~A/N:

Just to clear up, this first part is basically the last thing that happens in the last chapter, but it's through Rebecca's perspective from what she sees through the camera of the beetle blade.

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~Rebecca~

She hid in her room, her touchscreen in hand, and she took a seat on her bed.

Every once in a while, whenever she could hide it, she opened footage of the Glade, to check up on the only girl in Maze A. The same beetle blade who'd followed the girl around since she got there, was scurrying along the grass.

Normally, she didn't check on the girl so late at night, but she hadn't been able to hide from Janson lately. There just wasn't enough time, and it'd been a while.

She did a double take when she realized that the beetle blade wasn't hiding anywhere near the girl's hut.

Intrigued, she watched closely as the mechanical lizard neared a small compartment, secured with a barred door made out of wood, and tied with rope.

As the creature crawled inside, through a square hole of the cell, Rebecca caught sight of the girl, curled up in a ball on the ground.

When Sara looked up and stared straight into the camera lenses in the eyes, right at that moment when it looked like she was staring straight at Rebecca, the woman's heart broke.

To avoid adding to the girl's humiliation, she directed the creature into a perfect hiding spot among some bushes near the entrance to the pit.

Rebecca stayed put the entire time, until Newt approached. She listened to their entire conversation, hands anxiously gripping the touchscreen.

After the boy left, Rebecca hastily shut the screen off, and hugged the thing to her chest in fear.

"Time for me to step in," she whispered to herself before lying in bed, aimlessly staring at the ceiling in the midst of the darkness of her own room as she thought about a solution.

~Newt~

Confusion spread from one face to the next as news of the incident got to everyone by morning.

Confusion and disappointment. Many had watched her get thrown into the pit, but they didn't know why until Gally made sure to get everyone on track.

Very few people were in shock, actually. The rest already anticipated this to happen, and Newt felt terrible for not believing them at first.

Confusion and disappointment weren't even close to half of what he was feeling. He felt betrayed, taken as a complete fool, by none other than the person he loved the most.

His heart still ached for Sara.

She slept in the pit, she had to do so a few times before, but now she'd stay there until the Council figured out what was gonna happen next.

Newt was encased in a complicated mixture of emotions, and that was dangerous. He couldn't deal with the situation if he couldn't control those emotions, or if he was biased. He hated how his negative thoughts thrived to cave in, as it was usually the case.

He tried to sort out his thoughts multiple times, failing miserably.

She lied, she did you all wrong. She did you wrong. You were in a relationship, and you did everything for her. And she pays you off like that? She probably doesn't even love you.

He hated his own train of thought; the fact that such strong emotions clouded his reasoning.

Did he still love her after what she did?

He shook his head to conceal his thoughts and store them away. It was time to think objectively. Whether or not she loved him, or he loved her, there was a Gathering to attend that needed his undivided attention to solve this issue for once and for all. He didn't even want to think about what would solve it though; whatever was to happen to Sara.

❀❀❀

"Order, order!" Alby shouted above the angry chorus of voices among the Keepers. "One at a time!" He gestured toward Gally. "You were saying?"

"We've told you since the beginning!" Gally yelled. "The girl is a fraud. We've got proof now. The way she came to us, directly from the Maze, out of nowhere, the way she adapted way too quickly to the place, acting like she knew everything about this place and everyone in it. It just wasn't enough proof for you, was it?" he argued furiously.

"Tell them about the talk you heard between her and Newt. Every detail," Alby urged him.

This was too embarrassing for Newt, so he was just listening, avoiding attracting any attention like a shuck coward.

"No, I've got a better idea," said Gally, smiling maliciously before focusing his attention on Newt.

Bloody great.

"Let's hear from you, Newt. Why so quiet?" Gally taunted him. "I'm sure you'll fill us in with all the details, far better than I can do—you know—since you... experienced this betrayal first-hand."

His words couldn't have hurt more, but the worst part was that he wasn't lying. Still, he didn't need to expose him like that. Newt felt awful about what happened, and he was the one taking the cake for worst off. He knew Gally was trying to make him look vulnerable in front of the others, and trying to turn him against Sara, just like he'd always wanted.

Newt stared daggers at him, but if he wanted to act like a leader, he had to follow his earlier advice. He couldn't give in to Gally's intimidations or to the imminence of what happened with Sara.

Newt gave the details of everything he remembered Sara ever telling him. He tried not to leave a single detail out. From the time he found the letter, to her strange behavior every once in a while, and to their final conversation the night before as she sat in the pit.

Gally nodded. "Exactly! How did we become such blind klunk-heads to allow this to happen in our Glade? To us, Gladers—not her—us. She's not one of us, she never was," he sneered, and another wave of noise swept across the room, most of the Council supporting Gally's position.

Newt could only stand there in silence. He didn't have the energy nor the courage to pronounce a single word.

Minho interrupted the chatter. "Whoa, whoa, wait! Guys, c'mon," he said. "You guys are missing a major point here." Then he turned to Alby. "You're always blabbin' about how getting out of here is the most important thing."

Alby nodded. "And?"

"And now, there's a chance," said Minho. "But now you guys are pissed—and might I add—Sara remembering life before the Maze is the first real clue of everything. And we're shucking fighting over what to do with her? Aren't you gonna at least consider how that's gonna happen? I mean... before you jump to conclusions and waste the only chance of really knowing something that could get us out."

"Are you serious right now?" Gally stared at Minho in disbelief. "Thomas is the ninth Greenie since that girl. It's been almost a year since she came here to ruin things. She took us all as fools—or at least most of you. That can only mean two things. One: she's good at hiding stuff and acting innocent, which is clearly dangerous for us. And two: If we even consider listening to her, how much easier do you think it'll be for her to try it again and lure us into a trap? For all we know, she's with the creators as their little spy. Minho, you're jacked in the head."

Minho's advice more-or-less seemed reasonable. But then what did that mean? That they were only using Sara for convenience, and then what next? They'd toss her aside like garbage? For as much as things between Sara and Newt got irrevocably complicated, it bothered Newt that Minho, who claimed to be her best friend, was proposing a thing like that.

"Stop beating around the bush and focus!" Alby yelled, then sighed loudly. "We can't prove she's telling the truth. We've been surviving for almost three years on our own. We don't need her help. You guys know what we have to do with her; let's stop avoiding the issue. Sara of the Track-hoes is to be banished by sundown. Give your vote, and let's get to it."

Gally, along with a little over half the Keepers, gave their vote of approval for banishment.

"No!" Newt heard Minho shout.

Newt thought Alby's words would lead them to a consensus on a proper decision, but they had the opposite effect. They'd just fueled the flame of panic burning inside of him. Newt was upset with Sara, it was true, but banish her?

He couldn't decide what would be best, and none of the guys were helping the situation. They kept arguing so much that Newt completely lost control over himself and started fumbling with words in a desperate attempt to dissuade Alby.

"Ba—banishment? No! No—you can't bloody banish her," he blurted out.

Alby's expression was stern and decisive. "Yes I can."

Before he could register anything else, Newt got on his knees in front of Alby, and pleaded with him. "Alby, I get it. I know what she did was wrong, I agree she needs to be punished, but not like that. She, too, deserves a chance. Please, I'm begging you, for all the times you and I have worked with the voice of reason, don't banish her."

"He's right, man," said Minho, taking a step forward and resting a hand on Newt's shoulder. "And she could actually be useful to us. C'mon, think about it—"

Newt harshly shrugged Minho's hand off his shoulder. "How can you defend her after what you suggested earlier?" he snapped at Minho. "You're her friend."

Minho raised his hands in defense. "Dude, chill, I'm trying to help her out too."

"Help her?" Newt frowned, taking a step toward him. "You're suggesting we take advantage of what she knows, and then what? Then kill her?" he asked incredulously.

Minho rolled his eyes. "No, you don't get it. I am helping her—"

Winston broke the conversation between them. "Guys! We get it that you both still care about her, but you're getting off-track."

"Just what I shucking needed," Newt heard Alby mutter under his breath. "Two of my most responsible Keepers yappin' in the middle of a Gathering."

Out of embarrassment, Newt tried to calm himself, but Minho wasn't one to abide too much to Alby's rules.

Minho started pointing to his own chest repeatedly. "That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm actually helping her out, like the friend that I am. But you..." he scoffed, looking at Newt, "...her boyfriend..." he laughed humorlessly, "...have you even tried? No—"

Newt was yelling at his face in an instant, pointing to Minho's chest harshly. "You have no idea how hard it's been for me; how much I wish I could do something. Don't you bloody talk about what you don't know! I—"

"Don't." He grabbed Newt's shoulders and pushed him off angrily. "Well guess what, lover-boy? This time, I know exactly what I'm talking about."

What was he bloody talking about?

Alby intervened, standing in between the two of them. "Slim it! Enough! Both of you, shut your holes right now!"

Then Gally had to add his usual commentary. "Wow, would you look at that," he marveled. "Always the voice of reason, huh? Look at them fighting over a stupid girl. So responsible!" he mocked.

"Gally, slim it, man," Frypan stopped him.

Newt shook his head wearily at Gally. "You don't ever shut up, do you?"

"Neither do you guys." Gally scoffed, then frowned at Newt and Minho.

"Guys! Seriously..." Winston spoke up, "...this isn't what the Gathering's about."

"No," said Newt, his stubbornness fanning an angry fire inside his chest. "It's all the same issue." He turned to Minho. "So, what exactly did you mean by that? Do you have something to tell us, Minho?"

With equal, if not, further irritation, Minho was breathing heavily before answering Newt's question. "You seriously have no idea how hard it's been for Sara. Stop being so freaking selfish!"

Unable to hold himself back, Newt started arguing once again. "How am I being selfish? What—"

"She was going to tell you all!" Minho shouted. "She didn't know what else to do, she was mentally killing herself!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he stood back, instantly regretting them.

What?

Gasps were simultaneously heard among the Keepers.

"Wait a minute—so you already knew?" Newt asked, horrified.

Minho clearly stammered before coming up with something to say. "She—I... I'm just—I'm just saying. I bet she tried telling us multiple times, but she couldn't. Haven't you thought about that—?"

"Minho!" Newt inched his face closer to Minho's, with unrelenting anger. He lowered his voice and spoke slowly as he repeated himself. "Did you, or did you not know already—did she tell you?"

Avoiding Newt's gaze, Minho shook his head. "Dude, I didn't—"

"Don't you bloody lie to me!" Newt didn't care what the others thought of him at that moment. He was always known to be such a peaceful person, but when it came to Sara, things were always different. He'd never get into arguments if he had only himself to worry about. Things indeed changed after her.

"She did," Minho confessed, his head hung low. "I knew." Chatter erupted among the Keepers once again.

Alby crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his right foot on the floor, expectantly. "Care to explain, Minho?"

"Since when?" Newt asked Minho, grinding his teeth furiously.

"Couple days ago, like two days before Thomas showed up," Minho replied, unabashedly.

What in the lovin' shuck?

"No, that can't be. I was with her the whole time," Newt argued. That was the day of their date, and the same night she had another nightmare.

Minho sighed, bothered from having to explain. "It was later at night. You were sleeping, and she was too shucked up by the dream, so she went out for a walk. And I couldn't sleep either. She just needed to vent." Minho gave him an annoyed look, and Newt was shocked to hear what he said. Wasn't he there to comfort her earlier? Why Minho then?

Oh right, I forgot. She never even loved me in the first place.

Newt lost it once again. "And she couldn't have just woke me up? Why vent to you—I'm her bloody boyfriend!" He smacked his own chest.

"Are you?" Gally asked, a smirk forming on his face.

"Was," Newt corrected himself, but not before retaliating Gally's words with a cold glare. His eyes snapped back to Minho. "Answer me."

"It's what I've been trying to explain this whole time," Minho argued. "You guys are only judging one side. I say we bring her in here so she can explain herself. You know... before you all mug me."

"No, shuck no," Gally objected. "There's nothing that girl has to say that justifies what she did."

"No, you just don't want to lose against her again, Gally," Frypan called him out. "If we wanna be fair, we gotta listen to her at least."

"I'm with Fry," Zart placed his hand on Frypan's shoulder.

"Of course you are," Gally muttered under his breath, then he turned to Alby. "Please tell me you won't let the girl out. We have to banish her."

Alby rubbed his chin, but then he shook his head. "It wouldn't be fair. I let those five shanks be present at the Gathering last time. No matter what that girl did, it's only fair that she gets to be here too," he admitted.

"But aren't they innocent now?" argued Winston. "They were accused for framing Sara, and now we know she's the real one to blame. I don't know, but I don't think the girl really deserves a chance." Newt had a certain appreciation for Winston, but it couldn't get through his head how easily the kid sided with Gally.

"Wise words," Gally praised. "Listen to him. Winston the wise man."

The arguments never seemed to stop. Newt felt as if his brain were gonna explode if they all didn't stop bickering at each other and fighting over nonsense.

Quite frankly, he'd had enough. He'd kept his cool for way too long, and it was by far necessary to let some steam out. There was plenty.

"Would every lovin' person in this room shut your bloody holes this instant?!" Newt shouted at the top of his lungs.

The whole room fell silent, and everyone stared back at him, eyes wide, bewildered. He didn't think they'd ever seen him snap like that before. He took the silence as his cue to continue. "I've heard enough fighting. Please, I'm buggin' tired of all this klunk." He wearily scanned their faces.

"Stop being such a whiny baby. We're all tired," Gally scolded him. "But we're actually trying to come up with a solution while you're stuck with indecision!"

Newt knew Gally had a point. He couldn't decide what to do, and even Gally knew he wouldn't be able to order Sara's banishment. But the fact that even Gally knew him so well just made him angrier.

"Well, if you consider a bunch of hot-head slintheads arguing back and forth as a step towards a solution, then we're all shucked!" Newt yelled, taking threatening steps toward him.

"What's your solution, huh?" Gally taunted him back. "Oh, right. Free the girl, forget any of this happened, and live happily ever after. Of course. What a lousy Second-in-Command you are." Gally turned to Alby. "Real nice choice, Alby. You know, if you actually gave me a chance, I could—"

"Keep dreamin', shank," Alby cut him off, rolling his eyes.

Newt backed away from Gally to refrain his clenched fist from jerking forward to connect with his jaw. The temptation was so appealing, but he couldn't let his emotions take over again.

"You're right, Gally," Newt's voice came out more calmly. "I'm biased. But it's not gonna stop me from doing what's right. We need a consensus, right? Let's stop fighting about this; it's not taking us anywhere. The only way it's possible is if we bring the one person that knows more than any of us do to clear some things up. We need her in here. And of course, I wanna spare her life. I've always hated banishing people. She's no different."

His voice wanted to quiver the slightest bit, but Newt cleared his throat to steady it out. The thought of discussing a punishment for her, especially one resulting in death, made him sick.

Annoyed, Minho threw his hands in the air. "Just bring her in already, 'cause I'm about to throw hands with a couple of you," he huffed, irritated to the core.

Aren't we all?

"No, Gathering's over," Alby announced.

Another wave of noise and argument erupted.

Newt inched closer to Alby and whispered to him. "Alby, please. There are things we still need to figure out. You're seriously not gonna let her come here?"

"I'm not finished..." Alby said aloud, for everyone to hear. "The girl will talk. Just not today. If we wanna do this, we're gonna continue the Gathering when we're all cooled off. Otherwise, this room will end up looking like there was a massive Griever attack."

Gally was not having any of it. "But Alby—"

"I don't wanna hear anything else!" Alby shouted like a madman. Newt wished all that anger could be channeled towards something more useful, but it wasn't ever gonna change how the others felt about Sara. "It's done, it's over, get back to work. Now!" Alby dismissed everyone.

Minho had his eyes fixed to the ground, and Newt didn't even bother to walk around him, so his shoulder smacked into Minho's shoulder. Minho huffed in annoyance at Newt's childish behavior, but Newt was too fed up to look back at him and left.

As he really thought about it, Newt couldn't have been more relieved that Alby decided to pause the Gathering. He wouldn't have been able to contain himself otherwise. All he needed was more time to think, to process whatever was happening. He needed time to consider certain things—certain options.

He even considered paying Sara a visit, even if only to give her food, since prisoners were only allowed a small meal a day.

He quickly retracted from doing so, however. He knew Chuck would end up doing it, and based on their rather sour conversation the night before, she'd most likely prefer the kid's company over his.

He and Sara couldn't just act like nothing was wrong between them. It would all be said in the next Gathering, hopefully to clear things up and move on with their lives separately.

Separately.

That word physically hurt.