Alex had changed out of the clothing she was forced to wear, and into cargo pants and a t- shirt. She didn't have a backpack anymore, or her holsters. But she had her statue from Chuck and necklace from Minho. Jorge had retrieved her knife from Marcus's leg and cleaned it.

"You dropped this," Jorge stated, handing her knife back. Alex stood straight, her jaw clenching and unclenching. Still staring at the knife in her open palm, "what's going to happen to him?" Alex demanded.

Jorge rubbed a hand down his face. "He stays where he is. I'm not touching that scumbag again."

Alex pursed her lips. She said nothing, but there was a burning fire in the pit of her stomach. Alex didn't break eye contact, Jorge was the one to look away first. When she looked away, she caught the eyes of Brenda who mirrored her expression. Alex didn't know what she went through, but it seemed she also didn't appreciate how Marcus got to live.

"The club's empty now, I'm going to get Bertha ready. Come on Brenda." Jorge muttered and left. Alex stood in the corner glaring at Marcus who was still tied to the chair. Everyone ignored him, but Alex couldn't. She stood arms crossed, chewing her bottom lip, glaring. Marcus was watching her with an amused expression and giggling to himself.

Brenda came to the door, "guys time to go. Jorge is ready."

Alex hesitated, but followed behind everyone.

"Not too late Sweetheart, you can always change her mind, stay with me." He cackled as Alex walked by. Alex spun on her heel and punched him. She had broken his nose with a loud crunch. Rage flowing through her veins.

Minho pulled her away and out the door. She pulled her arm away. Following Brenda and Minho. They made it to the stairs when Brenda collapsed.

"BRENDA!" Alex called, dropping down beside her trying to figure out what the problem was. Brenda grabbed ahold of her shirt and pulled her close. Alex's face inches from her.

"Go do it. I'll keep them distracted." She breathed. Alex pulled back and looked her in the eye. But Brenda's eyes rolled back.

"Shuck." She muttered. She sat back in her heels thinking fast.

"Minho, can you carry her down to Jorge? Tes, can you help me find some water or something for her?" Alex pleaded, her lower lip trembled. Teresa nodded.

"Alex be careful. Please" Minho muttered.

"The club is empty. We're just going for water and pain meds."

The girls turned back around and headed back towards the halls.

"Tes, want to check that room?" She nodded and went inside.

Alex's lip stopped trembling, her face turned to stone. She marched down the hall, and she threw the door open. Marcus lifted his head and smiled.

"You came back! Did you miss me, sweetheart?" He cackled.

"Not today, Satan." She smiled at him, but her smile was cold.

His lustful smile turned into a wet cackle, "ahh, you have come to kill me then?"

"I thought that was obvious?" She pulled her knife out, watching it spin in her fingers.

"Oooo! You the bad guy now?" He choked on his laugh, coughing up black goo.

"You made me the shucken bad guy. And now. The world will be down one less creep who uses girls as sex slaves."

Alex moved without a second thought and stabbed him in the stomach, twice, right to the hilt of her knife. She didn't give him any time to apologize or plead for his life.

Like I was going to listen.

She gave her knife a twist and yanked it out with a snarl.

"Where was my chance for mercy?" She hissed at him as he sputtered and choked.

He deserves this. How many other girls did he use? How many innocent children did he take and hand over to WICKED?

"This is for me. And every girl who has been chained to that wall. And for every kid you sold to WICKED, effectively killing."

Alex wiped her blade on his shirt, and left without a single regret or glance backwards.

She met Teresa in the hall, "Didn't find anything?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders. Teresa's eyes went wide.

"Is that blood?!" Teresa gasped.

"It's not mine." Alex shrugged and continued down the hall.

"Is that supposed to reassure me?" Teresa questioned, her voice higher than normal.

Alex didn't say anything, just continued down the hall, and down the stairs. The club was eerily quiet after the loud obnoxious music. The girls rounded the corner to the garage when a door flew open and a very angry disheveled Gemma stepped out. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Alex.

"YOU!" She screamed, pointing a finger at her.

"Me." Alex said flatly.

"How did you get out?"

"Do you actually care? Or is it more of a rhetorical question?" Alex was spinning her knife again. She liked how Gemma glanced nervously at it.

"Alex...we should go..." Teresa whispered from behind her, placing her delicate hand on Alex's arm. Gemma's eyes flicked over Alex's shoulder to where Teresa was standing. Her face lit up, like Christmas came early.

"No shucking way you're getting your disgusting crank hands on her. Back off now or I kill you." Alex threatened.

She stopped spinning her knife and gripped the handle. Gemma didn't listen and she stepped forwards, Alex blocked her way. Teresa shrunk back, and let a whimper out.

"Last warning, you out of date melted barbie doll." Alex hissed, bending her knees and bring the knife up and at the ready.

Gemma stopped moving and looked at Alex with her eyes knit together.

"What?"

"It was an insult, you sloppy excuse of a stale granola bar. Man, you're as slow as you look!"

Gemma screeched and lunged at Alex. Alex ducked, and with a yell of defiance and vengeance she plunged the knife up into the crank, all the way to the hilt. Alex felt hot sticky blood flow over her hand. The crank collapsed to the ground, her eyes still open and a snarl still on her face. Alex smiled as she watched the life leave her eyes.

"Teresa, let's go. If she's still here, who knows who else is. Come on." Alex stepped over the crank.

Two less creeps in this shucked up world.

The girls made it to the attached garage where the rest of the Gladers and Jorge were. Teresa was pale, and her eyes huge. Alex's hands were shaking. Thomas was the first person to notice the girls and his gasp made everyone turn.

"Alex? What's wrong with Tes?..IS THAT BLOOD?" Thomas yelped as he scrambled over from the vehicle.

"Very observant of you. Yes. It is blood. It's not mine, though."

"WHAT?" Newt yelled.

"That creep of a woman who..." Alex shuddered and gulped, "back door...I killed her... She tried to.. take Tes.."

Minho also had rushed to her, he hesitated, he wasn't sure if she would allow a hug, so he just held his arms open, giving her the option. Alex hesitated, but slowly stepped over. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, but she rested her forehead on his chest. Minho gently wrapped his arms around her. She felt safe now. Her shoulders relaxed and she let out a long breath.

"Come on. Let's get out of this shucken hell hole."

"Couldn't agree with you more Hermano." Jorge called from the driver's seat.

"I call shotgun!" Newt called, and climbed into the front seat. Brenda, Frypan, Chloe and Aris had climbed into the back seat.

"YOU KILLED HER! YOU BRAT! YOU KILLED HER!" Screamed a deep voice from the garage door. Everyone spun around.

"Shuck. I can NOT catch a break!" Alex muttered.

The long blond haired crank stood in the doorway. His eyes were manic and his hands were blood stained. He raised a gun in Alex's direction and pulled the trigger.

Alex hit the ground.

Dying isn't so bad...it doesn't even hurt. Why can't I feel anything?

Alex sat up. Looking for the blood or bullet hole. There was no bullet hole.

How did I hit the ground if I wasn't shot?

Alex looked around, Thomas was on the ground right in front of her. Bright red was blossoming from his shoulder. Alex scrambled over. She heard yelling and grunts.

Shuck shuck! No no!

Alex's hands were shaking, she couldn't lose another friend. Alex ripped his shirt to see how bad it was.

Alex heard more yells and thumps from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder. Minho and Jorge were on top of the crank. Beating him.

Hopefully to death!

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" Alex yelled, turning back to Thomas, her voice shaking, "why would you take a bullet for me?"

"Cuz... he was gonna...to kill you...I couldn't let...that..happen." Thomas stuttered and panted. "He... shot me..."

"Yes. Captain obvious. He did shoot you. Because you pushed me to the floor!" Alex kept talking as tears fell, she was pressing on his shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding. He yelled in pain.

"TES! I need the first aid kit!" Alex yelled. Brenda had knelt down on Thomas's other side. Both girls worked together to stop the bleeding, they had to fold a shirt Newt handed them. Alex pressed on it, while Brenda wrapped it best they could.

"Well good news Thomas. The bullet went right through...so that's helpful. Won't have to dig it out." Brenda huffed in relief. "We're gonna have to stitch this, but we need to get out of here first."

"I guess I'm just a saint now... " Thomas grunted.

"What?"

"cuz I'm holly." He panted quietly.

Alex huffed a laugh, "was that a joke, Thomas? Did Thomas the Series actually make a joke?"

He tried to smile, but winced.

"Ya, we need to leave. He can lay in the back. Come on." Jorge ordered. Everyone nodded.

Alex backed up and the guys helped lift Thomas into the truck. Brenda crawled into the back with him to help keep him awake and try to keep the bleeding under control. Alex saw Minho still throwing punches. She rushed over and grabbed his arm and pulled.

"MINHO! STOP!" She cried. He was breathing fast, his knuckles were bloody and bruised. He sat back, his eyes dark.

"He shot Thomas! He tried to shoot you!"

"Yes. He also was the one who took me."

"HE WHAT?"

Alex nodded, Minho tried to get back up, his fist closed again. But Alex held his arm back.

"Alex, how can you..? He...he-"

-"I know what he did." She snapped. Alex let him go and gave him a shove and pulled her knife out. In a swift movement she slit the crank's throat.

"And that's why I get to kill him." She finished.

Minho stood there shocked for a moment.

"Guys! We need to go! Come on!"

Alex didn't move, her eyes didn't leave the blood that pooled on the ground. Her stomach twisted, she felt hot and dizzy all of a sudden. Her chest felt tight as her breathing became shallow. She felt an arm on her back and then under her knees, in a swift movement she was lifted up. Minho carried her to the truck. Once everyone was inside it was cramped, but better than walking and better than staying. Jorge maneuvered out of the garage. The drive was quiet. No one spoke much. Alex stayed cradled in Minho's arms, her face pressed into his chest.

They made it out of the city without incident. Jorge pulled over beside a shambled little building. The guys got Thomas out, who had passed out on the drive.

"Okay, guys, hold him down please, hopefully he'll stay out. This isn't going to be a good time..." Alex ordered.

Brenda, Teresa and Alex got to work. All three of them were a good medical team. It didn't take them long, Thomas had woken up once only to scream and pass back out. The truck had some pre packed bags, and one had pain medication. Thomas was finally resting by the fire.

"Leave it to Marcus to have an escape plan, bags packed and the truck ready, if his life went sideways." Jorge muttered.

Alex took the first aid kit and went to find Minho. She found him sitting on the hood of the truck, his head in his hands. She placed the kit down, slowly taking his hand in hers, pulling it away. He was forced to look up at her, without saying anything, she started to clean his knuckles.

"I'm sorry Alex."

"For what?" She stopped and looked up. He looked tired. His whole body was slumped, even his hair looked wilted. He didn't make eye contact, instead talked to their hands.

"For...everything. I couldn't save Alby, Jeff and he died, I wasn't fast enough to save Chuck, I wasn't there when Clint, A.J. and Leo died. I couldn't get the door open fast enough and Winston died because of it. For you falling and getting separated and all the klunk you had to go through, and then...and then...what happened to you in the club. I wasn't there. I couldn't keep you safe. It's all my fault!" A single tear slipped down his dirty check. "And I'm sorry you had to kill that crank. I should have done that."

Alex gently squeezed his hand, "..he wasn't the first one." Alex whispered. It was quiet for a moment.

"What?"

Alex took a shuddering breath, she fidgeted with Minho's hand. "I've killed people. That crank wasn't the only one."

He was quiet, letting her continue when she was ready.

"I shot Chloe's brother in the head...he was turning, he tried to attack us...Chloe was knocked out... he made me promise and called me...called me..a...a coward if I went back on my promise. I shot him. In the head! She doesn't know. She won't ever know."

"I'm so sorry Alex. That..really sucks." He sighed.

"You're not a coward. Anything but." He was quiet for a moment, "I know about the one who tried attacking you and Tes and the blond guy...who... was the fourth?"

Alex glanced up, but looked back down to his hand she was now bandaging. "I think you know who." she whispered.

"When Brenda collapsed?"

She nodded, tears forming in her eyes. She whipped them away angrily, looking away.

"I don't regret it. Only...only regret Zach."

She looked back, challenging him to say anything different. When he didn't she looked away again. And continued to wrap his knuckles. They were quiet for a while.

"Hey. What are you thinking?" Minho asked quietly.

"Just... about how much my life sucks." She muttered, angrily swiping at more tears.

"Mine does, too. Sucks big-time. But I'm glad I'm with you."

Alex snorted, "that was so cheesy Min." But the corners of her lips lifted. She looked back at him, and he was already smiling and searching her eyes. He was looking at her like she was the most beautiful fragile thing in the world. Her stomach did a backflip. His eyes were always so gentle when she looked into them.

"Minho..." She started, but trailed off, not sure what to say.

How can he still look at me when I look like this? With what I have done..? My life is nothing but a mess, and now I have the title murderer under my belt. I have broken promises, left too many people behind. Too many have sacrificed themselves for me. I'm not worth that.

"Before you start, stop. I love you Alex. All of you, including all the dirty messy bits, all your edges and imperfections. I don't know what else to say to convince you." He said sadly.

"Then don't say anything. Just..be patient with me." Alex whispered, another tear slipped through her lashes.

Minho reached up and gently wiped it away and left his hand cupping her check with his now bandaged knuckles. Alex had stiffened when he first reached up, but slowly leaned into his touch. His hand was warm and gentle. She closed her eyes, enjoying a physical touch that wasn't greedy or hurting. She felt little butterflies in her tummy. She let out a small quiet sigh. She reached her hands up and hesitantly put them up around the back of his neck, sliding them up into his hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Alex's heart was racing, her breathing tried to come in shallow gasps, but Minho's steady breathing helped anchor her mind, and her fight or flight slowly calmed down. He gave her something to focus on. She closed her eyes again, focusing on her breathing until it came back in steady slow breaths. She felt Minho's other hand cup the other cheek, and his forehead on hers, she stiffened for a second, her breath caught in her throat. When he didn't move anymore she relaxed into his touch.

Her tensed shoulders finally sagged. She could feel his breath fanning her face, and the warmth radiating off his body. She smiled, despite her fight or flight trying to take over again. She finally tilted her head, and slowly and timidly brushed her lips on his. It was quick and barley there. Nevertheless, his eyes shot open, she saw the familiar warm coffee eyes, dancing all over her face. She smiled shyly up at him. An actually genuine smile.

"I love you shuck face." She whispered. She slowly pulled him back for another kiss. He was still hesitant and gentle with her, his hands hadn't moved from her checks and that made her feel safe, loved, cherished and respected. She smiled into the kiss. "Thank you. I trust you." she murmured, his lips still pressed to hers.

"I love you too shuck face" he muttered right back. He slid a hand from her check into her hair, he slid off the hood of the truck, and finally wrapped her up into a tight proper hug, she slipped her hands from his hair and wrapped them around his shoulders, squeezing like she would lose him, again. She held him close, burring her face in his neck. The damn inside her finally broke, she had shoved her emotions down, letting anger slip out. All those other feelings finally exploded in a sob. She felt safe enough to be vulnerable. Alex's knees gave out, Minho slowly lowered down onto the grass, holding her tight as she cried. Big sobs racked her body. All the fear and terror, all the shame and disgust, the relief of being found, the regret of Zach...everything came out in loud gut wrenching sobs and cries. Minho sat on the grass, slowly rocking side to side, Alex in his lap. He let her cry until she had nothing left, she was hiccupping and taking shuddering breaths when he finally spoke.

"You're safe now Alex. You had to do so much on your own. You're so strong...I'm proud of you. My badass warrior Queen." He whispered into her hair.

Her body was exhausted. Her mind and heart were also exhausted. She could feel her eyelids closing. "Minho..will you stay with me?"

"Always..."

That was the last thing she heard before sleep finally took her.

Minho's POV

Minho's heart broke with each sob and cry that came from Alex. He felt her body shaking, all he could do was hold her. He rubbed her back and held her head to his chest, letting her spill everything out. Once her sobs turned into hiccups did he dare speak,

"You're safe now Alex. You had to do so much on your own. You're so strong...and I'm proud of you. My badass warrior Queen." He whispered into her hair.

He felt the tension in her body slowly relax, and her breathing got slower, he heard her whisper so quietly, he had to strain to hear.

"Minho, will you stay with me?" She sounded so small and scared, so vulnerable.

"Always." He whispered. "I'll keep you safe until my last breath."

He felt her fall asleep.

How the shuck does she stay sane after all the shit she's been through? She's stronger than any of us. Braver too. Shuck, this girl is a Queen. And I get to call her mine. Don't know how I swung that.

He carefully slipped an arm under her legs and with his other arm around her back, he picked her up and brought her over to the fire. The guys turned to watch. Newt's face pulled tight into one of worry.

"Everything ok hermano?" Jorge asked quietly.

"Ya, we heard the...crying..." Newt said, his face softening as his eyes followed Alex, wrapped in Minho's strong arms.

"Ya..it's gonna take a while to process everything that she went through alone..." Minho replied quietly, he didn't want to wake her up. He gently laid her down, Jorge handed him a blanket, and he covered her up, hoping she would be warm enough.

Chloe was curled up close to Frypan.

"You made a friend there.." Minho nodded to the little bundle.

"Ya. She's a good kid." He replied, looking at the sleeping child, his face broke into a smile.

Teresa, Brenda and Aris were already asleep. And Thomas was lying where the girls left him. Resting quietly, wrapped in a few blankets.

"How is he doing?"

Jorge snapped a branch and threw it in the fire,

"he'll be fine. I hope. The bullet went right through, it'll take a while to heal, we don't have any WICKED medical equipment that could heal it in a day or two. We were just lucky there was disinfectant and clean supplies to stitch him up. The girls did a good job. You picked a solid one, there Hermano. She takes charge keeping everyone around her safe and keeps it together until the job is done."

Minho smiled proudly, "Ya. I know."

"Time to rest, we will make it to the mountains tomorrow. Time to rest, we're safe from the city and those who live there. I'll take first watch."

Fry, Newt and Minho glanced at each other, nodded and lay down. When Fry lay down, Chloe snuggled a little closer in her sleep.

"Awww. Fry has a sister." Newt teased. But Fry just made a shooing motion with his hand, Minho smiled. You had to in this shucked up world. See the good and appreciate it. That poor kid needed a big brother to step up and fill that roll. He knew all the guys here would step into the big brother roll for the girl. They were a family by choice, not by blood.

Minho laid down beside Alex and pulled her close, he felt her body relax. He kissed her temple and closed his eyes. Finally feeling content, he had his love back in his arms. Having to face the possibility that she was dead, and then finding out she was alive, then finding out she was taken and then finding her chained to a wall for cranks to use...his emotions had been through the wringer the last few days. He wasn't going to lie, having her flinch or stiffen in fear every time he tried to touch her, really hurt. More than he wanted to admit. But he knew he wouldn't push her. Even before all that, he would never push her to do something she wasn't comfortable with and not just physically, that applied to every aspect of their relationship. He respected her too much to break her trust. He curled his strong body around Alex's petite one.

During the night, she would whimper in her sleep. The first time she whimpered, she turned to face him and tried to bury herself into his chest. One time her whimpers and cry woke Newt and Jorge, who both sat up to see if there was anything they could do.

Despite waking up a few times, it was the best sleep he had in a very long time.