A short update from Sophie as she was missing from the last Chapter. Please review if there is anything you particularly liked or disliked about the fanfiction to help me improve it.
***Sophie P.O.V***
The days after the battle at Chiswick were shrouded in tension and misery. Jem hadn't improved, and seemed to be getting worse. Gideon too was in a sorry state. Despite both by and Gabriel's best efforts, the wound to his leg had become infected and he had developed a fever. I refused to leave his side, and I heard that Will was refusing to leave Jems. When Gideon's fever was at its worse, she would often call out in Spanish. I had asked Tessa to get me a Spanish dictionary so I could attempt to understand what he was saying. He would often call for a "Madre" which I learnt was the Spanish word for mother. Whenever he said it, my heart broke, knowing his mother was dead. The changing point was when he looked at me and asked "Madre es que se" which meant Mother is that you. I was about to say no, when his eyes seemed to see properly for the first time. "No, es Sophie. Mi ángel de Gardian. Mis aplogies mi amor (No, it's Sophie. My Guardian Angel. My apologies my love) When I had worked out what he had said, I promptly burst into tears. Somehow I managed to whisper through my tears "Gideon you have nothing to be sorry for".
It was a couple more days before the fever had passed and Gideon's leg began to show real signs of improvement. Gideon had slept through most of the time he had been ill. I was putting a wet cloth onto his forehead when he had woken up. "Sophie?" he croaked and I had automatically turned to get him a glass of water to ease his throat when he caught my wrist, causing me to turn back and look at him. "Yes Gideon" I asked as I sat on the side of his bed. His eyes seemed to be drinking me in. "Have you been here the entire time I've been injured and delirious?" he asked. I felt a lump forming so I just nodded. "Gracias" (thank you) he said, and then "Dicen que la perfección no existe y sin embargo me encuentro mirando directamente a él" I frowned in confusion. Maybe he still was delirious as he was still speaking Spanish. Seeing my confusion, he translated "They say that perfection does not exist and yet I find myself looking straight at it" which made me blush.
"I assure you that I am far from perfect" I said, finding my voice at last. At that, Gideon propped himself onto one of his elbows and cupped my face with his other hand. "You are quite right, you are beyond perfect, and you are my guardian angel" he said, which caused me to smile, which in turn caused him to look confused. "You called me that when you were ill. Only you said it in Spanish" I said by way of an explanation. Gideon nodded at the memory, then looked somewhat embarrassed. "I remember. I think that was after I accidently asked you if you were my mother" he said. "Sorry about that" he said. I smiled at him. How could someone be so sweet? I shook my head "You have nothing to be sorry for" I said. He then pulled my face closer to his, whispered "Te amo" (I love you) then we were kissing. It was bliss.
When we finally broke, he brought his fingers to my scar, and traced it softly with them. I could have used my hair to hide it, as I had done on so many occasions before, but I was tired of hiding it away, so I moved my hair away so it was fully on show. "What happened?" he asked softly. His voice was still croaky so as I got him a glass of water, I told him. Half way through the story, I passed him the glass and resumed sitting on the bed. "It was before I came to the Institute, at my last place of work. The son of my last employer had taken a fancy to me, but I didn't return the feelings. One day he pushed his luck, and I snapped and slapped him. He grabbed a knife and slashed my face saying "If I can't have you no one can" and until you, I believed that. I went to his mother, but he manipulated the situation, saying that I had tried to seduce him, and he was trying to protect his virtue. Of course his mother believed him, and cast me and my bleeding face to the streets. Charlotte found me, a few days later. The silent brothers were able to cure the infection but…it was too late to prevent the scare from forming."
I finished my story, expecting Gideon to be repulsed or say that he didn't see it or some other rubbish. But he didn't. He just stared. It was slightly unnerving so I started babbling to fill the silence. "There was a time when I had a burning desire to become a Shadowhunter, so that if anyone else came at me with a knife I could defend myself. As time went on I realised that this could not happen. Charlotte has given me so much over the years I couldn't possibly throw it back in her face and leave her service" I said. By this point Gideon realised that I was babbling, and put a finger to my lips, stopping me from continuing from talking. I was expecting him to say I was being ridiculous. Looking into my eyes he asked "do you still want to be a Shadowhunter?" Not the response I had expected at all was. I nodded "More than anything" I answered honestly.
