The Healer

Chapter 58: Be Careful. Don't Die.

The Gladers all milled around the wall. Evelyn could feel the tension and nervousness from all the Gladers. Faces were grim and mouths were pressed into tight thin lines. Everyone here wanted to leave, but they all knew the stakes, it wouldn't be easy, but they were all ready.

Evelyn looked around at these boys. Her heart squeezed tight, and she had to really stifle the cry that tried to make its way out. They had become her family; her brothers. Keeping a tight lid on her emotions she made her way around giving each boy a hug and a smile of encouragement. With each hug she felt all their fear, panic, anxiety, sadness and anger. Before she realized what she was doing, she was giving each boy a little bit of her power, easing their tension, giving them her hope, and taking on their unease. She knew Nick, Minho and Newt would be angry with her, but she couldn't help it.

She got to her core group of boys, her eyes welled with tears. What if she lost any of these boys, how would her world keep going?

"Eve? You okay?" Sonny asked, frowning at her.

Swallowing hard passed the lump in her throat, she forced a smile.

"I don't think so." Sonny said quietly and folded his huge arms.

Evelyn broke and threw herself into his arms. The damn broke and tears fell down her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Sonny and Newt made eye contact from across the head of boys and they both frowned; both worried about her. She was such a tender soft soul, the boys were worried how it would affect her. Especially if she couldn't save them all.

"What...what if something happens to any of you?" She cried into his shoulder.

"You you keep living and honour those who laid down their lives so you could live free."

"Sonny!" Tears kept falling.

He patted her back, "come on, we gotta get ready." He said gently.

She pulled back, using the heels of her hands to try ride the tears from her face.

"Hey! Where's mine?" Nick pouted.

"Right here!" And she threw herself into his arms.

He squished her tight. Her arms around his neck and she held him tight.

"Thank you!" She whispered.

"No, it's the other way around. You always kept me going. You were the one actually running the show, I was just the face."

"Nick...you were the first one to care for me, my first friend, my first brother. I love you so much!"

"You saved my life literally twice. I won't ever be able to repay that!"

"You don't need to. Thank you for everything!"

He pulled away, his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, taking in his features, glasses and his dark eyes and long eyelashes, his kind smile that was goofy yet shy. She held his face in her hands.

"Be safe tonight Nicky. I can't do life without you!"

"Well, Pixy, if your handing out hugs, where the shuck is mine?" Minho raised an eyebrow at her.

She made a noise half way between a laugh and sob and turned to hug him too. She heared him hum.

"Your new girlfriend alright with you hugging other girls?" She teased as he hugged her even tighter.

"Is Lover Boy gonna be jealous?" He whispered back.

She just chuckled into his shoulder. If it was possible, he held her tighter. He dropped all sass and tease in his next sentence.