𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 & 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘-𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮

FOUR

Gally was warm. I had forgotten how much heat he radiated. I didn't mind, the room was cold and the thin sheet barely did anything to keep us from freezing.

In my hazy realm between consciousness and sleep I played the events of last night in my head. I wasn't aware that there was another way of being so close to someone, not only physically but emotionally.

I never allowed myself to find feelings for someone else when Gally died. Not that the others at the Right Arm camp were appealing to me anyway. I was scared that if I loved someone so much like that again, I would just lose them.

But it made being with Gally now uncomplicated. And the feelings that I had for him were still there, if only stronger.

When I first woke up, I thought everything from yesterday had been a dream, but the feeling on his skin on mine, the way he smelt, the way he tasted, it was too real to be something my mind could conjure up.

We were tangled together, his arms wrapped around me tight in his sleep, like if he let me go now, I would disappear. But I didn't plan on going anyway. I didn't want to be anywhere without him.

He had taken a while to wake up and he looked around a bit before his eyes landed on me. He smiled and rested his head in the crook of my throat and shoulder. "I could get used to waking up to you again."

"I could say the same." I traced my hands up his arms, following the marks I had made in his skin. "Do we have anywhere to be today?"

He sucked in a breath and sighed. "Unfortunately." He pulled away from me and I protested from the loss of warmth. He climbed over me, reaching for his clothes and pulled them on. "We have to get the plan to everyone, and hopefully convince Thomas."

I sat up, stretching my arms above my head. "What did you guys see last night?" He didn't answer me, but I know he heard. He pulled his sweater over his head and stared at the wall. "Gally?"

"We saw Teresa."

"No. There's got to be another way." Thomas had walked away from the table when Gally announced his plans to the group. Frypan had seemed okay with it and Jorge and Brenda were indifferent. They had known Teresa for a short while, but they didn't have a past with her like we did. Or like Thomas did. All we had to do was kidnap Teresa and force her to get us in. It was simple. It wasn't like we were going to torture her.

"Like what?" Gally's hand slapped against the table, sliding maps of the WICKED building around. "You've seen the building. She is our only way in."

"You really think she's gonna help us?"

"I don't plan on asking for her permission." Gally shot back.

"Am I missing something here?" Brenda said annoyed. "This is the same girl who betrayed us? The same dick?"

"I like her." Gally pointed at Brenda.

"What's going on?"

"What, you're afraid your little girlfriend's gonna get hurt?" Newt had been staring at a soldier's helmet, picking at his lip. He seemed the most annoyed at Thomas's protesting. "This has never been about just rescuing Minho. Has it?"

"Newt, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Teresa. She's the only reason that Minho's missing in the first place. And now we have an opportunity to get him back and, what, you don't want to because of her?" He had stood up now, getting in Thomas's face and forcing him back against a wall. I understood why he was upset, but I've never seen Newt get so angry before. "Because deep down inside you still care about her, don't you?"