Always & Forever

Chapter 2

          I wake up to the sound of things crashing to the ground and glass smashing. I open my eyes to see Elwin running back a fourth from his office to his shelves.
         
          "Elwin? What are you doing?" I ask, very much questioning if I'm even awake.
   
          Elwin looks over at me and sighs. "I forgot all about giving you another sedative. Oh well, now that you're completely awake you can go sit by Keefe. I think he's about to wake up."

          I try to get up but realize that I'm still strapped to the cot.
         
          "Um, Elwin, I'm still tied up here." Elwin rushes over and untied me. "How long was I out?" I ask walking over to Keefe's bedside, or more like stumbling.

          "Oh, I kept you out for about a week. You look much better by the way," Elwin replies, smiling.

          "I feel much better. But I will not say thank you. You forced me to take a sedative. I can not forgive you for that," I giggle. "I sound like Keefe."

          "Speaking of Keefe," Elwin says s grabbing his bag. "I need to go get more supplies for him when he wakes up. Keep an eye on him for me while I'm gone. Okay?"

          I nod, grabbing Keefe's hand once Elwin is gone. I can't believe I was out for a week and Keefe still hasn't woken up.

          Keefe.

          I transmit to him.

          Keefe, please wake up. We need you.

          He didn't even flinch at the sound of my transmitting.

          Fine, be stubborn. I guess you won't get any mallowmelt.

          I tried to pull a Fitz and bribe him, but still no response. Then I remembered what Fitz had told me, 'Don't do it for yourself. Do it for Keefe.'

          Keefe, please wake up. If you don't want to wake up for Fitz, Biana, and Ro. Then wake up for me.

          The last sentence must have done something because he squeezed my hand and his eyes fluttered open.

          "What did you do?" Ro asked, her mouth hanging open.

          "I just asked him to wake up for me, " I replied.

          What did that mean? My heart fluttered.

          "Woah there Foster," Keefe said in a weak voice. "Your emotions are doing this weird fluttering thing. Would you mind explaining?"

          I could find any words to say. So I just threw my arms around him and hugged him. I started crying, I just couldn't help it.

          "Missed me that much? I couldn't have been out for that long," Keefe smirked.

          "If you weren't out for that long then Sophie wouldn't be crying her eyes out now would she? Also, Elwin wouldn't have had to sedate her just to get her to sleep! " Ro snapped.

          "Sophie? How long was I out?" I could hear the worry in his voice.

          "About five weeks," I replied quietly, not wanting to let go of him

          "And how many times did you sleep?" Keefe asked, making me look at him.

          "Twice the first two weeks, then I didn't sleep for like two weeks. Finally, Elwin decided that he was going to sedate me. When he did, he wouldn't let me wake up for a week. I just woke up today." I look away from Keefe, not what my him to see that I was still tired.

          "Foster, you didn't sleep for half the time I was out? Why?" He shook me, but I didn't look at him.

          "Isn't it obvious Keefe? She was worried sick. She wouldn't leave your side. No matter how many times Fitz tried to get her to leave. Fitz also tried to get her to sleep and she refused. Telling him that if he wanted her to sleep, he had to figure out how to get you to wake up. He gave up for the rest of the week but came back a week later with all of your friends. Then once Tam pointed out that Sophie looked pale and about ready the pass out, Elwin said that he was going to give her a sedative. Now here we are," Ro finished, putting her hands on her hips.

          "Is that true Foster?" Keefe asked, turning my head to face him.

          I could see a faint smile on his lips. I nodded, not wanting to run the risk of crying again.

          "Wow," Keefe said. "No one cared for me enough to do that before."

          I started to blush then turned my face before he could notice.

          "Nope," Keefe says turning me to face him once again. " You are not hiding your face from me. I went for five weeks without seeing your face and now I'm not letting you out of my sight." 

          I started blushing again and hid in my hair.

          "What did I just say? Foster, please tell me you haven't become a rebel in the past five weeks!"

           "Oh, she has. Edaline and Elwin have had to tie her down to a cot to get her to take a sedative," Ro answered, winking at me.

          "Oh no, you need to stop hanging out with me. We can't have a Keefeified Sophie running around. Who knows what kind of almost death situations you'll get yourself into," Keefe joked. 

          I rolled my eyes and walked to the other side of the room, turning my back to Keefe.

          "No! Ro, you were right all along. I do need Foster in my life," Keefe paused, and my face felt like a pyrokinetic had lit it on fire.

          "Um, Lord Hunky Hair?" Ro asked. "You realize what you just said, right?"

          I heard Keefe gasp and Ro burst out laughing.

          "Sophie?" Keefe whispered.

          "Yeah?" I replied trying to hide the smile in my voice, as I realize he didn't call me Foster.

          "Why are your emotions going haywire?"

          "I don't know, you tell me. You're the Empath." I start to blush like crazy, again.

          "Well, let's see, I feel hope, surprise, excitement, and relief? Why do you feel relieved Foster?" Keefe asked with a hint of a smirk in his voice.

          "I don't know! I don't even understand my feelings let alone know why I feel them!" I reply quickly, feeling embarrassed. 

          I just want to know why Keefe said that he needed me in his life.  I think. Does Keefe, like me?

          "Alright, Keefe just say it already. You know she feels the same about you. I know you know that because you can feel her freaking emotions!" Ro says, breaking the silence. "And you, Miss Foster, you just tell him how you feel since he keeps thinking he read your emotions wrong."

          I walk back over to Keefe and sit down on my cot. I sigh, "On, three?"

          "No, I'll say it first," Keefe replies looking at his hands. "I like you."