Reunited: A Keeper of the Lost Cities fanfic

Chapter 1: Sophie

Please be careful. Please be happy. And PLEASE forget all about me.

The letter drifted out of Sophie's hands and fell to the floor as she stood in place, paralyzed with shock.

Keefe... gone? After all these years, all this time, all these trials they had been through together, he just up and left. Sophie was usually successful at finding solutions to problems, but how would she fix this one? She knew how stubborn Keefe was. Nothing would bring him back.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

A hot, fiery ball of rage stirred deep inside her.

Betrayal.

How could he do this to her? Go away like this, leaving the team to fight alone?

"KEEFE?" Sophie called out his name, some foolish part of her hoping that he would just magically sparkle into sight. Sophie didn't want to cry, but his words cut deep. He should know that she couldn't... she couldn't just forget! The ball in her chest began to grow until it was pressing on her ribs, and eventually turned into a stream of tears running down her cheeks. She fell to the floor, making a loud "thump!" as she did so.

"Miss Foster? Are you alright in there? I'm coming in!" Sophie heard the familiar squeaky voice of her goblin bodyguard, Sandor, getting closer to her. "Miss Foster? What happened to you?"

"I- he- Keefe..." Sophie's voice trailed off. The heavy anchor of worry and sadness in her heart grew heavier and heavier until it sunk entirely. The anger faded and wilted into a giant pool of tears and exhaustion. He left. Keefe...was gone. Who would send her cool breezes when her mind felt like it was about to explode? Who would make her laugh, even when she so stubbornly tried not to? Who would look out for Keefe wherever he was?

"What do I do now?"

Sophie felt something on her shoulder and peeked out of her arms just enough to see the grey hand of her bodyguard gently resting there. In the other hand he held the letter. He knew.

"Miss Foster, it's okay. He made his decision, and you can't change that. Please get up."

Sophie squeezed her legs tighter against her chest and made no effort to do so.

"Miss Foster, I know that you are very close to that boy, but he made his choice and there nothing you can do. So please just go to bed and you can tell your parents in the morning."

Sophie still wanted to be sad, but Sandor was right. There's nothing you can do. Ugh. She hated being so useless. Sophie gritted her teeth, trying hard not to cry, but one traitorous tear slipped down her cheek. Nothing you can do. Nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.

"I-" Sophie cleared the lump from her throat so that she could talk properly. "I... think I just want to sleep."

All the emotions had made her so exhausted that when she tried to stand up, she wasn't quite strong enough. The strong arms of her bodyguard lifted her up and gently placed her down on her bed next to her stuffed elephant, Ella.

"Thank you, Sandor." Although it could be a pain having a seven-foot goblin watching your every move, she was glad that she had him to keep her safe. To look after her when she most needed it.

"You are very welcome, Miss Foster. Now, get some sleep and I will see you in the morning."

As Sandor left the room and closed the door, Sophie wished she could do what he asked for once, but actually sleeping was much easier said than done, especially with all the worries going around her head about Keefe. Where was he? Why did he leave? Why did he ask her to forget him? Sophie got a bit choked up at that thought. He knew that she could never forget him, right? He was one of her closest friends. Sophie sighed. She had had such an exhausting day. Why couldn't life for her ever be normal?

The tiny voice inside her head found this hilarious.

'Normal! That's a good one, Sophie.'