Heart to Heart

Chapter 2

     Sophie's heart continued to flutter, his words echoing in her mind. She shook her head. "I'm far from perfect..."

     Fitz's grip on her hands tightened, making the butterflies in her stomach flutter faster. "Sophie Foster," he said gently, as if her name were a light, delicate flower. "You are the bravest, kindest, most talented elf I know. If you're not perfect, I don't know who is-" Tears misted in his eyes as he switched subjects. "But then again, I was wrong about Alvar." He broke his gaze and let go of her hand and began running his fingers along the flower-laced carpet.

    "He was my role model," his voice choked. Sophie nodded, rubbing her hand along his back. She used to do that for her mother when she was feeling depressed. She recalled the Cognate training where he surprisingly admitted that he looked up to Alvar more than his father Alden. Sophie didn't blame him. Alvar had played the part of a responsible, admirable older brother pretty well without letting on that he was evil at all.

      "I just can't believe that he's really with the Neverseen," Fitz said after a period of silence. "In my head I know it and I can't do anything about it but my heart just can't seem to accept it." He looked down at the carpet. "I also can't seem to believe how easily fooled I was," he softly added. "All the signs were right there, if I had just looked."

      Sophie shook her head. "It's easy to see it all once you know. Hindsight is a dangerous game," Sophie quoted Edaline. "Nobody expects you to suspect your brother to be a Neverseen spy." Her words seemed awfully familiar to what she had told Keefe about his mother, Lady Gisela. It didn't seem to do him any good. She hoped that Fitz would accept her advice more than Keefe did...She couldn't stand to lose him too.

      Fitz let out a long sigh. "Thanks Sophie. I guess that's just what I needed to hear. I've been beating myself up about it -- I figured it was better than getting mad and trashing my room again."

      Sophie remembered the state he was in when Alden had his mind broken by guilt. It had been a dark time for Fitz, and she was glad he didn't return to that dark and lonely and angry self. But she didn't want him to place all the blame on himself like Alden had done with Prentice. Another mind break was the last thing anyone needed right now. Especially Fitz.

    "Don't blame yourself," Sophie said. "Please. I don't want you to feel guilty for something you had no control over."

     Fitz nodded. "Thank you for coming. I don't know what I'd do without you here."

     "Of course, Fitz."

     He wiped his tears. "I'm sure you weren't expecting to hear me cry and break down when I asked you to come over."

     "It's perfectly normal," Sophie said. "Remember that time I broke down when I was leaving my human family?"

     "Yeah, I remember," Fitz said, his voice sounding lighter than before. "I thought I had ruined your life."

     "But you didn't," Sophie reassured. "You introduced me to a brand new, wonderful world. I just didn't want to leave my old one behind yet, but you helped me make the transition. I don't think I would've been able to do it without you."

       Fitz nodded, recalling her collapsed on the floor of her old home. "I'm glad I was able to help you somehow. You're always taking on such impossible task and doing amazing things by yourself. I feel so small compared to you."

      Sophie looked at him in surprise. "I feel small compared to you. You're this Mr. Perfect and I'm just 'the human girl' trying to live in an Elvin world."

      Fitz scoffed playfully. "Well, you act just like any other elf! And you've broken any record I've set."

     "That's not fair," Sophie teased. "I was made this way. It's not like I'm naturally talented like you."

     Fitz smiled. "You can say whatever you want, but we still know who's better." He winked at her, making her heart flutter faster than a swarm of butterflies. 

    Sophie grinned. Fitz flashed his rock star smile in response. Awkward silence passed between them for several moments, and Sophie began to feel self-conscious about her hand in his. 

    "Can I tell you something?" He asked, his teal eyes gazing into hers. Her heart fluttered as she nodded, anticipating anything he might say, good or bad. 

     "You know Sophie, I'm really glad I can talk to you. Even though I'm not as wonderful as you, you still listen to me and understand what I'm going through. It's one of the things I like about you. You care so much about everyone - " He trailed off. "I hope you can talk to me too," he added softly. "We are Cognates after all." 

    Sophie smiled. "Yeah, I like being around you too," she said lamely. She let go of his hand, and made her way to the door. "I think I'll go talk to Biana now -- make sure she's doing okay." 

     "Ok," Fitz said, a little sad to see her go. "I'll see you during Telepathy Session, okay?"

      Sophie nodded. As she shut the door and walked down the hall to Biana's room, she turned Fitz's words over and over in her mind. Could they continue to be Cognates? There was so much that went into that kind of connection, and Sophie didn't know if she was ready -- if she could ever be ready -- for that kind of commitment. There was so much she didn't want him to know-

     Especially that she liked him. 

Author's Note:

Another chapter in the same day! Perhaps I will get through these soon after all. We'll see. I'll be busy the next few days so there may not be anymore until much later. Anyway, I hope this chapter wasn't too mushy. What does everyone think about Fitz's flirting style? 

The art for this chapter is by littlecygents on tumblr! 

Don't forget to vote and comment! 

~InkheadWriter