flecks of gold like sunshine | KOTLC

Explanations | Keefe

A/N: does this even make sense lol, I'm sorry but I tried my best to come up with something that at least sounds possible. 

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"I think we're going to need some serious explanations here, Dizznee," I say, crossing my arms and debating whether or not to send Dex to an asylum. My dad would rather die than save someone. From an accident, no less, whatever Dex is talking about.

Dex sighs, chewing his lip. "Well, when Sophie was...eight? I think? She got into an accident. Her...parents were killed. She was the only person to come out of the wreck alive." My eyes widen. Sophie, in a car accident? That's wild. She's always so happy; I would have never thought that she had something like that in her past. But I guess we all have our secrets.

Dex continues, his eyes glazing over with the painful memories, "Back then, they lived in a different house, but still around the same neighbourhood. It was closer to where you live, Keefe." Huh. "So...your dad owed Sophie's parents, because apparently they helped him through the...divorce." A shadow passes over my face at the last sentence. My dad got divorced, then married my mum a few years later. The divorce was messy, though, and...he wasn't exactly in the best state, from what I hear. 

"So, yeah, he owed them. Then, I think, he witnessed the car accident on the way to work or something. You know your dad doesn't like owing people, so when he found Sophie still alive - barely - in the wreck, he got her out and called the ambulance. I think she would have bled out if not for him, honestly. I was already her friend back then, and...she was a mess after the accident." Dex shudders, and I can only imagine what it must have been like. "Deep gashes on her forehead, arms, stomach and legs..."

I...don't know what to say. So my dad does at least have something in that heart. Then again, he just wanted to clear his debt. And Sophie...she must have been so brave to be able to go through that and come out strong. 

"Wait - how do you know all this?" Fitz, ever the logical one asks, completely ignoring the fact that Sophie survived a freaking car accident and hasn't told us about it. 

"Your dad was waiting at the hospital with me," he explains. "He told me everything. I mean, I'm sure there's some things I don't remember, since I was eight. But that's basically what happened."

"But Foster has never mentioned this to us," I say, before I realise stupidly that maybe she doesn't want to remember.

"Oh." Dex's face falls. "About that...she doesn't remember the part about your dad saving her. She had a concussion and it's not like you can think straight with bits of metal sticking out of you." His face twists.

My god...this is...wow. I shake my head. "She really went through all that?" Great question, Keefe.

Dex nods solemnly. "She's much stronger than you know."

My brain is still spinning with revelations: Sophie's accident, my dad...but a single thought strikes me. "Still. Why would he want me to stay away from her?" I ask. 

Fitz shrugs. "I guess he doesn't want to dredge up the past. Having Sophie - even remotely - back in his life might bring along with it stuff he doesn't want to deal with again."

Fitz should go and be a therapist. I'm sure his patients would love him.

But I guess he has a point. "Okay, so should I confront my dad about it?" I ask, tearing my hands through my hair. Dex looks at me. "I mean...if you want. But...I don't think Sophie is ready to know. Maybe you should let your dad be the one to tell her. After all, he's the one directly involved in it."

I snort. "My dad? It's more likely that Sophie's going to come out crying if he speaks with her."

"Eh," Fitz says, "she's likely going to come out crying either way." That sounds kinda insensitive, especially since Sophie's his sort-of-girlfriend, but I'm not going to tell him that. 

I sigh. "Fine, I'll let my dad tell her."

"Tell me what?" a very familiar voice comes from behind us.

I turn around, filled with dread as my eyes meet a pair of gold-flecked brown eyes.