NEW SURROUNDINGS FOR the first time in two years shocked Daphne. She stayed awake the entire plane ride, while Trinity and Newt leaned against her, their head both on her shoulders. Her eyes stayed on the window, taking in the endless amount of desert that surrounded the world.
When she pictured leaving the maze, that was definitely not what she expected.
She looked down at Newt, who snores softly which made Daphne smile slightly. Her eyes glanced at his bag that was in his lap, something peeking out of it. Reaching over, she pulled out a photo from the bag. It was of them, from four years ago. They sat at a table and both had smiles on their faces, pencils in their hands. Daphne slipped the photo back in Newt's bag, where she assumed all the others were.
"How have you not fallen asleep yet, kid?" A man that sat in front of Thomas asked her.
Daphne turned to him, shrugging slightly, not wanting to wake Trinity and Newt. "Too much to take in. Too much to think about."
"You a big thinker?" The man smirked.
"You have no idea." Trinity mumbled, opening her eyes slightly and Daphne smiled.
"Shit," The man said, looking out the window. "Wake your friends up, now!"
Daphne shook Newt gently, "Newt, time to go."
The blond woke up, sitting up quickly as he heard the shouts and screams.
"You all have to move fast!" Another man yelled and soon all the Gladers began to wake up. Daphne felt sick when the helicopter began to shake, landing on the ground with a thud.
"Go, go, go!" One screamed, rushing them off the helicopter.
Daphne jumped off the helicopter after Trinity, Newt following her. Her eyes widened at a large building which they all began to run towards.
More screams were heard and guns were fired, the noises only making Daphne run faster until she was inside the building. Trinity was immediately by her side, both of them in awe by the building surrounding them. The two looked at each other, eyes wide,
"How the hell are we not dead yet?"
"Not really something to complain about, Trin."
-
Trinity and Minho sat next to each other, sitting on top of a table in a room where all the Gladers were locked in. They both stared at Daphne and Newt, who for once in their lives, were sitting away from each other. Newt laid on a bag against the wall while Daphne sat at another table, flipping through her notebook.
"This is so weird." Minho whispered.
"You're right, they never fight." Trinity agreed. "I'll take Daph, you take Newt."
"How about I talk to your sister?" Minho offered. "You talk to Newt."
Giving him a look, Trinity questioned, "Why?"
"Because I think we can tell them what they need to hear." Minho shrugged, standing up and walking to Daphne's side, sitting next to her. "Hey Daph."
"Hey," She greeted, not looking up from her notebook. "What? Did Trinity piss you off or something?"
"No, just wanted to talk," Minho shook his head, glancing at Newt, who Trinity now sat in front of. "So, are you two gonna talk about it?"
"We kinda already did, there was shouting and it was in front of all you guys." Daphne mumbled, still not looking up as she flipped a page. "Besides, I don't want to."
"Daphne," Minho said, sighing before he took the notebook from the girl, who rolled her eyes. "He obviously wants to."
"But I'm scared." She admitted, playing with the sleeves of her shirt.
"Why? You're Daphne and Newt, you guys are made for each other." Minho shrugged. "You've survived everything, you'll survive this."
Daphne smiled at him, nodding as she whispered. "Thanks Minho."
"So, you and Minho are playing Cupid once again?" Newt looked at Trinity, who shrugged with a smirk on her face. "Get it over with, defend your sister."
"I can't." Trinity said. "She messed up. And as much as I want to tell you not to be mad at her, I can't. You deserve to be mad, and you deserve to have been told. She should've told you."
"Has she told you why she didn't?" Newt wondered, picking at his fingernails.
"No, but," She shook her head. "I'm guessing it was fear. It's Daphne, she's the most anxious person ever, she's an over thinker, she worried for—"
"Alright," Newt cut her off and Trinity smiled. "I'm mad at her, but don't make fun of her."
"My point is she's probably scared." Trinity sighed. "You can find out for sure if you just talk to her. You guys have been through everything, don't let this stop you two."
"Of course not." Newt shook his head.
"And when you think about it, it's kind of sweet," Trinity smiled. "You guys fallen in love twice."
Newt smiled at that, looking down. "I'll talk to her."
The two of them stood up when the door opened a man walked in, "You kids doing all right?"
Daphne and Minho got up as well, the four friends meeting up in the middle of the room behind Thomas.
"Sorry about all the fuss. We had ourselves a bit of a swarm." He apologized.
"Who are you?" Trinity asked.
"I'm the reason you're all still alive. It's my intention to keep you that way. Now, come with me." He answered and led them out of the room, throughout the building. "We'll get you kids squared away. You can call me Mr. Janson. I run this place. For us it is a sanctuary, safe from the horrors of the outside world."
Daphne glanced at Newt, neither of them saying anything.
"You all should think of it as a way station. Kind of a home between homes."
"That mean you're taking us home?" Thomas questioned.
"A home of sorts. Sadly, there wouldn't be much left of wherever you came from." Janson answered, looking at Daphne and Trinity for a moment. "But we do have a place for you. A refuge, outside the Scorch, where WICKED will never find you again. How does that sound?"
"I don't hate it." Trinity shrugged and Janson smirked.
"Why are you helping us?" Minho spoke up.
"Let's just say the world out there is in a rather precarious situation. We're all hanging on by a very thin thread. The fact that you kids can survive the Flare virus... makes you the best chance of humanity's continued survival." Janson explained. "Unfortunately, it also makes you a target, as no doubt by now you've noticed. Beyond this door lies the beginning of your new lives. First things first... let's do something about that smell."
"Excuse me?" Trinity glared at him, crossing her arms and Daphne laughed slightly. "He better be talking about the boys."
"Sure he is." Minho patted her shoulder, the two of them walking forward and leaving Daphne and Newt a bit further back as Jason led them further down the hallway.
Newt walked a bit closer to Daphne, licking his lips before he opened his mouth to speak but she did first, "I didn't tell you because I was scared."
He glanced at her and she sighed, "I can't tell you what I was scared of though, there's always a million things to be scared of for me."
"I know." Newt nodded, slipping his hand into hers. "Daph, if you had told me, we would still be here. We would still be us."
"I didn't know that." Daphne shrugged. "I didn't think you would believe me if I told you."
"Of course I would believe you. I wanted to know because Daphne, not all of us came up the box remembering things, that was just you and Trinity." He explained. "But if you had told me, I would have known apart of my old self, that apart of myself was always you."
Daphne smiled at that, her cheeks heating up. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Newt promised. "I'm still here, standing next to you, holding your hand."
"And they're back." Trinity smirked along with Minho, who looked behind them as they walked.
"Now come on, lovebird," Minho patted Newt's shoulder. "Time to get rid of your stench."
"Shuck off." Newt joked, smiling at Daphne for a moment. The group stood in front of room that had two sides, Teresa and Trinity walked to right as Janson instructed them while the boys to the left.