The crowd of Gladers pressed in, and the questions never stopped. I clamped my hands over my ears and clamped my eyes closed. Minho turned his head and I felt his eyes on me.

"Enough!" He roared.

The crowd went quiet. He took charge still laying on the ground.

"Newt get a few guys to get Alby-"

"Hanging on the wall 30 ish feet up, straight down the hall left, left, right." I interrupted, peeking an eye open.

Newt turned to Jason and a few other runners. Jason nodded and immediately went in. The others seemed hesitant.

"Fuck sakes you cowards, we just lived a night and you can't go help get your own shucken leader?" I yelled at them, propping myself up onto elbows.

They hung their heads but went after Jason. Newt frowned back at us. Winston and Chuck had pushed through the crowd and Winston threw himself to the ground and tackled me in a hug so tight I fell back into the ground. I groaned in pain.

"Dude seriously. Personal space. And why are you touching me? I didn't die!"

"But you could have!" He said quietly, still holding me tightly.

"Get a grip man!" I pushed him off only to be tackled by Chuck.

"Fuck sakes. What is with you people?" I whinned.

"Apparently we care about you, you idiot."

"Well that was your first mistake." I rolled my exhausted eyes.

I pushed Chuck away too. Both guys sat on their knees beside me, their red and puffy eyes full of unshed tears. There really were people who actually seemed to care about me and it felt...weird. Did anyone from my first maze feel this way? Sonya...but anyone else? It was a weird feeling having people care enough to cry over you because they worried.

Chuck turned and threw himself at Thomas, who was still laying on his back, breathing hard. He made an omph noise but gave him a one arm pat on the back. I felt all the eyes of the Gladers on me, Thomas and Minho. I knew they were all itching to ask questions. Chuck let go of Thomas and sat back he didn't wait, he burst with a question.

"You guys saw a Griever?"

There was instantly a buzz in the crowd. I scoffed.

"Yeah Chuck we saw 'em." Thomas said.

"Pfft please, they didn't just see 'em. They killed one." Minho said, pride and awe in his voice and eyes.

I turned my head to see him. Thomas picked up his head. The Gladers broke into wild chatter, more questions were thrown out. Newt had to yell for quiet.

"Just one?" I asked innocently.

"Okay." Minho relented. "More than one."

Thomas grinned at me, "at least 4."

"5." I corrected, "Killed the one that stung Alby."

"You guys killed five bloody Grievers?" Newt cried.

"The Greenie killed them?" Gally asked, his face was red and he looked like he was going to blow a gasket.

"Well not exactly as efficiently as Jessie. But yeah...it was survival." Thomas defended himself.

"Gally. Slim it man." I waved a hand dismissively.

He turned to Newt, "we need a gathering. He," Gally threw a hand out pointing to Thomas, "broke the rules and needs to be punished."

Newt looked at the three of us still laying on the ground then back to Gally. He crossed his arms and nodded. He addressed us on the ground.

"Showers. Frypan's, Jessie the bloody MedJacks and then sleep." He held a hand up, stopping Gally's protests. "And then a gathering, yes Gally. But bloody human needs first. Even you aren't that buggen' mean."

Gally growled and pushed through the crowd and stomped away.

"Thanks Newt." Thomas said, he had held a hand out for Thomas to help him up.

I raised a hand in the air and gave a thumbs up. Minho groaned, Frypan held a hand out and he help Minho up. Who then turned and helped me up. I swayed, trying not to put weight on my leg. I gripped Minho's arm tightly, hissing through the pain, blinking the tears away.

•×•

I sat in the shower. I was too tired to stand, I slid down the wall leaning on the wall, my injured leg stretched out, I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the wall. The warm water helped ease the sore muscles. I took a long slow steady breath.

I jumped when there was a loud bang on the door.

"Jessie!" Minho sounded frantic, "I'm coming in!"

The door open and Minho pulled the curtain back. His frantic voice and strained facial expression softened.

"Dammit woman! You scared the klunk outta me!" He sighed.

He squated down so he was now at my level. I could hardly keep my eyes open, my head kept tipping forward.

"What?" I asked, very confused.

"No one could find you, it's been like an hour!"

"Oh. I guess I feel asleep." I yawned.

"Clearly." He rolled his eyes with a small smile, "are you done?"

"No. Haven't started. My arms feel like lead I don't wanna stand and everything hurts. I think I'm dying!" I whined.

"And you call me dramatic. Shuck it woman."

I just smiled cheekily at him. He pulled his t shirt off and reached into the shower for the shampoo.

"Mmmmm nice view." I mumbled, with a sleepy smirk.

"I could say the same." He grinned at me, I raised an eyebrow.

He just chuckled and leaned in getting soaking wet and kissed me gently. He gently washed my hair. All the dirt, grime, sweat, Griever goop and motor oil, blood everything swirled around and went down the drain. He turned the water off and helped me stand up and sat me back down on a chair, he kissed me again and told me he'd go get some food ready and find Jeff, he told me to wait for him, but after pulling on a pair of shorts and one of Minho's hoodies, I hobbled my way to the kitchen area. Where I grabbed a sandwich. It hurt to swallow, apparently everything was swollen. But my stomach was demanding food. 

I made it to the Homestead front door when it opened. Winston and Newt just about ran me over. With my balanced compromised I yelped, and almost fell over when Winston's strong arms caught me. 

"Where the shuck are you going?" He scolded. 

"To see Jeff, obviously." 

"I thought Minho said to bloody wait for him." Newt sighed while he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'd be an old lady by then. I've already been to see Fry and made it here. Now...if you would excuse me...I have places to be." 

I made a dramatic step, but nearly crumpled to the ground as my leg almost gave out. Newt threw his arms out this time and caught me.

"Thank you Newton." I sniffed, but waved him off, and continued into the Homestead. I ground my teeth to keep the groans and whimpers inside. The boys sighed heavily and followed behind me. I made it to the bottom of the stairs and stopped, looking up. 

"Why the hell is the Med room on the second floor?" I asked, "Who's stupid idea was that?" I grumbled, I slowly took one step at a time. "Oh I know... lets drag each injured idiot up the shucken stairs. Yeah great idea!" I grumbled. 

I heard the guys behind me chuckle. They stood behind me watching me. i glanced behind me, they both stood at the bottom of the stairs, their arms crossed and a look of exasperation on their faces. 

"You two are on the shucken council! Who approved this stupid idea?" 

"Would you let someone help you?" Winston asked. 

"No. I'm fine." 

"Clearly." Newt rolled his eyes. 

"MINHO!" Winston bellowed. 

"WHAT?" Came Minho's answer from somewhere upstairs. 

"COME GET YOUR SHUCKEN STUBORN GIRLFRIEND!" 

I rolled my eyes and got up two more stairs when I looked up and Minho was standing at the top of the stairs, his feet planted, his fists on his hips, and an amused smirk on his face. He raised an eyebrow when I grinned cheekily up at him. 

"Do you ever listen?" 

"Shuck no! Tell me not to do something Imma do it...probably twice just to piss you off." I scoffed at him "What a ridiculous question." 

He shook his head, but he had a huge smile on his face. He came down the stairs and without waiting or saying anything he swept me off my feet and carried me up the stairs and down the hall to the Med Hut. Winston and Newt followed huffing and rolling their eyes. Thomas was sitting on one bed getting looked at by Clint. Alby was moved to another room, and the new girl was still laying on the bed in the corner. I shivered when I saw her, but shook my head, like I could get rid of the feeling. Minho sat me down. Jeff came over immediately.  

He sat down and looked at my leg, he glanced up at me, "Can I touch you?" 

"Yes. Thank you for asking." I nodded. 

He just gave me a small smile. And took a closer look at the three puncture wounds. He poked and prodded, making me wince and suck in a few sharp breaths. He finally got up and went to the shelf and grabbed what he needed. He came back and got to work, cleaning them a bit more, which hurt so much I just about threw up again. I cursing wildly  flopped backwards onto the bed, clamping my eyes closed, I had to breath heavily through my mouth. 

"I'm sorry Jessie. There is a few scraps of cloth from your pants inside the wound. I'm sorry." Jeff apologized. 

"Just do it!" I growled. Minho gently picked up my head and sat down, placing my head back down on his lap. He ran his fingers through my hair.

"Jeeze Jessie, that mouth is buggen'  terrible!" 

"Newt?" I growled, 

"What Jessie?" He asked, sounding tired, he rubbed his forehead. 

"Fuck off." 

Minho, Winston, Jeff and Clint all snorted, and tried to cover it up. 

"Nice." Came Thomas's voice on the other side of the room. 

"How's my favorite Idiot doing?" I asked, trying to keep my mind busy and not focused on what Jeff was doing to my leg. 

"Well that's a sucky name!" He pouted. "But I'm fine. Probably could sleep for like twelve hours and then another twelve." 

"I feel that." 

"Tommy, that's called a coma." 

"Well...I could sleep like I'm in a comma." He shrugged. 

Minho was watching Jeff use tweezers to try get something out. I flinched and cursed again. 

"Imma need some help over here, Clint?" Jeff looked over his shoulder. Clint came over and Thomas followed. Winston and Newt crowded around. 

"Well lets just go down to the picnic area, let the rest of the Glade watch." I rolled my eyes. 

"Okay, this is gonna suck, Sorry Jessie." 

"I could use a jar of Gally's stuff..." 

"Actually..." Clint said, and got up. He went into the back closet and came back out with a bottle of darker brown liquid. 

I grind. "Now were talking!" Clint handed me the bottle. I sat up, pulled the stopped out and took a long swallow of the alcohol. It burnt worse than Gally's moonshine. I felt it burn all the way down and into my stomach. I took another long drink. 

"Okay...that's gonna hit you hard!" Clint warned. 

"Please. I can hold my alcohol." 

Clint raised his hands in surrender, "Don't say I didn't warn you." 

I took a third swallow. I felt it already making my head fuzzy. I handed the bottle back. 

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?" Newt cried, pointing at the jar. Clint gave him a mischievous smile. 

"Came up with the med supplies, it's pretty strong alcohol, we've used it on guys who need to chill, but we don't have any more sedatives." He shrugged. 

"Cowboy style!" I grinned. The alcohol already making my exhausted head fuzzy. 

"Exactly." Clint indicated to me. I lay back down, Minho held my head and one hand. Winston crouched down and held my other one. 

"Okay, Jess...I'm really sorry." Jeff apologized again, "Just don't gut me after this, okay?"

"Just try to relax." Clint advised. 

"Easy for you to say, you're not having shucken surgery wide awake." I grumbled. 

I growled and tried hard not to move, but it was hard, it hurt so much. I clenched my jaw so tight I was getting a head ache. My eyes flew open at one point and I gasped in pain, my back arched off the bed. Winston had to let go of my hand and hold my leg flat. Minho grabbed both my arms holding them tight to my chest. My head thrashed back and forth. It felt like forever, but the pressure of everyone holding me down lessoned, my vision was coming in and out, and my head was spinning weather from the alcohol or the lingering pain I wasn't sure. 

"Ya know...surgery is just stabbing people back to life." Thomas said, watching Jeff and Clint clean up the fresh blood and start to stitch it.

I giggled. Clint looked up horrified, "Don't ever become a surgeon." 

"How stupid are you?" Jeff also asked glancing up. 

Thomas shrugged. 

"How do you measure stupid?" Newt asked thoughtfully. 

"Thomas, how tall are you?" I giggled, my words slurring together. The guys all tried to hid their laughter. 

"Wow Jessie, that was really mean! Even tipsy on the verge of drunk your mean!" He pouted. 

"Okay, all done Jessie." Jeff said as he finished bandaging, "I put some more of that numbing cream, its also supposed to help speed up healing." He handed Minho the little container. "Now, Med jack orders, you three need to sleep." 

Minho picked me up and carried me out the door, Newt ushered Thomas out the door and down the stairs. 

Minho nudged the door open, and sat me down on the bed. I pulled the short off struggling with the now wrapped up leg. It was stiff and throbbing, but it felt way better now that it was cleaned out properly. Minho took pity on me and helped, despite how exhausted he was as well. 

"Don't get any ideas!"  I giggled. He raised an eyebrow at me. I giggled again. "Shuck. Clint was right. This stuff is stroooong!" Minho rolled his eyes with an amused smirk. 

"Drunk Jessie is giggly." He pointed out. 

"Shhhh! It's a secret." I pressed a finger to his lips, "They all need to fear me! They can't know I giggle. It's beneath me!" I frowned at him, my eyes in and out of focus. I cocked my head at him, as he stood up and pulled his t shirt off. "You could also be beneath me!" I giggled again. 

I crawled onto the bed, I fell backwards. He crawled and hovered over top of me, he just smirked down at me. 

"I love you Jessie." 

"I love you tooooo Minho!" 

"Good night Baby." 

He leaned down and kissed my nose, and he flopped down beside me. I rolled onto my side. He pulled me closer, his chest pressed up against my back. I laid my head on his bicep, and he draped his other arm over me. I wrapped my arms around it like a teddy bear, hold it tight.  I kissed the palm of his hand and placed it over my heart. I felt all his muscles relax. My body was already pulling me into sleep. He buried his face into my hair, kissing the back of my neck. 

"I thought I lost you forever. That scared me more than I want to admit." I whispered. 

"I'm not going anywhere. You and me gotta cause all sorts of problems. And we're gonna get outta here and I want to grow old with you." 

"Really?" I asked, surprised by his confession.

"Yeah, or course! This doesn't end when we escape this shuck place!" He paused and pressed his face into my neck again, kissing it. "You're mine." He growled. 

"I'm yours. And you're all mine." I purred. 

  I felt his chest rumble. And I hummed in contentment, we fell asleep wrapped around each other.