UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 62

Sophie didn't see Fitz.

She didn't want to see Fitz- not anymore.  But she did want to see Keefe.

The only issue was.... Grady.

"That Boy was the one who caused all the drama!" Grady insisted.  "Fitz should be getting off easier- if it wasn't Keefe who you were trying to protect, none of this would've happened!  This is-"

"Then it's my fault too!" Sophie said hotly.  "If you're going to punish Keefe, then punish me too." She stared at his shocked expression with defiance.  

"I'm just as much responsible," Sophie told him.

She used her telekinesis to retrieve the Shores of Solace crystal that Grady had confiscated from her.

"Oh, and dad?" Sophie asked sweetly, holding up the crystal to the light as he stared at her angrily,

"The name's Keefe."

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"Hey Foster," Keefe said as she knocked on his bedroom door.  "I was starting to think you were avoiding me or something... you okay?"

"I'm fine," she promised, standing on her toes to give him a kiss.  Keefe smiled and let her inside.

As always, the room was a mess.  Clothes were scattered all over the floor.  Pens were littered across the tiles.  Crumpled pages filled with unreadable words and drawings were overflowing through the trash can.

"Oooh, Blonde's back!" Ro sang, as always, painting her nails.

"I am," Sophie agreed, hopping onto his bed with a sigh.

"What brings you here?  Seen Fitz lately?" Keefe asked, twirling his finger through her hair and looking at her in a way that made Sophie blush.

"No to the last question- and hey, am I allowed to see you sometimes?"

"Definitely," Keefe promised, letting go of the strand and leaning back against Mr. Stinkbottom.  His face fell just a little before asking, "But I know that's not the only reason you're here."

"It's... not," Sophie admitted, staring down at her hands.  Keefe took one of them and asked her gently,

"Want to talk about it?"

His ice blue eyes glittered and Sophie told him, "Not really- but I will."

"Okay," Keefe said.

"It's just that... I'm worried."

"About you and Fitz?" Keefe asked her, waiting for her to look him in the eyes.

"No- about you," Sophie told him pointedly.

"You don't have to worry about me," Keefe said automatically.  "I've told you so many times, Foster.  I. Don't. Matter.  You do. You're my beautiful moonlark and I'm the kid with the 'parents.'"

"And I've told you.  I care," Sophie reminded him.

"Well... you shouldn't," Keefe mumbled, looking down.  "Trust me."

"Not on this," Sophie insisted.  "You're always telling me to trust myself- my heart, my head  whatever.  And they're all telling me that you do matter, so I'm going to listen to them."

For thirty seven seconds, they were silent.  Until Keefe said, "That's... your decision.  I still love you either way."

Sophie smiled.  "Me too."

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"Fitz?" 

Sophie knocked on his door again, feeling Sandor tighten next to her.  She sent him an It's okay sign and knocked again.

"Fitz, please don't ignore me."

The door swung open and Sophie restrained her gasp so much that she choked.  The room was a mess- messier than Keefe's -and so was Fitz.

Half the objects were trashed and shattered, unsurprisingly.  Broken glass littered the floor and miscellaneous things were strewn in piles all over his bedroom.  Fitz himself didn't look much better-  his hair was noticeably less neat as usual and Sophie could barely read his expression...

Sandor gripped her shoulder tightly, and Sophie winced as his fingers dug into the bone that Umber had gruesomely exploded.  She shoved his hand off and forced herself to look at Fitz before saying stiffly, "Hi."

"Sophie, I'm...."

Sophie held her breath and grimaced as Sandor gripped her left shoulder instead.

"Sorry," Fitz mumbled finally.  "I just kind of lost it on you."

"Yeah, you did," Sandor growled at him.  Sophie pried his fingers off of her as Sandor kept his stare stonily on Fitz.

"You have every right to be mad at me," Fitz continued.  "And... Yeah."

"I'm not," Sophie said, her voice an octave higher, unsure if that was a lie.  "You didn't have to do all that to your room."

"I didn't," Fitz agreed sadly.  "But I did."

"Well.. bye?" Sophie asked, awkwardly.

"Bye," Fitz promised and the door slammed shut again.

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"Sophie!" Edaline called as she hurried through the door.

"It went well-" Sophie started, thinking she knew what Edaline was going to ask... but instead she just shook her head.

"There's something more important," Grady added, not even looking mad at Sophie despite their early argument. 

"What is it?" Sophie asked queasily, knowing she was going to regret asking.

"Somebody's missing," Edaline said nervously.

"Who? Not... not Keefe, right?"

"Not Keefe," Grady promised- but his answer was almost worse as he admitted,

"Oralie."