*flashback*

Her feet fell silent upon the earth as she ran through the hellish streets, eyes filled with rage and pain as wooden buildings burnt around her, humans running for their lives as others slaughtered, raped and pillaged. They couldn't see her… couldn't hear her screams of anguish that turned to forceful winds that only fed the fire that ruined all around them further.

Vikings… She hated them… her whip manifested in her hand as she began to lash at any she could reach, the sound of crying filling her ears and fuelling her hatred further. This village had been a farming community, peaceful and unassuming. What did Vikings think to achieve by committing such atrocities here. No gold… Only bloodshed and stolen land.

Her eyes widened as she turned a corner, the sight of a child curled over the body of her fallen father, his eyes wide and haunting as they seemed to stare straight at Sophia, his daughter unaware of the brute moving towards her, his sword raised and ready to cut down another innocent life.

"Papa! Papa wake up!"

The words cut into Sophia's being like the blade in the Vikings hand as she found her feet moving towards her without thought, her arms wrapping around the small human, her body becoming visible to the humans around her, as the sword swung down and cut deep into the flesh of her back, not enough to discorporate her but it would definitely leave a scar if she didn't tend to it soon. But she couldn't seem to find it in herself to care as watery eyes turned upon her own and time seemed to freeze. Blue eyes, only a little darker than Aziraphale's… where was Aziraphale? Couldn't he hear the suffering? Couldn't he come to help? How could heaven condone such violence? Sophia turned her face towards the animal of a man as a sneer twisted upon her lips and her mind seemed to go blank, her arms still holding the child as blood flew and screams turned to silence.

When her mind finally returned to her, she was alone and holding the child that stared at her with mixed wonder and fear. She felt panic begin to replace her rage as let go of the little girl and did her best to hide the blood stained whip. What had she done? She wasn't meant to interfere, only observe and step in afterwards to help time heal the wounds. Why had she stepped in for this single child?

"Who are you?... Why won't my papa wake up?"

Sophia had never really felt anything beyond duty towards humans but, as those eyes met hers once more and weak hands swiped at tears, she found her heart breaking and her knees giving way. A child should never know such horror, children were meant to be protected.

"My name is Sophia… I'm sorry, but your papa has gone to a better place, he's safe now… And so are you"

The words felt like ash in her mouth. How could he be going to a better place if that place would accept what had happened here? She tried her best to give a reassuring smile, seeing that it did little to sooth the child as she began to wring her hands, eyes darting around at the buildings that blazed around her, at the bodies lying on the ground and the living that ran without a glance back.

Sophia had never had to deal directly with a child before, especially not one that had just lived through a massacre. She let herself slump to the floor, the earth cold against her backside as she wracked her brain for something to say.

"What is your name, little one?"

"Matilda"

Sophia nodded, keeping her hands in her lap and doing her best not to seem threatening. How the hell was she meant to sooth a child?

"Are you an angel?"

Her eyes went wide at Matilda's words. How could she tell? Was Sophia projecting her aura without thinking?

"My papa said that, if I prayed, an angel would keep me safe… is that you?"

She was nodding in agreement before she could think, going rigid as the child threw her arms around her and began to cry for all of heaven and earth to hear… And all Sophia could do was let her, moving to hold her once more as tears covered her shoulder.

"Do you have family left? Did your mother get away?"

A shake of the head said no as little hands clung to her tunic for dear life.

"Mama died last winter… Illness"

It seemed a day for Sophia to forget all she knew as the words fell from her lips and, though she didn't know it straight away, her life and way of thinking began to change forever… For the better.

"Then come with me… I'll be your guardian angel for as long as you need me"

*End flashback*

Sophia smiled at the memory as she moved around the rarely used kitchen in Crowley's apartment, the coffee machine humming as she reached to touch the tip of the scar on her shoulder, a fond smile upon her lips as she remembered her beloved child.

Little Matilda. Sophia's light and salvation. It was almost funny to think now how angry Sophia had always been before their meeting, how she'd only done her duty as the angel of love because of orders. That little girl had shown Sophia how important love truly was and how little there was of it in the world. It was funny that one human child had taught the angel of love to truly feel and appreciate life around her. Fifteen years with her sunshine had not been enough.

"Oh Tilda… I miss you so much"

"Who's Tilda?"

Sophia nearly threw the coffee in her hand as she jumped at the sound of Crowley's voice, turning to face him as her eyes widened and she took in the demon before her. Dressed in nothing but a pair of sleep pants, he looked a mixture of gorgeous and adorable as he rubbed his sleepy eyes and scratched idly at his toned, slender ribcage.

"I didn't think you'd wake up so soon… Where's Zira?"

Crowley narrowed his eyes slightly at how the angel dodged his question, moving to stand beside her as he helped himself to some of the coffee she had brewed. Who was this Tilda? Why would Sophia try to avoid telling him about her?

"I woke up because Aziraphale is snoring like a foghorn from hell and trying to conquer the entire bed. You'd think he'd never slept in six thousand years"

"He hasn't. I'm surprised he's done that now… I guess everything that happened has taken it out of him"

Crowley seemed to ponder the thought, a mischievous glimmer filling his eyes as his hands found their way to Sophia's waist and he positioned himself behind her, his chin resting on the top of her own head.

"Maybe. He did get a double whammy last night and I suppose there was the whole antichrist business and thinking you were actually dead… Now tell me about this Tilda, is she anything to do with the scar on your back?"

Crowley felt how Sophia went rigid in his arms, something she hadn't done in a long time. That was all the proof he needed to know that the scar was linked to the 'Tilda'.

Sophia screamed at herself in her own head, how had she forgotten to hide the scar last night? Sure, pent up passion and love, but that was no excuse to drop the ball!

"Yeah… I have that scar because of Matilda… Just forget you saw it"

"How am I meant to forget something like that? It goes from your shoulder to hip, so it must have been serious. Why didn't you heal it? How long has it been there?"

Sophia pulled herself from Crowley's arms, feeling the anger rising within the demon at the thought that she had been hurt. Could he understand? Maybe he could… He wasn't like any other demon.

"Her name was Matilda… I was there when her village was attacked by Vikings and I got this scar by shielding her from a sword… I healed it enough to stop the bleeding, but I never got round to getting rid of it… It reminds me of how much I loved her… Still love her"

Crowley felt his anger fade at the look in Sophia's eyes, longing and mournful like he had never seen before. He knew that it was sign a she was finally allowing him and, eventually, Aziraphale, to see past her façade of confidence and short temper, showing who she really was, but it still hurt a little to think that anyone else had held such a strong position in Sophia's heart.

Sophia sighed, moving towards her own neglected coffee cup and willing it back to the correct temperature, taking a sip before she chose to say anything else.

"You have to understand, I hadn't seen you or Zira since Christ's crucifixion. I was so angry about how humanity had acted and treated each other… And then there was this little girl, alone and scared, but she had so much love in her heart… It was like being born again when I met her, a chance to become someone better and figure out exactly what the hell I was created to do"

She couldn't help the slight laughter that broke free as more memories came to her and she smiled, warm and full, her eyes turning to Crowley, causing the demon to stop breathing for a moment at the sheer radiance within the simple gesture. Sophia must have truly loved this child.

"You know… She didn't stop crying for a year, she had nightmares of that day and I was always there to hold her and wipe her tears… She taught me how to love like a mother… But then she became this little force to be reckoned with, so full of life and so smart, she was brilliant. She reminded me of you a little once she got her fire back"

Crowley felt a strange warmth in his chest at those words, almost like he could imagine this boisterous little girl in the middle ages causing havoc under the protective wing of Sophia. Almost like imagining Sophia raising his child.

"She sounds incredible if she made such an impression on you. I wish I could have met her whilst she was alive"

Sophia stared at the wall for a moment, a look of longing in her eyes like Crowley had never seen before.

"I wish you could meet her"

"When did she die?"

A flush came to her cheeks as Sophia failed to find the correct words, leaving Crowley to question his own wording as he stumbled for an apology, words that felt so foreign to his own tongue. He had expected Sophia to get annoyed as she pointed out the things wrong with his question… He hadn't expected the angel to place her coffee cup down, scratch her head with an awkward smile and say the words she spoke.

"Well… see that's the funny thing… really funny if you think about it… well, she isn't dead"

Crowley felt like he had been frozen for a moment as he stared in a mixture of horrified wonderment at the red headed angel, seeming unable to reply as she scrambled for a continuation of her previous statement.

"She's the reason I began to fall"

Crowley felt his tongue almost choke his throat as a cheerful voice echoed from the hallway behind them, Aziraphale standing in the doorway with a smile that almost outshone the sun.

"Good morning my darlings! my, you both seem rather tense this morning"

Sophia and Crowley sent glances towards each other... Suddenly, dealing with the whole 'averting Armageddon' had become a whole lot more complicated.