Attention:Okay, so basically. This was posted up to fanfictione on a different account. However, because I have so many e-mails, I've lost all information on that account. So please, ignore all from Say-Anything-At-All. There will be completely nothin gnew from there, so consider it dead. I'm going to try and get it deleted, but I'm not sure how I will without any details. Sorry about this, now moving on:

Author' sNote: My first fanfiction! Thank you for the taking the time to read this. I hope you like it. Just a note before you continue, this story is set in the Archie-Universe, don't ask me why, but I wanted to include KnucklesxJulie-Su and Sonally.

Chapter1:The Return of Beauty

The dank clouds hung low in the murky sky, with a thin slither of the moon just visible as it peaked out from behind one particularly dark cloud. The whole town had been covered in a bleak fog, leaving little visibility to those with weary eyes. There was no movement in the darkened town, except for an approaching figure, walking down one of the main highroads. Though dilapidated buildings and looming shadows surrounded the albino bat, no gloomy surroundings could break through the positive wall that ringed Rouge the Bat.

'Returning home,' the Mobian thought, 'Never thought I would in the beginning.'

"You're leaving?" Rouge's eyes lowered as she remembered the hurt in his voice. It was so thick that it was impossible to not detect it. And his eyes. Those dark, vermillion eyes that seem to pierce straight through hers. The look of betrayal as she desperately tried to think of some kind of excuse.

"I... I need to, Shadow. I've been stuck with G.U.N for pretty much all my life. Now they've offered me a chance to leave and go somewhere new, somewhere I've never even heard of before,"

I always loved a new challenge, Rouge thought as her heels clacked against the stone floor.

"But what's wrong with here?" his voice was getting rougher. He was angry now, she could tell and the worst part was she understood completely. "Why am I not good enough for you?" He was angry, yes, but that same hurt made his voice warble. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears, but Shadow would never cry. That's not the sort of person he is... was. Rouge had no idea what he would be like now.

"A few years, that's all-"

"A few years?"

"Shadow, please don't do this."

"Do what exactly?"

"Make it harder than it already is." Rouge couldn't meet the hedgehog's eyes as her voice crackled. Instead she stared at his feet whilst holding one arm at her side.

"Bullshit! That's what everyone says! Rouge squeezed her arm tighter as Shadow's voice rose louder. She had really hoped it would go better than this, but then again, the best laid plans of mice and men...

"I don't even want to look at you." Shadow finally spat before pivoting on his heel and storming out of the office. Rouge sighed deeply, but then suddenly flinched at the cry of a person in the hallway. Running to the door, all Rouge could do was wince at the sight of a office suit crumpled on the florr with a punched stomach.

Rouge stopped walking down the street and looked around. Her wall had been sabotaged from the inside and her surroundings looked darker now. Rouge wouldn't let them be. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, before forcing herself to walk forward. She took in a long breath, counting the times she's told herself she could do this and then released along with her worry about her tea… ex-teammate.

What's he going to be like now? I know I was one of the only people who could keep him from going insane. Well, one of the few people he wouldn't try and kill when he got the chance. He probably still hates me, doesn't he? Or maybe he's just forgotten about me. Nah, I'm too impressionable.

Rouge snickered lightly, Yeah ,no matter what he thinks of me, he wouldn't have forgotten about me.For a second Rouge smiled but that smile fade quickly as she continued to think, Suppose he's gone rogue, or worse even, dead. No, the Commander would have told me that if he had. But then again, the Commander hadn't told me much, like Knuckles' marriage to his girlfriend, Julie-Su, or the royal wedding, but thanks to my partners, I know that at least.

Rouge began to slow own her walking and finally stopped in front of a tall building with a cracked sign that still flickered with a neon green light, and revolving doors jammed in place with chair, but one of the glass panes was smashed to make it passable. Same old dump, eh?The bat sighed and climbed through the jagged glass, careful not to tear her clothes. Glancing around the run-down station, Rouge spotted a coat rack in the corner. A couple of tattered cloaks still remained on the wooden pole, including one relatively new leather jacket with an instantly recognisable red symbol on one of the pockets. Rouge smiled lightly.

This was going to be easy, right? Hah. No. Rouge narrowed her eyes and gripped the jacket tightly. However she slung it back over the rack and quickly made her way to a set of stairs on the other side of the room. Quickly hopping up, silently and as stealthily as she always would. Creeping through the hallway, Rouge finally reached a door she would never forget. Her heart almost skipped a beat when she glanced at the place at the door. Still engraved in her own curly writing was her name, along with Shadow's and Omega's. Rouge had insisted they had a proper plaque on their door, so much that she carved one herself. Hey, money had bee tight and she couldn't afford to get it professionally done. But the team loved it anyway and that was one of the first time Rouge has seen a genuine smile from Shadow. Shadow... All of a sudden, a flicker of doubt ran across her mind.

I wanted to come back. This was my decision. They asked me to stay and I said no. But now, do I want to be back? I can't, can I? No, that would make me a coward. But I can't... I know I can't face him... Not after this long. I have to go back, I can't, I just can't.

But here she was, centimetres away from the door. The bat had no idea that this was going to be as hard as it really was. But still, Rouge rose a shaky hand and cupped it around the handle of the door. Turning it slowly, she took a deep breathe, forced a smile and finally sung the door open confidently with a hand on her hip.

"Shadow?"