Disclaimer: I give James Dashner full credit for the Maze Runner Trilogy. The only character I own is Kelley.

"Teresa, please. I have to do this. I can't stand living like this anymore." I grabbed her by the arm, "You have to help me."

"Kelley, calm down. The test subjects will be fine. You don't need to go down there. Not to mention you'll lose all of your memories. Do you really want to forget everything you've done with me and Thomas?"

I scoffed at her remark, "Of course I don't want to forget you two. You're the only friends I have. Especially you, Teresa. You've helped me so much that I could never thank you enough for it...."

She waited, anticipating my next words, ".....but?"

"But I can't stand this life anymore. Everything I love is gone now."

She looked at me incredulously, "What about Lucy and James? They need you don't they? You can't just leave them here while you go prancing around in the maze."

I snapped my head towards her, "Cut the crap. I know you know what happened to them. They're gone because of everyone here at W.I.C.K.E.D. Nothing can save them now. I was supposed to protect them, to be the big sister I promised my parents I would be."

Tears fell down my face and my hands started shaking, "But I couldn't keep them safe, even while they were here under my care. You know how hard I've worked with you and the others to find the cure. To analyze the data from the subjects' minds and run as many algorithms as I could. Finding patterns, searching for answers so that they could finally live like everyone else gets too."

I sat down in a chair, the walls of the office seemed to cave in on me.

"I gave up so much..." my chest started heaving with sobs, "so much."

I felt a hand on my shoulder, "I know you did. We all know how much you've given to our cause. Even Chancellor Paige has recruited you for the most difficult parts of the trials. We can do so much more for the world, Kelley. Think of all the people you can save."

I looked up at her, "You really believe that don't you?"

"You know I've believed it ever since I arrived."

"But... but what if there is no cure, Teresa? What if this is meant to be the end for humanity? What if we're just torturing these kids for nothing?"

"Kelley, don't think like that-"

I stood up and forced her hand off of me, "No! Teresa, what have you given up for this cause? What have you sacrificed in order to give you're all to W.I.C.K.E.D.?"

She looked surprised, "I... uh... well, I don't think I really-"

"That's right. You haven't had anything taken away from you. You weren't forced to make adult decisions before you were old enough to tie your shoe. You've been praised ever since the start and treated like royalty. You don't know what it's like to lose everything you love and try to look for a reason to keep moving on." I looked away, "He's been gone so long... I just want to be with him again."

"Look, I know you hurt. I know you miss him and you have a right to, he's been gone for a long time-"

"Two years is more than long, Teresa. Especially when he's literally right there. When there are so many ways to just run in and never let go of him... Especially when he can't even remember who you are."

"You're right, he doesn't remember you, and if you go in you won't remember him." She moved to face me, "You'll forget not only W.I.C.K.E.D. but every sweet moment with him and your siblings. Do you really want to forget how you would sing Lucy and James to sleep and tell them bedtime stories? Do you really want to forget the way he would hug you or the first time he kissed you?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, "How do you know about that?"

She smiled, "The security footage."

I blushed, "Oh."

She gently grabbed me by the shoulders, "I know things seem hard right now, but if you go into the maze and become a test subject, things will get even harder and more dangerous. Not only for you but for us too." She laughed a little, "You know how difficult it would be for us to do all the calculations without you."

I laughed a little too, "Yeah, no one's as good as me when it comes to calculations."

The thought failed to keep my spirits lifted.

"But Teresa... if it's too dangerous for me to go in there, then why isn't it too dangerous for all the others?"

A deep realization finally set in and I felt myself begin to panic, "He'd be going through all of that without me, Teresa. How can I do this to him?"

She could see she was losing me, "Kelley, look at me. If you go in, who's to say that you'll get back together? What if you end up hating each other, is that what you want? What if you both make it worse for each other to survive and you end up dying in the process?"

My mind was racing a mile a minute. All the possibilities. Teresa wasn't wrong. Most of the circumstances would come out with us not together. We could be rivals, we could totally hate each other without even knowing our past. 

A single random thought came to mind. I didn't know how it had gotten there. I hadn't thought that way in roughly two years, but I liked what it said. It was a nice change.

I shook my head, "Teresa, all I need is hope that things will work out. Take this from the girl in charge of calculations and statistics. The odds may not be in my favor, but love can make the impossible possible. This will simply be a testament of how true our feelings were for each other. If our relationship really meant something, we should have no problem finding each other again. I'm not giving up. I want to go into the maze. I want a chance at happiness again."

I saw a flash of anger in her eyes and she looked away to regain her composure. Then she circled back and glared at me. Her voice was strident.

"You can't do this, I won't allow it. You know what terrible variables are coming to Group A."  She flailed her hands in the air a bit in a burst of outrage.

"I'd fight one hundred Grievers and die instead of living a life without him. Just send me there, please. This is the one thing I'm asking you to do. As my closest friend, I'm begging you, please."  

Teresa just stared at me, I could see a hint of pity in her eyes.

"Please." I begged once again.

"I can't, I'm sorry. W.I.C.K.E.D. wouldn't allow it." Teresa said.

I blew up,"That's all you ever care about, isn't it? You really don't care about how people feel, do you? You just come, go and do as you please, not even giving a second thought to how it might affect a person mentally or emotionally." 

"Kelley, you don't know what you're doing."

"No, I know exactly what I'm doing. If you won't do it, maybe Thomas will." I made my way to the door, but I felt Teresa grab my arm.

I turned to look at her."You can't make me change my mind."

"Yeah, you can be stubborn like that sometimes," Teresa said.

"Stubborn?"

"Sometimes, I said sometimes."

"So, are you helping or not?" I say pulling my arm away.

She sighed and stood there thinking for a while. "Sure. I'll do it."

She paused.

"I hope you know you can't go in through the Box. If we were to try that, we would have to get W.I.C.K.E.D.'s approval, and we both know that will never happen. We'll have to find a different way, possibly very dangerous." Teresa sighed, "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"As sure as I have ever been about anything."

She raised an eyebrow, "Since when have you ever been about faith, trust and pixie dust?"

I smiled, "Ever since now I guess. I kind of like it, it gives a warm fuzzy feeling."

She smiled back and shook her head, "You're crazy."

"But that's why we're friends."

She nodded and walked out of the office, "Follow me."

I did so hesitantly, "Are we going now?"

She looked back at me confused, "I thought you would want to see him as soon as possible."

I nodded. "I do."

"Then let's go."

She walked casually down the hallway and we made it to the main security room. There were tons of screens, a screen for each room in the complex. Teresa hacked into the security footage and created a loop for the medical wing we would be using.

"How will I get into the Glade?"

She continued to work away at the computer, a skill I had not had the time to learn. 

"I'm not sure, I'm thinking things up as I go. I don't think I'll be able to get you straight into the Glade though, it would be too difficult with all the cameras. I might have to put you in through the maze. Maybe bribe a few security guards. Nothing too difficult."

I nodded, "Sounds simple enough. Are you sure we don't need to drag Thomas in or something?"

She shook her head, "It's better if we have as little of people as possible know about this. We could get in a lot of trouble."

"I'm sure if you got caught you'd be able to convince them that it was necessary. You've always been amazing at persuasion."

She smiled, "Thank you, but it doesn't work when I want it to the most."

She stared at me for a while, probably hoping for a change of heart. It hurt me a little to see her so desperate for me to stay, but she didn't understand. I needed him, he was the only one who truly kept me sane and hopeful.

Teresa stood up from the desk and briskly walked out of the room.

"We only have ten minutes to perform the medical procedure on you. It'll be difficult, but I have a few strings in that department I can pull for you. I hope you know how hard it is for me to do this."

"I know, and I'll be indebted to you forever. Please remind me that the next time we meet. I'm sure I'll help you."

She nodded and gave a sad smile.

A few minutes later we arrived at the medical department and she took me into a room where a nurse was already waiting with some of the tools out. As soon as she saw Teresa and me, she started getting ready.

I laid down on the hospital bed and smiled at Teresa.

"Tell the rest of them that I'll miss them. Especially Thomas."

She nodded, "I will."

We stared at each other for a few seconds as the nurse inserted a needle into my forearm.

"I hope things between you guys go well."

She shrugged, "We just work together, there's nothing there except mutual admiration for one another."

"Both of us know that's a lie. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, okay?"

She laughed a little, "Okay."

I started to feel myself slip away.

"Teresa?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

She smiled sadly, "I'll miss you, Kelley. You were my only real friend."