Chapter Summary: Madge and Gale have a conversation in the woods and they watch the Tribute Parade.
Madge sat up as her alarm clock under her pillow woke her up. She groaned as she glanced at the sky which was still dark. How did Katniss and Gale get up this early on a daily basis? Not to mention Peeta who woke up even earlier. She didn't let herself think about either of them. They'd be on TV that evening in the Tribute Parade. She hoped Katniss wouldn't be too embarrassed with the black coal dust or miners uniforms.
She dressed in her oldest pair of pants and t-shirt and pulled her curly hair into a bun. Even though most people in District 12 thought she was a spoiled princess Madge rarely wore the fancy clothes her father gave her. It wasn't appropriate in District 12. Madge grabbed a couple of strawberries and ate them slowly as she slipped out the door. She ate them slowly trying not to think of how Katniss had picked them. How Katniss would probably be dead within a few days.
She also tried not to think about Peeta Mellark. He had been crying when she came into the room. Madge knew it wasn't because he was weak. She had gone over to him and gave him a big hug.
"You have a chance, Peeta. You're big and strong and smart," Madge knew she had to hope that at least one of her friends were coming home.
"Yeah, well it doesn't matter. Katniss needs to come home." Peeta replied. Madge frowned as she tried to understand.
"You don't even know her." She said. Katniss didn't have a boyfriend. Katniss was a pretty girl and lots of boys noticed her but she was way too intimidating. She didn't even have very many friends.
"I just…her family needs her. And I've always liked her. And there isn't anyone to come home to." Peeta replied. Madge felt her heart clench. Poor Peeta. He deserved far more. They all did. He loved Katniss Everdeen who didn't even know he existed. Well, she hoped it wouldn't be Katniss who killed him. Because Madge suddenly realized that if it was a choice between Katniss and Peeta he would always choose Katniss. It was the kind of illogical, stupid sort of love that she couldn't understand.
"Well, take care of yourself. Ok…Because things can be crazy in the Games." Madge told him. He nodded.
"Thanks, Madge. I'm honored to have you as a friend."
Madge smiled and slipped away.
Then she had that weird conversation with Gale and now she was on her way to meet him. Madge wondered why he was meeting with her. Was he really interested in her plan to raise money to sponsor Katniss? Or was he just luring her into the woods to…what? Seduce her? That seemed absurd. Gale thought she was a spoiled brat. Then again he had a reputation of being a lady killer. And Madge wasn't stupid. He could quite easily dislike her even while wanting to have sex with her. Madge was well aware of how attracted she was to him. He was extremely handsome but it was more than that. He took care of his family and broke the Capitol laws to do it. But that didn't mean she was ready to fall into bed with him. She had standards and as fun as angry, hate sex might be it would probably end up being a colossally bad idea.
She reached the Meadow and stood standing there. As early as she had been Gale was already there. She saw him glance at her in the half-light of sunrise. He appeared surprised at her choice of clothing. What did he think she did? Wear white dresses every day? "Are you ready?" he asked her.
Madge just nodded and he waited a second before lifting the weak part of the fence. Madge crawled in fairly easily. It wasn't the biggest hole but she was tiny. She wondered how Gale fit through. He seemed to know how to wiggle his way into the spot. It was something of an art.
He directed her to stand still while he went and retrieved his bow and hunting knife. Madge began to feel a little nervous just standing there. She had never done anything like this. Then he led her over to a clearing about twenty minutes away. "Here." He said. "We can talk."
Madge sat down on a log and said, "It's technically possible to raise money for tributes and have it wired to Haymitch."
"How expensive will it be?" Gale asked.
"That's the problem. At the start of the Games, things are pretty cheap. But even that is expensive by our standards. Honestly, our contributions are probably like a tiny portion of what a fairly poor Capitolite could do." Madge felt the rage against the Capitol rise up in her. They were staying in her house right now. Eating and drinking and pretending that her friends' lives weren't on the line.
"Then what's the point?" Gale ground out.
"If Katniss knows we have her back it would give her some hope," Madge replied.
"Yeah, well, one problem. The Merchants won't give for Katniss. They'll want to sponsor Mellark."
Madge nodded. She wasn't about to tell Gale about Peeta's impossible infatuation with his cousin. "Well, Haymitch uses the money to his discretion."
"And you think he'll pick Katniss? She's just another Seam girl. Mellark won't survive a moment in those Games but he's big and strong."
"Katniss knows how to survive. But don't count Peeta out. I think he could be a valuable ally."
"Ha. Yeah, a valuable knife in her back. If she gets close to him he could take her down easily. Hand to hand isn't Katniss's thing. She's such a tiny thing." Gale shook his head and stared at Madge.
"Peeta's not like that. He's kind." Madge protested.
"Why are you defending him all the sudden? Are you his girlfriend?" Gale narrowed his eyes. Madge rolled her eyes. Men could be so dumb sometimes. She showed the slightest trace of compassion and understanding and now he was convinced they were in love.
"No, I'm not. And I know he's crazy about another girl. Peeta and I are friends. But I still want Katniss to come home. She's my best friend and she needs to come home more."
Madge watched Gale as he set the snares and checked the ones he already had done. She didn't have a clue what he was doing. It looked like he was just tangling thread but seeing the dead animals in each snare reminded her of how deadly that thread was. He used his bow sometimes but his special skill seemed to be snares. She admired his hands as they set each snare. They were strong and long-fingered and had a strangely delicate touch.
"Are you going to be in the Square tonight?" he asked her once they had slipped back under the fence. Madge hesitated. She normally watched the Games at home. But the Capitol people laughing and talking were even worse than usual. She nodded.
"Well, then Undersee, I'll see you then." Madge shrugged in reply. Her parents would be horrified in her lack of manners but Gale Hawthorne wasn't the mannerly type.
Madge walked back home and slipped into bed without changing her clothes. If the maid wondered what dirt was doing in her bed Madge would have to make something up about the garden. She woke up an hour later and dressed in another fluffy dress. She must look her best for her guests.
Anya was just waking up when she had finished her cup of tea. She was a woman with purple hair and green skin that had to be the most horrible combination Madge had ever seen. But Anya was less offensive than her companions. She seemed actually fond of Madge in a weird sort of way.
"That girl from your District sure made an impact. And the boy is pretty luscious too. Well, if either of them is available you can be sure what I'm spending my money on." Anya said as she sat down and the maid filled her coffee cup and served her breakfast. "I mean that's assuming they are Victors. Looking at that boy from 2 that seems unlikely."
It took all of Madge's strength not to throw her plate at the woman. Talking casually about buying the bodies of her friends was the limit. But she only nodded and focused on her food. The only good thing about Capitol people was that they were so self-obsessed that they didn't care if you kept up the conversation. Anya's friends Helena and Julia appeared a few minutes later. They were clearly more than a little hungover. But they kept up a running dialog about the excitement of these games and how this tribute or that were their favorites.
The day only got more and more difficult. Madge didn't have much to entertain her guests and other than playing the piano she was forced to listen to them talk. Her father came down after a while and helped her out. He started getting into a long and boring discussion with Julia about her business. Helena and Anya started nodding off in their chairs. Madge gave a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to watch the parade in the Square," Madge announced just as mandatory viewing was about to start.
"Be home right after it ends. I know this must be hard for you." Her father gave her a gentle hug. Madge smiled at him as he held her. Her father was a kind, good man.
Madge made it to the Square just in time. She found Mrs. Everdeen and Prim and went to sit beside them. Prim still looked like she was crying but the girl had pulled herself together. Madge was in awe of Prim's quiet strength. Mrs. Everdeen was pale and withdrawn. Madge wondered how Mrs. Everdeen would handle losing Katniss. Would she go back to the broken shell of a woman she had been before?
She glanced around and noticed that Hazelle Hawthorne and her younger kids were sitting on the other side of Mrs. Everdeen. Mrs. Hawthorne was a strong woman. Madge admired how she had pulled herself out of the loss of her husband to save her family. Gale wasn't there but a second later he sank down beside his mother and took Posy from her. Posy curled up against his chest and watched Madge with curious eyes.
The programming began with Claudius Templesmith and the other announcers making predictions about the types of costumes the tributes would wear. In the Career districts there was a real diversity of costumes but in most districts, it was horrible each year. Madge watched the districts fly by. The Careers looked good. The boy from 1 was big and strong and his companion was extremely beautiful. The boy and girl from 2 looked terrifyingly brutal. District 4 didn't look particularly impressive. District 11 had the big strong boy that looked like he could take down any of his opponents and the tiny little girl that made Madge's heart ache. And then it was 12.
Katniss and Peeta looked breathtaking. There was no other way to describe it. They were on fire. Katniss glowed under the light of the fire and the heavy black suit that clung to her body. She looked ethereally beautiful. And Peeta looked particularly stunning with the firelight enhancing his strong physique and golden hair. But somehow it was Katniss that stole the show. She smiled and waved and blew kisses. They were holding hands and Madge gave Peeta a mental high five. He had made enough progress with his elusive huntress.
It seemed that everyone was talking about Katniss and Peeta. The fiery entrance was on everyone's lips. The people of District 12 were united in their excitement over making an impact. Katniss and Peeta's chances of survival crept up. It would be the perfect time to set up her collection. While people had a positive view of Katniss.
"That was impressive. Katniss looked gorgeous." Madge commented to Gale.
He grinned, "Didn't know Catnip could clean up that good. People are talking about her and that's great. Don't know about the hand holding thing. Mellark better not be messing with her."
"It was probably Haymitch's idea. Do you really think Katniss would do something against her will?"
"It's her will I'm worried about," Gale said cryptically. "She's noticed that kid before. She insisted on going to that wrestling match and I don't think it's because she's obsessed with the sport."
"What does it matter? The games are starting soon." Madge said soothingly. But she knew what he meant. If one was thinking they were going to die there was any number of reckless things they might do. But not Katniss. Madge was certain she wasn't thinking of romance right now.
Prim couldn't stop talking about Katniss's outfit. Madge smiled at the little girl and was glad that Prim was less upset. Poor Prim wasn't going to have an easy time of this. She adored Katniss in a way that few people understood. Katniss was more her mother than her sister.
Madge realized it was getting late when people started to filter home from the Square. She rose and said regretfully, "I'd better go home. My dad said I needed to be home right away."
Mrs. Hawthorne spoke then, "Gale will walk you home. We can't have you walking alone."
Madge felt certain that was not going to be Gale's favorite activity but she saw him get up. Mrs. Hawthorne smiled at her and whispered in her ear, "I heard about what you're doing for Katniss. We appreciate that. I'm glad she's had a friend like you."
Madge felt a little like crying before she smiled back and mumbled out embarrassed thanks. Gale's mom wasn't quite as stern as she had first expected. Gale didn't really talk as they started down the block to her house.
"Do you think it's enough? Those costumes?" His voice rang out in the darkness, startling her out of her own thoughts.
"I don't know. It depends on the training scores and interviews." Madge replied.
"She'll do fine on the training scores. I don't know about the interviews. Public speaking isn't her thing," Gale said as they stopped in front of Madge's house.
"I believe in her," Madge replied. "But well, I know that…"
"That what…" Gale prompted.
"The best fail," Madge thought of her aunt and how she had saved Haymitch and how at the end it had been mutts who had killed her.
"That won't happen," Gale said. "It can't. We need her."
Madge didn't want to think about how they would survive without Katniss. Katniss who had done everything to save her family needed to live. Madge pasted on a smile and said, "Then she will."
"Are you going to be at the Square to see the scores?" Gale asked as she made a motion to go up the stairs.
"Yeah, I'll be there," Madge replied. It was better than being with the Capitol people. She didn't know if she could handle that. She walked up the stairs without looking back but she sensed eyes on her anyway.
"Is that your boyfriend?" asked Anya.
"No, but he's Katniss's cousin," Madge replied.
Anya grinned, "Too bad he isn't in the Games. He's one hunk of a guy. I bet he knows how to make you scream. You should really snag him, Madge."
Madge glared at Anya as she considered the methods of murder at her disposal. "I'm going to bed."
Anya only kept giggling offensively as she left to go find her companions. Madge laid down on her bed and tried not to think of how Katniss and Peeta must be feeling. They were alone and terrified in another city. She also didn't let herself think of Katniss's family. Or about how scared Prim was. Of how Katniss's mom was fighting for sanity. Of Mrs. Hawthorne and her courage. Of Posy, Vic, and Rory. And most of all, she couldn't think of the strong, angry and rebellious boy who had way too much responsibility already.
Author's Note: I finally updated this story. I'm having some fun with it since being in Katniss's head is very restricting. She doesn't notice so many things. I headcanon the Reaping occurring on a Saturday so they ended up meeting on Sunday after all. Perhaps you might notice that Madge was fairly affectionate to Peeta. I'm not implying a relationship between them. But Peeta's a good looking guy and Madge isn't blind. She's also not madly in love with Gale or anything. She just admires him and thinks he's hot. And maybe Gale's just a tad bit jealous. Don't worry. There is absolutely no love triangles here. The Capitol folks are really offensive and I wanted to push their horrible treatment of the District people especially with their sexual assault. Madge in this story knows what the reader (and Katniss) only find out much later with Finnick's story. Also, you may notice that Gale has picked up on some lingering interest Katniss has for Peeta. He's not romantically interested in her of course so he sees things pretty clearly. That combined with the whole "we're gonna die in three days and we're all hormonal teens" makes him worried that Katniss is going to get into a sexual relationship she isn't ready for. Which actually makes total sense. I think tons of tributes probably had sex right before the games. Not Katniss, of course. Madge is trying to stay positive but she knows what happened to her aunt. And then Anya is creepy as usual.