Disclaimer: I do not own the Maze Runner Franchise

Icelyn Newton was the most peculiar girl that Minho Park was ever met.

The youngest of a wealthy family, the flaxen-haired girl dwelled in a luxurious mansion that was buried deep in the forests of Glade Grove. She and her elder brother by three years, Issac Newton, had been orphaned at the ages fifteen and eighteen. Leaving all their parents money and estates to them. They had stayed secluded in the woods, rarely leaving the house, only opening up to good family friends and relatives once a year for the annual party that their parents had always held in the midst of the summer months.

But there were many things no one knew about Icelyn Newton. Her caring nature, gentle features, curious mind. No, no one knew. All that came to their ears were the rumors, gossip. You see Icelyn Newton had something called the Flare, a treacherous disease that invaded the mind, making the brain hallucinate, go mad, make its victim shrivel in pain. And the young girl was slowly suffering from it.

Issac, otherwise known as Newt, kept her in her room, preventing her from escaping to the outside world that she longed to see. The only passage to the glorious forests on the property of the mansion was the balcony that was connected to her room, overlooking the lake tucked behind the estate. Some say they saw the flaxen-haired girl out there, kneeling in front of the granite fencing with her elbows perched on the ledge, her long, satin nightgown pooling behind her. Icelyn's amber eyes were always gleaming when she looked up at the night sky, admiring the stars and the moon as they shined down upon her, inviting her to their own secluded world as she dreamed with her eyes open.

They called her Lynn, her brother suggesting that her full name was too much of a mouthful, or 'the crazy one' as some town folk called her. But she wasn't 'crazy' to Minho Park. No, she wasn't. To Minho, Lynn was a flower in the ashes, standing indifferent in the crowd. She was the girl with alabaster, freckled skin with golden hair, her hazel eyes turning amber the minute she laid eyes on him. He watched her suffer in pain as the evil elements of the Flare took over her body, jumping at the shadows, shivering in the sunlight as though it was a brisk winter's day.

They had first met in the year 1885, when Lynn had just turned 18 and Minho was about to turn 24. It was Newt's engagement party, he was betrothed to a lovely young lady named Sonya at the time, who would later become his wife and mother of three children, and Minho just couldn't say no to the invite. The Newton's had been long time family friends with the Park's, welcoming them to any party, gathering, or ball that was ever held. Minho never went to any of these social gatherings, his parent's never thought he mature enough at his age to go to such things, thought the parties were to refined and dull. But they were far from it.

Music. Music was always playing. A small orchestra or string quartet had been brought into the estate, a light hum bouncing off the wooden walls of the dance hall, even making the chandelier rattle a tiny bit. The crystals chiming and clinking together as people danced and cheered. Minho felt somewhat uncomfortable at the engagement party, taking a seat at one of the white-clothed tables. It felt unusual to be here alone, without his wife, Brenda, or children. Yes, yes, Minho Park was married. An arranged marriage to be specific. His parent's had set him up with the atrocious woman because of her wealth and estates, stuff like that. But it was a dreadful relationship, one that Minho wanted to escape. He didn't marry for love, he just wanted to find a way out of it. But he couldn't, no, he couldn't leave his three young children like that. Anyway, Minho sat alone, watching as everyone danced and cheered, having a merry time as they all celebrated the engagement of Newt and Sonya.

"Newt please! I'll only be down here for a few minutes!" A young pleading voice sounded from the hallway, a girl's voice to be exact. Sweet and pristine is what the her voice was like to Minho's ears.

"Get back upstairs Icelyn! You refused to take your medicine this morning, therefore you can not go into the dance hall." Ah, yes. It was the Newton twins bickering again. Issac, or Newt, was doing his usual overly protective brother act. Newt had been one of Minho's best friends at a young age, visiting the Park's along with his parent's every once and a while. But it was Lynn that Minho never saw, and she was a person he longed to meet. All he knew of the flaxen-haired girl was the words spoken from Newt and also from photographs that were taken.

Minho rose from his seat determined to meet the mysterious, young girl, wondering what she looked like and acted like. He slowly made his way towards the hall, taking silent steps on the wooden floor. The married man walked into the hallway, one hand clutching the inside of his jacket and the other resting by his side. The very first thing his obsidian eyes fell upon was the elegant young lady standing on the staircase.

Her long, silk-looking hair tumbled down to her waist, loosely being held together by a delicate blue ribbon. A stylish, turquoise dress gripped her figure, fanning out to her feet as some of the material trailed behind her and laid on the red carpeted steps that lead upstairs. Her sleeves were made of a light fabric, making her pale-white skin noticeable as the candle light glimmered against it. The thing that stuck out most to Minho were her hazel eyes, they looked almost a bright amber as they squinted up at her brother. Her small, childish like hands gripped both of the bannisters, refusing to move as Newt stood over her with his arms crossed.

So this was Icelyn Newton.

This was the girl they called crazy, insane, peculiar, angel-like. This was the girl that Minho longed to see, and he was glad that he finally got to lay eyes on this beautiful creature that's ever walked the Earth.

But no, he mustn't think such things. He has a wife and children, he can't think about loving another woman, an eighteen-year-old no less! But, the sudden attraction towards her must mean something at least. No, no! What was he thinking? He took a glimpse down at his left hand as it gripped his coat, easily spotting the gold wedding band around his finger. Deciding to make a quick decision before making his presence known to the Newton siblings, Minho slipped the ring off his finger, tucking it into the inner pocket of his jacket.

"Is everything alright Newt?" Minho took a slow, waltz-like steps towards the pair, attracting their attention. A smile spread across Lynn's face, her eyes lighting up at the source of a new voice, a new face to say hello to. The older boy immediately noticed her head snapping towards him, straightening her posture as she removed her hands from the bannister, firmly placing them on her elder brother's chest and pushing him away from the stairs.

"Newt, who's this?" Her voice was like a light melody in the air, sounding so sweet and innocent as she stood next to her brother with her arms folded across her chest in a relaxed position. Minho could feel the wedding ring in his coat pocket burn against the fabric of his shirt, reminding him that he was a married man with children, and should not be attracted to a young girl this way.

"Oh...um," Newt tumbled over his words, worried about what to say to his dear sister. "This is Minho Park, you know, the son of those family friend's that mum and dad were always with." The young girl nodded her head, examining Minho more carefully with her amber-eyes. Minho was able to see her face more clearly now. Freckles were sprinkled across her cheekbones, contrasting with her white skin tone. Side bangs framed the left side of her face, delicately laying in front of her eyes. And rosy lips that were so kissable it was killing Minho deep inside, and they were pursued, her pearly-white teeth showing slightly.

"It's nice to meet you Ms. Newton."

Minho gently took her hand, laying a chaste kiss on the back of her hand, almost shivering as he heard her giggle quietly. He could see her the blood rush to her cheeks, Lynn looking off her shoulder as Minho let her hand fall back to its resting place by her side.

"Please," Lynn said, "Call me Lynn, Ms. Newton sounds too formal."

"If you say so...Lynn."

Her angel-like laughter returned, her smile growing wider as she looked on at him with a romantic look in her eyes.

"Right, that we are all introduced," Newt interrupted subtly, "It's time you returned to your room Lynn." The older British boy gently rested his hand on Lynn's nimble shoulder, guiding her back upstairs.

"I can keep an eye on her if you would like." Minho knew his suggestion could possibly lead to him falling even more for Icelyn Newton, but who knows? They could just turn out to be just friends, or maybe more.

Newt looked between his best friend and his sister, slightly puzzled about what to say or do. "Uh..sure," Newt spoke with in a hesitant manner, giving Minho and uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Just, don't let her leave your sight and she needs to be back upstairs in her room by eleven. Which gives you..." Newt glanced over his right shoulder, his eyes searching for the time in the grandfather clock. "Two hours."

Minho sent his friend a brisk nod, holding his arm out for the young girl to take. Lynn cautiously looked him over with a small smile on her face, her front teeth sinking into her bottom lip. With a subtle movement of her hand, she placed her dainty palm on Minho's forearm, her fingers tightening and squeezing his arm tightly.

As Newt walked away in the direction of the ballroom, returning to his awaiting fiance, Lynn ran off with Minho, slowly falling for him by the minute.

xxx

The gardens is where Lynn had led Minho, not even giving the music and the dancing a second glance as they waltzed down the cobblestone path hidden behind the mansion. The moon was shining bright, reflecting on the bottomless lake, the water turning into a mysterious midnight blue. The lights and buzzing of people and music slowly began to fade as the pair walked farther down the path, the stars and the moon acting like a beacon in the night sky.

Minho listened to Lynn talk and talk, just enjoying the sound of her voice and savoring the feeling of her hands holding onto his forearm, not daring to let go. Her shoes clicked along the stone as they walked, heading towards a glass greenhouse that could be seen as they approached the tall, majestic building.

"So what brought you to Glade Grove?" She had asked, looking up at him with curious amber eyes.

Now how was he supposed to answer this. He couldn't say that he wanted to escape his wife and children, because then it would give away his life back in the town of Crank Village, preventing Lynn from furthering her feelings with him. Minho was in a weird situation, should he tell Lynn or not, it was definitely debatable.

"I need to explore the world that was outside of my hometown." He answered, inwardly sighing in relief.

She nodded her head, looking off towards the greenhouse as it grew closer. Minho took a quick look behind them, watching the small train of Lynn's dress drift behind her, flowing and flying in the light summer's wind. The turquoise material glistening against the grey stone as it fluttered around.

"I can understand that feeling." Lynn said, a dazed look in her eye. "I've spent most of my life in my bedroom, tucked away from the outside world."

"Why?"

Lynn smiled to herself, looking down at the ground. "That's a good question."

By the time she finished her sentence, they had reached the glass door that entered the greenhouse. Lynn removed her arms from the intertwined position that her and Minho had been in for the past hour. She gripped the copper handle of the glass door, giving it a light push downward and opened it outward.

The inside was bursting with color, the moonlight shining through the fogged out glass panels that shaped the cathedral-like ceiling. Multiple apple trees and orange trees made an inner ring in the center of the greenhouse, the trunks of the trees breaking through the stone flooring. Flower pots were scattered throughout the space, most of them matching the blue of Lynn's dress as their petals flourished. They looked lively and beautiful, just like Lynn. No Minho! He shouldn't think of such things, but you couldn't ignore the fact of her more than lovely qualities.

Her voice brought him out of his daze, bringing him back to the real world. "Come on!"

Interlacing their hands once more, Lynn tugged him further into the fragrant greenhouse, taking in the flowery and fruity scent that came off of the different plants. Hidden behind the inner circle of trees, was a fountain. A glorious fountain to be exact.

It had three tiers of water, the flowing water creating a clear curtain as it poured over the edges of the rough stone levels. A stone ring circled the edge of the fountain, providing a quiet place to sit, read, or write.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Lynn's words were filled with excitement and joy, admiring the scenery as if she was seeing it for the first time.

Minho answered, "It is."

He began to wonder why Lynn never left the house or her room more importantly. Minho knew she had the Flare, and has to take some medicine called 'The Bliss' to keep her from going insane. But as to why she has to stay locked up, he was clueless.

They both took a seat on the stone ledge, their knees touching as they sat next to each other with their hands in their laps. The ribbons that were tied together in the back of Lynn's dress fell into the water, the tips sinking to the bottom of the small pool. She was an odd person, Minho had to admit it, but she was a girl that Minho would never forget, never.

"Why were you kept up in your room?" Minho asked, curious to seek out the reason.

Lynn's demeanour completely changed, her joyous, dreamy look falling into one of despair and sadness, her amber eyes fading into a light hazel color. Tucking a loose strand of hair that fell out of her ponytail behind her ear, Lynn looked up from her lap. Her cloudy eyes avoiding Minho's face as she began to speak.

"Ever since I was diagnosed with the Flare," She quivered, her hands shaking as she spoke. "My mind would play these...tricks on me, so to speak. Shadowy figures that weren't real, growing cold on a febrile summer's day, finding warmth from dark and eerie clouds, seeing my parent's long after they had died. And it just wouldn't stop.

"Until I started taking 'The Bliss' everyday, these things would be an everyday occurrence. Coming across my mind when I was in the village or traveling by carriage to some foreign destination, even though I rarely left the house because of it. But it was my parent's who made the decision to seclude me from the outside world, preventing me from having any friends, going to balls or family events, things like that."

Lynn sniffed lightly, vigorously rubbing the skin under her eyes, making the skin red and puffy. "Ever since they passed away in that carriage accident, Newt continued to keep me away, making the rules my parents set up stricter and more disciplined. I know he is only doing it out of the goodness of his heart but, I just wish to go outside the gates, explore the world. The farthest I've ever been is this greenhouse, otherwise my only passage see anything that involves not leaving the premises of the house is the balcony outside my room."

Minho could see the tears running down her cheeks, trickling down her face and onto the fabric of the dress, dark spots forming as the tears dampened the material. Raising a gentle hand, Minho cupped her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. He felt the pain that she had to go through, the poor girl was probably scared of her own shadow, wanting to get rid of the awful symptoms of the Flare. He wished so longingly that he could take away her pain, help her through this.

"But," she sniffled, "That's why I rarely leave my room, I'm practically held prisoner in my own house. I've learned to look over it and just accept what it is, after all there is nothing I can do about it."

He let his hand linger in her cheek, his obsidian eyes boring into hers. A weird feeling came to his stomach, as if a dozen little butterflies were flying around inside of him. Lynn's petite hands reached up and gripped his wrist, her other hand wrapping around his palm.

"Please tell me you are staying in Glade Grove for a while Minho," The way his name rolled of her tongue made his knees feel weak, her accent, which was a mixture between Australian and British, making her words sound sweet and addicting.

This was it. Minho had to make a decision, now. Should he stay or should he go? What would Brenda say or think? He was only supposed to stay in Glade Grove for a week, but maybe he could change it to a month.

Making his decision, Minho replied to her question, giving her the answer she wanted and that he was pleased with.

"I think I can stay for a little while."

xxx

Hello everyone! I have returned to the fanfiction world! Before any of you readers ask, No, I will NOT be abandoning Icelyn Newton Group A: The Transfer. I just thought it would be nice to have something new on my plate.

Now, I don't know how far this story will go. If you would like me to continue it, please let me know. Or, if any of you have suggestions for the story, feel free to tell me!

Hope you liked the first chapter!