"ʜᴏɴᴇʏ, ɪ ʀᴏꜱᴇ ᴜᴘ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ɪ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ."

"Ria?" Thomas's voice says softly, stirring the girl from the darkness. 

"Thomas." She sighs once her eyes have found him. Attempting to sit up once more, pain still flares throughout her waist. 

"Woah, wait hold on Ria...you got pretty hurt out there.." Thomas tells her. His hand wrapped gently around her wrist as he stands over her. 

Seeming to have realized his hand is still there, he flushes attempting to pull his hand back. As he does, Ria's hand wraps around his catching it as he tries to bring it back to his body. Seconds later she lets go, thoughts rush through her mind. 

The first being Why would I do that? the next Was what happened while I was out a dream or a memory? The last becoming Stop staring ya stupid shank

Thomas sits back in his chair, and for the first time since Thomas has arrived in the Glade Ria and Thomas have nothing to talk to each other about. 

After the long silence, Ria finally looks up from her hands. "How long have I been asleep?" She asks

"A while," Thomas admits hesitantly "Several days...Alby is awake though." He says trying to express his hope. She can see through it though, as though every facial expression he's ever made she's memorized. 

"He's alright?" She asks instead of addressing the new found connection. Unsure of what's real or not. 

Thomas's face drops once more "Yeah, the box came up with several vials and needles in it. Nothing else was in there. We weren't really sure what it was, but we tried it on Alby...he was going to die so we didn't see any other choice." 

"I'm glad it worked." She admits, Thomas nods before looking back down at his hands "Why do you seem upset Thomas? Did something else happen?" She asks

"The box won't go back down Ria," He says slowly "It came up and hasn't gone back down. I went back out into the maze to figure out what was going on with Minho and we found something."

"Wait- Thomas you can't go into the maze without being a runner! Why would you even go back in?" Maria asks her voice rising with concern. 

"It's alright Ria, the shank got punished for it." Minho's voice says from the entrance. 

*Ria's POV:*

Relief fills my body when Minho's voice surrounds around the room. "Minho." I greet him as he walks across the floor sitting on my bed. 

"Glad you're awake shank." He says gently 

"Me too...wait, so what's been happening?" I ask, hoping this time my questions will be resolved. 

"Well, I couldn't convince Thomas to not go in so I went with him."

"Oh yeah, seems only reasonable." I say sarcastically. You almost die for three seconds and the world goes to bloody hell. 

"Anyway," Minho says, attempting to get through it as fast as he can. "We found something in one of the Grievers." 

"In- what in the bloody hell!? Did you dissect it!?" I ask 

"Ria?!"Newt asks quickly, running into the room in alarm. He sighs when he sees I'm with Minho and Thomas "Sorry, I heard your voice raising."

"Newt?"

"Yes?"

"What. In. The. Bloody. Hell!?" I ask, trying to keep my voice down

"These two are acting like proper shanks running into the maze like small children and dissecting things. You're the Glade mother!" I say

Newt attempts to look offended but then nods admitting what I've said is pretty true. "It's Thomas's night in the pits for it Ria, don't worry the shank's being punished for it."

"Somehow I don't think that'll stop him from going into the maze."

"Well," Newt begins, pausing 

"What?" I ask tensing

"It won't stop him from going in...that's why I made him a runner." 

"Ahh yes, the only reasonable deduction you could have made." I tell him, before shaking my head. "I'm just glad everyone's alive still." I say laughing humorlessly.

"Greenie, it's time." Gally says peeking his head in "Ria!" He laughs out his eyes landing on me 

"Hey Galls" I say happily 

"Should I go get people?!" He asks excitedly. More so than I've seen him in years. Other than the bonfires of course. 

"That's okay, if I see people tonight I'll say hi but considering that it's dark I'm going to guess everyone's in bed. No need to wake them up after a long day." Gally nods

"Here, come on Thomas. I'll come with you." I say throwing the light covers off me.

Several shouts of apprehension are released into the air with a cry. "Boys" I warn, making the others take a hesitant step back. 

"Ria..." Thomas says "You just woke up, you don't have to come with me." He says. I look into his hazel eyes for a moment, before smiling gently. Visibly catching him off guard. 

"It's alright Tommy." I say, before placing my feet on the ground. There's a small silence as I begin to stand. "Well, okay come on then" I say putting one foot in front of the other. I pass Gally with a smile. Thomas trailing behind me. 

Once we're far enough away from the hut, Thomas offers me his arm. "I can see it Ria, you're in pain...let me help you." He says at my apprehension. I nod slightly, but before I move I ask

"Thomas, why do you think we can read each other so well?" 

My suddenness takes him off guard, but soon he relaxes "You want the truth?" He asks, and I nod "I have no idea, but part of me wonders if we knew each other...you know? Before?" He says 

"I think so too."

"So...so, there's something more between us?" He asks 

"Yeah." I whisper "There was something I remembered or I think I remembered when I was out?" I say hesitantly "I don't know what it was..." I say before regretting ever opening my mouth. "Nevermind nevermind it's stupid." I admit "We should keep going toward the pits." I say taking a step on my own

"You aren't alone Maria...remember that." He whispers in my ear before wrapping his hand around mine. 

We walk the rest of the way to the pits before Thomas gently lets me go, climbing down into the pit. "I'll see you tomorrow Ria, goodnight." He whispers to me before reaching through the bars. I grab his hand tightly giving it a squeeze before whispering a goodnight and turning around. Heading back to the hut, my middle throbbing with pain and regret. 

"Maria, are you alright?" Minho asks falling into step with me 

"No" I say softly..."Minho could you do something for me?" I ask 

"Anything." He says immediately. Loyal since the day we met. "Would you go to the hut and get the things I left there? I want to sleep in my own bed, at least for now." I say

"Of course" He says, but then swings one of my arms around him "You look like you're going to pass out, let's get you back in bed." He says quietly. I feel like I should protest but I'm too tired too. Instead I let Minho half carry me to my own little hut. "I'll be back soon." He whispers after setting me on the bed. 

As gently as I can I put my legs on the floor, leaning under my bed my hand catches a bag strap. I pull it up from the ground, opening the top. I sigh as a plume of dust comes from the top. Reaching in I unzip the pockets. Finding many small things within,  but finally I come upon what I was looking for. In the picture, Thomas and I are hugging each other. He's looking down at me as I look up at him. I don't remember this, or who took it really but the bag and the picture. It all makes sense. It was all real. It was real. 

I push the bag back underneath the bed, holding tightly to my picture. As I climb into my bed, the door swings open soundlessly. Minho coming in with a few things, including a cup with something steaming in it. 

"Jeff made you this stuff. It's hot water with some herbs but he says it will take some pain away and help you sleep." 

"Thank you Minho." I whisper catching his hand "I don't know what I would do without all you boys." He smiles gently, kissing the top of my head before heading to the door. 

"We don't know what we would do without you Ria." He says with a small smile before leaving. Newt comes in a second later, kissing me on the head and giving my hand a squeeze. Then Zart, and Gally, and Chuck, one boy after another coming in. Giving me gently hugs, and hand squeezes. Finally, when Alby comes in I squeeze him so hard I think I might hurt us both. 

"It's okay Ria" He whispers kindly, treating me like the small child I feel like in the moment "Now get some sleep. There's lots to do tomorrow, and you need rest." He tells me fore standing and heading to the door. When he opens it he turns back towards me "And drink that." He orders playfully 

Holding tightly to the picture in my hand, I turn over as gently as I can. I drink the cup and look at my picture for at least another hour before my head begins to drift closer and closer to the bed hitting the pillow gently. My eyes close and once more I see Thomas. His laugh,his smile and his kindness. Somehow it's then I realize I'll tell him about the memories....

He deserves to know

𝟙𝟞𝟠𝟞 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤

 Wants to show him but when they come back and the doors wont close-glade fight-thomas injects himself. "damn you" (she hasn't told him about the memories and feels like it was her fault a bit bc he injected himself to remember) : wakes up and Gally's taken over*