LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

23

The WICKED scientists panicked as they furiously typed away at their computers and frantically spoke to each other.

"Knock her out!"a blonde women said. "We can't allow her to hear their conversation! It will ruin everything!"

"Why can she hear them? She shouldn't be able to!"a women with black hair shouted across the room.

"I don't know!"a man replied.

"You might not know,"a man said as he walked in the door,"but I do."

"Janson,"the lady said,"what is it?"

"Not a what, but a who."

"Well, who is it then?"the man yelled.

"Thomas,"Jason said. "And he made sure it was permanent."

The WICKED scientists looked outraged. "That little shit!"

❀✿❀

When Clara woke up, Thomas was next to her bedside, sitting in a chair, asleep. It was obviously night.

She sat up, groaning as she did so.

Thomas woke up, and got up, standing next to her. "Clara, are you okay? What happened?"

Clara's lip trembled as she turned her head to look at Thomas. "What did you do, Thomas?"

"What do you mean?"he said.

"I mean, what did you do? Before the Glade?"

"Clara,"Thomas said. "I don't know."

"I don't know, either, Thomas!"she replied. "I just don't know."

Thomas thought for a second, then said,"But do you know what I do know?"

"What?"Clara asked.

"I know that everything is gonna be okay,"he told her.

"How do you know that?"

Once again, he thought for a second before answering. "Because we have each other. And that's all we need."

"You're right,"she said.

"Oh, thank God,"he said. "I thought you were gonna laugh."

Clara chuckled. "Oh, Tom."

He smiled, then started to walk out the room. He stoped at the doorway, then said,"Well, if you need anything, just let me know."

"Thanks, Thomas,"she said.

"Anytime,"he said.

She lay down, but after about a second, she sat up and called out,"Thomas?"

He walked back into her room, and said,"Yeah?"

"Um, is this doesn't sound too weird, would you mind staying?"she asked nervously.

Thomas nodded, and replied,"Yeah, yeah, of course."

He went to sit down on the chair, but Clara said,"Thomas, I meant in the bed. In like a non sexual way, of course."

Thomas laughed, and said,"God, you're awkward."

"Not as awkward as you,"she laughed. "I was being serious, by the way."

Thomas said, "Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have asked you,"she said. "Are you okay with that?"

"Of course,"he said, and climbed in next to her.

He wrapped an arm around her, and she lay her head on his chest.