after unlocked: a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 45-Sophie

"You've got some nerve." Sophie snarled.

Keefe stood in the doorway with his mom just behind him. He stood stiffly, a cautious expression his face, and glanced around the tiny cell.

That wasn't the worst part, though.

A fresh Neverseen cloak was slung over his shoulders.

Keefe watched her, grimacing when she crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive posture. "Look, I know you don't—"

"I don't what?" Sophie asked. Her voice was thick with sarcasm. "Trust you? Yeah, good job figuring it out."

She noticed Gisela sitting back, a half pleased half something Sophie couldn't guess in her eyes. Regret, maybe? Sophie sent a quick glare at her, met with an amused smirk, and focused back on Keefe.

"So..." he trailed off as he glanced down by the door. His eyebrows furrowed and he crouched down, fingering the empty leather encased bottles. "What are these?"

Sophie arched an eyebrow. "Water. Or they were."

"Today's?"

She laughed. "Wow. I can't believe you really think that. No, they're the past three days' worth."

Something flickered over Keefe's face—anger and...

Guilt.

"You didn't know?" Sophie asked.

"They told me..." he trailed off, finishing lamely, "I was told you'd be taken care of."

Sophie scoffed. "You really believed them? Liars?"

Sophie counted to sixty before he spoke again.

"Look, Foster," he started. He stopped.

Sophie tried to ignore the ache in her chest at the name. Foster

"You don't get to call me that anymore," she whispered. "You betrayed us. We trusted you, and you betrayed us. After everything. You betrayed me."

She scoffed. "I was worried, you know—but this whole time you've been lying."

"Foster—"

"I should have just left with Fitz and Biana." She said bitterly, ignoring his weak protests. "Obviously, they cared about me enough to break in here. To try and get me out."

Keefe's eyebrows drew together. "Fitz and Biana? They were here?"

Gisela frowned. "There was apparently a security breach—life forms were sensed—but we thought it was a system malfunction since we couldn't see anyone and Vanishers can't use their abilities among the..." she trailed off, a flicker of irritation appearing.

"The Moonshades," Sophie finished with a half smirk. "Biana's a very powerful vanisher."

Keefe finally looked up, looking pained.

"Why didn't you go with them?" He asked quietly. "You could have gotten out."

"Because I didn't want to leave you. But I should have. You obviously didn't have any qualms with me."

Keefe drew in a breath. "That's not true."

"Then why didn't you visit me?" Sophie shook her head, stepping closer, so that she could look directly up at him. "You couldn't have checked to see if I was okay? To make sure I was actually eating, actually getting water, actually alive?"

"They didn't feed you?"

"What part," Sophie said slowly, "Of 'three days' worth of water' did you not understand? Of course they didn't feed me. Why would they ever keep me alive?"

He was silent. Gisela looks unsurprised.

"That's what you get for believing them." Sophie muttered, scooping up the bottles. She ripped the leather jackets off one, aggressively throwing it at the wall. Tiny vestiges of water splattered on her skin, but she didn't care. Didn't care if she died. "That's what you get!"

She collapsed onto the ground, energy already used up. Tipping one into her mouth, her tongue hungrily searched for any liquid.

She glared at his boots as he stepped closer.

He was limping.

"Can I please just explain?"

"I don't want to hear your excuses."

"They're not—" Keefe sighed. "You know what, it doesn't matter anymore."

"You're right," Sophie mumbled. She clenched the bottle, and as Keefe stood and as he stepped back, she snorted.

"Get out of here," she muttered. Keefe didn't move.

She threw the second bottle at his boots, not even flinching when the glass shattered, shards landing inches from her feet. "Get out!"

The glass crunched under his feet, and again, he stepped close to her. This time, Sophie glanced up at him, a permanent scowl set on her lips.

Keefe's eyes traveled over her face. "Why'd we do this, Sophie?" He whispered. "Why couldn't we leave well enough alone?"

She blinked at him. Then, in a low voice, "You know I could never do that."

He sighed. "I know. I can't either." He straightened. "I'm helping you escape."

For a moment Sophie didn't believe it. He continued watching her though, not only holding her gaze, but attempting a smile.

"Is that supposed to make me trust you? Forgive you?" Sophie asked harshly.

Keefe's eyes watched her—hurt and grief and acceptance flashed through them. His eyes were haunted.

She thought she'd figured him out.

But she didn't.

"No," he said softly. "But I'm your only chance."

A/N: sorry this is so short. I didn't have a ton of time to work on it, but I really wanted to get it out. See you next chapter!

Also: don't hate Sophie too much—she still doesn't know the truth, and Keefe had betrayed them once and run away twice, so honestly, it wouldn't be that huge of a stretch to believe that he actually betrayed her again. And people, even in books, make mistakes. Sophie and Keefe and Fitz and Dex and Biana and everyone in the books are nowhere near perfect. They all lie and yell and keep things from each other sometimes. They aren't perfect. So just keep that in mind as you read this and the previous books.

Updated: 6-13-2021