Disclaimer: This is an interpretation of copyrighted original material, with the understanding that such material is 'not for-profit' therefore, constitutes fair use. Suzanne Collins owns the original characters of The Hunger Games. All rights for the Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.

"Gale you have to set the table quicker than that," Madge nagged Gale and poked at his back as he leant over the table.

It's been a week since Gale has started his training and he is still learning new things everyday. Madge told him that it could take months to perfect everything, that he just needs to be pushed to his limits and that he needs to stop complaining every other minute. Madge is trying to teach Gale how to properly set a table. Sure he has set one before, at home with some rusty cutlery and chipped plates but Gale feels overwhelmed at the amount of cutlery and crockery the Undersees have. It's not necessarily a bad thing considering they are the richest family in town and they have lots of guests it's just overwhelming.

Madge continues with the lesson trying to not to let out a giggle but she knows she has slipped once or twice.

"The forks and knives need to be switched and the glasses need to go on the other side of the plate," Gale threw his head back and groaned. "Forget about the place setting I'll test you on forks," They both sat down side-by-side at the table and faced each other. Madge held up the tiniest fork Gale had ever seen. It was silver and had three small points.

"Oyster" Gale said

"Oyster what?" Madge questioned cocking her head, Gale rolled his eyes.

"Oyster fork" Gale enunciated. Madge nodded pleased with his response and put the fork neatly next to her. Next she held up a normal looking fork.

"Lunch fork" Gale said. Madge smiled and placed that next to the previous. She held up another which reminded him of the weapon the victor from for used in his games a few years back.

"Seafood fork" Gale said.

"Good. I'm pretty sure you know the rest let's move onto knives," Madge got up placing the cutlery back into the drawer, they clinked as she placed them in their respective order. Gale made some rude gestures while her back was turned.

"I can see you in the mirror you know," Madge said looking at Gale through the mirror. Gale's hands dropped to his lap.

"Why do I even need to know the difference between a Lunch fork and a dinner fork and an oyster fork and God knows what other type of forks? Actually, why do you even need to know what all these forks are?" They looked at each other in the mirror. Madge broke off the eye contact first, closed the drawer and smiled to herself. Of course he would ask that question.

"Don't you remember who I am? We have Capitol guests every year I need to be 'presentable'. I need to know what goes where and how to talk to and who to speak when allowed. There are a lot of things I can and can't do being the mayor's daughter. Lots of rules, it's just as hard being the mayor's daughter than it is to be a butler" Madge explained stepping closer to Gale.

"If there are that many rules tell me some" Gale crosses his arms and Madge felt patronized.

"One, no tattoos. Two, no body piercings, excluding earlobes. Three, no swearing, no rude gestures, no kissing in public. Four, no inappropriate clothing on display in public, including but not limited to bra, underwear, and swimwear. Do you want me to go on or do you want me to get the rule book from my bedroom," Madge said counting of the rules on her fingers.

"There's a rule book?" Gale asks shocked, eyes wide.

"Yes," Madge says bluntly then looking around she lowers her voice "and I get tested every year," Gale's moth drops open.

"What happens if you fail the test? Have you ever failed the test?" Madge looks at him, her breath hitching, her face pales and her eyes darken.

"If you fail the test, you fail the test, there are punishments," Madge left it there and didn't explain further. Gale nodded the lightheartedness gone from her tone; the joking they previously had a distant memory. Gale didn't say anything; he didn't want to ruin anymore the tolerable relationship they had improved over the past week.

At the end of day Madge stops Gale before he leaves.

"Your week's pay" She says passing him a bag of coins. He takes it and gives it a shake, the coins rattling on the inside. He opens it and is stunned this is more money than he makes a month working in the mines, a lot more.

"Thanks," He says closing the small bag. They both stand silently, awkwardly before Gale bids goodbye and that he'll see her the next day.

Gale has never been interested in the stores in the town but now with the bag of coins weighing him down he can't help but feel tempted. He wants to buy something for his siblings, he feels as if he needs to, he doesn't have to but Gale doesn't actually know that.

He spots the toy store across the square and he can see the bustling colours from where he is standing. He strides across and looks in the window. It is the most magical thing he has ever seen, music is playing, toys soldiers are marching up and down some stairs, a train set is moving around and up and over some other toys, it's every child's dream and even Gale has to admit he feels like a five year old again.

He enters the shop and he hears a train choo choo sound as the door opens. Gale smiles and looks around, so much is happening in the store. It isn't big at all but all the toys and piles of games don't make it feel any smaller. He can hear an old, before dark days song being played in the background, but he knows it's from that time as the lyrics are too happy to be from now. Gale subconsciously hums to the music.

An old man comes through from the back of the store.

"I see you like the music," He laughs at Gale. Gale replaces the toy soldier he was looking at back on the display.

"It's not from now is it?" Gale asked walking over to the counter.

"No it's a short old tune from a special theme park from before the dark days," Gale gives him a funny look, what in God's name was a theme park.

"The song is called It's a Small World. Many children loved it, that's why I play it hear because it's a happy song and children should be happy in a toy store not sad and thinking about the horrible events that happen," Gale nods glad that someone wanted to make children forget about pain they receive at such a young age. The man continued looking at Gale.

"You aren't from town are you?" Gale wanted to glare at the man but didn't have the heart to, he looked so happy.

"Um…No, I'm from the Seam but I work in town. I just got my first pay and I wanted to buy something for my siblings," The man smiled at Gale.

"Well there's nothing wrong with being from the Seam, we are all from District 12 anyway," Gale breathed a sigh of relief, he didn't like telling people from town where he comes from, they all judge him because of it, but the man didn't dwell on this information instead he embraced it.

"How many siblings do you have?" He asked coming around from the counter.

"Three, all younger. Two brothers and a sister, fifteen, eleven and six." Gale says proudly but his smile drops. "This will be their first toys," Gale whispers looking down at the floor.

"Then we have to make it special," The man roars. Gale laughs and nods.

"I'm Gale by the way,"

"Rodney," They shake hands and Rodney shows Gale around the shop.

An hour later Gale is making his way home, with far less money in his pocket than what he started with. He bought one gift for each of his siblings and some bread for his mother. Gale is the happiest he has been in a long time, and he can't help but have a tiny hint of a smile on his face.

Hazelle is already preparing dinner when he gets home. Gale carefully places the loaf of bread and the coins on the table. He turns to his siblings.

"Rory, look I know you are a bit old for toys but the man at the shop was saying that this used to be one of the most popular toys for young and old," Gale smirks at Rory then holds up a Rubik's cube. Rory looks at it then at his brother, he gingerly picks it up and looks at all six sides.

"What's the aim?" He asks sliding rows and columns mixing the colours.

"The aim is to get each side to be one colour," Rory stops what is doing with cube and looks up at his brother.

"So I get this 'Rubik's cube' complete but I have to rearrange the colours to make them disorderly and the re-rearrange the colours to make them in order again?" Rory says mockingly.

"Yes," Gale says, taking the toy from his brother's hands and rearranges the colours to make it even harder for his brother before handing it back to him. Rory looks at the toy one last time before narrowing his eyes, biting the inside of his cheek and scrunching his face all in concentration. Gale silently laughs at Rory before turning to his other 's eyes are wide with excitement radiating off him. Gale looks in the bag and pulls out some small, painted, wooden toy cars. Vick grabs the toys, sits on the floor and plays with them making noises. Gale lastly turn to his little sister who sits patiently with her mother on the couch, her face in a grin ranging from ear to ear. Gale pulls out a teddy bear and passes it to Posy, her face lighting up even more. She doesn't say anything but jumps in Gale's arms.

"I'm sorry you couldn't have a toy until now but I'm going to try my best to give you the best life possible from now on out," Gale whispers to Posy as she buries her face in his necks. Posy pulls back and places her hands on Gale's cheeks.

"You don't need to give me toys to give me the best possible life. I already have you," Posy kisses her brother's cheek before wriggling out of her brothers arms and running over to her mother who picks her up.

"Look what Gale got me mummy. Did he get you anything?" Posy holds up the soft bear making Hazelle laugh.

"Yes, your brother got me a very nice loaf of bread," Hazelle sets Posy down and breaks of a piece of bread for the two of them. They both eat it savoring the fresh olive bread.

During the interaction between Hazelle and Posy Gale slips out of the house and heads towards Thom and Bristol's home. The night breeze is fresh and Gale can feel goose bumps form on his arms. The cool winter nights have not yet turned into the warm spring ones Gale loves, where he can lie in the meadow and not have a care for the world. A place he can think, hope, trust and love. Love his family, his friends, the people he hates and strangers. The meadow where hopes and dreams have been coming true since his father first brought him there when he was four. A place he wants to bring his family and friends but can't because it's his place, his and his father's place. Not his father's and Rory's place. Not his father's and Vick's place. It is Gale's and his father's place, the last place Mr Hawthorne brought his son before he was killed, the last thread of a memory he has of his father. Gale is pulled out of his train of thoughts when he is standing at the door. Before he knocks the door flies open and Bristel stands of the other side. Eyes red rimmed, nose sniffing and cheeks puffy.

"You've been crying," Gale's words leave him before he can think or comprehend the situation.

"No shit asshole," she replies glaring up at him through her eyelashes. Gale doesn't ask before he walks into the house she and Thom share. Thom is sitting on the couch head in his hands and thinking deeply. He hates seeing his girlfriend upset and he wishes he could punch Gale's big head in. Gale turns to Bristel once she closes the door.

"Why are you crying?"

It isn't Bristel who answers but her boyfriend. "She's crying because of you,"

Gale feels like he has been slapped in the face, knowing he is the reason his friend practically sister is crying, it doesn't settle with him properly. Bristel glares at Thom and leaves the room wiping her eyes. Both eyes follow her as she leaves their sight. Thom continues speaking, "Bristel sees you as the brother she never had and not having your approval of our marriage is killing her. She's been up all day and all night thinking of ideas, which could help gain your support. You know about her mum being killed in the mines and her dad being killed a few years back during the small pox epidemic, well she feels as if you have helped her through the tough times when she felt like she couldn't make it, it was always you who helped her. I used to be jealous that it was more you than me who helped her but I then realized that she loves me as a lover, not as a brother. However she sees you as her only family left and as her savior. Bristel has told me over and over again how grateful she is that you helped her and that you can't be a better brother but after you laughed at us when we told you about our engagement Bristel was so upset. She put up a brave face at the time but every night since, she cries and you of all people should know that Bristel does not cry," Gale didn't know what to say, he was speechless. He had never personally seen Bristel cry; she was known to not blink an eye even in the most horrendous of situations.

"Bristel has been really tired, she doesn't sleep much anymore and it's taking a toll on her work and job," Thom quickly stops talking when Bristel walks back into the room, her face washed but Gale can still see hints of her red cheeks. Now that Gale looks at Bristel properly he can see the paleness of her skin, the bristled hair and the most prominent feature the weight loss. Gale isn't too sure how she lost so much weight in a week but he knows it's because of him and it pains him.

Gale looks at Bristel straight in the eyes.

"When did you last eat?" He asks,

"If you think you are the reason, it's not. We've been a bit short-" Bristel dodges the question without missing a beat and hoping Gale would take that as a suitable answer but she was wrong Gale did notice and he was not happy when he cut her off.

"When was the last time you ate?" Gale now demands. Bristel stays silent not giving the answer he wants. Gale's eyes shoot towards Thom.

"When was the last time she ate?" Gale shouts at his best friend. Thom shrugs and Gale wants to punch him in the face.

"How can you not know when your fiancée eats? Look we have leftovers at home you guys can come for a late night dinner. If it's a money problem I can help you out, with my job and all but it would only be temporary," Gale hollers at the two of them.

"Gale it's not like we haven't been starving before," Bristel whispers so quietly both boys have to strain their necks to hear. Gale knows this everyone has been starving at one point in his or her life.

"I'm going to bed I'll see you later Thom. I'll see you whenever Gale," Bristel nods her head at gale and gives a quick kiss to Thom before whispering in his ear. Thom kisses her forehead and she looks up at him a small smile on her face and love in her eyes. Gale had never seen an interaction between two people so tender he felt as if he was watching something more intimate than sex. When he was younger he saw his parents quickly exchange a kiss or two before work or they would hold each others hands in comfort, but what Gale saw in front of him was a ritual between lovers, the exchange of words to comfort, to reassure, to love. It was the touches of a light kiss or a rub of the arm to let the other know that they are together forever.

The interaction is over as quickly as it started and Bristel has left the room. Thom excuses himself to use the bathroom but Gale quickly grabs his arm.

"She needs to get a different job," He says. Thom nods in agreement.

"I know but I don't know how to bring up the subject," Thom says. Gale lets go of his arm and he rushes off.

Gale can see the flicker of a candle under the bedroom door and suddenly the light goes out. Gale quietly walks to the bedroom and softly knocks on the door. He hears a faint sound and he assumes he can enter. The door creaks open and he sees Bristel lying in bed staring at him with tired eyes. It's dark in the room so he can't see if she has cried again but he can visibly see that she is cold. The moth eaten curtains whip above Bristel's head from the wind coming in through the broken windowpane. Gale doesn't move any closer but he knows that Bristel can see and hear him.

"I'm sorry for all the hurt I've caused you," Gale breaths out "I don't deserve a friend like you. I just want you to stay healthy and not be sad." Gale can see Bristel's head nod ever so slowly.

"It was never your engagement I disapproved of. It will never will be yours, I've just seen the love you and Thom share…it's one of kind, that's for sure," Gale laughs and he thinks he can hear a faint giggle.

"The engagement I was opposed to was Katniss's. I had just found out that day and I wasn't very happy. You and Thom just caught me at a bad time," Gale smiles and turns to leave but not before he hears a raspy whisper from behind him,

"I love you big brother,"

"I love you too little sister," He whispers back hoping the little sister hears.

AN: Hi everyone, I'm terribly sorry I've been MIA the past couple of weeks? months? I'm not too sure when I last updated but I have now. I'm sorry again about the last chapter it wasn't very good but I hope this chapter makes up for it. I wanted to thank Anon (guest) who's review nearly made me cry, I was having a bad day but the fact that a stranger who lives who knows where could tell that I was having a hard time means a lot. At the moment I'm trying keep my demons in my mind away but it's so hard and tiring and I want to give in but I need to finish this story. Reviews make my day and always remind me that someone is still reading. I want to thank everyone who has read, followed, favourited, reviewed this story and I want to let you know that you have a special place in my heart. I always wonder if my story is just some other story that people forget about or if people actually think about it and can't wait for me to update. I have a feeling it's the former.

Thank you everyone for your support. I wish you all the best
Sophie