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Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or it's characters.
Chapter 14. The Reaping
Madge: I feel completely sick. I can't believe what President Snow just said. Now Katniss and possibly Peeta could be going back into the Hunger Games.
Before I know it Katniss is running out of the house. I get up about to go after her but my stomach thinks otherwise. Instead of running out the door I run to the bathroom, puking out the contents in my stomach. When I wash out my mouth and go back to the living room I see Peeta. He hasn't moved an inch.
Suddenly the room starts to spin and dizziness over takes me. My arm catches a chair just in time before I fall. I clutch the back of the chair with all my might and squeeze my eyes shut. I guess that gets Peeta going again. I feel his arms wrap around my waist and they stay there until the dizziness has leaves. When I open my eyes I see Peeta's concerned blue eyes looking into mine.
"Madge, are you okay?" I am so amazed at how quick Peeta can forget the announcement of the Quarter Quell.
"Peeta, you could be going back into The Hunger Games again and you're thinking of my well-being?"
"You don't understand do you?"
"Understand what?" I ask quizzically
"You two are my whole world. I will do anything to make you guys happy. Both of your well-beings are WAY more important than mine. You need to understand that you two will always be first in my world"
I look at Peeta with nothing but pure love. He is way too good for me. How did I get so lucky to end up with him? I really don't deserve him. In fact I could live a thousand lives and still not deserve him!
I was about to say something but the baby beat me to it because next thing I know I feel small nudges at my stomach. I gasp a little as I look down at the small bump and smile. I already love this baby so much. I can't wait to hold him or her. Peeta looks down with me and I take his hands and place them where I feel the fluttering sensation.
"That's incredible. I've never felt the baby kick before" he says in awe. "I love you so much baby" the baby kicks a few more times in reply before settling back down.
"I'm so sorry about the Quarter Quell" I say in a small voice.
"I am too…but let's just enjoy the time we have left together okay?"
"Okay"
"Damn Snow" he mumbles under his breath.
2 weeks later
Peeta: I just finish rolling up my sleeves when I hear a knock on my door.
"Come in" I say. Madge slips through the door quickly. She runs straight into my arms. I feel her body shaking beneath my arms. I want to take away her pain but under our circumstances I have absolutely no power to do so.
When she lets go of me tears are rolling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumb and look into her beautiful blue eyes.
"Hey, don't worry about me. I'll be fine" I say as confident as I can.
"But what if you get chosen? I- we can't live without you. You're my life. You're my everything." She sobs. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I can't imagine what she would be like if I get chosen to go into the games.
"Madge, listen to me. Whatever happens to me you have to be strong. For me and our baby" I say as I place my hand on her stomach. Suddenly I feel the baby shift underneath my touch. Madge chuckles sadly.
"The baby will miss you too…You know he kicks a lot more when you're around. It's like he knows when his daddy is here" Madge sniffles.
"He?" I repeat in confusion.
"When I lay at night I think of our future and I imagine our baby. I like to think that he's a boy, like a mini Peeta." She admits.
"Boy or girl I know I will love it" I say to her for the millionth time. Even if I'm not there.
"Here" she says as she hands me something. It's a bracelet. "I want you to have this as your token. If you are ever having a hard time you can just look at this and think of me. I know I will always be thinking of you"
I look at the bracelet carefully. It looks like she wove it herself and on the bracelet it says Always on it.
"Always" I read as she ties it around my wrist. It's time. I know its bad timing but I want to tell her this before I leave.
"Madge, I love you and I want to be with you…" I trail off.
"What?"
"I don't care what happens to us. I want to do this" I continue.
"Peeta, what are you talking about?"
"When Katniss broke up with me I thought my life was over but the day I met you I knew my life wasn't over, it was just beginning. "Madge Undersee you are the love of my life, the reason my lungs take breath. I love you with every single beat of my heart. Words just aren't enough to explain the depth of my love for you. I can't live without you. When you look at me, your crystal blue eyes see right through me and I feel like I'm on top of the world, like nothing can touch me. I'm sure I've never been more in love with someone than I am with you and that's how I feel every time I see you. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen! Remember the day when we spend hours under the willow tree in my back yard? I think back on that day all the time and I still don't think it was real, I swear you were glowing the way the sunlight danced off your flawless face and shiny hair. You're just too amazing to be true. Every day with you is like one of my dreams has come true. I remember when you told me you loved me back. I thought I'd misheard you, or my mind had just made it up. I told myself, there's no way the girl I've been secretly crushing on for so long, likes me back. It's just not possible. Then you turned to me and looked at me with such sweetness and love and you told me you wanted to be my girlfriend. To be honest, I thought it would be years before I heard those words from you. But sure enough you said it to me and I thought my heart would burst from joy. I thought I was dreaming, but you assured me it was very real. Madge, You will never know what that truly means to me so I'm here to tell you now I want to spend the rest of my life with you, that you are the love of my life and my soul mate." As soon as I say that I bend down on my knee, take out the promise ring I bought custom made for her, look at her face for which I'll never grow tired of looking at, and say
"Promise to stay with me forever, through the good and the bad and the ugly? We can grow old together. Whether rich or for poor, whether happy or sad we can still love each other forever and always!"
"Peeta" she says breathlessly as she covers her mouth in astonishment. "It's beautiful"
Her eyes are glistening with tears that aren't of sadness and fear anymore but with happiness and love.
"Madge, will you do me the honor of making me the happiest guy in the world and marry me?" she's so happy she can't say any words so she just nods. I smile so brightly as I get up and slide the ring on her left ring finger.
She is so elated she jumps into my arms. I twirl her around feeling only complete bliss. When I set her down she looks at her ring and kisses me until my mom comes in telling me it's time to go to the square.
"Before I go I want to tell you that this ring is a reminder of not only our love but our promise to each other that no matter what happens to us we will always know we belong together. If I am going to go into that arena I will fight for you and our baby. And remember don't pay attention if Katniss and I kiss a bunch of times. If we don't do the star-crossed lovers act Snow will punish us and the ones we love including you. I don't want him to lay a hand on you so don't take the any of it personally." Madge nods in understanding and tells me to go.
"I'll see you soon okay?" I say as I am dragged out of the room by my mom.
The Reaping (Still Peeta's POV)
My heart is beating out of my chest as Haymitch, Katniss and I are walking into the square for the 75th Hunger Games Reaping. Haymitch and I are separated from Katniss and are escorted to a roped area. Effie comes out onto the stage. She has a perky expression on her face but you can tell she's not as happy as her usual self. I tune everyone out until Effie says "Ladies first". I watch as Effie goes over to the girl's bowl and slowly picks out Katniss' name.
"Katniss Everdeen" she calls into the microphone. The tone in Effie's almost sounds like it has pain in it. Katniss trudges up the steps and stands on stage avoiding everyone's looks. She just looks down at her shoes with a scowl on her face.
"And now for the boys" Effie goes over to the boy's bowl and picks a slip of paper. It feels like hours have gone by, by the time we hear a name.
"Peeta Mellark" Immediately after Effie gasps. My name being called gets Katniss' attention. Her head whips in my direction and I can see she has tears in her eyes. I walk up the steps and take my place on stage. The joy that I had before the reaping when I proposed to Madge is long gone now and replace by fear, not only for me but for Madge, the baby, and even Katniss.
I search the sea of people for the one person that means the most to me. Madge catches my gaze and stares right back at me with tears streaking down her cheeks. Seeing her sad almost makes me cry.
Suddenly I see Prim and Katniss' mom raise their three middle fingers. They hold up their fingers showing everyone in the square. It's not long before the rest of district 12 is saluting to Katniss and I.
I see even Madge is doing it too. Our eyes lock on one another and she holds my gaze. Katniss and I automatically salute them back but are cut short when the new head peacekeeper, Thread, grabs katniss shoulders and haul her towards the door. Another peacekeeper does the same to me.
Katniss fights back yelling something about having to say goodbye. I resist the arms that are trying to shove me into the justice building as well. Before I am inside I look back just once for Madge. When I find her she is mouthing Katniss name and rocking her arms back and forth as if she's holding a baby. Just as the doors shut behind me I realize why she did was she did. She was trying to tell me that Katniss is Pregnant.
PLEASE REVIEW if you want more :) and if you want anything special to happen or a twist in the plot please write your suggestions in your comments. Just so you know next chapter I will be writing it in either Katniss or Madge's POV. 3 3