December 25th: Christmas Day. And it was Christmas Eve. It was never really a holiday that this certain boy celebrated. What was the point when you didn't have a family? And living on an island in mobius during the holidays was never really fun. Too many painful memories. Knuckles never celebrated anything anymore. The only time the echidna celebrated anything, along any lines, was when his friends would ask him. Well, Sonic and Manic would ask him. If Sonia was never there, Knuckles wouldn't have ever said yes to anything that had to do with celebrating. If Sonia wasn't going to be there, then neither would he.

Everyone from every where was invited to a Christmas party; and Knuckles was one of them who was invited. Thanks to Sonic showing up out of no where yesterday, he said yes when the chili dog lovin hedgehog said that he was positive that Sonia was coming. And Then there was one game that he was told of; Secret Santa.

Knuckles was on his way to the shopping district to buy Sonia something for this holiday party game. His mind was running through thoughts of what to give to Sonia.

Yes, of course Sonia. He did not like any girl; considering all the girls around his age in port mobius were his fan girls, aside from one Bartleby, who liked Sonia as well. Yeah, he didn't like the fact that he practically had competition, but he stayed out of it. He knew he would be able to win over his Sonia.

In fact, that was the reason for shopping in the shopping district: best place for nice expensive gifts. As Knuckles walked on the sidewalk, he noticed a jewelry store. He had been to it before when he was getting copper and other metals for athairs postions That's what he would do! Get a token of, eh, "appreciation" for Sonia. Maybe that would give a hint to how the echidna felt?

Knuckles pushed the winter frosted glass door open and walked in, only to be greeted with fine jewelry again after so many years. He walked in front of the glass counters to look at what they had.

A ring maybe? No, that would seem like an engagement almost. And Sonia wouldn't where it all the time. Not a bracelet, that's what girly girls wear. No matter how much he tried to find his pink haird rascal a gift he couldnt find the right one.

Knuckles kept slowly walking around the small fine shop looking for the perfect trinket that would better fit his kinder side to Sonia and his feelings. His feet stopped when he seen something in the glass case he knew Sonia would love: A necklace. Knuckles smiled softly, as did his eyes, when he stared at it. He finally took his hands out of his jacket pockets and called one of the saleswomen over and pointed to what he wanted: The best present for his little Sonia.

--

Knuckles arrived at the holiday party, which to his dismay, was at bartleby's home. He knocked on the door and was greeted, not 5 seconds after, his friend Sonic and his green headed brother Manic.

"Knuckles!" Some girls squeeld. They moved out of the way to let the red echidna in. Knuckles looked up at the clock; it was 11:30. He had spent more half the party looking for a present for Sonia. What if she had left already? He looked around for that darn chili dog lover.

"Sonic." Knuckles said as he grabbed the hedgehogs hood hood.

"Oh! H-Hey Knux…!" He said with a sweat drop as he looked over his shoulder to see onyx eyes staring him down.

"Was Sonia here at all?" He said calmly as can be still, however, holding a death grip on Sonics' hood.

"Hm? Sonia? I was one of the first people here, I haven't seen her. Maybe she didn't want to come?" The chili dog lover said truthfully.

"No one ever invited Sonia!" The two hedgehogs looked to their side to see Cyrus and Trevor. "Can you imagine her being here? The party would be ruined if she was here!" Cyrus said. "she way to bossy"

Manic looked at Sonic confused. "Everyone…? I thought you said-"

Knuckles let go of Sonic and looked at Manic. He glanced at Cyrus, and back at Trevor. " i cant believe it ." He stated bluntly, directing it much more than half to the Sonic than Manic. He just walked past them as he placed his hands into his pocket; clutching Sonia's present.

Almost storming out of Bartlebys house, he turned and started walking. That party was nothing but a waste of his time that he could be sharing with his friends. So, he made a B-Line to the hedgehogs place.

--

Who would think that walking up stairs could do "wonders" on your nerves? Especially when you're going to be knocking on your friends' door around midnight night saying-

'Happy Christmas? No, that sounds British. Here's a gift. To blunt. Not to mention not all that… Caring.' The red head thought. He had to make it right. He had to, no, he must make Sonia see that he cared, and cared for her and her alone. Knuckles finally reached the top of the stairs and was standing at Sonia's door. He stood there trying to pull himself together. 'Breath…! There's nothing to worry about! You're a echidna for goodness sake!' He told himself mentally as he pulled the neatly raped gift out of his pocket and behind his back. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but stopped before he could let his fingers touch the face of the door.

Man did second thoughts suck today…!

Knuckles sighed. He never felt so nerves. Every time, through this whole entire year, he tried to tell her how he felt. He would either second think it, or when he began to say something, give him a lecture on her tactics. Remembering all that, Knuckles stood up straight. If he could be brave in battle, he could be brave in this: the confessing of his love for Sonia!

The red head raised his hand to the door and knocked on it; determination coursing through him. He could hear faint footsteps from inside. She was home. Knuckles face began to get a little hot. A blush crept onto his face. That's just what he needed…

The door opened with a Black eyed beauty standing there lazily as she rubbed her eyes. She had her normal pink pajamas. Always looking like a girly teddy bear, Sasuke could admit that. But it hit him when he looked at Sonia.

'She was asleep…! And I woke her up!' Knuckles thought. Now, not only was he nervous, determined, and embarrassed, but now he was feeling guilty for waking up the pink hedgehog. "Sorry. I… I didn't mean to wake you up." Knuckles admitted.

"Heh… It's fine Knuckles. I was having trouble sleeping anyways." Sonia told him as she smiled faintly closing her eyes and moving hi hand to the door. She just leaned against the door frame. Her eyes were red. Could she have been crying when Knuckles knocked?

Sonia shivered and stood up straight. She moved out of the way and said, "Come on in. This hall is too drafty, and with the door open the-"

"-The heat will escape making the room cold." Knuckles finished as he walked in to door and stopped to face Sonia. There was then an awkward silence after Sonia shut the door and leaned against it. Both were looking at either their feet or the floor. Both didn't care what they looked at, other then the fact that their cheeks were dusted with a blush and their minds full of thoughts.

Knuckles remembered the gift behind his back. He then looked to the side as he brought his free hand up to cover his mouth. He cleared his throat as he brought the hedgehog back from her thoughts and made Knuckle's blush get a shade deeper.

"This… Is for you…" He told her bluntly as he held it out in his palm. Sonia looked at it wondering if it really was for her. But she stepped forward and grabbed it, sitting down on the couch. "Try opening it instead of staring at it, knuckles chuckled." He didn't mean it for it to come out the way it did. Sonia just looked at him and puffed out her cheeks. Always looking adorable…

"It's not even Christmas yet,!" She told him.

"Well, according to you stereo clock," Knuckles began as he pointed towards the corner of the living/family room. "It's already Christmas." He stated. He was right. Sonia read 12:05 on her boom box. Sonia looked down at the present as Knuckles seated himself next to the girl he loved. His legs and arms crossed as he looked around the room. He listened to the sound of paper shredding as Sonia opened the present. Curiosity getting the better of him, the red head adjusted himself in his seat and black eyes making a corner eye to watch Sonia open his present as best she could.

Sonia opened the box and her eyes widened, her mouth agape as she breathed in slowly through it. Knuckles had gotten her a necklace that had a 24 carrot gold thin chain and two hearts linked together made of diamonds. Sonia did nothing but stair at it. She was speechless. She closed her mouth and just looked at Knuckles.

He looked at her . Knuckles heart began to break. "I'm sorry if you don't like it… It's just that… Umf! Huh?" Knuckles grunted and was surprised to see Sonia hugging him. He thought Sonia didn't like his gift. Apparently not.

"Don't be silly, Knuckles…!" Sonia looked up from Knuckles chest and into his eyes and smiled. "I love it…" Now, it was Knuckles turn to smile. He placed his arms around her and pulled him into an embrace.

"Sonia…" He said quietly to himself.

"But…" Sonia said, as he drew away from the echidna. Knuckles looked at her confused. Sonia blushed as she looked lovingly and happily at said echidna and smiled; eyes half lidded. "I love you more then your present… Knuckles."

Knuckles was stunned. He looked at her and brushed the hair out of her face. "You stole the words right out of my mouth." Sonia looked at him and gave a devilish smile as crawled on his lap and put her arms around Knuckles neck.

"Then kiss me if you want them back."

"Oh, I'll do more than that, I assure you, Sonia." He told her as he placed one hand on the spine of Sonia's back and the other on the back of the head, closing the space between them. When they drew away for air, Knuckles took the necklace out of the box and put it around Sonia's neck. "I knew I got the right present." He said as he placed his hand on the necklace.

"But I didn't get you anything." Sonia said a little saddened. Knuckles smiled and cupped sonia's cheek in his hand.

"I already got my present. And it's sitting on my lap wearing my gift to you."

"Knuckles…" Sonia whispered out as tears began to well up again. Knuckles wiped the built tears away from Sonia's eyes.

"Sonia… You should never be alone on Christmas. I won't allow that. We'll spend it together."