The Devil Within (Newtmas)

Chapter 20

His hands were now wrapped up in white band-aid, and he studied them both carefully, as if he'd never seen his hands until then. Thomas' head snapped up to the door when he heard it open, and he realized that that was the first proper sound he'd heard in quite a bit of time. Normally he would've been surprised to see Mrs Miller walk in, but he wasn't anymore. He was waiting to be told that he'd be locked up, or that he wouldn't be allowed to stay anyway because she knew why he'd done it, or worse, that he wouldn't get to see Newt.

She approached carefully, for the first time stepping forward in hesitant steps before this boy. Apparently, he'd finally managed to instill some fear into her. The doctor left, and so she took his seat where he'd sat as the door shut. A clipboard was in her hand, a pencil in the other as she crossed her legs and straightened her posture, preparing to speak.

"Thomas, normally after your actions we would be locking you up and keep you under strict watch, but we've decided against it for once. We know why you did what you-"

"No, you don't." Thomas snapped, his voice going an octave higher towards the end as it cracked. He hadn't spoken a proper sentence since he last saw her, and he'd recently screamed until he no longer could, causing his throat to go raw.

"You did it to stay with Newt. You care about him and I know that. I think everyone does." Mrs Miller said, her voice soft and quiet, watching the boy across from him carefully in case he decided to suddenly jump up and do something irrational again.

"I just want to stay or take him with me." Thomas pleaded, his voice wavering again in desperation. He looked sad, weak, and the weight that was dragging him and his body down made him look just as small and fragile as Newt. He felt helpless, because he knew that there was nothing he could do, which was confirmed just a second later.

"And neither is possible. He has to stay here until he's of legal age to leave on his own accord, unless his parents decide to release him early. And while what you did would normally have us reevaluate our decision of letting you leave, we know that you only did it purely so you could stay. It wasn't really you because you're you." Thomas nodded his head, his eyes glazing as he began to cry. He couldn't help it but let his body cave into itself as he sobbed, teardrops falling onto his sweatpants.

"That's i-it then? Is it just o-over?" Thomas stammered, the reality of this being the end, sinking in so dangerously slow, like a lethal poison slithering through his veins until it settled within him.

"Nothing is over. Being told that you're to leave is usually a good thing. It means you're well enough to be outside of just this one building." She tried reasoning, but Thomas failed to see it clearly.

"It means that you don't see my problems as big enough to let me stay." He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot from the tears he'd shed, and his lips still dry and quivering.

"It means that you're able to take care of yourself despite of the few things that hold you back." Thomas moved back, leaning against the wall as he let his lower legs dangle over the edge of the small bed that he was on.

"Thomas, despite what happened today you'll still be allowed to stay in Newt's and Stiles' hospital room for the night. I had to negotiate a little bit, but I know that it would only be worse making you stay in your room alone." He looked at her again, actually fully looked at her as best as he could with his still slightly blurry vision, and then he smiled.

"I still get to be with Newt tonight?" Thomas asked, his voice in a shy whisper as he ran one of his bandaged hands through his hair.

"Yes, but this isn't a normal occurrence and not something I would normally agree to have happen with patients. But under these circumstances, you will be allowed to." The boy eagerly nodded, jumping down from the bed and onto his two feet. It was as if he'd been hit with a burst of energy out of nowhere, and he suddenly couldn't wait to go to see Newt, to stay with him.