|And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell, so just close your eyes.

|Song: Lullaby, Nickelback

|||

Lisa's P.O.V.

A groan left my lips when a throbbing pain shot through my head. I tried to sit up but had to lay back down when dark spots appeared before my eyes.
Confusion waved over me. The room around me was dark, my body lying on something hard and I heard soft breathing around me.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to sit up again. My headache wasn't fully gone yet but I managed.
Squinting I looked around and realised we were in the Berg. Somehow through all the chaos and pain we had made it. We were free.

I looked around and saw Minho and Newt lying only a few feet away from me on the same long bench. Both of them were asleep. On the other side of the round room lay Thomas, still unconcious, with Brenda by his side.
I tried to stand up.
'Oh no, no, no,' a soft voice came out of the darkness. It was Dawn.
Quickly she put on some yellow lights and helped me lay down again.
'You're not going anywhere,' she simply stated, handing me a blanket.
I tried to cover my legs with it. She helped me and then sat down beside me.
Even though my headache was huge I couldn't hold back a smirk. 'I defeated Wicked, they couldn't control me.' Dawn smiled softly. 'Yeah, I wondered how you did that?'
I felt a red blush crawl on my cheeks. Dawn smiled knowingly and her eyes wondered to were Minho lay. I hit her arm. 'Don't tell him,' I hissed.
'Afraid you'll look weak?' She teased. 'Afraid his arrogance might grow,' I responded.
She laughed, a very welcoming sound. 'Try to get some sleep, will you,' she said, patting my hair.
'We really escaped Wicked,' I whispered, ignoring her words.
Dawn nodded. 'Yes, yes we did.'
Then my smirk disappeared. 'So what now?'
She looked at me, her eyes filled with a sudden sadness. 'We've been flying for ten hours, Jorge landed the Berg to get some sleep, can't have a tired pilot, and when he's awake we'll decide what to do next.'
I nodded and felt my body relax again. 'Can you imagine?' I whispered. 'We have a whole life before us, can do whatever we want.'
Dawn didn't respond, her eyes wondering to the blond Glader who only lay a few feet away from us. Her whole expression suddenly changed and it was the sadness that scared me most. 'Dawn, I know you must feel scared but there is nothing-' She stood up in a sudden movement. 'I going to get some sleep,' she said, then gave me a sad glare. 'Goodnight.'
I nodded at her. 'Night.'
She walked towards Minho and put a blanket over him. Then she went to Newt and covered his body with the warm blanket as well. She gave him a quick kiss on his forehead before searching a sleeping spot for herself.

I lay back down and felt my body ache, like it had been stung with a thousand little needles, but that wasn't the reason I didn't fall asleep.
It was the sad grief I had seen in Dawn her eyes that haunted me.
I sighed and carefully turned on my other side. I winced by the throbbing in my head which seemed to get worse everytime I moved. Closing my eyes I tried to sleep but Dawn's hopeless expression held me in a tight grip and when I did finally fell asleep it haunted me in my nightmares.

When we were all awake we met in the pilot chambers, which were the most comfortable.
Minho called our meeting a Gathering, for old times sake.
My headache wasn't fully gone yet and with Minho arguing with Brenda by every option she offered didn't make it any better. I had no strength to say anything about it. In the end, after an hour of arguing and going back and forth and coming full circle a dozen times, we decided to go to Denver. Brenda told us there was a man she knew who lived there. He once used to work for Wicked but he left when he realised their true plans. He could help us remove the devices put in our brain, Wicked could use to track and control us.
We planned on landing the Berg at a private airport with the story that we were immunes looking for a government transport job. Luckily the Berg was unmarked, no one would believe our story if Wicked was written with huge letters on the Berg. Brenda told us that upon entering a city we'd be tested and branded as immune to the Flare, which would allow us to enter the city proper.

Suddenly Thomas took a deep breath and told us to keep our mouths shut until he was done speaking.
Frowning at him I pulled my legs to my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I listened.
He started talking about memories that had been returning to him in dreams. He remembered flashes of his life, being taken by Wicked, finding out he was immune, his training with Teresa and more.
When he was done talking he looked around, obviously waiting for a response.
'I don't see what that has to do with anything,' Minho said. 'Just makes me hate Wicked even more. Good thing we left, and I hope I never have to see Teresa's shuck face again.'
I nodded firmly.
Newt, who'd been irritable and distant the whole Gathering, spoke for the first time that day. 'Brenda's a bloody princess compared to that know-it-all.'
'Um...Thanks?' The pretty girl responded.
'When did you change?' Minho blurted out.
'Huh?' She asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
'When did you become so shuck crazy against Wicked? You've worked for them, you did all those things they wanted you to do in the Scorch. When did you come so strongly over to our side?'
Brenda sighed, she looked tired but her words were strong and I could tell all the bottled up emotions behind them. 'I've never been on their side. Never. I've always disagreed with how they operate, but what could I ever do on my own. Even with Jorge? I've done what I had to do to survive. But then I lived through the Scorch with you guys and it made me realize...well, it made me realize that we have a chance.'
I smiled at her and for the first time since we escaped the Scorch I let myself travel back to those dark tunnels under the city. How I saw the special connection between her and Thomas grow, how Thomas had kept me calm and how we became friends. My lonely feelings and dark thoughts came out during that time and Brenda had seen them all, though she never thought of me as weak. And now I finally realised I could call her my friend. Somehow it was strange how happy that made me feel, but it did, it made me incredibly happy.

'Brenda, do you think Wicked'll start forcing us to do things? Messing with us, whatever?' Thomas asked.
'That's why we need to find Hans. I can only guess what Wicked will do. Every other time I've seen them control someone with the device in their brain, that person has been close and under observation. Since you guys are running and they have no way of seeing exactly what you're doing, they might not want to risk it.'

Thomas nodded, like it was crystal clear. 'We're going and that's that.'

'Good that,' Minho said.
'I'm with you,' I added.
Dawn nodded, seeming determined. We all looked at Newt. 'I'm a Crank,' he said. 'Doesn't matter what I bloody think.' Then he stood up in a blur of speed and punched the wall behind his chair.

Startled I glared at the boy.

'First of all, it doesn't matter if I have the thing in my brain, I'm gonna be past the buggin' gone before too long anyway. And I don't wanna die knowing I ran around a city of healthy people and infected them.'

No one said a thing. I could hear my own heart beating faster in my chest.
And as the silence held on Newt's expression darkened. 'Well, don't hurt yourselves tryin' to talk me out of it,' he finally growled. 'We all know Wicked's fancy cure is never gonna work, and I wouldn't want it to. Not much to live for on this piece of klunk planet. I'll stay on the Berg while you guys go into the city.' He turned and stomped away, disappearing around the corner.

'I'll stay with him,' Dawn whispered, her voice sounding strained.
I frowned and looked away from the direction Newt just ran off in.
She spoke clearly, her eyes determined, but a sadness was painted on her face.
'Why?' I asked.
She looked me straight in the eye when she answered. 'When Wicked gave me back my memories they had to remove the device they use to control me. You heard Ratman, it's a one deal package. I have no reason to go into that city. Let me stay with Newt and make sure he is okay.'
It was silent and we all shared a few glares. I honestly didn't mind. She was probably a lot more safe here than if she would go with us into that city. It was Newt that made me doubt. He had barely looked at Dawn since the Gathering started and it was obvious he was angry for what she did. And with the state he was in right now I wasn't sure I trusted him not to hurt her.

Finally the silence was broken by Thomas who simply shrugged and said. 'It's fine by me.'
Dawn nodded and gave him a grateful smile.

'Well, that went well,' Minho muttered, 'guess the Gathering is over.' He got up and followed his friend. After a few seconds of stunned silence Thomas went after them.

Brenda looked at Dawn then back at me and stood up to leave as well, Jorge going after her.
Taking a deep breath I made my way over to Dawn. She was tensed up. Her hands clenched at her sides, her eyes focused on the ground. The determination she had a few seconds ago was completely gone.
I felt my heart ache when I looked at her. She was my little sister, and there was nothing I could do to make her feel better. And that thought hurt more than anything in the world. 'You're...' I doubted, 'we're doing the right thing.'

'I don't think there is a right or wrong anymore,' she replied without looking at me. Her voice was numb, 'only horrible and not quite so horrible.'

I did the only thing I could think of and wrapped her into a tight hug.
A sob came out of her mouth, no tears, just a silent screams of pain.