Stealers (Newt x Reader)

Chapter 16: Couldn't Just Leave You

A/n - thank you for over 800 views :)) x

Newt's POV

I pulled (y/n) to her feet, dragging her slightly until she regained her balance and could run on her own. I knew she hardly had the strength but it was either do it or die and I had to do what was best for her even if that meant making her body push itself to the absolute limit. I ignored her stares as I tried to pull her to her feet, pretending I couldn't notice the pure shock present on he face that it was me that was helping her. I felt a pang of guilt that I had left her to think that I didn't even care about her. I understood why she thought that though, I had tried to not care, I had tried to make everyone think she was the last thing on my mind. The truth was she was still burnt into the front of it, leaving a permanent mark that couldn't just go away and I definitely couldn't just sit back and watch her die. I needed her here, even if she wasn't with me. I needed her okay. 

She stopped suddenly, seeming to forget the grievers behind us and any others in the glade that could be on us any second and looked at me. Her eyes burned with questions and her mouth was slightly open, as if she wanted to say so much but didn't know how. She closed it, pressing her lips together, not taking her eyes off mine. The atmosphere between us buzzed, increasing in tension and so many unspoken words. My eyebrows sunk slightly and a hollow sadness that I had tried so hard to lock out of my mind seethed in me as I realised how broken we both were, unsure if either if us could fix it. A part of me still hoped we could fix each other. It seemed to last forever but it was only a couple of seconds and I shook my head, knowing that even a second could mean the difference between whether your heart was beating or not. 

"What are you doing? We need to go!" I waved the knife I had in the direction of the homestead, hoping now she would just start moving.

"What are you doing?" she questioned. I pursed my lips and gave her a hard stare. 

"I couldn't just leave you, you know that," my words were soft and they were filled with all the feelings that never went away. I went to reach my hand out to her but drew it back. I didn't know where we stood. Or where her and Minho or whoever else stood. I couldn't let my guard down right now. "Okay we need to go. Come on!" I drew another knife from my trousers and handed it to her, grabbing her arm to pull her from the edge of the glade. This time she didn't wait, she just nodded and ran. 

We joined with Minho, Thomas and Alby who were trying to steadily back themselves into the homestead for refuge. I noticed most of the grievers were at the front, surrounding them but there was no doubt one or two were drilling themselves through the back, hoping to find another victim to take the life of. I tried not to think about it, dodging a spear that flung at me as I tried to get to the others, occasionally looking over my shoulder to see if (y/n) was still there. 

"Newt watch out!" Minho shouted at me as he pointed to something on my left. A griever leapt at me, swinging it's sharp-edged metal and claws as I ducked and jumped to the side, landing directly on my shoulder. I felt something crack slightly, clenching my jaw in pain that erupted through the whole of my right shoulder, turning onto my back as I shuffled to the group. I looked up, realising I had lost sight of (y/n), a sickly panic burst through my chest as I searched frantically for her with my eyes. Dread scratched at my mind, growing and growing until I saw her run around the back of the griever that had jumped at me, slamming the end of her knife at the claw that was reaching for her. She grabbed my hand and pulled me up, joining the other three boys.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay," Thomas sighed and I saw Minho give us both a look of relief. His gaze lingered slightly on (y/n) but now wasn't the time to focus on it. Alby gave them a stern look, signalling that now wasn't the right moment to be losing focus and turned back to face the grievers. They crept closer to us, pushing us tighter together, backing us into the homestead. A needle was thrown at us, another knife that just caught Thomas' arm, another claw, snapping and barely missing it's target. 

"Guys, let's just get to the homestead, we're gonna have a better chance," (y/n)'s voice had risen in panic as another griever came from the side, it's skin bubbling and glinting in the moonlight. 

"She's right, come on," Alby turned, letting the rest of us go first. One by one we burst through the front door of the homestead, Minho and Thomas pushing a large cabinet in front of it as fast as they could as Alby slammed it shut behind him. I turned to (y/n), her hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. Her face was plastered with mud but the terror in her eyes still shone through. Before I could say anything, a crash sounded from behind us, the saw of a griever spitting up wood, throwing shards of it in all directions. Without words we clambered up the stairs, spilling into one of the rooms. A few other boys were crouched in there, trembling, unable to do anything but sit and wait. 

The sounds were awful: glass and wood shredding and grinding under the grievers as they made their way up the sides of the building. They seemed to be coming from everywhere and I wondered for a second if this is what was always meant to happen to us, if this was always going to be the fate of the maze. I found myself looking at (y/n), hoping that she might think of me in these possible last moments. I saw the shadow of a griever next to the window and then the world went silent and everything seemed to come to a halt all at once. No one dared to breathe. No one dared to move. All of our bodies pressed against the wall opposite the window, a vicious silence seeming to take a hold of the room. I imagined the rest of the homestead doing the same. The silence stretched out, and I tried to drink it in to counteract the fear that threatened to engulf me. Alby took a step forward, stopping me when I went to follow him. (Y/n) shot me a look, shaking her head to stop me from moving. 

"Why did they stop?" he whispered to me but all I could do was shrug. He took another step closer. Then another. Each step sent a lurching shot of fear through me, I wanted to tell him to get back but I was worried the disturbance would set everything off. 

"Alby, you need to get back," I gave him a worried look, taking a few steps towards him as he turned to face me, my muscles tensing in anticipation for the next move.

"I think it's okay." 

In a flash of movement, I watched the shadow next to the window burst into life, glass shattering everywhere as I stumbled backwards, holding my arm in front of my face to avoid the flying shards. In the commotion I had missed Alby being thrown against the frame by the claw of the griever, crashing his back against it with a painful crack. I watched him cry out in pain as I lurched forward, stretching out to grab him, hoping to get my hands on anything. I grabbed his shirt but it was a weak clutch and the griever ripped him from me, flying him out of the broken window. I heard the griever drop to the ground, whirring as it stormed away from the homestead. I saw the others do the same, making a bee line for the doors of the maze. I made a run for the door, hoping there was a chance I could save him. I had to save him. I felt someone grab my hand and pull me back.

"Stop! Let go! We need to save him!" I tried to pull out of Minho's grip but he wouldn't let go. 

"He's gone Newt!" he shouted back at me, yanking me back any time I got closer to the door. Eventually I gave in, knowing the grievers were long gone back into the maze. "I'm sorry but he's gone." I fell backwards to the floor and hung my head low, wondering how everything had become so dark, so quickly.