Alex was leaning on the table with the little model maze, inside the weapons room, playing with her knife, flipping it and catching it, with Bark laying by her feet. She watched Minho explain how the maze worked with Thomas. Alex shook her head with a small smile, Thomas wouldn't stop asking questions. Which was making this take extra long.

"Take a look at this. About a year ago, we started exploring these outer sections. With numbers printed on the walls. Sections 1 through 8. See, the way it works, is at night, when the maze changes...it opens up a new section. So today, Section 6 was open. Tomorrow, it will be 4, then 8, then 3. The pattern is always the same." Minho was a surprising patient teacher. Answering all of Thomas's questions.

"What's so special about 7?" Thomas asked for the hundredth time.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "But..." he said slowly , thinking "when you killed that Griever...Section 7 was open." Minho answered, running his hand through his hair.

Shuck it, he's hot when he does that.

"That's why we are going to go check it out again," Alex said, ripping her eyes away from Minho.

Clint came bursting through the door.

"Hey! What are you doing? You're not allowed in here!" Minho yelled, stepping in front of the structure.

"Sorry, it's just the...uhh. It's the new girl." Clint panted, he must have run from the Med Room.

"Is she awake?" Alex asked, as she pushed off the table, she was excited and nervous...

"You could say that." He said nervously.

"Well, what are we waiting for, lead the way!" Alex said, rushing out the door. As they exited the map room, she could hear commotion on the other side of the Glade. She spied a group of Gladers huddled around a tree.

"Is that...the lookout tower?" Minho asked.

Clint nodded, Minho caught Alex's eye, she smirked and they both raced off to see what was going on.

"Hey Chuckles, what's going on?" Alex called as they got closer to the ruckus.

Chuck turned and pointed up the tree, laughing hard. "Girls are awesome!"

Alex looked up and saw something being thrown over the edge towards the boys and a light breathy voice yelling.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Newt ducked, "Watch your head!"

Fry was standing under a piece of discarded board, he peeked out from under it and hollord "We just want to talk!"

Another rock came flying in his direction.

"THROW ONE MORE THING-" Gally screamed at the girl, he stopped yelling when a rock hit him in the head. Alex couldn't help it anymore and she doubled over laughing!

Girls are shucken awesome!

Newt turned to look at her "I don't think she likes us very much." Amusement in his eyes

"GO AWAY! I'M WARNING YOU!" the girl yelled again and threw a few more rocks at the Gladers on the ground.

I should probably do something. This poor girl... I remembered my first day seeing all the guys..

She took a step forward, but Minho had grabbed her arm pulling her back.

"Be safe!" he kissed her forehead quickly "I trust you just don't sass her too much."

She smiled, "Min, if I can take down Gally, and you...I can take on that tiny little pipsqueak up there. She's terrified. I get it, she won't listen to you shanks, she'll listen to me."

"Oh I know you can. I'm not worried about you do much as I'm worried about that poor girl up there. Be nice." He laughed.

Alex gasped, "Please. I'm always nice!"

Minho just snorted, then kissed her again, "Go do your thing. If you need anything, I'll be here."

She kissed him quick. She loved that Minho was always there to support her. He helped her instead of doing it for her. Minho trusted her, and knew she was capable. She loved that about him. He knew she was independent, but always there if and when she needed him.

She turned back to the tree and yelled, "HEY! IT'S ALEX! IT'S ALEX!"

The flying debris stopped. It was quiet for a second, and then a head with black raven hair peeked over. Alex waved her hand and gave her a smile.

"I'm going to come up, okay?' she called.

She turned to the boys "ONLY me." And she gave Gally a very pointed look.

She marched over to the ladder and climbed up, as she got to the top she slowed and cautiously pulled her body up into the platform. Alex turned and there was a machete blade pointed right at her face.

Without thinking, she grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled forward, twisting out of the way and the girl's hand at the same time, stepped into her and brought her elbow down into the crook of her arm, making her drop the weapon. The girl yelped and scrambled away.

"Everything ok up there?" Newt yelled, concerned, after he heard a girl yell.

Alex walked to the side of the platform, she leaned over, and yelled back irritated with the guys.

"How many times do I have to be held at knifepoint in this shuck place. Lock up your bloody shuck weapons you slintheads!"

She held the machete over the edge and dropped it point down. It landed with a thud, point in the grass. Minho looked from the blade up to her, and smirked at her, "That's my girl!"

Alex rolled her eyes.

She pushed away from the edge and looked back at the girl cowering in the corner. Alex sighed and sat down.

"Uh, sorry about that..reflex. It's okay, take it easy, it's okay, I promise. We aren't going to hurt you. My name is Alex, and until you came, I was the only girl." Alex said quietly.

The girl unwrapped her arms from her legs, relaxing a little. Alex smiled reassuringly at her.

"Where am I? What is this place? Why can't I remember anything?" Fear written on her face and laced in her voice.

Alex sighed again, and ran a hand through her messy hair, getting it out of her face.

"It's all normal, none of us could remember anything, we have all been there. You will get your name back soon...It's the only thing they let us keep-"

-"Teresa " The girl whispered.

"What did you say?" Alex asked shocked, pain shot through her head.

Of course! Teresa! Tes! It's Tes! How could I forget that name?

"My name, it's Teresa."

Alex smiled again, "Well Teresa, I'm Alex, but you seem to know that already, don't you?" Teresa nodded.

"They said I had yelled your name and a boy's name, Thomas. Who are you guys?"

"Friends. We're friends." Alex answered, she was a little sad, she was hoping Teresa would remember some of their past, but like everyone, she knew nothing.

"Come here, let me show you" Alex waved her over, Teresa cautiously crawled over.

"I'm not going to hurt you, promise." She smiled at her again. "Okay, this is the Glade, and everyone of us here has been where you are now; brand new, scared, full of questions. None of us could remember anything, we all woke up here, just like you." The girl's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, I promise." Alex reassured her, reaching out and placing her hand on her knee.

"IS SHE COMING DOWN YET?" Gally yelled at them. Alex rolled her eyes, got up and yelled over the side

"Just...give us a second! Okay?" She turned and looked at the girl, then back down at the boys.

"Hey Tommy? Come on up here, ya?" All the eyes traveled to him.

"Uh..Okay.." He stuttered, going a little red.

He climbed up and sat down on Alex's other side, he couldn't take his eyes off the girl. She was very pretty. Curvy in all the right spots, bright vibrant blue eyes, framed in thick black eyelashes, pale clear skin and pink luscious lips, her hair was shiny and wavy, falling around her in a black cascading waterfall. Alex felt a little self conscious. She shook her head.

"Teresa this is Thomas, I call him Tommy." He stretched out a hand to shake her delicate one.

"So you're the last one ever, huh?" He asked.

"The last one ever? What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure." He answered with a shrug.

"Well, Ever since you came up, that Box hasn't gone back down. That means no supplies, and that has a lot of people a little worried and on edge." Alex answered.

"Oh" Teresa answered, looking away. "Everyone thinks it's my fault, don't they." She whispered as a small tear leaked out.

"Hey, they also blame me and Tommy- well not all of them, mostly just Gally- that big guy with the big nose and weird eyebrows."

Alex pointed at Gally. Teresa let a small smile show on her face. Alex continued.

"I was the first girl. The first of many disruptions to their predictable routine, and then Tommy showed up with all his questions and rule breaking...then you, in a weird coma, with the ominous note. None of us know what's going on." Alex explained.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Thomas asked.

Teresa furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think. Even confused, scared and thinking Teresa was pretty.

"I remember water...and screaming, bright lights...I remember your faces. And other faces staring down at me... And I've had some dreams...but more real, You two were in them. Alex..?"

Alex nodded.

"You said you couldn't handle it anymore, and you were going to do something. Tom, you said Everything was going to change, and you were sorry. What does that mean?" She asked, looking between Alex and Thomas. They both shook their heads.

"Why are we different?" Teresa asked.

Thomas looked at Alex, then back to Teresa, "Well, she's more weird than the rest of us!' Thomas jabbed a thumb at Alex.

"Rude!" Alex protested, pushing his shoulder.

"She gets these memory visions, she knows more than she's letting on." Thomas blurted.

"Jeeze thanks Tommy! Not like I had a reason to keep that quiet. Not like this whole shuck place is overwhelming enough as it is, now you drop that little klunk of knowledge on the poor girl!" Alex snapped, letting the sarcasm show. Giving Thomas another shove in the shoulder.

Teresa was looking at her with interest. Alex sighed again, "But ya, he's right. I get snippets of memory every now and then... something I touch or hear, it can bring on a memory. I don't know why. Or how it works."

Teresa just nodded, bitting her lower lip.

"Why are we different?" She repeated, quietly.

"Not sure."

Alex stood up and leaned over the railing.

"Hey Tes, come here, I'll show you what's what. It's not much, but we call it home."

Teresa came to stand next to her, her black wavy hair blowing slightly. Subconsciously Alex racked her hand through her hair.

"So everything inside those big walls is called The Galde, it's where we live, where we sleep and work..."

She explained the buildings and the rules, she looked down and pointed at a few of the Gladers still watching

"Ok, so I pointed out Gally''

Teresa nodded and stifled a little giggle.

"His eyebrows are a little ridiculous. Do you think he pluks them?" She whispered to Alex. Alex snorted with a laugh. Gally glared up at them

"Who the shuck knows." She whispered back. She cleared her throat and said loudly so everyone on the ground could hear.

"That tall guy with an apron on, is Frypan-weird name I know, but he won't tell me his real name. He's the Keeper of the cooks. He's very loud but the sweetest guy ever. Also he's a massive gossip and the captain of The Ships."

Teresa looked puzzled "captain of the ships? What ships?"

"All of them, Tes. All the Ships." Alex said seriously.

Fry laughed and waved. "Thanks Lil Lady!" Alex smiled.

"That little munchkin down there"-

-"HEY I am NOT LITTLE!" -

"-is Chuck or Chuckles. He's like everyone's little brother. But he's my special little Buddy" Teresa smiled sweetly and gave a small wave, Chuck turned bright red.

"The dude beside him is Matt. Also my little buddy. He's as mischievous as he looks!"

Matt grind deviously, and waved.

"That dreamy hunk of Asian muscle, there" Minho flexed, and Alex rolled her eyes, but smiled, "looking good shuck face! His name is Minho, he's Keeper of the Runners, the biggest bloody drama queen of the Glade and also a shuck face."

"But I'm YOUR shuck face drama Queen." He sassed back with a smirk and wink. Teresa's eyes flicked back and forth between the two.

Alex continued, "the dog there, she's mine. Her name is Bark. They named her that as a joke because before I got here she didn't make a noise. She's the best dog."

Teresa squeezed "PUUUIPPPPPY!" Alex laughed.

"That tall drink of water with the golden locks, is Newt. Right now he is Commander and chief of our little brotherhood..sisterhood? Shankhood? Whatever- our Admiral Alby is..uh out of commission at the moment. So Newt is first in command."

" He's also Alex's big brother." Thomas added.

Teresa's eyes widened. "How do you know?"

Alex turned towards Teresa, and tapped her temple, "Cuz of those memory flashes, episodes, whatever you want to call them. He's my brother, I have a twin sister, in another place, just like this. You, me and Tommy were the last left behind and we tried to do something rebellious or DID do something rebellious. I'm not sure. But I was caught and the creators -the people who sent us here - they were going to put me somewhere else, in a different place but somehow, you and Tommy went behind their backs and got me here."

Teresa stood there with her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"Sorry. That was a lot..kinda just word vomited all over ya..sorry." Alex said sheepishly.

"No. No, it's ok...somehow it feels...familiar.. and I don't know why or how." Teresa said quietly, her face scrunched, like she was trying to remember. Alex smiled at her

"Oh, and...you and I were good friends."

"Well, that makes sense!" She laughed, Teresa's laugh was quiet and airy. It was so dainty, just like the rest of her.

"Are you guys coming down now?" Gally yelled up. Teresa still looked a little unsure.

"Hey, it's Okay. We won't let Gally do anything, he's just loud and bossy...but there are more of us and only one of him."

Thomas said, "Also with Newt in command and Alex as his Second, and her ninja skills, you're fine." Thomas said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yup." Alex popped the P. "I've taken him down once, I'll do it again. And gladly."

Thomas went down first, then Teresa, followed lastly by Alex. When she got to the bottom all the guys were there to greet them. Teresa was very shy, hiding behind Thomas and Alex. Everyone, but Gally, shook her hand and introduced themselves. She seemed to relax once she saw they were in fact friendly. And when Bark came up to smell her she licked Teresa's face. Bark had a way of making people feel relaxed. Alex pursed her lips when she watched Minho give her a charming smile and a "Welcome to the glade She-Bean!" he smirked a little when he saw her blush. Alex crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Teresa was polite enough to say thanks and back up again, closer to Thomas.

"Well, who wants to take Teresa here on her tour?" Alex asked, in a snappy tone. Before anyone could say anything Jeff ran up.

"Guys! Guys! Alby! He's awake and he wants to talk to Thomas and Alex!"