Disclaimer:

Sam, Nodoka, and Cosmos belong to me.

Skye belongs to (a great writer, fanfiction artist, and trustworthy friend) Buriezu za Vampire.

Now, on with the show!

Survive

Midnight…so calm…so serene. It was one of the few things that could calm Sam down: walking along the road, looking up at the sky, and taking breaths was all he really needed to feel just a bit better…but now? Now wasn't one of the times he could calm down. No. After what happened, his world went down, and reality struck him in the face. "They're dead…" The ebony and green hedgehog was curled up into a ball, muttering that and "All because of me…they're dead…" over and over. That's all he really could do.

For the past few days, he was in despair. Severe depression, agony, anguish. He had lost all hope of rebelling. He had lost two of his comrades in the field of battle. He had lost the very girl he was going to propose to, this very night. And more importantly, he lost the will to live. "Sam?" A crimson hedgehog knocked on his door, knowing it was locked, she let out a sigh.

"Please…" Sam uttered, his voice as weak as his broken soul. "Please…go away."

"C'mon. You've gotta eat somethin'. It's been days. Sure you ain't-"

The ebony hedgehog's voice was more fierce now as he uncurled and walked up to the door. "Go."

"And if I were to say 'no'?" The ebony hedgehog simply walked back to his spot, and curled up into a ball.

The crimson hedgehog was slightly worried for her now former leader, but didn't really show it. For the most part, she was a level headed hedgehog. "Sam, Nodoka and Cosmos-"

"Don't say their names." Sam cut her off, but the crimson hedgehog shook her head.

"They wouldn't want you to be like this."

"That's what people always say…'They wouldn't want you to be like this.'."

"Because it's true." Skye responded, a small grin toying at the edge of her lips. "I'm not going to stop until you come out of there."

The ebony hedgehog was merely silent, tears streaming down his face as he began to roll around in a ball. Skye let out a small sigh, and using a small blue beam to blast the lock down, she entered. "Go. Now." Sam said, Skye shaking her head, and gently pushing him out of his ball form to find him crying, his voice shaky and his face and skin pale from not eating or drinking anything within three or four days.

"Sam…c'mon. You look like a wreck and a half." Skye said, Sam shaking his head.

"No…" Skye quickly noticed regimental and aqua blue bits of fur on his gloves, the ebony hedgehog having held onto them for the entire time of his solitude.

She grabbed his hand, wiping off Nodoka's fur, then Cosmos'. Sam, rather angry at the gesture, quickly summoned Chiharu. "Do anything else, and I'll…I'll…"

"Kill myself?" Skye inquired, Sam dematerializing Chiharu and kneeling down, his face buried in his hands.

The crimson hedgehog walked away from Sam, into the kitchen. Grabbing a bit of rice porridge into a bowl, along with bits of chicken, she went back to his room, placing his hand on her shoulder. "…Sam…years from now…when you talk about this situation-and you will-be kind." She pat his shoulder gently, and turned away, walking to the door.

Sam looked at the food, and then the crimson hedgehog, about to leave his room. "Skye…"

"Hmm?" The ebony hedgehog rushed up to her, planting his lips onto hers, and feeling alive again, he finally let out a small smile.

"Thank you." He embraced her, the crimson hedgehog letting out a small blush before gently pushing him away.

"Sam, can we-mmf!" She was cut off by Sam's lips ramming into hers, the ebony hedgehog caressing her cheek, she broke the kiss.

Gently pushing the hand at her cheek away, she turned away, the luminescent blush still there. "…I suggest we just take it slow. You don't want the loss of another loved one to drive you to who knows what." Skye grinned, but Sam shook his head in disagreement.

"Maybe-" He realized she was being serious about this, and nodded, the crimson hedgehog walking away.

He felt love once more…felt alive…

Felt the need to survive.

…Rushed as it may seem, and while not much Sam/Skye per se, it's subtle, and it's implied that…

Well, you know what's implied. (And no, it's not 'bom chicka wow wow', for you dirty minded people. They get together more closely. A dur.) It's Buriezu za Vampire's birthday today…I wish her nothing more than the best of days, her birthday and every other. Happy birthday, Skye. And remember: with age, comes wisdom. And with wisdom comes knowledge. And with knowledge comes a load of other philosophical junk, but I won't get into all that. XD.

Happy birthday, Skye. Hope you enjoyed this present, my other present, and everyone else's. (If you didn't get much, shame on the people who didn't give you anything!)

~ADarknessInHeaven

Aka: Sam