11/24/2017

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"She'll be okay. Just need to get some fluids in her and everything will be fine." Sophie's muscles felt sore and she felt a strain in her neck as if she'd slept on it wrong. She peeled her eyes open. Elwin with his mad scientist glasses hovered over her flashing different color lights in her face. Edaline and Grady's eyes were misty, Dex had his hands intertwined with Biana's, Keefe was giving her his trademark smirk, and Fitz... She wouldn't look at him. Why should she look at someone who doesn't respect her? Who doesn't think she's strong enough? Tam and Linh weren't here. Where were they?

"That's... A lot of people," Sophie commented. "Where's Tam and Linh?"

"Wow Foster. Can't realize there are people directly in front of you who want to squeeze you to death." Keefe kept his smirk plastered on his face. She noticed that he didn't actually answer her question.

"Go on," Keefe ushered Grady and Edaline forward before they did pretty much squeeze her to death. Their arms were wrapped tightly around her shoulders and torso in an unusual pattern, considering the fact that she was on what appeared to be a queen size bed and was having a couple attempt to flatten their 15 year old adopted daughter. It was way more complicated than it should've been.

"Yup," Sophie choked out, "It's okay to not breathe."

They let go, thankfully, before Grady told her, "We're glad you're awake."

"Me too," She said, "Me too."

"We'll leave you alone with your friends." Edaline teased. Edaline dragged Grady out of the room while he sent each of her friends a death glare. Of course he lingered on Keefe. Keefe responded with a thumbs up. Sophie felt herself roll her eyes. She was sure Grady did as well. The door shut after an agonizing, interminable, five seconds. It felt like an eternity had passed before the door shut with a loud Thump!

It was Dex and Biana's turn to come and squash her, but each of them simply clasped each of her hands while Biana asked her "How you feeling?" She squeezed her left hand.

"Like my muscles have died. And then they were resurrected. And then beaten and ransacked and plundered and kidnapped and burned and-"

She only chuckled in response. "Well you did almost die, and you would have if this handsome fellow hadn't saved you. By the way, he's mine." She gestured to herself, whispering the last part. Not that she needed to. Everyone heard it.

Dex grinned, showing his dimples. "All yours." He wrapped an arm back around her waist before planting a small kiss on her cheek. Sophie's eyes began to widen at the sight. She felt her jaw drop.

"Wait-you two-what the-what has-oh my-umm..." She rambled incoherently.

"Oh... A week after you fell into your 'Sleeping Beauty' coma, I guess... We uhh... Well... Yeah!" Dex clicked his tongue to end the subject. Sophie being the wonderful friend she is, decided to ask many more questions.

"Why did you two end up getting together? How many dates have you guys gone on? Have you kissed? I. Ship. This. So. Hard!" She fangirled. They were so cute together! It helped that they both turned crimson at the sight of her energetic and eccentric curiosity with their relationship. And pestering people was fun. Especially her best friends.

"I guess when you got into your little mess, it brought us closer together. He... Wanna see the memory?" Biana offered.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed and pressed her fingers against Biana's temples before pushing through the mental barriers of her mind.

She sat in a feeble manner, knees pressed tightly against her chest, arms interlocked in a long, austere hallway painted white. Soft sobs racked through her body as she trembled, a weak whimper escaping her lips. So many emotions overwhelmed her body and mind that she pushed them all away, never wanting to see the light of day again. Padded footsteps echoed through the building as she smudged the tears dripping down her face, the wet residue shining on her cheeks. No one should see her crying. She should be strong. For Sophie. Sophie would have wanted it. Sophie also would have persevered and been more resilient, She reminded herself.

"Biana?" A quiet voice asked. Dex. His cheeks were painted with a blush, his eyes bloodshot, arms outstretched toward her. She hesitated before standing up from her position on the floor and leaping into his arms, holding him with a firm grip.

"Thank you," She whispered into the crook of his neck.

"Is this because of Sophie?" Was his only response.

"Yes," She breathed, struggling to fight against the tears willing themselves to burst from her eyelids and let herself drown in the whitewater river of despair.

"I'm not faring quite well myself," He agreed. She began to untangle herself from her arms and his.

"It's not like you to ditch," Biana reminded him.

"My Technopathy mentor let me have a free period. I just couldn't think! I started thinking of Sophie and... Everything just flowed out of me like one big mess. You don't ditch much either though,"

"I pretty much did the exact same thing as you did," She backed into the wall, allowing her weight to slump against the wall before sliding down slowly, slowly, slowly.  "Except in Elementalism." She added.

"Ahh. I see." He did the same thing she did a few moments ago, sliding down the wall to sit next to her. They both shifted to face each other. They went silent for a couple minutes, them just sitting there in that spot, each thinking about everything and nothing all at the same time. Part of them were black, empty, and caressed by darkness. The other part was skipping along, having the time of their lives, thinking. Thinking about them.

Sophie plunged out of the memory.

    "Woah... So that just happened." Biana started.

    "Yeah," Sophie agreed.

    "Well then... Get it now? I can assume what memory you showed her," Dex raised his eyebrow in questioning.

    "Hallway,"

    "Which one? You didn't show her the-"

    "Of course not," Biana cradled my head with both hands, squeezing my cheeks before whispering, "She's too innocent!"

    "I don't even wanna know," She pried Biana's iron grip on her cheeks off.

    "Whatevs," Dex kissed Biana on the cheek.

"Please stop with the PDA, I mean, it's honestly getting annoying. You date my sister, do whatever. Just not. In. Front. Of. Me." Fitz growled. Dex held his hands up in the air laughing. Sophie felt a scowl form on her face.

"I think it's cute," Sophie argued, mainly to disagree with Fitz.

"Yeah, I'm hardly one to appreciate that, uhh, stuff, but they are a cute couple, aren't they Fitzypoo?" Keefe smiled the most innocent smile he could manage at Fitz. It was pretty priceless.

"Of course you agree with her." Fitz grumbled.

"Of course he does Wonderboy!" Dex was grinning from ear to ear. "I'm sure you know exactly why..." He trailed off. Sophie barely noticed everyone staring at her. But she still did. She just didn't know why.

"Umm... Okay then," Sophie did her best to change the subject. "But where are Tam and Linh?" Worried glances flashed around the room. Biana to Dex, Dex to Fitz, and Fitz's death glare returned to Keefe. Keefe looked at her.

"They're... Linh... She... Got injured. She's okay, but cracked 4 rib bones and broke her leg." Keefe finished with a solemn tone.

"I assume Tam's with her?" She was probably recovering from her injuries.

"Yeah. She's doing physical therapy right now," Fitz added.

Everyone was silent. "How many attacks have there been?"

Dex sighed, before murmuring a soft yet shocking "13."

"In one month?" They nodded grimly.

"You were in the first," Biana explained, "And Linh was in the ninth, exactly one week ago."

"When was the last attack?"

"Two days ago at a safe house in the Neutral Territories." Keefe said.

"Have people even tried to stop it?"

"No." The word hit the floor with a heavy thud.

No one knew what to say to that. She saw something under Keefe's cape, still strewn on the floor, buzz. Keefe must have noticed too, because he lunged for it, and she saw the Imparter flash in his hands. His eyes widened, pupils dilating as he stared at the lit up screen. She thought the Imparter was still buzzing before she realized he was shaking. Shaking. The infamous Keefe Sencen was trembling, biting his lip. She could've sworn she saw a drop of blood trickle from the corner of his lower lip into his mouth.

"What is it?" Biana asked impatiently.

"There's been another attack."

"Where?" Dex demanded.

"The Unity Fountain."

"So that means that someone's targeting Nightfall?" Biana led on.

    "The Neverseen would never destroy their own base even if everyone already knew where it was." Fitz argued.

    "Well not necessarily. It could mean that-"

    "Whoever's attacking isn't the Neverseen." Sophie finished for Keefe.

    "They've already claimed war on the Lost Cities." Dex pointed out.

    "So someone's working with them?" Keefe debated.

    "Or it could just be someone else... " Sophie pondered, a theory forming in her mind. "Lady Gisela," She murmured.

    Keefe looked at the floor.

    "She's locked up," Fitz reminded them. "In Exile,"

    "Maybe she found a way to make her legacy worthwhile after all?" They turned to Keefe who was staring intently at Sophie. Heat rushed to her face.

    "I dunno. It might not be her, it could be-"

    "Someone else."

    "Then who is it?"

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