Torment-A KOTLC Fanfic

Chapter 13

Hey guys! It didnt take me longer than a week to update! What a miracle! Anyway, Wylie is freaking adorable human I  this chapter, hope you enjoy that! I'm not entirely happy with where I cut this chapter off (sorry), but I needed to update and my co-writer who helps me decide stuff like this is gone for the week. All I can say is dont be surprised if the length and contents of this chapter change, I have no clue. Anyway, I personally love this chapter, do enjoy!
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Be right back. Sophie transmitted to Fitz, then she followed Wylie’s tracks back to the hallway outside the Healing Center.

"Wylie?" She called after him, filling the hall with a noise other than just their footsteps in against the floor. He clenched his fist  and picked up his pace. "Wylie." She repeated sharply, breaking into a near run to catch up with him. She soon found herself standing in front of him, blocking his path. "Wylie. Why are you so insistent that Tam takes this seriously?"

"You of all people should know that." Wylie remarked, gesturing to her right hand. "They can hurt us, and they know that. He is going to not come back one of these times, or Keefe or Biana or Linh. Because you guys will have not taken this seriously enough."

"That's what this is about?" Sophie asked. "Your worried we won't be able to stay alive? Wylie, we have been doing this for years. We can hold our own." It may have been the way  he had his fists pulled so tight his knuckles were turning white, or maybe it was the way his jaw as set; but something about how he was acting gave Sophie an odd feeling. "There's something else, isn't there?" He seemed like he was fighting with himself over what he would say next, but what he said was unexpected.

"It's their fault." He answered, his voice slightly louder than a whisper. "Every bad memory I have: is their fault. Growing up without my Dad, being pulled from the Elite towers, having to bring you, barely breathing, back to the Healing Center while breaking the bad news to Grady and Edaline, and so much more. It was all because of them."  He clenched his eyes shut and turned away, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I think about all the pain they caused me, then I think about you guys. They have done so much more to you then they have to me."

"Wylie..." Her  voice trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I remember, as clear as day, when I had to tell your parents what happened back when you and Fitz were attacked. They heard me knock and were so confused when they saw me instead of you. I had them sit down in the living room and told them how I barely got there in time. I had to tell them about what Elwin thought your odds were, and they weren't good. They looked so, destroyed. Like someone shook the very foundation of their world, it took everything in me not to just crawl into a corner and breakdown after seeing their face. Then I imagine how much worse it would be if I had to tell them you..."His voice faltered, but Sophie had gotten the message.

"I get it." Sophie agreed so Wylie didn't have to finish his sentence. "I do, I  want to protect everyone too. But, unless we fight them head-on people will have to break the news to families that their loved ones are gone. So, we need be the brave ones. The ones that can stand up, and fight. As for saying we have had it harder, it's like I told Linh last week: There is no competition when it comes to trauma. I know we can make it past this one day, but something tells me a lot of suffering and hard choices will come first. How about in the meantime we go back to the Healing Center and meet up with the others?" Wylie silently nodded and they made their way back to the room Sophie was too familiar with. A few feet away from the entrance Sophie stopped them. "One more thing before we go back in there." She said, causing Wylie to turn and face her. "I knew someone had to have told them, but you were really the one to break the news to my parents?"

"Yeah. I did it on my way home. "
   
"I'm, really sorry. I didn't want you to have to be the one that had to do that, well I wish no one had to do that, but...still." Wylie gave a small smile and opened the door to the Healing Center. Allowing Sophie to enter first. Sophie made her way back to the wall Fitz was leaning on and stood next to him.