Chapter 2:

The next morning, Sophie woke, like she had on her first morning as an elf, to a brilliant sunrise, and a massive load of guilt. Slowly, quietly, and comfortingly, Fitz's words from the night before crept cross her mind, filling her, maybe not all the way, but definitely enough, with hope, and peace, and a belief that things will get better. Rolling over in bed, releasing Ella, she fingered the sparkly dragon charm on her bracelet, whispering, "Morning, Mini Snuggles," before reaching for her imparter, saying softly, "Show me Bianca Vacker."

"Whahappenwhatimeisit...Sophie?"

"Hi," She said, offering a shy wave. "Is it too early? Do you want me to call back later?"

"No, it's fine. What's up?" She still sounded sleepy, but Sophie figured she could work with sleepy Bianca.

"Has... Has Fitz said anything about yesterday to you?"

"No. I asked but he just muttered about 'Keefe' and 'he better not hurt'... why??" he asked, interrupting herself.

Biting her lip, Sophie avoided the teal eyes that remind her so much of the other Vacker sibling. "It's no big deal, but... maybe can I come over later to explain it?"

"You," Bianca said, pointing at Sophie though the gadget, "are a terrible liar. But sure. Should I get Dex and Keefe to come too? Oooh! We should have another sleepover!"

"Umm... Dex, yeah. I'll call him later. But, not Keefe. Not yet. I'm gonna talk to him later maybe??"

"Again with the lying. But sure. I bet Fitz will be excited!" And before Sophie could ask what the heck that was supposed to mean, her giddy friend blinked away, probably in more ways than one.

After a few more minutes of sleep, still hiding in the warmth of Fitz's praise, Sophie hailed Alden to double check that a sleepover was okay, and then Dex, to invite him to Everglen. Then she slowly walked down the steps to breakfast, where Edaline gave her a goofy grin that suggested she knew exactly who Sophie had been out with yesterday afternoon, and that she completely approved. She braced for the epic Sandor lecture of 'why Sophie takes tremendous risks that will get her killed,' but instead got a much shorter lecture telling her to be more careful ("not that that will happen"), and an annoyed moment about 'leaving me alone with Grizel,' which gave Sophie reason to flash a goofy grin of her own.

Needless to say, this led to the now familiar refrain, "If you comment on my love life, I can comment on yours," eliciting a chorus of groans, annoyed looks, and comments along the lines of 'what love life?' Sandor was completely unimpressed by the dramatics.

Finally joined by Grady, both concerned parents looked across the table at Sophie and told her that Sandor had explained everything. "I still blame That Boy," muttered Grady darkly.

Patting her husband's should in a slightly patronizing manner, Edaline turned to Sophie and said, "I'm here if you need anything," gave Sophie a long, warm, and comforting hug, and then added, "I assume you're planning to go to Everglen today?"

"How..."

"I am your mother dear, I know some things. Just let me know before you leave, and keep your imparter on you. Take a change of clothes in case you plan to sleep over!"

Leaving behind a slightly shocked Sophie, Edaline swept out the door in Grady's wake, heading out to help the gnomes tend to Calla's tree. After helping to clear away the dishes from breakfast, Sophie went upstairs and, remembering the comments of both of the Vacker siblings (and trying very hard to forget about Alavar), she pulled on a loose red tunic and tucked her hair back into a twisty ponytail, again with a bit of help from Vertina. She hated to admit it, but she had loved the look on Fitz's face when she had pulled her hair back like that the first time.

Quickly packing an overnight bag (NOT the purple backpack this time), she explained to Sandor where she was going, and knowing that he would be coming with her, grabbed his hand and dragged him up to the fourth floor, where the Leap Master was waiting.

"Someone's in a hurry," Sandor remarked in his high pitched bunny rabbit voice, and, not dignifying his comment with a response, Sophie called out, "Everglen!" and pulled Sandor's bulky goblin body with her into the path of light.

"I don't think I can say, 'You made it!' anymore when you show up at my house. I think it should be more like, 'Welcome home!'" Bianca teased as she pulls open the gates. "But you know you're always welcome," She added, to soften her words.

"I'll stay here," Sandor sighed, scanning the grounds already for any potential threat.

"Thanks," Sophie said, giving her friend a slightly distracted hug as she scanned behind her for the taller figure she knew was around somewhere.

Eyes narrowing slightly with concentration Bianca pointed towards the sweeping staircase, saying, "My brother is upstairs. He still won't tell me why Keefe isn't invited."

"Okay. I'll explain soon, I promise. Dex should be here in a few minutes. Do you mind maybe staying down here to let him in? And is it okay is I slip away to talk to Fitz for a second? Alone?"

"Go ahead, I'm going to find the mallowmelt and custard bursts I know Edaline sent over earlier. I'll bring Dex up to my room when he gets here?"

"It's a plan. I just need to talk to Fitz really quick. Cognate stuff..." She offered as a quick excuse, sliding away towards the stairs and only slightly running towards the jeweled door she knew led to Fitz's room. Sophie knocked quietly, then, when she heard him call for her to enter, slipped inside with a small, "Hey."

"Hey." He offered a small smile in her direction, but one look at his face told Sophie that her cognate had not enjoyed the peaceful night of sleep that she had. She padded quietly across the room, looking for the lithe form of Grizel lurking in the shadows.

"She's looking for Sandor," Fitz said, guessing why she was inspecting his walls. Then he transmitted, "Are you okay, or at least better? No guilt, right?"

"You should know me better than that. And speaking of no guilt, what's with the new anti-Keefe policy?"

"I just figured you wouldn't want to talk to him yet."

"Can't lie to your cognate, remember? It's more than that. Are you really that scared he would hurt me?" Reaching for his hand, then stopped, pulled off her now constant gloves, and took both his hands, not even flinching when their rings snapped together. But she didn't miss the recoil in his mind one she spoke again. "He wouldn't do that. Keefe would never hurt me."

And she was even more surprised at the darkness that filled his mind as he said, "Not on purpose, maybe. But he still chose to side himself with them, with him," as his mind flashed through all the terrible things Alavar had done, Fitz had already started to transmit again. "We still can't trust him Sophie, and that means we need to trust each other even more. I'm invoking that favor that I won, and I haven't forgotten that Keefe interrupted twice. You need to tell me what your secret is."

Maybe it was the intensity of his clear, teal eyes, or the power she could feel swirling in his mind from the contact with her hands, or maybe it was the emotional drain of the last few days, no, the last few weeks. Maybe it was the warmth of sitting next to him at the end of his bed or the contact of their hands where their rings were snapped together. But whatever it was, she found herself transmitting to him, "Watch", and opening her mind and her memories to his consciousness.

She was 12, scared, shy, being told by a beautiful stranger that she was special, that she belonged. The next day, dressing up for him, brought out of her shell already by this boy she instantly trusted.

Watching him from afar at Foxfire, waiting for him to look at her, or to wave.

Base quest, the shock on his face when she showed him a skill he didn't have, the pride she felt.

Watching two beautiful teal eyes. Spending forever picking out a gift to get a lame pen in return.

Befriending his sister partially to be closer to him, and being treated like a sister.

The pain when Stina told her that Bianca was forced to be friends with her, but also the distrust of every gesture he had ever made.

The watching, waiting for an apology that didn't come and fleeing to the cave, heartbroken.

Drugged, half dead, and still wondering about those beautiful eyes.

Escaping, knowing she was going to die, and calling to the one person she trusted above all others, who still didn't know her secret.

The flip of her stubborn heart and the butterflies in her stomach over time she looks into those impossibly teal eyes.

The reason for her favorite color.

Coming awake, being greeted by her family, but also the strange relief in the worry he had.

Foxfire, telepathy with him, sitting there working through trust exercises, slowly coming to realize that she really did trust him.

The pain of keeping it a secret, the fear of telling him. Alden's break, the guilt of her own fault, his hatred of her, when he couldn't trust her.

Fear, turning to Keefe in her need to mend things. With him.

Risking her life to save Alden, hoping he wouldn't hate her. She could never live with herself if he hated her.

Fixing Alden, fixing herself and finding that he forgave her. The familiar flip to her heart was back.

The tribunals with the council, surviving them because of her friends' support, his support.

The gentle teasing, every time she was clumsy, but knowing he would never let her fall.

The nexus she had loved, that was taken by the Neverseen, because it was his.

Joining the Black Swan, hating putting her friends in danger, hating that she was endangering him.

How cute he looked when they were told they were compatible as cognates.

The annoyance at Keefe every time he teased them.

Watching him get closer to her secret, painfully oblivious. The fear of rejection.

The ogre city, trying to keep them all safe, to save her friends, to save him. She almost told him after that too.

Alavar's betrayal, watching his heart shatter and knowing she couldn't help.

Keefe's betrayal, watching him retreat, trying anything to make him feel better, but also coping with it herself.

The thumb rings, how cute he was when he worried she wouldn't like them

How much she loved them.

Keefe, Grady and Sandor's comments about her love life, wishing she had no idea what they meant, claiming she had no idea

Even Tam had noticed, and he still didn't.

Him trying to get the secret from her, making it harder to share every time.

The favor he owed her, becoming his, knowing how he'd use it.

Trying to avoid telling him.

Keefe's interruption, leaving behind a massive jumble of emotions and questions. What would he have done? What would I have said? But also relief. And terror, at how close she had been to telling him.

Seeing her human sister, how afraid she was she'd hurt her, just by being close, how much she had needed him, and he came.

Somehow, he always came.

The night before, holding her while she cried, comforting her, there for her.

Her first day as an elf, when he held her while she cried.

Today, coming over, dressing up, wearing red because he had liked it at the Aurenflare. The hair he had commented on.

Sitting with him and finally, finally, letting him see. The relief, but also the fear. The terror at his reaction. The big secret?

"I've had a crush on you since the first time I saw you."

The memory fragments, the emotions, and the pure truth washed over Fitz, swirling around in his mind. As he tried to process the waves of photographic memories, Sophie could almost see his emotions changing and, before she could determine what they were, his mind began to clear. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she slipped her hand from his, disconnected her mind from his, blocked her mind, and grabbed her gloves from the bed, before fleeing the room, leaving Fitz alone.

His mind cleared just as she left, and he jumped up, reaching out a hand to stop her just as she cleared room and slammed the door in her wake.