A/N: WAAAAAH I'M SO SORRY! I DECIDED TO PUT UP CHAPTERS 13 AND 14. AGAIN. SORRY FOR THE INDECISIVENESS!

Hello my lovelies! WE HAVE HIT 100 FOLLOWERS! I cannot believe the success of this story and it truly touches me that all of you have stuck with this story and given me great reviews! There's probably not many more chapters left, and I am devising a new HG fanfic, so don't worry!

If you have any ideas please post in the comments section- I love connecting fairytales to the Hunger Games and K/P fluff but would be open to more suggestions (just not K/G)!

Without further ado… Enjoy and Happy Reading!

-Celine

(P.S my kitty helped me write this one. She says hi too.)

"Inconceivable!"

What? What's going on? The square is utter chaos. I begin to panic as Peacekeepers push me back into the mess of girls, not really caring if I end up in the right age group or not. I put my arms up over an officer's shoulders as they push me away from the scene and strain to get a better look.

Madge? Why would she volunteer for me? Her name's only in there, like, four times. What the hell?

I finally find myself herded into the mob of anxious teenagers, and I have a clear view of the stage. Effie, in her ridiculously high blue pumps and tight pencil skirt, is clearly baffled. She looks over her shoulder at the Mayor, who is coincidentally Madge's father. He is shaking his head and Effie is biting her lip nervously.

"Why, it appears we have a volunteer! What's your name, dear?" she squeaks once Madge rises to join her on the stage.

"Madge Undersee," she says confidently, no sign of fear in her voice. I can tell she's trying to be strong, but her façade will not last long out here in the hot summer air.

Effie, meanwhile, puts a hand to her heart. "The mayor's daughter?"

Madge nods, leaving Effie quite stunned. "Well, let's give her a round of applause!" she says after a while, trying to rein the crowd back in. She claps loudly over the microphone, but stops when she notices what's wrong.

Silence. That's what's wrong. No one here is going to congratulate Madge, no one to tell her how lucky she is to be in the 74th annual Hunger Games. She doesn't need to hear that, because it's not true. But she needs to know how much we care. How much I care.

I step forward into the aisle and press three fingers of my right hand to my lips and hold it back out to her. The rest of the district follows suit, and I can see Madge tearing up at our silent salute.

Flustered, Effie tiptoes over to the microphone again. "And now, for the boys," she says determinedly and takes much less time searching for a name in the reaping ball than she did last time.

I close my eyes and pray to god, don't let it be Peeta. Please, anyone but Peeta.

Effie clears her throat. "Cato Helbringer."

I exhale a sigh of relief.

Effie concludes the ceremony with a hasty "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Then they are shuffled back into the Justice Building in a sort of procession, Effie and two higher-ranking Peacekeepers bringing up the rear. As soon as the doors close loudly behind them, everyone comes back to life and resumes their normal duties. I find myself lost in the sea of people, and I struggle to see over the top, screaming Peeta's name at the top of my lungs.

It feels like I'm suffocating, being carried along by the current of miners and merchants in a hurry to get back to work. I can't find Peeta anywhere.

I finally feel a familiar hand on my back and I whip around and crash my lips into his. His arms are warm and comforting, and they somehow give me strength to do what I need to do.

Say goodbye.

I pull back and say to Peeta, "I need to go see Madge before they cart her away. Meet me after?"

He nods. "I have to be at the bakery working at two, but you can help me if you want."

I agree, even though I've always been a terrible cook when it comes to anything more complex than stew. "See you then," I reply and wave.

I break through the throng surrounding the doors of the Justice Building and tell a lieutenant that I want to say goodbye. Two Peacekeepers are signaled over and they walk on either side of me to a small room of the main hallway.

The carpets are old and a faded plum color, and the walls are adorned with peeling floral wallpaper. It smells of sour milk. I've only been here once before, when I got that medal of service and the money for when my father died. I open the large oak doors where the Peacekeepers go to stand guard, as if I'll try to smuggle Madge out.

I enter the small study of sorts and see Madge sitting white-faced on a velvet sofa. I run over to her and hug her tightly. I feel tears streaming down her face land softly on my shoulder.

I am about to say that it's okay, but I know it's not. I know Madge doesn't have very good odds in the arena- she doesn't know how to use a weapon or the first thing about lighting a fire. So I ask, "Why?"

She sniffles and pulls back to look at me in the eye. "You didn't deserve it. I… I mean, you've shut people out your whole life, you know?" She pauses, searching for the words. "Your father died and your mother turned to drink. The only person who cared for you for ages was Prim, and you b-basically acted as her mother." Madge hiccups. "And then when you found Peeta, you were so much happier. I could see all those years of starvation washing away, like sidewalk chalk in a rainstorm."

Madge sighs. "It's like this, Katniss. We hold our pasts to us, strapped like bundles to our backs and we carry our past knowledge and mistakes on with us in life. That's why it's so hard- when we get older, our burdens get heavier. And when you have no one to take the load to let you rest for a moment, the climb can break your back."

I feel tears threatening to appear. "I- I never realized that until today, I guess," Madge continues. "You finally found that one person to share your load with. And Peeta found his. Y-you've b-both had it so hard, Kat. You deserve a shot at happiness."

I am crying along with Madge now. I tell her, "I never appreciated how great a friend you are, Madge. You have to win. Show them that you're not a piece in their games."

She nods and takes a deep breath to compose herself. "I will. If I don't come back… I'm just glad you have a chance at finding happiness."

The Peacekeepers burst through the door and grab me roughly by the arm. "Time's up," they say.

Just as I am almost pulled entirely out of the room, I shout, "Make them pay for it, Madge!"

Then the door closes between us and I'm sure she's gone from me forever.

"In cards and flowers on your window

Your friends all plead for you to stay

Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple

Sometimes goodbye's the only way

And the sun will set for you

The sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day

Will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you"

-Shadow of the Day, Linkin Park

In Memoriam