Unexpected Saviors
"Do you need me?"
Hope's eyes widened, her breathing stopping. She slowly looked up from the ground to find two dark brown eyes staring down at her. He had a long, wooden pole in his hand, messy blond hair, and a face that Hope couldn't resist. There were tears in Hope's eyes, but unlike what normally happened, the boy's face made her wanna cry even more. Newt's sympathetic gaze made Hope just… wanna let it all out. She wanted to burden him with her tears and seek his comfort. It may have been selfish in Hope's eyes, but again, when it came to Newt, she somehow didn't care about any of that.
All she cared about… was Newt.
"I'm right here if you need me." And once Newt's words from that morning sounded through Hope's head, she couldn't control herself. She lunged at Newt, wrapping her arms around his thin body and squeezing him tight. And as she quietly cried into his chest, Newt dropped his wooden pole to wrap his arms back around her; he resisted his nose in her hair, protectively holding her body against his. This had been the first time that Hope had ever physically and mentally accepted his help, and although this should've been a sad occasion, Newt's heart did a happy little thump because of it.
Likewise, the entire Glade watched the scene in front of them. Their hearts hurt after losing yet another friend, and they couldn't put their feelings into words. So, instead, they simply stared sadly at the crying, bawling girl, feeling exactly what she was feeling. Siggy walked up to place his hand on Hope's shoulder, while Gally did the same on her other shoulder; even Minho, who had just lost a best friend, placed his hand atop Hope's shaking head. At that moment, they were all feeling as one. The Maze has taken another victim.
Though, there was… one boy. One boy that felt… a little different than the rest. Sure, he was sad. Sure, he felt pity for Ben. However, he also felt anger. As Thomas watched Hope cry into Newt's chest, his hands clenched into fists. And as he watched everyone else try to comfort her, Thomas felt his emotions grow into something more powerful. "And what's right in front of you are boys that are tired, Thomas," Hope had told him earlier that day. "Boys that have given up. Boys that are scarred inside and out. So please, Thomas, don't enter that Maze to find a way out… Enter that Maze to find them a way out."
So, at that moment, Thomas made a promise to himself: to find a way out so that this scene never had to happen again. Just like when Thomas saw Hope cry on his first day there, he couldn't see her cry again. Not again. Never again.
Newt sat on the ground beside Hope's bed, leaning his body against it. He stared at Hope's sleeping face illuminated by the moonlight and wondered. Pondered. Thought over everything that had happened. He had seen many boys die, but he hadn't seen anyone react the way Hope had. She cared so much about others, and despite Newt adoring that part of her, it also tore her up inside. It crushed her underneath boulders of heavy rock. Even after hours had passed, Hope didn't smile - the last time Newt had seen her smile was that morning. Now, it was night and… so much had changed in so little time.
Taking a deep breath, Newt lifted up his hand. He placed it on Hope's cheek, and she felt cold to the touch. Newt wanted to warm her up, but however longer his hand stayed, Hope stayed cold. Almost like his hand wasn't even there. The thought made him feel bad. Or worse than he already felt. Newt wanted to ease Hope's pain, yet he couldn't. That was Hope's specialty, not his. At that moment, Newt felt so very… worthless. Naturally, Newt knew that Ben's pain wasn't his fault. It wasn't in Newt's control, and yet… he felt so guilty. Same with Hope's feelings: he couldn't make her feel better. Newt wished that he had that power. That he had the power to cure the sadness.
But he didn't. He couldn't even cure his own sadness.
Sniff… Newt sniffed, feeling his face contort in uncomfortable pain. And when he saw tears blur his vision, Newt's hand left Hope's cheek and moved to his face, where he covered it. Newt covered his face, even turning away from Hope. He felt sad, weak, and stupid. There weren't many times when Newt cried, but after… but after seeing how much Hope had cried, he couldn't… he couldn't keep it in any longer.
Newt cried. He cried for Ben, he cried for the other boys who died, and he cried for himself. For all the hurt he and the others had been put through. Newt was tired. So very, very, very tired.
"Mph." But then he heard it: a little, rumbly noise with no meaning to it. Newt dropped his hand from his face and looked up, seeing two dark brown eyes staring straight into his own. He also saw two pointy ears, a long snout, a fluffy body, and a silver trinket that had 'Hugo' engraved into it. "Grr…"
"H-Hey, buddy," Newt managed to say through his tears. "Why're you still up?" Instead of answering with his "words," however, Hugo leaned his head closer to Newt's face. And when the dog started licking that same face, Newt immediately started whisper-yelling. "Hugo! What the- Ew, man! Bloody hell!"
"Woof…" Hugo quietly barked and then… and then did something that made Newt freeze. The dog leaned in even closer to nuzzle his head into Newt's neck, snuggling up his warm body up to Newt's as well. The touch was weird and sudden, but it also… felt… comforting.
"Hugo, are you…" Newt gulped. "Is this your way of makin' me feel better?"
Newt saw Hugo's tail wag. "Mmm."
"…Good boy," Newt whispered after returning Hugo's hug by burying his fingers into his soft hair. Likewise, almost on instinct, Newt started petting through that same hair. It was strange how such a simple act could make someone feel so comforted. "Thanks, Hugo."
Once more, Hugo didn't respond with his words. All he did was close his eyes and fall asleep, just like Newt did only a few minutes later. It was tough to lose someone, but it was also tough not to find someone to help you through that loss. We all had our demons, but we also had our saving angels.
The next morning, Hope looked into the Maze the moment its doors opened. And when she saw nothing but the Maze, Hope's heart dropped. She knew that it was a long shot for Ben to still be alive, but she just couldn't stop herself from hoping. From praying that he'd be all right. But he was gone. Ben was gone forever, and she still couldn't believe it. All Hope could think about was Ben's last moments - the last thing he saw before he died. Had he accepted his fate? Was he scared? Angry? Sad? Hope wanted to know how alone Ben had felt.
But Hope distracted herself by carrying on. By burying her negative feelings and trying to stay positive. It was the least she could do, right? She couldn't cry any more - she had to move on.
"We'll be back soon, okay?" Alby said while placing his hand onto her shoulder. "Promise."
"And when we do get back, have some biscuits for me," Minho also stated, walking up to stand on the other side of her. "With jam, of course."
"Got it." Hope nodded with a smile. "Anything for you two."
"Then we'll be on our way," Alby huffed and then suddenly started running. "Hurry up, Minho!"
"That klunker!" Minho cursed as he quickly followed behind Alby into the Maze. "Wait up, dude! Who's the actual Runner here?!"
The two then disappeared behind a wall and were out of Hope's sight. They were going to find where Ben had gotten stung and try to find out what had happened, so it was a pretty risky job. Obviously, Hope was worried for them, but she also had hope in them. Alby and Minho were the best two for the job, and again, Hope knew that negativity wouldn't help them. So, instead, she believed in them. She prayed for them. She… She needed them to stay alive.
"You're doing that thing again." All of a sudden, Newt's voice cut through Hope's thoughts. "I can see it in your eyes."
Hope looked up and over at him. "D-Doing what?"
"You're distracting yourself," Newt remarked, causing Hope's eyes to widen in shock. "You're not accepting your pain, you're just trying to forget about it."
"No, I…" Hope gulped. "I-I'm fine. I just wanna help in whatever way I can, so-"
"Just because you don't like a feeling, doesn't mean you gotta bury it away," Newt interjected almost like he had read her mind. "You can let it out, Hope. A feeling is a feeling, not a burden. And if you still don't believe me, then I'll accept your pain. I'll accept all of you, Hope. Every little feeling you feel, I will accept it."
It was crazy. It was crazy how Newt knew her so well. Even after seeing Hope bawl her eyes out yesterday, he still knew that she was keeping in emotion. That there were still some that wanted to come out. Hence, Hope could only stand there and wonder: How does he know me so well? It did worry a part of Hope, but it also made her feel so… relieved. She felt relieved that there was someone in the world that saw her for her. That saw her pain, and instead of hating it like she did, they accepted it fully.
Thump! Hope's heart thumped.
Thump, thump! It raced with admiration.
Thump, thump, thump! Newt had always been there for her. From the moment Hope entered the Glade, Newt had held her. He accepted her weaknesses. And it was crazy how…
Thump, thump, thump, thump! It was crazy how he made her feel so much better. With only a few words, Newt could make all of Hope's confusion and sadness just wash away; when she was with Newt, her pain in regards to Ben simply seemed to walk away.
THUMP! Newt had a power over Hope… that no one else did.
"You're… pretty amazing, too."
Newt was kind.
"You don't have to bottle up your feelings and act like everything's okay."
He was sympathetic.
"You've never been anything less than strong."
He always knew exactly what to say.
"I'm right here. You're safe, Hope."
As Hope stared up at Newt, she remembered it all.
"I'm staying."
She remembered every moment.
"Hope, you're a genius."
Every word of their time together.
"I couldn't take it. I tried to, but… I was too weak."
She remembered the sad times.
"I'm happy I'm alive, too."
The happy times.
"It's okay, Hope. You're not alone… You are our friend, and that will never change."
And at that moment, Hope realized something.
"I will never let anyone or anything hurt you like this again, because you are…"
She realized…
"You are too bloody important to me."
She realized that…
"Every part of you… is important, and I… I don't wanna let you go."
She realized that she never wanted to let Newt go, either. Standing in front of the Maze that had already taken one of her friends, Hope realized that Newt… Newt was her freedom. She never wanted her life to not have Newt in it, and she didn't want the Maze or anything else… to take him away from her.
"A feeling is a feeling, not a burden."
At that moment, Hope realized that her feelings toward Newt were different than everyone else. From deep within her heart, Hope felt something new. A new feeling that made her body heat up. And although Hope felt that many of her feelings were selfish, Newt had made them feel okay. Valid. Acceptable. Somehow, he had always made Hope feel better about her feelings. So that… that was the second that Hope realized something else. From her "selfish" feelings, Hope realized her truly selfless want.
It wasn't that Hope didn't want to leave the Glade or the life she had made there, it was that she wanted to protect it. She wanted to protect the ones who had made her oh-so happy. "We've lost a lot of boys, but… we will never forget them." Once more, Newt's voice had given Hope hope. "They're one of us, and we will always live for them. We try our best for them. We never give up because of them. And we will not stop until we find the freedom that they never got." The Glade wasn't Hope's happiness, it was the Gladers. And yes, Hope would miss her time in the Kitchen, her bed in the Infirmary, the fireflies that lit-up the dark, and even Gally's disgusting drink. She'd feel sad once it was all gone, but she'd feel even sadder if those boys were gone. And by accepting those "selfish" feelings of hers, Hope had found her new hope.
The person who gave Hope hope… was Newt.
"Um… W-Was that too weird?" Newt eventually asked after Hope seemed to have discarded his words. "Have I been too bloody forward lately? Yeah, I'm… I'm being weird, aren't I? I'll just, uh, walk away n-"
Before Newt could finish his apology, Hope was finally able to act. She placed her hands on either of Newt's shoulders, made him face her, and then stood on her tippy toes to place a light, chaste kiss… right onto his cheek. Newt's body froze, his mind went blank, while his cheeks went redder than ever before. His bewildered bashfulness only got worse, however, when Hope leaned away and cupped Newt's face with both of her hands. Moreover, she pulled his face right up to hers and gave him a determined stare. "I'm gonna make this right, Newt. I don't know how, but I won't give up."
"W-What?" was all Newt could mutter. "What're you-"
"And you're the best, Newt," Hope furthered, a bright smile forming on her face. "I adore you."
Hope then dropped her hands, turned around, and walked away, leaving the beet-red-faced-Newt to stand glued to his spot beside the Maze's entrance. On the other hand, Hugo only sat where he'd been sitting the entire time and let out an exasperated noise. Things were starting to change, but maybe not for the worst.
Nevertheless, it seemed that the world wanted to test Hope's newfound determination. It wanted to see if she'd live up to her word. Hence, many hours after Hope had walked away from Newt, a shocking realization set into the Glade: Alby and Minho weren't back yet. And if everyone's math was correct, they didn't have much longer until the doors shut; and if those doors shut… then they'd be the Maze's next victims and the new crossed-out names on its wall. The final hour turned into the final thirty minutes, the final thirty minutes turned into fifteen minutes, and the fifteen minutes… turned into five mere, mere minutes.
At that point, the entire Glade stood before the Maze's opening, all of them thinking the same exact thing: Where the hell were they?
"C'mon, guys," Thomas urged from beside Hope, "can't we send someone in after them?"
"That's against the rules," Gally retorted, kneeling on the ground below everyone. "They either make it back or they don't."
"Can't risk losing anyone else," Newt acknowledged, causing Hope to shake her head.
"But… But if we don't do something-"
GRUMBLE! The Maze shut up Hope's voice by declaring its power once more. A strong wind flew through the labyrinth's twists and turns to find its way to the Gladers, making all of their hair dance in the breeze. The gears within the doors started moving, so the doors themselves started moving with them. But unlike all of those times Hope had seen those doors close, she felt utter panic this time. Alby or Minho hadn't gotten back yet and… And if they didn't, they'd…
"There!" Unexpectedly, Thomas spoke up and pointed into the Maze. "Guys, there!"
"Oh no," both Chuck and Hope murmured once they saw what Thomas had seen. "Oh no, no, no…"
"Wait, no…" Newt also mumbled. "Somethin's wrong…"
And that it was. Within the Maze, as the Maze's doors were slowly closing, the Glade saw Minho slowly walking toward them. He had something large on his back - something heavy. Something… human. Alby. For some reason, Alby was unconscious and Minho was carrying him.
"C'MON, MINHO!" Chuck yelled into the Maze. "YOU CAN DO IT!"
"YEAH, COME ON!"
"HURRY, MAN!"
"HURRY!"
The other Gladers started shouting as well, but from where Hope stood silently, it didn't seem to be helping. The doors were closing at the same speed, but they felt ten-times faster. They weren't…
"MINHO!" Even Gally started bellowing. "YOU GOTTA LEAVE HIM!"
No, Hope thought, Minho couldn't do that.
"They're…" Newt shook his head. "They're not gonna make it."
No, Hope shook her head as well, they're not gonna make it.
But then, right when she thought this, it felt like the entire world slowed down. Everyone's yells became muffled, while the scene of Minho dragging Alby's body seemed to slow down as well. Hope could hear her heartbeat in her chest going thump, thump, thump. She could feel the blood rushing into her head, an adrenaline rush coursing through her veins. Her legs tinged, her hands shook, and her throat felt dry. But it was then that she felt it: a hand touch hers. Hope looked over to her right and saw Thomas, who found her gaze the same time she did. Their hands touching was an accidental thing, but somehow, it felt right. It made the two teenagers, who were staring into each other's eyes, feel more connected than ever before.
At that moment, Hope's and Thomas' hearts beat as one.
They were thinking… the same exact thing.
"HOPE!"
"THOMAS, NO!"
Hope ran into the Maze, Thomas following right behind her.
BOOM! And then, with the two barely getting through the closing doors, the Maze closed behind them. The four would have to spend their night… in the Maze.
A/N: Thanks SnowyDragon250 for the idea between Hugo and Newt! I loved writing it! Furthermore, I do see all of your guys' other ideas. Trust me, I do, and I love them. But sadly, there are times that I can't incorporate them in for various reasons. Still, I will try the best I can to see if I can add them in later chapters! But, as always, thanks for reading and have a great day!
