Disclaimer: I do not own any Sonic Characters Sega does. Damn... .
This is my first FanFic. Ever. It just popped into my head one day and I decided to jot it down. So let me know what you think. Enjoy!
The stars glittered like thousands of fireflies on a cool summer night, their radiance sparking wonder in the hearts of those who stopped to gaze at them. A constant reminder of how incredibly vast the universe is and how incredibly small we are compared to it. Looking up at the night sky was a favorite activity of my childhood. I would climb up onto a hill and lie in the cool grass, watching the shooting stars race over head and making wishes on them. I always thought and I always felt that there was something spiritual about the stars.
The evening air was cool and refreshing and it felt nice to be outdoors for once. Sonic and the rest of us were enjoying a time of peace after having put an end to Dr. Eggman's plans yet again, and it felt nice to slow down. Even hedgehogs need a vacation once in a while.
The night sky was clear and I could already see the stars begin to shine. I couldn't resist. The child in me took over and I found myself climbing the nearest hill I could find with a good view of the sky. I knew the best one. It was a small lonely hill not too far outside the city limits that stood along side a narrow bubbling creek. It was my favorite place to go when I wanted to get away, when I wanted to be alone and revel in my thoughts.
I climbed to the top of the hill and froze, startled to see that the spot was already occupied by someone else. It was hard to see who he was in the dark, but he was clearly a hedgehog that much I could see. I took a few steps closer and the distinctive streaks of red fur on his quills came into view. The twinge of fear that I had faded as I realized who the hedgehog was, but I couldn't help but feel curious about why he was here.
"Shadow?" I whispered, loud enough for him to hear. He turned his head and his chillingly brilliant red eyes locked onto mine. My heart sputtered erratically as his ruby pools burned into my green ones and I couldn't figure out why my heart was reacting the way it was. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, his expression slightly annoyed; as if he was deciding whether or not to leave now that I was here. He turned away from me with his trademark "humph" and shifted his gaze back towards the sky.
I waited for my heart to slow before speaking again.
"What are you doing here Shadow? I asked politely.
"I should be asking you the same." He said with a sharp edge in his voice. I scowled. So much for being polite.
"I came here to star gaze and to be alone for a little while," I explained, "but I can see that's not going to be possible, that is, unless, you let me stay for a bit." I suggested. He answered me with another "Humph" which I guess meant that he would let me stay. I walked up next to him slowly, having always been cautious around him, and sat down in the cool grass next to his feet. I saw him tense and I looked up at him, worried that my closeness was uncomfortable for him.
"You don't mind me sitting next to you, do you?" I asked just to be sure. He looked down at me shook his head.
I spent more time that night watching the hedgehog next to me than the sky above me. He was standing just a few inches from me, but his eyes were a million miles away. I wondered what he was thinking. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but he spoke up instead.
"Do you believe there's a heaven?" I looked up at him, confused. Not the question I was expecting. His eyes never left the sky and I began to wonder if the question was actually directed at me. It must have been because when I didn't answer him he looked at me.
"Do you?"
"I don't know. I never really thought about it, why?" I thought the question was strange coming from someone like him but I played along eager to hear what he had to say.
"I just wanted to know that is all."
"Do you think there is?"
"Probably." He stared at the ground between his feet, concentrating, and I could see his mind was deep within the past. When I realized this I finally understood why he had asked such a strange question.
"Is that where you think she's at now?" He glared at me incredulously. I guess he wasn't expecting me to pick up on that that fast.
"I suppose." He said thoughtfully.
"If she's anything like what you told me, that's where she would certainly be." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. It worked, somewhat.
"That's so typical of you," He said, "always trying to make someone feel better." He threw one of his rare smiles my way and to my embarrassment I blushed bright red. I knew he saw it because his expression grew amused.
"Hey it works doesn't it?" I replied, futilely trying to play off my embarrassment.
"Apparently so, but that's what makes you special I presume." I could feel the heat creep up the back of my neck at his compliment. This was way to weird coming from him, but it was a pleasant change.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I finally asked, a little confused by his sudden change in attitude. He chuckled warmly, another rarity.
"Because you remind me of her." Was his simple answer. It was an uderstandable reason and I shouldn't have felt so strongly about it, but I couldn't but help but feel upset. Upset about the fact that he wasn't being nice to me because I was Amy and he liked me but because I reminded him of Maria. That dissapointed me.
"Is something wrong?" Shadow inquired.
"So you're saying you only being nice to me because I remind you of Maria, is that right?" I said, the displeasure clear in my voice.
"Now, why would you think that?" He said. I glanced up to look at him and the heat suddenly returned to my face when I realized that he was now within inches of my face. His crimson orbs smoldered with some unknown emotion, dazzling me enough to make my words come out in shambles.
"I..It's just...I..." I had to look away from his face in order to get my thoughts together. He was unintentionally making this more difficult than it already was.
"It's just what?" He asked, urging me to continue.
"It's just your affections don't belong to me." He looked at me confused, like he didn't understand what I had just said.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I'm not her Shadow." I said. His gaze shifted to the ground, a hurt expression crossing his face like I had offended him in some way.
"I understand that completely," He began, " I know very well that you aren't her, I never said you were." I looked up at him and I saw the beginnings of a smile pull at the corner of his lips." I've always loved you for who you were, Amy, never because you reminded me of Maria." My eyes widened and I felt the tears begin to flow when I heard the word love. He loved me, and he just said it with his own mouth he had said it. That's all I ever wanted, all I ever hoped for, was for someone to hold me and say they loved me. I couldn't stop the tears from falling now, it was too much for me to take.
"Amy? What's wrong?" He questioned, concern filling his voice.
"You said you loved me." I was on the verge of crying histerically, and my words came out weak and broken. I saw his childish smirk dissappear from his face when he saw my tears.
"Did that upset you?" My eyes widened an I stared at him horrified, I didn't mean for him to take my tears the wrong way.
"No! I'm not upset, not at all. I'm happy Shadow, really! All this time I've wanted to hear those words and now that I've heard them it fills me with a joy I haven't felt in so long." I wrapped my arms around my chest trying to contain the immense feeling of joy that erupted inside me.
"Is that all it takes to make you happy?" He wondered.
"Yes, that's all I ever wanted." I smiled. Suddenly, his strong arms wrapped around me in a gentle embrace, holding me close to his body, close enough to hear his heart beat inside his chest. He pressed his lips to my forehead softly, his hand gingerly touching my face and whispered into my ear.
" I love you Amy, and I always will." My eyes welled up with tears and I buried my face into the fur of his chest.
" I love you too."
I stayed in his loving embrace, never wanting to leave, never wanting this moment under the starry sky to end, never expecting the love that I sought for so long to come from such an unexpected place.
A/N: Well this is probably the first time I have ever finished a story, I still can't believe I did. I hoped you enjoyed it in all. I will gladly accept any advice or improvements so let me know. Thanks
