Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own little OC plus a few others.

She, Newt and Chuck had camped out by the walls all night. She and Newt had tried to convince Chuck to go to bed but he was adamant he was going to wait until morning, he had eventually dosed off around 2am. They had all slept fitfully, waking every hour or so hearing, or maybe even just imagining, noises coming from within the maze. When the doors opened even Amelia's heart was hopeful, but upon seeing the empty corridor she gently touched Chuck's shoulder as Newt spoke the words she couldn't bring herself to say.

"I'm sorry Chuck, but no one survives a night in the maze." He turned away. Amelia felt his pain like a wide chasm in her chest, the loss of Alby and Minho would be impossible to get over, they were her closest friends in this hellhole, she couldn't imagine life without them here. And Thomas, well she had felt such hope when he had come up in the box, such determination that this would be the kid that would help them escape.

She was turning away from the maze doors fighting to keep the sobs that were threatening to erupt from within her from escaping when Zart's voice punctured the silence.

"…No way…"

"YES!" Chuck yelled from beside her and she spun round to the most joyous and baffling sight. Thomas and Minho were carrying an unconscious Alby back through the maze doors. She let out a sound that was half sob, half shout and rushed towards them helping them lower Alby onto the ground as Newt joined her by his side. She immediately started checking him over, protective mode hitting her before she could be truly happy to see them, she looked up at Clint and Jeff who set upon Alby and called for one of the builders to bring a stretcher over for their injured leader. Minho and Thomas were sat on the floor, both clearly exhausted from their ordeal, Chuck, nosy as ever, was the one to start the questions.

"Did you see a griever?"

Thomas bit his lip, "Yeah I saw one."

Minho shook his head incredulously, "He didn't just see one, he killed one." Amelia looked up sharply, eyes wide at Thomas, the boy looked around at the staring Gladers looking rather sheepish.

"I'm calling a gathering." Gally practically shook with anger. Amelia nodded knowing it was needed, she told Clint and Jeff to keep a close eye on Alby and reached her hand out to help Thomas off the ground. Making their way towards the homestead…

"… we have coexisted with these things for years and now you've killed one of them." Gally pointed at Thomas, he had been ranting for what felt like hours at this point, "Who knows what this means for us."

Newt caught Amelia's eye, "What do you suggest we do?" He asked the angry builder tentatively.

"He needs to be punished." Outrage sounded all around the homestead, Amelia banged her fist on a table quietening them all.

"Minho? You were there with him, what do you think?" Newt asked the keeper.

Minho took a deep breath, "I think, I think that in all the years we've been here no one has ever killed a griever before, when I turned tail and ran, this dumb shank stayed behind and helped Alby," He looked round at Thomas and Amelia could only describe the look on his face as impressed, "Look I dunno whether he's brave or stupid. But whatever it is we need more of it. I say we make him a runner." The homestead erupted again and Chuck started chanting Thomas's name, Amelia stood to take control but Gally cut across her.

"Look if you wanna throw the newbie a parade then go ahead, but if there's one thing I know about the maze its that you never…" Gally stopped in his tracks. The Box alarm was sounding, he looked over at Amelia and Newt and the three of them bolted from the homestead towards the rising box. Reaching it Newt jumped down and she heard him gasp in surprise, she jumped down next to him and looked at him wide eyed at the sight before them.

"What is it Newt?" A voice from one of the Gladers asked.

"It's a girl." Newt looked up at the surrounding Gladers, "I think she's dead."

"What's that in her hand?" Gally asked noticing some paper in the still girls fist. Newt bent and pulled it out, he read it and handed it to Amelia.

"She's the last one. Ever." She read out loud.

"What does that mean?" Newt asked, a deep frown setting into his forehead. At that moment the previously assumed dead girl suddenly gasped and sat upright, she looked around wildly until she settled on one face in particular.

"Thomas?" She then fell back down unconscious, Amelia touched the girls neck and felt a pulse there, satisfied the girl wasn't about to die she joined the other Gladers in staring at Thomas.

"Still think I'm overreacting?" Gally asked.

"Gally shut it please, help us get her to the medjacks hut." Amelia stated firmly, Gally practically growled but did as he was told. Picking the girl up easily and walking her over to the hut.

"Do you recognise her?" Newt asked Thomas as they followed inside.

"No." Something in Thomas's voice made Amelia think that it wasn't quite true, she noted it to bring up later.

"Clint, Jeff, what's happening? Why won't she wake up?" Newt asked the two boys.

"Hey man, I got my job the same way you did." Clint responded.

Amelia turned and saw Alby lying on a bed behind her, she made her way over to the struggling and panting boy and took his hand in hers, a tear fell down her cheek as she looked at her oldest friend. She was vaguely aware of the boys behind her talking about the note, she was trying not to think about it herself, how long would they survive without fresh supplies if the Box wasn't going to come up again.

"… I'm going back in to the maze." She turned to see Thomas marching off and Newt telling Minho to make sure the greenie didn't do anything stupid. He walked over to her as Minho left the hut and sat on Alby's other side.

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"I don't know." Was her honest answer, no one had ever survived a griever sting before but if anyone could, it was Alby. "What are we going to do about the girl?"

"I dunno, she'll need somewhere safe to sleep, although we could just put her by Thomas, she certainly seemed to recognise him."

"What was that about anyway, no ones ever had memories before other than their own names, why does she know his? And he recognised her too I know it, when you asked him he answered strangely, like he was lying." She wasn't really looking for answers to her questions and Newt could sense it, he reached over Alby and took her hand. Smiling at her.

"Ignoring all the problems for a minute Ames just think for a minute, there's another girl in the glade, you're not alone for once."

"I've never been alone, you've always made sure of that." She responded squeezing his hand.

"I know that babe but don't tell me you're not excited to finally have another girl to talk to again, if she ever wakes up that is."

Amelia smiled, "I must admit, I am happy to see her, although I don't know how good I'll be at girl talk, I can't remember ever having to do it before."

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it." And he leaned over to kiss her, before he could reach her though Gally came bouldering in looking angrier that she'd seen him in a long while.

"WHY IS THOMAS BACK IN THE MAZE, AGAIN, DO YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ANYTHING?" Amelia was up and out of her seat so fast that Gally didn't see her coming, caught off guard she was able to push him, hard, out of the door, he stumbled back a few feet and fell down sharply on his behind. The Gladers all looked up at the commotion.

"Gally will you for once in your bloody life SHUT UP. You are not in charge round here. It is not even REMOTELY HELPFUL to come barging in when we have Alby dying in a bed in there. We have bigger problems than your GOD DAMN HATRED OF CHANGE." Amelia's voice was louder and her accent stronger than most of the glade had every heard before, quite honestly she was terrifying in that moment. "Now, if you're going to continue I will throw you in the shucking pit and leave you there to ROT. Haven't you all got work to do!" She spun round noticing the audience she had gathered, the Gladers all quickly returned to their jobs as Amelia glared down at Gally. His face was unreadable and she softened slightly looking at the builder. Kneeling down beside him she spoke, quietly this time.

"We cannot function if we're all at each other's throat Gally, I know things are changing, I know Thomas has broken some rules and we will deal with it, but what I need right now from you is some support. Please Gally, Newt and I can't do this on our own." Gally made no acknowledgement that he had even heard her, she sighed and made to get up when she suddenly felt a large hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry Amelia." His voice was small, she smiled down at him and offered him a hand to get up. He gave her a watery smile and walked off towards the other builders. Amelia turned and looked at Newt, he was leaning against the door, a concerned look on his face.

"I shouldn't have shouted like that at him." More of the tears that had been threatening since the boys had returned from their night in the maze spilled out of her eyes. Newt reached up and wiped some of them off her cheeks with his thumb.

"Don't feel bad love, someone needed to say it, he's not been the same since Ric died."

"I know but I didn't need to do it like that, I didn't need to embarrass him in front of the whole glade."

"You didn't… just most of them." Amelia giggled despite herself as Newt spoke, "He'll be ok Ames, I promise." He leaned down to kiss her but they were once again interrupted by the sound of Thomas, Minho and a few others returning from the maze, "I swear I will kiss you today if we don't keep getting interrupted." She laughed and they ran over to Thomas who was clutching a strange flashing metal object in his hands. He made to show her and she pushed the object back down.

"Not here." She gestured to the gathering Gladers, "Homestead, now", and she beckoned to the keepers to join them. Safely in the homestead Thomas pulled the object back out and showed it to them all.

"We found it in a Griever."

"It's the same letters we get on our supplies…" Newt stated as he took hold of the object, Amelia leaned round and saw that Newt was correct, the letters WCKD were ones they had all gotten very used to over the past few years, and they were there clear as day on something the boys had pulled out of a Griever.

"Right, whoever put us here clearly made the Grievers." Thomas stated, as much as she didn't want to, Amelia had to agree, that was certainly what it looked like. "This is the first real clue, the first thing you've found in three years right Minho?" Minho murmured an agreement and Thomas continued looking between Amelia and Newt, "Guy's we've got to go back out there, who knows what this means."

"You see what he's trying to do right?" Gally looked at them both, Amelia noted that he was calmer than he was before, clearly still not Thomas's biggest fan but at least not shouting. "First he breaks our rules and then he tries to convince us to abandon them completely? The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together why now are we questioning that? If Alby was here you know he'd agree with me. This shank needs to be punished." He pointed at Thomas although Amelia sensed he'd have quite liked to have punched Tom if he could.

Newt and Amelia looked at each other trying to have a conversation without actually speaking, he nodded at her as if agreeing on a course of action.

"You're right," Newt spoke first, "Thomas broke the rules, one night in the pit and no food."

"Oh come on Newt!" Gally was clearly getting more irritated now, "One night in the pit? You think that's going to stop him going into the maze?"

"No." Amelia spoke up, "And we can't just have non-runners running into the maze whenever they feel like it, so lets just make this official." Amelia looked at Newt to continue hoping he was going to agree with what she was thinking.

"Starting from tomorrow you're a runner." She breathed a sigh of relief as Newt spoke. Minho nodded in encouragement.

"Wow." Gally sounded well and truly miffed, he glanced at Amelia as if hoping she'd disagree with Newt but she shook her head softly at him, he turned and left the homestead shrugging off Frypans arm as the cook tried to comfort him. Thomas turned to the two leaders and gave a small smile.

"Thanks guys." Amelia felt Newts hand slip into her own as he gave Thomas a slight nod and turned away. The keepers all shuffled out talking amongst themselves, Minho led Thomas out of the homestead, she guessed he was going to show Thomas the map room, and confess that they knew they'd ran every corner of the maze and were unable to find a way out, maybe Thomas would find something they'd overlooked.

"I think our days in charge are numbered." Newt nodded at her in agreement, "I never liked it anyway." She finished with a slight chuckle.

"We just have to keep the peace until Thomas finds a way out." Newt sounded confident that the greenie would indeed find the escape they needed.

"You sure we're doing the right thing? It won't just be Gally who won't be happy with us?"

"After your outburst earlier love I don't think anyone's going to be fighting you any time soon." She chuckled against his chest and pulled him down kissing him soundly before pulling away and batting his arm playfully.

"Watch it mister, or I'll yell at you next."

"And exactly what's new there Ames?" She went to bat him again but he caught her arm before she was able to and pulled her flush against him tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and tilting her face up to his.

"Amelia! Newt! Come quick! Oh sorry!" Clint came running in and averted his eyes at the sight of them in an intimate embrace, Newt groaned at their third interruption of the day.

"What is it Clint?"

"The girls awake."

A.N.

I've tried to keep this chapter light but still with eh sense that everything's changing, also I wanted to explore a bit of what happened when Thomas was running about like a headless chicken.

Please leave a review letting me know what you think. This is the thing that's getting me through Englands second lockdown of the year!