He finds her sitting on the bedroom floor with her head in her hands.
"Madge?" It's late afternoon. He'd been with his mother all day not wanting to sit around and do nothing in his empty house while Madge worked. He's been helping with laundry. Gale walks into the room and shuts the door behind him, despite the fact that the only one who could follow him would be Benjamin. He sinks onto the ground beside her quickly, wondering how long she's been sitting here. She doesn't lift her head at all. "What's wrong?" His questions come out quick. "What happened?"
His first thought is that something must've happened at work. Her overseer must've been by and threatened her with something. Gale remembers, however, that Madge never makes it a big deal what her boss makes her do. She just does it, and only admits to it after when he asks. So this must be something else.
She sniffles loudly and lifts her shoulder. "I…" Madge shakes her head and finally pulls it from her hands, turning to face Gale. He finds her eyes very pink and filled with tears. "I'm just, I don't know what to do."
"Come on," he soothes her. "Talk to me. I'm here."
Her chin quivers and instinctively he reaches up and cups her cheeks. He thumbs below her eye to catch a falling tear. "Gale…" Madge sniffles again. "I'm pregnant."
He freezes immediately, a spark shoots down his spine and he straightens his posture, looking straight into her eyes. He doesn't even know what to say. His mouth opens and closes as though he's searching for the right words, but he doesn't know what is right.
"Madge that's—" great? Terrifying? Wonderful? All of the above?
Fear is the first sensation to rush over him, fear of Madge falling ill again and almost losing her. Fear of losing another child. But the second sensation is elation.
"I know, I know," she wipes at her eyes and pulls her chin from his grasp. "It's a good thing, it's what we want, a family, but it's happened so fast and…" she hesitates before admitting, "I'm so scared." He pulls her into his arms and Madge moves to maintain his steady hold, resting her cheek against his chest. Her arms latch behind his neck and he buries his face into her hair. "I'm so scared," she repeats weakly.
So is he.
"It's going to be okay." She nods against him, warm tears leak through his shirt and stain his skin, and Gale holds her closer. Gale's voice quivers when he says, "I'm not going to let anything happen." He really means it this time. Nothing will happen to this child. It will survive. It will live. It will be exceptional. He is utterly terrified but will go out of his way to make sure that this child survives. He will stop at absolutely nothing. "We can do it, okay?"
"Okay," she sniffles. He leans back so he can get a look at her. "I love you," Madge whispers, slowly lifting her head to look at him.
He smiles. "I love you too," he says. Despite the fact that he, too, is shaking, he says, "Don't be scared." She can hear the fear in his voice and see the terror in his eyes, but she believes him anyway. She has no other choice.
They only tell a select group of people that Madge is pregnant again. It's not something they want getting out until they know that the baby will last. Prim and Rory know first because Gale wants to get some sort of pill for Madge to take so she's healthy for as long as possible and because they want Prim to watch Madge closely. Both Rory and Prim are excited for them. They tell Posy and Hazelle too (of course Hazelle cries again), and Katniss and Peeta who are caught between congratulations and being weary, and Madge's old butler Bernard.
But that's it.
Wesley learns eventually, and they'll tell Thom and Bristel sooner or later, as well as Delly and Jace, but for now it's not something they want spread. It would just result in more hearts broken if something was to happen again.
And Madge, she tells her father. She doesn't think she has a choice.
She goes over to the Undersee mansion one day and lets herself in. Bernard is cleaning some upstairs room, she can hear the vacuum running, and it's the maid's day off. Madge knows her father is here. She marches up the staircase without removing her jacket, not wanting to stay longer than she has to.
Madge knocks a few times on the office door before her father yells come in. He's startled to see her but doesn't question it.
"I want the vitamins," she says, cutting straight to the point. Madge tries to make her voice seem strong but her body feels like leafs in the wind. Her father's eyebrows lift. She knows that Gale has asked Prim to order something from the Capitol that Madge can take but it won't be enough. It will be a vitamin for Madge, and she needs vitamins for the baby. "The prenatal vitamins. I want them."
"Come in," her father repeats. She's standing in the doorway. Madge takes a step inside but doesn't dare go any further. This is not a home visit, this is a demand. Madge needs the vitamins. "You're pregnant again?"
"Yes," Madge nods sharply. Tears sting her eyes as she admits this to her father. Her first pregnancy did not last, she can practically feel him saying I told you so when it comes to her life choice. She doesn't want him to mock her.. She didn't want to come here, but she's too scared to go without the help.
"Come sit," the mayor instructs. Madge pulls the door shut behind her and paces forward, sinking into the chair across from his desk. "How long?"
"A few weeks."
Her father reaches down into the desk and pulls out a large yellow container. It's about the size of a teacup. He extends it out to her and she carefully accepts it.
"Take one every day," he tells her. "Do it with breakfast. Start tomorrow." Madge tips her head forward. She slides the pill container into her bag and goes to stand. "Madge," he clears his throat and stands as well. She knows there's more, that he wants more. "Can I come over? When the baby is born?" Madge blinks a few times. His voice drops to a desperate level, "Please. I know I've made mistakes. I want to fix things."
She straightens her posture. She hesitates. Madge wants to know what changed but she refuses to ask. It must take a lot for him to admit this, however, and for that Madge eases slightly. There is a ferocity in his eyes that makes her believe he's serious. Perhaps he is being genuine.
"We'll see," Madge nods again. She starts for the door but her father lunges after her. "What do you want?"
"We need to talk," he says. She narrows her eyes at him. What else could they possibly have to discuss? Madge suddenly remembers their conversation from the other day and feels her heart sink into her stomach. He wants to talk about the mine collapse. "Outside."
Madge returns home a lot later than Gale expects her too. She has worry lines between her eyebrows and a scowl that's big enough for the both of them. Gale steps toward her as she shrugs off her jacket. "Are you okay? Where did you go?"
"I'm fine," she says. He moves behind her and helps her with her jacket before hanging it on the coat rack. "I went to see my father."
He stops her before she can walk away. "What?"
"When he came by here last time he tried to give me prenatal vitamins and I refused them, remember? I wanted them this time. I needed them this time." Maybe if she had accepted them the first time she wouldn't have miscarried. She's not going to risk it again. She already blames herself enough for losing the baby. "I went and asked for them." Gale grabs her hands and waits until she looks up at him, finding concern in his eyes. "It was fine, Gale. I got the vitamins."
"Why didn't you ask me to go?" he says. There's betrayal in his voice that makes her feel guilty. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know," she admits. It didn't seem like a good idea. "It was something I needed to do alone and I knew you'd demand to go with me and—"
Seeing her ramble like, searching for words in an attempt of an apology, this has him feeling guilty. He doesn't want that. Gale should know that she needs to do things alone sometimes.
"Hey," he cuts her off quietly, bending down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Okay. I understand." He wouldn't have demanded to go with her, he would've let her go. That's how they work together. He knows when she needs space. "Don't be stressed out," he pleads. His eyes dart to her stomach. "Don't be stressed or worried or anything like that, okay?" Madge nods, stopping toward him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "We're going to be okay, Madge."
"I know," she nods. "I know we are."
"Then please," his voice drops to a whisper. "Talk to me. Okay? Don't shut yourself out or bottle things up. Talk to me." Her head jerks into a forced nod. Gale kisses her forehead again. "I don't like there being secrets between us."
"Me neither," Madge croaks. He pulls her toward her and she rests her head against his chest, allowing his arms to wrap behind her back. "I'm sorry." It feels like a lie when she says, "I'll tell you next time."
"That's all I ask."
It's nighttime before Madge works up the courage to talk to Gale about what her father told her this afternoon. No secrets, that's what Gale said, and she can't do that is she puts this off any longer. A while ago Madge had a problem with lying, she's not going to resort back to it now. Madge is tracing her finger in circles over his bare chest when she commands herself to speak.
"Gale?" she whispers. His eyes were closed, he might've fallen asleep, but at her voice he looks at her and smiles. She can't help but smile too, even though it's sad. "They're opening the mines in a few days," she says. This is where she has to start. The beginning, no matter how painful it is.
Gale swallows thickly and tips his head forward. "I know." They announced it on the television today. Monday morning they'll be up and running and Gale will be expected to return immediately. He doesn't know if he's prepared for that. "I'll be okay." She nods, and lowers her head down to his chest.
"If you don't want to go back—"
"I don't have a choice," he cuts her off. "I'll be okay," Gale says again. Madge nods again, words lingering on her tongue. She has to transition. "That's not what you wanted to talk to me about," he says after a moment of silence.
"Mm," she sighs. "I hate how well you know me." Yet of course, she's also sort of relieved that she doesn't have to bring it up all on her own.
"You're my wife, babe," he chuckles. His fingers curl through her hair and she leans into him more. "Tell me what's up."
Madge hesitates. She chews on her bottom lip. She sighs again. Finally, "If I asked you to do something, would you do it?"
Gale frowns and sits up slightly. "I'd try my best too, of course. What is it?"
Her hand stops tracing over his skin, and instead her fingers drum against his chest. "I want you to organize an escape plan," she says.
He tenses, accidentally pulling the hair twisted around his knuckle backwards. She winces and jerks her head with a tiny cry. "Sorry," he croaks. "Shit, sorry." She sits up rubbing the tender spot on her head and he sits up with her. "What did you ask me to do?"
"Organize an escape plan," she says again with a frown. Gale narrows his eyes at her, reaching forward and swatting her hand away from her head so he can rub it for her. Madge lets out a deep breath and leans into his massaging fingers. "My dad told me something and I have no choice but to believe him." She doesn't want to tell Gale these things but she absolutely has to. "The mine collapse was premeditated."
He fidgets, looking down at his hands before meeting Madge's eyes again. Gale always had his suspicions that these things never happened on accident but he wanted to stay optimistic, or as optimistic as he could in this sort of situation. Hearing his wife confirm it for him, that the mines did not fall on their own, causes his ribs to turn to jelly. He thinks of his father and wonders if that collapse was planned as well. He thinks of his own life being drained from him.
"Because of the strike?" Gale asks. He remembers his days in the jailhouse like they were just last week.
"No," she shakes her head. "Because there are things like the strike happening in other districts but can't be put down like yours was." Gale blinks a few times, trying to process what it is she's telling him. "It was to show the other districts what could happen if they don't stop rebelling."
"Rebelling." Gale tests the word on his tongue and likes the sound of it. "Other districts are rebelling?"
"No, not—" she shoots him a sharp look. "That's not the point I was trying to make here and you know it."
"You can't wave something like that in front of my face and tell me I can't have it, Madge." Gale finally drops his hand from her head. "Other districts are rebelling!"
Does she understand what this means? This is the change that he's been waiting for! The step toward a brighter and safer and better Panem! A place without Hunger Games, a place where his child – the one Madge is carrying right now – will never have to brave the reaping, or take out tesserae, or starve just because he or she lives in the Seam!
"Last time we tried to fight back or make a change," Madge reminds him, "you were thrown in the jailhouse and one man was executed and multiple others died from their injuries." The brightness in Gale's eyes fades.
"These things come with a consequence," Gale murmurs. "War. Fighting back. You know that, I know that. I'm willing to make sacrifices if it's for the greater good."
Madge hesitates again but finally musters up the strength to ask, "Even if that means losing me?" Gale falls silent. "Our child?" He drops his head. "What about Rory? Or Posy, or your mom?" Gale slinks away from her. "Just, listen to me, okay?" Gale sighs loudly but tips his head forward. "The mine collapse was broadcasted to every district to show what would happen if they rebelled, right? It was supposed to make them stop." Madge leans her head forward as though he should know what she's about to say. "It didn't work."
"It didn't work," Gale echoes. "Okay?"
"Their next step is to do to us what they did to District 13," Madge says. "District 13 is gone, Gale."
He scowls and glances down at the foot of the bed where Benjamin is. This doesn't make any sense.
"Why would they do it to us and not the other districts if they're the ones rebelling?"
"Don't play dumb," Madge frowns. "We're not nearly as important as District 8 who makes all the clothes or District 2 who has all the peacekeepers. Coal is meaningless. It's the task they've given us to keep us busy." District 12 is the smallest of all of them, the most useless. If the Capitol or President Snow wants to send a message he's not going to knock out the most important players unless he has to. "Organize an escape plan," Madge whispers. "Just in case."
After a bit of silence Gale asks, "Are you're telling me that we're going to be bombed?" Madge bites down on her bottom lip. She doesn't deny or confirm this. "Your father told you this?"
"It's not like he knows anything for sure," Madge says quickly. "It's not like President Snow sends a warning slip a week ahead." Gale lets out a huff of air and Madge shrugs. "But think about it, Gale, it makes sense."
"And where would we go, Madge?" he asks. "We'd just take off into the woods?"
"Not just us," she shakes her head. "Everyone."
"Everyone," Gale repeats.
"An escape plan for everyone," Madge says. "We would all go into the woods. We could all be safe."
A/N: I'm sorry for such a lag in update! I've been very distracted with other gadge things and also sick and college is stressful and ugh. But I promise I'm not going to abandon this fic ever, especially because it's so close to the end... heh. As always, a shoutout and big thanks to juniorstarcatcher who is the best beta a girl could ask for. I know this chapter is short but it had to end there, friends! Love you all. Hope you're not as sick as I am.