*🌶️spicy kissing scene 🌶️*
**viewer discretion is advised**

It took me a few days to feel well enough to get up. During the days Newt, Clint, Jeff, Frypan and Alby and whichever runner was off would rotate staying with me. In the evenings, Minho and Ben would come sit for a bit and then would leave when Gally came. He came and stayed the rest of the evening and the night.

He never pried for information about what I remembered. I didn't want to talk about it. It always made a wave of anxiety, fear and shame hit me like a punch to the gut, it made my breathing come in short gasps.

It usually happened at night, I would wake up from nightmares of a dark room, and a bright spot light shinning over me, I was strapped to a bed and the sounds of medical instruments could be heard pain exploding through my small body. Or being held in tanks of water, being poked prodded and being shocked by long sharp needles. Sitting at a computer screen with a few other kids, sitting beside someone, a boy, at a table in a bright room while someone marched in front of us, making us work.

Tonight was the worst one:

'Go! Go visit her! You need another reminder!"

I was walking down along a dark underground cave hall. It was dark cold and smelt like rotten meat. On each side of the tunnel there was a floor to roof fence with thick metal bars, behind this fence were wild screeching animals, but they looked more human than animals. They screamed and called. Some called for help, most lunging at the bars trying to hurt me.

There was one of these monster animal like humans at the end. She resembled a woman, but it had big open sores and long scratches over her body, some looked fresh while others looked scabbed and infected. Her hair was long, greasy and matted, chunks were missing, like she had ripped it from her own scalp. Big thick ropy greenish black veins all over its body. It was the eyes that made my heart freeze and my blood ran cold. The things eyes were wild and crazy, blood shot but dead and black.

What I didn't understand was that I was crying and calling for it. I sank to my knees, calling, crying and pleading. The thing had a heavy metal collar around its neck with a thick chain attached to the rough rock wall.

It screamed and nashed it's bloody teeth, black phlem and goo flying from its mouth but then it would start wailing and crying and calling "My babies! My babies are here!"

A hand of a boy grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the creator that called out for me to come back, but then would go crazy and try to lung and hurt me, being yanked back by the thick chain.

I woke screaming, with someone's arms around me trying to shush me. All I could hear though, was the wailing and the crying of that monster. All I could see was her wild dead eyes and rotting face.

"You're okay! Charlie, you're okay, it was just a dream!"

"No! No it wasn't!" I cried. Burying my face into Gally, "it was real!"

I felt him sigh. He sat up a bit more and pulled me into his lap, gently running his finger tips up and down my back. He let me cry, just holding me tightly.

I eventually got my tears and crying under control. I was sniffing and taking shuddering breaths.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked quietly, "I might be able to help."

I shrugged. My face still pressed into his muscular chest. He rested his chin on top of my head.

"It was kind of...a human. But it wasn't really. It was...awful. It looked like a half dead wild animal...chained to a wall."

I took a shuddering breath, and pressed my forehead harder into his chest. I felt a hand cup the back of my head.

"She was screaming and drooling like an animal, blood and this black stuff... But then she would start calling for me!"

Gally hummed quietly.

"Gally," I whispered, pulling away, and looking up at him with huge terrified eyes, "it was my mom!"

I could see the sadness in his eyes. I could see the heart break...and I could see his own fear and anxiety. He gulped and took a shuddering breath, and closed his own eyes. He gently pulled me back into his chest and wrapped me in his arms again.

"The changing...it gives us bits and pieces of our past. Nothing will ever make sense. And you won't ever forget, and you won't ever be the same...but I understand. I'll help any way I can. Okay, Charlie? I'll do my shuck best to be there for you." He said quietly.

"Did you remember something like that?" I whimpered.

"No...not like that." He said sadly.

I shifted myself so I was now facing him, my legs and arms wrapped around him, like a small child. He held me close for a while.

"Make it go away!" I whimpered.

"How?"

"I don't know!" I whispered.

He pulled away, and used his finger and thumb, catching chin between them. He pulled my head up and tilted it back slightly.

"I have an idea." His voice had dropped.

My breathing picked up, same with my heart beat. Pretty sure my stomach dropped a few feet. I could feel my face heating up.

He was looking at me like I was something worth looking at. I still had dried blood Jeff couldn't get off. I hadn't had the energy to shower yet, it had been a week and a half of being in bed. I looked and felt (and probably smelt) disgusting. But...that didn't seem to phase him.

He slowly and carefully leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. I instantly melted into him. He pulled back just enough and whispered, "is this okay?"

I pulled his head back and kissed him in answer. I wanted a distraction. And he was willing to give me that distraction. My stomach flip flopped again. I felt a warm tingling in the pit of my stomach and it moved outwardly.

His kiss deepened, forcing my mouth open. Slipping his tounge into my mouth I felt his chest rumble. His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer.

I was already sitting in his lap, facing him, I used my legs to pull myself even closer. His hand was lost in my hair and his other one slid down to my thigh and back up to my hip.

I had both hands pulling the back of his head closer. I slid them down to his jaw, holding him. He tried getting even closer, but I couldn't, there was no getting closer. I slid my hands down to the hem of his muscle shirt and slipped my hands under the hem. I felt his muscles tense. Slowly running my hands up his sides, feeling every inch of muscle. He tipped his head away, breaking the kiss, breathing wildly.

Instead I just went for his neck and shoulder. Running my hands up and down his bare skin. I felt my own heart racing. The hot tingling sensation was way more intense. Before I could think too much I pulled his shirt up. He helped remove it. We had to seperate enough to get it off. His golden tanned skin made my heart miss a beat, especially in the moonlight. Gally's large hands slid down my back to the hem of my shirt and slowly pulled it up. His eyes never leaving mine.

"Is..is this-"

"-ya-"

"-you sure?"

"Yes."

We both panted between the words that hardly made it out. Without any more talking he pulled it free. His hands were warm and callased. Making me shiver.

I leaned into his warmth, his arms around me again. His hands exploring my bare skin. I left small kisses on his chest, feeling his heart beat and wild breathing and the rumble of his chest. I worked back up to his neck.

"Charlie..." His whisper was rough.

His hands slid from my back down to my ass and lifted me slightly and pulled me even closer. Forcing my hips to his. It made me take a sharp inhale. And he smirked.

His hands tightened. And he did it again. I moved so I was now on my knees and he pulled me closer again while lifting me higher. My hands wove into his hair, and I gently pulled, forcing his head back. His eyes had closed and a moan escaped him when I pushed up against him and slowly slid down his torso, raking my fingers down his scalp.

"Shuck." He growled, "do it again."

With a smirk I did as he commanded. His moan was louder this time. Without warning he flipped me onto my back and he layed on top. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him closer, he propped himself up on one arm and his other exploded. Mine...roamed all over. Nails dragging over his bare back and arms.

He forced his tongue into my mouth to keep us both quiet.

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It was warm and I was comfortable, I felt the early morning sun trickling through the window. I finally woke up without feeling the burning exhaustion in my muscles. I felt Gally beside me. He was breathing evenly, meaning he was still asleep. I slowly blinked open my still exhausted eyes and watched him sleep. We both lay on our stomachs, faces only inches away. Has one arm was bent above his head, the other one was draped loosely over me. I had both arms bent and tucked in at my sides. I was quiet content to just lay there and watch him.

He really did look softer and gentler when he slept. His eyelashes brushing his cheeks, his wavy blond hair dishevelled in his face. His lips parted slightly breathing. His muscular back rising and falling. The way we were laying, our matching tattoos joined together. It was the first time I actually saw it. I slowly and carefully propped myself up onto my elbows and twisted my head to see his.

Last night was dark, and we were too busy. But now that the sun was peeking through the curtains I could see his in real life and not in a memory. His was the same as mine, but an arrow with the half face of a male lion. And when we lay down (or stood up, side my side) they lined up perfectly.

I lay back down and snuggled closer. Gally's arm automatically pulled me closer. I burried my face into him and let my still recovering body drift back to sleep.
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There was a loud bang and a door flew open. I was startled awake. I felt Gally's body jerk awake too.

"Alright you two! Time to get-"

The yelling and footsteps froze. My eyes flew open. And I felt my face going bright red. Gally's eyes met mine. But he looked quite amused and a smug look was plastered on his face.

"Can we help you, Admiral Alby?" Gally yawned.

He rolled over, so we was laying on his back, both arms behind his head. I pulled my arms in tighter, too scared to actually move more, praying Gally wasn't going to get up and have the blanket fall away. I buried my face into the pillow.

"Well, you're obviously feelin' a bloody lot better, hey Love?" Newt snickered.

"Huh. Took em long enough."

"Ben!" Jax scolded, but I could hear the amusement and his stiffled laugh.

"Shuck off." I muttered into the pillow.

Gally chuckled. And turned his head towards me.

"I guess I need to get up and go to work."

"Oh I'm sure you two worked hard last night!"

"Ben!" Jax scolded again, trying in vain to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"Yeah, worked on my endurance." Gally smirked.

"Gally! Shut up!" I finally turned my face out of the pillow to frown at him.

"Sorry Charlie." He whispered sheepishly, his face close to mine. But his eyes had a sparkle to them I hadn't seen in a long time. He looked genuinely happy.

"I'm not wearing clothes and there is a crowd of guys all staring at us still in bed. My entire back is exposed..a little help?" I whispered, scolding him.

He reached down and pulled the blanket higher, tucking it around me.

"Better?"

"Stop telling love bird secrets!" Ben called, throwing Gally's shirt at him.

Gally rolled his eyes. I peeked from my buried face. All the guys stood shoulder to shoulder, staring down at us from the middle of the room, all with matching smug smirks.

"Would you creeps stop peeping on my girl? Back out and let us get ready." Gally scolded, propping himself up on his elbows. All his muscles working as he did so. My face went pink again.

"Your girl, eh?" Newt raised an eyebrow.

My stomach twisted in the most wild way. I remember he used to call me that. My girl. Gally raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Huh, ya actually listened to my bloody advice."

"Ya, now out!" Gally bellowed, pointing towards the door.

The guys all rolled their eyes and left, chuckling and giggling. He turned back to me, laid down wrapping an arm around me and pulled me to his chest. He kissed my forehead. His chuckling died away and his face slid into a concerned one. His eyes searching my face.

"How are you feeling today? You have colour back in your face. And don't look so tired."

"Ya. I do. Still exhausted, but I'd like to go have a shower and eat some real food."

"Deal. I'll help you and come eat breakfast and then I gotta actually go work. I've slacked on my Keeper duties."

"I can sit and heckle." I smirked up at him.

"That would be too distracting. I'd want to sweep you away and find a quiet wall...and repeat last night."

My cheeks felt warm and my heart fluttered.

________________________

Gally jogged back to my room and grabbed some clean clothes for me Jeff, in the meantime gave me a quick check up and said I was good to leave. Gally came back and helped me get out of bed. I had shuffled around the MedHut a bit, but I never made it outside since The Changing.

I clung to Gally for support; physically and emotionally. I wasn't sure how the other Gladers were going to treat me now. And I don't know how they were going to twist Fred's death, despite most of them having seen it with their own eyes. But these Gladers seemed to not care about eye witness accounts and facts.

We slowly made our way to the showers. It wasn't far from one building to the next, but it was exhausting, my legs burnt and I felt winded and dizzy.

"Took me about a month to feel back to myself... physically." He said when I had to stop and lean on something.

"How...how did you do it?"

"With a lot of anger and resentment. Newt was actually the person I relied on the most."

I smiled. Newt seemed like that kinda guy to everyone around him. Helping them through, being the Glade cheerleader, phycologist, councillor, Glade Mother, and friend to everyone. He held this place together.

"I don't know if I feel angry...I just feel...empty." I finally said dully.

"Well that's because you don't have pancakes, bacon and coffee in you, your empty and waisting away."

Gally picked me up and carried me the rest of the way to the showers.

"If you need me I'll be here."

I nodded and closed the door. I turned the shower on and sat down. I was exhausted. I put my head in my hands and let the warm water run over me. It felt like I sat for a long time. Everything from that that awful Taking Day, when the Griever showed up to my last conscious memory...it was all a horrible nightmare. I hadn't really processed the fact that Fred died. Fred...my little brother...he was gone and in the most terrible way. There wasn't even a body to bury!

I hadn't realized it but I had been crying and hyperventilating and screaming. It wasn't until I felt a hand on my back and I screamed and scrambled back into the corner.

"Hey, it's just me!" Gally said gently, "what's wrong, baby?"

"Fred's gone!" I cried, a fresh wave of tears came. "Just gone. And I can't hold him or bury him! I couldn't even say good bye!"

I sobbed wrapping my arms around my knees, pulling them to my chest. Gally didn't seem to care about the fact he was soaked and we were in the shower. He pulled me into his lap and let me sob and finally grieve the death of a running partner, a friend and brother.

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**Okay...I hope it wasn't too...uh spicy**
**Gentle Gally is back!**
**And that knife is right in the middle of all my feels!**
🔪💔❤️‍🩹