*WARNING: Intense romance coming up. However, NO SMUT.

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~Newt~

After a stressful night, the day that followed wasn't all too promising either. More security guards had been summoned to guard each dormitory, and all the doors were being locked now.

Doctors came at different times of the day to retrieve some of them for further testing. Memories of this procedure scratched a remote part of Newt's brain, reminding him how WICKED used to do this to them as children. They remained under surveillance at all times, which did get uncomfortable after a while.

The door to their dorm suddenly opened at a random hour of the night. The eight boys in the room immediately stood up, dreadfully waiting for an unexpected procedure WICKED might've had in store for them.

But they visibly relaxed when they saw that it was Rebecca.

"Why are the doors locked?" she asked the two guards at their door.

One of them stepped forward. "The boys in here have caused the most problems, ma'am. It's only a matter of security."

Rebecca eyed the launchers in each of their hands. "Did you have to use that at all?"

"Yes," one of them replied.

She raised her eyebrows and looked at the boys, then she turned back to the guard. "How many times, and with who?"

One of the guards glared at the boys before answering her. "Just once. With the tall, blond kid." He gestured to Newt.

"Did you?" she asked, and her expression was stern. "Well, you won't have to lock the doors anymore, or use your weapons. I'll make sure it never happens again, am I being clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," the guards replied, one after the other before walking out and closing the door.

She walked up to the boys and looked at Newt. "Subject A5, I need you to come with me," she said to him with a wink.

Newt looked at his friends before stepping forward. "Is that me? Why did you call me like that?"

"Just for safety. There's a tattoo on the back of your necks that has your subject number and code name. With your implants, WICKED was able to encrypt it onto your skin while you slept overnight," she whispered.

The boys stared at each other in horror as they began looking at each other's necks.

"Is she okay?" Newt suddenly whispered to her, in case the guards were eavesdropping from outside.

"She is, but no questions about her here. Just come with me," she replied.

Thomas walked up to her and gripped her arm. "Rebecca, I need to see Teresa."

Rebecca tilted her head as if she didn't want to say anything, but she still felt the need to help. "Thomas, right now, she's with several WICKED officials, discussing the next step for the trials. I don't think it's a good idea. She was the one who gave Janson your location after you guys escaped the Maze," she warned him.

"That's exactly why I need to talk to her," he said, bowing his head.

Minho pulled him back. "Shank, the fact that you still want to see her after what she did is beyond me. Thought she was being controlled? Well, pretty lady here just told you she willingly shucked our luck," he snapped.

Thomas seemed to ignore the rebuke and simply looked at Rebecca pleadingly. "Please, if you can arrange for Newt and Sara to meet, please let me meet with Teresa."

After thinking it through, she reluctantly complied.

"Rosetta—I mean, Rebecca," Minho blurted out, "Is Sara coming back with us—what's gonna happen to us after this?"

"I don't know," she whispered helplessly. Then out loud, she shouted, "That's enough! Subject A5, come with me."

Without another word, Newt followed her right out the door. As she watched that no other guards would interfere, Rebecca took him to the closest storage room and ushered him into the room before closing the door.

"Wait, how do you know no one's watching us? The cameras..." Newt called out.

"Don't worry, I've got it covered. Stay in here and wait. She'll be here shortly." Then she stared at him for a few seconds with a reprimanding look. "What were you guys thinking when you confronted the guards? Look at your head, Newt," she said as she inspected the boy's injury.

He bowed his head, embarrassed. "It was my fault. I couldn't wait any longer. We tried to distract them, but we ended up in a fight that led to more guards attacking us until one of them shot me. That's why they locked the doors."

She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't arrange this sooner so that this didn't have to happen. But be careful next time. I don't know what Janson can do to you guys if you cause problems. Just wait in here," she said before she left, closing the door.

~Newt~

He paced back and forth, waiting for her to show up.

And after only a few more torturous minutes, the door finally opened, and Sara entered. They stared at each other with relief, then rushed into each other's arms.

They hugged tightly for a few seconds before pulling back and holding each other's faces. Newt brought her face closer to his, connecting his lips to hers. They shared a sweet kiss before pulling back and gazing into each other's eyes.

"Love, I was so worried. Are you okay? What did the Rat Man do to you?" he rambled as he caressed her cheek.

"I'm good. He just wanted his niece back," she answered, but didn't sound very convincing.

Newt's voice was full of concern as he asked her about it. "You look really nervous, what's going on?"

Her forehead creased as she pressed her hands together against her nose.

"Something just doesn't add up," she blurted out, looking as though she were already expecting him to feel more anxious.

"What do you mean?"

"He broke into my home," she began, looking exhausted, "took me from my parents and killed them just to keep me. He insisted I stay out of the experiment, and blatantly freaks out whenever someone even mentions me dying or simply being physically away from him." Newt knew she had many pieces of evidence she'd collected throughout the years, but the more she looked into it, the harder it was to connect the pieces to the source.

Newt was reaching his limit with the uncertainty.

"Where are you trying to go with that?" His tone was a bit harsh, and he hoped Sara could force herself to let it by. "I'm so sorry, but it doesn't sound like he cares about you at all—that was clear as water to me."

"I know he doesn't," she snapped, and Newt knew his words had stung. "That's why I'm suspecting something else is going on. Just think. I have no special abilities; nothing valuable. I literally have no purpose here. If I weren't his niece, I'd be just as important as the next girl. And even that doesn't make any sense since all he did to his family members was kill them. All except for me."

Newt was pensive for a moment before apologizing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. And you're right, but that doesn't mean you have no purpose. It sounds like you have something that he wants, we just don't know what it is."

"Which doesn't make me feel any better because I rely on Rebecca about everything. I had nothing to offer to you guys when I went into the Maze except for a possible way out that she showed me," she complained with frustration.

"Give yourself some credit," he argued. "Not everyone has the bloody guts to go in there despite knowing the risks you were taking."

"You mean no one's stupid enough," she corrected him. "'Cause where has that taken us? We're back to square one, and now Janson is thinking about either killing you guys and redoing the trials, or sending you to the Scorch for Phase Two," she said, beginning to tear up.

Newt sighed. "Are you serious? Then what exactly are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know," she replied in an urgent tone. The same response Rebecca had given the boys earlier. Although that was all Newt heard for an answer, he tried to stay calm for Sara. She looked embarrassed—ashamed that she didn't have anything better to tell him.

"Love—here, listen to me," he said, gently cupping her cheeks. "I don't know what's gonna happen to us from here on out, but whatever it is, I'm sure with yours and Becca's help, we'll figure something out. The guys and I are with you in this. It'll all work out, okay?"

"You still believe I can do something about this after I just told you my presence in the Maze was practically useless?" she questioned, as if she worried that his mind was blinded by what he felt for her.

Newt scoffed and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Be careful what you call useless because from what I've heard, many more people survived the Maze than WICKED wanted. So what if you depend on Rebecca? Everyone needs a mentor before taking a huge responsibility. If there's anyone to blame for messing things up, it's me. Definitely not you."

He averted his eyes, staring at the floor.

"Hey." She gently turned his chin so he would look at her. "Becca told me what the guards did to you. I'm sorry, Newtie. Just please, promise me you won't try anything like that again. I hate to think you guys are putting yourselves at risk without you needing to."

He gave her a long look before nodding. "I'm sorry, I was just desperate to see you. But I'll try, I promise."

She nodded before throwing her arms around him, and he squeezed her tighter. 

Newt didn't feel ready for what was to come, but he knew that the moment he let himself give up, Sara would too. Without a plan, she felt completely lost. It was she who needed someone strong by her side this time, and he had to be her greatest support, both verbally and physically.

"I love you."

"And I love you, always," he said softly, then pulled away to lean down to kiss her soft lips one more time before they headed back to their own rooms.

~Rebecca~

The next day, Rebecca was able to get a hold of Teresa.

"He wants to speak with you," she told the girl.

"I can't. I know he's upset, but I have to focus on Phase Two. Now that Janson decided not to kill them, they're being sent to the Scorch," said Teresa.

Rebecca pulled her own head back with disbelief. "Well, you heartlessly betrayed him. You betrayed all of them. He just wants to talk to you. Give up at least five minutes of your precious time for him. He deserves at least that," she said, giving her a stern look.

Thomas waited in the same storage room where Newt waited any time he met with Sara. He wasn't facing the door, and he didn't even turn around when he heard it open.

Rebecca made sure to keep an eye on them through the small windowpane on the door. After all, Teresa wasn't one to trust.

"Hey, Tom." At the sound of Teresa's voice, he turned around to face her, giving her a disappointed look. She must've figured he wanted a lot of explanations for what she did to them.

"Teresa." His voice was full of sadness. "It was our only chance to escape WICKED, why would you do that?"

"I couldn't let that happen," she said, and Thomas leaned back with shock. "Tom, you and I worked with them for a very important cause. You're all important to me, and because not everyone is immune is why I'm so desperate to find a cure, no matter the cost."

"A cost like our friends' lives?" he asked.

"If we don't do anything, the Flare's gonna wipe out everyone. There'll be millions of Cranks while few people will be immune. They won't survive in a world like that. And I don't wanna see my friends get infected. If we find a cure, we'll save more people than we can imagine," she said. "WICKED's gonna figure it out, so if they say that I can help them do that, then that's exactly what I'll do."

Thomas looked appalled by the fact that she didn't show any regret for what she'd done, and how everything she said sounded so insincere.

"What if there's no cure? Maybe that's why Rebecca and Sara planned things differently. Because they saw the truth, and they're doing something much better about it," Thomas argued.

"I'm sorry, Tom. I have to go. They need me," she said, and turned around to leave, walking away before Thomas could even say anything else.

~Sara~

About two weeks went by, where doctors continuously tested the boys and girls, the preparations for Phase Two imminently approaching their time of effectiveness.

On any chance given, Rebecca worked out a plan so that Newt and Sara could continue meeting before that. Although the small time they had together put their hearts at ease, the more they saw each other, the harder it got to say goodbye at the end of the day.

That was why Rebecca, being her lenient self, granted Sara's wish of allowing him into her room for the night.

Sara sat on her bed, gripping her pillow while she stared at the door, impatiently waiting for her boyfriend to walk in.

When he finally did, she sprung out of bed and literally threw herself at him. She caught him off-guard, but he still managed to catch her in his arms and shut the door as his back slammed against it.

"Thought you weren't coming," she whispered against his face as they pressed their foreheads together.

She could feel his hot breath against her skin. "Of course I was. I'd never miss the opportunity to be with you."

He set her down on the floor, and she ruffled his hair before pulling his face toward her, pressing her lips to his. He started kissing back immediately, grabbing her waist, and pulling her closer to himself until there was barely any space between them.

The difficulties of the past few days and even years, every emotion connected to those events that made them both want to just fly away and forget about them, was epitomized in that kiss.

They'd been through so much, and the only relief they found was in each other. In moments like that, when it was only them. When nothing else mattered, except the two of them, who'd shared a love so deep for so long, even when they didn't even realize they had already fallen in love's trap.

Newt got a bit more eager, and his kisses started becoming rushed as he placed his hands on the back of her neck. The sudden change of atmosphere also excited her, and Sara quickly responded to his movements. He gently bit her bottom lip and his tongue slipped into her mouth, which she readily allowed.

He grabbed a hold of her just below the thighs, hoisted her up in his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, their lips never leaving each other.

He moved his lips from her mouth to her jawline, then began leaving sloppy and nimble kisses along her neck. He reached a specific spot that made her gasp, and an involuntary sound escaped her mouth. That seemed to arouse him even more, and he carried her over to her bed, gently placing her against the bed rest.

Sara scooted all the way back, and Newt hovered above her, swooping down to capture her lips with his, once again. He used his arms to support the weight of his own body, and his hands roamed around her torso. His touch and kisses were so electrifying that every part of her filled with pleasure.

He pulled away from her lips to pull his shirt over his head, and he sat back, giving her a full view of his toned body. No matter how many times she'd seen it, she couldn't stop admiring it. She slid her hand along his chest, making her way downwards until her fingertips softly reached his abs. 

Newt grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her closer, then she leaned forward to kiss his collarbone, moving to his neck, making him give out a strained sigh.

"Sara..." he whispered hotly against her skin, and she lay back down, pulling him down with her so they could continue savoring each other's lips. 

Sara was wearing shorts and a tank top, and he gripped the hem of her shirt, bidding her to take the shirt off.

She snapped back to her senses, taking every bit of self-control existing inside of her, and she stopped his hand, making him pull away from her lips. He stared at her worriedly.

"Love, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry. I want to keep going, but not now." She sat up on the bed, flustered, and he moved off from her.

He looked down in embarrassment, his cheeks turning a shade of red. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to forget about everything wrong in our lives. And I love you more than you think is possible."

"Hey, I know," she said softly, placing her hand on his cheek. "Don't be sorry, I feel the same way. It's just... if we're not careful, we're gonna have other things to worry about," she added, raising her eyebrows, flashing a knowing look at him.

He placed his own hand over hers cupping his face. "I'm just scared..." he said, and Sara tilted her head with curiosity. "I'm scared this might be the last time I see you. Scared that wherever we're going next, something can happen to any of us out there, or something can happen to you while I'm gone. I can't bear to lose you. There's a whole lifetime I want to spend with you... and it's hard to contain myself."

"Newtie, trust me, I know," she whispered, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "I had to force myself to stop," she said, and there was a bit of hurt in Newt's eyes.

"I thought—"

"Listen to me," she cut him off. "You're the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with. We've got so much planned for the future, and the future has things planned for us even if we don't know what they are. Newt, we're only sixteen. We're still so young. I want to form a family with you someday, but I don't want my kids to live the life we're living right now. I want them to have the family that none of us got to keep. I want to see them grow up. None of our parents had that privilege. It's not fair to have children grow up in that situation..." She paused as a tear fell down her cheek. Newt wiped it away as she continued, "...So please, be patient, because our time will come," she finished.

She looked up at Newt, and his eyes were glossy. She knew it took every bit of strength in him not to cry, not to show weakness like he thought he was doing. But he still managed to speak.

"The way you talk about the future—our future... the way you believe in what you want with such passion, I admire it. And for you, I'd wait as long as you want me to." He gazed down, frowning.

"But...?" she asked, knowing there was more.

"There's no 'but.' I love you unconditionally," he said confidently, and Sara's heart melted. "I'm just scared because things always seem to get in the way of us. Even we got in the way, at one point."

He was right; it just hurt to put thought on everything that threatened their relationship. She was afraid her fear of losing Newt forever would convince her to make certain choices that she would regret in the long run. 

And it was frightening to think they being together could also be a threat to the love they shared. Not that they weren't meant for each other per se, but that things could happen, and if an argument broke out between them, the fact that they loved each other so deeply would make it hurt a lot more.

"Just don't think about it," she told him, pushing her anxious thoughts aside.

"Rat Man gathered us earlier today, telling us we're supposed to start Phase Two tomorrow," he continued, still worried. "We have to cross a flat trans to get to the Scorch—thing is... everything's changing. And I don't want this mess to separate us again, I'm terrified of that."

His eyes were full of concern and sadness, and Sara couldn't help but feel the same way. She hated the way things were turning out.

"It won't be for long, I promise. Becca and I will think of something. And I know there seems to be no hope for us to be together but let me tell you that there is," she said as he looked straight into her eyes. "That's it, look at me. Right now, I'm telling you there's hope for not only us two, but for every one of our friends. Do you believe me?"

After a few seconds, he nodded, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. "I do."

"That's my angel." She smiled, then closed her eyes as well. When they pulled away, Sara got under her covers, and invited him to join her. "We better sleep. You have to be back in your room early tomorrow morning."

He got under the covers with her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She snuggled against his bare chest like she always did back in the Glade, feeling his warmth and bringing back the good memories.

"You know, you just saved my life," Newt randomly blurted out.

She turned her whole body around to face him. "How?"

"Well, Becca gave me her good share of motherly threats on the way here," he replied, giving her a cheeky grin.

Her lips parted. "Are you serious?"

Newt raised his eyebrows. "You didn't think she'd easily let me spend the night with you, did you?"

"Well, no... but you clearly didn't take her seriously. You were getting pretty excited." She smiled and looked back at him amusingly.

"I took her seriously, she's bloody terrifying," he argued. "But it was hard to resist." His cheeks turned a bright red, but then he smirked. "You enjoyed that too, admit it."

"Did I?" she mocked him.

He raised his eyebrows again, and Sara could see the mischief in his eyes. "Admit it!" He attacked her torso, tickling her, and making her shriek and squirm. In the middle of it, she could hear his laughter over her own. It felt like it'd been so long since she last heard it. She'd forgotten how happy the sound of it made her feel.

"I know, I know. I admit it. I'm messing with you," she said in between giggles, and he stopped.

After the laughter and giggles died down, he let out a yawn. Immediately, she yawned too. She always wondered why those things were so contagious.

"Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, Newtie," she mumbled as she slowly drifted to sleep.