Ada woke in a whirl of panic. For the first time in a long while, she had a nightmare.

They were always either about the Grievers, Gally and Chuck dying, or the Cranks. This time, it was about Newt turning into a Crank.

Slipping out of bed, Ada was careful to try and not wake Brenda, who was sleeping soundly beside her. It was pretty easy not to, the girl seemed to sleep through absolutely anything.

Leaving the room, Ada decided she'd go for a quick walk and then return to bed. That's what always seemed to help with the nightmares. She was certain this one would be a little harder to forget about, considering it was very likely to come true, but she was also sure that a short wander would clear her mind.

Thomas was firm about getting a cure for Newt, but in the current moment, it didn't seem possible. If WCKD were anywhere close to finding a cure for the Flare, they'd be waving it around in celebration and triumph. 

Instead, as Newt told Ada when he returned with Gally and Thomas from snooping, WCKD was gloomy. Teresa looked troubled and it didn't look like there was hope for anyone. Not even for themselves, like Ada knew Janson and Ava Paige really wanted.

Ada could vaguely remember the way down to the room they had met Lawrence in the day before. What she could remember most about the room, however, was the roses.

Lawrence had been tending to a beautiful rose bush, the flowers growing from it a vivid pink. Despite the man's fascination with the flowers, he didn't seem to tend to them as much as he should, since a few of them were wilting.

Ada was confirmed of this fact when she reached the rose bush. It was still beautiful whilst silhouetted in the dark, only visible because of the shards of moonlight cutting through the windows and spotlighting parts of the rich greenery. 

The girl found herself mesmerised then, wondering if she would've become a Gardener in the Glade had they had the same flowers back there. All they had were a few wild daisies, straggling to grow in the restricted sunlight, mostly crushed by the many footsteps imprinted on them throughout the days.

And then she found herself jolting from this thought, thinking she could hear a set of footsteps outside the room and growing closer. As she froze, she couldn't help but find herself to be reminded of the game hide and seek.

Back in the Glade, they played hide and seek constantly.

Ada was always the worst at hiding, and she knew it too. She always used the excuse of being the newest to the Glade, therefore she didn't know the best spots, but no one listened. 

Especially as everyone knew she was the worst because she always managed to make an abnormally large amount of noise when she was hiding. Whether it was something she had knocked over, or there was dust in the air causing her to sneeze, she always managed to get herself caught first.

She was determined that this time was going to be different.

The usual group playing consisted of herself, Gally, Frypan and Newt. This time, the people playing extended to Chuck and Winston also.

Gally was seeking, meaning that Ada had a specific motivation to not be caught first. She wanted to be able to smirk at the boy in triumph, and see the adorable look of sulkiness on his own face.

She was adamant that she had the best spot. She was crouched in a tiny spot in the Med-jack's room, where two cupboards had been shoved against the wall with a small space between them that someone small could crawl into.

Clint and Jeff were watching her in amusement every so often, bandaging up a Slicer with a bad wound to his hand. She trusted the pair to keep her location quiet, especially as they would want to see Gally get moody at her exceeding his expectations.

A set of footsteps entered the room and Ada found herself holding her breath, shrinking further back into the space so she could only see people's shoes. She recognised the pair as Gally's and felt a wave of panic pass through her at the prospect of being caught.

"How's the game going?" Jeff asked nonchalantly.

It was normal for Gladers around the place to ask this. Their games of hide and seek had become famously competitive, even with those not taking part being invested in who would win.

"Caught Fry already; hiding in the kitchen. Super predictable." Gally answered breezily, and Ada could see where he was leaning against the doorframe. 

"So Ada didn't get caught first?" Clint wondered, trying to remain casual, despite his excitement for the girl.

"Nope." Gally replied, before turning on his tail.

When Ada was sure that Gally had left, she let out a surprised laugh. "I didn't lose?" She asked the boys to confirm, who both looked up at her in alarm.

"Aha!" Gally jumped back into the room then, looking far too big for his boots.

Ada had crawled forwards in her spot, instantly coming into view of the boy, and so she groaned at the realisation she had been caught. Gally swept towards her, grabbing her hand and pulling her up to her feet so they were standing face to face.

He hadn't let go of her hand yet, and there was a red flush making its way onto his cheeks as he grinned down at her. "I knew I could trick you."

Her face fell then as a suspicion crept up in her stomach. "Trick me?" She asked suspiciously, to which Gally smirked.

"I knew you were hiding in here, and if I said you hadn't been caught first, you'd obviously have to tell these shanks how pleased you were.

Clint and Jeff rolled their eyes simultaneously as the Slicer they were helping just chuckled at the interaction. Ada's jaw slacked and she hit the boy playfully on the arm.

"I hate you Gally!"

"No you don't!"

He swept down then, to chuck her over his shoulder. Immediately, she squealed at the gesture, feeling flustered as Gally marched her out of the hut and out onto the grass. Smacking him on the back - which was surprisingly hard to do whilst upside down - she only made Gally laugh harder.

She gave up then, collapsing into laughter herself as Gally broke into a jog and whirled her around the grass. She couldn't care less about losing the game.

Ada realised how much she missed those moments. It seems that she missed it more so now that she knew Gally was still alive. 

She jogged back up the stairs to leave the room, moving away from where she thought she heard footsteps. In the dark, it was hard to make out the way she came from, but she was sure that she went the right way.

She didn't.

Thinking it was her own room, Ada opened the door to reveal an empty bedroom. Only one bed laid inside, in the middle of the room and shoved up against the opposite wall. The covers were rumpled and had been thrown forwards, as if someone had just gotten out of bed.

"What are you doing?"

A low voice startled her from behind, and she narrowly avoided yelping in shock as she was met with Gally's face. The boy was clearly barely awake, his eyes blinking heavily and his mouth stifling a yawn. He was also only wearing a pair of shorts.

Ada stopped her eyes from flickering from his face to his chest, feeling herself beginning to fidget on the spot out of nervousness. How was she supposed to explain to Gally that it was really only accidental that she wound up in his room? Sure, they had made up, but not to the point of where they could return to the relationship they had in the Glade.

Friendship, Ada corrected mentally. They were only ever friends. 

"I-" She stumbled over her words, looking up at him fearfully.

"Come in."

As Gally came to move past her, his chest came better into view. And with it, his scar. Of course, Minho spearing him didn't kill him, but it left a mark. Over the left side of his chest was a patch of discoloured skin, and a jagged red scar from where the spear had obviously pierced his skin.

He moved past her, stopping by the door and his hand lingering over the handle to close it behind her. She stepped into the room, letting him shut the door, and finding them left in darkness.

"Hang on, let me turn on a light."

She heard him say, having to stifle a laugh as he audibly stumbled around the room with some difficulty due to the lack of visibility. Finally, he switched on a lamp that was sat on his bedside table, and they were given some yellow-toned low lighting to see each other.

Gally shifted awkwardly on the spot, just watching her for a moment, before muttering incoherently and settling himself on the bed. She just stared at him with a blank expression, although her heart thudded hard in her chest. Then he motioned for her to sit down too.

Ada perched beside him, on the edge of the bed, not wanting to sit too close and overstep. Gally's room was a lot like what it was back in the Glade. It had the same aura of simplicity, although this room was more roomy, and despite Gally being a good Builder; it was a lot more stable.

"I missed you." She blurted out.

She wanted Gally's face after she spoke to be imprinted in her mind forever. His eyes were wide in hope and awe and something unknown to her. And he felt ecstatic. In fact, he had never wanted anyone to say those words more than he wanted her to.

She took his pleased expression as a chance to shuffle further onto the bed, slipping her legs under his blanket. Without a thought, he chucked the blanket over both their laps, watching her intently as though she had more to say.

She didn't. But now he expected her to say more, she wanted to. 

She did have so much to say to Gally. Everything they had done since leaving him, everyone they met, every loss they encountered. She had so many unspoken feelings towards him, threatening to make themselves known. 

"I grieved you." 

Of course, she had told him this already, when she was first made aware of the fact he was still alive. But she hadn't really told him. 

Ada hadn't explained the tears, the sleep deprived nights, and the spurts of anger she took out on everyone else. She didn't want to go into detail about this though. She didn't want to put that burden on him, or make it feel like it was his fault.

"It's- it's incredible to see you, now, seriously."

His lips formed a small knowing smile, and Ada's heart burst at the smirk that told her he felt the same way about her.

"I just wish I hadn't gone through all that pain before finding you again."

He let his smirk fall, and then his face settled in a troubled expression, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. He shifted ever so slightly closer, his knee grazing against hers and resting comfortably against her leg.

"I tried to trace you, you know." 

Her eyebrows shot up in shock and her jaw slacked. How could she have possibly known that he'd want to find her that badly? He chuckled softly before saying,

"You guys were completely unpredictable."

She laughed too then, thinking about how the time spent in the Scorch was completely chaotic and disorganised. How could anyone track them when they had no idea where they were going?

"I heard about the fight between WCKD and the Right Arm, but no names were mentioned. They're super secretive."

Gally hesitated then, eyes flickering over her face nervously. It was clear he was debating whether to say something else. Ada was really glad when he did.

"I couldn't help but wonder if you were there. In the fight."

She felt her heart leap out of her chest at the vulnerable look in Gally's eyes. Nodding slightly, she confirmed his suspicions, although it was obvious already.

"It's when Minho got taken." She told him, and he nodded thoughtfully.

Despite what Minho did to him, Gally looked downcast for it. Ada always forgot how long the boys had really known each other before she arrived, but of course, they had been friends for years. Even if they didn't always get along.

"Earlier, we were talking and stuff, and I-" Gally rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before continuing. "I wanted to apologise, but I chickened out. So, I'm sorry."

She tilted her head to the side, a little confused as to why he needed to, but considering apologies came rarely from Gally she wasn't complaining.

"I messed up in the Glade. Thomas, he scared me. He threatened to change everything I knew about the Glade, and myself, and I was a coward. I was a complete slinthead, to everyone. I got so caught up in surviving that I forgot to live."

Gally cursed under his breath when he realised she was looking at her hands instead of at him when his gaze flickered down to her lips suggestively. His cheeks burned up red at her lack of response.

"And Chuck,"

At the mention of the young boy's name, Ada's eyes shot back up to Gally's face. She could tell from his strained voice that he was close to tears.

"He- uh he kinda haunts me." Gally laughed harshly, as though it would stop him from crying. "I think about what happened every day. What might have happened if I didn't- you know. If he would've been here."

Subconsciously, Ada had been gravitating closer towards him, and now she found herself close enough to reach out for his hand. She could see every freckle on his face, every small imperfection that she found perfect, and every time his lower lip trembled softly. She chose not to interrupt, but to watch him with a reassuring expression. 

"I guess he's what's made me become, I dunno, nicer? I think I always could've been, but..." He shrugged, trailing off, and watching her face expectantly as if needing her to speak to fill the silence he left.

"I think Chuck impacted all of us positively." She suggested, thinking of the way the small boy imprinted on all of their decisions. "And as much as I appreciate your apology for everything that happened, I think you should apologise to Thomas."

The Gally back in the Glade when Thomas arrived would've burst out into a fit of anger. This Gally simply just nodded; he agreed.

"You're right." He admitted, and a soft chuckle passed Ada's lips.

"Of course I am."

She shifted then, so she was almost lying down. Gally looked down at her, confused for a moment, before moving to do the same. The girl took the chance to nestle her head in the crook of his shoulder, sliding her hand to rest on his chest. After a moment of silent panic, Gally snaked his arm behind the girl to rest it around her shoulders and pull her closer towards him.

And just like the old times in the Glade, they fell asleep together.