Sokeefe Snippets

Foster Panic Attack

"Hey Keefe! You're here!" Fitz said. "Glad to see you won't be ditching orientation."

Keefe grinned and nodded—though his smile was replaced with a frown when he realized someone with brown eyes was noticeably absent.

"Have you guys seen Foster?" he asked. They all looked around and found that she was nowhere to be seen.

Now Keefe was really scared. She'd been having horrible nightmares and she seemed really terrified ever since the battle. She was the one with the most trauma.

"I'm going to Havenfield," he announced, searching his pockets for the crystal Sophie had given him. His friends nodded, concern in their eyes. Keefe let the feathery light whisk him away.

*~*~*

Keefe arrived a moment later on the rolling pastures of Havenfield. He jogged up and entered the house. Noticing a small parchment on the table, he picked it up and read it, learning that Grady and Edaline had been called to go check up on some gremlins in the Sanctuary.

He ran up the stairs and came to a halt before Foster's room door, emotions overwhelming him before he'd even entered the room. Keefe stumbled and fell as the feelings mixed and his head spun.

Realizing they were all Sophie's, his fear increased. He tried the door but it was locked. Keefe knew that if he asked, she wouldn't open it, so he used the lockpicks he had in his pockets to open the door.

Keefe practically froze for a second, his heart catching in his throat at the sight of a blonde sitting at the foot of her bed with tears rolling down her face. Her eyes were glazed over and she seemed to have a delayed reaction to Keefe coming in.

"Oh, Sophie..." Keefe whispered, bending down to her eye level.

Sophie's blurry eyes seemed to only just realize who he was because they widened and she started shaking her head really fast. "Sophie—please, stop," he pleaded softly, extending his arm about to hug her but she scooted away.

The hurt and shock must've been evident in his eyes because she told him, "You don't have to pretend you don't hate me, Keefe. And I don't blame you. It's all my fault." The words faded into a whisper, like she didn't want to say them. More tears pooled in her eyes and she fought to keep them contained. But tears still trickled down her cheek. Keefe reached to wipe them away. Sophie flinched at his touch, keeping her eyes on his the whole time. Keefe tried not to show that he was hurt but he knew she was only doing this out of fear.

Obviously, she needed a pep-talk to get out of her Foster-Funk. Unfortunately, Keefe had never been too great at those.

But he'd give her the best cheering-up he could muster, because he knew she'd only listen if he said those words.

"Of course not, Sophie. I love you. And I've told you, I could never hate you. I'll tell you a million times again if that's what it takes to make you believe me. This isn't your fault. You stopped this mess! You saved us all! We wouldn't be here without you! I wouldn't be here without you. Foster... you're my world... I don't have anything else except you."

With his words, she slowly leaned into his hand, which was still cradling her face, and closed her eyes. He scooted closer, close enough to wrap his arms around her, and she dug her head into that little nook between his neck and shoulder. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Sophie sniffled. Keefe fought back the tears in his eyes. She didn't deserve this. He absent-mindedly traced her displayed scars. Most specifically, the one she had gotten to save him. The one running down her shoulder. The last one Gethen gave her—but he had meant to give it to Keefe. She got it instead. All because he was distracted by his stupid mom.