I Will Never Leave You

Summary: *Based on a song from Sideshow*Sofia still can't shake the feeling of emptiness since Elena vacated her amulet, and the Avaloran princess somehow senses this and pays a visit to the younger girl to offer her some solace.

Disclaimer: I own neither Sofia the First nor Elena of Avalor.

A/N: Well, the general consensus from my recent story indicated that this story is what most people wanted to see. However, all story titles were mentioned, so I've decided to release all three at the same time: this story first, "Discombobulated" second, and "Here Alone" third. That way, all of the stories are out and you get to read whatever suits you! :) Hope you enjoy any or all that you read!

*Story*

Sofia just couldn't stop thinking about Elena tonight. It was so strange. Granted, prior to meeting the other princess last year, she'd had no inkling that the brunette had even existed, but she now knew that having the princess with her in the amulet had given her some sort of comfort and renewed sense of being. They had been a team, whether she'd realized it or not.

Yet the moment she'd discovered that Elena had unwittingly taken residence in her heirloom, she'd known what she had to do: release her. And so she did, and they'd saved Avalor, and the rest was supposed to be history. …Supposed to be.

Sofia hadn't counted on the absolute feeling of emptiness that had overwhelmed her not long after returning home from the other kingdom. Granted, she'd tried to hide it from her friends and family by staying busy and preoccupied, but nighttime always brought out those thoughts. Elena's presence in the amulet, once a perfect shade of purple (naturally Sofia's favorite color), had given her the inner strength she'd desired to stand strong in the face of danger and overcome any feeling of helplessness. When the princess had been freed and the amulet had changed to a pink color, Sofia couldn't help but feel somewhat scared. It was no secret that she wasn't great at change. Moving into the castle a few years ago was change in itself, but this? This had knocked her for a loop, even if she didn't want to admit it.

Truthfully, it wasn't that she didn't believe in her ability to conquer the world on her own. She was a strong girl, as many had reminded her recently. She had a brave heart that had the capacity to love and forgive…something even many adults hadn't quite perfected yet. People were always praising her for 'doing the right thing' and being a 'wonderful princess.' And she was grateful.

But the days without Elena—the days spent trying to determine just where she stood with the now vacant amulet that she had complete control over—were really starting to get to her. There were so many things she didn't know. There were so many questions left unanswered. And just how was she supposed to expect to get back to a norm when there had never really been one to start with?

"Ugh…" Sofia rolled over in her bed and pressed two pillows to the side of her head. "Stop it, Sofia. Go to sleep. You're not doing yourself any favors…" She frowned a few minutes later when she realized that sleep just wasn't going to come. "How am I supposed to sleep if my thoughts just won't let me?" She heaved a heavy sigh before lying flat on her back and staring up at the ceiling. "I just…wish I could talk to you, Elena… I have so many questions…"

"Well, let's hear then."

The auburn-haired girl gasped at the sound of the familiar voice as she sat up. "Elena?"

The dark-haired princess grinned as the younger girl rushed to her and hugged her. "Look, I know we've done this whole summoning-princesses-in-times-of-crises thing…but you don't look like you're having much of a crisis right now. So what's up?" She guided the girl to the bed and sat down with her.

"I'm kind of scared."

Elena frowned in concern as she wrapped one arm around the currently downhearted girl. "Why, Sofia? What are you scared about?"

"A lot of things." She looked up at her friend as Elena continued comforting her. "You know how many bad guys I've met in the past…" Seeing her nod, she sighed. "I actually have given it a lot of thought lately. I don't know if I'm strong enough by myself to stand up to them. When I had you with me, even if I didn't know it, I felt like I could do anything. My amulet granted me powers and sent help when I needed it! But now that I know it was you doing all of that, and now that you're gone, how can I trust my amulet to protect me as much as you did?"

Elena laughed softly as she shook her head. "Sofia, you've got it all wrong. Sure, I was trapped in your amulet for all those years, and I definitely helped you when I could, but I wasn't the one calling all the shots." She smiled when the girl looked toward her in confusion. "No, girl, you did a lot of that on your own. Your amulet reacts to you—not me. Not anymore."

Sofia nodded as Elena released her. She placed her hands over the pink jewel. "But will it always help me when I need it? Can I trust it?"

"Do you trust yourself?"

She sighed. "Sometimes."

"Oh, come on, Sofia." Elena grabbed the younger princess's hands and turned her to face her. "That's not the Sofia I know. Sofia is brave, honest, caring, considerate, and strong. Sofia can do anything she sets her mind to—whether it's magic, dealing with friends and family issues, making the right decisions… Just listen to your heart. It always steers you in the right direction in the end."

Sofia smiled a bit as she squeezed the crown princess's hands for comfort. "Yeah, I know. I guess… I guess I'm just seeing a lot of changes here recently, and I'm not really sure how to handle all of it."

"The same way you always have: with grace and patience. You're no pushover, Sofia. I know that first hand." She winked as the younger girl giggled. "You can do anything."

"I guess I just wish that you could be with me as I continue on with all of these new things in my life."

"Aw, Sofia," the brunette sighed while raising their held hands slightly. "Sofia, no matter what happens from here on out, I will always be with you. I will never leave you—not really. Sure, you may not always be able to see me like now, but as long as you believe in yourself and trust in your abilities…and your amulet…then I'm always going to be right there with you, in your heart."

Sofia beamed at that response before hugging her friend. "I think that's what I needed to hear."

"Well, I'm happy to help!" She smiled as Sofia released her again. "Trust your instincts, Sofia. You've got this. You're one of the best people I know and by far the most compassionate person I've ever met. Just know that I have faith in you, and I think you'll be just fine."

The Enchancian princess thanked her friend again before the other girl vanished and returned to Avalor. She'd never get used to seeing people just appear and vanish via her amulet, even after all the years she'd experienced it. It was sort of surreal, though, with it being Elena of all people this time.

Sofia sighed happily, satisfied now that she had gotten the chance to speak with her friend…in a way, she also looked at Elena as her guardian. It sounded strange to say, but Elena had been there for her since the moment she wore the amulet for the first time, and she had guided her in her decision making along the way, so she thought it was fair to give the other princess that label. Maybe now her mind would rest.

She lay down and drew the covers up as her eyes grew heavy from sleep. She gently clasped her hand over her amulet as a smile spread slowly across her face.

"I will never leave you…"

She could have sworn she heard Elena whispering that to her once more. "Thank you, Elena." Feeling content at last, she gave into her need for sleep and had pleasant dreams that night.

The end