Katniss' POV
If I was being honest with myself I was nervous. I hadn't seen Thread for months, and I didn't remember much about the day Snow had nearly beaten me to death. Cato had painfully told me that Madge had found out that he knew about the abuse, and had a hand in kidnapping me when I was a baby. I say painfully because it's hard for him to talk about that day at all, it's hard for all of us. But as much as I was nervous, I wanted to surprise my best friend. She had done so much for me, and I wanted to make it up to her. So I walked into the prison to visit one of the biggest assholes in my life, who also happened to be Madge's father.
"What do you want?" Thread growled lowly. He hadn't received a single visitor since he had been thrown into jail. His daughter refused to see him, and when he entered the visiting area, I knew he had hoped it was her.
"Hello, Mr. Undersee," I greeted ignoring his glare. "I came to talk to you."
"What can you and I possibly talk about, child?"
"Your daughter."
He stiffened at that and I leaned forward. "Look, I know you hate me, and quite frankly I'm not all that fond of you either, but Madge's birthday is coming up and I want to get her something that has meaning, something she would like."
"Aren't you her best friend?" he asked bitterly.
"I am," I agreed. "But what do you give someone who has everything?" He shrugged and looked away. "My Mom talked to Paylor, she's going to let you spend two hours with her that day."
His head snapped towards me and his expression softened. "Why?" Thread asked. "Why would you do this?" Just like that the emotions of how he missed his daughter flooded through his eyes.
"I'm not doing it for you," I clarified. "I'm doing it for her, for everything she's done for me."
The older man sighed and nodded. "Her mother carried a locket around her neck," he began softly. I could tell he was fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "The man who came inside to rob us, he tore it off her neck, broke it. I never fixed it."
He looked at me and I nodded, understanding where he was going with this. "Where can I find it?"
"There's a box, under my bed, you'll find it there. One side has a picture of the three of us. The other is empty," the man informed me. "Perhaps you should add a picture of you and her on the other side."
I smiled at him and placed a hand over his. "You would be proud of her," I said. "She's keeping the company running and doing well in school, with almost perfect marks I might add."
He nodded again but remained silent. He seemed lost in his own thoughts. I got up from my seat, figuring this conversation was over. I made it to the door when his voice stopped me. I turned around to see him simply staring at me.
"Thank you."
Madge's POV
It was my birthday today, to put it plainly. Katniss had stayed up and sent me a midnight 'happy birthday' text. I chuckled and thanked her for remembering. She told me to meet her at a restaurant in the city at 3 o'clock. I frowned, because I knew she hated that place, it was a bit fancy for her liking. She told me she had saved a private booth for the both of us.
When it came close to three I dressed up and headed over, parking the car and going inside. The waiter took me to the back and I stopped in my tracks when I saw a very familiar person that was most definitely not my best friend.
"Dad?" I asked.
He smiled and stood up, gesturing the waiter away. I made a move to leave but he caught my arm and shook his head. "Please, don't go."
I looked away. Katniss knew I didn't want to see my father. She knew I hadn't even gone to visit him since he had been in jail. But she also knew I missed him, and I couldn't help but let a small smile appear. She had done all of this for me.
"It was Katniss, wasn't it?" I asked quietly.
He nodded. "I was wrong about her," my father replied. "She's a great friend. I'm grateful to her because of that."
I nodded and he led me back to the table. He informed me that he had two hours with me, but I didn't let it bother me, he was here with me for that time, and I couldn't help being happy for it. The man that sat in front of me was the man I had loved as a child, not the monster Snow had made him into. He asked me out for a dance and I laughed as he told me how much I used to dance with him as a child.
All too soon the time was up and a guard appeared handcuffs ready. My expression saddened and my father lifted up my chin so I could look at him before planting a soft kiss on my forehead. "I'm very proud of you," he said.
I hugged him and he hugged me back. I blinked away the tears as I appreciated the embrace. "I love you, Dad," I whispered before the guard took him. My phone vibrated and I checked to see who it was.
'One more gift left. Meet me at your house'-Katniss
I chuckled and left the restaurant, hopping into my car and driving home. When I got there, I found a note at the door that read "backyard." I frowned but shrugged, following the directions my younger friend had left. When I got to the back I smiled when I saw her lying down looking up at the sky which was already darkening, a few stars already making an appearance. I went over to her and lay besides her.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Katniss whispered. "But I was afraid that-"
"I wouldn't go," I finished for her. "I know. Thank you, that meant the world to me, Katniss."
She smiled before pulling something out of her pocket, sitting up. I sat up with her and she handed over a small box.
"Your dad told me about it, and I thought I'd give it to you. I mean I didn't know what to get someone who has everything," my best friend said.
I opened the box and gasped.
It was my mother's locket.
I hadn't seen it since she died, and I always wondered what had happened to it. I opened it and on the left side there was a picture of my mother, father and me when I was eight. On the right there was one of Katniss and I from not too long ago. I looked up at her as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"Thank you again," I whispered as I pulled her into an embrace. "For everything." She hugged me back tightly and I smiled.
"Happy Birthday Madge," was all Katniss said.
I know this was centered around Madge, but whatever! Thank you Speedy08 and BG-13 for letting me use this story line!
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