Chapter Text
Newt stood at the edge of the safe haven, his eyes fixed on the horizon as the last rays of the setting sun bathed the landscape in a warm, golden light. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of the ocean, but Newt found no comfort in it. The haven, a place of peace and refuge, had become suffocating, each passing day a reminder that his demons could not be silenced simply by distance.
It had been months since they escaped WICKED, since they’d fought tooth and nail to find this place, to carve out some semblance of a future from the chaos. Here, they were safe. The other survivors, those who had managed to endure the trials, were rebuilding their lives, piecing together a world without fear, without the constant threat of death.
But Newt couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, that he was incomplete. The sense of safety, of finality, felt hollow. The Maze, the Glade, everything they had survived—it was all behind them, yet it loomed over him like a shadow that refused to dissipate. His thoughts kept drifting back to it, to the place that had nearly broken him.
He clenched his fists at his sides, feeling the old anger stirring within him. Anger at WICKED, at the creators of the Maze, at the twisted logic that had dictated their lives for so long. But most of all, anger at himself, for allowing the past to still have such a hold on him.
The Glade was where it all began, where they had been tested, pushed to their limits, and shaped into who they were now. Newt knew he couldn’t escape it, not until he faced it one last time. There was something unresolved, something he needed to confront, or he would never truly be free.
The decision had been gnawing at him for days, a quiet resolve building in the back of his mind until it became too strong to ignore. Tonight, he would tell them. He had to go back.
The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time Newt finally turned and walked back to the main settlement. The haven was quiet at this hour, the survivors settling into their evening routines. He passed by groups huddled around small fires, their conversations a soft murmur in the night. It was a stark contrast to the life they had known before, but even in the calm, Newt could see the weariness in their eyes. They had been through so much, and though the fight was over, the scars remained.
Minho was leaning against the side of one of the cabins, arms crossed as he watched the sky. His expression was distant, but when he noticed Newt approaching, he straightened, his usual sharpness returning.
“Hey,” Minho greeted, his voice low. “You’ve been out here all day. Everything alright?”
Newt hesitated for a moment, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. Minho was more than just a friend; he was a brother in all but blood, someone who had been by his side through the worst of it. Telling him wouldn’t be easy.
“Not really,” Newt replied, his voice rougher than he intended. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Minho’s brow furrowed, concern flickering in his dark eyes. “What’s going on?”
Newt took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. He had rehearsed this conversation in his head a hundred times, but now that it was happening, nothing seemed adequate.
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” Newt began slowly, “about everything we’ve been through. The Maze, the Scorch, WICKED… it’s all behind us now, but it doesn’t feel like it’s really over for me.”
Minho’s gaze sharpened, and he stepped closer, his voice softening. “What do you mean? We made it out, Newt. We’re safe now. That’s what matters.”
Newt shook his head, the frustration he had been holding back finally breaking through. “It’s not about being safe, Minho. It’s about… I don’t know, something unfinished. I can’t keep going like this, pretending everything’s okay when it’s not. I need to go back.”
Minho’s eyes widened slightly, disbelief etched across his face. “Go back? You mean to the Glade? To the Maze?”
“Yeah,” Newt confirmed, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “I need to see it one last time. To make sure there’s nothing left to haunt us. To haunt me.”
Minho was silent for a long moment, processing what Newt had just said. Finally, he let out a slow breath, running a hand through his short-cropped hair. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
“I am,” Newt replied. “I’ve been thinking about it for days, and I know it sounds crazy, but I can’t move on until I do this.”
Minho stared at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt, but Newt held his gaze, resolute. “Newt… I get it. I really do. But going back there—what do you think you’ll find? The Maze is destroyed. There’s nothing left.”
“I don’t know,” Newt admitted, his voice softening. “Maybe nothing. Maybe something I don’t expect. But I have to find out, Minho. I need to know for sure.”
Minho looked away, his jaw clenched as he wrestled with his own thoughts. When he finally spoke, his voice was filled with a mix of frustration and concern. “You know Thomas isn’t going to let you do this alone.”
“I know,” Newt said quietly. “And I don’t expect him to. But I also don’t want to drag you all into this if you don’t want to go.”
Minho huffed, crossing his arms again. “Like hell I’m letting you go back there without us. If you’re going, we’re all going. No way you’re doing this on your own.”
Newt felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was tinged with guilt. He hadn’t wanted to pull them back into the darkness they had fought so hard to escape, but Minho was right—they were in this together, as they always had been.
“Thanks, Minho,” Newt said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Minho muttered. “We still have to convince Thomas.”
***
Finding Thomas wasn’t difficult; he was in one of the smaller cabins, poring over some maps with Teresa. The two of them were discussing potential expansion plans for the haven, their voices low but animated. Newt hesitated at the door, watching them for a moment. The sight of them working together, planning for a future they could all share, made his heart ache. This was what they had fought for, what they had bled for—yet here he was, about to pull them back into the past.
He cleared his throat, and both Thomas and Teresa looked up, their expressions softening when they saw him.
“Hey, Newt,” Thomas greeted with a smile, but his smile faltered when he noticed the tension in Newt’s posture. “What’s up?”
“I need to talk to you,” Newt said, stepping inside. “Both of you.”
Thomas and Teresa exchanged a glance, and the maps were quickly pushed aside as they turned their full attention to him.
“What’s going on?” Teresa asked, her voice gentle.
Newt took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. “I’m going back to the Maze.”
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Thomas’s face tightened with concern, while Teresa’s expression became unreadable.
“Back to the Maze?” Thomas repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Why? It’s gone, Newt. There’s nothing left.”
“I know,” Newt replied, echoing his earlier conversation with Minho. “But I need to see it for myself. I can’t keep living like this, wondering if there’s something I missed, something that’s still out there. I need closure, Thomas. I need to know it’s really over.”
Thomas’s eyes searched Newt’s face, and for a moment, he said nothing. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft but firm. “If that’s what you need, then we’ll go with you. You’re not doing this alone.”
Newt swallowed, the knot of emotions tightening in his chest. “I don’t want to drag you into this, Thomas. You’ve already been through so much—”
“Stop,” Thomas interrupted, his tone gentle but resolute. “We’ve all been through hell, Newt. But we got through it because we stuck together. If going back to the Maze is what you need, then we’ll do it. We’ll face whatever’s there, and we’ll do it together.”
Later that night, Newt stood alone on the edge of the settlement, staring out into the darkness. The weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on his shoulders, but there was also a sense of determination that hadn’t been there before. He wasn’t doing this alone.
They were all in this together, just as they always had been.
The night was quiet, save for the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore. The safe haven, which had once seemed like a dream come true, now felt like a temporary shelter—one that he knew he couldn’t stay in until he had made peace with the past.
Newt closed his eyes, taking in the cool night air, trying to steady his nerves. He had made his decision, and there was no turning back. The next morning, they would leave. He had no idea what they might find when they returned to the Maze, but whatever it was, he was ready to face it. He had to be.
The sound of footsteps approaching pulled Newt from his thoughts, and he turned to see Minho walking up to him, a serious expression on his face.
“You’re still out here?” Minho asked, stopping beside him. “Thought you’d be getting some rest before tomorrow.”
Newt shrugged, his gaze drifting back to the dark horizon. “Couldn’t sleep. Too much on my mind.”
Minho nodded, crossing his arms as he looked out into the distance. “Yeah, I get that. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this… uneasy.”
“Same here,” Newt admitted. “But I can’t shake the feeling that this is something I need to do. If I don’t, I’ll never be able to move on.”
Minho glanced at him, his eyes sharp in the dim light. “You sure this isn’t just your mind playing tricks on you? I mean, we’ve been through a lot. It’s natural to have doubts, to feel like something’s still out there. But going back… it’s risky, Newt. You know that.”
“I know,” Newt said quietly. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I can’t keep living with this weight on my shoulders, Minho. I need to know. I need to see it one last time, to be sure there’s nothing left to haunt us.”
Minho sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re stubborn, you know that?”
Newt managed a small smile. “Yeah, I’ve been told.”
Minho turned to face him fully, his expression softening. “Just promise me one thing, Newt. If we get there and it’s too much—if it feels like it’s all coming back—we pull out. No need to push ourselves to the breaking point again, alright?”
Newt nodded, appreciating Minho’s concern. “I promise. We’ll do this together, and if it gets to be too much, we’ll leave. I don’t want to drag any of us down.”
“Good,” Minho said, clapping Newt on the shoulder. “Now let’s get some sleep. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
Newt watched as Minho turned and walked back toward the cabins, the darkness swallowing him up. He lingered a moment longer, letting the weight of the decision settle in. Tomorrow, they would leave this safe haven behind, at least for a little while. He didn’t know what they would find in the ruins of the Maze, but whatever it was, he was ready to face it. He had to be.
With a final glance at the horizon, Newt turned and made his way back to his cabin. The night was still and quiet, but his mind was anything but. Sleep wouldn’t come easy, but he knew he needed to rest. Tomorrow, everything will change.