A/N: I can't believe it's only the second chapter and I'm already slacking on updates both with length and timing! I'm really sorry, I had totally planned to have this up like 6 days ago, but school is kicking my butt and my parents won't stop nagging me about everything and I totally shouldn't be making excuses right now. So I'll leave it at sorry.

Chapter 2.

Gale POV

Safe from the pouring rain, Jackie and I sit down at a booth inside the coffee shop. A woman wearing an apron comes over and asks us what we want to drink.

One thing I haven't really gotten used to in the District change is that here in Two, there's always someone to do things for you. Never mind that we didn't even have coffee shops in Twelve. No matter where you go, there's always someone there to make your life a little easier- waiters at restaurants, library clerks, crossing guards, even people who get paid to hold the freaking door outside office buildings and apartment complexes. It's insane. It reminds me of footage of the Capitol I used to see on occasion on television back home. Every time I think about how wrong it is to have strangers catering to my needs just as a citizen, let alone a government official, I want to think it's terrible, but then I think about how accustomed I've become to having someone bring my mail to my condo instead of having to walk to the justice building to get it. Even in Twelve, mail was insanely rare. We only ever checked for it each month when we picked up the tesserae rations.

We both order coffee, I take mine black. We settle into a sort-of uncomfortable silence while we wait for our drinks to come. Once the waitress brings them over and we've gotten about halfway through them, Jackie breaks the silence. "So you know my cousin?"

I clear my throat before responding. "Knew," I correct.

"Knew? I don't understand," her eyebrows furrow.

"Yeah, about that, she uh-" I begin.

"Ohhhhh, I know what you mean. Yeah, she's not dead," Jackie cuts me off, setting her cup down on the table.

"She is though," I argue. It's not that I want Madge to be dead, or even that I want to crush Jackie's hope. It's just the thought of the hope getting to me, and being let down is not something I want to experience. At all.

"No, she-"

"I watched it. She's dead."

"Let me talk!" Jackie shouts, startling me a little. She starts laughing, which is even more surprising. I motion for her to go on, reaching for my drink. "She's alive, I promise. I saw her this morning before I left home! So unless she died in the last five or six hours, she is very much alive."

"But…how? I watched it. She was shot, she didn't get up. The report came in and her name was on the list…I don't understand."

Jackie flashes me a perfect white smile. "She can explain all of that to you. Well, assuming you want to see her?"

"Yes!" I practically yell. Jackie looks about as surprised at my shouting as I am. "I mean...yeah, of course. I totally want to see her. When can I?" I can feel my cheeks reddening.

"Well, I have to go pick up some stuff across town for work and I'm on the night shift beginning at nine, but Madge should be home all night. You can go anytime you want, I guess," she shrugs, picking up her drink.

"Seriously? You're not like kidding or anything, right? I mean…as weird as it sounds, it makes sense that she's uh…you know, dead. I don't see how-"

"I'm not kidding, I promise. Although this is kind of weird that all of this is happening, I'll give you that much. I was trying to get across town and I saw the uniform and I thought it could have been you…I saw you on TV a few times during the war…and I remembered Madge telling me about how she always wondered what happened to this guy Gale from her District. I kind of put two and two together that it was the famous Gale Hawthorne she was talking about. And then I thought that it could have been you, and it was! Kind of weird, huh?" I nod. "But I get why you might be skeptical or whatever. If you don't believe me, go to the house and see for yourself. Cross the train tracks again, walk down the main road for a half mile. Turn right at the market and it's a white house, the third one on the right hand side of the street."

I quickly drain the remainder of my coffee and throw down enough money to cover both of our drinks. "Thank you, Jackie. Seriously, thanks. I don't even know what else to say besides that. Hopefully, I'll see you around," I say, sliding out from the booth.

"Oh, don't even worry about it! And thanks for the coffee. I have to go to work soon or else I would definitely come with you, but I hope I'll see you soon. Bye!" Jackie flashes another huge smile and waves me off.

I don't think I've ever made it across town as quickly. The torrential downpour had changed over to a light drizzle while Jackie and I were having coffee, but the rain isn't going to stop me. I follow Jackie's instructions to a T… over the tracks, down the main road, and to the tailor. As I make the right onto the street she told me the house is on, the rain begins to pick up, falling in steady sheets now. My heart starts pounding even more than before. There's a sheet of cold sweat on the back of neck that's being washed away by the lukewarm rain. I pass the first house, then the second. Sure enough, the third house on the right is a small house with white siding. The wooden door is closed and all of the curtains are drawn, but I can see a sliver of light peeking through the front window.

Summoning my courage, I slowly walk up the path from the street to the door, focusing on keeping my heart from jumping up my throat. I'm soaked from head to toe, but I'm past the point of caring. I reach out without hesitation to press the doorbell. My heart skips a beat when I hear movement on the other side of the door. The sound of the lock turning doesn't do much to calm the mix of nerves and excitement coursing through my body. I focus on my shoelaces, trying to take deep breaths. The door opens and I look up.

"Gale, oh my god," is the only thing I hear before I step forward. Madge wraps her arms around me and holds on like her life depends on it. I can hear her crying, and I find myself stroking her hair, whether it be to try to calm her down or to reassure myself she's real, I don't know. Frankly, I don't care. All that matters is that she's here and I'm here and she's really alive. She's getting poured on, but she doesn't seem to mind, seeing as she latches herself onto me and doesn't let go. "They told me you were dead," she chokes out, grabbing onto me even tighter, her crying intensifying. "They told me the same thing about you," I respond in a low voice. "Don't let me leave again," she says, her voice cracking. "Never," I respond instantly, although my heart sinks to my feet at her words. Does she blame me too? After a minute of staying in the rain I my embrace, she steps back and wipes her eyes. "How…how did you…" she hiccups, her teeth chattering.

"Madge, you're freezing," I point out. She grabs my hand and pulls me into the house. The warmth of the house envelops me almost instantly, and the numb feeling leaves my ears pretty quickly. WE stand in the breezeway for a minute, just staring at each other. Suddenly, she steps forward and wraps her arms around me again.

Madge POV

"I can't believe this, you…you aren't dead," I say with a small laugh, reaching my hand up to run it through his wet hair. I can't help but smile at him.

"It's you who was the dead one," Gale attempts a joke, but I can hear his voice falter. I squeeze him even tighter.

"I missed you so much, I don't even know how I can express it," I whisper. "I never thought I would survive that mission." When he doesn't respond, I pull away. For a few seconds, we just stare at each other, before something clicks in both of us and we lean our faces in at the same time. My hands find his face, and his my waist, and things feel like normal again. Our lips mold together just like they used to, however many months ago. The kiss is full of longing, but in no way can it make up for all of the lost time. We get lost in each other's touch for what feels like no time at all. When he pulls back, I'm pressed against the wall and he's leaning over me, his hands working through my hair. I look at him expectantly, to which he responds with, "I can't feel my toes."

I can't help but laugh. There's Gale for you- always quite the romantic. I lead him into Jackie's room, where I know her fiancé has a drawer of clothes. Handing over some dry clothes and a pair of socks, I point him towards the bathroom. I head into my own room, where I change into dry clothes as well, and when I come back out, he's standing against the wall, waiting for me with a smirk on his face. I take the wet clothes from his hands and walk them to the laundry room with my clothes, and put them in the dryer. When I return to the hallway, he's standing in the same spot.

"Hey," I say.

"Hey," he replies with a smile. I motion for him to follow me into the kitchen, where I put the coffee pot on. We both sit at the table once the coffee has brewed and he reaches for my hand.

"Gale?" I ask after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"How did you know? That I was alive and all? And what did they say to you when I was on the mission? Why did you think I was dead?" I ask.

The slight smile on his face falters a little bit. "Oh wow, where to begin…" his voice trails off.

A/N: What did you guys think was going to happen? Did you like it? Hate it? What do you think is in store for Madge and Gale later on? Everyone knows there's no way their lives will be drama-free...review and let me know! I'll reply to all of them, I swear!