Brenda drove the car to the entrance of the canyon. To her anger, the fuel ran out and the car pulled to a humiliating stop.
"Guess we're walking," she remarked glumly.
Huffing and puffing, the five teens opened the doors and stepped onto the rocky road and walked.
Sonya seemed to get very nervous every second.
"Hey Sonya, you okay?" Aris asked.
"Do you think he'll love me?" Sonya wondered, talking about Newt.
Edward turned to her. "He will love you, Sonya. Having a brother or a sister is the best thing in the world. Because you always know that there'll be someone to pick you up whenever you feel down. When you see him, you'll feel so overjoyed. And I know he will be too,"
Sonya smiled tearfully.
As they walked, Brenda was become so dizzy; she collapsed from exhaustion.
"Brenda!" Edward came over to her and touched her forehead. "Man, you're boiling. Hang on," he scooped his arms under her knees and waist and he lifted her. "Come on guys. We'd better get her to the Right Arm soon. She's so exhausted,"
Aris gave him a hand so he wouldn't fall behind. They carried Brenda with the two girls following them. They arrived at the road with ruined cars and to their surprise, they saw three armed men. They felt tense.
"Don't be afraid," one said. "Your friends arrived and they told us to wait for you. He is waiting for you, Edward,"
Relief flowed through Edward. They were not too late.
Newt, Minho and Frypan sat with the boys and also the girls telling them everything they had learnt from Mary. They were flabbergasted.
Chuck observed Newt observing Thomas who hadn't moved from his spot on the cliff. "Poor Tom. How do you think we should Edward?"
"It would be best if Thomas told him everything," said Minho solemnly.
"I just hope he'll be here soon," Chuck prayed.
"Guys look!" Frypan cried out, pointing outwards.
The boys looked down and to their joy, they saw their friends walking toward them with the men that had waited for them. Still, exhausted Brenda was leaning against Edward as he helped her walk. Jorge came out of the tent and a flash of relief painted his face. Instantly he sprinted down to his surrogate daughter.
"Brenda!"
"Jorge," she breathed out happily. Releasing herself from Edward, she fell into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Didn't think I'd die out that would you?"
"Never," Jorge breathed in her scent, holding her tightly. He then slowly let go and to Edward's surprise hugged him. "Thank you, Hermano,"
"You must be Jorge," he said patting his back. "It was nothing really,"
"It wasn't nothing. Thank you for bringing her back to me,"
"Thank you for getting my friends and my brother here," he thanked him back.
"No problem hermano," he let go.
The boys sprinted down to Edward, screaming out for joy. They flooded him with hugs and pats and strokes on the head.
"I'm so happy you're here," Chuck cried out, hugging him around the waist. "I'm sorry I wasn't with the others!"
Edward bent down to hug him tightly. "It's okay Chuckie buddy. I'm so happy to see you," he chuckled ruffling his hair as well.
"Thank goodness you guys found us," breathed Frypan relievedly.
"We followed your tracks," Brenda spoke up. "And I drove us in a car,"
"And she sure did a good job," Sonya said as Harriet and Aris were swarmed with hugs by the other members of their group.
Edward suddenly remembered whom she had brought her to see. "Hey, Newt?"
"Yes?" he asked.
"I'd like you to meet Sonya," he introduced, pulling her forward and then him.
Sonya turned to him, a little nervous. She hadn't prepared for this.
"Show him," Edward encouraged. Chuck shared a cheesy grin with him and he mimicked it.
Newt turned his dark eyes at hers that matched. He felt his heart pulsing and he didn't know why.
Sonya reached for her necklace and she lifted her heart half to him; it flashed under the golden sun with the words Sister engraved. Newt felt himself breathing in and out slowly. He reached for one of his necklaces and showed the other heart half to her. A tear escaped her eye.
Together they placed the two halves. It was completely. The words brother and sister glimmered in front of their wet eyes. They looked at each other, tears falling down their faces.
Newt's lips pressed together and he smiled and cried. "It's you. It's you!"
"I'm so glad I found you!" Sonya threw her arms around Newt's neck and he held her tight and spun her around.
Jorge was confused. "Why are they hugging?"
Edward smiled. "They're brother and sister,"
"You brought her back to him. Well done buddy," Aris patted his back.
"I can't take all the credit. Chuck's the one who recognised her necklace," Edward ruffled his hair.
Newt stopped spinning his long-lost sister around. "I'm never gonna let you go again,"
"I'm so sorry that I couldn't remember you," Sonya cried out. "I tried everything. But my mind was so blank and ..."
"Don't you dare say you're sorry. You had that heart half. That's all that mattered. And we found each other,"
Sonya sniffled and wiped her tears away. "Thanks to your friends," she expressed a face of gratitude to Edward and Aris who smiled back. And little Chuck too.
Newt instantly hugged them both. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,"
"It was nothing really," Edward wasn't much for receiving big thanks. All he cared about was that they were back together.
"Nothing? I've finally found my sister. Thanks to you three," he said.
"And what's important is we're all back together," Edward expressed happily. He noticed Amelia looking at him. He recognised her. "Amelia...I guess we've already met,"
"We have indeed," she smiled back.
Minho came forward and he hugged Edward. "Thank you so much for saving her,"
"No problem," Edward patted his back. "I'm sorry I couldn't remember saving her. If I had remembered, I would have...."
"Just shut up and stop feeling sorry shank," his close friend patted his back. "I owe you and your brother Edward,"
"As do I," Amelia said back. "You guys risked your lives to get me out and for that, I vow to repay that debt,"
"You don't have to. We were just doing what was right, what anyone would have done. Wait, Thomas. Where's Thomas?" Edward was desperate to be back in his arms again.
"He's up there," Minho pointed up to the cliff where Thomas had sat alone, missing the reunion. "Go to him,"
Instantly Edward left the party to run up to him.
.......................................................................................................
On the cliff, Thomas had his legs dangling over the ledge whilst his hands rested on his knees. He didn't cry but he was as fragile as glass. How did such a woman who called herself a doctor threaten him and his brother like that? Two helpless children along with an innocent mother? How could she use them like that to force their father to create such a dangerous virus that had now engulfed much of the planet and innocent people were suffering?
"Tom?"
Thomas turned around and saw his brother standing ten feet away from him. "Edward?" he stood up and he felt his brother slam his body against his, embracing him in a tight hug. "You're safe!" he held him tight.
"And I found you. I was so afraid I might have been too late but you're all here now,"
They let go and Edward was shocked to see Thomas's face wound and his bandaged hand. "You're hurt,"
"I'm okay," he said.
"What happened to you guys?"
"Bit of a long story," he said. "Thank goodness all those girls you found warned us about this place. I can't believe we took part in those trials,"
"Just as long as we're out of WICKED's range, we're safe,"
"Look down there. We got as many people as we could," Thomas turned him to look down at all their friends far below.
"The girl Amelia..." Edward pointed down to Amelia who was talking with all the Gladers.
"I know. I'm so proud that we saved her. I just wish I knew how to tell her,"
"Tell her what?"
Thomas stared sombrely at him. "That she's Ava Paige's daughter. I had a dream about her a few nights ago. I didn't fully realise what it meant until after I met her and she told me how we saved her,"
Edward was flabbergasted. Hearing his brother say that made him remember the confrontations they had with Ava the day Amelia was trapped in the Maze. "So, Ava was going to sacrifice her daughter?
Thomas nodded grimly. He looked down and noticed Newt and a blonde-haired girl down below. They looked so happy together; he felt jealous. "Who's that with Newt?" he demanded gently.
Edward realised how he was feeling. "That's his sister. Sonya. She has a necklace half like his and they fit together. That's how I found out they were siblings,"
Thomas was surprised. And then he was proud. "Well done Edward. I'm so proud of you. You brought them back together. I'm so happy for Newt,"
With arms wrapped around shoulders, they gazed downed and they saw Newt and Sonya spend quality time with each other, chatting, catching up. They looked up at the brothers staring down at them and they waved. They waved back.
"I'm so happy they found each other," Edward said. "I just couldn't imagine if that happened to you or me. I'm so glad we've stuck together since we were kids. It's exactly what mum wanted. And dad too,"
The word 'dad' made Thomas instantaneously bounce back to every sad feeling he had experienced since back inside Mary's tent, every feeling of guilt and horror which had consumed his delicate spirit. He didn't want to tell his brother but he knew there was no choice. He slowly made his younger brother look at him. "Edward, there's something I need to tell you. It's about our father,"
........................................................................................................
Newt and Sonya spent the next hour catching up together, exchanging stories of their adventures in the separate mazes. As they spoke, Newt wholeheartedly told his sister how he thought of her every day and prayed that one day they would find each other. Sonya said the exact same words to him. And Newt finished by saying, "You'll never have to worry about losing me again. Okay?" he then pulled her into a tight hug and Sonya's tears fell onto his shoulder.
The Gladers told Amelia about what happened since Thomas and Edward came up in the Box in the Glade, and how their bravery and recklessness were the keys to finding their way out. Amelia had never felt more grateful to them. Reflecting on the brothers again made them turn their heads up to the cliffs and see Edward hunching down, his face buried in his hands. Thomas knelt beside him, giving him a side hug which he didn't return. He was too sunk in his guilt or grief to react.
Newt's lips shrivelled. "He must have told him," he said sorrowfully.
"Told him what?" Aris asked.
Newt looked at him sadly. "That it was their dad, Stephen who produced the Flare,"
"So that's why we all lost our parents? Why we were separated from each other?" Sonya breathed. "Because it was their dad's fault?!"
"Ava Paige threatened to kill them and their mother if Stephen didn't cooperate. All he wanted was to protect his sons. None of this is their fault," defended Chuck.
Sonya remained angry but she knew in her heart that she couldn't blame either of the brothers at all.
"Is that why Ava doted on them?" Minho wondered. "Because she blackmailed their father?"
"Perhaps it was because she wanted to redeem herself for threatening them," Newt said solemnly. "Or more likely she thought she could use them the same way he did their father,"
"She's a monster," Chuck cursed. "Just like Janson and his no-good son who killed Alby,"
They looked up again at the brothers and they saw Thomas giving Edward a tight hug as they stood up. The sight made them a bit tearful. Then they watched as Edward walked away from his older brother, possibly wanting to be alone for a while.
Chuck tried to walk off but Frypan gently gripped his arm. "Don't," he shook his head. "He needs some time alone,"
Chuck did nothing but look remorsefully at Edward's retreating figure.
"I think we should just sit down for a while," Amelia said. "We'll be leaving tomorrow to group up with the other Right Arm units,"
"There are other ones?" Minho breathed.
"Yes. Our leader Vince is leading a team in the north looking for surviving immunes before WICKED can get their hands on them. Our group was responsible for saving immunes in compounds thanks to the brothers," With the way Amelia spoke, it was perceived by the group that Thomas and Edward were the initiators of this rebellious party, not because they formed it but because they were determined to destroy everything Ava Paige had built to harm innocents was what inspired others to stand up and fight back.
.......................................................................................................
Food was served, beans and bread on plates. The boys munched like pigs on them whilst the girls ate more elegantly. Though a little disgusted, they couldn't blame. They had just finished an extremely long journey and they were so hungry.
Once they finished eating, Newt stared up again at Thomas who hadn't moved from his spot on the cliff at all. Sonya noticed and touched his shoulder. "Go and talk to him," she ushered. "You can make him feel better,"
Knowing she was right, Newt stood up and he hiked up the mountain towards Thomas bringing with him a plate of food. "Hey," he approached him gently.
Thomas turned to him slowly. "Hey,"
"I've brought you some food," he offered the plate.
"Thanks," Thomas took it and slowly he munched on the food. Newt didn't speak a word for a long moment.
"How did he take it?" he asked once Thomas had finished and had set down the plate.
"He's feeling rather shaken. And a little bit guilty too,"
"Tommy, you both aren't responsible for what your father did. And don't you feel angry for your father at all?"
"How can I not be? He's the reason all this happened. He's the reason you and everyone else were taken from your families and you and Sonya were separated from each other,"
"No. WICKED did this to us. Your father only created that Flare because she threatened you guys and your mother. I would have done the same thing if she endangered anyone I loved,"
"But were our lives worth more than the lives of millions of survivors?"
"To him they were. It's just like Mary said. You guys were everything to him. There's nothing greater than love,"
In a way, Newt's words were making Thomas feel his father's love. He imagined himself, and Edward, as boys playing around their father and mother. Their father told them they would do great things and make him proud one day. He and their mother hug and kiss and fool around with them.
"You did the right thing telling Edward,"
"I'm so happy that you found your sister at last Newt," Thomas said happily. "You'll never have to be separated from her ever again,"
Newt sniffled and he looked down at Sonya sitting with Aris, Chuck, and Harriet. He waved down and she waved back up. Thomas gestured 'hello' down to her too and she waved back. "What's her name?" he asked.
"Sonya," he said. "No. I'm pretty sure she had another name,"
"Elizabeth," Thomas clarified. "You called her Lizzie all the time. Whenever we visited the room she, Edward and the others were kept in together. That's how we knew each other,"
Newt chuckled and he chuckled back. The pleasure of laughing with him made the dream that he had last night flash in the mind of his eyes. Thomas could see a slightly younger Newt sitting on the roof of a WICKED compound under the stars with him right in front of them. Since they had met in the Maze, he had never thought to realise that the boy in front of him was the boy whom he had shared a kiss with before he was taken away from him. He felt his heart thumping rapidly every second he was staring into his dark eyes. It was time to tell him. "Newt, there's something I need to tell you,"
"I know," Newt interrupted.
Thomas linked. "Know what?"
"That you and I....liked each other," he stared with recognition into his eyes. "Before the Maze,"
Thomas tried to speak but no words came out. He realised Newt had figured it out when Amelia blurted out how he had lost his pendant.
"Newt I am so...so sorry that I allowed them to take your memories and plant you in that Maze. I'm so sorry that because of me you tried to kill yourself," Thomas's voice was dropping and he was becoming more frantic every second. He was losing the ability to speak the right words.
"Don't say that" Newt shook his head. "None of this is your fault. You held onto that pendant I gave you for months. And once you found it, you held onto it,"
"Only because you let me,"
"Since I met you I had this instinctive feeling that I knew you. But the more we talked and the moment you wore that pendant, I started believing that perhaps we were very close once. It was all confirmed when Amelia said that was yours,"
Thomas clutched it protectively. Newt mimicked his actions.
"I am so happy you're here now. It's been my deepest desire to find you and my sister. And now because of you and Edward, we can all be free from WICKED. That's what I like about you Tommy, that no matter what comes our way, you always do something to fix it or face it,"
Thomas couldn't believe that tears were being wedged behind his eyes. He was feeling relief. His heart was soaring and his entire body was quaking from the giddiness of finally acknowledging his feelings for the first boy he laid his eyes on when he entered the Glade. "I'm so happy that you remember me Newt. I don't know what I would have felt if you didn't remember that affection you felt for me,"
Newt smiled back. "Me neither,"
The same silence from the previous night came between them again. On this cliff, it really was just the two of them now. No Jorge to disturb them. No friends to disturb them. And certainly not Edward or Sonya; they would not let them hear the end of it.
They leaned forward and their lips softly touched; they were back together.
While their friends were oblivious to the moment of affection above them, Jorge and Brenda spied on them.
"Did not see that coming," remarked Brenda.
"I thought they were close to each other as brothers but it appears it was something more," Jorge was a little disgusted.
Brenda playfully pushed him away and he laughed. She tilted her glance over to an upset Edward who was slouched on a lonely rock by himself; she felt sorry for him.
.......................................................................................................
Edward was crying softly. Like his brother, he felt so much guilt pressing down on his shoulders. The sound of gentle footsteps made him turn and he saw Mary.
"Hi Mary," he greeted.
"Hi Edward," Mary sat down beside him. "I'm glad you arrived here. Thomas was so worried about you,"
Edward didn't turn to look at her. "He told me everything,"
Mary pressed her lips together. "I am so sorry that I've burdened you two with this awful truth. And I am sorry that when I worked for WICKED, I revealed none of this to you,"
Still, Edward wouldn't turn his head. "If you knew that WICKED threatened us and forced our father, why did you continue working for him?"
"When your mother gave you two in as she was oblivious to their threats, I felt the only way I could protect you two was to continue working for them. And I was desperate to produce a cure. But then when they went too far and you guys told me you couldn't take it anymore, that's when I finally decided it was time to switch sides,"
Edward inhaled deeply and exhaled.
"What your brother said about your father is true. He loved you both more than anything," the way her motherly voice uttered swayed Edward into finally meeting her face for the first time since he had lost his memories. "Don't ever forget that Edward,"
Deciding she should leave him she rubbed his shoulder in comfort and then walked off. Edward watched her walk away.
.......................................................................................................
Thomas and Newt were sitting very close to one another as they gazed up at the stars that were just beginning to appear in the darkening sky.
"You remember how we did this?" Thomas asked. "The night I gave you your pendant,"
"And I gave you yours," Newt rotated his head to he could smile at him.
Thomas chuckled. "I'm sorry I lost this pendant. The day I rescued Amelia,"
"Don't be. You found it in the end. And you've carried it around your neck. So...when do you think we should tell the others?" he looked back down at their friends.
Thomas peered down too and his heart sank to see his brother still by himself. "I want the time to be right,"
"I've got the feeling they might already know. Since Amelia blurted out how you lost that pendant..." he pointed to the romantic ornament around his neck. "...which matches mine," Newt chuckled awkwardly.
"I think my brother will definitely make a laugh out of it," Thomas added in, making his boyfriend snort a bit. "And your sister too,"
"Let's just keep it to a minimum," Newt suggested.
Thomas nodded. They kissed again before departing to join the group, keeping a friendly distance.
Minho saw them approaching. "Ahh nice to see you two finally joining us. What took you so long?"
The couple felt awkward. "Just ah...catching up on things," Thomas simply answered. It was true but he wasn't going to go into too much detail.
Minho shared a hidden glance with Amelia; they smirked; they knew.
"It's nice to meet you, Thomas," Sonya greeted.
"Nice to meet you too Sonya," smiled Thomas. "I'm happy to see you and Newt reunited.
Sonya smiled. "Thank you so much Thomas for keeping him alive. I owe you and your brother,"
"We were just doing what we felt was right," Thomas said.
"And we're proud of you both for it," praised Aris. "Is Edward okay?"
"He's still rather shaken," confessed Thomas sadly. He looked over at the lonely Edward. "I should go and get him,"
"I think someone else is already on the case," Newt pointed a finger at Brenda walking to his brother. Thomas eyed her carefully.
.......................................................................................................
Edward heard footsteps behind him again. This time he turned and saw Brenda.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey,"
She sat down next to him without invitation but he didn't mind. "You okay?"
He nodded. "You feeling better?"
"Yep. I really can't handle this heat sometimes,"
"But you got us here in the end," Edward was proud. "I'm glad you and Jorge are back together,"
"Thanks. How'd it go with your brother?" she asked.
"Good. And bad," his voice was a little rasping.
Brenda pursed her lips. "Jorge and I learnt what happened. I'm so sorry,"
"Don't be," he said. "It's not your fault. The cause of all this is the person you're looking at,"
Brenda shook her head. "Don't talk like that. You can't feel guilty Ed. Come and sit with us. It'll make you feel better,"
"I don't think I feel like company," he confessed.
"Your brother needs you," Brenda stood up and tugged his shoulder. "Come on. Do it for him,"
She's right. Edward said to himself. He does need me. "Thank you, Brenda," he stood up and they walked to join the others. They walked together towards the group sharing sweet smiles.
Thomas smiled seeing his brother join them. He sat between him and Chuck. "How nice of you to join us,"
"You doing okay?" Chuck asked.
Edward nodded.
"Guys, whatever we have learnt doesn't change our views of you two," Minho assured. "You both are still the ones who saved us all. And without you two, none of this would exist,"
This time Thomas and Edward truly saw how high their friends thought of him. They didn't know whether to feel anxious or proud. They didn't want to admit it to themselves but they didn't deny how they had been the spark of a revolution against WICKED.
"I wish Alby could have been here to see all this," Edward wished as he glanced around the huge campsite where men and children sat all together.
"And Winston," Frypan added in despondently.
"And Zach and Ben and Clint," Minho listed.
"They all died so we could all be here," said Newt solemnly. "We all need to remember that,"
Silence floated amidst as they prayed and remembered their lost comrades.
Edward noticed someone was missing from the huge party. "Hey, where's Teresa?"
"She's up there," a girl pointed upwards. Teresa was standing alone on a cliff. Edward glanced up. He didn't notice Brenda giving him a little hard stare from behind. As he looked up at her, he sighed deeply as he pressed his hand to his lips.
Thomas knew what he was feeling. "Did something happen Ed?"
Edward didn't turn to him as he answered. "We've been having falling outs. Our last one was the worst," he heard the repulsive words he had spat at her like venom echoing in his head. "I really should go and talk things out with her,"
He stood up and left but not before Thomas gently grabbed his hand. "It'll work out bro. Please don't wander off,"
Edward nodded and Thomas let him go and he walked off. Brenda's eyes followed him carefully. Thomas saw the longing she was feeling with them. His eyes then caught a glimpse of Chuck giving him a concerned glance before he cocked his head from Brenda towards Edward walking up to Teresa. Thomas knew what the message was. Oh, brother...what have you got yourself into?
.......................................................................................................
Edward reached the top where Teresa's back was turned as she stared out into the distance. "Hey. It's...good to see you, Teresa," he spoke up. She didn't turn to him. "How are you doing?"
"Just thinking," she simply answered. That was all she said. She didn't even turn to him.
Edward pursed his lips. "Look Teresa, I know we've had our falling outs but that doesn't that I...that I don't care about you. I'm sorry if I hurt you back at the Crank City,"
Teresa didn't turn to him. He sighed. "I'll just leave you alone," He turned to leave.
"Do you remember your parents?"
Edward, alarmed but delighted, turned around to meet Teresa's face, which unexpectantly looked a little tearful. "No. But Thomas told me that our father loved us very much. And so did our mother,"
"I remember mine. She was a beautiful woman. Everybody loved her. And before WCKD, she was all I had. When she got sick, I didn't know what to do. I just kept her locked up. Hidden. I thought she'd get better. Every night, she'd make these awful sounds, like screaming. And then, one night, she just stopped. She was finally quiet. I went down to her room. And there was blood everywhere. But she just sat there, calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were gone. She'd taken care of them. She took her eyes out, Edward,"
"Teresa, I am so sorry," Edward sympathised. The silence between them lasted for a moment as he allowed her to release her sadness. But then he spoke again. "Teresa, I know you said before that we should go back to WICKED, you may think that they're trying to cure the world, but they caused all this. Ava Paige threatened me and Thomas to blackmail our father to produce the Flare. WICKED killed your mother Teresa,"
"There are millions of people suffering out there. Millions of stories, just like mine. We can't turn our backs on them. I won't," Teresa had completely ignored what he had just said.
Edward felt his heart thumping beneath his skin. "What are you saying?" he felt bile rising into his throat.
"I'm saying I want you to understand," she cried.
Edward frowned. "Understand what?"
"Why I had to do it," Edward saw choppers approaching behind Teresa's black hair.
"No," Edward shook his head. "What have you done? What have you done?!"
"What I had to," she answered back. Before Edward could answer, she suddenly stabbed a serum vial into his stomach. He collapsed to the ground. His eyes wet with anger stared up at her wet face. "How...could...you..."
As the serum inside his body pulled him to the ground, rendering his muscles useless, he saw another figure stand beside her. Jerry.