Disclaimer: Sorry this took so long, I wanted to pace the story out. I'm working on chapter 24 at the moment which might be a pretty important chapter, like this one...enjoy! (SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!)

I've been laying in bed for the past three days and my bruises, as Katniss told me, are still just as intense. My face is nearly healed, though. My mind has wandered every place it can go, and Gale walks into my thoughts too often.

"Madge," Katniss clears her throat one early morning as we sit (well, Katniss and Peeta sit; I lay on the couch), "you've been here for a little while. I was wondering if you'd like to visit with Thom and Bristel."

I stutter. I would like to see them, the thought only occured to me now, and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. But do I want them to see me like this? Pathetic? Bruised? Tired? Hopeless? Weak?

Who am I kidding? They've seen me like that my whole life.

"Sure," I clear my throat. "When?"

"Soon," she says. "I'm sure they'll be so happy to see you. I'll go call now." She hops up and walks briskly into the kitchen, grinning.

Peeta looks over at me and smiles. "She talked to me about that for a long time," he tells me. "She wants you so badly to be happy."

I smile back, somewhat bittersweetly. "I do too, Peeta," I sigh. "You have no idea."

Gale's POV

"Oh, that sounds wonderful!" I hear Bristel exclaim. She's on the phone with someone. I raise an eyebrow at Thom, who shrugs.

A little while later, Bristel calls Thom into the kitchen, who shrugs again before getting up to go talk to her. It's a long talk, and all I hear are murmurs, concerned and happy and excited and nervous. It scares me a little. After what seems like forever, Thom saunters back into the room.

He scratches the back of his neck. "Uh, Gale," he begins carefully, "something came up. Bristel and I have to go."

"Go?" I raise an eyebrow. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Thom stutters, "yeah. We just...something came up. You...you can come back later, okay? This weekend? I don't know."

I don't have a problem with leaving; I've been here for a few days. But something doesn't seem right. "You sure everything's okay?" I ask, rising to my feet.

"Absolutely," Bristel assures me brightly, walking in to stand beside Thom. "We're sorry, it just came up. If you'd like to come back again soon, Thom'll give you a call."

"Okay," I agree, still uneasy. I want to know more, but I don't push it. "Thanks for everything, guys."

They both hug me, and after a few minutes, I'm out the door, heading home.

Something isn't right.

"Gale, you're back!" Posy wraps herself around my leg. I chuckle. "You're getting a bit too old for that, Pose," I smile as she unlatches herself and grabs my hand, leading me into the living room.

"Hey, Gale," Vick smiles. "How're you?"

"Great," I grin. "Where's Ma?"

"Right here," she chimes, coming up from the basement. She wraps her arms around me. "You feeling better?" she murmurs against my shoulder. I squeeze her in a quick hug. "Yeah," I say, smiling down at her. "Something came up for Bristel and Thom. Wouldn't tell me what it is."

She grins. "Don't be nosy, dear. How's work going?"

Thom and I had been walking to work together the past few days. "Still asking for people to move to 2," I scratch the back of my neck. "They said they'd give us a while to decide."

"Just keep your best interest in mind, honey," she says softly. "Don't let us rule your life."

I laugh quietly. "Really, Ma, it's fine," I assure her. "I'm happy to stay."

We spend the rest of the night talking, playing games, watching TV. And I forget all about the funny little blonde that screwed with my heart. At least until I go to bed.

The. without meaning to, I cry. Again.

Madge's POV

Katniss sits on my bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to me tell stories of how my life has been since I left Twelve. She's a great listener; laughs, frowns, raises her eyebrows all at the right parts. I tell her about the people I've met, about Caesar, about the crowds, about the good things. She tells me what it was like to live in 4, about her mom, about Annie and her son, about the beaches, about her and Peeta's talks of having children.

"Do you want any?" I ask. Katniss and Peeta's children would be beautiful, no doubt about it.

"Oh," she blushes, "I...I don't know."

"Have you been trying?" I grin, nudging her.

"Madge!" her skin grows pinker. "I...not really."

"Good," I tease. "I don't need that keeping me awake at night."

Her mouth opens in shock as she laughs, embarrassed. "Don't do that!" she giggles. "What the hell, Madge."

We talk some more, and the topic shifts to Thom and Bristel. "What do I say?" I tug at my shirt nervously. "What do I tell them?"

"They know about the...the incident, and your...injuries," Katniss says carefully. "Just be yourself. Tell them your stories."

"I guess so," I sigh. Still, it takes a while to fall asleep that night - and not because Peeta and Katniss have resumed their attempts to have children.

"Madge, stop fidgeting," Katniss places a firm hand on my shoulder. "I promise. It's going to be fine." Katniss had only talked to Bristel yesterday morning; I was surprised they could just come so soon. But Peeta laughed and said, "They've waited five years. That isn't too soon."

I've made myself presentable, brushed my hair, washed my face. It hurts to sit; the bandages have made my whole midsection stiff, not to mention the pain. I close my eyes tightly and think of the last time I saw Thom or Bristel. Katniss wasn't with us, she had been preparing for the Quell. I had no idea I'd be leaving so soon; it was only a few days before. We'd all spent some time in the meadow, talking, laughing, teasing. Nothing of substance.

Bristel's house was the first stop; Thom's was the second, but he had always gone to walk me home before he went himself. Bristel had bid goodbye to both of us, still smiling radiantly and laughing about a joke we'd made. Then as we started walking towards my house, he lightly wrapped his fingers in my own.

It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome gesture. Thom and I had been some sort of item long before that, a year or so, and then we decided it just wasn't good for us. So it wasn't foreign, his hand in mine. But I certainly did not expect it.

We didn't say anything til we got to my house. The porch light shaded his features, and his eyes were watery. "Madge," his voice was raspy, "please don't ever forget me."

I had no idea what he meant; how could I forget Thom?

Slowly, his fingers traced along my jawline; it made me shiver. With his other hand he tangled his fingers in my hair, and leaned down so our noses touched.

"Please," he said again, "don't forget me."

Then his lips were on mine, dry and warm, soft and inviting. Without hesitation I laced my fingers across the back of his neck, leaning into him. All too soon he pulled away.

"I had to do that," he'd whispered. "Just...just one more time." And then he was gone.

I shake my head of the memory. I know things are different now; Thom and Bristel are married. But Thom's words still made me shiver; it's like he knew of my fate.

The doorbell rings, and I jump. "Oh, they're here!" I hear Katniss exclaim. Peeta smiles sympathetically. "Don't worry," he says quietly, "just be yourself," before jumping up to follow Katniss to the front door.

I suck in a breath and then hold in the cry of pain, awkwardly shifting so that I'm sitting up. I'm looking at my nails when I hear both their voices, crashing down into my ears, and I shiver.

"Madge!" their voices clash harmoniously, and I force myself to look up. There's pain in Thom's eyes, sadness in Bristel's, and I just want to take it all away. But I grin, knowing all too well how to smile through any other emotion. "Hey," I muster, as quietly as possible. They both take seats beside me, and I can't help but feel my lips curve unforcibly, the mask melting away.

"Long time no see," Thom quips, and I burst into laughter, tears of pain pricking in my eyes but I don't care. I lean into his side, taking Bristel's hand and squeezing it. "Hell, Undersee," he teases. "You don't have to humor me."

I exhale deeply, and I can't hold back the flinching as my ribs tingle sharply. They both notice, and they both frown, but I don't acknowledge it. Not now.

"Look at you," I turn to Bristel. "Stop it. You're so beautiful."

"Don't even start with that," she smirks. "Thom here was just telling me about the little thing you guys had."

I stop myself just in time before I say yeah, me too, but I still blush. Thom rolls his eyes, smiling. "That's over," we both say, at the same time, and Bristel giggles. I shift my position, biting my tongue hard to fight any pain finding its way through my vocal cords. "Really, it is," I smile slightly.

"Besides," Thom smiles, too, "I doubt Undersee will be kissing anyone anytime soon."

Bristel shoots him a hard glance, but I grin. "He's right, you know. Now, how've you been?"

"Shh," I hear a deep murmur sound in my ears. I'm mostly asleep, I can register that much. Who is talking, I don't know.

"She's asleep," the voice says. It is Thom. Bristel murmurs something back, and soon I hear the door close. She must be gone. I almost let worry overtake me; did I do something wrong? but then I'm asleep again.

It seems like only minutes have gone by when I wake a second time; I gasp when I realize my head has been on Thom's lap. I try to get up hurriedly, but he groggily pushes me down. "Stop it, Madge," his voice is laden with sleep, "you're okay."

"Why'd Bristel leave?" I ask. "This morning?"

"We stayed after you fell asleep," he mutters. "She's asleep upstairs. It's okay."

"I-is she-is she mad?"

"Damn, Madge," his voice gets a little louder, "no. Go back to sleep. It's fine."

"You sure?" I ask, and I feel his fingers tangling in my hair. "I'm sure," he says softly. "It's five in the morning. Go back to sleep."

Before I can protest, I am sleeping again.

Gale's POV

Two mornings after I leave Thom and Bristel's, I decide to visit the woods. Only when I am reaching for my coat do I realize, in my hurry, I'd left it at their house.

"Fuck," I mutter, and Ma, who is sweeping the floor, gives me a pointed look. "Sorry," I say to her. "Left my jacket at Thom and Bristel's. Be right back."

Once there, I knock on the door, but no one answers; I begin to panic, hoping nothing bad happened. They were hesitant about telling me why they'd be gone. And it's been a few days. I mean, of course they're adults, and they can be gone whenever and however long they want to be. But...the way Thom wouldn't look me in the eye. The way I was so nervously ushered out...

Trying to do some quick thinking, I figure the only other place they could be in the District would be Katniss and Peeta's. So I rush there, probably worrying more than I ought to be.

Pounding on the door, it's only a few seconds before Katniss opens it. "Gale," she croaks.

"Are Thom and Bristel okay?" I pant, out of breath.

"Yeah, Gale," she says quietly.

"They here?"

"I -"

Not wanting to hear any bullshit, I nervously peek around her shoulder. And then I see it.

Madge is sleeping peacefully in Thom's lap, his eyes pointedly avoiding mine, Her shirt ridden up her stomach, which is completely covered in stiff white bandages.

A/N: thoughts?