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

"I object!"

Madge's voice, soft yet strong, echoes through the small room in the Justice Building. The official of the wedding ceremony arches his eyebrows, looking between the two he is supposed to be wedding, and then back at Madge. At the small alter in the front of the room stands Gale Hawthorne, and across from him his soon-to-be-bride Leevy Waterstone. Everyone in the room turns to look at Madge and instantly she feels small. Gale's brothers elbow each other with grins on their faces, Hazelle Hawthorne is smirking, Katniss's jaw drops and she looks away while Peeta keeps his eyes in her direction.

"I object," Madge says again, this time her voice wavering slightly.

Gale looks toward the official and murmurs, "I'll handle this." Then to Leevy, "I'll be right back." And then he's striding toward Madge with his jaw clenched. Gale grabs her wrist and pulls her from the room, letting the heavy wooden door of the room swing shut. He drags her outside of the building and Madge lets him pull her considering his grip is strong but not rough. Finally they're outside and Gale turns to her. "What the hell are you doing?" he snaps. Madge leans backwards against the cool wall of the Justice Hall. "Why are you here?"

"You can't marry her Gale," Madge says. There's desperation on her face. She felt so brave when she first arrived, so sure that she could do this, but now with Gale looking at her with such sadness on his face she's scared it won't work out.

"We talked about this," he returns.

And really, they had. Four months ago when they called it quits.

Things between Gale and Madge were fast and bright and full of passion. Neither of them were sure how it started but Saturday nights he started sleeping over at her house in town and during the week she would eat with him and his family at his home. All of them adored her, Posy and Vick and Rory, but especially Hazelle. Madge was kind and gentle, the perfect balance to Gale's fire. And they were good together, they were. But one Saturday night, with sweat still cooling on their bodies as they laid in Madge's bed in the mayor's mansion Gale started climbing out.

"Where're you going?" she'd asked as he sat on the edge of the mattress. He reached down, looking for his boxers, and Madge rolled to look at him. "Gale?"

"I shouldn't stay," he murmured. Madge reached out for him and he looked over his shoulder at her. "This has to end, Madge."

She shook her head. "What? Where's this coming from?"

Gale looked at her for a long time before pulling his eyes away, looking back to the floor for his clothes. "Rory's getting married," he told her. "To Prim."

"I know that."

"Well Ma's been hinting at me to do the same. I'm 22, Madge, people in the Seam don't live forever." He was well past the age of marriage for someone of the Seam. Again she reached for him. "You really think that you and I could get married?" he asked. "We won't work. The only reason this works is because we know it's not going to last." She's quiet for a bit and he looks over at her again. "It's not that I want to end this."

"Then don't," Madge said.

Gale pulled on his boxers and then sat back down, turning toward her another time. "If you can look at me and tell me that you think we could last together, then I'll stay." Madge held his gaze for a long time, but she couldn't find the strength to say it. Because she wasn't sure theycould last.

Her chin quivered. "But I love you," she whispered.

Gale climbed back into bed, propping himself up over her and bending down. "I love you too," he murmured, kissing her gently. "But sometimes that's not enough." Her eyes started to water and Gale kissed her again. "C'mon, don't do this." Madge tilted her head away from him and he sat back up as she wiped her tears. "Madge," he sighed, scrubbing at his face. "If you can tell me with one hundred percent certainty that you believe we can work past whatever this is we've been doing, then I'll stay."

But she couldn't say anything. And so he climbed out of bed, finished getting dressed, and left her alone.

That was four months ago. Since then they've seen each other just a few times, each more emotionally charged than the last. Some ended with rough kisses in dark alleys, others ended in tears, all ended with both of them agreeing it wouldn't happen again. When he told her he was getting married she laughed at him, and then shoved him hard. He responded by kissing her fiercely, and she kissed him back.

"Do you love her?" she panted, and Gale shook his head. Madge didn't want to know her name, didn't want to know who it was. "Then why are you marrying her?"

"It's easy."

She shoved him again, then, and licked her lips. Madge left without another word.

Gale and Leevy had known each other most of their lives. She was Katniss's neighbor before Katniss won the Games and moved out of the Seam, and she was a simple woman. She and Gale didn't have any sparks, she couldn't make Posy laugh the way Madge could, but she was safe. There was no risk there. They barely dated before Gale asked, and there was hardly a celebration when Leevy said yes.

"I don't want you to marry her," Madge says again. They're outside the Justice Hall, tucked away in a nook in case someone from the wedding party is to step outside. "You don't love her, Gale."

He drags his hands through his hair and shakes his head. "We wouldn't work, Madge," he says. "You know that! I told you to tell me if you thought we could last and you never did, you never said anything!"

"Because I don't think we could last, Gale," she latches onto his shirt. "I know we can." Gale stares at her for a moment before bending down, crashing his lips to hers. His hand slides up under the hem of her shirt and she pulls him as close as possible. "Don't marry her," Madge pants. "Please."

"We're too different," Gale forces out between their lips, but she shakes her head. "You're—" he commands himself to pull away for a moment as he heaves for air. "You're training to be the mayor, Madge, and I'm working underground for the rest of my fucking life."

She places her hands on his cheeks. "I. Don't. Care." Gale rests his forehead against hers. "I don't care," she echoes. "I don't care about any of that. I love you. Gale, I love you. Please don't marry her." His lips graze hers again. "Please." Another time.

"Fuck," he kisses his way down her throat. "Fuck, Madge." His hands wrap around her waist and he nuzzles into her neck. "I love you," he breathes. "This is dangerous," Gale murmurs. "This could end horribly."

She shakes her head. "It won't. It won't." Madge drags her hands through his hair. "Don't be a coward," she nearly orders, her voice quivering as she speaks. Gale lifts his head, once again leaning in to kiss her.

They're like that for a long time, constantly pulling one another closer as they kiss, before they hear someone clear their throat. Quickly they part, Gale reaching up to fix his hair and Madge working to straighten out her shirt, and both turn to find Hazelle standing there.

"Ma—" Gale starts, but she holds up her hand.

"I'm not the one you need to explain anything to," Hazelle says. She points toward the door to the Justice Hall and he nods before turning to look back at Madge.

"Do you trust me?" he asks quietly, and she nods her head. More than anyone. "I have to go end this. But I'll be back." He reaches down to cup her cheek. "I'll be back for you." She nods another time before he kisses her gently, tipping his head at his mother as he passes and then enters the building another time.

Madge lifts her hands to her mouth, guilt seeping into her. "I didn't want to hurt anyone," she tells Hazelle, her eyes beginning to fill with tears again. Hazelle steps toward her, holding open her arms. "I just—"

"You saved them both a lot of pain," Hazelle tells her as she pulls Madge into a hug. "I'm glad you showed up." Madge sniffles and nods, squeezing Hazelle a little closer. "Leevy deserves a chance to find someone who really loves her," she says. "And Gale deserves someone who really loves him."

And later, when Leevy walks out of the Justice Hall with her family behind her, she smiles in Madge's direction. Gale follows shortly after and walks straight to Madge, pulling her into his shaking arms. Madge was right, they certainly can make it.