KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Perfection (part 1 of 3)

A/N: This was originally intended to be a one-shot set the day after the events of Stellarlune...but staying true to myself, one chapter has turned into a three-chapter arc.

Sophie woke with a start.

She'd had a nightmare. They were back in that field, searching for the power source, only this time, Elysian hadn't been a person. Elysian was merely a place.

And in the nightmare, Gisela had won. Had taken Keefe with her, forcing him to comply, turning him into her puppet.

She took a deep, steadying breath and reminded herself of the truth.

Gisela may have gotten away, but they had all gotten home in one piece.

Elysian had been able to help Keefe. She'd fixed him—turned out that third step to Stellarlune was a pretty vital piece of the puzzle, and if they hadn't found Elysian...Keefe might've lost all of his abilities.

Permanently.

He'd felt better after it was done, but there had been no time to talk to him about it, not even once everyone leapt back to Havenfield.

He had wanted to stay in the Grove, but after they all explained to the adults what had happened, Elwin had been adamant that Keefe stay with him for just one night so Elwin could monitor him.

And now...she just needed to see that Keefe was okay. Plus, they still had a lot to talk about.

So she grabbed her Imparter and hailed him.

He answered quickly, his lopsided grin immediately making the knots in her stomach loosen.

"Good morning, Foster." His grin widened. "I'm loving that adorable case of bedhead."

She reached automatically for her hair and groaned. "I didn't think to look in the mirror before I hailed you."

"I'm glad you didn't. It really is cute. Besides, not everyone can have awesome hair when they first wake up."

"Anyway," she said, feeling a subject change was in order. "Everything okay over there? Should I come over? What did Elwin say?"

Keefe shook his head. "You're getting that crinkly eyebrow again. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I feel...better than I have in weeks, honestly."

That was good to hear. "So...do you have any plans today?"

Keefe looked thoughtful. "Well...there's this really cute girl I was hoping to see," he said slowly, a smirk on his lips.

He promised he'd leap back to Havenfield as soon as Elwin gave him the go-ahead, so Sophie got up and began trying to manage her crazy hair.

By the time she made it downstairs and enjoyed a quick breakfast with Grady and Edaline, Keefe had arrived.

He looked like he wanted to reach out and hug her, but stole a quick glance at Grady and hung back.

Edaline offered him breakfast, and he willingly took a pastry. "Elwin insisted I eat before I left," Keefe told her, "but I can't pass up your cooking."

Sophie got up to head out the door with Keefe. Edaline smiled, but Grady just sighed and grumbled under his breath.

Once outside, Keefe reached for Sophie's hand and they walked toward the Panakes.

"It's nice holding your hand without needing an excuse," Keefe told her.

"It does feel different, somehow," she agreed. "You know, the other night when you took my hand after I tripped...I figured it was just to help me keep my balance, because I thought you didn't like me anymore. But even so, it was the first time we held hands after I realized I liked you, and it was the most exciting thing in the world."