"So...where do we start?" Dex asked, staring at the enormous building of Candleshade.

"Probably in my dad's room." Keefe said, his voice hitching. Sophie had tried to make sure Keefe was okay before they went, but all he told her was "Its time we end this." So Sophie had tried to stick with Keefe and make sure he was fine the whole time they were at Candleshade. Once everyone was on the stairs, Keefe shouted "100!" and it twisted and turned all the way up to a big room with a bunch of dust, ash, and rubble. Sophie stumbled to walk and Keefe held her together so she wouldn't fall. He gave her a sad smile, and for a second she saw the broken and hurting Keefe underneath. Then he smiled at her and said,

"I'm betting ten lusters Foster's going to trip over 15 times today." Sophie shoved him and turned away. She wasn't here for jokes. She was here for answers. 

"Where in the room should we look?" Tam asked.

"I'd suggest in his closet. People usually hide stuff in there" Sophie answered. They all decided to split up and while Tam, Biana, and Dex searched the closet, (more people in the closet because it was probably the better place to hide something) Sophie and Keefe would search the room. So, Sophie took this opportunity to make sure Keefe was really okay. 

"Hey..you good?" Sophie said, gently placing a hand on Keefe's shoulder. Then he looked at her with glassy eyes.

"Do you ever just feel like there's a whole in your heart and.. you know what to do to fix that whole but you just..."

"Can't seem to get yourself to do it?" Sophie finished for him.

"Yeah." He said, gently letting out a sigh.

"Well, to answer your question, yeah. I do feel like that sometimes. Or at least I did. Before...us." Keefe gave a her a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He said with a friendly bump on the shoulder

"It means you filled my heart, and.. I'm going to help you fill yours. I know what you mean, by the way. I know you're talking about your mom."

"I-yeah, I guess its kinda about her."

"You don't have to be embarrassed. Trust me, I'm all about being weird and freaky. I'm not normal. So if you ever feel like that, you know where to find me." She said, tracing a finger on his hand.

"You're not freaky, Foster. You're perfect." Keefe said and turned her head toward him when she looked away.

"I mean it, Sophie. You're amazing." There was a moment of silence after that. No one said anything but both Sophie and Keefe could hear a faint muffling or voices coming from the closet. 

"I- um, shouldn't we be looking?" Sophie said, trying to fill the silence.

"Oh, um yeah." Keefe said, letting go of Sophie hand. How did it manage to switch from Sophie giving Keefe a pep talk to Keefe telling her she was "perfect". 

"Guys! I think we found something!" Dex shouted, Sophie and Keefe running across the huge room.

"What did you find?" Sophie asked 

"Its a letter from Lady Gisela." Tam answered. Sophie knew what to do then, and so she gently took the letter from Dex and gave it to Keefe.

"You do it." She said. Keefe looked like he was fighting back a quiver as he opened the letter.

"What does it say?" Biana asked

"Um," Keefe said, clearing his throat "It says," He prompted again, this time his voice shaking "'He failed. It's time to start over.'" There was a moment of silence after that. No one knew how to respond. So, they all made a mutual agreement that everyone would go home, and Keefe would go with Sophie. And that was that. They...went home.

                         --------------------------------------------------------------           

"So...how are you feeling?" Sophie asked Keefe, again, for the 5th time since they came up to her room. And she asked him plenty before that. Keefe just starred at the wall and didn't say anything. 

"Keefe, seriously, you're worrying me." Sophie said, cupping her hands around his face with a concerned look.

"I just- I don't know what to feel." 

"Thats okay. I'm here if you need me, or if you want to talk about it. In fact, maybe you're hungry. I'll go get some food. You good with-"

"Sophie." Keefe said

"Y-yeah?" She responded, a little startled. Keefe pulled her into a hug. And she hugged him back. Soon Sophie could hear muffled sobs, and Sophie gripped him tighter

"Can we just stay like this for a bit?" Keefe asked her

"Of course. I'm here."