KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Rescued: part 1

And able to Enhance Biana and Dex both.

Elwin gave Sophie a bottle of Youth and offered her a bright green fruit that thankfully had a fairly bland flavor--something that hopefully wouldn't upset her stomach after going over a day without food.

Keefe quietly asked Elwin to give Fitz—who had been sitting on the edge of a bed staring at the wall—a mild mood enhancer, but didn't explain why.

After taking the mood enhancer, Fitz stepped out into the hall to hail Alden and Della and let them know he was okay and would be leaping home soon.

Elwin finished assessing Sophie and assured them that Sophie would have no lasting effects from the ability restrictor. Dex, who was still clutching it in his hands, set it aside--declaring that he'd have Marella burn it the moment she returned--and threw his arms around Sophie.

She let go of Edaline and Keefe's hands so she could wrap her arms around him too. He shed a few more tears, not only for the device but for the shared post-traumatic stress they were both experiencing.

"Don't blame yourself," Sophie whispered in Dex's ear. She couldn't stop the tears of her own that were flowing. "It's not your fault they made that copycat device, and you saved all our lives in there by being able to remove it safely. We all owe you big time, Dex."

"We absolutely do," Keefe said, Fitz murmuring his agreement.

Once Dex pulled away, Keefe immediately scooted closer and wrapped his arm around Sophie's waist before taking her hand again in his other hand. Sophie squeezed it tight and looked in his ice blue eyes--tantalizingly close to her. You okay? she asked him, opening her mind to his thoughts.

As okay as I can be, I guess. Mostly just relieved you're okay, and that it's done. Not really ready to deal with the fact that my mom is dead or that I probably have to be the one to tell my dad.

I don't blame you.

I'd like to know exactly what went down back there, because I wound up just being the decoy, Keefe admitted.

So with Dex and Fitz both calmed down, she explained to Keefe and the adults what had happened. How she had told Fitz that she suspected she might still be able to enhance Dex, who could hopefully remove the ability restrictor with that added boost--if only they could get him over there to her. Fitz had communicated that to the others while Keefe kept Gisela distracted, explaining that Grady might need to subdue the trolls, asking Tam to cloak Dex in shadows so he could attempt to creep over to where Sophie was bound.

It had really been a team effort. Each of them had played a vital part in her rescue, and she was incredibly thankful.

Biana had turned invisible and followed Dex, so that Sophie could enhance them both. This enabled Biana make Dex vanish while he worked on Sophie--not trusting the shadows to hide Dex thoroughly enough for that.

Plus it freed Tam to focus his attention elsewhere--on getting that shamkniv from Gisela at the first opportunity.

And Maruca put up a force field to protect them while he worked so he wouldn't get caught in the crosshairs of the fight. And Gisela would just think she was protecting Sophie without realizing Dex was there.

They'd all been armed, of course, but they had all agreed that they wouldn't attack until Grady had to mesmer the trolls--which he wouldn't do until Fitz could tell that she was calling for them.

And she shared how Marella and Linh had played their part, and hesitantly explained how Fitz threw the fatal blow.

"What I want to know," Keefe said quietly, looking at Fitz, "is why you felt that you had to do it. This shouldn't have been your burden to bear."

Fitz was still shaken, but the mood enhancer was helping him focus. "Because I felt--and Grady agreed when I asked him--that it shouldn't be your burden to bear. I know you hated her and I hope you don't feel like I...like I took something from you, a chance for revenge or something. But she was still your mom and it complicated things and I worried what it would do to your mind. You're my best friend. I need you whole."

"But what about your mind?" Keefe asked.

Sophie, meanwhile, was deeply touched and grateful that Fitz wasn't letting her relationship with Keefe hurt his friendship with either of them.

This was a huge thing Fitz did on Keefe's behalf. He'd transmitted that the plan was for any of them--anyone but Keefe--to take her out when the time came, but that he was hoping he could do it so no one else would have to.

"I'm going to talk with the Black Swan about how to navigate the thoughts I'm having, not let them overtake me. And my dad can help me get a handle on guilt, since he learned the hard way. But you had enough to be getting on with."

Keefe let go of Sophie long enough to stand up and give Fitz a brief hug.

Keefe and Fitz weren't really huggers--not with each other, anyway, because it probably didn't feel like a "guy" thing to do—but that just made it that much more touching.

"I'm just glad it's done," Keefe said as he sat back down and put his arm around Sophie again. "I don't care that I'm not the one who did it." He was quiet for a second. "Though I guess 'glad' isn't the right word, either."

Sophie squeezed his hand.

The others arrived, none worse for the wear. Grady had stayed behind in case he needed to mesmer the trolls, but Keefe's command had kept them out cold. They hadn't really known what to do, but the bodyguards came in and insisted that they handle it. They had argued for a while, but eventually the others had agreed and left the bodyguards to it.

Everyone knew what that meant, and shuddered.

But Elwin insisted then that everyone leave and allow his patients to get some rest.

Dex hugged Sophie one last time before he left with the others, leaving only Sandor (who was stirring), Sophie, Fitz, Keefe, Grady and Edaline with Elwin.

Elwin told Fitz that he could go home if—and only if—he agreed to take a sedative and have Alden search his thoughts both before taking the sedative and again when he woke. Fitz agreed, and gave Sophie a quick hug before leaving.

"Thank you for saving me again," she said with a smile.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Fitz said quietly. "For all our sakes."

You should have seen Keefe, he transmitted. Your parents were a mess, but Keefe...I've never seen anything like it. It's obvious he really cares about you. Fitz's smile looked a little sad now. I'm going to go home and take that sedative. I'll talk to you tomorrow?

Absolutely.

With that, he left.