KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Alternate Ending: Father (part 2 of 2)

"I'll wait with you until he gets here."

She transmitted to Keefe, telling him she'd gone to the Healing Center rather than the cafeteria, and asked him to come as soon as session ended.

It's a good thing I'm getting used to your voice randomly popping up in my head, Foster, or I'd have jumped and startled Lady Sanja. You're not hurt, are you?

No, she told him. Not physically, anyway. Not exactly. But I need you, all the same.

Well, I like that.

Keefe appeared almost as soon as session ended. "What's up?" he asked, looking between Sophie and Fitz.

"I'll let Sophie fill you in. I just didn't want to leave her alone," Fitz explained. "If you guys don't make it to lunch, I guess I'll just see you later." He smiled at them both before leaving for the cafeteria.

"Sophie, what's wrong?" Keefe asked, reaching for her face and wiping away the tears she hadn't realized were rolling down her cheeks. "What happened in your Telepathy session that has you crying?"

When she told him, his eyes widened in shock and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I'm right here." He leaned back just enough to kiss her.

Something about Keefe's arms around her, and the sweet way he kissed her, made it all feel easier to bear.

Or maybe it just distracted her.

Keefe chuckled as he pulled away. "Well, I guess I know how to distract you when you're upset," he teased. "One good kiss chases away the worst of your heartache." He kissed her forehead. "But I guess we need to go in and see Elwin. I don't think it'll take very long for Tiergan to inform Magnate Leto, and then Leto will come looking for you..."

"And I'd rather face that sitting down," she agreed.

When they walked back in to the Healing Center, Elwin looked at them in surprise, taking in the fact that Sophie had obviously been crying.

"I had a rough Telepathy session," Sophie said in a dull voice. "Tiergan said I should come see you and get something for shock."

Elwin wasn't fooled. "You can't be serious."

"Please don't say anything," she begged in a whisper.

"I won't," he promised. "Not even to Tiergan or Magnate Leto. I'll feign ignorance. Your secret is safe with me." He handed her an elixir, and then told her she should stay in the Healing Center for the rest of lunch. "I can get food for both of you, if you'd like," he offered. "I assume you're staying with her?" he added, looking at Keefe.

"Obviously," Keefe agreed. "But right now, I think Foster's too queasy to eat," he added, clutching his stomach.

"Sorry," she told him. She knew he could feel what she was feeling.

"You're worth it."

Elwin sighed. "Young love," he said quietly. "I'll be in my office if you need anything."

Sophie considered asking him to bar the door to keep Tiergan or Magnate Leto from being able to enter, but figured that would be a lost cause.

So she took the elixir, which definitely took the edge off of her shock and lessened that knot in her stomach.

Keefe settled down on one of the beds and pulled her down next to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. "How are you doing?" He whispered.

She shrugged. "I hardly know."

"Can we think about this objectively?" He asked.

"I can try," she said skeptically.

"Okay, don't be mad," Keefe said. "But...isn't this a good thing? You like Tiergan. He's a really kind person, and he cares about you. And he always knew he'd end up working closely with you. And he trusted Forkle—both of them—to bring you home to him eventually."