< Spicy kissing scene >

"No, Jina. Not like that!" Minho scolded. He pulled her arm back. "Keep this part straight. Twist this... This- like that...ya right. And put your body weight behind it." Minho readjusted her arm. "There. Now try."

Jina gave him a lopsided tipsy smile. But her fuzzy brain took the instructions and let her fist slam into Marcus's face. He groaned and spit blood.

"Very good Ma Hija." Jorge nodded in approval.

"Ahh. There's the sibling trait." Minho grinned. He held his hand for a high five, but Jina missed, and ended up giggling. Minho had to grab her shoulders to keep her from falling over.

Jorge had been trying to get information regarding the whereabouts of one of Marcus's main suppliers and the rumors of another resistance group. But the guy was a crank and found this whole thing funny, and as Jorge and now Jina punched every available space he just laughed.

Jorge stepped up again, and sent one into his jaw. "I suggest that you talk!" He snarled. Jorge was actually kind of scary when he was angry.

"You son of a bitch!" Marcus groaned as he spit a mouth full of blood and possibly a tooth onto the floor. But then he just smiled. Jina was getting frustrated. This guy wasn't talking. She pulled the gun back out. Switched the safety off and held it by his knee. The room went tense. Minho and Jorge who a moment before had smirks as she leand to punch properly now stood stiff and nervous.

"Talk you jackass." She spat.

"Aren't you feisty!" Marcus giggled. "You'd be fun up on the poles!"

Jina's face was cold and angry. Her dead eyes looked the crank in his insane ones and cocked the gun.

"You sure your not a crank, sweetheart?" He giggled. Blood dribbled down his chin.

"I'm very sure." She answered. "Just a kid who's seen to much shit and done with you. Last chance to answer."

"I'm gonna have to ask you to leave my club."

Jina pulled the trigger. The bang echoed around the room. Everyone gasped or yelped. Marcus screamed in pain. Someone grabbed her arm, ripped the gun from her and she was shoved backwards. She stumbled and landed hard on her but. There was a groan behind her. She scrambled to her knees- her head spun. She grabbed her head to make it stop. It was getting harder to function.

"Thomas!" She gasped.

He was finally stirring. She sat down on the edge of the couch. Very slowly his eyelids peeled open with another loud groan. They blinked a few times, trying to understand what was going on. Even in Jina's drunken state she saw the panic and he tried to get up.

"Hey, you're okay." Jina soothed. She placed a hand on his chest, "Hey, hey, shh. Tommy. You're okay."

"Jina..?" His voice was raspy and dry, his eyes finally focused on her.

"Hey." She gave him a small smile.

"Welcome back, you ugly shank!" Minho yelled slapping his leg and shaking it. The loud yell made him and Jina flinch. Clearly he had a hangover.

"Jina...?" He ignored Minho, Thomas raised his arms and just pulled her down into a tight hug. Jina flopped down into his chest. She burried her face into his chest and closed her eyes. Her arms circled around him and they just held onto each other, ignoring everything and everyone around them.

"I thought I lost you!" Jina's muffled words became chocked and her eyes filled with yet more tears. Her hands held fistfulls of his jacket. She felt a hand on the back of her head, and it was petting her head.

"I'm here. I'm here." He kept repeating, whispering into the top of her head. The tears came faster and harder. Her mind replayed the building crashing over and over.

Without breaking his hold on her he slowly sat up, he winced and groaned, but he was now sitting up, leaning into the couch his head back. Jina didn't care about anyone, she just wanted his arms around her. With her head spinning even more, she crawled into his lap. He kept his arms tight around her. Her eyes were puffy now from crying, again. She could feel the alcohol pulling her into sleep.

"Tommy..." Her words slurred.

"Jina? Honey, you okay?" He pulled away slightly to see her. Her eyes were very unfocused.

"Ya!" She gave him a goofy smile. "I'm grrrrrr-aaaate!" She slurred.

"She's just wasted, man. She'll be fine." Minho waved a hand.

"What?"

"Minny sucks at drinking!" She giggled. "I won. I drink better then him."

"You only won 'cause I had more in the bottle!" Minho huffed.

"Loooosser." She giggled. Her head tipped back, as she looked up at Thomas who looked utterly confused. He placed his hand on her face, making her look at him. Her eyelids slid closed and back open. "My world is spinning. But you're back. You didn't die. Minho says you're like a cockroach. But I think you're better looking then a cockroach."

"What the hell?" Thomas whispered, he looked up at Minho and Newt and the rest of the guys. They were all trying really hard not to laugh. Even Teresa was trying hard not to laugh at the completely confused look on Thomas's face.

"Shank, you missed a lot."

Jina snuggled even closer to Thomas, her face was pressed into his shoulder.

"Your jacket smells bad." She whinned.

"Smells like the Underneath."

"Underneath of what? Dead bodies?" Jina slurred.

"Ya, pretty much." He shuddered. "Come on, sit up and I'll take it off." Jina sat up and teetered. Thomas stripped his jacket and pulled Jina back into his chest where she hummed.

"How'd you get so clean?" There's no more sand and soot all over you from the lightning.

"I showered!" She grinned at him, feeling very proud of herself. Thomas looked up at the guys for an explanation, but before they could there was another loud bang that echoed around the room. Jina jumped. Everyone yelped and then looked around. Jorge had shot Marcus in the foot. Now both legs were bloody and gross.

"Listen. I don't enjoy hurting you." Jorge was holding his anger back. And he quite clearly wanted to hurt this guy. "Where is the Resistance group, Marcus?"

"Wait, this is Marcus?" Thomas asked, sitting up straighter, making Jina whine in protest.

"The kid catches on quick. Are you the brains
of the operation?" Marcus asked, he seemed oblivious to the fact his knee was blown apart and he was missing a few toes now.

"No. That's me." Jina giggled, raising a hand. "And Minho is the brawns. Right?" She pointed at Minho.

"Shh. Ji. You're annoying when you're drunk." Minho rolled his eyes. She flipped him off, tried to get up and swing a fist. But Thomas had an arm clamped around her hips and kept her sitting on his lap.

"Stay here." He grunted as she tried swinging a fist at Minho again. Jina gave up quickly and curled back up into Thomas's chest. His arms tightened around her.

"I know you know where they're hiding. So you're going to tell me." Jorge demanded.

"I burned that bridge a long time ago. I lost contact with them. Besides, I made my own deal. You're the one who taught me, never miss an opportunity."

"What's he talking about?" Thomas demanded.

His voice was loud in Jina's ear. She flinched. Thomas pressed his hand over her ear, blocking out the noise. Her one ear was pressed to his chest. Now all she could hear was the thumping of his heart. Something she didn't think she would ever hear again. She made some kind of quiet whimpering sound. She turned more into him and let her eyes close. The thumping of Thomas's steady heart was mixed with the thumps of Jorge's fist. Her mind succumbed, finally, to the alcohol and she was out.

< • >

The sound of insects woke Jina. Her head was throbbing. She groaned in protest. Drinking that much was a dumb idea. She knew she would have a hangover, but this was awful. It burnt her stomach, and her head felt like it was going to explode. She just wanted to curl up and die.

Something moved her hair from her face. It was warm and gentle. She let a small smile slide onto her lips.

"Tommy." She breathed.

She recognized his touch and his scent. Her eyes felt dry like sandpaper. But she slowly peeled them open. Thomas was propped up on an elbow. His other hand was running through her hair. She saw the bright stars behind him. The fire flickered, casting shadows.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Like I won a drinking contest." She whinned.

He chuckled. "I never could stomach Gally's nasty moonshine."

"Jill's was pretty gross. But after a year? I got used to it. Helped take the edge off each month."

Jina saw his eyes grow sad as they looked at her. She raised a hand, which sent daggers into her skull. She placed it on his cheek.

"I really thought you were gone."

"I'm a hard one to kill. Like a cockroach." He smirked at her. Jina groaned and her cheeks turned red. Her arm flopped over her face. Thomas laughed at her. He moved her arm and kissed her forehead while still laughing at her. "It was cute. I mean I had no idea what you meant...but the guys explained."

"What happened?"

"Well...after you passed out, Jorge got his answers. Didn't take much after that. And while Jorge got the truck ready, I found a place to shower. With some clean-ish clothes. We packed up and drove as far as we could. The guys filled me in on what happened..."

"Oh...ya." Jina mumbled. "Where are we?" She looked around she saw a truck parked near by, a fire, the lumpy outlines of the others spaced out. They were further back, close to the tree line, they were big thick trees like in the Glenn, but these looked healthy, the starting border of a forest. There was short soft grass under her.

"Base of the mountains. Jorge had to stop to fix a flat. And everyone needed sleep. So we made camp. We'll reach the Right Arm camp tomorrow. Right now though, it's actually grass and trees and stuff. After the sand? It's weird."

Jina could hear the wind in the trees rustling the leaves. And the insects. She could hear the deep breathing of the others somewhere near bye and the snoring of Frypan.

Jina slowly and cautiously rolled onto her side, a bent arm as her pillow. Thomas pulled her closer, tucking the blanket around them. The dying fire behind her, warmed her back and sent flickering shadows over Thomas's face. Thomas was gazing softly at her. His fingers slowly and softly running over her cheeks and jaw line and into her hair. 

"Don't leave me like that again... please?" She whispered.

"Never. We do this together."

Jina smiled. "We used to say that. Together. We can do this together."

"Feels right. You and me. Together." He whispered. He gently pressed his forehead to hers. Jina closed her eyes, his nose ran up and down hers. His hand slid to the back of her head, his fingers buried into her hair. His breath fanned her face. Jina slid a hand under the hem of his t shirt.

"I knew you got to the other building safely...but it still scared me. Want if something else happened...what if I you died? What if WICKED got you? What if a crank got you? Or one of those snatchers? Too many what ifs." His voice shook, "what if I had died in the dark tunnels? What if the past gone cranks really did get me first? What if I had fallen from the broken building and died on impact? There was so much fear and adrenaline...Ji, it was like the crank mall but worse. I was... really scared."

His body shivered. She removed her hand from his shirt and placed it on the back of his head and pulled him closer. Pain split her skull with the movement. Thomas nuzzled his face into her neck and his body trembled as his mind relived the horror of his time in the dark tunnels. He didn't elaborate more and Jina didn't ask. Not yet. It was too fresh. She ran her hand up and down his back as he cried silently. They clung to each other thankful the other was there.

"Hey Ji?" He finally whispered. His lips tickled her skin.

"Ya?"

"How come I can't feel you in my mind? It's cold...and empty."

Jina felt a stab in her heart. She squeezed her eyes closed. "The lightning fried the chip in my head. Well, as best as Tess and I can figure out. I have all my memories back. Like I woke up and I knew everything. And I can't talk to anyone. There's a black...like burn mark on my neck, where the chip should be. So...it makes sense. But now I can't talk to you or feel you. It's so... lonely and cold."

"Oh. I'm sorry. But...you know I love you besides that, right? It...it just added more... But it's not gonna change that."

"Ya...I know. But-"

"Nah. Now I can hear your voice when we talk." He shook his head as he pulled away to look at her. His face hovered right over hers. "I love you Jina."

"I love you too." She reached a hand up to hold his face.

He dipped his head a kissed her. It started off slow and gentle. But the longer they kissed the hungrier they both became. She was gently tugging on his bottom lip with her teeth, he had his tounge exploring her mouth. When she had to pull away to take a wild gasping breath, he just kissed down her jaw and down her neck. His warm lips and tongue left wet spots that made her shiver in the cold night air. Her hands clenched tight when he found a spot on her neck, she held a fist of his hair and his t shirt. He pressed his body into her, she had a leg wrapped between his. He kissed the spot again, sucking and swirling his tongue. She was vaguly aware that it was going to leave a mark. She was bitting her bottom lip to keep quiet. Her body was radiating heat, it was burning from the inside out. Starting in her stomach and chest and expanding outward to her finger tips and toes.

Thomas pulled the blanket over them both, blocking unwanted eyes, and then slowly slid his hand up her shirt. She pulled his head away from her neck and found his mouth. They kissed as quietly yet as desperately as possible. Thomas's fingers slowly found their way under the hem of her bra. And they inched even higher her eyes rolled and tried to press her hips into him as subtly as possible. She pulled his head closer, deepening the kiss, and to keep herself from making any noises that would wake the others.

A long fell in the fire sending sparks into the air. It startled Thomas and Jina. They pulled away suddenly. Her heart was racing, and she was panting hard. Thomas was flushed and his chest was rising and falling faster than it was a few minutes ago.

"Shuck." He grumbled. He reluctantly pulled his hand from her shirt. Thomas lay down beside her and tucked her close to his chest. It took a few minutes for their breathing and hearts to go back to normal.

"You should sleep..." Thomas whispered.

"You too. I can guarantee you didn't sleep while in the Underneath." She whispered back.

"No...no I didn't." He admitted.

"Then sleep now. You're safe. I'm here now. Close your eyes." She insisted.

Thomas snuggled his face into her neck, their arms around each other, legs intertwined. And they both finally fell asleep.

< • >

At some point later, close to dawn, Thomas was twitching and whimper. Jina woke to him starting to thrash more wildly.

"Tommy?" She asked hesitantly, sitting up.

He didn't respond, just thrashed again with a loud cry.

"Tommy!" Jina said louder, more concerned.

"No!" He yelled.

Newt sat up rubbing his eyes.

"Thomas!" Jina was now on her knees, a hand on his shoulder, shacking him. He had tears running down his face, now. "Come on, Thomas, wake up."

He flailed, crying out again. Jina's heart was beating wildly. And her eyes were wide in worry. She had seen some girls get nightmares, she had them all the time, but there was something heartbreaking seeing someone you care about fighting the nightmares. Jina abandoned the gentle wake up. She shook him hard. By this time Aris, Minho, Jorge and Teresa were awake. Clint and Frypan and Brenda seemed to sleep through anything.

"Thomas! Wake up! Please!" Jina pleaded, tears in her own eyes. He was crying out and whimpering. His eyes snapped open and he sat up with a strangled cry, "No! Jina!"

"Hey! Shh. Tommy. I'm right here. I'm right here."

"Jina!" He cried again, looking around wildly. She crawled into his lap, holding his face, and was smoothing his sweaty hair from his face. His eyes were dilated and he was breathing hard.

"Shh. Tommy, Sweetie, I'm here. I'm okay. I'm safe."

"Jina!" He chocked back a sob as tears pooled in his eyes. He finally focused his panic eyes onto her and he pulled her close. He buried his face into her neck and he cried. She held him tight. Slowly rocking and rubbing his back.

"Shhh. You're safe, sweetie. I'm right here. I'm here." She soothed quietly.

Newt got up and pulled the blanket up over his shoulders. A few of the others slowly lay back down once they knew there was no danger.

"Must have been some crazy shit in the buggen' underneath."

"You've been hanging out with me too much Newt." Jina gently and quietly teased.

"Probably." He rolled his eyes. He was crouched beside them. "Anything I can get you guys?"

"Water?"

"Sure." He got up and went to the truck.

Jina slowly shifted them so she was sitting up and she was leaning against one of the trees. Thomas was curled up, his head in her lap, his face pressed into her stomach. As she shushed and whispered gently to him, she saw Teresa watching. Jina saw tears reflected in her eyes. She rubbed them and then lay down, her back to everyone and curled up. Jina felt her heart slid down into her stomach. She didn't know what to do about her. She wasn't going to break up with Thomas just because Teresa was upset. But she wished she could do something...because Jina could understand. Because if the tables had been reversed...Jina might very well be where Teresa is, watching another girl comfort her first friend and the boy she had misplaced love for.

A moment later Newt was back with a bottle of water, cutting her sad thoughts off.

"Thanks Newt." Jina gave him a small smile. He nodded and sat down beside her.

They sat beside each other for a while. Thomas's raged breathing turned into deep rhythmic breathing.

"Ya know?" Newt said quietly, "I know I was kinda a buggen' slinthead back in the Waystation. An' I'm sorry. Really. I really hoped we were through with runnin' and danger an' stuff."

"I know. Me too. Soon though....soon."

"Ya." He gave her a small smile.

"Newt? Do you have any memories?"

Newt shook his head. "Nah. Nothing I got nothing before I woke up. Always felt like there was something...something missing. Something big. It chewed at me. Ate me alive in the maze. I never knew what it was. Still don't. Still got no hot clue what it is."

"No other names? Or maybe familiar feelings for a sibling or something?"

He shook his head. "Why?" He asked running a hand through his hair, pushing it out of the way.

"Just want to know why I went into the maze and remembered Minho and Thomas. Why Minho would remember my name."

"Dunno." He shrugged. He suddenly stiffened, and looked at Jina. Who was frowning and glaring at a spot on the grass. "Wait. Jina. Why would you ask that?"

"Well, why would Minho and I remember each other, but you and your sister wouldn't."

"Hold on a bloody minute!" He grabbed Jina's arm, like he was trying to keep himself from running off. "What the hell did ya just say?"

"Umm...wait...what? Oh finch." Jina grumbled. "Ya. Newt you got a sister. One of my best friends actually. Sonya. You have a younger sister, her name is Sonya."

"I...I have a sister?" He repeted.

"Ya. She has your eyes and smile. Her hair is blonder though. And she was second in command in the Glenn and Leader of the Mappers. She was amazing with the Blondie's, but she could drink and she could swear."

Newt gave her a side eye on that last one. Jina chuckled softly.

"I have a sister..." He repeated quietly to himself, as he ran a hand through his hair again.

"Ya. And when we get to the Right Arm...I'll introduce you."

"I'll hold you to it. You're not pullin' my leg or something, right?"

Jina shook her head. "No Newt, that's not something I would joke about. I'm not cruel."

Newt smiled at her. It was a genuinely big happy smile that made his eyes dance, just like Sonya's. It made Jina smile sadly. She missed Sonya. And Harriet and Flossie and Flo, and Jill and Yelena and Hannah and Thea and Kenda and Taylor...and everyone else.

Jina leaned her head back against the tree. Her heavy eyes slid shut, her hand still tangled in Thomas's hair.

< • >