The Imperfect Father
Chapter One
There she was… and still I didn't smile.
I ran a hand through the little bundles purple quills as I looked deeply into her light, jaded eyes in awe Her tiny little, fragile hand was wrapped securely around my index finger as I helplessly looked at her in deep, durable sadness. No smile spread across my baby girls' face or on mine at all. We just stared at each other in pure silence. I couldn't help but start to cry again; for this was actually the first time I had the guts to hold her. To even look at her in that matter…
Her small, feeble body twitched at the touch of my hand as I continually stroked her tangled quills in a caring, protective gesture. I watched as her face slowly began to calm once more as I leisurely stroked her; making her tired, drowsy eyes slowly come to a closing point. As I felt her small body in my arms come to a sudden resting, I carefully placed her in her crib small and looked at her.
I still didn't smile.
I began to make my way towards my room, my eyes never leaving the floor. I gave a long, shallow sniffle as the only sounds I listened to were the sounds of my own extensive footsteps echoing through the empty hall. I reached out my shaking hand to my bronzed doorknob, taking in a deep breath before welcoming myself into my own room. As I did, I walked in into an unbearable silence and an uncomfortable darkness. Usually when I would walk in, the nightstand light would be on but tonight, it wasn't. As I continued my feet on forward, I slowly sat myself on top of my bed and stared at the four walls around me. They were so silent and so distant from me… Yet, I didn't care. I knew I was alone.
I dropped my head onto the clean sheets of my rather large bed. I didn't bother to cover myself even though it was quite cold. I stayed on my side of the bed…
My side.
And as I turned myself over for a visible view of the other side, I gave off a small, muffled cry.
"Amy…"It was only a few days ago. Well, to me, like an eternity with an agonizing amount of numbers.
The pitter-pattering of my feet echoed through the silence of the hospital halls. My hands were clasped together behind my back as I bit my bottom lip nervously, waiting for some news about what was going on. I started praying to myself as I continued to turn my feet back and forth slowly on the scuffed up floors.
In the waiting room, there waited Knuckles, Tails, Rouge, Cream, Vanilla, and Shadow (surprisingly). Even the waiting room itself was silent with only the sounds of whsipered prayers from Tails and the sniffling of Creams' tears. There was a deadly silence in the air as all eyes were focused on the clear, white floor. All of us were waiting anxiously…
Yes, Amy Rose was delivering my, Sonic the Hedgehog's, child.
It might be surprising, right? Me with Amy Rose? Heh! Well, you know love… Unexpected turns as they say…
Which is kind of on the subject right now as we speak.
All in truth, I wasn't quite expecting a child, nor was I quite sure with the responsibility (of course, I never mentioned that to Amy). I had my doubts about children and starting a family. I mean, I didn't feel like I was prepared for the whole thing but with Amy…
Well, lets just say that when Amy first told me, all I could do was smile and accept. I felt so secure with her and I was so sure that everything was going to be all right.
I only now wish that this were now all a nightmare now.
Amy went into labor early. Lets say, about month too early. I quickly rushed her to the hospital and sure enough, the whole news spread over Mobias. Not joyfully but with a concerned mood tied up into the whole air.
Unexpected turns as I said…
I waited a moment longer until, once again, I grew impatient. I looked over to Tails whose head was still down, silently praying to himself in depressing whispers. I could see small droplets of tears rush down the fur on his face. Of course, Amy was like his old motherly figure (even though he was now the age of 16) and his best friend. Poor guy… He must have been as nervous as I was.
As I was about to go see a doctor, someone grabbed my wrist (but not so tightly enough to cut off the blood circulation of my arm). I noticed everyone, including Tails; start to stand and look up from the floor; staring at the person behind me. I took a deep sigh in and turned around. There, a raccoon in a white suit stood before me, a clipboard in her hands and gleam of tears running down under her polished glasses.
I was quite stunned with the sudden mood change in the room, which turned from nervous to sad…
"Mr. Hedgehog… Um… I am truly sorry that I am the one who has to tell you this news," she started. " You see, when your wife was giving birth to your child, she gave out and so we had to perform immediate cesarean section. We saved the baby in the process but your wife…"
I felt a sudden frog in my throat as my stomach began to tip itself over and tears were beginning to build up in my eyes… No, God, no…
"We're so sorry Mr. Hedgehog but your wife is now deceased."
Next? Just silence…
At first, I only stood there; looking at the doctor with cold graved eyes. I could hear the sounds of crying and sobbing from behind me as I felt myself being torn apart from my insides. My heart ripped into unfixable shreds… I shook my head from side to side in a trance, wishing that everyone was lying to me. But, no. I couldn't run from this sudden hit of reality. God, no…
My mouth trembled for words but none came to my mouth. My teeth would only chatter. I finally fell to my knees and to my dismay, I began to cry. Crying for the world… for my deceased love. And as I did, I felt two arms come around me comfortingly as they held me in a tight hug. I looked over my shoulder to see my bro' Tails holding me tightly in a brotherly hug.
"I'm so sorry Sonic… I can't believe she's gone either… I prayed but I guess that wasn't worth it… I'm sorry!"
More tears came to my emerald eyes as I felt more arms come around me. Vanilla finally pulled me up to the raccoon's wet, miserable face as she began to wipe away her own tears away along with the left over smeared mascara spread across the bottom of her eyes.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Hedgehog. I truly am! I would give anything to take this sudden loss away from you…"
Yeah right.
"Would it be good if I would let you see her?"
It hurt. I didn't want to say yes but yet I did. I didn't speak but only nodded to the raccoon. After wiping away more of her own tears, the doctor took my hand and led me down the suddenly dead hallway. I didn't speak but I only followed. I watched as more doctors passed by me, giving me pats on the shoulders and giving me annoying 'sorry's' about my loss. The steps I took just kept on getting longer until I finally reached a suddenly cold and darkened air. No one but doctors was around the plain white door with the numbers 805 imprinted on it.
"Would you like me to come in or would you like to go alone?" I heard the raccoon ask, placing a hand over my shoulder in comfort. I shook the hand quickly off and nodded my head.
"I would like to go alone."
I walked into the silent room. The door behind closed as I stepped closer and closer to the beauty on the comfortable hospital bed. And as I stepped closer and closer to the figure, I felt the guts in my body twist and turn uncomfortably.
"A-Amy…" I whispered in a choked tone as I stepped closer to the dead corpse and started to cry tears of grief once again.
"No, Amy. No!"
I finally got to her dead corpse close enough to wrap my hands around her dead, angelic body. I could still smell her faded away perfume on her delicate skin as I buried my face under her neck and wept. I stroked her tangled pink hair as I cried and cried for what seemed like hours. My beloved Amy was here in my arms and dead.
"Amy… Why? You were stronger than this. You were better. I believed in you! And you left! Amy, please! I love you!"
I still held her body close to mine in a never ending embrace, my painful tears smearing all over her wrinkled hospital gown. I didn't dare to look at her straight in the face. I didn't even dare to break away from her lifeless shell. I loved her…
As time passed, I still didn't dare myself to move from where I was. I was still stroking her long, beautiful hair that was no longer tangled into my hands. I nuzzled against her like a depressed child as I began to whisper more words to her.
"A-Amy… I have to promise you this and I know that you're listening…" I paused as I took in another deep, painful breath of cold air.
" I promise that I'll take care of our child and make her grow up to be just like you. As caring and as beautiful as you… A-and no matter what my love, I will never forget you. Ever…"
I slowly placed a kiss upon her dead, chapped lips as I, again, watched her sleep forever so peacefully. I then detached myself from her body and with faith I walked away.
"I promise that to you, Amy Rose."
I finally got to see my own daughter after my departure of Amy. I didn't give a smile but only a sigh. It was painful to look into her little eyes and be reminded of the death of my own wife (funny that she had Amy's eyes) and it was mournful for me to see her look up to me.
Not as myself… but as a single, hopeless father.
Tails walked up to me in a depressed, teary face with Cream in his arms. I could see that he was about to take Cream home. He laid a spare arm upon my shoulder and looked at me with his sorry, green eyes (which were now as pink and as puffy as ever.)
"I-I'll see you later Sonic. Take care tonight. A-re you going to go home?" At the sudden question, my ears perked up and my eyes escaped the floors white gaze.
"No… I'm going to stay here. With my-" It choked me to say the word but I managed to spit it out. "Daughter."
Tails gave a small, forced grin as he nodded to me and again, hugged me. "Take care…" He said and then left with the sobbing Vanilla and the crying Cream in his arms.
"Okay," was my only answer back.
Midnight came and I was alone in the hospital. I stayed near the special nursery where my daughter was kept in care. It seemed that she was only about 6 pounds and 2 ounces, though the doctors said that she was going to make it through. I tapped my fingers against her small case as I saw her stare back at me in a tired gaze. My heart started to swell in agony as once again, I started to think of myself without Amy.
I asked someone if it was okay to hold her.
"Sure, you can hold her," the nurse answered as she carefully and slowly picked up my baby girl and wrapped her into a soft pink blanket; covering her purple fur. She handed her to me vigilantly, telling me to put my hand under her head and my other hand to support her body. I had to wear gloves and everything due to the fact that my daughter was rather sick. It was a whole lot of work just to hold her but it was worth it and for the first time… I finally got to hold her. As the doctor left the room, I looked at my baby girl and I still didn't smile at her. She looked at me back with curious, bright eyes, her facial expressions never changing at all. I held her closer to my chest and rocked her back and forth ever so gently. Her hands made their way out of her pink blanket as she wrapped her tiny fingers around my own big finger.
I looked over to her box that was given no name and I remembered that she was not even named yet. I looked over back to my daughters face and I began to run my held finger over her beautiful, gemmed nose
"Amy… That's what I want to name you. Amy Rose Hedgehog."
And as I lay here in bed for the first time in a week, now afraid of my own child, I remember the promise I had given to my dead wife.
"I promise that to you, Amy Rose…"
Authors Note: Please read and review!