Amelia had woken up early the following morning. She had a lot of stuff running through her mind. Just before the runners went out she had given them a warning to be cautious. She didn't tell them what happened but she had hoped they had gotten the message. She went to Minho and informed him of the grievers she had encountered the day before. Luckily he hadn't scolded her as she thought he would. He had a tendency to scold the girl whenever she did something reckless.

He had suggested that only the two of them would go out of the maze from there on out. After Ben and one of the other runners return they would be the only ones until to it was safe. Minho and Amelia had a higher chance at surviving in the maze for the day than the other runners. They've been doing this for years.

“You have to inform Alby and Newt of this,” Minho had said. She had planned to do so but she did not want to spread panic just yet.

She returned back to her tent where Gally and Newt were sleeping. They stayed with her thinking that she would be stupid enough to wake up early to go into the maze with her ankle, but she had been able to sneak out and sneak back in without either of them even noticing that she had left.

“Lia. You awake?”

The brunette turned her head to look down to Newt. He layed on the ground with Gally. Gally was spread on the floor passed out not even stirring. “Yeah.” She moved to the side and patted the spot beside her. “Come here.”

Newt looked to Gally who was snoring very loudly in his ear. He stood up and joined her on the bed. The bed had enough space for three people but Newt and Gally wanted to be respectful so they offered to sleep on the floor. She didn't say anything since she rather loved her space.

Amelia smiled and moved closer to him. She snuggled into his chest and Newt wrapped his arms around het.

“Newt.”

“Hmm.”

“We're going to be okay, right?” Amelia spoke up. Newt frowned and looked down at the girl. “Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be? Had something happened?”

Amelia shoom her head. The two of them had been in this maze for three years and it has been great but all of this suddenly felt fake. It was not their reality but the people who put them here made it so.

“It is just a thought I have every once in a while,” Amelia said. She looked up to him and he sighed, “Well, if you ever have anything on your mind don't be afraid to ask me and I'll gladly answer even if I don't know the answer.”

Amelia looked up at the boy. Newt stared down at her and his hand moved from her hair to her cheek. His finger traced her lower lip while his eyes stayed on her. He gulped as he watched her eyes almost change color. They had decided to take things at a slow and steady pace. They did not want to overwhelm her. He had wanted to kiss her for so long but he would never initiate a kiss because he respected her boundaries. He wanted her to make the first move.

Amelia's eyes moved down to his lips and she leaned up and pressed her lips against his. He closed his eyes and moved his lips against hers. It was their first kiss since he had confessed his feelings for her. The kiss was sweet, not intense but the way her heart pounded against her ribcage with excitement, it did feel like it was.
His hands moved into her hair as hers fisted his shirt. He tilts his head to deepen the kiss.

Gally cleared his throat and the two pulled away from each other. Amelia looked to Gally, her cheek red as the boy just smirked. "Go on, do not let me stop you two now."

Amelia chuckled and sat up. "Get up here."

Gally joined the two of them, him lying on her other side. She took their hands in hers. "Thank you two for always being here for me and taking care of me even when I don't need you two."

"We'll always look out for you."
Amelia smiled. "And we know you know how to take care of yourself. We just worry about you," Gally said. Amelia looked at the boy. It had been partly her fault for worrying them because she does not always tell them everything.

Her hand moved to the necklace around her neck and she started playing with it. "And I know it's because I make you guys worry a lot. Whenever I leave the maze you two are scared that I won't make it back but I will always come back. To you guys, Alby, Minho, everyone here."

Gally leaned over and kissed her temple. "One more thing."

Amelia glanced over at Gally. "What?"

"Promise that you will not leave the Glade until your ankle is fully healed. That means you'll stay here for a week," Gally said and Amelia scoffed and Newt hummed, "Promise us, Lia."

"Ugh, fine. Clint said my ankle will be fully healed in a day."

"It will take a week," Newt said and Gally nodded. "Whatever. I need to rest anyway. Let's sleep before we have to wake up later."

She turned her back to Gally and pulled his arm around her to prepare herself to sleep. She knew she wouldn't be able to but her pretending to sleep is the only way to get them to stop talking. They had a long day ahead of them.

* * *

Amelia sat in front of Gally and she watched him chop the wood. The sun had been high up the sky and the temperature had been warmer than the day prior. Amelia had helped the Cooks with breakfast this morning while Alby and Newt helped Thomas get settled into the place. Thomas seemed like someone who will cause a lot of trouble for them.

Amelia looked over to where Newt talked with Thomas in the Gardens. "What do you think of Thomas?" Amelia asked Gally.
Gally looked up and he frowned.

"Well, he is definitely one of the stubborn ones. He is reckless but he seems like an okay guy," Gally said. Amelia stared over at them. She hummed and she bit her lip.

"Why?"

"I am trying to figure out where I should put him," Amelia said. She had asked Alby of his opinion but the man said it was all up to her since it was her job to assign them their work.

"You could put him with Winston. The Slicers."

"He wouldn't fit with them," Amelia said. "He wouldn't belong here with the Builders either," Gally said and Amelia looked around. He didn't fit in there either.

She looked at Gally with a glint in her eye. The boy sighed. "Nope. I don't like that look in your eyes," Gally said. He already knew she was up to no good. He never liked when she had that glint in her eye. She always looked like she was up to no good and she usually was.

"He had wondered if he can become a runner."

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"Are you really going to make a guy as reckless as him a runner?" Gally asked the girl. "If he is reckless that just means he doesn't have any fear and a runner shouldn't have any fear of what's outside there."

"No, Lia," Gally said. Amelia rolled her eyes, "You do not make this decision, Gally."

"Yes, but it's not a good idea to put him out there. Put him with med-jacks or the cooks for now and see how he does." Thomas had been the first person who did not seem afraid of what's outside the Glade. He was curious but she was still unsure if that curiosity was right for being a runner.

"Fine. It was only a suggestion." Amelia stood up, now annoyed by Gally.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from here. You just annoyed me," Amelia said and she limped over to where Newt and Chuck was. Gally sighed and continued on with his work.

Amelia had caught a part of their conversation. Thomas had asked Newt if anyone had tried climbing over the top of the stone walls.

"Tried it. The ivy doesn't go all the way to the top," Newt said and he continued chopping the root of the stump.

"And besides, where are you gonna go from there?" Amelia asked joining them. She sat down beside Thomas.
Thomas looked at the girl and that was when his eyes drifted over to the box. "And what about the Box? You know, next time it comes up-"

"No, we tried that. The Box won't go back down with someone in it," Newt said. They did really try everything but the people of put them here were already three steps ahead of them.

"Okay, what if we-"

"No, we tried it, all right? Twice. All right? Trust me. Anything you think of, we've already tried. The only way out of here is through the maze," Newt said frustrated. He looked annoyed with Thomas and his million questions.
"Now, look, you wanna be helpful? Here. Go dig us up some more fertilizer," Newt said and he threw the basket to Thomas.

"I'll go with you."

Thomas stood up and Amelia followed after him. "Keep him out of trouble!" Chuck yelled after Amelia and the girl smiled.

The two walked through the woods to get fertilizer. Amelia had only tagged along because she was bored and it seemed being around Thomas will cure her boredom.
"Just get the fertilizer, Thomas. Are you sure, guys? I can't help in any other way? No, just get the fertilizer. You know where it is. It's just out in the middle of the woods," Thomas said talking to himself which made Amelia look at him weirdly.

"You brought it on yourself. Haven't you ever heard of curiosity killed the cat?" Amelia questioned and Thomas shook his head. "No. I haven't because I don't remember if I have ever heard that."

Thomas threw the basket down and crouched down. "Have you decided where you'll put me in?" Thomas asked. Amelia shrugged. "Not yet. It's kind of hard to read you. You're like an open book but there's blank pages in the book."

"What does that mean?" Thomas questioned confused. He looked up just to see the grave with the name George. Amelia looked to the grave. He was one of the first few who perished because of fear. Those first year was really hard on all of them. They owe a lot to Alby.

"Oh! Uh. . .You're Ben, right?"

Amelia turned to the side to see Ben who stood a few feet away from them. He looked angry and his shirt was bloodied. Ben had left this morning. How could he have been back yet?

"I don't know if we ever. . ."

Ben slowly neared Thomas. Amelia's eyes widen when she noticed his darkened eyes. Ben had been stung. "Are you okay?" Thomas asked and just then Ben tackled Thomas to the ground.

"Get the hell of me!"

Amelia limped over and grabbed on to Ben's shirt. "Ben!" She tried to get him off Thomas but he was strong.

"It's your fault. I saw you. You did this. I saw you!" Ben said in Thomas' face. Amelia wrapped her arm around his neck and she pulled him up. She fell on her back, while she held on to Ben.

"Thomas, run!"

Thomas jumped up and ran. Ben jabbed his elbow into her rib and hit his head back on to her nose, almost breaking it. She loosened her grip and he got away and ran off after Thomas. Amelia groaned and held her now bloodied nose.

She ran after them as fast as her injured ankle could take. She was told not to put any pressure on the ankle but this was an emergency. She will just have to deal with the consequences later.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Ben grabbed on to Thomas' ankles and pulled him down the hill. Thomas kicked him off him, and he fell down. Thomas jumped up again and ran out of the woods.

"Help! Help! Help! Help!" Thomas yelled. Amelia was trying to keep up with the two but she wasn't nearing them no matter how fast she was running.

Luckily the Gladers saw Ben chasing after Thomas and immediately sprung into action.

Ben tackled Thomas to the ground again. "I'll kill you!" Ben yelled.

"Hey!"

Newt and Gally grabbed on to Ben and pulled him off Thomas.

"Hold him down!"

Alby ran over with the others.
"What are you doing?" Newt asked Ben.

"Calm down, Ben!" Gally said as Ben struggled to get freed.

"What the hell happened?" Newt asked Thomas and just then his eyes moved to Amelia. "He just attacked us," Thomas said.
"It seemed like he was after you."

"Are you two okay?" Chuck asked. He mived to Amelia when he saw her bloodied nose. Gally was quickly at Amelia's side to inspect her bloodied nose. "Are you alright?" Gally asked the girl and she nodded. "It's not broken. Don't worry."

"Calm down, Ben!"

Amelia looked at Alby and she nodded her head. Ben had been stung. Alby closed his eyes and he sighed. He had been stung in broad daylight.

"All right, lift his shirt. Lift his shirt," Alby said to Gally.

"No! No! No! No! Please. Please," Ben begged them. Amelia closed her eyes as she looked away from them.

"He's been stung. In the middle of the day?" Gally asked confused. He had been stung in the middle of the day. He was out in the maze. She had told him to be careful and be cautious. She should have been more specific. If she had told him about the Grievers. would he have avoided them.

If she had told everyone about the grievers would it had made a difference?

"Help me, please. Please. Please, just help."

"Put him in the pit. Everybody help. Take him to the pit," Alby said to them.

"No!" Ben cried out.

"Med- jack!" Newt said. They dragged Ben off to the pit and all Amelia could heard was his cries. Newt looked at Chuck and he gestured to Amelia. Chuck nodded and he grabbed on to Amelia's arm.

"Lia, let's get you cleaned up."