AN: Sorry I haven't updated in like… forever… literally, I guess life just caught up with me. Anyways… I got all these notifications that people were favoring and following and I thought- Wow! People are really my stuff! I should give them and update. So… here it is.

Thomas spent the day with Zart, the Keeper of the Farmers working his scrawny little butt off. I however, spent the morning going over the various Maps in the Map Room, trying to find answers to the questions that swam around in my mind. All our minds. There was a pattern. It repeated over and over and over and over, but what did that mean! Groaning I ran my fingers through my hair and rested my elbows on the table.

A sigh from the door way drew me away from my thoughts. "MaC we both know sitting staring at those maps ain't gonna do diddy squat."

I lifted my head to look at the fair-haired intruder. He had actually found another shirt. A green one that hung just right, showing off the muscular chest and arms. His eyes were locked on me, waiting for the answer he knew I'd give.

Rolling my eyes I stood, head lowered as if glanced back at the maps one more time, "I know… I know, but-"

"But, nothing," He snapped, "We got work to do." His voice was harder, but a small smile was on his face. The slight upturn to his lips all the information I needed to know he wasn't mad. Not at me.

"Work huh?"

"Yeah, gotta check up on that girlie."

I groaned, walking towards him and laying my head on his chest. "I don't wanna." It was the voice in which a toddler would object to putting away his toys or eating his vegetables. It wasn't fitting of a sixteen year old girl fighting for her life… but I said it anyways.

Newt seemed to find it amusing, wrapping an arm around me and hugging my body to his. "Don't make me drag you there." It was an empty threat. If anything, he'd throw me over his shoulder and carry me there. Actually… that wasn't looking so bad…

And hour into watching this girl and I'm already tired. She keeps mumbling random Klunk that I can't make out. And I keep having to make more soup because our idiotic Med-Jacks cant get her to keep it down.

Add the fact that we're never getting another newbie ever as well as the uncertainty concerning the supply shipment that's supposed to come… I was a right mess. Plus, my best friend was goin back after the dead griever we'd seen with my other best friend and we still didn't know what had managed to kill the thing. I rubbed my eyes taking a deep breath and glancing over to Newt who was in much the same position.

I sighed… returning to work.

Noon passed. both Newt and I were getting worried... Where were they? They should've been back by now! "MaC!"

Right... I got work to do...

By mid-afternoon, both Newt and I were worn down with stress. His eyes were blood shot and tired looking, it wasn't like him… I was probably in much the same position, but he was more important at the moment. I gripped his hand and pulled him to his feet where he proceeded to give me and exasperated glare. I rolled my eyes and dragged him to the Kitchens for a bit to eat.

He sat down alone, ignoring the presence of everyone else while I went to get food, my stomach grumbling. Returning, I opted to sit next to him rather than across. Pushing his food in front of him my arm brushed his. I gave him a small uncertain smile when he looked at me. He nodded, his hand moving to grip mine.

Together.

We'd get through it together… even if he wasn't particularly talkative at the moment.

It didn't take long to realize Thomas and Chuck had walked in. It was common knowledge that they didn't understand the concept of 'whispering'. At all. They sat a little ways away, Thomas chewing on an apple. I ignored them, swatting at Newt's hands as he had resorted to chewing on them. "Stoppit"

He grunted in response, ignoring my look of complete exasperation.

"What's wrong with him?" Chuck, again. "Looks like you did when you popped out of the Box."

"I know," that was Thomas. "Why don't you go ask him?"

"Thomas," I began only to have a frustrated Newt cut me off.

"I can hear every bloody word you guys are saying," it was unnecessarily loud. They weren't that far away, "No wonder people hate sleepin' next to you shanks."

"What is wrong with you two?" Chuck asked, "No offense, but you look like klunk."

"Every lovin' thing in the universe," Newt replied, falling silent as he returned to the trance like state hed been in, in which he stared off into space. I lightly kicked his leg, prompting him to continue. "The girl from the Box. Keeps groanin' and saying all kinds of weird stuff, but won't wake up. Med-Jacks doing the best to feed her, but she's eatin' less each times. I'm tellin' ya, something's very bad about the whole bloody thing."

Thomas took a bite of his apple before looking back at it as if it had all the sudden tasted like klunk.

Newt sighed then, long and loud. "Shuck it. But that's not really what's buggin'."

"The what does?" Chuck asked curiously.

I looked out towards one of entrances before locking eyes with Newt. "Alby and Minho," He told them.

"They should've been back hours ago," I informed them, looking back at the entrance in worry. I sighed, trying not to worry. Minho was out there every day. He was fast, smart strong. So was Alby. They'd be fine. They were fine. They… they were just-

"Maybe they're just messing around, ya know, exploring a bit," Chuck offered up.

Newt and I glared and Chuck went white in fright. This was not time for joking.

"Why don't you just go out and look for em?" Thomas asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. My jaw clenched as my head snapped to the side. Horror had taken over his handsome features and his cheeks sunk into his face, becoming shallow and dark and it scared me. Seeing him like that. I reached for his arm, gripping his forearm and moving closer to him.

Newt didn't go in the Maze.

Not anymore.

Not since… I shook my head, not wanting to think of that. Newt was here. And here he was going to stay. Right beside me.

The words didn't process as Newt explained that search parties were forbidden lest more be lost- yadda yadda yadda.

"Newt, c'mon…" I said, pulling him up off the ground. He needed a moment. Hell, I needed one! "We'll see you to later," I said absent handedly waving back at the two boys as I pulled him along with me until we were alone.

"They'll be fine," I whispered, trying to convince myself as well as him. "They'll be okay…"

He nodded, pulling me to his chest and kissing the top of my head. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my head in his chest and breathing him in. The scent that was inevitable him… like freshly cut grass

"They'll gonna be fine…" I repeated… a sort of mantra.

"I hope so," Newt said, his face buried in my hair, "I hope so…"