"Amy, have you seen the candy canes?" "They should be behind the couch Tails!" "Okay!" It was Christmas, and everyone was celebrating it at Amy's apartment this year. Tails reached behind the couch and pulled out a box of candy canes.

He started to put them on the tree when the doorbell rang. "Amy can you get the door?" Tails called. There was a quiet clunk in the kitchen and Amy ran over to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway were Rouge and Shadow.

"Hi honey." Rouge said, tightening her jacket. Shadow was wearing a green scarf and did not look happy. Rouge pushed him inside and followed after saying, "I convinced him to stay planetside for the holidays. Sorry if he's a bit grumpier than usual."

Amy smiled. "That's okay." The doorbell rang again and Amy wondered who it could be this time. Everyone was showing up faster than she had expected.

Tails dropped a candy cane by mistake and Rouge picked it up and handed it to him. "Be more careful. Decorations are important." Tails stuttered, "Th-thanks Rouge." Truth be told the bat scared him, but he wouldn't admit it.

Shadow simply sat down on the couch, still scowling. Amy opened the door to reveal three people this time instead of two. Cream and Vanilla were standing there with gift bags, Knuckles behind them.

Vanilla smiled. "I found Knuckles while we were going shopping." Cream nodded enthusiastically. "Mr. Knuckles was buying gifts too!" Said echidna had a nervous smile on his face. "Can we just get inside?"

Amy let them in and checked everyone off her guest list. The only person missing was Sonic. "Has anyone heard when Sonic will be showing up?" Everyone in the house shook their head no. Amy frowned. It wasn't like him to be later than everyone else. He was usually first on the scene.

The doorbell rang once more and Amy ran excitedly to open it, thinking it had to be Sonic. Instead, there was nobody there. Just a note on the doormat. She picked it up, walked back inside and read it aloud to everybody.

"Hi guys. I know you're all wondering where I am. Well, I'd never miss celebrating Christmas Eve with my best buds, but I'm going to be a little late this year. I have some business to take care of back home first. –Sonic."

Knuckles frowned. "Home? But he doesn't have a home." Amy piped in with, "Yeah, doesn't he live with you Tails?" Shadow smirked. "Did the faker forget something at your workshop?" Rouge elbowed him and said, "Don't be rude Shadow."

Vanilla looked worried. "I understand if he forgot a gift, but he would be here by now if that were the case." Cream suggested, "Maybe Mr. Sonic went back for something and then got lost?" Amy shook her head. "Sonic doesn't get lost." Tails frowned. "I saw him grab two gifts off the table before he left. He didn't forget anything."

The room became quiet as everyone thought over what could possibly cause Sonic to be late, and what he meant by 'home'.

XXX

The snow was soft and his shoes left footprints wherever he walked. Yes, walked. He was not running this time. Christmas Island was beautiful this time of year. That's where it got its name from.

He came here every year at Christmas. This island was his birthplace, even if he never told anyone that. All his friends thought he was from Green Hill Zone.

He came across the largest snow-covered tree on the island, an evergreen. He knelt before it and set down a bouquet of flowers he had been carrying, and a small model airplane.

"I hope you enjoy your gifts this year. I'm sorry I'm a day late." He said seemingly to the air. He sat down on his knees and shut his eyes, hands clasped on his lap. His red and white scarf blew in the wind as he continued speaking.

"I know you both are in a better place, but I still miss you greatly." He turned toward the right side of the evergreen, where the flowers lay. "I picked those myself. They're some of the rarest flowers on the planet. I know how much you like flowers."

Eyes still shut, he turned toward the left side of the tree, where the model plane was sitting. "I made that for you. Tails had to help me with the propeller, but I still made it myself. I remember how much you wanted me to become an engineer and make everyone's lives better."

He now faced the center of the tree, between the gifts. "I'm sorry if I'm not what you wanted me to be, but I hope you're proud of me anyway. Merry Christmas mom and dad. I love you."