SOKEEFE - What If

5 - Sophie

Keefe still didn't truly remember who she was. But like he'd said, he'd liked her since he first laid eyes on her.

He still did.

But Lord Cassius... Keefe didn't want him to know he'd gotten his memories back. Cassius had been casually ignoring Keefe since the entire catastrophe, and Keefe didn't mind one bit.

He'd delayed as long as he could, slowly regaining more little bits and pieces, and Sophie had helped him in any way she could.

She loved him more than she loved anyone. If it took years, decades, or centuries, she would be there for him until the very end.

He was getting a lot of Fitzphie memories at that point that made Sophie cringe, but at least he wasn't speaking out against her for ever daring to have a crush on Fitz.

But even though they'd never spoken a word to him, Lord Cassius turned up two months later, long midnight blue cape sweeping the floor behind him as he entered. He closed the door as quickly as he'd opened it, and met his son's eyes.

Keefe smirked. "Wow, somebody looks overdressed."

Sophie glanced at him. She wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but she probably should let him go along with it, since she had absolutely no idea.

"Why are you barging in now, huh, cape guy?" Keefe asked, still smirking. "Visiting hours are over. Who are you, my father?"

Lord Cassius's eyebrows rose high. "I am, in fact, your father, and you can stop pretending you don't have memories."

"I'm not pretending," Keefe said, "I really don't. So, you're my father, huh? Good thing I didn't get my sense of fashion from you; whoever would get a haircut like that?"

Sophie grinned as Lord Cassius ran his fingers through his hair and emitted a loud, long sigh, staring at his son through narrowed, tired eyes.

"Keefe, please stop," he said softly. He reached out to cup Keefe's cheek but Keefe pulled away.

"Whoa, personal space," Sophie boyfriend muttered, but Sophie could feel the emotion behind it even without being an Empath.

His father had reached out to him.

So the next time Lord Cassius's hand stretched out, Keefe didn't dodge.

Only Cassius slapped him in the face.

"Insolent brat," Cassius snarled. "I'm your father! You don't hide secrets from me, you ungrateful child."

Keefe opened his mouth to answer but Sophie took his hand in hers and spoke out instead. "Well, thank you for being such an amazing father! Leave Keefe alone."

"He's my son, Miss Foster, and he is destroying my family's reputation, so I can do with him as I please," Cassius snapped at Sophie.

Sophie sighed. "Really?"

"You've dated him; you know he's a failure."

"Ha," Sophie said. "As far as I know, the only failure is you. Now I get out before I Inflict on you."

Cassius took one look at Sophie's dark eyes and outstretched palms and made a run for it.