KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

The Answer (Keefe POV)

A/N: Once again, Keefe's POV from this chapter in my main story.

There was a tiny fraction of a second where blank surprise was Sophie's main emotion. But then a fierce, almost violent joy crashed through her--and therefore Keefe, too--as she smiled at him in wonder.

He saw tears fill her eyes as she cried out, "Keefe! Yes!!"

It was the answer he expected, but that made it no less magical to hear.

Every tear he'd cried, every moment of pain he'd felt when she'd swoon over Fitz, every second of guilt over everything his mom had done, over the mistakes he himself had made...in that instant, none of them had any weight at all.

The only real thing was this incredible girl who'd said yes to spending the rest of eternity by his side.

He jumped back up, ring still in his hand, and grabbed her face and kissed her.

He was kissing his fiancée. Not just his girlfriend. This was his bride-to-be.

After a moment, she pulled away. He could feel her yearning to put on her new ring, and watched as she moved her promise ring to her other hand--she didn't want to give that one up even though it was being replaced.

He slid Jolie's ring--Sophie's ring, now--onto her hand.

It was a moment he knew would live forever among his happiest of memories.

Especially when he got to add to the joy by telling her that it had been Jolie's ring, and that Edaline and Grady had wanted her to have it.

And he couldn't help but laugh at the way that he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her...but she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off her engagement ring.

He knew it wasn't really the ring itself, but everything the ring represented.

Not just their commitment to each other, their love for each other. But also her parents' love for her. The love she felt for the sister she'd never gotten to meet. Even the ill-fated love between Jolie and Brant.

As they talked, he found himself telling her about his conversation with Magnate Leto.

Leto had been oddly emotional about Keefe's desire to marry Sophie. He hadn't been surprised, exactly, though he questioned Keefe on why he felt the need to marry so soon.

Keefe had wanted to roll his eyes at that. Not everyone had been born with a secret twin and had been forced to assume marriage would never be prudent or attainable.

"Because I love her," he'd told Leto. "And you and I both know that nothing in life is certain. Tomorrow is not promised, not anymore. Why wait?"

In the end, Leto had told him that he would allow them to attend their elite levels while living off campus—if that was what they both wanted.

And to Keefe's immense pleasure, Sophie didn't want to wait until she'd graduated in two years.

That was all they had time to discuss for the moment, though. It was party time.

It was obvious immediately that Grady, Edaline and Fitz had told everyone about the proposal. Everyone was congratulating them the moment they appeared.

"Dude, what if she had said no, and we walked out of here with everyone all ready to congratulate us?" Keefe complained to Fitz, but with a laugh.

He couldn't be upset about it.

"Keefe, I told you that you had no reason to worry," Fitz said, punching him on the arm.

Keefe felt a flicker of amusement from Foster and he understood why.