Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Part 1

"The Base"

Base (definition):

1. (noun) the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported.
2. (verb) have as the foundation for (something); use as a point from which (something) can develop.

Chapter 1

One of the first things I remember in my life is my father sitting me down and telling me that I was in danger. He told me that he would do everything he could to make sure I was safe but that there was only so much he could do. The rest was up to me.

"Madge, my girl, you are so smart," Papa would tell me. "But fear is your enemy. Fear can make you second guess yourself. Fear can make you do dumb things."

At this point, he would grasp my hands in his strong, warm ones. He would look me in the eyes and say, "So if I can give you any advice in this world, this is it. When you need to make a decision, think it through, survey every possible outcome. But once you've made the decision, don't hesitate. Do it."

My Papa would tell me this the night before Reaping Day, even when I was too young to participate in the Hunger Games. He wanted these words to stick with me.

So he repeated them yesterday, sitting me down after supper for a talk. I always listen to him, even if his words are always so similar year after year. I listen because his tone is so insistent, like he needs me to understand this.

This morning, my father will already be in the Justice Building setting up for the Reaping later today. The house is mostly quiet, with an empty feeling. My mother is bustling quietly in my parent's room, humming nervously to herself. She pops her head out once to ask if I have picked up our laundry yet. I tell her I will head out to grab it. I pull on a cardigan and set off towards the Seam.

I pass through the District 12 town square. The square is bustling as cameras are being set up for the reaping later today. Times have been tough for District 12. In the past few months there has been an influx of new Peacekeepers and harsher patrols. The worst incident was last winter, when Gale Hawthorne was publicly whipped. Luckily, the Peacekeepers have calmed down some recently. Papa thinks they believe that the Games will keep people in line for a few months. It's a fair assumption, nothing quiets the district like Reaping Day.

As I walk to the Hawthorne's home in the Seam, I feel people's eyes on me. I really do not understand people sometimes. You think that people would be used to me by now, but no.

When last year's Hunger Games first began, I usually watched it in the square with my father. The Everdeens and the Hawthornes were usually there too. Gale and Prim knew that I was friends with both Katniss and Peeta and soon we became a mutual support system.

Eventually, they started inviting me to watch with them in the Seam. It would be a potluck dinner between Mrs. Everdeen and Mrs. Hawthorne and I would insist on bringing food. I always had to carefully measure the food to find the right amount to be helpful without it seeming like charity.

Pretty soon I felt as comfortable with the Hawthorne's and Everdeen's as I did with my own family. Actually, it was more comforting. There is something very calming about watching with people who are feeling the same things as you. My mother cannot stand watching for too long and my father is required to stay in the square most nights. But with these people, I felt strangely reassured.

As I round the corner to Hawthorne's home, I spot Hazelle Hawthorne sitting on her front stoop, scrubbing something in a basin. Her daughter Posy is playing in the yard.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hawthorne," I call out, trying to sound upbeat.

"Madge," Hazelle says with a smile as I join her on the stoop. "What have I said about calling me Hazelle?"

"I'm sorry. Old habit."

"Madge!"

I follow the sound to little Posy Hawthorne, who runs up to me and hugs my leg. I chuckle and pat her head.

"Hello there, Posy. How are you?"

"Good!" Posy gives me a toothy grin.

Posy is wearing one of my old dresses. I insisted on passing some of my old clothes on to her and Prim. Hazelle eventually accepted since Posy only had one outfit that was actual girl clothes, mainly wearing her brothers' hand-me-downs. Mrs. Everdeen had been harder to convince but Prim's eyes lit up when she saw the clothes and her mother just couldn't refuse her.

Hazelle wipes her hands on an old rag. "How're you feeling, honey?"

I shrug. "All right. You know how it is."

Hazelle nods. This year, sadly, is the most calm she has been on a Reaping Day in years. With Gale and his large amounts of tesserae finally through the system, she only has to worry about Rory this year. Of course she has years of worrying ahead of her, but it is a small relief for now.

"Ma!" There's a shout from within the house. "Mama!"

"Yeah? What?" Hazelle asks as Vick runs outside.

Vick freezes at the sight of me. I wave hello but he just stares back at me as his cheeks flush.

Hazelle snaps her fingers impatiently. "Vick! What is it?"

Vick startles, looking back to his mother. "Rory's stealing from your wash."

Hazelle's eyes narrow angrily. "Rory!"

"Tattletale." Rory Hawthorne stomps out of the house, glaring bitterly at his brother.

Hazelle stands up, putting her hands on her hips. "What have I told you-"

"I just took a shirt!"

"It's not your shirt, Rory."

"I was just gonna borrow it!"

"Well, what if you get reaped today? How're you gonna return it if you're in the Capitol?"

Hazelle stops and looks down at the ground, holding back a sob. There is a horrible silence, as Rory looks ashamed. Vick, Posy, and I look back and forth between the two. I awkwardly glance down at Posy, who is still clinging to me.

"I…" Rory pauses, "I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't mean-"

Hazelle cuts him off by hugging him fiercely. "Just hush up and put the shirt back."

Rory nods but hesitates. "I tore my reaping shirt."

Hazelle sighs. "Go ask Gale if you can borrow."

"All of his clothes are too big."

"Go ask."

Rory groans and goes back into the house.

Hazelle gives me an embarrassed grimace. "Sorry about all that."

I wave her off. "It's fine, Hazelle. Everyone is jittery today."

Hazelle exhales wearily. "Ain't that the truth."

I feel a set of eyes on me. Vick is staring at me again.

"Hello Vick," I say, kneeling next to him and Posy. Posy immediately crawls onto my back and starts playing with my hair.

"How are you?" I ask Vick. He just gulps, shakes his head and darts back into the house.

I look at Hazelle, who snorts. "My little heartbreaker."

"Hey Ma?" Another voice calls from the house, "Why is Rory rummaging through my clothes?"

"Rory needs a good shirt, Gale, just give him one of yours." Hazelle answers as Gale exits the house. He stops short at the sight of me kneeling on his front stoop, his little sister pulling on random locks of my hair.

During the games Hazelle claimed Gale was too worried about Katniss to be friendly but I knew that wasn't true. It has never been a secret that Gale doesn't like me.

I was never too fond of Gale either but watching him get whipped in the town square was one of the worst things I have ever seen outside of watching the Hunger Games. I brought him and Katniss some of my mother's morphling medicine to try and help him recover. Since then, Gale has mostly just tried to avoid me. It is almost as if he feels like he is in my debt and is upset about it.

Rory rushes outside after Gale. "It's just for today Gale, I swear." Rory spots me and beams. "Hey Madge! I didn't know you were here."

"Just picking up my laundry," I tell him, deciding not to mention me witnessing his fight earlier.

"Yes, your laundry. I'll go grab that for you!" Hazelle hurries back into the house.

Gale sighs wearily and asks Rory, "Why do you need a shirt? What happened to your clothes?"

"I tore it."

"Seriously? You destroy all your stuff."

"It's just a hole! We can fix it, easy."

Gale is starting to look annoyed and Rory looks panicked. I butt in, asking him teasingly, "Oh, do you need to borrow some clothes, Rory? I have a dress you would look absolutely lovely in."

Rory sticks his tongue out at me, which I playfully return.

I adore Rory; he has always made me feel welcome. While Gale has never liked me much and Vick is always too shy to speak to me, Rory and Posy have been the most open to me. But Posy likes everyone. Rory has always made me feel like he genuinely likes me.

Posy starts pouting that my dresses are her's and not Rory's, which makes me laugh. Gale just watches us stoically. I remember Gale's annoyance when I first offered the clothes to Hazelle, how he claimed they weren't going to accept my "charity". I suppose he doesn't appreciate this reminder.

Hazelle comes back out, two laundry sacks over her shoulder. She hands me one and Gale the other.

"Gale, can you drop this off at Haymitch Abernathy's house? He hasn't picked it up but I think he might need it before the reaping."

"Yeah, sure. I need to pick up some stuff from Katniss, anyway." Gale hoists the bag over his shoulder and nudges Rory. "Come on, kid. I need your help carrying some stuff back here."

"But I wanna tell Madge about what we found in the creek the other day!" Rory pouts. "Can't you go later?"

"Rory, stop it." Gale nudges him again. "Let's go."

"But, Gale!"

"It's okay," I cut in. "I can go with you. I'm headed that direction anyway."

Rory beams at me. Over his shoulder, Gale tries and fails to hide his grimace.