We were in the map room working on the code when Minho and Thomas ran in. They were both breathing heavily as they drew up their maps for the day. After a few minutes passed Minho finished and turned to us. "What are you shanks doing?"
Newt placed one of his pages on top of mine and we high fived. "Float and catch? That doesn't make any sense." I mumbled.
Newt scratched his head until Minho cleared his throat. "Hello? Am I not speaking out loud over here?"
"Oh, you are." I winked at Minho before I stood and looked down at the maps. "Newt figured out the code."
Minho's eyes widened and he leaned down, over the maps. A piercing scream split the air and we all turned towards the sound. "What was that shucking noise?" Minho nearly yelled.
"Jake's been stung. He attacked Clara." Newt replied, solemnly.
Minho and Thomas both looked at me.
"I'm fine guys." I replied, walking out of the hut, ready to be away from the boys. I went to the slammer and peered in at Teresa.
"Clara! Are you alright? I was so worried about you! What happened?"
Her blue eyes searched mine and I smiled down at her. "I'm fine, thank you for your help."
"It's okay. I was just...what happened?" She gripped the bars tightly as I sat down.
"Jake got stung by a griever and attacked me." I nearly whispered to her. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the cell next to her.
"What are they going to do with him now?"
I could hear the fear in her voice and knew she'd feel the same way about banishings as I did. "They're going to banish him. Leave him in the maze for the night. He won't survive it." I replied quietly, glancing around me. "I wish I could just stay in there with you. I hate banishings."
She grinned and patted the space beside her. "There's plenty of room in here for you."
"Clara?"
I turned to see Minho standing back quite away shifting uncomfortably. I looked back at Teresa and grabbed her hand. "See you soon, friend. Thank you for the chat." She squeezed my hand and smiled at me as I climbed to my feet and went to Minho.
"What's up?"
"Newt told me what Jake did. I want to hear it from you though. Nothing happened?" He had a serious expression on his face that touched my heart.
"Nothing happened." I smiled lightly at him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Thank you, Monkey."
"I would have killed him, Pokes. Everyone here would have." He kissed my head lightly and released me, glancing at Teresa over my shoulder. "You just want to sit here with her when it happens?"
It seems everyone knows how I feel about banishings.
"No, she needs to come with us. She needs to see it happen so she can feel safe again. She needs closure." Alby said, walking up behind us. My eyes widened in fear as I looked up at him.
"Please Alby, I don't want to see it."
"I know. But until you do you'll always have that fear that he could try again. I just have a ... feeling that you need this." He smiled softly at me and gestured for me to follow him.
I walked across the glade behind Alby and far enough in front of Minho, who was walking Jake forward, that we couldn't hear any of the obscenities Jake was yelling. Alby continually checked over his shoulder for me to which I always smiled lightly at him in return. "I'm fine Alby."
He nodded and we separated as he went to get his pole. I was standing at the back when I noticed Thomas.
My eyes met his briefly and I could see the anger in his gaze. He clearly heard about what happened too or the details at least, I guess everyone had at this point. The keepers had the pole ready and were just waiting for Minho to return with Jake. I made my way to Thomas' side and Chuck wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back tightly and kissed his head lightly. "Chuck, you don't have to watch this. Why don't you go check on Teresa? I know she'd love your company."
Chuck sighed but then nodded eagerly, dashing towards the slammer.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked the second Chuck was out of earshot.
I nodded, keeping my gaze on the ground. Thomas grabbed my hand. When I looked up at him he smiled lightly. "It's all going to be alright."
I nodded again and smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you."
I returned my attention to the group as Dan made his way over to me. He hugged me briefly before sending me an apologetic smile. "You knew him, he wouldn't have tried anything if he hadn't gotten stung."
I nodded at him with a soft smile. "I know Dan. He was a good kid."
He nodded and returned to where he had come from. Dan was Jake's partner while running the maze, I couldn't imagine how this was affecting him. The group quieted when Minho emerged with Jake. Minho drug him to the center of the circle and I watched Jake as his crazed eyes landed on me. "I only regret not succeeding!" He spat out, angering the boys around him. Minho angrily shoved him to the ground not caring that Jake's head hit the ground pretty hard. He leaned down and strapped the collar on Jake. Jake's crazed eyes met his briefly. "I thought we were friends Minho!" He yelled out with a crazy laugh.
Minho froze and looked back at him. "We were. Then you attacked one of my other friends. You crossed the line Jake, now its time you pay. We'll miss the old you."
Jake looked back at me. "It's not fair that Newt gets the only girl!" He screeched out in pain when the keepers picked up their poles, pushing him towards the maze slowly. "I just wanted a chance!"
"A chance? That's what you called that?" Gally screamed back at him.
"You're bloody lucky we're just sending you out there!" Newt yelled at him.
I sank into Thomas' side not expecting all of the hostility. When they banished Ben it was completely different. Thomas moved me behind him so I wasn't in Jake's direct line of sight anymore. I laid my head against Thomas' shoulder blade, keeping myself hidden from the crazy man in the middle of the circle. He reached back and grasped my hand tightly, watching Jake's breakdown in astonishment.
"I bet she's a good lay!" He laughed again, insanity taking complete control over him.
I could nearly hear the boys growling at him in anger. A few of them shouted out at him. It touched me there were so many people here that cared about me as they did. Thomas turned and wrapped his arms around me, trying to keep me calm. I hadn't even realized I started shaking until he tried to calm me. The doors finally slammed shut with a deafening thud and Minho and Newt ran to my side. I eagerly went to Newt and his arms wrapped me in a tight hug.
"Are you alright?" He whispered, rubbing my back.
"Yeah, it was just... that was so much worse than I anticipated. Have you made any more progress on the maps?"
He pulled back slightly and nodded with a small smile. "Come on, I'll show you." He pulled me to the map room, Thomas and Minho right behind us, and gestured to the crazy piles scattered around the room.
"We have a few more letters but nothing is making sense." Newt mumbled, picking up one of his piles. Thomas and Minho each grabbed a pile of their own while I looked over Newt's shoulder.
Clara? Alby let me out, where are you guys?
I smiled before replying to Teresa. We're heading your way, dinner time.
"I'm starving, let's get some food."
Newt laughed at my sudden statement and nodded. "Yeah, we haven't eaten much today I'm sure you are. Let's go then." He grabbed my hand and pulled me from the hut. Thomas and Minho were walking behind us talking quietly about their day in the maze.
After we got our food we sat at our usual table now including Teresa. She sat next to Thomas, right across from me.
"Clara, tomorrow I want you to go out there with us so you can check out the griever hole. Maybe you'll trigger a memory or something that can help us figure out what's in there." Minho said around bites of food.
I watched in disgust as a piece of potato fell out of his mouth and landed on his plate. And then he ate it.
"Sick! I can't believe you just did that!" I pushed him off the bench, earning a laugh from our large group.
"Every bite counts here Clara!" Minho replied, pushing me in return.
Everyone around us watched us in amusement, everyone aside from Newt.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I whispered to him.
He continued eating as if I hadn't even spoken.
I arched my brow at Thomas, who was watching us, and he shrugged. I elbowed Newt lightly and leaned closer to him. "Hello?"
"You shouldn't go back out there. Clearly it's too dangerous for you." Newt replied, his voice barely a whisper.
I recoiled from him and took another bite of my food. "Why do you have to say it like that?"
I spoke quietly so our conversation would remain ours but the conversation at our table was nearly nonexistent. As if everyone was trying to hear us.
"Because it's true." He shrugged like his words meant nothing as he took another bite. "Maybe the maze is just meant for boys, not you girls. There's only two of you after all."
"Newt, I know you're not a sexist asshole so why don't you just tell me what this is about." I stared pointedly at him ignoring the others watching us.
"It's about the fact that I never wanted you in the maze in the first place and then you get hurt and stuck out there for a whole bloody night and now you're just willing to risk it all again! It's like I'm the only one who cares about you and what you can handle!" He angrily shoved another bite of food in his mouth while I stared, mouth dropped open in astonishment. He did not just say that.
"What? Do you want me to apologize for caring for others?! Yes, I'm willing to get hurt to save everyone else, sue me! I am so sorry that I put my own needs aside for the group. For you. I thought we worked as a team here, am I wrong?"
His hard gaze shifted to meet mine. "You really want to talk about being a team? Team members don't recklessly risk their lives when there's only so many lives to begin with, Clara! What you're doing is crazy and only you would want to do something so stupid anyway. Climb down the griever hole, you're bloody insane."
Tears built in my eyes as his words hit me. I shook my head before getting up and running as fast as my legs would take me to the maze doors. I sank to the ground with my head in my hands and let the silent tears stream down my cheeks.
Small, chubby arms wrapped around me and I pulled Chuck around so I could hug him. I cried into his hair and he clung to me like the best little brother I could have ever asked for.
The night was quiet after that, not many gladers were milling about and even fewer were laughing and having a good time. I sat quietly on one of the tables next to Minho and Thomas while they discussed the strategy for the next day.
Minho had his hand on my shoulder while he talked over me to Thomas since I sat in between them. I stared blankly ahead, not at anything in particular until I was shaken. I looked at the culprit, Minho, who had a worried look on his face. "Clara...are you okay?" He nearly whispered. My eyes watered and I shook my head.
Do you want to talk about it?
I smiled lightly at Thomas before shaking my head and walking away. I started walking not really paying attention to where I was going. I stopped when I was in front of the door that I sat at for a few hours earlier and dropped to my knees. Was it worth it? All I was doing was checking out what could be our potential exit. Our way out. I thought it was well worth it. Newt was being selfish...right?
"Clara?"
I glanced over my shoulder then returned my attention to the door. Alby sat beside me with his arms around his knees. "I heard you aren't talking to anyone."
He looked at me but my gaze remained on the maze. It was the second thing behind the creators that put us here that has ruined our lives. I hated it nearly as much as I hated them.
"Newt's in the deadheads. I checked on him, he's hurting. You two are both hurting separately. That doesn't make since to me." His gaze stayed on me and mine dropped to the ground, another tear rolled down my cheek as I did.
"Clara. Go talk to him. He needs you now. He won't ask for it but he needs your help."
My eyes met his and more tears spilled down my cheeks. "He doesn't want my help." My voice was barely above a whisper but I didn't care, he heard me. He sighed and shook his head lightly. He bumped against my shoulder and scooted closer to me. "You told me earlier that we had somethin' special so I'm gonna expect you to start workin' with me here. Go talk to him. He's been my best friend for three years now and I know what he needs. And that's you." He nodded to me and rose to his feet, holding his hands out to help me up as well. I grabbed his hands and let him pull me up then started towards the deadheads.
I paused when I saw the familiar blond hair coming towards me. Newt's eyes met mine and he stopped walking too. Then at once it was as if we couldn't be together soon enough. We ran towards each other and collided, both of our bodies absorbing each other's impact. My arms wrapped around his neck tightly and his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against him.
"I'm so sorry love. I was way out of line. I shouldn't have said any of that." He started speaking quickly, his accent slurring some of his words together.
"Don't apologize. I should be more considerate to how you feel about this. You never left my side through the changing and I know how hard it was for you to see me through it."
His thumbs gently caressed my cheeks and his eyes watered. "No, my love. I was wrong. You're more than capable of running the maze, you've proved it more times than I can say. I had no right to say what I did." He wiped the tears off my cheeks and kissed my forehead. "You'll go out there tomorrow and I have every confidence that you'll come back to me. Unharmed this time."
"Thank you." I whispered with a small smile. He nodded and grasped my hand, pulling me back towards the homestead. We would go to bed early tonight, tomorrow would be a long day.
A/N: I know this one was slow but I needed it to prepare for the next one! :)