You Belong With Me (Sokeefe)

Chapter 12- Sophie's POV

a/n: this chapter is modeled after chapter 80 in Keeper of the Lost Cities: Lodestar, when Keefe finds Sophie after the destruction of Lumenaria. Some parts of this belong to Shannon Messenger, but other belong to me. Most of the italics are Shannon Messenger's work, but there are a few edits of mine. We've also been getting really close to 1k reads on this story, which i'm extremely greatful for! When we do, in fact hit 1k reads, i'm going to put up a poll asking what you guys want Gianna's fate to be. I'm assuming this book will have around 50 or so chapters, but that may vary. Two chapters in a day! Whoo hoo! Anyways, on with the story!

'if you can see that i'm the one....'

"There you are," a choked voice said, and Sophie slowly forced herself back to conciousness. It hurt to focus through all the grit and smoke crudding up her poor, dry eyes. But after a few seconds the world sharpened and she found a beautiful blond boy leaning over her. 

She was lying on a hospital bed, with an IV sticking out of her wrist. The shades were drawn, and it was only Keefe and Sophie in the room. She had her right wrist in a cast, and she could feel the bandanges on her face, and arms.

Keefe's smile was somehow both breathtaking and heartbreaking, but it faded as he stroked her cheek and whispered, "when you weren't with everyone else..."

"Did everyone else make it out?" she whispered.

"Um... I know Mr Terik's hurt pretty bad. I guess he might lose part of his leg-- or maybe he lost it already? Dr Elwin is working on him, so hopefully he'll be okay. Nurse Livvy's helping too. Most of the injuries looked pretty minor- just cuts and scratches. Broken Bones. Smoke inhalation. Nothing life threatening."

Sophie shuddered. 

The motion made her cough- she was pretty sure she'd be coughing forever- and Keefe scooted closer, patting her back until the fit calmed. 

She leaned against the pillows, and he moved closer, close enough she could feel his warmth.

"How bad did I look?"

"You could never look bad. But um... you had a lot of scratches, and bruises. Your right wrist is broken, and your lungs are quite damaged." he said, tracing one of the more significant bruise. The action made Sophie shiver. "Want me to call the doctor?"

"No. Are our friends okay? Where are Grady and Edaline?" 

"Yeah, they're okay. Your in the ICU right now, Foster, so only family allowed. At least for now."

He saw her frown, and quickly explained. 

"I said i'm your brother. So they would let me in." he told her, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

Sophie nodded, blushing at the thought of Keefe being her brother. Just then, the door to the hospital room flew open, and Grady and Edaline rushed inside, a doctor behind them. Keefe instantly moved away from her, and Sophie suddenly felt cold.

Edaline raced towards Sophie, and threw her arms around the blonde girl. Grady joined the hug, and Sophie sat there, rubbing Edaline's back soothingly as she cried.

Her adoptive mother calmed down, and pulled away, pulling Grady along with her. 

"Thank god you're okay, kiddo." Grady sighed. He eyed Keefe warily, and he took the hint, walking out of the room. But not before saying,

"I owe you a movie date, Foster. See you." he smirked.

Sophie was sure her face looked like a tomato. 

Edaline looked at her with googly eyes, while Grady glared at the door Keefe had just exited from. 

"Are you okay? Does your wrist hurt? Should I call the doctor?" Edaline stressed. 

Grady's eyes looked shadowed as he looked at her, and she realized why they were so panicked. Grady and Edaline had lost their biological daughter, Jolie, in a fire. She was with her boyfriend, Brant, who was the only one to get out of the fire alive. Jolie was killed. Grady and Edaline had buried themselves in their grief, barely allowing Sophie to come live with them. Sophie, having lost her parents at a young age, helped Grady and Edaline cope with their grief, and pull them out of their shells.

This fire probably spooked them, especially because it put their daughter in a hospital bed. 

Sophie and Jolie looked scarily similar, the only main difference being their eye color. Sophie's was brown, and Jolie's was a beautiful torquoise, courtesy of Edaline. 

Jolie had been taken to a hospital, and was briefly able to talk to her parents before she died. 

Sophie lying in a hospital bed with burns from a fire probably triggered that memory. 

"I'm so sorry." Sophie rasped, her throat still dry. She held out her arms, inviting her parents in for another hug. Edaline looked at her for a second, before wrapping Sophie in her arms.

"You just can't stay away from the hospital, can you?" Grady attempted at a joke, and it would've been believable, if his voice hadn't hitched at the end. 

Pain flared in her head, and Sophie winced. Edaline immediately pulled back. Grady looked at her for a second, before calling for the doctor. 

The pain in her head kept building, until Sophie was ready to scream in pain. It felt like her brain was splitting into two. Her vision blurred, and she felt tears leak out of her eyes. She slammed her hands of over her head, willing the pain to go away. This had happened once before, yet another time Sophie had been rushed to the hospital. It was called a migrain, and it was torturous.

Sophie squeezed her eyes shut as doctors rushed in. She felt someone stab another needle in her arm, and drowsniness overtook her instantly. The pain ebbed away, but she felt so so tired. 

Sophie slumped back in her pillows, letting her eyes relax. Someone squeezed her hand, and she heard people talking. Sophie generally hated sedatives, but this one had cured her horrendous headache. She felt the person holding her hand begin to rub the her palm. Something only Keefe did. 

Keefe Sencen was holding her hand.