Topaz eyes gazed upon the cheerful scene before him as everyone celebrated the victory, celebrated the fact that they had survived. Iblis was gone forever, and the world had returned back to the way it used to be. Yet Silver the Hedgehog stayed in the past, refusing to return what was now a more joyful future. What did it matter anymore? Blaze was dead, gone forever. She had sealed up Iblis in their future, and had paid the ultimate price. No, there was nothing left for him in that future, not without her.

"Hey Silver, buddy. Come join the party." Sonic, as easygoing as ever, pulled Silver from his depressing thoughts as he pulled him to the center of the party. Silver pulled back slightly, shook his head at Sonic, and went back to his chair near the punch bowl, running his fingers through his quills. He plopped himself down back onto his chair and sighed deeply. Sonic, not to be so easily disheartened, bounded back over to his forlorn friend. He pulled up a chair from a nearby table and sat himself down in it, studying Silver, who seemed much more interested the ceiling.

"Hey Silver, Can I ask you something?" Usually Sonic wouldn't be this careful around his friends, but something told him that he needed to take it slowly with Silver. Silver's gaze shifted from the ceiling to Sonic signaling him to go ahead.

"When are you going back to your time?" Sonic inwardly winced, as he knew there were at least a hundred other ways he could have worded that. Silver furrowed his brows in confusion.

"What do you mean Sonic? Do you not want me here?" Did they not want Silver here anymore? Should he leave? If so, where would he go? Surely not back to his own time. Sonic paled, sensing that he had only made his good friend even more depressed. He rushed to clarify himself.

"No. I didn't mean that you're not wanted. We do want you here Silver and we enjoy having you. It's just that everyone has been talking about going home, and you never once mentioned your home. I was just wondering what you were going to do when you got back home." Silver winced, dropping his head into his hands and remembering what he knew of his home, remembering who was no longer there. Sonic gazed at him worryingly.

"I don't plan on going home. Why would I? There is no one there to go home to."

"You're talking about Blaze right?" Silver's head shot up, coming face to face with Tails, who had overheard their conversation and decided to help Sonic cheer Silver up.

"How did you…?"

"Guess what you were talking about? It's pretty obvious really. Everyone knows you are in love with her. But do you really think she's gone?" At this Silver hesitated. He'd always assumed she was gone, lost forever to him. It had never occurred to him that she could be alive. Why would it? He had stood there and watched her die. No. Silver shook his head. There was no way she would still be alive. It just wasn't possible.

"Think about it Silver. Technically, Iblis never happened. So if Iblis never happened, then Blaze would have never sealed it inside her, and would never have died because of it. That could definitely mean that Blaze is still alive." Sonic nudged Silver slightly, encouraging him to go and find out for himself. He wanted Silver to be happy, and the only way Silver would be happy is with Blaze. Although Sonic knew he and the others would miss Silver, he also knew that Silver needed to go home. Silver threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fine, I'll go. But if she isn't there, can I come back and live with you guys?" Silver looked up hopefully at the others.

"Of course you can Mr. Silver. You'll always be welcome back here." Cream smiled warmly at Silver, causing Silver to smile back at her.

"And don't even think you can just stay in your time forever either. If you decide to stay in your own time, then you have to come back at least once a week to visit us here." Sonic cracked a smile at Silver. Silver smiled softly loving the support his new friends were giving him. He decided then that he would go back to his time, and see if it was the place that he would finally call home. Silver stood up, letting the power of chaos flow around him, the familiar energy flowing through his veins. The air crackled around him as he summoned the power of chaos.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Silver hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of him and sending his head spinning. Shaking his head slightly, Silver looked up to see his much happier time. No longer was everyone hiding in fear of a monster that could not be beaten. Instead, children were playing in the streets, and everyone was celebrating a new day. This joy, this unattainable joy that Silver had worked so hard to bring to his time was now here and Silver couldn't help but smile, despite his disappointment. So far he had not seen a single sign of Blaze. Silver pursed his lips as tried not to cry out of frustration. It seemed that Sonic and Tails were wrong. Blaze was not here, would never be here, and thus, this was not his home, not anymore.

Silver ran from the cheerful scene that played before him, feeling too downcast to really enjoy the beautiful sight. Ending up at a nearby park, Silver fell down on his hands and knees and cried. He cried for Blaze, cried for himself, cried for the beautiful scene around him, one cat short of perfect. And when all the tears that he cried were gone, he collapsed onto the dirt, curling up and wondering why happiness was never attainable to him.

He didn't know how long he had lain like that; time had lost all meaning to him now. But it was nightfall by the time he decided to stand, to pick up the shattered remnants of himself and head towards his house. Stumbling, Silver didn't bother to look where he was going, keeping his eyes trained on the ground in front of him, mind lost in a place where death and destruction reigned and yet, was still much more happier than this time. Finally arriving at his house, Silver opened his door and went inside. He shut the door and slid against it, too lost in his misery to care.

"Silver?" Silver's head shot up as a familiar voice rang out. His searching gaze found what he was looking for, and for the first time since getting back, Silver realized something that he had failed to before. He was finally home.

"Blaze."