The Maze Runners [ Thomas Fanfiction ] ✔️

Chapter Thirty

Jay took Thomas' hand after gulping slightly. The area was just a flat strip to a hole. It looked safe.

Keyword: looked.

Newt and Alecks awkwardly glanced at each other without saying anything. Minho's face was stony and concentrated on the task at hand. Chuck...Well, was being Chuck.

Newt looked over at Jay and decided that he had to tell her something before they left. So, grabbing her hand, he quickly led her from the group and behind a wall. "Jay...Listen...I know I'm not Thomas. But I promise that I'm going to protect you. I promise. And...for the sake that I might never be able to do this again...Can I...Can I kiss you?"

His last few words were hushed. Jay bit her lip, thinking about the proposition. "Yes." He glanced up at her and cupped her cheek with his hand before planting his lips onto hers. The kiss was gentle yet passionate. Newt pulled away with a sad smile. "I love you."

Then without another word, he walked away to the group. Alecks looked at him with a strange face and shrugged. "Newt..." Jay's emerald eyes were sad as he walked away from her. But she loved Thomas. Not even a kiss could change that.

She walked back to a perplexed Thomas to whom she mouthed,'I'll tell you later.' So without further ado, they made their way to their possible death.

Everything seemed too quiet for her liking and the noise of metal skittering stilled the group halfway from their escape. It was all dead silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Then a Griever burst from the dark recesses of one of the sides of the narrow path. The Gladers all bared their weapons and Jay took off with Chuck towards the control panel in a sprint.

The plan was that while Jay unlocked the way that would get them out, the Gladers would do their best to buy them time and defend them from Grievers. Thomas dodged one of the stingers that would had sent him flying, glancing over at Jay.

She was typing into the keypad furiously. But she didn't notice another Griever start to advance towards them. Chuck raised his weapon meagerly and prepared himself. The Griever swiped one metal leg towards the small, chubby Glader and it impaled him profusely.

"CHUCK!" Jay's cry was barely heard through the screeching of the Grievers and the battle cries of Gladers. But Thomas heard it anyway. His heart stopped as he ran towards the scene but it was too late. It all happened in slow motion.

The moment Chuck was impaled, their escape way opened. He could have gone. But the Griever squashed any dream of Chuck's escape. Jay and Thomas knelt by the dying Chuck as the Gladers disposed of the last few Grievers.

"T-Thomas...Ja-y...I want you to have this...You treated me like any parent should. I love you guys." His voice started to fade out while his hand reached out with the bloody white figurine towards them.

It sent a sob ripping through Jay, Thomas holding her close and trying to swallow around the lump in his throat as he took the white figure. "Thank you, Chuck. We love you too." His voice cracked on various occasions.

"Go...Go outside for me.." Chuck smiled weakly before his hand dropped and his eyes glazed over. Thomas closed Chuck's eyes with his hand and stowed the white figurine safely in his pocket. He kissed Jay's head before helping her to her feet.

More and more Grievers started to appear as Jay and Thomas headed towards the escape route. "Retreat!!" Minho bellowed as they reached the small hole. The Gladers let Jay and Alecks head down first before they all went down into the slide like contraption.

Eventually, the survivors all ended up in a long dim hallway with pipes and steam. The survivors consisted of Newt, Alecks, Jay, Thomas, Minho, Frypan, Jeff, Micheal and a couple of others. They lost a lot of Gladers. But it was no time to grieve. Not until they had fully escaped the place of their nightmares. Thomas took Jay's hand as the folowed the pipes down the hallway.

It seemed like forever before they finally reached a half opened metal door leading to a small, lit corridor that led to another half opened metal door. They quickly made their way down the corridor and opened the door the rest of the way. It was a disaster in there.

Bodies and blood strewn across the floor. Damaged light fixtures and futuristic looking computers. Memories flashed behind Jay's eyes. Glancing at Thomas behind a computer screen, joking around during free time. They had a connection way before the maze. Thomas glanced over at her, a few memories rushing back as well.

~FLASHBACK~

It was Jay's turn to go into the maze. She stood in front of Thomas, tears glazing their eyes. "I'll see you on the other side, partner." Jay held out her hand for him to shake but Thomas had other ideas. He took her hand and pulled her towards him, his lips landing on hers without a second thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped them around her waist. They pulled away after a long while when one of the scientists informed Jay that it was time. "See you on the other side." Thomas voiced, flashing her one of the crooked grins he knew she loved.

~END~

After they snapped out of their memory, they each blushed and headed for a giant screen that seemed to be on. Minho frowned and tapped a few buttons before the screen came to life with a blonde woman on it.

It seemed like their adventure had only begun at this point. The woman smiled and then began to speak. "Welcome back. You have passed the maze trials. I am sure you have many questions but I can only give you one answer. W.I.C.K.E.D is good. You must be grateful for what we've done. Accept it. For dark times are to come." Chaos sounded in the background before the woman pulled a gun to her head and shot herself. The video feed went staticky before shutting off.

Thomas held Jay close with a shaky sigh.

Then there was movement. A door opening. And the person behind that door sent them into bug eyed confusion.