Escape to Paradise/Newt, book 2

Chapter 1: New beginnings

The day that I got Newt back was one of the best days of my life. The way his eyes weren't bloodshot from lack of sleep, and his hair wasn't stuck to his forehead with sweat and mud. He didn't have cuts on his arm from running in the maze and gardening.
He didn't even have his limp.
He was just Newt, without all of the cuts and bruises. He wasn't stressed out from gardening in the sun all day, and he didn't have the callouses on his hands from the shovels.
But he still had the memories.
He did remember our first kiss, and the day that he cracked a rib and I had to take care of him. He remembers when we had a fight because the greenie spread rumors, and he remembers the day I got hurt in the maze. I remember all of it too, but he seems to be taking it harder than me. He saw more than I did, made more relationships. He was a leader, i was just me. He saw things I hadn't seen. Things he probably doesn't want me to see. I've purposely avoided the camera footage of the glade before I arrived. I don't want to know what he went through.

When Newt woke up, I could tell it was overwhelming for him. I was overjoyed to see him again, but even after he seemed to calm down, I could hear his heart, feel his pulse when he held my hand. He was scared, but he'd never admit it. I took my time leading him around the WICKED facility, showing him the white hallways and small rooms separated by glass panes. His eyes just blazed over everything, always landing back on me. He probably thought I wasn't real, and it made a lump form in my throat. When we got back to the moniter room, where everyone sat around their computers, it was like he couldn't see the faces, just blurs. I tried to introduce him to everyone slowly, but it was like he couldn't tell what was real and what was a memory. Well, until he saw Alby. His breath caught in his throat, and his eyes darted around Alby's face. He stood still for a moment, studying his features. Alby didn't rush him, just smiled gently and took calm breaths.
"Hey Newt, remember me?" Alby asked, taking a slow step forward. Then the switch flipped in his brain and Newt wrapped his arms around Alby, holding onto him like they were brothers. Then again, they probably thought of each other that way. They led the glade together for a while, and they probably grew closer than most of us thought. They stood there for a moment, the only movement was Alby slowly patting the taller boy on the shoulder.
"Bloody hell man, I saw you die." Newt said, pulling away but keeping a hand rested on the older mans shoulder.
"I know, I saw you die too, slinthead." Alby said, giving Newt a small smile. "You took care of my boys, right?" Alby said, looking right into Newt's brown eyes.
"Yeah, I tried Alby. I tried." He smiled sadly, and the older boy nodded approvingly. Newt glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened. His mouth dropped open, and his hand dropped to his side.
"Chuck?" He whispered, walking around Alby and running over to a small boy sitting at a desk. He didn't even say anything at first, just spun the kids chair around and hugged him.
"Wha-who?" The boy started, his arms lifted up in defense. Then his eyes settled on the mop of dirty-blonde hair. "Newt?"
"It's me, chuckie." He said, holding the boy at arms length. The chubby kid stood up, wrapping his arms around Newts torso as his cheeks flushed pink. His mouth spread up into a smile, little dimples in the corner.
"I missed you!" he said happily, keeping his arms around Newt's stomach. I could feel my own smile creep up onto my own cheeks as Newt patted the curly hair on the shorter boy.
"Are you alright? I thought Gally...I thought he..." Newt trailed off, inspecting chucks face for injuries like a concerned parent.
"Well he did, but then I woke up here. We all did." Chuck explained calmly. Newt nodded slowly, glancing at everyone  else in the room.
"I guess you're right." Newt said, licking his lips, his tongue sticking out for a second in concentration.
"How have you been?" Newt asked, bending down just slightly so he was closer to Chuck's level. The younger boy bounced on the balls of his feet, the white clothes contrasting the rosy flushed face.
"It's been lonely. There aren't many people my age here. But...I guess it's safer than the maze." He paused glancing around the room. "I don't really like it here, but I don't really miss the glade though. There's no more grievers or anything." He said cheerfully. Newt laughed softly, a sound I had been missing for too long.
"I guess you're right." Newt said, lifting a hand and messing up Chuck's hair. He glanced back at me for a moment, his smile not fading for even a moment, and Chuck noticed.
"Is that your girlfriend?" He said quietly, a smirk on his round face.
Newt nodded, smiling down at him.
"Yeah, chuckie. It is. I'll see you around, okay? You be careful." He said, patting the kid on his shoulder. As Newt walked away, I saw the boy peek his head out to the side and he made eye contact with me. Then he pointed at Newt and made kissy faces. He flashed a quick thumbs up before turning back to his computer.

Newt slipped an arm around my shoulder, his body staying right at my side. He let out a content sigh, his hand cupping my arm.
"So this is where you all ended up. You, chuck, Alby, even all the greenies that I've watched come and go."
"Yeah, we all end up here." I explained.
"I can see most of you here. Everyone that I knew that died. I see Ben right now, and...wait." He paused, scanning the entire room. "Where's Gally?" He questioned, looking down at me. I tilted my head to the side.
"What do you mean?" I asked, glancing around without even thinking.
"Gally never got ejected from the simulation. He's still in it right now." I explained. Newts eyebrows creased and he shifted his weight to his other leg.
"No, I...I saw him die. He killed Chuck, and then...then Minho killed him." He explained, and it was like I could see the wheels in his head turning. He looked so confused, but I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about.
"I'm afraid you never actually saw him die, Issac." A voice spoke up behind us. Ava Paige came clacking down the hallway in her high heels, and my hand instinctively wrapped around Newts waist, pulling him closer to me. He noticed, glancing down at me, and then back up at the woman. He stood up straighter, and I knew that he understood how uncomfortable i was. He was being protective, and he's done it before. Newt tries to make himself taller, and whether he realizes it or not, his grip on my shoulder tightens.
"Emmy, Issac, how are you doing today?" She asked slowly, her blood red lipstick set in a line.
"Issac? Who's that?" Newt questioned her, and she smiled satisfactorily.
"My, have you forgotten? Your name is Issac Newton. Although, even before the trials you preferred the name Newt." She put her hands behind her back. "I see you've found your way around the place already. Are you enjoying the compound, Issa-"
"Newt. Not Issac, Newt." He interrupted her. Her mouth stayed open for a second, her eyes wide with annoyance as she cleared her throat.
"Yes. Sorry...Newt. Did you already get a tour from Miss. Emmy?" She asked.
"Um, yeah. I did." He answered uncomfortably. She nodded slowly.
"As you know, you were a participant of the trials. It is necessary that after a subject leaves the simulation, we have to conduct an examination." She said. Newt looked unimpressed by her language, but he glanced down at me. I nodded slowly, giving a slight eye roll that I hoped she couldn't see. Newt smiled briefly, before clearing his throat.
"Um, yeah. Okay. Where is this examination thing?" He asked. Ava Paige gave a small smile. Her wrinkled eyes crinkled in the corners.
"Follow me." She smirked, and turned on her heel. The clack of her shoes reverberated throughout the hallways and I rolled my eyes, and Newt shook his head as he watched her walk away. His hand found mine, and we walked down the hallway together, him intertwining his fingers with mine.