certain death. I'll have to tell him someday though, I think with a sigh.

He deserves to know the truth about me, about how badly I failed the Everdeens and how badly I failed him by default.

Throughout high school, I learnt the advantages of being invisible. When I was younger it had hurt that none of the other kids (town or seam) had wanted to play with me or include me, but as I grew older I started to appreciate my place in life. When you fade into the background, it throws everything else into sharper detail. I learnt to observe undetected, and notice words, feelings, looks and behaviour others ignore. That's not to say I always liked what I saw. From my place in the backdrop of District 12 I saw the way those in the Seam suffered in poverty and despair. I saw how girls as young as fifteen summers sold themselves to the head peacekeeper to stay alive and how their weeping mothers never stopped them. I saw how the kind baker did what he could to help those on the verge of starvation and how his doomed son's eyes followed Katniss Everdeen everywhere she went. I saw Gale's hatred and Katniss' determined survival, it's no secret these days that they're meant be. For years I jealously witnessed the unshakeable strength of their friendship and loyalty, but I never saw love. When I heard all the talk a few months ago about how they were finally together I felt stupid for not noticing that my only friend had feelings for someone. As for Gale...

Of course he's in love with her. She's beautiful, brave and - I'm almost certain - completely oblivious. She represents everything he holds dear, an unwitting symbol of rebellion before she even began playing their game. Plus, despite his cutting words and harsh judgement, after seeing those intense grey eyes reflected by fire and moonlight both, after feeling his skin, watching him cry for his father all those years ago and hearing of the way he still relentlessly cares for his family...I know now that I could never fault anyone for being hopelessly in love with Gale Hawthorne. I shift uncomfortably at the presence of such strange thoughts. It's childish, but despite everything I can't help feeling decidedly reluctant to rush the boy with the snares out of my life for good.

...

A sharp knock on the door of the 'History of Panem' class I'm suffering through interrupts my personal guilt train and startles me back to reality. A ridiculously cute little first year boy pops up from behind the door and rushes to the teacher's desk to deliver a note. She nods briskly and dismisses him with a lofty thank you.

"Madge Undersee?" She lilts in her silly Capitol accent.

I raise me hand, noting bitterly that I have been in her class for three years, get straight A's and participate regularly yet she still wouldn't recognise me from a fly on the wall.

"My dear, oh my poor dear, I'm afraid there is an emergency at home that requires your immediate presence!"

My eyes snap up. Mom. She's flapping a note from her desk so I launch myself out from behind my mine, grab it and dash out the door. My frantic eyes blink away a few frightened tears as I rush to the exit. It's been so long since Mom's had an episode that I'd actually managed to trick myself into believing she was getting better. Every damn time. I chide myself as I wipe my cheeks furiously. I'm sprinting by the time I'm out the gates until something wraps around my waist and I screech to a halt with a small "oomph". I look up wildly and see smudges of red and blue through my blurry eyes.

"Darius?"

"Jeez Undersee, those little legs are faster than they look. What's wrong, you don't actually have a dog do you?"

"W-what?" I ask distractedly as I clumsily pull the tendrils of hair sticking to my wet face from my eyes so that his concerned face comes into view. "My mom Darius, I have to go right now!" I try to take off again but he holds my wrist.

"Slow down Undersee, what are you talking about? Has something happened?" this brings a fresh torrent of full on, gut-wrenching sobs.

"I-I got a n-note, it's my m-mom there's an emergency she's s-s-sick..." I stutter, trying simultaneously to calm my breathing and pull myself from his gentle grip.

"Oh god Undersee, didn't you read the note?"

"What?" he takes it from my shaking fingers, a guilty look on his face and opens it so I can read.

Madge sweetheart,

I'm so sorry to have to tell you at school but I'm afraid our beloved Fido has fetched his last bone. The suspect in this canine murder most foul is said to be tall, handsome and ginger with huge muscles. The peacekeepers have begun the investigation but we need you home at the family mansion to share in our time of grief. Meet me at the gates in 10 my darling, be strong.

Love,

Daddy.

For a moment I just stare at the paper then let out a shaky laugh.

"Y-you?"

"Yeah...er...sorry, I had no idea you'd get so upset, I needed to see you guys and I thought you'd get the joke..."

I laugh properly this time and he stares at me warily as though I'm mad. I suppose I must look it too, but it's all so absurd. Of all the ridiculous ways to get me out of class he picks 'my dog was murdered'? By a handsome overly muscular ginger? Tears are still rolling down my cheeks but I'm now almost hysterical with laughter. Eventually I calm down a little and pat him on the arm consolingly.

"Oh Darius, I'm so sorry. I should have read the note, I worked myself into a state over nothing. Has anyone ever told you that you have an insane imagination?"

"No Undersee, I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't know your teacher would say it was an emergency..."

"Stop please," I interrupt him by tugging on his sleeve because he's pulling painfully on the hair at the nape of his neck, looking thoroughly ashamed of himself.

I open my mouth to explain when suddenly something incredibly warm moves into my personal space and large hands slide past my jaw to gently cup the sides of my face, tilting it upwards until my watery eyes meet soft grey ones. My mouth drops open a little because Gale Hawthorne's face is now inches from mine and he's tenderly brushing my hair back with deft fingers, carefully stroking my damp cheeks with calloused thumbs.

"What is it Princess, what happened?" he almost growls, his eyes wide and frantic, searching mine for something I can't identify. I can only gape at him, stunned as his gentle touches do nothing to slow the pounding in my chest or the rushing of blood in my ears. The way the boy who hates me murmurs the nickname I despise is sending shivers down my spine as his fingers burn a trail of fire through my hair and across my face. He looks concerned. Eventually I choke out a confused, "Gale?" and he seems to remember himself, dropping my face like it were a red hot poker and taking three large steps backwards leaving me feeling oddly bereft.

For a moment the three of us stand awkwardly, Darius is looking as confused as I feel and Gale scowls his patented glower whilst folding his arms and widening his stance. He draws himself to a dignified height whilst turning decidedly red around the ears. The colour is gone in seconds and I'm almost sure I imagined it – Gale Hawthorne does not blush.

Darius is still staring at Gale with an odd look on his face so I cough a little to clear the air. It works on Darius, at least.

"Right, er...Undersee, Gale, glad you both could make it."

"Yeah, I was cat burgled" mutters Gale wryly, "literally." His tone betrays exactly what he thinks of Darius' reconnaissance methods. I on the other hand have difficulty stifling a giggle.

"I gave poor Undersee quite the scare. That bimbo History teacher told her it was an emergency and brainless here didn't stop to read my well thought out description of a death in the family..." he trails off clearly trying for humour, but the guilt permeating his features gives him away. He reaches forward and gently takes my hand, lowering his eyes so that they level with mine.

"I really am sorry, Undersee. I'll think of something better next time, I promise." He looks so sad and sheepish. I squeeze his hand reassuringly and open my mouth to tell him off for feeling guilty but Gale butts in, all guns blazing as usual.

"You should have thought of that, dumbass! You must have known her Ma gets sick, no wonder she jumped to conclusions!" he prods Darius in the chest, hard.

"Hey!" I snap, turning red and placing myself in the small space between their equally puffed out chests and shoving Gale's hand away. "I can speak for myself Hawthorne, don't put words in my mouth! Darius wasn't to know I'd freak out like that, he needed to get us out of class somehow." Something like hurt flashes across Gale's face and is instantly replaced by a formidable scowl. Darius is looking a little too smug for my liking so I round on him, hands on hips.

"And YOU, you better have a good reason for pulling us out of school like that. It's conspicuous and I-I have a big test on Friday..." I finish lamely as Gale gives a large snort.

"What?" I resist stamping my foot. "Some of us do actually care about our grades you know."

"I'm sure you do Princess, with a bright future like yours to look forward to. I personally don't see how knowing the Pythagoras Theorem will help me better cut coal." He sneers.

"Ugh, you're impossible!"

"Now now kiddies," interrupts Darius, clapping Gale on the back and patting my shoulder. "No need to fight over your lessons, I'll have you back in no time at all. Don't you want to hear what I have to tell you? You're going to have to learn to get along for this task" he wags his finger, mockingly stern in an unwittingly accurate impression of my late Grandmother Undersee.

"Spit it out, Buckley." Gale huffs and I echo the sentiment.

"Come on, I'll tell you on the way there."

"Where's there?"

"The Hob."

Gale's P.O.V

I follow my chattering accomplices a few easy steps behind, close enough that I can hear the plan but far enough away that I'm not tempted to grab at Madge again. I scowl at the thought. Where the hell did that come from anyway? It's like I was sleepwalking from the moment she tore past me in the school corridors until the fog cleared and those warm azure eyes were piercing mine with pink-faced confusion, finally reassuring me that she was unharmed. Most surprising was the clenching in my chest when I saw her hysterical in Darius' arms, the blind anger that came second only to making sure she was alright. I reason it away as my protective instincts as an older brother, but as much as Madge pisses me off I would be lying if I said I had ever looked at her like a sister.

My anger towards Darius isn't helped by the way he continuously snakes his arm around her shoulders. I scowl as he smiles triumphantly for a moment, then smirk as she swats his hand away, listening intently to his plans for us.

He doesn't deserve her, damnit. I know he wouldn't hurt her on purpose, Darius is a good guy, but everyone knows Madge's mom gets sick a lot. Even Mrs E. saw her a few times to do what she could but there was nothing to be done. "Heart sick" Ma called it, but I never did find out what she meant.

I can't help watching her now for any trace of the agony that had wrenched her features, hoping fervently that I would never be the cause of Madge Undersee's pain. Her small fingers tuck a wild strand of hair behind her ears, then reach down to smooth her dress. I sigh and shake my head in disbelief because she looks so innocent and breakable yet can curse like a sailor, climb a tree like a monkey and run as fast as any guy I know.

I was so damn angry at her this morning. She made a complete fool out of me the other night, and no one makes a fool of Gale Hawthorne and lives to tell the tale. When she tore past me, her eyes wild and damp, all that fell away until I didn't recognise what was left. It took her all of five minutes of course to be back to her usual obnoxious self, and it was so good to see her wild eyed from anger as opposed to fear that I goaded her a little just to watch the sparks.

"What are you doing to me, Princess?" I mutter under my breath and take two comfortable steps to catch them, subtly inserting myself between their animated exchange.

"So this friend of yours you want to recruit..."

"Mac," Darius prompts, sounding a little exasperated. "His name is Mac. He's a trained mechanic, grew up in D3."

"Right, sorry. How did he end up here in 12?"

"He doesn't talk about it much, but he must have pissed of someone pretty high up to be banished to 12 to work on the mining machinery. Everyone knows that's a dud job they give to unfortunates from the favoured Districts who've fallen from grace.

"You mean like the clerks at the Justice Building?"

"Exactly, and like the Good Morning Panem reporters."

"Ah. So how do you know he'll help us?"

"Well...er...that's the thing..."

"Spit it out, Buckley," I choose this moment to re-enter the conversation, echoing my earlier sentiment because the way Darius is guiltily pulling at the hair on the back of his neck is making me uneasy.

"Look, he just might need a little...convincing is all. He's a great guy, and I know for a fact that he hates the Capitol. Plus, we could really use his expertise. We need someone with some technical know-how on our side or we'll never get anything done."

"Darius..." I begin warningly, but Madge beats me to it, halting and placing her hands on her hips bossily.

"So, let me get this straight. You took us out of school to talk to someone who might agree to help with the resistance, but might turn us in to the Capitol?"

"No," he replies emphatically. "I know we can trust him 100%, I just think he might need some persuasion. After all, look what happened the last time he put a toe out of line. We won't get a second chance with this guy so we need to handle the situation delicately".

"You mean we need to impress him" Madge snorts, rolling her eyes.

"Well, yes."

"And how the hell do you propose we do that? We've got nothing to show for ourselves, just useless plans." I cut in.

"For now! We'll have more than just plans if we get Mac on side!" I can see he's getting hacked off, but for once Princess Madge is right, this is absurd.

"Ugh, give it a rest guys. Your heightened testosterone levels are polluting my air. Darius, I assume you have a plan?"

"Right you are, Undersee. First we need to grab his attention, that's where you come in Gale. I've lost enough times to you to know you're a total shark when it comes to card games."

"You mean gambling?" Madge asks.

"Precisely. The guy's an addict, barely leaves the table to eat or sleep."

"Wow. Sounds like he'll be a lot of help, this one." I retort.

"Look he can't always have been like this. I think if he had something to stop for he would, he just needs to know his options."

"Ok, so Gale wows him with his gambling prowess," she shoots me a disapproving look which I return in kind, "then what?"

"Then once we have his attention, we persuade him to join us. That's where you come in, Undersee."

She cocks her head to the side throwing unruly golden curls over her right shoulder and raises an eyebrow questioningly. I chuckle because I know exactly where he's going with this.

"Er..." he looks to me for help but I make my face go blank, feigning innocence. I'm happy to play cards but he's on his own with this one.

"Come on Undersee, don't make me say it. You're...you. He's ...a guy,and y'know...not blind."

I watch amused as Madge turns a beautiful shade of red and her eyes narrow dangerously.

Are you suggesting that I flirt with a grown man in order to dupe him into joining a life-threatening resistance effort?"

"Yeah exactly!" he smiles happily, naively pleased that she finally cottoned on. I shake my head and snicker. Clearly Darius doesn't know Madge as well as he claims.

"That is unethical!" she screeches, wiping the smile from his cheery face. "I will NOT use my...my...feminine wiles to trick someone into helping us, it isn't fair. People need to know what they're getting themselves into, we did!" I've never seen my good friend look so flustered in all the six months I've known him.

"Plus," she sniffs "It would never work anyway..." she trails off, staring at the ground.

Darius and I exchange a glance that says 'yeah, right' and snort simultaneously at the thought of any red blooded male resisting this tiny blonde firecracker. She looks up sharply, making a beeline for Darius' face. This time when he looks to me for assistance, I can't resist.

"Oh it would work alright, Princess." I smirk.

She pauses comically mid cuff and flushes pink, a shade significantly different to the one she turns when she's mad. I note, amused.

She turns abruptly and marches in the direction of the Seam, calling over her shoulder.

"I'm still not flirting with him, you jerks."

We crack up laughing and follow her to our first real challenge as the District 12 resistance, The Hob.

A/N: Next chapter will include the confrontation with Mac! Will they get him to help, or realise they'd be better off without him? You'll find out when I post the next chapter midweek! :) Please let me know what you thought, I so appreciate your opinions on the pace of the plot (too slow?) the characters, and what you'd like to see in the coming chapters! Hope you enjoyed.