The blackness fills everything. The only thing keeping me from going adrift is the tight grip I have on Gisela right now.

"You stupid child!" She screams at me. "What have you done?"

I need to focus. I need to get us out of this void. I have never been in it for this long. And I don't want to know what will happen when I stay in it for longer. I feel her grip loosen from me.

"You need to hold on tight!" I yell at her.

Surprisingly, she listens to me, gripping on to my arm, grumbling some words that I probably do not want to know the meaning of.

Okay Sophie, think of a place. Any place. Come on. Come on. My head starts to ache from the running thoughts. Then it locks into place.

"Yes," I say to myself as I hear the lightning bolt.

I squint my eyes as I adjust to the brightness around me.

"Where have you taken us?" I hear her grumble next to me.

The familiar landscape helps me catch my bearings.

"Russia," I answer her.

I look around to make sure we did not have any spectators. It is very early morning here, the sun barely rising. I get up and wipe the snow off of me.

"We need to get out of plain sight," I grab her arm, making sure she won't run away.

I will take her back to the Forbidden Cities and make sure she pays for her crimes in Exile.

"Let go of me!" she hisses as I drag her towards the familiar alleyway I was just roaming a few months ago.

"I will not, I cannot risk you running away," I say coldly.

"I won't," she says.

I scoff. "Why should I believe you?"

"I can't go anywhere," she holds her hands up, showing no crystal.

I ponder. Should I really trust the lady who has put our lives in danger so many times? I look over her. She looks weak. And deeply troubled. Almost.. remorseful? Though, she seems unable to have that emotion due to all the deaths she has caused. I sigh and let go of her hand. 

"Follow closely by me or else I'm definitely not letting you go," I tell her as I walk towards Keefe's old apartment. 

I hear her grumbling, but I don't pay attention. I can't teleport without a high drop place and I don't have any crystals on me. No imparter either. So I'll have to transmit, if I can even reach them. But we need to get out of a public setting. Our clothes are already drawing eyes towards us. I still hate these capes. The familiar door draws closer as we make our way to it. 

"Who's-"

"Keefe's," I answer, "This is where he was hiding."

There's no point in hiding this information. The Neverseen is done. Gisela is done. She knows this as well. I'm no empath, but I can sense the ever-longing disappointment from her. I take the key we hid behind the lamp and unlock the door, letting us in. I look around. Nothing has changed. It hasn't been that long since we were here. So much has happened though. I glance towards the kitchen and can't help but blush as I remember our nights here. 

Gisela wanders around the apartment, touching some of the items Keefe put up or kept around. Lots of human things like flowers or small decorations. But they are so Keefe. The way they were all out of place but put together. I think she knows as well because her fingers linger on one of the pieces of art he had hung up. 

I close the door behind me and lock it, making my way to the couch. I need to sit down to do this. I close my eyes are reach out my mind. My best bet is Fitz. 

'Fitz!' I transmit. 

No response. I need to widen my transmitting distance. I continue to call his name, my head pounding from the effort. 

'FITZ!' I let out one more mental scream. 

'Sophie?' it was soft, but it was definitely there. 

'FITZ?' I ask again. 

I can feel his mind. But he seems reluctant to answer me. In the end though, he replies. 

'I AM WITH GISELA IN RUSSIA AT KEEFE'S OLD APARTMENT!' 

The energy I'm exerting makes me exhausted. But I need to make sure he can relay the information so I can go back home. 

I try to listen for his reply, but I don't get any. Maybe he's going to someone right now. I end the connection and open my eyes. I see Gisela in front of me, almost analyzing my actions. I sigh, leaning my head back on the very uncomfortable couch cushion. 

When I get back, I will make sure she will never hurt anyone again. 

"That ring," she grabs my hand, tightening the grip before I can pull it back. "Where did you get this ring?"

Her eyes are wide. She's in actual shock. I don't think I've ever seen that look on her face. 

"Keefe gave it to me," I decide to roll with honesty. 

Her eyes trail up and she looks at me, her eyes getting wider than before. "Does that mean..."

I swallow the lump in my throat. Definitely the least normal interaction with the woman that is unfortunately  my future mother in law. 

"We are engaged."