Chapter 4

 Fitz’s POV

“Sophie?” Fitz said not bothering to notice that both Biana and Keefe had left the room. “Why didn’t you tell me? You know you could’ve. I would have probably taken it better then.” Fitz had just realized exactly what he had done. Why? He wasn’t sure. “Fitz!” Sophie was writhing, her eyes looking deathly. Fitz knew that look and he knew it well. “Don’t Sophie,” he warned. “It’s alright, I’m sorry, please.” He held his hands out as if he were approaching a wild animal. He knew she couldn’t control it. Fitz ran over to the door handle, locked. “Sophie, breathe please!” Too late. 

 

Fitz was alone. What was happening? Where was the pain? He was alone in a room. Sophie’s inflicting didn’t do this to a person? What the heck was going on??? He got up from the floor where he had been previously lying and walked around. He started feeling the floor and the walls. Something felt off about the place. Then all in one moment he was moved to a large chamber, inside colors swirled around like wind moving around in a field. Fitz was mesmerized by all of it, and it made him feel a bit dizzy inside. Inside! That was it, he was inside of something. A trick maybe? “I bet if I just go back to sleep I’ll wake up.” He laid on the floor when one of the colors hit him. Fitz was overwhelmed by a ticklish sensation. When he looked down a small pink light floated around his body almost as if it was mummifying him. When it finally drifted away the sensation also went away. Emotions. Was this how Keefe felt? All of someone’s emotions were bundled into one room. Sophie’s! It all made sense now. He was in Sophie’s emotional center. Whenever he and her did cognate training this was the one part she never let him touch. Now that he was here, he thought he had to get out! Swatting at the flying colors he ran to the end of the chamber, what was he supposed to do now? 

Fitz tried and tried to escape but each time he ended up back on the floor right where he started. Now he sat motionless thinking was this how he was going to die? Imagining an escape route he fell into another hole, but this one was different. He found a room packed with thousands of doors, each one with a different name on  it. These must represent people in Sophie's life. He thought. He went through but stopped when he got to a group of doors. Tam, Lynh, Biana, Dex, Keefe, Fitz. Fitz sucked in a breath and tried to fight his curiosity, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to look through his door, but there was one door that interested him even more. Keefe Sencen. Fitz smiled to himself knowing that whatever Sophie was doing with Keefe was just to make him jealous. Maybe this way I can finally prove she loves me. Slowly, he walked in and couldn’t believe what he saw. The room was full of colorful images and memories of Sophie with Keefe. But it wasn’t just memories. Each vision came with emotions Sophie felt when the memory happened. He saw images of them holding hands, and joking and felt happiness and joy. He saw one of them riding on Silveny and felt shock, excitement and adrenaline. He was about to leave when he saw something that made him want to scream. Sophie was standing with Keefe in a hallway at Foxfire staring at him with an intensity in her eyes Fitz had never seen before.

“I love you. I don't know why I didn’t notice it before but you’ve always been there for me, I was just too wrapped up in Fitz to notice. But I love you”

The words felt like a punch to his gut. There was no way this was real. She was probably confused or overwhelmed. Sophie didn’t love Keefe, she couldn’t. He walked around trying to find something to convince himself he was right. As he turned the corner, what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. He saw dozens of memories of Sophie kissing Keefe, both of them looking happier than he had ever seen them. But the worst part wasn’t what he saw, it was what he felt. The only emotion in the room was love. And overwhelming, passionate love, towards Keefe. Sophie didn’t love him. Suddenly everything from the past week made sense. Shoot, everything since Sophie arrived made sense. She loved him with her head and Keefe with her heart. When the realization sank in he fell asleep, collapsing on the floor. 

 

Biana’s POV

“What do you think is going on in there?” Biana asked Keefe, worried about what would happen to them. They had been in there for a while. A few minutes ago there had been sobbing, and a thud, but since then it was silent. Now she heard- what was it, crying? 

“They’re probably just figuring it out” Keefe looked worriedly back at the door. Biana really wanted to barge in and stop whatever was happening but she stayed calm. “So how long have you and Sophie… you know, been dating?” Biana asked, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence. “A week or so I guess” Keefe seemed really distant, like he was trying to figure out all possible scenarios to their problem. “You know they’ll be fine right?” Biana tried to assure him. Keefe had such a hard life and Biana knew this was definitely going to be a turning point. His best friend and his girlfriend…. Oh boy, Biana really hoped it turned out ok. 

 

A while after Keefe and Biana had started slumping lazily against the door, Keefe turned toward Biana. “I think we should go in, I don't hear Foster or Wonder boy anymore and they have had long enough”. Biana wanted to go in just as much as Keefe so she nodded her approval and they walked towards the door. When they unlocked the door and stepped inside they were surprised to find Fitz lying on the floor and Sophie tucked into the corner softly crying. When she looked up she ran over to them. 

“Help! I got out of control and inflicted on him, but now he won’t wake up!” 

Tears were streaming down her face and she looked really sad. Biana bent down to touch Fitz while Keefe ran over and hugged Sophie. She leaned on him and cried on his shoulder, as he gently stroked her hair, telling her it was going to be ok. Biana looked down at Fitz. He was out cold. Luckily she could still feel his pulse.

 “You guys,” she said, looking up at the hugging couple. “He’s fine”. 

Everyone sighed in relief and looked at each other unsure of what to do next. At that very moment a gasping sound escaped someone's throat, startling everyone. Laying on the ground Fitz’s eyes fluttered open, but he still looked more dead than alive. He looked around and his eyes stopped on Sophie and Keefe. He was the position they were in and immediately collapsed again. 

“We should get him to the healing center.” Keefe said, no emotion in his voice.

 

Immediately they called Grady and Edaline, and Alden and Della and told them what happened. Edaline and Della were worried, Alden was disappointed in his son, and Grady was furious. 

“I can’t believe he had the nerve to try and hurt my daughter and her friends!” He yelled as Edaline tried to calm him down. Still, they all agreed to take Fitz to the healing center and meet there. An hour later Elwin had treated Fitz and had managed to get him to wake up.

“Do you guys want to come in and see him?” Elwin asked after Alden and Della left the room

Grady refused and went home with Edaline continuing his rant. After they were gone Keefe turned to Sophie.

“Do you want to go in?” He asked “You don’t have to if you don’t want to”

Sophie shook her head “I have to see him”

“Ok. If your going, I’m going with you”

Sophie gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand tightly as they walked in together.

Fitz sucked in a sharp breath as soon as he saw them. When he saw their hands he lunged at Keefe but stopped himself. Startled, Sophie took a step back.

“Fitz? What’s wrong? Are you ok?” I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you” She sobbed

Keefe held her tightly and Sophie was so grateful for him at that moment.

FItz glared at Keefe “Forget it” He said looking away.

Sophie tried getting him to listen to her but he didn’t answer. As they turned to leave Fitz grabbed Keefe’s arm shoving him against the wall. Sophie gasped, quickly grabbed Keefes arm and left the room quickly.

“Are you ok?” Sophie asked hugging him

“I think I’m fine but everything hurts,” Keefe groaned “That’s like the third time I get thrown into a wall today. It’s getting kind of annoying” He smiled trying to joke it off but Sophie could see it hurt him.

“I’m so sorry” She said “I don’t know what happened to him”

“I’m not sure what got into him, but don’t blame him. I’d probably go crazy too if I didn’t have you” He smiled more genuinely this time.

Sophie gave him a small smile and gently traced her hand down his cheek. Let’s go get Elwin. I bet he can help you.

After Keefe was all better and they had calmed Grady down again they decided it was better to just hang out at Havenfield. They were sitting in Sophie's room and Sophie was surprised that even despite the circumstances Keefe still managed to make her laugh. Although she still felt really guilty…

“Don’t worry. Everyhings going to be okay” Keefe whispered, coming over to her.

He sat down next to her leaving them inches apart as he gently held her hand. Sophie shrugged feeling really bad about everything.

“Hey, look at me,” Keefe said gently.

Sophie slowly lifted her head up gazing into his eyes

“None of this is your fault. I promise everything is going to be okay”

As Sophie looked deep into his sparkling ice blue eyes, for the first time she actually believed that things would be okay. They just had to get through the week. Which means telling our friends we’re dating. Sophie thought. Oh well. They’d worry about that later. For now she rested her head on Keefes shoulder feeling safer and happier than she felt with anyone else.