There have been some changes to the format of this chapter because it has been brought to my attention that it would be easier to read in paragraph form. Just wanted to clarify that in case anyone was wondering.

Sophie was walking down the long stone path outside Alluveterre, while pulling her cloak closer to herself. Someone put a hand on her shoulder when they were walking behind her. "You look like you didn't get any sleep last night."

Sophie just kept walking. "Maybe I didn't. I'm just wondering how you would know if I did."

Fitz sighed and walked in front of Sophie so he could look her in the eye. "What happened Sophie?" Sophie looked at Fitz's perfect teal blue eyes, and she knew that she would have to tell him the truth eventually, considering that they were Cognates and had to tell each other everything for their power to actually work. But Keefe had asked for nobody else but he and Sophie to know about what had happened, and to be honest, she didn't even completely know what happened to him. She wasn't one to tell other people's secrets.

"I can't tell you Fitz, i'm sorry." Sophie looked down at her feet, knowing that she was in a conundrum here. Fitz gave her a sad smile and took each of her hands in his own.

"There's no need to be sorry." Sophie nodded, and started walking with Fitz next to her.

During the walk down the path, she tried to transmit to Keefe because she had left before he woke up. Keefe? After a second, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She grasped one side of her head with her hand, feeling something like loneliness and hurt, and she wondered what went wrong if these were her emotions. Sophie breathed in sharply through her teeth, her eyes closed, but she could still feel Fitz's hands gently hold her arms so she wouldn't fall from the agony.

"Hey hey hey." Fitz looked at her with concern that she was unstable. "Sophie, it's alright, okay?" Sophie took a deep breath and slowly nodded. She took his hands and held them as tightly as she could. Then a light, gentle breeze flowed through her mind, calming all the emotions swimming around. "I'm always here for you, I promise Sophie." She loosened her grip and focused on the cool wind Fitz had sent through her thoughts to make them disappear. "We should probably head back if your echoes are back."

Sophie shook her head. "It wasn't the echoes."

Fitz looked confused, and Sophie was as well. "Then what was it?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm fine now."

"We don't know that Sophie, and I'm sure you'd rather be safe than sorry." Fitz put his arm around her waist and they began the walk back to Alluveterre. When they ended up in the common room, Fitz took her hand. "Will you be okay?" he sounded very.. was it concerned? Or it could've been something else, but Sophie couldn't quite put her finger on it right now. She nodded in response however, and Fitz let go of her hand.

She headed upstairs to her room while Fitz went the opposite way to where the boy's rooms were. When Sophie opened up her door, she was surprised not to find Keefe still there. She was pretty sure that the pain before was caused by Keefe's emotions, but she continued to worry about him because of it. Fitz? She waited a second, but nothing happened like last time.

Sophie? Is everything alright? Sophie breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she could still transmit to people.

Yeah, everything's good. I was just wondering if you've seen Keefe recently.

Um no, I actually don't think that I have. Is he okay?

Sophie wasn't sure if she should tell him that Keefe was missing. I think so, it just seemed a little too quiet today.

I didn't even think about it, sorry Sophie.

It's okay Fitz, it's not your fault if something happened. She knew she had to assure him of this because Keefe was his best friend, and Sophie felt like he thought that he was his own responsibility to keep him safe.

I know Sophie, now you should get some rest. He sent another mental breeze through her mind to calm her.

Okay, I'll try.