User blog comment:1234AR79/Sokeefe Fanfiction (yes, unfortunately it's fanfiction and not from Shannon Messenger)/@comment-43780989-20191019224140

Okay...so here's what you all have been waiting for...

Just a side note before I start: I think that this would be a really good series ender, especially with the sweet moment at the end. (It's super cute, if I do say so myself ;).

Sophie gasped and jumped away from Keefe, looking up to find Fitz standing in her doorway. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his teal eyes were dark with fury.

"I--we were just--" she stammered.

Keefe stepped away from Sophie and folded his arms. "We were doing a trust exercise," he said flatly. "Is there a reason you felt the need to interrupt?"

Fitz didn't look at his best friend. Instead, he stared straight at Sophie as he replied, "Yes, there is," as if she were the reason.

Sophie realized that she probably was.

Fitz continued to glower at Sophie. "A trust exercise, huh?" he said, his voice filled with barely controlled anger.

Keefe nodded. "Yes, a trust exercise. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Do I have a problem with that?" Fitz laughed bitterly. "You call that a trust exercise? You are such a...such a..." he shook his head slowly. "I cannot believe you."

Sophie stepped towards him. "Fitz, please. I can explain."

Keefe put a hand on her arm. "Sophie--"

She covered his hand with hers. "Let me do this Keefe. I need to do this." She looked into his beautiful blue eyes, pleading, and he nodded, releasing her arm.

Sophie took a deep breath and followed Fitz outside Havenfield. Out across the waves, she could see the sun slowly descending below the horizon.

Fitz stopped under Calla's tree and folded his arms, frowning at her expectantly. "Well?"

Sophie clutched the hem of her tunic to keep from tugging out any eyelashes. Fitz had never made her nervous before, she realized. Now she just hoped that he'd forgive her, but she knew that when Fitz hated, he hated hard. Thinking of Alvar, and what he'd done...she wondered if Fitz would ever forgive what she'd done. Not that she wouldn't do it again...

"Fitz, you need to understand something," Sophie began hesitantly, proud of her voice for not quivering. "I'm not a toy. I'm not a doll. I'm not a puppet. I have feelings, just like you do. If I want to be with someone else, then you have to let me."

Fitz exploded. "You think I don't know you have feelings? Do you think I didn't see your fear when I first found you, or your tears when you had to leave your human family? You think I don't care about how you cried when you found out that my dad was broken and you couldn't heal him, or how much you blamed yourself for Kenric's death? Do you really believe that I just stood by when Calla gave herself up, or let you suffer when your parents were in Nightfall? Wasn't I there for you when the twins were born? Do you think I don't care? You think I don't love you?" He was breathing hard, his eyes dark, his expression furious.

Sophie wanted to point out that he hadn't cared about her when Alden's mind had broken. But his other points were all true.

"Fitz, my point is, what if I don't--don't love you?" she asked. "At least--not like that."

Fitz eyed her. "I thought you did."

"Exactly. I did. Now...I realize that you're not what I expected. Not what I wanted. Please, you have to understand."

Fitz was silent for so long that Sophie began counting the seconds as she twisted her hands together. She had reached two hundred and thirty-six when he finally dragged his hands across his face and said, "Why him?"

"He cares. So much." And he's a good kisser, she added silently. And he won't force anything on me. "You're Wonderboy. You're perfect. Almost...too perfect. That's not what I want. And he understands. If I didn't want him, he'd be nice about it. Unlike you." Sophie hadn't meant to be mean, but...it was true.

"You think I'm too perfect? Is that even possible? What makes you think that I wouldn't be nice about it?"

Sophie folded her arms. "The very fact that you're here kind of gives it away."

Fitz grit his teeth. "Sophie, he's not what you want. Aren't I the one you wanted? Didn't you say you trusted me? That you were okay with...with us?"

"Didn't you say that you would let me set the pace? That you would follow my lead? Because you're definitely not letting me do that right now."

"Sophie, don't do this," he pleaded. "He's not the one for you."

Something inside Sophie snapped. "Who are you to decide that?" she accused. "Why can't I decide who I want to be with? If Keefe is the one I want, then why can't you accept that? I understand that you'd be upset, but you don't have to destroy me because of it. I am sick of how you always try to hurt others when you're angry."

Fitz's eyes narrowed, and he stalked toward her. "I destroy others when I'm angry? What about you, Sophie? Aren't you the inflictor?" He grabbed her chin in his hand, forcing her to look up at him. "You honestly think that I'm the one who hurts others when you're the one who could kill someone if you wanted to?"

Sophie's eyes welled with angry tears. "I would never hurt someone that badly. You know that, Fitz."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I? Do you have any idea how much it hurt to see you--you with him?"

Red began to seep into the edges of Sophie's vision. "He's your best friend, Fitz. And I thought I was your friend, too. I thought I was more than that. But I don't want that anymore. Can't you accept that?"

Fitz's eyes suddenly filled with tears. His hand dropped from her face as he turned away from her, his shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry, Sophie," he whispered. "You're right. I've only been thinking about myself. I--I never thought about what you might want. Do you really want to be with him?" He met her gaze, and for the first time in years, Sophie's heart didn't flutter at the sight of his teal eyes.

She nodded. "I do."

Fitz took her hands. "Then...I guess I'll let..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I'll let you two...be together."

Sophie squeezed Fitz's hands. "Thank you, Fitz," she whispered. Then she pulled him into a hug. "I still trust you," she said softly.

Fitz tightened his arms around her. "Thank you," he whispered back. Then he pulled away, clasping her hands in his again. "I guess...I guess this is goodbye, then."

Sophie smiled sadly. "I guess so. I'm sorry it didn't work out. I just don't think...I don't think we would have been as good together as I thought. Keefe is what I need. I'm sorry that it hurts you." She turned to go, but Fitz tightened his hold on her hands, pulling her back.

"Sophie," he said urgently, "if you ever want to come back...I will always love you. I promise."

He locked eyes with her as he said it, and his words were filled with such conviction that Sophie couldn't help but believe him. She nodded. "Thank you, Fitz. I'll remember that."

Fitz pulled her close, sliding a hand behind her neck. For the barest moment, his lips brushed hers in a whisper of a kiss. Then he was gone, holding a crystal up to the fading sunlight.

As he glittered away, his eyes met hers, and Sophie's traitorous heart gave a single flutter.

Just as the last glitter of Fitz's leap faded away with the sunlight, a hand slipped into Sophie's. She looked up and Keefe smiled sadly down at her. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, sending a calming breeze through her head.

"What did he say?" he asked quietly.

Sophie shook her head. "I think you were listening, weren't you?"

Keefe ducked his head. "Guilty."

Sophie reached up and brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "He's still your best friend. He just needs...time. I think he understands...us. It's just hard for him to accept right now."

Keefe took her other hand, smirking. "Well, he better. 'Cause there's gonna be a whole lot of Foster-Keefe cuddle time in the near future. And possibly some smooching."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "You're impossible, you know that?"

Keefe grinned, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I know," he whispered. "But this isn't." Then he lowered his head, and Sophie's heart skipped a beat.

Just before his lips met hers, however, a loud voice interrupted them.

"Awwwww, aren't they the cutest?" Ro, followed by Sandor and Grizel--and Torina, Bo, and Flori--melted out of the shadows of Havenfield. Sophie did not doubt that Nubiti was somewhere nearby, hiding underground.

Grizel smirked, fingering her long ponytail. "I have to admit, it's pretty sweet."

Sophie fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Not again."

Keefe raised an eyebrow. "Again?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just remembering what happened last time--actually, never mind."

Keefe's eyebrows raised. "Now I definitely need to know."

"Maybe some other time." She turned to their bodyguards. "Did you really have to pick the worst possible time to show up?"

Ro snickered. "We've been spying on you this entire time. I can't believe you thought we weren't here."

Sophie sighed. "I should have."

"If it makes you feel any better, so have we," said Edaline as she and Grady stepped out of the house.

Sophie groaned. "Not you, too. And it doesn't."

Edaline was grinning like crazy. Grady didn't look happy, but at least he wasn't scowling angrily at Sophie. Although his eyes did stray to her hand, which was tangled with Keefe's. She didn't care.

Keefe smirked. "Nah, it's okay. Everyone was going to find out eventually anyway. Might as well get most of it over with all at once." Then he kissed her square on the lips, right in front of everyone, triggering a collective, "Awwwww," from all the females.

Sophie blushed from head to toe. "You don't have to rub it in," she told Keefe.

Keefe smirked. "Of course I do."

She shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"How about some mallowmelt?" asked Edaline. Sophie was glad for the subject change.

Keefe pumped his fist. "Yes! Who's in for an eating contest? I bet no one can eat more slices than me."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt that. Have you seen Grady eat?"

Keefe grinned at her dad. "Bring it on."

The group began to file inside. Sophie and Keefe hung back. He slid an arm around her waist, and she did the same, laying her head on his shoulder as they slowly walked inside.

There were still a lot of people who they would have to tell. And Fitz...it would take him a while to accept her choice, but she believed that he would, given time.

For now, she felt content. Surrounded by friends and family, and a boy who loved her. Yes, she thought, as Keefe placed a kiss on her forehead. This was what she needed.

This was perfect.