DISCLAIMER: I do not dislike Sally. Nor do I dislike Amy. Nor do I think the comics (while Ian Flynn is at the reigns) will ever delve into Sonic/Amy. Nor do I think the comics (while Sega is watching) will ever let the Sonic/Sally thing happen too much. This is just something that came into my head after reading 222. Remain calm, shippers.

Selfishly Selfless

"Hey, Amy."

She looks up from her journal just in time to see Sonic slip into the room with the same sideways step she's seen him use on stealth missions. It's more of a slide, and like everything he does, it looks like it should belong on the dance floor. She smiles and closes the book.

"Hey, Sonic! How was your run?"

He doesn't ask how she knew he went for a run to Megaopolis, just lets his eyes trail around the room, casually checking for ears droppers and noting everything that could get in the way if a fight breaks out. Not that he expects a fight with Amy, but you never knew what could happen.

"Not bad. Nothin' to report, anyway," he adds, and finally his gaze sidles onto her. "You got a minute?"

"Of course!" She pats the seat next to her, but isn't surprised or offended when he instead sits on the arm of the chair next to her couch.

"I wanted to say thanks. You know, for last night. You didn't have to help us out, and I just wanted to let you know how much it meant to me," he says, and for once, Amy looks away from his grin.

Last night was Sonic's date with Sally. Their first date since the breakup. Amy had planned to steer clear of it so that if it went badly, no one could say she ruined it for them, but when she saw a bunch of people demanding they talk politics, she'd seen red. How dare those people interfere? How dare they ruin a nice night out? How dare any of them –

The people had asked her, and she's spent a long time asking herself, why she'd jumped in. She loves Sonic with all her heart, and it should have bothered her to see him on a date with another girl – especially when that girl is her leader, friend, and the woman that had not only asked Sonic to marry her, but then broken his heart and walked away. Amy shouldn't have cared if their date was ruined, as long as it didn't reflect badly on her.

And in all honesty… she hadn't.

"Well… I couldn't just let them harass you guys like that," she says finally, glancing back at him again. "It was your first night off in like, forever. You deserve some time without being a Freedom Fighter."

"Heh. Yeah, I guess so." He looks off to the side, apparently considering something, and she takes the moment to study him. It's something she does a lot, so even when he notices, he doesn't comment, just keeps thinking his thoughts.

For a long time now, to her eyes, Sonic has looked… brittle. Like he's been holding on with his fingertips and scrabbling for a handhold. It was probably at its worst when Knothole was destroyed, but it comes and goes now, hidden behind bravado and self-sacrifice dressed up as flippancy.

She's pretty sure the last time he really looked completely at peace was… well, it was the day before he and Sally asked the king for permission to marry.

She misses the days when Sonic would smile and she'd believe it.

His eyes come back to her, and she knows why she intervened last night.

"You're okay with this?" he asks, and she almost twitches.

No. She's not okay with it. She wants to take out her hammer and beat it through his thick skull that Sally broke his heart. She wants to tell him to stop torturing himself. She wants to yell that she's his true love, and she'll treat him right, so why won't he just give her a chance?

But at the same time… she meant what she said to those people.

One day, she's sure, Sonic will come around. One day, he'll stop chasing after things that hurt him and just take some time out. When that happens, he'll see her for what she is and that will be more than enough. They'll talk and fall in love and things will be perfect.

But how, exactly, is that supposed to happen when he keeps looking like he doesn't have time to breathe, let alone stop and notice her?

"As long as you're happy, I'm happy!" she says, and he grimaces.

"Amy –"

"What?"

It's a challenge, and he takes it. They stare each other down for a long time, before Sonic leans back, a smirk on his lips. "You're so weird, girl."

"Hmph!" she says triumphantly, and almost believes it when he laughs.

He stretches, pulling the kinks from his back, and it drops him back into the seat. "Hey, you mind if I kick it here a while? I got a few minutes before I'm supposed to be anywhere."

"Not at all!" she says, scooping up her journal again. She goes back to scribbling in it, but is very much aware of him watching her from half-open eyes.

"Thanks, Amy," he says, and takes a few minutes' time-out.