Hi readers :) Ch 13 is here :D I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so yeah... enjoy ;)

She was here again stared at the graves, stood in front of Ava's. She was here before and cried helplessly asked her friend to stop being dead. But nobody responded to her pleas. Time was passing since then. She couldn't tell how many. A month? Maybe two? Or even more? So much happened since that night as she called it. She totally lost herself in agony and pain. And then something happend.

She came here to collect her thoughts together. In the past Ava was one of the girls who knew Zera's deepest secrets and fears. It was strange she couldn't talk to her again and she definitely won't start to talk to a grave. But still it was good to be alone, even if she had to go to the graveyard for that. And somehow it was a comfortable feeling to be close to her friends even if it was a little weird.

Things changed. It happened first when she was in the deepest darkness she has ever known. Zera believed she will never saw the light again.

She smiled. When that secret door opened in their wall and found their way here, she didn't know what she could expect. When Minho appeared on the sight, she thought the boys were dangerous to the girls. And when she saw Newt for the first time, she never believed he will be the one who could save her somehow.

Every time when she needed someone, he was there. When she went to Alby with that scum who attacked the second girl in a row and demanded to banish him. When she was afraid of the boys he helped her to conquer this fear. When she was raw and rude he befriended her. And when she chased her friends away he came and talked some sense into her. And now he worked with her to become a Runner again. Slowly Newt become important to her. She wanted him beside her, wanted him in her life. Zera couldn't imagine what the future will hold for them, but she didn't care about it until Newt was on her side. And of course her friends too.

As she watched the Glade in these past few days and she saw what they reached together. The girls who were frigthened from the boys opened up fully and treat the boys as their friends and their Glade members now. And the boys who thought the girls belonged into the kitchen respected them and treated them equally. Of course there were arguments sometimes, but all in all they were one huge group now and their connections were strong. And she just loved how the things turned out.

Another thing changed; one day the siren started to scream loudly and the Box came up with their usual monthly supplies. But something else was in it too. This new united group got a Greenie for the first time.

She was a girl and a young one, maybe 12 years old. For a second they just stared at the frightened girl, but then Harriet moved, helped her out of the box and showed the Glade to her. After the Tour she was left alone. She had to try out the jobs to find the one she is good at it. Zera watched the girl from day to day, and started to help her. First she gave some advices to her, but soon she lead her through the Glade's things, answered questions, explained this or that. This was the time when she realized she missed the feeling of leading people. Missed to take care of them, watch how they reach success, how they learn and become better and better. She also watched the day Runners longingly and missed running. Missed the routes, the adrenaline, the victory over a monster. She missed her job.

Zera stood in the sunset closer to the gate and watched the two teams coming back to the Glade. Suddenly she felt a light touch on her waist. She didn't turn around to see who it was.

"What is in your head again?" the girl smiled at the soft question. She was much more confident now with Newt too. For the first times she wanted to hide their connection from the others, keep it to herself only, but now she didn't care about that. They never said it out loud they were together, but they didn't need to; everbody knew it already. He didn't wait for her answer and followed her gaze.

"The Runners."

When she remained silent he added.

"You have to decide what do you want Zera. If you want to go back, do it."

"I can't."

"If this is about the things what happened..."

"It isn't. You helped me a lot with that. I'm still missing them and I will, but I'm missing the running too."

"Then what is it, dear?" Newt pulled her a little closer to him.

"I have you now."

"Yes, you do, but you still have me if you do your job."

"I don't want to lose you Newt!" she snapped.

He looked at her and seemed a little surprised. Newt knew that Zera liked him, but he never imagined she will say it out loud ever.

"If I go out there I can die. I could accept that before, but now... Things are changed now." She looked at him desperately "Am I selfish?"

Newt smiled. "No. Humans are work like that, dear. Nobody wants to die, especially if you have something to lose." After a moment he continued "But I don't want you to change because of me. You have your place in the Glade."

Zera nodded to that and she looked back at the gate. Newt was right: she had to decide what she wanted. And she already knew it.

She stood in front of the closed gate, with Sam. It was early in the morning and they waited to the gates to open. When Zera asked her friend to help her to be a Runner again Sam smiled a little and she said yes of course. She knew Zera never quit running until she is capable to do it, but it took more time to her to realize it too. Zera was a little nervous though; she wasn't in the Maze for a long time. She looked back over her shoulder and saw him as he nodded in reassurance. She turned back, the noise begun and the gate opened.

"Ready?" Sam asked.

"It is like I do this for the first time. Craziness, huh?"

"It's okay, everything is going to be fine." Zera smiled at her "Then go, girl."

And with that they run through the gate.

As the days passed Zera's self-confidence came back. She still knew the Maze, remembered the routes. Her running skills decreased a little – she had a long break after all – but she gained her strength back quite fast. Sam also practiced the fighting with her and Zera was quite sure about herself again. She will doing just well in the Maze. But Zera also learnt from her mistakes. She underestimated the Grievers, thought they are too dumb and couldn't think out new hunting ways. As she remembered what happened with her old team, she could see what was wrong; the hunting Griever pack was so unexpected, they couldn't handle it and acted like a perfect frightened prey. The Grievers had an easy job with killing them. Zera couldn't follow the same mistake twice.

After some daylight running routes, she knew she need a new team. Zera visited her two remaining teammates and asked them about the running; one of them said yes, but the other's injuries were permanent, she couldn't run again. The problem was that, Zera knew her group. All of the girls had their job and she knew she couldn't reorganize her team only from the girls. They got just one Greenie so far and there weren't enough people to choose. Then, she had an idea: what about the boys?

The boys, the boys, the boys...always the boys :D So, what can be Zera's idea? She wants some testosterone in her new running team? And yes, she found herself at least :) It took her 3 whole chapter to do that, but she had enough reason to be with Newt at least xD