** Spicy Kissy Scene**

All heads swiveled towards Thomas who had just woken up. He looked a little sickly and shaken. But he was in his right mind, meaning the Grief Serum worked, even better than it did on Alby.

Thomas looked at Newt, "What happened?" He asked while he rubbed his face.

"Gally has control. He said we had a choice. Either join him... or get banished at sundown with you." He answered solemnly.

"And the others agreed to that?" Alex gasped. She thought they supported her and Newt and wanted out.

"Gally is tryin' to convince everyone that you three are the shuk reason all this has happened." Newt answered. Chuck nodded along.

"Though most aren't really convinced, they're just too scared to stand up to him," Matt said.

"Well, he's been right so far." Thomas sighed heavily. Shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Newt asked.

"This place...it's not what we thought it was. It's not a prison, it's a test. It all started when we were kids. They would give us these challenges." Thomas explained.

"They were experimenting on us..." Alex cut in, her eyes far away, her body shivered. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. It felt true.

"Ya, and then people started disappearing. Every month, like clockwork." Thomas nodded, finishing her thought.

"They were sendin' em up in the maze." Newt figured out. He was rubbing his bottom lip, thinking.

"I got Minho sent up earlier than he was originally scheduled. And possibly you too, Newt...and Sonya, to her maze. They also took Bark.." She said quietly, looking at the dirt floor. "And then they were going to send me to a different maze...Did you see how you and Tes got me here?" Alex asked hopefully, looking up.

"Okay, it wasn't JUST you...it takes two to have a relationship! Stop trying to take all the shuck credit!" Minho said, frowning slightly.

"And there is no solid evidence about me. So, don't get yourself bloody worked up!" Newt scolded gently.

"But there was, Newt! There was! In one memory, I was told I hadn't learned my lesson and you were taken cuz I was pounding on a door crying that they took you already. It's my fault Newt." She cried, angry they wouldn't believe her. She could feel the hot sting of tears, and a tightness in her throat.

Minho pulled her into his side, while Newt just sat with a frown, watching not being able to do anything.

Thomas shook his head, "no I didn't see that..my memories were only pieces. I saw Alex trying to break down the door when they took you, Minho... me and Tes holding her while she cried...I saw Tes getting an injection ready in a dark room. Hiding your body in the box, that's it."

Alex crawled over and hugged him tightly. And then pulled Teresa into a hug. "Thank you. You guys risked probably everything for me." Alex's eyes teared up, she let one slide down.

"I wish I remembered, but we sounded as close as sisters," Teresa whispered.

"My dark haired triplet." She looked at Newt, "Want another sister?"

Newt let out a small chuckle. "More the merrier...I guess. Okay, back to these memories, Tommy. You said they were sending kids into the bloody maze once a month..?"

"Yeah, but not all of us." Thomas nodded.

"What do you mean?" Minho asked.

"Guys, I'm one of them. The ones who put you here, I'm with them. I watched you guys for years. The time you have been here...I was on the other side of it. So were you two." Thomas was looking at his knees.

"What?" Teresa asked, surprised. Alex knew she already worked for them...she actually knew Thomas and Teresa worked for them.

I guess I never explained that properly to Teresa...but Thomas should have clued in? Maybe he isn't as observant as I expected him to be.

"Teresa, we did this to them."

"Why'd they send us up if we're with them?" She asked with a hand on her mouth, trying to hold back tears.

"Well, I was sent because I was caught smuggling info from the creators to some other group...I had had enough once they sent Min up early. They had taken Sonya, Newt, Bark, Alby...We hatched a plan early...but I guess it took a long time to get everything in order, steal information, get trusted contacts, that sort of thing. Not sure what happened to you two though...maybe you were also caught after I was sent up? Or caught sending me here instead of wherever I was supposed to go? Or the creators are just shucked in the head and after you 'helped' them..no wait . Sorry, after they USED you, sent you. It doesn't matter, cuz they are twisted and evil."

Minho was rubbing her back again, it helped ease the tension and she relaxed into his touch.

"Alex's right. It doesn't matter. Any of it. Because who we were before the maze don't even exist anymore. These Creators took care of that. But what does, is who we are now, and what we do... right now. You guys went into the maze and found a way out." Newt said, encouraging the four who were sitting behind bars. Minho was nodding with what Newt had said.

"Yeah, but if I hadn't, Alby'll be alive." Thomas looked away.

"Maybe." Newt said quietly.

"Alby.." Alex breathed. The guilt of what she yelled at him washed over her, her eyes welled up with tears of guilt and shame. Alex turned her face into Minho's shoulder, trying hard not to break down completely.

"But. I know that if he were here, he'd be telling you the same thing. Pick your ass up and finish what you started. Because if we do nothing... then that means Alby died for nothing. And I can't have that!" Newt's voice got stronger and more encouraging. Thomas looked ready to fight

"Okay- Okay, but we gotta get past Gally first." Thomas said, nodding and thinking hard.

While Thomas and Newt discussed a plan, Minho pulled Alex a little away, into the corner. "What's up Sunshine?"

She looked into his eyes, they were so kind. She couldn't keep secrets from him. She sighed sadly.

"The last thing I said to Alby...was awful!" She looked away, a tear leaked out. "He admitted to burning the maps during the gathering. He didn't want us to leave, he thought us getting picked off one by one was better. I got mad, obviously. He burnt everything you and the other runners risked your life for, for years! And he burnt them! Because he was scared...and I screamed at him for being a coward and a selfish leader an' how he could have sentenced everyone to a gorg death if we hadn't found that key... I can never take that back now!"

Minho cupped her face in his warm hands. He whipped her tears with his thumbs. Then he gently kissed her cheeks.

"No...you can't take it back, but like Newt said...Let's do something to honor him. Let's get out of this shuck place and live a life he never got to. Ya? He made some shuck awful decisions after the Changing jacked with his head. But he died saving Chuck. And I think that redeems him." Alex smiley sadly at him.

"I love you shuck face. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. He wrapped an arm around her waist and one around her shoulders, burying his hand into her hair.

"Are you guys done making out? Cuz we need your input on this bloody plan of Tommy's here." Newt called annoyed.

"Newt...you really know how to be a buzzkill, ya know that, right? You ugly shank!" Minho sassed.

Alex sighed and pulled away reluctantly. She came to sit down with the others.

Minho plopped down beside her, rolling his eyes. "What's there to discuss, we knock the shank out and leave."

Alex chuckled but Newt rolled his eyes exasperated. "Not that simple Shank!"

They spent the rest of the morning planning. Newt, Matt and Chuck went to prepare and recruit Frypan and see who else wanted to leave. The other four were left in the Slammer, with not much to do. They all decided to have a nap.

Minho laid down on his back, with his hand behind his head, Alex lay down on her non-stitched side, using her bent arm as a pillow, looking at Minho. He turned his head so he could see her. They just lay there looking at each other for a while.

"You ready to leave?" She asked quietly. Knowing Thomas and Teresa were already sleeping.

"Shuck ya! I can't wait to get out of here and see what the world is like." he was quiet. "What would you like to see?" He asked. Alex was quiet for a moment, thinking.

She smiled and looked into his eyes, "A sunset on the beach. Will you watch the sunset with me?"

Minho beamed, and rolled onto his side to face her fully. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close to his chest. She tangled her leg into his.

"Yes! I will watch all the sunsets with you! And I'll even build you a house on the beach so you can watch them from the front door! How does that sound?"

Alex pulled away from him enough to look up into his eyes, "You want to build me a house?" she whispered, her eyes wide. Her heart skipped a few beats, she could feel her cheeks turning pink.

A sly little smirk slid across his face and he raised an eyebrow, "Why yes, Sunshine. I sure do."

He sat up suddenly. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, and ran a hand through his hair. He wouldn't meet her eye and she could see his ears turn pink. Alex sat up too and turned her body so she was facing him. They were sitting knee to knee.

"Minho? Are you... nervous?" She teased him. His eyes darted from hers to the ground between them

"Shuck." He gulped, "No! Maybe? Do... you even want that? Like...like a house and stuff...with me? I know we're still young and whatever..but..I..I don't know.." He stuttered.

He was cute when he was nervous and stuttered. Alex grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him closer to kiss him. "Yes. Yes you shuck face! I want all of that! And I don't really care where we are, as long as you're there with me."

He pulled away, and reached behind him for his runners vest, he pulled it onto his lap, from inside a little pocket, he pulled out what looked like a necklace. He held it in his hand for a moment, looking at it, and then with his cheeks and ears turning pink he held his hand out. Alex gently picked it up and looked at it. There was a beautiful stone that had been sanded and smoothed into a circle and hollowed in the middle. It was mostly green, but had blue and some brown flecked in it. It was soft and smooth. There was a long piece of cord through the middle, so she could tie it around her neck.

"Minho, it's beautiful!" She whispered, a smile on her face, her eyes were tearing up, "What's this for?"

He cleared his throat before answering "Well...I found the stone in the maze a while ago, and it reminded me of your eyes, with all the flecks of gold and brown in the green.. It's not like an engagement ring or anything...just my promise that I'll always be there for you. And I promise we will get to see that sunset!"

"Minho!" Her voice caught in her throat, "I love it!"

He looked down at her, with a goofy grin. "Come here Sunshine" He held out his hand, she placed the necklace in his hand and turned, moving her hair out of the way. He tied the cord around her neck, and then leaned down and kissed the back of her neck gently. Making her shiver.

Shuck it.

He kissed her again, gently brushing his warm slightly chapped soft lips down her neck, and then down to her shoulder.

"Minho. Tommy and Tes are here!" her voice quivered.

"So?" he whispered.

"And they wake up? A little awkward don't ya think?" Her voice was already breathy, her body shivering already.

"Only if they look" He whispered in her ear, making the butterflies explode in her stomach. He kissed her neck again, and worked his way up, to behind her ear. She hummed with the sensation it sent down to her stomach.

"You can't say no. I know you go weak kneed for me." he growled.

"Shuck you Shuck face." She moaned when he started to nibble gently on her neck.

He smirked. He did it again. His hands found their way to her waist, careful of her stitches he pulled her into his lap. Then his arm slithered around her, holding her closer. He kissed her down her neck and down her shoulder. Her heart rate increased. Her eyes fluttered closed. A warm finger slowly slid the strap of her tank top down so he could kiss further down her shoulder. While his other hand pressed gently on her stomach, keeping her back pressed into his torso. She could feel his heartbeat.

"Minho..." she breathed. Her voice was rough, she was trying hard to not pant and wake up Tes and Tommy. Minho slowly slid his lips back up her neck. She tilted her head so he had more access. The hand he used to slip her strap down, slid to her chest, over her collarbone. She could feel him growl again as he kissed her neck a little more roughly.

She moaned again.

Thomas groaned in his sleep and rolled over.

Someone is always breaking the mood.

Minho pulled away to peer over at him. He growled again, but this was a frustrated one. Both of them were panting slightly. Alex's stomach was still fluttering and the tingling sensation was still running through her.

Alex sighed, and turned around to face Minho. "I would love to continue this..but we need to sleep for a bit. We'll be fighting for our lives again soon. When you take me to the beach, just the 2 of us. Alone...we can continue." She winked at him.

"Promise?" He whined.

"Cross my heart."

He wrapped his arms around her and laid down again, pulling her with him. She lay her head on his chest listening to the steady beat of his heart. He buried his hand into hair, they fell asleep holding onto each other.