...

I stared at myself in the mirror.

My stylist, Yvonne, had dressed me up in this flowing grey number, my hair slicked back in black to represent the coal from my district. I sighed. I looked ridiculous.

"Madge?" A knock at my dressing room door, "It's me, Peeta."

I cleared my throat, and creased the bodice of my dress out, "Come in."

The portal clicked open, and Peeta slipped through, tugging a hand through his hair and sighing heavily, "You look beautiful."

"I look stupid." I smiled and shrugged, "This is the Capitol though, isn't it?"

He nodded and licked his lip, "At least you're not wearing something made of fire," He patted my shoulder sympathetically, "Are you ready for the tribute parade?"

I levelled his gaze, "Is Gale?"

"I don't know." He laughed dryly, "He refuses to talk to me."

I rolled my eyes, "Right. Of course he does."

"Are you scared Madge?" He swallowed thickly, "Honestly?"

"I could die in three weeks time Peeta. I'm terrified. But what am I going to do? I can't – there's nothing else I can do." I blinked back the tears threatening to spill, "I have to be strong. I have to try."

Peeta nodded quickly, "You're right." He stepped towards me and wrapped me in a tight embrace, "You're going to be alright Madge."

I wanted to scream, to cry... To sob but I couldn't. All I could do was let Peeta hug me, and bury my face into his warm, broad chest. He was here, and so was I and that was enough for now.

"Madge, the chariots ready for you, are you – oh." Katniss was stood in the doorway, her dark brows pulled into a frown, "Peeta. Madge." That familiar icy glaze seeped into her eyes and she licked her bottom lip slowly, "Are you ready for the parade, Madge?"

Peeta's hands had dropped from around me and I stepped away, chewing on the inside of my cheek. I didn't care that Katniss was watching me like a hawk from the corner of her eye, probably jealous of the hug me and Peeta had just been sharing. I was being shipped off to my death in less than a month, and if she thought for even one minute I wanted to steal whatever it was Peeta and her shared, she was very wrong.

I nodded and followed her as she walked outside, leading me down a corridor and into the blazing sun. There were thousands of people cheering, and a line of twelve chariots, each filled with two tributes from every district. Katniss looked back at me, her eyes washed with concern.

"Are you okay?" She asked, as we walked towards the district twelve chariot, "I know this can be pretty overwhelming."

I took a deep breath and blinked rapidly, trying not to give into my wretched beating heart, or the way my palms were sweating like crazy. I had to be strong.

"I'm fine." The words were like flint; harsh and bitter, but I didn't care.

Katniss tilted her head forward in a gentle nod, "Alright."

From about fifteen feet away I spotted Gale Hawthorne, leaning against what I could only guess was our chariot, in the same colour suit as my dress. He wasn't smiling, his signature scowl written angrily on his mouth. He caught my gaze and quirked a thick eyebrow.

"Undersee."

"Madge." I corrected him, when Katniss and I had come to a stop in front of him, "Hello Gale."

"You ready?"

"Are you?"

I refused to drop his fiery gaze; I wasn't going to back down. He smirked, not quite a smile, but the closest thing I'd seen him do to one. He shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we're going to have to find out."

Katniss cleared her throat loudly, "Remember you two, wave and smile. You want the audience to like you. This is a chance to gain sponsors. You need to come across as likable," She was talking to the both of us, but we all knew who she was directing her advice towards. Gale grimaced.

"We get it. Play nice with the Capitol robots and maybe they'll save your life when you need it," He climbed onto the chariot and offered me his hand, "You coming, Madge?"

His eyes were that brilliant shade of grey I rarely saw; like molten silver that caused something warm to coil in the bottom of my belly.

"Do I have any other choice?"

"I guess not." He wrapped his hand around my palm and pulled me up, settling me in at the front beside him.

"Remember," We looked down at Katniss and she nodded tightly, "Play nice."

The chariot lurched forward, and the parade had begun, music playing loudly from either side of us. I looked up at Gale, but he was focused on the balcony in front of us, where none other than President Snow himself was stood.

"He chose us personally," Gale's mouth barely moved, "You know that, right?"

"Be nice."

He jerked his head towards me and frowned, "What?"

"It's not the time to hate President Snow, Gale. It's the time to make the audience love us. Hold my hand and wave. And for god's sake smile Hawthorne." I took even myself by surprise with my boldness but the truth was I didn't care.

Gale creased his brow in confusion and he shook his head without another word, thankfully listening to my advice, slipping his hand around my own and lifting his other hand in the air and waving happily at the crowd.

I stared at him for a moment in awe - how could he just switch it on like that? – before doing the same, willing myself to smile widely at the thousands of people cheering in the stands around us.

"I guess this is what it feels like to be a tribute." Gale squeezed my hand gently, "Don't worry Undersee, you're doing fine."

I felt something in my stomach prickle, "Right. Thanks. You too."

"Just a little bit longer and this whole parade thing will be over right?"

I nodded, even though he wasn't looking at me, "Right. Just a little bit longer." Except after the parade was over, training began. And then the interviews.

And then the games.

It was far from over but maybe with Gale's warm hand encompassing mine, it made everything a little bit easier.

...

"You did good today, Undersee."

Gale was stood in the doorway of my hotel room, his dark eyes unreadable.

"Oh." I was sat on the edge of my bed, undoing the uncomfortable combat boots Katniss had forced me to wear as preparation for the Games, "Thank you. You too."

He stepped forward, his arms digging into the pockets of the dark trousers he was wearing, "And that uh – that dress looked good on you."

"More like ridiculous," I laughed, creasing my nose up, "Not exactly subtle."

"Well I thought you looked...Pretty."

My heart tripped at the compliment and I blinked up at him blankly, not really sure what to say.

"Oh."

"People normally say thank you when they're complimented," Gale joked weakly, coming to sit beside me on the edge of my bed.

"Right, right," I laughed nervously and concentrated all my attention on my combat boots, "Thank you. I guess."

"What is it with you?"

"What do you mean?"

His fingers landed on my own, stilling my actions. I sat up slowly, trying to read his expression.

"One second your all ballsy and confident, and the next you're anxious and antsy. It's like you're two different people."

I tugged some of my hair behind my ears and sighed, "Yeah, I know. I don't – I don't uh, know, really. I guess it's just because when we're doing Games stuff I have to be confident. But that isn't really me. I'm the mayor's daughter. I'm the girl with no friends."

Gale's eyes darkened a shade, "You have friends."

"Like who? Peeta was only nice to me because he was...Well Peeta. And sure, I ate lunch with Katniss sometimes but that was it, really. She only had time for one friend in her life."

"What about all the other Town kids?"

"That's just the thing, Gale," I laughed softly, "I never fit in with the Seam kids, and I never really fit in with the Town kids either. That's why I have no friends. But it's okay. I guess that's the only good thing about the Games...Not many people to miss me."

"Don't say that Madge!" Gale growled, "You have friends. You have me."

"What are you talking about Gale? You've always hated me." My eyes widened and I pursed my lips, "You're only saying all this because – because we both got Reaped."

"For God's sake Madge you know that isn't true," He sighed heavily, "I'm just – I'm Gale, alright? That's me. I don't – I don't do friends. Only Katniss. But I do – I do like you. You're alright."

"Alright?" I licked my bottom lip.

"More than alright. I didn't think you'd be able to cope with any of this," He shrugged, "I don't know Madge. Maybe it's the adrenaline rush from the parade before, or maybe it's because I might die in three weeks time, but I don't want you to think I hate you. Because I don't."

I swallowed thickly and nodded, "Okay. Thank you. I don't hate you either Gale, I never have."

"And if it – if it comes down to it, Undersee, I won't kill you." His voice cracked, "I can't."

"No. No please Gale, I can't do this. Not now." I kicked my combat shoes off, trying to bite back the tears welling behind my eyes, "Not yet. We have three weeks left. Please. Let me just have these last weeks without thinking about...That."

"Okay." He nodded, chewing on his bottom lip, "I think – I better go get some sleep. First day of training tomorrow."

I smiled sadly, "Right. Me too." He stood and made his way towards the door, pausing when I called him back.

"Thank you." My lips widened into a real, genuine smile, "For what you said before. You – you're a great guy."

He shrugged, "I try," He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "See you tomorrow?"

"Alright. Goodnight Gale."

He stepped outside, and the door closed, locking after him.

And as I changed into my night dress and snuggled into the expensive silk sheets some Capitol interior designer probably picked out for me, I realised something.

In another life I might have fallen in love with Gale Hawthorne.

Yes. That's right; in another life.

...

Sooooo I know I posted the first chapter to this almost three years ago and haven't touched it since then...But I recently watched Catching Fire and ended up writing about ten chapters for this. So I really, really, really would love it if you guys read and gave me some feedback. I hope you enjoy chapter two, and let me know if you'd like to see more! Reviews are very much appreciated.