These are a bunch of unfinished chapters I've written for various stories. They were either unused scenes from some of my stories, ideas that didn't make the cut or were very early on in development, or the most notorious of the bunch my "A Bitter Upbringing and a Tender Love" rewrites. The other reason why you guys haven't seen an update for this story in so long is because last summer I reread my first and second chapters of this story and thought they were atrocious. I wanted to make this story as professional sounding as I could...so I wanted to rewrite the first two chapters and just fix up the other two. Chapter one ended up becoming a very long and tedious chapter to write and there were over three occasions where the document didn't save properly and I lost everything I written and had to start all over from scratch. I was actually nearly finished with this chapter when that incident happened again and I gave up in frustration. A few months later I reread this chapter in hopes to try again and finish it only to find that I actually didn't like the rewrite anymore. I felt like I kind of ruined my story in a way. I realize now that everyone loves and enjoys this story the way it is and instead of trying to change it I'm just going to leave it the way it is and continue onward. I apologize for my lack of updates for my stories and on that particular story but I finally got my act together and am ready to get back into writing fully again.
For those who are very into "A Bitter Upbringing and a Tender Love" and have been waiting endlessly for an update might appreciate this rewrite. It has a lot of new scenes the original first chapter does not and more character development. It'll be a good appetizer to read while you wait for me to finish chapter five which is still sitting on my computer 75% completed. The other stories that didn't make the cut or ideas some may find enjoyable too. The other biggie to this reject stories compilation is my other story "A Forgotten Memory and a Forgotten Love". There must have been I don't know how many rewrites for this story using several different ideas all of which ended up going no where for me or seemed lame. The original and earliest idea I ended up using for my new story "A Time Without You" while chapter one which I had on the site for a while before deleting it and replacing it with my new and final version came later. That version along with my half written chapter two I didn't like. Mostly because of my chapter two though. The story suddenly became a dark and twisted story that I didn't like and my ideas didn't go the way I wanted them to. All the characters seemed very out of character to the point where I truly disdained the chapter entirely. When I'm not doing an alternate universe story I try very hard to keep everyone in character. Sometimes it can be a real chore and I commend those who are good at doing it. The other reason why it didn't make the cut was again because I felt the story became extremely dark and drifted away from it's main plot-line. You'll see what I mean when you actually read it. Any other rejected story ideas and scenes will go in this compilation.
Summary
Sonic the Hedgehog has always had a very hard life. After a tragic accident lands him in an orphanage, he meets a young girl named Amy Rose who quickly becomes his closest friend. As they grow older together, Sonic finds himself feeling confused about his feelings and relationship with Amy. He begins to question whether or not he likes her as just a best friend or possibly something far more. If that wasn't enough on his mind, what will Sonic do when he finds his troubled past coming back to haunt him years later?
A Bitter Upbringing and a Tender Love - Chapter One – Keeping It Secret
It was a calm, bright and sunny afternoon in early August. A gentle cool breeze swept up leaves that lay idly on the ground and clouds could be seen moving swiftly throughout the bright sky. In a quiet suburban neighborhood known as Charleston just a few miles away from Station Square, a small blue figure could be seen walking towards the front door of his two story home. The little boy was a five year old cobalt hedgehog with bright emerald green eyes. He was once a very outgoing and outspoken child but as of late he has become much more quiet and submissive. He kept to himself as much as he possibly could and didn't say very much. He knew his sudden change in behavior worried his mother but he couldn't possibly tell her why he's become this way. He couldn't tell anybody why.
He carefully opened the front door slowly and timidly peaked his head in to see if anyone was home. The lights were turned off and the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of household appliances humming lowly. The little hedgehog sighed in relief realizing nobody was home yet and slid his backpack off his shoulders; he tossed it carelessly on the floor by the front door and quickly ran up the stairs to his small bedroom. His bedroom was just like any other typical boys room. The walls were painted a rich navy blue and had stick ons of red race cars, baseballs, footballs, and soccer balls. His bed had a matching blue comforter that was decorated with space themed images such as stars, rocket ships, and planets. There were two bookshelves packed to the brim with books, a small desk, and a medium sized dark oak dresser. The wooden floor was littered with several toys and stuffed animals and there were matching blue curtains that hung loosely over his window.
The little hedgehog shut the door quietly behind him and closed his eyes taking in a deep breath. All day he had felt very tense and uneasy so he used this moment to try and encourage and also reassure himself. After a brief moment he opened his eyes and looked around his bedroom. His eyes quickly landed on his favorite action hero and super villian laying idly on the floor by the foot of his bed. A small smile spread across his little face and he quickly ran over to his favorite toys and sat down to play.
Being home alone was a rare occurrence for him and he enjoyed every moment of it; of course due to his young age, being completely alone never really lasted that long. Even though he was just a young five year old boy, he rode the bus to school everyday and took it home all by himself. His overprotective mother had taught him how to get home safely and almost everyday she would go over the rules with him to make sure he stayed safe. She had even asked their next door neighbor to keep an eye on him around the time he would come off the bus as an extra precaution.
His mother Bernadette worked long hour shifts throughout the day and didn't usually arrive home until the early evenings. She would much rather be home spending more time with her only son than work these unbearable hours but due to the tight financial situation their small family had suddenly been plunged into, it seemed utterly impossible for her. She could only hope that in time things will get better for them. Bernadette was a young mother at the age of twenty-five; she was a lavender hedgehog that sported thick bangs that cascaded down over her forehead in deep curls. Her emerald green eyes rivaled that of her young son's which was one of the few things he resembled of her. His outer appearance mostly resembled that of her husband Jules.
Jules owned a small business up in town which was currently not doing so well. Charleston was a small, old fashioned town west of the large thriving city of Station Square. There had been times when Jules considered throwing in the towel and closing his business altogether but after working so hard to get to this point, it was the last thing he wanted to do. It was hard enough on their family and his marriage that his wife had to commute to Station Square everyday to work. He barely got to even see her anymore. Jules was a twenty-nine year old cerulean hedgehog. He had long bangs that hung high above his forehead and hazel eyes. His son could easily pass as his twin if his fur was a lighter shade of blue and had any bangs. Jules would close his store around mid afternoon to be home in time to watch his son much to the little hedgehog's dismay.
A half an hour had quickly passed and just as the little cobalt hedgehog felt comfortable and heavily involved with playing with his toys, the sound of the front door slamming filled his ears. An angry voice filled the house as the male yelled after tripping over an abandoned red backpack that laid in front of the door. The little hedgehog yelped in fear as he immediately recognized the owner of the voice. He stopped playing instantly and dropped his beloved toys to the floor. He quickly got to his feet and looked around for a place to hide until his emerald eyes landed on his closet door. He ran to the closet and quickly shut the door and tried to hide in a corner among piles of toys and stuffed animals. His body had already begun to shake and his hands were starting to get clammy. He took in a few deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down.
"Sonic!" The voice yelled. The voice belonged to none other than his father Jules.
"Sonic! Get down here right now!" His father yelled again, clearly agitated.
Sonic began to quiver in fear as he heard his father yelling for him and tried to stay as silent as possible. "Please don't find me..." He pleaded to himself as he heard heavy footsteps heading towards his bedroom. The bedroom door swung open violently as his father kicked it in. "Sonic!" He yelled again. Jules paused for a moment and looked around the room to see no sign of the little cobalt hedgehog.
"I know you're in here you little shit...don't try to hide from me." He said angrily while looking around for his young son.
The room remained silent and this only made his father more angry. In a fit of rage, Jules started to violently tear the bedroom apart. He kicked Sonic's scattered toys across the room and knocked whatever unfortunate objects that sat on his dresser to the floor. Sonic whimpered in fear and covered his ears as his father continued to trash his room. Jules grabbed one of Sonic's bookshelves and knocked it hard to the floor resulting in all of the books becoming scattered or crushed. He uprooted Sonic's mattress and left it dangling off of his box spring with the blankets and pillows nearly on the floor in a disarray. Sonic sat in the far corner of his closet holding his legs close to his chest. He gulped and closed his now moistened eyes hoping he would not be found.
Jules breathed heavily and took a moment to gather his thoughts. He checked his now destroyed surroundings once more when his hazel eyes fell to the bedroom closet. A vicious smirk quickly spread across his face and he let out a dark chuckle. The room had suddenly become quiet and Sonic opened one eye wondering what was going on. "Maybe daddy gave up and left..." He tried reassuring himself. After a few more moments, he started to calm down and feel relieved. Not more than a second later, however, his closet door was suddenly thrust open with much force. The feeling of great relief he just had was washed away as quickly as it had come. Sonic looked up fearfully as his emerald eyes met his father's hazel ones. There his father stood looking back down at him with a scowl on his face and pure malice in his eyes. "D-daddy...d-don't-" Before Sonic could register what was going on, Jules had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the closet.
Sonic whimpered in pain as his father's grip on his wrist tightened and he was thrown into the bedroom wall. He winced as he tried to open his eyes and keep from falling to the floor. A sudden sharp pain in his stomach quickly overwhelmed him as his father's fist rammed into him hard. Sonic let out a pained choke and leaned over grasping his stomach. He felt as though the air was knocked right out of him and breathing quickly became difficult. After receiving a hard blow to his left cheek, he collapsed to the bedroom floor in pain. Jules continued to beat his son relentlessly. Almost as though he truly enjoyed causing the little hedgehog pain.
"S-stop! P-please stop!" Sonic cried. He tried with all his strength to get away from his father but it was futile. He whimpered as he received another hard blow and his father just merely grinned at his handiwork. "P-please! I-I'm sorry!" Sonic screamed as he continued to struggle. Hot tears were streaming down his soft cheeks as he looked up at his father pleadingly. Jules gave Sonic one last kick to the stomach before finally ceasing his assault. Sonic laid on the floor clutching his sore stomach and gasping for breath. His face was stained with tears from the excruciating pain he had just received.
Jules looked down at the sorry sight and felt very satisfied with what he had done. He glanced around the destroyed bedroom and then his hazel eyes fell back down at his sobbing son. "Don't cross me again or next time your punishment will be much worse." He said coldly.
Sonic was in unbearable pain. His body ached all over and he struggled to open his eyes to face his father. Jules' eyes were dull and emotionless as he looked down at his pathetic excuse for a son. "Remember what I said Sonic...this is our little secret. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your mother now would you?" He smiled darkly as Sonic's eyes widened in fear. He mustered as much strength as he could and shook his head slightly. "No..." He whispered softly.
His father just smirked at him. He looked around the bedroom once more as he turned to leave and kicked another one of Sonic's toys across the room. As he reached the bedroom door, he turned and took one last glance at his son. "And clean all this shit up before your mother gets home!" He said bitterly as he slammed the bedroom door shut.
Sonic's eyes brimmed with freshly new tears as he tried his hardest to hold them in. He laid there on the floor in pain as he tried to find the strength just to sit up. He felt weak, tired and had the urge to get sick. After closing his eyes for a few moments he forced himself up and dizziness quickly overcame him. He held his hand up to his head and closed his eyes as he fought to recollect himself. After a few minutes, he managed to gather enough strength and shakily stood himself up. He leaned over gripping his stomach and used his dresser to help support himself. He closed his eyes and took a few unsteady breaths as he tried to ignore the throbbing pain his stomach was now feeling. When he felt well enough to walk, he quietly began cleaning his room trying to hide any evidence of foul play.
This was the relationship Sonic had with his father. It has been this way since he could remember and he has grown accustomed to it. He wanted to tell his mother the truth...tell her what his father was really doing to him but he was too afraid. He was afraid his father would really hurt his mother like he claims he would. Sonic loved his mother more than anything in the world. The last thing he wanted was her getting hurt because of him. He fixed his bookshelf and stacked all of the fallen books back into place then he picked up all the things that were thrown off of his dresser and put them back in their original places. A loose tear rolled down Sonic's bruised cheek as he walked up to one of the toys that his father had kicked. There his favorite action hero laid with a missing arm and leg. He wiped his tear away hurriedly and let out a dismal sigh. It wasn't the first toy to suffer a casualty from his father.
Sonic pushed his mattress back in place and fixed his fallen blanket, bed sheets, and pillows. With his room now looking presentable for his mother, he collapsed on his bed overcome by exhaustion and began to sob uncontrollably. The sun had begun to set and it's soft orange and red rays of light lit up the bedroom through the curtains of his window. As Sonic laid there, his tearful gaze fell on the wooden floor at the edge of his bed. He saw his chao stuffed animal laying on the floor and he quickly leaned over and picked it up. The little hedgehog pulled the bed covers over himself and hugged them tightly as he clutched his stuffed chao. His salty, warm tears quickly soaked the stuffed animal as Sonic buried his face into it.
"Why?" He asked himself. "Why does daddy hate me so much?" He hugged his chao stuffed animal even tighter and stared out the window watching the setting sun absentmindedly. He wished more than anything to have a normal life...like all the other kids at his school. They all had parents that both loved them. Sonic would often watch boys playing ball in the park, flying kites, even learning how to swim with their fathers. He envied them. He wished he could have a loving relationship like that with his father. When he was younger, he used to daydream and imagine doing those kind of things with his father. Imagining fun trips to the zoo, going to a baseball game, or that swimming lesson his father was supposed to of given him. Sonic knew better now that those dreams would never become reality as much as he wanted them to. In fact, he couldn't even remember a single genuine, fond memory of him and his father together.
Sonic wiped his tears away and closed his eyes as the desire to sleep grew more inviting. Despite all of the terrible things his father has done to him, Sonic couldn't bring himself to hate his father. He still loved him and still held the hope that one day his father would come to love him back. He tried time and time again to understand why his father didn't like him and could never find an answer. At least he had his mother in his life. Sonic didn't know what he would do without her. The very thought of it made him shudder. Unfortunately for him, his time with his mother was very limited due to her current job. When Sonic wasn't at school, he was home alone with his father all afternoon until his mother came home from work. Even though his time with his mother was short, those moments were some of the most happiest moments in his young life.
He sighed dejectedly as his mind drifted back to the encounter with his father earlier. "It's all my fault..." He told himself. "I made daddy really mad." He frowned as he remembered leaving his backpack by the door. Why did he have to do that? He just wasn't thinking...He sniffled as his eyes began to droop and soon enough sleep overcame him.
Hours had passed and Sonic's bedroom was now filled with complete darkness. "Mmm..." He mumbled as he slowly opened his dry, tired eyes. He could hear distant voices having conversation from downstairs and a faint aroma of food began to slowly fill his little nose. He assumed it was his mother finally home from work talking with his father. As much as he wanted to run downstairs to greet his mother, he didn't want to leave the comfort of his warm bed. He could barely move much less crawl out of bed at the given moment. His body still felt very sore from the punishment he had received earlier and the last thing he wanted to do was face his father. As the tantalizing fragrance of food cooking downstairs continued to tickle his nose, his stomach suddenly growled fiercely and he let out a low groan. He was starving right about now and the sweet smell of his mother's homemade cooking was calling his name.
Sonic turned to his side under the covers so his eyes fell on his bedroom door; he could see the hall light shining through the cracks which added a little light to his dark surroundings. He let out a little yawn and rubbed his groggy eyes as he allowed himself to adjust to the darkness. After laying there for a few minutes he sighed and began pulling the covers off of himself. He looked down at his chao stuffed animal laying beside him and gave it one last strong hug before attempting to stand up. The moment his small feet touched the cold wooden floor he winced in pain immediately regretting it and wanted to sit back down.
Trying his hardest to ignore the throbbing pain he felt all over, Sonic slowly walked over to his bedroom door. He placed his hand on the door knob and took a moment to take a deep breath. He couldn't let his mother see him in pain. He had to act like everything was perfectly fine otherwise she'll become suspicious. "I can't let mommy know the truth..." He thought to himself sadly. With another sigh, he opened the bedroom door and slowly made his way towards the stairs.
Sonic stood at the top of the stairs peaking down at his parents below. His mother was standing in the kitchen grabbing some plates from a cabinet to set the table and his father was standing close behind her with a large smirk on his face. She continued walking towards the dinning room table completely unaware of her husbands mischievous expression. As she began placing the plates on the table she let out a gasp as she felt a soft slap on her bottom. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly turned around to face her husband. "JULES!" She yelled out as she shoved him away playfully. He burst into laughter as she crossed her arms and walked past him back into the kitchen. He followed after his irritated wife with a large grin and swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
The two stayed like that for a moment slowly swaying their bodies back and forth to an unheard song. Bernadette couldn't suppress her smile as she felt Jules nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck. "Jules..." She said in a soft voice. "Mmm?" He mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her tighter.
"You're such a jerk sometimes..." She giggled softly. He merely chuckled and lifted his face to look at her. "But that's why you love me." He said confidently.
"Maybe." She teased. He raised an eyebrow as he spun her around to face him. "Oh?" He asked in pretend surprise. He gently lifted her chin up so her eyes would meet his own. She blushed profusely which only made him smile more. "I can still make her blush the same way she did when we were kids..."
"I guess we'll just have to see about that..." He whispers huskily as he begins to slowly close the distance between them. His lips brushed against hers softly...almost teasingly until finally sealing the distance between them. She moaned softly into his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips molded one another's slowly and softly and Bernadette felt herself melting into his arms. Just his touch alone made her feel weak in the knees. After a while they both reluctantly pulled away for much needed air. Jules gave her lips another soft peck before moving down to her neck giving her soft kisses. She closed her eyes feeling a shiver move up her spine and knew if they didn't stop soon dinner would never get on the table let alone eaten.
"J-Jules..." She stuttered weakly. "I have to get dinner on the table..." She said in a soft voice as his sweet kisses continued to send sparks throughout her body. His lips traveled back up to her face where he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek followed by the forehead. "Alright fine...but later tonight...you're all mine." He said seductively with a devious grin causing her to blush. The couple unwilling part from one another and look into each other's eyes. "I love you." Bernadette whispered softly. He smiled broadly while gently brushing her bangs away from her eyes. "I love you too Berny."
Sonic remained at the top of the stairs watching the scene between his parents silently. His father always acted like a completely different person around his mother. He was always a very gentle, loving, caring, and sincere man around her. He acted the complete opposite to how he would act when he and Sonic were alone together. This baffled the young hedgehog greatly. Sonic was convinced that it was because his father hated him. He knew his mother and father were very much in love often catching them in moments such as this. What troubled him was his father's threats towards his mother. Would he really hurt her like he says he will? If he would...it will only happen if he tells anyone their secret. As long as he doesn't say anything...she'll be safe.
Sonic began to slowly walk down the stairs as he watched his mother finish setting the table and his father taking a seat. As he reached the bottom step he started to feel apprehensive and uneasy. Bernadette had just finished pouring Jules some Italian Wedding soup when she saw her young son enter the dinning room. She smiled brightly at him and he returned the smile. At the sight of his beloved mother, all of Sonic's troubles immediately vanished from his mind. Without further hesitation he rushed over to her and gave her a big hug.
"Hi mommy!" He said excitedly.
"Hey sweetheart! Did you have a nice nap?" Sonic nodded.
Jules watched the scene between the two with disdain. As Bernadette pulled away from the hug she ushered her son to his seat where she then served him his bowl of soup. Sonic began scarfing his dinner down in a hurry. His growling stomach not permitting him to slow down for a mere second. Bernadette giggled at her son as she watched him get covered in food.
"Slow down Sonic! You're getting food all over the place." Bernadette held in another giggle as she looked at her son who was now a complete mess. He just looked up at her with a bright smile on his face and his eyes lighting up.
"I can't! I'm so hungry!" He exclaimed while slurping up some of his delicious soup.
"You're always hungry." She teased.
Sonic smiled. "Well, I'm even more hungry tonight!"
Bernadette smiled lovingly at her son. "Didn't you eat the lunch I packed for you today?"
"Of course I did!" He beamed.
"Did you find mommy's note in it?" He smiled and nodded.
His mother would always write a loving note on his napkins for him to find each day. They would say little gestures such as "Have a nice day!" or "I love you!" They never ceased to cheer him up and bring a smile to his face. If he was having a bad day at school his mother's notes were always in his lunch box to make everything better.
Jules tried to tune out the conversation between his wife and son and continued to eat his dinner quietly. "So how was your day dear?" Bernadette asked him unexpectedly. She knew how stressed out Jules has been lately due to their financial situation and she was starting to worry about him. Jules sighed and put down his spoon. "Nothing has improved at all...There's just no business Berny..." He said despondently while looking down at his empty bowl. She frowned. "I don't know how much longer I can handle this." He said suddenly while getting up to put his bowl in the sink. Bernadette quickly stood up to comfort her husband. "Don't worry...things will get better soon...you'll see." She soothed while gently rubbing his back. He smiled sadly at his wife and pecked her on the lips softly. "I hope you're right honey..." He said in a low voice.
Sonic sat quietly in his chair watching his parents in the kitchen. Sadness and guilt swept over him suddenly and he frowned while looking down at his empty soup bowl. "Maybe it's all my fault daddy's so angry and sad." He thought to himself sadly. He was suddenly taken away from his thoughts as he heard his mother's voice speak up again. "How about you sweetheart...How was your day today?" He smiled weakly at his mother. "It was okay...We played a number game today...and...did a lot of finger painting." Bernadette smiled at her son as she grabbed a wet cloth from the sink and walked over to him.
"Anything else exciting happen?" She asked as she began to wash his face lightly.
Sonic put his hand to his chin and thought for a moment. "Oh yeah! We got longer time on the playground today because our teacher lost track of the time! It was great!" He exclaimed excitedly.
Bernadette smiled as she continued to wipe his face. "You're such a mess! You're going to need a nice hot bath tonight." Sonic grimaced at the very thought of a bath. He absolutely hated water and getting wet. Whenever he had to take a bath he would always give his mother a bit of a hard time. "Aw...do I have to?" He asked sullenly. She giggled. "Yes Sonic...you have to." He crossed his arms and made a pout as she tried getting globs of food out of his ears.
As Bernadette began wiping his left cheek, Sonic suddenly winced and pulled away from her as if her touch burned him. He whimpered softly and tried to conceal any sign of pain. She looked at him suspiciously and her emerald green eyes filled with concern and worry. She gently lifted his chin up to get a better view of his left cheek and noticed it seemed slightly swollen. She touched it gingerly with her fingers and noticed him closing his eyes and flinching. She frowned and looked into her son's emerald green orbs.
"Sonic...what happened?" She asked him full of concern. His eyes widened in fear and he tried to think of something to say.
"N-nothing...I-I'm f-fine..." He stuttered while trying to break eye contact with his mother. He turned to look at his father who was standing by the kitchen sink glaring at him. His father was livid. His hazel eyes were filled with rage and contempt towards him. Sonic gulped and was unsure how to get out of this situation.
"Really...mommy...I'm fine..." He tried convincing her. She stared at him questioningly.
Bernadette knew he wasn't being honest with her. The past couple of months she's noticed a significant change in her son's demeanor. He had always been a very happy, outgoing, and outspoken child who always looked for fun and adventure. If anything, he kept her hands full since he was always getting himself into trouble. But lately he's become shy and quiet. He kept to himself and became very soft spoken. This change in behavior has been worrying and bothering her for a good while. She knew there was something he was not telling her and had hoped he would have been honest with her by now.
She sighed dejectedly and pulled her son into a strong embrace. Sonic buried his face into his mother and fought back the tears that were welling up in his emerald green eyes. Bernadette stroked his soft quills soothingly and looked over to Jules for some support. He looked over at his wife with a false expression that read a mixture of great confusion and sympathy. Bernadette wrapped her arms around her son and gently lifted him up. Sonic laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. He always felt so safe in his mother's arms. He never wanted her to let him go.
Bernadette took one last glance at Jules as she left the kitchen and began ascending the stairs. "I won't be long I promise." She assured him. He nodded and gave her a weak smile. "Don't worry...do what you need to do hon. I'll meet you up there in a minute." She smiled softly and turned her attention back on her quiet son. Jules silently watched his wife disappear up the stairs and let out a heavy sigh. He hung his head low as he ran a hand through his unruly quills in deep thought.
Bernadette quietly entered the bathroom and gently placed Sonic down on the counter. After cleaning out the bathtub she filled it with fresh warm water and added some bubble bath. Sonic just sat watching his mother in silence as he twiddled his fingers nervously. Bernadette gathered up some of Sonic's bath toys and tossed them into the tub hoping they would make him feel a little better. After turning off the faucet to stop the water, she turned and noticed her son looking down at his hands in deep thought. She frowned as she approached him slowly and knelt down beside him. She gently cupped his little face in her hands and looked into his beautiful emerald green eyes. "Sonic...please...please tell mommy what happened to you..." She pleaded.
He quickly pulled his face away from her gentle hands and looked down at the tile floor. "Nothing...mommy honest...I just fell while playing outside that's all..." She sighed in defeat and pulled him into another loving embrace. "Oh Sonic..." She whispered softly. Her emerald green eyes glistened as she tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to fall at any moment. She decided to drop the subject for now and began to undress him. She started unbuttoning his school shirt and took it off of him followed by his shorts and shoes. Bernadette lifted him up off the counter and placed him back on his bare feet. "Come on sweetheart." She said as she kissed his cheek and guided him towards the bathtub. Sonic frowned as he glanced down at the bath water below and looked back up at his mother pleadingly.
"Go on...get in." Bernadette ordered as she grabbed a wash cloth and pulled up a small stool. He sighed and reluctantly stepped into the tub and sat down. The two remained silent as she began scrubbing his quills and back with the wash cloth. He pouted and began to fidget wanting nothing more than to jump out of the water and run as far away as possible. His impatience and inability to sit still were making it hard for her to keep a straight face. He was always so adorable when he would carry on like this. Without warning, she gave him a small splash and giggled. "Hey! That's not fair mommy!" He shouted as a small grin began to form on his face. She laughed and gathered up a handful of bubble soap and placed it on top of his head. He let out a small laugh and grabbed some foamy soap and threw it at her. "Hey!" She gasped in mock surprise. "Now who's being unfair?" He giggled which made her smile.
He grabbed his sail boat which was floating in the water next to him and began to play as she scrubbed his ears, arms, legs, and tail. It didn't take long for the two of them to have a splash fight when she had to rinse the soap off of him. Before Bernadette knew it, she was completely soaked with water and sudsy soap. Sonic began to giggle as he looked at his mother. "It's not funny!" She teased while pretending to sound serious. He giggled again. "Yes it is!" He exclaimed. "Oh yeah! Well...I think this is funny too!" She said playfully as she began to tickle his sides. He squirmed around in the tub trying to escape his mother's tickles and sent more splashes her way. Bernadette giggled as she unplugged the drain to drain out the water. She pulled her son close to her and gave him a soft kiss on the top of his head.
As she waited for the water to drain she started to hum a song. Sonic knew the song right away since he and his mother sang nursery rhymes together all the time. He joined in humming alongside her which widened her smile. As she hummed through the last verse she began to sing from the beginning.
Sing a song of sixpence
A pocket full of rye
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie
She continued to sing while taking her son's hands in her own. Sonic smiled broadly as they both began to rock back and forth to the melody and joined in on the next couple of verses.
When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
Bernadette acted out the scenes of each verse which caused Sonic to laugh as he sang.
The king was in his counting house
Counting out his money
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey
As Bernadette sung the last verse she poked Sonic in the tummy. Being as ticklish as he is, Sonic squirmed and let out a giggle as he tried to not mess up the last part.
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes
When along came blackbird
And pecked off her nose
As the two hedgehog's sang the final verse, they both went to grab each other's noses. Sonic giggled and hugged his mother as she gently lifted him up out of the empty bathtub. "Let's get you all dried up." She said with a smile as she wrapped a warm terry cloth towel around him. Sonic looked up at his mother adoringly as she led him out of the bathroom and towards his bedroom. As they reached the threshold of his room, he darted inside with a burst of excitement and began jumping around on his bed.
"Sonic!" Bernadette exclaimed as she walked over towards his oak dresser. He completely ignored her and continued his rambunctious jumping while laughing merrily. His bath towel had fallen off of his small body and was now laying idly on the wooden floor. Bernadette shook her head lightly with a knowing smile. At least he was letting out all that pent up energy now so he could go to sleep faster. After opening one of the drawers and searching for the pajamas of her choice, Bernadette pulled out warm, red footy pajamas and a matching long sleeve pajama shirt.
Sonic continued bouncing around as his mother walked up to the side of his bed. "Alright sweetheart...settle down so I can put these pajamas on you!" She said through a giggle. He smiled at her cockily and shook his head. "No way! I like being naked!" He exclaimed as he tried to jump even higher. With practiced ease Bernadette swiftly caught her son into her arms and sat him down gently on the bed. He fidgeted as she began putting on his pajama pants and tried to find some way to escape her. With his pajama pants now on she picked up his shirt as he tried to get away. Bernadette smiled and began tickling his sides and tummy causing him to fall over and squirm. He giggled uncontrollably while wriggling around trying to get away from his mother's constant tickles.
"Oh no you don't! You can't get away from me that easily!" She teased. Sonic tried to tickle her back in hopes she'll loosen her grip on him. Bernadette couldn't hold back her laughter as she felt her son's small hands tickling and poking at her sides. When Sonic saw the opportunity to escape her grasp he went for it. He quickly slid down from underneath her and ran to the other end of the room laughing triumphantly.
"Sonic get back here so I can put your shirt on." Bernadette exclaimed while trying to control her laughter.
"Not-uh." He teased while remaining where he was.
"Fine...then I guess I'll just have to catch ya!" She said playfully with determination.
She began running after him while holding his pajama shirt in an attempt to snag and dress him. Sonic ran around the room laughing uncontrollably at his mother's inability to capture him. He was just too fast for her. Every time she got close enough to grab him he would dart to another side of the bedroom. Sonic was no ordinary little boy. Bernadette knew he would be different the very moment he was born. Just like her husband Jules, he was born with the ability to run at unnaturally fast speeds. Her little boy was special which was why she gave him a very unique name. She started to feel out of breath and paused for a moment to catch herself. Sonic stopped his running as he noticed his mother's exhaustion. He slowly began walking closer to her and she sought the opportunity to grab him and succeeded.
"Gotcha!" She proclaimed proudly.
"No! No! No!" He shouted as he squirmed and tried to escape from his mother's firm hold. Bernadette giggled and began to tickle him again. Sonic chuckled as he continued to struggle in her arms. She sat him back down on his bed and pulled the pajama shirt over his head.
"Finally..." She pretended to wipe sweat off her forehead. "Phew...what a workout." She teased. He laughed at her.
"Alright kiddo...it's time to brush your teeth and go to bed." She announced.
"Aw...but it's still early!" He whined.
"No but's! You have school tomorrow." She said sternly. He sighed.
"Fine..." He grumbled as he crossed his arms and pouted. Bernadette couldn't help but laugh at his sour face. "Go ahead and brush your teeth while I get your bed ready." She said as she began fixing his tangled blankets. Without another word, the little hedgehog hopped off of his bed and slowly made his way to his bathroom. Bernadette waited until she heard the sink water running to start fixing his bed and tidying up his room. As she picked up several toys laying on the bedroom floor, she couldn't help but notice that one of his toys were broken. She stared at the arm and legless action figure in slight confusion. "Sonic has never been destructive with his toys..." She thought to herself. As she heard the sink being turned off, she shrugged it off as merely being an accident and placed the toy on his dresser.
Sonic yawned as he walked back into the room and rubbed his eyes. "Feeling sleepy?" Bernadette asked knowingly. Sonic shook his head in disagreement. "I'm not tired at all! I just had something in...my eye...that's all..." He explained with slight hesitation. "Okay, if you say so..." She said knowing full well he was denying the obvious. His eyes looked heavy and were beginning to droop and all that energy he had just moments before seemed to of disappeared instantaneously. She walked over to her sleepy son and made sure he brushed his teeth before picking him up into her arms. He immediately laid his head down on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Bernadette smiled as she gently rubbed the back of his head and quietly led him to bed and laid him down gently. He opened up his weary eyes as she tucked him in. She nuzzled her nose against his own and kissed him on the cheek lovingly.
"I love you Sonic." She whispered as she kissed him on the forehead.
"I love you too mommy." He murmured while smiling tiredly at her.
She gave him a hug goodnight and began to head for the door when she felt his little hand on her wrist. She turned around to look at her near dozing son.
"Mommy can you read me a story..." He asked her softly.
She smiled. "Alright...but a quick one okay?" She told him. He nodded.
Bernadette walked over to the bookshelves and searched for a quick bedtime story to read him. After searching through the books she found a short story she hasn't read to him in a good while. "The little boy who cried werehog." She smiled to herself. "This is perfect." She thought. As she walked back to her son's bed she couldn't help but notice a certain stuffed animal laying on the floor. She picked it up and sat down on the bed next to her son. "I think you're forgetting someone." She said showing Sonic his stuffed chao. His eyes widened and he smiled as he grabbed his chao and hugged him tightly. She giggled softly as she showed Sonic the cover of the book before opening it and beginning to read. He snuggled closer to her while hugging his stuffed animal and tried as hard as he could to stay awake for the whole story. She made it as far as page six before noticing her son was fast asleep. She quietly and slowly got up from the bed and kissed him on the forehead softly.
Bernadette walked back to the bookshelf and placed the book back in it's original spot. She quietly made her way back towards his bedroom door but paused mid stride. She glanced back over at her sleeping son in deep thought. There was something in the back of her mind that was bothering her. While she gave him a bath tonight she could have sworn she saw what looked like little bruises and marks on his stomach. She couldn't tell without further inspection and since he was already upset she decided to ignore her unsettled thoughts and feelings for the rest of the evening. Now that he was asleep she found it harder to ignore her motherly instincts which told her to check on him. She silently walked up to the side of his bed and pulled the blankets down slowly. Sonic stirred slightly in his sleep before becoming still once more. Bernadette took in an anxious breath of air as she slowly lifted up his little pajama shirt. When she got a good glimpse of his stomach she let out a quick gasp and held her hand over her mouth in shock. Her eyes were not deceiving her. His stomach was covered in black and blue bruises. Tears were now threatening her eyes as she saw just how badly he was bruised.
"How...?" She asked herself. "How did this happen?" She traced her fingers lightly over his bruises and Sonic began to twitch in his sleep in discomfort. "Who did this to you baby..." Bernadette felt her tears rolling down her cheeks as she continued to cover her mouth with her hand. She just couldn't believe what she was seeing on her son's body. She gently pulled his pajama shirt back down and pulled his blankets back over him. She kissed him again on the cheek softly and gently caressed his face. She sat on the edge of his bed watching over him for a couple of minutes before getting up and heading towards the bedroom door. Bernadette took one last glance at her son before shutting off his light and quietly shutting his door. "I need to talk to Jules about this..." She thought to herself. There was something seriously wrong and she knew it had to do with whatever Sonic was keeping from her. Someone was physically hurting her son and she wanted to know who and why.
When Bernadette entered her bedroom she was startled to see her husband walking out of the bathroom with nothing on except a single towel which was wrapped securely around his waist. She averted her eyes elsewhere and tried to suppress the deep blush that was quickly becoming noticeable on her cheeks. Her growing blush did not go unnoticed by Jules who was smirking at her and let out a soft chuckle. "It's not like this is the first time you've seen me naked honey." He said in a smooth, suave voice as he approached her and wrapped his strong arms around her slim waist. Bernadette's blush grew even redder if it were even possible and tried to find the strength to say something. "U-Um...W-Well..." She stammered as she tried to control her rapidly beating heart. Jules' hands caressed her lower waist gently and somewhat possessively as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck.
Bernadette felt her body growing weak and her senses becoming dull and clouded as he held her close. It was unbelievable how much power and control Jules had over her. The desire to feel his warm body pressed against hers, his soft lips thrashing against her own, his large coarse hands roaming about her body was growing more and more intense by every passing second. "You remember what I said earlier tonight right...?" He murmured into her ear huskily. She felt a shiver run up her spine and tried to find the strength to respond. She merely nodded as her cheeks flushed yet again. His hazel eyes met her emerald ones, each full of love, wanting, and affection for the other. Without words or hesitation, his lips softly met her own and began to mold hers slowly. She practically melted in his embrace as she felt the imaginary butterflies dancing around in her stomach. As their kiss deepened, she wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly tugged on his quills. Jules unconsciously edged her closer towards the bed as he felt his passion for her going on overdrive.
Their kisses grew more fierce and passionate all the while Jules' hands began to roam about her body as he yearned for her to the point where it pained him. He wanted her. He needed her. He heard her moan softly into his mouth and he swore he was going to die if he didn't make her his soon. He pushed her down lightly causing the two of them to fall on the bed and continued his hungry, dominating kisses. He broke away from their heavy kiss and brushed his lips against her neck. Bernadette sighed in contentment as she felt his hot breath against her skin. She wrapped her arms around him tighter, pulling him closer as she felt him giving her butterfly kisses all along her neck. Her breathing became heavy and irregular as she sighed while closing her eyes. Jules knew how to please her and always touched and kissed her in all the right places. She smiled blissfully as she reopened her eyes and met his own.
Their lips reunited softly as he lowered his body over hers. She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. Her hands entangled themselves within his quills as his tongue traced along her lips. She opened her mouth slightly allowing him access as he happily began exploring the deep caverns of her mouth. She moaned softly into his mouth as she felt hot sparks of electricity jolting throughout her body. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest as she dug her hands into his back. Jules' towel had become loose around his waist and as he realized this, decided to take things a few steps further. He began unbuttoning her blouse with practiced ease while keeping their deep kisses going strong. He rubbed her exposed stomach sensually before slowly guiding his hands higher and higher to his desired destination. His soft lips returned to her neck where he kissed and occasionally massaged with his tongue. "J-Jules..." Bernadette breathed weakly as she felt his hands reach her bosom which was still secured by her bra.
She closed her eyes and let out a pleasured sigh as his hands continued to rub and massage her bosom. She loved her husband so much. Words couldn't begin to describe how far her love went for him. It was limitless, boundless, and infinite. Ever since they were young teenagers her heart had always belonged to him and him alone. She simply couldn't imagine her life without him by her side. As she began to reminisce past memories spent with her husband, her mind started to slowly drift back onto her son, Sonic. Meanwhile, Jules' hands slipped behind her back and began toying around with the clip of her bra. As she reopened her eyes, they grew wide as she suddenly recalled what she discovered on her son's body and remembered the reason why she went into her bedroom in the first place. Just as Jules was about to undo her bra, Bernadette's soft voice stopped him in his tracks.
"J-Jules...W-Wait...Stop..." She breathed heavily as her emerald orbs met his gaze. He did as she asked and looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "Did I do something wrong?" He wondered. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. Bernadette took a moment to gather her composure as she tried to extinguish the fiery, burning sensation that encompassed her entire core. "We need to talk...it's important. It's about Sonic." She said, her voice low and sullen. Jules noticed her face soften and her eyes beginning to glisten. The excited gleam in his eyes vanished almost instantly and his face fell into a deep frown. Somehow, he knew it would come to this. He sighed, feeling disappointed, and gently moved off of her to sit on the bed beside her. The room was filled with an awkward silence as neither of the two were willing to speak first. Jules looked over at his wife to see her looking down at her hands; she looked as though she were troubled by something truly horrible and trying to figure out how to take her thoughts and turn them into spoken words.
"...Why don't you get ready for bed first...then we'll talk." He suggested, deciding to break the silence as he readjusted his towel. Bernadette looked back up at her husband and frowned. She felt guilty about ruining their moment together but the situation with her son disturbed her greatly. "I'm sorry..." She whispered apologetically. A loose tear managed to escape her eye and began trickling down her soft cheek. Jules took his thumb and wiped it away quickly. "It's alright Berny...I understand." He said in a calm, gentle voice. With a tender smile he gave her hand a supportive squeeze followed by a sweet peck on her cheek. She smiled faintly and laid her head against his chest. She closed her eyes and relaxed as she inhaled her husband's sweet scent. He brushed her bangs away from her eyes with one hand and rubbed her back in a slow, circular motion with the other. After a while they slowly parted and glanced up at one another. Emerald met hazel as both their eyes were filled with a tender understanding and love for the other.
Bernadette leaned in and gave her husband a soft peck on the lips before deciding to stand up. As she stood, she looked down at herself and suddenly remembered that her blouse had been undone. In a heat of embarrassment, she quickly turned away from a smirking Jules and turned her back to him. "It's nothing I haven't already seen, touched, and kissed you know." He teased with a mischievous grin growing on his face. Her face flushed an even brighter red. Luckily for her, Jules could not see it. "I-I know that..." She said quietly in embarrassment while looking down at the carpeted floor beneath her feet. Jules chortled and before Bernadette could hear another response from him, quickly made her way to the bathroom and shut the door. Jules smirked and shook his head knowingly before falling backwards on the bed. He let out a breath of air as his mind began to wander on what may be troubling his wife.
Bernadette decided to take a nice cold shower to help calm herself down after the passionate moment she spent with Jules just minutes before. She lathered herself up with sweet cucumber melon body wash and began scrubbing her quills. She sighed as she let the cool water hit her face and tried her hardest to clear her mind. Even if just temporary, she really wanted to relax for a moment. She still felt bad about ruining her and Jules intimate moment together but she couldn't go through with it after discovering her son's unknown injuries. She really wanted to talk to Jules about it. Maybe he would be able provide an answer for her. Perhaps Sonic gave him a hint on what's going on. And even if he didn't know anything at all, he would be able to support her and tell her what she should do. "How did something like this happen? Who would do such a horrible thing? Why is Sonic keeping it a secret from me?" These thoughts continued to flow throughout her mind as she began rinsing herself off. Whatever Sonic's keeping from her, it seems to be getting worse. If anything, it broke her heart that her son would keep something from her like this. There has to be a good reason as to why he's staying quiet. She just has to find out what it is and why. As she turned the water off and grabbed her towel, her thoughts went back on her husband. Her cheeks began to turn a tinge of red as she recounted their moment together. "I promise, I'll make it up to him." She thought to herself bashfully.
While Bernadette was in the shower, Jules changed into a pair of gray pajama pants and a white wife beater T-shirt.
This next part was when the document didn't save properly for the third time and I lost over three pages of stuff I had written all of which I thought was probably some of the best writing I've ever done. I was so upset and frustrated that I gave up on trying to rewrite this chapter after that incident. Before giving up though, I quickly tried to write down ideas and thoughts that were still fresh in my head from what I had written before the paragraphs were deleted and that's what this nonsensical writings down below are. My main goal of this rewritten chapter was to also show a bit more of Jules character and his very bipolar personality. It becomes important for later on in the story and I felt my original chapter one was very vague and weak on this.
Crossed arms behind his head and sighed in frustration and worry. Looked up at ceiling in deep thought. Saw sad expression on her face and her eyes beginning to glisten. He knew she was going to cry. Nothing upset / pained him more than to see his wife crying or being the source of her tears. He thought back / about what had transpired earlier that day and felt his heart fill with guilt.
Did Sonic hint something about me? Is it really serious? If something really was wrong, Berny wouldn't of forgotten that easily right? It's not that serious is it? Right? Berny doesn't know right? It's nothing serious right? Sonic didn't hint anything did he? Berny doesn't think it's me does she?
A Bitter Upbringing and a Tender Love - Chapter Two – The Mysterious Little Girl
The early morning sun light beamed brightly through Sonic's bedroom windows. He slowly opened his emerald eyes and yawned softly. He sat up slowly and rubbed his groggy eyes trying to become more awake and make his vision more clear. He looked around his quiet bedroom before glancing down at his bedsheets and noticed something was missing. Beginning to slightly panic, Sonic began to check under his blankets and two pillows only to come up empty handed.
"Charlie..." He called out, receiving no answer.
"Charlie where are ya?" He leaned over his bed and looked underneath it and sure enough his chao stuffed animal was laying idly on the floor. Feeling relieved, he quickly grabbed the stuffed chao and hugged him tightly.
"What are ya doing under there buddy?" He asked the doll.
"Sonic! It's time to get ready for school!" He heard his mother call from downstairs.
Sonic quickly crawled out of bed and winced slightly. He immediately regretted his quick movements as he recalled the beating he had received yesterday afternoon. His hand clutched his small stomach as he rubbed along the newfound bruises, still feeling very sore. He was usually used to feeling this way and has learned to deal with it and hide it well but this time around he was having a difficult time. It hurt so much just to breath. He felt a hint of sadness as he rubbed his tummy in a circular motion. His father went really hard on him yesterday. He sighed as he headed towards the bedroom door trying not to think about it. At least today he'll be at school and away from his father for a couple of hours. Bernadette was in the middle of making his lunch when she heard his little feet rushing down the stairs.