A/N: I'm so excited for the movie in September! I'm freaking out! freaking out, people! im hoping to finish this before the movie premiers so... be prepared for updates.

ps. that whole really shucking long period of time where i didnt update was cause i was moving and settling into a new school, but all's good now. :-)

pps. this chapter is twice as long as my usual updates... i got carried away...

Back to MaC:

I groaned, "Sto-op." Rolling over in an attempt to stop the hands shaking me awake. Grass… I didn't fall asleep in the grass… I blinked. "How did-"

"Newt carried ya over in last night," the voice told me, "Now come on!"

"No!" I groaned, still wanting to sleep.

"MaC, c'mon, we're gonna be late again!" the voice said exasperatedly.

"I don't care," I mumbled, curling in on myself.

"Fine then," he said.

Huh? That was easier than- "MINHO!" I screamed as he picked me up, hanging me over his shoulder. "PUT ME DOWN!" he laughed, not bothering to respond. I pounded on his back in anger.

"Ow, MaC," he said.

"PUT ME DOWN!" I repeated, every Glader in sight was probably looking at us.

"Stop hittin me!"

"Put me down!"

It went on like that for a while, even inside the Homestead before Zart took notice and got Minho to put me down. I glared at him, fixing my shirt and brushing my fingers though my hair in an attempt to smooth out the knots. How come Minho's hair didn't knot? I wondered angrily, how come I was the only one with this problem.

We all organized ourselves, sitting down in our assignment chairs in the semi-circle. The middle chair was empty, as it was Alby's seat. Newts chair was directly to the right. Mine was sort of just stuck on the end right after Minho like I was some sort of afterthought, which in all reality. I was.

Newt led Thomas in, showing him his seat before taking his own.

Tommy looked nervous. I suppose he had a reason to be. A good reason, but- "In place of our leader, sick in bed, I declare this Gathering begun," Newt said with a subtle roll of his eyes that I quickly picked up on. I smothered a laugh, he hated anything formal. Including these Gatherings. Glancing to Minho I saw that he had noticed as well and was fighting a smirk. "As you all know, the last few days have been bloody crazy and quite a bit seems centered around our new Greenbean, Tommy, seated before us."

The said boy, flushed with embarrassment. I sent a subtle smile his way. It'd be okay. I'd make sure of that. I'd make sure, Newt made sure of that.

"He's not the Greenie anymore," Gally said, his low scratchy voice sounded cruel, just the sounds made me want to punch him. "Hes just a rule breaker now.

"He's been here less than a week, Gally, so shuttup," I spat at him, quickly sending an apologetic glance to Newt who rolled his eyes, quickly shushing the offending whisperers.

"Gally, try to keep some buggin order here. If you're gonna blabber your shuck mouth every time I say something, you can go ahead and leave, because I'm not in a very cheerful mood."

I allowed a subtle smirk as Gally folded his arms and lent back in his chair with a scowl so forced it was laughable. And I would have laugh, had I not wanted to stay in this Gathering and make sure our Greenbean over there managed to stay alive for a while.

"Glad we got that out of the way." He rolled his eyes again. Minho had to kick my leg so I wouldn't grin. "Reason we're here is because almost every lovin' kid in the Glade has been coming up to me in the last day or two either boohooing about Thomas or beggin me to take his bloody hand in marriage."

Minho lent over, whispering low enough so that only I could hear, "Didn't know we did that…" I closed my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

"We need to decide what we're gonna do with him." Newt finished.

Gally leaned forward, but Newt cut him off. "You'll have your chance, Gally. One at a time. And Tommy, you're not allowed to say a buggin thing until we ask you too. Good that?" He asked, waiting for some sort of consent. Tommy nodded, albeit, a bit reluctantly. "Zart the Fart, you start."

A few snickered as he shifted in his seat. I had always liked Zart. He was good guy underneath that tough looking exterior and he quiet sweet as well. But he was quiet, he didn't talk much, and standing up to talk he looked more out of place than a cat at a dog show.

"Well," he began, looking around nervously, I smiled slightly, trying to reassure him. "I don't know. He broke one of our most important rules. We can't just let people think that's okay," he paused looking down at hands, rubbing them together nervously, "But then again, he's… changed things. Now we know we can survive out there, and that we can beat the Grievers." I smiled.

"Oh give me a break," Gally spurted. That no good, shuck-faced- "I bet Minho's the one who actually got rid of the stupid things."

"Gally shut your hole!" Newt yelled, standing this time for effect. "I'm the bloody Chair right now and if I hear one more buggin word out of turn from you, I'll be ringin' another Banishment for your sorry butt."

"Please," Gally whispered sarcastically, the ridiculous scowl taking over once again. I glared, just barely hearing him.

"Is that it?" Newt asked, "Any official recommendations?"

Zart shook his head.

"Okay. You're next Frypan."

He smiled through his beard and sat straighter, "Shanks got more guts than I've fried from every pig and cow in the last year," I almost smiled, but the thought of pig guts sort of disgusted me… "How stupid is this- he saves Alby's life, kills a couple Grievers and we're sitting here yappin about what to do with him. As Chuck would say, this is a pile of Klunk."

"So what're ya recommendin?" Newt asked.

Frypan folded his arms over his chest releasing his next words in one breath, "Put him on the Council and have him train us on everything he did out there."

At that I did smile, imagining Tommy on the Council, but my daydreams didn't last long as voices erupted in all directions and it took Newt a minute to calm everyone down. "Alright, MaC, write 'er down." He, having terrible handwriting had given me the notepad to write down all possible suggestions. "Now everybody keep their bloody mouths shut, I mean it. You know the rules- no idea is unacceptable- and you'll all have your say when we vote on it." He looked to me, making sure I wrote it down before turning to our third council-man, Danny with black hair and a freckly face.

"I don't really have an opinion."

I rolled my eyes, lot a good he did us. "What?" Newt asked angrily. "Lotta good it did to choose you for the Council, then." Hehe, great minds think alike?

"Sorry," he shrugged, "I honestly don't. If anything, I agree with Frypan, I guess. Why punish a guy for saving someone's life?"

"So you do have an opinion- is that it?" Newt asked. Danny nodded. And so I wrote it down with a weird so of 'go ahead' gesture from Newt.

Winston was next. "I think he should be punished. No offense, Greenie, but Newt, you're the one always harping about order. If we don't punish him, we'll set a bad example. He broke out Number One Rule.'

"Okay, so you're recommendin' punishment. What kind?" Newt said, motioning for me to write all this. As if it didn't realize that.

"I think he should be put in the Slammer for a week with only bread and water- and we need to make sure everybody knows about it so they don't get any ideas."

I wrote it down, not that I was happy about it. Gally clapped that. I just hoped I wasn't the only one glaring at him like I was. Two more before Newt. One for each idea, before Newt was up.

"I agree with you lot he should be punished, but then we need to figure out a way to use him. I'm reservin' my recommendation until I hear everyone out. Next."

Down the line went. Some for punishment. Some for praise. Or both. My head was starting to hurt from listening. Normally I didn't, or I did, but not closely. But now I had to write everything down, the options the agreements, disagreements… plus Minho kept messing with me, pulling random strands of hair and messing me up.

There were three of us left.

Gally,

Minho,

And then me. Not that anybody was actually listening when I came around to me.

Gally was first up though. "I think I've made my opinions pretty clear already."

"Good that," Newt said with another roll of his eyes, "Go one then, Minho."

"No!" Gally yelled, making some people jump in their seats. I simply glared, was that really necessary? "I still wanna say something."

"Then bloody say it," Newt replied evenly.

"Just think about it," Gally began. "This slinthead comes up in the Box acting all confused and scared. A few days later, hes running around with Grievers like he owns the place. I think it was all an act. How could he have done what he did out there after just a few days? I aint buyin it."

"What exactly am I supposed to write down for that?" I asked, looking at Newt.

"What're trying to say, Gally?" Newt asked. "How about having a bloody point?"

"I think he's a spy from the people who sent us here."

THAT exploded into an uproar. Everybody had something to say about that. Well, except, Minho and I, who just sat back, exchanging amused glances as we watched Newt try to calm everybody down. Which he did, eventually, but Gally wasn't finished. "We can't trust this shank! Day after he shows up, a psycho girl comes, spoutin off that things are gonna change, clutching that freaky note. We find a dead Griever. Thomas conveniently finds himself in the Maze for the night, then tries to convince everyone he's a hero. Well neither Minho nor anyone else actually saw him do anything with the vines. How do we know it was Greenie who tied Alby up there?"

I was gonna say something in Tommy's defense, but Newt shook his head, signally for me not to. And Minho sort of grabbed hold of me as if to keep me from saying anything. So didn't. And Gally continued.

"There's too many weird things going on and it all started when this shuck-face Greenie showed up. And he just happens to be the first person to survive a night in the Maze. Something ain't right, and until we figure it out I officially recommend that we lock his butt in the Slammer- for a month and then have another review."

More rumblings broke out. I didn't want to write that down. It was insane! Minho nudged my arm and I gave him a look. He sighed, "Just stop being stubborn and write it down." I sighed, but wrote it down anyways.

I looked at Newt who sighed, "Finished, Captain Gally?"

"Quit being such a smart aleck, Newt," he spat, his face going red, "I'm dead serious. How can we trust this shank after less than a week? Quit voting me down before you even think about what I'm saying. And tell your girlfriend over there to do the same," he added, jabbing a finger in my direction.

I raised and unimpressed eyebrow. Resorting to the 'girlfriend' thing was pathetic. I mean, really, I have a name.

"Fine, Gally. I'm sorry. We heard you and we'll all consider your bloody recommendation. Are you done?"

"Yes, I'm done. And I'm right."

Newt then pointed to Miho, "Go ahead."

He stood quickly, taking everyone, including me, off guard. "I was out there I saw what this guy did-he stayed strong while I turned into a panty-wearing chicken. No blabbing on and on like Gally. I wanna say my recommendation and be done with it."

"Good that," Newt said. "Tell us then."

Minho looked at Thomas. "I nominate this shank to replace me as Keeper of the Runners."