The Lost Glader || A TMR Fanfiction

Chapter 25 || Home Sweet Home

I hissed as the antiseptic was placed on my wounds, stinging, but I hardly moved. I had sustained a lot of injuries from my fall, even some gashes from getting a little too close to some Grievers. It was a miracle I hadn't gotten stung!

Jeff shook his head. "You really got beat up out there. What'd you do, jump a griever?" I snorted shaking my head, not really feeling like going into detail about what happened.

I looked up when I heard someone walk into the infirmary. "Newt." I said sitting up a little more. He sat down on one of the cots across from me. "Alby?" I asked raising my eyebrows hopefully. "Alive. Got the serum." I sighed in relief, but as I looked back up at Newt I frowned.

His eyes dark with sadness, as he rested his elbows on his knees, absentmindedly watching Jeff treat my injuries. "Hey." I said and his gaze darted up to meet mine, and my heart tightened seeing all the pain.

"It's going to be ok. I think right now, we should be grateful that he's alive. Yeah, he's going through the changing , and we know the pattern of people who have, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. One step at a time."

Slowly the corners of his mouth lifted into a subtle smile. "Was it that oblivious I was thinking about it?" He asked and I shrugged. "I'm pretty good at reading you." He sighed. "That's not the only thing I'm thinking about though. Are you ok?"

The short answer, would be no. I had just gone through the most traumatic night of my life, facing possible death at each turn. I was worried about Alby and how he would turn out. I was exhausted, hungry, weak. Every part of my body hurt. But despite all of that...

"Yeah, I'm ok. I mean I'm alive aren't I?" I weakly smiled and Newt shook his head. "Why would you go out there anyway...? When there was such a risk?" My eyes drifted up to the ceiling in thought.

"You know I'm not one to just sit around and wait for things to happen. I couldn't let them die out there, if I could have done something to help. I had to try... I left early enough where I could have made it back, but..."

Newt sighed rubbing his eyes. I had no doubt, that he hadn't slept a wink last night either. He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes darted over to Jeff, and he clamped his mouth shut.

"Well that's going to have to be good enough." Jeff stepped back, crossing his arms as he examined his work. My gaze drifted down, looking at the plethora of bandages on my arms.

"Thanks, Jeff." I said giving him a small smile as I pushed myself to the edge of the cot to stand. Newt immediately rushed over to me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist, allowing me to keep from putting weight on my still throbbing ankle.

"I'll help you upstairs." The blond said, guiding me out of the infirmary and towards the precarious staircase. "I can't get over how insane things have been around here recently." I mumbled absentmindedly and Newt's eyes wandered to look at me briefly.

He exhaled tiredly. "Yeah, and I have a feeling it's not going to calm down anytime soon." He added just as we stepped onto the second floor. "Eh... I could just use a rest for a little while." He softly smiled at me. "You deserve to rest, Niks."

Stopping at the closed door of my room, I hopped back from Newt. "Thanks, I can handle it from here." I said rubbing my eyes. I looked back up at him, seeing the mix of emotions etched across his face that I couldn't decipher.

Without any words, he closed the gap between us, taking me into his arms and hugging me tightly, burying his face in the crook of my neck. "Oh..." I mumbled surprised, but soon wrapped my arms around him as well. "I'm so glad you're ok." He whispered, shifting his head ever so slightly, causing his lips to brush across my neck as I felt his breath against my skin.

"When those bloody doors closed on you..." For some odd reason, at those words, it finally hit me what really happened. How by all odds I should be dead right now, but here I was very much alive. Even after we defeated the Grievers it hadn't hit me, I was just too elated at the feat we had accomplished. But now, I was truly grasping the scope of what had occurred, and slowly tears began to fill my eyes. A choked sob escaped my lips causing Newt to hold me tighter, and me to grasp onto his shirt.

"I almost died. I should've been dead." I croaked, my voice cracked and pitiful. I knew all this before. But the weight of it, I'm only now understanding.

"I was so terrified, that I was going to go into the Maze and find your body in there."
"I'm sure that would have been great news to most of the guys here." Newt was silent for a moment before he slowly pulled back holding me at arms length.

"I don't think you understand how much the guys around here actually love you." I tried to laugh, which turned into a mix of a choked sob. "Oh? Well they have a great job of showing it." Newt rolled his eyes at my sarcasm but continued nonetheless.

"Sure, they may not show it very well. But you're one of us, and everybody sees that. You're a Glader as much as anybody." I felt myself begin to smile ever so slightly. From the moment I had stepped foot outside of the Box, I had felt like an outsider. Never really belonging. And sure, I stuck out, I was different. But I belonged.

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"Please! Don't do this!" I begged, but the two bulking guards holding each arm didn't even glance at me. I continued to fight, trying to tear my arms from their grips, dragging my feet on the ground, yet nothing phased them as they effortlessly picked me up, pausing for not even a moment.

My eyes darted ahead of me watching the woman's white lab coat flare behind her quick pace. "Are you going to enjoy this?" I called up to her. "You have to understand, Nicole, I do not enjoy this. These are all just a means to an end."

My heart beat hammered into my chest, and I was sure it would burst out at any second. I could feel a drop of sweat slip down the back of my neck, and my breath was ragged. Passing by a large metal door, I caught my reflection. Wide, terror filled eyes stared back at me.

Finally stopping at another large door, the woman swiped a card, and the door slid open easily and she stepped inside, while the guards pulled me after her.

The center of the room was what appeared to be operating table, with straps for arms and legs. All around were monitors showing several different screens I didn't understand. A tray held several needles, and other tools that made my stomach flip. Four doctors stood patiently waiting, watching me with blank expressions.

Then, in the very back of the room, almost hidden in shadow was Thomas his countenance a mix of worry, fear, and sadness.

I surged forward, only to be held back again. "Thomas! Please help me! You have to stop this!" I yelled to him and he clenched his jaw, appearing to sink even more into the darkness. "I can't, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do." His pain filled voice surprised me. I hadn't expected such emotion.

The guards yanked me up onto the table, while the doctors made quick work of strapping me down. I gasped out a sob as I finally lay there, helpless.

"Are we sure..?" One very worn out looking doctor began but Ava quickly cut him off. "Just do it!" She said through a clenched jaw, hands clasped tightly in front of her. The man sighed but reached for a needle resting on the tray. "Very well then."

I squeezed my eyes shut as the doctor stepped up to the table. "I am sorry." He whispered, for only me to hear, but quickly he stabbed the needle into my skin.

I sucked in a sharp breath, pain immediately coursing through my veins. Just as the pain started, I could feel myself beginning to drop out of consciousness. I turned my head slightly, so my eyes were locked on Thomas.

"Just kill me..." My words were lost as my eyes rolled back in my head, and I was out.

A/N: And I had tried to make this chapter shorter XD. Oh well. Thanks for reading this far, and please tell me what you think, it means so much to hear your comments!  <3