Sophie woke up with a start. She had no idea why though. She didn't have a bad dream. Fitz woke up and wrapped an arm around her as he sat up. "Bad dream" he asked. Sophie shook her head. "I don't know why I woke up startled. I just did." She looked up at Fitz and he held her close. He flopped back down on the bed, bringing her with him, and rubbed small circles in her back. Dawn was breaking and Sophie knew she needed to get more sleep, but she couldn't fall asleep. She couldn't figure out why something had startled her, but it had. She had this strange feeling like someone was watching her. Not the watching her like Grady typically did when she was around boys, or Edaline when she was having a fangirl moment, or even Sandor or any of her entourage of bodyguards when they would stand off in the shadows. No. It was like some creepy person was stalking her. She cuddled close to Fitz and tried to fall asleep. When she couldn't, she looked at Fitz to see that he was still up. "What's bothering you?" Sophie turned so she could fully face him and took his hand. "I'm getting this weird creepy feeling like someone is watching me. Not like Grady usually does or my bodyguards, because I've said to you before on how I feel when they watch me. It's more like someone doesn't like me. Like a creepy person is stalking me for a not so good reason." Fitz pulled her close. "Don't worry. I'm always going to be here. I'm not going to leave your side. Maybe someone is, but they will not hurt you because I stand in the way." Sophie smiled at his kindness and loyalty. She cuddled right up next to him and turned over to face the window, bringing Fitz's arm with her in the process. He wrapped his arm tighter around her and she held into it.
Sophie walked downstairs with Fitz in tow. Edaline was in the kitchen already making breakfast, and she looked up to see the couple slowly ascend the stairs and walk towards the peninsula. Sophie smiled at her mom as she watched them sit down. "Well your up early." Sophie sighed. "I know, but I thought sleep was over rated so I came down here and he won't get out of bed till I do and he won't stay in bed if I don't so he followed me down here." Fitz blushed and Edaline laughed. "Well that's why me and Grady like him so much. He won't let anything touch you." Sophie giggled as Fitz's blush deepen a bit. She laid her head in his shoulder and Edaline went back to cooking. Pretty soon, everyone was downstairs and breakfast was being served. Sophie finished and went upstairs to get ready for the day. She was taking Edaline, Della, and Juline shopping with Biana, Linh, and Marella. She but on a red dress that was mid calf length and off the shoulder. She put on a pair of sandles with gold straps and did her hair in an artfully messy half bun. Fitz came in and kissed the top of her head. He said goodbye and gave her a quick hug before letting her walk out.
The girls showed Edaline, Della, and Juline the latest in trends for women. They only shopped for enough to for each adult couple to have some clothes for whenever they come to the forbidden cities. They stopped at a place for lunch and headed home. Grady came out to help unload the Escalade. He took the bags and carried them into the house. "OK. Those bags are for us Grady" Edaline explained, pointing to a pile of bags. Grady groaned. "How many clothes do you need?" Edaline glared at him. "Not all of them are for me. Some are for you too. And not all of them came from the same store." Grady rolled his eyes and carried the bags to their room. Kesler and Alden did the same with theirs. The parents would only be staying for a week, due to the jobs they have. In fact, Kesler had to close his shop up for the week while they were gone. He said that they needed to make more of some of the elixirs they had. He even took a lot of the elixirs off the shelves. But, since everyone was here, there was no one to watch over the shop.
Sophie went upstairs to change and ran into Tam along the way. "Oh. Uh hello Sophie. I was just looking for you." "What for?" Tam blushed a bit. "Well, you know Biana the best, so I thought I could ask you about what necklace I should get her for her birthday." Sophie smiled. "Come on. There's a jewelry shop down the road. I'll take you there." Tam nodded and Sophie pulled him to the beach. They walked down to the store and Sophie showed Tam a silver necklace with a purple amethyst stone in the center. "Here's one choice." She showed him another necklace that was gold with ice blue gems and purple stones on it. She then showed him a necklace that was gold, with tiny silvery blue stones formed together to make a heart. In the center of the heart was a purple amethyst stone cut to fit the shape around it. Tam picked it up and looked at it closely. "I think she would like this one." Sophie smiled and went to go look at watches. Fitz only had two, and they didn't match some of his outfits. He would always grumble about not being able to look at the time because they didn't always have their phones with them. She picked up three and payed for them. She and Tam walked back to the house and Tam went upstairs to hide the gift until Biana's birthday. Fitz looked at Sophie and she sighed. She knew that look anywhere now. He was jealous. Sophie motioned for him to follow her. He did, much to her relief, and they walked to their room.
"Fitz come on. Your acting like we are still dating. He wanted to buy something for Biana for her birthday, but didnt know what. So I helped. Oh and these are for you." Fitz took the bag she offered him and pulled out the watches. He got up and put them in the closet next to his other watches. Sophie sighed. "Babe, you have got to trust me. I'm not in love with anybody else but you. Tam or Keefe could offer me the world, but I would still only want you." Fitz tried so hard not to smile. Sophie noticed his twitching lips and smiled. She walked close to him and wrapped him on a hug. He slowly hugged back and his lips twitched more. "Fitz, I wouldn't leave you even if it meant that I could have the world and the Neverseen would be defeated just like that." She kissed him and she could feel him smile against her lips. "Now that's saying something, but let's be reasonable. You want the Neverseen to be defeated so they can stop tormenting innocent people. You really wouldn't give me up for that. I'm just some random elf who is boring and lame." Sophie smiled at his modesty. "No. You are Fitzroy Avery Vacker. You are the wonderboy everyone is talking about. That every girl wants. I know that it's selfish of me to say that I want you instead of what's good for the elvin world, but it's true. I wouldn't have someone to love me the way you do. I wouldn't have somebody to worry about me as much as you do. I wouldn't have someone as nice and modest as you. I wouldn't have someone who hurt me everytime we argue, and come back trying way to hard to make up for it if I gave you up." Fitz chuckled. "I try way to hard to make it up to you when we argue huh." Sophie nodded and smiled. "You didn't stop trying to make it up to me when you were mad and scared that you might loose your father." Fitz smiled bigger. "I'm still trying to make it up to you." Sophie laughed and shook her head. "That's what I mean. I love that you feel like you don't ever do enough to make something right. But I'm telling you. Stop trying. You've already made it up to me. So many times I've lost track. For starters, the most recent ones. The date you took me on the first week you and the boys got here. The necklace you bought me. The day at that park when we got during dinner. Letting me hang on you during the time when I needed you most during that nightmare I had. That date you took me on two days ago. Yesterday at the park when we spent some time there and you asked me to marry you. I couldn't think of any better gifts you could have given me." Fitz smiled his movie star smile and picked her up. "And I couldn't ask for a better girl to marry other than you." He swung her around and she giggled. He set her down on the bed and leaned over her. She smiled up at him and placed a hand on his face. She slowly moved the hand up to his hair and he closed his eyes. Sophie pulled him down on the bed and rolled on top of him. She leaned down and kissed him. For what seemed like hours, but was only a few seconds, they lay there like that. Sophie eventually broke the kiss by rolling off of him and sitting up right on the bed. Sophie giggled as she looked at Fitz. His movie star smile was there, only it was kinda crooked in that adorable 'I'm swooning so hard right now' kinda way. She gave him a slight shove and he fell off the bed. She laughed so hard that she snorted. Fitz got up with that playful smirk he usually got when Sophie messed around like this. He got up on the bed and pinned her down. Sophie squealed and Fitz laughed. "You mess with bull your going to get the horns." Then he started to tickle her. She squealed and laughed and begged him to stop, but her begging didn't sound serious. She was laughing so hard she cried. Just then the door burst open and Grady rushed in with a melder. "Is everything alright. We heard a loud thump and a scream." Sophie sat up with some flailing because her stomach hurt from laughing. "Yes everything is alright. I pushed Fitz off the bed." Grady looked at her with confusion and amusment. "Then what was with that scream?" Sophie and Fitz shared a look and smiled. "Fitz decided it would be funny to tickle me because I pushed him off the bed." Grady chuckled and shook his head. He walked out of the room and shut the door tightly. Fitz looked at Sophie again and she she shook her head. "No no no no no. Don't do it don't-." The rest of her response was drowned into a squeal as Fitz lunged for her. He tickled her until she couldn't stand it anymore. She brought her hands to the sides of his stomach just below his rib cage where Biana had once told her to tickle him if he ever needed it. She started to tickled him and he backed up. She sat up and moved to the crook of his neck and tickled him there to. Biana had told her that he will do anything to get you to stop if you tickle him in these two spots. Fitz roared with laughter as she tickled him. Fitz placed his hands on Sophie's arms and pulled them away from him. Sophie laughed as she tried to pull away from him. Fitz smirked and pulled her down on the bed next to him.
Biana's laughter rang through the halls. Tam and Fitz shared a look and followed it. They went down to the basement and saw a light coming from the bathroom. They opened the door to see a puddle of red on the floor. Sophie had something on her arm and she turned away quickly as they opened it. Linh and Marella jumped in front of the door and tried to push them out. Linh threw water in their face. They eventually were able to push them out of the doorway and closed the door. They locked the door and turned their attention back to Sophie. "It's only edible blood" Biana whispered. Just then there was a knock on the door. "Hey. It's Keefe." Biana opened the door and grabbed Keefe. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Keefe had a box filled with supplies to make more edible blood. They mixed everything up and Keefe threw some at Marella. She threw some back. He accidentally scared Sophie and she screamed. Fitz banged on the door. "Sophie!" Biana threw a soap bar at the door. "Shut up!" Fitz fumed. He started to pace in front of the door. Then they heard Sophie scream again. Then Biana yelled at Keefe. "No! Just why Keefe. Why? You'll be lucky if she's even alive." That really set Fitz off. He banged on the door as hard as he could. Just then Sophie came running out the door with red on her stomach and running down her arm. Keefe ran after her. Biana and the rest of the girls followed yelling for Keefe to knock it off. Keefe cornered Sophie in a living room upstairs. He had a plastic toy that resembled a dagger in his hand. Sophie was panting and Keefe had a smirk on his face. He was panting also. Sophie stood behind a couch while Keefe tried to inch toward her. The girls stopped when they saw the two. Fitz ran in followed by Tam and Dex. Dex and Tam rushed over to the girls and stood protectively in front of them. Fitz ran to Keefe and ripped the plastic dagger out of his hands. Keefe cowered under him. "What do you think your doing with this" Fitz yelled at him. Fitz squeezed the toy and it broke. He looked at the shattered pieces on the floor. "Oh my god" Sophie yelled, placing a hand over her mouth. She and the rest of the girls cracked up. The adults ran in and saw the look on the boy's faces. The only one who didn't know what the heck was going on was Grady. He took one look at Sophie and rushed over to her. "Sophie? Why is this funny?" He stared at the pieces by Keefe and Fitz. "What did you do" he screamed. Sophie struggled to keep him down. She transmitted to everyone except Grady and explained everything to the boys. Fitz stared at her. Edaline thought something to Sophie and Sophie repeated it to everyone. They stifled laughs and nodded. Alden and Kesler held Grady down and the kids ran ou the room. Edaline, Juline, and Della blocked the door.
Sophie and Fitz stopped out by where they had given each other gifts at their first date. Sophie took a seat on the rocks. Fitz got water and helped her clean off the fake blood. "So what was trying to make fake blood turned out into a whole mess in the bathroom?" Sophie nodded as she held her arm out for him to clean. He smiled at her. "You are something else you know that?" Sophie giggled. "So are you." She kissed his forehead and he stood up and sat down beside her. "You know. When we get married, where do you wanna go for our honeymoon?" Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know just yet." Fitz hugged her and kissed the top of her head. Rubbing her side. "Well we have awhile so no need to hurry." Sophie looked at him and his eyes found her lips. They leaned in and their lips met. Sophie hand both her hands on his chest and he had a hand in her cheek and a hand on her back. Paired with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the water being a crystal clear blue color, the white, soft sand, and the beautiful sunset, this was a kiss for the books.
Jennifer watched as Sophie and Fitz ran out of the house hand in hand. They ran to the left and she followed. They stopped at a secluded part by a bunch of rocks and Sophie sat down. Jennifer noticed red on her arm. Fitz gathered water and they cleaned her up. Fitz spoke something and and Sophie nodded. Jennifer felt sick as Fitz smiled his perfect smile at her. He said something and Sophie giggled. Sophie said something back and kissed his forehead. Jennifer felt jealousy and hatred fill her body. She was supposed to be with Fitz. Not Sophie. Sophie was supposed to be with her cousin. After all, they did used to date. But Sophie cheated on him with Fitz. Fitz knew, but he didn't stop loving Sophie. Sophie was just so perfect and Jennifer was so apparently not in Fitz's eyes. Jennifer was better than Sophie and she was going to prove it. She watched the couple as they leaned in. Jennifer felt bile rise in her throat as a hand grabbed hers. "Don't worry. We will get them for this."
Sophie sat on the balcony of her room. She had the strange feeling again and it was not pleasant. After she and Fitz broke apart, she had it and it hadn't gone away. Now she sat there on the balcony wondering if she should go back inside or not. She heard the door slide open behind her and she jumped around. She sighed with relief as she watched Fitz walk up to her. She let herself collapse in his arms. He picked her up bridal style and carried her back to bed. He laid down beside her and held her close. "I'm not going to let anyone or anything get you. Your safe." Sophie held on tight to Fitz's shirt as he rubbed soft circles on her back.
That night she had a dream.
Fitz stood next to Jennifer. His arm was wrapped around her, but his eyes weren't his. They were yellow. And when they looked at Jennifer, they turned red. Jennifer would whisper something and they would light up. Sophie sat there on the cold, hard sand, watching the pair, surrounded by taunting figures in black cloaks. Behind her was a wall of flames. Their crackled laughs and cold red and yellow eyes. Jack let his hood fall to the side of him. "Now let's see who will protect you. I warned you that he wouldn't be around for long. I was right wasn't I? Well, now that you know that I was right, why don't you join me and my friends. We will protect you. I will protect you." He reached out his hand so she could grab ahold of it. She did take it, but not the way he was expecting. She yanked him back behind her into the wall of flames. She heard his screams fill the air and she watched as his shadow slowly crumpled into a pile on the ground. Jennifer cried out in alarm and ran to the wall of flames. Fintan parted them and Jennifer wept at the base of the pile of ashes. Fitz stood by her, holding her. Sophie shook her head and ran. She ran as far as she could. She crumpled at the base of a tree and cried. Fitz. Her Fitz. Was gone. She thought that he loved her. Thought that all of his disappearances were for work because that's what he told her. But all this time, he was out seeing a girl that worked for the Neverseen. The group that tried to kill her. Many times. She heard leaves crash around behind her and she sat up, ready to take on whatever was thrown at her. Fitz ran through the trees and his eyes met her's. His once yellow eyes had turned back to teal. Sophie stood up. Fitz looked at her tear stained face and his eyes instantly were filled with concern. "Sophie? Hey, honey. Are you alright?" Sophie screamed and started to back up. "Stay away from me you lousy unfaithful little creep! Stay away! I can't trust you anymore" she screamed. Fitz looked hurt. Big time. "Sophie, what are you talking about?" Sophie shook her head furiously. "Don't lie to me. I know you know what I'm talking about. You've been sneaking away using the excuse that you we sent away on a mission so you could slip under my nose to go see Jennifer." Fitz cocked his head in confusion. "What? Sophie come on. I would never leave you. You know me better than that." Sophie back up farther until she hit a rock. "I thought I did," Fit took a step closer and Sophie pressed herself against the rock as far as she could go. "I thought that you were the one. I though that I could run to you for safety, but now I know that I can't." Fitz walked still closer. He put the palms of his hands flat on the rock so she couldn't go anywhere. "Sophie. Look at me. I love you and only you. you have to believe that." Sophie looked him in the eye and she knew he meant it, but what was with him and Jennifer. Just then Jennifer came into the clearing. Fitz looked at her and she whispered something. Fitz's eyes turned yellow again. She whispered something else and his eyes turned red. But when he looked back at her, they turned teal. Then Sophie knew. He was being possessed by Jennifer.
Sophie woke up in a cold sweat. She thought about the dream she had. Jennifer and Fitz. And what was with that strange light at the corners of her vision? Fitz was still sleeping soundly by her side. She slowly and quietly got out of bed and changed. She then walked up to the next floor to her parents room. She knocked on the door and Grady opened it. "Yes Sophie?" Sophie looked up at him. "Can you and Edaline come down to the controls room with me please to the controls room? I had a dream and want to contact the Black Swan about it, and I think you guys should know about it to." Grady nodded and Edaline climbed out of be and they walked down to the controls room. "So just curious. Why did you ask just us to come down? Why isn't Fitz here as well?" Sophie sighed. "Because I had a dream about him. And he was sleeping so soundly that I wanted to let him sleep. He doesn't need to constantly get up because I need him." Grady nodded slowly ad opened the door and let the girls walk in ahead of him. Mr. Forkle's head appeared on the screen almost instantly. "Yes Sophie?" Sophie took a deep breath and told him about her dream. She then showed the dream on the screen and Mr Forkle looked almost amused. "Well this isn't just a dream. That strange light you are wondering about isindecating that it's almost like a prediction on life. This is telling you that Jennifer as a close relation to Jack and that you loose your temper on the Neverseen. It might not exactly be Jack himself. Jennifer also seems to be possessing Fitz. But the only way to break the curse is you. This might actually happen, so I want you three to keep a look out. watch Fitz and Jennifer closely. Better yet, don't let Jennifer come near Fitz. We know that Fitz would stay away from her, but keep her away from him." They all nodded. "Any thing else that we should know about" Mr Forkle asked. Sophie nodded. "Yes. I've been getting this strange feeling like someone is stalking me." Mr Forkle nodded. "I think that Jennifer might be. But let her think that she still isn't found out about yet. But I think the Neverseen have a new plan to break you."
Jennifer yes is stalking Sophie. Yes her cousin is Jack. Yes the Neverseen are using Jennifer and Jack to bait in Sophie. Next chapter will explain all of this
-KT