After Unlocked, a sokeefe Fanfiction.

Realizations

"Who's Sophie?" The words had echoed inside her mind all night, keeping any bits of warmth or sleep away from her. The confusion on edalines face. The strange look when she walked into the room. The way Elwin had asked her to leave to avoid stressing Edaline.

And now she was pacing at Haven-field, wondering how in the world the Neverseen had done it once again. Just when you thought you'd made ground you realized the Neverseen was two steps ahead of you and you just kept tripping and falling back.

"Sophie you should really get some rest, you didn't sleep at all last night," Sandor commented after watching her pace for what felt like hours.

"And I won't be able to get any sleep now," Sophie said swiftly, continuing to pace back and fourth as she realized something.

Edaline would be coming home.

And Elwin has said her mind was delicate at the time, needed less panic, so... she couldn't stay. Right?

But where would she go?

"You need to pack a bag Sophie." Grady said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Edaline is go-"

"Oh so that's how it is huh? I just move out of here? You blame me don't you?" Her words were harsh but despite the cold glare she tossed Grady's way the words weren't meant for him.

They were meant for her.

"I was saying that you should pack a bag for Edaline, I'm busy preparing other things for her. She'll be staying with Elwin." Grady said, seeming gentle but a bit irritated.

"Well don't bother," Sophie spat. "I'll be leaving so you can just have her stay here."

"And where do you think you're going?" Grady called after her as she walked out.

"I'll figure that out later." Sophie said and raced downstairs too the leapmaster not bothering to grab Flori before Sandor and Ro held onto her. She could make do with only two bodyguards. And she did plan to soon ditch one.

~~~

"What are we doing here?"

Sophie looked around the space, wondering why in the world she'd chosen to go too Candleshade. But the answer rang in her ears Keefe. If only she could find him again.

But for now she'd settle for living where he used too. Just long enough to make a plan and get away from Sandor. Than she would find him.

Or maybe...

Sophie walked inside, Sandor and Ro trailing behind her. She looked around the rooms each ornate and fancy. Finally finding her way too Keefe's. And it was as stunningly clean as ever, she laughed as she walked over too his book case noticing once again the little notary comments on the covers. But than paused, noticing a new one she'd never noticed before. When had he come back here? Taking the book out she traced the cover,

"Seven ways to bore someone to death" (on the cover of another book written by his father)

Sophie flipped through the pages, noticing a piece of paper folded with something stuck too it. Curious she pulled it out and sat on his bed, written on the paper was only eight words.

I wonder if I ever had a chance.

The writing looked older, perhaps from a few months earlier but it was clearly Keefe's handwriting. Attached too it was a crumpled up drawing. She hardly could breathe when she noticed which painting it was.

The one Fitz had paid Keefe to draw.

But... why would he have that note attached to it? And what did it mean? A chance... a chance for what?

Picking the book back up she noticed another piece of paper lodged into it. Pulling it out she sunk down, it had no color, no drawing, just one simple sentence.

I wish I could take it all back.

And on the back of the paper was a small sketch of right before Keefe went to the Neverseen, right after they let Silveny go but before he raised his crystal up to the sky.

It was them, standing oh so close, toes almost touching, warmth in his eyes, a blush on her cheeks. Exactly how she remembered it. It was a sweet moment, one that opened up her heart in many ways. In fact if he hadn't run off right than...

But than she noticed the frail word written underneath.

Mistakes.

Which is what crushed her heart all the more, did he think she was the mistake? Was that it? Because in both pictures she was the common appearance. Why?

Because he doesn't want you around anymore. She told herself. Not wanting to accept it but knowing she had no reason to deny it. It all made sense now, Keefe has given her the letter so that she would leave him alone. He didn't care if others came, but he wouldn't see her. All this time... and that was all she was to him.

A mistake.

But... something about that didn't make sense. Memories appeared at the edge of her mind. Pieces of a puzzle that didn't quite fit.

When he'd held her in his arms after she told him her worried about being unmatchable.

How he'd pulled her closer when she hugged him after receiving his paintings, holding her like he never wanted to let go.

The way he'd looked at her when she walked into the healing room after his transformation- right before everything was ruined. Like he'd missed her just as much as she had. Like all he ever wanted was her.

And that's all it took.

That's what convinced her.

Keefe didn't think she was a mistake. But... what did he think of her?

And that question is why she didn't say a word as she looked to the side, analyzing how long it would take to run outside before Sandor and Ro could catch up.

And before she convince herself not too she ran straight past them, out the window and into the air, falling down. She pictured the scene in her head carefully, the twisted trunk, brown cedar roots, vaguely green grass. And than she fell into the void.