Subject A6: The Hope

Chapter 15: Drown Them Out

3rd Person POV:

The chill of the night air wrapped around Y/N as she sat by the towering walls of the Maze, her knees pulled up to her chest. The moonlight filtered through the cracks in the stone, casting faint silvery shadows across the names etched into the walls. Her fingers traced the grooves, pausing over names that were crossed out—George, Nick. Names of lives lost.

Her chest tightened as she stared at them, the weight of guilt pressing down on her like a boulder she couldn't push away. She couldn't stop replaying Gally's words, the way his voice had risen in anger, his accusation cutting through her like a knife: "If you hadn't been so reckless, they'd still be alive!"

The memory hit her like a fresh wound, and she fought the lump rising in her throat. He wasn't wrong, was he? George and Nick were gone, and maybe... maybe it really was her fault. If she hadn't been so insistent on her plans, if she hadn't pushed them to take risks...

She squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers curling into fists. What if they would all be safer if it had been her instead? The thought lingered, a whisper that refused to leave her alone.

"Didn't expect to find you out here."

The voice startled her, and she turned to see Gally standing a few feet away. His usual confidence seemed tempered, his hands shoved into his pockets, his expression softer than she'd ever seen it. For a moment, she considered ignoring him, but the look in his eyes stopped her. He wasn't here to fight. Not this time.

"What do you want, Gally?" she asked, her voice quiet but edged with weariness.

He hesitated, then moved closer, leaning against the wall beside her. "I noticed you've been... distant lately. Figured you might be out here." He glanced at the names on the wall, his jaw tightening as his eyes lingered on George's and Nick's crossed-out names. "I know I said some things I shouldn't have. Things I didn't mean."

Y/N let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow in the stillness of the night. "Didn't mean them, huh? Because it sure felt like you did."

Gally winced, the guilt on his face unmistakable. "I was angry," he admitted, his voice low. "I was scared. We all were. But taking it out on you... that wasn't fair. I know that now."

She turned her gaze back to the wall, her fingers brushing over Nick's name. "You weren't wrong, though," she whispered. "If I hadn't pushed so hard, maybe they'd still be here. Maybe—" Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard. "Maybe they'd be alive, and I wouldn't have to sit here wondering if it should've been me instead."

Gally's head snapped toward her, his expression stunned. "Y/N, don't say that."

"Why not?" she asked, her voice breaking. "It's true, isn't it? I've thought about it a hundred times. If I wasn't here, if it had been me instead, maybe... maybe everyone else would be safer."

"Stop." His tone was firm now, almost commanding. "Don't do that to yourself. We all make choices in here, Y/N. We all take risks. What happened to George and Nick... that's on all of us, not just you. And definitely not just because of you."

She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "It's hard to believe that when you've got your voice ringing in my head, reminding me how I failed."

Gally ran a hand over his face, the weight of his own regret evident. "I know I hurt you," he said softly. "And I don't expect you to forget it anytime soon. Hell, I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself for saying what I did. But you've got to know, Y/N... none of us would be better off without you. You're the glue that holds us together, whether you see it or not."

Her voice wavered as she replied, "You don't know how deep your words cut, Gally. I don't know if I'll ever really forget them."

He nodded solemnly. "I get that. I do. But... I hope someday, you'll forgive me."

She looked at him then, searching his face for the truth behind his words. What she saw there—genuine remorse, a vulnerability she hadn't expected—softened something inside her. "Maybe not today," she said quietly. "But... eventually. I'll try."

They sat in silence for a moment longer before Gally stood, glancing down at her. "You're stronger than you think, Y/N. Don't let the guilt win." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Later that night, Y/N found herself seeking comfort in the one person who never failed to ground her. She knocked softly on her and Newt's door, and when he opened it, concern flashed across his face.

"Love, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling her inside without hesitation.

She didn't answer right away, instead wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. He held her close, his hand stroking her hair as he waited for her to speak.

"I just... needed you," she murmured after a moment. "I've been thinking about everything—about the people we've lost, about what's ahead. And... I just hope we get to spend the rest of our lives together, no matter what happens."

Newt tightened his hold on her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We will," he promised, his voice soft but resolute. "No matter what this bloody Maze throws at us, I'm not letting you go. Not now, not ever."

She pulled back slightly to look at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You mean that?"

"With everything I've got," he said, cupping her face gently. "You're my reason to keep going, Y/N. You always have been."

Her heart swelled at his words, and she leaned up to kiss him, a slow, tender kiss that conveyed all the love and hope she couldn't put into words. When they pulled apart, she rested her forehead against his, a small smile breaking through the lingering sadness.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For always being here."

"Always, love," Newt replied, his arms wrapping around her as if to shield her from the weight of the world. And in his embrace, Y/N finally felt a flicker of peace, a reminder that even in the darkness of the Maze, she wasn't alone.