A/N: I promised you all another story, and here it is. As I mentioned in my last Sonic story update, this story is in a similar vein as Little Boys Don't Get Princesses but a different approach. It's not a long story but I'm going to separate it into three chapters as the Sonic section literally gets a story every thirty seconds. I'd rather post it as one but this way I can keep it somewhat visible so that people can actually see it.

Anyway, I've kept Tails and Sally's ages the same as from LBDGP. So twenty four for Tails and twenty eight for Sally. Well, enough of me yakking, enjoy!

Sonic and characters belong to SEGA and Archie.

I Can Breathe Again

Sally sunk deeper into her seat as the wind whipped against her face, the roar of the Tornado's engine filling her ears.

She looked down over the side and could see the vast wilderness of the Great Forest passing underneath. Acres of woodland for as far as the eye could see flooded the land like an ocean, while the summer sun hung high in the sky, bathing Mobius in its golden rays. It was a lovely sight and a great day for a flight. Unfortunately Sally was in no mood to appreciate the beauty of it all as she leaned on her elbows, long auburn hair billowing to the side. There was a lurch from the plane and she looked over to the operator of the aircraft.

"Sorry! This hot weather can cause some air pockets to form! We might get a little turbulence here and there!" Tails yelled over the wind, turning his head to look at her from behind his aviator goggles.

Sally just gave a weak smile and nodded. Tails' ears folded back and he frowned, but turned his attention forward again. Sally returned to her previous position, looking at the world below. An inaudible sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes, shutting everything out except her mind and the memories that plagued it.

Why? Why did she do this to herself?

It was always the same. No matter how many times it happened, no matter how many times she told herself it would be different. Was she a glutton for punishment? Did she hate herself that much? Sally didn't know. All she knew was that another summer had arrived and she found herself lamenting the dull ache in her heart due to a certain hedgehog.

The princess had trouble understanding what she saw in him most of the time. They seemed to fight more often than not, always about something trivial. His attitude never made it any easier either. A carefree and laid back demeanor that she had come to love soon became a factor in their 'on again, off again' relationship. In situations that demanded seriousness, he approached it with about as much seriousness as ordering a chili dog. But that was Sonic. He wasn't the type to sit still and talk things out. His approach on such matters was a very reflection of his actions. Fast, to the point, and moving on to something else in the blink of an eye.

Sally used to like that about him. He was a hedgehog of action rather than words, and that was the kind of Freedom Fighter they needed when dealing with Robotnik or Eggman. But with the war winding down and eventually ending, Sally had hoped that Sonic could start slowing down and they could focus on them. It was a foolish thought she now realized. Sonic tried, she supposed, but it simply wasn't in his nature. Maybe she expected too much from him but Sally also thought that he loved her.

She was worth the effort, wasn't she? They had been through so much, and even when things didn't work out, they would come back together again. The princess thought he was worth it. She thought their days as angst riddled teenagers were behind them and that as adults in their late twenties, they would have more success. How wrong she was.

It was really no different this time around. There were fights. Something small and unimportant would start it and that became a warning sign to her. Despite her best efforts to salvage what they had, he became distant from her, both physically and emotionally, and specific instances sparked a pain inside her chest that she did not want to relive. At some point, everything gave way and Sonic ended things. There was no raised voices, no emotional outburst. It was almost comical in a way. He had become so detached from her that it was as if he was canceling a magazine subscription.

Sally didn't hate him. She just hated that there was no room in his speed of light paced life for her, even after everything they had been through. She believed he loved her, but perhaps just not enough. They had separated a few months ago, and while their relationship was still friendly as it always was, the hurt was still fresh. It hurt more than she could remember as she thought things would be different this time. Maybe it was naïve on her part, but Sonic had always had a special place in her heart and there was hope that he would want to fill that place for good.

But it turns out that the Hero and the Princess don't always get together in the end.

The sudden drop in altitude brought Sally out of her stupor and the plane performed a slight turn. In the distance, a sparkling blue lake could be seen among a clearing of trees. Settling back in her seat, she stared at the back of Tails' head, his head fur twisting and bending in the fierce wind. She could see his pointy ears twist and bend as if the Tornado was talking to him. She smiled at that.

She smiled a lot when he was around these days.

The lake began to expand as the plane descended closer to the ground. The sun's rays bounced off the water giving it an almost gold like quality. The Tornado circled the body of water as Tails peered over the side, looking for something in particular. He smirked when it appeared he had found what he was searching for and straightened out the aircraft. With a push on the controls, the Tornado sunk lower and lower towards the water. Sally spotted a dock that grew in size as they approached attached to a small house on the waterside.

Closer and closer the water came until finally there was a gentle rumble as the Tornado touched down on the surface. It glided for a moment, Tails easing on the throttle, and he maneuvered it towards the dock. The engine began to die down and the propeller slowed in its spinning as it came to a gentle stop. Tails cut the engine completely and the roar was replaced by a tranquil silence. Tails removed his goggles and twisted in his seat to face Sally.

"We're here," he announced, a bright smile on his muzzle. Sally couldn't help but return it.

Hopping out from his seat, Tails dropped down onto the dock and tied the Tornado down. Sally stood up and stretched her back before stepping out of the plane herself. As she put her foot up on the side, she found a hand presented to her. She looked down to find Tails, waiting to help her off the plane and another smile on his face. Again she returned it and gently accepted his hand. Carefully, he helped her down, not that she needed it, but that was Tails. Polite and courteous to a fault. The gesture was a small one compared to the one that brought them out here and Sally felt her smile falter.

Tails could see the display and his expression turned into one of concern. He brought her out here to forget about all that. Putting on another grin, he knocked open the side compartment of the Tornado, two bags spilling out.

"I think you'll really have some fun here, Sal," he said, picking them both up and shutting the compartment with his foot.

"It certainly is beautiful," Sally mused, looking around her. She noticed Tails was carrying her bag, and when she went to take it from him, he pulled away.

"I got it," he winked and started down the dock. Sally felt her lips pull up again and she followed him, their footsteps clopping loudly as they went.

"I didn't know you had a place out here, Miles," Sally said, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"I built it a few years ago. A much as I love New Mobotropolis, the city can get a little hectic for me sometimes. I can focus better on whatever I'm working on here, and it's nice to get away and relax."

"Wish I had a place like this."

"What about Castle Acorn? The Royal Garden is practically a national park."

"It's not the same," Sally told him, following the fox up a set of wooden stairs and onto a small path to the house. "I'm surrounded by security or servants most of the time. Elias thinks it's too much but my father insists we maintain the image of royalty. It's why I moved out of the castle. I prefer my tiny apartment downtown. Hell of a lot less stress."

"Fair enough," Tails nodded. "I can't think of many princesses who would say the same."

"And how many more princesses do you know?" Sally asked playfully.

"Just one and she's a pretty dynamite gal," Tails responded with equal playfulness.

Sally bit her bottom lip in a smile and let her eyes drop down to her feet. Another thing about Tails was that he always had a way with words, simple as they were. It filled her with an oddly familiar sensation. Warmth and a fluttering like feeling spread throughout her upper body. Another newly developed common occurrence when around him.

Tails led her to the entrance of the house. They crossed a small sun deck and a sliding glass door was opened. He stepped aside to let her in. "Ladies first," he grinned. Sally rolled her eyes at that but could not help but laugh.

"I see Antoine's 'How to Be a Gentleman' lessons he used to torture you with as a kid have had some effect."

"Yeah, but don't tell him that," Tails chuckled with another wink. Sally laughed again and stepped inside.

It was a rather small abode which wasn't all that surprising. Tails was never one to need much space unless it was a workshop or a hangar. Something that required all the room for everything his brain cranked out. The room she had stepped into served as a kitchen and a living space. A small oven and other appliances were to her right while a couch and a small TV sat just to the right of it. There was a doorway beside the kitchen that led into a tiny bedroom, a single sized bed with a nightstand and a lamp being the only things that could fit in it. Sunlight poured in from another sliding glass door to the left of the bed.

"Very cozy, Miles," she said with an approving nod of her head.

"It's not the Mobotropolis Plaza but it does the trick," Tails replied, setting the bags down. "Make yourself at home."

Sally made her way to the couch and sat down, the springs creaking slightly under her weight. She looked around again before resting her gaze on the TV, her reflection staring back at her. The chipmunk felt the memories of before wash over her again and she brought her knees up to her chest. Why couldn't she stop thinking about it? It wasn't as if it was anything new. She thought she would be used to it by now, and that it would simply roll off her shoulders. But it still stung.

"Sal?"

The princess broke out of her thoughts and looked up to see Tails standing beside her, hands in the pockets of his shorts and a concerned look on his face. Sally shook her head, strands of auburn silk waving with the movement.

"Sorry, Miles. Just thinking."

"About Sonic?"

Sally made no attempt to speak as it was clearly obvious. That was the whole reason they were out here. Tails ran a hand through his head fur and sat down beside her. "I'm sorry, Miles," she said, cutting him off before he could speak. "I'm sorry you had to do this."

"Do what?" he asked in confusion.

"Drag me out here just because I'm being a stupid girl about him. You shouldn't have to pay for that."

"I'm not sorry," he said softly. "I'm not sorry at all."

"Really, Miles, you didn't have to-"

"But I did," he said, smiling again. "I wanted to."

"How come?" Sally asked, tilting her head at him.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"What about Sonic? He's your best friend. Isn't there some sort of 'bro code' or something when it comes to talking to your friend's ex?"

"In a way," Tails nodded. "But this situation is a little different. Sonic is my best friend, but you're my friend too. A friend who needs to be comforted, and I won't ignore that, 'bro code' or not."

Sally studied his face for a moment before smiling warmly at him. Her hand rose and softly stroked his cheek. "Thank you, Miles. That means a lot to me," she whispered. Tails felt himself blush and waved her off.

"No problem," he said a little awkwardly. Standing up, the vulpine took a few steps back before playing with his fingers. "Um...Well, it's getting pretty hot out. Shall we head down to the beach?' he asked.

Sally furrowed her brow at his sudden change in demeanor but smiled all the same. "Sure. The water looks great."

"Cool. Uh, you can use the bedroom to change…you know…if you want," he said and immediately kicked himself for it. What a stupid thing to say.

"Actually, I was thinking of changing out right here. You don't mind, do you, Miles?" she asked playfully. Tails didn't speak but his face suggested he was trying to figure out if she was joking. This caused Sally to start laughing. Tails felt his face flush and his ears fold down as she stood up. "Oh, Miles, I was teasing!"

"I know!" he exclaimed, face getting redder. Sally giggled and shook her head as she picked up her bag. She walked past him and patted his head before entering his bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Tails stayed where he was, ears still down, and face still burning. His embarrassment was soon accompanied by a feeling of agitation. His hand reached up and touched the spot where she had patted his head. The fox rubbed the spot, messing up his head fur and sighed to himself as his head dropped.

She might as well have slapped him in the face.

Grumbling to himself, Tails began to remove his shirt, changing into his beach clothes. As he tightened the strings on his bathing suit, he cast a wayward look at his bedroom door, thoughts focused on the woman behind it. A hand came up and Tails rubbed his eyes tiredly.

What the hell was he doing?

Bringing Sally out here to forget about Sonic was his goal. He hated seeing her so downtrodden. It was the complete opposite of the princess he had come to know and adore for the fourteen years they had been friends. All he wanted to do was bring back the Sally that laughed and joked and smiled.

The Sally he had fallen for so long ago.

He could remember everything, right down to the last detail. Tails had just turned sixteen and he was at the airfield, working on the Tornado's propeller. It had been stalling as of late. The sun was out with the exception of a few clouds, and a pair of flies pestered him from time to time. He was covered in dirt and grease, wrench in one hand, a dirty rag in the other. As he attempted to tighten a bolt, he heard his voice being called. It sounded an awful lot like Sally.

Tails jumped down from the Tornado and wiped his hands before looking around. He spotted someone approaching him and as they came closer, Tails felt his heart suddenly skip a beat.

It indeed was Sally. But…something was different. She didn't look the same as he remembered despite seeing her only a week ago. Nothing had changed, yet somehow, everything had changed. The young vulpine's eyes followed the sleek athletic curves of her body and the gentle sway of her hips as she walked. Upon reaching him, she smiled and Tails felt his heart now suddenly pick up in pace. He always considered Sally to be pretty but in the same way he thought his friends Bunnie and Amy were pretty.

This was something else entirely.

Her long chestnut hair shined in the sun and the way her lips curved into her smile was like something out of a renaissance artist's dream. Her eyes seemed to be brighter than ever, shinning with kindness and humility. She began to speak to him but Tails couldn't hear her. He couldn't stop his vision from wandering down her elegant neck to the top of her tank top, a hint of cleavage apparent. It felt as if Tails was seeing her with someone else's eyes.

It scared him at first. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and he became shy and quiet whenever she was around, which was a lot. Tails couldn't understand why this was happening to him. Was there something wrong with him?

Soon the term 'Aunt Sally' made him cringe. It felt so uncomfortable and weird, he quickly dropped it and just started calling her Sally. And as the years went by, it only worsened. When he turned eighteen, Tails couldn't take it anymore. Knowing that he needed to talk to someone, he decided to approach Knuckles on the matter. Sonic would have been his first choice but given the circumstances, it didn't seem appropriate.

Not to mention awkward.

When discussing his issues with the echidna, Tails opted not to mention the individual by name. He simply described her as 'a very close friend'. Despite Knuckles' tough and loner like nature, he was surprisingly knowledgeable on the subject. He assured the fox that he was simply living through the experience of growing up, that what he was feeling was normal, and that time has a funny way of changing your perspective on people. Things you didn't see before suddenly becoming blatantly obvious.

Knuckles also encouraged Tails to tell this girl how he felt. That was met with much resistance. But Knuckles was adamant. He said if this girl was really his friend, she would understand. While it was sage advice, Tails could not bring himself to do it. There were too many variables in this equation that wouldn't be solved with a simple 'understanding'.

So he kept his mouth shut and his feelings under strict lock and key. He let Sonic and Sally have their romance while he pursued his own whenever the chance came up. He watched them fight and break up, only to reunite and have the whole sequence repeat over again and again like some infinite loop. It hurt every time.

Tails was never sure just how much Sonic actually cared for Sally. He knew that the hedgehog loved her, but there were times where he had to question it. So many times he hurt her, whether it was due to carelessness or his attitude. It infuriated Tails. He wanted to yell at Sonic, tell him to stop being such an idiot. How could he not see what he had with Sally?

What Tails would have done anything for.

But there was one silver lining. During one of their relationship's rougher times, Sally needed to get her mind off things. It was then she approached Tails with an interest in learning to fly. Tails was twenty one at this point, had a few relationships under his belt, but still couldn't help being reduced to a puddle of goo whenever she locked those beautiful eyes with him. He was tempted to say no at first. The fox could hardly keep himself in check whenever she was around. But he was also tired of feeling so tense and uncomfortable around someone who had been such a good friend for such a long time.

Tails agreed to teach her, if only to try and regain some semblance of normalcy between them. Their lessons were often long and scheduled for three times a week. Sally was a very quick learner, which did not surprise him in the least, and she was really coming into her own. As the weeks turned into months, Tails was able to calm the storm within him when she was near. He didn't feel so awkward or shy all the time, and could appreciate her for what she was again; his friend.

But his feelings for her only burned brighter as time passed.

At some point, Sally started to confine in him about her problems during their lessons. Whether it be with Sonic or her family, she looked to him for support. Tails was glad to provide it and he could always see the appreciation in her eyes. Soon, Sally began to spend time with him outside of their lessons. While that wasn't really anything new, it was often a group gathering. Now, it was just the princess and the fox. She even began to call him Miles while everyone else still referred to his nickname.

Somehow it carried on for three more years. Sally and Tails became closer than ever, even when she was back with Sonic. Tails wanted to say that there was a reason. That she spent more time with him than Sonic. That she saw him as something more than that little kid from Knothole everyone else still thinks of him.

Tails felt his cheeks burn again which brought him back to the present. No matter how many times he thought about it, he could never rid himself of that humiliating feeling that plagued his body. Could anyone really blame him?

She was a princess.

He was just 'some kid'.

The whole situation was laughable, but empathetic in a rather pitiful way. Tails was the sidekick. Sonic was the hero. In the stories and movies, the hero always gets the princess, not the sidekick. The area where Sally had patted him still tingled and that was proof enough that he was nothing more to her than a child. A silly little boy with a hopeless crush on the most beautiful creature on Mobius.

It was Fiona all over again.

Feeling a wave of bad memories and even worse feelings wash over him, Tails leaned against the couch, crossing his arms. What was he really trying to accomplish by bringing Sally here? Sure, he wanted her to forget about Sonic, but could he deny his own selfish reasons? That he wanted to have his own private weekend with her? That he could work up the courage to heed Knuckles' advice and tell her how he felt?

That Sonic wasn't the only guy in the world that could make her happy?

The sound of the bedroom door opening broke him from his thoughts and he stood up instantly to see Sally emerge from the room. His eyes widened and the back of his palms suddenly began to sweat.

Sally adjusted the strings on her two piece swim wear, a royal blue bikini that almost matched her eyes. Tails found that blue was becoming his favorite color. The suit was classy but still didn't leave much to the imagination as it hugged tightly to her curves, highlighting every tantalizing feature. The fox felt his eyes drift past her chest and to the defining features of her stomach, her reward for such rigorous martial arts training. His vision finally ended on her legs, slender but strong and shapely, built to be able to puncture the shell of any badnik.

His envy of Sonic knew no bounds.

"Ready?" Sally asked him with a smile, tossing her beach towel over her shoulder. Tails managed to break away from his admiration and forced a friendly smile.

"Sure," he replied.

Sally then tossed her towel onto his head and sped past him. "Last one in has to cook dinner!"

Tails sighed underneath the towel before snatching it off his head and speeding after her.

A/N: Poor Tails, he's such a sucker for princesses. Chapter two should be up in a few days. See you then!