The Gathering wasn't very different than she originally thought it was.

When she thought of a Gathering, she thought of the boys gathered in a small, dark room that would be hidden underground, lit by candlelight as the began to discuss people's inevitable doom.

(She was a little disturbed about how it made her think of a cult)

Although she was close, it was still very different.

The Gathering was held in a large room in Homestead that Evelyn had never seen before. Besides the chairs, which were formed in a half-circle around the chair in the middle, there was no other furniture except for a small table in the corner. The walls, just like the rest of Homestead, were made of wood, as was the floor, and it didn't look like anyone had ever attempted to make the place look inviting.

"This place surely lacks a woman's touch," Evelyn snorted quietly.

Newt snickered.

Most of the Keepers were sitting in the chairs surrounding the chair in the middle and Evelyn was proud to say she recognized them from her trials. Starting at the very left was Zart, the Keeper of the Track-Hoes, which was her job.

Evelyn was excited when she first got the job, realizing she would be working next to Newt.

Sitting next to Zart was Frypan, Keeper of The Cooks. He smiled sympathetically at Evelyn, and she duly noted that the cask iron skillet he had used to save her yesterday was laying under his chair.

Next to Frypan was a kid with black hair and a freckly face that Evelyn recognized as Stan, Keeper of the Baggers. She never spent much time with the Baggers, given there was no one to bury, so she just had a free day.

Next to Stan was Winston, Keeper of the Slicers and Evelyn felt her stomach drop when she remembered that Dave had stabbed her with a knife from the Blood-Barn.

She didn't look forward to telling Winston that one of the Slicers used one of their knives to harm her.

Next to Winston were two empty chairs-ones her and Newt would be sitting in-and Alby set in the chair that was in the center of the arch. He nodded his head in acknowledgment at Evelyn and Newt.

It reassured Evelyn in an odd way.

There were a few other Keepers missing (most likely removing David from the Slammer) but there was was a few other people she recognized: Minho and Arden. They wordlessly sent her a nod, Arden's face clearly holding the relief and she made no move to hide it. Minho, on the other hand, was wearing a stone mask, neither his face nor his eyes betraying how he felt.

And Evelyn almost believed that he didn't care about the situation one bit. But Evelyn was an observant person, and that meant she saw how Minho's hands were shaking ever so slightly. Both of their eyes met and Evelyn raised a brow, her cognac eyes revealing that she knew he was trying to bullshit her.

The moment Minho realized that, his mask crumbled for a moment but that was all the time Evelyn needed to see the emotions he was desperately trying to hide: fear, frustration, anger, disappointment, and to Evelyn's great surprise, concern and relief.

Evelyn's tips turned up into the smallest, barely noticeable, smile. She had been suspecting for a while now that Minho's sarcastic, apathetic attitude was due to his time in the Maze. She had learned over the past two weeks that, that everyone in the Glade had a way of coping with the situation they were in. Gally became mean and tough, Frypan would smile sadly and withdraw into himself, Alby became more silent and moody, Arden would hold Paige a little tighter, Newt's smile dimmed slightly (oh, how she felt so fucking guilty about that) and Minho would put on his stone mask, hiding how he felt about the situation and that he was still a kid.

He was still a kid.

So was Alby and Newt and Leo and Jeff and Clint and Frypan and Arden and Paige-

Paige was just a fucking baby.

She tightened her fists and clenched her jaw, fully ready to start swearing up a storm when she finally caught her friends' expressions. Their eyes were on her, full of concern and their faces tight with worry. The bags under their eyes quickly showed her that none of them had slept fitfully last night. Her anger evaporated at their looks and her fists went lax.

I can't do this...not to them...

So, instead of swearing like she had planned to do earlier, she banished her angry thoughts and smiled tightly at Minho before sitting next to Newt, who had taken a seat next to Alby.

"How are you doing," Arden questioned immediately, bouncing Paige lightly in her lap. Evelyn shrugged, "Sore, if anything. In all honesty, yesterday just seems really surreal, almost like it-"

"-didn't happen?"

Evelyn and Arden fell silent as Minho joined the conversation, Newt not far behind him. "That's because you came down from a massive adrenaline rush. You came down from too much adrenaline too quickly. The shock probably didn't help either."

His expression was neutral, not the stony mask he was wearing earlier but no actual emotion crossing his face. Newt frowned and wrapped an arm around Evelyn's shoulder, pulling her towards him. Evelyn, being taken by surprise, jumped slightly at the sudden movement, which resulted with Evelyn sitting halfway on Newt's lap.

Arden smirked at the gesture and Minho grinned mischievously at Newt.

Both Newt and Evelyn blushed at their looks.

"You know," Evelyn began as she looked around the room. None of the other Keepers were looking at them, though Alby had the slightest smirk on his face. Evelyn had a sneaking suspicion that he knew something that he shouldn't. "The other Glader's might not approve. About you and me being... whatever we are..."

"And what do you want us to be, love?" There was only a slight pause before he asked, but Evelyn heard it all the same. She heard the emotions that had hired in the little pause; the self-doubt, the fear, the sadness, the expectance that she was going to confirm his darkest fears when it came to the two of them.

Evelyn pulled away from his embrace, but turn so her legs were draped over his lap. She raised her hands to cup his cheeks, feeling the warmth of his blush under her fingers. His eyes were wide and it was clear she had captured his whole attention. She let her emotions bleed through her eyes, letting him see the complete love and adoration in her eyes as she looked at him.

She wanted him to know how serious she was taking him.

Minho and Arden, tore their attention away from the two secret(?) lovers, allowing them some privacy.

"Newt," Evelyn said softly, and their hearts sped up in sync, "I want us to be-"

BANG!

The door flew open and Newt and Evelyn pulled away, staring at the figures in the doorway. David stood front and center, Gally and Francis holding his arms behind his back. David's eye was swollen and bruised to hell. There were scrapes and more bruises covering his arms and Evelyn knew it was safe to say not all of them were from yesterday. To of the Baggers stood behind the Keepers, two spears ready to pierce through David's back.

Jesus Christ, these guys don't fuck around!

Evelyn. Projecting.

Right. Sorry.

David's one good eye glared at the other Keepers in the Gathering Room, the scowl on his lips clearly stating how much he hated every single person in that room. His eye landed on Evelyn and his entire attitude changed. His scowl shifted in a cocky smirk (oh how Evelyn wanted to break his teeth) and his eyes filled with lust.

"Hey Lyn," he purred.

Newt's arms tightened around her.

Alby stood and crossed his arms over his chest, a scowl etched onto his face, "What the shuck took you so long?!"

Francis' grip on David tightened and he spoke with a Canadian accent. "This sack of shit tried to run as soon as we opened the slammer. Bagger's had to hold him down, so he didn't get too far, eh."

Alby glared at David, who returned it shamelessly, before jabbing a finger over his shoulder, "Put him in the chair." With further instruction, Gally and Francis shove David forward and threw him into the chair. It tipped and creaked under his weight, before falling back onto the floor, silent once again.

Anytime David would look at the Keepers, he would send them hate-filled looks, which all the Keeper's gladly returned. But when his eyes landed on Evelyn or Arden, they showed that his lust and urges for them had not yet left after spending a night in the slammer.

David licked his lips, eyes them up and down.

Arden shivered in the chair next to her.

Evelyn glared and clenched her fists.

Neither of the girls noticed how Newt and Minho glared at the boy.

"I declare this Gathering begun!" Alby shouted. Everyone fell silent and turned their attention to him. Alby held himself to his full height (as much as he could sitting down) and started stating the basic facts of the case. Evelyn had a feeling that Alby did this at every Gathering.

"We are gathered here today in regards to this shank, David, who attacked a fellow Glader, Evelyn." Somehow, Alby's stare became much more lethal, "He also attempted to sexually assault two of our fellow Gladers, Arden and Evelyn, and had it not been for Evelyn sacrificing her own safety so Arden could get help, he might have succeeded."

After finishing his small introduction, Alby finally addressed David, "You will not speak unless spoken to. Do I make myself clear?"

David scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Yeah, whatever."

If anyone had any sympathy for the bastard, it vanished into the wind.

"Evelyn," Alby stated loudly, "Why don't you explain what happened."

Everyone's eyes turned to her and she had to resist the urge to squirm in her seat.

She felt Newt's hand squeezing her own, offering silent support and comfort.

So, with renewed courage, Evelyn explained everything.

From how Arden was looking for her in the Deadheads, how Dave showed up with a knife, how he said he wanted both of them, how she sent Arden ahead of her to get help, and finally, how he chased her through the Deadheads until she reached the Glade.

It didn't take long, only five minutes to explain everything to the council, but everything changed in that small time span of five minutes.

David was grinning, sitting on the edge of his seat like he was getting ready to pounce on Evelyn again, eager to get another chance.

Newt's grip tightened on her hand, and she gently stroked her thumb over his knuckles. They slowly went lax.

All of the other Keepers (even Gally!) were glaring at David, making it very clear they would have no mercy when it came to his punishment.

"Considering," Alby began, "The eyewitnesses, the evidence, and Evelyn's testimony, there's not really much that needs to be done. Except deciding his punishment. Zart, you start."

"Banishment," Zart spoke without hesitation.

David's grin dropped, "What-"

"Frypan," Alby asked.

"Banishment."

David grew pale, "Wait-"

"Another word and you're out of the Gathering," Alby snarled, "Stan?"

"Banishment."David's expression only hosted more and more fear as the Keepers continue to voted for banishment. As the gathering continued Evelyn glanced over at Aren, who had a stoic look on her face. But despite the fact she was hiding her emotions, Evelyn could tell she felt bad and wanted to give this boy a second chance. But once her gaze landed on Evelyn and saw that all of the boys were not swaying with their word, she stayed quiet.

"Evelyn? Arden? Do you agree with the punishment?"

Evelyn was hesitant to speak. Not because she didn't agree with the punishment (she agreed to it with every fiber of her being), but because Arden didn't. She knew Arden wanted to give people second chances, to hug everyone and smile and tell them its okay and that she forgives them. It made her seem like she didn't have a backbone.

Evelyn… Evelyn wasn't like that…

She didn't believe in second chances. She knew that David knew the rules (they drill it into the greenies' heads when they come up) and he knew not to hurt another Glader. He heard what Newt had said the second she, Arden, and Paige were out of the box (of course he heard, he was right fucking there!) and he knew what the consequences were for breaking those rules.

And… he did it anyways…

He stole a knife from the blood house. He stalked the girls through the woods like they were his prey. He had stabbed Evelyn through the shoulder (Twice) and chased her through the Deadheads, breaking a rule that should have been common sense but wasn't for him.

Arden may have been able to forgive that, but Evelyn couldn't.

So while Arden was hesitant to speak, Evelyn had no problems sending this bastard back to hell.

Because Evelyn refused to allow David to roam the Glade any longer. She refused to let him silently torment her with the looks that seemed to tear her apart from the inside out. She refused to let him walk around after what he did. To let him walk around freely without punishment. She refused to show weakness. She refused to show no backbone by letting him walk out of that room in anything but chains.

Because Evelyn… Evelyn had a backbone.

And she wasn't going to let anyone think other wise.

"Lov-?"

"I agree," she said quickly, snapping her head away from Arden, doing her best to ignore that hurt expression that covered her friend's face. Before anyone could comment on it, the hurt look melted away into an apathetic mask, hiding any and all emotion that she was feeling. "Arden? Do you agree," Alby questioned and Arden nodded not looking anyone in the eye as she quietly bounced Paige.

Oh, Ardy...

"Then it's settled," Alby declared, his loud voice echoing in the small room. "David of the Slicers, you will be banished today at sundown. May the Grievers have mercy on your soul."

Chills travel up Evelyn's spine at his last words.

David had his head bowed, chin tucked to his chest so none of the Keepers could see his face. "If I'm going to hell," his face slowly pulled up, his eyes full of enough rage to drive the most humble man crazy, "Then I'm taking them with me!"

Suddenly, his bonds snapped and a knife was now visible in his hand. Keepers shouted in alarm, the Baggers rushing forward only to be blocked by the bodies of the Keepers. David stared at them all in rage, everything becoming so loud and fast and slow down please slow down stop please-!

And suddenly, her wish was granted.

Everything had slowed down, the only sound evident was her own breathing and the bounding of her own heart in her ears. She looked around the room, everything was slow, the Keepers falling back, the Baggers trying to push through them, even the candlelight flickering around the room seemed slower. She glanced towards David, wondering if this affected him as well.

Much to her surprise, David was still moving. Granted it was a little slower than normal speed, but he was moving all the same. She frowned, truning her head as she observed him. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Wait… Is he-

Her head snapped in the other direction, the direction he was heading in, only to see Arden still sitting in her chair, Paige in her lap.

What is she doing?!

The truth hit her like a punch to the stomach; if she didn't do something now, Paige and Arden were going to die.

She knew what she needed to do.

Time sped up again, but she was ready for it. She bolted in front of Arden and Paige, planted her feet firmly on the ground, and without remorse, spun her leg as high and as hard as she could. David's knifed hand came down at the perfect moment that her foot collided with his wrist.

The was a loud and painful SNAP and the knife flew across the room, embedding itself in the wall mere inches Winston's ear.

David's scream filled homestead as he cried out, "MY WRIST! SHE BROKE WRIST!" In one last desperate attempt to fulfill his plan, he lunged forward will renewed vigor, ready to end one of the girls ' lived.

"Evelyn! Catch!"

Without turning to see what it was, Evelyn caught the object Frypan threw to her and swung as hard as she could towards David's injured wrist. David's scream reached a whole new octave before his knees gave out from underneath him and he finally passed out from the pain.

It only took everyone a few moments to snap out of their shock. The Baggers rushed pasted the Keepers, grabbing David by the arms and dragging him out of the room. They didn't need to be told where to put him. The Keepers broke up into small groups; some stood by the doorway watching David get dragged off, some stood by the knife in the wall (Winston kept repeating 'It almost hit my face!) and the select few that came over to see Evelyn, Arden and Paige; that group being Newt, Minho, Alby, and Frypan.

"Are you okay," Minho immediately fawned over Arden, cupping her face and pushing back her hair to see if a cut was going to magically appear on her. Evelyn wanted to make some snark comment about 'oh ignore the person who just round housed that mother fucker', but one look at Minho's genuine concerned expression and Arden looking like he was her sole reason for getting up in the morning, she stayed quiet.

Newt gently yet firmly pulled her into his embrace, unknowingly soothing her as he started swaying side to side. The tension seemed to melt out of her shoulders as he continued swaying and gently brushing the hair out of her face. She saw Alby whisper something in Minho's ear before leaving the Gathering room.

"What was that about," Evelyn slurred. Damn, she needed a nap.

"Alby wants to give you and Arden something," Minho said but when she asked what, Minho just shrugged and went back to crushing Arden in a protective grip.

Alby returned a few minutes later holding something behind his back. The other Keepers must have picked up on the tension in the room and slowly filed out, Frypan being the last of them, saying how Evelyn should have a lifetime worth of bacon for that move. And soon, they were all gone, Newt and Minho being the only ones who stayed behind.

"Evelyn. Arden. To make sure a situation like this never happens again, I wanted to give you these, the came up in the box the same time you three did. These are only to be used in life or death situations. Do you understand?" Once they both nodded, he moved his arms from behind his back.

In his hands were two sheathed knives with E.S. engraved just below the blade.

After passing one to each of the girls, they strapped it on their bodies; Evelyn's on her arm and Ardens on her calf. Alby nodded his affirmation before walking out the door. "I'll see you at sundown," was all he said as he left.

"Come on," New whispered to Evelyn, "Let's go." Evelyn wordlessly picked Paige out of Arden's arms and when sent a confused look, she jabbed her head in Minho's direction, Talk to him.

Minho kept clenching and unclenching his jaw, quietly tapping his foot anxiously on the ground. His hands kept twitching, like he wanted to run them through his hair until he pulled it out.

"Minho," Arden asked in concern, "Are you okay?"

Satisfied she got the ball rolling, Evelyn placed her hand in Newt's and they left.