When the Stars Fall

Chapter 33

          Sophie and Keefe were exhausted by the time they got home. Calla, dead asleep in Sophie's arms.

When Sophie stumbled through their door, she took a deep breath and almost collapsed to her knees in relief.

Sophie Foster was finally home after 3 months.

"You guys should go sleep, and don't even try to give me the 'But Ro, I've been asleep for 3 months' crap, because we both know that was not a natural well felt sleep." Ro stared her down.

"I don't even think I have the energy to argue with you." Sophie mumbled, she could feel her eyes starting to close.

Sandor grunted with satisfaction, when Sophie started to walk towards her bedroom.

Calls stirred and mumbled, "Can I sleep with you tonight?" Sophie sighed with relief, not wanting to leave Calla's side.

"Yea, you can Calla." She whispered rubbing her daughters back.

"Can dada, come too?" Calla whispered, just loud enough for Keefe to hear, who was walking with them up their incredibly long staircase.

Keefe looked to Sophie, for consent.

"Yes, he'll come too. Don't worry Calla. We're here. We'll be here tonight, tomorrow and for the rest of your life." She whispered continuing to rub Calla's back.

They rounded the corner, and was faced with Sophie's bedroom. Her king sized 4 poster bed, greeted her already watering eyes, at the sight of a real bed. She hadn't slept in a real bed in so long.

Sophie set Calla down carefully on the bed and kissed her forehead, she tucked her in and whispered, "I'll be right back, sweetheart. I promise." She walked towards her washroom, to a mirror.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Sophie could not believe that the person who she was staring at in the mirror was her. Her hair was all grimy, dust covered every part of her sore body.

She took the longest, hottest shower she had ever taken in her life.

After she hopped out of the shower, she threw on a hoddie and sweatpants.

She cringed when she saw the scar Fintan had given her poke out from her sleeve.

She pulled up her sleeve on her right arm, she finally could take in the damage done to her skin by that jagged knife that Fintan slashed down her arm with.

The scar went from her shoulder, jagged and all the way down to her wrist. You could tell it wasn't a clean cut, her skin pulled weird at the edges, as if the Neverseen intentionally stitched the skin in the wrong place.

Keefe knocked on the door, "Come in." She croaked, trying not to cry again.

She had cried enough these past 3 months. Sophie would not let the Neverseen have the pleasure in knowing she was still hurting.

Keefe inspected her scar more thoroughly this time. "Who did that to you?" He traced her scar with his finger.

"Fintan." She closed her eyes, trying to block out the memory.

Keefe glared at the scar. "Were you awake?"

"Yea." She whispered.

"He'll be sorry he did that." Keefe threatened.

"They stitched it up wrong on purpose." She breathed out, Keefe sucked in a breath. "They marked me." She lowered her head and brought her hands to her face.

Keefe pulled her hands away and cupped her face with his hands. "No, you do not belong to them. You do not belong to anyone and never will." He whispered. "You belong to yourself."

Keefe pulled her in to his chest, "I hate it, I hate myself for not being able to stop them. They took Calla and I couldn't do anything about it. They took her and I couldn't do anything. I'm supposed to be this all powerful elf, who has great strong abilities, but what am I when I can't even save my daughter. Sometimes I wish...I wish I wasn't here." She angrily confessed into his shirt.

"Hey." He reprimanded her. "Look at me." He demanded. Sophie slowly looked up to Keefe, staring into his ice blue eyes. "You are the strongest person I know. You never break and will never bend to the Neverseen's will. You have put yourself on the line so many times for your family and friends. I don't know anyone else who would do that. You are selfless, and never think about yourself. You are worth so much, you are my star. And you never fall. Because Stars never fall. And When a Star Falls, so does everyone else. You are loved Sophie. I love you. Even if you don't love me, I will never stop caring for you. And you know what, you have to love yourself too. Because if a star doesn't love herself, that star falls. Don't fall on me, Sophie."

"I won't, as long as you don't either." She whispered still staring into his eyes.

"Deal." He said. Pulling her head back down against his chest. "Now, let's get some beauty sleep." He pulled her to the bed, she settled on the right of Calla. Keefe laid behind her, his hand over her stomach to also hold onto Calla.

They were safe.

For now.

Sophie had no doubt in her mind that the Neverseen would haunt them again, she still had no idea what the council was doing at the moment. She hoped the Neverseen would rot in Exile for the rest of their lives.

But Sophie knew, nothing was ever that easy.

"Oh, and Keefe." She whispered.

Keefe hummed in response.

"I love you too." Keefe's head whipped up at that.

"What?"

"I love you too." She turned her head and leaned into a kiss with Keefe Sencen.

She pulled back and saw that Keefe was visibly flustered. She laughed.

"Get over yourself Keefe. I. Love. You. Too." Keefe let out a chuckle.

Before he could say anything Ro burst into the room.

"Finally! Miss. Oblivious, FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT!" Ro just gave her a wink and swaggered out. "Took ya long enough Foster! Tomorrow, we plan for the wedding." Ro stated, she closed the door behind her and they heard Sandor chuckling through it.

Keefe and Sophie's eyes met.

And they burst out laughing.