Sophie closed the door to the lunchroom and took a deep breath. The absence of all the noises and smells were like paradise. As she paced down one of Foxfire's many hallways, she found herself in front of the familiar white stretch of wall, bringing many bittersweet memories. She sighed and sat down on the bench in front of the wall.
Her moment of sweet relaxation was disrupted with an all-to-familiar accented voice in a soft whisper. "May I join you?"
Sophie managed a smile. "Of course," she replied without lifting her head.
Fitz sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"
Sophie didn't know how to reply. "Do you ever feel like giving up would be easiest? Knowing the worst is still ahead? Don't you ever wish things didn't have to change, like things could go back to the way they were before?"
There was a moment pause, broken by Fitz sighing. "Honestly Sophie, I didn't used to feel that way. But lately..."
He let the words hang there, seeing what she would make of them.
"What do you mean?" Sophie asked, refusing to go deeper into what he was saying.
"I mean before everything happened," Fitz explained.
Sophie tried not to show how hard those words had hit. "You mean, before me?"
"No, Sophie, that's not what I mean," Fitz reassured her quickly. "I just meant before all the drama with the Neverseen and... All the other stuff."
Sophie pretended not to realize what he was talking about and stayed silent. An awkward silence followed.
"So..." Fitz began, in a desperate attempt to break the silence, "Where were you heading?"
"The hospital wing," Sophie decided.
(A/N: Is it even called the hospital wing? I'm a Harry Potter fan, but I don't remember what it is called in Keeper of the Lost Cities)
Fitz hid his grimace under a smile, but Sophie didn't notice as she stood up, her shoes squeaking on the polished floors.