Chapter One

A/N: Hi everyone! I want to thank all of you for the lovely reviews! You guys are amazing! Here is chapter 1, I hope you like it!

Newt was in the common room conversing with Alby, when the simulation doctor walked in, smiling.

"Attention please!" She called.

Everyone went quiet, looking at her curiously. "I am proud to say, the simulation has been successfully completed. You will be reunited with your friends soon."

The Gladers cheered, Chuck bounced in place, and Newt smiled softly.
However, it dropped when he remembered what he told Thomas before he died. What if Tommy told Minho? What if he told everyone? 'Stop it.' He told himself. 'Tommy would never tell anyone my secret.' The secret only he, Alby, Minho and Tommy knew. He would never betray Newt like that.

Newt felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Alby smiling sadly at him.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked. "Alone?"

Newt nodded and followed Alby to a vacant room. It was dimly lit, and the walls and ceiling were painted an ugly eggplant purple. The room felt small and empty, the only pieces of furniture being two old maroon couches facing each other and a small cherry coffee table in between them. Two dusty lamps were hidden in the corners of the far wall, their light doing nothing to help the dimness of the room. It clearly hadn't been used or even cleaned in a while.

Newt sat down on one of the couches, and Alby moved to sit on the other.

"What do you want to talk about?" Newt asked, nervous.

Alby sighed. "Newt, you haven't been yourself since you woke from the simulation."

Newt snorted dryly. "No one is acting the same, Alby."

"I know that, but you just look like you did before, you know." He gestured to Newt's left leg, making Newt wince "You always look like you're going to cry, when you think no one is looking."

Alby leaned forward. "Please Newt, tell me what happened."

Newt closed his eyes. "I wasn't immune." He whispered.

"What was that?" Alby asked.

"I wasn't immune to the Flare, I was going crazy. I didn't want to turn into one of those Cranks. I left Tommy and Minho to go to the Crank Palace, where other non-immunes with the Flare were. I didn't want them to watch me go crazy. I would never forgive myself if I hurt them." Newt let out a dry sob.

Alby got up and walked around the table to sit next to Newt. He placed a hand on the Brit's shoulder. "It's okay. It was just a simulation."

"Felt bloody real to me." Newt mumbled.

Knowing where this conversation was going, Alby changed the subject back to Newt's story. "What happened next?"

Newt sighed. "They came to get me, the Shanks. They wouldn't leave without me, and the things I said, Alby. I know I hurt them, but I couldn't stop. Couldn't go back with them."

"What did they do?" Alby asked, shocked.

"They left. I threatened to shoot Minho with a Launcher, and Tommy made them leave. You want to know the worst part? If they had stayed, I would have shot him." Newt mumbled.

"No you wouldn't. I know you."

Newt snapped his head up. "But I would have! You don't understand, you never saw a Crank before! Never had the Flare, I couldn't control my thoughts, my actions, anything." His voice dropped to a desperate whisper at the end.

Alby nodded stunned. "Did you ever see them again?"

Newt once again closed his eyes, and lowered his head. "Only Tommy. He was riding around the city for some dumb reason - he always gets himself in the worst trouble. Anyway, he got out of the van to talk to me, and once again I said some awful things. I told him I hated him, that he disgusted me, when that couldn't have been further from the truth. He was one of my best friends. I knew he would be the one to get everybody out."

"Just not you?" Alby asked.

Newt nodded. "Yeah. I was so angry at him. He couldn't even do the one thing I asked of him."

"Which is?"

Newt looked back up at Alby, tears falling down his face. "I asked him to kill me. Gave him a note and told him not to open it until the time was right, but he never did."

"Maybe he didn't know."

"Yeah, maybe, but I wasn't think logically at the time. I just wanted it to be over. I hated watching those other Cranks and knowing I was going to be just like them soon. Tommy begged me to go back with them, he even offered to tie me up." At this he laughed, Alby not finding it funny at all.

"I attacked him, tackled him to the ground. Told him that I should rip his eyes out, teach him a lesson in stupidity." He took a deep breath. "Then I told him how I got my limp." Alby's eyes widened. "He told me he couldn't do it. That he couldn't kill me, but I wouldn't, couldn't, take no for an answer. I screamed at him over and over, but he still said he couldn't do it. I almost gave up hope. I thought he would just leave me to become a full blown Crank. I begged him one last time, and for those few seconds I felt like myself again." Newt paused.

"What happened?" Alby asked.

"He did it." Newt said "He shot me."

Alby's eyes once again widened, this time filling with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry, I know I promised you I would never think like that again-" He was cut off.

"Don't you dare apologize. It wasn't you, it was the Flare, and the simulation."

Newt smiled softly, wiping tears from his eyes. "Thanks Alby."

"You're welcome."

Suddenly, Chuck ran into the room. "Guys, everyone's back! Come on!"

He left just as fast as he appeared. Newt and Alby chuckled then followed him. They walked into the common room, all the Gladers happily conversing with each other. Minho saw them and broke away from the crowd, pulling Newt into a hug.

"I'm glad you're okay." He said pulling away and turning to Alby who had a hand outstretched.

Minho chuckled and shook it. "You too Alby. Leader isn't as fun as it seems." Alby laughed.

Thomas and Chuck walked up next. "Good to see you again Alby." Thomas said.

"You too Greenie." Thomas grimaced at the old nickname before turning to Newt.

"Hi Tommy." Newt mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Hi Newt." Thomas said shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Minho looked between the two of them curiously, and was about to comment when Alby spoke up. "I think we should go see how the others are doing, Minho, Chuck."

They nodded and walked off, leaving Thomas and Newt alone.

"Newt-"

"Thomas-" They said at the same time.

"Go ahead." Newt offered.

"Okay, I just wanted to say I did open the letter before I saw you in the city. I just opened it too late, and for that I'm sorry. I also wanted you to know, I didn't tell anyone. They didn't even know you died, let alone how, and I promise I won't tell a soul for as long as I live."

Newt sighed in relief. "Thank you Tommy. I forgive you."

Thomas smiled. "Your turn."

Newt blinked twice. "Oh, right. I wanted you to know that what I said to you, what I did, I didn't mean any of it, and I'm sorry."

Thomas nodded. "I've already forgiven you."

Newt smiled. "Well, now that that's over. How about we join the celebration? You did complete the bloody simulation after all."

A/N: Again, I would like to thank AG2000 she helped me out a lot with this story! So go check her out and tell her how much you like this story too!