Alby did the worst thing imaginable at the last minute; he changed his mind. He wanted to be with Newt and Minho and Thomas, he wanted to be planning with them, scheming with them, he didn't want his memories back. And yet, as soon as he told 'Rat Man' this, all he had to say was, 'strap him down'. And so now, here he was, fighting against the stupid people in their suits, wanting to get back to his friends.

"I don't want my memories back!" He screamed at them.

They continued to follow their orders, strapping Alby down to the chair and beginning to lift the 'memory retriever' over his head. Alby continued to fight the green suited people, but they'd already succeeded in what they wanted to do and strapped the odd contraption over his head. He tried to force his arms out of the straps they were stuck in, but instead felt a prick on his bicep.

"What…" Alby's mind was put at ease, and the door to sleep was open. Unwillingly, Alby stepped inside.


"Mom! No, I don't want to leave her. Mom!" 13 year old Alby fought against the people dragging him away from his mom, from his life.

"Sweetheart, you have a gift. They're going to help you use it. You can't help me," Alby's mom had tears streaming down her face. She looked pale, sick, sad. "This is what God wants. God wants you to help people."

"Mom no! I have to save her, let me go!" Alby fought again, but the W.I.C.K.E.D staff were strong.

"Alby no, you cannot save me. I am already gone," Alby's mom smiled weakly, and then collapsed on the floor.

"Mom!" Alby was pulled out the door, the image of his gone mother's body imprinted on his brain forever.


Alby woke up to the bright lights of the W.I.C.K.E.D complex.

"I remember," He whispered to no one. He looked around and found himself in a very white room, on a very white bed, with only one door straight across from him and no other furnishings. He swung his legs around and placed his feet on the floor. It was almost amusing to see the contrast of his skin against the white. But then, how could anything be funny anymore? He remembered his whole life, from birth, to the maze, to now. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to laugh, but he couldn't do anything. He just sat there.

And he sat there for what felt like forever doing nothing but staring and remembering, before the door was slammed open, letting in the noises of fighting, and his friends, Minho and Thomas, and more importantly, his boyfriend, Newt. He suddenly remembered a detail of his life that he wanted to push so far into an abyss he could never find it, and yet there it was, staring at him, along with the face of Newt.

"Alby!" Newt ran over and stood Alby up, pulling him into the most comforting hug he'd felt in a long time. When he finally pulled away (Alby noticing the smirks on Thomas and Minho's faces), Newt asked, "What happened?"

"I love you, Newt," Alby whispered. Newt jerked away suddenly, a look of surprise on his face.

"You-we never said that before," Newt said simply, the look of surprise still there. Alby felt like he should hurt at that, but he didn't, because it was Newt and he loved him.

"I remember by whole life, start to finish, but mostly I remember Christianity. I remember my parents teaching me that God doesn't believe in man and man and ten year old me fully believing it but shuck it Newt, I love you," Alby smiled. Newt just stood there, taken aback, looking speechless, and once again Alby worried whether he should be hurt, but then Newt ran to him and kissed him fully and it was wonderful and Alby was able to ignore Thomas and Minho's fake 'aww's and just focus on the feeling of Newt's lips against his. Newt pulled away, looked into his eyes hard and whispered four words that made Alby feel like the world was made for him.

"I love you too."