"We're almost there," Minho grunted as he and Thomas carried Alby on their shoulders, "Just another left. The walls should be opening now."

My heart leapt at the thought of seeing Newt and Chuck again. Minho had told me that they were more than likely going to have a Gathering with the whole Glade as soon as they got back, but after that, we could go to sleep.

I felt as though my body was moving itself as I walked down the corridor, hearing the grunts of Minho and Thomas carrying our leader behind them. My legs weighed more than I did, and my eyelids felt like they were going to shut the longer I fought to keep them open. But when I heard the familiar rumbling of the walls, I perked right up.

"Come on," I skipped and took a hold of Alby's legs, moving the machete I had grabbed from the Griever into the loop of my cargo pants. Maybe if I helped the boys with him, we would get there faster. But I stumbled over on a rock, making the two boys laugh a little.

"Just stay behind us, Mae," Minho told me softly, "We got it."

I nodded and pushed myself up off of the ground slowly, moving behind them and kicking the rocks out of the way. My heart raced as I did anything to keep moving, now feeling extremely energetic as I caught sight of the corner, telling me that the Glade was just a few feet away. I taped my fingers on my elbows, keeping my eyes on the boy's feet as they limped and turned the corner.

"Yeah! Yeah!" My head shot up when I heard the familiar high-pitched voice of the little boy. Minho looked back at me and smiled at my reaction, cocking his head towards the open walls, telling me to go for it. Without needing any more of a sign, I pushed around the boys and jogged towards Chuck.

When I approached him, I dropped to my knees and flung my arms around his torso, feeling him do the same not even a second later. He buried his head into my shoulders, and I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I looked up at the boys surrounding us. I smiled and let out a relieved laugh as I felt my stomach suddenly turn as though I was going to be sick. Pulling away from Chuck, I turned around and faced Minho and Thomas, who were staring down at Alby as they laid him on the ground.

Finally getting a good look at him in the light, I saw how bad he really looked. I scooted beside Minho and Thomas as we all breathed heavily, feeling the sudden sting as we sat down finally.

"What happened?" Someone asked. I shook my head and placed my small hand on Alby's forehead, he was still unconscious. As soon as the first question was asked, it was like everyone started yelling at us. I shut my eyes, the feeling of it all becoming too much as my stomach turned once again. I had to swallow the bile that was building up in the back of my throat.

Chuck placed a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up at him, "You saw a Griever?"

Minho and Thomas sighed, while I nodded, "Yeah, we saw one."

Thomas inhaled heavily and let out a loud cough before continuing, and pointing at me, "We were even chased by one. Saved my life. Three times."

"Shut up," I slapped him on the back, not accepting the praise, "You did the same."

Minho shook his head, "These two shanks didn't just see it..."

Thomas and I looked at each other, knowing what Minho was about to say, "They killed it."

Everyone's eyes turned to us, making me want to throw up even more. My eyes shut again as I looked down at Alby, wondering if he was dead or alive. He was stung, but he shouldn't be out for this long. According to Minho, he was out basically the whole day after he hit him with a rock. That's why he was late coming back from the Glade. He was out all night, and when we brought him down from the ivy, he was like deadweight as we took five tries getting him to his feet. Once the boys started carrying him, we didn't stop until we got to the Glade.

I was still so shook up from running from the Griever, all I wanted to do was be alone with my thoughts. Things were changing. We just survived a night in the Maze, something that nobody's done before. Some people were going to be mad, and some people were just going to be glad that we made it out okay. Either way, I wanted no part in it. I wanted to eat Frypans stew, have a big glass of water, shower, and go to sleep for three days.

Opening my eyes again, the first pair they locked with were the beautiful brown orbs of the person I probably missed most. I studied his face, trying to understand what he was thinking, or maybe what he was feeling, but his expressions were blank. He blinked and shook his head, looking back down at Alby.

"Someone take him to the Med-Jack hut," He muttered, standing up, "Gathering in half an hour. Everyone comes."

And with that, Newt walked away, leaving Thomas to run after him. Everyone started to disperse, carrying Alby with them. Minho and I sat on the grass, continuing to breathe heavily as we watched Thomas run after the second in command.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What is he? Like a weird cheetah? Does that even exist? Is that even a thing?"

Minho let out a breathy laugh, standing to his feet, "I think he's just that good..."

"Take me somewhere," I reached up, "I'm gonna puke."

"Me too," He took my hands as we stood up, quickly walking to the forest and throwing up the memories of last night.

When Minho and I were done with our barfing party, I moved to the bathroom, running my mouth underneath the sink to get the disgusting taste out. I quickly did my business and stumbled out, feeling weaker than ever on my legs. Without wanting to talk to anyone, I made my way to the Homestead to change my clothes and get some food. Before I even had the chance to walk up the steps, my stomach let out a loud groan.

"Fine," I muttered to myself, turning to grab something from the kitchen. I walked through the door, this time not hopping over the window. The first thing I pulled from the cabinet was a large cup which I filled with water all the way to the top, chugging the whole thing in less than ten seconds. I threw it into the sink and opened the fridge, immediately grabbing carrots and an apple. I bit into the carrot before the fridge even closed, and I moved out of the kitchen, dreading the painful walk up the stairs.

Staring at the fourteen steps to my room, I shook my head and turned around, deciding to sit at a picnic table instead. I plopped myself down on the bench and held my head in my hand, biting into the apple. I closed my eyes, but immediately opened them, only seeing the face of the Griever screaming as Thomas and I fell down onto the concrete. I silently made a promise to myself that I would get some sleep tonight, even if it meant going outside.

Too lost in my own thoughts, I didn't even notice someone come up and sit beside me, "Mae."

I gasped and shot my head to the side, immediately feeling relief as I saw Thomas's face, "Hey," I greeted him, "You okay?"

He nodded, "Exhausted, but okay. How are you?"

"Tired."

"Yeah," He responded, "I...uhm...I just wanted to thank you."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "For what?"

"Saving me," He shrugged, "And not leaving like Minho did."

"No need to thank me, Tommy," I called him the same name that Newt always did and he smiled, looking down into his lap, "It was the right thing to do. Also, you saved my butt a few times too. If you hadn't snapped me out of it, I don't think I would be here right now."

Thomas laughed, "Yes you would. You're probably the strongest one here."

I lifted my eyes to his, "What? Why?"

"Think about it," He told me, "You came up here surrounded by fifty guys, and according to Chuck, you talked back to Alby."

I sniggered at the memory, feeling like that was just yesterday where I was telling the leader to look into my eyes and not at my body. Who knew that I would be here?

"Yeah, well I was scared... If you ain't scared you ain't human," I looked down at the table, "Alby says that a lot."

"He'll be okay, ya know. Now that he's safe."

"I know," I nodded, messing with a chipping piece of the table, "The Gathering's not gonna be fun for us. Hope you know that. I wouldn't be surprised if we were put in the slammer."

Thomas sighed and looked at the floor. I knew he was only trying to do what was right. He knew how important Alby was to all of us, and he knew that Minho couldn't survive out there by himself. No matter how well he knew the Maze. One of them was bound to die if he didn't go in there. When I shoved my way through the closing walls, I was doing it as an instinct. A protective instinct. I'm sure they would've been fine on their own, but I needed to make sure. I couldn't just wait around all night feeling guilty that I didn't try to help them. I'm sure as hell glad that we survived, but at the same time, I felt bad that I left Newt.

"How is he?" I asked Thomas, who had previously spoken to the boy, "Newt. How is he?"

"With Alby," He sighed again, not meeting my eyes, "Chuck told me that he was a mess when we were gone. He'd never seen him like that. I didn't get any detail, but I don't think it was a great night for him."

"No shit," I responded, "Literally everyone he cared about was behind those walls."

I paused before continuing, "I don't regret what I did. And by that, I mean I don't regret helping you and Minho, I would do it again if it was needed. But... I-I cant help but feel like it might've bene the wrong thing to do. If...If something happened to us, to me or Minho or Alby—even to you, Newt would never be the same. He would beat himself up everyday for it. And I just...left."

"Hey," Thomas was quick to grab my hands, "You did the right thing. If it wasn't for you, I'm not sure Alby would be alive, and I'm sure as hell positive that I wouldn't be. You saved two people's lives last night, risking your own. And you're okay, Newt is in the Med-Jack hut, hell you can go see him right now if you want..."

I looked back up at him through my eyelashes, "What do you think he'll say?"

"I dunno. But it's better to find out now than letting it slip."

He was right. I needed to talk to Newt.

"Let's wait for the Gathering first," I moved my body towards the rest of the Homestead and I bit into the apple again, "Still can't walk. Where's Minho?"

"Last I saw him, he was going to see Alby."

I nodded, deciding to just let them be. Thomas and I engaged in small talk for the rest of the thirty minutes, speaking about nothing in particular. We laughed and reminisced on the crazy night, laughing about some of the stupid things that were said when we were safe again. I told him a few stories that happened when he hadn't come up yet. Things like when I jumped on Minho covered in mud, when Newt and I raided the kitchen, and when Chuck and I pulled the prank on Gally. I told him that I needed to get Chuck to do it with him, because I think that would put him in a much better mood.

Thomas told me what he liked about everyone so far. He told me that he loved Minho's sarcastic comments, but he doesn't laugh half of the time because he always tells them at the wrong time. He told me about how he loves Chuck's company, even if he is downright annoying sometimes. He feels like an older brother towards the kid, like he has to protect him. He loved how Newt always stayed calm, and how he was always so kind to every Glader. Even Gally. He made the right decisions, even if they were hard ones. And he always made sure that everyone was taken care of before he took care of himself. He told me that Newt and I had that in common.

"I don't understand how you two aren't together yet," He muttered under his breath, finally loosening up a bit with me.

I opened my mouth and scoffed, "Well, there's kinda some stuff goin' on at the moment, Tommy..."

He laughed, "Not now... I mean how didn't you get together sometime in the month that you were here?"

I clenched my jaw and looked down at the table, wondering if I should tell him something that I haven't told anyone yet. Occasionally, I had dreams about the boy. The most reoccurring one being that he was being taken away from me. Some nights I hope that it came. Just seeing the way that he looked at me and told me that I was beautiful, and the promise that he repeatedly made. I think I had it memorized by now.

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked him. Thomas furrowed his eyebrows, but nodded, letting me continue, "I...I think that I knew Newt before I came into the Maze."

"What?" He sat up a little bit straighter.

I nodded, "I know it's crazy, cause like—I have no memory. But I...I can feel that I've known him for ages. My whole life actually. The crazy thing is that I've only remembered knowing him for a month."

"That's weird," Thomas blinked, swallowing.

"I know. And I have like...this dream occasionally. In the dream, I looked awful. I looked like I was only skin and bones, and my veins were...they were weird. Like blueish... And I had scratches all over my arms too. But Newt kept repeating this promise to me like a prayer. And then he was taken away....Thomas, I think that was a memory."

He raised his eyebrows in shock, bobbing his mouth open in search for a response, "Do—Have you told him?"

"No," I scoffed, "If I told him, he would probably think I'm crazy."

"I disagree," Thomas smirked, "Just think about it, okay?"

Just as I was about to respond back to him, a little chubby boy burst through the door of the Homestead, his eyes searching around before landing on Thomas and I sitting at a picnic table. He sighed in relief and pointed out to the Glade with his thumb, "Gathering's starting. You guys are the stars. I'm gonna warn you and say that Gally is not happy."

I scoffed, slowly standing up, "Whatever... he's just mad that things are changing."

"So is everyone else," Chuck added, stepping out of the building and walking towards the Council Hall. I looked over at Thomas, who grew ten shades whiter at Chuck's sentence.

"It'll be fine," I placed my hand on his shoulder, leading him out of the building as well, "Just don't speak unless you're spoken to, and for the love of shucking Jesus don't ask any questions."

He nodded, walking beside me in the grass as I limped over towards the Council Hall, still feeling the ache in my left leg. I didn't even notice hitting it against the wall last night, I was kinda preoccupied from running for my life. But I shrugged the pain off, wanting to look it at first before I went to the Med-Jacks. If it was only a bruise, I didn't wanna waste their time.

When we reached the large building in the corner of where the south door met the west door, I looked at Thomas, hearing the muffled murmurs from inside. As a joke, I ran a finger through my tangled hair, pulling away immediately.

"Do I look okay?" I asked him.

Thomas scoffed, "No. But it suits you."

I tilted my head to the side and frowned, "Good enough."

Taking one final last breath, I rolled my shoulders back and kicked the door open with my foot, catching the attention of every boy in the room. They all turned to look at Thomas and I as we walked down the small path where the seats parted. All of the Keepers were lined in the front, facing everyone else, but keeping their gaze on us as we walked to the back corner, sitting down in the chairs of doom.

Their eyes stayed planted on Thomas as he sat up straight, and I sighed, slouching and crossing my arms across my chest, "So are we gonna start this thing or can I go take a nap?"

Minho looked back at the crowd and smirked, catching onto the sass that I was throwing. I didn't look at Newt, scared of the look he was holding on his face. My heart beat inside my chest, but I hid it, trying to send a message to everyone that I have changed. Maybe I haven't changed much, but now they can know that I meant business. Hell, Thomas and I killed a Griever last night. After that, how can anyone not take us seriously?

Gally looked at the Gladers, starting off the meeting, "Things are changing. There's no denying that."

I rolled my eyes and leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees as Gally continued to talk, "First, Mae comes. A girl. Then, Ben gets stung in broad daylight. Then Alby," He turned to us, pointing a finger in our faces, "And now, our Greenies here have taken it upon themselves to go into the Maze. Which is a clear violation of our rules here."

Just as I was about to open my mouth to defend Thomas, the whole room broke out into mutters. I finally looked at Newt, who was watching Gally and leaning against the pole. He looked so good right now. But that's besides the point.

Frypan sighed and spoke above everyone else, "Yeah...but they saved Alby's life."

"Did they?" Gally continued. I looked over at Thomas, who was gripping his knee harshly, keeping himself from interrupting his bully. He met my eyes and I sassily shook my head and rolled my eyes, letting him know I was on his side. He sent me back a small smile.

"For two years, we have coexisted with these things. And now, they've killed one. Who knows what that could mean?" Gally sent the room into another spiral. I tilted my head and met eyes with Minho, who just smirked and looked at Gally as if he was the stupidest person in the world.

Newt stood up straight and looked at Thomas and I, "What really happened back there?"

The Greenie looked at me, and I shrugged, leaning back against the chair, "He probably told you everything."

"Mae."

"Fine," I rolled my eyes, "I got in there, had a small little argument with Minho, we picked up Alby and walked around a bit, trying to find someplace to hide him. I suggested in the ivy, so we hoisted his heavy shucking body all the way up that stupid wall, and then Thomas and I here were chased by a Griever for about fifteen minutes. We fell off a cliff and then Minho finally showed up again and took us through a section that was closing. Thomas, being the dumb shank he is, challenged the Griever, making it run towards us. He squished it through the wall, and I knew he wasn't gonna make it, so I threw a giant knife at the thing and pulled Thomas through. Happy now?"

Everyone blinked and stared at me, but I just kept my eyes locked with Newt, who was keeping the emotionless act up well.

Suddenly, everyone broke out into fits of shouts and whispers, making me roll my eyes and rub my hands over my eyes. The only thing I wanted to do right now was go to sleep and talk to Newt. I didn't want to be surrounded by these people all staring at me.

I mean, I get it—last night needed to be talked about, but couldn't they give us more than thirty minutes to relax?

Gally motioned towards Thomas and I as sort of an I-told-you-so act at Newt. The boy just leaned against his pole and crossed his arms, "Well, what do you suggest we do?"

"They have to be punished," Gally was quick to say.

I clenched my jaw, now feeling the same type of anger Thomas had been trying to hold back. I thought Gally was my friend, but he only cared about the rules. He doesn't want to get out of here. The kid wants to save himself.