This fanfic was written when the official story of Sdorica: Mirage was only posted up to Chapter 11, so further developments in the official story may contradict some parts.

[A Chinese version is also available, but the English is the original. Please check the link below for the Chinese version.]

[這個文章也有中文版本，但英文版是原版。請到以下連結去讀中文版本喔]

s/13500182/1/Sdorica-Sophie-x-Elio-Vindicated

It's over. The Dracontines. They're finally done for good.

Sophie barely made it through that fight. But now Dracontine bodies were piled up on the cold laboratory floor, including the twisted abomination that once was Zola.

And here, Sophie was facing Elio, in the same glass column where they had him preserved like a rare bird specimen.

So many people had said she should give up on him. That her efforts to save him were pointless and stupid. Elio made his own grave by going after the Dracontines. How many nights on this journey had she lain awake, questioning if she was just being selfish after all, dragging other people into danger? Keep your friends safe and give up on him already! So many internal voices mocked, dismissed, and dragged her down. He doesn't even like you back!

She kicked the column with the force of her pent-up rage. What if she'd just left him to whatever they planned to do to him? Huh?She kicked again. And again. It wasn't for nothing! Here is the proof! And her high-heeled boots finally smashed through the glass.

"Aiya!"

The solution he'd been suspended in burst out. She managed to shield her face, but the acrid stench of the liquid still got to her. She couldn't stop coughing. She doubled over. It made her want to vomit.

But she got back to her feet in time to pull Elio out of the wreckage. Thank goodness for his cloak, which protected his body from the broken glass.

She pulled him to a safe spot away from the ruined column and laid his body on the ground in the recovery position. His face was drained of all color, and his clothes and wings and hair were still soaked.

"Elio?"

He didn't answer. And the smell of that solution was filling the room; she was coughing again. Her voice was getting raspy.

"Elio…"

The stench was making her dizzy. She lay herself down as close as she could to him without getting more of the vile liquid on herself. Scenes of the past few months flashed through her mind.

Everything had changed the day she met Elio.

He fell into her life, almost literally. Just appearing in front of her that day, silently pleading with her to keep him hidden from who-knows-what.

So he was troubled. She knew that from the start. She didn't know why at the time, but seeing him like that stirred something inside of her. She wanted to soothe his pain. And suddenly she understood what was missing in that suitor her mother had wanted her to marry. All that guy had going for him was money, but she'd wanted something deeper. A connection. A reason to matter to someone.

She'd confessed her feelings to him, but he'd turned her down. Gently though, reminding her that they barely knew each other and that she didn't know what was going on with him. Nor would he tell her at that time. But later she learned of his mission, and came to understand. He had so much on his mind, so much weighing on his heart. How could he have space for love at that time? And his mission was tied up with dangerous people. No wonder he created distance.

Then the next day, he disappeared. And she knew something was off; she just knew. And she hadn't been wrong.

It couldn't all end here, not after she'd finally freed him! "Please…"

Then she saw his chest moving, up and down.

He's breathing! She sat up. "Elio!" Too quickly. Coughs wracked her body. "Elio, can you hear me?" she managed to wheeze before losing consciousness.