Minho glared at Gally and his goons for a second, then turned and gently slid an arm under Alex's shoulders and under he knees. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms and carried her to the slammer, and climbed in. Thomas was unceremoniously tossed in. Teresa climbed in with her head held high, refusing the help the one boy offered.

She got some dignity. She's a tough one, I can see why her and Alex get along.

The boys closed and locked the door. Chuck ran up to the door a second later, and handed the griever serum to Teresa. She didn't hesitate and stabbed Thomas in the chest with the syringe. His breathing slowed down, and his screaming calmed. She sat down and leaned against the dirt wall, leaning her head back and closed her eyes for a second. Minho laid Alex down, with her head in his lap, he ran his fingers through her tangled hair. He cringed every time she screamed.

Teresa opened her eyes and crawled over, "What's wrong with her?" she timidly asked.

"I honestly don't know." He answered honestly, looking down at the girl in his lap. Her face twisting in pain. It made his heart twist seeing her in pain.

"She would get these memory flash...episodes things... if she would touch things, little bits of her memory would break through, sometimes it would be a few seconds and she would shiver like she was cold. Other times she would collapse and convulse for minutes." He was quiet, thinking. "She did it once in the maze, she was out for 15 min. Apparently she had a bad one when she touched you..." He looked up at the dark haired girl, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Me?"

Minho nodded. "She could also...umm, communicate with her sister...by speaking in her head." If it was possible, Teresa's eyes got even wider. He saw her eyes dart to Thomas and back to Alex, then up to Minho. He narrowed his eyes, she was hiding something.

"What are you not saying?" he asked.

She sighed, "Tom and I can communicate too, telepathically. I don't know if Alex and I could ever.."

Teresa scrunched up her face and concentrated on Alex's. It was quiet for a minute, Minho sat in anticipation watching Teresa try to talk to Alex.

Doesn't surprise me, they had some kind of connection right from the start.

Alex withered in pain and let out the loudest scream yet. Teresa yelled and backed away, panic in her eyes.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Minho yelled, panicked.

"I can feel her pain, she tried to talk...but something is wrong... inside her mind!"

Newt showed up a few minutes later with some pain meds, cloth and a bowl of cool water. Teresa helped get the meds crushed and into Alex's mouth, and then ripped the cloth into strips and soaked in the water and applied it to her forehead. She relaxed with the cool rags. Minho exhaled slowly.

He looked up at Newt, "What's going on up there?"

Newt ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Gally is taking control, but most Gladers are letting him, just to shut him up. They don't really believe the klunk he's saying. They trust Alex and Tommy. And You. We found some of the Gladers hiding in the deadheads, and a few in the destroyed homestead. The Grieves took so many. So far, the number is 15."

Minho didn't show any emotion.

I can't. If I do then I break. I'm a leader, I can't fall apart now. There will be a time to mourn. Just not now.

"Do we still have the key?"

Newt nodded, pointing at Alex. Minho nodded, understanding what he meant, it was still in her thigh holster bag. Alex let out a cry, but it sounded more like a word. Minho leaned over, and brushed some hair out of her face. She cried

"Sonya! Where are you?"

Minho snapped his eyes to Newt. Newt sat still as a stone, eyes wide. "Has she said anything about you sister lately?" Minho asked.

Newt shook his head. Alex's body was tense and her back arched and she let out a loud long scream, riddled with pain. Her body was shaking with the pain. Minho's eyes watered, just listening to her cries. He switched the cool compress. Chuck came to sit with Newt. He didn't say anything, but sat and watched his 2 best friends struggle. Frypan came and brought some food, Jeff also stopped by seeing if they needed anything. After a while Newt left, and so did Chuck. The night turned into day, Alex's crying had slowly faded to whimpers. Minho leaned his head back on the wall, his eyes closed. He heard Teresa shift.

He turned his head and peeked an eye open. "How's Tommy Boy doing?" he asked her gently. They were both tired.

She looked up at him, "Well his breathing is mostly even, he's just shivering like he's cold, but he's sweating like he's burning up."

"That's normal. If he's breathing normal, and he's not as green, means the serum is working. The Shank will be fine." He closed his eyes again. Teresa shifted closer to him, and Minho felt her head lean on his shoulder. They sat there together with Alex's head in his lap, and Thomas's head on Teresa's lap.

"You should get some sleep. That was a shucking long night." Minho sighed, he was dead on his feet. The girl beside him had only been in the glade for a few days and had dealt with a lot of klunk. He felt protective of her, Alex's best friend. He could feel her scoff "So should you Mr. Runner. You're dead on your feet, How are you still functioning?" He shrugged the shoulder her head wasn't on.

"How about we both sleep. I don't think we're getting out anytime soon."

"Good that." They both fell into a light restless sleep.

Alex POV

The first thing Alex registered was the cold damp around her, then the hard ground underneath her. The next thing she noticed was her pounding headache. She groaned quietly, reaching a hand to her head. She felt a cold damp cloth, she pulled it off, it was making her shiver. She opened her eyes, her eyelids were so heavy, they dropped shut again. Her whole body hurt, she felt like she was trampled by Grievers. She tried opening her eyes again. The first thing she saw was Minho's sleeping face. She smiled, he looked younger. Her eyes traveled to Teresa, and then down to see Thomas laying beside her. Teresa was holding his hand. Her eyes flicked around taking in her surroundings. They were in the Slammer.

Her eyes traveled back to Minho, like a magnet. He looked peaceful. She blinked again, her eyes adjusting to the light. She lay there studying his features, his long dark eyelashes, the shape of his nose, his strong jaw line, the shape of his lips, how they parted slightly when he breathed out. His head was leaning on Teresa's. She was using his shoulder as a pillow. When she saw that, her heart swelled, her boyfriend and best friend, she was glad they got along. Alex's head was still pounding, she lifted a hand back up to her head, rubbing it and moaned. Minho stirred, and his eyes fluttered open, his warm brown eyes met hers and then creased into half moons as he smiled.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty!" He ran a hand through her hair. "How are you doing?" He asked, his smile fading.

"My head feels like it has the greenie alarm going off inside. And I feel like I was stampeded by a herd of Grievers. Why are we in the slammer?"

Minho sighed. "I have some more pain meds Jeff dropped off." He handed her the little pills, and she slowly sat up, wincing. After she had taken them and drank some water, Minho started explaining.

"So...Gally and his slint heads took over, and tossed us in here. Well it was supposed to be just the three of you. What the shuck happened.. it was just like after you took on the Grievers."

Alex sighed and rubbed her temples. "It was like...when Gally hit me, it was like pain was flicked on, or ignited all the pain... It felt like everything in my head was on fire. Sparks, and white hot pain. Everything was radiating from my mind down into my body. I could feel Sonya trying to yell at me, and another voice I didn't recognize. But every time she tried it was excruciating pain. I don't think we can talk anymore, and the pain was so bad... I'm scared to try."

Minho was quiet, Alex moved so she was sitting on his other side. He started rubbing her back, and her muscles slowly relaxed.

"That other voice was probably Tes's. Her and Thomas can communicate telepathically too. She tried with you...but you started screaming and thrashing." He explained.

"It's scary being trapped in your own head. All you can see and feel and hear is pain." Alex said quietly. She looked at Thomas who was stirring "What happened to him?"

"That stupid Shank stabbed himself with a Griever stinger!"

Alex sat up straight, shocked "He did WHAT? Why the shuck would he do that?"

"He said he wanted to remember," said a soft voice. Teresa was awake.

"The shuckin idiot!" Alex shook her head.

"I bloody agree." a British voice said. Alex looked up to see Newt and Chuck sitting down by the door.

"Alex, are you okay?" Newt's compassionate warm chocolate brown eyes not leaving her face. She nodded.

"I can't talk with Sonya anymore. I don't know why...something happened in their maze, shesaid something about escape...and others are rescued... she was trying to yell something. But I couldn't understand with whatever weird thing is goin' on in my head ..I don't know."

She was spared more explanation when Thomas gasped and sat up.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Chuck asked, his face scrunched in anger and confusion.

"I needed to remember Chuck" He looked to Newt, "What happened?" Thomas asked, while he rubbed his face.

"Gally has control. He said we had a choice. Either join him... or get banished at sundown with you." He answered solemnly.

"And the others agreed to that?" Alex gasped. She thought they supported her and Newt and wanted out.

"Gally is trying to convince everyone that you three, are the reason all this has happened." Newt answered. Chuck nodding along.

"Well, he's been right so far." Thomas sighed heavily. Shaking his head. "

What are you talking about?" Newt asked.

"This place...it's not what we thought it was. It's not a prison, it's a test. It all started when we were kids. They would give us these challenges." Thomas explained.

"They were experimenting on us..." Alex cut in, her eyes far away, her body shivered.

"Ya, and then people started disappearing. Every month, like clockwork." Thomas nodded, finishing her thought.

"They were sendin' em up in the maze." Newt figured out. He was rubbing his bottom lip, thinking.

"I got Minho sent up earlier than he was scheduled. And possibly you too, Newt...They also took Bark.." She said quietly, looking at the dirt floor. "And then they were going to send me to a different maze...Did you see how you and Tes got me here?" Alex asked hopeful, looking up.

"Okay, it wasn't JUST you...it takes two to have a relationship! Stop trying to take all the shuck credit!" Minho said, frowning slightly.

"And there is no solid evidence about me. So, don't get yourself bloody worked up!" Newt scolded gently.

Thomas shook his head, "no I didn't see that..my memories were only pieces. I saw Alex trying to break down the door when they took you, Minho... me and Tes holding her while she cried...I saw Tes getting an injection ready in a dark room. Shoving you into the box... sending the box up and left as fast as I could."

Alex crawled over and hugged him tightly. And then pulled Teresa into a hug. "Thank you. You guys risked probably everything for me." Alex's eyes teared up, she let one slide down.

"I wish I remembered, but we sounded as close as sisters" Teresa whispered.

"My dark haired triplet." She looked at Newt, "Want another sister?"

Newt let out a small chuckle. "More the merrier...I guess. Okay, back to these memories, Tommy. You said they were sending kids into the bloody maze once a month..?"

"Yeah, but not all of us." Thomas nodded.

"What do you mean?" Minho asked.

"Guys, I'm one of them. The ones who put you here, I'm with them. I watched you guys for years. The time you have been here...I was on the other side of it. So were you two." Thomas was looking at his knees.

"What?" Teresa asked, surprised. Alex knew she already worked for them...she actually knew Thomas and Teresa worked for them.

I guess I never explained that properly to Teresa...but Thomas should have clued in? Maybe he isn't as observant as I expected him to be.

"Teresa, we did this to them."

"Why'd they send us up if we're with them?" She asked a hand on her mouth, trying to hold back tears.

"Well, I was sent because I was caught smuggling info from the creators to some other group...I had had enough once they sent Min up early. They had taken Sonya, Newt, Bark, Alby...We hatched a plan early...but I guess it took a long time to get everything in order, steal information, get trusted contacts, that sort of thing. Not sure what happened to you two though...maybe you were also caught after I was sent up? Or caught sending me here instead of where ever I was supposed to go? Or the creators are just shucked in the head and after you 'helped' them..no wait . Sorry, after they USED you, sent you. It doesn't matter, cuz they are twisted and evil."

Minho was rubbing her back again, it helped ease the tension and she relaxed into his touch.

"Alex's right. It doesn't matter. Any of it. Because who we were before the maze don't even exist anymore. These Creators took care of that. But what does, is who we are now, and what we do... right now. You guys went into the maze and found a way out." Newt said, encouraging the four who were sitting behind bars. Minho was nodding with what Newt had said.

"Yeah, but if I hadn't, Alby'll be alive." Thomas looked away.

"Maybe." Newt said quietly.

"Alby.." Alex breathed. The guilt of what she yelled at him washed over her, her eyes welled up with tears of guilt and shame. Alex turned her face into Minho's shoulder, trying hard not to break down completely.

"But. I know that if he were here, he'd be telling you the same thing. Pick your ass up and finish what you started. Because if we do nothing... then that means Alby died for nothing. And I can't have that!" Newt's voice got stronger and more encouraging. Thomas looked ready to fight

"Okay- Okay, but we gotta get past Gally first." Thomas said, nodding and thinking hard.

While Thomas and Newt discussed a plan, Minho pulled Alex a little away, into the corner. "What's up Sunshine?"

She looked into his eyes, they were so kind. She couldn't keep secrets from him. She sighed sadly.

"The last thing I said to Alby...was awful!" She looked away, a tear leaked out. "He admitted to burning the maps during the gathering. He didn't want us to leave, he thought us getting picked off one by one was better. I got mad, obviously. He burnt everything you and the other runners risked your life for, for years! And he burnt them! Because he was scared...and I screamed at him for being a coward and a selfish leader.. I can never take that back now!"

Minho cupped her face in his warm hands. He whipped her tears with his thumbs. Then he gently kissed her cheeks.

"No...you can't take it back, but like Newt said...Let's do something to honor him. Let's get out of this shuck place and live a life he never got to. Ya? He made some shuck awful decisions after the Changing jacked with his head. But he died saving Chuck. And I think that redeems him." Alex smiley sadly at him.

"I love you shuck face. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. He wrapped an arm around her waist and one around her shoulders, burying his hand into her hair.

"Are you guys done making out? Cuz we need your input on this bloody plan of Tommy's here." Newt called annoyed.

"Newt...you really know how to be a buzzkill, ya know that, right? You ugly shank!" Minho sassed. Alex sighed and pulled away reluctantly. She came to sit down with the others, Minho plopped down beside her, rolling his eyes.

"What's there to discuss, we knock the shank out and leave." Alex chuckled but Newt rolled his eyes exasperated. "Not that simple Shank!"

They spent the rest of the morning planning. Newt and Chuck went to go prep and recruit Frypan. The other four were left in the Slammer, with not much to do. They all decided to have a nap. Minho laid down on his back, with his hand behind his head, Alex lay down on her side, using her bent arm as a pillow, looking at Minho. He turned his head so he could see her. They just lay there looking at each other for a while.

"You ready to leave?" She asked quietly. Knowing Thomas and Teresa were already sleeping.

"Shuck ya! I can't wait to get out of here and see what the world is like." he was quiet. "What would you like to see?" He asked. Alex was quiet for a moment, thinking.

She smiled and looked into his eyes, "A sunset on the beach. Will you watch the sunset with me?"

Minho beamed, and rolled onto his side to face her fully. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close to his chest.

"Yes! I will watch all the sunsets with you! And I'll even build you a house on the beach so you can watch them from the front door! How does that sound?"

Alex pulled away from him enough to look up into his eyes, "You want to build me a house?" she whispered, her eyes wide. Her heart skipped a beat, she could feel her cheeks turning pink. A sly little smirk slid across his face and he raised an eyebrow "Why yes, Sunshine. I sure do."

He sat up suddenly. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, and ran a hand through his hair. He wouldn't meet her eye and she could see his ears turn pink. Alex sat up too and turned her body so she was facing him. They were sitting knee to knee.

"Minho? Are you... nervous?" She teased him. His eyes darted from hers to the ground between them

"Shuck. " He gulped, "Maybe? Do you even want that? Like...like a house and stuff...with me? I know we're still young and whatever..but..I..I don't know.." He stuttered.

He was cute when he was nervous and stuttered. Alex grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him closer to kiss him

"Yes. Yes you shuck face! I want all of that! And I don't really care where we are, as long as you're there with me."

He pulled away, and reached behind him for his runners vest, he pulled it onto his lap, from inside a little pocket, he pulled out what looked like a necklace. He held it in his hand for a moment, looking at it, and then with his cheeks and ears turning pink he held his hand out. Alex gently picked it up and looked at it. There was a beautiful stone that had been sanded and smoothed into a circle and hollowed in the middle. It was mostly green, but had blue and some brown flecked in it. It was soft and smooth. There was a long piece of cord through the middle, so she could tie it around her neck.

"Minho, it's beautiful!" She whispered, a smile on her face, her eyes were tearing up, "What's this for?"

He cleared his throat before answering "Well...I found the stone in the maze a while ago, and it reminded me of your eyes, with all the flecks of gold and brown in the green.. I tried sanding it into a ring. Didn't quite work. It's not an engagement ring or anything...just my promise that I'll always be there for you. And I promise we will get to see that sunset!"

"Oh Minho!" Her voice caught in her throat, "I love it!"

He looked down at her, with a goofy grin. "Come here Sunshine" He held out his hand, she placed the necklace in his hand and turned, moving her hair out of the way. He tied the cord around her neck, and then leaned down and kissed the back of her neck gently. Making her shiver.

Shuck it. Tommy and Tes why are you here...

He kissed her again, gently brushing his warm slightly chapped soft lips down her neck, and then down to her shoulder.

"Minho. Tommy and Tes are here!" her voice quivered.

"So?" he whispered.

"And they wake up? A little awkward don't ya think?"

"Only if they look" He whispered in her ear, making the butterflies explode in her stomach. He kissed her neck again, and worked his way up, to behind her ear, she hummed with the sensation it sent down to her stomach.

"You can't say no, I know you go weak kneed for me"

"Shuck you Shuck face." She moaned when he started to nibble gently on her neck. Thomas groaned in his sleep and rolled over.

Someone is always breaking the mood.

Alex sighed, and turned around to face Minho. "I would love to continue this..but we need to sleep for a bit, we'll be fighting for our lives again soon. When you take me to the beach, just the 2 of us. Alone...we can continue." She winked at him.

"Promise?" He whined.

"Cross my heart."

He wrapped his arms around her and laid down again, pulling her with him. She lay her head on his chest listening to the steady beat of his heart.