Chris was well aware of the irony of his situation. Having graduated collage and become a scientist, he knew all too well how to find the humor and irony in every situation; otherwise he'd go mad from boredom. He was also quite able (if given the correct information, time, and tools) to make many good inventions to help out sonic on his fight with dark oak, but since no one seemed to realize this, he never mentioned anything. They seemed dead set to treat him for the age his body showed... a pre-puberty 12 year old, so he let them. He supposed it was a psychological thing, they see the 12 year old him, so they treated him like one. One thing he never gained over the years was a temper, so not much bothered him. He learned how to have complete control of his emotions as well, so as to not endanger someone in an aircraft; at least that was how chuck worded it.

The only time it particularly bothered him at all is when sonic did it, making him stand on the sidelines, when he could fly the X-tornado as well as tails. Chris had always considered sonic to be slightly arrogant, but not that arrogant, and a free spirit. For hours before he teleported to Sonics' world Chris would berate himself for obsessing too much and tell himself over and over again that sonic needed no help. But he never quite forgot the nagging sensation that he might need help, so he built his machine. Chris was at first confused at why he was short, but he quickly became used to his old 12 year old body, but not to used to it, so as to not feel awkward for if he ever went back to earth and had his 18 year old form back.

Sonic had been his first friend, so that was probably the reason he went to such lengths for him. He'd saved him from a lifetime of loneliness. He had always felt underappreciated by his parents, but said nothing to them. Then when he saved Sonic from the pool out back, he felt an immediate connection to him. His reverie was shattered by a questioning voice behind him

"hey pal, shouldn't you be asleep?" he knew from being called 'pal' and the tone of voice it was sonic, and it surprised Chris slightly that he stayed still long enough to notice he was in the workroom, fixing broken inventions, but he didn't mention it.

"I'm not very tired. Shouldn't you be sleeping Sonic?" Chris replied

The kid side of Chris never quite stopped admiring Sonics' free spirit, but again, another thing kept silent. He was silent on a lot of things, he never saw the point of voicing them.

"Nah, to restless" Sonic chuckled, before asking "whatcha making?"

"I'm updating the hover board" Chris replied earnestly "I'm hoping to make it go faster."

"Cool" Sonic murmured, but Chris caught something in his eyes, something unhappy

"Something wrong Sonic?" he asked, seeing if he could be of any use.

He jumped, as though surprised Chris noticed it, and said while rubbing the spikes behind his head "nah, just lost in thought."

Chris smiled and suggested "I could always bore you to sleep with techo mumbo jumbo. You'd sleep better if anything."

Sonic shook his head with hyerspeed "no way, I get that enough with tails!"

Chris smiled and put up the hover board up, before heading out to the main flight area to check on his tracker, with, for some strange reason, Sonic following. He fiddled for around an hour with the controls, making sure that everything was in place and set, and yet Sonic had no yet left his presence. He could tell he wanted to though, from his rapidly tapping foot and his twitching, but Chris said nothing, he was too absorbed in making sure everything was set.

"When did you decide to learn to be a scientist?" Sonic asked eventually "I thought you wanted to be a zoologist."

Chris thought for a moment, when had that happened? He couldn't remember just why he decided to become a scientist, or even when. It just happened, so in reply, he answered with "not sure."

"Hmm" Sonic said, before asking "when did you learn to fly a jet?"

"Uncle Chuck" he replied "I got a pilot's license afterwards."

Sonic seemed to be trying to figure something out, but what the questions he asked had to do with it, however, Chris was clueless. Normally Sonic was as easy to read as a book, because he never seemed to see the point in cloaking his emotions from others, but the look on Sonic's face made Chris all the more curious. He seemed interested in something, as well as slightly impatient (but that was normal for him) and something he couldn't quite place, perhaps… sadness? It didn't fit sonic, whatever it was.

"What all happened after we left?" Sonic abruptly asked, throwing Chris for a loop. It would take hours to explain all that had happened to him after he left, and he knew that, so why did he ask? Then again, the pointers had already been said, so why ask for deeper knowledge? Or was he just jumping to conclusions? Only one way to find out…

"I've already told you everything" Chris replied "it would be pretty boring to tell you everything…"

"I still want to know" Sonic persisted, leaving Chris all the more confused. Why now? Of had he wanted to know for a while now? And why even want to know?

"Why?" he asked bluntly "there's no reason to know every single thing that happened."

"Because I want to know all I missed" he answered quietly "you… grew up in the human world, and you're so much more mature now… I missed my best pal growing up, and I want to hear about all I missed."

A pang filled Chris' heart. He really had missed Sonic and the others company while he was growing up. He'd turned into a hermit while they were gone, never inviting anyone (they all crowded him) and spending all his time worrying.

And so, Chris sat down with sonic, and told him all he had missed.

Man, it's been a long time since I last posted anything! Hope my fanfic doesn't seem too rusty! R and R!