stuck with him - newt tmr

Frypan led them through winding corridors, moving further away from the pounding bass of the dance floor. They reached a door at the end of the hallway, and he swung it open, revealing a large space. As the four made their way further into the room, taking in their surroundings, they saw Teresa sitting at the foot of a bed in the corner, watching over a person sleeping. She turned her head at the sound of movement behind and locked eyes with Maria. She instantly sprung up and flung her arms around her. "Thank God you're safe," she muffled into her shoulder. "I tried searching for you but you were completely gone, and then I found the others and-they said they'll go looking for you." She pulled back from Maria's embrace and held her at arm's length, scanning her face. She frowned, noticing Maria's expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Hey, what happened out there?"

Maria looked back at Teresa, her mouth open to reply yet no words came out, unable to comprehend the flurry of events that had occurred. Teresa read her expression and gently squeezed her shoulders. "We can talk about it later if you want."

Maria looked past Teresa's shoulder at Thomas sleeping behind her. She noticed Brenda sitting on the bed next to Thomas', her face blank but the stiffness of her posture suggested a lot was on her mind.

"He's Marcus?!" Newt's distinct voice rung in her ears behind her. Maria turned around to see Newt rubbing his jaw in irritation, glaring at a man tied to a chair in the centre of the room, bruises and blood oozing from his face. As Maria took a step closer, she realised that under the swollen eye and bloodied face, it was no doubt the same man who had given her that mysterious drink. The same man who taunted her and Newt back in the main room. He flitted his eyes to Newt and briefly to Maria-and grinned maliciously.

"What a lovely surprise. Have you two made up from your little argument now?"

Anger bubbled up inside Maria as she glowered at the man, biting her tongue as so she wouldn't let out nasty words. "Jorge, your friends are right dicks, just saying."

"He is not my friend." Jorge said flatly, wiping his bloody knuckles with a rag. "He's just an old accomplice."

"Why so anal, darling? You don't like to hear the truth?" Marcus drawled, gazing at Maria. His eyes were so puffy from the swelling that his raised eyebrows were almost imperceptible. "The fire between you two is so electric, one would be as dim as my left toe to say otherwise."

Maria falls into a frustrated silence, feeling the awkwardness hang around the room. She naturally flicked her gaze at Newt, and he returned the gesture, his expression unreadable as he tried to register the meaning of the man's words. They both looked away in an instant, mad that they caught each other looking yet again, refusing to confirm Marcus' prophecy. What Maria couldn't fake, however, was the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach-the same one she feels whenever she catches him looking.

Among the silence, Thomas rose from his slumber, joining the congress in a state of confusion. "Wait, this is Marcus?"

"Wow, this kid catches on quick. Are you the brains of the operation?" Marcus replied, sarcasm dripping off every word.

Newt whipped his head towards Thomas in infuriated disbelief. "You know him too?"

"Hey now, I am all for reunions, kids. So if we're gonna keep at this, why don't we grab some drinks-"

"NO." The majority in the room had all fallen victim to Marcus' antics, and were evidently not keen to entertain him any longer, each glaring at him disdainfully. Jorge kicks Marcus' chest, causing him to tumble backwards with a large thump. He groans from the impact but quickly muted himself from the speed of Jorge coming close to his face, gun cocked and ready to blast his forehead.