Chapter 34 ━━ Endings, Beginnings

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Katherine stirs up, her ears adjusting to the chirps of birds comes in distant a repeat refrain, clustered, exact in their pattern and yet still so free. Her body is squeezed to something hard. Yet warm and welcoming. She snuggles closer, craving more. And that's when she feels her pillow breathing.

Her eyes snap open to meet with a pale chest. She looks up to meet Newt's perfect face. There's no sight of black veins, crank nor nothing. It's just her Newt. She reaches her hand to touch his face, affectionately.

"Take a bloody picture. It'll last long." He smiles softly. His eyes are still closed. "How are you?"

"Am I dead?" She asks, not wanting to blink so he won't disappear away. "Is this real?"

Is Thomas okay? If she's dead will she meet Chris? What about Vera and Minho? Brenda & Jorge are family too.

"Trust me, I wondered the same when I woke up." He chuckles and slowly opens his eyes to glance at the girl. "And why don't you figure out yourself if it's real or not."

Katherine instantly agrees, her curiosity getting the best of her. She swings her legs over the edge of the bed, which creaks under her weight. She's in a hut made of bamboo and wood. There are few bottles of medicine laying around the hut as the sweet fragrance of jasmine is floating in the air. The roof is covered with hay. It reminds her so much of the days she spent at the Glade.

Two arms grab her to stop her from moving anymore.

"First my kiss." Newt whispers into her ear and a shiver makes it down her spine.

Katherine turns to face him and smashes her lips into him. He's alive and breathing. The thought merely makes her jump excitedly up and down like a kid. Their tongues battle for submission and Newt hums in pure bliss. They pull apart when they are fully satisfied with each other with their mini makeout.

As her feet contact the sandy ground, a whimper makes it out of her without her control as the slight pain spreads upwards her feet.

"What is it? Where does it hurt?" Newt's face scrunches up with concern as he helps her to stand still. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just the dizzy." She assures him even though it isn't a complete truth either.

Newt gives her a look, not believing it before he lets it slide away. This is not the time to fight, it's time to live. Live happily ever after.

Outside the hut is the definition of a paradise. The calm sea is facing her with pride as her eyes set on to the site where people are scattered around the camp a few feet away from them. Most of them are busy with their work. But their faces highlight one thing very visibly. Freedom.

"Let's go." Newt motions her towards the camp. His hand interlocks with hers with a goofy grin. "I honestly don't mind standing all day with you though or maybe we can go back to the hut and have a little fun too."

"Are you sure that you're fully cured?" Katherine runs her hand through his blond hair, shuffles and messes it. The smile on her face is yet to fade. "I still see glints of craziness in you."

"I figured being crazy is fun." Newt shrugs his shoulders and pokes on her cheek. "So get used to it."

Katherine pouts and jabs her fist into his abdomen playfully before they walk together towards the campsite.

Minho and Vera are the first to notice her. But her eyes keep searching through the crowd until they stop on the familiar, tall teenager with messy hair and big brown eyes.

"Tommo." A grin breaks into her face. She untangles her hand from Newt's before moving to her brother and wrapping her arms around him where her hand accidentally touches his wound causing Thomas to wince. She immediately jumps back with a worried expression. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I'm okay." Thomas smiles and this time he hugs her. "And I'm glad you're okay too."

"Group hug!" Vera yells before wrapping her arms around the twins. Minho, Newt, Brenda, Jorge and even Gally join the hug and others watch them with their brightest smiles.

All the survivors are listening to Vince talking as he stands next to the bonfire. The warmth of the flames of the bonfire is controlling the cold temperature as the bright stars in the sky shine and beautify the night.

"We have come a long way together. So many have sacrificed so much to make this place possible. Your friends and your family." Vince raises his drink in the air. Others imitate him, raising their glasses up as well. "So here's to the ones who couldn't be here. Here's to the friends we lost."

"This place is for you. It's for all of us. But this, this is for them." Vince continues and points at the stone structure behind him. "So, in your own time, in your own way, come make your peace. And welcome to the Safe Haven."

"Yeah!" The crowd cheers enthusiastically before taking long gulps of their drinks. Katherine is one of them. The joy on her face is priceless. It's time for a fresh start. All the pain, all the emptiness and all the misery are now over. It's time to move on from the past and begin with happiness and love.

Katherine asks her brother watching the crowd before her with a smile. "This is gonna be a good home for us."

"This is." Thomas nods in response.

"You deserve to be happy as much as others, Tommo. I know it's hard. Take your time as much as you want. But don't take too long. You might miss your grand opportunity." Katherine gestures her eyes at Brenda, who is talking to Gally with a smug smile on her face. "If you want some 'how to kick Gally's ass', you got the best here."

Thomas chuckles, shaking his head slightly. "I'd keep that in my mind."

"Alright, Twinnie bro. I should go and check on my date. He did ditch me for drinks." Katherine says, now glancing at Newt who has a drink in his hand, talking and laughing with Frypan and another boy. She also notices Minho and Vera dancing far away from the crowd to the melody of the ocean. The sight tugs the corners of her lips up.

"Kat."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Tommo." She kisses his cheek. "You're the best and the stupidest thing I've ever had/ have in my life."

"Best, yes. Stupidest? You sure?"

"Very sure."

"Whatever." He rolls his eyes dramatically before both of them burst into laughter like old times.

"By the way, there are kids around here. Behave you two." Thomas jokes with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Can't promise on that, Tom." She winks at him before walking to Newt and Frypan. "Hey ya, gentlemen. Do you mind if I grab Newt for a while?"

"Of course, Kat." Frypan smiles, displaying his white teeth. "I saved some chocolate cookies. You want some?"

"I'll be back for them." Katherine salutes the dark-skinned boy and drags the blond lover with her. She stops at a point and looks at him with a serious expression. "I got some good news for you."

Newt stares back at her with a confused face before it flushed with realization. "Are you pregnant?"

"No!" Katherine exclaims, earning attention around them. She apologies before looking back at him, placing a hand over his cheek. "No. At least not yet. But this is important as well."

"You're scaring me now, love." Worrisome is flashing through his eyes reflecting his mind as he runs a hand through his blond hair. "What is it?"

Katherine searches through the crowd to stop at the familiar blonde, who looks so alike Newt even though no one noticed it before except Chris. The pang she's feeling in her chest tightens at the memory of Chris's death. She wonders how Aris is taking everything together right now. Adding a mental note to talk to Aris, she grabs on Newt's arm, walking to Sonya.

"Sonya." Katherine calls out the girl's name, making her look up from her thoughts.

"Hi." Sonya smiles warmly at the couple and Newt nods in return.

"So... At the rooftop back at the WICKED headquarters, Chris said to me that he found something from the WICKED database."

Sonya raises an eyebrow in utter confusion just like Newt. "What's going on?"

Katherine holds a grab of Sonya's and Newt's arm before she happily drops the news. "You two are biological siblings."

Newt is rather taken back from the news with shock. He's never expected to meet his family ever again in his life and this is a lot for him to handle. As he makes it to his senses, he throws his hands around Sonya, whose eyes fill with tears of happiness at the news, hugging her brother as her life depends on it.

Not wanting to bother the reuniting of the two siblings, Katherine looks around for her next to do on the list. She next stops at the tall stone structure where Aris is gazing at the cravings of names which includes 'Chris' in the middle, right next to 'Tara'.

"I'm sorry about Chris." Katherine says with a low tone. The guilt is burning her.

Aris sighs in sadness as a tear falls down his cheek. "He died a hero like he always wanted. I'm very proud of him. It's just that I miss him so much. He always used to stick beside me in every good and bad moment. I'm not used to living without him."

"Chris is a hero. He saved me. I'm in his debt for the rest of my life. And I also know that he loves you even though he never said that to you. He wants you to be strong for him." Katherine comforts the boy with a hug as he sobs into her shoulder. She let him cry, telling sweet things until his pain dies. After taking his time, Aris pulls away, wiping his tears. "If you ever want a friend. I'm here. I always will be."

Aris nods with a smile. "Thank you, Kate."

A few hours later, Katherine sits atop a cliff overlooking the enchanting ocean, her feet dangling over the edge. It's really calm and beautiful in its own way. Just like her life.

The sun is rising up the horizon and it is one of the most amazing sights she has witnessed.

She's tired, body and soul. She hopes that wherever they are, they'll be isolated and safe while the rest of the world figures out how to deal with the Flare, cure or no cure. She is one hundred percent positive that she wants no part of it. Neither her brother. She is done.

"Hey, there."

Katherine turns to see Newt. "Hey, there, back. Wanna sit?"

"Why, yes, thank you." He plops down next to her.

A few minutes go by in silence as they stare at the slow sunrise. How the sun is bringing back the light, shooing away the darkness.

"What're you thinking in that head of yours?" He asks.

"Absolutely nothing." She replies with a shrug.

For the first time in her life, she is both free and safe, as costly as the accomplishment has been. Then Katherine does the only thing she can think of. She reaches out and takes Newt's hand.

He squeezes her in response. "There are over two hundred of us and we're all immune. It'll be a good start."

Katherine leans forward and kisses him on the cheek, then the lips. "Good that."

Newt pulls her closer as the greens and blues rise into a new and vibrant glow by the sunrise.

END OF PART 3