Alex opened her eyes to the sweetest surprise.

Sitting in a small clearing from the forest around them was a small beach, tucked away from the main beach, Minho had a picnic set up. There were snacks, and drinks, and a little bonfire going already. Alex's mouth dropped.

"I owe you a date, Sunshine." Minho murmured into her hair. "Real or Not real?"

Alex spun around to face him, she flung her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss.

"Real." She whispered against his lips.

Minho pulled her close, one hand on her back the other on the nape of her neck, deepening their kiss. A tingling warmth spread through her body, it made her feel giddy and excited for their future. Who knew what the future held, but they were finally able to be together and in a place to call home and have peace. A place to heal.

Minho broke their kiss, panting. He placed his forehead on hers, "so you like it?" He almost seemed shy and unsure.

"Are you kidding? Babe! This is the sweetest most romantic thing I can remember!"

"Well that bar is set pretty low then!" Minho chuckled at her.

"Ha! True. I doubt we had a lot of romantic moments in WICKED." She chuckled, kissing him quickly. "When did you have time to do this?" She asked while grabbed his hand and walking down to the beach.

He smirked, "I may have had a little help."

He sat down and patted the blanket. Alex plunked down beside him, amazed at all the little details he put into this. There were wild flowers, some fresh berries they found in their exploration this morning, a few of Fry's cookies, and two jars of Gally's 'secret recipe', a small bonfire was already going with extra fresh cut wood stacked neatly beside. She had a smile from ear to ear.

"I haven't been this happy since our talk on the ledge. Minho, this is perfect!" She still couldn't believe he did all this without her knowing.

"Just wait, look " he nodded to something behind her.

She turned and gasped again. The sun was setting, shooting the last rays of sun through the clouds; making the sky light up in soft pinks, oranges, purples and blues.

"...Minho...!"

She couldn't say anything, her voice got stuck in her throat. A tear slid down her cheek.

"Sunset on the beach. I crossed my heart. Real." He said quietly.

"Real." Alex nodded, as another happy tear slid down her cheek.

"And I always keep my promises." He said quietly, pulling her close, kissing her temple.

"I love you, Shuck Face."

"I love you too Sunshine."

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They were quiet for a while, enjoying the peacefulness. The wind rustling the leaves behind them, the soft crash of waves on the sand, Minho's strong heartbeat against her good ear. She sighed constantly, as Minho wrapped an arm around her.

He handed her one of the jars, "A toast?" He chuckled, as he raised his jar.

"To the family we lost to get us here. And to the family we formed on our way. And our future!" Alex said quietly, raising hers. They smiled at each other.

"Huh, Gally really improved his recipe!" He laughed as she took another sip.

"Doesn't taste like-"

"-Pee?" Minho suggested with a snort.

They both laughed.

"Remember my first bonfire and I had to fight Gally? Man. That feels like SO long ago!" Alex smiled at the memory.

"Ya...I think so." He close his eyes and wrinkled his head, that one is fuzzy...it's like shinny... Did you punch him?"

"No, I kneed him in the sternum.  Dodged a few attempts to grab me." She corrected gently.

"Oh! Ya..he grabbed you and head slammed you...right?"

Alex smiled and nodded. His eyes snapped open, and a smile on his face making his eyes crease.

"Okay...now I think...I remember you kept getting back up, and then that ridiculous one liner! What was it again?"

"I could do this all day! Bring it shuck face!" She giggled.

"Yeah, that was it! That got Gally's respect...and most of the Gladers, I think, that night. " He had a dreamy slightly confused look on his face thinking about that night so long ago.

"Ya..and what about you? When Did I get yours?" She raised a challenging eyebrow at him.

"Hmmm." He closed his eyes tight again, rubbing his temples. He made a noise in his throat. Alex sat patiently waiting
He had to try sort out his memories, trying to figure out which ones were in his words shinny and fuzzy. With his eyes still closed and using the heel of his hand he rubbed his forehead.

"Probably when you mouthed off to Gal when he called you short and a slopper..." He peeked an eye open, "real?" He asked quietly.

"Real." Alex smirked. "But I'm always mouthing off."

"Touche."

He closed his eye again with a chuckle.

"Okay ..though, I'm pretty sure you told us you went looking for a weapon in the box..that was pretty badass! ..Oh! Or when you sassed Frypan! Oh man, so good!"

He opened his eyes and gazed at her, his eyes sparkling. They spent the rest of the evening laughing, remembering happy memories, sorting out his memories of her. It was getting easier by the end of the night, he could figure out which memories were tampered with because he said they were shinny. He just needed help sorting which parts were real and which were implanted.

Minho told her stories about before she was there. She told him about her adventures with the Right Arm. She told him how Petter, and Maddie had to quickly join their Power Squad team to finish a job.

"Petter would have made a great runner! You'd be impressed. He's joined the training with Cap, same with Maddie. Brenda has been giving her snipper lessons."

Minho smiled watching her talk.

"It's the same mission I found Raegan!"

Alex told him about the one time her and Thomas had to stop a supply truck in the middle of the night and they forgot their weapons in the tent and had to use a rock, and her hair band, making a slingshot and her hoodie string as a garrote.

"Shuck sakes girl! Definitely don't piss you off!"

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**Read Chapter: Missed Sleepover, in Indulgence - the full mission of Alex and Tommy's improv skills**
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Alex smiled evilly at him, but batted her eyelashes, "I'm so cute and tinny no one sees me coming!"

"Nah, you're beautiful, mouthy and deadly. They should be terrified!" Minho corrected, he had pride shining on his eyes.

Alex told him about the time when they got tipsy one night and Thomas and Newt waltzed around the camp, much to the annoyance of Vince. She told him about her predictions of Brenda and Thomas to how Jorge became her father figure and Ronin took back his role of watchful guardian angel uncle.

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**Read Chapter 20: Challenge Accepted - in book 4, Indulgence
Full version of Newt & Tommy drunk Waltzing (and a drink Minho)
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Minho and Alex just talked and laughed, they got to be kids. Teens on a regular date enjoying the first taste of true freedom. They fell asleep curled up together, under the blanket, by the fire on the beach, and it was the first time both of them slept without nightmares, in a very very long time.
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The next morning they woke up to warm sunshine on their face. They just lay still, enjoying the morning. Minho was playing with her hair and Alex was drawing circles on his chest. A twig snapped, Minho lifted his head. Thomas, Brenda, Frypan and Kenzie emerged from the shadows of the forest

"YOU GUYS DECENT?" Thomas yelled. All four of them had their hands over their eyes.

"MORALLY? SHUCK NO. BUT WE'RE WEARING PANTS IF THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN!" Alex yelled back, rolling her eyes.

Minho rolled his head and frowned at her.

"You said that to me in Glade. Real...?"

Alex smiled sadly at him. "Real. It was after Chris attacked and I couldn't move my arm because of my ribs and stitches. You had knocked on the door and asked if I was decent so you could come in and check on me."

He closed his eyes and laughed.

"Hey! You guys done gettin' dressed? I don't want to burn my innocent eyes!" Kenzie yelled with a smug smirk.

"Ya finally learned, hey Tommy Boy? Cover those eyes...and Kenzie innocent eyes my ass!" Minho yelled.

Thomas huffed, and Kenzie howled with laughter, making Minho laugh, a deep rumbling laugh making his chest rumble. Alex chuckled to herself.

"She's as innocent as me!" Alex chuckled.

"That...is very true. I can attest to that!" Brenda snorted

The others came and sat down beside the couple as they sat up.

"Morning shuck faces." Alex yawned.

"Sleep well?" Kenzie asked, wiggling her eyebrows, and elbowed Minho in the side.

Alex rolled her eyes and pushed her over, but grinned mischievously at her. "Absa-shucken-lutly."

Kenzie fell back laughing, "McDreamy Boyfriend duties!" She reached out to Minho for a high five.

Minho obliged. "What do you Shanks want?" Minho asked, yawning as he flopped back down, pulling Alex with him and wrapping an arm around her.

"Vince wants to see everyone, and Dr Prior wants to see you, Alex. Also...there is breakfast! And Ray is asking where you are." Kenzie said sitting up.

"Uhg..what does Vince want? Can I skip the meeting, someone just tell me the jot notes?" Alex whined.

"You really don't like that man!" Brenda said with amusement, as she shook her head.

Alex sat up and gave her the stink eye. And crossed her arms.

"No. For one our first meeting he tried to shoot you and then threatened my life...and I just can't stand all the meticulous details and shuck rules and...he's so...stiff! I dunno, we just don't get along...he has too many orders and rules...I don't take orders...shuck I hardly take suggestions!" She shrugged.

"Very true." Frypan nodded.

"Thanks Fry." Alex grinned. She slowly got to her feet, holding a hand out for Minho to take.

"Come on my handsome shuck face, I need me some coffee!"

____________________

Alex knocked on the MedHut door and entered when she heard a soft voice call. Alex opened the door, sitting on a chair beside a bed was Teresa, she was holding a pale hand. Alex came and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How's he doing?" She asked quietly, brushing some hair out of Newt's face. He was off the oxygen mask and just had the little air tub under his nose. It was weird seeing high end, high tech medical equipment in a wood hut that was slapped together.

Her face brightened, "He's doing much better! And take a look at this!" She flipped Newt's arm over gently. All the thick black veins were gone, and the scratches were gone completely. And then she slowly pulled the blanket down, the huge knife wound that was starting to look infected was now scabbed and looked almost healed.

"What? How...how..?!" Alex gasped.

"I told you not everyone was blessed with your ability to heal...well I guess I was wrong." Said a happy voice behind the girls. "It seems that your blood has sped up his recovery." Dr Prior came to stand beside the bed.

"When will he be awake?" Alex asked in disbelief.

Her eyes wide, she couldn't believe her blood did that. Maybe...just maybe her shucked human science experiment body wasn't as repulsive as she thought. She still felt like a freak sometimes, but it was kinda cool she could save people.

"That I'm not certain about, should be soon, though." He said as he patted Alex on the back.

"Now Alex, what I really wanted to talk to you about, was your future. Would you like to take up an intern role here with Teresa? I'm sure we will eventually need a few more medical personnel around here. It would be myself, Amy, Teresa and yourself, Brenda has already agreed to, seeing as she was a trained nurse before escaping. I have heard from a few individuals about your medical abilities and seeing it first hand, you would make you a great asset to the team."

Alex sat with her mouth open.

They actually want me here? Want my help to save people? It's been so long since I was a MedJack!

"So...I would be like... a MedJack? An actual nurse?!" Alex stammered.

He smiled, "Yes. Yes you would, but more independent, eventually. So, what do you think?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Alex jumped up and hugged Dr Prior. "Do I have to call you Boss now?" He chucked.

______________________

The wind started to pick up late in the day and dark clouds started to roll in and it cooled off. A storm was coming. It didn't bother Alex, but when Minho came to visit, he was agitated, he was quite pale and clammy. He couldn't sit still, he had a tremor in his hand, eyes glazed or snapping.

"Min?" Alex asked quietly, "I know something is bothering you. I want to help, please tell me what I can do."

She knew he was too stubborn to ask for help. She had pulled him to the corner to talk quietly to him, not trying to draw attention to him. His pupils had dilated and his breathing was coming quicker.

"I'm fine." He snapped.

"Clearly." She snapped back, crossing her arms.

She didn't move and raised an eyebrow, waiting. The rain started to come, and with it was the distant roll of thunder and he flinched so bad he stumbled back into the wall and slid down.

"Yes, clearly you're fine, love." She said quietly.

Her face filling with compassion, as she knelt down beside his trembling form. He had pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his head in his arms.

Alex twisted around, 'Hey Amy? Can you pass me a few blankets?" She called quietly.

Amy's gentle kindness showed on her face when she smiled and nodded in understanding. She pulled a few from a box in the corner and brought them over.

"I'll take you off the clock now. I think you'll have your hands full." She whispered, "looks like trauma response from his time under Janson."

Alex draped a blanket over Minho, who had started muttering to himself. She gently pulled him so he was laying down, his head in her lap. When she had first touched him he flinched and tried to shrink back, but Alex gently but firmly pulled him. He relaxed a little at her touch, especially when she started to run her fingers through his hair.

There was another crash of thunder, closer this time and he flinched again, curling tighter into a ball with a small whimper. The lightning that followed made him cower; he turned and buried his face into her stomach, holding her around the waist. Alex's heart broke seeing him so scared. She had never seen him like this before. He wasn't scared of anything in the maze, or he never let anyone see him.

Every time the thunder boomed followed by a flash of bright lightning Minho would whimper and shake. Alex leaned back against the wall, her legs out in front of her. He had curled around her, with his head resting in her lap. Alex ran her fingers through his hair, and sang quietly. She shushed him like a small child at times, rubbing his back and whispering that he was okay and safe.

It was a long night, the storm seemed to have settled right over them for a while. Eventually the thunder disappeared and it was just the gentle pitter patter of rain on the canvas roof. Minho's body relaxed and he fell asleep, still tightly wrapped around her. Alex stayed where she was, still playing with his hair.

We are both pretty shucked. WICKED really messed with us. I guess this is what we do now. Try to recover from all the klunk, try to heal and live. No more surviving, but living.

Around day break she finally rested her head back against the wall and fell asleep for a few hours.