Hi, welcome to chapter one of my new story. I'm trying something new, for me anyway, as I've never had an O.C in the Sonic universe before. Both introduced here, I'm not sure how far this story will go, but I've started writing so I may as well post. Let me know what you think.

Sonic, Shadow and Amy belong to the Sega Team

Nula and Brant are my babies. Well, not literally.

Amy marveled at the little bundle resting on her knee. His fur was such a deep hue of blue, with an almost an iridescent purple shimmer as he squirmed in the sunlight. She tickled his little tan belly and he squeaked in delight, tiny hands grabbing on to her finger and holding tight. With her other hand she held him securely in place, the spines on his back still soft and flat to his back.

Nula came and sat by her mother. In her hand she held her beloved stuffed bunny Patches, a gift from Auntie Sticks. It was handmade, and more Frankenstein's Monster than soft toy, but Nula adored it. Now she was nearing five years old, she didn't carry Patches around with her but he stayed in her bed. So when she plonked him in front of the baby on her lap, Amy had to hold back a tear. Her daughter was such a pure hearted creature.

"He doesn't cry lots," Nula observed in her quietest voice. She seemed to think that speaking to loud would scare the baby.

"No, he is very placid."

"Pacid?"

"Placid, Nula, it means he is very calm."

The little lilac hedgehog scrunched her nose, "But babies cry lots"

Amy prized her finger out of the little ones grip and lay it gently on her daughters cheek. Big green eyes looked innocently up at her, but out of the mouths of babes came the truth. He was a very quiet baby, making the softest cooing sounds as he took a hold of Patches ears.

"Well he likes you a lot Nula. He doesn't need to cry because you keep making him happy."

The little girl seemed satisfied with this and she stroked his head carefully. She was fascinated by the lone streak of red that ran from his forehead and right through to the end of his quills. That crimson mark and his bright red eyes stood him out from everyone else. There was only one other creature that had such markings, and everyone knew him. It would be difficult to hide the little ones genetic line.

One of Nulas ears pricked up and she suddenly bolted from the room. Ever since she could walk she had been moving too fast, and she had only just stopped running in to the wall. She wasn't always so clumsy, but her sixth sense reaction could only mean her Father was home. As Amy heard the door open and Nula squeal with delight, she lay the baby back in his basket. He didn't make a sound, but took one of Patches ears in his tiny mouth.

"I think she's getting quicker," Amy called out, "wonder where she's got that from."

Sonic walked in to the room, Nula tucked under one of his arms. It was a game they would play, where he would come in and ask where his daughter was while she cried with laughter from under his arm. Today he looked weary, and after giving his daughter one last tickle he set her down. She ran straight over to the basket to play with the baby.

Amy walked over to her husband, embracing him tightly. Some days she would gladly see the back of him, but most of the time she felt a little part of her was missing when he was away. At least now she had Nula to keep her loneliness at bay on the occasions he was away for a while. Since he had become a Dad he had tried to keep his longer adventures on hold. He was a hero to all, so that wasn't always possible.

"Hey Ames, how has he been?" Sonic asked, with a small amount of resistance in his voice.

Amy pulled away and smiled at him, "You wouldn't even know he was in the room most of the time. Silent as a shad..."

"Don't say it Amy. Don't say his name," he interrupted, quietly but sternly.

Amy frowned, but nodded lightly. That name, that word, had been banned since the baby had come in to their lives. It wasn't the babies fault, and Sonic was doing his best to be patient, but as days had become weeks he was letting his anger show.

"I take it you've had no luck?"

"Oh trust me, when I find him I'll be dragging him here by his ears," Sonic said, trying not to growl in front of his daughter. "How about you? Any leads from the hospital?"

Amy shook her head, "Rouge managed to infiltrate their databases, but all the records lead to both parents signing the relevant forms. No single Mothers. Obviously she already exhausted the possibility his name might show up "

"He might have been there for all we know, false name. Ran off once it got too much."

Amy grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in to their bedroom, shutting the door carefully behind her so as not to alarm the children.

"We've been through this. I know he hasn't got the best history but he would not abandon his own son," she snapped.

"How do you know for sure? Why did we end up with Shadow Junior on our doorstep?" Sonic replied just as sharply. Through the years they had been together they had never perfected keeping their tempers at bay. Especially over matters involving Shadow.

"You're Sonic the Hedgehog, you idiot," she croaked, trying to keep her angry voice low, "you save lives. Half the damn world knows about you, and most of them know you're a Dad. It's not beyond realms of imagination that some poor soul thought you would be a good person to leave their baby with."

He folded his arm and took a deep breath, about to head in to the danger zone.

"Is it not also beyond the realms of imagination to think you're defending Shadow because of your history with him?"

Amy balled her hands in to fists and clenched her jaw tight. She could have torn him in two there and then, but she had to keep her temper down.

"That was over ten years ago Sonic! You and I, we're a family now. We have a child! Tell me in your heart of hearts you can picture him giving up his own son like that, knowing how you would do anything for your daughter."

At that moment Nula came in looking forlorn. Sonic was quick to scoop her up and hug her tightly. Amy caught his eye but they didn't need to say anything else.

"Hey shooting star," Sonic breathed, rubbing the little ones back, "what's that face for?"

She sniffed, tears forming in her emerald eyes, the exact colour of her Fathers.

"Brant broke Patches."

Amy walked over and pushed the purple quills out of her child's face, "Brant? Who's that sweetie?"

"The baby."

Sonic tilted his head and smiled, "Brant? Is that what you want to call him?"

She looked back and forth between her parents, "That's his name."

Amy smiled, "Who called him that?"

The little girl suddenly looked very sheepish. She squirmed out of Sonics grip and disappeared. They both followed her in to the living room, where Nula popped out from under the sofa with a piece of paper in her hand.

"This was in the basket. I took it and drew on it I sorry," she babbled quickly, tears forming in her little eyes. Amy took the paper off her daughter while calmly shushing her. As Sonic soothed Nula, Amy opened up the folded sheet. Underneath her daughters doodle of a flower, in very ornate writing, were a few simple words.

'This is Brant. I cannot care for him any longer. Find his father, he is the only one who will be able to handle this nightmare'

"I try to read all the words like Mummy but it too hard. I practice now I read Brant."

Nula was an advanced reader for her age but of all words to pick out she had read a name she would never have seen before. Amy looked over to the wicker basket where the baby lay. He remained just as calm and as quiet as the day he was left on their doorstep, but hanging from his little canines was the head of poor Patches.