Azure• the maze runner

10

That night Thomas laid awake in Aria's bed, tossing and turning as he couldn't sleep. His mind felt like it was on a rampage, trying to grasp at any memories he could. He hated the feeling of not knowing, not understanding even. Why was he here? Why did he recognize Aria? And from where? Ever since he laid eyes on her, he felt protective of her and he didn't know why. Eventually, he fell asleep.

While he was dreaming, he started getting flashbacks.

Thomas stood in an empty hallway, and at the end of the room was a door with a small window. He slowly walked towards it, almost as if he was nervous to see what was on the other side. Once he got to the door, he peeked in the window and saw Aria in the room. She was alone and crying on the bed. Once he saw her tears, he started to get upset and his heart swelled at the sight. He knew he had to protect her, but he felt so helpless. He always felt helpless. Why?

He continued to look in the room and took in Aria's surroundings. It was like a jail cell, one small high window that gave barely any sunlight and it was too high for Aria to ever look out of it, a single bed that looked like it was insanely uncomfortable, a small wall, with what looked like a toilet, sink and very small shower behind it, giving her a smidge of privacy, a rather large bookshelf with tons of different books and a desk with drawers. He was sure there was more in the room that he couldn't see, but he was never allowed in the room. Whenever he got to see Aria, actually talk to her, it was done in his room or a common room.

Aria finally turned towards the door, tears still streaming down her face as she ran towards the door. She desperately hit her palm against it, screaming his name. It was muffled, but he could hear her yelling for him to help her, and his own tears fell.

"I'm sorry Aria! I'm doing my best to protect you!" Thomas yelled out, smacking his own hand against the door.

"I'll get you out of here one day, I promise. Aria, I love you, you know that right?" Thomas yelled through the thick door and Aria just nodded sadly at him, mouthing 'I love you too' back. Thomas then heard sudden loud footsteps coming from down the hall and he turned his head to see two guards heading towards him with a Doctor in a lab coat.

"Thomas, you know the rules! You can't just walk up to her room like that if you want to protect her. I won't tell Dr.Paige about this but don't get caught. What you are doing Thomas, it's admirable. Aria should be proud." The Doctor kindly spoke to him, offering him a small smile as if she felt bad for him. He gave her a slight nod before turning around, giving Aria one last look before walking away. He heard the Doctor open Aria's door and it took everything in him to not turn back around and run into her room, wanting nothing more than to protect her but he knew what would happen. They would kill her. WICKED claims they are good but Thomas knew. He knew they weren't good. If they were, they wouldn't be holding Aria prisoner and holding her against Thomas, making him do whatever they wanted. WICKED was evil and once Thomas knew how he could ruin them without killing Aria, he would. The last thing he heard was Aria let out a blood-curdling scream.

Thomas woke up in a panic, his breathing was rapid and he felt like he was sweating buckets. He looked around the room, finally recognizing he was in Aria's room in the homestead. He couldn't believe he was getting memories back of Aria. He had to tell her, it was a sign, right? He could finally start to put pieces together. He quickly sat up and exited the room, turning to Newt's, knocking hard on the door.

He heard a disgruntled 'come in' before stepping into the darkroom. The lamp finally came on as he saw Newt turn it on.

"Hello?" Aria sleepily asked, also sitting up in bed.

"Thomas?" Newt now asked, the two sitting up in bed as they watched a frantic Thomas sit on a chair.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked, trying to rub the tiredness out of her eyes as she leaned into Newt's side with the blanket wrapped around her, obviously cold.

"I had a dream, more like a memory. I think it ties into why we are here, who put us here. And how I know you, Aria." Thomas spluttered out, looking visibly nervous.

"Well then, out with it won't you?" Newt said, obviously irritable after being awoken in the dead of night.

"Yeah, yeah. I was in the hallway, like a dark gloomy hallway with a door at the end of it. I walked towards it and I looked in and saw Aria crying. She was locked in the room, it looked like a prison cell. I wasn't allowed in the room, for some reason." Thomas started, "Aria then saw me and ran towards the door, hitting her hand against it, begging me to help her and I couldn't. It's like I was trained like I knew better to try for whatever outcome that would come out. I uh, told her that I was doing my best to protect her."

"Protect me? From what?" Aria asked as Thomas finally made eye contact with her.

"I'm not sure. The people who put us here I guess." Thomas shrugged.

"Well, what happened next?" Newt asked.

"I told her I would get her out of the room one day, and I uh, told her I loved her." Thomas revealed as Aria felt Newt stiffen.

"Loved her?" Newt clarified as Thomas only nodded in response.

"Did, did I say it back?" Aria asked as Thomas nodded again.

"But it seemed weird, it didn't seem like an 'I'm in love with you.' it seemed more like, uh, like siblings almost? Platonic. Not romantically." Thomas said again as Aria let out a small quiet sigh. She was glad it wasn't anything more than platonic because she didn't like Thomas any other way, naturally she felt like they were close, but not like how she and Newt were close.

"Then A Doctor came and yelled at me for talking to you, said it was against the rules, something about a different doctor, doctor Paige I think she said? Then said what I was doing was 'admirable' and I left. Then they entered your room Aria. I heard you scream but it was like I knew I couldn't turn around. I knew that wherever we were, it was bad, and I was trying to find a way for us to escape." Thomas explained once again.

"That's all?" Newt asked as he nodded before Newt turned to Aria, "What about you love? Do you remember Thomas from anything?"

"Yeah, yeah." Aria nodded, "I saw you, Thomas. I was strapped down in a hospital bed, screaming in pain, or fear, I was trying to fight against them and you were trying to get into the room, throwing your body against it as you shouted. Some people in Uniforms came up behind you and shot you with someone, to sedate you before they dragged you away."

"Well, that makes sense then. In my memory, I could feel an overwhelming feeling to protect you." Thomas said as she nodded.

"What does this mean then, are you guys connected?" Newt asked as the two shrugged.

"Not how you are thinking but I think we are." Thomas said.

"Well there is nothing else we can do but speculate and I'm tired. If we get any more memories, we will let each other know, for now, can we please go back to bed?" Aria pleaded as Thomas nodded, standing.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry for waking you two. Goodnight." Thomas quickly said, leaving the room and entering Aria's old room, flopping onto the bed once again, trying to get any amount of sleep.

Meanwhile, Newt and Aria laid back down in their bed, trying to get any more sleep.

"That was weird...." Aria whispered out, cuddled into Newt's side as she felt him nod in the darkness.

"Very. Do you believe him? That it was only platonic?" Newt asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I do. I agree with his platonic or sibling's idea. I'm not sure but I do remember bits about him from before." Aria told him.

"Do you think we knew each other from before the maze?" Newt quietly asked.

"Yeah, I do. Remember how I said I felt safe with you? I felt a connection with you like I knew you from before. We are connected too." Aria nodded.

"Like siblings?" Newt teased.

"God, I hope not. Or else I wouldn't be able to do this." Aria said, gently reaching her hand over his body and behind his head, guiding it to lean down to her face as she leaned in as well, planting her lips on his for a soft and delicate kiss for a few moments. Their kiss continued for a while longer, the both of them grinning into the kiss before they withdrew, breathing heavy. Aria had a content smile on her face before laying back down, her head on his shoulder.

"Goodnight Newt."

"Goodnight love."