TMR Gally - hate him love him

life goes on

Athena's POV

I sing softly while Clint rubs the ointment stuff on my finger. He wasn't happy with seeing my shriveled hands from doing the dishes, but he didn't say anything about it. Just gave me a annoyed look. "Lavenders blue dilly dilly..." Jeff walks in, ignoring me, as usual. He's never going to like me. I see Clint getting bandages again and I stop singing. "No." He turns around, giving me a questioning look. "No. I need both my hands. Just... Bandage my finger." "Greenie..." He sighs, but I jump off the table, grabbing a piece of bandage on my way out. Gally could do it better anyway. I go and look for him, the dining area is starting to fill up with Gladers. After he ran off, I didn't wait for him, telling Fry to let him know where I was if he saw him again. "But I won't be long..." Fry just laughed. "Take your time Greenie. He'll be busy a while..." I didn't even want to think about what he meant with that. I already know how long it takes him when I help... "Hey Fry, got anything for me?" He smiles through the window, handing me a plate with bread and cheese, banana and a fresh cup of tea. "Whoa... Again, spoiling me." I smile back, taking the food and turning to find the table where my friends were. But they were spread out, all at different table, all with different people... Except... I walk over and sit down. "Morning." Thomas looks up at me, surprised. "Morning... Grrreeeeniee. Oh I love saying that." He grins at me. "What brings you over here?" He looks around, not really subtle. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought we were friends, guess I'll just go and..." I pretend to get back up again, but he pushes me back down. "Don't be ridiculous, we are friends. Gally and me, on the other hand..." "Are not. Morning Shank. Greenie." Gally sits down next to me, squeezing me in between him and Thomas. I elbow him softly, to get him to give me more space. Thomas smiles when Minho and two other Runners join our table. I give Gally the bandage and lay my hand on the table, letting him wrap my finger. "How come you guys don't get allong?" I look at Gally. He sighs, an annoyed expression on his face. "When he got here, he started causing... problems. Ran into the Maze on his third day here, always questioning the way we've always done things, never following orders..." I look at Thomas, who just smiles ear to ear. I giggle. "So...like me?" The other Runners look at Gally, grinning. Minho laughs "She's got a point there. Maybe she can beat you in a circle fight as well Gally." They all start laughing, except for Gally of course. "What is a circle fight?" Now, he grins. "You'll see at the Bonfire tonight. We did all the preparations yesterday, no use letting a good pyre go to waste...There, all done." I had forgotten about that. I break a piece of the banana, eating it slowly, trying to keep the bandage clean. Thomas talks with the others, even Gally joins the conversation, bringing up memories from previous Bonfires. "... Right Greenie?" I snap out of my thoughts. "Mmm?" Minho rolls his eyes. The runner next to him repeats the question. "Are you going to sing tonight?" I smile and hold up my finger. "Singing is the only thing the Med-Jacks are allowing me to do. Or... The only thing they forgot to mention when telling what I wasn't allowed to do." They all laugh. Gally kisses my temple, getting up from the table. "I have to go meet Alby. Go find Newt later, okay? He'll give you your knife back." I stare at him for a moment, before nodding and turning back to my plate. I had lost my appetite, so I sipped from the tea. "You have no idea, do you?" I look at Thomas. "About?" He smiles "About the effect you have on him. He was an intolerable, stuck-up, shucking pain in the..." I raise my eyebrows. He clears his throat. "Anyway, he isn't anymore. Or at least not all the time. Him sitting with us, I would've never believed me if someone told me that a couple of weeks ago..." I feel a blush coming up. "You're welcome I think?" That made me feel a bit better about it all, being here... causing all this chaos...

After they had packed their lunch, the Runners ran off into the Maze. I really hope they find a way out... There is no way out, we're all going to die here... I push the memory of Ben out of my head. I start looking for Newt. I want the comfort of my knife back, the weight on my leg, the secure feeling I get from having it. "Hi there. How are you feeling love?" He pulls me into a hug. I hug him back, loving the feeling of his head on top of mine. "Better when I have my knife back?" He let's go off me and slides the knife back into the sheath on my thigh himself. Then he hands me another sheath with leather straps. "This was Ben's... Same as that one was mine, when I was a Runner. We all agreed you should have it." He was a Runner? I don't say anything as I unbuckle my belt, sliding the sheath on it, while Newt straps the leather band around my thigh. He smiles, but his eyes look sad. "There. Better?" I hug him again, feeling my eyes watering. I don't want him to see me cry again. "Yes. Better. Thank you Newt." He pats my back, suddenly not knowing what to do. "Right, uhm... You want to come with me, check out the salt and beer traps?" I step back from him, nodding. "Lead the way." I blink a bit faster, waiting for him to turn around before wiping my face. Get your act together Athena. Life goes on...