Disclaimer: I would just like to make it clear that I am not Suzanne Collins, and I didn't write the Hunger Games. None of these characters belong to me, no matter how bad I wish they did.

She was exactly as he had remembered. Golden blonde curls were pooled around her tiny midsection. Her blue eyes mysterious and dark, yet holding a lightness to them that was unexplainable. Soft, pink lips that were so plump and moist that he had to resist to urge to plant his own onto them. The girl's luminous pale skin glowing so radiantly she was almost unreal.

Almost was the wrong word to use, she was no longer his Madge. She still looked the same, Gale thought she looked better, if that was even possible. No, her body hadn't changed, save for a few alterations.

He should have been there, to protect her. But Gale was idiotic enough to leave her all on her own. The fact that all of this madness could've been prevented only makes things worse.

"Why are you leaving?"

It was just like any other summer night. The sky was cloudless and perfect for stargazing. Don't forget the unbearable heat, Gale thought.

The only difference between this night and the last was that Madge had unexpectedly climbed into his window in the middle of the night. He was lucky that Rory and Vick were heavy sleepers or Gale would've never heard the end of it. It was rather strange to see Madge at such a late hour. Her hair was mussed from sleep, eyes droopy yet alert, and the outfit, don't forget that. Gale was surprised that someone as innocent as Undersee could manage to stand in front of any male, let alone himself, in that short ruffly night gown. The effort he made to keep from staring at those long, smooth legs was extremely taxing. The biggest difference between tonight and last night was knowing that this beautiful girl he had grown a friendship with over Katniss's games wasn't going to be here the next time the moon paid a visit to twelve.

"I'm leaving," she said in a hushed tone, "because I have to go work."

She has to go work. The words "have to" and "work" coming from the Mayor's daughter all at once, was almost laughable. Almost was the wrong word to use, it was laughable.

Her eyebrows furrowed at the sound of his low chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked, rage seeping into her voice. Gale's chuckled roared into an uncontrollable, rumbling laugh. The girl across from him huffed and crossed her arms. She repeated her question, "What are-" he cut her off.

"Honestly Undersee. A princess like you doesn't have to do anything." He laughed, crossing his arms. "Besides," he continued. That was his first mistake, he'd gotten her mad. And angry Madge was probably one of the only things he feared. "Your da-" this time she cut him off.

"You're laughing at me?" She yells, throwing her arms in the air. The question she asked is more of a statement. Gale frowns, noticing the tears flooding her eyes.

"Listen, Madge I-" The blonde begins to back away. Now she's the one laughing. But it isn't the laugh that makes her smile so radiant and beautifully. It's the kind of laugh that makes his insides twist in pain.

"You what?" Her hoarse voice questions. Now, with her hands guarding herself from him, and the look of betrayal in her eyes, she looks more vulnerable than ever. She looks like prey, and the hunter across from her is sorry he's caused Madge to stoop down to the level of a meal in the Hawthorne household.

Gale tries to answer her question, "I..." after many, painstakingly slow, minutes he can't find the right words to form. His rebuttal isn't enough for her and she turns to walk away. Now, all he can focus on are the whimpers that rack her body.

"I know I'm just the Mayors daughter to you," she whispers,

"That's not true." He wants to grab her arms and shake her senseless for thinking something so awful. But he doesn't, and he knows he'll regret it.

"I would've hoped that I was something more than that." She continues, hand gesturing to her chest. "Hell," even a swear coming from her lips was a wisp of beauty. Her hands flail around her. "you're not even my friend."

This time Gale reaches out to her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him. "Of course I'm your friend." Her blue eyes glisten with tears that threaten to spill at any moment. Now he's confused, isn't that what she wanted?, he thinks.

She shakes her head. "No," she says in a hushed tone, "I don't want that!" Hushed has escalated to a loud screech. Those tears have finally began to stream down her cheeks. Now Gale's really confused. Of course she doesn't want you, he thinks, you're just some Seam brat.

Before he can voice how angry he is that she would let some dumb social divide come between their friendship, she begins yelling at him.

"You're right!" Madge screams, "I'm a brat." She rumbles, "I'm selfish and I want a family that loves me, and a mother who actually knows!" Her finger pokes his chest, "Who!" Poke. "I!" Poke. "Am!" The Mayor's innocent daughter has become an unstoppable fountain of rage. Said fountain spews on, "Give me one good reason why I don't deserve to have that?" She screams. But before he can answer she's spitting angry words at him again. "I can't even get a stupid boyfriend!" The way she looks at him when she says that makes him want to think that she means him, but she wouldn't, she's too good for him.

"Well at least you haven't gone without food for weeks." He stops her ranting. Her lips part to say something else to him, but he doesn't let her. "You should be happy that nobody in the goddamn world cares about you so that you won't drag them into your own, fucking, messed up problems!" Gale spits at her. This is fact, logic. Nothing that this little girl says can deny that.

"You're right." She agrees, he smirks, of course he's right. Suddenly she is lifting up her skirt, revealing her flat stomach in the process. "That way not a single person will care about this shit!" Her voice quivers at the end. Madge Undersee is pregnant. Something about the fact that Madge has been that intimate with anybody gets him angry.

He frowns, "I thought you've never had a boyfriend." He states accusingly. Trying to mask his...feelings.

"You're right about that too," the fabric drops back down to hide her stomach.

"Then how-"

"I have to work." She hisses. Suddenly it clicks, Madge Undersee is a prostitute.

Gale's enraged voice echoes through the streets. "You have enough money Madge, you don't have to do anything! What? Do you like that? Do you like being trash? Fuck, a bitch like you is no better than the dirt beneath my feet! That's all people like you are, dirty pieces of trash!" He yells.

She doesn't do anything, just sobs into her hands.

That night Madge Undersee went to the Capitol to work. Gale could've stopped her, he could've saved her, he should've saved her. But he didn't, because Gale's a coward. A lowly, dirty coward. And he never deserved an angel like Madge in the first place.

A/N: Thanks so much! Please R/R.