Before Thomas {A Maze Runner Fanfiction}

S1-Finale: Vial Effect

When Elizabeth opens her eyes the first thing she notices is the sun. Her bed faces the window and rays of light spill through the curtain. Tantalizing. She yawns and stretches, the rough material of her lab coat rubbing against her skin. She forgot to change into pajamas. Again. Her bare feet hit the cool floor, skin on tile, feet aching in protest. She goes to turn on the light but someone opens the door and does it for her.

It's Teresa.

"Your mom wants to see us," Teresa says, breaking the silence. Elizabeth wants to give a friendly reply, or some sort of acknowledgement that she heard what Teresa said. Anything. But she can't. She can't bring herself to be anything but distant from the girl who stole everything.

"I don't understand why we can't be friends," Teresa says as they walk the narrow corridors. Because, Elizabeth wants to say, you have done nothing but resent me because of who I am. Because you think you are better than me just because you are special enough to be immune to the Flare. She bites her lips and closes her eyes.

Because he likes you more than he likes me.

"Right, then, don't respond like a normal human being. I just remembered that I don't care, anyway." Teresa sounds annoyed. She sounds like everything Elizabeth feels but cannot verbally express. They stop in front of the laboratory and Teresa punches in her numbers to open the doors. The doors slide open and Elizabeth walks in.

"Thank you, Teresa," Elizabeth's mother smiles at Teresa in a way she has never smiled at her, "We can begin, now."

Thomas is sitting in his normal chair by the screens, monitoring something. His eyes are impossibly dark and his lips are pursed in concentration. Elizabeth takes a seat next to him and tries to ignore the way his cologne follows him when he swivels his chair and smiles at her. That sweet, almost sad smile. She smiles back and starts to ask something about how his work is going when Teresa sits on his other side and he turns away, the moment lost. As she watches, Thomas's hand touches Teresa's. He moves a little closer and says something only the other girl can hear. They share a joke, a secret look, a shared memory. Something.

Elizabeth looks at her own screen and tries to fit everything together; tries to forget about the way he looks at her. But she can't. She remembers the last time Thomas walked with her alone. He told her with uncertain excitement that he and Teresa could successfully communicate with each other in their minds - talking without speaking. She remembers him touching her for the last time, just an awkward pat on the shoulder, when he told her that he wants to get to know Teresa better. That he thinks she is pretty. That he likes her a lot.

"Elizabeth, please focus." Ava Paige's voice helps jolt her out of her thoughts, and she sighs, rubbing at her temples.

"Who was sent last month? I need you to tell me go over the others with Thomas and Teresa and decide who to send next. Did you remember to take your serum last night?"

Elizabeth nods, and looks over at Thomas. He pretends he doesn't see her. He pretends that Teresa is the only one in the room. Elizabeth stands up.

"I took it. I have been taking it and will keep taking it until I die or until we find a preventative drug against the Flare. Last week we sent up Subject A20, Ric who is not guaranteed to pass the Maze Trials based on displayed personality and physique. If you want my opinion on who to send next, I would recommend Subject A11, Frypan, who showed an affinity for cooking. My observation of Group A suggests they are in need of a better diet."

Her mother eyes her with neither approval nor disappointment. "Sit down, Elizabeth," she says, and then turns to walk out. "You have five hours," she says.