KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Neverseen 77-78 (Keefe POV)

But then, someone cleared their throat. They both looked over. Edaline was smiling, but Grady was glaring straight at him.

Great.

"We're heading home--" Grady started.

"But you don't have to leave with us," Edaline cut him off, looking at Foster, "just make sure you let us know where you are if you decide to go somewhere."

Grady started to say something else, but Edaline created a path of light and whisked him away.

"That was weird," Foster mumbled, blushing.

"Yeah." Keefe knew he, for once, was also blushing, but Foster didn't seem to think anything of it.

Keefe stepped back, trying to convince her to go hang out with one of their friends. He just wanted to make sure she would be okay when they all realized he'd run off. But she planned to go home. He couldn't really blame her for not wanting to hang out with Bangs Boy, but...

Still.

And now he was trying to evade her questions but she just wouldn't let it go. Even asked to go with him.

It took every ounce of control for him to not shout "absolutely not!!!" when she asked that.

She couldn't be anywhere near those jerks--hopefully never again.

But all he said was "please forget it, okay?"

Her brow furrowed, causing this cute little worry crease to appear between her eyebrows. "I don't know what you're up to, Keefe, but you promised you'd let me help."

"I know. But this is something I have to do by myself. It's fine, though.  It's all going to be fine." At least, he really hoped it would be fine. So he begged her to trust him.

And finally, relieved that she seemed to believe him, he said goodbye and pulled out his crystal.

And then...the worst possible thing happened.

She lunged and grabbed him as he leapt away.

No, no, no.

No!!

She had to get home. Now.

But she didn't understand, she wouldn't listen. He lunged for her home crystal, hoping to force her to go--even leap home with her before running off and leaping away again, if that was what it took--but in the scuffle, her home crystal flew out of her hand and fell into the lake.

No!

Keefe was shaking, panicking, searching his pockets for another crystal. He could barely see straight thanks to the terror flooding through him.

"You don't have your home crystal with you?" she asked him. "How were you planning to get back?"

"He wasn't."

Oh, no.

It was too late.

Foster looked at him, gauging his reaction. His lack of surprise at finding Alvar, Fintan and Brant there.

And Fintan seemed to think he'd brought Sophie on purpose.

Instinctively, he jumped in front of her, ready to protect her with his own life if necessary. "She's not supposed to be here."

But they didn't plan to let her go.

She screamed as Alvar grabbed hold of her--and that scream tore through Keefe, his heart breaking, and a fear like he'd never known before threatened to overtake him.