#beaconfalls iw

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Idle Worship - Thomas

Part Three - Still Into You

// IW1 // IW2 // Series inspo: @writingsbychlo // Series tags: @writingsbychlo @dylinski @moongoddesskiana @technolilly //

Pairing: Thomas x Reader

Word Count: 14,739... I had to fit a whole movie okay!?!

Summary: They survived the Scorch, made it to the Right Arm. But in the midst of what seemed like safety, betrayal rears her ugly head in the form of a friend. To save themselves and their Groups, Y/N and Thomas head back to WICKED. Will Y/N and Thomas be able to look at each other after what they have to do and be able to honestly say “I’m Still Into You.”?

//Quick AN: I know Tommy Month is over so this is late buuuuut i still wanted to post it in all its glory//

“Hello, Thomas.” The woman greeted him.

Even though Brenda had been on the ground, gasping for breath and writhing in pain, you could only focus on Thomas and the strange woman. She was vaguely familiar, but at that point everyone was. Thomas squeezed your hand a bit tighter.

“You know me?” He managed.

“Interesting.” She nodded.”It makes sense they’d put you in the Maze.”

“How do you know about the Maze?” You spoke up, now feeling uneasy. “How do you know him?”

“Ah, Y/N.” She smiled politely. “Good to see that you two found each other. Though I admit, I was worried they’d kill you both after what you two did.”

“What I did?” He mumbled.

“What did we do?” You asked with furrowed brows. You had remembered kneeling in a hallway, being yanked away from Thomas and constantly apologizing to him. But you couldn’t remember any specifics that’d get either of you killed. You hoped it was some weird nightmare, a combination of different memories that weren’t the exact situation, but now it seemed like it was real. 

“The first time we spoke, Thomas, you said you couldn’t take it anymore.” She explained as she examined Brenda. “Watching your friends die, one by one. Watching the person you love struggle and lose herself. The last time we spoke, you gave me the coordinates to every WICKED compound, trial, and lab.”

“He was our source.” Vince realized.

“And you, Y/N.” She said, turning her attention to you. “You realized who they were and were ready to unmask their whole operation years ago. You were the one that opened his eyes. I don’t know what you found, but whatever it was must’ve been big.”

You saw Teresa look at Thomas in disbelief, pain almost. You knew Teresa was the one that trusted WICKED the most. You remembered that when you first saw her. She was WICKED’s goody two shoes. Part of you didn’t trust her, but at least she was familiar.

You stopped listening to the rest of Thomas and the woman’s conversation and tried to pinpoint what Teresa was feeling. Did she feel betrayed? Or was she just as confused as you and Thomas were? She looked as if she wanted to cry, as if she had been punched in the stomach. But what did Teresa have to lose by Thomas helping the Right Arm?

While Thomas went with Mary - you had learned her name a bit after she walked off - you went up to Teresa. You wanted to check on her, to make sure she was with you.

“What are you thinking about?” You asked, walking away from the group with hopes of coaxing the truth from her.

“Thomas set up WICKED.” She said in a somber voice. “He gave them up. What did you find out that turned him against WICKED?”

“I don’t know, probably nothing we don’t already know now. But you saw what they did to us, didn’t you?” You asked, obvious pain in your voice. “Teresa, I know who they are. And they aren’t saviors and they’re not trying to help anyone but themselves. Not everyone in the Mazes are immune, and the Right Arm might be our only chance to help them. To keep them safe.”

“Y/N, I don’t think you made the right choice.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you really wanted to expose WICKED for whatever information you found out, that would’ve been wrong. I know none of us remember what happened back then, but I can’t help but think that we should’ve stayed.”

“They could’ve killed me.” You said simply, stopping your steps and grabbing her arm to stop her too. “They wanted to kill me, which is why they sent me into the Maze. I was a liability. And I remember promising Janson that I’d kill him and I’d end WICKED. Don’t tell me you’d rather be there than here. Please…”

“You didn’t mean that.” She let out a nervous laugh. You noticed she avoided your accusation about where she’d rather be. “You wouldn’t kill anyone, right?”

You paused, rubbing your mouth as you thought. You glanced at your friends who were talking with Vince about something you couldn’t hear. You saw Thomas leaving the tent where Brenda was. He shot you a wide grin when his eyes met yours. You smiled, wiggling your fingers in gesture.

“Y/N. Please tell me you wouldn’t kill anyone.” She nearly begged.

“I’m not going to say that.” You shook your head, backing away from her to meet up with Thomas. “Cause if it meant I would keep what I found, I’d have to.” You shrugged before turning away and finding Thomas already walking towards you.

“Boys are up there.” He said, gesturing to Newt, Minho, and Frypan on top of a small rock ledge. “You coming?”

“I’d follow you anywhere.” You grinned, taking his hand and following him up the rocks. You two made your way to Newt’s other side, you settling in between the two. Thomas kept a loose hold of your hand as you let your feet hang over the edge.

“I wish Alby could’ve seen all this.” Newt sighed, looking over the camp.

“He’s still with us.” You said comfortingly, patting his leg. You remembered Alby from the Compound. He was kind, the type of person that made you laugh even when you didn’t want to. He was honest and a born leader. You felt a bit sad that you didn’t get to meet him again.

“And Winston.” Frypan added.

You all nodded. You didn’t meet Winston. He had died before the boys got to you and you didn’t remember ever meeting him in the Compound.

You felt Thomas slowly pull his hand from yours to go into his pocket. His hand came back into sight with a small, hand carved wooden figurine. He turned it between his fingers, a sad look in his eyes. You gently placed a hand on his arm and leaned onto his shoulder.

“And Chuck.” Thomas said softly.

“He’d be proud of you, you know, Tommy.” Newt said honestly.

“Yeah.” Thomas nodded.

“Y’know, I kinda like that kid.” Frypan said, pointing to Aris, who smiled up at you all and waved excitedly.

“He’s a good guy.” You agreed. “When he first came up in the Box, my girls rioted.” You laughed. “He wouldn’t come out of his room for two days.”

“Eh… I still don’t trust him though.” Minho said, squinting his eyes to emphasize his suspicion. You threw a loose stick at him and laughed.

“Teresa threw rocks at us.” Newt commented, shaking his head with a small smile. “She wouldn’t stop until she heard Thomas.”

“Really?” You lifted your head to look at him with raised eyebrows. “She needed to hear you?” You teased.

Thomas simply laughed and threw an arm over your shoulders. He pulled you close to him and you grinned, curling into his side. “Hey, what’s up with Teresa? Where is she?” Thomas asked, looking over the crowd and not seeing her.

“She’s adjusting, I think.” You reasoned. “I don’t know. She seemed… hesitant to be here, like she doesn’t trust them or something.” You shrugged, trying not to raise any concerns against her. You thought about letting the red flags fly, but you had your own doubts. You didn’t think it was right to try to turn her friends against her.

“She went up there.” Newt said, pointing to a ledge a few feet away. She stood by herself, staring into the distance, almost watching for something. Thomas stood up and headed that way.

“Where are you going?” You asked, grabbing his hand.

“I’ll be right back.” He explained.

“T.” You said, tilting your head and hoping he’d get what you meant.

“I’ll be right back.” He said again, a bit more emphasis on the sentence.

“I’m going with you then.”

“No, Y/N-”

“Too late!” You announced as you stood. “I’m already up.”

“God, get away before I puke.” Minho teased as you followed Thomas towards Teresa.

“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” Thomas chuckled.

“I asked if she’d rather be at WICKED or here…” You said simply. “She didn’t answer and I don’t want to make any assumptions but...”

Thomas looked at you and sighed slightly, understanding what you were proposing. He didn’t want to think that was true, but he knew he couldn’t ignore it. Even if he didn’t remember much, he did remember that Teresa had always been more willing to cooperate and work with WICKED than either of you two ever were.

“You okay?” He asked her as you two met up with her at the top.

“What are you doing up here?” You asked gently.

“Just thinking.” She looked at you two and then back.

Thomas paused and looked to you. You shrugged, not knowing what to say. His head bobbed side to side, running through a couple different things he could say before deciding.

“Alright.” He said, taking your hand to leave. “We’ll let you be alone.”

“Do you remember your mother?” She asked suddenly, causing you and Thomas to freeze.

“Uh…” He stopped to think. He glanced at you and you simply shook your head, knowing if you tried to speak there’d be no sound. The lump in your throat was thick. “I think so..”

“I remember mine.” She said sadly. “She was a beautiful woman.” You could tell she was trying not to cry. “Everybody loved her. Before WICKED, she was all I had.” You and Thomas took a couple steps closer. “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.”

“Why are you telling us this?” You interrupted, your voice tight.

“She was finally quiet.” She ignored your question. “I went down to her room, and there was blood everywhere.”

“Teresa.” You tried again.

“Hey.” Thomas said gently to you. You weren’t sure if he wanted you to calm down for her sake or for yours. But her speech, the sudden mention of losing her mother to the Flare, it left an eerie feeling in the air. It was thick, the tension and build up she seemed to be aiming for. 

“No, why are you telling us this? What did you do?” You quickly realized she was stalling, trying to distract you and Thomas from something. If she wasn’t hiding something or stalling for time, why would she call you both back? Why would the story of her mother be relevant?

“But she was just sat there, calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were gone. She’d taken care of them.” She continued.

“Thomas, I don’t like this.” You shook your head, trying to pull him with you. You felt bad that she had to go through that, that she had to remember that, but you didn’t trust the situation. 

“It’s alright.” He said to you carefully, squeezing your hand in reassurance. It annoyed you that he wouldn’t follow you, but you had hoped you were just being paranoid. You paused your hustle, every muscle fiber in your body wanted to bolt, but the grip he had on you anchored you where you stood.

“She took her eyes out, Thomas.” Teresa said, a break in her voice when she said his name. “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.”

“So you would rather be at WICKED than here.” You nodded in confirmation. “Just go then.”

“Y/N.” Thomas said, his voice asking for you to be nice. She was still his friend after all.

“No, Thomas. I’m tired of being nice.” You shook your head, stepping closer to close the distance between you and Teresa. “If you still think WICKED is trying to help, than go. They got on fine without you and they’ll get on fine if you leave.” You pointed to Newt and Minho since they were the two from Group A that you saw first. “You never cared about me and Thomas, when we were in the Compound. You never cared about all the other kids WICKED was toying with. You never saw anything wrong with taking all of someone’s memories and sending them into a gigantic, concrete, changing Maze to die..”

“Hold on.” Thomas said from your side, gently moving you to put space between you and Teresa. “Teresa, what are you saying?”

Thomas didn’t want to believe it. Teresa was his friend, the only thing that felt truly familiar until he found you again. He knew Teresa was one of WICKED’s most loyal, but he had hope that being with him and you again would show Teresa what was really best.

“I’m saying, I want you to understand.” She pleaded.

“Understand what?” You urged, just waiting for her admittance.

“Why I did it.” She said, finally looking you in the eyes.

You and Thomas saw the lights behind her shoulder. The bright white spots came from over the mountains, only a few miles away. You recognized the faint rumble as the sound of Berg engines. The only people that would have a fleet of Bergs coming your way was WICKED.

“Son of a bitch!” You groaned, quickly climbing down the rocks to get to everyone else.

Safety had felt few and far between since the moment you entered the Maze. Feeling secure was something you had only dreamed of. Hope was a luxury you couldn’t afford. But when you and your friends finally made it to Vince and the rest of the Right Arm, you felt like you could actually breathe for the first time. You felt a weight being lifted off your chest, a fear disappearing from your heart. It truly felt like you were safe, until you saw those lights.

You had gotten too comfortable, too trusting. You were there less than a few hours and it all fell apart. You felt anger burn your veins when it happened. You wanted to tear her apart, burn down the world and dance in the ashes. The betrayal made your vision red, a blacked out anger overtook you. Teresa had been your downfall.

The missile landed before you could reach everyone. The impact shook the ground and you nearly lost your footing. Thomas caught you and you stopped for a minute, staring at the new flames around the camp. You felt guilt eating at you, but you pushed it deep down and hurried into action. You grabbed the first gun you saw and began firing.

You found Minho and Newt offering cover for Vince and Harriet. You knelt near the bed of the truck, using it to shield your body. You popped out and took out a couple guards at a time, trying to protect the rest of your friends. You heard Thomas yelling from a few feet away, but your brain didn’t register what he said or where he was.

“Shit.” You mumbled. “I’m out.” You yelled, slinging the rifle over your shoulder just in case you were able to reload later.

You were the only one that saw the guard twisting the Shock Grenade. 

“Watch out!” You yelled, trying to pull Harriet and Minho out of the way but it was too late. You let go just before the electricity could transfer to you. You quickly crawled out the way, knowing you needed to find Thomas and think of a plan. You wouldn’t be able to save everyone by yourself.

He was hidden behind a truck with Brenda and Jorge, who were talking about running. Thomas was quiet but you could see the gears turning in his head. His mind was racing. He was trying to figure out where you were, how to help everyone, and how to get rid of WICKED. His thoughts showed when he heard your voice beside him.

“Thank God, you’re alright.” You said as you met up with him. “We can’t run from this.” You told Jorge. “You can, but my fight with them isn’t over.”

“Neither is mine.” Thomas agreed.

“You’re both idiots.” Brenda sighed in annoyance. “There’s no way you’re gonna beat them.”

You peaked around the side of the truck bed, ignoring the conversation happening next to you and hoping to come up with a new plan, but there were too many. You couldn’t win. So you did the only thing you thought you could do. You had to surrender because maybe they’d take you instead of anyone else.

“As soon as you get your chance, you need to go. You need to run and you need to run fast.” You explained before you pushed your way to the front of the truck, making sure Thomas wasn’t following you. You brought the strap of the gun over your head and dropped it to the floor before you took a few more steps, raised your hands behind your head, and dropped to your knees.

“What are you doing?” Thomas asked, suddenly at your side. He pulled you up by your arm and away from the approaching WICKED soldiers.

“I’m taking the fall.” You pulled your arm away angrily. “It’s the only way to keep them safe. To keep you safe, dumbass.” You shoved his chest, hoping he’d take the hint to go. “Go!”

“It’s my turn.” He dropped to his knees, palms up in surrender.

“Too late.” You winked as you knelt once again. “I already surrendered.”

“I love you.” He chuckled.

“I love you too.” You blew him a kiss as the guards roughly pulled your arms down and twisted them behind your back.

You were both hauled to your feet and dragged to the rest of the kids, neither guard cared to be considerate with you. You were separated from the adults, and the guards made a point for you two to be placed in front of everyone. You and Thomas were singled out next to each other at the very front, only you two.

“I’ll kill her.” You sneered as you were shoved to your knees in front of everyone. Thomas was shoved down beside you, Newt and Minho right behind you. “I thought you were our friend, that you cared about us!” You screamed at Teresa, who wasn’t there but you had just needed to say it. You hoped she had to be close enough to hear. 

“Is everyone alright?” You asked, keeping your eyes forward to prove a point. You were nothing if it petty. “Anyone hurt?”

Everyone mumbled an answer. Most said they were fine. You heard a couple complain about being handled too harshly. At least none of the kids were hurt too badly.

“Quiet in the front!” A guard announced.

You saw Sonya being shoved down in the row right behind you. Anger bubbled in your chest again. It made your veins hot, every muscle in your body tensed. It took every ounce of restraint that you had to keep yourself planted on the floor beside Thomas. Your hands balled into fists at your sides, nails digging into your palm. You knew you should bite your tongue, keep quiet and not cause a problem. But you never were compliant with WICKED.

“Sonya, you alright?” You asked again.

“Quiet!”

“I’m trying to check on my friend, you dick.” You replied before the back of a hand collided with your face.

Your head jerked to the side and you chuckled in annoyance. The impact split open you lip and the whole camp fell silent, if only for a moment. You lifted your head and spit the blood from your mouth at the guard’s feet. A few of your friends hollered in approval while the next WICKED guard handled you like a rag doll.

Your head was shoved down and you heard the whirl of a scanner. “B2.” The guard announced. He moved over and scanned Thomas. “A2.”

“How many did we get?” Janson asked as he walked up, a pride in his stride that made you feel sick.

‘It’ll be better once you’re dead and WICKED is gone.’

‘Is that a threat?’

‘Not at all… It's a promise.’

“All of them.. Give or take.” A WICKED staff member replied.

“Give or take what?” Janson asked in annoyance. “Ah, B2. How are you?” He smiled widely when he saw you front and center.

“You may think I forgot, but I’ll make good on my promise, Rat Man.” You replied simply, a smirk growing. “I guarantee that I’ll watch you die before you kill me.”

“And where’s…” He began to ask before seeing him next to you. “Thomas.” He motioned for Thomas to stand before punching him in the stomach.

You jumped to your feet, your hand in a tight fist. You swung your arm back before a guard hooked his arm through yours and yanked it behind your back. He drove a knee into your stomach for good measure before and slammed an elbow against your spine.

The impact knocked the air from your lungs. You coughed violently, trying to open your airway. The guard’s grip only tightened on your arm as he yanked you to stand straight. Janson sucked his teeth and shook his head in disappointment, wanting to comment on how you were wasted potential but decided against it. 

“Get them in line.” Janson said with his back towards you.

“You should’ve ran.” Minho said to you two as you were shoved roughly to the ground again next to the rest of the kids.

“I’m tired of running.” Thomas said with determination.

“Too much fun going on here to run.” You tried to joke, still trying to fully fill your lungs. “Besides, I said I’d kill that guy so I have an obligation to be here. Plus, you all wouldn’t survive a day without me, especially not if they take us back to the Compound.”

Any argument was cut off by a new Berg landing. A woman in all white, surrounded by heavily armed guards, exited the chopper and headed towards you. She stopped to talk to Janson before approaching all of you.

Some of your friends were herded onto a helicopter as you and Thomas were shoved to stand in front of the woman in white. You didn’t even have a chance to fight for them before you realized who stood before you. You scoffed silently, a familiar disgust settling in your stomach.

“Hello, Thomas.” She greeted politely. “Hello, Y/N. I see you’re the same troublemakers you were before the Maze.” She smiled fondly, as if the memory of you two brought her joy. Or maybe she was just happy to have caught back up with her favorite toys.

“And I see you faked your death.” You commented honestly as Teresa approached you three. “Just another lie from WICKED.”

“I’m glad you're safe.” Ava told Teresa as the girl slowly approached the conversation.

“You’re a traitor.” You said to Teresa, taking a step forward only to be yanked back by the guards. “You betrayed your friends and for what? For some lying bag of bones in a white coat? We helped you. I helped you when I didn’t have to. And this is how you repay me? How you repay my girls, huh? By turning us in to the people who took everything from us?” You chuckled in annoyance. “I promise you that I will personally see to it that you regret every decision you ever made. Even before the Maze.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Newt asked carefully.

“You wanna tell them or should I?” You asked Thomas.

“She’s with them.” He said simply.

“Since when?’ Minho asked angrily.

“Oh, Teresa’s always had an evolved appreciation of the greater good.” Janson explained. “Once we restored her memories, it was only a matter of time.”

“Why are you always around?” You asked suddenly, unable to control your anger. “Don’t you have something better to do than lurk around teenagers?”

“I’m sorry.” Teresa pleaded, looking between the Gladers. “I had no choice. This is the only way. We have to find a cure.”

“One more.” You said, rubbing your temples. “One more stupid sentence out of your face and I’m going to knock your teeth out.”

“This is all just a means to an end.” Ava explained. “You both used to understand that. No matter what you think of me, I am not a monster. I am a doctor. I swore an oath to find a cure!”

“No, you are a liar.” You countered. “You always were and WICKED will always be a lie.”

‘You are doing tremendous here, B2.’ Ava had praised when you first met her. It was soon after your arrival that you spoke to her. ‘You are extraordinary.’

‘Thank you.’ You were proud, thinking you were truly doing something good.

‘I swore an oath.’ She explained. ‘An oath to find a cure and save everyone. Tell me. Who did you lose to the Flare?’

‘What do you mean?’ You had laughed nervously. ‘I didn’t lose anyone.’

‘Hmm.’ She had hummed. ‘You entered our program early enough that you didn’t see any changes in people you love. In any case, it’s a nasty virus. It’s best that you didn’t see it.’

‘I don’t understand.’ You had been confused. ‘My family said they were going to be okay.’

‘They will be.’ She had nodded, but her voice was generic. There was no reassurance in her tone. ‘Thanks to you.’

You didn’t have time to register what had happened next. You had been too lost in the flash of the memory. Mary was killed. Thomas shoved you away. When you looked up at him, he had a grenade in one hand and a detonator in the other. You didn’t even know where he got that from. Everyone was yelling, some yelling at Thomas to put it down and Thomas was yelling for everyone to stay back. Newt helped you to your feet as you watched in shock. Neither you nor the blond knew what to do next, so you simply watched in stunned silence.

“Thomas, please stop.” Teresa begged. “I made a deal with them. They promised we’d be safe, all of us. We-”

“You-” You began loudly, cutting off her next sentence. “You don’t get to talk to him, not anymore! You burnt that bridge when you called them.” You aggressively pointed to Janson and Ava beside her. “Ava told me that my family would be okay, that I’d be able to help them.”

“Please, Y/N.” She tried. “I- There was- This is the only way we can help!”

A guard had dropped their pistol so you picked it up, swung it around a bit as you talked. “When we got the Compound, after the Maze, I looked at the list of who was in the Compound. My family wasn’t listed… No one else in WICKED’s system had my last name, which is Y/L/N in case you were wondering. I remembered it when we got out. Anyways, you wanna know where they were listed? The Known Casualties list. My family is dead because of WICKED, and their egos.” You used the gun to point at Ava and the Rat Man before lifting it to point at yourself. The sudden action drew a gasp from Teresa. “I’d rather die than go with them, no matter who made any kind of deals. WICKED doesn’t keep promises.”

“We’ll be safe.” She pressed desperately.

“And we’re supposed to trust you now?” Thomas replied anxiously.

You made your way closer to him, keeping the gun resting on your shoulder and your finger on the trigger. You could see the tension in his body, the tight grip he had on either device in his hands. But once he looked at you, saw the way you looked at him, he relaxed the slightest bit. He knew he wasn’t alone in that fight, that you would be right beside him through it all. He had never been so thankful for someone’s presence more than he was thankful for yours in that moment.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” You mumbled. “Even if you’re the smarter one between us, you’re looking real dumb right now.”

“I didn’t know what else to do.” He muttered in reply. You simply nodded, telling him it was okay and that you’d figure out a way out that didn’t involve anyone else dying.

Ava was trying to talk Thomas down. Soon Janson joined in. You saw his resolve waiver, felt your own hand trembling. You had to say something then, something real.

“Thomas.” You said gently. “You’re not alone, okay? I’m right here. I’m with you. Hey.” He looked at you, eyes filled with tears. “I’d follow you anywhere, remember?”

Newt, Minho, and Frypan closed in. You thought they were going to try to stop you two. “We’re with you guys.” Newt confirmed, leaving you pleasantly surprised.

“We’re not going back there.” Thomas shook his head.

“If this is the only way, so be it.” You sighed, closing your eyes and lifting the gun. You let out a quivering breath, waiting for the click of the detonator. But it never went off. Your nerves were through the roof, anxiety and fear tracing every nerve in your body, until a loud noise from behind you drew your attention. You turned to where the sound was coming from. Your brain was finally able to process what it was, Jorge honking the horn of a truck and ramming through anything in his path, which included a Berg.

Thomas pulled you to the ground to make sure you didn’t get hit by any loose debris. You had dropped the gun, not entirely sure if you did so purposefully or not. You watched WICKED guards run, pushing Ava to safety.

“You alright?” Thomas asked as he helped you to your feet.

“Uh, hit the ground kinda hard but other than that, I’m good.” You nodded, rubbing your shoulder that you had landed on. “What about you?”

“As long as you’re okay, I’m fine.” He said quickly, offering a quick smile before turning to the boys. “You guys good?”

They nodded, offering thumbs up. A group of guards trained their guns on you and your friends, so Thomas threw the grenade at them and pushed your small group to a safe distance. You two were getting to your feet when Janson came running through the smoke and smacked you both back to the ground. He stood on Thomas, pinning him down by his chest, while he pulled out and cocked his gun.

“What a waste.” He commented.

You found the gun you had earlier and quickly fired, aiming at whatever part of Janson you could. You didn’t care where he got hit, but you were glad to see he did. The bullet knocked him off balance, allowing Thomas to get up. You grabbed him by his arm, helping him to his feet, and began to pull him to the rest of your friends. You saw Brenda out the corner of your eyes with a sniper, following behind you two. She nodded, signaling to you that she had you two covered.

You found the boys, Minho stayed behind to allow time for the rest of you to run. You hesitated, reaching out for Minho’s arm. You couldn’t let him stay behind.

“Let’s go!” Thomas yelled. You weren’t sure if it was for you, Minho, or both. Every cell in your body screamed for you to follow Thomas, to run as fast as you could and save your ass. But the scene in front of you was all too familiar. Guards closing in. One person in their sights, no restraint on what they were willing to do. It reminded you of the time it had happened to you, in the Compound. Only difference was that they needed you kids alive then.

“Minho, we gotta go.” You said urgently, seeing the guards closing in. “I’ve been here before and it won’t end well for whoever they get their hands on, please.”

“I got this, Y/N! Go!” He urged.

“No, not without you.” You countered defiantly. “What about your friends? Minho, these guards will kill whoever they have to.”

“Then it better not be you.” Minho replied, pushing you away and towards Thomas before you could get a word out. Thomas dragged you to kneel behind a few crates where Newt and Frypan were. You struggled in his firm grip, wanting to go and help your friend. But Thomas kept tight hold of you, refusing to let you go and risk losing you again. The only thing that kept you four behind the crates were the gunshots. They were too close to avoid so you had to stay put.

Watching that hatch close, you felt so much and you felt nothing. You hated Teresa, hated the thought of her. You wanted to burn WICKED to the ground, and everyone involved with that disgusting organization. You felt guilty, felt that it was your fault that Minho was taken. He had made sure you were safe before worrying about himself. You were sad, sad that you had lost two friends in one night, both in different ways. But despite everything, you felt so hollow. You felt numb. How long could WICKED take things from you?

You couldn’t even think about sleep that night. The next morning, you sat with Thomas in the bed of one of the trucks. You leaned your back against the cold metal, a stark contrast to your burning skin. You kept a knee up, one of your hands draped lazily on top of it, while Thomas sat near the tailgate.

“What do we do now?” Frypan asked no one in particular.

“We pick up what’s left of us.” Vince explained. “We stick to the plan. We get you kids to the Safe Haven. Then we start over, I guess.”

Thomas stood suddenly, with determination. “I’m not going with you.” He said simply.

“What?” Vince asked.

You stood slowly, not wanting to take his attention away. You took a few careful steps towards your boyfriend, standing near him as he spoke again.

“I made a promise to Minho.” Thomas replied. “I wouldn’t leave him behind. I have to go after him.”

“WICKED just kicked our ass.” Vince said, throwing his arms to his side in a grand gesture to the ruins you were left in. “Think about where you’re headed.”

“I’m not asking anyone to come with me.” Thomas shrugged.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” You said softly as you remembered just days ago when he was willing to follow you out here to the Right Arm, giving a small nod when he looked your way and knew where your head was at. “Let’s go… I’d follow you anywhere.”

“Thomas, Y/N, listen to me.” Newt tried to reason. “I’ve known Minho for… well, as long as I can remember. So if there was any way that we could help him, trust me, I would be up there standing next to you two. This, what you’re talking about… It’s impossible.”

“More like suicide.” Jorge added.

“Maybe.” Thomas agreed.

“That’s what you guys thought a few days ago, when I told you I wanted to bring us to the Right Arm.” You interjected. “You laughed at the thought of ‘Mountain People’ and wanted to stay in that building. If we stayed, we’d be caught by WICKED. All of us… We owe it to Minho to at least try. I lost friends too, friends that I promised we’d stay together. Aris and Sonya are counting on me and if we-” You gestured between you and Thomas. “-are the only ones that are willing to fight back, so be it. I’m not going to stay here and hide while anything could be happening to them.”

“I know what I’m supposed to do now.” Thomas continued. “It’s not just about Minho. It’s about all of us. It’s about everyone WICKED’s ever taken, everyone they will take.”

“They’ll never stop.” You agreed.

“They’ll never stop-” Thomas repeated. “So I’m gonna stop them. I’m gonna kill Ava Paige.”

“And I promised to kill Janson, so I’m right there with you.” You nodded.

Silence fell over the camp. Everyone was digesting his speech, wondering what they should do next. Harriet was the first to agree, saying she wanted revenge. Vince agreed that it was a good speech, but he wanted to know your plan. You didn’t exactly have one so you looked to Thomas.

“How does WICKED do ground transport?” Thomas asked. “Things that are too big, too heavy for a helicopter.”

“There’s gotta be a route or maybe-” You tried to work out.

“Maybe a train.” Vince finished. “There’s tracks maybe a half a day’s drive. We ambush the train, get your friend, and we go from there.”

A few months passed and the fight was on. Jorge and Brenda distracted the conductors while you and Thomas rode with Vince, coming at the train from the back. You were nervous. You had no idea if your plan would work, or if Minho was even on this train. WICKED had to have more than one train, and with there being at least four cargo cars, there was a chance Minho wasn’t there. The truck rumbled dramatically on the gravel, following the path of the tracks, and the constantly bouncing in your seat made you focus on your task. There was no passenger door, so Thomas opted to sit up front.

As Vince got you closer and closer to the train, you two had to act fast. You used the passenger seat as footing and pushed yourself up through the sunroof and onto the roof of the car. Thomas crawled out where the door should’ve been, climbing around to the hood. You waited on top of the car, not wanting to block Vince’s line of sight since Thomas was already on the hood.

“Get us closer!” Thomas yelled as the realization of what you were doing was setting in.

Anticipation had been building amongst you and your peers quickly in the months leading to that moment. You felt as if you were laced with electricity, every movement sent a tingle through your body. You had no idea what would happen. You hoped it would go to plan, but WICKED was always unpredictable.

Thomas hooked the car before taking the jump first. You slid down the windshield, Thomas waiting with his hand reached out for you to help you over. You shook your head slightly, telling yourself it was crazy before taking his hand and hopping to the train. The car’s passenger tire blew before Vince could get over, nearly throwing him to the desert ground. With your boyfriend’s help, Vince made the jump before the lead snapped and the car flipped. Before you three could get in the cars, you saw WICKED’s Berg on its way and taking shots at Brenda and Jorge.

Brenda and Jorge were able to lure the aircraft away, leaving the three of you to board and take over the train. You had never thought you’d be running over the top of a train moving full speed, but the world was different. The armed guards approaching from the other side quickly reminded you of that.

Vince jumped down to release the coupler and separate the car you were on from the cars the guards were coming from. The coupler was too tight so you had to blow it. You and Thomas provided cover fire for Vince while he set the charge. You two got back to Vince and the cars you needed just before the device went off. The explosion triggered the emergency brake so the cargo cars slowly rolled to a stop.

You called for Newt, who was hiding behind a boulder. He jumped out and hurried over, ready to cut through the steel of the train car. While the rest of your crew was helping Brenda and Jorge take the Berg, you and the two boys were trying to find the car Minho was in. Once that was figured out, you noticed the incoming WICKED guards.

“These guys really won’t quit.” You sighed heavily. “Head’s up, boys!”

You and Thomas did what you could with your handguns, not hitting any of the guards. You knew the distance was too far, that the bullets wouldn’t travel far enough, but maybe the shots would be enough to keep them back. Newt had cut the locks off the car, now free to be carried off. You just had to wait on Harriet and the Berg.

After what felt like an eternity, which was realistically a few minutes at most, Harriet arrived. Vince and Newt made it to the top. With the help of a few boys from the Berg, you got the car hooked and was able to carry it off safely.

Once you all arrived back to your temporary home, you got the doors open and rushed inside. You found Aris and Sonya close to the front, your attention changing to focus on them as relief flooded your body. You hugged them tightly, Harriet hurrying to get bolt cutters once she saw them.

“You guys okay?” You asked them, kneeling at the end of their aisle. “I promised we’d stay together, didn’t I?”

Aris smiled in relief and nodded. “We’re okay. How did you find us?”

“Well, Thomas wanted to come get Minho.” You explained. “And I know it’d be my best chance to get you guys back so I wasn;t gonna let him come alone.”

“He’s not here.” You heard Thomas say, and you could see in his face that his heart sank.

While Vince was trying to inspire the new kids, you found Thomas leaning against a wall away from everyone else. You came up behind him, hooking an arm through his and leaning against his shoulder. He turned his head to meet your eyes and sighed before putting a hand over yours.

“You okay?” You asked softly. “I mean, I know you’re not but… What’s on your mind, T?”

“We had one chance to get him.. And we didn’t.” He said sadly. “We got Aris and Sonya, which is great, but..”

“But it’s still not Minho.” You finished for him. “I get it.”

“We’re not gonna get that chance again.”

“No, we won’t.” You shrugged. “But we’ll figure something out. I promised those two we’d stay together.” You pointed gestured to that last area you saw Aris and Sonya.. “And you promised Minho you wouldn’t leave him behind. I get to keep my promise and you’ll get to keep yours.”

“What if we can’t get him back?” He had nearly given up.

“Then we can die trying.” You said plainly. “Thomas, you are too close to give up now. Wanna know what else I promised?”

“Was it a promise to me?” He teased.

“I made many promises to you.” You smiled. “But I’m talking about my promise to Janson, to kill him. What happened to you wanting to take out Ava? We can still do it, T. We just need a new plan.”

“You think we can do it in two days?” He pushed off the wall and turned to face you. Your arm had fallen away, but your two fingers hooked around his.

“Yeah.” You nodded slowly. “But probably not by ourselves. We’re gonna need help, c’mon.” You grabbed his hand fully and led him to a few people you thought would be willing to help if you asked. “But first..” You led him into the small building where Newt asked you to meet him. Sonya, Newt, Brenda, Aris, and Harriet were waiting for you two.

“Took you guys long enough to rescue us.” Aris teased as you two knelt in front of him, drawing a small laugh from you both.

“It’s good to see you too, bud.” Thomas replied gently.

“What happened?” You asked your friend.

“I fought back..” Aris explained. “Tried to, anyway.”

“You’re lucky you found us at all.” Sonya said softly. “They had us on the move a lot. It felt like something big was happening.”

“Any idea where they were heading?” Newt asked.

“All I know is..” Aris paused to think. “They kept talking about a city.”

“I didn’t think there were any cities left.” Harriet said in confusion.

“Cause there’s not.” Brenda confirmed. “None still standing, anyways.”

“Alright, well, what about Minho?” You asked, redirecting attention back to your primary goal. “Why wasn’t he on the train?”

“I’m sorry, Thomas.” Aris said carefully, looking at Thomas with regretful eyes. “He was.”

Later that night, you and Thomas rallied a small group to try to convince Vince to make a second trip. It was a few hundred miles away. There were railroad tracks you could follow, and Thomas estimated it would take less than a week. But the man wasn’t convinced. He said there were too many kids, and it was too risky to stay where they were for too long. But Jorge came in and explained what he knew about the city.

It was WICKED’s home base, its place of operations. Jorge called it the lion’s den. You had a feeling that if you and Thomas went there, it’d be hard to get out. And not just because you were immune, but because you were A2 and B2, two of WICKED’s most promising candidates. But no matter what you and Thomas said, Vince wouldn’t budge. The only distraction from the heated discussion was in the incoming Berg, looking to scan the area next to where you all were currently hiding. You, Thomas, and Vince ran outside to see just close they were.

“We can’t stay here.” Thomas agreed sadly. Once Vince went back inside, you nudged Thomas.

The fact that they were only a few miles away from you made you anxious. It made your fingers twitch, your skin tingle. You’d never be safe if you stayed where you were. You had to leave within the next two days, but you couldn’t leave without Minho.

“We’re gonna get him, right?” You raised your eyebrows.

He nodded slightly. “Yeah. Yeah, we are. We’ll go tonight.”

Later that night, you were waiting for Thomas to sneak out. You sat in the back of one of the trucks, your backpack by your side and your feet bouncing. 

“What are you doing up?” Newt asked from your side, causing you to jump.

“Jesus!” You exclaimed before smacking his arm. “Shut up! You’re gonna get me in trouble.”

Newt laughed and sat down in the open space beside you. “Do you remember when we were at WICKED, before the Maze? Me, you, and Tommy would sneak out through the vents until we found somewhere we could see the sky.”

“Thomas would rant about light pollution and how that’s the reason we didn’t see stars as bright as we do now.” You smiled. “You said we just didn’t need them to be as bright as we do now.”

“We don’t know what we need until it’s gone.” Newt nodded slowly. “And I need my friends. I need you and Thomas… And Minho.”

“It’s a suicide mission, Newt.” You said simply, knowing if he really wanted to go and help that you weren’t going to stop him.

“Eh.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Tried that before.”

“Don’t joke like that.” You said seriously.

“But I’m still here, so I’d like to think I’m pretty bloody invincible.” He joked as Thomas came up. “Where do you think you’re going then?” He asked Thomas, who looked around his friend to you for an answer to his unspoken question. “Don’t be a twat about it. I’m already in.”

Thomas tried one last time to convince Newt to stay back but you already knew the blond was committed. Newt climbed in the driver’s seat as you shut the door and came to Thomas’ side.

“We can’t do this alone.” You said simply. “You wanted help and here it is.”

He hesitated before agreeing. “I know but-”

“Now is not the time to be picky.” You interrupted gently. “He knows the risks and he’s willing to help because Minho means just as much to him as Minho means to you.” You turned to get into the truck with Thomas when you saw Frypan sitting in the front seat, talking to Newt.

“Fry?” You asked with furrowed brows, not knowing when he got into the truck.

“We started this together… Might as well end it that way.” Newt explained.

“Let’s go get him back.” Thomas nodded in determination.

“Hell yeah.” You celebrated quietly as you climbed into your seat and the long drive began.

None of you knew what was happening to Minho, what horrific tests WICKED was running. You didn’t even want to think about how Teresa was taking part. But you knew that you had to do something, and nothing was going to stop your small group from getting him back. He belonged with Newt and Thomas and Fry. He belonged with his friends.

But the universe didn’t make it easy. The first problem you came across was the tunnel. It sent a shiver down your spine, the grotesque cries and moans sounding from the tunnel making your skin crawl.

“I don’t want to come across as too negative, but if I was a Crank, that’s exactly where I would be.” Newt said jokingly, gesturing to the long and dark tunnel in front of you.

“Yeah, I’m not feeling too hot on this either.” You agreed with Newt.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice.” Thomas said as he folded the map.

“Well… I guess I’ll drive.” You shrugged, headed back to the truck.

The tunnel was eerie. The rumble of the engine and the sound of the tires echoed down the concrete structure. Abandoned cars littered the path but not a living soul in sight.

“Just take it nice and slow.” Newt explained.

“I was thinking of going full speed just to get it over with.” You countered casually. You hit the brakes when you saw a Crank in the middle of the road. You looked in the rear view and saw Fry and Newt looking rather unsure of themselves.

“It’s alright.” Thomas said. “It’s just one… Just take it slow and go around him.”

“I should just run him over.” You said, lifting your shoulders in a long shrug as you turned your attention to the road. But you were still for too long.

A Crank was at either rear window, begging for the boys to let them in. Before you knew it, there were Cranks at the front windows too.

“Still want me to take it slow?” You said in annoyance as you stepped on the gas. As you were driving, a Crank jumped onto the hood and began trying to smash the windshield in. You managed to knock him off, but the chaos caused you to run over a barrel and flip the truck.

You and Thomas kicked the windshield out so you could climb out. You tried to settle your dizziness as Thomas helped get Fry and Newt out. The sound of the crash drew in more Cranks and soon you were all running as fast as you could, even if your vision was blurry and your head pounded with every step you took. But before you could reach the end of the tunnel, Cranks began closing in from the other side. Luckily, Brenda and Jorge came just in time to save your asses.

Once you were all safely out of the tunnel, Brenda turned around from her seat to glare at you two. You and Thomas sat in the back, Newt and Fry sitting in the bed of the truck.

“I’m sorry!” You said quickly before she could say anything. “I didn’t wanna bring you into this!”

“Wha- You didn’t tell them?” Thomas asked you.

“Neither did you!” You defended yourself.

“I think they’re trying to say thanks for saving us.” Fry jumped in.

“Yeah.” You nodded. “Thanks for saving our asses. I owe you.”

“Hell yeah you do.” She agreed with a laugh.

Once you were a safe distance from the tunnel, you pulled over to admire the city. There was a thick concrete wall, two stories high and circling the city. The buildings ran even higher. You couldn’t even count how many stories.

“Funny… Spent three years trapped behind walls, trying to break out.” Newt said casually. “And now we wanna break back in.”

“Yeah.. Hilarious.” You replied sarcastically, shoving him slightly. “Guess we’ve come full circle or whatever I remember I wanted out of that place more than anything in the world… And now we need to get back in.”

“So how do we get in?” Thomas asked.

“Don’t ask me, hermano.” Jorge laughed. “Those walls are new. Guess that’s WICKED’s answer for everything, eh?”

Brenda got everyone into the truck, but Newt and Thomas stepped away a bit to talk. When Brenda tried to hurry them, you waved her off. You stayed by the truck but didn’t get in, wondering what they were talking about.

“She’s gonna be there too. You know that, right?” You heard Newt ask Thomas, making your eyebrows raise slightly.

‘She’s nothing but trouble, A2.’ It had been Teresa’s voice. You had been looking for Thomas during Early Leisure one day, wanting to bring him to the rest of the kids to hang out with. ‘You deserve someone better. She’s going to drag you down and ruin your chances!’

‘My name is Thomas.’ He had argued. ‘And- And maybe she’s right!’

‘Don’t do that. Please.’

‘I love her.’ He has said firmly. ‘I’ll always love her.’

‘I love you, Thomas.’ She had confessed. ‘Please, make the right choice.’

“Doesn’t matter.” Thomas shrugged. “Y/N is here and Minho is in there… It’ll be alright.”

The city was chaos. The people were rioting at the Wall. They were throwing rocks, chanting, screaming. WICKED let the people suffer, let them panic, let them riot. There was a group with a motorcade, gas masks, and a bullhorn trying to rally the masses. WICKED had guns embedded in the wall and it was the only thing that stopped the riot. But running from the gun fire led you all into the arms of the guys with the gas masks.

Once you were all out of the vans and Brenda had calmed Jorge, one of them finally spoke. You didn’t like the situation. You were extremely outnumbered, outgunned, and out of place. You didn’t understand what they wanted with you and your friends. But you had prepared yourself for a fight.

“We’re all on the same side here.” His voice was muffled from the mask.

“Who the hell are you?” Thomas asked angrily. You reached out for his hand, lacing his fingers through his and pulling him back to you. “You okay?” He asked you quickly, the tension in his body melting into a soft concern. A look that he only gave you.

“Just stay close to me, please.” You whispered and he squeezed your hand in reassurance. Once his eyes left you, his body tensed slightly.

The boy removed the mask, revealing a vaguely familiar face that Thomas seemed to know. He let go of your hand and punched the boy in the face. He knocked the boy to the ground, climbing on top of him. Once the guns were drawn, you and Newt jumped in to stop it.

“Hey, hey, hey!” You said quickly as Newt grabbed his hand. You knelt by Newt’s side, reaching around him to put a hand on Thomas’ chest. “Stop! Stop it, alright?”

“He killed Chuck.” Thomas shook his head slightly. You paused and inched back. You stood and lifted your hands in surrender.

“Y/N?” Newt asked quickly, as if you were crazy for backing off.

“I’m not getting involved in this one.” You refused to interfere anymore.

“Look, I know.” Newt told Thomas, trying to console him. “I remember. I was there too, all right? But I also remember that he was stung and half out of his mind.”

“Thomas.” You said gently, knowing that beating the boy wouldn’t change anything. “This won’t help… It won’t bring him back.”

Thomas pushed himself up angrily and came to stand with you. You took his hand gently and ran your other hand up and down his arm.

“Kind of had that coming.” The boy nodded. “Anyone else? Fry? Newt?”

“Wait, who are you?” You said, raising one hand to get his attention. “Hi, I’m Y/N, head of Group B. I assume you have a name if these dumbasses know and don’t particularly like you?”

“Gally.” He nodded. “So you’re the other one WICKED wants more than anything..”

“How?” Newt interjected. “How is this possible? We watched you die.”

“No, you left me to die.” Gally corrected.”And if we hadn’t found you when we did, you’d be dead right now. What the hell are you doing here?”

“Minho.” Newt said simply.

“WICKED has him. We want him back.” You added. “Plus, I gotta kill Janson and he has to kill Ava.”

“We’re looking for a way in.” Newt continued.

“I might be able to help with that. Follow me.” Gally nodded.

Thomas hesitated in following him. You could read the expression on his face. He wasn’t sure if he could trust Gally. He was pissed that Gally was alive and Chuck wasn’t. Just Gally’s presence made his blood boil, but having you beside him calmed him enough to focus. He just had to get in, get Minho, and get out. But he couldn’t do it.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Thomas said firmly.

“Suit yourself.” Gally shrugged. “But I can get you through those walls.”

“T..” You tried. “It’s not about us. It’s about Minho.”

You convinced him to follow Gally. He led you all through the halls of wherever you all were, explaining what happened after the boys last saw him. But you didn’t care. You zoned out what he was saying, scanning your surroundings. It was a small community, people living away from the watchful WICKED eyes. There were clothes lines strung across the gaps, wet clothes hanging out to dry. 

“And try not to stare.” Gally finished before taking everyone to Lawrence. You didn’t care to listen again, wandering around the room. You heard the man muttering the same phrase, not registering what he was actually saying. One of Gally’s sentences brought you and your attention over to that conversation.

“But it doesn’t work without Thomas and Y/N.” Gally had said.

“I heard my name.” You said as you joined the group. Thomas slung an arm around your shoulders. “What are we talking about?”

“Do you kids know what I am?” Lawrence asked, leaning in to speak. You bit back the urge to say the obvious answer. “I’m a businessman. Which means that I don’t take unnecessary risks. Why should I trust you?”

“Cause we can help you.” Thomas answered coolly. “You see, you get us through those walls, we can get you what you need.”

“And what is it that you think I need?” Lawrence was hooked.

“Time.” You said simply. “Every… last… drop.” You punctuated.

“Is that what I need?” He played along.

“WICKED has what we both want.” Thomas continued. 

“I’ll tell you what.” Lawrence decided. “Three can go for now. The rest stay here with me… Just a little assurance that you’ll find your way back.” You glanced over your shoulder to see your friends, and they looked between each other with uncertainty in their eyes. “Do we have a deal?”

Thomas shook the man’s hand and before you knew it, you were staring down a seemingly infinite manhole. It was decided that you, Newt, and Thomas would go in. Fry, Brenda, and Jorge would stay behind. You had noticed Newt’s hands were shaking as he tightened his boot laces. Thomas was already half way down the ladder, so you knew he didn’t see. You had put it off as nerves. The closer you got to the city, the more you felt your nerves as well. You didn’t think you had to mention it to Thomas.

You didn’t say much as you wandered through the tunnels. It smelled like rotten eggs and old milk. You were all wading through four inches of thick, grimy sewer water. None of the boys had much to say either.

Your mind was preoccupied with worry. Worry about Thomas. Worry about Minho. Worry about Fry and Brenda and Jorge. You were worried for Aris and Sonya and Harriet. And Newt. You were more worried about Newt than you had been before.

You had been inputting notes into his subject file, after watching him in the Maze. That’s when you saw which box was checked. Newt wasn’t immune.

You realized why you were so worried. It could be the Flare. You didn’t want to have to hurt Newt, didn’t want to even think about killing him. You knew that Crank symptoms could be kept at bay with whatever it is within your blood that makes you all so special. You saw that it worked on Brenda, so it was definitely a viable option. Maybe you could help Newt… But that was a discussion that had a time and a place. And it wasn’t that moment.

You entered the city after an obscene amount of walking. A female voice over the P.A. system announced that curfew was approaching. The mobs of people moved like herds, no one deviating too far from the rest. But the three of you stood in awe. The bright lights, the bustling streets. It was like nothing you could remember.

Gally got the three of you off the streets, telling you to pretend you’ve seen it before. WICKED patrol cars roamed the streets, the sirens echoing off the towering buildings. Gally said it was probably because of you three that security was upped. He hurried you all off the main streets and into an old parking structure from which you could see WICKED’s main building.

“How do we get in then?” You asked.

“I might have a way in.” Gally nodded.

“Wait, you might?” Thomas asked in annoyance.

“We left our friends back there with that creep and snuck into this God forsaken city for you to tell us you might have a way into that building?” You scoffed. “If I had known that, I would’ve figured it out myself.”

“Relax, Y/N.” Newt tried.

“Don’t tell me to relax.” You shook your head quickly. “WICKED has our friend and now we’re this close. I swear I’m going to lose my mind.” You laughed out of stress, clasping your hands behind your neck.

“Just take a look.” Gally sighed, stepping aside for Thomas to look through the small telescope. You didn’t know what he was looking at and you didn’t quite care. The only thing that was running through your brain was a way in. Not just for Minho, but for Newt too.

You had to get in, get as much of whatever serum WICKED had, and get out. You knew it’d have to be a solo mission. If Thomas knew what was happening with Newt, it’d be too much for him. He’d try to save them both and most likely run out of time. So you had to find an opportunity to slip away and do it yourself.

“I said I had a way in.” Gally explained as Thomas leaned away. “I didn’t say you were gonna like it.”

“It’s Teresa… Isn’t it?” You sighed heavily. When no one responded, you knew you were right. “Son of a bitch..”

Later that night, you were out of the city and back with your friends. While Thomas and Gally were arguing about how to get into the building, you were distracted by Newt. You could see he wasn’t paying attention, his mind racing. Inside, he was panicking. He wanted to talk to someone about what was happening, but he didn’t know what to say. So you started the conversation instead.

You nudged his arm and tilted your head, motioning for him to follow. Once you were out of earshot of everyone else, you spoke. He was already annoyed with you before you opened your mouth.

“What’s up with you?” You said plainly, hoping that your suspicions were wrong. Deep down, you knew you were right.

“Nothing.” He said quickly. “Just don’t like the situation we’re in.”

“No..” You shook your head. “It’s more than that.”

“What- What do you want me to say, hmm?” He snapped. “That I’m losing my bloody mind and I can’t say anything about it? That- That I can’t think straight for more than a few minutes? That I hate what’s going on and I can’t help but need someone to blame?”

“You can blame me… If it makes it any easier.” You offered. “I’m the one that invited you to come with us.”

He scoffed. “Always the martyr, aren’t you?”

“Do you remember when were younger?” You tried a new approach, knowing not to take any of his words to heart. “We were training at WICKED and I was talking about how there had to be something more than where we were.”

“What about it?”

“That’s still true, Newt.” You took a hesitant step closer. “It’s not just about saving Minho anymore, not for me. It’s about you too. When we get in that building, I’m not going with you two to get Minho. I have to get my hands on whatever serum WICKED has.”

“It’s suicide.” He laughed.

“Maybe.” You agreed. “But you’ve been my best friend since we met and I told you that whatever was out there, that better place, we were going to get there. And I’m gonna make sure that happens.”

“Tommy’ll never let you go by yourself.” He argued.

“Well, I just won’t tell him then.” You shrugged.

“You can’t save everyone.”

“How about this?” You said, using a tactic you remembered using on him when you were younger. “We’ll flip a coin. Heads I go, tails I stay.”

“You have a coin?” He chuckled, seeming to remember the usual interaction.

“Yeah., right here.” You pulled an imaginary coin out of your pocket. You pretended to flip it high, catch it, and flip it over onto the back of your hand. You revealed the empty space and grinned. “Looks like heads.”

“You’re impossible.” He sighed, a slight smile tugging his lips.

“There’s gotta be another way..” You heard Thomas say, leaving the floor open for discussion.

“What’s wrong? Worried she’s gonna get hurt?” Newt commented, brushing past you to Thomas. When Thomas was silent, Newt pushed the envelope. “This has never been just about Minho, has it? Cause now we have an opportunity to get him back and you don’t want to because of her? She betrayed us, Thomas. And you’re hesitating because of Teresa?”

“Newt, it’s-” Thomas tried to counter.

“Don’t lie to me!” Newt yelled. You flinched, the sudden volume of his voice taking you by surprise. Newt slammed Thomas into the wall behind him by his shirtfront, the whole room going silent. You saw Newt realize what he was doing, slowly backing off and apologizing. So much for keeping it under wraps.

You and Thomas found Newt sitting on the roof later. You two approached him carefully, wondering if he was still pissed or if he had cooled down. Newt apologized again for what had happened, rolling up his sleeve to show you two his now darkened veins. Seeing that made it hurt more than it did just moments ago. You knew Thomas was formulating a plan to help him, but yours was already set. And you were going to help your best friend, even if it killed you.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Thomas asked, the small question all he could think to say.

“Didn’t think it’d make much of a difference.” Newt replied simply. He continued to say that he had to have been in the Maze for a reason, if even just as a way to tell the difference between the Immunes and regular people.

“We can still fix this.” Thomas reassured.

Newt looked to you, asking you to tell Thomas about your plan. You shook your head subtly, hoping he’d understand that you couldn’t tell Thomas. “This isn’t about me.” Newt said. “This is about Minho. If there is even the slightest chance that we can save him- that we can get him out of there- that’s what we need to do. No matter what the cost.”

“Okay..” Thomas agreed sadly. Both of the boys looked to you so you simply nodded with a small, sad smile. Keeping your plan secret from Thomas was hard. It felt wrong. But you knew it was the only way you’d be able to get it done. For the moment, you had to get into that building before you could do anything.

A few nights later, it was time to go. It took a couple days to fully map out, but you had a plan. You went in at night. You and Thomas weaved through the crowd until you found Teresa. You two waited across the street from her until she noticed. You saw her lock eyes with you two, surprise evident on her features. Once a bus gave you cover, you began to walk away.

“Think it’ll work?” You asked as you two began walking your designated route.

“It has to.” Thomas replied simply.

After a bit of walking, you heard her calling your names. You smirked slightly, glancing up to see the same look on his face. You both peaked over your shoulder and saw her picking up her pace to try and catch you two. You wondered how she could be so naive and maybe even desperate, but thanked the universe that she was. You two ducked around a pillar until she finally caught up.

“Thomas.” She breathed, almost in relief. “Y/N.”

“Hey, Teresa.” Thomas said softly.

“Hi, Reese.” You smiled gently, remembering the nickname you had for her before she fully devoted herself to WICKED.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She said, almost desperately. “If Janson finds out you’re here…”

“We’re not staying.” You shook your head.

“I just.. I had to see you.” Thomas breathed, stepping away from you to close the distance between him and her. You bit back the urge to fight, the urge to pull him back and knock Teresa on her ass. You had a role to play, people to save. Your mild jealousy could be saved for later. “I have to ask you something… Do you regret it?”

“Do you regret what you did to us?” You asked in a small voice.

“Sometimes.” She said after a moment of thought. “But I did what I thought was right.”

The urge to start a brawl with Teresa was never more prevalent than in that moment. You wondered how turning against friends felt right. How could harvesting kids like plants be right?

“I’d do it again.” Teresa added.

“Good.” Thomas nodded before a sack was placed over Teresa’s head and she was led away.

Later that night, Teresa stood trial in front of you and your friends. Gally was there too, but he wasn’t exactly a friend. Teresa’s eyes kept falling to Thomas when she spoke so Gally took his chair and sat right in front of her to block her line of sight.

“Don’t look at him.” Gally instructed. “Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He’s not gonna help you.”

You soon learned that there were 28 other kids being held with Minho. Coincidentally, they were all on Sublevel Three, which was an area that you felt you should recognize. She said that you’d need a thumbprint ID to get into the level.

“That’s why you’re gonna come with us.” Thomas said firmly.

“Well, I don’t know.” Gally added. “We don’t necessarily need her, right? Not all of her. We just need her finger.” Gally said, standing to grab a knife.

“I like him.” You nodded, hopping up from your chair to take the blade. “Let me do it.”

“Back off, Gally.” Thomas said.

“Why?” Gally questioned.

“I guarantee she’s done a lot worse to Minho.” You rolled your eyes.

“That’s not the plan.” He said with finality, his attention now on you. “Back off.”

In an effort to save her ass, Teresa said that it didn’t matter what you did to her. You all wouldn’t be able to get through the front door because the sensors would pick up on your tags. Thomas told her that she was going to help you remove them. You and Thomas waited until last to ensure that she didn’t “accidentally” hurt one of the boys.

“Try to relax. This is gonna sting.” She explained to Thomas. You sat on your knees between his legs, your arms crossed over his lap as you leaned your chin on them.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Thomas said quickly.

He winced once she began cutting. You sat up straight and held his hands. His grip on your hands was tight, a small groan leaving his lips. You shifted up on your knees to be eye level with him, leaning in to catch his lips in a gentle embrace.  He hummed against your lips, leaning into you slightly. You chuckled as you felt his hands loosen the grip slightly, his body relaxing.

“Wasn’t too bad, was it?” You teased when you pulled away, your lips close enough to brush his as you spoke.

“Hmm.” He hummed. “Thanks to you.”

“Want me to kiss it better?” You joked.

“If you’re offering.” He smiled, catching your lips in a sweet kiss.

“Y/N, your turn.” Teresa said tightly. Jealousy dripping off her words.

“Green isn’t really your color, Reese.” You mocked as you and Thomas traded places. 

While Teresa worked on you, she asked about Brenda. Thomas gave her short answers, most of his focus was on you. He laced his fingers through yours, holding your thigh with the other hand. You gripped his hand tight when she broke the skin, refusing to give her the satisfaction of any noise. You bit your lower lip and shut your eyes tight, trying to focus on Thomas’ presence.

“You don’t believe me?” She exclaimed when you and Thomas walked away from her. She said Brenda should’ve turned, that it wasn’t possible she’d be okay.

“Why should we?” You turned on her quickly.”You really expect us to? You made your choice, Teresa. I made mine. It’s not my fault we’re on different sides.”

Gally led Teresa away while you went to Thomas, who was getting ready beside Brenda.

“You can’t save everyone.” She told him gently.

“You’re right. He can’t.” You agreed as you came to his side, purposefully placing yourself between the two. “But that’s why I’m here with him.”

“Just be careful.” She sighed and walked away.

“What was that?” Thomas smirked, putting a hand on your hip and pulling you gently towards him.

“She likes you, T.” You said with raised brows. “You seriously didn’t notice?”

“No, I did.” He nodded before giving you a quick kiss. “But I like this other girl, so doesn’t matter to me.”

“And who is this other girl, hmm?” You played along, tugging on the front of his jacket.

“You might not know her. Her name is Y/N.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” You shook your head. He broke into a laugh and so did you. “Be careful tonight, alright? Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Well, I always was the smarter one between the two of us.” Thomas winked.

“Prove it then.” You smiled widely. “I’ll see you after.”

Once you were inside the building with Thomas as the psuedo-guard leading you and Teresa, you met with Newt and headed down a stairwell. Gally did whatever he had to do and Thomas kept watch.

“I’ll be back.” You mumbled to Newt, holding your hand out for the walkie.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed.” Newt replied, pressing the walkie into your palm.

“Then at least I’ll die knowing I did all I could.” You smiled sadly. “I’m gonna head to the Medical Wing. It has to have more of what we need. Whatever is in that vault, it’s mass produced. Temporary fixes. We need something permanent.”

“Be careful. Don’t die.” Newt shook his head, to which you simply winked and took off running.

You made your way through the building, your feet knowing the path more than your brain did. Just as you were approaching the door to the Med Wing, you heard Teresa and the boys approaching. Soon after, Janson and WICKED guards had you surrounded.

“Shoot her.” Janson urged Thomas, who had his gin pressed against Teresa’s head.

“Fuck it. I’ll shoot her.” You groaned, moving to pull your gun.

Before you could do anything, Teresa shoved the three of you back and locked you in. She gave you all a look that said she knew what she was doing. And even if you didn’t trust her, she did just help you. The boys searched for Minho, Thomas nagging you about leaving him behind. 

Janson found you all soon enough so you shoved Thomas away, telling him to find Minho. He was hesitant to leave you, but you simply told him you had a promise to keep. And while you still planned on killing Janson, you had to save Newt first. Newt dragged him away, getting him to refocus on finding their friend. The only indication that anything was happening was the noise, the grunts and groans and gunshots were the only indicators that they were still alive and fighting.

Next thing you knew, you heard glass shatter and three shouts that faded out.

“Those dumbasses jumped.” You commented as you continued to weave through the Med Wing. “If they didn’t survive that jump, I’m gonna kill him.”

The guards were so distracted by Brenda taking the bus and the boys jumping that they didn’t notice you slip into the lab where Teresa was quickly working.

“Does he know you have that?” You asked, your voice causing her to jump. You raised your gun slowly as you stepped closer. “Thomas.. Does he know you kept the gauze?”

“Y/N, you don’t understand.” She tried to reason.

“I understand perfectly fine.” You countered with a dry chuckle. “You stole it because you want to know what makes Thomas so special.”

“His blood could be the cure.” She insisted. “Don’t you want that? For Newt?”

“You don’t get to talk about him.” You said, using the end of your gun to emphasis. You paused for a moment, weighing your options. “WICKED wanted me and Thomas more than anything. Ava did everything she could to keep me in the Compound and out of the Maze… Why?”

“Your blood could have the same potency that his does.” She said in realization. “Let me run some tests. I can protect you. I- I might be able to manufacture a cure. You can save him.”

“If I agree to do this, you don’t tell Janson I stayed behind.” You specified. “You don’t tell anyone I stayed to do this. You make one dose, enough to save Newt and that’s it.”

“What? No!” She exclaimed. “If your blood can save people, you can save the world.”

“I don’t care about the world!” You shouted, pushing the barrel of your handgun towards her. “Maybe it’s selfish, but I only care about my friends. Which is more than I can say about you. The world has gone to shit and it’s because of WICKED. You make one dose for Newt and I kill Janson. Then you never see us or speak of me or the boys ever again. Am I understood?”

“Fine.” She finally agreed.

You sighed, kicking the air slightly before sitting down in front of her. You shed your jacket and pushed your sleeve up, slamming your arm on the table. “Take what you need, I guess.”

It felt like the tests took hours. You knew Thomas was waiting for you. You prayed to whatever God would listen that he was getting Newt somewhere safe. You prayed you still had time. Teresa finally managed to strip your blood down to the enzymes they were looking for and put it into a compatible solution that the human body wouldn’t reject. You looked over at all the materials she had left, stained with your blood and “the potential to save the world” as Teresa called it.

You saw it as ammo that WICKED could use to control everything. You gathered the materials and tossed them in a small, empty waste bin. You pulled out a small matchbook from your pocket and lit a flame. Teresa tried to stop you, but you set fire to the bloodied items before she could.

“What did you do?” She whispered.

“I said one dose.” You shrugged, hurrying to leave and find the boys.

“Newt. Thomas. Come in.” You said into the walkie and you jumped over railings and down stairs. “I need your location.”

“We’re about four blocks out.” Thomas yelled quickly. “Where the hell are you?”

“How’s Newt?” You ignored his question, ducking behind a building to hide from a guard.

“He’s not doing too good. He can’t walk on his own and his eyes are turning black. Where are you?” He pressed.

“I’m on my way.” You said simply, tucking the walkie into your pocket and sprinting.

You finally made it to the boys but you weren’t prepared for what you saw. As you approached them, you heard Teresa over the P.A. asking for Thomas to come back. She tried to use Newt as incentive, saying that he could save him. When you got the boys, Newt and Thomas were locked in a fight.

You saw an opportunity and you took it. Newt had Thomas pinned, pressing the tip of a knife against his chest. You ran, dropping your shoulder to knock Newt to the ground. You quickly climbed on top of him, pinning him down with your weight. You held the cap to the needle between your teeth so you could expose the needle. Newt groaned beneath you, inhumane growls and screams sounded from his throat.

“You’re gonna thank me for this in a minute.” You mumbled before spitting out the cap and shoving the needle into his shoulder. You pressed on the plunger, sending the liquid through his system. You watched as the symptoms faded away and your friend came back to you. It took a minute or two, but the Newt you knew was coming back to focus. 

“What the bloody hell is going on?” He mumbled and you sighed in relief. You climbed off him and sat beside him, laughing slightly in relief. His eyes were still mainly black, the whites slowly exposing themselves. 

“I just saved your ass is what.” You said, looking around to find Thomas. “Where’s…”

“He went after Ava.” Brenda explained. You didn’t know when she got beside you but you trusted her word. You quickly pushed yourself up and broke into a sprint. On your way to WICKED’s headquarters, you passed Ava’s dead body. You headed back to the Med Wing, figuring that’s where they would be. The grunts and thuds echoing across the empty halls told you that you were right.

When you found them, Thomas was throwing punches at Janson. Thomas was winning until Janson pulled a gun on him. You quickly pulled yours and shot his hand, sending the gun flying. You ran to help Thomas up while Janson screamed out in pain. But once you, Thomas, and Teresa got safe distance between you all and Janson, you realized Thomas had been shot.

You quickly moved to straddle Thoams after he collapsed, using your jacket to try to stop the bleeding.

“You gotta go.” Thomas whispered weakly.

“Not without you.” You felt the tears welling in your eyes. “I love you.” Your voice broke.

“I love you too.” He caressed your face gently, you leaning into his touch.

“I’m not leaving.” You shook your head quickly, pressing your lips together and trying to keep your tears back.

Janson soon found you guys but focused on Teresa. He wanted the cure from her. He didn’t care what happened to you two. Teresa offered Janson the cure in exchange for yours and Thomas’ safety. Janson spoke ill of Thomas, yelling questions for him to answer.

“You might not have been able to shoot her, but I can.” Janson yelled.

You turned and saw Janson had Teresa at gun point. Thomas reached over and squeezed your hand slightly and you knew what he was asking you to do.

“Only cause it’s you asking and you can’t do it yourself.” You grumbled, using one hand to keep pressure on his wound and the other to pull your gun. You shot at Janson, the bullet whizzing past his head and breaking the glass where two Cranks were held.

You and Teresa helped Thomas get to the roof. The flames of the building burned hot, the ashes making the air hard to breathe. Thomas collapsed to the floor, taking you down with him.

“I’m sorry.” Teresa said as she knelt beside you two. “I never wanted him to get hurt.”

“Please don’t leave me. You said to Thomas, leaning your forehead against his.

“I don’t have a choice, baby.” He whispered, tilting his head up to kiss you. You held his face in your hands, never wanting to let him go.

You knew it was suicide to go to WICKED. You knew you would probably die. But you didn’t plan on dying like that. You had figured you’d get shot or WICKED would torment you till your heart finally gave out. You didn’t know which one you preferred.

“I love you, Tommy.” You cried when he pulled away. “I need you.”

“It’s okay.” He nodded. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!” You whined. “I- I need you. I can’t lose you. I don’t want to live without you.”

Before Thomas could answer, Jorge showed up to rescue you. You definitely owed them now. You and Teresa got Thomas to his feet first, before you even thought about worrying about yourself. The building rumbled, your footing faltered. Thomas reached to help you, but Teresa stood him up straight and kissed him.

You pushed yourself to your feet as Teresa pushed Thomas back and into Vince’s arms. You swung a fist and connected with her jaw. “Don’t kiss my boyfriend.” You panted, turning your attention to Thomas.

You yelled for them to check his stomach for the gunshot wound, but Thomas wouldn’t let anyone touch him. He was more worried about whether or not you would make it.

“Why did you help us?” You asked, your curiosity causing to freeze.

“I didn’t want to be on different sides.” She shrugged before shoving you roughly, probably rougher than she needed to.

Your back hit the hard ground of the Berg ramp and four strong hands dragged you away from the edge. You looked up and saw Newt on one side and Minho on the other. You lifted your head to look and saw the building collapsing, Teresa falling with it. Your heart sank.

Teresa had been one of the few people you knew, one of the few people that knew you. You hated her for her choice to turn you all in, but she helped you save Thomas. She helped you save Newt. You owed all of your future happiness to her.

Your body gave into your exhaustion once Jorge piloted you away from the collapsing city. Vince was on the Berg too, and he tended to a now unconscious Thomas. You leaned against Newt, who was sitting next to you, and let yourself give in to sleep. It didn’t even register that he was okay.

The next time you opened your eyes, you were in a tent with Thomas in what seemed like Paradise.

[petertingle-yipyip]

Idle Worship - Thomas

Part Two - Hard Times

// IW1 // Series Inspo: @writingsbychlo // Series Tags: @writingsbychlo​ @dylinski​ @moongoddesskiana​ @technolilly​ //

Pairings: Thomas x Reader

Word Count: 5080

Summary: WICKED is working with two very promising subjects, A2 and B2. Although they are set for separate Mazes, a deep connection forms between the two. Sneaking around the Compound, training together, and working together leads to many good times and even more Hard Times. How did Y/N and Thomas meet and fall in love?

//Quick Formatting Note: This chapter is set before Thomas is sent into the Maze. The current time for the chapter is regular type and flashbacks or rewinds are italicized. Enjoy!!//

“Tell me, Thomas.” Janson said as he sat in front of Thomas. “What was your relationship like with B2?”

Thomas waited at the table, his arms resting on the cold aluminum surface. Mere days had passed since you were gone and he could already feel the emptiness in his chest. He volunteered to monitor your Maze often, watching you specifically. He knew it wouldn’t make the separation any easier. He knew it was driving the stake in his chest deeper and deeper every day he saw you. But he couldn’t help it. You were the only thing that mattered to him.

“She has a name.” Thomas said simply. “Her name is Y/N.”

“Right… Y/N.” Janson nodded carefully. “She’s excelling in the new setting. Have you noticed?”

“Of course she is.” Thomas said, biting back his proud smirk. “Did you really think she wouldn’t? She was the best damn thing that ever came out of this place.”

“What was your relationship like with her?” He pressed.

“Wh-what do you want me to say?” Thomas asked suddenly, knowing what the Assistant Director wanted. “You want me to say that I miss her? That I loved her? It doesn’t matter anyway. You sent her away.” Thomas sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. No matter what he felt for you, he wouldn’t tell WICKED anything. “You know, she hated this place… Planned how to get out a hundred different ways..”

“Yet she never left.”

“No” Thomas agreed. “She didn’t.”

“B2- I mean, Y/N, just couldn’t see the bigger picture. You’re all a part of something that will save everyone. You see that, don’t you?”

Thomas didn’t have an answer. Teresa would tell him that Janson is right, that what WICKED was doing would help people. Teresa would swear up and down that WICKED is the good guy and that they’re there to help. But Y/N told a different story. Y/N saw what things were on the inside. It was manipulation, isolation. Y/N saw the kids losing their identities, becoming just another test subject, and being scared as hell because they remembered nothing. How could WICKED be the good guy when they do things that bad guys in books do?

“Why’d she stay, Thomas? If she hated us so much..”

“She stayed for me.” He admitted, a slight tug in his chest. He felt a tad guilty now that you were in your Maze and he was still at the Compound. You could’ve been safe from all of this if he had agreed to go with you. But at that time, he was convinced that the right thing to do was to stay. After losing you to WICKED’s twisted, oversized game, it didn’t sit right in his gut to be there.

-

“You must be the new girl.” Thomas greeted you with a wide smile.

You were taken back by his effortless good looks. The dark brown hair that fell onto his forehead, the hopeful and welcoming smile, the deep hazel eyes that quickly scanned your figure. You were stunned into silence, only able to nod and grin. You felt the heat creeping up your neck and to your ears.

You chuckled nervously as you heard the man say something about this boy showing you around the Compound. Everything else was muffled, white noise that didn’t seem to make sense. It was like all your brain let you focus on was the boy in front of you. He made your stomach tighten, your breath shallow, your heart beat fast, your fingers tremble. You had barely laid eyes on him and you were already in love. You started to wonder if soulmates were a thing.

“Hi.” You managed. “I’m Subject B2, I guess.” You shrugged sadly, already tired of the number you were assigned. You wanted more than anything to use your name, but it seemed like that didn’t belong to you anymore. Given names weren’t protocol at WICKED.

“I don’t care about that.” He waved a hand to dismiss your introduction. “What’s your real name?”

“My real name?” You asked, eyebrows furrowed. Everyone else in the Compound only cared about your number or your subject title. “Uh, it’s Y/N.”

“Y/N..” He nodded, holding a hand out for you to shake. “I’m Thomas.”

“Thomas..” You smiled softly, taking his outstretched hand. “I like that.”

After that first day, you never seemed to let go of his hand and he never let go of yours. Whenever you walked the Compound with Thomas, you held his hand. When you snuck into his room because yours felt too cold since you were alone, you held his hand while you slept on his chest. When you two were having sex, he held your hand. When you were working together in the lab or filing paperwork, you held each other’s hand. Until the day you got caught.

“And what do we have here?” Janson asked from behind you, clasping a hand onto one of each of your shoulders. “Hand holding? In the cafeteria?”

“We should probably run.” You told Thomas, who simply nodded with a mischievous smile on his face.

You two slid under the table and out of Janson’s grip. You both crawled out over the feet of the kids at your table and ran through the cafeteria. You heard the thump of boots chasing you, the yelling of your subject numbers, the sound of the alarm. But Thomas simply grabbed your hand and ran through the halls, you easily in tow. You laughed out of pure joy, genuinely having fun in that moment, and realized that you really did love Thomas.

“We’re surrounded.” You said between breaths when you and Thomas came to a hallway where guards were coming at you from both sides. “I’ll take the fall this time.”

“What?” Thomas asked with a small chuckle. “It’s my turn!”

“Too late.” You shrugged, putting your hands behind your head and dropping to your knees. “I’ve already surrendered.”

“I love you.” He laughed.

“You owe me.” You winked as you were hauled to your feet and dragged away.

Your punishment was a night in the Hole. That wasn’t what it was actually called, but it’s what all the kids called it. It was a small room, smaller than your individual rooms. It had an old cot and no windows. There was no light and the room was practically soundproof. It was intended to be a room of reflection, to think back on how your actions don’t help the cause. But for you, it was just a weekly change of scenery.

“These actions are… unbecoming of such a promising candidate, B2.” Janson sat you down the next day. “You cannot continue this behavior.”

“A promising candidate?” You laughed. “I’ve yet to be fully compliant. I spend at least one night a week in the Hole. I misspell words on my paperwork so they’re invalid. I sandbag my physical fitness tests. I hardly respond to my subject number. Tell me, Rat Man, how am I a promising candidate?”

“Trust me, we’ve noticed the fitness numbers.” He replied simply, waving his hand to dismiss your confession. “We’ve seen the way you run these halls. You keeping pace with A2 tells us all we need to know.”

“And what exactly do you need to know?” You lean forward onto the table, head tilted in curiosity and eyebrows lifted.

“Just how cunning you really are.” He replied lowly, as if it was a secret. “And now that your confession is on camera, you’re going to be a bit more compliant.”

“Why should I?” You challenged.

“If I give this video to Ms. Paige, she’ll have you sent in much sooner than we’d like.” He threatened.

“So I either follow protocol more or I lose everything?” You sat back and nodded slowly. “Alright, fine. You’ve got yourself a deal, Rat Man.”

“Director Janson is how you will address me from now on.” He said firmly, standing from his chair. “That is all, B2. And I expect to see no more PDA between you and A2.”

“Sure.” You nodded, pressing your lips to a line. “You won’t see us holding hands any longer.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“You’re wrong, by the way.” You added as he stood to leave. You tapped your finger against the table, staring at the rhythmic movement of your hand. “All of you are.”

“About what?” He asked with a sigh.

“All of this.” You said, clenching your other hand into a fist. “You don’t want to save anyone but yourselves. We aren’t here for a cure for the world. We’re here to make a new commodity that no one will have access to. I’m guessing the currency system went out the window by now, so what? You want people to pay with their first borns?” You paused, faking an epiphany. “That’s how we all got here! WICKED told the world if they give up their kids-”

“That’s enough!” He shouted suddenly, slamming his palms against the table. You shot up quickly, knocking the chair away from you in the process. You pressed your palms flat against the cold, aluminum surface, leaning into them.

“You know I’m right.” You said simply. “The only people that will have access to the cure is in this building.”

“You don’t see it yet, B2.” He replied, shaking his head in disappointment. “But you and the rest of those kids are going to make the world a better place.”

“It’ll be better once you’re dead and WICKED is gone.” You scoffed, standing tall.

“Is that a threat?” He cocked his head, straightening and fixing his jacket.

“Not at all.” You smirked. “It’s a promise.”

From then on, you didn’t hold hands with Thomas where anyone could see. Instead, you would subtly hook two fingers around his. You walked a bit closer to him in the halls, hiding your hands from the line of sight. If anyone wanted to catch you, they’d have to look very closely.

Janson kept you, Thomas, and Teresa on tight schedules. Breakfast at 6AM. Labs at 7:15. Psych evals at 8:30, but only every other day otherwise it was reaction tests. Stretching and yoga at 9AM, and fitness training at 10:30. Every Friday was a fitness test instead of training. Lunch at noon, followed by Clinic Meetings at 1PM. Paperwork at 2. Leisure time until dinner at 6PM. Reports and briefings at 7, then leisure until lights out at 10PM.

During your time at WICKED, you learned the guard rotation. You learned which guards they kept posted where, when they switched shifts, how long was the gap time. You watched the codes to the doors, which were fingerprint locks and which were keypads. You mentally noted elevator shafts and stairwells, always knowing what level you were on. You, Thomas, and Teresa had rooms on Sublevel 2 but the rest of the kids stayed together on Sublevel 3. Your programs never intertwined unless you were training.

The gym was on ground level. You didn’t know what the level below that contained everyone else, but all you knew was that the kids that went down there didn’t come back. You had yourself convinced it was Hell, and the Compound was a facade for the Gates.

You often wondered what the outside world had come to. What did the Cranks actually look like? Were they like the zombies you saw in movies? Were they something else completely? You wondered what happened to the kids you went to school with, the ones you grew up with. Were they alive? Was your family alive?

“Hello?” Teresa said, waving her hand in front of your face one morning while you waited for your psych evals. The psychiatrist was talking to Thomas, which left you and Teresa in the waiting area. There were two guards posted by the door, their weapons were aimed down but their eyes never left you two. “Are you paying attention?”

“No, I wasn’t.” You shook your head and offered an apologetic smile. “What were you saying?”

“The groups are progressing nicely. We’ve begun sending in members of Group A. And Group B deployments are scheduled to start next week.” Teresa said proudly.

“Can’t wait till I’m out of here.” You mumbled, letting your head fall against the wall behind you. “Who was sent in for Group A?”

“The only one I know for sure was a boy named Nick.”

“Nick?” Your head lifted for a second before letting it fall again. You tried to remember Nick, but your mind was blank. You felt bad for not really knowing him, but the three of you barely interacted with the rest of the kids. “Poor kid.”

“George is next, I think. Then Al-”

“I don’t want to hear it.” You cut her off. “Those boys are our friends and we’re watching them lose everything and get sent into an oversized children’s game. And for what, Teresa?”

“You’re supposed to call me A1.”

“A1, sorry.” You rolled your eyes. “I’m tired of this. All the other kids live in dorms and we’re separated. Why? Cause we’re special? It’s bullshit!”

“Keep it down.” The guard ordered.

“It’s bullshit.” You said in a quieter voice. “Te- A1, you can’t tell me that you’re okay with all of this. What about when it comes to Thomas? Or me? What happens when we get sent in?”

“You just don’t see the progress we’ve made, B2. WICKED is good.” She nodded.

“Right…” You trailed off.

“B2? Your turn, sweetheart.” The psychiatrist said as she opened the door to her office. Thomas quietly walked by you, shooting you a quick wink. You blew him a kiss and followed the psychiatrist into her office.

The tension only grew in your body. Every day that you had to wake up in that place, fake compliancy, and help WICKED made you feel sick. You hated your life, your routine. You had begun to wish there was nothing special about you and you could’ve been left with your family. You had to constantly remind yourself that you had at least one good thing. You had Thomas. And you had made a couple of new friends in the general kid population, Newt and Minho and Alby.

“How’s it going, A5?” You greeted him as you turned on the treadmill next to his.

“Since when do you follow protocol?” Newt laughed, not breaking stride.

“Since I got threatened with deployment over a week ago.” You shrugged. “Only way to keep what I got is to do what they want.”

“Keeps us alive, doesn’t it?”

“You really call this living?” You scoffed, beginning your run. “It’s a fucking nightmare.”

“At least you’re not bunking with a million other guys.” Newt shook his head. “They’re great and all, but they stink!” He joked.

“It gets lonely on Sublevel 2, believe it or not.”

“I bet you have something that keeps you occupied.” He teased.

“Oh you mean T?” You replied casually. “He definitely keeps me occupied.” You winked.

“Gross!” Newt laughed, almost losing his footing on the treadmill.

“Focus, A5!” The trainer yelled. “Another half mile!”

“Yes, sir.” Newt replied before glaring at you. “Thanks a lot.”

“How about I run it with you?” You offered. “I’d run it for you, but I have to follow protocol now.”

The desire to tell Thomas that you wanted out burned you every second you spent with him. The thought bounced around your head constantly, begging to roll off your tongue and be free. But after the way Teresa responded, you were scared that Thomas would give you the same response.

“Y/N?” Thomas noticed you weren’t paying attention one day during early leisure. You were laying in his bed with him, talking about things you missed. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you ever thought about what’s left? Like outside the Compound.” You said idly, drawing small circles on his chest.

“No..” He said gently, lifting his head from his pillow to look down at you. “Why? Do you?”

“I want out, Thomas.” You admitted suddenly. “I want to get back into the real world. I don’t care if it’s turned to shit. I don’t care if I die within a few days up there.I just can’t be here anymore.”

“Where is this coming from?” He sat up slightly, now very concerned.

“My family. I wanna know if they’re alive. I want- I want fresh air and I want to feel the sun. I miss looking at the stars and feeling the trees. I want to feel the grass and sit on the roof to watch the sunset. I want to stare at the full moon just so I can see the craters. Thomas, I want my old life back, or as close as I can get to it.”

“It’s not safe up there.” He began carefully. He didn’t want to seem like he was dismissing you. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Thomas wanted to comfort you, remind you why you were with WICKED. He wanted to remind you that without WICKED, you wouldn’t have met. “Besides, it’s not all bad down here… You have me.”

You smiled softly, leaning in to place a sweet kiss on his cheek. “Maybe that’s all I need.” You said honestly, hoping to convince yourself that was true. But no matter how much you wanted it be enough, not even Thomas could replace the freedom you longed for.

You thought WICKED made the mistake of training you. You were in the best shape you could’ve been in, able to run farther than you ever thought possible. You were able to lift more weight than you ever thought you would’ve. They taught you basic self defense and weapons handling. Why a teenager needed to know how to shoot an assault rifle was beyond you, but the hand to hand was always fun.

You sat alone, watching the live footage from Group A’s maze. Group B had its first few entries and you watched those girls too, a tug in your chest knowing that could’ve been you. Group A had its first dangerous Griever encounter. Nick had placed himself in charge, and Alby had to kill one of the others. Janson called it “collateral damage”, said that all of the higher ups expected some deaths within the Maze and that’s why they were going to send so many. You called it a crime.

You watched your friends more than the others that you didn’t recognize. It was biased, you knew that. You knew your reports always contained those names, but Janson still put you on footage review and you had yet to be thrown in the Hole for insubordination so you figured it was okay.

You were making notes in their subject files when you came across something that scared you. Newt’s file said he wasn’t immune to the virus. Newt could catch the Flare. You quickly printed the screen and folded the paper, tucking it into your pocket. You knew there’d be a notice that a file was printed so you quickly left the room to find Thomas. You found him a couple doors down, watching the footage from other cameras, cameras from within the Mazes.

“Check this out.” He said, waving you over when he noticed you.

“I have something you need to see.” You said as you sat in the chair next to his. “Some of us aren’t safe.”

“Is this about wanting to leave again?” Thomas asked, gently placing a hand over yours. “Y/N, I thought-”

“It’s not about that!” You cut him off quickly. “Look.”

You pulled out the file and unfolded it, flattening it out against the table. You watched his eyes scan the paper, going wide when they saw the checked box that stood out to you too.

“This doesn’t make sense.” Thomas muttered.

“That’s why we can’t access our own files and why the three of us can’t get into each other’s.” You said, tapping your finger against the paper. “So we don’t know if we’re immune or not.”

“What do we do?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” You answered honestly.”But this, it changes things, Thomas. I think it’s time we find out what we’re really up against.”

“Yeah, maybe...”

“B2!” Janson’s voice boomed through the hall.

“Shit.” You sighed. You leaned over, leaving Thomas with a quick kiss before entering the hall.

You had the paper in your hand as you dropped to your knees, raising your hands to be above your head. The guards came to you quickly, locking your hands behind your back with cuffs and hauling you to your feet. They snatched the paper out of your grip and gave it to Janson.

“You lied to us.” You sneered. “You said we were safe! That we were all safe!”

“You are safe, B2.” Janson answered calmly as he looked over the paper he was handed. “This is the safest place for you. For all of you.”

“How many of them are at risk, hmm? How many don’t know they’re not immune!?”

“Take her to Sublevel 4.” Janson told the guards. Your heart stopped. “Prepare her for deployment.”

“What?” You panicked. “No, no, that’s not your call! No, please!” You screamed as you were being dragged down the hallway. “Please, don’t do this! I want to talk to Ava! I want to talk to Ms. Paige, please!”

But it was no use. The guards ignored your pleads. When you struggled in their grip, they only held you tighter, tight enough to leave a bruise you were sure. When you kicked out or used your feet to keep you out of a doorway, they yanked your legs down. They talked about sedating you to make it easier, but Janson said just to use whatever force they had to.

“What’s going on?” Teresa came out of her room and saw the fuss.

“You still think WICKED is good?” You scoffed, trying to free your arms.

“Where are they taking her?” You heard Thomas from behind you. “Director Janson, where is she going?”

“Don’t you worry about it, A2.” Janson said in a fake soothing voice. “She’ll be fine.”

“Thomas!” You shouted over your shoulder. “Thomas, I’m sorry! I love you!”

“Wait!” Thomas yelled to the guards, hurrying to try to catch you. “Hey, wait!”

“Hold on.” Janson said after a hesitation.

The guards stopped, roughly pulling you to turn you around. You came face to face with Thomas who only looked at you with sad eyes. You offered a smile, but you both knew there was no joy or even hope in that smile.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, leaning into his chest. His arms came around you instinctively and held you close. You cried lightly against him. “I’m so sorry. I tried to be good and follow the rules. I tried. I really did.”

“Hey, hey.” He said softly. “It’s okay. Don’t apologize, alright? Hey, look at me.” He leaned away enough so you could lift your head and look at him. He gently wiped your tears away with his thumbs, holding your face between his hands. “You’re gonna be alright.”

“I’m being sent in, Thomas.” You confessed. His face dropped. “I won’t see you again.”

“We’ll figure this out, Y/N.” He kissed your forehead gently. “It’s alright.”

“There’s nothing we can do now.” You said sadly as you felt the guards grip your arms again. “Be safe, please. Don’t die, and don’t do anything stupid and end up like me.”

He chuckled sadly. “I always was the smarter one between us.”

You had been right about Sublevel 4. It was Hell. You kept in total isolation. You had no visitors. No psychiatrist, no trainer, no friends, no guards, not even a worker to bring your food. The tray was slid through a slot at the bottom of the door, and you were supposed to slide it back when you were done with it, even though you barely had it in you to eat. The thought of losing everything you had made you feel sick. It made you physically sick twice during your prep period, and you didn’t even get a doctor visit to check your health.

The Iso Chamber was the Hole, but brighter. There was a fluorescent light above you, and a camera in two of the four roof corners. There was a hospital bed on the back corner, a sink and toilet were behind a paper screen. There was nothing to keep you occupied so you slept often.

You lost track of how many days you were down there. You knew that it would come eventually, being sent into the Maze. You just hated the anticipation that sent in in isolation. You wanted it to be over with, just wipe your memories and send you in.

-

“You can’t blame yourself, A2.” Janson tried to console Thomas. “She knew the consequences.”

“Consequences?” Thomas laughed. “I thought WICKED is here to help, that me and every other kid in those Mazes are supposed to help. How are there consequences if this isn’t a punishment?”

“A2, listen.” Janson tried to explain.

“My name is Thomas.” Thomas muttered.

“Don’t exhibit the same behaviors B2 did.” He warned. “You’ll end up the same as her. You know us, A2. WICKED is good.”

-

“B2.” A voice boomed through the room. “Director Janson has requested to speak to you. Please, seem presentable.”

“Well I haven’t had a shower in however many days. I’d like to request access to the showers before the meeting please.” You replied towards one of the cameras.

“A staff member will be down momentarily to guide you.” The voice answered and you were left in silence once again.

After another eternity of silence, the door opened and Teresa stepped in. She offered a polite smile and motioned for you to follow her.

“How long have I been down here?” You asked casually, trying to ignore the tight feeling in your chest. You were feeling a bit anxious to see Thomas again, but part of you doubted it’d be possible.

“A week.” She replied casually, more pep in her step than you remembered. “I’ll take you to the showers so you can clean up and then I’ll take you to Director Janson’s office.”

“What does Rat Man want with me?”

“Director Janson-” She emphasized. “-wants to discuss your deployment with you.”

You hummed in response as she stopped at the door to the showers. You were allowed to clean up without supervision so you took your time, enjoying the warm water against your skin. You knew it’d most likely be the last real shower you’d have for a while, so you savored the moment. After you were cleaned and dressed in clothes left by the door, you followed Teresa to Janson’s office.

“Ah, B2!” He greeted, motioning for you to sit. “Come in. Have a seat. I hope your stay downstairs wasn’t too bad.”

“You deprived me of all human contact, mental stimulation, physical activity, and even showers for a week straight. It felt like I was losing my mind.” You replied angrily. “I was told you wanted to discuss my deployment.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “I wanted to offer you one last chance. Ava is not thrilled about sending you in so soon and has ordered that you get an offer, one that you can’t refuse.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.”

“We start over.” He said simply. “We noticed you started acting out worse recently, so we’ll just readjust you to before that.”

“You’re gonna wipe me..” You realized. You almost didn’t want to say it out of fear.

“A very minor wipe, but yes.”

“No.” You said with finality. “I’d rather lose everything than be a puppet.”

“I think A2 could convince you otherwise.” He commented, wagging his finger as if it was a new idea. Janson left the room and Thomas soon entered instead.

You jumped from your seat and ran into his open arms. He held you tight, so tight that you felt that you would fall apart as soon as he let go. You prayed that he wouldn’t because once he let go, you’d lose him.

“I’m scared.” You mumbled into his shoulder.

“Yeah, me too.” He admitted.

“I’m gonna lose you.” You whined. “Thomas, I can’t lose you.”

“You’ll never lose me, Y/N/N.”

“The worst part is that I- I- I won’t even know what I’ve lost.” You sobbed, your breath coming in heavy pants. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again. And if I do, I won’t know it’s you. You won’t know it’s me. We- We’re gonna be strangers to each other.” You ranted, your voice broken and raspy.

“Don’t cry, alright?” He said gently, rubbing your arms in an attempt to soothe you.

“But how will I know it’s you? They’re taking our memories. I can’t- I can’t lose you too. Not after everything that’s been taken already. They can’t take you too!” You pouted. You knew better, but maybe if you said it enough times - if you said that they couldn’t take him away from you - that they wouldn’t.

“You won’t.” He cut in once your jumbled words slowed. “Hey, they won’t, alright? You mean everything to me, Y/N. You’ll know it’s me once you see me. Trust me.”

“I love you so much.” You whispered.

“I love you too.”

“Be safe, Thomas.”

He leaned down and kissed you softly. It wasn’t the kind of goodbye kiss you used to see in movies, the heated and passionate kiss. It was soft and gentle, promising and hinting that it wasn’t the end. His hands roamed intently, hoping to memorize the curves of your body one last time. You had your hands balled in his shirtfront, clutching to him as if he was the only thing you needed. And he was.

The guards tore you apart. Once you were away from him, you were numb. You were completely compliant. You answered every question, did every little task. You knew your fate was inevitable. Fate had come to collect.

The only thing that felt real was the fear. The panic and the utter blackness that surrounded you as you shot upward in a rickety metal box.

You didn’t know where you were. Where were you going? How did you get there? Who were you?

[petertingle-yipyip]

Idle Worship Masterlist

Idle Worship [Part One]

Hard Times [Part Two]

Still Into You [Part Three]

The Only Exception [Epilogue]

[petertingle-yipyip]

Idle Worship

So Idle Worship is my post for @writingsbychlo ‘s event called Tomuary. it’s basically dedicating January 2020 to Thomas from The Maze Runner trilogy. in this series, it’s going to be three parts and here’s a vague outline bc it’s all i got rn.

Part One: Idle Worship

This part is based in the Scorch Trials and jumps right into the action. y/n has been through the wringer and is as tough as they come. when a vaguely familiar pretty boy named Thomas shows up in the Scorch and joins her and Group B, can that bring back the old y/n, the y/n that Thomas knew before the Maze?

Part Two: Hard Times

How did y/n and Thomas meet? This part is gonna be a prequel to Idle Worship. WICKED has taken these kids and lied to them. y/n sees through the lies and has plotted an escape over and over. so why does she stay? a pretty boy named Thomas seems to be the only thing she’d give up freedom for. but how did it get to that?

Part Three: Still Into You

this final installment is going to be hopefully be an emotional rollercoaster. y/n and thomas are trying to recreate what they had before the Mazes. but when Teresa turns against them, Newt is dying, and WICKED is on their trail, can their relationship get them through the final fight? will they make it to Paradise together?

I’ll be opening a tag list for this so just message me if you wanna be included!!