Author's Note~ This is another one of my many SonAmys. As you can see I am a big SonAmy fan. X3 I don't want to spoil too much about this story because it will get better in the next chapter. (evil grin) But I'd like to mention that work on this story will be delayed due to a few other tasks I am busy with, so you may not see the next chapter in a few weeks. It simply depends. At any rate, I hope you'll all enjoy this, and please review! If you have a comment to make then drop me a line with an PM. I don't mind.

PROLOGUE:

Tap, tap, tap.

Rain was lightly pelting against the pane of the window. Outside the precipitation was coming down in torrents. Amy lay in bed, listening to the slow, rhythmic-like beat of the rain against the glass. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. The red numbers on her digital pink clock confirmed it to be precisely 12:15 AM. Amy blinked. She was still wide awake.

With a long, doleful sigh, she turned over on her left side, away from the clock and away from the window which exposed the rest of the bitter world to her. She pulled the covers of the bed closer around her shoulders and tried to force herself to sleep. And yet, it was not coming. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Time was passing. And not just the fact that it was already late at night- no, Amy was contemplating something far more intense.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

The large grandfather clock in the hallway just outside Amy's bedroom steadily kept on with his sure beat, making known each second that passed by. Time was going, going, going... The hours were turning into days, the days turning into weeks. The weeks into months, the months into years. And yet, he still wouldn't admit it.

Amy thought about it over and over. She just couldn't figure it out. There were so many times when they would become close- and then every time, some phenomenon would occur to prevent them from growing any closer; in fact, it seemed to pull them farther apart. She stared at the picture sitting on her vanity wardrobe, just across from the bed, and kicked off the covers. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and got up, walking over to the wardrobe and picking up the picture. She brought it close to her eyes to observe it well.

It was a picture of herself and the handsome blue hedgehog. It was a photo that had been taken after Sonic had just returned from a long trip to another part of the world. Amy, who had stayed behind, had been so overcome with joy at seeing Sonic again that she had rushed to his side and caught him up in a huge tackle-hug. The picture had been taken of Sonic leaning slightly on one foot, off-balance from where she had caught him off guard, but the broad smile on his face was evident. He seemed pleased to see her, as smiled slightly, but it only took a second for it to fade away again. She groaned softly and hugged the picture close. It was all so confusing. She loved Sonic with all her heart, and even though there were brief occasions where it seemed like he was returning her affection, he still would not admit it. She knew there were hundreds of times she had outrightly confessed it- that Sonic was her boyfriend, that she was his girlfriend, that she loved him. Yet Sonic never had any proper response to that. Amy would expect a least a blush or two, perhaps a small, awkward confession that he did like her. But nothing. He refused to come out with it.

Amy lowered her head sorrowfully. She couldn't wait any more. She had tried, time and time again, to get him to confess. He wouldn't budge. Amy couldn't tolerate that. Either Sonic liked her, or he didn't. And he wasn't saying anything about liking her. So, obviously, he had no feelings for her whatsoever.

Tears began to slip down her cheeks. She bit her lip and tried not to cry, but her heart was crumbling inside of her. She sat down on the edge of the bed, clutching the picture to her chest. She felt so torn inside. She knew she loved Sonic. She didn't want to leave his side. But she couldn't handle being in a place where didn't she feel appreciated. Sure, there was Cream, and Tails, and Knuckles, and all of her friends. But she didn't want to stay Sonic's friend forever. She wanted more, and if she couldn't get more, she had to move on.

Taking a deep, long breath, Amy took the picture and placed it gently on the bed. She went over to the closet and pulled on a clean dress, then, her heart heavy, slipped out the suitcase from the top of the closet.

"I didn't want to have to do this, Sonic," she whispered quietly as she began to place her things into the suitcase. "You know how much I care about you. You must know. But if I'm in a place where I can't be loved back, then I have to find another place, with someone I know who'll love me back."

She gingerly took the picture of her and Sonic hugging in one hand and placed it on the top of the clothes packed into the suitcase, then slowly closed the suitcase. She took the handle of the suitcase in one hand and headed out the door. She was leaving the place forever.

As she headed out down the street, Amy shivered as the cold rain ran down her back. She thought of leaving a note or some sort of sign on the front door to let the others know she was going away, but something was pushing inside of her for her to at least say a final good-bye to Sonic. She knew she would regret it, but she headed down the road in the direction of Sonic's house anyway.

After a few minutes of traveling, Amy reached Sonic's house. She walked up the three stairs to the front porch and set the suitcase down. Sonic was probably asleep, but she hoped he would at least be sorry to see her leaving. At least that would mean he cared, if even just a little. She knocked on the door.

A few moments of waiting passed, then a light inside the house flashed. A silhouette of a figure moved just outside the window, and then the door opened. Sonic's drowsy eyes went wide when he saw Amy standing at his doorstep. "A-Amy?"

"I'm leaving, Sonic. For good," Amy declared, getting straight to the point. She looked down darkly. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I have no other choice. I just wanted to say good-bye... and to let you know that I'll miss you."

Sonic blinked. "Leaving?... But, Amy, why?"

"I can't stay here in a place where I'm not sure whether or not I can be appreciated," Amy blurted out. Tears were filling her eyes again. "Sonic, you know how much I love you. But if you don't return my love, then I can't stay here. I can't feel like I belong." She squeezed her eyes shut, but tears flowed down her cheeks anyway. "I'm sorry."

Sonic looked bewildered as a deer in headlights. He stared at her in absolute shock, apalled at the words he'd just heard come out of her mouth. Then, slowly and awkwardly, he put an arm around her and let her cry into his shoulder. "But, Amy... we'll all miss you. You don't have to go."

"Yes, I do. You don't love me, so I'm not appreciated here," she sobbed.

"Amy, I do appreciate you. You're my friend. I l-... I like you a lot."

She looked up at him, staring tearfully into his jade green eyes. "Do you love me?"

Sonic stared back. He wasn't answering. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words were coming out. His eyes were flickering with hesitance and uncertainty. Amy felt her heart sink. There was no hope left. There was no possible way Sonic could truly love her if he wasn't even sure if he did or not.

She blinked back another flood of tears sliding down her cheeks and pushed away from him, turning away coldly. "I'm sorry, Sonic. I have to go. ... Good-bye."

Sonic watched her lean over and pick up the suitcase again, looking as though he himself were having trouble breathing. "Amy... Please. Don't go."

"I'm sorry, Sonic. I have to go my own way," she replied softly, stopping as she went down the front porch stairs again. "And... Don't worry. We'll probably run into each other again... someday."

"I'll miss you."

She couldn't bring herself to look at him another time. "I'll never forget you, Sonic the Hedgehog. Thank you for being my friend for all these years." She started to head down the road again. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Amy." He watched her figure disappear over the horizon slowly. He bit his lip, waiting until she had fully left earshot, then closed his eyes and forced himself to head back into the house. His cheeks were being tickled with water, but it wasn't the rain that was still falling. He brushed away a tear and tried to pull himself together. Maybe it was better for her to leave. She could go out and see the world for herself. Then maybe she could get a taste of reality and get her head out of the clouds. She would see there was more to life than just trying to prove that he loved her.

But somehow, as he had watched her disappear into the distance forever, it felt like a part of him had been torn away. Amy was gone, and he had no idea when she would come back, if she ever came back at all. Now that she had left, it was like she had taken a part of him with her. He'd never see her again. Ever.

"My fault," he muttered, closing the door behind him. He pressed his back against the door, then slid down to the ground. He bent his knees and lowered his head sorrowfully, trying to force back the tears. "It's my fault. I should have told her. I should have... told her."

But it was too late now. There was no hope left.

There would never be a chance for Sonic the Hedgehog and Amy Rose.