Hello again!

I know that this is sort of soon for an update, but I had some free time today and I wrote another chapter. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Maze Runner Trilogy.

I also wanted to thank HappinessMoreOrLess and SkyFire617 for their reviews. You don't know how much it means to me to see people reading my story!

P.S. The website is being sort of slow lately, so if you reviewed and I didn't mention you, I'm sorry and I'd like to thank you too!

- Plerfstacks :)

Chapter 8

After a couple days passed, Anna grew used to having a second-in-command. She decided not to let it bother her that she had a lot less work to distract herself with, and instead focused on making the most of the work she was doing. Anna worked hard all day building, planting, cleaning, and generally trying to improve life for the other Gladers. Newt toiled right along with her, and she was impressed at his ability to complete the harder tasks without complaint.

The days flew by with Newt's help, and Anna found herself spending more and more time with him—really anywhere that they could find a moment of privacy. The help that she was most thankful for, however, was discovered the day when they got a new Greenie—a particularly whiny kid called Mark. The second Anna pulled him out of the Box, she knew that she wanted nothing to do with the kid. He spent the first few minutes moaning about the fact that he couldn't remember anything, and while Anna was sympathetic, she couldn't help but remember all of the Greenies who hadn't complained. She was dreading giving him the Tour, but right then Newt stepped up and told the kid that he was going to show him around.

"But I thought she was in charge," Mark whined.

"Look here," Anna snapped. "He's in charge, too, and you better treat him like it." Newt glanced at her, mouthing, Thanks. He then practically dragged the protesting Greenie off to the Homestead. Anna wasn't sure whether to laugh or scowl at the sight of the kid griping at Newt as he shepherded him along, and Newt's harassed expression.

That night, Anna sat with Newt and Minho at dinner. Newt spoke in hushed tones about his torturous afternoon showing Mark the Glade, and Minho and Anna stifled their laughter.

"And ya know what," Newt went on, a small smirk on his face. "I think he might have a crush on you, Anna." Anna choked on her salad, coughing until Minho thumped her on the back. Gasping for air, she looked disbelievingly at Newt across the table.

"He what?" she cried. Newt had dissolved into spasms of laughter and didn't respond for a couple seconds. Anna drummed her fingers on the table.

"He spent the whole bloody time talking about how you should have been the one showing him around, and that I wasn't doing it well enough," Newt said finally. Anna exhaled loudly.

"He had better not try and pull anything," Anna muttered. Minho cleared his throat loudly.

"So…" he said, trailing off when he apparently couldn't think of anything to say. Anna recognized this as an attempt to change the subject, so she complied.

"How was running, Minho?" she asked.

"Fine, I guess," he said. "Didn't find anything. I made a trip to the Cliff, threw some stuff over the edge. Wasn't very exciting." Anna nodded.

"Okay," she replied. "Well, I'm off to bed. See you guys later." She stood up and walked off to the Homestead, where she picked her hair out of its braid, took her shoes off, and climbed into bed.

The next day, Anna helped Zart with harvesting the many crops that had been planted a few weeks ago. Newt worked with them, too, because they really did need all hands on deck. It was a big project. The Track-Hoes, Anna, and Newt worked for two and a half hours, and they had only gotten up about a third of the vegetables. Anna sat up, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. She looked around the Glade, really just as an excuse to be taking a break. Suddenly, she heard a very faint voice calling her name from a long distance away. She stood up, taking a step forward. Wondering if it was just her mind playing tricks on her due to all the heat beating down, she glanced around, trying to find who it was yelling for her. When she heard the voice again, she realized that it must really be somebody. Anna couldn't see anybody, however, and she was about to call back when she was struck with a horrible possibility. She set down her shovel and set off at a full sprint towards the Maze. As she got closer, it became obvious that the voice was coming from the West Doors, so Anna headed that way. When she arrived in front of the Doors, breathing hard, she glanced inside and was completely shocked to see Gally running towards her, pursued by a Griever. Anna's jaw dropped slightly as she froze.

"Anna!" Gally screamed, his voice hoarse. "Help me!" Anna realized with a jolt the situation that they were in, and she immediately ran into the Maze. She had no idea what she was doing. Who in their right mind runs full speed after a Griever? Anna put these thoughts aside as she reached Gally, spinning around and running beside him. She glanced backwards to see the Griever rear back with one of its blades, and she knew she only had a moment to act. Subconsciously letting out a yell, she shoved Gally aside and took the brunt of its blow, squeezing her eyes shut.

Anna didn't remember much of those few seconds. It had all happened so quickly, and she had acted purely on impulse, but the next thing Anna knew, she was curled on the ground in the fetal position, one hand clasped over the left side of her face. Somehow, she had rolled herself into the Glade, and a small crowd had already gathered around her and Gally. Wait, Anna thought suddenly. Where's Gally? She opened her right eye, the one that wasn't obscured by her hand or whatever that warm, sticky stuff was flowing down her face. She caught a glimpse of Gally's limp figure on the ground before her vision was blocked by a pair of feet stopping in front of her. It was a moment before Anna realized that she recognized those sneakers.

"Newt," she murmured thickly. He leaned down and brushed her matted hair out of her face.

"Shh," he whispered. "It'll be alright, love." Anna tried to reach up and take his hand, but her arms felt like they were made of lead. She turned her head slightly, and the painful throb that had been pulsing in her face for the past few moments doubled. She let out a soft whimper, letting her head roll back into its original position. Voices echoed around her, making Anna feel dizzy and disoriented. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms gently lifted her up bridal style and she looked up one-eyed at her rescuer. He glanced down at her, his blue eyes filled with concern.

"Newt, what's going—" she began, but he shook his head.

"Don't talk," he said. Anna obeyed him, as just those three words had drained her of energy and she felt dizzier than she had before. Instead, she leaned her head into Newt's shirt and allowed the gentle, uneven rocking of his steps to lull her into unconsciousness.

Anna opened her eyes, her head throbbing. She looked around, momentarily confused as to why she could only see out of one eye. Anna raised a hand to her face and realized that her left eye, along with the entire left side of her face, was completely bandaged. She sat up, swaying back and forth as she became lightheaded and sank back onto her pillow. Blinking away the stars swimming in front of her vision, she tried to comprehend the situation. Clint and Jeff must have put the bandage on her; there weren't any other Gladers who knew about this sort of thing. Anna abruptly remembered Gally. She wondered vaguely whether she had saved him, or if he had been killed and her attempt was all in vain.

The door opened, jolting her out of her thoughts. Clint walked in, shutting the door behind him. His eyes widened slightly when he saw that she was awake.

"Hey," he said. "Good to see you again." Anna smiled.

"What happened, Clint?" she asked croakily.

"You saved Gally's butt," he told her. "He ran into the shuck Maze for no reason and almost got killed by a Griever. You jumped in front of it, and the Griever cut you across the face with its knife. You were lying on the ground just outside the West Door; everyone thought you were dead. Newt was in a complete panic, shoving everyone away and running over to you, and when he realized that you weren't dead, he picked you up and brought you here. Jeff and I fixed you up as well as we could, and you were unconscious for three days."

Anna was silent for a moment.

"Whoa," she said finally. "I can't decide whether this is cool or the second-worst thing that ever happened to me."

Clint smiled knowingly, and Anna could tell from his expression that he knew exactly what the worst thing that ever happened to her was.

"I think it's both," he said. Anna nodded. Then she remembered the reason that this problem had started in the first place.

"Gally," she said. "What happened to him?" Clint frowned, like this was a touchy subject.

"Stung," Clint muttered. "The stupid slinthead ran right into the Maze. He's just lucky you showed up and saved his skin."

"He went through the Changing?" Anna asked. "While I was out?" Clint nodded.

"Yeah," he replied. "He was screaming something awful till this morning. He'll be fine in a couple days, but you know, it's not called the Changing for nothing." Anna shuddered.

"Oh!" she realized suddenly. "Can I see Newt?"

"Yeah," Clint responded, standing up. "I'll go get him."

Anna waited in her room for Clint to return with Newt, and she didn't have long to wait. Newt's familiar lilting footsteps mixed with Clint's even ones filled the hallway outside the room, and the door was flung open to reveal Newt standing there with a wide grin on his face.

"Anna!" he cried jovially. "You're okay!" Anna simultaneously laughed and winced.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm fine. I don't feel great, but I'm fine." Newt limped over to her bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. Anna reached over and grasped his hand, tracing her thumb over his knuckles.

"I'll just leave you two… um… alone," said Clint awkwardly, grabbing the doorknob and walking out. Anna and Newt sat in silence for a while, Anna relishing Newt's presence beside her.

"My God, Anna," Newt finally murmured. "You scared me half to death with that stunt you pulled." Anna frowned.

"I saved Gally's life," she reminded him.

"Oh," he said quickly. "I didn't mean it like that. I just… You were… Everyone thought you were dead. And I was so bloody scared."

Anna's frown turned immediately into a fond smile at Newt's confession.

"Newt," she said, feeling the need for apology. "I… I'm sorry for being so crazy—" Newt shook his head.

"No," he shushed her. "You did the right thing. I know I could never do what you did." Then a small smile appeared on his lips. "Actually, come to think about it, I probably physically couldn't. I'd trip." Anna gave a small laugh.

"You're right," she agreed, smirking. The two Gladers lapsed once more into silence, which hung for a few seconds before the door burst open.

"Minho!" Newt cried in surprise.

"Hey, peeps!" Minho said loudly. "Good to see you again, Anna." Anna grinned and waved.

"You're already back from running?" she asked. "Wait… What time is it?"

"About two hours after dinner," Newt supplied.

"You've been out forever," Minho told her. "It's been like three days."

"Last I checked, three days was not forever," Anna teased. "And I already knew that. Clint told me."

"Alright, then," Minho said.

"What other news do we have?" Anna asked. Newt and Minho looked at each other, apparently trying to think of some news.

"Well," Newt said. "I've been running the place for the past three days. The job is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I don't know how you did it for so many bloody months."

Anna laughed, realizing that this was truly the first time that Newt was experiencing single-handedly monitoring the Gladers for more than a couple hours.

"Maybe I'm just naturally talented," she suggested. Newt poked her in the ribs playfully and she laughed.

"Alright," Minho said, standing up. "I should get to bed soon. I, unlike some people, have to get up and work in the morning."

"Shut your hole, Minho," Newt said. Minho just snickered and left the room. Newt turned to her. "I really am doing work," he said defensively. Anna smiled consolingly.

"I know you are, love," she murmured fondly.