Run. It was the only thought pounding through Julie-su's head. Find him. Run. Her legs ached as she forced them to carry her further and faster, but it was nothing like the pain in her heart. She had to find Knuckles. She had to see him, touch him, be with him, be there for him.

Julie-su fled through the uncharted woods that swept across Angel Island. Run. Everywhere she looked, she couldn't find him, but no matter where she went, she felt him. Don't stop. Run.

She tore through the thick underbrush of the forest, tears flooding her eyes. Her legs finally gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, face down in the mud.

There she lay; crying, cold, and alone. She didn't move. She couldn't find a reason. Look at you. She had failed herself. All this for a man. She sobbed harder as her senses finally registered the pain in her body.

"Julie-su?"

That voice…? For a split-second, Julie-su thought she had finally gone insane.

"Julie?"

The numb buzz in her chest blossomed into warmth. She lifted her head to see a dark figure standing a little way away in the shelter of the woods, a white crest across his chest shining lightly in the pale moonlight.

"Knuckles," she whispered, suddenly ashamed of her situation.

Knuckles stepped out into the moonlight, his lavender eyes glowing brightly. Julie-su struggled to stand, and though she reached her feet, she stumbled forwards, falling again. The other echidna quickly stepped nearer to scoop her up into his arms, noticing for the first time that her slim frame was shaking uncontrollably.

"You're freezing." Knuckles spoke softly, eyes never leaving Julie-su's mud-covered body.

She couldn't speak. She just stared up into Knuckles' angelic face as he smiled down at her.

"Do you want me to take you back to the boys?" he asked, his tone almost laughing.

"No!" Julie-su shrieked, bolting upright.

Knuckles smiled softly. "Alright, alright. I was kidding." Julie-su relaxed and eased back into his arms as Knuckles turned and began walking back to the cave that served as his home. When it came into view, she buried her face into his chest, so very thankful that he had come for her.

Standing inside, Knuckles set Julie-su back onto her feet, keeping his hands on her shoulders to ensure that she wouldn't fall again. She slumped forwards into his arms, darkness slowly engulfing her vision.

"Julie-su?" Knuckles called worriedly.

The pink-furred echidna shut her eyes as a sharp pain shot through her left leg. She grabbed his hands; "I'm fine."

"Far from it," Knuckles retorted, guiding her over to his bed and sitting her down, before lighting larger candles nearby so that he could see her clearer in the flickering orange glow. He knelt beside her to examine a large and jagged gash down the side of one shin.

Knuckles looked up at her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Julie-su tensed. "I… I…"

Black was beginning to cloud her vision again and Knuckles held her face gently in his hands. "Look at me," he whispered. "You need to start telling me."

She nodded mutely, finally able to see his intensely concerned face. Seeing the recognition in her eyes, he grabbed a wet rag from the nightstand.

"This'll sting a little," he warned. Knuckles then pressed the cloth to the edge of the wound and began to lightly clean the blood-matted fur around it. Julie-su hissed at the touch, despite his gentleness, gripping his shoulders tightly as he continued to wipe at it. Knuckles looked up into her pain-filled eyes and mutely apologized.

Finally it was too much. "Okay, stop!" she yelled out, her nails digging through crimson fur, into his skin.

Knuckles snatched back the blood-drenched rag as though he had been burned. He felt her pain in his own heart and couldn't stand that he was the one hurting her. He closed his eyes and whispered Tikal's prayer softly.

Julie-su only watched as he traced his fingers lightly over the cut, a glowing green line following his movements. Within seconds the cut healed over as though it had never existed with nothing but a light tingling in the skin, and Knuckles stopped. He opened his lavender eyes and stared at Julie-su, who sat still, wide-eyed, in shock.

"You told me that it doesn't work," she whispered inaudibly, scared. She released his shoulders and stood. Knuckles got to his feet in the same moment, towering over her.

"You told me that it doesn't work," she repeated, louder this time. Unless it's… love… she thought fearfully. It was bad enough, her falling for him, but for him to feel the same…

"Knuckles! How-"

But Knuckles' lips interrupted her, capturing her own into a deep, passionate kiss. In an instinctual movement, Julie-su wrapped her arms around his neck, and in the same moment Knuckles wound his around her waist, pressing in the small of her back to pull her flush against him. Several pounding heartbeats later, they both tore their lips away, panting for air.

Their eyes met and they stared at each other for a long moment, realizing that the speeding pulse of the blood in their veins matched one another beat for beat.

They loved each other, and were no longer afraid.