-1Why? Why had she done it? Why didn't she ever tell me? Those were the questions ran through Shadow's head. He sat at the bar, holding a half empty beer bottle. The police were all over the area, so were he ambulance staff. The looks on their faces were all downcast. He knew what it meant. He knew as soon as she fell that there was no hope. She was gone, and they had never had any time together as lovers.

A familiar hedgehog was coming into view, his blue spikes stood up in apparent anger. He was moving quickly towards the shaky Shadow, his fists clenched. As the black hedgehog looked at him, he swung his fist around to hit him square in the jaw. Shadow knew that it was coming, but he didn't move to block it. He thought that it was justified, that it was his rightful punishment.

'You never told her Shadow! No until the end! This is your fault!' shouted the usually cool headed Sonic.

'I…I thought she still loved you…I'm sorry. So so sorry!' He broke down into tears. Sonic's eyes hardened but then widened as soon as he saw the emotion that he had never seen in the ultimate life form.

'Hey. Don't cry. If you cry Shadow so will I. I was only acting angry because I'm upset. She took an overdose. It wasn't your fault at all. I'm sorry for saying that.'

Both the hedgehogs sat down on the bar stools, each holding a fresh bottle of beer under their slumped shoulders. Both were secretly crying, but didn't want to show the other. Sonic had loved the pink hedgehog like a sister, they did once date, but they both felt that it wasn't right.

Shadow had never had a girlfriend at all. Everybody used to think that he and Rouge would be a good couple, but she was in love with that knuckleheaded echidna. Shadow didn't love her either. He had always thought that Amy was pretty, he had always held a soft spot for her, but thought of it only of friendship. He denied the fact that he was in love with her vigorously. Their friendship grew, they became best friends. But the two of them hid their true feelings from one another. Until it was too late.

Three hedgehogs, a fox with two tails, an echidna, a bat and a rabbit with a Chao all sat together on the front pew. Before them stood a grand oak coffin, an unusual choice for one. They all knew who lay inside, they had all gazed at her beauty for one last time before the service had begun. They all held a pink rose, a fitting tribute to Amy Rose.

The service was almost over, and they all moved outside to the graveyard. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom reminding them that it was spring. Her favourite season, thought Shadow. He had promised himself the night before that he wouldn't cry, but as he remembered the things he loved about her, they began rolling down his face. Sonic tried to flash him a reassuring smile, but he couldn't achieve it at the time.

As he watched them lower her coffin into the ground, he knew that he couldn't take any more. He said a swift goodbye to his friends, muttering something under his breath that nobody caught. They waved at him as he disappeared, all of them oblivious to the fact that he was going to do something stupid.

He sat in his room, holding his GUN ID and the firearm that they had given him. He kept tapping himself on the head with it, thinking about the love that he had lost before ever having it. The night before he had had a dream about her, about the love that they had never shared. He dreamed of the children that he would have had with her, the pink mixed with black and red. They were beautiful, just like her. But that was a dream. In reality, it was much different. He knew that he would never love again. He knew that he would die without her, without her smell, her touch, her warm smiles. So what was the harm in speeding up the process a little?

Shadow picked up the pen that lay beside his bed, searching in his drawer for a piece of paper. Slowly, he began to write.

The day after the funeral, Sonic received a letter through the post. It was from Shadow. He opened it, read it quickly, then slowly once more, taking in the words. The worry was visible on his face as he threw the letter to the floor and raced out of his apartment.

To my friends.

Last night, I had a dream about Amy. We were together. We were happy. We'd had children, three of them. Two girls and a boy. I miss her dearly. After she went, my dreams were all I had. I want to be with her, and not in my dreams. My dreams were heavenly, so it's time to make my dreams a reality. It's time to love her properly, like I should have done before.

Shadow