Thank you for being my friends.
Goodbye.
Thomas dropped Newt's note and sank to the ground. The world seemed to come crashing down around him in that moment, and the tears began rolling down his cheeks before he could stop them. He sat with his knees drawn to his chest, and he slowly lowered his head as his shoulders began to shake with sobs. Vaguely, Thomas remembered being in similar situations back in the Glade and the Scorch. This time, however, Newt wasn't there to comfort him.
Newt, with his blond hair and his penetrating brown eyes that sparkled whenever he was with Thomas. Newt, with his comforting embrace and his soothing words that always managed to make Thomas feel better. Newt, with his soft kisses and his long fingers that always wound their way into Thomas's hair. Newt, with his condescending smirk and expression of motherly fondness which he cast upon the other Gladers, and his look of shining happiness that he saved especially for Thomas.
Thomas remembered the first time Newt told him he loved him. The memory only added to his misery, knowing he may never hear Newt say those words again.
"I love you, Tommy, you know that?". They were sitting in the Deadheads, and Newt had his hand on Thomas's, softly stroking the back of it with his fingers. Thomas felt his heart swell with happiness, and he leaned over to kiss Newt right on the mouth. Realising what he was doing, that Newt might not have meant those words the way he had hoped, he pulled back abruptly and began to stutter an apology. His words were cut off by a searing kiss from the other boy. When they finally broke apart, Newt rested his forehead against Thomas's and whispered, "You bloody shank".
"I love you too", Thomas replied, and he felt the truth of those words in his heart.
Oddly enough, Thomas was starting to feel a little better. He thought of something Newt had told him back in the Scorch, not long after they found out that Newt wasn't immune to the Flare.
Thomas never wanted this moment to end. He was sitting with Newt, his head resting on the other boy's shoulder. He felt completely at peace as he kissed he blond's jaw and started to close his eyes. Unexpectedly, Newt broke the comfortable silence.
"Tommy, I want you to remember me like this", he said.
"What do you mean?", replied Thomas, confused.
"If and when the Flare takes hold of me so that I lose my mind, I don't want your memories of me to be screwed up by this stupid virus. So I want you to remember me like this". Newt gestured at the two of them and the way they were cuddling, and Thomas felt their ever-present connection become even more intense. But he couldn't bring himself to accept the fact that Newt might not always be here.
Now, Thomas truly understood what Newt had meant that night in the Scorch. It was almost like he knew this was going to happen, Thomas thought miserably. But Newt had been right. This was how Thomas would remember him, and he was going to make the most of the happy memories he'd shared with the boy he loved so much.
+[[[[[|]]]]]+
"Please, Tommy, Please"
Thomas felt himself pull the trigger, heard the gunshot, and he knew.
This was the only memory that would remain.