Wildfire ~ Newt

1.25

Facing George's grave was harder than she expected.

Once she'd eaten and filled in the others on important details, had she finally worked up the courage to face the very thing she'd been haunted by.

Newt had let her to go on alone to the deadheads. The only sound the crinkle of the leaves and twigs snapping underneath her feet.

And then, as she approached a small stump in the ground, twigs sticking out of the memorial did she see him.

Ben.

Slowly, she walked up to the boy. He'd immediately said yes when she'd asked him to join her.

Not Newt. Not Minho, Alby or Gally.

Him.

It just felt right. George was his best friend after all, and his lost was just as great as hers.

They didn't say anything at first, she just took his hand in his, tears threatening to spill as they both looked at each other; both imagining that he was here with them.

"He'd be so proud of you, you know" Ben smiled weakly, his own eyes glistening as they stood beside each other, the wooden memorial right by their feet.

"Same for you", she mumbled, trying to get the words out. "You know, if he were here now, he'd probably be up to some epic prank", she laughed, Ben echoing her.

"It would be incredible", he chuckled, tears now falling.

"I never told you...but...the morning of that..day...he was totally gonna plan to kick your butt", she laughed between the tears, wiping them away with her shirt sleeve.

"Oh was he now?", Ben raised an eyebrow, grinning as his face became wet with salt water.

"Well only because I asked him to...something about you being a faster runner than me", she huffed, Ben chuckling at her comment.

"Yep, I am the best aren't I", he flexed, the two of them laughing quietly as they reminisced.

"But hey, as soon as I've regained my strength, I'm totally gonna take over your title", she retaliated, her nose sniffling, as she wiped her cheeks.

His breath hitched at her words, "are you saying that you'll come back into the maze?", he asked with a curious brow.

Vera smiled weakly at him, a twinkle in her eyes, "that remains to be seen", she informed him, the boy then smiling at her words, knowing that she still had hope.

The two of them just stood there for a moment, tears falling silently down both of their cheeks as the flame was relit.

Then falling to her knees, Vera reached out to trace her fingers over the wooden plank, feeling every bump and hole in which the name 'George' had been carved out.

She then took this time to speak.

"I'm sorry Georgie...I'm sorry that you couldn't be here...every time I close my eyes I see your face. Your laugh, you mischievous grin and the look you gave me when you told me to run", she stumbled for words, Ben offering her a reassuring hand.

"Thank you", she finally got out, the tears falling faster. "Thank you for being my friend...thank you for saving my life, and giving me the opportunity to live...and I swear...that I will find a way out of here...for all of us...and then I will go on the adventures you only dreamed about...for you", she mumbled, choking out a sob as she then allowed herself to finally mourn properly.

So she knelt there. Knelt there for hours, till even Ben left her. He had stayed for a while, crying himself, as their heads rested on each other. But soon, even he must say goodbye.

A crunching of leaves sounded from behind her, and Vera turned to see...

Newt.

The dirty blonde haired boy, limp and all, sat beside her, rubbing her back as she wiped her eyes.

She'd never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

"He can hear you...where ever he is...he'll understand", the boy smiled, perched down next to her, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know", she sniffed, regaining her composure.

"We'll get through this Vera -"

"Vee", she cut him off.

Newt looked at her with a curious smile, "what?" he asked with a raise brow.

"You called me Vee earlier...I like it" she smiled, her eyes red and puffy, but now seemed to possess a hopeful gleam in them.

"Alright then...Vee" he grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist, planting a long, slow kiss on her lips.

When they broke apart, Vera smiled up at him, lacing her fingers into his.

"You know I never told you about the memories I recovered in the changing", she smiled happily, and Newt looking down at her curious.

"Pray tell", he declared, listening to what she had to say.

"We were friends...Newt we were friends before all this...and not just that...bestfriends" she beamed, letting out a small chuckle at her words.

Newt sat there, with the biggest grin on his face, his eyes alive with pride.

"I knew I had seen you before", he proclaimed, resulting in Vera laughing at his victory pose.

It was ridiculous really.

However , it was one of the reasons she loved him so.

She then brought his arms down, smiling into his blue eyes when she told him the next part.

"You told me you'd follow me to the end of the world and back", she whispered in his ear. a single tear falling down her cheek.

Newt's chest rose, his lips parting at the realisation. Somehow, despite his memory gone, he still remembered that promise to her.

"I love you, you know that", he beamed, leaning in to place multiple kisses all over her face.

Vera giggled as he did, catching his head in her hands, "you've only told me that like one million times since last night".

"I can't help it" he protested, continuing on.

When he stopped, Vera looked up into his eyes, one of the twinkling as she said, "guess you did save me then" she winked, referring back to what he said just before she'd awoken.

Newt's eyes widened, "you heard -"

Vera cut him off, by placing a finger on his lips, simply nodding with a wide smile.

"I guess that makes you my knight in shining armour", she grinned, Newt rolling his eyes at her teasing comment.

"Does that make you my damsel in distress?", he asked, but they both shook their heads with a with an abrupt laugh.

"How about your wildfire?" she then suggested, her face glowing as she said it.

Newt face lit up. Overjoyed at the fact Vera was continuing to fight on. Fight this hell.

He nodded fiercely, cupping her cheeks in his hands as he kissed her again.

Together they could do this. Together they could heal. Together they would find a way home.