Chapter 31

(Madge POV)

I remain firmly seated outside the door of the Communications Bay for at least 5 hours, maybe longer, until, finally, Haymitch opens the door and invites me back inside. By the time I'm back inside, I'm a complete wreck. The imaginative wheels of my mind have been spinning non-stop with all sorts of scenarios playing out. None of them good. Each one seemingly worse than the one before. I'm exhausted and drained. Terrified as each second ticks passed that Gale is missing.

"Come on back in. Storm's over. We're launching a searcher crew again." Haymitch tells me. He doesn't look the least bit surprised that I'm waiting outside the door where he left me.

I stand and follow him back inside. The mood of the room still seems like a mix of somber and tense. I feel physically sick. Exhaustion, stress, worry all contributing to the ache building in my stomach. I quietly take a seat next to Sawyer again.

"We just launched the crew again. They should be at the crash site within the hour. You can stay and listen but stay outta the way and don't go pestering me with your questions." Haymitch tells me. He too seems exhausted and stressed out. I don't fail to notice the multiple empty liquor bottles in the wastebasket. Haymitch always drinks but he definitely is consuming more than normal right now.

I nod at him, keeping my mouth shut and looking away quickly to show him I won't get in the way or be a bother to him. The very last thing I want to happen right now is to have him put me back on the other side of that door. Not now. Not while the searcher crew is out there looking for Gale. I need to be here the minute they land at that crash site. Need to hear the communication come through that tells me what they find.

I stare at the screen ahead of me and sit as still as I can. Once Haymitch is out of earshot, Sawyer leans over and speaks quietly, filling me in on what I missed when I was out in the hallway.

"The Capitol systems are back up. Their radars started working about 2 hours ago. It's dangerous to send a craft out right now but we're doing it anyway. Haymitch insisted on it."

"Can they see us coming? Can they tell that there was a crash earlier?" I whisper back to him in horror.

"They can't tell there was a crash. Not by radar anyway. If there was a fire, it may be visible from ground level but thanks to the thunderstorm, that shouldn't be a concern. If there was a fire, the rain would've put it out pretty fast. And any smoke would be far less noticeable than it would be on a clear day. As for seeing us coming, we have our signals being scrambled but it is still possible they'll see us, it just makes it harder for them to pinpoint our exact location."

"Did we get a medic for the flight this time?"

"Yeah, one medic, one pilot, one communicator and two runners who will actually get out and search for them. It's more than we usually send out on a searcher mission."

I nod and fight down the icky feeling in my stomach. I just feel like something is really, really wrong. Obviously, they crashed, but deep down, I feel like it could be more than that. Like Gale was really hurt in the crash. Or worse, that they won't get to him in time to help him. Or the worst of all, he was hurt so badly that he won't be able to be helped. That there will be nothing they can do to save him.

"Here, you can make yourself useful by watching this screen here. Same way you did it before. Just tell me if you see any blinking lights so I can call the up to Lucie and have them checked out. Okay?"

"Thanks. It helps if I feel like I'm helping." I tell him gratefully. He gives me a half smile and then turns his attention back to his own screen. I watch the screen and try to keep my focus there. Try not to hear the fearful cries screaming at me inside my head. The room around me is filled with a steady whir of low volume conversation and printers spitting out paper filled with data.

It feels like forever before I finally hear the speaker crackle with the communicator's voice. "Alpha. Bravo. Charlie. 3. Landing at designated site."

"Clear to land. Alert when runners active."

"Runners active. Systems off 55 counting down." " I hear just moments later. I feel a rush of adrenaline surging through me and I have to fight the urge to tap my foot against the floor.

"Copy."

"How long will they be on the ground? How long do they look?" I whisper to Sawyer.

"They'll look for an hour. If they don't find anything, they'll come back."

"And if they find something?"

"They'll call back to tell us and we allot them more time based off those findings."

"How do they call back if the systems are down?"

"They can power up the communications system alone and call back to us."

"Sorry for all the questions."

"It's okay. I get it. My wife would be the same way if it was me out there."

For the next several minutes, all I do is stare at the radar screen. I don't see a single blip of activity. None on Sawyer's screen either. This is somewhat comforting in that it means there's less of a chance of anyone Capitol affiliated stumbling upon Gale's crew or the Searcher crew. Still, until I get word that he's okay, until he's back within my grasp, I won't be able to relax.

I snap my head up as I hear the speaker crackle again. "Crash site located. One recovery. Deceased. Remaining 5 not yet located. Request additional time for ground search."

My gasp is audible. The room begins to spin and sway. Deceased? Who did they find? Who died? Where are the other five? I feel bile rising up, filling my mouth and can't pull myself together enough to swallow it back down. Sawyer manages to shove his wastebasket in front of me just in time.

"Get her outta here!" Haymitch barks from across the room. I don't know if it's because I just puked in front of everyone or if it's because he doesn't want me to hear what might come across in the next communications transmission. Sawyer pulls me to my feet and walks me out the door into the hallway, wastebasket still in his hand.

I want to tell him I'm sorry for puking but I just can't find my voice. Can barely find my breath.

"I think maybe you should go on up to your place. I promise to personally come get you as soon as we get any information specific to Gale."

I shake my head and start to protest. "I can't…"

He gently puts his hand on my shoulder. "Madge, you'll only make yourself go crazy in there. I'll come for you myself the very second I know anything about Gale. Now go on home and wait there so I'll know where to find you."

I know it's useless to argue. Haymitch will never let me back in that room. Not now. Not after I've puked everywhere. Not after I've just made a distraction like that. So I cave. "I'll be in my room." I manage to say before I turn and head for home.

As I reach my floor, I run into Rory, Rebekah and Posy. Posy. Crap. I forgot that they'd be bringing her by for me to watch her.

I wipe my sleeve across my face trying to hide proof of my unstable state. "I'm sorry I wasn't home. It really isn't a good day for me to watch Posy, I'm not feeling well." I lie, hoping I look believable.

"No worries. Posey can hang out with us this afternoon." Rebekah says helpfully.

"Actually, why don't you take Posey back to our place and help her make a get well card for Madge? I'll be up in a little while, just wanna get Madge settled into bed since she isn't feeling well." Rory tells Rebekah as he hands Posey off to her. I can't even look at him. He knows I'm lying. He knows something is up and that's why he's getting rid of them.

Rebekah seemingly understands. "I think that's a great idea, isn't it Posey? I bet we can make a really, really pretty card, can't we?"

"I'm the best colorer in my class." Posey tells her confidently.

I wave and try to smile as they head for the elevators. Once they're out of sight, Rory takes my elbow and guides me towards my door. Once inside, he folds his arms over his chest and looks at me, eyebrow raised. When I can't even find the words to begin, he outright asks me.

"What's going on Madge? Cause I know it isn't that you're sick."

"I can't…it's too awful." Is all I manage before bursting into tears.

He immediately hugs me and asks again more gently. "C'mon, whatever it is, you can talk about it to me."

"It's Gale. He's missing. He was on a mission and they crashed and the searcher found a body and I puked and I don't know what to do." I cry into his chest.

"What? Slow down, you aren't making sense." He says pulling me back and studying my face.

I take a few slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down enough to explain it all. "This morning, Gale went on a mission to the woods of 12, to look for survivors, there was a storm and the hovercraft crashed in the woods. They've got a crew out there searching for them now. They just found the wreckage of the craft and one dead body but not the rest of the people that were on the hovercraft."

He sits, obviously stunned at what he just heard. When he finally speaks, he has to clear his throat first. "Okay, so they didn't identify who was dead and the others are missing?"

I nod.

"Let's be optimistic. If they only found one body, that means the rest of them are somewhere in those woods. Gale knows the woods. He'll keep them safe until the search crew can get them out of there."

"But Rory, what if it's him? What if he's never coming back?"

"Stop. You can't think like that. I can't handle thinking like that. We've gotta stay calm. Well, as calm as we can. When will we hear anything new?"

I wipe my eyes on my sleeve again and try to stop crying, fighting down hiccups. "I had to leave the communications bay because I was a distraction. I threw up. I'm supposed to wait here until they come to tell me anything else."

"Okay then, I'm waiting here with you." He says, plopping down on the floor.

"Thanks." I say as I try to stifle another hiccup.

"Hey, you got your book back? I thought Peeta still had that." He says as he notices my book on the nightstand.

"Yeah. Gale got it from Katniss." I tell him and then I realize he doesn't know I got my memory back. With everything going on with Gale, my memory coming back hadn't been on my mind at all.

"By the way, seeing that book was really helpful. When I saw it my memory came back. All of it."

"What? All of it?" He asks, eyes wide.

"Yeah, all of it. Just like that."

"Madge that's awesome! Why didn't you tell any of us?" He asks, obviously excited.

"Didn't get the chance. Just happened last night. Everything happened so fast and I was getting checked out by my doctors when Gale left for his mission and I've been down in Defense all day waiting for news on him."

"Hey, it's a good thing. Focus on that. Think about how exciting it'll be for you and Gale to tell everybody about it later? You know how many of us have been waiting for your memory to come back?"

"I know. I'm excited. Just can't think about it right now."

He's about to say something else, his mouth opening to speak when there's a knock at the door. An urgent one.

I fly to hit so fast I don't think my feet touch the floor. When I swing it open, I find not Sawyer, but Haymitch, several rolled up papers in his hand.

"Need your help princess and I need it fast." He says as he pushes passed me and starts unrolling maps on the bed. Rory quickly works to help him get the maps spread out.

"This here is a map of 12 and the surrounding areas. Gale's crash happened about here." He says as he makes an X on the map with a red marker. "Our searcher crew found a lake, not on current Capitol maps about here." He tells me as he draws a large circle.

"Gale knows the area all around the lake!" I say hurriedly.

"That's what I was hoping for. Now, the runner found a cabin by the lake that looked like people had been there recently. There was a word written on the wall in mud. Mud making us think it was from Gale's crew given all the rain and wet ground. We can't make any sense of the word though and that's where you come in. It said PROPOSAL. Mean anything to you?"

The church. That's where Gale proposed. He's hiding at the church! "Yes! It means they're at the church! It's where Gale proposed to me! He's telling us he's hiding at the church!" I say frantically.

"Alright, now we're making progress. I know you can't remember a lot of stuff right now but I need to know if Gale ever told you where the church was?"

I shake my head furiously. "No, my memory is back! Came back last night. I remember exactly where the church is!" I practically shout with anxiousness.

"Well how's about you draw me a map on here so I can call some directions down to my guys on the ground." He says with a smile as he hands me the red marker.

I lean over the map, studying the lake and the cabin. From there, I draw a line to where the church should be and then hand it back to Haymitch.

"You sure?"

"Sure. It's a small wooden church with stained glass windows. Really hidden away but that's how you get to it."

He circles an area around where I've marked and then pulls a walkie talkie from his hip. "We've got a possible location. Almost certain that's where they're at. Coordinates on the map are 35.5033027N and 80.918611W. You're looking for a small wooden church, somewhat hidden away from sight." He instructs through the radio.

"Now what?" I ask as soon as they say "copy" back to him on the radio.

"Now we bring them home. Thanks for your help, I'll let ya know when he's back." He says as he heads back out the door.

"Wait! I want to come with you!" I say as I rush after him, Rory on my heels too.

"Sorry, can't have ya down there right now. Not til I get word that everything's okay. I'll send for you soon, stay here so I can find you." He says over his shoulder, not stopping.

I feel frustration melt over me and I have to clench my fists and bite my tongue to keep from swearing. I need to be down there! I feel Rory'shand on my shoulder again and he nods his head back into my room. I reluctantly follow him in there and sit down again.

"So we can relax now. He's okay." Rory says with a smile.

"Yeah, we can! He left that clue because he knew I'd know what it was! Oh my God, I'm so glad my memory came back! I wouldn't have known how to find him otherwise!"

"See, it's all working out just fine. You were worried for nothing." He says with a grin.

"I'll still feel better when I can wrap my arms around his neck. And then I'm gonna ring his neck for leaving on a mission without saying goodbye to me first."

He laughs and I smile. I'm not back to laughter just yet but I'm much, much better now.

(Gale POV)

I drift back to sleep but wake several more times. Each time I wake up, my stomach hurts worse and feels more stiff to the touch. And I definitely feel feverish. My left arm and shoulder are starting to ache too but I think that may be from sleeping on the floor for so long. Or maybe just more soreness from the crash.

I can't figure out what's taking them so long to find us. Why isn't anyone here for us yet? My mind begins to wonder if something happened in Medical with Madge. Had her memory disappeared as quickly as it came back? If that happened, she wouldn't even know how to find us. She wouldn't understand my clue. She wouldn't know how to find the church. What was I thinking leaving a clue like that? That was so stupid of me! I groan both from the pain and from my own frustration about the clue I left.

"Want to try drinking some more water?" Tull asks me as he comes over, having heard my groan.

"Nuh uh. I'm not thirsty. Look, I think I'm getting worse here. My whole stomach feels hard as a rock and it hurts like hell. If they don't find us soon, I don't think I'm gonna make it. We may need to come up with a plan to get the rest of you some food and some way to have a fire just in case it's a few days before they find you."

"Just hang in there. They'll be here soon." He says but even in the dim candle lit room, I can see nothing but worry on his face.

"I'm serious. Something's bad wrong and it's only getting worse. If something happens to me, you'll need to know how to survive out here."

He looks at me but doesn't say anything.

"Back at the cabin you'll find a fishing pole. There's fish in the lake. Think you can figure it out?"

He nods so I continue. "Water in the lake is safe to drink. Might find some pecan trees somewhere near here too. If you make fire, try to keep it small, don't draw any more attention to yourself than you have too. And try to ration the matches, once they're gone, it'll be near impossible for you to create a fire." I say amidst groans as the pain makes it increasingly hard to speak so much.

"Got it, but I don't think we need to worry about that yet. I know they're looking for us. They'll come soon." He tells me trying to be reassuring but I don't buy it. I have to tell him one more thing.

"And if anything happens and I don't make it, you have to make sure Madge knows that I love her more than anything."

"Shhh. Just rest, okay?" He says as he lays a wet cloth over my forehead.

I close my eyes, not having the strength to keep talking. I've never hurt like this before. I've never been this scared before. I drift back to sleep with a sobering, sickening feeling accompanying my pain. I may not make it out of here. This could very well be where I die.

At some point I hear new voices around me. I feel people touching me, maybe moving me, I'm not sure. I can't seem to force my eyes to open or my mouth to speak. All I'm sure of is the pain. The searing pain in my stomach , chest and shoulder.

I feel pressing on my abdomen and a pinching sensation on my arm. Voices drift in and out but I'm never conscious enough to make sense of them and they never speak directly to me. It's almost as if I'm imagining them. Dreaming them up. I think I vomit at one point but again, I'm not sure. Maybe I just think I did. Maybe it never happened. Maybe this is a dream.

Beeping. I hear constant beeping. And something presses over my mouth and nose. I feel air blowing into my nose and mouth, filling my lungs. I feel myself lifted, several hands on me as I'm moved. I don't know what's happening and suddenly I feel myself drifting off even further, unable to fight against the sleepiness pulling me deeper and deeper. The last thing I think as I get sucked under is that I hear Madge's voice. Angelic and soft. Whispering that she loves me.