The room in which he sat inside was desolate and shady. Walls were a sickly off-white color with small patches of the wallpaper peeling away. It was a tiny sized room that had hardly any furniture. There was a small single bed, a table, and a compact plug-in radio.

He would stand as a noise broke him out of his silent stupor. A hand rose reaching out to carelessly push aside the faded beige colored curtain hanging over the room's only window. His other hand, which was occupied with a bottle of strong brown liquor, was raised to his mouth as he took another quick swig. Crimson irises gazing down at the nightly city to see that the noise that alerted him was of the sudden pick up of rain.

This aspirated sigh drew heavy from a pair of lips, and black eyelids narrow in aggravation. As if it wasn't bad enough how he felt, but then the weather had to orchestrate a symphony to set the mood much worse than what it was? Sighing once more, he retreated from the window all the while cursing under his breath.

With a loud 'thump' he crashed himself back onto the bed. His free streaked hand reaching into his shirt pocket to retrieve a small sized picture he always kept next to his heart. He took another drink before looking at the picture.

Well, since my baby left me,
I found a new place to dwell.
It's down at the end of lonely street
at Heartbreak Hotel.

The person in the picture was of a lovely blonde hedgehog female. Her quills were long and thick curling over her shoulders. She had a sweet as sugar smile, and baby blue irises to compliment such a radiant face.

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

The agitated expression that had been so firmly set on his features fell into anguish. Eyelids clench suppressing any tears that begged for shedding. He was quick to hiding the picture back into its safe hold on his shirt. As if he wasn't in enough misery as it was! Why was he so foolish enough to bringing the only visual evidence of her happiness with him out?

And although it's always crowded,
you still can find some room.
Where broken hearted lovers
do cry away their gloom.

I'm sorry Shadow. I will always hold a place in my heart for you, but I've come to realize that my love isn't what you need. As much as I try, it can't seem to heal the bitter anguish locked away in your heart. But don't let that bring or keep you down. You will find that special someone whose love holds the key to unlocking it all. And she'll be able to set you free. Sayonara… Shadow the Hedgehog…

And with a simple last loving kiss to his cheek, she had walked out of his life… Inwardly he was reaching out to her and pleading for her to stay with him. Though outwardly… all he did was stand there, and watch with hurtful ruby reds as she faded out of his line of sight…

The frown upon his lips scowled into an expression of self-bitterness. How he hated how selfish and stupid he was! But he kept himself in silence stealing another drink that burned his throat, and slowly brought a delightful numbing feeling to his head…

~~~

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

A feminine hand raised to brush aside the pink soaking wet quills from out of her face. This quiet sniff snorted from her pointy hedgehog nose while another batch of salty tears poured from her eyes. As if the night wasn't dreary enough, she had to be caught in the sudden sweep of a thunderstorm!

Quills slapped against each side of her head as she shook her it. There was no reason to blame the weather for her emotional misfortune. In fact, she hoped the rain would wash away the shattered remains of her heart that had been scattered across concrete and asphalt. Not to mention the darkness hid the bright blue sky that reminded her of the hero that had recently become her ex. So maybe the heavy downpour wasn't so bad after all… Is what she thought with a slight calming demeanor. Though the idea hardly helped with her predicament.

Her attentions were then brought from a swift flash of lightning and a clasp of thunder to a lone road up ahead of her. The only thing that seemed to occupy it was a hotel that stood a couple stories tall. It looked to be worn out having a long sign hanging half-way with the words 'Heartbreak Hotel' etched across it.

This hopeful grin formed upon rosy lips. What better way was she to coping and hopefully healing than with others in a place that was in the same pain she was in? So with that thought heavily embedded into her head she set food to the hotel's destination.

~~~

Well, the Bell hop's tears keep flowin',
and the desk clerk's dressed in black.
Well they been so long on lonely street
They ain't ever gonna look back.

Inside, the place was as it was outside: not much to look at. From the inside-out the place looked to be old and rundown. But the décor made perfect sense to her because of the hotel's name, Her heart was probably in the same shape as this hotel…

The young woman tried to get herself a room through the desk clerk, but all he did was sit curled up in a corner in utter silence. And the bell hop wasn't much help either since he was hanging on the luggage dolly weeping hysterically. Anyone else who might have been help to her was nowhere to be found. Just like the weather, the hotel was a dreary deserted place… I guess I'll go find myself a room. Maybe I can pay for my staying in the morning…

A sudden shiver slid down her spin that caused a reaction of shudders to course throughout her entire body. Hands rose to rub as much warmth as they could into her. She needed to find a room so she could get out of these clothes fast!

~~~

The rose furred hedgehog female's travels brought her to the top floor of the hotel. She wanted a nice much more quiet scenic view than to be stuck downstairs where most of the hotel's commotion commenced. After knocking and getting no answer, she let herself into the room she came across. It had little space, but she didn't mind. If she wasn't going to mingle with any of the borders then she liked the fact that she had… some… alone… time… Her head shook. Who was she trying to kid?

Emerald irises then shrunk as her eyes widened when the sound of a flushing toilet brought her out of her mental dwelling. She hadn't noticed the second door on the other side of the first one. She was frozen in place when the figure stepped out of the hidden bathroom.

This was something the umbrageous male wasn't expecting! The last thing he wanted was company, and now before him stood a drenched rose. He watched with a rock hard emotionless stare as her eyes shook then as she took a step back.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know someone had taken this room! When I heard no response when I knocked I assumed it was vacant." She was quick to admitting before she trembled then let out a sneeze. "I couldn't get the darned desk clerk to give me a key for a spare room."

Crimson streaked black quills swayed from side to side as he shook his head. "I had to threaten him to get my key, which happened to be the last one." Is what he decided to tell her. "But it's obvious you have nowhere to go in this weather so stay."

As she was about to apologize then excuse herself, she was cut off by his genuine offer. Then, as she was going to thank him, he walked over to the bed where she watched him pull out a suitcase.

"You need to get out of those wet clothes, or you might catch something worse than a cold." Was what he simply told her while pulling out a button up long sleeved blue shirt and a pair of black jeans. "I'll put them in the bathroom so you don't get them wet taking them in there yourself. There's also a towel in there so you can dry off. Be sure to hang your clothes over the tub to dry."
All she could do by that point was nod, and make her way into the bathroom as he exited. Though the hedgehog male did hear a small 'thank you' on the other end of the door.

Not thinking twice about his decision he decided to pick up his unfinished bottle of liquor and lie down. When she would finish is when he would interrogate her. Throughout his days staying at this rundown hotel had he only seen people that was as worn out or worse than the place. She was much out of place.

It only took her a couple of minutes to change then slip into the clothing provided for her. He was such a tall man that the sleeves and pants legs dangled so far from her arms and legs. Not to mention how much breathing room she had inside them. She was thankful to run into such a quietly handsome and kind man in the place as she had.

"So…" She heard him begin as he sat up from his lying position upon the bed. "What are you doing in such an uncharacteristic place that looks to not suit you?"

His gaze was hard and piercing like an ice pick. Their firm stare caused her to direct her sights downwardly. She had then come to a zoning out state by that point. Hands lowered taking fistfuls between her fingers while this look of hurt appeared so evidently in her eyes. The shirt was blue just as the color of her ex-lover.

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

That alone answered his question. He didn't know the effects the shirt were what brought her sorrow, but he knew the situation. She was suffering just as he was.

Hey now, if your baby leaves you,
and you got a tale to tell.
Just take a walk down lonely street
to Heartbreak Hotel.

"…that shirt you're wearing…" The malevolent tone of his voice was what brought her back to reality. Her jade gaze shot over to the other hedgehog. "…was her favorite shirt of mine she liked to see me in. I hate the color, but it's hard to let go of it when it's all of a few memories I have left of her…"

Eyes widened in shock. He was suffering as exactly as she was. Even the same color chipped away at his heart sending a few more pieces scattering across the floor… That broken expression trembling within a pair of scarlet irises sent her to his side.

She took a seat beside him. Baggy clothed arms reach out snaking around and pulling him against her. She felt him stiffen, but never relented. "Let's mourn together…" Were the words she murmured into his ear.

Another thing he was not expecting: her embrace. He wasn't the touchy-feely type. Never was, and even someone as sweet as his Maria understood that. But the rose who held him didn't think twice to ask or do so. That made him… happy

She had also said the right thing to him. Without second guessing either, he swiftly unraveled himself from and around her. The sudden reaction caused them to fall onto the bed where they were now lying in each others' arms. One hand resting softly atop her head, and the other on the small of her back.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea…"