Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.

It's a Tuesday night and Madge is waiting at the bus stop. She checks her phone, frowning when she realizes how late it is. There are hardly any people around and the only cars that drive past have sketchy tinted windows.

She knew she shouldn't have taken her piano class so late.

The University of Panem is a very prestigious college but it happens to be located in a very bad part of the city. Madge gets the crime alerts sent to her phone and receives one almost every night. Armed robbery, attempted murder, sexual assault… the list is endless and terrifying.

Her dorm is all the way on the other side of campus, and campus is huge. She takes the bus to and from her piano class in the arts building. If she were to walk it would take at least half an hour, and the bus isn't so bad. It's run by the school so it's not as dangerous either, but it's getting to be very late and has yet to show up. She missed the bus she usually gets on at 10:45 but figured the next would be coming soon. It still hasn't.

Madge checks her phone again and sighs, slipping it into her pocket. 11:02. She begins to bounce her foot impatiently and pretends that it helps to settle her nerves.

Suddenly, Madge's phone goes off, her text tone loud and obnoxious. She jumps and pulls it out quickly to (of course) a crime alert.

CRIME ALERT: ON CAMPUS – POSSIBLE ARMED SUBJECT. The University of Panem Police Department. At approximately 2300 hours our police department was noticed of a subject possibly armed with a handgun. He was last seen running through the open area outside the dormitories on Cornelius Avenue. The subject is described as a tall white male wearing all black. Police have searched the area but the subject has not been located. Anyone having information about this incident is asked to contact the University police. Students, faculty, and staff are cautioned to be aware of your surroundings and stay alert…

Madge lets out a quiet whine and bites down on her bottom lip, resuming her leg bouncing. She glances around to look at the street signs and realizes she's on Snow Blvd, meaning Cornelius Avenue is right up the road. Again she whimpers quietly, straining her neck to look for the bus that should be here right now.

Instead of a bus approaching an old beat up truck rolls to a halt in front of the bus stop. The faded blue paint is peeling and the engine makes the most treacherous of noises, that of a dying animal. Madge inches backwards in her seat and averts her eyes. It couldn't be the gunman, could it? Or perhaps someone who wants to solicit her for sex? She swallows thickly and tries to make herself seem uninterested.

She hears a window roll down and then a gruff voice call out, "Undersee?" Her eyes snap upwards immediately. "Is that you?"

Relief surges through her veins at the familiar face. "Gale," she calls back. Madge forces herself to her feet and hugs her books to her body. She should've known that beat up piece of crap looked familiar. Gale Hawthorne drives it. "Oh, God, I am so glad to see you."

"Christ, Undersee, didn't you get the crime alert? What the hell are you doing out here? Get in."

"Gale, the bus—"

"Get in," he repeats sternly. She doesn't hesitate to yank open the door to his truck and ease inside. She buckles her seatbelt carefully and the ability to breathe returns at the sound of the click. The nervous habit of bouncing her foot has disappeared. "Shit, Undersee," he shifts the gears into drive and presses on the gas pedal. "Sitting alone at a fucking bus stop. Do you know the type of people that live around here?" The disappointment in his voice is liquid and soaks her to her bones. "Thought you of all people were smarter than that."

Madge clenches the door handle tightly. "My class ran over," she says, not trying to hide the anger in her voice. Why does he have to be so mean to her? "I missed my usual bus run, I was waiting for the next."

"Buses run at 45 minute intervals when it gets late," Gale tells her as though she should know. Which she should. "You would've been waiting there another half an hour. Christ." The car pulls to a stop at a red light and Gale drags one of his hands through his hair, not even looking toward her. "And the gunman was a street away!"

"I know," Madge murmurs. He doesn't have the right to baby her, but she realizes actual concern in his voice it makes her feel less upset and more guilty. "I'm sorry."

"All alone," Gale mutters under his breath. "Have you even looked at yourself, Undersee?" Gale finally glances over at her, his eyes a stormy gray and his dark eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He gestures to her as if this will somehow make her understand. She doesn't. He struggles for words. "You're small," he finally comes up with.

"Thanks?"

"Anyone could take advantage of you," Gale continues. Madge chews down on her bottom lip to bite back her stemming smile at his trouble. He presses down on the gas again at the light change and looks toward the road. Apparently it's easier to talk when he's not looking at her because he goes off. "You're attractive, Undersee, the shitheads at the bars are looking for beautiful girls like you to lose themselves in."

"Are you complimenting me?" she asks. He grunts. "Gale, I appreciate the concern, but I know the risks of the area. I have pepper spray, see?" Madge holds up her keys and hanging from it is a pink container.

"Pepper spray isn't going to save your life," Gale snaps. Madge tenses and looks away from him, disliking this harsher side that she's never seen of him before. "Sorry," he finally murmurs. "We just… we get a lot of off campus crime alerts but a gunman on campus? I'm freaking out."

Madge tilts her head back toward him and finds worry written all over his face. She stretches her hand out and rests it on his leg to give some sort of comfort. Gale looks over at her and tries to offer a smile, but it doesn't turn out too well.

"It'll be okay," she says. They haven't received any alerts saying that anyone's been shot, so that's reassuring. "You can come into my dorm if you want, wait for it to pass. Katniss will be there, too. I could make… tea?"

Gale considers this for a long moment before jerking his head to the side. "I should just get back to my own place. My roommate's probably wondering where I am." Madge nods and carefully removes her hand from his leg.

They're quiet for a while, nothing but the grumbling of the truck to fill their ears.

"You're not so bad yourself, you know," Madge finally says. Gale whips around so quickly to face her and laughs heartily. "I'm sure if you were alone at the bus stop someone would stop for you, too."

His smile is warm like hot cocoa. "That's not exactly a good thing, Undersee," he says, shaking his head.

"Just trying to lighten the mood."

"Mm." Much too soon they pull to a stop outside of Madge's dormitory. It's a tall building that stretches into the sky. Gale eyes it warily. He's been here a few times to visit Katniss, Madge's roommate. His voice is rough and it gives Madge goosebumps when he whispers, "Be careful?" Her head dips into a nod as she unbuckles her seatbelt. Before she can open the door Gale extends his hand and grabs her arm. "Madge," he waits until she turns to face him. "Let me drive you home from now on."

"That's not necessary," she shakes her head.

"Your class is over, when? I get off work just around the street at 10:30, usually pass the arts building around 10:40. I was a little late tonight." His thumb caresses the skin on her arm gently. His eyes are a special kind of pleading that makes her heart somersault in her chest. "Please?"

"Okay," she finally decides. A couple of nights a week in Gale's truck isn't the worst way to spend her time. "I only have the class Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"I'll get your number from Katniss and text you. Is that okay?" Madge's head bobs awkwardly, her smile is crooked. Gale chuckles. "Okay," he repeats. "Be safe."

"You too," she whispers. Her hand fidgets with the door handle but she can't get it open, maybe it's because her hands are sweating.

"It's hard to open from the inside," Gale leans across her and Madge gets a whiff of pine that makes her dizzy at how good it smells. Gale fiddles with the handle and there is a chorus of clicks before the door swings open. "Got it." When he leans up their faces are inches apart and Madge has lost the ability to breathe. "Sorry."

"No, you're fine," her words come out in a rush. His mouth curves into a smile again. Madge's eyes drop down to his lips and Gale must notice because he licks them. She clears her throat, and it looks as though Gale is reaching for her cheek, when her phone suddenly goes off. Both of them jump and Gale moves very far away from her. "Sorry! Oh, that's so annoying, I really should change it." Madge pulls up the phone. "Crime alert," she tells him.

Gale cocks an eyebrow and leans toward her again. "What's it say?" he asks. She wonders why he doesn't just check his own phone. She opens the message and their eyes breeze over the message. Gale snorts and shakes his head. "It was a water gun," he says aloud. "A fucking—" Gale laughs tiredly, "water gun." Madge lowers her phone and lifts her hand to her forehead, letting out a deep breath in relief. "Well. What an adventure, right?"

"Right," Madge echoes. She gathers her things and scoots out of Gale's truck quickly. Before she shuts the door she leans in and smiles, reveling in the smirk that she receives. "Drive safe. Thanks for the ride."

"I'll text you," he says. Her smile widens. She shuts his door but it doesn't fit in the frame so she awkwardly has to open the door and shut it again, all while Gale is laughing. He tips his head at her before he drives away, leaving her grinning like an idiot.