The group of brave Gladers stood motionless as Thomas Minho and I crept forwards. Minho and I were still cautious.

"You guys coming?" Thomas asked, over his shoulder.

"Well considering the last time we checked out a dead Griever...it wasn't exactly dead." Minho snarked.

"And I don't fancy playing another round of tag..." I rolled my eyes, and subconsciously placed my hand over my stitches. 

"Oh..yeah..." Thomas gave us a sheepish smile. 

Minho glanced at me and raised his eyebrows. I shrugged and together we stepped up beside Thomas, the three of us stood shoulder to shoulder. 

"Well...I guess it's time we find out what we're up against..." I said trying to sound more confident then I felt. My stomach was twisting into knots, and I felt warmer. But I took a deep breath and inched closer to the thing. 

Thomas ever the eager one followed without hesitation. The other guys backed in behind. It was defiantly not going anywhere, even if it wasn't dead. It was squished pretty solidly between the heavy stone walls. 

"That's disgusting." Frypan shuddered, wrinkling his nose.

"Whoa...what's that? Some Griever guts there?" Winston asked.

We all turned, Winston said pointing to a dark spot on the stone. On the dark grey stone was a spot of dark brown, close to the wall, on the other side of the hall. My face paled. It was dried blood. My blood. 

"No, that's where Tiger just about bleed to death after taking out the Griever." Minho said flatly. 

"The actual shuck?" Vinny asked, his eyes wide, he turned back to me. "That's all yours?" 

I could feel my face going slightly pink. And I shrugged. 

"Jeez Charlie. You're a beast!" Vinny whispered in amazement.

"Wait..you should be resting! How are you still functioning if you lost that much? Shuck Charlie!"  Frypan fretted,  throwing his hands into the air, coming over to me. His hands on my shoulders, his big carrying eyes searching my face. 

"I'm fine Fry. I promise. I mean I could use a nap, but..." I gave him a small smile. 

Lier

I turned away from Fry and turned to the smooshed Griever in the way, pretending to be interested in it, I stepped away from the other guys. 

I'm fine Tommy...enough to be here.

Lier lier. You do know we're connected, and I know when your lying to me.

I could feel his eye roll. I mentally sighed. I knew he was right.

Fine. No, Tommy. 

I gave up, sagging mentally. I could feel Thomas waiting, his presence made me feel safe. I could feel the care and worry. I glanced at him, he was also inspecting the Griever, but his eyes flicked to mine, and I could see the worry and concern, the care and love. I just about flopped to the floor and cried.

No, your right, I'm fare from fine. So far from it. 

I turned my head back to the griever. But continued our conversation. This was weird, being able to talk to him like this, but I was glad no one else could hear our conversation. I hadn't opened up to anyone this much, not even Newt. Gally knew... but I couldn't complain or worry about Gally to Gally. So I opened and exploded everything onto Thomas. 

I'm not okay. I feel like klunk physically. Not just from our adventure the other night, but that's a huge part of it. I never really got full proper time to recover from being smacked around in the maze when Ben was stung...physically and emotionally hurting from loosing Bean. Emotionally I feel empty. I'm doing my best to hold it together. Trying to process the deaths of so many in such a short time. And the other night was...I have no words, I've never been that exhausted and scared for so long!  And also trying to help Gally through his mental low right now- yesterday was an.. awful day! 

Lets work on the Gally thing right now; I mean he was obviously ticked in the meeting...but I'm guessing there is more to this?

Yeah. The maze and Grievers and The Changing are big triggers for his anxiety and PTSD. I left the Gathering and he was in the middle of the biggest episode yet- and I've been here for a year. Tommy it was terrible. And I feel guilty for coming back out here without telling him. And-

I had to use the heels of my hands to wipe the tears that started to fall. I couldn't be crying in the Maze. This was no place or time for tears. 

It's okay Charlie. 

He interrupted my verbal vomit. But he wasn't rude, I could feel the gentleness and his genuine worry and care. Even though he knew Gally didn't like him, and Thomas wasn't a big fan of Gally, he cared enough about me to listen and help, without judgment. 

I think I get it. You want to find answers and get out of this hell, but to do that you need to be out here, but that means possibly causing issues with him and between you two, because he doesn't fully understand... his own issues are making it hard to understand your point of view. I think you both want the same things; to be safe and to be together, to have a home, that whole thing. But you two have different ways of getting them and wanting them. I know you love him...but you know this isn't a home, this isn't where we belong. 

I felt We had only actually really known each other for a few days, and yet...I had more of an emotional connection with him then anyone else. It was very different from the connection I had with Gally. I loved Gally, with everything in me.

But. I also realized I loved Thomas.

I felt him humming gently in my mind. I took a shuddering breath, trying to get my self back in control after that realization. 

We should probably deal with this thing, we can talk more on our way back. 

Okay. Thank you Tommy.

Anytime. I'm always here for you Sparky.

Vinny, Fry and Winston were still standing on the other side of the hall, extremally hesitant to get closer. Minho was crouched down in front of the thing. Thomas had stepped closer to the wall. I followed his lead, narrowing my eyes, trying to see past the greenish jelly skin to the machine parts inside. 

"Hey! Guys!" Thomas cried excitedly, he was pointing at something, "There's something in there!" 

"You mean, besides a pancake?"

I had followed his finger, where he was pointing. I saw the thing he meant. I saw something glowing. 

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Frypan cried, rushing forward. 

Thomas had tried to reach in the crack in the wall and under the Griever, but he was too tall and too big. 

"Hey, Sparky, think you could reach it?" He asked, looking over his shoulder.

I came around, carefully stepping over the sharp leg, I glanced down, noticing dried blood on the tip. My blood. I took a steading breath, shaking my head, trying to focus. Thomas stepped out of the way, pointing to where he was trying to reach. I turned sideways and stepped closer. My face was inches from the Grievers razor sharp teeth. The mouth was hinged open, the things eyes were like burnt out lightbulbs. I scrunched my face up and turned away and shoved my head further in, breaking the jelly like skin. 

The feeling was awful, breaking the blooby skin, it was cool to the touch and slimy. I dry heaved. 

"This is disgusting!" I whined, trying not to actually throw up. I pushed deeper into the gloop and slime. 

"Be carful!" Vinny cautioned.

"Yeah. I'd rather not bring Gally back a box of chopped up pieces of Tiger." Minho sassed. 

I rolled my eyes. My fingers brushed something solid. My eyes snapped open, and then furrowed my eyebrows. I reached my fingers further, trying to touch the thing, or grab onto it. I felt a thin cord of some kind; a wire perhaps. I looped a finger and tried pulling it.

"Whoa!" Minho yelled, and lunged forwards, pushing me away at the same time Thomas screamed, "Charlie!" and yanked me backwards. Both boys and myself ended up in a heap of limps and bodies. 

The Griever's leg had moved in a wild flail. The razor sharp teeth slammed shut with a weird scream grinding noise, like a dying engine.  

"I thought you said it was dead?!" Winston yelped. 

"Was it a reflex?" Vinny asked.

"You hope." Frypan nodded, crossing his arms. 

"Must be. I pulled on a cord!" I said, still laying on the ground, "Minho! Get off!" I tried shoving him off with a grunt. He just sprawled more.

"If you don't get the shuck off me, I'm using Griever goop on your hair!" I threatened, and held my disgusting hand over his face. 

"You wouldn't dare!" He yelped and flinched away.

"Try me shuck face." 

"Okay, come on." Thomas cut in. 

Minho had scrambled off me. Thomas held out a hand, but I ignored it and got gingerly to my feet, stitches were so uncomfortable. Thomas rolled his eyes and turned back to the Griever, with a frown on his face.

"You have an idea." I stated, I could see the wheels turning, it was the same face he made the other night when he was trying to figure out how to get Alby up the wall. He just nodded.

"Okay. Here, come here! Let's try and pull it out. Everyone get a hand on it. Come on." 

He stepped up to the leg, and grabbed hold of it. Minho looked at me, the other guys were sharing glances. I shrugged and stepped up, across from Thomas, right at the front. The others all followed suit.

"All right, ready?" Minho called, glancing over his shoulder.

"On three." I said.

"One, two, three!" Thomas called. 

We all pulled. We all fell backwards as the leg ripped out of the body with the most disgusting wet ripping noise. Because I was right at the front, Griever guts and goop came spilling out all over me. I turned over and puked. It was disgusting. It smelled like motor oil, burnt rubber, burnt hair and sterilizer.

"Are you okay, Fry?" Minho asked, holding a hand out, helping him up. 

"Yeah. Thanks, brother."

"Charlie? You okay?" Thomas and Vinny had squatted down beside me, as I tried to wipe my mouth, but my hands were covered in the goop. He tried to help me up, but I winced as my wet slim covered shirt stuck to to the stitches and pulled.

"Yeah." I said weakly, "It's just disgusting." 

"That it is." Vinny agreed and helped me up.

Thomas was squatting down in the midst of the guts that fell onto the floor. 

"What the hell is that?" Minho asked, pointing, coming to squat down beside Thomas. 

"Interesting." was all he said, his face pulled into a deep frown. 

I watched as he reached out and picked up a greyish organ, but sticking out was some kind of metal cylinder. He grabbed hold and pulled it, with another gross wet ripping noise he pulled it free. Wires were dangling from the end, and tendons and what looked like veins and muscle threads were dangling from the biological organ. It really was a Biomechanical monster. 

Thomas turned it over inspecting it. I walked up beside Thomas, peeking over his shoulder. while also trying to keep my slime covered shirt away from the stitches still. It kept pulling.

 There was a green light flashing. He handed it to me, and I turned it over in my hands. The green light was a flashing number seven. Frowning, I turned it some more. I used the hem of my already gross shirt to wipe some slim off. I gasped. Both boys leaned closer. 

"Look! Here." I said, using my thumb to show them. Carved into the metal cylinder right under the flashing under were letters all in capital letters, with dotes in between. 

W.I.C.K.E.D 

The three of us frowned at each other.

I recognize those letters...

Well, they are painted on the Beatle blades that scurry around everywhere, and on our supplies...

THE CREATORS

THE CREATORS

We yelped at the same time. 

"Okay, whatever it is...can we take this up back at the Glade?" Winston asked. He had stayed back, looking around nervously. 

"Yeah, I don't really want to meet this guy's friends." Frypan added, also now looking around nervously. 

"He's right. It's getting late." Minho nodded, looking down at his watch and up to the sky, trying to figure out where the sun was. 

"Come on." I sighed, I was not really looking forward to our welcome party. I nodded towards the end of the hall. I handed the cylinder to Thomas, who slid it into his runners pack. We started to jog back to the Glad. I had to pause a few times to readjust the shirt. It was trying to dry and it was making running miserable because it pulled. Halfway back we took a quick water break for the non runners. I finally gave up, I pulled off my t shirt, leaving me in just a sports bra. I tried to inspect them, but I couldn't twist. I winced and leaned against the wall. 

Thomas handed me some water- I didn't have a backpack anymore, lost somewhere in the maze. I used some of it the clean off the goop from the stitches. They were looking a little red and irritated. 

"Well. That was actually worth while!" Minho huffed. 

I nodded. 

"Hey, Min, toss me your med supplies." Thomas called, he was frowning at my side. 

While the non runners caught their breath, and had some water, Thomas and Minho helped clean off the goop and wrap the now cleaned stitches. 

"Thanks guys." I said quietly. 

They both nodded. Minho shoved the med supplies and my gross shirt back into his bag, when I shook my head when he offered it back to me. I didn't say much, my stomach was starting to twist. And my lungs were starting to hurt, not from running, but from the unknown of what I was coming back to. Would Gally notice? What was I thinking? Of course he would notice. But how mad would he be? My hands were starting to shake. 

You'll be okay, Sparky. 

I...I don't know Tommy. I have...I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like I crossed some kind of line in his mind. 

He wouldn't actually hurt though, right?

His voice was sharp and full of immediate concern.

No. No he wouldn't. Not me. 

Well, if he really does love you, he'll listen to your point of view, and try to understand, like you did yesterday in the gathering. 

I just hummed, still unsure. We made it to the last corner. I took one last deep breath and we took the corner and jogged down the home stretch, we had made it back with a full hour and a half before the doors closed. 

Waiting at the entrance of the maze was a worried looking Newt, chewing what little he had left of his thumb nail, a sheepish looking Chuck bouncing on his toes. Standing slightly behind them was a stone cold stiff Gally. His steel blue eyes full of a blazing white hot anger. They were glued to me, like a tracker beam, pulling me into him. 

Shuck. 

Remember, Sparky, he loves you...

I hope he still does.

_____________________________________________________________________________

**Some cute Tommy and Charlie moments**

**Uh oh...Did Charlie cross a line?**