𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘, 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝖻𝗎𝗆

(flashback) nancy down, thomas stays

They were almost safe.

The ambush hit just outside the Iron Lion's perimeter — a rogue WCKD faction, or worse, scavengers who didn't care who they hurt.

Nancy led from the front, as always. Calm. Strategic. Her brain ten steps ahead of every attack.

But this time, something went wrong.

The blast came from the side, a shrapnel bomb tucked beneath a cracked wall. She didn't see it. None of them did.

BOOM.

The force knocked her off her feet.

"Nancy!" Thomas's voice cracked, charging forward.

The smoke cleared and she was on the ground, gritting her teeth. Blood on her arm. Her left leg—the prosthetic, sparking faintly where it had slammed into rubble.

"I'm fine," she hissed, trying to sit up.

She wasn't. The prosthetic was dead weight now. Useless. "I said I'm fine!"

"You're not!" Thomas snapped back, louder than usual. "Stop pretending you're some kind of– of machine!"

She went quiet.

And for the first time... she let him help her.

He ducked beside her, one arm around her waist as he checked her wounds, his fingers shaking.

"I should've been watching you," he muttered. "I shouldn't have—"

"Stop." Her voice was quiet. "You were watching everyone."

He didn't answer.

Instead, he ripped a strip of fabric, securing her arm. He stayed beside her as Minho and Gally pushed the enemy back.

As Brenda barked orders. As Sonya shouted for med kits.

Thomas didn't move.

Not when they carried her back to the base. Not when she gritted through pain. Not when she hid the small tremble of her hand from everyone else.

And when she looked over, much later, and saw him still sitting there, watching over her like some silent, worried guard dog...

She didn't have the energy to tease him. So she whispered instead.

"Thank you."

And he just nodded, lips pressed in a thin, unreadable line.

★