Newt's POV:
Intimacy is a tricky thing to master when your partner is recently injured.
After being stabbed, much more horrifically than we had all first anticipated, Y/n had to undergo physical therapy to ensure there was no permanent damage done.
The blade had luckily missed all of her internal and external arteries, mostly by millimetres, however, had gotten dangerously close to her spine. Lincoln explained how the knife had probably grazed the bone, and while that's better than severing it completely, of course, it still isn't a good thing.
He said that walking shouldn't be an issue, but may take a little while for her to get her rhythm back.
I appreciated all of Lincoln's help – but I can't say I'm his biggest fan.
He's a nice guy, and he takes care of Y/n, but in another sense that is also my job, and allowing me to do it every once in a while, won't kill him.
Y/n, being her regular self, hates that people have to give up their time to help her.
She does not like the idea that she needs other people's help, and also hates the feeling that people are sympathetic of her situation. She has barked at Thomas multiple times for trying to help her stand, threatened Vince when he kept coming in to check on her and threw something at Lincoln the last time he came in to change her bandages.
I've learned a lot over the last couple of weeks – most of that being that my girlfriend is stubborn as fuck and can't accept a singular nice thing someone offers her, no matter how small.
It's been hard for all of us, no one took to our best fighter being injured very well. It was definitely a shock to the system when the training sessions with Thomas stopped, and her seat in weekly meetings remained vacant.
That was until, I entered the council room early, and saw her sitting there.
She had never looked so relaxed – so intimidating.
Her eyes were drawn to a knife she spun between her fingers, as she rested her feet on the table.
She always knew how to make an entrance, even if she was the first one to enter.
I stumbled into the council room; surprise probably written all over my face. "Why aren't you in bed?"
She didn't look up at me, constantly twirling the knife between her index fingers.
Her face looked tired, her legs even skinnier than usual, and the muscle she had built over the years looked as if it was beginning to wilt away.
I took a step into the room. "Does Lincoln know you're out of bed? I doubt he'd allow that, love."
Still, her head stayed down.
I know Vince wouldn't allow this, and Lincoln would jump out of his skin right now if he knew she wasn't resting.
Hesitantly, I moved forward. "Love, are you okay?"
She looked up at me then, and smiled.
I wasn't sure what it meant. Her smiles were rare and faint, and even though I try to soak in every happy face she can muster, this one felt odd. Like she wasn't actually smiling at all.
"Sit. The others should be here any second."
I paused then, because I didn't understand.
"I know that – I just don't understand why you're not back in the medical room." I stated, and she looked at me so forlorn and sweetly.
Behind me, faint voices began to appear, and then the doors were being opened.
"Yeah, I know, but I don't think that was actually how it happened. We were shooting into- Y/n? What are you doing here?" Frypan halted mid-sentence when he noticed Y/n sat at the table.
She kept on the same odd smile.
Thomas came in close behind him, wearing the same expression.
Complete confusion.
"Shouldn't you still be on bed rest? It's only been three weeks-"
She interrupted him, sharply. "Sit down. I'll explain everything."
Thomas maintained his expression, and shot me a look that said 'what the fuck?' over his shoulder. I shrugged, and Fry and Thomas sat down.
I found my normal seat, right next to Y/n.
Vince, Jorge and Brenda came in not long after that, all with the same baffled questions the others had. But she just quickly dismissed them, and told them to be seated. Of course, because it's her, they did as she said without complaints.
Sometimes I can underestimate the power she holds over the people around her – how she can intimidate people twice her size with just a few words and sharp looks.
Once everyone was seated, she rose.
I bolted forward instantly, helping her up as I figured she'd have trouble standing. But she did it brilliantly, as if she isn't seriously injured.
And then she spoke.
"Over the last couple of days, I have been lucky enough to have had a constant visitor check in on me. I had never met this person before his abrupt arrival while I was sleeping three days ago, but I felt that everything I have learnt from him, is worth sharing."
Who is she talking about?
"What do you mean?" Thomas asks.
Y/n reaches into her back pocket, and pulls out the knife she was spinning between her fingers not too long before.
She slams it on the table.
"This is the knife I was stabbed with."
It felt as if all of the air had just been sucked out of the room. Because, how could that be? The boy, he's-
"How do you have that?" Vince asks, pulling his brows together tightly.
No one else around the room dared to speak, it appeared that most were holding their breath.
Is it possible for her to frighten even more people while injured? I sure as hell didn't think it was, but if I've learnt anything, it's that she's full of surprises.
"The boy who came to see me, is friends with the boy who stabbed me. He gave me this."
The boy I killed.
I've tried not to think about it – how I took some kids life away. He looked so young, so traumatised and afraid of anything remotely associated with Wicked.
"I was stabbed because he thought I was one of them – he only ever tried to help. I don't think he deserved what he got, and neither does his friend. Which is why he came to see me in the medical wing."
Jorge interjected. "But why does he have the knife? When we helped you to the truck, no one could find it."
Y/n nodded her head slightly and picked up the knife.
"He didn't leave the blade in my back when I was stabbed, he immediately pulled it out and dropped it to the floor. After he was shot," she hesitated, meeting my eyes in an apologetic manner. "His friend, Michael, grabbed the knife. He says he doesn't know why – he just panicked."
Vince looked a bit confused and also maybe angry.
"I thought I said only specific visitors?"
Y/n shot him a look full of disdain and rolled her eyes.
"I'm sure you can make an exception? I still have more to tell you all."
Vince crossed his arms over his chest and beckoned her to continue. "As I was saying, the boy would come and visit me for hours on end, filling me in on everything that happened to them while they were with Wicked."
She reached into her back pocket then, and pulled out a colourful piece of folded paper.
"Yesterday, he explained to me how they escaped, and how sadly enough it meant that as a precaution, they weren't allowed to bring everyone else with them to be rescued."
Y/n unfolded the piece of paper, and it revealed itself to be a map.
"What I'm trying to say is, I know where Wicked are headed, I know when they intend to leave, and I know exactly what path to take."
Words erupted from around us – confusion, hesitation and joy all spilled out into one as people's yells and cries lapped over each other.
Confusion as to how it was even possible for the boy to know this, hesitation as we don't know these people, and why should we trust them? Joy because we might finally get to see our friends again.
"Everyone be quiet!" Vince yelled over the crowd. "Y/n, what the fuck are you talking about? How is any of this even possible?"
Y/n very slowly sat herself back down again, struggling slightly as she did so.
"One of our biggest downfalls, I've realised, is that we don't ask around when new people enter camp. Did it ever occur to any of you to speak to the newcomers? To ask yourselves, how the hell did they get out of that hell hole without any inside help?"
She's smart.
"Because they didn't, that's why. The only reason they were able to get out was because they had someone helping them. You really think a bunch of pre-pubescent teenagers could escape from a place like that? That's insane."
I straightened my posture in my chair, feeling rather inferior.
"Michael knew all of this stuff because he was told by an informant – the whole group knows about it and have just been sitting on the information as if it isn't life or death for other people in camp."
Jorge nodded his head and stood up from his seat.
"So, when are they being moved?"
Y/n looked down for a second, fiddling with her fingers.
"Three weeks tomorrow, they move out. They start here," she pointed at a location on the map, "And they follow the direct route until they reach a city North of here."
Vince looked shocked. "Did you say three weeks? As in 21 days?"
Y/n looked annoyed again at Vince's obvious question. "Yes, that's fine, is it not? We can come up with a plan, rally troops and then go from there."
"21 days is not a lot of time, Y/n!"
"22." Y/n corrected, and Brenda had to stifle her laugh.
"You know what I mean! That is not enough time to come up with a plan and then to train people up enough to make sure we don't all get killed in the meantime!"
Y/n huffed and stood back up.
"What do you want me to do about that, Vince? I can't change when Wicked move their kids, so either get on board or fuck off. It's that simple."
Vince looked surprised at how blunt and angry Y/n was being, instead sitting back down in his own chair.
Jorge was the one to speak next.
"So, what do we do?"
Steadying her breathing, Y/n continued.
"Meetings are to be moved up to every day, and are longer to ensure efficiency. Training will resume, but sadly I don't think I will be able to be the one to train anyone else. So, I suggest Thomas be the one to take my place for the time being."
That caught Thomas' attention. He sat up quickly in his chair and moved closer to the table. "Wait, really? Why me?"
The question seemed to confuse her, as if the answer was painfully obvious.
"I have trained you for months on end; you know the techniques and how to defend yourself when necessary. I think you are the best chance we have currently."
The slight praise Thomas had received made him smile, and Y/n roll her eyes.
"Wait, hold on," Frypan sounded from the corner for the first time the entire meeting. "Y/n, will you be coming with us?"
She went to open her mouth and answer the boy, but Vince cut her off.
"No, she will absolutely not be joining us. She will be staying here to recover."
Y/n looked calm, and even though the way she spoke was reasonably quiet and not remotely angry, her words carried such malice it could cut through glass.
"I don't give a fuck what you say, I am going."
I tried to interject. "No, Y/n, that is not smart. You were just injured-"
"And I've already started to walk around on my own. I can use my lower back and legs perfectly fine. In three weeks, I will be healed and ready to fight to get the others back."
Vince looked annoyed. "No. You are nowhere near healed, don't be insane."
"You know you won't be able to do this without me, you need me to hold off any guards that come your way."
Vince slammed his fist down on the table.
"No! Y/n, we just almost lost you three weeks ago, we aren't going to make the same mistake again and allow you to do this when you know you aren't physically ready."
She didn't respond for a little while, just looked blankly at Vince.
But she did speak, eventually.
"I'm going. I don't have to do anything insane, but you always need people there to cover the others; I can be that person."
Vince was quiet then, pondering her offer. Would she be safe enough? If she stays hidden and just shoots from a remote location at guards, then she might be.
But what if there's a problem, and she gets hurt?
The man stands slowly, and looks Y/n blankly in the eye.
Tension was high, and it appeared that the only person who seemed to have the authority to make this decision was Vince.
He opened his mouth slightly, and on doing so, smiled.
And then he gave his answer.
"No."
-
A/N: half term starts tomorrow, so get ready for more frequent updates.
i love y/n in this chapter, she is fierce and doesn't give a fuck. absolute girlboss.
hope you're all well <3
vote!!