"So we have a Crank here in Paradise…"
Minho and Thomas went silent for a moment
"It's ok, I mean, we just need to find him or her before he o she pass the Gone and become really dangerous for everyone" Cliff tried to reassure his friends.
"there are two hundred people shuck face, how we are supposed to control everyone?" Minho wasn't reassured at all.
"Well, should be someone that have a direct contact with Newt, so the list should be really short"
"But how is possible? Everyone was tested!" Thomas yell, "We are free, we should be free from that curse, that should be our safe place!Why we cannot be safe for more than five minutes?"
"Thomas.." Minho would like to comfort his friend, but as usual he wasn't able to find the words /that is Newt role/ .
Has summoned from Minho's thought, the blonde appears at the door frame. Apparently the idea of going in the living room to leave him rest wasn't good enough, not in this small quarters with thin walls.
"Tommy" Newt started with a soft, pained voice "we are safe here! We are safer that every previous time, and we will front this new problem… I mean, probably, but is just an hypothesis, there is a Crank around who didn't pass the gone yet… barely a thread if confronted to the Grievers" Newt was holding the door frame like it was the only thing that keep him standing. And probably it was. He was also shivering and, if the pale face and red cheeks were any indication, still feverish.
"Newt is right, we will find the Crank and get rid of him" Minho said with his leader voice, as he took a step toward the blonde "Come on, shuck face, you shouldn't be out of the bed" and with this he lifted Newt in his arms and brought him to the bedchamber ignoring the indignant protest of the ill boy.
When he come back he had a new determination on his eyes "we need a Gathering, if there is a Crank we need to find him. Let's interrogate all Newt babysitters as well"
The day after Teresa was sitting with Newt, waiting for Minho and Thomas coming back from the Gathering.
Newt' fever went down a little bit during the night, but it wasn't gone for real and the boy felt unstable, and he hated it.
Someone knocked at the door, and since Teresa had gone to the toilet in that moment, Newt had to go and open the door. Barely twenty steps, but he cannot remember to had been so tired since the last time he run in the Maze. Well, the second last. The last last he run halfway and after was Alby to bring him back. Anyway, he was far from the fit boy he used to be in the Glade and someway that make him feel ashamed. At the door, a blondish, middle age woman was looking at him. He remember she came to babysit him another couple of time, she was a Brenda's friend and her name was something like Aya or Anya or maybe Ava… Anyways, the woman smile at him, and even if Newt cannot remember his mum, he was sure that kind of smile was a typical maternal one.
"Hi Newt, Brenda told me you were sick, so I bring you a tea that will help you" the woman said.
"Thank you…" Newt wasn't sure how to manage the situation, he spend his all life - or the part he can remember, anyway - with male teenagers, but he was quite sure that there exist manner and etiquette to properly interact with adult people.
She looked at him with a knowing expression, and saved him form the situation, "I had to go now, but I wish you get better soon. Goodbye Newton"
And with this she disappeared on the stairs.
"Who was there?" Teresa came back and helped him to reach the sofa, that was way closer than his bed.
"Brenda's friend. She bring me some tea for my fever"
"So nice of her… Should we add her to you list of suitors?"
"She's old enough to be my mum!"
"ahahaha"
"shut it, shuck face"
They stare each other for few moment before start to laugh again.
Newt fell asleep after he drank his tea.
He felt like he just close his eyes, but the light was different and Teresa was gone, replaced by Jorge and the little girl he adopted here in the Paradise - for Teresa he was trying to replace Brenda, that now was a grown up, independent woman, for Brenda he simply cannot resist to bring home strays and tramps.
The little girl, Daisy, was lying on the bed, cuddling against Newt side. She wasn't older that five, and Newt was sure that even if he got his memories back, she would remain the cutest little princess he ever see. She was blonder than Newt, and this golden locks were all around Newt's pillow and on her light blue sundress. She was holding a worn stuffed bunny in her arms, and she was chowing one of the floppy ears.
"You two looks like little angels in that bed, I regret I haven't a camera with me, hermano" Jorge' soft voice distracted Newt from the little girl.
"How long did I sleep?"
"One day and half, you drive that two muchachos on the walls…" Jorge repressed a laugh, but you could also see concern and relief in his eyes.
"What!" Newt realize too late his was too loud, and that he woke the little Daisy.
"Good morning New" she said. "I'm hungry, can I have my dinner with New, pretty please?"
"Sure thing, young lady, let's find some dinner" Newt answered, and lifted himself and the girl from the bed.
"Newt, you should't go out of the bed, and neither you should lift weights nor stress yourself…" Jorge concern was appreciated, but for the first time in ages Newt feel good.
That day Minho come back to find his Newt sitting on the sofa in the living room, sewing a hole in a stuffed bunny ear, with a little girl chattering in his ear. Her voice was too soft so Minho didn't know what she said to make Newt giggle that way. /You cannot be jealous of that little girl/
He spoted Thomas and Jorge, whom were in the kitchen zone, that was separated from the living room only from the kitchen island. They wear identical expression of adoration as they stared at the scene on the couch. As he felt Minho' gaze, Thomas looked at him, and smile. "They are adorable" he mouthed. "I know" Minho answer in the same way.
