Everyone stands in silence, not sure of what to do next. "I... I was so sure he'd come to see you!" Lilly stammers. "Yeah, so was I." You mutter under your breath. "Well let's go get you some food Y/n," Lilly says taking your arm. "No, not yet. I need to talk to Newt." You say refusing to move. Lilly sighs, "Has anyone seen Newt!?" She shouts. All around you people shift uncomfortably, not having seen Newt since earlier that day. Finally, a voice rings out from the back of the crowd. "Minho has! Minho saw him leave!" Not a second later Thomas shoves Minho through the crowd toward you. "Come on Minho, spill," Thomas says. You look to Minho expectedly, but when he doesn't speak you grow impatient. "Minho, where is he?" You ask, voice stern. "He asked me not to tell." Minho mumbles. "Don't tell then. Take me to him." Minho opens his mouth to protest then takes one look at your stern face and shuts it. He turns to walk away, "Follow me." You do as he says, Thomas helping you walk along the way. Minho leads you up to a long hill with a flowering willow tree at the top. Anticipation and wonder fill you as you try and figure out what could be going on with Newt. Why would he just leave you like that? With each shaky step, you draw nearer to your answer. Finally, you reach the top of the hill and see a figure slumped against the trunk of the tree. You turn to Minho and Thomas. "Thanks, guys, I think I can handle it from here." The boys nod and start to make their way back down the hill. "Hey, Y/n," Minho says, "I'll be close by if you need anything, ok?" You smile, "Thanks Minho." You turn your attention back towards the willow tree and take a deep breath. You push away a couple of the long hanging leaves and approach the shadowed figure. "Newt?" You ask, moving cautiously forward. "What are you doing here Y/n?" The familiar voice asks. "I think it's quite obvious." You respond softly. "You should leave." "You know I won't. Not until this, whatever this is, is resolved." Newt stands to his feet and strides over to you. "This can't be resolved. I can't do this anymore." Newt says softly, yet full of anger. You fear what he means but more than anything you're confused by why he's saying it. "Newt what's going on? What do you mean you can't do this anymore?" Newt sighs, turning his gaze to the soil underneath him. "I can't live with this guilt anymore. I almost bloody killed you! I woke up with my hands around your throat. Sitting on you as blood poured out of you. You were smiling when you lost consciousness. And every time I look at you, guilt fills my every thought. It tears me to shreds and I can't live with that. We can't do this. We can't be together." He pauses allowing his words to sink in. "It's best for both of us. You deserve better." He adds.
"No." You say. Then without a second thought, you grab Newt by the back of the head and pull him into a kiss that you'll never forget. You can feel Newt melt into the kiss as he wraps his arms around your waist. You hug him tightly to you, not willing to let go. Newt starts to break the kiss but you just pull him back. You won't let go of him. Not now, not ever. He has to know that. You eventually have to pull apart for air and you smile up at him. And suddenly it's like you're falling in love with him all over again. The way his eyes glimmer in the light of the moon. The way his hair sloppily falls into his face. His voice, his laugh, his smile. All of him. You can't help yourself, you smash your lips onto his kissing him with more fire and more passion than you ever have before. You sink into the warm feeling that sparks through your body like a raging fire. The moment is profoundly tender, full of passionate affection. You feel Newt pull you closer and you smile into the kiss because you know, Newt has changed his mind. You gradually break the kiss and rest your forehead on his. "Are you still so sure that's what's best?" You ask, slightly out of breath. Newt smiles. "I think you've changed my mind. Your techniques of persuasion are annoyingly effective." You laugh, pulling him into a hug. "Just promise me you'll never do anything like that again." "Never again, love."
Later that night...
Newt lay next to you on your medical bed, sleeping peacefully. You gaze up at the wooden ceiling and your mind travels back to the maze, waking up in that strange box. Being terrified of all the boys. You let out a laugh, you were even scared of Newt. There were so many boys in that maze, and to think only five made it to safety. 5 out of 40. You remember being attacked by the Grievers. And that boy they took, the one you tried so hard to save. You still see him in your nightmares. You remember escaping the maze, separated from the boys. Then escaping WICKED, getting shot and choked by Janson. Aris helping treat your wounds. Then the mall where you first encountered Cranks. Poor Winston who got torn apart by the beasts. Traveling through the scorch, getting horribly sunburnt. You remember being struck by lightning with Minho. Then meeting Brenda and Jorge. Brenda helping with your infected gunshot wound. Then Jorge hanging you and your group upside down. WICKED finding you and having to run yet again. Being separated from Thomas and Brenda. Finding Marcus and being attacked by the drunk boys at the party. Then riding in the truck to find the right arm. Meeting Sonya and Harriet. Teresa's betrayal, losing Minho and siding with Thomas to go find him. Failing at the first rescue attempt and hiding in the truck when Newt Thomas and Fry tried to save Minho without you. Nearly dying because of some connected dream with Minho. Meeting Gally again, then infiltrating WICKED. Escaping WICKED and trying to save Newt. All of that, leading up to this. Laying peacefully in bed, next to a cured Newt.
You smile up at the ceiling. It's been a crazy ride.