KOTLC After Stellarlune-A Sokeefe Story

Love

You okay today? Sophie asked Fitz during their Telepathy session. You look ready to fall asleep.

I'm fine. I was just up half the night with Keefe. He said he told you about his fight with Lord Cassius.

He did. Sophie shivered slightly, remembering the events of the previous evening.

He also said you suggested he ask me for help. Thank you for that, Sophie. I know I used to let my anger issues get in the way and I was sometimes a big jerk to you. I've worked hard to move past it so I really appreciate knowing that you can see that. Fitz's expression was full of gratitude.

Were you able to help him?

I think so. It's just so different. He has this very legitimate reason to be angry and just needs to figure out how to channel that anger. I usually didn't really have that much cause to lose my temper. So for me, it took a lot of just...talking myself down. Reminding myself that I really had no reason to be angry. Even when I was understandably upset about something, I didn't have to respond with anger. I just had to tell myself the truth about the situation and my response to it. I mean really...I just needed to grow up. Things always came easily to me, and so then when something didn't go my way, I'd lash out. I realize that now and can stop that crazy cycle before it starts.

Sophie smiled. I'm proud of you, you know.

Thanks. He grinned at her. For Keefe, it's different. But I just told him to shift his focus on all the good things he knows he has. And remind himself of all the ways he's already overcome his upbringing. And...to try to forgive his parents. Not that they deserve it, but he needs to, for his own sake.

I can see that, Sophie reasoned. Doesn't mean I don't wish I could leave here right now and go punch Lord Cassius in the face.

Amusement filled those teal eyes Sophie knew so well. If you do, make sure to put on Dex's Sucker Punch first!

Sophie grinned. But a thought was lurking in her mind—and one that had nothing to do with punching a member of the nobility.

A few hours later, Sophie found herself outside the Shores of Solace. She took a deep, shaky breath and knocked on the door.

After a moment, the door opened to reveal Lord Cassius. "Miss Foster. I can't tell you how surprised I was to hear from you."

Sophie tried to contain her disdain for him as she answered, "I'm kind of surprised too, to be honest."

He let her inside and they went to his study.

"So, you said you wanted to speak with me about my son?"

Sophie felt slightly queasy. But her voice was steady when she replied, "yes. I know you had an argument yesterday."

"That is really not any of your business."

"Maybe not. But it involves Keefe and he is my business. I don't want to talk about yesterday though."

"Then why are you here?" He asked with an impatient sneer.

"I'm sure you remember when I was searching your memories and I saw, buried deep down, a love for Keefe. I was shocked to find it. You've buried it so well that your emotions never displayed it. Keefe fully believes you do not love him. And while the very fact that you did that disgusts me," Sophie said, unable to disguise her revulsion, "I think you've got it all wrong."

"I told you then and I'll tell you now: love is a worthless emotion. It has gotten me nowhere. What good could it possibly be?"

"Well, my love for him gives me the strength and boldness to sit here and talk to you like this."

"And fight his battles for him?" Cassius' voice was dripping with disdain. "Yes, tell me more about the strength of teenage love."

"No, Keefe is perfectly capable of fighting his own battles. He proved that to you yesterday. He's strong. And I certainly don't have to answer to you in regards to our relationship. I'm only here to offer my perspective."

"You realize that Keefe is probably strong because I didn't let him be weakened by 'love'."

"All the good things about Keefe happened in spite of you, not because of you. He's had to overcome so much and has spent so many years struggling with unnecessary anger, feeling unwanted or like he doesn't deserve good things. And that comes down to having parents who wouldn't love him like they should have. The fact that he overcame those issues is to his credit, but not to yours."

"I'm not going to discuss my parenting choices with you."

"That's fine. You don't have to discuss anything, but you will listen. I know you love him, even if it's not nearly as much as you should. I know you were worried about him when he was gone. I'm just asking you to consider apologizing to him. You can't undo what you did, but you can try to make amends. You have been a worthless father but you can be a decent person moving forward."

Sophie was very tempted to break the rules of telepathy so she could discern what he was thinking, but she didn't want to lose the moral high ground they both knew she had.

Finally, Lord Cassius said in a smaller voice "I think we are done here."

Sophie saw herself out, but something in Cassius' voice made her think maybe, just maybe, he'd take her words and consider them.

All that was left, now, was to admit to Keefe that she'd gone to his father without talking to him about it first. She knew he'd be arriving at Havenfield soon to have dinner with her and her parents, so she pulled out her home crystal, hoping he wouldn't be angry.

Thankfully, he was more surprised than upset by the news.

"Why would you bother talking to Daddy Dearest if you weren't forced to??" He asked, genuine shock—and bitterness—abundant on his face.

"When you went to the Forbidden Cities, we saw him at the Shores of Solace and told him you'd left. I was afraid you'd wind up getting yourself hurt or in trouble. Your dad told me that you were capable of taking care of yourself even in a foreign place. He said...well, he made it clear that he knew his treatment of you had forced you to learn to fend for yourself. It made me wonder if there was regret somewhere deep inside him. So I asked him to reconsider his life choices."

Keefe was quiet for a moment. "Was he a jerk to you?" He finally asked.

"No more than usual."

"Well...I think from now on I'd rather you not bother yourself with my dad, he's a waste of time. But..." Keefe reached out and pulled Sophie into his arms, holding her tightly. "But the way you think of me, and want what's best for me...Sophie, I'm so glad I have you. I don't know how to thank you for the way you look after me."

"After everything I put you through before we got together, I think I owed you anyway."

Keefe pulled back slightly to look her in the eyes. "No, Foster. You owe me nothing."

Sophie looked back at him steadily. "I think we can agree to continue looking out for each other. Forever."

"Forever," he murmured as he closed the small space between them for a quick kiss before they headed inside for dinner.