TERESA REBOUND
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maze Runner. Duh.
I saw that a sequel to my original fic was wanted, and I had planned on doing something like this anyway, so here it is!
After a long moment, Thomas began to move.
When he had set foot outside, he had to stop and gaze among what he saw. They had come to the place he'd been told did not exist anymore. Lush, green, full of vibrant life, things he had never seen in plethora before.
He stood at the top of a hill above a field of tall and abundant grass and wildflowers. The two hundred or so people they'd rescued wandered the area, some of them running, some of them jumping for joy. To the right of Thomas the hill descended into the valley of towering trees that seemed to stretch for miles on end, culminating in a wall of rocky mountains that jutted toward the cloudless sky.
To his left, the field transformed into scrub bush and then into sand. The ocean, its waves dark and white tipped crashed into the beach as he watched.
Paradise.
He could only hope that one day his heart would feel the joy of the place that no one had seen in eternity. Thomas turned as he heard the door of the shed close and then fire exploded behind him. He saw Brenda, who gently pushed him a few steps further away from the structure that had already ignited.
"Just making sure?" He asked, seeing her nod in response. She gave him a small smile, a sincere one that made him relax ever so slightly. "And… sorry about… Teresa."
"Thanks." Thomas's voice choked in his throat. She didn't say anything else. Didn't need to. She walked over to the group of people who had fought the last battle against WICKED and their sick minions, everyone scraped and bruised from top to bottom.
Thomas, however, could not stomach this. The sadness of losing Teresa was just too great. He had seen the beam collapse on her; there was no way she could have survived. He heard her dying words and her final breath. He knew she was gone, leaving him alone.
Was he thankful that Minho and Brenda had survived? Of course he was. But it wouldn't be the same. Minho, as noble and courageous as he was, knew somehow that Newt had not met a timely death, Thomas was sure of it. And he knew with Brenda things could never be as they once were.
Thomas walked along the cliffs overlooking the beach on the far side of what he thought was an island. It was far too big for him to scout it all, nor did he really care. All he wanted was to be alone and dwell on the happy memories he had forged in this miserable life. The wind whistled through his hair, the wave crashed hypnotically in the distance. All was peaceful, save Thomas' troubled heart.
What would he do? He could not bear to be without Teresa, without her there to love and be loved. He had imagined a future, all that time ago, for the two of them, if they ever survived the Scorch. It just seemed too cruel of life to leave him without her at the finish line.
"T-Thomas?" Thomas could not believe his ears. Was it possible-?"
He spun around, and his eyes refused to understand. She was… here? How? She was dead, she died before him…
Screw logic.
Thomas ran towards her, enveloping her in his arms. He didn't care if she was real. Anything for solace. But it did seem that she indeed was there. "Thomas… I came back. I came back." Thomas felt himself explode inside. Whatever injury he had wished upon fate was now dispelled.
He broke apart, looking Teresa in the eyes. "But how? How did you survive? The beam-" She put a finger to his lips. "Shhh… It's alright Thomas. I'll explain." She grabbed his hand as she lowered herself to the ground, inviting him to sit. He did so.
"When you saw me last, under the beam, I thought that was it. I thought that you would have to go on… without me. But after you'd left… Frypan was still there. He looked at me in the strangest way, and said 'I don't know you, and you don't know me. But I know Thomas wouldn't like you dying on him.'"
Thomas felt his mouth agape. Frypan? Wha- Teresa continued.
"He managed to get me out from under the beam, somehow. Then we heard more of WICKED's forces approaching. Frypan told me to run, to escape, while he-" She paused for a moment, then spoke again. "-while he held them off. He gave me no choice. I ran, and left him behind."
Thomas felt more pain. Frypan had been with them the entire journey, suffered almost if not as much as Thomas himself had. And yet he gave his life to save Teresa, even when he hadn't trusted her for a minute, because… of Thomas.
"Teresa…" But he found no words. Life had traded Frypan for Teresa. Thomas did not find it fair, but he decided that that was not life's way. He had gotten his wish, and he would have to learn to live with the consequences, however harsh they seemed.
"Thomas. Look at me." She put a hand on his face, and he looked into her eyes. They were shining.
"Frypan looked up to you. As a leader, as a person. He knew you wanted happiness. And I can never thank him enough for letting me come back. To you." She edged closer. Thomas felt her breath in his face. "Thomas, I love you. You brought us here. To paradise. And we couldn't have done it without you."
Thomas took the initiative. Their lips connected, just as they had in WICKED's laboratory, just as they had in the wastelands of the Scorch. Just as they were meant to be. But this time felt different even still. Thomas felt as though as could live again. He would never forget those who had given their lives to ensure the happiness of the remaining immunes. He would never forget Alby, Chuck, Newt, Frypan, all the others. But he would live on, in their memory, to live as he was meant to live.
And he had Teresa by his side.
A few hours later, Thomas sat atop another cliff overlooking the ocean, his feet dangling over the edge. The sun had almost completely dipped below the horizon, which appeared to be glowing with white hot flames. It was one of the most amazing sights he had ever witnessed.
Minho had already started taking charge down below in the forest where everyone had decided to live; organizing food search parties, building committees, security detail. Thomas was glad of it, not wanting another ounce of responsibility ever to burden his shoulders again. He was tired, body and soul, exhausted from everything he had done.
He hoped that wherever they were, they would be well isolated and safe while the rest of the world learned how to deal with the Flare, cure or no cure. Thomas knew that the process would be long, difficult, and ugly, but he also knew that he wanted absolutely no part of it.
He was done. Finally.
"Hey, there."
Thomas turned his head to see Teresa. "Hey. Care to join me?"
"Why yes, thank you." She sat down next to him, gazing out into the sky, seeming to be lost in it. After a while, she spoke. "It reminds me of the sunsets at WICKED, though they never seemed quite so bright."
"You could say that about a lot of things." Thomas felt another tremor of emotion as he saw the faces of those who had already passed in his mind's eye. A few more minutes went by in silence as they stared at the vanishing light of day, the sky and water going from orange to pink, then to purple and blue.
"What are you thinking about Thomas?" Teresa asked."
"Absolutely nothing. I'm done thinking. For a long time." And he meant it. For the first time in his life, Thomas was both free and safe, as costly as it had been to get to that point. Then Thomas did the only thing he could think of at that moment. He reached out and grasped Teresa's hand.
She returned the motion. "There are over two hundred of us and we're all immune. That's a good start." Thomas looked over at her, smiling at her. "I look forward to it."
She leaned forward and kissed him, first on the cheek, then on the lips.
"So do I." She breathed into his ear as she nuzzled against his neck.
Thomas put it all out of his mind and pulled her closer as the last wink of sunlight vanished below the horizon.
A very good start indeed.
I'll admit, my weakness is for the romantic endings of books, as you might have guessed.
I really enjoyed writing this, so rate, review, and stuff. Enjoy!