i do not own the maze runner or any of its characters

ada
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There was a problem with Terra. While the other Gardeners were perfectly capable of keeping the gardens running, Terra had made sure of that, the Glen was different without their little ray of sunshine of a Keeper walking around.

Lauren was trying her best to be there for Nora and Terra both, but she was only one person, and was dealing with her own grief. Something had to be done.

It had been a couple weeks, and Terra had yet to come out of her room. Part of the Glen was trying not to make a big deal of it, instead just trying to keep on going like nothing was wrong, while the others stormed my Kitchen demanding that the leaders and I had to do something.

It was confusing, being looped in with the leaders. I was honored, since this meant I was almost respected as much as them, but it was exhausting, because people came to me with complaints about the Glen, instead of going to Sonya or Harriet.

"I'm not sure I understand." I said to Niah, a Builder.

"Why don't you just, pull Terra out of her room?"

"Um." My eyebrows furrowed, waiting to see if she was joking or not. "We can't do that, she's grieving."

"But, it's been like 7 weeks."

"It really hasn't. It's only been 3."

"That's more than enough time, besides, look at Lauren. You don't see her huddled up in her room, and Juliet was one of her Runners." She rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair.

Pausing, I took a deep breath, making sure I did this right.

"Niah, were you at the funeral?"

"Of course, I'm not a stick. Juliet was a good kid."

"Did you cry?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Where is this going?"

"Well, I'm just trying to get a scope of your grief."

"That's none of your concern, we're talking about Terra."

I smiled.

"Oh." She looked down, obviously embarrassed.

"Yeah. Don't try and deal with other's grief when you have no possible idea what they're going through. Terra spent a lot of time with Juliet, and so did Lauren. Lauren's strong, she has to be to deal with the Maze. But Terra isn't, and that's okay. She needs time to go through her emotions and grief. Everyone goes through it differently."

Niah let my words hang in the air for a little bit.

"And how are you going through your grief?"

And then decided to punch me in the gut.

✧♡✧

I've always known I wasn't much of a people-person, even without memories to back it up. I've just felt it.

Since the beginning of the Glen, I stuck to the outside, waiting for people to come to me. I was one of the first to start working, after exploring some of the buildings that were scattered around. After finding a kitchen, I quickly set it up and started working, wanting something, anything that could keep my hands busy and also let my mind wander.

It was rough, without recipes, but most of the food I made was edible, supplied only by my muscle memory of making it in the life I had before.

The girls who were brave enough came to my window, taking plates and going back to wherever, and a few started a conversation with me, asking what was in it, or asking if they could help. I built a small crew, and together we got the Kitchen to what it was today. I had my friends, and it was good.

Eventually Nora came into my life, and that shook things up, but I grew to love her.

I was happy. Content. The Kitchen was good, I was good, and with the help of Nora I got to be more comfortable talking to people. Nothing too drastic changed, and I was more than okay with that.

So needless to say, when Juliet came into my Kitchen, I wish I could have known just how much things were going to be different.

I never thought I had my life together, I just seemed to think things through from more of a logical standpoint than from an emotional one. Sometimes people needed that outside, unbiased opinion, and I was there to provide it, no hassle. The advice was necessary for some of the girls in the Glen, almost as valuable as the food I served as well.

They came to my Kitchen, where I felt comfortable, and I was used to helping Nora with her problems when it all started. But when people came in with bigger issues, where if I gave the wrong advice the results could be disastrous, that's where I got a little nervous. But Nora was there to help me if I got too overwhelmed with all of the requests, and picked me back up and put me together after a rare disaster case. As more time went on, and more girls came up to me for my advice, and how successful it ended up being, I garnered a reputation. And I was okay with it. I was fine with being the resident therapist of the Glen.

I was fine.

✧♡✧

"Hey, what would you say if I told you I might think Lauren is the best thing in this Glen other than your bacon?" Nora asked, sprawled across my table.

The other girls in the Kitchen giggled at that, and after a sharp look from Nora, they decided to slip out the back door of the Kitchen and find something to do outside of earshot of the conversation. 

"I'd probably say it's about time you realized that. And stop sending away my help, there's only so much I can do by myself." I responded.

"Hang on, I'll be quick. But hypothetically, if I called in a favor with Beth and got absolutely blackout drunk and told Lauren how I felt, you'd hypothetically, for the sake of the hypothetical, you'd whip me up some of that magic elixir and fix me up afterward? Hypothetically?" Nora continued.

"Hypothetically, I'd not do any of that because I think you can talk to Lauren on your own and be able to remember everything you said. Hypothetically." I smiled.

"But hypothetically," The Slicer started.

"Oh my finch, say hypothetically one more time I'm tying you up and dragging you out to the deepest part of the Maze and leaving you there." The 'best thing in this Glen other than my bacon' kicked the door open of the back room with her full lunch pack, about to run into the Maze.

Nora sat straight up, mouth open in a perfect 'O'.

Lauren smiled. "I know, don't threaten you with a good time. But speaking of good times, I'll see you waiting outside the Doors when I get back so we can talk about this new information I just learned." She turned towards the door, waving goodbye. "See ya, Ada."

"Bye, Lauren." I waved back. "Have fun and make sure you come back this time."

"I won't, but I always do, Ada. Bye Nora."

The blonde walked out the Kitchen door, and there were exactly six seconds until Nora said something in her absence. 

"You knew she was in the back the whole time." Nora pointed her finger at me, accusingly. 

I smiled again, and turned back to making the Glen's breakfast. "I think subconsciously, you knew she was in there too. The same thing's happened for 2 years, Nora. And I think it's time you've gotten a little bit of happiness."

"Why do hot women have to be so . . . ugh?" Nora dropped her face in her hands.

"I don't know, but it sounds like you have a date later today. So you better get a move on to get all your work done before she gets back." 

I expected a smart quip from Nora, or just shuffling as she went to get up, but instead I heard nothing. This was odd.

Turning away from my stove, I saw my best friend looking terrified. 

"I don't think you're going to get rejected. The two of you have been eyeing each other for a long time now."

"What if I mess it all up? What happens if Lauren realizes I'm just some girl with bloodlust and anger issues and doesn't know how to communicate properly without my hand on a sword hilt? What happens then? I can't mess her up, Ada. I just can't. She's the best thing in this Glen, this world, and I don't want to be the one to ruin that. I refuse to be."

I turned off the stove, and sat down at the table with Nora, taking her hands in mine and forcing her to look in my eyes. She'd been dealing with this, crush wasn't the right word, deep admiration for Lauren for quite awhile, and I was somehow blind to it.

"I don't think Lauren sees you that way, Nora. You're so much more than this persona you show around the Glen, and she knows that. She acknowledged that today, and she's giving you an opportunity to show her that even more. Lauren wants to know you in a different way, a new, romantic way, and I think it'd be," I paused. "Unwise to pass that up. You deserve happiness, Nora. You deserve the world, and Lauren. Go to work today, think about what I said, and try not to worry too much about tonight. Whatever's gonna happen, is gonna happen."

"I love you so so much, Ada. I really hope you find your Lauren someday." Nora smiled, tears in her eyes.

"I love you do, Nora. And I'll find 'em eventually." 

✧♡✧

The next hours went by agonizingly slow, and every time I saw Nora across the Glen, she was either looking at her watch or looking at the Doors longingly. I knew she wanted nothing more than to talk to Lauren, and the waiting game was slowly killing her. I just wanted her to be patient, but it was never her strong suit.

So when the regular time came for the Runners to get back, and Lauren wasn't part of the group,  Nora got anxious. 

"She's alright, right? She specifically told you that she always comes back. Why would this time be any different?" Nora was pacing, hand gripped tight on the hilt of her sword. Her knuckles were white, so white it made my own hands hurt.

"She'll be okay, Nora. She's Keeper of the Runners for a reason." Harriet said. Her and Sonya were gathered in our small group by the Doors. As more and more minutes ticked past, and everyone but Lauren had come back, our group grew larger. 

"Yeah, she's probably being over cautious, it'll be alright." Sonya added. But I caught the look she gave Harriet afterwards. 

"Hey, she's only got 7 minutes left." Miyoko called. 

"Oh thank you for that wonderful addition." Nora yelled back.

"She's coming!" Someone called, and before I could process that it sounded like Terra's voice, another girl called out.

"Is that a finching Griever?!"

"She's running from a Griever!"

More and more girls started calling out, some telling Lauren to run faster, and others just mindless yelling. I wasn't a Runner, but even I could tell that Lauren was exhausted.

She seemed to perk up at our voices, and the relief was clear on her face that she was almost to the Glen.

But the worst happened. The Doors started closing.

And Lauren was too far away. 

I saw Nora running towards Lauren, and before I could even start running, Miyoko had Nora's hands pinned behind her back, effectively keeping her from making a bad decision.

Swears and threats were flying from the Slicer, but they were lost in the screams and cries from the other girls, thinking they could get the Doors to close even slower, and let the beloved Runner into the Glen safe and sound. 

But just because you wish something to be, doesn't mean it will happen.

The Keeper of the Runners put on a final burst of speed, and gained distance from the monster, but it wasn't enough to save her. The Doors shut with an echoing boom, and a devastating cry rose up to harmonize with it.

The Keeper of the Runners was sentenced to death, and she took the Keeper of the Slicers' heart with her. 

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i really sat down to write chap 2 of deja vu 2 and went down a nora hole instead. 

i love her so much and decided to show that by absolutely traumatizing her.

oops <3

anyways it's been a hot minute, hasn't it. how y'all doing/been?