~Sokeefe Forever (Part 1)~

~Chapter Forty Eight~

(Sophie's POV)

"Please. Give me an ability restrictor. I can't risk hurting anyone else." I whispered.

"Miss Foster, we would need a Technopath to make us one. And even then, I'm not sure this is the best solution." Bronte mumbled.

"I don't care. Give me an ability restrictor by tomorrow." I demanded.

"I think you've forgotten that you're speaking to the Council." Emery said firmly, his gaze sharp and yet calm.

I rolled my eyes. "You're not that royal anyway. I had to solve all your problems as a teenager because you couldn't handle it!"

"Miss Foster, comments like that can get you placed in Exile." Emery said, his voice rising with annoyance. "Just because you are now an Emissary doesn't mean you can defy the power of the Council and go unpunished."

"All I'm asking is for you to call a Technopath and have them build me an ability restrictor by tomorrow. After everything I've done for you, can't you just... Listen to me?" My voice was barely above a breath but I could hear the tremble in it as I spoke.

"No." Oralie said, stepping out of the line of Councilors.

"What?" I whispered, my eyes narrowing as they met my biological mother's.

"No." She repeated. "I refuse to let you put an ability restrictor on yourself. And the Council needs a unanimous vote for a decision like this."

"You're gonna regret that." I told her as I left.

Good thing I had a backup plan.

*****

*At Dex's Slurps and Burps*

"Hey, Dex, can you... Build me something?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, sure, what do you need?" He replied.

"I need an ability restrictor. Not to use on anyone, but it needs to key to my genes. The Council said I need one for my next Emissary assignment." I lied.

"Um... Okay. When do you need it?" He asked.

"Tomorrow."

Dex sucked air through his teeth. "I think I can get it done."

"Thanks, Dex, you're the best." I said, hugging my best friend.

*****

I had slept at my parents' house, using the excuse of trying to reach Keefe how to handle my kids when I was gone.

It was nice to see my mom and dad.

When I woke up the next morning, I found the ability restrictor in the mail. I hid it behind my back until I hugged my parents for what might be the last time.

Then I took it and teleported to my house. I leaped to the back of our house, staring at it for what might be the last time.

Then I levitated up to the window and unlocked it. When I arrived in me and Keefe's bedroom, I just stared at the pictures on the walls.

Our wedding day.

The day Keefe proposed.

Me in the hospital, holding each of my newborn children. Ellerie. Alsee. Macie.

And then there was a group picture with all of us laughing.

And a picture of all of our stuffed animals sitting next to each other.

I glanced at our bed.

On it was a note.

I slowly read the words.

Foster, this note is... Something in case you ever come back to our room when I'm not here. Look, I love you more than anything, okay? Whether we're a thousand miles apart or right next to each other. So... Whatever you decide, just know that, okay? And... I'm sorry. Please come back. Please don't torture yourself. Sometimes love is hard. But sometimes it can be a dream come true. So I need you to do one thing for me. Stay you. Keep being the Foster I've always loved and will always love. -Keefe

P.S. Hi, mom! We miss you so much. Please don't leave us. We love you. -Ellerie, Alsee, and Macie

Something clicked in my mind.

I had wanted to stay here with my family and just deal with the ability restrictor. But now... I couldn't go back to them. Not because they were my weakness. But because they made me stronger. Vertina was wrong. They strengthen me so much that my abilities are being affected by it, too. Not even an ability restrictor could solve that. And that meant I could never return to them. I had to forget about them completely.

I tucked the note into my pocket and held up my blue Pathfinder, finding the crystal that led to New York City.

I was doing this for them.

Slowly, my eyes shifted around the room. Then they shifted towards the light.

"I love you." I whispered under my breath before the light carried me away to a new life. A new opportunity. A new chance.

*I'm not gonna say anything.

Please bear with me. Until the next chapter.

-SilvenySlays :)