A/N: Hi everyone! Welcome to part 2 of my story! The first part was called The Sunshiney Brain and told the story of my character Ellie and her journey at WICKED and in the Maze. I hope you all enjoy the continuation. Please review so I know what you guys like to see and so I can write more of that! Disclaimer: I do not own Maze Runner
Ellie, Minho, Newt and Thomas sat around the dormitory floor. Teresa was there too but she was oddly quiet. Ellie kept her distrust for the girl to herself, not wanting to cause any problems for the group on their first official night all together again. They were all still trying to process what had happened earlier that day. The boys had escaped the Maze and Ellie had finally been reunited with them. She and Minho had talked and were back to the way things were prior to their fight.
Also, Ellie was able to take her arm brace off because she realized it was no use leaving it on if the only reason it was in pain from time to time was because of an injection courtesy of WICKED.
It was getting late and everyone was getting tired. Teresa was the first to yawn and stand up.
"Well, I'm exhausted. Goodnight. I'll be in my designated room," she said without sparing a glance at the others as she walked towards a door that had her name on it.
Ellie stared after her wondering why she was separated from the boys because that clearly hadn't been an issue in the Glade. She decided to shrug it off for the time being and looked at the boys still sitting with her.
"Where do you guys sleep? I know I'm back in my old room," Ellie said sadly. She really hated having to stay in her childhood room. It gave her unpleasant memories and reminded her that WICKED was still trying to manipulate her. The fact that they put her old maps and paperwork for the Grievers and BeetleBlades on her desk irritated her beyond belief but she couldn't exactly talk about it. She absent-mindedly rubbed her arm. Ellie had been careful not to mention anything she thought would trigger WICKED to send pain into her arm but she knew she had to tell Min, Newt and Thomas somehow.
"We all have bunkbeds." Min said with a smirk in Thomas' direction.
Ellie raised her eyebrows at them in question.
Thomas glared at Minho and explained, "Last night when we all got here, Minho jumped onto the top bunk before I could so I'm stuck on the bottom bunk."
Newt clapped a hand on his back, "It's alright Tommy. Be glad it's only Minho and not one of the other shanks who ate too much bloody pizza last night."
The group laughed at that and then stood up. Ellie looked at them all to say goodbye and goodnight but Minho stopped her.
"No," He said firmly.
"Huh?" Ellie asked confused. She looked and saw Newt and Thomas were just as confused.
"Now that we've made up, you and Thomas have made up, and you are here with us, I am not letting you out of my sight again." Min said grabbing her arm and pulling her with the boys towards their dorm.
"What? Min, I can't exactly obey the orders I was given." Ellie says wincing as her arm starts to throb. It dawns on her that she could always just go to her room for a pen and paper to write down everything that happened for Min.
She looks at them all enthusiastically and grabs Minho's arm deciding to bring him with her to her room. He gives her a pointed look but she pulls his arm and drags him down the hall into her bedroom.
"I have to tell you something but I can't say it so bear with me while I write it!" Ellie says once they get in her room. Minho shrugs and starts to look around.
Pulling a piece of paper off her desk, Ellie starts to write while Minho starts to pack up her backpack with extra clothes and Mr. Fluffy Cuddles, her teddy bear. Ellie smiles at him while he isn't looking, grateful to be back with him. He knows just what she needs. She shakes her head and then continues to write.
The note reads: Creators injected arm with pain thingy that shoots, well, pain in my arm if I try to talk about what I know. They don't want me telling you all about their plans, (their being WICKED). All I know is there's a second trial starting soon and there's a second group of all girls. Beyond that, I'm pretty clueless but I can't mention WICKED or my orders without a blinding pain shooting up my arm. Also, don't trust Teresa. She has memories and is a shuckface.
Ellie quickly read it over once and then nodded handing it over to Minho who took the note and read it. Ellie stood by his side and nervously watched his reactions. She saw him get furious but then he nodded in understanding. He ripped up the paper and put it in the garbage by her desk so no one else would read it. When he was finished, he walked towards her.
"Thank you for telling me, El. I never did like Teresa anyways. And I know Newt doesn't either." Minho said pulling her into a hug.
"I promised I would be open with you. Thanks for being understanding and giving me a second chance, Min. Really, I don't think I would've been able to handle if you had never wanted to talk to me again." Ellie said looking up at him. Her green-brown hazel eyes wide with honesty and love.
Minho smiled and bent his head down to briefly kiss her, "I don't think I ever could stop talking to you. Now, come on. We should get back to the slintheads. I packed your backpack with clothes, Mr. Fluffy Cuddles, and some other essentials I thought you would need. You're sleeping with us."
Ellie nodded and quietly made her way into the hall to check that no one was there. When she saw the coast was clear, she gestured for Min to join her and then they ran into the dormitory. Once inside the dorm, Minho guided her towards the bedroom.
"Come on, we all sleep in here." He said opening the door.
When they got inside all the other Gladers looked up and smiled.
"Ellie's back!"
"Hey, Ellie!"
Minho rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes. The Shebean is back. She's gonna stay here. Anyone got a problem with that?"
No one argued as Minho led her to a bunk bed. Some of the Gladers gave them smirks but after a glare from Minho they all shut up and redirected their attention.
When they got to a bunk bed, Minho threw her backpack up to the top bunk and she gave him a look. However, before she could talk, Thomas stormed over from where he was talking with Newt at the bunk opposite this one.
"No, absolutely not." Thomas said moving to stand in front of the bunk.
Minho gave him a challenging look, "No what Thomas?"
"She will not be sleeping with you. Especially not when I'm in the bunk underneath! That's just," Thomas cut off and shuddered.
"Seriously Thomas?" Minho raised an amused eyebrow, "She needs to sleep somewhere."
Thomas looks around and realizes all the beds are taken.
"Unless, you're willing to give up your bed." Minho says with an evil grin at Thomas.
"And where would I sleep?" Thomas asks completely dumbfounded walking directly into Minho's trap.
Minho looks at him with that same grin, "Oh, I don't know. I'm sure there's a certain someone who wouldn't mind sharing a proper bed with you." Minho says with extra emphasis and a fake accent on the word proper.
Thomas immediately blushes at that and Ellie starts giggling. Newt, who had been sitting on his bottom bunk that was directly across from Thomas and Minho's, got up and joined the trio. He had been trying to not eavesdrop and succeeded. But, seeing Thomas blush and hearing Ellie giggle made him realize maybe he should see what was going on.
"What's happening?" Newt asks looking between them all.
Minho gave him a look of innocence, "This shank was just saying that Ellie could not share a bed with me so I told him she could then take his bed," Minho paused, "or yours."
Newt blushed and stuttered, "Why, uh, why would she take mine?"
Minho amped up the sarcastically innocent look, "Why, because you and Tommy would share of course."
Both Thomas and Newt blushed deeper and Ellie giggled even more. She decided to put her brother and friend out of their misery.
"Thomas, relax. It's not a big deal." Ellie said putting a hand on his shoulder, "I almost miss when you forgot you were my brother and weren't so protective." She whispered earning a glare from Thomas and grins from Newt and Min.
She looked between them and smiled sweetly, "What, too soon?"
Thomas rolled his eyes and sat on his bed, arms crossed.
Ellie sighed and sat next to him, "Tommy, if it's that big of a deal to you then I'll go sleep in my room."
Newt and Minho simultaneously shout, "No!"
Thomas looks shocked at Newt, "Et tu, Newt?"
Newt chuckles and shrugs, "I mean, they've shared a bed before in the Glade when I was in the room. They literally hate PDA so you know nothing will happen. I think it's better she's in here with us than alone."
Minho smirks, "Besides, what did you think was gonna happen ya shuckface? I am all about privacy. Special moments are meant to be between just us. I wouldn't do anything too too risky in this room. Especially with her brother sleeping beneath us."
Ellie slaps Minho's arm while blushing a deep red. Newt snickers and Thomas pales immediately.
"Ignore Min! He's joking, Thomas and like Newt said we hate PDA." Ellie says shooting Minho a look which causes him to wink at her.
"Fine, fine. I'll stop being the overprotective brother. But, I swear man, remember I am in the bunk below you!" Thomas says trying to look threatening but not really succeeding.
Minho smirks, "Oh I know. But, I could say the same to you. Remember your baby sister will be sleeping in the same room as you now. She'll know if you get up to any funny business." Minho winks at Thomas and Newt.
Ellie covers her ears, "Oh gross! Please spare me the nightmares of my brother."
Minho laughs at the groups discomfort and leans nonchalantly against the bed railing.
Thomas grins at Ellie, "And now you know how I feel."
Ellie sticks her tongue at him and he rolls his eyes. Ellie can't help but feel happy that the two of them are back to the goofy bickering siblings they've always been.
"Now if you two children are done, I need some sleep. So up ya go Shebean." Min says picking Ellie up and placing her on the top bunk.
Ellie swings her head down and smiles at Thomas and finds that Newt has sat beside him.
"Goodnight Thomas! Goodnight Newt!" Ellie says blowing them both a kiss from her upside-down position.
They both say goodnight back. Ellie makes herself comfortable on the bed while she hears Min talking to Thomas and Newt.
"Goodnight you two. Don't forget, we can see everything from a top bunk. Especially when Newt's bed is directly across from ours." Minho teases the two and the climbs up into the top bunk.
He smiles at Ellie and climbs under the covers. Ellie joins him and cuddles up into his side.
Minho looks into Ellie's eyes and smiles even bigger. He can't believe she is really here and in his arms again. As she places her head on his shoulder into the crook of his neck, he turns his head to whisper to her.
"I've really missed you, El."
He feels her tighten her grip around his chest, "I've missed you too, Min."
Ellie moves her head so that she is looking up at him. Minho takes the opportunity to pull her into a short, sweet kiss.
"MY EYES!" Thomas screams from where he is standing next to them. He had just shut off the lights to the dorm and was walking back to his bed when the two decided to kiss.
Newt quickly gets out of his bed and pulls Thomas down by the arm smiling at Min and Ellie, "He'll get used to it."
Newt sat Thomas down on his bed and smirked at him.
"What Newt?"
Newt shook his head, "Nothing."
Thomas raised an eyebrow that Newt could just barely see in the dark.
"You're just, uh, so protective. It's a new look for you." Newt said trying to fight the blush he knew was creeping up onto his cheeks.
"I'm trying to make up for lost time. I still feel really bad for treating her so poorly in the Glade," Thomas said. He's normally not much of a talker but for some reason around Newt he feels comfortable and he finds himself wanting to talk to Newt about everything. It confuses him. He knows that Teresa expects him to be there for her, but does he really look at, or like Teresa the same way Minho looks at and likes Ellie? He sees the way Minho looks at his sister and knows that it's something special. They genuinely care about each other and like the other. Does he really want that kind of relationship with Teresa? She doesn't exactly make his heart flutter and cheeks blush. No, Newt seems to do that and it's confusing for Thomas. WICKED groomed him to believe he was meant for Teresa, but a part of him felt that it was so wrong. He could have sworn that his feelings towards her were more of a best friend kind. He wished Chuck was here to talk to, that kid was like his brother and would be brutally honest.
Newt can see the gears turning in Thomas' head, "Penny for your thoughts?"
Thomas turns his head to find Newt looking at him with concern, "Just thinking about all of this. I'm so confused about so many things Newt. I don't know how to sort out my thoughts from what WICKED brainwashed me to believe. And, I miss Chuck."
"I miss him too, Tommy. And you can't overthink everything. It'll drive you bloody bonkers. Just relax and get some rest, yeah? We'll face things as they come up one at a time. You're not alone Tommy. You've got Ellie, Minho, and you have me." Newt said and Thomas was grateful for the darkness because he could hide his blush. He really needed to figure out why Newt was having this effect on him.
"Thanks, Newt. Really, it means a lot." Thomas says sheepishly.
Newt then stands and looks at Minho and Ellie who have fallen sound asleep. Minho was lying on his back and had an arm wrapped protectively around Ellie. Newt could see a faint smile on Minho's face and was thankful to find his friend happy again. Ellie was curled up against Minho's side with both arms wrapped around him in a tight grip with her stuffed teddy bear in one hand. She had her head on his chest and looked like she was holding onto him for dear life, anchoring herself to him.
Newt smiled at them, they were so perfect for each other. Both were strong and completely independent, not to mention incredibly stubborn. But when they were together, they smiled a little brighter and learned that it was okay to lean on someone. Newt had to admit to himself that he was envious of their relationship. He thought he might have a chance at that with Thomas, but poor Tommy was so confused. Newt knew that WICKED had brainwashed him to believe that he was meant to be with Teresa but Newt was trying his hardest to show him that he didn't need to follow them and their bloody rules. Sighing, Newt gets into his bed and rolls over to face the wall. In seconds, he's asleep.
What the members of Group A don't know, is that as they all sleep peacefully, thinking they are safe, WICKED is reorganizing their dormitory and putting special effects into place. If the Gladers thought Phase 1 was tough, they have no idea what they are about to come up against in Phase 2: The Scorch Trials.