The Lost Moonlark (KOTLC fanfic) (SOPHITZ)

Chapter Sixteen

Unedited.

"So does Keefe, actually...like me?" Sophie asked, as she watched Tam choose a package of twenty water bottles. Tam frowned, "I thought it was pretty obvious." He said as he set the water down in the cart.

"But...lately..." Tam's jaw clenched. "It seems like he's the only thing Linh talks about."

"Tam...what do you think I should do?" Sophie asked leaning against the cart's handle. Tam scowled. "No one can make that decision for you Sophie." Tam said. Sophie pushed a piece of hair out of her face. "What would you do if you were in my position and you had three girls that liked you?" Sophie asked. Tam shrugged. "I'd probably play them all. Flirt with them until they're tripping over their own heads, then I'd break their hearts." Tam said nonchalantly, making Sophie burst out laughing, he grinned, "Seriously, I'd just break it off. All of it." Tam said.

"Even if you liked them?" Sophie asked as they gradually made their way to the registers. Tam frowned. "Well I don't know how to deal with that." Tam said as he loaded the items onto this belt of the register, as the cashier looked at them. "Hello." She smiled. "Hi." Sophie replied. "Did you find everything okay?" She asked as she started scanning the items. "Yeah." Sophie said. Tam watched everything Sophie and the cashier did. Observing every detail. Sophie paid, Myth carried most of the bags, Sophie carried the rest and Tam carried the water.

"So now you know my sob worthy triang- square." Sophie said, finally accepting it for what it was. "My answer is yes." Tam said. "What?" Sophie asked, as they started walking home. "You asked what I would do, even if I liked them, I would break it off, all of it. I'd rather be friends, and have a healthy relationship with them, then hurt two and never see them again, without things be being awkward." Tam said. "What if you could be happy?" Sophie asked.

"Would you sacrifice your friend's happiness for your own?" Tam asked. Sophie shook her head, "No. I guess you're right." She said. As her conscience started whispering 'what if' she shoved it aside. Tam was right, it was simple, and it was logical. However the pressure in her chest still remained. What if she was making the a mistake? What'd if she- no! Tam was right. With that thought in mind she set a skip in her step, as they hurried to the house.

~

At the house, Sophie had all the groceries set on the counter. Sighing she slid her jacket off, setting it down she pulled her hair up in a bun, and set about chopping food. "Do you need help?" Fitz asked. "No thanks I got this Alva-" Sophie cut off as an awkward silence fell.

Sophie looked down at the food. "No thanks Fitz." She said before setting about dicing and mincing. The knife flashing in the light, she clenched she jaw. Her mind going to other places besides the present.

(Flashback time!)

"So you don't remember anything?" Alvar asked, as he pushed vegetables in a frying pan, around with a spatula. Sophie nodded as she chopped carrots.

Music played softly from the iPod Alvar had bought. He seemed to be fond of the soft kind of romantic music, or hard rock, no in between. The deck had been set on low volume. "So that's what you were writing in your journal? About me?" Alvar asked. Sophie could hear the smirk on his face. "I wrote what I know and remember... And I'm just trying to jog my memory." Sophie replied. Alvar's apartment was wide and spacious, with white and very light grey wall. A balcony looked over the bustling England city.

Alvar was doing well on his own, he was working as a chef at a five star restaurant, and was going to night school to become a teacher. When he had spotted Sophie he ran to her, and swept her off her feet in a rib crushing hug. That had attracted some attention and disapproving looks, but Alvar didn't even seem to notice, as he realized Sophie didn't know who he was. He explained most things, while shopping for dinner, then he promised Sophie was welcome at his place if she wanted. With no other place to go Sophie agreed.

"Well at least you remember some things." Alvar said. "I said something about being poisoned." Sophie said. Alvar sighed but explained what she already knew from her journal. At least Sophie knew he was being honest, she had cut her thumb with her carelessness and Alvar was at her side instantly. "Do you need help?" He asked. "No thanks I got this Alvar." Sophie said as she washed the cut. After dinner and dishes were finished, Alvar opened the balcony doors. Cool wind brushed into the apartment making the white curtains stir and shift. Alvar didn't have a television, but near a window was paint, brushes, and a blank canvas. The couches were white and pillows were black and red.

"So do you have any other questions?" Alvar asked sitting on one couch. "How can I get back?" Sophie asked. Alvar shook his head. "I can't help you. I was never planning on going back...but you know if fate wanted me to go back it'd give me a way, but for now I'm just as stuck as you." He said. Sophie sat on the other side of the couch. "How are you feeling?" Alvar asked. Sophie had wanted to just cry in desperate frustration, but she had shrugged. "Fine." Alvar reached over and touched her hand for only a moment, but he pulled away and spoke. "Sophie, I lived in a cabin with you for very nearly two months. I can tell you aren't fine." He said.

Sophie hated that she couldn't remember what happened in that time, that she was grasping for memories that didn't feel like her own. Alvar seemed to understand her feelings. He smiled sadly. "I'll show you where you can sleep." He said standing up, he lead her to the back room,where Myth was already rolling on his bed.

(And flashback over.)

"I didn't know you could cook." Dex said to Sophie, as he ate from the paper plate, with a plastic fork. The red plastic cup sat on the windowsill above his head, as he sat cross legged. "Yeah, you can't do alchemy but you can cook? That's kind of contradicting yourself." Biana said, she sat cross legged under the same window as Dex.

Sophie shrugged. "I learned." Sophie had lost her appetite she wasn't hungry, but she was restless. "From who?" Keefe asked. Him and Fitz had been uncommonly quiet after Sophie's name slip up. Sophie looked at the carpet, how was she supposed to tell them that Alvar had taught her? Tam saved her from answering, and by his almost blank facial expression he knew Sophie's answer. "You should eat Sophie." He said. "I'm not hungry." Sophie said. "Tam is right. You need to eat." Elwin said, from his place on the counter. "I'm goo-"

"Sophie. Eat." Tam said lowly. Deep down Sophie knew they were right, but at Tam's urging something made her stand up and get food. "So I've been thinking." Dex said. Interrupting the silence that had fallen. "We'll need to talk." He said. Sophie knew she was eating something delicious but she had lost her sense of taste. She ate a few bites out of the frying pan before tossing aside the plastic fork. "About what?" She asked. Dex looked at her, "You know exactly what about." He said. "What was that back there? You could have died." He said. "Wylie was in danger." Sophie said. "He could have gotten out." Dex said, and the others nodded in agreement. "He was in one of Ruy's shield." Sophie said. "It was still a reckless." Dex argued.

"What was I supposed to do Dex? Leave him to die?" Sophie asked. "You could of told us-"

"There was no time." Sophie said, as their voices gradually pitched louder and louder. "We could of figured something out!" Dex said as he stood up. "No! Wylie needed my help, I wasn't about to leave him behind!" Sophie said. "Sophie! What is so important about Wylie anyways?! He's always been the biggest jerk to you!" Dex said. "Because if Wylie dies, everything goes to waste, The Black Swan, Project Moonlark, every single plan and order is gone, it's useless. He's the real key!" Sophie said. She was exhausted. She was tired of fighting with her friends, she was tired of trying to remember every single detail, she was tired of desperately trying to hold those memories close. She was exhausted of being confused. She was tired of being in pain, of being on guard constantly, she was tired of fighting.

For once, just once, she just wanted to be fought for.

"I thought you were the key." Dex said lowering his voice. Sophie looked around at her friends. "There is more then one key. Wylie and I are just tools to a bigger plan." No matter how much it broke her heart to say it, Sophie knew she had to be honest.

"The Black Swan has lied to us."