Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Hard Decisions

A/N: Both this chapter and the next are a continuation of my alternate ending for chapter 11 of Legacy, so if you don't remember that one, you may want to go back to my first collection and skim through it again. I've had a few requests to continue this particular AE.

It had been a difficult few days for Sophie. After Keefe's promise to help her find her genetic parents, and his insistence that she tell Fitz she's unmatchable, and then Keefe's confession of feelings...followed by Fitz accidentally overhearing them discuss her being unmatchable...

That was already a lot to be getting on with.

But mix in her burgeoning realization that she had feelings for Keefe—and pretty strong ones, too, now that she was aware of them—and the fact that Fitz almost kissed her right in front of Keefe...

She'd announced right there that she needed some time to figure out what she wanted.

Only Keefe knew, fully, what she meant. But he betrayed none of that as he smiled at her and at Fitz and leapt back to the Shores of Solace with Ro.

Fitz thought she was just trying to decide if she really wanted to find her genetic parents.

He told her he understood.

He said to take her time deciding what she wanted to do about it.

He told her, honestly, that he struggled with the idea of being a bad match, and hoped she'd choose to find the answers she would need in order to register.

But then he'd also taken both of her hands in his own and waited for her to look him in the eye. "But I believe in us, Sophie," he'd told her fervently. "And I think this here, you and me...it's worth fighting for. So...take your time. And decide on what you can live with." Then he'd given her that movie-star-worthy smile of his and softly kissed her forehead before leaping back to Everglen.

In short, he'd been really, really sweet about it.

Except...

He'd also been honest about the fact that his affection for her might not be enough to withstand being a bad match.

Shouldn't he just want to be with her regardless?

But...that wasn't fair. It flew in the face of everything he'd grown up believing. It would take a lot to overcome that.

But Keefe didn't care.

And he'd been so patient...he'd waited ages for her. And he'd made it clear that her happiness mattered to him, even if that was at his own expense.

She was quiet through dinner and knew Grady and Edaline could pick up on it, but was grateful that they didn't pester her about it.

Immediately following dinner, she went straight back to her room and sprawled out on her bed, lost in thought.

Or maybe she was just lost.

Sophie wasn't sure how much time passed before her Imparter rang. She was inclined to ignore it until she looked and saw that it was Keefe.

"Hey," she answered.

Keefe looked strangely shy when she answered, but a ghost of a smirk crossed his handsome features when he took in her appearance. "Foster," he reproached. "How many eyelashes have you tugged out?"

"How do you know I've tugged any out?"

"Because I can see one on your cheek."

Sophie sighed and used her free hand to wipe her cheeks, removing the offending eyelash. "I'm just...stressed."