"Gally..." Her soft voice broke the silence.

The rest of the Gladers ceased their movements and turned to the intruder.

Gally's eyes darted around in clear panic, his hand tightening around the newly aquired weapon.

The beam of her fallen flashlight illuminated his figure.

"Gally?" Thomas spoke. Eleanor turned. The Greenie took a few steps forward.

"Don't." Teresa said curtly, gracing his arm. He halted. Her eyes were set on the small gun.

Eleanor shifted her attention to Gally's eyes as they hardened with one look at Thomas.

"Gally, what are you doing?" Newt used his reasoning voice she had seen him use many times before.

Minho had moved closer to her. Eleanor's heartbeat had jumped back to panic mode.

Gally's eyes suddenly found hers. Her heart sunk in her chest.

She had already said goodbye to him. They had parted ways. And there they were, again, on opossing sides.

His gaze softened as he regarded her. She tried to swallow the bitter lump in her throat, unable to tear her sight away from his darkened eyes.

Minho was then close enough she could feel his arm gracing hers. She sensed Newt's warmth. His presence not seen but felt, like a shadow over her shoulder.

Eleanor felt overwhelmed.

"We can't leave." Gally's voice came out strangled, his eyes still boring into hers, pleading, desperate.

Eleanor found herself taking a step towards him. A hand on her forearm stopped her advance.

"We did." Thomas intervined again. His voice soft, like he was talking to an infant. "Gally, we're out."

Eleanor could tell Thomas would just achieve the opposite of his desired effect even before Gally's expresion shifted at his words.

"We're free." Thomas continued.

His angry stare had burried whatever he had been thinking before.

"Free?"

Eleanor didn't know if it was a sob or a scoff what came next but her heart clenched and her wide eyes could do nothing but stare hopelessly at the sight of her former best friend, torn and beaten inside by the Maze.

"You think we're free out there?" The words came out strangled, hurt. "No. No, there's no escape from this place."

"Gally, listen to me." Thomas tried again. Eleanor had to shut her eyes tight for a second trying to think.

Gally didn't like Thomas. She knew the older boy would not listen to him.

"You're not thinking straight. You're not." The Greenie said.

Eleanor stifled a gasp as his hand started rising, pointing the gun towards Thomas. The whole group fell back in shock, coming together. Minho's grip pulling her backwards.

"Now, we can help you." Thomas sounded very nervous. He hadn't realised he was making the situation worse as he kept trying to calm him down. "Just put down the gun."

"We belong to the maze." Gally's tone had a finality to it.

She couldn't help it.

She stepped forward.

Minho's fingers squeezed tighter, trying to pull her back.

She pulled her arm away from his grip.

She had no time to negociate with Minho or explain to him why she had to get to him. She just did.

"Gally."

His eyes snapped towards her at the sound of her voice. He gulpped, closing his eyes tightly. His arm didn't lower. She walked closer to his shaking form, her heart beat loud in her ears and every fiber of her aching body was screaming for her to stop. She didn't.

"Listen to me-" He opened his eyes again and the pain swimming in them made her lose her breath. She forced herself to continue speaking. "Just put down the gun."

He didn't. His hand shook with the tension in his body, tears were running down his cheeks then, creating tracks on his greyed cheeks.

Right then, she knew.

There was only one thing she could do.

Slowly, she put her hands up and walked.

She could hear voices behind her, telling her to stop, to go back. She couldn't.

Only when she was cutting Thomas from the line of fire did she stop.

Eleanor had never stared down the barrel of a gun and her breathing picked up. She had to calm herself. Gally wouldn't kill her. She knew it.

"Gally." She forced her eyes away from the gun.

His eyes stared back with a sadness that overwhelmed her mind.

"Please, put down the gun."

"El, we can't leave." His voice was pleading and desperate, like a scared child. The nickname took her by surprise.

"We have." She whispered, " We're out."

Then, he was shaking his head with fervor. "They won't let us leave. We're not free."

His arm shook with the movement. Eleanor held her breath, her gaze dropping to the gun on instinct.

"We'll never escape..." His breaths were coming faster, lost in a spiral. "Never, never, never..."

"Okay, okay..." She tried to make her voice sound stronger than she felt. "Then, we won't leave. We won't."

Her lie came out easily, making her stomach turn. She only had to get him to lower the weapon, then she could explain it to him. Convince him, somehow.

The room had fallen silent behind them.

But his eyes never changed. A sob emerged from his mouth. "You're lying..."

"Gally," She tried. The adrenaline was running out and she felt tired and sad, and very very scared. "Please, just put down the gun."

They stood there, lost into each other's eyes for a moment. Then, in between tears, he gave her a barely noticeble nod.

His hand lowered slowly.

She exhaled. Closing her eyes in relief, letting out the tension. She would convince him to walk out of there with them. He would survive. They would survive.

"I belong to the maze."

Her eyes snapped open too late. His hand had already risen again, except this time the gun wasn't pointed at her. Determination shone in Gally's eyes, the barrel held between them.

She lifted her hand on instinct

The gunshot exploded against the silence. Her sight became red.

The loud horrified scream couldn't belong to her.

The body falling to the ground couldn't be Gally's.

She lost control of her limbs as they doubled over, her knees scrapping the ground as she leapt forward.

"No, no, no, no, no, no... You're okay, you're okay..."

Her hands fell to the boy's face, touching his face softly, cleaning his tears away.

He wasn't dead. He couldn't be.

His eyes stared at the ceiling without seeing but he would be fine, he was just-

Suddenly, arms were around her. Pulling her away.

"Wait, wait..."

She fought them. She couldn't leave his side, she had to... she had to...

"Eleanor, El..." Someone whispered in her ear, crouching down, not trying to drag her anymore.

She looked up to blonde hair and soft honey eyes. She couldn't understand. Gally couldn't be-

Newt was crying as she stared up at him.

"No, no, no, no..." She whispered.

His body engulfed her and she couldn't see anything against his chest. She could breathe his shirt, feel his warmth, but she couldn't think.

She was suddenly empty.

Seconds passed until Newt's hold on her losened. She just stared. She felt like she was floating above her body, she couldn't feel anything anymore.

A boy with dark hair from a group of kids surrounding her spoke. "We should go."

She looked up at him. Thomas, her mind thought. Eleanor tried to focus.

Then, Minho came into view. He was closer, kneeled down to her level as he stared back at her. He was crying too.

"El?" His concern was evident.

The girl tried to think...

Leave, they had to leave.

She nodded slowly, her mind felt heavy as her friends swayed around her. She tried to move. Her limbs felt impossible heavy and she failed to lift her arm.

Pressure on her forearms made her open her eyes. She hadn't even realised they had closed.

Minho was trying to help her up as Newt shifted next to her. A touch on her back told her he was helping aswell.

She couldn't move.

"Wait, wait..." The room spun and she couldn't focus.

The boys stopped.

"El, c'mon... just stand up."

She shook her head increasing the dizziness. "I can't."

She could barely feel her fingers anymore.

"What? Yes, you can." He sounded scared. She didn't understand why.

Something brushed against her back, away. She felt cold all of the sudden.

She just wanted to sleep.

A faint touch on her cheek made her open her heavy lids she hadn't conciously closed. Minho and Newt's horrified eyes stared back at her. All she wanted was to brush their tears away.

She fought against the fog in her mind. "Minho..."

Sitting was too much and she let got. Newt helped her fall as she laid back.

And then, she knew. As she looked up at the ceiling. She didn't feel scared, or sad anymore. They would live, even if she didn't and that was enough. She'd stay there with Gally.

But she was soon losing conciousness so she fought, she still had things she had to say.

Minho's hand brushed against her cheek. "I'm here."

"Guys..." She forced the words out. "It's too late."

She tried to look at all of them. All the remaining Gladers stood behind the two boy crouching, wide eyes stared back. Chuck was sobbing loudly and she tried her hardest to give him a reassuring smile. Teresa locked eyes with her and smiled sadly. The brunette knew what was happening to her, she knew what fate awaited her. Thomas, Frypan, Clint... even Zart looked at her with horror.

She had been bleeding too much for too long. She wasn't going to make it.

Forcing herself to keep her eyes open she turned to her boys.

"It's too late."

Another tear escaped Newt's eye. She smiled warmly at them.

Minho shook his head. "No, no... we're out. We made it. You made it."

"I can feel it." She told him. "I'm sorry..."

A heartbreaking sob fell from his lips as he closed his eyes tightly.

"I'm sorry..." She repeated.

Minho's body shook with a wave of sobs, she tried to reach him. Her fingers barely brushed his face before they fell to her side but he stopped, breathing hard, gazing back at her.

"It's okay." She tried.

She could see in his eyes that it was far from okay.

"Stay with me." He pleaded. "Please."

His fingers traced her features with a delicacy she didn't know he possesed.

She smiled softly, she had never appreciated how beautiful he was until that moment. She couldn't tell him how she would stay, how she didn't want to leave him... But she had to be strong.

He had to live and that meant... letting go.

A bang of a door. Loud footsteps. Voices around them.

"I love you." She settled on, focusing on him. Her mind barely processing the presence of new people in the room.

She was grasping on straws, her conciousness slipping away like running water. Minho looked around with panic.

A hand grasped hers and she forced her gaze to travell towards the other boy. He squeezed her hand.

Tears continued to stream silently down Newt's face but his face held peace. He understood.

Eleanor felt that peace sweeping over to her, contagious.

She smiled.

"You've been so brave, Eleanor." He whispered. His face dripping low to grace a kiss against her forehead.

She closed her eyes in content. It became harder to open them again but she managed to after a few seconds. Glove covered hands were grasping the boys shoulders, they were talking. She couldn't understand what they were saying.

"No!" Minho's angry voice.

She frowned. Every other Glader seemed to have vanished

"Minho, we have to go..." Newt used his more reasoning voice.

"No!" He spat angrily, "I won't! I won't leave her."

His gaze turned back to hers and his eyes softened. She stared in confusion as Newt stared hopelessly, between the two. She didn't have long.

"Minho..." She tried, her voice barely coming out in a whisper.

She couldn't understand what was happening but she trusted Newt, more than anyone.

Her best friend leaned forward.

"I'm here." He whispered, the saddest eyes locking onto hers.

"Go." She ordered with all the strengh she had left.

She nodded to Newt. The blonde grabbed Minho's shoulders and nudged him. He barely fought.

"I love you..." He choked out.

She felt a sense of true happiness. She smiled. "I know."

And then they were gone and she was tired... so tired. Her eyes blinked drowsily. Her head rolling to the side.

There. A few inches away was a pale boy, laying next to her.

Her hand reached out as her eyes fell shut. A touch. Her fingers wrapping around his and then...

Nothing.


A/N: Okay, you guys. This is the end of the story. I know, I know! Don't hate me too much.

I will be writting an EPILOGUE but I won't be making a sequel, so if you want a clean final ending to this story DO NOT read the epilogue. It will have an open ending that (again) I will not be continuing. So if you want to read the Epilogue do it at your own risk ;)

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ, REVIEW, FOLLOWED, FAVOURITED! IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS ENJOY THIS STORY.

It has taken me many years to write this story and my writing has changed so much throughout it so I can only apologize.

I will probably go back in the near future and correct all the MANY spelling mistakes and plot holes I have made.

I hope you have enjoyed living this story with Eleanor and I apologize if the ending was not to your liking but I felt it was the most fitting.

Aaaand I'm sorry if your ship wasn't confirmed and you were hoping she ended up with one of the boys. I loved writing both Minho and Newt and their relationships with Eleanor and I think the bonds she formed with both of them were satisfiying enough on their own without having to live happily ever after.

Thank you again to all of you for reading this crazy story that will always have a place in my heart!