Chapter 39 (Bonus - Sophia)

Her mother always read her fairy tales when she was small. Every night, she would sit next to her pillow and read with a smile on her face, telling her about the stories of princes rescuing princesses and how pretty they looked and how good they were. Her mom called her princess and Sophia always told her she was a pretty queen and not bad like the one in the stories (she was the best in her eyes, after all). Then she would put her doll next to her, the same one she won at that circus, and kissed her on her forehead before giving her two pats on her head.

"Sweet dreams, princess," she would say. And then soon after she closed the door, Dad would soon come from work and ask for food and everything will go quiet.

Sometimes she knew mom didn't want to read her stories, too tired for that, but she always did and Sophia never stopped her because she wanted to know what would happen next.

Sometimes mom would cry silently and Sophia would pretend to fall asleep quicker because her mom was someone strong in her mind, someone not human but powerful and she didn't want that illusion to end so she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the silent sobs.

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"Do you want me to read you a story, princess?" Mom said one time she had her arm full of green and purple marks. She had shut her room tight before lying next to her.

"I don't want more stories. I don't want to be a princess anymore."

"Then what do you want to be, sweety?"

"Just Sophia," she said and hugged her mom until she wasn't trembling and Dad wasn't angry anymore.

She said that, but perhaps somewhere deep down, she still wanted to be a princess.

When Nine appeared and saved her, she thought she was dreaming and he was like the imaginary friend his neighbor had. Something she created to save her. Like in those stories her mother read her about. With princesses and princes. He was the hero of her story ready to save her every time.

But then she realized others could see him too and by that time it was too late; she already considered him a mentor, not a prince.

"He looks like a baby."

Sophia doesn't startle at the sound, choosing to ignore Ben as this is the fourth time he's tried to make fun of Nine. She knows it's only because he's asleep and can't hear his words that he does it, otherwise he would be silent. It still annoys her. Without Nine, they wouldn't have been able to escape.

"Babies don't shoot bombs from their mouth, Ben," says Sasha in that long-suffering way she's learned to associate with tiredness. They're going to rest soon then, she thinks. And no sooner she thinks that Sasha gives the signal to stop the car to get some sleep.

Sophia adjusts her grip on the baby carrier, making sure none of Nine's fur has been stuck again as she glances towards the window. She remembers the first time that happened and he shifted, startling everyone into stepping away. They're really afraid of him and Sophia can't blame them. If she's honest with herself she'd admit she is too as she has seen the destruction of that energy Nine shot caused more closely.

It was horrible. She felt how as soon as he started forming that ball, the ground shook before it was expulsed and then it melted the ground that didn't even touch it; the walkers there were completely annihilated by it. They couldn't even walk on top of the destruction as it was too hot for their shoes to resist the temperature.

But she can't just leave Nine. He taught her how to hunt and cook and be stronger—How to survive. He's his mentor and nothing more. He's not here to save her. She understands that now.

He already has someone he's willing to do everything to save and it's not her.

Sophia looks down, letting her cheek rest on top of Kurama's head. Her eyes are wet but no tear falls.

No one's going to save her, she knows now and her arms tighten around Nine.

Maybe she should do the saving, now.

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