Azure• the maze runner

14

The next morning, Aria and Chuck stood outside the maze entrance, pacing back and forth in silence.

"They are going to be okay, right?" Chuck suddenly asked, turning to the older girl who he had started to look at as an older sister.

"I'm sure they will be fine Chuckie." Aria sighed, taking a seat in the grass facing the entrance as Chuck sat beside her as Gally walked up to the two of them.

"You guys been here long?" Gally asked the two as Chuck nodded.

"Since before sunset." Chuck told him as Gallys eyes scanned Aria's face.

"You sleep at all Aria? You're not looking too good." Gally asked, crouching in front of her.

"Gee thanks, Gally." Aria laughed out as he gave a playful eye roll, "I'm fine, just didn't get any sleep."

"Do you need me to get you anything?" Gally asked. Before Aria could respond, she heard Newt's voice pipe up from behind her.

"She's fine, thanks, Gally." Newt bitterly said, going to sit beside Aria as she turned to lean into his side, feeling utterly exhausted.

Gally only rolled his eyes in response as he walked away, not even wanting to watch how close the two are.

"Love, you okay? You were out of bed before I even woke up." Newt softly asked in Aria's ear as she leaned against his chest.

"I'm fine. I was just worried." Aria sighed as he only nodded, softly rubbing her arms as she rested. Newt knew how worried Aria was for the three gladers in the maze overnight, and it was eating her alive.

Newt and Aria sat in silence as they watched Chuck pick grass only about a meter away as they heard the doors start to open. Aria was quick to stand up, Newt right behind her, as they watched the doors open, desperately looking for any sign of their friends as the other gladers also came to look.

Aria grabbed onto Newt's hand, giving it a tight squeeze before trying to see farther into the maze without actually entering it.

Once the doors were fully open, Chuck let out a defeated sigh as Newt clapped a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"I told you, Chuck, they're not coming back." Newt quietly said before turning around to walk away with the other gladers as he tugged Aria's hand, feeling her feet still planted.

"You coming?" He asked her as she shook his head, letting his hand go as she wrapped her arms around Chuck in a comforting hug that they both needed.

They soon heard Zart mutter out a 'No way...' before they turned to see their three friends walking towards them.

"Yeah!" Chuck cheered out, the biggest grin that Aria has ever seen on his face as she felt her face do the same.

Aria scanned over her friends, sensing something may have happened as they dragged Albys almost lifeless body towards the group, finally making it back into the glaze and setting Alby down on the ground as Aria and the other gladers crouched around him, Minho and Thomas both had crouched, trying to catch their breath.

Clint and Jeff started to fuss over Alby, trying to see what they could do to help him when Aria turned to both Thomas and Minho still on her knees, tugging both of them towards her into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're all okay." She muttered out, feeling a sense of relief.

"Aria and Chuck have been sitting out here for hours, wanting to make sure you guys were okay." Gally told the boys as Thomas shot Aria a grateful smile.

"What happened out there? How'd you guys make it out?" Zart asked them before Chuck cut him off.

"You see a griever?" Chuck excitedly asked.