Song: Beautiful Dreamer by Stephen Foster. (Performed version by Roy Orbinson)
"Beautiful dreamer wake unto me
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee"
It was late night in Mystic Ruins and inside Tails's workshop all lights had been turned off and only the creatures of the night could be heard.
Sonic the hedgehog however was still wide awake even if he felt his muscles aching and his two best friends were already snoring away inside.
They had just recently returened after an intense and rather critical fight against one of Eggman's latest robotic creations that had really worn them out. There had been a few close calls and dangerous situations where the mad doctor had been having the upper hand on the gang. Particularly when Sonic had been hanging by the neck in the massive robot's grip at a deadly drop distance above the ground. At that sight both Tails and Amy had felt their hearts almost jump out of their chests in absolute terror.
Luckily Knuckles had saved him at the last minute and relief had washed over them when Sonic looked relatively well and was able to continue the fight. Aside from that Amy had also been close to getting crushed by a lethal swing of the robot's arm but was saved by Sonic had tackled her to the ground and then shielded her with his own body. In the end though the four friends had natrually been victorious and Eggman had once again been defeated - retreating in his Egg Mobile, fuming with anger.
Afterwards Knuckles had hurriedly taken off back home to Angel Island, muttering under his breath - something about bats and collecting grapes. The night had approached quicker than they realized during the fight so Tails had offered Amy to sleep on his couch since Sonic refused to let her take the late night train alone back to her apartment in Station Square.
So now the pink hedgehog lay tucked in on Tails's old worn out couch while the young fox himself had fallen asleep within barely a minute on his own little cot in the corner of the workshop - dreaming peacefully.
Amy Rose had also succumed to the tiredness but her dreams was not in the slightest bit pleasant. A horrifying nightmare plauged the poor girl's sleep and with a certain gruesome image she suddenly jolted awake with a distressed cry.
The abrupt disturbance in the serenity had not awoken Tails who only absentmindedly turned in his sleep and continued to snore away.
The noise had however alerted the sensetive ears of her blue hero who despite sitting outside bolted inside faster than the blink of an eye. He quickly sweept his eyes through the workshop but when he saw no sign of danger he immediately relaxed and caught sight of Amy - then his heart sank.
She was curled up with her knees under her chin, quivering in fear with closed eyes while tears streamed down her muzzle.
He figured she'd woken up from a really bad dream.
"Sounds of the rude world heard in the day
Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away"
Sonic concernedly walked over to the couch and bent down on his knees next to Amy's heartbreaking form, she was too deep in herself to take notice of him.
"Amy..?" he softly whispered while gently stroking her tear stained cheek.
The pink girl's eyes shot open and she instinctvely moved futher backwards against the back of the couch but when she recongnized Sonic's emerald eyes in the dark she could feel her nerves relax. They tended to always do so whenever he was close.
"S-S-Sonic? Oh Sonic... It was s-so horrible... I-I couldn't, I was so sca-scared..!"
But what was so horrible Sonic never got to hear as she buried her face in her hands and continued to quiver and cry softly. He rose up and gently lifted her into his arms while he sat them down in the couch with his arms securely wrapped around her petite body - cradling her. Then he proceeded to ever so lightly rock her while giving her hand a reasurring squeeze.
"Shh, It's alright. It was just a bad dream. I'm right here, no one can hurt you."
Amy felt herself gradually calm down as he continued to comfort her with his mere precense but she still couldn't forget the nightmare that lingered in her mind. Then and again a quiver shot through her body and tears would roll down her cheeks.
Sonic could not draw out of her what the nightmare had been about, she only shook her head and clung tighter to him with her eyes shut.
After awhile he glanced at the clock that hung above the door to the workshop and noticed it was only a few minutes left to midnight. He slightly twisted himself and shifted his gaze down at the girl in his arms - she was still wide awake while looking tense and distraught.
"Amy..." Sonic began "You should try and go back to sleep, it's really late."
"I-I can't, please don't make me.." she sniffled as she grasped after his hand to hold it "Please I don't wanna see that again - I don't wanna be alone..."
"Me and Tails are here, you don't have to worry about anything."
"But in my dreams-... In my dreams you are all..."
Her voice faded and tears started to flow once again.
Sonic figured she was never gonna fall asleep in this state so he tried to ransack his brain for any ideas.
When Tails was younger he'd sometimes have recurring nightmares and Sonic had been able to calm him down by either telling him a story of one of his adventures or simply bringing him his favorite toy airplane. And finally his little brother would have fallen back asleep with a smile on his face.
But this was different.
Amy was first and foremost not six years old, didn't sleep with any toys or stuffed animals and he figured the story of how he once defeated Eggman and a rather deadly wrecking ball wasn't gonna do much good.
Sonic's mind then wandered to himself.. He rarely had any nightmares and when he had trouble sleeping he usually went for a run and watched the stars.
The stars.. that's it.
A smile spread on his lips as he moved his head down to Amy's left ear.
"Hey Ames. How about a little late night stargazing?"
"Beautiful dreamer queen of my song
List while I woo thee with soft melody"
With Amy secured in his arms Sonic took off - away from the workshop and straight out into the night. Amy had not objected to his request quite the opposite she welcomed a change of scenery and this meant that she didn't have to risk falling asleep. She had no idea of Sonic's intent but neither did she care as long as she was with him wherever it may be.
The pink hedgehog girl just buried her face in her hero's chest - trying to forget the world around her.
When Sonic finally stopped he nudged her so he could show her a view he knew Amy'd love. She turned her head and indeed had her breath taken away by the beautiful scene before her.
A seemingly endless meadow of flowers bathed in the light of the moon that stood high and full in the sky. In the distance she could barely make out the ocean but surely it was there. To her inner childish delight - fireflies could also be seen slightly ligthening up certain parts of the meadow and it's flowers.
"What do you think? Is this a good enough spot for the young lady?"
She was almost close to crying again but this time out of pure happiness.
"Sonic.." Amy whispered but she could think of no words to describe what laid before them "..T-thank you."
"Don't thank me yet."
He graciously carried her towards the middle of the meadow and then ever so gently laid her down in the lush grass before laying down next to her with one arm bent under his head. Amy carefully adjusted herself so that she rested her head and left hand upon his chest - right above his heart...
The same heart that was filled with so much courage and selflessness - a heart of the purest gold. For Amy it was hard to imagine that somewhere in it there was a place reserved for her and her only. She could hear it beat at a strong and steady pace and found herself thinking it was the sweetest sound in the entire world.
At her gesture Sonic then placed his own hand on top of hers - lightly grasping it while fixating his eyes on the stars that watched down on them.
Guarding his deepest and most precious secret.
For for what felt like forever they simply laid in content silence - hidden away in the vast sea of flowers and soft, dew sprinkled grass that now and then swayed for a lone summer breeze. At this moment nothing could harm or disturb the pair. It was as if the outside world no longer existed and they had entered another reality where only themselves and the grand meadow remained.
"Sonic..?" Amy quietly breathed "You'd never leave me, would you?"
Sonic sighed heavy heartedly and said with a masked voice;
"Ames, you know I can't promise that. I have a duty against Mobius and all it's people."
"I know, that's-.. that's not what I meant..." she briefly hesitated "I-I mean you'd never.. die from me, right?"
She knew it was a naive question but due to her nightmare she needed an answer, any answer at all.
Sonic however didn't seem faced by the question.
"If the situation ever called for it, if you or anyone else were ever in life threatening danger then - yes, I would die for you."
He said it with such sincerity and absolute lack of fear or doubt that Amy found her heart both leap and sink at the same time.
"But-" he continued and gave her a reassuring smile "-I promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep myself alive and be here to protect you."
"I don't want you to die for me.. not in real life or my dreams. Cause then I'd have nothing left to live for.. but you - you have the whole world to live for."
"You forget one thing though, Amy Rose..."
Sonic bent his head down and tenderly kissed her forehead while tightening his grip on her hand and bringing them closer together.
"You are my world."
"Gone are the cares of life's busy throng
Beautiful dreamer awake unto me"
It was true Sonic fought for justice and freedom for all mobians and to keep the world at peace was the call of his nature but that was really just the extended perspective of it. Because Amy was the one who walked upon that earth, lived among those people and loved all it's beauty and peacefulness. By protecting it she could live a normal life - a safe and happy life. A life that he'd do whatever it takes to preserve. A life that he would indeed be ready to die for.
Amy said nothing - cause there were truly no response justifying a statement like that.
Instead she slowly lifted her head from his chest and meeting his tender gaze before delicately pressing her lips against his. It was a kiss with so much affection yet an underlying sorrow as they both knew that Sonic, at this point of his life, couldn't live up to the commitment of it.
They parted and Amy laid down back on his chest while desperately trying to fight back the tears that threatened to break through. Despite her better knowing she still couldn't stop herself from whispering;
"I love you Sonic the Hedgehog."
He wasn't able to say it back. It would be too unfair towards her so instead he wrapped both of his arms around her to let her know that he wasn't going anywhere. Amy knew that it was time to finally fall back asleep and face whatever dreams may come with it.
This time she knew Sonic would be there to keep her safe.
"Will you sing for me?" she requested and now there was nothing stopping the tears from flowing free.
The last thing she remembered was the sound of her hero's soft voice lulling her to sleep which finally took her into it's welcoming embrace and whisking her away to a wonderful place.
A place where all clouds of sorrow depart.
"Beautiful dreamer awake unto me..."