Unedited.

"I was not expecting that from....that tiny thing." Came a voice that sounded familiar.

Alfred.

"Her name is Sophie." Fitz growled. "Okay. I'm just saying she's tiny and she faced that....that huge pillager." Alfred said. "Sophie, is pretty small." Dex said.

"I think I've grown taller then her now." He said. "Me too." Biana said. So why Sophie was passed out, they were talking about her tininess? Sophie let out a grunt as her ankle was moved, her hand flung out, she knew Fitz was beside her. She grabbed onto his shoulder as Elwin twisted her ankle, she let out a wince of pain. Fitz's hand enveloped over her own. "Sophie...are you okay?" He transmitted. Sophie clenched her jaw as her back arched in pain, as Elwin bound her foot in a poultice. "Now that I think about it Foster does look puny." Keefe said. "She can be pretty scary though." Linh said. A round of agreement followed.

"Remember she punched Gethan on the mountain?" Dex asked which earned a few questions. "Something..." Sophie managed to rasp. "Is wrong." She said holding her breath as the cold pain shot up from her ankle, until it subsided Sophie let her breath go. "Bad Dog...." Sophie opened her eyes. "He's hurt." She gasped as Elwin tied off the knot. She raised her head. "What do you mean?" Biana asked. Sophie sat up, wordlessly taking the elixirs from Elwin. "He's sick." She said before shooting down all the elixirs with youth water to wash down the thick sludge like taste. "Grady and Edaline are out there with him now." Elwin said calmly.

"I have to go out-" Sophie grunted as Elwin held her down on the couch with a firm hand on her shoulder. "You are not standing for the next half hour." He said. Elwin said, not looking up from, the bandages he was unrolling. "Elwin I'm fine I need to-"

"You need to rest." He said firmly. "Bad Dog is sick." Sophie said. "As are you." Elwin said, making the room go silent. Sophie looked at Elwin's firm face, his jaw was set, and his eyes dark. "Wh-what?" Sophie nearly whispered. Elwin didn't meet her eyes for a moment as he washed the scrapes and cuts on her arms. "You're sick." He said. Sophie's hand flew to Fitz who took it, squeezing it hard. "You can heal it right?" He asked. "I'll do the best I can, but the poison infected Sophie's system." Elwin met Sophie's eyes. "You are going to have to go through a three day detox." He said.

~

Sophie sat in bed, healed and cleaned, smelling of cinnamon. Three days. She had said goodnight to Grady and Edaline who promised they'd take care of Bad Dog. She had said goodbye to everyone, and went upstairs to clean up.

Sandor hadn't been to happy with her 'fight' with Bad Dog and he had given her a light lecture, which could have stretched on, but Elwin cut it off short.
Sandor knocked on her door. "Sophie, are you decent?" He asked. He had never asked Sophie that question before...

"Yes." Sophie answered hesitantly. Sandor opened the door and Fitz strode in. "If I hear anything I don't like the sound of I'm coming in." Sandor warned as he closed the door. "To bad for him, we're telepaths." Fitz said. Sophie heard Sandor growl at that and Fitz smirked, before becoming serious he walked to her bed and sat down across from her. "How are you feeling?" He asked through transmission. Sophie shrugged, "Better, I just don't want to do this detox." She replied.

Fitz took her hands in his. "You want me to stay?"
He raised her hands and he pressed them to his lips. Not a kiss, but they still touched. "I um..." Sophie become flustered as she couldn't think about anything else besides the way Fitz's soft lips pressed to each finger tip. Slowly up her fingers he moved her hands, his eyes never leaving hers, expecting her to answer the questions.

The question...what was it again?

"I don't think-"

"I was with you through the last detox. Remember I kept you entertained?" Fitz said his eyes going to her bookshelf. He had told her all about the Elvin world, he told her about his memories and he had even brought Mr. Snuggles, and books, board games. "If you don't mind." Sophie's voice was barely above a whisper, but Fitz's eyes shone with happiness. "Never." He said turning one of her hands over and pressing the palm to his lips.
"I'd be happy to take care of you." His voice thrummed through Sophie's mind, like a tuning fork striking quietly. Pure, crisp and sharp. "My dear." He added, his lips turning upward against her palm, his teeth grazing her skin ever so slightly, which made chills run up Sophie's arm, as her heart started pounding like she had just ran a marathon.

"I'll take care of you." He promised, this time pressing a real kiss to her palm, his teal eyes closing for a moment, he lifted his head, as he locked his hand with hers. He grinned at Sophie, "What?" She asked aloud. His grin only grew bigger, "You said, us." He sang, reminder her of earlier that day. Sophie shoved her pillow in his chest. "Shut up." She mumbled embarrassedly, her face red. Fitz laughed as he hugged her pillow close. "But you said it." He argued, his eyes sparkling, as if enjoying the moment. Sophie rolled her eyes, fighting the smile that was appearing, Sophie stared at the closed curtains in her room, she bit her lip trying to stop her smile, that refused to be stopped.

"Alright I said it." She agreed looking back at Fitz, his teal eyes looked even darker against the white pillow case. His hair looked like a soft velvet brown and Sophie remembered the way it felt beneath her fingers. Sophie felt the heat on her face start to burn. Fitz smiled his movie star smile, that made Sophie's head spin. "Well then." He said as his cheeks turned pink. "You." He pointed at her as he stood up, "Will go to bed, and get a good night's rest, and I'll be back tomorrow." He said pulled the covers out from under Sophie."Did you make the team?" Sophie asked, looking up at him. Fitz gave her a deadpan look that was just short of a glare. "Of course I did." He replied.

Sophie uncrossed her legs and pushed them in the covers he was holding up for her. "Why are you so confident?" Sophie asked. "I've made the team ever since I was old enough to join." Fitz said as he drew the covers up as she laid down. "Always?" Sophie asked, pushing herself up on her elbows. "Always." Fitz nodded firmly as he sat beside her, picking up the book from her nightstand.

"Alchemy?" He asked, glancing over at Sophie his eyebrow raising. Sophie shrugged, "I might as well try to get better." She said. Fitz sighed but opened the book. "Okay." He said as he found her place.

'Alchemy is a delicate process of mixing many ingredients to make one very large result.'

Sophie rested her head on her pillow, listening to Fitz's calm voice that soothed her to sleep.

~

"You good?" Fitz asked the next day as Sophie came out of her bathroom. He brushed a strand of damp hair off her shoulder. Sophie nodded tiredly. She was weak again, and high fever kept coming and going. Fitz helped her to her bed, where she sat down. "Would you like to sleep?" He asked. Sophie shook her head. "No." She rasped. She had been sleeping nearly every day. Fitz gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, not necessarily a feeling romantic gesture as it was caring about her.

"What would you like then?" He transmitted softly. Sophie nodded to the window seat. "I want to see Bad Dog." She said. Fitz stood up. "Alright then." He said as he held his arm out to her. Sophie used his strong arm to steady her shaky steps. Fitz and she sat down at the window seat. Sophie looked to where Bad Dog was still sedated. Grady and Edaline both had plants around them, with gnomes running to and fro, between the garden and house. They were taking care of Bad Dog, something was certainly wrong with his eyes and Sophie had guessed right, he was a baby...a very sick baby.

At some point they had given the green pillager a bath and trimmed his fur. "How do you think Kyle and Rose are doing?" Sophie asked. Her skin was clammy and most likely ghostly pale. "I'm sure they are alright." Fitz said. "Hey Fitz?" Sophie asked hesitantly. Fitz looked over at her, "Yes?" He asked.
"Does it bother you?" Sophie asked. "Does what bother me." Fitz asked, his eyebrows drawing down slightly. Sophie looked away for a moment, she looked back at Fitz.

"Waiting." Sophie said nervously. Understanding dawned on Fitz's face. "Ah." He said said as he brushed the hair off her burning forehead, leaving trailed of cool relief, where his fingers skimmed. Fitz smiled at her sweetly, his thumb brushing her temple. "No." He said honestly. "I made a promise Sophie." He whispered as he pressed his cool forehead to her burning one. "No, it doesn't bother me that you need time. It doesn't- it doesn't bother me that you are afraid." He switched to transmitting. "I promised time. I'll wait for you, as long as it takes." He said. Sophie let her eyes slide close, as a smile lifted her lips. "Sometimes I do become impatient, but I'll wait." He promised, as he pulled away smiling brightly at Sophie.

"Don't worry." He assured.

~

'A reaction is what you want in alchemy. Something that will mix together to make something much more.' 

At Sophie's heavy sigh, Fitz looked up from the book. "Would you like another book?" He asked. Sophie shook her head.

"No."

"Water?"

"No."

"Another blanket?"

"No."

"Another pillo-"

"No."

Fitz stared at her for a long moment before placing the bookmark in their place and closed the book her turned to her. "What would you like?" He asked. Sophie thought as her finger stroke Iggy's back, "I'm not sure. I'm restless." She said. Fitz nodded in understanding. "Understandable." He glanced around Sophie's room. "What about a game?" he asked. Sophie was feeling a scary streak of bold that made her want to do something she might regret later...like kiss Fitz. "When is Mae and Alfred's wedding?" She blurted. Fitz tilted his head, as he thought. "The day you finish your detox, it's the day after that." He said.

"You're going." It wasn't a question. Fitz nodded, "Yeah." He looked at Sophie. "What about you?" He asked. Sophie shrugged, "What's an Elvin wedding like?" She asked. "Well the council goes and blesses the couple, declares them married after they say their oaths then it's just a big party after with dancing, music, games, and gifts to the bride and groom. Of course there is the bride-gift."

"What's that?" Sophie asked.

"Well the groom will give a gift to the bride's parents. Meaning Alfred would give a gift to Mae's parents, as thanks for their daughter's hand in marriage, usually it's something with a lot of jewels or it's a family crest, letting them know they'll always be part of the family." Fitz said. "Sometimes the bride will be in on the gift and it'll be something funny."

"Cool." Sophie wasn't sure how she liked talking about weddings with Fitz. "And the traditional-" Fitz cut off his face turning red. "What?" Sophie asked. Fitz shook his head. "N-nothing." He stuttered. Out of how long she had known Fitz, Sophie had never heard him stutter before. "What?" She asked. Fitz looked away. 

"The morning gift." He transmitted. His neck turning red. "Morning gift?" Sophie asked. "The groom presents his wife with a gift the morning....after their wedding night."  Sophie felt her face explode with heat. "Oh." She said stupidly. "There are a b-bunch of traditions for weddings." Fitz said, still not looking at her. "Like the pranks leading up to the day. Usually the siblings of the bride and groom if not parents play pranks on the bride and groom." He said changing the subject. "Gwendolyn's Mom, Amelia hid her wedding dress, up to the ceremony. Of course the bride and groom try out doing each other with pranks on each other." Fitz finally faced her, his cheeks still pink but he continued.

"Mom and Dad made a disaster at the end of their wedding by pranking their guests." Fitz said. If Fitz could get over his embarrassment, so could Sophie.
"So what are the colors for this wedding?" Sophie asked. Fitz frowned in confusion. "What?" He asked. "The colors. Like the colors the bride and groom to have their bride's maids and best men." Sophie said. "Um....I think that must be a human thing. The bride and groom wear green, because it represents life."

"So there isn't a maid of honor and best man?" Sophie asked. "Um...I'd think you were talking about the bride and groom but you aren't, so what are they?" Fitz asked curiously. "Well the best man and maid of honor they..." Sophie should have known an Elvin wedding would be different, but not having bride's maids and groomsmen, well that was... That was hard to imagine. "The maid of honor is an honored maid who stands just behind the bride. Usually it's a best friend or a sister, there to offer moral support, same for the best man, then  of course the next ones are close friends, and stuff." Sophie said Fitz stared at her before wrinkling his nose.

"Humans are weird."

"No they aren't." Sophie huffed. "Just why would you need moral support if you were sure of your decision of marrying the person? It seems like your saying I'm unsure about this and I need support to make this decision." Fitz said, his eyebrow arching upward. Sophie opened her mouth to defend the tradition before closing it. In a way Fitz was right. "Do they throw the bouquet?" She asked. "What?" Fitz laughed. Sophie rolled her eyes. "Never mind."

"Why would they throw the bouquet?" He asked. "So the bride does carry one?" Sophie asked. Fitz shrugged. "Yeah." Sophie took a deep breath "Okay, it's just a tradition, but the bride would throw her bouquet to her bride's maids, and other single women, and whoever caught the bouquet would dance with whoever got the garter."

"What?" Fitz sounded horrified. "The garter." Sophie clarified, knowing some brides only wore a garter just above their knees. "But she just got married, how could the groom let-" Fitz's face was turning red again. "The bride puts the garter on her leg, usually it's just above her knee, the groom takes it off kind of like a sign that she is his. He throws the garter to the single men or whatever and whoever catches it gets to dance with whoever caught the bouquet, it's the usually the third honor after the first dance, with the bride and groom, and the Daddy, daughter dance. Of course there are a bunch of wedding traditions that are completely different, that's the wedding I went to for one of my Mom's best friends." Sophie explained. Fitz's didn't look so horrified now.

"But then there are the religious weddings which I'm sure are much more...decent, and the arranged weddings, and shotgun weddings-"

"What is that?" Fitz asked. Sophie shook her head "Way back, they used to have them, now a days they aren't as common but it's to make sure the bride and groom don't back out of the wedding, either because the couple had their wedding night before the weddings or someone got cold feet and sometimes it was because shoot outs could happen at any moment." Sophie rushed through explaining. Fitz sighed. "I repeat myself, humans are weird."

Sophie smiled. "Yeah I guess they are."

(Oh lagging, why do you hate me?)