Mirrored Conflicts (a Sokeefe story)

Chapter 25: The Reunion

Keefe's hand was probably beginning to go numb from how hard Sophie was gripping it, but she couldn't let go. She could barely breathe, and whether it was because she didn't know if the antidote was going to work or because she didn't know what to say to her parents once they woke up, she wasn't sure.

She just knew she couldn't do this alone.

As her parents' eyes slowly blinked open, Sophie's heart seized. As they reoriented to reality, they would either look at her blankly, like they had no idea who she was, or recognition would dawn on their face as they realized how many years with her they'd lost.

Sophie wasn't sure which would be worse.

"Relax, Foster," Keefe whispered, probably feeling her apprehension. "They're your family. You'll be okay."

Sophie squeezed his hand to let him know she appreciated his words, and the motion made her realize just how tight she had already been squeezing. She finally let go, taking a step towards her disoriented parents.

It was her mother whose eyes landed on her first.

Somehow, Sophie knew she had recognized her.

Her eyes swam with every memory flooding back.

"We should leave," Edaline whispered. "All of us," she said louder, ushering the Black Swan collective, Grady, Keefe and Samantha out of the room. She, Grade and Keefe each gave Sophie an encouraging nod before they left the room, leaving only Emma, William, Amy, and Sophie Foster.

All four Fosters.

Or three Freemans and a Foster. Once again, Sophie reminded herself that this family existed separate from her now, and that she had never truly been their child. But... in a way, she had been their child. Just like she was Grady and Edaline's now.

Biology meant nothing to someone who was born for an experiment.

"Sophie?" the woman who carried Sophie, gave birth to her, raised her, and kept her safe for twelve years whispered. Then she looked over at her other daughter—the one that was truly hers —and stumbled again. "Natalie... Amy?"

Of course unlocking her memories of Sophie would be simple. Flip a switch, and suddenly, there was Sophie!

But knowing two different versions of her other daughter?

That had to be rough.

As many emotions as were rapidly cycling through her mind right now, Sophie knew she had to let this moment be about Amy, too. She was their real daughter, after all.

But Sophie was really glad she'd been recognized.

"Sophie," her father breathed. "Sophie. My..." he trailed off, his cracked lips curling into a smile. "Soybean."

The nickname.

Sophie almost choked, though she wasn't sure if it was on a laugh or a sob. "Yeah," she agreed. Were the tears happy or sad? Who could tell? "I was trying to say my name." I was trying to say the name of what I was always designed to be.

The Moonlark.

But right now Sophie didn't feel like a Moonlark.

She felt like Emma and William Foster's daughter.

Not Kate and Connor Freeman. And if that was who they wanted to be, well... Sophie would just have to make peace with that.

Her parents were still sitting against the wall. As they grew more conscious, her mother attempted to stand, but quickly decided that was a bad idea, sitting back down on the ground. Sophie and Amy silently made their way over to their parents, sitting down in front of them with their legs crossed.