"I think she's dead."

IV ~ Aris

Disclaimer: all characters apart from Peyton and Alex belong to James Dashner.

Harriet carried Sonya back to the Glade while Alex led the way and Aris stayed behind. Alex made sure they didn't come across any Grievers and she claimed to have the best memory of how to get back. None of them were sure how long they'd been in the Maze, nor how much longer the Doors would be open.

Aris hoped that the Med-jacks would know what to do about a Griever sting, or else who knows what would happen to Sonya. He tried shaking his head clear of his thoughts, but his worry about the second-in-command of the Icers loomed over him.

Thankfully, the Icers didn't run into any Grievers, but they were all worried that Sonya's moans of pain would attract them. After all, they didn't stick around the Glade long enough to get any information about Grievers.

"I see it!" Alex called from the front of their little line after turning around a corner. She glanced back at the Icers. "Not much farther!"

"Good!" Harriet panted.

Picking up their pace, the Icers made it into the Glade before the Doors even started closing.

Too much seemed to happen at once. Aris saw some Gladers locate them and smirk, calling out some stupid remark. Newt appeared from the Homestead and upon seeing the Icers, ran as fast as his limp would allow. He seemed to have spotted the unconscious Sonya in Harriet's limp arms and once he was close enough, Aris could see the concern in his face.

"What happened? I thought you weren't coming back no matter what?" Newt asked.

"One of those things - Grievers - did something to Sonya," Alex said. "Can you help her?"

"Med-jacks!" Newt yelled, turning around. He hurried over to Harriet's side and carefully took Sonya from her arms. Carrying her bridal-style, Newt ran to the Homestead where two Gladers - Aris assumed they were the Med-jacks - hurried out of the building.

"What happened?" one of them asked.

"Griever sting," Newt told him, not pausing on his way to the Homestead. The Med-jack muttered something Aris rather not repeat.

"Put her here," the Med-jack ordered, pointing to what seemed to be a poorly made bed once they were all inside the Homestead. Newt set Sonya down gingerly.

"You can help her, right?" Alex's voice was laced with a threatening tone.

"We have the Serum, she should be okay," the Med-jack said.

"Clint's dealt with bloody Griever stings before, don't worry," Newt said, "he knows what he's doing. I'll go get Alby."

Clint took out a syringe filled with a light blue liquid and hurried to Sonya's side. He hastily rolled up her sleeve and brought the tip of the needle to her arm when Harriet stopped him.

"What is that?" She grabbed his arm, stopping him from doing anything.

"The Grief Serum. We use it when someone gets stung." Clint seemed slightly freaked out at Harriet's reaction. "Whoever gets stung goes through the Changing, Newt and Alby'll tell you about it later. But she won't make it through the Changing if I don't give her this right now."

Harriet let go of the Keeper's arm slowly, first staring at him, then at Sonya. "Okay. Do it."

Clint injected Sonya with the Grief Serum in her upper left arm. She stopped groaning almost instantly and laid still.

"What did you do to her?!" Alex slapped Clint's arm, knocking the now empty syringe out of his hand and onto the floor.

"She's fine! She's just starting the Changing!" he exclaimed.