Author's Note: So I was playing Sonic Adventure 2: Battle and I get to the bit where the baddies are going to storm the island when Amy comes along and makes a nuisance of herself. Nothing special. Then I stick the Shipping goggles on, and I notice that Shadow's body language is really odd in that scene. Instead of going "WTF?" and punching her in the face, like you'd sort of expect, he just...stays still and doesn't say anything. When she notices somming's up, and he turns round, he isn't looking angry at her, but rather appears curious. And as she runs away (screaming like a little girl, may I add), for a split second, he starts going after her. This is the result of my observations.

Shadow, Amy and anyone else mentioned all belong to Sonic Team and SEGA. Not me. Else this would be in Fiction Press.

Soft, warm hands.

Completely out of the blue, unexpected and, for a moment at least, unwanted. It makes you wonder, if she's as obsessively in love with the blue faker, surely she'd know what he actually looks like? I could understand if it were night-time – we have similar silhouettes, after all – but in the middle of the day? It makes me wonder. I guess, when it comes to him, she loses all reason (and sense of sight). Whatever mistake she made, however, I'm glad for it.

One moment I was gearing up for our mission, surveying the scenery and preparing to run to where I was needed. The next, something small and soft and loud hurtled into my back. As I lurched forward from the impact, she slipped her arms around my shoulders as if I was an old friend.

"Oh, Sonic! I thought I'd never see you again! I'm so glad you made it!" her girlish voice bellowed in my ear. For a moment, I felt surprise, then annoyance. Whoever this girl was, she clearly had the wrong person, and she really could not have picked a better time to butt into my business. I furrowed my brow. This mission was vital to our...to my plan. I was pretty sure at that point that my goals were slightly different to the Doctor's. Whilst he wanted to use the Eclipse Cannon as a threat, I genuinely wanted to use it...Not only was this mission important, but timed. We had no time to waste. I was about to turn around and tell her to piss off when something...well, it didn't happen, as such, but...

For a moment, one split second, I suddenly felt...warm. Her arms and hands and the closeness of her against my back suddenly felt as hot as a furnace to me, and I realised I didn't really want her to let go. I thought I couldn't feel anything for anyone else anymore. I had promised myself, never feel. You'll only get disappointed and hurt. Feelings. Such useless things for when you want to destroy everything. But then this girl, whose face I could not see, was suddenly making me feel...something. Soft, affectionate hands clasped around me like a necklace. So temperate and sweet and being this close I could even tell that she smelled so nice. Like roses. I wondered, who is it that feels so warm to me? I began to turn round...

She abruptly let me go, finally seeing who I was. Her look was one of surprise and worry, with a hint of fear in her emerald eyes.

"You're not Sonic! Who are you?" she asked me, disappointed that I wasn't the one she was looking for. I looked her over, taking her in, knowing that I may never see her again. How could I, if I was to destroy the world? It saddened me to think that I would most probably kill this girl who made me feel. There. Another feeling she added. Why, exactly? I held her eyes in my gaze and wondered, interested.

"I'M the one who should be asking that!" The Doctor said, turning towards her threateningly. She took her eyes off me, moved them to him, and that's all. Suddenly she couldn't be at all interested in me, for her eyes were wide with fear for her worst enemy. And her hero wasn't here to help her, poor girl. What was she to do? For a second I felt a worry for her, worry for the fear she displayed to me so plainly. Did anyone else notice such fine details? Did anyone else take the time to notice the subtle changes in her body language?

Did HE notice? I doubt it, even now. Even if no-one saw it in her emerald orbs, she soon showed it plainly enough.

"Doctor Eggman! Aaaaaahhhhh!" she shrieked, running as fast as she could in the opposite direction (which happened to be towards the pier, silly girl). And before I realised what I was doing, I had taken a step to follow her. Why follow? To protect her? To comfort her? I still don't know. But I had to check myself before I just trotted after her. What a fool, I thought. What are you doing, wanting the presence of a pathetic mortal girl? Maria. Remember her? Thought so.

"Aaah, Amy, your timing is impeccable! Leave it to me! I'll take care of her. You two, go!" The Doctor said, obviously wanting to get rid of her himself. What else could I do but nod and be on my way?

But as I ran, I played through the scene again in my mind, remembering how sweet she was. I guess I realised then that this was the first time I had felt any kind of...affection, I guess I could say, for anyone but her. From what I could tell, she was happy, cheerful and affectionate...but then I felt, why like her at all when she's nothing like the girl you lost? But I guess the heart is a fickle thing, really, since the one thing that was going through my head whilst my logic was trying to swat away any illusions I had was one thing only: Amy. Her name is Amy, and I'll remember her.

And for the first time in fifty years, I smiled.