GUYS WE HIT 800 READS!!! EEEEEK I'm literally freaking out rn!! Thank you so much for reading this story! It really means so much to me! <3 <3

2 weeks later... 

Sophie brushed her hand across the smooth surface of his drawings. A single tear dripped down her cheek and soaked the drawing in a small wet puddle.

"I love you," She whispered, "Why couldn't we catch a break? Why couldn't we just be together," She choked, "First you were kidnapped, and tortured by nightmares and terrors every night, then everyone was kidnapped, then you saved me from joining the Neverseen," She paused to admire his soft face, "Why couldn't you just let me save you? Would it have been that hard?"

I miss you. I want you. I need you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Sophie buried her head into his sketchbook and cried. She cried for all their lost memories, for all their lost time. She cried for all the I love you's she should have said, she cried because she might never get to see him again. She cried and cried and cried, until her eyes were itchy and dry.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Who is it?" Her voice was dry as sandpaper. But she didn't care. Did anything matter anymore?

"It's Biana."

Oh.

"Come in." Biana slowly opened the door and walked over to where Sophie was sitting.

"I miss him. So so much," She said softly.

"Me too," Biana agreed.

"You know the worst part?" Sophie asked.

"What?"

"I can't even reach out to him telepathically. Or plan a rescue. The Neverseen have eyes on all of us, and they won't hesitate to kill one of us. Or... Keefe."

Sophie couldn't even bring herself to say, If they haven't already. She even let herself think that. Couldn't even bear the thought of losing him again.

"Don't worry, Sophie. We'll figure it out-" Biana said kindly.

"No," Sophie cut her off harshly. She stood up from the ground and wiped her tear stained face, "No," She repeated, "I'm SO sick and tired of everyone saying that 'we'll figure it out', or, 'it's all going to be okay', because it's NOT okay! And it won't EVER BE OKAY! Why can't anyone see that?! Keefe is gone. And I don't know if he's ever coming back," Sophie looked away, "Just... Leave me alone, Biana."

"But, So-"

"I said, LEAVE. ME. ALONE," Sophie glared with a clenched jaw.

"Okay," Biana whispered, and silently left the room. As soon as she was gone, Sophie collapsed onto her floor, on her knees.

She knew that she would regret that later, and she knew that it wasn't right to push her friends away. They were only trying to help, and they were going through the same things she was. But frankly, she didn't care. Sophie was so tired of always being so supportive over everything and everyone else. She was done being a 'good little Moonlark.' Keefe was the only one in the whole world who would understand. But he wasn't here. He risked everything to save her. Her. Why did he have to be so perfect? Why did he have to be so... Keefe?!

"UGH!" Sophie shouted, throwing her pillow across her room, "I. HATE. MY. STUPID. LIFE!" She screamed, and threw herself on the bed.

All she wanted was for forbidden hands to wrap around her, to hold her and stroke her blonde hair until she fell asleep. All she wanted to wake up to was a broken boy with blond hair and icy blue eyes. But the one person she wanted to have she couldn't. The universe was against her, and maybe it had finally won.

****

It was dark outside when she transmitted. She knew the risks, but frankly, she didn't care. At least not right now. All she wanted was to hear his soft voice one more time. Just one more time. Guilt felt like it was tearing her apart. She should have been the one to stay with the Neverseen. Not Keefe. Never Keefe.

Keefe. I don't know if you can hear me. But I want you to know that I... I miss you. And I love you more than you'll ever know. I'll be back to rescue you. I promise. I just need you to hold on a little bit longer, and I'll find you again. And everything will be okay, everything will be alright. And we can live happily ever and-

Foster.

Keefe! You're okay. I was terrified that they would do something to you, terrified that-

They're looking for you. We're outside Havenfield right now. They don't want me they want you. I need you to run Sophie. Run and never look back. Forget about me, okay?  The only thing I've ever done his hurt people. Hurt you. So please go. Make a life with Fitz, or someone else, or no one. But please just take everyone and run. Please, I-

STOP. IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD I'LL INFLICT ON YOU RIGHT NOW. NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME. You're the most perfect, beautiful, WORTHY, elf I've ever met. And if you can't see that, you're just a fool. So I'm not going to run. I'm going to fight. The Neverseen has caused trouble long enough. It's time we destroy them.

Then she severed their connection, before Keefe could even start to protest. She grabbed her cape off her nightstand, pulled her hair up in a messy high bun, and ran into her parents room.

"Sophie, what's going on?" Sandor grabbed her arm before she could step into her parents room.

"The Neverseen. They're here."

She shook Grady and Edaline awake.

"Sophie? What is it?" Grady asked, rolling over in his sleep.

"They're here," She whispered, knowing that they would already know exactly what she meant. It was time to fight. Time to win, "I'll call the others," Sophie told Grady and Edaline, and they nodded, stepping outside their room and standing near Sophie as she reached for her imparter.

It rang a couple times before Biana picked up.

"Sophie? What's..." Biana trailed off when she noticed Grady and Edaline standing right behind Sophie, "I'll get Fitz and my parents." Then she hung up.

Sophie quickly called Dex, Tam and Linh, Wylie, Marella, Stina, Maruca, all their bodyguards and the Black Swan. They had already light-leaped to her house before she could blink.

They all stepped outside, and Sophie intertwined her hands between Grady and Edaline.

"We know you're here," Sophie called into the forest, "And we're ready to fight. And win."

Soft clapping sounds echoed in the forest as Lady Gisela emerged, holding onto a terrified Keefe.  Sophie gasped.

"Bravo, little moonlark. You're finally ready to fight, aren't you? I admire the confidence, but, it's time you surrender. Or he dies," Gisela held a knife close to his throat.

"That's your son," Biana whispered.

"You wouldn't..." Fitz trailed off.

"Oh, I would," She laughed, pressing it harder into his neck, hard enough to draw blood. Keefe looked so tired. So, so tired. The glint of fight left in his eyes that Sophie had seen before was gone. He was gone.

"You took him away from me. You broke him, and cut him, and hurt him. But everything that you've done to him will add up to NOTHING once I'm finished with you," Sophie growled.

"We're taking you down, once and for all," Linh summoned water to form at her fingertips, and Sophie could see a bright glow radiate from Marella.

"You're finished, Gisela. I hope you've picked out your last words," Tam glared, readying his shadowflux. Sophie didn't even have to try and summon her angry emotions for inflicting. One look at Keefe and she was seeing red.

"Prepare to die," She whispered.