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Chapter Eight

Newt still held Eve's hand as they headed back to their room in the Homestead. It felt different, sharing a room with him now, given the events of the night. Newt ducked back out of the room to speak to Alby and Eve took advantage of the time alone to ready herself for bed. She slipped off her shoes and pants. Pulled out the shirt of Newt's he had given her to sleep in on her first night. Even that felt like it held a whole new meaning now. She was just folding her pants when Newt stepped back into the room.

She sat down on her bed and occupied herself with attempting to finger comb her wild hair before braiding it over her shoulder. Newt dropped himself onto his bed with a groan after ditching his shoes and shirt. Eve looked at him as he lounged back with his eyes closed. "Do you think Alby will have an issue with me sleeping in here now?"

Newt opened his eyes and peaked at her. "Why would he?" Newt asked. "What exactly do you think we'll be getting up to?"

Eve blushed and looked away from. "I didn't….." She struggled coming up with words. "I mean…"

Newt chuckled and held his arm open for her. "Come here," he commanded gently. Eve looked uncertain but she crossed the room crawling into his bed beside him. Her head rested on his chest as he brought his arms around her. "Alby won't say anything. Besides whatever happens in this room is our business and no one else's."

Eve smiled, cuddling further into his chest. Newt dropped a kiss to her head, closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him.

When he woke the next morning he found Eve already gone. He was a little disappointed to wake up alone but he had expected it. She was usually out of the room before he woke. He quickly dressed and headed out to eat before going to the Gardens.

Eve finished strapping up the hands of one of the Slicers before sending him on his way. She wandered around the room aimlessly for a few minutes before she decided to head to the Gardens. She wanted to see Newt and it wasn't uncommon for her to help him out when the Med Shack was having a slow. She told Clint and Jeff where she was going so they could find her if they needed and left.

"Has anyone ever tried climbing to the top?" Thomas asked Newt, referring to the Maze walls.

"Tried it," Newt told him as he bound the plants they were growing to the trellis they had made themselves. "The ivy doesn't go all the way to the top. And besides, where are you gonna go from there?"

"Yeah, well, what about the Box?" Thomas questioned. "You know, next time it comes up, you just jump…."

"No, we tried that," Newt said, not looking away from what he was doing. "The Box won't go back down with someone in it."

"Okay, well, what if we…"

"No, we tried it, alright?" Newt said, stopping now and leaning against the edge of trellis as he spoke to Thomas. "Twice, alright? Trust me, anything you can think of, we've already tried. The only way out of here is through the Maze." Thomas frowned but didn't say anything. "Now, look, you want to be helpful? Here, go dig us up some more fertilizer." Newt tossed Thomas a basket with a shovel inside it.

Thomas sighed but he walked off into the trees to do just that. Zart looked up from what he was doing and grinned at Newt. Newt smirked back and carried on. "In coming," Zart said. Newt looked up to see Eve heading towards them. He smiled and turned just as she reached them wrapping his arms around her. She did the same as Newt lowered his head to kiss her.

"Hey," Newt said softly smiling.

"It's been a slow day so I thought I'd come and see if I could help out here," Eve told him, her arms still around his neck.

"And here I thought you came just to see me."

"Well, that too," she agreed, grinning. Newt pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"Is this what it's gonna be like now?" Zart asked his tone teasing, once they had pulled away from each other. "You two all over each other constantly?" Newt shrugged unapologetically as he handed Eve some ties so she could him.

Thomas muttered to himself as he headed into the trees. "Just get the fertilizer, Thomas. Are you sure, guys? Can't help in any other way? No, just get the fertilizer. You know there it is—it's just out in the middle of the woods." Thomas hoped he was headed in the right direction as he trawled through the trees, swinging the bucket carelessly.

His steps faltered when he came to a clearing he hadn't seen before. He stepped closer to what looked like random sticks bound together stood up in the middle. When he approached it, he realized it was a headstone of sorts. It had the name George carved into a piece of wood at its centre. He quickly stepped away when he realized he was stood on someones grave, turning as he did only to stop again when he came to face to face with one of the Runners from the day before.

"Uh, Ben right?" he asked. Something about the guy seemed different. He was breathing heavily and just kind of staring at Thomas. "I don't know if we, uh, ever…." He paused, as Ben's breathing got heavier, almost coming out like a growl now. "Hey, are you okay?"

Ben suddenly dove at him with a yell. Thomas grunted as he hit the ground with Ben pining him down. "Get the off me," Thomas yelled, fighting back. Ben managed to get a grip on Thomas's arms, holding them down.

"It's your fault," Ben snarled, his voice sounding strange and distorted. "I saw you. You did this. I saw you!" By the end Ben was yelling and Thomas looked up at him stunned and confused. Ben's fingers dug into Thomas's arm and he cried out in pain, fighting back harder than before. Ben closed his hands around Thomas's throat to shut him up. Thomas's eyes widened and he tried to push him off with no luck. His hand's flailed over the ground to find something, anything to help. He grabbed the first solid thing he found, which just happened to be a dead animal skull and bought it down on Ben's head as hard as he could. It knocked Ben off him but it didn't deter him. Thomas had barely made it up and Ben was already grabbing at him.

"Hey! Hey!" he yelled, running away hoping like hell someone would hear. Ben attempted to tackle him when he reached the top of an embankment but it back fired as the too tumbled down it. Ben landed more awkwardly than Thomas and that gave him the head start he needed. "Hey! Help!" Thomas broke through the trees, still yelling. Newt and Zart who were stood off to the side both looked up wondering what the hell was going on. Eve straightened from where she had been knelt closest to where Thomas had appeared from as Ben sprinted through the trees a moment later and jumped at Thomas, knocking him to the ground again.

"Oh, shit," Frypan said, and ran towards them to help. Newt and Zart set off as well.

Ben crawled over Thomas frantically shouting. "I'll kill you!" Eve grabbed the spade that was stuck in the ground next to her and ran at them. She was closer than any of the others so she knew she would get there first but she had no chance of over powering Ben, he was a lot stronger than her.

"Hey," Eve yelled as she reached them. Ben looked up surprised and Eve didn't hesitate to swing the shovel, hitting Ben clean in the face successfully knocking him off Thomas.

"Hold him down," Newt commanded as he arrived then. Newt grabbed his arm, as Zart, Frypan and a moment later Gally all grabbed at him as well attempting to hold him still. Eve's eyes widened in alarm when she saw the blood on Ben's face. She hadn't meant to hurt him, she'd just wanted to get him off Thomas. With the way Ben had clawing at him she thought he was actually gonna try and kill him.

"Calm down," Newt ordered Ben. "What are you doing?"

"Calm down, Ben," Gally said as Ben fought back against their hold on him. Eve tossed the spade aside and ran to Thomas, holding out her hand to help him up from the ground.

"Yo, what the hell happened," Frypan asked.

"He just attacked him," Thomas said as he got to his feet.

"You okay?" Eve asked him gently as Chuck moved to stand beside her. Thomas leaned forward his hands on his knees and shook his head. Eve rested a comforting hand on his back, her eyes trailing back to Ben who was still writhing around on the floor trying to get away from the boys holding him down.

"Calm down, Ben," Gally repeated. Ben finally stopped fighting when he realized there was no way he could get free. Alby stepped through the crowd that had formed and looked down at his friend his expression grave.

"No, no, no," Ben pleaded with Alby as if he already knew what was going on.

"Alright, lift his shirt," Alby ordered.

"Please, I didn't mean it," Ben begged and began struggling again.

"Lift his shirt," Alby repeated. Eve moved away from Thomas and knelt beside her friend doing as Alby had asked. There was small circular would on his abdomen with black veins spreading out from it, Ben's skin looked sickly pale around it. Eve had never seen anything like but judging by the murmurings that went through the crowd behind her it was bad.

"No, no, please. Please," Ben continued to babble away as Alby and a few others actually took a step back at the sight of the wound.

"What is that?" Eve murmured quietly.

"He's be stung," Gally said. Eve looked up at him and she in his eyes that he was afraid. She'd never seen Gally afraid in the short time she had been here.

"By a griever?"

"Yeah," Gally told before looking up at the others. "But in the middle of the day?"

Alby dropped into a crouch beside Newt, across from Eve. He frowned, uncertain of what to do. Actually no, he knew exactly what he needed to do, he just didn't want to have to again. Ben had descended in to crying out in fear as he begged now. "Please, please, just help."

Alby reminded himself that this was no longer Ben, no longer his friend. He steeled his resolve and stood up. "Put him in the pit," Alby ordered. "Come on, everybody help. Take him to the pit."

"No, no," Ben screamed, fighting again. Eve stood quickly, stepping out of the way as the boys hauled Ben up, carrying him away screaming and fighting the whole time.

Eve approached Thomas again who was still stood with Chuck. "Come on," she told him, putting her hand on his shoulder and turning him away from the scene of Ben being put in the Slammer. "Let's head to the Med Shack so I can check you over." Thomas grudgingly agreed and followed Eve with Chuck trailing behind them.

A/N: Well there's the next chapter. Already working on a new one. Thanks, Violet x.