KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Forgiveness (Keefe POV)

A/N: This one-shot takes place near the end of Lodestar, after the events in Lumenaria but before they realized Sophie's human family had been taken.

"Show me Fitz Vacker," Keefe said quietly into his Imparter.

Fitz's face flashed onto the screen. "Hey."

"Heya, Fitzy," Keefe said, mustering up as much cheerfulness as he could. "You busy? Can I come over?"

Fitz looked thoughtful. "I was planning on going over to Havenfield to check on Sophie. You want to join me?"

Keefe had a feeling Fitz would prefer to visit Foster alone.

The thought made Keefe queasy.

"I actually just left Havenfield," he told Fitz. "She's..." he shuddered.

Watching someone they cared about die was a trauma he and Sophie both could have done without.

"I'm sure a visit from Captain Cognate will cheer her up," Keefe finished. "But, when you get a chance..."

Fitz's eyes narrowed as he stared at Keefe through the Imparter screen. "I can go see her later if you need to talk."

"That might be good," Keefe agreed. He wasn't just wanting to hang out with his best friend. He had to clear the air. "I promise it won't take long."

He leapt to Everglen and Fitz met him at the gate to let him in.

"So," Fitz said as they walked back toward the house. "How is Sophie really doing?"

Keefe sighed. "About the same as yesterday. I've been trying to distract her by going over all my lists of things I'm trying to remember, making sure she knows I'm combing through every single memory and not ignoring anything. Meanwhile she just sits there staring at the Panakes blossoms like they hold the keys to the universe."

Fitz nodded. "Sounds about right. She was doing that when I went to see her yesterday. You know she's carrying some blossoms with her everywhere now? Not that she's left Havenfield. But even when she got up to go in the house to eat, she stuffed some blossoms in her pockets."

"I was there, Fitz. In Lumenaria. I saw Mr. Forkle's wound. There's absolutely no way Panakes blossoms would have been enough to save him. Elwin wouldn't have been able to save him. Neither would Physic, or any elixir from Slurps and Burps. His fate was sealed the moment Gethen stabbed him." Keefe's voice trembled on that last part.

Mr. Forkle had been one of the few adults who'd had faith in him. Who'd cared. And Keefe had been forced to sit there, helpless, and watch him die.

Fitz shuddered. "I know. And I think Sophie knows that too. I think this is just...her way of trying to take back some sort of control."

They were in Fitz's room by this point, and Keefe settled himself into Fitz's desk chair while Fitz sat on the edge of his bed.

"But I have a feeling you didn't come to talk about Sophie," Fitz continued. "But you said there was something you wanted to talk about. What's up?"

Keefe took a deep breath. Serious heart-to-heart conversations were not his strength, but he knew that one was needed in this case. And he'd had a few heartfelt conversations with Fitz in the past—usually about how unpleasant his home life was, though he had still kept the darkest parts to himself—but he'd never had to apologize like this before. Their previous serious conversations were Keefe letting his guard down. Two friends getting to know each other better.

But this? This was Keefe trying to fix broken trust.

Trying to make sure he wouldn't lose his best friend.