A/N: The last two have been a bit shorter than the rest, I know, but its what I've got right now. More MaCxNewt should be on the way as well as new chapters for Pranking in the Glade and Hopefully In Paradise Or Not... maybe even Truth or Dare.

But may I just say I was sorely disappointed in the lack of reviews... Do you guys not like me anymore or what?

C'mon peeps, help me out here!

Anyways... Enjoy!

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Brenda led while Jorge took up the rear. Most of us had a hard time readjusting to the light, shielding our eyes and squinting as we walked, staying close to the wall, attempting to stay in the scant amount of shade.

I followed a few paces behind Brenda, moving along the walls of the building we'd just exited until we reached the back of it. There were steps that disappeared into the pavement. Sort of like a subway entrance, or something like that. Not that I actually remembered seeing one before.

She didn't hesitate, bounding down the stairs without so much as a glance behind me, though I did notice the knife was now gripped in her right hand. Tightly, only a few inches from the side of her body. Held at the ready, but stealthy enough not to stand out.

And so I followed, making sure the others were following.

Darkness engulfed us, a sort of welcoming coolness to it. I trailed after the sounds of her footsteps until we reached a small seemingly abnormally narrow doorway through which and orange glow leaked. She went inside, and I went after her, looking around at my surroundings with curiosity. It was a small room. Damp, which surprised me, and it was full of boxes and cans, a single light bulb dangling from the center of the cracked ceiling. There was no way we were all fitting in this place.

I looked to Thomas, who had been dogging my heels the whole way, about to voice my thoughts when Brenda spoke.

"You and the others can stay out in there in the hallway, find a wall and sit. I'll start bringing out some tasty delights for you in a sec."

Thomas nodded, though she wasn't looking and went back in the hallway, presumably to find a seat.

"I'll give you a hand with the food," I said, helping her to open up a few boxes of canned foods.

"Fine," she said, little to no feeling in her voice. Assumedly because I'd attacked her earlier…and punched her. Can't say I blamed her really. "Nice tackle, by the way… earlier, I mean."

I cracked a smile. "Thanks, though I doubt you're too bad at it yourself."

She smiled, though didn't look at me, staring down at her hands as she packed a bunch of the cans into a bag. "Heh, yeah…"

I smirked, deciding to toy with her bit. "So what are your intentions towards Tommy-boy, huh?"

She crinkled her eyebrows confusedly. "What?"

"Tommy," I repeated.

"Oh," She smiled.

I snorted, grabbing another bag and piling in a pile of the cans. "'Oh,' she says," I rolled my eyes.

"He's sweet," she told me with an almost impish grin.

"So I've heard," I said, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

She bit her lip, uncertainty crossing her features for a brief flash. "Well… what about you?"

"Me?" I questioned, not looking at her as I packed the cans into the bags.

"Yeah, you," she smirked, regaining her slight attitude.

"Well, what about me?"

"All those boys…" she smirked. I looked up with raised eyebrows and sighed. "Aha, so there is a boy. Please tell me it's not that guy whose throat I almost slit."

"I seem to recall tackling you before it got that far," I smirked.

She raised one eyebrow, a talent of which I was decidedly jealous. "So it is him."

I sighed, looking at her in exasperation. "No."

"It's the blonde one, isn't it?" she smirked. "The one who was all mad at you earlier… couldn't keep his eyes off you."

"He-" I began in confusion and the decided against it, shaking my head. "Come on," I said, avoiding the conversation and motioning for her to follow as I exited the doors to begin passing out the canned foods.

"Food!" I announced, exiting the room with Brenda. The boys looked up with bright eyes, mouths almost watering at the simple thought of it, real food. "Eat up," I said, handing them out. "But ya' know, not too fast. Wouldn't want a repeat of last time." I was referring to our time in the three-room prison where we'd starved and then ate ourselves sick. Familiar? Yeah.

"What's in it?" Frypan asked as I handed one to him.

"Uh… Brenda!" I called after finding the label was worded in Spanish.

"Yeah?" She called back to me.

"What's in this stuff?"

"Beans and sausage, I think," she told me over her shoulder.

"Yum," I commented lamely handing it over to Frypan. He grunted taking it with a muttered thanks.

I dropped the backpacks on the floor beside me as I sat down beside Newt after passing out the food. He'd almost finished his. "I got more if you want," I told him. "The others got two."

"Thanks," he said quietly.

"You alright?" I questioned, opening up a can of my own.

"Fine," he said shortly.

"Obviously not," I muttered, pushing myself up into a kneeling position and looking at him. "Spit it out." Smooth right?

He rolled his eyes, no looking at me. I raised an eyebrow, I'd wait here for as long as it took, and he knew it. There really was no point in prolonging it. He'd spill his guts eventually, so it was easier for the both of us if he just said it now. He sighed, running a hand through his hair before looking at me.

"Are you insane?" he asked, emphasis on insane.

"Well according to Rat-Man we're all on the fast track to crazy town so I-"

"MaC," he cut me off, sounding completely serious and not amused in the least.

I stopped, looking at him, eyes boring into mine.

"They could've killed you."

"She could've killed Minho," I shot back.

He opened his mouth to say something, something angry by the way his face contorted, but then he stopped, sighing instead. "Fine, fine, just… be careful with these people…" his voice was low, quiet… almost resigned. "Please… This ain't like the Maze, you…" He shook his head. "Just be careful."

I nodded, sitting back down and leaning against him. "I'll try…"

He shook his head, "Promise me, you'll look out for yourself. No heroics. Stay alive."

He looked… worried, almost scared. For me? Did he really care that much… I mean, I loved him. I did. I cared for him with every fiber of my being and if it'd been him Brenda'd been threatening I'm not ashamed to say I might've killed her. But it wasn't. He was safe… ish. For now. But what if I got hurt, or… or I… died or something. What then? He couldn't just give up. He has so much to offer… he… this train of thought was doing nothing for me, I realized and so I shook my head and nodded at him. "I promise… so long as you do the same."

He nodded, but didn't smile. I found that his grin was becoming increasingly rare and I didn't quite know what to do about it.

Smiling sadly, I moved closer to him, our shoulders against one another as we ate. He cracked a small smile, light returning to his face. In that moment it took everything I had not to kiss him, to grab the hem of his shirt collar and pull him towards, pressing my lips to his. But I didn't, the others were around and watching and we didn't like to make a show. Even if all I could think about was the feelin of his shin against mine. And so I moved mover closer, our sides pressed against one another, just for the feel of it, the reassurance that the other was there. Sometimes, I realized, sometimes just having each other was enough.

But really… that food…

It really hit the spot. Even if it was brown and mushy and a bit cold really. Well, now that I actually set about describing it, it sounded a lot less appetizing, but I was hungry. Starving, really. Hell, I would've ate a horse at this point. Maybe a dog…just- never mind. That wasn't a pleasant train of thought. Pretty nasty actually.

And then there was this huge crash exploded from down the hall from the stairs we'd used to reach this little stash. It was horribly loud. The sound of a crumpling, crackling structure just about to fall apart. Cement breaking, cracking, metal tearing itself apart. A cloud of dust fogged towards us, making it impossible to see anything at a distance.

Newt wrenched me to my feet, his hand clasped around mine as we made a break for the stairs, turning down a branching hallway that I hadn't noticed before. I hoped the others had.

Coughing and breathing loudly the lot of us raced down the hallway and up the flight of stairs into the city streets. Newt and I were some of the first, two Gladers having got out before us, moving to the side, but sticking close to the wall in the slight shade. The others piled out after us, Jorge bringing up the rear, yelling for them to move their butts.

I counted them off as they came up, but only reached eleven Gladers. We were missing someone. "Hey!" I shouted a bit louder than I should've, silencing the others. "We're missing someone."

They all started looking around at one another with furrowed eyebrows searching each other's faces, trying to place out lost member. Minho was here, Clint, Dean, Newt, Frypan, Peter, Vans, Hank, Milo… Tommy. Where was Tommy? "Tommy," I breathed.

Newt stared at me.

"And where the Hell is Brenda?" Jorge yelled out grumpily.

"They were a little farther down the hallway…" somebody said quietly. "You think-"

"No," Jorge cut him off sternly. "Brenda knows where she is. Probably taking Thomas through the underground."

"The what?" Minho asked.

"The underground," Jorge repeated, giving Minho a particularly fed-up look. "Tunnels under the city. She'll meet up with us eventually." He said assuredly. "We head towards the mountains."

I raised my eyebrows at that last remark. "Who died and made him leader?" I muttered.

"He's the only one who knows who to get around this place," Newt whispered. "We need him to get us outta the city."

"Yeah?" I said, looking over at Minho whose jaw was clenched and hands formed into fists by his side. "Tell that to Minho."

"Min-" Newt sighed halfway through, "Go talk to him. I'll make sure the others don't do anything stupid."

"Aye, aye, Captain," I said with a mock salute to which he rolled his eyes, the half-smile I was used to receiving falling a bit flatter than usual. I purposely bumped into Minho's shoulder just as he opened his mouth. Looking down at me in surprise his mouth closed and he glared slightly.

"Come on," I sighed, "He knows how to get around in this place."

He didn't say anything.

I sighed again, rolling my eyes at his stubbornness. "Just deal with him until we're out of the city, okay?"

He exhaled loudly. I took that as a 'fine'. "What about Thomas?"

"Brenda was sitting with him when that explosion hit. She seemed capable… plus she's a bit sweet on him. She'll get him outta the city." I said reassuringly. And for once, I believed it. Tommy'd be okay. Brenda'd take care of him.

He didn't look convinced but didn't say a word against me.