The Deadliest Generation: The Maze Of Monsters

Leaving Was The Worst Part

'Ava, what are you stopping me from remembering?'

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Thomas knew when the Gathering was over because when Newt walked out of the Homestead, he ran toward Thomas like his life depended on it. He also felt drained and still needing to cry at the same time. His time for resting was over.

Teresa's head shot up when Newt approached, and her previous sleepy state snapped away as she pulled her arm away from around Thomas and instead demandingly pulled Thomas to his feet and propelled him gently toward Newt.

Thomas glared back at her, flushing red and Teresa gave him a wolfish grin and nodded. Thomas rolled his eyes, incredibly worried that Teresa knew. About his feelings for Newt.

Newt came to a halt in front of Thomas and smiled at him, and Thomas was relieved and thankful to see a glint of victory in the eyes of his otherwise unreadable expression. "This is bloody nuts, you know that?" Newt grinned happily at Thomas, placing an arm gently on Thomas's shoulder and Thomas really hoped the heat he felt in his face didn't show up as the bright red he thought it probably could.

"So they agreed to go?" Thomas asked, smiling happily at Newt, his embarrassment fading into excitement. 

Newt nodded, "All of them, yeah. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Those shanks've seen what happens at night with those Doors have opened, and heard the well, relatively short story from Minho and you that happened in the Maze. But we can't get out of the stupid Maze. Gotta try something that almost dangerously makes sense." 

Newt paused then looked around for the Keepers, and Thomas followed his eye line to see the Keepers gathering their respective groups of people. He looked back at Newt when he spoke Newt, trying not to feel warmer when he looked in Newt's eyes. "Now we just gotta convince the Gladers."

Thomas knew that would be even more difficult than what persuading the Keepers had been, but instead his face broke into a smile, "Shuck, Newt, you must be one hell of a convincer," he grinned widely and gently punched Newt on the shoulder.

Newt grinned back at Thomas with more of a smirk in his smile and said, "Well, I suppose I am, but thank you for the reminder-"

"Do you guys need me to go?" Teresa interrupted and both Newt and Thomas span back around to see her smirking at them. 

"Shut up, Teresa," Thomas said with a small smile, and him and Newt exchanged glances before stepping slightly away from each other. 

"Good, because I need to ask; you think the Gladers are gonna agree?" Teresa finally joined them by standing beside them. 

"Not all of them?" Newt said, and Thomas saw his good mood melt into frustration in his eyes, "Some'll stay and take their chances, and some will come with us."

Thomas didn't doubt that people would freak out at taking what was pretty much a dive into a pit of Grievers. Asking to fight them as well was a lot.

"What about Alby, though?" Thomas voiced, remembering the older boys panic at the mere mention of Thomas's escape. 

"Who knows?" Newt shrugged, observing the Keepers and the Glader's movements around the Glade. "I'm convinced the poor bugger really is more worried about going back home than he is of the Grievers. But I'll try to get him with us, don't worry."

Thomas wished he knew of the memories that concerned Alby and and also terrified the ex-Gladers who'd been Banished, such as Ben, but asked, rather stupidly, "How are you even going to do that?"

Newt smiled and looked right at Thomas and said, "Like you said, I'm persuasive. And I'll lie a bit to him, try to convince him about us getting a happily ever after."