There was something in Newt that ached. Not like burnt flesh and gunshot wounds. He ached for something somewhere someone. He ached for a home. For the glade. For Tommy and Minho and Fry. And he knew, as he often did. He knew before he even opened his eyes. He could feel that there was something somewhere wrong.

There was always something wrong.

Newt came to agonizingly slow like each part of his body had to reboot. It felt like pins and needles like the circulation was cut off from his whole body. Fear told him he was back in WICKED, that if he opened his eyes he would find ropes tied to his ankles and wrists. Logic told him he was in the hospital, that he was safe.

It felt like an empty promise. Like a lie, he was telling himself. Because when had the world ever allowed him to be safe? Never.

His toes curled and his fingers clenched into fists under the thin sheets. Newt opened his eyes and his vision blurred in the bright light. like a switch was flipped he could feel the hole in his side as clearly as he did when he was shot. When Teresa shot him and the ground shook beneath him. He groaned with the surprise of it and closed his eyes again trying to remain as still as possible, willing the pain to freeze with the rest of his body and knowing it wouldn't work.

When Newt could catch his breath again he opened his eyes. The pain had settled into a dull throb and the room was dark. He stared up at the gray ceiling trying to remember the events that led him here.

"You going to stay awake this time?" a voice greeted him from the foot of his bed. Newt jumped sending stabs of pain into his side, He sucked in a breath between his teeth but was surprised at how mild the pain seemed compared to the last time. He looked at who had spoken and was surprised to see Derek standing there. In the dark, it was hard to make out his expression but Newt was willing to bet he was glaring.

"What do you mean?" he tried to say, but his voice raked up his throat and stuck there causing him to sound choked.

"You woke up two days ago for about a minute and then passed back out." Newt shook his head. Two days. Two days? He had only opened his eyes for the first time a few minutes ago. Hadn't he? Newts head hurt. He let his eyes fall closed again and for a moment he thought he'd heard Derek say something but his voice was muffled and then it was gone.

And he was alone.

Because he was almost always alone when he woke up in hospital rooms.

Because Thomas wasn't there.

Thomas.

Newt sat up faster then what was probably healthy and felt for where the tubes were attached to the crook in his arm. He pulled them out gently and started to ease himself out of bed. His heart was racing in his chest and adrenaline coursed through his veins. He stumbled through the doorway and started limping through the almost empty hallway.

"May I help you sir?" a nurse asked him. Instinct told him to get as far away from her as possible, as far away from any adult as possible but something in the way her soft features were so filled with concern made him stop. Taking a better look at her she couldn't have been that much older than him.

"Uh I'm looking for my friend," he said finally. She smiled at him and led him towards an empty chair.

"The boy you were brought in with?" She asked pleasantly.

"Yeah, yes, yes. Where is he?" He asked Jumping out of the chair in nervous excitement.

"He's just two doors down from you," She said pointing back in the direction Newt had come from.

"Thank you" He called over his shoulder, Already on his feet heading in the direction she had pointed out. The ache in his side became more apparent the faster Newt walked, but he never slowed. As soon as Newt found the right door he pushed it open and froze.

Newt's mouth went dry as he stared at the boy fast asleep in the hospital bed and it wasn't Thomas. Newt took a few hesitant steps forward and he knew his hands were shaking. Because how could he have forgotten this? He remembered of course that they had found Minho. What he hadn't remembered was the state he was in when Newt got to him. He looked better now, cleaned up and peaceful in sleep. It put Newt at ease, at least a little bit. He was still worried about Thomas, he needed answers, holes in his memory needed to be filled in but Newt couldn't go anywhere.

Newt fell into the chair next to Minho's bed and waited.

He wasn't there for a full hour before he could feel eyes on him.

"What are you-" Derek started but Newt didn't let him finish.

"He's okay?" Newt asked without taking his eyes off of the steady rise and fall of Minho's chest.

"Yeah I've been looking out for both of you, he's doing better than you are, you need to get back to your room." Newt didn't miss how Derek's words sounded more and more like growls the longer he talked.

"No not Minho, Thomas." because Thomas wasn't here.

Thomas was never there when Newt woke up in hospital rooms.

"He's… fine." Derek said slowly and Newt could hear the lie dripping from every syllable.

"Where is he?"

"We couldn't exactly bring him to the hospital," Derek said in another growl.

"Where is he?" Newt repeated, feeling the unshed tears stinging his eyes.

"He's back at our hotel, you and Minho were in such bad shape that Noah wouldn't let us go all the way back to Beacon Hills," Derek explained.

"Take me to him," Newt said while standing, ignoring the pain in his side.

"I can't just take you out of the hospital Newt, you're still hurt. You need to relax and let yourself heal." Derek's words spoke concern but his eyes were hard and Newt thought he knew where it came from. "We don't even know how the bite has affected him yet."

"What does that mean?" Newt asked, his hands clenched into fists in Minho's sheets.

"The bite is supposed to heal," Derek said slowly like he was waiting for Newt to catch on so he didn't have to say it. The bite was meant to heal everything, including the brain and that's when Newt realized that maybe everyone was holding their breath for Stiles, not Thomas.

"Take me to him," Newt repeated slower.

"You need to wait until we know more." Derek tried.

"Would you be able to?" Newt asked meeting his gaze with his own determined one.

"What?" Derek asked.

"If the roles were reversed, would you be able to sit around and wait while he was out there and you had no idea how he was?" Derek wouldn't look at him, wouldn't say anything for a while but Newt knew the answer of course. Derek would move heaven and earth to get to Stiles. Newt would move heaven and earth for Thomas.

Derek never answered but instead turned and walked out of the room. After a last look at Minho's peaceful face, he followed Derek.

Derek drove Newt to the hotel he talked about. The ride was short and silent and Newt could feel the tension in his chest.

"Room 213," Derek said, tossing a key card at him, Newt caught it and stepped out of the car. As soon as Newt was far enough away from the car Derek sped off and Newt was left standing alone in an almost empty parking lot.

He took the stairs two at a time, the pain in his side didn't matter when Thomas was only a floor away. He broke into an almost jog, looking at all the room numbers until he found 213. He didn't bother with knocking, instead, he shoved the keycard into the slot and when the light turned green he turned the knob and Newt swung the door open.

Derek had left a lot out of his story.

He said Thomas was fine and even if Newt didn't believe him he also didn't expect him to still be unconscious. That was the first thing Newt saw, Thomas laying on the bed, and even if he could have just been asleep Newt knew better, or at least he thought he knew better. If Thomas was able he would have been by Newt's side, wouldn't he? unless hes not Thomas anymore. Newt walked over to Thomas the same time the bathroom door opened to reveal Sheriff Stilinski.

"Newt," He said, confusion clear in his voice. "What are you doing here?" Newt tried to convince himself he was just surprised to see him. not that the Sheriff didn't want him here. not like there was something he wanted to hide from him. "I thought you were unconscious still?"

"Yeah, I was. Not anymore, I needed to see him." Newt didn't know why he suddenly felt awkward, standing less than a foot from the bed. He couldn't take his eyes off of Thomas.

"But you're okay? Did they release you and give you the all clear? How's Minho?" Newt looked at The Sheriff for a second before looking back at Thomas.

"Has he not woken up at all yet?" He asked, not meaning to ignore the Sheriff's questions but Thomas was all he could focus on.

'Yeah, he hasn't so much as moved in three days. Scott is on the phone with Deaton right now." The Sheriff stopped talking as the door opened. Newt looked over his shoulder and recognized Lydia immediately but didn't recognize the little girl she was holding hands with.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt but she kept asking for you," Lydia told the Sheriff who nodded and grinned at the little girl. "Hi, Newt." Lydia smiled at him

"Hi, Lyds." He said watching her hand the little girl over to the Sheriff.

"And change?" She asked, turning back to face Thomas, brushing his hair out of Thomas's eyes. Newt looked away feeling like he was intruding on something personal.

"Uh, I don't think so."

She nodded and looked over Thomas one more time before walking out of the room.

"You okay, Newt?" The Sheriff asked, and Newt didn't know what to say, He didn't know what he could say because there was something in the way The Little girl looked at him that clogged his words in his throat. He'd seen those eyes before, he'd seen them in the box, afraid and cowering in the corner. He'd seen them on First Day, wide and terrified looking over the glade. He remembered them glossy with unshed tears in the night, wondering why. He'd seen them staring lifeless at the ceiling. He shook off the feeling of familiarity. Instead of answering he sat on the bed next to Thomas, he held his hand and played with his hair.

"What happened?" Newt finally asked after the girl had fallen asleep and the sky had darkened, decorating the room in shadows.

And so the Sheriff told him. He told him how he'd woken up and no one was there but a note. He told Newt how he'd gone to the location they had planned on but Newt wasn't there. He told him how he was going to go after them but he realized before he left that there could be someone else's kid trapped in there so he went along with the plan. He'd had help, Lydia and Malia and Liam were with him. It had been easy, there were only two people in the entire facility and just before he left he found Chloe, the little girl. The Sheriff told him how he made it to them just as Derek was dragging Newt out of a burning building and they drove straight here.

"I can't say I'm happy with the fact that you all lied to me about the plan, but I also can't say I didn't expect it." The Sheriff said after a long silence, "I'm just glad we almost everyone got out." Newt felt like he had just been hit by a truck because they hadn't all made it, had they? Gally got caught up in it. Gally sacrificed himself for them all. Gally, who had always hated Thomas, who had resented Newt for so long, who had thrown himself at Teresa so they all could get out. Gally didn't make it.

"I'm sorry." Newt choked out, even though the words would never ever make up for any of it. It was all he could say.

"Don't be, son." The Sheriff said and then yawned. "You good to look after him for the night?" Newt nodded mutely. "Okay, Scott will be back in a little while, I'm going to take her to bed." The Sheriff said, scooping up Chloe. Just like that Newt was alone with Thomas. Just like that Newt crumbled, dropping his head onto the bed and sobbing into the sheets.

Newt didn't remember falling asleep, but he startled awake to the sound of his name. At first, Newt thought he had imagined it, until he heard it again, breathless and desperate sounding.

The hand he held was squeezed tight around his. Newt fumbled to turn on the lamp with his free hand. Thomas was sweating, his hair stuck matted to his forehead and his breathing was coming quick and uneven. His eyes were screwed shut. "Newt." He whimpered again and Newt's heart caught in his chest.

"Thomas?" He whispered, hoping to wake him or soothe him. He kept a hold of Thomas's hand despite how hard he was squeezing it and he brushed the hair out of Thomas's eyes with his free hand. "Tommy." He repeated, only barely louder. Thomas squeezed his hand harder, making Newt wince.

"Newt," He breathed.

"Its okay Tommy, I'm here," Newt said, pressing his lips to Thomas's head. "I'm right here." it wasn't long after that that Thomas relaxed into his sleep, but Newt wouldn't sleep again. He sat there and played with Thomas's hair, and watched him by lamplight until morning came hours later.

A few hours after the sun came up it seemed like everyone came along. First, it was Scott and the Sheriff talking about what Deaton had said. Then Lydia and Malia came in with Chloe and they sat down on the other bed whispering to each other. Liam stood leaned against the corner like he didn't quite know where he belonged, but when his eyes weren't trained on the ground he was looking at Thomas like he was willing him to wake up.

A little while later Derek came stalking in with Minho trailed behind him. Newt jumped up to hug him and Minho fell into Newt.

"Is he okay?" Minho asked, his voice muffled in Newt's shoulder.

"He will be," Newt said, his voice coming out far more confident than he felt. Newt fell back into his chair and continued playing with Thomas's hair and holding his hand. Minho sat next to him.

"Are you okay?" Newt asked, looking over at Minho who only nodded.

"You?" he asked, and Newt was about to say he was fine when he felt Thomas's hand squeeze his again. Not hard and painful, just a soft squeeze. Newt watched Thomas's chest heave up and down and he heard Thomas exhale slowly.

Then Thomas opened his eyes and looked right at him.

"Tommy?" Newt asked hesitantly, for a moment he was afraid. Afraid that the Thomas laying in front of him now would look at him with sunken in eyes. But the eyes that looked at him now were clear and bright and alive.

"Newt." He answered, sitting up and throwing his arms around Newt's neck, and Newt didn't care that he could barely breathe because Thomas was awake and here and alive and awake. Newt hugged him back just as tight. The conversation around them stopped and the relief in the air was tangible. Like everyone in the room let out a breath no one knew they were holding. Because Thomas was awake. He was okay.

They were all going to be okay.