Sonic looked around the Master Emerald alter with a raised eyebrow. Where was Knuckles? They had agreed to a spare today and when Sonic had come up, the idiot was nowhere to be seen. Her ear twitched as she heard footsteps. Turning she saw Knuckles, running to the Emerald alter.

"About time!" Sonic shouted over irritably.

"Shut up!" Knuckles snapped as he reached Sonic, trying to get his breath back.

After Knuckles regained his breath, they got into fighting positions. They were just about to start fighting when Sonic's mobile started ringing. Reaching into her pocket she pulled it out and checked the caller ID. Her eyes lit up when she saw who was calling.

"Sorry, Knux, I gotta take this." Sonic spun around putting the cell to her ear. "Nickolie!"

Upon hearing that name Knuckles fell over comically, while Sonic wondered of to have a private talk with her boyfriend. 'That idiot. She is so dense.' You see Knuckles has had a crush on Sonic ever since he saw her playing DDR* on her sixteenth birthday two years ago.

After half an hour, Sonic came back with a sad look on her face.

"I know that look," Knuckles growled. "So what was the occasion and the idiot's excuse?"

"He's not an idiot Knuckles!" Sonic retorted. 'Maybe, but you sure as heck are,' Knuckles thought in irritation. "It's our anniversary." Sonic explained. "We were going to go to Black Tiger, but Nickolie said he just got called into work." She sighed. "Guess I'll have to cancel the reservations."

Knuckles couldn't stand seeing her so sad. "Hey now, you don't have ta do that, after going through all that trouble. I'll go with you."

Sonic visibly brightened. "Really?"

This was becoming a regular occurrence. Sonic would plan a date, Nickolie would cancel at the last minute, make Sonic depressed, then Knuckles would try to make her feel better by offering to come. After dinner, Sonic tried to pay for the meal, but Knuckles wouldn't even let her see the bill.

"Your, idiot-of-a-boyfriend should really be the one paying." Knuckles huffed. "But since he stood you up, I'll pay and take an IOU."

"Well, seeing as I know you don't need money. What do you want?"

'A kiss from you.' Knuckles quickly brushed the thought aside. "Just make sure that Blockhead you call a 'boyfriend' doesn't stand you up again and we'll call it even."

*Five months later*

Knuckles walked through the forest of Angle Island. He wasn't doing much, just wondering. He emerged from the forest to find the Emerald alter and... Sonic? What was Sonic doing here? Was something wrong? Did something happen? He approached slowly. Sonic was sitting with her with her knees drawn up, her arms resting over the top of them and her face hidden form view.

"Sonic?" Knuckles asked unsure.

Sonic looked up slightly and Knuckles could see the tears on Sonic's face.

"Sonic, what's wrong?" Knuckles asked gently.

A sob racked in Sonic's throat and she hid her face again. But the shacking of her shoulders betrayed her crying.

"Sonic, what's hapened?"

Sonic turned her slightly to bury her face in Knuckles' chest.

"Nickolie doesn't love me." She chocked.

Knuckles was shocked. He may not have liked Nickolie, but he had thought he loved the little blue girl, or at least cared for her. He met, who wouldn't? She was kind, strong as hell, honest, loyal to a fault and beautiful beyond measure. Who wouldn't fall head over heels for that?

"What do you mean?" Knuckles asked gently.

Sonic sniffed. "I got of work early today, so I ran home wanting to surprise him. And when I got there he... he was making out with Fraya."

Fraya was one of the best mages in Luna Society and Sonic hates her. When Sonic was five years old, Fraya and her older brother Taro had started throwing rocks at her whenever she went outside her house. Why? Because she existed. No wonder Sonic was crying. How could Nickolie cheat on her with that... that... Knuckles didn't even have the words to describe that woman! Next time he saw Nickolie, he was going to kill him!

Kunckles held Sonic gently, stroking her back and saying words of comfort. Eventually Sonic stopped crying.

"Knuckles, can I stay here tonight? I don't feel like going home.." Sonic asked, not wanting to face Nickolie any time soon.

Knuckles said she could.

The next morning there was a knock at the door. Knuckles answered it and saw Nickolie on the other side.

"Is Sonic here?" He asked in an offhand way.

Knuckles had to fight very hard to keep his temper under control and not say... Punch Nickolie into the stratosphere or bury him alive in a pit with poisonous snakes or a number of other nasty ideas that came to mind. "No she not. Why would she be? Don't you two live together?"

Nickolie's eyes grew cold. "Listen Red. I know all about your little crush on my girl. You better quit, 'cause she's mine and you can't have her."

Knuckles just folded his arms and glared at him. "Get off my island before I report you for trespassing."

"It's okay, Knux." Came a voice from behind him. Sonic was standing by the stairs. "You don't have to lie."

Nickolie gave a seductive, and slightly smug smirk. "Hey Babe. What do ya say to some food and wine."

Sonic walked up to Nickolie saying nothing. Knuckles heard the slap before he saw it. A large red mark was on Nickolie's right cheek. And a stunned look on his face. Sonic's hand was still raised and to call the look on her face angry, would be a major understatement.

"I don't like liars or cheats, Nickolie. Next time you want to make out with someone who isn't your girlfriend, make sure it's somewhere she can't see."

The look on Nickolie's face would have made Knuckles laugh, if it had of been any other situation.

"Sonic," Nickolie tried to sooth. "I don't know what you saw but-"

"Can it Nickolie!" Sonic hissed. "You and I are through!"

Nickolie's eyes widened slightly. Then he simply turned and staggered off, as if in a daze. Knuckles whistled as he watched Nickolie go. Then turned to Sonic.

"You're scary when you're mad ya know."

"I have a right to be mad." Sonic pouted.

"I didn't say you didn't." Knuckles shrugged. Then patted Sonic on the head. "Nice slap by the way. He's gonna be feeling that for weeks."

"Thanks." Sonic mumbled.

*Four months later*

Kunckles sat on the Master Emerald as he looked at the snowy landscape. It was Christmas eve and everything was covered with snow. His breath came out in a cloud of frost. The sound of crunching snow made him turn, and his eyes widened in surprise. It was Sonic, but that wasn't what shocked him, it was what she was wearing. She was wearing a red skirt with white fuzzy trim, a long sleave top that showed off her stomach with a hood that had the same trim as the skirt. Red knee high boots were ankle deep in the snow, and she had a holy leaf hair clip under each ear. She was, dare he say it, 'Hot as hell!'

Sonic giggled at the look on his face, "Like what you see?"

Knuckles decides not to answer that. Instead he avoided the question with one of his own, "Why are you up here?"

Sonic shrugged, "multiple reasons." Then she smiled. "We're holding a Christmas party tomorrow, you wanna come?"

Knuckles shrugged, "what the hell? Nothing else to do."

Sonic walked up and sat next to him on the Master Emerald. Knuckles at this point had to concentrate very hard on his breathing.

"Hey, Knuckles," Sonic started quietly. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you. You know when Nickolie and I broke up?"

"How could I forget?"

Sonic nodded. "Well, I heard Nickolie say something to you. Do you remember?"

Knuckles was petrified. 'how had Sonic heard that?' He nodded.

"Well... was it true? Is that how you think of me?"

Knuckles looked at Sonic, but she was looking at her feet, a bright blush on her face. Deciding to take a chance he moved closer to her.

"Yes." Sonic looked at him in surprise. "I like you Sonic. I have for a very long time now."

Their faces were a few mere inches away. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You were going out with someone else. What could I say? Now it' my turn. Sonic, do you... like me."

Sonic's voice came out in a tiny whisper, "yes."

That was all Knuckles needed to hear. He wrapped his arms around Sonic's waist pulling her close. He touched his lips to hers in a tender kiss. Sonic gave a tiny moan and wrapped her arms around Knuckles' neck, returning the kiss. The Master Emerald began to glow, blinding the two hearts together for the rest of eternity.


DDR= Duel Dance Revolution. It's an arcade game common in Japan and America.