For Those We've Lost - [Sequel]

Part 1 - Chapter 1

"What. The. Fuck."

Sophie stared at the letters from Keefe that were addressed to her, Fitz, and Biana.

Sophie, Biana, Fitz, Dex, Linh and Marella were all at Everglen, in Biana's room. Biana's eyes were red and puffy, Fitz looked like he was trying his best not to cry, and the others were just there.

Biana was sitting on her bed, her head resting on Linh's shoulder. Linh was next to Biana and Marella was on the other side of Linh. Marella held Linh's hand. Biana was sniffling slightly and Linh was just sitting in silence while Marella was squeezing her hand and fiddling with her fingers.

Fitz was leaning against the wall and Dex was by the desk in Biana's room, sitting on it as he had his arm extended out to be able to hold Fitz's hand. Fitz kept a tight grip of Dex's hand.

Sophie was pacing back and forth in Biana's room, glancing through the words of the letters.

"This can't be true." Sophie said, looking at her friends. "I mean, are we sure Keefe didn't get, like, kidnapped or something? That his mother made him write this?"
"Oh, I'm sure." Fitz said, looking at Sophie. "Keefe told me he was planning on running away with Tam. I just... he didn't tell me he was actually a member of the Neverseen too..."

"Okay, and what if his mother-?" Sophie began.
"Sophie, no offence, but we've known Keefe longer than you have!" Biana snapped, lifting her head up from Linh's shoulder and glaring at the blonde. "Keefe... if Keefe told Fitz that he planned to run away before writing these letters? I- he definitely has been thinking about it for a while."
"And it makes sense how he would've been able to get Tam to run away with him, how he would be able to get into the Neverseen's base." Fitz added.

Sophie glanced back and forth between Fitz and Biana.
"... I don't believe this." Sophie said. "Keefe- he wouldn't play with my feelings- I-"
"Sophie, his mother told him to try to get with you. Do you really think he wouldn't obey his mother's, his leader's, orders?" Dex questioned, furrowing his eyebrows at her.

Sophie bit his inner cheek and she looked back down at the letters. She stared at the ending of the letters, how Keefe signed them.
'Sincerely', 'Love', and 'Love' again.
Sophie furrowed her eyebrows and she went over to the desk, setting the letters down and leaning back against the desk, looking around at everyone.

"So... what do we do?" Sophie asked quietly. "I mean, is Keefe alone? Did he manage to take Tam with him?"
There was a small silence and Sophie looked over at Linh.
"Linh, do you think Tam would've gone with Keefe?" Sophie questioned.

Linh stared at the floor, still silent, her face scrunching up a little.
"I... I'm not sure." Linh said quietly.
"If I couldn't convince Tam to pick our side, how can I know he would run off with Keefe? I mean, how close were they while they were plotting against us?"
Linh's mouth tasted bad. The words that came out of her mouth spat out like venom.

"My brother went against me." Linh said, looking up at Sophie. "And I... I don't know where I went wrong."
Linh's eyes welled up and she looked away, turning her head and leaning into Marella, hiding her face in Marella's neck. Marella frowned and she wrapped her arm around Linh, rubbing her back, her hand moving in a circular movement.

There was silence again. Sophie glanced down at the floor, her fingers tapping against the desk.

"So, what? We just leave Keefe and possibly Tam to fend for themselves? To just run away from this battle? Be cowards?" Sophie asked.
"Cowards?" Fitz scowled. "Keefe is not a coward! Do you know how much guts it must've taken him to betray his mother too?! To run away from her even though he has always been loyal to her?!"
"Well, he could've just come back to us!" Sophie snapped back, glaring at Fitz.
"Right, where his mother could kidnap him and cause harm to him for finding out he betrayed her?" Fitz questioned, scoffing out at Sophie.

"And Tam, he is not a coward. He has faced so much pain, suffering." Biana added, scowling at Sophie and catching her attention.
Sophie scoffed. "Linh has faced the same amount of pain and suffering, possibly more."
"That-" Biana stumbled.
"See?! You can't even back up Tam's actions if he did run away with Keefe!" Sophie scolded.

"Tam and Keefe both have been victims and members of the Neverseen." Dex scowled, catching Sophie's attention. "You and I both know how cruel the Neverseen can be, it doesn't matter if they are harming innocent children, they will do whatever they can to just... get rid of anything that can harm them."
Sophie tensed up as Dex brought up the fact that they were both victims too.

"If I had the chance to run away, I would too." Dex mumbled, looking away. "But...some of us need to be braver than the others. Keefe and Tam ran away, that does not make them cowards, they're trying to be brave in their own way, figuring out how to navigate a whole new world and learn the language, how to blend in. Would any of us have the guts to do that?"
Dex glanced around the room. No one seemed to answer.

"Guys, the Neverseen took away two of our friends." Marella said, speaking up. "Our... family."
Linh kept her face hidden in Marella's neck, but she squeezed Marella's hand. Fitz and Biana glanced at each other, frowning at the thought that they wouldn't see Keefe, someone who they considered family, for a while now.

"We can't let them tear us apart." Marella looked around at everyone. "So, we can't get caught up in their group. We need to stick together. The Black Swan members need to trust each other."

Dex and Fitz held each other's gazes and Fitz stepped closer over to Dex. Dex rested his head against Fitz's chest and Fitz placed his free hand into Dex's hair, entangling his fingers through his strawberry blonde locks.

Linh lifted her head up, looking up at Marella and Marella smiled down at Linh. Linh reached up and placed a gentle kiss on Marella's cheek.

Biana glanced down at her scars on her arms and she traced her fingers over them before looking up and seeing Sophie staring down at her.

Sophie looked away and she stood up properly, letting out a sigh.
"Right. We need to get back at the Neverseen." Sophie said, resting her hands on her hips as she looked around at everyone.

"We ready to fight for the Lost Cities and for Keefe and Tam?"

"Well, if we have to- Ow!" Fitz yelped, looking down at Dex who just punched him in his side.
"Fitz!" Dex scolded, looking up at Fitz.
"What? I gotta be the funny one now that Keefe's gone!" Fitz exclaimed.
Biana couldn't help but giggle and everyone's heads turned to look at Biana.

"Hahaha! Pfft, sorry! Uhm..." Biana took a deep breath, smiling to herself.
"... Let's, let's do this."
Biana looked around at everyone.
Linh seemed to sigh out, looking around at everyone.
"Yep, I'm ready to get back at the Neverseen for tearing me and my brother apart." Linh said.
"I'm down with just kicking some ass." Marella grinned.

"Perfect." Sophie smiled. "Let's get to planning."

~~~~

1201 Words

Recap of the last bonus chapter from 'For the Neverseen', just to get on track.