Disclamer: I do not own The Maze Runner Trilogy and all characters belong to James Dashner except my OC, Tara.

—Chapter 25—

Tara

Tara had a wide grin on her face when she walked up to the boys in the evening to have dinner.
"Well, you definitely looked like some time alone gave you a good start." Minho joked.
"Shut up you asshole, I got a book, an amazing book!" she slapped him on the arm.
"Oh no! Thou shalt spring forth Shakespearean Quotes!" he ducked under the table. Tara rolled her eyes as she sat next to him, opposite to her was Newt.

"Hey"
"Hi"
"What book were you reading?"
"Harry Potter."
Newt raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
"Did she burst out any Shakespeare or I dunno, Isaac Newton to you?" Minho cautiously asked, though Tara knew it was all just his game. Honestly, he was worse than Leo Valdez, though she had no idea who that is. She flinched at the name 'Isaac Newton' but remembered that Minho didn't know, so she kept her cool.
"To be, or not to be!" Tara yelled at him.
"Aaaahhhh! Save me Lord, from the treachery of Shakespeare and boring english!" Minho screamed.
The two burst into laughter and then had a round of slapping arms and elbowing each other before Alby 'shut their shuck mouths up'.
Tara was glad that everything was back to normal, sort of, she knew she would never be the same, but at least for now, she should relish what she gets.
"Now don't start giving me grammar lessons." Minho warned.
"Ah, the value of grammar, let me think, semi-colons should be placed before-" Tara teased.
"No, please mi Lady, I beg on your feet, not grammar!" "My stupid subject Minho, you have earned yourself your own punishment! A grammar lesson!" Tara played along.
"Minho, Map Room, now." Alby ordered. Minho made a 'I'm-so-relieved' face, before slumping off to the Map Room. Tara lifted her plate and went to the Kitchen.
"Tara" he called.
She turned around, glueing her eyes to his chocolate brown ones, if only he knew. "Yeah?"
"I was wondering. . ."
"If we could talk? Yeah sure, okay, but let's go somewhere else." she concluded.
Newt looked stricken, but then he smiled as Tara slowly walked beside him. Trying her best to ignore the guilt eating away at her.

"I have a sister Newt." was the first thing she told him when they sat down in the corner of the grassy glade, no one was around and the sun was sinking, a beautiful sight (that I have not the energy to describe). They spread their legs forward and leaned on their hands.
"A sister? Really?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think-I think her name's Brenda." Tara said, her eyes in the verge of tears. "Brenda, she must have been lucky to have a sister like you." Newt consoled.
"Yeah right, a sister who has no idea who she is, so lucky." Tara shook her head.
Newt reached out to hold her hand.
"Hey, it's not your fault, it's the Creators." he tried to comfort her.
But it is my fault.
Tara thought. Could she tell him? Should she? "It is my fault Newt, I-I. . ." she lost her words, tears broke through her eyes again. She hated crying, crying in front of anyone, crying at all. But she knew that crying doesn't mean that you're weak, it means you've been hurt too much. And she was being pushed beyond the limit.
"What do you mean?" Newt inquired, the alarm evident in his voice.
"I think I helped make the Maze, and, they forced me but, I did it Newt, I made this!" she wanted to scream at the Creators, oh if she ever met them they would be sorry. He pulled her into a hug so comforting she could have fell asleep right there.

"It's not your fault, and don't you ever think that again." he whispered into her ear as he rubbed her back with his thumb.
"But-"
"Promise me."
Tara paused, she didn't say anything, just enjoyed his warmth, all the same thinking about what he said. He pulled away but his steady arms were fixed on her waist.
"Promise me."
"I-I promise." she looked away in shame, how could he not be angry at her, at all?
He pulled her back into a hug that Tara wished would last forever.
"So anything else interesting about your old life?" he asked her when they pulled away.
"Nothing much, we were all orphaned, sort of, I think. . . the memories seem to be pulled out of my grasp whenever I want to talk about them, it's as if someone doesn't want me to talk. . ."
Of course, the Creators wouldn't want Newt to know. But even though all her other memories were running away, one stayed, and it burned into her mind. The kiss.
No, she couldn't tell him, she wouldn't. What if he didn't have the same feelings for her? He would surely try to avoid her. She couldn't tell him.
"I can see your wheels turning there, what's going on?" Newt raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing."
"Mm hmm, oh really?"
"Yes really." Tara prodded his ribs.

Newt

That hurt. She was tough, a prod in his ribs probably gave him a bruise. The breeze blew on her face, a strand of brown hair fell on her stormy gray eyes. He reached out and tucked it behind her ear. Minho still teased him how he didn't have the courage to tell her. To confess. But all chances of her loving him was now gone, she had her memories back, and she could tell her heart yearned for someone. Who? He couldn't tell, but it definitely wasn't him. "So, how's that book you're reading?" he asked to get the unruly thoughts out of his head.

"Oh I am so glad you asked, it's amazing! Absolutely a-ma-zing! I mean there's Harry Potter, and he got sorted into Gryffindor but I think I would be in either that or Ravenclaw-"
"Whoa, steady there, I have no idea what you're talking about." Newt said with a smirk.
"Right, I sort of got. . . carried away." she yawned.
"Yeah looks like you need some sleep, c'mon." Tara nodded and quickly got up, soon helping Newt. They walked back to Homestead where she bade him goodbye. When he closed his eyes his only thoughts were of her.

—Author's Notes—

Okay guys, I am again, sorry for updating late. You all know I'm busy and I'm trying my best so just roll with it.

I was going to update last night but this stupid error occured and I couldn't update, so that's that.

I'm assuming most of you have either read the Harry Potter books or have watched the movies because hey, who hasn't? I know right, I was totally geeking out there, but I guess I can't help myself.

There's still alot more going on and I know these chapters are slow and boring, maybe, but I hope you'll enjoy it, the next chapter should be. . . normal, with something at the end but. . .

Enjoy!