Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
They had decided not to watch the Games. Madge and Gale barely made it through the first ones, and they knew they wouldn't be able to make it through the second. Not with Katniss and Peeta up against all those other Victors.
Instead, they laid in his bed all snuggled close to each other. She'd tease his hair and he's kiss her collarbone. Here, it was safe. Here, they didn't have to worry about anything but each other. That's how they wanted it to be.
"Things are changing, you know," Gale had said. "And not for the better."
"Things have to get worse before they get better," Madge said back. "They will one day though." Gale nodded, but he didn't know. He wasn't sure. He had a bad feeling about that night, but he wouldn't admit it.
"If anything were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to come back," he said faintly, his lips pressed to her head and his hand grasping her waist and pulling her as close as possible. "I just wouldn't."
"Nothing's going to happen to me," she smiled, cupping his face with her hands. "Stop worrying, would you? I'm going to be fine, and so are you." Again, Gale nodded, but she saw the flicker of fear behind his glowing gray eyes. She pressed a kiss to his lips quickly and he sighed. "After this is over we're going to go to District 2. Me and you, alright?"
"What's in District 2?" he asked.
"Two's my lucky number," she told him, and he smiled. "It's in the mountains. Not coal mining mountains either, but mountains where they find diamonds and things like that," she fidgeted, wondering what he'd think. "At least, that's what I've heard."
"That sounds nice, Madge."
Her eyes flickered with hope, "So you'll go with me? To District 2?"
Gale laughed, "Yes, if that's what you want." After another kiss he added, "I promise." The rest of the night slipped by. Stolen kisses, ragged breath, gentle touches, the two melted their worries into one. But she was still the mayor's daughter, she still had to be home before the streetlights flickered on.
Madge, of course, made it home. As did Gale after dropping her off. But it was only a few moments of rest before the first bombs started to fall. The carpet bombs that shook up the coal. The fire bombs that lit it all off. Hardly anyone could breathe, he had to get everyone out as fast as he could, had to save his district, his girl…
He tried. Of course Gale tried to get her out. But his efforts were futile. When he reached the houses in town they were already lit… already burning to a crisp… the screams still echo in his nightmares.
But he kept his promise, of course. He didn't come back. He wouldn't come back to District 12. Instead, he continued on with her plan, moving into District 2 and searching the streets everyday for her soft blue eyes and golden blonde hair. Just in case.