Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Alternate Ending: Nightfall 71 (part 2)

A/N: I received several requests for this continuation. I believe part 1 is in my first one-shot collection.

It appeared to have been Lord Cassius who had cleared his throat.

Or maybe it was Tam.

It certainly wasn't Fitz, because he looked completely frozen.

And...a little hurt.

"Um..." Sophie mumbled, ducking her head and letting her hair fall forward to hide her red cheeks. She stole a glance at Keefe, who mostly just looked dazed.

Thankfully, Keefe recovered quickly. "Guys, can you head inside and let me talk with Fitz?" He seemed to be looking at Tam and Linh as he spoke. They both turned to walk away, but Lord Cassius didn't budge.

"Perhaps I should--"

"Nope," Tam jumped in, stepping closer to Lord Cassius and giving him his surliest glare. "You should come inside with us."

Lord Cassius looked, for a moment, like he might say something really snooty, but finally he sighed and turned to head toward the house.

Sophie was unsure whether she should stay or go with the others. But something about the way Keefe subtly inched ever so slightly closer to her made her think he wanted to stay.

"What's going on?" Fitz asked them both. Sophie couldn't tell if his tone was more accusatory or crushed.

Keefe glanced at Sophie before fixing his gaze on Fitz. "I know we haven't really talked about it, but I'm sure you could tell. I've...kind of liked Foster for a long time. I didn't want to talk about it because I figured I probably didn't have a chance with her."

Fitz huffed out a laugh. "I'm guessing you were wrong, since the two of you were just kissing." Fitz looked at Sophie, like he was searching her face for something. She had no idea what he saw there, but she knew that Keefe could feel her emotions, which were...kind of a mess.

But, she realized, her emotions were not at all confused.

Not conflicted.

Clearly, she knew what she wanted.

She just felt bad about the whole situation.

And...there was a tiny bit of regret in there. She knew she still had feelings for Fitz. But she was also quickly realizing that her feelings for Keefe were different--and stronger.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she told Fitz, speaking up at last. "I know I wouldn't like accidentally happening upon some of my friends kissing. We'll try to be more careful from now on. This was just..."

"We just weren't thinking clearly," Keefe jumped in. "And we haven't been...I mean, this was the first time we..."

Fitz's eyes strayed toward the ground and he ran his hands through his hair. "So you only just got together?" He confirmed. "You haven't been hiding it from me?"

"No," Sophie and Keefe said in unison.

"No, we only just started talking through everything a few minutes ago," Sophie told him. "And I hadn't realized how I feel about him, it sort of snuck up on me. If I'd known, I would have told you. You're my Cognate and I trust you with my secrets."

Fitz shook his head. "I just...I always thought that eventually, you and I would..." He bit his lip and looked away. "I thought you weren't ready. I was waiting because I thought you weren't ready for a relationship."

Sophie had thought so, too. And the idea of dating Fitz...she never would have imagined that he'd actually want her, but if she'd known he had? She would have been just as scared as she was excited.