The Lost Moonlark (KOTLC fanfic) (SOPHITZ)

Chapter Twenty

Unedited.

Sophie didn't even turn to face Nick, she dropped the cot and bolted. Nick however grabbed the collar of her jacket making her jerk back.

"Where. Have. You. Been?" He asked slowly as Sophie coughed. "Uuuummmm....vacation?" Sophie asked. Nick's face turned stormier. "You are this close to making me lose my temper." Nick said, pinching his thumb and forefinger together. "Who are you?" Alvar asked as he placed a hand on Nick's arm that held the back of Sophie's jacket.

Nick seemed to notice the boys for the first time and his eyebrows shot up. "Eliza who are these boys?" He asked pulling Sophie beside him. "Friends...I guess." Sophie said before smacking his hand away. "Don't. Touch. My. Jacket." She snapped. Nick turned his eyes away from the boys and down to her. "Do have any idea how worried Kyle and I have been?!" He asked. Sophie pushed her hand over his mouth, glancing around. "He isn't here is he?" She asked, Kyle would probably tie a bungee to his plane and shove Sophie out of it as punishment for disappearing, then he'd include a long lecture with a lot of cursing. Nick shook his head, before shoving Sophie's hand off.

"No he went back to Alaska, though he's probably starting a search party." Nick said.  Sophie groaned as she paced in front of him. "Oh no...this is bad....this is bad...can you tell him I'm okay and that...that I found answers." Nick's eyes went to the three boys behind her. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah...I have a good family.I was adopted and...I go to a good school, I even have a couple of cousins."

"What about your injuries?" Nick asked glaring at the boys. "They're not what you think Nick. Nobody gave me those...I fell and hit my head, Gra-yson he's a climatologist, I had gone with him to observe Alaska's winter, I fell down a glacier and I forgot everything." Sophie said. "And who are these...these teenagers?" Nick spit the word like an insult, as he glared at the boys. Alvar had his arms crossed, and the three stared at Nick. "Nick..." Sophie said slowly. "I'd like you to meet...my...cousin." Sophie said. "Keevin, and his friends Phoenix and Alex." Sophie accidentally held the 'e' out in Keefe's name.

Nick's eyes went to the cots in Fitz's and Keefe's arms. "Phoenix and Alex's family are um...really close to Grayson and Sarah Lee, so we're all doing a family camping trip. Nothing like family bonding time." Sophie said. "Someone forgot to buy the cots so this is just last minute, we're hitting the road in a couple of hours."

"At night?" Nick asked. "Sarah Lee is albino so it's kind of hard to travel in the day." Sophie lied. "Riiiight...I'm done asking. You need to call Kyle."

"No." Sophie blurted before covering her mouth. Her eyes shooting to Alvar and Fitz, who each had their right eyebrows raised. "I...do you have any idea what he'd do to me if I called him?" Sophie asked as she looked at  her shoes. She summoned every tear in her eyes, and let them enter her eyes before looking up at Nick. "Please don't tel him. I promise I'll call him...just....just not yet." Sophie added a lip tremble for the affect. She'd seen Biana do the look once. Nick stared at her for a long moment. His mouth flattening, before sighing. "Fine, but I will tell him you're okay, and that you'll call him when you can." Nick said.

Sophie didn't have to force the smile that came, she hugged Nick. "Thank you!" She said. Nick wrapped his arms around Sophie before pulling away.  "Though you...call me okay, tell me you're okay once in a while."

"I will." Sophie promised, looking up at him, her smile still on her face. "Thank you!" She said hugging him tight. "By the way Eliza, how did you get out of the building?" He asked, as Sophie pulled away. "Oh...emergency exit." Sophie shrugged. "Why couldn't you just tell us?" Nick asked. "I...panicked..." Sophie shook her head. "I just had to get out of there before I forgot anything." Sophie said.