By Kat Warrior

AUTHOR NOTE: This fic was uploaded on this site a few months ago by someone else, who apparently took it from my DeviantART gallery. I won't say who, but they removed it upon my request, so now I'm going to upload it here to keep anyone else from getting that idea. And don't whine if you hate Sonic/Sally. It's called "don't like - don't look."

As much as Sally loved Sonic, she often wished he was more mature. Especially when he was unhappy. This was one of those instances. Sonic had quite severely sprained his ankle in their last mission, and so wasn't allowed to go on the up-coming one under the orders of both Doctor Quack and Sally. He sank sulkily into his pillow as she tried to reason with him.

"Sonic, you simply can't run well. The pain might distract you or slow you down. I refuse to put you at risk by allowing you to come."

"But Sal!" he whined, "There's never been a mission I wasn't on! What if you get surrounded by bots? Or chased? Who's going to help you get away?"

"Sonic..." How was she to say this? "Sonic, I'll be fine. We need that data ASAP, even if it means you aren't able to help. It's true that none of the missions would have gone as smoothly as they did if not for you, but some of them could still have been done. If not for you we would be losing the war even more drastically, and if not for you there would be many more mission casualties, but some missions would still be possible without speed."

The restless hedgehog was actually quiet for a moment, processing. "So... I'm not necessary?"

Sally glared. "You know I didn't say that, Sonic." She sighed. "I don't have time to argue with you. Go over what I said again in your head. Hopefully you'll be more reasonable when I come back."

"If you come back," he muttered.

"I am." The hospital room's door slamming closed ended the conversation.

Verbal fights had occurred a number of times over the years Sally and Sonic had known each other, and these fights had sometimes carried over into missions - making it harder for them to concenrate and making things more dangerous. But Sally had conquered this and was able to mentally put missions and her personal relationships into separate compartments in her mind. This time was no different.

She was traveling solo into Robotropolis to recover a password from Robotnik's computer. Just yesterday the Freedom Fighters had confiscated the prototype of a new weapon (the mission on which Sonic had been injured). Rotor had wanted desperately to open its case and take it apart, but the case's lock required a password that hours of thought hadn't been able to recover.

The city was even more chilling when she was alone - when neither Sonic or anyone else were there to disrupt the silence. The only sounds to comfort her were those of factories and marching robots and the howling, mournful wind. This wind was the only sound of nature to be heard here, and ironically enough it was quite unwelcome. When she made her way into the palace it caused the walls to moan and whine. Her fur was standing on-end as she ducked from shadow to shadow.

A security-bot hovered down the hall, it's life-form censors seeking out intruders. Sally slipped behind a partially-open crate of metal parts in hopes of it deflecting the censors. Her plan must have worked, as the small robot hovered on past. But that wasn't good enough for her. What if it came back? She ran up behind it and delivered a fatal flying-kick. It crashed into a wall and then landed with a clang on the floor. After an obnoxious crackling noise is was both quiet and still. Sally wasn't concerned about surveillance cameras. She'd been through this hall enough times to know that it didn't have any - it only had the robot. She smirked. "Had".

She took off down the hall again, but didn't throw caution to the wind. She remained alert and careful all the way to the computer room's door. Now it was time to use Nicole. She pulled the little computer out from her bag.

"Nicole, please order the door to open."

Without hesitation, Nicole played a nicely-recorded clip of Robotnik's voice telling the door's computer to allow him access. It slid open without complication. She could have used another means to open the door - a lock pick, or a gun to shoot the lock - but this was faster, and faster was better.

But as soon as she stepped in, it hurried shut behind her. It didn't normally do that... it was usually on a ten-second timer. Robotnik's huge chair faced the massive computer, but the over-weight overlord wasn't in it. No one appeared to be.

"The doctor figured you'd come back for the password after stealing his prototype," a nasally, whining voice casually informed her. "But he's out on business so he ordered me to wait in his stead." The chair spun around to reveal Snively, not looking at all concerned.

"So now what?" Sally asked. "Are you going to call in SWAT-bots to hide behind while they take care of me?"

The short, bald man actually scowled. "What makes you think I need them? I can take care of you myself."

Sally mentally smirked. Sonic had done well teaching her the art of insults. "I don't believe you."

Snively hopped out of the chair and faced her with his fists up. "Try me, Princess."

Sally faked an attack and Snively blocked, expecting her kick to be real. When no blow fell he was baffled. It was only for a second, but it was enough time for Sally to deliver a punch to his stomach. He doubled over, cursing at her viciously.

"I've been called worse," she retorted. "Now if you'll have over that remote of yours? You tried and failed to stop me, so don't bother being a sore loser by summoning back-up."

Snively reached into his coat but it wasn't a remote he pulled out. Sally realized it was a gun a millisecond too late. She had barely enough time to move aside and received a deep graze in her arm. With help from her brand-new adrenaline rush, she delivered a painful kick to Snively's head while his weapon was re-charging. Once he was unconscious on the floor, the pain caught up with her. She grimaced and gripped the wound, sinking onto her knees on the floor for a moment. She needed to catch her breath and organize her thoughts.

"It's okay," she told herself. "Just my arm - it could have been my heart." She shook of dizziness and walked shakily to the computer, searching through files without Nicole's help. She called upon the compact computer's assistance only to download and save the password once she found it, along with notes concerning this weapon. Then, allowing herself a physical smirk, she deleted that file with several others and emptied the computer's trash. For the finishing touch, she shut down the security cameras. Finally satisfied, she made her way out of the city and back to Knothole, pacing herself and resting when necessary.

"Sally's back!" Bunny piped with excitement as she poked her head into Sonic's room.

Regardless of his ankle, Sonic hopped out of bed and was at the door in a fraction of a second. "Ow!" he yelped.

"Get yoah spiny hiney back in bed, Sugah-hog," Bunnie ordered. "Ah'll bring her to y'all."

"But..." he didn't have the chance to finish his protest as Bunnie lifted him with her metal arm and put him back in the bed.

"Y'all just wait," she insisted before leaving. Sonic sulked impatiently until the door opened again. When Sally entered he jumped out of the bed again and had her in his arms in an instant. He didn't notice her flinch in pain, but she wouldn't have wanted him to.

"I told you I would come back," she reminded him teasingly. "You shouldn't be so surprised."

"Yeah... well..." Sonic normally hated being wrong, and even though he was glad he had been this time, he had too much pride to admit it. "Aw, what's it matter that I am?" He asked, nuzzling her cheek. "I missed ya, Sal. You're my tough little princess."

Coming from most those words would have infuriated her, but Sonic was the blessed exception. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled right back. "And I missed you, too."

END