UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 60

Sophie had started visiting the Shores of Solace every day- but also avoiding Fitz at all costs.

Which worked sometimes, but not today. She was heading to Atlantis to pick up a few things that Grady needed from the Council until....

"Sophie! Wait up!"  The familiar accented voice sent shivers down her body.  She tried to pretend like she couldn't hear him but he kept shouting, "Sophie!"

She darted sideways, pulling her hood down over her eyes and running into a deserted back alley.  For a second, she thought she was in the clear, until Fitz turned the corner and grinned at her from where she sat panting on the dumpster.

"Hey," he said, grinning. "Why'd you run off on me?"

"Er... I... thought you were somebody else," Sophie lied.

"Who? Keefe?" Sophie flinched at her boyfriend's name, and Fitz's smirk fell as he noticed.

"Is something wrong with Keefe?" Fitz asked her gently, genuine concern laced through his expression.  Sophie shook her head furtively, trying to blink back tears.  If Fitz knew...

"Seriously Sophie," Fitz told her.  His kindness just made it so much worse, so, so.... "Is something wrong, do you need-?"

"No, nothing's wrong, Fitz," Sophie choked out, pulling away from him as he reached for her hand.  "I need to go... pick something up... I'm fine...."

"No you're not," Fitz insisted stubbornly, grabbing her arm.  "Is this about.... oh."

Sophie knew he knew, she knew he knew, what was he going to do...

"Your dating Keefe," he said, his expression turning stony.  "Aren't you?"

"No, I'm not!" Sophie squeaked, scrambling away from him.  "I'm not, I'm-"

"You are," Fitz said, sounding more stunned.  But his voice took on a whole different layer of venom as he told her, "Don't lie to me, I know it Sophie, I know..."

"Please!" Sophie begged.  "I'm not, I'm telling the truth!"

"No you're not!" Fitz snapped back at her, taking her arm and squeezing it until it hurt. "Tell me the truth, Sophie I know you're lying-"

"I'm not lying!" She screamed, tears falling into her lap as she tried to pull her arm free.  "Get away from me, leave me alone-"

"Don't. You. Lie. To. Me!" Fitz yelled at her.

"Please Fitz, your scaring me..."

"I don't care! You stole everything from me Sophie, I-"

Sophie screamed as he tightened his grip on her hand... where the heck was Sandor? Probably somewhere on a romantic date with Grizel while she was being choked and strangled by her ex...

"Get away from me, I'm telling the truth!" The lie gave her enough courage to wrench her arm away, ignoring the pain spiking up it like white hot iron being pressed against her skin, and teleport away from him, still sobbing.

______________

Sophie didn't leap to Havenfield.  She didn't leap to the Healing Center to get her still throbbing wrist checked out by Elwin.  Instead, she leaped to the Shores of Solace.

"Foster, why-" Keefe's voice trailed off as he noticed the tears still falling from her eyes and her arm which was covered in purple bruises. "Here come inside...."

Sophie leaned into him as he helped her up the stairs to his bedroom, laying her down on the bed.

"Who did this to you?" Keefe asked quietly, examining Fitz handiwork as her sobs turned to shriveled little sniffles.  

"Keefe please don't be mad at him, he didn't know...."

"Who's he?" Keefe demanded.  Sophie flinched.

"Please Keefe, calm down-"

"Who's he?" Keefe repeated furiously.  "I will kill him, I swear-"

"Keefe please, now you're scaring me too...."

His expression dropped and he leaned down next to her, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry.  But... who did it?"

Sophie looked into his ice blue eyes and whispered the only word she could bear to say...

"Fitz."

Oooooh Fitzey you are in such. Big. Trouble! (But as a Sokeefe shipper, all I gotta say is GO GET EM' KEEFE! Sorry not sorry 😅)