Chapter 2
Sophie POV

"Keefe? What... why? How? What are you doing? Are you really with the Neverseen? Do you have a plan or something? Please tell me you do."
"Chill, Foster," he said with a smirk. "You're not the only one who can be mysterious around here. Anyways, I can't stay here for long."
"Why are you here?"
"To... well, okay, I'm always on your side, Sophie. Remember that," he said, taking a step closer and tapped the necklace. "Please."
His eyes were begging, and I stared at the ground.
"Okay, fine... but how can I trust you when I don't even know what you're doing? Just wait a bit-"
"That's all anyone ever tells me to do! Wait, wait and wait. I can't anymore. But if you really want to know, I'm doing what I call 'Plan 356.'"
Sophie had a slight confusion, but she didn't bother asking.
"What about the cache?"
"One of the risks I had to take."
"If the council finds out-"
"Calm down I have a plan."
Sophie waited for him to explain, but he didn't so she said, "of course you do. Mind explaining?"
"Foster, meet me at the Wanderlings... maybe I'll have more time to explain."
"Keefe don't do this. Come back to the Black-"
"Just stop. You won't get me to come back, or at least yet. Please don't tell them you saw me, or I'm afraid they might do something crazy and-"
Sophie let out a laugh. "Like you're not?"
"Okay, Foster, maybe I am a bit crazy, but obviously more awesome, am I right?" He said, nudging her shoulder with his arm.
Sophie saw the teasing grin on his face, and sparkling eyes... just like the old Keefe, Sophie thought, and it made her heart flutter.
"But if you bring anyone, I won't answer your questions or even be there," he said, turning serious again.
"Can I bring Sandor?"
"If you have to. I wonder if Gigantor still loves me.By the way, this is a trick I learned," he said, as a light shined at him and he started to fade away. "Bye, Foster, meet me at your tree at eleven."
Sophie wondered what that was and how he did it.
She didn't want to ruin any of her chances of understanding what Keefe was doing, so she didn't tell anyone. It wasn't very hard because once she had done it for a long time before he...Keefe forced her into letting him help.
Sophie honestly couldn't believe how much she missed him, and she hoped that this was all a misunderstanding.
When she came to the back to the table, it was the end of lunch, and Fitz asked, "What'd you do to make Master Leto mad? I mean aren't you the 'perfect child'?"
"Says the one who's never gotten detention before," she replied.
"I have! Once Keefe and I..." and he left his sentence, a pained look in his eye. For a second Sophie was tempted to tell him, but she didn't. Though it was obvious that he missed his best friend just as much as she did.
"So what happened, Sophie?" Dex asked, concerned.
"Well, umm, Master Leto wanted to know about Silveny, and the councillors did, too, so I told them all the recent things she said," she replied. It was a lie right off the top of her head, but they seemed to buy it.
"How is she?" Biana asked.
"Happy and safe, for now," I said, as we changed classes.
At the end of the day, Sophie took out her home crystal, and stepped into the light.
She remembered what Edaline said, and hurried upstairs.
"Sophie. Good. We need to talk."
"About?" Sophie asked, but understood once  Edaline narrowed her eyes.
"Sit down," she said, pulling out a chair.
"What's wrong, mom?" Sophie asked, surprised how easily she called her "mom."
"Well, I don't want to burden you with this, but the council is worried about Silveny, now that Keefe..."
"All she's been saying is 'friend,' 'safe,' and 'baby.'"
"Another thing we haven't talked much about since it happened. I know it's a touchy subject. I know you like him," she said in a hushed voice.
"Mom! Well, okay. I just can't get my self to hate him, though-"
"I know. You just start thinking about him more, and then start to realize how much he means to you," she said a far away look in her eyes.
"Has something like this happened to you before?"
"Not exactly, but once when Grady left for something, and he didn't come back for the next two months, I was completely worried. I thought about him more and more, and I not knowing if he was dead or alive..." she said her voice trailing of. She swept a piece of hair out of Sophie's eyes, and sighed. "What I'm trying to tell you is, don't do something not worth it."
Sophie thought about what Edaline had said. She couldn't do something not worth it, because to get Keefe back, well, anything was worth that.
She went upstairs, to her room, where Sandor was working at some assignment the council gave him.
"Sandor, I'm going to the Wanderlings at eleven to see Keefe."
"My charge finally told me where she was going before, instead of sneaking away," Sandor exclaimed.
"Since when was sarcasm included in your job description?" She muttered.
He ignored her comment and said, "I won't stop you, but I'm coming along as well. If you're telling me instead of Edaline, you must not want them to know, but one peculiar movement, and I am dragging you back home. If something goes wrong, I will tell Grady and Edaline."
"Thank you, Sandor," she said, giving him a hug as he grunted.
"Don't make me regret it."
Sophie picked Iggy up, and pet his slick purple fur, that was caused by one of Dex's potions.
Soon it was near ten o'clock and she saw Grady come home, looking beat up.
"Dad! What happened to you?"
"I went to look at the ogre place, and they went crazy on Alden and I," he said tired.
"Go rest for a bit, and I'll make dinner," Edaline said, worried.
Sophie looked at the time, and asked if she could go outside for a bit, and Edaline agreed, as long as she brought Sandor. Perfectly according to the plan, Sophie thought.
She walked out of sight, then her and Sandor, stepped into the light of her leap master.
"Late to your own meeting, Foster?" Keefe asked, the same teasing smile on his face.
"It's actually your meeting," she reminded him.
"So what! Ruin my fun much."
"So what was it that you wanted to tell me? And what the heck are you up to?"
"Well, I just want you to trust me and stop worrying."
"Who said I don't trust you?"
"Oh, please. I can sense your mistrust, confusion and worry from a mile away. Oh, hey Gigantor."
Sandor nodded.
"You still haven't answered my question. I noticed that when ever you don't want to answer a question, you always change the topic."
"You're cute when you get flustered," he said.
Sophie was too frustrated to pay attention to the fact that he just called her cute.
"Please, Keefe. Back on topic."
It was then that she realized that they were standing as close as we were the day he turned on her, but she pushed the thought away.
"Keefe, I'm worried about you. Why won't you just tell me?"
"Because I don't want you to get hurt. My plan is reckless, and almost insane. I couldn't live with my self if something happened to you," he said, the teasing tone gone, replaced with a soft, sweet voice.
"Then let's come up with-"
" Sophie, I can't anymore, and she could be dying any minute now."
"Fine. But let me help. You know I would die for you. You know that you mean the world to me-" and Keefe did something completely unexpected. Sophie's words were stopped by his mouth, and he wrapped his arms around he waist, pulling her closer. It took her some time to process the fact that he was kissing her, but once she did, she buried  her hands in his hair and kissed him back.