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

His hands are cold. His fingers are cold and his chest is cold and his feet are cold and Gale's entire body is cold. Every breath he takes is cold, every little movement, every part of his being. So when he feels a warm hand in his he clings to it, focuses on it until he feels it spreading throughout his entire body. And when he comes to, he's surprised that Madge was the one that brought him back.

Gale blinks hard as he places himself. District 13, not the streets of the Capitol on cool winter nights. District 13, with his family. District 13, where the war is over.

"Gale," Madge grabs his hand a little tighter as he lets out a shaking breath. "Are you okay?" His head dips slightly as he pulls away from her, his eyebrows coming together. Looking around he sees his tray on the floor of the cafeteria, his food spilled out across the tiles and forming puddles of sludge. "Hey, you're okay," she tells him.

"Sorry," he rasps. She shakes her head as he bends down to pick up his tray, and then disappears from him altogether. Moments later, after failing to scoop up the gross food of the District 13 cafeteria, Madge reappears with two people who work on the cleaning crew to help. "Not necessary," Gale murmurs.

"Come on," Madge offers him her hand and Gale accepts it, standing beside her. "We can wait in line together."

Gale doesn't have to ask her what happened. He knows all too well what happened to him, because it's happened more than once since he's returned. While District 13 is processing his paperwork to send him to District 2 he's stuck here, in the never ending gray abyss of the underground. It reminds him of the mines, it reminds him of the underground passageways at the Capitol, it reminds him of the war.

There must've been a loud noise. Maybe someone shouted, someone dropped a pot. Gale can't be sure. But things like that always send him back. Back to the feel of a weapon in his hand, back to the Nut, back to someone dying, someone dying at his hand. Madge is looking at him with wary eyes, standing in front of him in line.

"I'm fine, Undersee," he grumbles.

When he went away with the Star Squad to fight the Capitol it would appear that Madge Undersee became close with his family — Posy, especially. So as he reacquaints himself with his people he loves the most, Madge Undersee is also there. She's tried giving him his space but Posy always wants her back, and Gale can't stand to see his sister upset. Especially now. And Madge keeps to herself most of the time, something Gale can handle.

"Okay," she says with a nod, turning away from him to grab a tray. Still, she's hesitant. "If you're still having trouble—"

"I said I'm fine," Gale snaps. She nods her head a few times and moves down the row in silence, and he follows just the same.

Gale finds out that his younger siblings have been going to therapy and he feels his heart drop into his toes. "It's not because of anything you've done, Gale," his mother insists, but it doesn't help calm his nerves.

He wonders if his siblings know the monster he's become, the people that he's killed. He wonders if they know he played a part in the death of Primrose Everdeen, no matter if he wasn't the one to order the dropping of the bomb. And if they don't know now, he's sure they'll find out as they age. It terrifies him.

Today he's waiting outside the medical wing on one of the many benches, bouncing his leg repeatedly to keep himself in the present. Gale's thoughts shift more than once as people pass him, wondering if they're Capitol members in disguise, someone sent to eliminate him for the damage he's done. And then someone lowers themselves onto the bench beside him and his hands swing around in defense when he realizes it's Madge.

"Careful," she says softly. "Just me." He keeps his hands up, his fists slowly easing into hands of surrender, before lowering them back into his lap. "Here for the kids?" she asks.

"They're in therapy," Gale tells her. "Ma's working. I've got to pick them up."

Madge nods and glances toward the clock. "I've picked them up a few times," she says. "Shouldn't be much longer." Gale nods as well and looks away from her, resuming the bouncing of his leg to keep himself distracted. He nearly leaps when Madge's hand falls on his knee, pressing down hard to stop it from jiggling. "Feeling alright?" she asks.

"Fine," he answers immediately. Madge won't understand. Even if he explains it to her. Her hand stays strong against his knee. How is he supposed to convey how he feels when he's not even sure himself? Like something bad is constantly about to happen to him, to his family, and he's just waiting for it. Like he's breathing through a straw and it's not enough oxygen for him. "What're you doing here, anyway?"

"Therapy," she answers, as though it was obvious. His eyebrows come together. "I might not have been on the front lines like you, Gale, but I still went through a war," Madge reminds him.

He shakes his head, "It's not the same."

"It's not the same?" she asks. "I survived a bombing. I lost my parents." Madge finally removes her hand from his knee. "I still have nightmares." Gale starts fiddling with the hem of his shirt, not knowing what to say back. "I know it's not the same. But talking to someone helps me," Madge says in the silence. "It could help you, too."

"I've got nothing to talk about," he mutters. Almost immediately after he speaks the door swings open and out strolls his three siblings, a content look on all of their faces. He stands as they exit and Posy sprints to him, Gale opening his arms for her. "How was it?" he asks, pulling his sister close.

"Fine," Vick answers. Just fine. Gale reaches down, messing up his brother's hair. "Hey, Madge. Are you coming home with us?" Gale spins to look at the blonde who's already looking in his direction, as though she's asking him for permission. And Gale grits his teeth, but nods his head slightly, causing Madge to nod for Vick. "Great," he grins.

Gale feels his heart sink a little at the realization that his siblings would rather have her around, then him.

Posy falls asleep on Madge's lap that night and Gale watches the two of them for a long time. Madge is clearly sleepy herself but continues to play with the tips of his sister's hair, sinking backwards in their seat.

"I can take her," Gale says after clearing his throat. Madge sits up a little, a tired smile filling her face as she nods. Madge shifts the two of them so Posy is easily accessible and Gale scoops her into his arms, carrying Posy off to her room in the back. When he returns Madge is nearly asleep. "Hey," Gale nudges her gently.

"Sorry," she rubs at her eyes. "I should be going anyway." Madge stands, wobbly on her feet, and smiles in his direction. "Haymitch'll worry if I'm not back soon." Gale watches as she starts for the door but then a sharp look from his mother gets him to follow after her.

"Let me walk you," Gale forces out. Madge lifts her eyebrows at him. "It's late, you're tired. It's not too far."

"If you're sure," Madge counters, and Gale nods. Madge smiles a little, waving at a very sleepy Rory on the couch considering Vick had already gone back to bed, and a very smiley Hazelle at the table. Outside they walk slowly, Madge's feet dragging and her arms crossed over her chest due to the cold draft 13 always has. "You don't have to walk me," Madge says once they're outside. "I saw that look your mom gave you."

"It's not a problem."

So they fall into an easy silence between the two of them as they walk. Most of the district is asleep at this point so all they have is the sound of their footsteps scraping across the ground.

Suddenly Madge clears her throat. "Do you think it'll get easier for you in District 2?" she asks. Gale clenches his jaw and swallows. "Gale, stop pretending like you're not hurting. I know that you are, okay?"

"You don't know me," he mutters. Madge sighs and stops walking, causing Gale to pause. He's a few steps ahead of her and doesn't want to turn around, but eventually he does. "I'm fine," Gale tells her. It's such an easy lie these days. "Okay? I'm fine."

Madge looks sad, and it's something he doesn't understand. Because his life shouldn't concern her — hers certainly doesn't necessarily concern him. It makes him feel uneasy anyway. "I know you don't like me, but you don't have to talk to me. You can talk to a professional, a therapist—"

"Stop," he cuts her off. "Okay?" Anger is suddenly building below the surface of his skin. "You don't know what I've been through and you don't know me, and you don't get to talk to me like you do! Is that clear?" His voice is steadily rising but Madge holds her ground, keeping her shoulders square. "You have no fucking clue what it was like, Undersee! You can't compare your pain to mine!"

"Gale," her voice is soft, and now she's very close. "You're yelling." He takes a few deep breaths, his chest heaving, and looks away from her. "Hey," she grabs his hand before he can stride away. "Look at me," she stresses. Gale turns his head to do just that and she reaches up with her other hand to hold both of his. "Running to District 2 isn't going to fix you," Madge whispers. "Neither is yelling at me. Or pretending like you're invincible." The muscle in his jaw twitches at how hard he's clenching his teeth together. "You've just been through a war," Madge carries on. "You're allowed to hurt."

Gale's eyes begin to burn and he tilts his head away but Madge lifts one of her hands to catch his cheek. "I can't," Gale croaks.

"Can't what?"

"Anything, I can't—I can't do anything," he tells her. "The kids don't look at me the same, Ma, she—she knows she can't help, and I can't—" Gale shakes his head. He can't do anything. He can't breathe. He can't sleep. He can't focus. He can't even eat without thinking about some fuck up he's made. "I just can't."

"And that's okay," Madge whispers. "That's okay, Gale. It is. It's okay." Finally he looks back at her and she lowers her hand to grab his again. They hear footsteps and both of them turn, finding one of the night patrols looking at them with a frown. "Come on," Madge tugs his hand. "Let's walk."

His admission makes him feel slightly more broken than before, and yet at the same time the pressure on his shoulders has lightened. Madge doesn't let go of his hand as they walk, in fact she turns her fingers until they lace with his, anchoring them together. He focuses on the warmth of her hand, the softness of her palm, and lets her drag him toward her compartment.

When they get there they stop outside. "Wait here," she says, and he dips his head. Her hand untangles from his and he reaches up, rubbing at his forehead and taking a deep breath. Moments later she reappears, one of her hands in a fist as she reaches for his own. "Here," Madge opens her hand and into his own falls a small blue pill. "This'll help you sleep."

Gale swallows thickly, looking at the pill in his palm. "Undersee…"

"Just take it," she nearly pleads. "You deserve a good night of rest." Gale swallows again and nods slowly, causing her lips to pull upwards. "Gale, I have no idea what you've been through," she tells him. "And I never will. But I'll listen if you want someone to talk to. And if you don't want it to be me, I can help you find someone else."

The sincerity in her voice freezes him to his core, but not in the way that he's used to. Not in a sense that he's taken back to the war, to the fighting. It's just a fresh realization that someone cares. The shock comes from the fact that it's Madge.

It struggles to come up his throat. "Thank you." Madge blinks a few times before a smile finds her face, and then he strides forward. Gale isn't sure if it's desperation or exhaustion or bothbut he wraps his arms tightly around her. Madge buries her face into his chest and he holds her close. "Thank you," Gale says again.

And Madge is warm. Madge is warm and thoughtful, and the first person outside of his family that he's held like this in a long time. The pill is hard in his hand but for the first time in months, things seem clear.

Gale pulls away, cupping her cheek for a moment before stepping backwards. "I'll see you tomorrow?" she asks, and Gale nods another time.

He sleeps better that night than he has since he's gotten back, and he isn't sure it's entirely because of the pill.