Someone to Stay

Marcus & Bertha

YN's POV:

I don't remember closing my eyes. I just now realized I did when I opened them. I gasp loudly, sitting up in a hard mattress. I found myself laying inside of a small bedroom with torn wallpaper and holes in the ceiling. I begin to worry about where the others are until I look and to my right I see Newt asleep on the twin mattress with me. I relax a bit resting my back on the stone wall. I notice that there's no bed frame. The mattress instead just lays on the dirty ground.

I try to get up careful not to wake Newt. It's a little hard since he's holding onto my arm, so I gently try to release his hold of me. Once I'm on my feet and about to leave the room, the floor creaks beneath me. I cringe at the loud sound. Newt is not a heavy sleeper and I'm afraid that I've woken him up once I hear a yawn.

"YN?" Newt's raspy morning voice calls out to me, another tired yawn following it. I turn and see Newt fluttering his eyes open. I turn back towards the small mattress, taking my spot next to him. "Your awake," Newt softly speaks. I nod, giving him a small smile. Newt's soft hand cups my cheek. His thumb rubs small circles on face. The blonde boy gives me a weak grin as he takes me all in. "I'm glad you're okay." He tells me, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.

I close my eyes at the warm feeling of his lips on my face before asking my question. "Where are we?" I ask, clueless to how I got here in the first place.

"Well," Newt lets out a deep breath, "after we found Tommy and Brenda at the party, we just needed to find Marcus, but Jorge put it off until morning for you two to wake." Newt explains.

"You found Thomas?" My eyes grow wide in surprise and relief that my friends had found our leader.

Newt nods and as if one cue, we hear Thomas' voice from outside followed by a light knock on the door.

I begin to eagerly get up and Newt helps me rush to greet my friend.

"Thomas!" I run to him and hug the shit out of him. "You slinthead don't scare me like that again." I scold him, pulling away.

"Nice to see you too YN," Thomas grins. Newt and him don't embrace which I assume is because they had already seen each other when I was asleep.

"Wow reunion going on without me?" I look behind Thomas and spot the sassy boy I expected, Minho.

"Min!" I run to him and hug my best friend tightly, giving him the attention he wants.

"Hey she bean," Minho hugs me back. Usually he would scold me about how he hated that nickname but he doesn't try to fight me this time.

A few seconds later, I pull away and go back to stand by Newt. "Jorge found Marcus." Minho informs us, sticking his hands in his front pockets.

"He did?" I bite my lip, nervous and anxious at the exact same. Minho nods.

"Cmon," he says, leading us back to the main room. Thomas follows him right out of the small bedroom. I wait for Newt and he takes me by the hand, giving me a small squeeze before going after our friends.

Worn out couches fill the tiny living room. Frypan, Brenda, Teresa, and Aris all seated. All of them look beyond exhausted. Frypan gives me a wave and I kindly return the gesture. Thomas sits on the arm of one of the couches, crossing his arms over his chest.

Minho and Newt go forth to sit on the small couch side by side. I stand beside them, having no space to squeeze in.

"Come sit," Newt takes my hand and leads me toward his lap.

"Newt your leg," I remind him, trying to stand back up. The constant walking is definitely not helping his bad leg and I'm afraid that I'll make it worse. Newt however doesn't let me get back up.

"It's fine," he assures. "I'm okay. You won't hurt me."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure?"

"Completely," he pecks my check quickly.

"Gross," Minho says under his breath. I roll my eyes at him.

Just then, Jorge pulls in a 30-40 year old man tied up in a chair into the room. The metal legs make screeching sounds on the hard floor.  I try not to laugh at the situation because it would be extremely inappropriate and immature, and I almost let out a laugh when I see Jorge shove the chair hard on the ground before us.

"God damn it!" Jorge demands, forcing the man to look at him. He has blood in his face. "Just tell me where the right arm is Marcus!"

"Never," the man I assume is Marcus speaks. His face is bloody and bruised. I suddenly recognize him as one of the men who stood at the entrance to the party.

"Wait this is Marcus?" Thomas stands up, pointing at the man.

"Kid catches on quick," Marcus snickers. "Are you the brains of this operation? Can't be the looks too. Title goes to the girl sitting on blondie's lap over there." Marcus winks at me, giving me a flirty look.

I give him a disgusted face and cross my arms. Newt rubs my back.

"Look I don't enjoy hurting you hermano." Jorge brings the attention back to himself. "I know you know where theyre hiding." Jorge pulls Marcus' head up by his hair.

"I don't know all I do is helps sell munies back to WICKED," Marcus stares at Jorge.

"What do you mean?"

"I lure them in, get them drunk, have a good time, and later WICKED comes in and separate the wheat from the chaff." Marcus laughs, proud of himself.

Disgusting.

I changed my mind hermano, I do enjoy hurting you," Jorge kicks the man to the ground. Then he pulls out a gun and points it at Marcus' face. "Talk!" Jorge demands.

"OKAY OKAY!" Marcus gives in, "but I'm not making any promises. These guys like to move around."

Jorge pulls him back up in his chair. Marcus breathes heavily.

"They have an outpost in the mountains, but it's a long way." Marcus says. "You got half of WICKED on your ass you're never gonna make it." Marcus laughs like a maniac.

"Not on foot," Jorge smirks, placing his hands on the man's shoulders. "Where's Bertha?"

"Not Bertha," Marcus begs.

******