"You..." Gen breathed as the dark haired man she knew only as Peter walked towards her. Once again, they were standing in the one way corridor and Peter was between her and the rest of the Maze,
"Me..." His voice reached her ears and sent shivers up her spine,
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here to help." He said, his hands on his hips as he stopped a few metres from her, "Remember?" Gen's eyes lingered on the cracked walls of the Maze.
"Am I crazy?" She asked,
"Of course you aren't." Peter replied, following her gaze, "If anything, you're far more sane than any of those boys in the Glade." He said in a reassuring tone of voice. Gen closed her eyes tightly and opened them again to find herself still looking at Peter, who gave her a dumbfounded look, "Is my company really that bad?" Gen took a step back,
"This usually works." She mused, looking down at her torn clothing, "Why am I still here?"
"How am I supposed to know that?" Peter scoffed, shifting towards the wall of the maze and running his hands along it, "I'm just here as a Guardian Angel... so to speak."
"Then can you tell me what's out there?" Gen asked, Peter looked over his shoulder at her and cocked an eyebrow at her,
"The Maze?"
"No. I mean those things chasing me." She asked, fear entering her mind at the mere thought of the low growls that haunted her,
"Oh... right. I suggest you ask your buddy Minho." Peter said, "It would be just so much easier for you and for me." Spinning around, Peter turned on her, "You told Newt about me." He mused, crossing his arms over his chest, "Didn't go well, did it?" Gen stepped back away from him,
"How do you know about that?"
"It's imprinted in your mind, sweetheart." Peter replied with a sly smile, "I know everything that goes on in that pretty little head of yours."
"Oh yeah, like what?" She snapped, her eyes narrowing at the man who flashed her a smile,
"The Phoenix at last..." Looking her up and down, Peter walked around her and Gen could feel his eyes on her at all times, "What do I know about you...?" His words lingered in the air around them as his fingers trailed along her shoulder blades, "I know that you're scared of what's in the Maze."
"That's obvious, Peter." Gen replied with a smirk, "Anyone could work that out." As Peter made his way back in front of her, he leaned forward so his lips brushed against her ear,
"You're scared that Minho will die just like Adam did." Gen opened her mouth to speak,
"You're wrong." Pulling back, Peter smirked,
"Am I, love?"
"Yes." Peter stepped back, the same sly smile on his face,
"Of course, how foolish of me... You're frightened of death in general... just not your own death. You're scared that if you grow too close to someone they'll die. You also fear that you'll end up like Gally with nothing but a worthless item and a haunting sentiment constantly reminding you of that someone you used to care about." Gen stared at him, she didn't like Peter at all,
"I'm going to give the coin back when I find the right time." She said.
"No, you're not. It means more to you than it does him. But you already know that sentiment is a dangerous thing." Pausing, his eyes flickered around them before they set back onto her. Gen swallowed,
"You're lying again. Minho's been a shuck lately so I haven't been able to talk to him properly." She said, still unsure as to why she trying to justify herself to Peter
"Can't you just let this bad blood between you two dry?" Peter sighed. Gen froze,
"Bad Blood?" She questioned, her brow furrowing as the words ran through her head,
"Yeah." Peter nodded, "Bad Blood. It means-"
"I know what it means." She interrupted before she looked away from him, her and Minho's interaction swimming through her head. Peter cleared his throat, cauing her gaze to meet his once more, "You know, if all we do is look back, we will surely drive ourselves insane." He said, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking about- which he had claimed that he did.
"But, isn't it the past which defines us?" Gen asked. Peter smirked,
"Who says we can't make our own path?" Gen was silent her eyes falling to her feet and noticing her expression, Peter tilted his head, "but, don't worry. I'm going to teach you how to control your fears instead of letting them control you." Gen stared at him,
"Why would you do that?" Peter smirked,
"Funny you ask that. I-"
"You want something in return?" She questioned with a frown on her face. Peter rolled his eyes,
"No... I've dedicated my life to helping spitfire little girls with their emotional problems. Of course I want something in return!" He snapped, causing Gen to flinch. Peter took a calming breath before speaking once more, "But that is a conversation for a later date." Pushing past her, Gen listened to his steady footsteps growing fainter as he walked away from her,
"Aren't you coming?" Gen turned her body to face him. He stood only a few feet away and held his hand out towards her. Feeling her very core grow cold, Gen's head snapped around at the hungry growls that filled her head once more, "Genevieve!" Gen forced herself to look back at Peter who had his hand still outstretched towards her, an urgent expression on his face, "Come on. We're running out of time!" Gen stared at him, seemingly frozen,
"I don't trust you.."
"We don't have time for this. Take my hand or else you'll drown within your own fears." His tone was crisp and to the point, but was still laced with urgency as he looked around them, "Genevieve. If you want to control your fears, you have to trust me." Making eye-contact with her, he took a breath, "Trust me." Gen paused, the growling was so loud that it resembled almost a scream that echoed in her head, she had a choice. Stay and die, or go with Peter. Stay and die, or go with Peter. Blinking, Genevieve made the choice. As she ran forward, Gen reached out to Peter, grabbing a hold of his hand as Peter turned, running through the Maze, "Don't look back!" He commanded her as Gen listened to the sounds of monsters that chased them, she wanted to look back, to see what it was that was tormenting her. But instead, Gen listened to Peter and kept her sight ahead of them, holding onto Peter's hand as tightly as possible.
Peter and Gen ran through the Maze, its twists and turns seemed to be more greeting and accepting than before and Gen almost felt safe with Peter. "Not much further!" Peter told her as they continued to run, the thrill of the chase was coursing through Gen's very veins. As Peter had said, Gen and he found an exit- a clearing just ahead of them and from what Gen could see, a small hut was welcoming them as they drew closer. It wasn't the Glade, but it still felt as though it was home to her. As Peter and Gen ran out of the Maze and into the wooden hut, Gen let go of Peter's hand, watching as he turned to close the door behind them. The hut was small and dark and the only thing Gen could smell was old, rotting wood and mould,
"Where are we?" She breathed, inhaling the foul air through her nostrils. Peter turned his head to examine the small, empty room they had found themselves in and frowned,
"I... don't know." He replied, "Have you seen this place before?" He asked. Gen shook her head,
"Never." She replied, searching for some kind of sign that she knew where they were. Peter smirked,
"The mind is a marvelous thing." He mused, "It has the ability to materialize places that have been long forgotten." Gen frowned at him,
"I told you I've never seen this place before."
"Of course you have. You just don't remember." He replied. Gen watched as he moved towards her and placed his warm hands on her shoulders, his blue eyes locked with hers, "I want you to remember this place, okay?" Gen gave a steady nod, "Everytime you go to sleep, I want you to think of this place, I want you to remember how it smells, how the air feels... can you do that for me?" Gen once again nodded, "Good, girl. This is where we're going to meet. But before I go, you must promise me that you'll not only let me help you, but you'll also help yourself."
"I promise.." Gen said with reluctance, not fully understanding what he meant. She didn't know anything about Peter, but there was something about him that made her trust him. Closing her eyes, Gen listened as Peter spoke one last time, "And don't forget, WICKED is good..."
Gen opened her eyes, her nose greeting the familiar smell of her and Newt's room and the itchy feeling of the moldy blanket. For the first time, Gen felt completely rested.