Hey everyone I'm back...

It's been a really long time and I just want to say thanks for still sticking with me, and for not hating my slow updates, I've gotten some really nice reviews recently, and I just had to update soon for you guys. This is probably gonna be written over a while so might be slightly choppy, hopefully not. I hope you like it though! I did take some of your opinions into consideration

angst warning

Gale stays frozen as Katniss pauses in the doorway, her stormy gray eyes narrowing as she observed her most recent house guests. She doesn't say anything, just watches them in the most uncomfortable kind of silence. Out of the corner of his eye, Gale can see Peeta shifting awkwardly in his seat, fingers tapping against his legs. Madge holds her position next to him, he can't see her, but her fingers are running circle against his palms, and he knows it's the only thing keeping him calm.

It's Madge that speaks first, her voice calm and steady like it always has been. Gale's honestly just so glad he has her with him, because she's just able to stay collected during any situation, one of the perks of being a mayor's daughter. "Hey, Katniss. I know this might be kind of sudden, but Gale and I-"

"Get out of my house," Katniss interrupts before she can even finish her greeting. Her voice isn't angry or even loud, it was just cold, and empty. As if she feel absolutely nothing over seeing her old hunting partner and a close friend who she believed to be dead.

"Katniss-" Gale tries, not willing to just let this go. Peeta had said that she understands, didn't he?

"Get out! Now!" she yells a little bit louder now, but her eyes were still distant.

Madge stands up from where she is, and since her hands were still firmly attached to his he gets pulled along as well. "What is wrong with you?" Madge asks, her voice angrier than Gale has heard ever, and staring at her right in the eye. But Gale interrupts her, and just tugs at her arms, "Come'on Madge, we should go." They were the ones who were technically intruding Katniss' home, and he didn't want to cause any sorts of trouble. He came here to fix things, not to break them further apart.

"But-"

"No, we're not wanted. Let's leave her alone." He thinks that it's not worth it, but doesn't say it because he doesn't want it to come out as being offensive. Part of him knows that Katniss can never forgive him, he had always known that and it's stupid to think she would. Why would she forgive the man who could be the killer of her sister. There was just no way, especially with someone as stubborn as Katniss Everdeen.

They make there way out of the house, not saying another word or sharing another glance at anyone. After no more than 20 steps out of the house, they hear footsteps running after them, and it's no surprise to either them that it's Peeta who they find when they turn around.

"What do you want?" Gale snaps, regretting it as soon as it left his mouth and he feels Madge nudge in a way that he knew the other boy wouldn't have seen. He didn't want to be so harsh towards Mellark, but he was just frustrated.

"Nothing, I'm just sorry, to both of you, for what just happened with her. You know she's not the same as she is before."

"It's fine," Gale replies quickly, "I honestly don't know why I expected anything different, I get it."

"No. You have to understand that that back there isn't her. I know she knows its not your fault, I know Gale. She just needs someone to put blame on right now so that she can stop killing herself believing it's hers. I know she forgives you, I just know. And you'll see that in time. In the mean while, all any of us can do is wait, alright?" The boy really does have a way with words, because somehow he starts to believe, and considers the hope of what he just said to be true.

"Alright," Gale nods. He really is glad that Katniss has Mellark, someone to save her from all this mess. "But I'm not here just for her, I'm not gonna wait around. Let her call me when she can." He tears a sheet of paper from a notepad he digs up from the bottom of his bag, and scribbles the numbers down, handing it to the baker. "Thanks Peeta."

Gale waits as he lets Madge and Peeta say a proper goodbye. The two blonds share a longing hug, and again Gale has to remind himself that it's just innocent. It's just that there's the doubt again, how he's not good enough for a girl like Madge, he's too messed up, too angry, killed too many people...The whole situation with Katniss was just another vivid reminder of the kind of monster he is, and maybe it's only a matter of time that Madge sees that too.

And then they were off again, walking in district 12 without an apparent destination, just trying to absorb the setting and enjoy each other as much as possible. Gale was still shaken by what had happened with Katniss, it's clear as day on his face. Madge can tell how sad it had made him, she was upset too, but surprisingly, it was more like anger than sadness, unlike Gale.

What right does Katniss even have to say things to them like that? Sure she had to suffer through the Hunger Games and the war, but she needs to realized that everyone had to fight different battle and what Madge went through was really no better in some ways. Madge thoughts drift once again to the fact that without her, Katniss would have never became "the mockingjay" but somehow Katniss seemed to have forgotten all about that. The girl never appreciated her, much less Gale than anything other than "a cousin". They are all messed up because of the war, and even before that too. So why is Katniss entitled to put all this blame on them without consequence

Also, she doesn't want to admit it and tries to push the feeling away, but the look on Gale's face this whole time just seemed to her like heartbreak, and she couldn't help but think that there was a part of him that wanted Katniss as more than a friend. It was just impossible to deny. Madge knows that Gale loves her as much as she loves him, but his relationship with Katniss was different than the one with her. What if all along Katniss was and still is the love of his life, and she was just the second choice he chose to settle for.

Gale apparently sees the worry on her face, because his face softens, and he asks if she's alright in the gentlest of tones.

"Nothing," she answers, because it's not like she can just tell him about her worries about not being the one he wanted. Plus she wasn't about to whine like an insecure teenager, even though that's what she feels like. "I guess, just didn't expect Katniss to act like that, that's all. And I'm just tired, it's been a long day." That last part was true, she was exhausted, the days has put both a physical and mental strain on her, and all she really wanted right now was go to sleep and forget for the night. But she knows how much Gale wants to see his family, so she doesn't suggest anything.

Gale obviously disagrees with her thought though, "Let's call it a day then, we could both probably use some rest."

"Don't you wanna go see you family first though?" she asks, not sure what she wants either at this point.

"Nah, after what just happened with Katniss, I'm not sure I'm ready for another confrontation just yet. Com'on." And so he takes her hand and leads her further into town until they found a clean looking inn to stay at. They end up getting one room with two separate beds. That was a relief to Madge, as the thought of sharing a bed with Gale in a hotel made her a bit uneasy.

As soon as they enter the room though Gale is kissing her, gentle and innocent but even that kind of kiss seems wrong to Madge. She tries to forget about Katniss, and tries to remember that what they have is love, she tries so hard to feel the passion she's always felt in this kiss but she just couldn't.

And she pulls away.

"What happened? Madge talk to me, you've been acting weird all day, and I know it's more than just the Katniss thing so please Madge, just talk to me." he pleads, hands at her chin, lifting her head gently so that she can't avoid his gaze.

And so she tells him the truth because she's too tired to be making excuses, "I- I don't know Gale! And I always thought that I would know everything if I were to ever be in love. But right now, I just dont't know! I-I'm just scared of being the second choice Gale, you know me, I've never felt special or someone's first choice until I met you, and you and Katniss-"

"This is about you thinking I still have feelings for Katniss?" Gale asked, not even giving her the chance to explain.

"No! Well, okay fine it is, but is that so ridiculous? The whole country knows that you use to love her!" she felt her eyes start to sting again. She's been crying a lot lately and she hates herself for it, and she hates Gale for making her cry so much too.

But instead of wrapping his arms around her and whispering reassurance like she had hoped, he just shook his head, murmuring something along the lines of "I can't believe you" and left the room. Just like that, slamming the door shut behind him and leaving her there.

It wasn't that he's angry, because he's really not. He just hates himself because he's not even able to make his girlfriend feel safe with him, and now he's probably going to lose her too, the one light in his life. Here he was, worrying that he wasn't good enough for her when he's the one making her insecure. He shouldn't have just left like that either, he should have held on to her as tightly as he can, tell her how he feels, and make sure she knows how special she is to him. But he couldn't because he was scared of messing things up further, and so instead he goes and gets another room down the hall, and tries to sleep away the frustration.

He couldn't though.

No matter how hard he tries, he couldn't fall asleep, not knowing that he needs to be a man and go to Madge.

And so he does.

By that time it was already well after midnight, and he's sure she's long asleep. He taps the sensor with his key card, waiting for the click before turning the door knob as slowly as he can, hoping to not wake Madge up.

He did wake her though, or most likely she was just never asleep neither. "Gale?" her voice softly calls into the darkness.

"Yeah, it's me," he slowly walks over to her, sitting himself down on the edge of her bed.

He opens his mouth to speak, but she beats him to it, "I'm sorry Gale." The apology surprises Gale, because honestly he can't think of why she would possibly apologize.

"Why would you be sorry? I'm the one who keeps screwing everything up."

"I just know how much this whole trip means to you, and everything was so good between us for once, I feel like I just ruined that."

"Madge that's crazy," he tries to keep his voice soft, still wanting her to rest, "You shouldn't be thinking of things like that all, I should be making you feel like the specialest girl in the world. I'm the one who's sorry."

"Specialest isn't a word Gale," she replies and Gale can hear the smirk in her voice. There's the Madge he knows, the one that's so smart and witty that she can turn any bad situation around, the one that he loves so much.

"Good observation Undersee," his hands searches the dark, running a hand through her hair. "But seriously Madge, you know I have no feelings towards Katniss anymore right? I thought I loved her, but that was back when I didn't even know what love was. That wasn't love, what we have is love Madge."

"Yeah, I guess our love is just so perfect, sometimes I think it's too good to last you know. And seeing you with Katniss today, it just made that possibility all the more likely."

"What we have won't disappear Madge, and I'll make sure of it."

"Prove it," she replies, his eyes have adjusted to the darkness by now, and this time he sees the smirk. And so he leans down, finding her lips in the darkness, capturing her is a kiss.

"Better?"

"Mm, still not quite convinced."

They were both laughing now, and he's placing kisses all over her face, finally landing back on her lips, with that kiss growing heated quickly.

He pulls away for breathe after a while, "Now?"

"Yeah, alright. But I wouldn't mind just a few more kisses."

He obliges, but soon he's pulling away again, "Alright, I'd love to spend the whole night doing this, but it's late, and you really need to get some sweet love."

"Fine," she answers, sighing. He starts to stand up, and moves towards the other bed.

Her hands grab his though before he can move away, "Gale stop, stay here," her voice is soft, like she's already falling into slumber.

He didn't think she wanted this, seeing that just a couple hours ago she seemed unsure if she even wanted to share a room. He's glad she offers because more than anything it shows that she's forgiven him, they were bound to go through up and downs through their relationship, and hopefully they can get through all of them like they did today. He kicks off his shoes and crawls into the covers beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist as she snuggles into his chest.

"Ok, now go to sleep Madge, I love you."

"I love you too."

Yeah, I know this isn't the chapter you guys wanted but I'm seriously so scared to write the Hawthorne family because I (and I'm sure all you readers) have really high expectations for it, and I just really wanna make it perfect. I felt like this was necessary though, cuz it addresses how both of them are still insecure about this relationship, and that's expected after the Katniss Peeta thing right?

Please review! Hoping to hit 100 this chapter!

Thanks so much