*A/N Many of you have asked, especially since Death Cure came out, if I will be doing the sequel. It's in the works although some ideas need some ironing out so it may take a while. That said, I promise the sequel is on the way: and as a commitment to my promise, here's a small sneak preview!

A long time ago, I had a dream

"Rachel. Rach!"

Rachel turned in surprise as Thomas sprinted up to her.

"Thomas?" She asked, confused. While the two were sort of friends (or as close to friends as two people not in love who had designed Mazes to kill other children in the search of a cure for the Flares could be), it was highly unusual for Thomas to seek her out. He was always with Teresa and Rachel noted that the dark-haired girl was nowhere in sight now as Thomas came up beside her which made this even odder.

And then she saw his face.

"Thomas, what's wrong?" Rachel asked, alarmed by the intensity of his expression as he glanced around quickly to make sure they were alone.

He looked back at her with serious brown eyes, and his next words changed Rachel's world forever.

"Rachel, I need your help."

I dreamt of a world where peace existed beyond sleep

Rachel turned away from the screen where yet another girl was screaming as she was brutally skewered and then torn apart by the 'Grievers'. And for what? They were no closer to finding a cure and it had been two years already. Two years, and many, many more deaths. Many pointless deaths. Unnecessary.

"Is everything alright, Rachel?"

Rachel took a deep breath before looking up at their leader. At the woman behind the Maze Trials.

"Everything is fine, ma'am." She replied, and Ava stared at her for a moment, not unkindly. Finally, the older woman nodded.

"Remember, Rachel." Ava murmured. "WCKD is good."

"Yes, ma'am." Rachel answered heavily.

But for once, Ava's words did little to lift her weary spirits. She was tired; sick and tired of it all: the Mazes she had helped create. The creatures she had created. The deaths of all those girls. The monster she had made of herself.

She had a feeling she wasn't going to be sleeping tonight. Again.

Where people could smile and have hopes for tomorrow

"Well," Rachel joked as she grinned up at the boy whose arms were wrapped around her waist. "This is the stick who led us to the Right Arm based on a ghost story."

"Nah," Newt corrected. "That was all Jorge. Tommy was the bloody shank who passed out drunk in a drug den."

Rachel laughed.

Where children could be children

Rachel kissed Newt on the cheek, but he caught her hand as she made to go.

"Just one." He murmured before he leaned down and kissed her.

Rachel returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer by the hips.

They finally pulled back slightly and Rachel opened grey eyes to stare into darkened brown that reflected the deep hunger that had stirred in both of them.

"Maybe just one more."

But that was a dream

The four teens stood together at the edge of the cliff, staring at the walled city that they somehow had to find a way into.

The irony was definity not lost on them, and Newt was not afraid to point it out.

"Three years we spent behind walls, trying to break out." The Brit said dryly. "And now we're trying to break back in."

And reality...

"I'm driving." Rachel announced as she turned and started to clamber into the driver's seat of their borrowed jeep.

"All right, then I get shotgun." Newt added as he moved to open the door opposite Rachel's.

Thomas shook his head while Frypan hid a smirk.

Is a b*tch.

"DO SOMETHING!" Thomas yelled as the Crank on their windshield snarled and snapped its jaws at them.

Rachel suddenly stomped on the brakes, causing the jeep to come to an abrupt and screeching halt. The Crank went flying off, rolling in front of them, and Rachel shoved her foot onto the gas pedal.

With a horrific shriek and too-clear crunch, the jeep drove right over the Crank. Rachel didn't let up on her speed as she raced them onward while the three boys sat in a moment of stunned silence.

"Well," Newt spoke at last. "That was something."

Rachel almost smiled, as did Thomas. Frypan chuckled, but their moment's levity wore off almost instantly as Thomas yelled suddenly, "LOOK OUT!"

Reality isn't fair

"Minho!" Thomas yelled as they sprinted down corridor after corridor.

Another light sparked and flashed as a stray bullet bounced off a metal beam and hit it, and Rachel yelped as she avoided the falling pieces while trying to dodge the bullets that continued to come at them. Now she really wished she had a gun to fire back at the a**holes.

"Rach!" Newt yelled, grabbing her hand and hauling her out of the way just as a bullet smashed a hole into the wall where Rachel's shoulder had just been.

Newt fired back at the soldiers chasing after them, before Rachel tugged him along again.

"We have to keep moving!" She urged. Newt took off with her and they raced after Thomas, who was running ahead of them as they continued their search.

"MINHO!"

And if you think things can't get worse...

"Please, Tommy. Please."

You're still dreaming.