I find him near the fields. Saying goodbye, I guess. He's been busy trying to talk sense into all of the Gladers, and I have the feeling that he escaped them out of necessity, needing to process his thoughts.
I walk to his side, and stand with him, staring at the Glade around us. There's silence, and finally I force myself to speak.
"Newt... we're probably going to die tonight. I don't want it to end like this between us. Can... can you forgive me?"
He turns to me and reads my face for a moment. "Yes, Ash." Then he smiles. "Yes, of course. I'll forgive you. I... I thought you were too stubborn to apologize."
I hug him on impulse, his warmth feeling solid and grounding. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have read your journal."
Newt holds me to him, stroking my hair comfortingly. "It's okay. It's okay now. Do you want to go say goodbye to the Deadheads with me?"
"If- if you don't mind me coming." I blush slightly, feeling like an intruder. After all, I was the one who broke his trust and hurt him.
"I don't." His voice is genuine, and I feel incredibly relieved.
"Thank you."
He just hums in response, and leads me to the Deadheads. We don't speak as we stand before each grave in turn. I try to remember the names, but they all start to blur together. Mike. Jas. Sean. So many boys have died here...
We stop by Ben's grave, too.
I'm shaking. We're really doing this. The anxious adrenaline burns through me, leaving me weak and nervous. So many have died.
Whether we succeed or fail, I'll never come back here.
I'm scared. Of course I'll do this, and I'm glad that there's a chance of escaping, but I don't know what we're going to find once we're out, and it's terrifying me.
Newt gently reaches out and takes my hand. I cling to him, and he softly sings, the sound muted by the trees around us.
Won't you teach me how to love and learn?
There'll be nothing left for me to yearn
Think of me and burn
And let me hold your hand
I don't want to face the world in tears
Please think again, I'm on my knees
Sing that song to me
No reason to repent
~~
A/N: I realized I should maybe be sharing what songs Newt is singing in the chapters, so I'll go back through sometime and add them to the prior chapters. This one is Bastille's song "Of the Night," a mashup of "The Rhythm of the Night" by Corona and "Rhythm is a Dancer" by SNAP!.
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Good Grief (TMR fic)
FanfictionThey had never had someone like Ash. They had never had a pyromaniac. They had never had someone with a mind that understood the Maze. They had never had someone who could get them out. As We Watch the World Burn book one, The Maze Runner [book]...
