KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Father: part 4 (Elwin POV)

"I..." Elwin wasn't even sure how to finish that sentence. He stumbled backward and sank onto one of the beds. "Why are you asking me that?"

Keefe stepped closer. "Because of the jumbled mix of emotions I felt when you handed me the bottle of Youth. We were talking about finding Sophie's father and I felt both dread and excitement from you at the same time."

Elwin looked at him. Keefe didn't look angry, just...wary.

"Yes," Elwin finally admitted quietly. "Yes. I'm Sophie's father."

Keefe nodded, his face impassive. "So when you told her, in front of Mr. Forkle, that she deserved to know who her parents are...was that just to allay suspicion?"

Not at all. He wanted Sophie to know. Or at least, he had until he heard how Sophie felt about her biological mother.

Now he was afraid for her to find out. He couldn't bear the thought of her hating him.

He may not have been able to be involved in her childhood, but he had always wondered about her. And when she came to the Lost Cities, he'd felt a longing he hadn't fully expected.

And a jealousy when he watched her interact with Grady.

Elwin was her father. But he wasn't her dad.

And her finding out the truth now would just complicate things. But she still deserved to know.

So he looked Keefe directly in the eye and said, "no. I have told Mr. Forkle from the start that I had nothing to hide, that I wanted Sophie to know she was my daughter. But now..."

"Now...?"

"She deserves to know, and I have already argued that point several times with Mr. Forkle. My comment that day, agreeing that she had a right to know, was really a continuation of an argument I'd presented many, many times. But...she found out the truth about her mother."

He could tell this wasn't news to Keefe.

Keefe maybe even knew who it was. But he was not going to ask. He wasn't allowed to know the identity of the elf with whom he shared a child.

"And Mr. Forkle tells me Sophie hates her now. I can't stand the thought of her hating me. So I agreed to keep it quiet."

Keefe sighed and sat down on the edge of one of the other beds. "Well...my priority is Sophie. I've lied to her and betrayed her trust too many times before. I can't, I won't, do that again. Now that I know...I'm sorry, but I have to tell her. Or you do. Today."

Elwin nodded. He respected that. "But please promise me—if she hates me—please promise you'll take care of her. And don't let her suffer rather than come to the Healing Center when she needs something. If she doesn't want to see me, I can arrange for Livvy to help her. I just...until the danger has fully passed, she may still need me. Or at least, need ready access to a physician. She can't risk her health and safety because of me."

"I understand. And...I'll try to help her come around to it. I understand where you're coming from, and..." he reached out and placed his hand lightly on Elwin's arm, a look of concentration on his face. "I can feel how much you really do care about her."

"Of course I do."

"So, are you going to tell her? Or should I?"

"I should tell her." Even if the thought made him queasy. How long he'd wanted to tell her this, and...now he was afraid to. "I can ask her to come back here at the end of the day. I need to speak with Leto first. He'll have to know."

But Keefe shook his head. "There's no way I'm sitting through lunch and study hall with her without telling her. I'll go get her at the end of session and we'll come back here. You can talk to Leto now if you want."