Hey! I'm writing as fast as I can, so I'll hopefully have another chapter done by the end of the week. Sorry for the delay, but school's been hectic the past few days.

Thanks (once again! :) ) to all those wonderful people who reviewed and gave me ideas, you really helped! I promise to try and make the chapters longer :). Thank you to KOTLCfan49, who inspired this chapter.

Also, I've only just realised how short my chapters actually are, so I'm trying to make this longer. The reason I haven't realised sooner, is because I use google docs and copy and paste into fanfiction, and on Google Docs all of my chapters are like a page. This chapter will have all three POVs; Sophie's, keefe's, and Fitz's. Anyway, that's my rant for today, on with the story!

Sokeefe Forever: I feel your pain, but brace yourself. There will be more cliffhangers ahead. (laughs wickedly*) :)

Kotlcfan49: Hmm…. That isn't a bad idea, actually, I'll think about it, and that's actually what inspired this bit of the story. Also, you have been the first person to follow me! Thank you so much! Your stories are awesome too :).

—-—-

I felt a little emotional. I had amazing friends who stood by me no matter what. I was lucky to have them. And Foster….. was possibly something else. So I looked at Mom with renewed vigour. No matter what the Neversen threw at me, I knew I could face it. I had to focus on the future, not the past.

Mom opened her mouth to speak again. "So, here's our deal. You either join the Neverseen again, or your little frie- aquaintance wil die. And let me tell you. 10 shots to the head with a melder will not be pretty. So, what is it?".

We all looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. Foster opened her mouth, about to say the words that determine my future…

—-—-

Sophie's POV

I couldn't lose Keefe. Not again. I couldn't let that happen, he meant too much to me. So when I opened my mouth I knew with absolute certainty that I was not going to let Lady Gisela manipulate him again.

"Never." I said with conviction.

Keefe looked like he was really relieved though, but my worry and anxiety came back with full force when I saw Lady Gisela's expression. She didn't look surprised or disappointed like you might expect, but she looked gleeful. I shuddered, how could she be that evil?

I twined Keefe's hand with mine, knowing he needed me at that moment, and he sent one of the blue breezes to clear my mind.

"Well then, you won't like what happens next, will you?" Lady Gisela said, smiling thinly.

Gethen's grip on the melder tightened, and he fired the melder, but not at Alvar. At Fitz.

I remembered the ground rushing toward my eyes. But I didn't fall. Keefe held me up, our roles reversed. He pulled me towards his chest and I sobbed into his shirt.

Lady Gisela laughed cruelly. "Want more?" Fitz was slumped on the ground, his head bleeding from the melder.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, blinding everyone temporarily. I squinted through the light and saw the Collective standing before us.

Their dramatic entrance was ruined however, when the two members of the Neverseen stomped their feet, and the ground cracked, forming deep crevices.

I said it the same time as Keefe. "Dwarves."

Two dozen of the shaggy creatures had emerged.

"We are not as unprepared as you might think." Gethen smiled.

"Neither are we." Mr Forkle replied

The members of the Collective stomped their feet, and twice the number of dwarves emerged.

Keefe's POV (I'm sorry if this is a bunch of thoughts)

I was still in shock of what they had just done. They had just fired at Fitz. We might not be as close now than we were before, due to the whole square-turned-triangle business, but he was still my friend.

Foster was doubled over, about to crash into the ground, but I pulled her back just in time, and pulled her in for a hug. I was really happy when she didn't pull away.

Could that mean-?

No. I refused to make things more difficult for her, and I wanted her to be happy. If she was happy with Fitz, then I wouldn't spoil that.

(fast forward to after the Collective show up and summon the dwarves)

That was impressive, but I knew that they wouldn"t win. Even with all their crazy abilities, plus Foster, the Neverseen were still more powerful. I knew they wouldn't give up though, and I couldn't just abandon them. So I reluctantly pulled Foster to her feet, away from her spot on my chest, and announced "You're going down."

Fitz's POV

The last thing I remembered seeing were Sophie's terrified eyes as I fell to the ground. After that there was pain. So. Much. Pain. I knew Keefe teased Sophie about almost dying, but now I finally understood how she felt.

It was like I was being stabbed with a million shards of glass, tearing down my mental barriers and extracting my worst nightmares. It was even worse with my echo, putting my heart into so much pain I nearly couldn't breathe. I only remember flashes of what happened next.

Gethen, leering above me. A bright flash of light.. Cracks in the ground. The Neverseen and Black Swan fighting. Warm arms embracing me. A flash of light as someone must have light leaped me somewhere. Frantic running…. To where? The last thing I remember thinking before I slipped away, was Sophie.. Then the darkness pierced through.

Finally! That took about 30 mins to write! I hope it was longer too. It was about 960 words, so... Review, Stay safe, and Keep Reading :)