Chapter 38 of Rebel or Madge?

A/N: Is anyone else still obsessed over Taylor Swift's 1989 album still?

(Sarah's POV)

I meet up with Randal on the staircase up to the meeting place. He looks at the stairs the whole time, but I've noticed that he does that – look where he's placing his feet, I mean. When I glance at him from the corner of my eye, I see him smiling softly. He tilts his chin slightly towards me to let me know that it's directed at me. I look away and pick at my nails. I, purposely, run into the railing on the stairs just so I can right myself again and run into him.

"I miss you." I whisper so only he can hear when my lips brush his ear as I right myself.

His cheeks go slightly red, you'd never know if you weren't looking at him from a centimeter away. Butterflies erupt in my stomach like a volcano onto earth's soil. Hot and fast.

A smirk graces my features and I have to turn to look away from him so he doesn't see me. We don't need our leader getting mad at me now, do we? Just before we reach the top, he reaches out with his right hand for the door but discreetly brushes his fingers against mine for a millisecond before opening the door smoothly as if nothing ever happened.

I go to follow him in when May grabs my arm to hold me back for a second.

(May's POV)

I've been watching their whole interaction with a careful eye. I knew something was going on with Sarah for the past month and I want to know what. She hasn't told me anything and I know I shouldn't worry but still, it's my sister.

I know something's up when Randal smiles. He never smiles. Not once have I seen him smile and yet he's smiling at my sister. My sister. And I know Randal thinks he's a sly guy and all but that hand brush couldn't go past a 2nd grader.

Sarah's giving me that I'm-so-confused-and-totally-innocent look that she always pulls when she knows she's been caught red handed. I'm not stupid and oblivious to the world around me like my peers on the streets, and I'm especially aware of Sarah's world. I protect Sarah like I protect my heart, fiercely and complicated. I don't let people walk all over my heart and I don't let anyone walk all over Sarah.

I'm not saying Sarah isn't smart, she is, but sometimes she gives herself away too easily, especially her heart. She trusts love and fate too easily for my liking. And sometimes I think she's a little reckless and loses sight of her goal – a rebellion.

And if Randal apart of this…this fate bull shit, then we have problem, a big problem. And I'm gonna stop before it can even starts. Whether I stop it where it hurts or I stop it when she sees sense.

"What is going on between you and head honcho?"

She gives that fake laugh that every girl knows and does, like dudes and that handshake they all know, "Nothing, May."

"Bull crap, what is going on, Sarah?"

Her glare can easily match mine. That's something I love about Sarah, she can as cute-as-the-dickens-Sarah or bitch-don't-mess-with-me-Sarah. I just love that. She's direct but sweet at the same time, kind of the opposite of me. I'm all dark and mysterious and kind of bitchy and violent, and she's not. We're kind of like salt and pepper, Good Cop Bad Cop, partners in crime. I don't know what I would do without my sister.

"May, nothing is happening between us. I would jeopardize us like that; I wouldn't jeopardize my heart like that."

I roll my eyes and try to push past her, but it's her turn to grab my arm.

"May, I'm serious." Her eyes are as hard as a rock. The slick gray color that usually looks like wet stones look like hardened rocks. That's never good. She means business and I always feel small under that grim look.

"Okay Sarah, I believe you." I feel like a two year old getting in trouble for eating crayons.

Sarah grabs the door handle with an aggressive yank and quickly enters the room. Her dress makes a big sweeping motion as she quickly twirls around to sit on the maroon sofa. Her graze tells me to hurry up and sit down. I cross the threshold and sit quietly, somberly, beside her. She wraps her arms around my shoulders as we lean back against the sofa.

She messes with the ends of my hair as we wait to behind.

After forty minutes of waiting to start everyone is getting antsy. Randal stands a few away from the door, a few men on either side of him. He's picking at his nails and glances around the room every so often.

"What we waiting for?" a girl in the back calls up to Randal. I've only seen her a few times at the meetings but we were assigned the same mission one time. She's a diligent worker and likes to do things on a schedule. She and Gale would get along nicely. They're both freaks of nature.

"We're waiting on the boy." Randal's voice is deep and slow.

"What boy?" she snaps.

"The Victor."

The whole room erupts in anger. How could you let him in? How do you know he's not spying? He's playing us! He's a deceitful child that will only hurt us in the end! He'll be the end of us! And so on.

"Be quiet!" Randal booms out. There are times he's the alpha male and times that he is the tiger being ready to strike. He's the tiger now. He's face is red as a beet and his hands are curls into tightly laced fist. He's chest is heaving and his breathing is heretic and uncontrolled. He glares at each and every one of us, individually, before speaking again, "I don't care what you think. I am the leader and he is a part of our alliance now. He is a valuable asset and is on the inside! Damn it, he can collect all the information we want and need to win this war without being glanced at a second time. He is the final puzzle piece to this war. He is a treasured asset on either side of the war. You should be grateful he choose us and not them."

"He can gather information without a second glance? Ran, think about it! Think how easy he could gather information on us. How easy it would be? He can destroy us! He can end this war silently before we even have a chance at starting it! We've been working on this for years, and yeah he was valuable before he won. Now he's just too dangerous and uncertain to take the risk! Randal, think about it, think about us and all we've worked for."

"This isn't up for discussion anymore." The room is looking between the two people. I'm surprised Sarah hasn't said a word but maybe it's safer for us to stay quiet anyways.

"So I guess this is the wrong time to show up, isn't it."

(Gale's POV)

I'm looking at everyone's feet for a few seconds before I dare glance up. All the people bordering the room don't look too happy to see me. There are mostly men bordering the room, leaving most of the delicate looking women to the soft couches, chairs, and beanbags. Some of the women look awestruck that I'm actually here or maybe that I'm a Victor, but other women looks like the men – all mean and angry. I know I just walked into a hell hole the size of mankind.

I consider walking out and letting someone come and tell me later whether it's okay to join. But if their leader is anywhere near smart, he will know that letting me leave or pissing me off could lead to me giving away their location to Snow's military.

I wouldn't, of course, that's not how I roll. It's still should be a distant thought in his head. I don't know who the leader is; just that he's male and goes by the name of Randal.

"So…" I dig the pad of my thumb into my other hand's palm and rub rough circles into it. "How's everybody doing?" I know I'm not helping but the awkwardness of the whole situation is wearing on my already spiked nerves.

"Get out." a man in a blue, plaid button-down growl at me from the center of the back wall.

I quirk an eyebrow up at him, a challenge.

"Can you not hear, boy, he said get out." The women in a bright, white, lace dress says next to Mr. Plaid Shirt.

I raise my other eyebrow.

"Go." She shoos me away like a dog.

I take a step forward and smirk before speaking.

"How stupid are you?" I pause for dramatic effect.

"That's my wife you're talking about." Mr. Plaid Shirt grounds out.

"Not surprising." I make a face of disgust and make my voice sound like she couldn't get any better than that.

"Hey!"

"Calm you ass down there, cowboy. We're all on the same side, but if I must, I do feel I must point out…That I could simply just waltz my way out of this room and down those 'grand' stairs and yell at the top of my lung 'Hey everyone, there's a group of people upstairs planning to murder you and completely destroy your life for the greater of theirs, just thought you should know' or would that be a little too destructive?" it comes out slow and authority-worthy, it's a challenge that I know they can't risk.

"You challenging me there, boy?"

"I think I am, cowboy."

"This is exactly what I meant, Randal! He's a grenade in a flower shop! He's pretty but too sneaky and destructive!"

"Calm it. He's too risky now. He just threatened to give us away. You better start kissing his ass now, cowboy."

The two men glare heatedly at the other for a long time. I see Sarah and May sitting on a couch but I don't need them to get in trouble because of me. Maybe they don't know I'm one of them, one of their own. Maybe they've only ever know them as Herondale's."

"You better not backstab us, boy." He doesn't even look at me when he says it.

…

Well I've confirmed the uprising in District 8 was there fault. I don't care and I'm not surprised. They have had several attacks lately but they've all gone unnoticed thanks to the upcoming Quarter Quell. Guess that guy won't have to worry about me for too long.

They want to strike before the Quarter Quell but from what I can tell, they have a long way to go before they can even attempt a big attack – especially as big as they're talking. It's nearly impossible with as small as they are, and they literally have no allies in the District besides their own men. That doesn't help us at all and I can't believe they are letting people like Randal run this show. I've been here three hours and I could do better than what they've done in years.

It's really not worth my time and effort but I've already made my decision. By now it may be too late to drop out.

May and I dart out of the room the second it's over. Sarah stays behind and May gives me the lowdown on what's up. We hide in a dark corner behind the bar and wait for them to come out.

When they do, they are holding hands and laughing. Randal gives Sarah a peck on the cheek before kissing the corner of her lips. Then he lays a big one, but still sweet, on her lips. They linger and cling to each other lips and soon Randal has her pressed against the wall, his hands are tightly holding her hips – bruise worthy grip. Her hands are in his hair and you can tell she's tugging playfully on it. They're lucky they're in a bar. When they pull away, Randal picks up Sarah and sets her on the bar. May and I crowd further behind the bar and they're literally right on top of us. We're hidden between the pieces of the wooden structure of the bar top.

"Want to come to my place?" his voice is rough and silky at the same time. May rolls her eyes but point outward when we hear no answer.

Slowly maneuvering to my right to peek out and not bump any bottles, I balance my hand on the floor. I tilt out just far enough that I can see the top of her hand, but I still feel too exposed.

She's nodding yes, if the bouncing of her hair in a North/South motion is anywhere to go by. I almost fling myself under the bar again when I see him move out of the corner of my eye. I'm afraid he's caught me, caught us, but he only spreads Sarah's legs out to get closer to her.

I nod yes to May and she fake gags. I'm right along with her on that front. The two above us share a wet kiss before Sarah slides off the bar.

Suddenly a hand reaches around the bottom, corner of the bar. Both May and I stop breathing as the hand reaches slowly towards me. I compress myself as small as I will go, trying to stay out of the way of his advancing hand. Swallowing a thick gulp of saliva, I almost choke when the hand is exactly centimeters from my face. The hand pauses and May mouths to me to not breathe. I can't even nod to her so she know I understand. The hand moves again and grabs a bottle of vodka right next to my bicep. If he moved exactly 0.5 inches he would have grabbed my arm instead of the neck of the vodka bottle. He's quick to get the bottle away and he the two head towards the door. May and I let out a loud breath and May almost screams when the bartender stands on his hunches right next to us.

"You better not be stealing my liquor down here."

"We're not, but thanks for scaring the living piss out of me!" May screams before scrambling quickly out from under the bar. I follow her lead at a much more leisurely pace and we, too, head out into the frosty night.

…

May and I are halfway to her house when I realize that I need to talk to her too about the whole sides thing. But May scares me about it and I want Sarah to be there. Tonight I was going to tell Sarah but when I got to their house they weren't there. I was damned enough to have to go to the meeting because I'm stupid and was curious as how much I could get to know to help protect Madge and my friends. But mostly Madge. I don't know what I'm going to do with my newfound information but first I need to tell my sisters what going on. And I can't because Sarah's playing hooky and May is a no go by herself.

"May?" my voice comes out small and scared and I don't like it. I just need to get it out.

"What Gale?" she has that hatred in her voice that scares me.

I'm silence for what feels like forever and we keep walking. She grabs my arm and pulls me into their house and slams the door shut and locks it.

"You're switching sides again, aren't you?"

"May…"

"Gale, god dammit! Why'd you come tonight if you were changing sides again? Why? How stupid are you?" she sounds like me from earlier with the man.

"I'm sorry…" she grabs something that looks like a pedal. "May, what are you doing…"

"This is meant for intruders, Gale."

I know what's she's going to do. And I'm paralyzed.

The first whack comes hard and I'm blown off my feet and that's how that begins. She doesn't stop until I'm whimpering and my back is bleeding abundantly. The stitches were ripped and torn open. Mrs. Everdeen isn't going to be too happy with me now. She takes one last good whack at my back, straight in the center where there's the most blood. I scream because it hurts so much and the flesh and bone are still raw there.

"You deserve you, you lying, cheating, bastard. You never knew what was right for you anyways. Always a stupid little bitch. God, you're a useless son of a bitch."

She lets me bleed out on the floor that night. I didn't think I'd live but I was too weak and exhausted to care or get help. I wasn't getting any help until Sarah came home, if she ever did…I hope she did…