Because There Is a Future

Chapter Three

Fin stood in front of her, his head cocked to the side. His lips were tilted upwards in a lopsided smile. It looked more like a smirk. 

"So," Fin said, touching Sophie's waist. Her bare waist. She shuddered, not wanting to think of how that happened. "You ready?"

Sophie didn't know what to do. But the temptation was too strong. "S-sure." She said. 

Fin smiled, leaning forward, oh so close, Sophie could see how many eyelashes he had, a lot more than her probably. Not a centimeter was left between them, 9 millimeters, 8 millimeters...

Blond. Blond. Blond. Blond hair was all Sophie saw -- the pretty curls being cut off. 

"No!" Sophie screamed. She felt her stomach clenching into knots, with a tiny bit of hatred burning in the middle, but quickly being pushed down by regret and grief. "Stop!"

"Like we'll ever take orders from you." A cold, drawling voice said. "It's just her hair! You should be thanking me right now, not screaming like a pathetic baby."

Sophie locked eyes with the blue ones, and she saw her nod. A sob escaped Sophie. No, no, no. 

A medler appeared in Sophie's hand. 

"Mama?" She heard a distinct sound. A voice. "Mama!"

Sophie jolted awake, and she found Charlotte shaking her in a frantic motion. She had been calling Sophie that for a while now. She seemed to be getting used to her. But, no matter how many times Sophie urged, Charlotte wouldn't call Fin anything but his name. He called this a "helpless case," but seemed happy Charlotte was getting healthier. 

Another fact: Charlotte was really smart. In just 1 month, she had learned how to speak fluently, and could do simple math problems now. Unbelievable for a two-year-old.

Sophie rubbed her eyes, still alarmed by her dream. A wave of nausea rushed through her. 

What was going on?

Her head pounded, and her vision blurred -- her mind raced through possible diseases she had gotten, but none of them seemed to fit the condition she was in. 

Then, she felt something. A slight tug at her hand, as if an invisible force was attached to it. She saw her vision go black, but only for an instant. 

Sophie rushed to the bathroom, retching, and Charlotte followed, looking slightly green. 

"Mama, are you okay?" She asked worriedly. "Should I call Fin?"

Before Sophie could reply, she saw her consciousness fading. But she saw something, a void, colorful with all its glory. 

Her head burned, and her throat was killing her.

She needed Tylenol. 

And one appeared in her hand. She had somehow... conjured it out of the void. And she had done this once before... only once though... and she was very desperate at that time so she had let it go... but the Tylenol in her hand couldn't be a miracle. It was something she had actually, intentionally, done. 

"...mama?" Charlotte. She was still there. Watching. "Wh-what happened?"

It seemed like Sophie had a lot of explaining to do. 

Starting with her identity. 

       .....................................................................................................

Charlotte took the news better than Sophie had anticipated. But it could've been because of her age. Younger people still believed in everything -- magic, unicorns, Santa Clause, etc. 

"Wow, you're an elf? That'sh sho cool!" Charlotte exclaimed. "And you have lotsh of friendsh in the Losht Citiesh and even a boyfriend-"

"What? I did not say that!" Sophie said. How Charlotte had managed to learn that word, Sophie had no idea. 

"Right, you have two boyfriendsh," Charlotte wiggled her eyebrows, "Fitz and Keefe!"

"Oh my goodness, Char, I never said that." Sophie sighed. "I've never even kissed someone, can you believe it?"

What was even more unbelievable was that she was talking about this with a toddler. 

"What? Itsh not my fault you got dreamy eyed when you talked about them -- though Fitz way more than Keefe. Whenever you talked about Keefe, you sheemed really noshtalgic and longing. And shometimes it seemed like you wanted to reap or leap, I don't know, over to the citiesh and tear him apart. Which I'm not complaining about, becaushe Team Foshter-Keefe rulesh!" Charlotte said. "But... are you ever gonna go back there?" 

The question was met with silence at first. 

"Umm, I don't really know. I don't know if they'll let me go back, considering..." Sophie winced, but Charlotte sighed. 

"I really think you should go back, mama!" She said. "I need a daddy! And in the meantime, conjure me some apples, I'm shtarving." And under Sophie's sharp stare, she added, "pleashe, mama?"

It seemed like Charlotte had changed a lot in just a month, from the crybaby to someone who could pass as an adult if it weren't for looks. 

And Sophie had changed, too. In the seven years she had been in the Forbidden Cities. From Sophie Foster to Sophie-Emma Elizabeth-Emily Foster-Hart. 

Sheesh, long name. I don't even know why I put it there. 

But thank you everyone who read this! You guys are my heroes. 

And @multi_fandom29, thank you so much for being the first one to vote! 

SilverFox out 😁😁