Bad Dreams | Newt x Reader

Chapter 77-Hope?

Warnings: mentions of blood and death

Newt POV

Together, we all went to the medical room. Brenda joined us as we went inside. Alex set to work on healing the various wounds and bruises that Sonya and Aris had.
"Here drink this," Harriet offered a cup of water to Aris as Alex healed the last cut.
He took a long sip before lowering it.
"Took you guys long enough to rescue us," he commented.
"It's good to see you too, bud," Tommy said. "So, what happened?"
"I fought back, tried to anyway."
"You're lucky you found us at all. They had us on the move a lot because of the Wraith."
All eyes in the room immediately went to Y/n. She had chosen a chair in the corner and was currently lounging on it, her legs dangling over one of the arms. She deliberately avoided everyone's eyes and stared at the wall.
Aris swallowed before he continued, uncomfortable about being around her. "It seemed like something big was happening this time, though."
"Any idea where they were heading?" I asked, trying to draw the topic off her.
"They kept talking about a city," Aris frowned.
"I didn't think there were any cities left," Harriet looked to Brenda for confirmation.
"That's because there aren't. None still standing anyway," Brenda confirmed.
"Ok, wait. What about Minho?" Tommy interrupted, finally asking the question. "Why wasn't he on the train?"
"I'm sorry, Thomas," Aris said.
For a moment, I dreaded the worst. Was he dead?
"He was," Aris slowly told us.
We'd made a mistake, picked the wrong one. Still, I was relieved he wasn't dead. Tommy swore and put his face in his hands. I ran my hands through my hair. We had been so close to getting him back. My heart ached at the thought of what he could be going through.
"All right, get some rest," Tommy said after a moment and got up.
Brenda, Alex and I followed him out. Y/n followed us a moment later, walking a fair distance behind us. I guessed she didn't trust herself around us or didn't feel that she fit in anymore.
"It's not your fault, Thomas," Brenda said as we headed to one of the camp edges. I nodded in agreement.
"I thought it was the right one," Tommy sighed, anxiously fiddling with his hands.
"Don't blame yourself. It was difficult to tell who was screaming," I said.
Tommy didn't say anything.
"We'll get him back," Alex promised, glancing at Y/n.
"We're running out of time," Tommy stared at the ship docked on the ocean.
None of us argued with that.
"Are you willing to help us?" Alex asked Y/n.
An unreadable expression slid over her face before vanishing. She gave a short nod before her eyes drifted off to the sea. The wind caught her hair, lightly pulling it away from her face. Y/n seemed older now.

Y/n POV

Thomas placed the map on the table and pointed at the circle drawn on it. Night had fallen now and the few lights around the camp were turned on. We were in the shed around an old table. Winston joined us, lingering near his friends.
"There, that's it. It's a few hundred miles. Based on the railways, everything that Aris told us, that's gotta be where they're headed. That's where they're taking Minho. We take everyone who can fight. Follow the roads where we can. We can make it back within a week," Thomas guessed, glancing at Vince.
I did not have a week. To stop the Wraith slaughtering the Right Arm, I had made a deal with her. I had two days of complete control, starting tomorrow. Two days to get everything done. Barely any time, but she hadn't let me ask for more. Rather than anger her, I had reluctantly agreed to it. Two days to free Lillian, Nikolai and Minho and then die.
Vince looked at it. "A week?"
He dragged his finger across the map, "It took us six months to get here. We got over a hundred kids here now. We can't just hang out here forever even if we have Y/n here. After what we just pulled? They're gonna be looking more than ever, and you wanna wander off to some random point on the map. You don't even know what's there."
"I do," Jorge said from the doorway. He leaned against it casually, watching us. "It's been a few years but I've been there.The Last City, that's what Wicked called it. It was their whole base of operations. If that city is still standing, that's the last place you wanna go, hermano. That's the lion's den."
Élliot drifted in, studying the map. I looked up at him. He caught me and offered a smile. I looked away, still annoyed at him.
"Mon ange," Élliot said tiredly, coming closer. "Please, forgive me."
I ignored him. He reached for me but I slowly leaned back. From across the table, Newt watched me nearly fall off the stool I had perched on. He stared as I froze. Élliot sighed and retreated. I quickly straightened and zoned back into the conversation.
"It's nothing we haven't done before," Thomas insisted.
"Yeah, with months of planning and reliable information, the element of surprise, none of which we have now," Vince argued back.
I leant against the table, the Wraith part of me was enjoying the drama.
"Vince, I've thought this through. We have the Wraith and Y/n now. Would you just hear me out?" Thomas pleaded.
He shot a look at me, begging me with his eyes to back him up. I didn't move or say anything. It was stupid to think that they could even attempt to bring down Wicked. It would be safer if I went alone.
"The last time we went off half-cocked, I lost everything. You remember that?" Vince snapped.
Thomas looked away guiltily.
Vince sighed, softening. "Look, I know it's Minho. All right? But you can't ask me to put those kids on the line for one man. I won't do it."
"I'll do it," I offered, finally speaking.
"You showed up covered in blood this morning with giant gashes in your side," Alex reminded me, "You need to rest and keep holding the Wraith off."
"He's right, Y/n," Newt backed him up.
"And this isn't just about your need for revenge. It's Minho, we have to rescue him," Thomas said.
"This may come as a shock but I can do other things besides murder people," I said dryly. "And there's not just one person I need to rescue."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked finally, "The other Immunes?"
"Well, yeah, but not exactly," I said slowly, wondering if I should just rip the Band-Aid off. My eyes tracked to the corner where Bella and Leo were watching from.
"On the day that Élliot...died on, I was attacked by another Enhanced. I stole her abilities and killed her. She could teleport through reflections and I didn't think much of it until I got to the maze."
I paused, taking a deep breath to settle the growing anxiety in my stomach? I was starting to find it hard to breathe.
"I woke up in the Homestead," I said slowly, "Someone was yelling at me to get up."
"Who?" Thomas asked immediately, "Are there still other people there?"
"No, I don't know what happened to the rest of the Gladers," I said, feeling restless and rubbing my hands together. "The only living person there was me."
"Then who?" Newt asked, watching me closely.
"Alby," I whispered.
The table went quiet for a moment.
"Alby? Who's that?" Vince asked finally, looking between Frypan, Thomas and Newt.
"He was our leader," Newt told him, "Before he was killed by a Griever."
"I didn't think it was him at first," I said, drawing their attention back to me. "Then he stuck his head through the door as if it was made of air."
"He stuck his head through the door?" Thomas repeated, sounding sceptical.
I nodded, swallowing hard. "He told me to go plant seeds because I would starve if I didn't. So, I decided to just go along with it. I planted the seeds."
I took a shaky breath and flicked a glance at Bella and Leo. She frowned but said nothing.
"I saw them," I said softly, staring at the map on the table. "The dead Gladers."
No one spoke.
"I decided to have a bonfire for old times' sake," I paused, taking another deep breath. "And that's when I saw Élliot."
Bella froze.
"Of course, I didn't believe it, I'm not stupid. But there were things only he and the other boys could have known."
"Were they illusions?" Vince asked.
"No," I answered, "Reflection girl turned out to have a second ability, which is seeing the ghosts of the dead."
The room went dead silent again.
"You're kidding," Alex said finally.
"Nope," I said. "Hey, Winston?"
"Yes?" he answered immediately, walking through the table.
I ignored the startled looks from the others.
"Tell me something I wouldn't know, but Newt or Frypan would," I asked.
Winston grinned, glancing at them. "One time, someone dared Newt to kiss Alby."
"He what!" I bit back the genuine smile. "Are you serious? Did he actually?"
Winston nodded.
I looked at Newt. "You kissed Alby?"
He immediately went red, his eyes widening.
"That was before Y/n got to the Glade," Frypan said, staring at me. "Alby made everyone swear not to speak of it again."
"I'm seriously offended no one told me," I complained, adjusting my sitting position.
"Alby was scary," Newt grumbled, leaning his head on his folded arms.
Bella moved to the table, looking hopeful. "You've seen Élliot."
"Yes," I told her gently, "He's here, right now."
Her dark brown eyes wandered over the room.
"Can he hear me?" Bella asked.
I glanced at Élliot and he nodded. "Yes, he can."
Bella's expression quickly turned to anger. "You absolute moron! What is wrong with
you? Sacrificing yourself like that! You could have told her and this entire situation could have been avoided!" Bella fumed, turning her sharp glare everywhere.
"He's right here," I said, pointing at him.
"Tell her I said I'm sorry but I was always going to die."
I glared at him, "Oh, look at that. Another thing you failed to mention."
Élliot sighed.
I turned to Bella, "He says he's sorry and that he was always going to die."
Bella glared at the spot he was. "What is the point of being friends with the Wraith if you can't cheat death?"
"I'm the seer, Y/n couldn't save me in any future without dying," Élliot tried to defend himself.
"He said, 'I'm the seer, Y/n couldn't save me in any future without dying,'" I relayed. "That's complete rubbish."
Bella nodded in agreement and then mumbled something about him being, 'a braindead crètin,' and walked out.
Leo came forward, watching as Bella shut the door behind her. "I think you're stupid as well!"
At the stares from everyone in the room, he instantly went the colour of a tomato and ran after Bella.
"Well," Élliot said, staring at the closed door. "That went well."
"Shh," I hissed at him. "Where's Kei at?"
Élliot shrugged.
"Here!" Kei chirped from behind me. "Miss me?"
I jerked around to glare at him. "Even dead, you are so annoying."
He faked a wounded expression and floated out of the room.
I sighed and turned back around. "Any questions?"
"Have you seen Nikolai?" Alex asked immediately.
I hesitated for a few seconds, "No."
"What?" Alex asked, the hope fading from his eyes completely. "But you can see the dead?"
"Yes, I see the dead," I confirmed, "I haven't seen Nik or Lillian."
"Why?" Alex asked, his tired tone back.
I took a deep breath, "Turns out, being friends with ghosts is overpowered because now I get all the gossip. Winston, tell me the gossip."
Winston startled and then grinned, clearly loving the attention. "Frypan has a crush."
I smirked at Frypan, "Who's the girl? Or guy?"
"What?" Frypan asked, blinking.
"I'll ask later," I said, winking.
"Y/n," Alex sighed, "What's the point?"
"Right," I said, clearing my throat. "I woke up with Lillian's locket in the maze."
I reached for it, closing my hand around it.
"Odd, considering she lost it in the middle of nowhere, right?" I asked, and ploughed on without waiting for answers. "The reason I can't see Lillian or Nikolai is because they aren't dead."
The table went dead silent again. Newt's eyes had instantly gone to Alex, waiting for his reaction.
"Are you serious?" Alex asked slowly.
"No, I'm Severus."
Élliot sighed loudly.
"This is not the time for a Harry Potter reference!" Alex snapped.
"Yes! Yes, I'm serious!" I sighed.
"I watched Nikolai die with my own eyes," Vince said, rather gently.
"No, you watched a shapeshifter die," I explained. "Notice how the giant snake and lion dude just vanished midway through the battle?"
They all frowned, recalling it.
"I didn't," I answered for them. "Because he was busy helping Coralie and James fake my brother's death."
"Y/n," Jorge said finally, breaking the silence. "Are you certain that Wicked isn't just manipulating you?"
"I know it's farfetched and borderline insane but I have proof," I offered, glancing around the table.
"You mean the locket?" Thomas asked.
I shook my head, "The Wraith tracked down the shapeshifter and dug through his memories."
I let illusions form his memories. I showed the ones where Lillian was kidnapped and the part after she died. I switched to Nikolai and let dozens swarm around us. Alex flicked his eyes between them, poorly suppressed hope displayed on his face. I let them fade.
"And then she went after the Wolf."
I played his memories.
The table had fallen to absolute silence by the time they were done.
"What if it's a trap?" Vince asked
I felt my anger boil.
"It's not!" I heard myself say, my voice full of loathing.
So much so that Vince stumbled back a step. Some of the others backed off a little. I looked down to see the shadows lightly wrapping around my hands.
"Breathe, mon ange," Élliot said softly, reaching for me.
I took a deep breath in and out, I released it and the shadows faded away.
"Sorry," I apologised to Vince. "She's just...there, constantly. She's so angry. It's exhausting."
I hopped off my stool and walked out. I paused just outside so I could hear what they said next.
"Do you think she's right?" Thomas asked quietly.
"She has evidence," Jorge replied. "But the Last City is dangerous. I'm not sure even then, Wraith can bring it down."
I left, not wanting to hear anymore. Everyone outside watched me carefully, I could feel them staring in the dark as I walked into the trees and sat down. I leaned back, closed my eyes and listened to the wind rustle through the leaves. The presence of a ghost disturbed me.
"Leave me alone, Élliot," I kept my eyes closed.
"I'm not him," said a woman's voice.
I slowly opened my eyes and stood up.
"Mama?" I whispered and stared at her. She smiled warmly.
"Y/n/n, you've grown so much," tears slipped down her face even though she was smiling. My throat closed up as I struggled to hold back tears.
"I've been waiting for you," I admitted, exhaling a breath of air.
My mother gave me a sad look.
"I know, Y/n/n."
"Then why haven't you come?" I startled myself with the anger I felt.
"We did, but you were the Wraith," she explained. "Your father is currently watching over Nik and Lil."
I let the anger slip away.
"How are they?"
"Lillian likes to scream at Coralie a lot when she's not drawing. Coralie doesn't let Nikolai free for even a second, she watches him so closely."
I nodded, struggling to breathe.
"I missed you so much," I looked away, trying to blink back the tears.
"We've missed you too," my mother smiled at me.
A twig snapped and I spun around, a knife already in my hand. Archie stumbled back a step, Aaliyah close behind him. The knife vanished and I relaxed, I turned back to my mother. She was gone, I sighed and turned around.
"Hey, try not to do that again," I warned him. He nodded and then looked at Aaliyah, who reached to hold his hand in a reassuring way. "Something wrong? It's late. You shouldn't be out here."
"I've been..." Archie trailed off.
"I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about, I'm good at secrets."
"I've been hearing voices," Archie confessed.

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