(Madge POV)
I'm on my way downstairs for breakfast when I hear my father yelling at someone in his study. I pause and try to see what it's about. He's been in such a fantastic mood lately that I'm surprised to hear his voice raised. I can't hear who he's yelling at. He must be on the phone.
"Just get over here now!" He demands and then I hear the receiver clank against the phone base as he slams it down.
I hurry passed his closed door, not wanting him to come out and see that I was eavesdropping. In the kitchen, I've just begun to eat the breakfast Gertrude set out for me when I hear the doorbell ring. I'm barely two bites into my fruit when I hear Gale's voice coming from the front of the house. Wiping my mouth with a napkin, I hurry to go see him. I'd fallen asleep before he left last night and I'm both surprised and happy that he's stopped by before he heads to school.
"Hi! What are you doing here?" I greet him as I reach up to give him a kiss.
He gives me an uneasy smile. "Hi. Your father wanted me to come over. Something about an article."
My father asked him to come over? Was that who he was just yelling at on the phone? What article? I open my mouth to ask what article he's talking about but my father beats me too it. He comes down the front staircase, rolled up newspaper in hand and he looks none too happy as he smacks it open on the hall table.
"What is the meaning of this?" He seethes, his finger firmly pointed to an article.
Both Gale and I lean in to see what it is. It's an article about Gale and I being engaged but something isn't right because there's a large picture of Gale with Katniss curled up next to him, his arm around her. It should be a picture of Gale and I, not Gale and Katniss. I want to read to see what exactly it says but my father interrupts again.
"Well?" He persists when Gale hasn't yet answered his question about the meaning of it.
I look up at Gale. He looks confused. He shrugs a little. "I don't really know, sir."
"This article says you've been cheating on my daughter already! It says you like to play the field!" He yells, face red.
Gale shakes his head and I can tell he's flustered, wanting to explain whatever this is but clearly not able to find the words.
"Wait, Gale would never cheat on me. There must be a reasonable explanation. And what newspaper is this anyway?" I interject as I reach for the paper.
"The proof is right here, published for all of Panem to see!" My father tells me as he shoves the paper in my hand.
I turn to the front and see that it isn't a regular paper, it's a tabloid. "This isn't the Panem Press. It's a tabloid. Those aren't reliable, everyone knows that." I say as I go to read the article anyway.
"That picture...I don't...It must've been taken after I left here last night but it isn't what they're making it look like. Not at all." Gale finally tries to explain.
"Did you or did you not cuddle up with our newest Victor? Are you telling me that picture is a fraud? That someone created it falsely?"
"No, it wasn't like that. We weren't cuddling or whatever it looks like. We were just talking. She's my friend. Just a friend." Gale says, his voice sounding a little desperate.
"Why is your arm around her and why is she practically in your lap?" My father pushes, not buying the friend story.
"She couldn't sleep. I couldn't either. We were just sitting outside and talking. She was upset and I comforted her. As her friend. I swear, that's all it was." He pleads to my father, his eyes darting over to me ever so briefly and then back to my father.
I step in again, trying to calm the situation. "I really think this is just a tabloid. Someone saw Gale hug Katniss and they saw an opportunity to create a story. I'm not worried about this at all and you shouldn't be either. Gale and Katniss have been friends forever." I try to reason to my father.
"The fact that it is a tabloid is irrelevant! This is terrible press. Just terrible!" He tells me. He then turns to Gale.
"You made a serious error. You must be above opportunity for exploitation. Your actions, they must be thoughtful and purposeful. You mustn't fall into past behaviors. This moment of carelessness, however innocent it may have truly been, makes room in one's mind for worry. Worry that you may not be the trustworthy person that the Capitol needs as Mayor of 12."
"So just because I comforted a friend in need, I've made myself seem unworthy of becoming Mayor?" Gale asks.
"Yes. You allowed yourself to be seen with another woman, a Victor no less, in your arms mere hours after a press release announcing your engagement to Madge. It shows lack of character. You must never let this happen again."
I know my father is right to some extent, though he may be overthinking this. True, most people outside of 12 will be unaware of the close relationship Gale and Katniss already had and this tabloid does make it look as if he's being unfaithful but I'm sure we can fix this. Make it go away somehow.
"Surely we can fix this." I offer up, hopeful.
"Of course. But we will have to work quickly. We will need to repair any potential damage to Gale's reputation. I'll get toward on it immediately and hopefully this can all be resolved by afternoon." My father says, his voice more calm but stress still showing on his face.
He turns to Gale again. "You can no longer be seen alone with Miss Everdeen. Or any other young woman for that matter. You will watch your behaviors more closely and be beyond reproach. Am I clear?"
"Katniss is my best friend and I can't see her anymore just because I'm marrying Madge?" He asks, not looking the least bit pleased about this.
"Precisely." My father replies sternly. He turns to head back to his study but not before pausing and looking back at Gale and I. "I will speak with you both this afternoon regarding any actions taken to make this problem disappear."
We watch silently as he walks away, leaving us alone in my front entry hall. I look up at Gale as I reach out to touch his hand.
"She's my best friend. We were just talking." He repeats to me, though I don't need him too.
"I know. Want to go somewhere and talk about it? I'm sure none of this is nearly as bad as my father worries it is."
He shakes his head and rubs his hands over his face. "Can't. I'm already gonna be late for school. See you later?" He says, voice bleak.
I nod. "Of course. But try not to worry about this. Everything will be just fine." I try to reassure him as I reach up and kiss his cheek.
He nods, jaw tight with obvious stress and heads out the front door.
Alone now, I pick up the article and give it one more glance before tossing it into the wastebasket. Why on earth would anyone write such nonsense? I've always hated tabloids and until now, I've managed to stay out of them. I know in my heart Gale wasn't cheating on me but I also know that the Capitol is a very fickle beast and it only takes so much before they decide they don't like something and I can't let Gale be that something they don't like. They need to like him. If he's liked, we'll be fine. If they don't like him, if they question his character or trustworthiness, they'll start to meddle. They'll pick him apart and hoover over his every move. But I also know that Gale never seeing Katniss isn't an option. This will be too much for him and he's already taken on so many changes and so many problems. I have to try and talk to my father about this. Maybe there's a way for him to fix this without Gale having to sacrifice his most valued friendship.
I take a deep breath and go up to my father's study.
"Madge, I really do not have time for whatever you need right now." He tells me without looking up for the papers in front of him.
"I just need a moment, it won't take long." I assure him before continuing. "I need you to find a way to fix this without Gale having to give up his friendship with Katniss."
Now he looks up at me. And he doesn't look pleased. "Did you not hear me earlier? Did you not see the paper?"
"I did but I know Gale isn't cheating, especially not with her. Gale has done absolutely everything that has been asked of him since he began dating me. He''s turned his entire life inside out and upside down. I need you to find a way to fix this without him having to sacrifice his friendship too. I can't and won't ask that of him. It's not fair and it doesn't have to be necessary. I'm sure you can find a solution without it." I plead on Gale's behalf. It's more than I normally ask of my father but I just can't let this happen to Gale. I don't think he can take it.
My father looks at me, not speaking, just studying my face. Finally, he tells me I can go, that he will do what he can. It isn't the concrete response I was wanting but it doesn't sound like a definite no either.
(Gale POV)
I get to school late and that just makes it that much harder to get through my day since I'm now behind on my assignments. And I can't even focus right now. I need a break. I need to get out into the woods and just be alone. I need to think. I didn't need the added headache that this tabloid is bringing. Didn't I have enough on my plate as it was? My mother is angrier than she's ever been with me. I'm spending my days with Capitol people. I'm doing interviews and wearing sparkly suits. I'm busting my ass to finish school early and doing Capitol work when I'm not in school. I practically never get outside the fence anymore. And now I can't see my best friend anymore either? And apparently I'm being followed by reporters or photographers or whatever. I hadn't even seen them there, watching us last night. It's too much. It's like I'm suffocating and there's nothing I can do about it.
When I'm on my way out of the school, heading over to work, I pass Sara in the hallway. She smirks my way as she says "Once a cheater, always a cheater..." and then she and her friend fall into annoying bouts of laughter. If I wasn't above hitting girls, I'd smack that smirk right off her face. So I guess that means the tabloid is starting to spread, though I doubt it'll amount to anything within the district. Every knows Katniss and I aren't romantically linked. Sara's just being the bitch that she always is and getting under my skin because she knows that she can.
In my office, there's a note on my desk that the Mayor would like me to come see him as soon as possible. I wad it up and throw it against the wall. I'm going to lose my mind. I swear that's what's bound to happen. I take a deep breath and then head to the Mayor's office and knock at his door.
"Come in Gale. And close the door behind you."
I do as he says and then stand, not sure if I should sit or what. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes. Have a seat." He says gesturing to the chair. "I've come up with a solution to our problem."
I don't answer. I just look at him, waiting for him to continue. Lord only knows what he's planned to fix this non-problem, problem.
"You will be happy to find that Miss Everdeen is related to you."
"But she isn't. Like I said this morning, she's just been my friend forever."
"Ah, yes, but she is in fact your cousin. I've got paperwork showing it right here and that will be released to counteract any rumors of romantic involvement." He says handing me birth records.
I take them, reading over them. They show my father and Katniss's father as cousins, making both she and I cousins as well. But I know they're fake. He's gone and changed documents to make this all go away.
"Won't anyone in the Capitol be able to see that these have been altered?"I ask, completely skeptical.
"No. These are official birth records for the district. All birth records for commoners are housed at the district level. This proves you're related and this solves any problems. It also allows you to continue your friendship with Miss Everdeen, though I do hope you'll be somewhat more mindful of your actions in the future."
I nod. Relief flooding through me that at the very least I can still have Katniss. That I won't have to give her up too.
A/N: Okay, so when I initially put this story on hiatus I didn't expect it to be for a full year. I honestly thought it would be just a couple weeks. I apologize for leaving this story unfinished and want anyone who is still reading to know that I plan to see it through and finish the story now. Thanks for hanging in there and I'll have the next chapter posted soon.