Chapter 1:

"Sophie?"

Gasping, panicking, searching for air, she stumbled back, shocked by the name she never though she would hear spoken by her human sister again. Terrified for her old family, unable to face Keefe, fearing she would blame him, she would lose control, knowing if she face either of them the tight ball of emotion under her ribs would finally unravel, she turned and ran from the house, channeling all her power to her legs and just running.

Blocks away, she stopped, out of breath, and pulled out her home crystal, leaping back to Havenfield with barely a moment's hesitation.

"Sophie?" a calm, clear, crisp accented voice filled her mind, accompanied by the image of a pair of impossibly teal eyes. "Are you okay?" Fitz transmitted. "Stupid question, of course you're not." he corrected himself, then added, "Where are you?"

"Havenfield." she transmitted. "Can you..."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Do you want me to tell Bianca or Dex?"

"Not... not yet. Soon, but not yet. Please, don't let Keefe come. I can't... I can't face him. I'm not strong enough."

"You're always strong, Sophie, but I get it. Sandor and I are coming now, Grizel is going to take Keefe home. I'm on my way."

Seconds later, Fitz and Sandor glittered into being in front of the new light absorbing gates. Rushing past the extra goblins and brushing past Sandor, Fitz raced through the gates and across the pastures, to the hill where Sophie sat, motionless, under Calla's tree.

"Hey," he called aloud, softly, as he approached, not at all winded by the mad dash to his cognate. Fitz sat down next to her, sliding close enough to wrap one arm around her shoulders. "We're gonna find them, okay? We are gonna find your family, together. We are cognates for a reason."

"I just lost Mr. Forkle. I can't lose them too. It's my fault, Fitz, it's always my fault. Every time people I love are in danger, It's because I wasn't strong enough to help them, to save them." Then, in a smaller voice, a more broken voice, she added, "It's always my fault."

"Nope," he said, leaning over to brush away a tear she wasn't even aware had slipped down her cheek. "No guilt. You can't let this break you, okay, Sophie? You are the impossible Moonlark, the unbeatable cognate, and you can never let this break you," The words are whispered, quiet, but no less heartfelt or convinced for that fact.

"What'd you say to Keefe?" Sophie asked, changing the subject from the compliments he had just given her.

"The truth. That you were upset, and needed space, and that, even though you don't blame him, you can't help feeling like he could've done more to protect them and to protect you. That even if you don't blame him for this consciously, you do without realizing, and that, if this breaks you, I will never, ever, forgive him."

"Wow," she breathed, not sure what to say. Angry Fitz had returned, but now he was angry for her, and she wasn't sure how to feel about that. "I... why would you blame Keefe?" Sophie suddenly realized that Fitz had been more aggressive when Keefe was mentioned lately, more prone to shielding himself with anger when Keefe was involved.

"Because, you can never let this break you."

"I won't."

"You promise?"

And silently, without breaking eye contact with those impossibly teal eyes, she nodded her head.

"Good," he breathed, before pulling her into a tight hug. And, still silent, Sophie began to cry, in earnest, for her human family, who she had lost twice now, for Mr. Forkle, who she hadn't cried for yet, and for Keefe, scared she could still lose him for good.

And so, leaning against the trunk of the last Panakes tree, they sat, silent, comforting, Fitz at a loss for words, and Sophie tired of speaking. And as the sun went down, they stood, and, hand and hand, walked down through the pastures, to the gates, where Fitz leaped home, and Sophie marched bravely into her home, her true home, sure that, for once, she would sleep soundly.