Just Smile (TMR Fanfic Minho x Reader x Newt)

Chapter 26

*Normal POV*

I heard voices, faint, and the whirring of grievers. I got out from under a cover of vines I was using when I slept during the day. That was my daily routine by now. After finding Ben, who had been banished, I had sworn not to interfere with someone else's life, even if they were in the maze. The memory of him was still painful. I'd turned a corner while running and seen a Griever standing in front of Ben, who looked horrified. He'd made eye contact with me, begging me for help. I'd tried to, but had failed. He had been snatched up by the griever before I'd even struck the griever. Now, he was dead. I knew there was no way he would've survived if the griever snatched him up and carried him off somewhere.

"Chill, it's me!" I heard someone cry out. I wondered why several people would be in the maze at night.

"You scared the living crap out of me." I heard a second voice speak.

"That move you did gave me an idea," I froze for a second, recognizing the first voice. It can't be... can it?

What the shuck are you doing in here you slinthead?

It was Minho. It had to be Minho. I'd recognize that shadow, that voice, and the way he ran from anywhere.

I watched as a second kid stumbled and tripped. I didn't recognize him from the Glade and assumed that he was a Greenie. I watched as three grievers chased the two boys and grit my teeth. I was already injured here and there, and they weren't really treated properly. My clothes were torn in some places, and I was weak from hunger and thirst. I knew I was probably sleep-deprived, and I wasn't in a place to safely help them.

"I won't break. I will survive... I'll protect him, I promise."

My head echoed those memories back at me, and without thinking, I grabbed a knife I'd brought with me, chucking it at the Griever right behind Minho and the other boy. I felt pain burst from the right side of my waist as the griever fell, after I killed it, cutting my right side. I ignored the pain and grabbed the two boys, dashing through the corridors. I kept silent, not knowing what I should say to one of the boys I'd missed. I let my thoughts distract me for a second and nearly turned the wrong way.

We were now standing in front of the closing sections, but the Greenie stayed back while Minho was already on the other side. I knew what the Greenie was trying to do, but his counting and calculations were slightly off. He probably didn't know about the section doors increasing in speed when closing. I grabbed his collar and dragged him towards Minho who was screaming at us. I shoved him in front of me, and scraped my left elbow on the closing section.

I panted, trying to catch my breath as I leaned against the wall while standing. Minho was sitting, propped up against the wall with his head down, and the other boy was on all fours. They both looked up at me as the sun rose, providing light to see each other clearly. I made eye contact with Minho, whose eyes widened and mouth dropped.

"Zia?"

I smiled slightly.

"Hey, Min. Miss me much?"

He sat there, frozen and doing nothing but staring. Then, before I could even blink, he had his arms around me as he enveloped me in a hug.

"You don't know how much," he answered. I hugged him back, patting his back comfortingly.

"Me too."

He stepped away from me and looked me over once. He looked slightly worried as he took in my injuries and weary face. I shifted my attention to the boy on the ground and nearly gasped. Now, in the clear daylight, I could see who he was. Thomas.

I knew he couldn't know who I was, and kept my expression clean of recognition or surprise. He, however, clearly recognized me.

"You died?" Thomas pointed out.

"You can't get rid of me easily," I joked. "Shame, isn't it?"

Minho glared at me before getting up and dusting himself off. It reminded me of when we had first met a year ago.

"But Newt said no one survives a night in the maze," Thomas trailed off as he stood up too.

"No one ever did. Until we did," I turned towards the entrance to the Glade.

"Why didn't you come back when you were alive?" Minho murmured.

"I tried, but every single time, something prevented me. The doors were closed, there was a griever hunting me down, the sections were moving, and other stuff like that."

The boys explained what had happened while I was gone, how Minho had found a dead griever, how Alby approached it and it sprung to life, stinging him. How Ben had been stung in broad daylight, how he had attacked Thomas, causing Ben to be banished. I flinched a little at his name, guilt and grief storming around inside me.

We reached Alby hanging on the vines. It was a miracle, him being alive even though the grievers could easily climb and attack him. My adrenaline rush wore off, making me highly alert of the dark red stickiness covering my right side. I felt a lot of pain, but I just held it all in. The boys took him down, and we scampered across the corridors, waiting for the doors to open. It eventually did, and we walked faster towards the Glade.

"I see them! I see Thomas, Minho, and Alby!" Chuck pointed and hollered. I was walking behind Alby's slouching figure, so they didn't see me. I stepped into view, walking next to Minho. I heard the gladers gasp in shock as they saw a fourth figure emerge from behind the three boys. They gasped again when they recognized me. I grinned at them, throwing them a wave.

"Miss me much?" I hollered.

Vera shoved her way to the front and dropped her jaw when she saw me.

"Oh, Zia. Please don't haunt us, we're sorry," Vera sighed.

Minho, Thomas, and I burst out laughing, our laughter echoing through the maze. We finally made it to the Glade, and I relished the step I took, happy that I was home. The crowd stepped back as Alby was whisked away to the Medhut by several builders. I smiled weakly, scanning their faces, until I found who I was looking for.

His chocolate brown eyes were wide, and his caramel hair was messed up. He looked tired and ragged, and then he frowned, angry.

"You are bloody slintheads," he started. "First I lose Zia, then I lose Alby, then I lose Minho, and then I lost the greenie! And all four of you come back out of the shucking maze, after surviving a night. I thought I was alone with the Gladers, I'd lost my closest friends!"

He looked as if he was going to rant on and on until eternity, so I decided to end it. I glanced at Minho and Thomas, the latter with a guilty expression as he examined the grass. Minho just stared at Newt, obviously tired.

"It's nice to see you too, Newt," I smirked before turning to the crowd. "Alright shanks, go do your thing, we are not on display."

The crowd dispersed, leaving Newt, Chuck, and Vera. Vera ran up to me and hugged me fiercely, squealing.

"I thought you died, you idiot!" Vera exclaimed. I smiled as Chuck walked up to me.

"I told them you were alive, they didn't listen," he blurted out. I smiled and hugged him.

"I missed you," he mumbled.

"I missed you too, little guy," I murmur. "Thanks for not giving up on me."

I let go of him and looked at Newt again. I could see hope, longing, sorrow, and doubt mixed in his eyes. I smiled and he approached me a little closer. I tackled him, throwing all of my emotions away except for happiness. He hesitated for a moment, obviously surprised, before hugging me back, squeezing me. I pulled out of his grasp when he came in contact with my injury. He'd accidentally squeezed that area too, making the blood that had been clotting the injury to fade, leaving fresh blood pouring out. I felt the world spinning around me as the past few days' events finally caught up on me, leaving me to faint. I felt arms around me, catching me, but didn't know who it was.

Before I completely blacked out, I grinned and mumbled, "Be back in a bit."

A/N

OMG 204 READS SKREEEEEEE-

LJ