Jina's eyes slowly fluttered open with a small whimper. She winced as a pain shot through her head. There was something big and solid in front of her. Her vision was fuzzy in the deep dark of night. A small beam of light from a flash light flicked over her face making her wince.

"Shh, it's okay. You're okay Ji."

"To-Tommy?" She whimpered. Her voice sounded small and weak.

"Ya. Ya, it's me. I'm trying to stop the bleeding. You scared the klunk out of me, Aris and Minho."

"Why?" Her throat was dry, so her words were even quieter. Thomas pressed something to her head, making her wince again. "Where are they?"

"Everyone is sleeping now. You passed out and wouldn't wake up. You lost a lot of blood." He removed the cloth from her forehead. Thomas shifted and was now on his knees in front of her. He held a flashlight up to see the extent of the damage. He gently brushing her hair from her forehead away. He shifted his eyes up and looked at her forehead. He leaned away and twisted to grab the first aid kit. He placed it in her lap, and gently took her chin, and tipped it up. She leaned her head back against the cement wall.

"Now...I'm no medjack-"

"What's a medjack?" Jina asked. She was trying to distract herself from his hand holding her chin, and how close he was leaning into her. They were only a few centimeters apart.

"Uhh...we called Jeff and Clint Medjacks...they like dealt with the sick and injured..."

"You mean healers or medics?"

"Ya.." He had a small lopsided smile, as he grabbed something to clean the blood away. "No idea why we called them Medjacks. Maybe the first med guy was named Jack."

"We had a Jill medic..." Jina smiled. "Jack and Jill."

Thomas paused in his cleaning and glanced down into her eyes. "Now that's something. Think they were siblings?" He placed the flashlight in between his teeth to hold it as he used two hands to try clean the blood.

Jina smiled at the thought. "Maybe." Her smile slid off. "I guess when you say the first guy, he died in the Maze?"

Thomas nodded. He removed the light from his mouth, "Ya. They never told me how. I...I didn't really want the full details, ya know?"

Jina nodded.

"Hey, stop moving." He scolded, holding her chin still again.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"S'alright." He gave her a small crocked smile. "So what about Jill?" he placed the flash light back between his teeth. He held her still with one hand and cleaned the blood away with the other.

"I don't know. I don't know if she made it out or if she's dead in the Glenn or halls of the maze." Jina whispered, she felt the weight of sadness. Her chest felt heavy, and her eyes stung with tears. She took a shuddering inhale. A few did manage to leak over her lashes and slid down her disgustingly dirty face. Thomas frowned around the flashlight. Jina tried to hastily wipe them away. He removed the flashlight and placed it beside them and put the bloody cloth down and held her face now, cupping her face. His thumbs gently brushed the tears as they fell.

"Jina...I-"

Jina placed a hand over his lips. She forced a small smile, "No, Tommy. Don't say anything, please. When we find the Right Arm in the Mountains, I'll ask...see which girls they rescued and who knows...maybe I'll find my sisters again. You don't need to be sorry and there's nothing you can do."

Thomas slowly pulled her hand away from his lips. Jina's heart fluttered. She had a small sad smile playing on her lips. Thomas also looked crestfallen. His eyes held a deep sadness. She took another shuddering breath. Thomas let go of her wrist. Jina let her fingers brush his lips as her hand flopped to her lap. Thomas was frozen in his spot. Jina rolled her head to look at the guys sleeping. Her eyes landed on Newt. And she rolled her sore head back to look at Thomas. He had unfrozen and had the flashlight back between his teeth and had some disinfectant and a fresh cloth in his hands. Jina nodded. He shifted closer again.

"Ya know... Sonya..." Jina spoke again, trying not to wince at the sting of the disinfectant. "She was my co Mapping Leader and co second in command..."

Thomas made a humming sound, he was listening.

"Oww!" She hissed.

"Wroary!" He tried to talk with the flashlight in his teeth.

"It's fine Tommy. Well, Sonya...Newt reminds me of her. Though she has a mouth as bad as me and Minho, and she's so finichen stubborn. But same gentle eyes and demeanor."

"Hmm." He shifted, removing the light again to talk properly. "Tell me more about these girls in B." He encouraged.

"Are you trying to distract me from the fact you need to stitch my head and you're no...medjack?"

"Shh. Don't spill my secrets." He grinned at her again. It was kind of crooked and made his eyes light up. They still looked haunted and jumpy, but she could see he was trying.

"Okay." Jina closed her eyes and was quiet for a while. Everything was sore, including her heart. She didn't know the boys they lost, only by name, but it was still a horrible way to go.

"Jina? Honey? You still with me?" Thomas sounded worried. He had cupped her check, moving her head so it was forwards and straight, apparently her head had flopped at a weird angle.

Her eyes fluttered open for a second and she hummed. "Just...really tired. And...my head hurts." She whinned.

"Ya...but don't pass out on me. It was scary seeing your eyes closed and you were unresponsive with blood all over your face."

"I...didn't mean...I had a concussion and just woke up from the changing the night they pulled us...then didn't sleep that night...and then the time we were there I hardly slept. Then the memory after shocks...then that crank mall..."

"You need sleep, Ji. You can't keep functioning on little sleep."

"I'll sleep when I'm dead." Jina tried to joke.

"Not on my watch. Now...Tell me about your maze, while I do my best to stitch you up." He demanded quietly.

Jina felt her cheeks warm up with a blush. She chewed her lip for a second and then slowly told him about her maze, and how things were run, what she did, the other girls. He slowly and cautiously stitched her cut. Jina did her best not to flinch or move. A few times she sucked in a sharp breath and Thomas would apologize over and over. He tied off the stitches and covered it and taped it down.

"Done." He announced, clearly very proud of himself.

Jina gave him a weak smile, her eyes were so heavy. Her body felt full of sand, extremely heavy and slow. "Thanks Tommy."

"I don't think I'd make a good medjack...my hands won't stop shaking now." He chuckled nervously. He held his hands up to show her.

"I think that's the adrenalin crashing."

"Okay smarty pants." Thomas chuckled. He was still sitting in front of her, still leaning into her space, Jina could feel his body heat. She shivered.

"Cold?" His voice had dropped ever so slightly, his eyes flicked over her face and lost the goofiness.

"Little." Her voice came out breathier than she expected. She hated it. "Good....good call on the...on the jacket."

"Ya...but..." he cleared his throat, his eyes flicked down to her mouth.

"But?" She breathed.

"I could have offered you mine..."

It was Jina's turn to glance at his lips. "Too bad."

A cry from a crank made Jina and Thomas turn to the mouth of the makeshift cave. Jina's heart was racing, and she felt the spike of fear wash over her. It was far away. The night was so deep now they couldn't see anything past the cave entrance. Thomas flicked off the flashlight. He moved so he was sitting beside her.

"You should sleep." He finally said quietly.

"What about you?" Jina asked, looking up at him. She could hardly see him now that there was no lights. Not even the stars or moon. The wind storm and clouds blocked everything from view.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead." He whispered, repeating what she said, giving her should a small bump.

"Tommy-"

"Nah, I'm fine for now. I'll wake someone else in a bit to keep watch. You're injured, you can hardly keep those eyes open. Makeshift Medjack's orders."

"Do you know where my backpack is? This...this shirt is soaked in Crank blood..."

Thomas fumbled around for a second and then his flashlight flicked on. A second later he handed her the bag. She dug through it, her arms felt like led and her movements were sluggish and she had to take a break for a second.

"Can I help you? What are you looking for?"

"T shirt. I threw an extra one in."

Thomas pulled it out. Even in the flashlight, she could see his cheeks and ears go pink. He cleared his throat.

"Where are you...umm gonna change?"

"Here. Everyone is sleeping. It's dark. And your Thomas the medjack right now. Right?" She gave him a weak smile. Even this little bit of movement was exhausting.

"Ya. Ya you're right. Okay. Umm. Step...step one. Jacket off."

It took a lot of work, but with Thomas's help she got the jacket removed. And then it was time for the tank top. Jina's head was spinning so much now and with it being almost glued to her from the drying blood, Thomas ended up just using a knife and having to cut it off. Jina was felt in her sports bra. Jina's eyes kept fluttering: she had no more energy to move.

"Umm...you covered in blood and that black stuff. Can...can I help clean it off? I'm...I'm not trying anything! I promise. Really. It...it just doesn't seem sanitary and looks uncomfortable."

She didn't respond. Her eyes had slid closed and her head flopped.

"Ji? Hey, Jina, stay with me." His hand held her cheek again.

"You're rambling. It's...cute." she whispered, her eyes still closed. Too exhaust to open them. "I'm... I'm in good hands...with... Medjack Thomas..."

Thomas took the cloth he used on her forehead and took one of the water bottles and slowly and cautiously started cleaning off the crank's blood. The water was cold against her skin. It helped wake her mind up a bit.

Thomas was respectful and kept his eyes averted from staring at her boobs, only looking at the spot he was trying to clean.

"Ji?"

She hummed quietly in response.

"You had said...said you were mauled by a Griever...is that...how you got these scars?"

"Yeah. I was too close to the answer. It didn't sting me. Just...attacked me. Jill...and Kendra did their best."

"They seem a bit more competent then our maze. You can hardly see them."

She let a small smile slid on her lips for a second. She finally opened her eyes. "We're in the dark, silly. Hard to see anything."

Thomas snorted and rolled his eyes. "Smarty pants."

Jina let a weak laugh out. Her eyes slid closed. And she took a ragged breath.

"Okay...as good as I can get. I uhh...I don't feel comfortable...umm trying to umm clean anywhere else.." his voice went higher slightly. And he had to clear his throat. Jina peeked at him. He was looking the other way, and rubbing the back of his neck.

Jina felt her stomach flutter. And her cheeks went pink. "Thank you. I'll clean up more in the morning."

"Oh..ya. Ya. No umm. No problem." He pulled the extra t shirt and very cautiously helped get the shirt over her head and her arms through. "Now. Time to sleep. Medjack's orders."

He shifted to sit beside her again and slid an arm around her and gently pulled her down, so her head rested on his thigh.

"Well...if...if you..." She yawned. "...if you insist."

"I do." He was firm in his answer.

Jina's eyes slid closed. She wished she had pain killers. Her head was throbbing and her ankle had a steady heartbeat. But she didn't need to fight her body for sleep. With her head in Thomas's lap, and his one hand placed on her back protectively, his free hand played with a stand of her hair, her body pulled her willingly into sleep.

< • >

"Hey!"

Jina woke with a start. Her eyes snapped open, her heart beating wildly.

"Get out of here!"

Jina looked around slowly, her head hurt to move it, she winced and stopped. Thomas was trying to shoo a crow away. It was trying to steal on of their few granola bars. Jina groaned and closed her eyes again. Her head was resting on Thomas's jacket. She didn't remember anything after he forced her to lay down.

"Hey...you okay?" She peeked an eye open. Minho was crouched beside her.

"Am I dead?"

"You look dead." He teased.

She let a small laugh out but winced at the pain. The laugh turned into a groan. "I feel dead."

"Thomas did a half decent job on that slash." Minho said with a little mischief behind his eyes. "You'll have a gnarly scar."

"Hey. Only half decent? I think I did pretty shucken awesome, considering I'm no medjack and it was pitch black!" Thomas protested sitting back against the wall.

"Are they gone?" Frypan asked, peeking his head out from the cave. "They screamed long into the night..."

"Yeah, I think we're safe for now." Thomas nodded, looking out of the cave.

"Ya...for now. They don't like bright lights." Jina added.

"Why not?" Frypan asked, he fished out some granola bars from his bag and passed them out.

"Hurts their eyes. Like rabies is afraid of water...Cranks don't like light." Teresa said quietly.

Jina tried to push herself up to sit, but the movement sent a tidal wave of pain through her. She tried to keep the gasp of pain quiet.

Thomas and Minho both twisted towards her with matching worried expressions. Minho helped her sit up.

"Fuck sakes, my head hurts." She grumbled.

"Would you please refrain from such harsh language?" Newt complained.

"Fuck off Mama Newt." Jina snapped while also flipping him off.

Minho howled with laughter. "Ya Mama Newt! Fuck off!" He gave Newt's head a playful shove. Newt looked outraged. Jina chuckled quietly while Minho rolled on the ground laughing.

I don't remember you swearing so much. Thomas's voice floated through her mind. She saw him glance at her with amusement in his dark exhausted eyes. Her small smile slid off. And she picked at the hem of her shirt.

Ya well...being stuck in the maze for that long...seeing more deaths then a kid should, being forced to grow up and whatever...all the blood guts and trauma...it changes you. Sorry.. I'll try harder.

Don't be. I'm uhh... not as much as a stickler as Newt. I don't mind. They're just words.

Well...I don't think Newt likes me too much as it is. Maybe if I watch my words I'll work into his good books.

Don't worry about it. Newt will come around.

Minho handed her a water bottle. She broke the conversation, but she felt Thomas's presence still. Jina felt very comfortable and safe with it. The rest of the guys and Teresa were all awake and slowly chewing the stale granola bars and sipping the water. The only one who was still asleep was Winston, but everyone let him sleep. Even from the front of the cave, she could hear how ragged his breathing was. She met Aris's eye.

He's not gonna make it. Aris stated. He looked back at Winston.

No. He won't turn into a crank, were all immune, but...that internal damage, infection, sepsis...heat exhaustion...that's what's gonna get him.

Anything you can do for him?

No. I'm not a doctor, Aris. And definitely not a surgeon. He needs Doctor Crawford.

Dang. Wonder how long he'll hold on for.

I dunno. Is...is it horrible I...I don't really feel anything? Like I have no emotional attachment to most of these guys. And I feel like a horrible person...but-

Ji. We only met them like 72 hours ago. I don't even know the kid in the other corner's name. Also-

That's Joey.

Oh...well, okay. Anyways. As sucky as it is, we live in a harsh world. Death distraction and disease is a huge reality.

Still. It feels wrong. Like I should feel something...But I don't know. Maybe I'm just too tired and numb to feel anything anymore.

Maybe. Or you're just a cold hearted bitch.

Probably that.

Or a sociopath...

Wow. Thanks Aris.

Anytime, Babes. But after you passed out, Clint did what he could to help. It's not like we're gonna just ditch him to die. Don't over think it.

Ya...

You changed.

What? Jina looked over and caught his eye. Aris raised an eyebrow.

You changed. From the tank top to t shirt. And your not so covered in blood.

Oh. She mentally shrugged. And took a sip of water to give herself a moment. Ya. Well, being covered in crank blood was kinda gross. We might be in the scorch with no showers and stuff...still not a reason to wear dried blood.

Ji?

What? She sighed. She could feel his ammusment.

I can see the cut up shirt, knife, the bloody clothes and empty water bottle. And I see the way Thomas keeps glancing at you and turning bright red. Did he have to help you take it off?

How the hell do you always do that?

She could feel him laughing at her. I know everything. Now tell me everything.

Jina was spared having to tell him because Thomas interrupted their breakfast of granola bars and water.

"Okay, we should get moving." Thomas said beside her. "Let's pack it up." Thomas got to his feet and threw his backpack on and held a hand out for Frypan.

Frypan and Clint went to help Winston up, who apparently was awake, but hadn't moved. Thomas held a hand out for Jina. She gratefully took it, and he pulled gently to her feet. Her vision went black on the sides for a second and she stumbled.

"Whoa whoa. Ji? You okay?"

"Yeah. Just...dizzy. I'm fine."

She waved him off. Holding her head she reached down for her backpack, but had to hold onto the wall. Minho was stuffing his bag with stuff again and Thomas went to talk to Winston. Teresa of all people picked up Jina's bag and passed it to her.

"How's the head?" She asked quietly.

"Feels like I lost a fight to a Crank." Jina finally grumbled, taking her bag and slipping it onto her shoulders. They slowly filtered out of the cave, following Thomas and Minho down the cement ledge and into the Scorch. Teresa walked beside her and they had a quiet conversation.

"Well, considering the crank is dead and you're alive...I think it lost the fight."

"It?" Jina asked.

"Well...it's not a person anymore." She said with a frown, looking at Jina.

"They aren't?" Jina challenged.

"No. They aren't. Humanity is gone in them. All that's left is animal instincts."

Jina frowned at the girl. Teresa's icy blue eyes filled with tears. "I have...I have memories as a child- awful things I saw and...and went through. You have no idea."

"Must be pretty bad, if you still view them as none humans. I mean... They were people once, with jobs and loves, kids maybe, hopes and dreams."

"Those all die at the moment of infection." Teresa argued.

"So.. if Thomas, for instance, got the flare, you wouldn't be all over him? That dream is lost?" Jina stopped walking and glared at the girl.

Teresa stopped walking and turned to look at Jina. Her icy blue eyes were cold.

"I have a history with him. You don't. He may have some memory of fleeting feelings. But it won't last."

"I'm not fighting you over a boy. I'm not repeating history, Teresa. I know it was you who somehow convinced Ratman to toss me into the maze."

She folded her arms tight across her chest. "You're right. It was." She agreed.

"Then what-"

"He wanted to execute you." Teresa continued, interrupting Jina. "I convinced him to spare your life. I convinced him your brain was worth monitoring. I convinced him to not kill you on the spot."

< • >