Merry Christmas Eve everyone.

For an early present I've decided to gift you with an extra chapter for the week.

Have a happy and safe holiday.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I still only own Skylar. Everything else belongs to James Dasher.

Chapter 22 - Tommy

Jorge led us to a small city. "Marcus runs a club. Don't drink anything they offer." He said with a secret smile. "Sky, Minho, and Newt, I want you to check the perimeter and the inside. You never know when Brenda will show."

I nodded at the command. "C'mon you shanks, let's get a look around."

...

We walked in silence. Finally, I asked about their escape just so the silence would end. "So...how'd you guys escape the maze?"

Minho answered. "There was a code in the maps. We had to enter it somewhere in the Cliff."

"The Cliff?" I remember Minho showing me the Cliff the day I was made a Runner. How did they possibly enter a code into that pit of emptiness?

Newt nodded, his lips curving into a hidden smile. "Yeah. It was a bloody illusion. There was a hole in the center but it looked like the sky so you had to be careful to not fall and miss it."

I frowned, still not understanding how they'd escaped. "What did you find once you dropped in?"

Newt rubbed his chin. "It was a room. There were these pods where we believe the grievers slept if you can imagine that. Under a keypad was a button that eventually shut off the grievers once the code was typed into the keypad."

I bit my lip, still not able to imagine how they'd escaped. I guess it was one of those events where you just had to be there otherwise it was impossible to describe.

...

We walked around the building one more time to get a good understanding of the layout. It seemed pretty standard. Four walls, courtyard, and two rooms inside on the ground floor. People were dancing all around inside the place. Drunk from what it looked like. No wonder Jorge warned us about what we drank.

"Who's this Brenda shank you're looking for?" Minho asked as we peaked in a window.

I laughed. It felt so good to laugh with them again. "So eloquently put Minho. She's my sister." They looked at me in such confusion that I laughed again. "I know what you're thinking but she's my actual sister. George was also my brother. I stole some files from Wicked. It had some information. Nothing about our real names but it has family information. Don't know how accurate it is nowadays." I thought of all the people who died every day from the Flare alone. Too many.

...

We finished the perimeter, heading into the club. I pushed passed drunk and dancing teens, eventually losing Minho and Newt in the sea of bodies. As I looked for them, I bumped into a person. The black hair was unmistakable. "Bren? Come on let's get you to safety." Brenda has apparently had some of the drink offered at the club because she didn't protest when I dragged her out. She tripped several times, stumbling over her own feet. I picked her up every time, struggling myself because of my limp. I helped her up some steps, guiding her to the room Jorge said we'd meet in. I could see Newt and Minho dragging an unconscious Tommy.

I tried to get Brenda to move on her own but she soon passed out. Mentally I groaned. 'Just great.'

I hauled her body up the steps until I heard voices, which were thankfully only on the third floor. Still quite a hike. I had to pause over a million times.

Once in there, Aris helped me get Brenda onto a bed. I then preceded to drop heavily into a chair. I was exhausted and my ankle hurt like hell. I was rubbing it tenderly when Newt and Minho came in. They dragged an unconscious Tommy in and laid him near Brenda.

...

In the background, Jorge was trying to 'peacefully' get Marcus to cooperate.

Newt sat next to me and subconsciously rubbed his leg.

"Hurts?" I whispered. This did not need to be heard.

"Yeah." He continued to roughly rub his bad leg.

"You know that will only make it worse."

He replied without thinking. "Yeah...wait..I mean no. Do you know what will help?" He gave me puppy dog eyes while I pondered his request. I dug into my backpack and pulled out a small cube.

"This was invented in the past ten years. It replicates the feel of an actual ice cube. It should help the pain."

He nodded gratefully, taking it. He smiled in relief when the cold soothed the pain.

I put one on my ankle too. "That feels good." I sighed in relief.

Newt looked questioningly at me. "It's from my broken ankle. I broke it again and it hadn't healed right the first time so now I have a slight limp. It only hurts if I run too hard or put a lot of pressure on it." I explained. "How about you? I know where you got it but what's the problem?"

Newt sighed, he hated to talk about it. "When I landed, the fall broke my leg. My ankle was shattered beyond repair. It left me with a heavy limp. I can still run but it hurts at times."

I nodded in understanding. "Maybe Mary might be able to help. Of at least relieve your pain. But for now, we match." That got him to smile; if a bit humorlessly.

I took a look around and saw Brenda stirring. I ran over to her, mindful of Jorge's interrogation.

...

"Hey, how ya feeling?"

Brenda shook her head, "like I've got the worst migraine ever."

I laughed, it was typical Brenda. I gave her my medical ice cube. "If you want you can put this on your head. It might help if you like the cold."

She took it and let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Sky. So, what's happened?" I preceded to tell her of all the day's happenings.

...

Brenda was pretty surprised with all that happened in her absence. "How have you not gone insane or... Blown each other up yet?"

I rolled my eyes, smiling at my sister. "Because there were two girls. I'm not sure how Teresa survived so long. She had to be around fifty boys for three days. At least. Fifty boys! Can you imagine?!"

Brenda rolled her eyes at my dramatics. "Yes I can actually." She said it very dryly which made me burst out laughing. It felt good to be with Brenda again.

...

By the time Tommy woke, Jorge was still trying to get Marcus to talk.

We were all bored so Tommy's reawakening brought us some entertainment. I had spent most of the two hours with Newt, Brenda, Clint, Aris, and basically everyone else but Jorge. I spoke to Clint on medicine and Aris on trivial things. It felt good to get to know him again, I had really missed him.

Minho and I talked fighting while sharing jokes. I had missed him too but he can really get annoying! Newt was sympathetic but he laughed at my situation. I just stuck my tongue out at him which made him laugh harder. Brenda was able to get up after ten minutes and she immediately struck up a conversation with Minho.

...

"That's a weird match," I whispered to Newt.

Newt couldn't help but agree. "Imagine Minho as a brother-in-law."

I shivered, imaging that. But a thought soon came into my head and I began giggling. "I'd worry about you more than me. You're my boyfriend." Newt's eyes widened at the thought. I giggled harder.

Newt smirked. "Imagine trying to get alone time together. He'd be so overprotective." That stopped my giggles. I stared wide-eyed at my sister and Minho. Turning back to Newt I shook my head. "I don't even want to go there." We both laughed at all the ridiculous images.

...

When Tommy woke up I was the second person in his face after Teresa. "Hey ya, Tommy. How ya feelin'?" I sounded like an overexcited child but I didn't care.

Tommy looked at me strangely. "Who are you?" He asked warily.

I giggled; I'd been hyper for the past fifteen minutes for no apparent reason other than the fact that I was tired. I'd crash soon but it didn't matter at the moment. "Sorry about that. I'm Skylar." I held out my hand.

Tommy relaxed upon hearing my name. "So your the sister Brenda can't stop talking about." I blushed before shooting a glare at Brenda. She was smirking.

I left to talk to her while Tommy made his way over to Newt. Newt was trying not to laugh at Tommy. He knew I planned to greet Tommy that way.

I looked at Jorge. He had finally beaten some sense into Marcus, literally.

Jorge asked about Marcus' car after he gave us the Right Arms location. He sent Tommy and me to get it.

...

Tommy questioned me relentlessly on everything. Apparently, Newt had filled him in on some things. I tried to do my best and not get irritated but by the time we got back to the group I was ready to rip my ears off. "Newt! Make him stop!" I whined.

Newt just laughed, "now ya know how we felt when he came up from the box. Wouldn't bloody shut up. I'm pretty sure Alby wanted to give him back to the Creators."

I looked pleadingly at Minho. "Surely you can make him bloody shut it. Please?"

Minho laughed along with Newt. "The only one who can make him stop is usually Teresa. Unless you yell loud enough but I wouldn't risk that."

I sighed in defeat. "I guess I'm off to find bloody Teresa." As I passed Tommy I yelled, "bloody hell Tommy! Can it!" He ignored me and continued asking questions.

I found Brenda talking to Teresa. Brenda's eye was twitching, a tell-tale sign that she was irritated as well. I spoke louder that Tommy just to ask Teresa a question. "Teresa! Can you make him bloody stop? I'm ready to pull my bloody ears off cause of him!"

Teresa got the message and went up to Tommy. Whatever she whispered in his ear made him blush madly, leaving him speechless. I caught Teresa's eye and smiled. She smiled back, the first genuine smiled I'd seen on her.

Peace was restored just as Jorge ordered everyone to grab their things and get into Marcus' car.

Now we have the whole gang back together. All they need to do is go and find the Right Arm. Easier said than done. Right?

Anyway, I know I made Thomas rather annoying but I like to think that his inquisitive nature could get out of hand at times. It was really just for comedic purposes.

Sorry if I overdid it.

keep Reviewing:)

later Gladers...