Chapter Text
The man took a step closer, looking Thomas up and down before nodding once. “Haven’t had an Exemplar here in over a century.”
“How do you know I’m an Exemplar?”
“I assume you are here for something.” The man did not answer his question once again. But the man looked just like that: a man. Despite looking so withered, he seemed too human to belong here. “Yes. I need to know how to get rid of the Flare. Do you know how? Or do you know somebody who does?”
The man stood unphased, like he didn’t even hear Thomas speaking. Instead, he looked over at the corpses hanging all around them. “They all have the Flare,” he said. “They’ve all reached past the Gone. When it gets to that point, there is no saving the afflicted. They become soulless monsters.”
“So how do I save him before he gets to that point?”
The man had yet to show a single emotion on his face, but Thomas could swear he almost saw the tiniest hint of pity in the man’s eyes.
Almost.
“You’re the Exemplar, you have the power.”
“What? No I don’t. I can only bend the elements.”
The man narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, walking in a circle around Thomas. “Water - the element of change. Earth - the element of substance. Fire - the element of power. Air - the element of freedom. Combine them for a power that has long been forgotten.
“The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed. Before time, darkness thrived in the void, but always yielded to purifying light. In the era before the Exemplar, it was not the elements that were bent, but the energy within ourselves, the minds and souls. To bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed."
Thomas wished he had paid more attention in literature class now. And he knew asking for a simpler explanation was going to be in vain. So he took a moment and tried to decipher the elaborate explanation he was given.
Darkness yields to light.
Elements can be bent, but so could energy.
A bendable spirit will be corrupted.
He is the light that darkness succumbs to. He has the ability to bend energy - whatever that means, but it can corrupt him. He can take his powers to bend a person’s energy.
“You’re saying I can bend energy.”
The man nodded. Despite learning he had a new power - and the fact that he was able to interpret the man’s puzzle - this didn’t give him the solution he needed. “But that doesn’t help me. The Flare is more of a virus, not energy.”
“ Everything is energy. You must go now, but be warned. I see the storm coming towards you in the real world. A storm that may cost you your life. At least with this technique, you stand a chance. Don’t waste what I’ve told you.”
And the man turned and began to walk into the fog. “Wait!” Thomas called out for him to stop, but the man disappeared like vapor into the mist. He didn’t tell him how to bend energy.
And he didn’t tell him how to save Newt.
“No…”
This couldn’t be it. This isn’t how it’s meant to be. Newt’s not supposed to die of the Flare! Newt’s not meant to be hanging from a rope in Limbo for the rest of existence! He’s supposed to move in with Thomas and their friends! He’s supposed to finish Ava’s school and get a high school diploma! He’s supposed to be a hero! He’s supposed to be with Thomas forever!
Thomas let out a scream that was a mix of frustration and anguish and fell to his knees sobbing. He had failed Newt. How was he supposed to live with himself after this?
“Tommy?”
The brunette shot his head to his left to see Newt standing a few feet from him. “Newt!” he yelled.
The two ran to each other and embraced tightly. “Tommy what the hell are you doing here?” the blonde asked as he pulled away, holding Thomas’s face and wiping away his tears.
Thomas took a moment to register Newt’s appearance and… he was different. He looked Flare free, but he was transparent like a ghost and black and white just like everything else in Limbo. Yet he was still able to feel him. The warmth was gone, but he could at least still feel him. “I came to find a way to save you.”
“I know that, you bloody twat. I can hear Sonya speaking to me, she keeps telling me to hold on because you’re coming for me. I mean why are you here? You shouldn't have come! You can get stuck here!”
“I couldn’t give up on you Newt. Not you. I told you to leave me when we got attacked, but you stayed with me. Because you said you were mine. Newt, I’m yours too. And if that means crossing worlds to get you back, you know I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
The blonde smiled, a sad smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. He wrapped his arms around Thomas again and Thomas held him tight. “It’s okay, Tommy. Don’t worry about me. Worry about Janson.”
“How can I not worry about you Newt? You know if the roles were reversed you would do the same as me.”
“If the roles were reversed, you would tell me the same thing I’m telling you now.”
They were both hypocrites. Each was willing to risk their own lives for the other, but wouldn’t let the other risk their life for themselves. Thomas guesses that’s what love is.
And as much as Thomas wanted to stay and hold him, he needed to go back to the real world. The longer he stayed, the less time Newt had left. The realization that he had to leave Newt here alone again hurt him. And although he knew that going back would save him, he couldn’t help the guilt overcoming him. “Newt, I’m gonna go now so I can bring you back. I’ll save you.”
“No Thomas, please,” Newt begged. “Just go back and worry about Janson. Don’t do anything to save me.”
“If I do nothing you’ll die! Newt, this is probably worse than death!”
“Thomas-”
“No Newt! You didn’t listen to me when I told you to run, so I’m not listening to you now.”
Thomas was angry. Angry at Newt for being so selfless. Angry at Lawrence for giving Newt the Flare. Angry that no matter what he chooses, one of them could die.
And he was scared. Scared that he couldn’t save Newt. Scared that he might die. He’s ready to make the sacrifice, but it doesn’t make the finality of death any less terrifying.
And Newt looked scared and angry too. Thomas sighed, took a breath, and wrapped his arms around Newt, the blonde reciprocating immediately.
“I don’t want you to die for me Tommy,” Newt whispered.
“I won’t. And neither will you.”
Reluctantly, Thomas pulled away from his boyfriend. His window of opportunity was fading, so he told Newt he loved him and started running towards the direction which he came. He found his real self and mirrored the position he was in, closed his eyes, and began to meditate his way back to the real world.
Back to Newt.
As much faith as Teresa had in Thomas, her hope was dwindling. Fast.
She didn’t know much about the Flare or how the Bliss worked, but it didn’t take a scientist to conclude that Newt didn’t have long. The veins that had barely faded or ceased to grow were almost consuming him now. It pained her to watch her friend suffering this way. She can’t even begin to imagine how Sonya or Thomas feel right now.
Teresa glanced at Thomas again, the brunette still seated against the wall. But something was different. She noticed the smallest of movements in his body. His breathing was changing, his body starting to shake softly.
He was coming back.
As if on cue, Thomas awoke startled and stumbled to his feet as he began to rise, darting straight towards Newt. The others in the room started to flood Thomas with questions, but it was obvious he couldn’t hear a word they were saying.
He only saw Newt.
Thomas took in a deep breath and began to concentrate. A true heart and a true mind can survive the corruption. He is the light, and the Flare is the darkness that will yield to him. He put on hand over Newt’s heart and another against his forehead and closed his eyes. He has the power. He can do this.
He searched his mind, his soul. He focused on the energy, the Flare. He searched deep within himself. He directed all of his power into finding it.
He doesn’t know how long it’s been, but he started to feel it happen. In his mind, in his heart, in his veins. He was healing Newt.
The women in the room surrounded the two, watching as Thomas's veins began to burn a bright blue. Then he grimaced in pain, wobbling a bit but regaining his stance. His veins on his arms that were glowing blue now turned black, as if the Flare was flowing through his body.
And Newt’s veins looked like they were returning to their normal state. His skin began to show hints of his normal tone.
Thomas could feel it moving inside of him. It was burning his entire being. He could feel it circulating all through his body, especially in his heart. It hurt like hell, but he wasn’t about to stop. He would bear this pain for Newt.
Focus, stay true, or he’ll lose.
He became more exhausted, more drained, but he remained determined. When he finally felt the last remnants of the virus leave Newt, he collapsed to the ground.
His mother was at his side in an instant, pulling him up to a sitting position. “Thomas? Thomas! Are you alright?”
But Thomas didn’t listen. He used every bit of strength he had left - which wasn’t much - and climbed up and sat on the bed next to Newt.
He cried at seeing him looking perfectly healthy, despite some of the dried blood still on his chin. His chest was rising and falling in even breaths, and there didn’t seem to be a trace of the Flare left in him. “You did it, Tom!” Teresa yelled.
Sonya ran over and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his neck. He held her tight and let a few of his own tears fall.
A small gasp of air turned their attention back towards the body resting on the bed. There was Newt, slowly blinking his beautiful dark brown eyes open. Thomas smiled and couldn’t help the joyous laugh that escaped from him or the tears that slipped from his eyes when their gazes met. He leaned over Newt, pressing their foreheads together. “You’re okay, Newt. You’re okay.”
Newt reached a hand up to cup Thomas’s cheek, wiped away a fallen tear and formed a small smile, letting out a faint sob. “Thank you Tommy.”
Sonya came over on the other side and Thomas moved out of the way so they can have a moment, the girl yelling at her brother not to scare her like that away. In which Newt replied back with a sarcastic comment that earned a laugh from everyone and a small slap to his arm from his sister.
Their brief moment of joy was interrupted when Ava and Vince came into the room. The two looked over in surprise at Newt looking completely healed. Vince walked over to his son and squeezed his shoulder affectionately, offering a small smile. “You did it son.”
Thomas smiled and nodded to his father, and then turned his attention to Ava. “While I’m thrilled to see that Newt is okay, we need you Thomas. We’ve called a gathering of the students and it’d be best if you were there.”
“Why do I need to be there?”
“You are the Exemplar after all. You’re meant to lead us.”
To lead them?
Thomas can barely walk without tripping on nothing, and now Ava is saying he has to lead them into battle?
“We’ll give you time of course,” Ava added, wanting to give the group a moment.
“No,” Newt said lethargically. “We don’t have time to waste. He’ll go now.”
“Newt - ”
‘’Tommy.” Newt called and put a hand on the boy’s arm. “I’m alright. Go. I’ll get cleaned up and I’ll meet you there.”
“No, you’re going to rest,” Thomas ordered.
“There’s no time for anyone to rest,” Newt said, moving his legs off the bed and going to stand, Sonya staying by his side just in case he might fall. “Go, Thomas. I’ll be right behind you.”
Thomas sighed. Newt was right. He was okay now and he didn’t need Thomas to look after him. And any moment, chaos would be reigning down on them. It was time for him to step up and be the hero he needs to be. The world has to come first now. He needs to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep it safe.
So he wrapped his arms around Newt one more time, because he just needed to feel him again, and he was warm, his heart was beating, and he’s alive. When he let go, he turned to Ava and his father and nodded at them. “Let’s go.”