I got this one out on time! Awesome.

It's like three in the morning where I live so pardon any typos. Also, this is a heavy chapter, just warning you now.

NEWT'S POV

I look down at the sleeping form curled into my side. I let a slow smile spread across my face. She's back, and she's mine. I could wake up to this every morning. Then we could go eat breakfast together, and spend our evenings together.

But, she spaces out a lot. Louisa told me what happened in the maze, and I don't want to believe that she went through that. My smile drops from my face. I want to know what she remembered in the changing, but she won't tell me. Lo also killed someone. That has to be emotionally scarring. I want to be there for her, but I can't do that if she won't let me in.

Yesterday, when I took her to the pond, she disappeared under the water, and didn't come back up for a minute. Was she trying to…? No, she said she wouldn't. She won't kill herself.

Louisa's eyes flutter open. Piercing gray eyes find mine, and my smile comes back.

" Hey. " She whispers.

" Hey. " I whisper back.

" I don't want to move. "

" Then don't. " I say, kissing her on the forehead.

" But I need clothes. " She says with a sigh.

" I think you look just fine the way you are. " I say, smirking. She shoves me away, and I nearly fall out of the bed. Upon seeing me almost fall, a laugh erupts from her throat. Lo then sits up, and runs a hand through her hair. When it get's stuck, she grumbles. She struggles with it for a moment, then her face turns red from anger. I laugh.

" What? " She asks, scowling.

I don't say anything, instead I grab the bag that I threw in the floor last night. I reach into it, and pull out a hair brush. Her eyes light up at the sight of it. She jumps off the bed and tackles me. I fall backwards, my head slams against the ground, and I groan.

" Oh, sorry. " She says while kissing my head and grabbing the hair brush. Instead of getting off of me like a normal person, she straddles my hips while brushing her hair. I try to get up, but she sends me a glare. I lay back down on the floor, with an impatient sigh.

" Why do I have to be on the floor? " I ask.

" Because you are a comfortable seat. " She says. Lo looks down at my annoyed face, and smiles. I roll my eyes as she finishes brushing her hair. She grabs the bag that I had sitting beside me and puts it in there.

Louisa is about to get up when we hear footsteps coming towards my room. She sends a panicked look to me, and my eyes widen. I can't let someone see my girlfriend half naked.

I simply switch our positions, and cover her with my body just before the door opens.

" New- " The Glader starts, but stops after seeing the compromising position I'm in. I turn my head, and find the Newbie, Chuck, standing in the doorway, his face blood red.

" Now's not really a good time. " I say. He nods.

" I just wanted to say that Alby wants to meet you in ten minutes. " He squeaks out before leaving the room.

I look back down at Lo, to find her covering her mouth with a hand, and her cheeks are red.

" I'm guessing that's the Greenie this month? " She asks, then starts to laugh.

" Yea. " I say, cracking a smile.

" I'm going to get dressed. " Louisa says, pushing me off of her.

" I don't mean to run away, but I have to go meet Alby. "

" Okay. I'm probably going to hang out in here since I can't really walk. " She says with a sigh. " Just remember to bring me food. "

" I'll bring some by after my meeting with Alby. "

" Thanks. "

I walk out, leaving Louisa to get dressed. She seemed like her normal self this morning, but that could change at any moment. She could go back to the suicidal girl that was being tortured at any moment. I don't even know if she left that mental state. Hopefully, she did.

I sigh as I walk out of the Homestead. What does Alby want? Does he want to talk about Lo and her punishment? I personally don't think she needs a bloody punishment. She suffered enough in the buggin' maze. I just want to see her truly happy again. Not putting on a fake smile, or over exaggerating a laugh. I want her to be content with her life.

Of course, no one is content with their life if they are living inside a giant maze.

I sit down at a table near the Kitchens. I out my head in my hands while resting my elbows on the table. When Lo left, it became all about finding a way out, so I could get back to her. It gave me more motivation. Then she runs through the door with a Griever following her. She looked like hell. She had a really heavy limp, and I was surprised the Griever hadn't killed her yet.

I couldn't help it. I had to fight the Griever. I chased it off, probably by scaring it. I couldn't tell you why it ran away. I just wish I could've chased it off sooner; Lo had gotten stung.

I stayed by her side everyday, watching her face contort into a million different expressions. On the first day, she seemed happy. Whatever memories she was remembering must have been good. Then she woke up screaming. My limbs felt heavy as I watched her scream in agony. There was nothing I could do.

On the second day, her face was showing a mixture of sadness, and happiness. Sometimes she was smiling, and other times tears would leak from her eyes.

The third day was the worst. At first, her face had held nothing but rage, then she seemed to have calmed down. I left the room for ten minutes to get some sleep, then I hear her screams. I quickly run into the room, to find her thrashing around on the bed, her eyes wide and alert. She kept screaming that it hurt, and that it burned. The next moment she would be complaining that it was cold. Lo stopped thrashing and looked at me. I moved closer, and she asked me to do something that I know I could never do. She asked me to kill her. The pain was that unbearable.

My body went slack and my palms were sweaty. My head was swimming. I already knew that I wasn't going to, but the thought that she would ask me to do something like that was horrendous.

I shake the thoughts off as Alby sits down in front of me.

" I heard you had quite an eventful night. " Alby says. I guess Lo and I weren't exactly quiet. I just hope that people didn't see me carrying her to my room while she was half naked.

" Louisa woke up, and wanted to take a shower. " I reply with a shrug. " She asked me to help. "

" Let's be clear right now, Newt. I don't want a pregnant slinthead so no sex. " He says, crossing his arms over his chest. My eyes widen and I can feel my face heat up.

" Bloody hell. " I mumble. " Is this what you wanted to talk about? "

" No. I needed to tell you the conclusion I came to about Louisa's punishment. " He says, and my heart skips a beat. She's still being punished?

" I know that you don't feel comfortable with her in the Glade but she was in the maze for a whole week. Most shanks can't last a night in the maze! Not only that but she had gotten stung, and had to go through the Changing! I don't know what sort of hell she went through but I think that what happened is punishment enough. Not to mention the guilt she must feel about the whole thing! "

" Newt. Shut up. " Alby says, and I stop talking. I can't let Lo get banished. Not now, not ever. " I was going to tell you that I'm letting this whole thing slide. "

What?

" I agree with you on the stuff she went through, but we need to tell the Gladers. " He says, running a hand over his face.

" I don't think we can do that without causing a panic. " I say. " Everyone would be scared of her, and the brave ones would probably be mean to her. "

" I'm not worried about how they will treat her; she can obviously handle herself. I'm mainly worried about the panic and strife it will cause. "

" Should we tell every one and deal with the consequences? " I ask.

" That's not smart, but it's what I'm going to do. Do you have any better ideas? "

" I say that when you do tell everyone, you appeal to her better side. We could also try to get the Gladers to pity her. " I suggest.

"I think that could work, but I'm not telling everyone. She is. " Alby says.

" Why the hell are you going to make her do that? " I ask, my hands clenching into fists.

" We announce it at dinner tonight. Make sure she's there. " He says while standing up. Obviously ignoring my previous question.

I want to yell at him, and make him tell everyone himself, but I know that would just make him mad. I don't know what he would make Louisa do when he's mad. So, I grit my teeth, and keep my mouth shut.

I stand, and go get two trays of food. I am about to make my way to the Homestead so I can give Lo her food, but I get stopped by a Glader.

" What do you want Zack? " I ask the redheaded shank.

" I want to know if Louisa is alive. " He asks. " She's really nice, and what Reed did to her was appalling. Is she okay? "

The question surprises me. I didn't know that many people liked her. She kept to herself a lot.

" She's alive, in fact, you're going to see her tonight. " I say, while making my way past him. What are they going to say about her? Are their mean comments going to destroy her?

I shake my head as I enter the Homestead. She's strong. She can handle this.

I am about to enter the room when I hear Louisa singing. She sounds like an angel, but she also sounds so broken down.

" Ouch I have lost myself again

Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,

Yeah I think that I might break

I've lost myself again and I feel unsafe

Be my friend

Hold me, wrap me up

Unfold me

I am small and needy

Warm me up

And breathe me "

I could listen to her sing all day, but I figure she is hungry. I open the door, and she stops singing, startled.

" How long were you there? " Louisa asks, her head snapping up. I see that she got changed. Her shirt is a pure white and her shorts are black.

" What were you singing? " I ask, thinking back to the lyrics. I can't help but think about what I was feeling when I jumped.

" Well that answers my question. " She says, laying back down on the bed with a sigh. " I don't really know. It just popped in my head. "

" Did you mean what you were singing? " I ask, moving closer to her. I don't want her to feel so helpless and lost. I don't want her to feel what I felt.

" Is that food? " She asks, ignoring my question. She reaches for it, but I move it out of her grasp. She falls back onto the bed with a sound of exasperation.

" Tell me the meaning of the song and I'll give you food. " I have to know.

" I meant what I was singing. It means that I am broken down, and I need someone. " She whispers, then she sits up. " Now give me food. "

I give her the food, and I sit on the bed next to her, not sure of how I feel. Louisa is broken down; she just admitted that. She also said she needed someone. Can I step up and be that person?

" Lo. " I say, interrupting her eating. She's already eaten all of her eggs, and half of her toast.

" What? " She asks, just before biting into a piece of toast.

" Will you let me be there for you? " I ask, looking down at my hands. I see her hand go over mine, and I look up to see her eyes are shiny. Is she about to cry?

" You've already been there for me. So many times. " She says looking down. " I just wish I could've been there for you. " She whispers the last part so quietly I almost miss it.

" What do you mean? " I ask. What does she mean she wishes she could've been there for me? Does she mean when I jumped? Or when she was running in the maze, knowing that I was suffering inside everyday she was gone?

Louisa looks up and I see a fierce look on her face, and tears are running down her face.

" I watched Newt! I watched you everyday from behind a computer screen. Every second you were suffering I could've done something, but I didn't! Then you jumped, and I thought you were dead. I thought I had finally lost you after that year in the maze. I was in love with my best friend, and I couldn't do anything to save him. " She says, her voice cracking at certain parts. Her voice is so quiet by the end, it was hard to hear.

Louisa and I were best friends before the maze. She was in love with me. I got sent up and she watched us everyday. She didn't do anything to save us. I can't be mad at her though. Not after seeing how much she regrets not doing anything.

Did I love her? Was I upset when I figured out that I was going to be sent up? I'll never know, and that pisses me off.

I feel like someone just shoved their hand in my chest and twisted my heart around. Someone was there when I thought no one was. There was a girl I loved on the other side, and all I did was try to kill myself. She was there.

" Newt? " Louisa asks, her tears gone. Her hand reaches up, and brushes a tear off of my cheek. I hadn't even realized that I was crying.

I look up at the girl that has been there for me, even though I didn't know it. I pull her into a hug, and squeeze her tight. I will never let her go.

" Thank you. " I breathe out.

" for what? " She asks.

" For being there for me. " I say, burying my face in the crook of her neck.

We say like that for a few minutes, then I realize that I have to work. I begrudgingly let go, and stand up.

" Can I go to the Kitchens for dinner? " Lo asks.

" Yea, I'll take you. " I say, then remember what Alby said. " Also, Alby said that you were going to be the one to tell the Gladers what happened. "

" What! " She yells.

" I'm sorry. I think you should play the pity card. " I suggest.

" I have all day to prepare the speech. I'll use everything I have to my advantage. " She says, and I can see the wheels in her head turning.

" I'll leave you to that then. " I say. " See you at lunch, Love. "

" Okay. " She says, barely acknowledging what I said. I shake my head with a smile and leave the room.

I can't let anyone disrespect her tonight. I'll be her body guard. No one will hurt her. If they do, they will answer to my fist. I don't care if I'm second in command. No one touches Louisa. Not a sandy blonde hair on her head will be out of place. Her gray eyes will not dull anymore than they already are. Her foot will remain her only injury. She will be safe.

When did my world begin to revolve around her?

Alright, so, how was it? Was it awesome? I liked this chapter. Lewt for daysss.

The song Louisa was singing was Breathe Me by Sia. I hope that part wasn't too cheesy. But I really connect with music, and when I heard this I thought of Louisa.

Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews! They are really appreciated.

Once again, I'm sorry about how long it took to get that last chapter out. I was in a bad place. My aunt's liver was failing. It's okay now. She's fine.

Have a great day, night, evening, morning, afternoon!

UPDATE* just realized, 50,000 words. I'm making cake tomorrow to celebrate this! :D