You may want to turn on "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol (I think) while listening to this chapter. Just saying.
-Sophie helped Fitz lay out the blanket on the grassy hill. She was a little nervous, especially because before she left to pick up Fitz, she felt a tug on her cognate rings. He had been thinking about her. She wondered if it was about their training or their trip to Moonglade or hopefully something else good. Probably something else good. She was gaining confidence in how Fitz viewed her, and she hoped that one day, it would grow to something more between them. For right now, she just felt comfortable.
When she was around Fitz, she felt like she really belonged in the world. Of course, she felt like she belonged in the Elvin world, it was her home, her true home, way more of a home than the Forbidden Cities had ever been, even with her human family, but as a teen trying to find her way in the world as a whole, not just cities and species, you don't really belong until you find yourself. Her cognate made her feel like she had found herself, or that she would, or that she was really only her full self with him. She wasn't really sure on that part. He saw everything in her, the good and the bad, and accepted it. That's really special. That's one of the reasons why she loved him- SNAP!
Breaking away from her thoughts, she saw that the blanket was lying on the ground, crumpled, and that her fingers were laced with Fitz's. Softly, she blushed, "Sorry."
"Thinking about our cognate training?" He asked, his crisp accent rippling with amusement.
"Yeah," she lied, "I mean, we just finished our testing to clear our schedules for more telepathy last week, and the pressure for our success is starting to rise..."
"We knew this would happen, but we can do it, I believe in us," his words gave her a sudden rush of love and joy.
"I do too," she promised, smiling up at him, hoping the love she was feeling wasn't too noticeable. She didn't want to ruin what they had going.
"Good, now let's get this blanket flat," he chuckled, and the whole world seemed to chuckle along with him.
It was just them in the area, no one else in sight. Fitz had originally suggested they go to Siren Rock, even though lots of people go there, but Sophie told him about Moonglade, remembering how she had caught Elementine there with Dex years ago. It was nice, the quiet, the privacy, so no one could whisper about them, or try to talk to them like they had when Sophie and Fitz had gone out to places like Atlantis or Mysterium.
Once the blanket was laid out neatly, they sat side by side. In the past, this would be when the awkward silence would fall, but in recent days, it's just been more of a peaceful quiet. She sighed happily, and looked at the stars, satisfied with their relationship. Craning her head back proved to be uncomfortable, so she just laid back, arms under her head. When she looked over at Fitz, she saw that he was looking at her, and she patted behind him, a gesture for him to lay down with her. Hesitantly, he did, and smiled at her a bit nervously. Something was on his mind.
She had thought that something about him was off. First off, Biana met her first, which was what normally happened, but Fitz was usually close behind with a pre-prepared eye roll and satirical comment about something his sister had just said. This time, Biana had clearly stalled for him, because she wouldn't have normally shown Sophie sketches that hadn't been properly lined and colored yet. Her cognate hadn't seemed as put together as he usually did, and she had felt a tug on her rings earlier... Did he doubt how much she loved and respected him? That would explain why he was so off set, why the famous, prideful Fitz Vacker seemed nervous. She didn't want to insult him if this wasn't true, but she knew that she use to often doubt how he saw her, so she didn't want to rule out the possibility.
Looking over at him, she asked, "You know I think you're the most incredible elf in the whole world, right?"
Taken aback, he stuttered, "I-I-Yeah, of course. Why would you think that I don't?"
"Cognate's intuition," She rolled over onto her side to face him. When he stayed quiet, with one hand, she took one of his [hands], and laced her fingers with it, clasping the other side of it tightly. "Fitz, you are the most important person in my life, the person I most respect, the person I most trust, and the only person in the entire world that I could ever imagine being cognates with. Remember that."
He nodded, and smiled, his eyes shining, "Thank you. I couldn't agree more."
"Good," she smiled back, and snuggled against him, only for Fitz to let go of her hand, shifting his arm to be around her instead. She blushed as he pulled her close, and savored the moment, making sure her photographic memory got every detail.
The comfortable silence fell again, and stayed for a long time. It may have lasted the whole night if Fitz hadn't broken it, with good reason. "Okay, I'm sorry, but can we talk about Keef and Biana for a second?"
"Yeah, it's so weird how they just... got together! And after what he did... I'm worried," admitted Sophie.
"Me too. I thought she was over Keefe and into Dex."
"I know, right?" Sophie sat up, and leaned over him so they could talk face to face. It made it a little hard to stay on topic, because Fitz just looked so beautiful in the moonlight. "They've been spending so much time together, that I was preparing for Biana to announce that she was dating Dex, not Keefe... Do you think something happened between Biana and Dex?"
"No, they were still making plans to hang out, another reason why it doesn't make sense."
"Maybe they're confused," she offered, "I mean, maybe they are in love with each other, but they don't know what it feels like, or they're afraid that the other is too good for them, or that they won't like them back..." Sophie stopped herself, this was starting to get too personal.
"You could be right, but still, after what Keefe did, why him?"
"They're number ones, maybe they want to try and make it work, to start over."
He sighed, "True, and Keefe has had a total 360 turn around of his attitude. Maybe he promised to clean up his act, and he's keeping it. Maybe this is a good thing."
"I know, but poor Dex..."
"I know, I hope he finds someone incredible, even if it's not my sister."
"It'll all work out," Sophie promised, "it always does."
"Right you are, Soy Bean."
She giggled, "Soy Bean?"
"I thought I'd take it up, your human parents are smart cookies," he laughed. "Because you're a total Soy Bean."
"What are you? A bean-nickname connoisseur?"
"Yes, yes I am," Fitz said proudly, and she kept giggling.
"Tell me more Mister Connoisseur!"
"Well, you're a soybean, Biana is a jelly bean, Keefe is a kidney bean, Dex is a lima bean, Dad is a-"
"What kind of bean are you?" Sophie asked, cutting him off.
"I don't know, probably a black bean..."
She burst into a fit of laughter, "Oh Fitz, you're too cute."
Fitz pouted, "I'm not cute, I'm dashing."
"That you are," she agreed, and found her face only inches away from his. Maybe they had been leaning into one another for awhile now, maybe it was all of the sudden, she couldn't tell. She just knew she never wanted to forget this. The feeling of his breath slowly caressing her face, the feeling of his eyes locked onto hers, the feeling of wanting to kiss him, and to tell him she loved him... She slowly pulled away, they were just friends. She laid back against him, and closed her eyes. The silence came back and lulled her to sleep, helping her avoid any conversation about what that was...
Sophie woke up to the buzzing of her imparter. She noticed that Fitz was asleep as well, and had a little drool on his lip. She stifled a laugh. Her perfect cognate drooled! This was too good. She clicked open her imparter, and replied to the TIM Edaline had just sent.
'Where are you?'
'Sorry Mom, we fell asleep. I'll be home soon,' she messaged back. She sat up, and saw a faint light glow in the distance, at the bottom of the crest of the hill she and her cognate were laying on. There, she saw Tam, Linh, and Squall talking in hushed voices. Why would the Song twins be talking to one of the Black Swan's inner circle... unless... They were working together? No way! She strained her ears to hear what they were saying, but it was kind of hard because she was so sleepy..
"We can't let Sophie find out about us protecting her and the rest of our friends from the Black Swan," Linh said, "she'd be so upset that we kept this from her, and that we're putting ourselves in danger without her."
"Yeah, it's like she feels left out of all the almost dying," Tam joked.
"She has helped us so much, but she would never let us do this for her if she knew."
Squall nodded, "Indeed she wouldn't be too pleased, so I will not mention that in the next letter warning her about the Sencen boy being involved with the Neverseen."
Sophie's heart dropped, wide awake now. Keefe was a member of the Neverseen? Biana was in danger, but she couldn't wake Fitz up until they were gone! How would Biana take this news? This couldn't be good.
She was so lost in thought that she completely missed the last part of their conversation before they light leaped away. She needed to talk to Linh and Tam soon. She wasn't angry at them, but she wanted to be in on the information. Quietly, she shook Fitz awake, who groaned, "It's too early to wake up, can't I sleep a few more hours?"
"Fitz, we fell asleep," She said softly, "we have to get back home before our parents worry any more than they already have."
Fitz groaned again, but got up, "You're right."
"Listen, I know you're tired, but I just saw Tam and Linh talk to Squall. I'll tell you about it telepathically after we're both home, okay? I'd tell you know but-"
"We've already been gone too long," he yawned, "don't worry, I get it. Just don't fall asleep on me, okay?"
"Says the guy who just yawned," she joked.
"Shut up," he yawned again, and she laughed. "Let's just get back home so I can hear this story."
She nodded, and helped her cognate light leap home, not trusting him to stay fully awake in the leap. After dropping him outside the gates of Everglen, she hugged him goodbye and light leaped home. Grady and Edaline welcomed her with a hug, and laughed at the fact that they had fallen asleep. They allowed her to excuse herself up to bed instantly, where she telepathically asked Fitz if he was ready.
When he said yes, she told him everything, and that in the morning, he had to tell biana. She had to get away from Keefe! That would explain his sudden changes in attitude, the whole conflictedness of being a spy against them.
"I never thought he would... we've been best friends for years and he..." Fitz seemed shell shocked, and it made Sophie's heartache. She hadn't thought about how this would affect him, but she knew that he needed to know in order to keep Biana safe.
"Do you need me to come over?" She asked quietly over their bond.
"Not tonight, I need to think about it more, how I feel... come over tomorrow though?"
"Of course," she answered immediately, "Let me know if you change your mind, or you just want to talk telepathically, even if I'm asleep. Wake me up, this is important, you're important."
"Okay, thanks for being there for me, Sophie," he was quiet for a moment, "I love you."
"I love you too," Sophie's heart skipped a beat, and she smiled. He may not mean it romantically, but she did. She fell asleep soon after, her heart warmed by the memories of that night, almost forgetting the terrible news she had found out in that same night.