A/N: Hello, welcome to some new Gadge. :D The rough draft of AED is complete. I will attempt to polish and publish a new chapter every week, most likely on Mondays or Tuesdays. I hope you enjoy what I believe is a happier Post-Mockingjay alternative. :D

Chapter 1

Dear Friend

"It is an extra dividend when you like the girl you've fallen in love with." Clark Gable

The Daily Bread Personals:

Savvy career girl wishes to correspond on social and political subjects anonymously with an intelligent, cultivated, young man. Address: Dear Friend, Post Office Box 237, District 13.

…

To: PO Box 237

Return Address: PO Box 405

Dear "Friend,"

My mother says that I am an intelligent, sympathetic, young man, but you will have to judge for yourself. What are your interests? I love to go on Coke dates with my mother, wind balls of wool, and take intimate rides in the elevator. I own a desktop encyclopedia and dictionary. If you will give me the pleasure of a reply, that will make you a real, fine lady.

Signed,

Your "friend"

…

To: PO Box 237

Re(blot) (blot)dress: PO (blot) 38

Dear (blot)

(blotting) to you from (blot). I am interested in getting to (blot) you. A (blot) like you must have lots to (blot) about. I, myself, am a (blot), with knowledge of (blots), (blot) and (blotting). As the (blot) say, where two (blots) meet, (blots) will (blot). Hope to (blot) from you soon.

Signed,

Your (blot)

…

To: PO Box 237

Return Address: PO Box 451

Dear 237,

I read your ad yesterday. I was the checking the listings for a used percolator. The paper fell open to this very page. I paused over it. Couldn't tell you why, but I couldn't get it out of my head. I'm not sure that anything I have to write will be of interest to you, but I know a few things and I've seen a great deal more. Will discuss anything. Particularly enjoy political debates.

Signed,

A stranger

To be continued

A/N: As for canon, I have taken what I want from Mockingjay and pointedly forgotten the rest. From here on out, the story will not be written in letter form. This story is based almost directly on The Shop Around the Corner, the film starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan. The original play was written by Nikolaus Laszlo and belongs to him. While the majority of the dialogue and prose will be original to me, occasionally I will be directly quoting from the script. It's really too delicious. The cast of the Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins. She ruined them in Mockingjay, so she can have 'em.