Escape to the Hills // Newt x Reader

18

Teresa and Thomas had disappeared into the basement to collect the boards. Down two people against the mob of Cranks now circling the Homestead.

River was sobbing into Gally's shoulder somewhere behind you but you couldn't look. It was like you were in some sort of trance or under the influence of a drug. You watched in slight confusion as Minho stepped out of the door and stumbled a bit, his face breaking out into a smile. Newt giggled into your ear.

"What were we doing?" Minho asked. He turned to you with the smile still on his face, his eyes in small crescents. "I can't remember what was happening."

"I don't know." You admitted. You bust out laughing along with Minho and Newt.

"Wasn't it something important?" Newt asked through laughs. He was leaning on you heavily.

Minho started laughing harder. "You sound like those kids from the really old movie. What was it called? Harris Poetry?"

You wheezed at his guess. "You mean Harry Potter?"

"(Y/N) what the hell are you laughing at?" Gabi yelled from inside, pulling the planks Thomas was handing up from the basement out and piling them up.

You were laughing too hard to answer so you just shrugged weakly. "Minho's an idiot!"

Gabi yelled a confused "What?" before it hit her. "Get them inside!"

Minho was almost run over by a Crank who seemed to be just as lost at him. He held the Crank at arms length and went "Whoa whoa! Dude! Calm down! We're all friends here!"

You were laughing so hard you weren't getting enough air. You noticed before you took a deep breath in, how your vision cleared and you started wondering why you were laughing, then you breathed in and you went right back to cackling at Minho.

Newt was practically crying laughing with his arms around your waist, his chin rested on your shoulder. You liked the way it felt.

Suddenly, strong arms were pulling you back inside. You watched as Alby smacked the Crank over the head with his gun and yanked Minho after him back into the Homestead.

"What the hell were you doing?" He scolded once the four of you were safely inside.

You giggled at him. "You're funny."

Alby seemed a little giddy himself but shook it off quickly. The small smirk on his face stayed. "You shanks are insane."

You, Newt, and Minho bust out laughing at that, causing the rest to give you strange looks. Newt went limp on your back because of how hard he was laughing. Minho had an arm slung over Alby's shoulders.

"What are you laughing at?" Gally was starting to get frustrated.

"Oh, no." Fry said. His voice laced with hopelessness. "They've lost it. We're gonna die."

River's horrified face was streaked with tears as she watched you. Her small hand gripped Jeff's shirt maybe a little too tight. Images of passed events flashed in her mind. You in a hospital room, countless numbers of thin tubes dripping different liquids pin cushioning you. River sat in a chair in the hallway watching you sleep. You woke with a start and a loud yell, scaring River right out of her daydreams. You settled back into your bed with a hand to your forehead. Then the laughing started. It started with a giggle then grew to a full on cackle. The sound burned itself into River's mind. She heard it in every nightmare she had since.

"No." She said quietly. "No. No!" She got up and ran over to you. She tugged on your pant leg until you were looking at her. "Please stop."

You giggled still and reached down to twirl her pigtail around your finger. "I'm fine, River." Your smile was starting to shrink. "I'm fine."

River visibly relaxed and leaned against your leg, her small arm wrapping around your thigh. She was small for a 5 year old, you noticed.

"What the hell happened out there?" Gally asked.

"Gas." Gabi said like that explained everything.

"Gas?" Fry prompted her to explain after a few moments of silence.

"Nitrous oxide. Better known as laughing gas. An airborne drug. You stand out there long enough in it something's aught to get you. You just stand there giggling, body numb, until something comes and grab you. Makes you stupid few a good few minutes after you're pulled out of it." Gabi watched you, Newt, and Minho calm down enough to stop giggling. "In her case, it makes her stupider."

"And you didn't tell us about that earlier?"

"She did. She warned you when Minho first went out there. That's why she was all in a panic."

"No one listens to me anyway, it's cool." You stated. "Always getting interrupted or talked over."

The screeching outside became deafening. Cranks swarmed the windows. The door almost burst open when a Crank threw its body against it. River clung tighter to your leg and Newt to your waist.

"What do we do?" Minho asked. He'd become accustomed to yelling questions after the Maze.

Thomas and Alby both looked around, unsure. Suddenly, Thomas' face changed.

"(Y/N)!" He yelled, his voice still a little hard to hear. "Aris! You said you saw Aris!"

"I-I did but-" A bang on the door interrupted you. "There's no way to communicate with him. The telepathy thing doesn't work!"

Thomas cursed and bit his lip. Everyone held their breath.

"Try it!" Alby yelled. "If whoever the hell Aris is has control of any sort of device it might work!"

You shut your eyes and tried to reach out to him. If Aris was in control of the computers he must know how to help you.

"Okay, but it seems kinda stupid that half of us here have this telepathy thing and I'm the only one working on it." You said after a moment.

"Right." Minho said. He did the same.

Newt pressed his face into your hair. "I hope this works."

Ignoring your flushed cheeks, you agreed. "Me too."

You concentrated harder, forcing all you had into finding Aris.

You felt like you were concentrating on nothing. Something that wasn't there. You were just about to give up when something in your mind clicked. Literally. Then a voice came from deep in your brain.

You guys alright?

You felt so happy you could cry.

"You okay?" Alby's voice was loud over the Cranks.

Thomas answered for you. "We've got him."