I've got so many other stories to write/finish, so why am I writing a brand new one?….I'm bored and don't feel like working through my writers block.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the hedgehog or anything associated with him.

"Chris! Chris darling, mommy has fantastic news for you!!"

Chris tried not to blush as Ella handed him the phone….frankly she didn't need to, he could hear his mothers voice from the other side of the room if he wanted to. His friends from the Mobian world, for his sake, dismissed the conversation as they ate breakfast together.

"Hi mom, how's the movie coming?"

"Marvelous sweetie, absolutely fantastic, I'll be able to come and visit in about a week, oh listen to me blab, I almost forgot to tell you the news!"

Sonic, who had been leaning on his elbow, bored, opened one eye partially as his ear twitched in interest. The others were not so careful, openly staring at Chris now.

"Yeah, what is it?" He asked, curious.

"Remember your cousin, Kassidy? You two used to play together all the time when you were little…although you were just a toddler at the time. She's your Auntie Rena's daughter."

Chris's eyes narrowed a moment as he tried to remember…Kassidy…Kassidy…OH!

"Yeah I remember, Kassie right? Her and her mom are the ones that always send us funny Christmas cards….they live in New York right?"

"That's the one, well I was talking to Rena about how you two have hardly seen each other, what with the distance and your father and I always being gone….You know your auntie's too stubborn to accept financial help from us, otherwise they would come down and visit at anytime, but you see hon, we've found a loop hole!"

Chris sweat dropped at his mothers choice of words, did this conflict require a loophole? It was just visiting family.

"If you remember Kassidy you'll also remember that her health has never been great, the smog in that city is certainly not helping either! So last month, when Kassidy had to go to the hospital after a whopping asthma attack, I said to Rena, get her out here, closer to the country, with some of Ella's cooking and fresh air she'll be brimming with good health. Well it took some preparation, but we did it! Kassidy's going to come live with us for a while!"

Chris blanched…..of course, his mother would go from friendly visit to permanent residence.

"Eh, that's great mom! Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, it's been so long since I've seen Kassie anyway." Chris replied enthusiastically, just because it was odd, it didn't mean he wasn't happy that Kassie was coming to live with them!

"Wonderful darling, oh mommy has to go now, give everyone my love back home, kiss kiss!" And she hung up. Chris resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he loved his mother dearly, but she could be such a flake sometimes.

"What was that all about Chris?" Chris jumped, when he noticed sonic dashed with super speed right in front of his face, a look of curiosity plastered on his face.

The boy smiled, unsure of how his guests would great an even newer one, "My cousin Kassidy's coming to live with us, while she gets her health back in check.."

Cream cocked her head to the side, "Why? What's wrong with her?"

Chris scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "Well..it's not really my place to say but…her health has never really been very good since she was born with a hole in her heart."

Creams face dropped in horror, as she stood up in surprise, "You mean her heart was already broken, even when she was a baby!? That's horrible!" she cried out, tears of worry and sympathy gathering at her eyes.

Amy tried to help her settle by patting her back and sit her back down, "That's not quit what he meant cream, Tails could probably explain it right?" Amy looked to tails, who smiled sheepishly.

As Tails went on to explain to Cream the difference between a broken heart and an actual HOLE in the heart, Sonic looked deep in thought. Chris was about to question him about it, before the hedgehog grinned.

"Think I'm gonna go for a run, Later kids!" With that, the speedy hedgehog vanished in a streak of blue.

Chris sighed, why was his life so crazy all the time?

////////

Kassie's fingers stung as she continued to pull at the zipper on her suitcase, begging it to close under her breath. Suddenly, the zipper jerked half the distance to the end of the line, and the young girl lurched forward in response.

Catching herself on her hands, she turned to glare at her suitcase, coughing hoarsely as she stood up with difficulty.

Relenting to the fact that her suitcase WOULD NOT close unless eh pressed her belongings further, she stood up on the bed and belly flopped on top of it. She let out a surprised yelp when literally bounced right off of it and onto the floor.

Kassie thought about staying there, just laying on the floor in a pathetic lump. But then she inhaled the dusty air from under her bed, and choked on it, Standing up clumsily as her diaphragm spasmed.

She leaned on her dresser for support as her chest heaved, she should have known better, for someone like her, not even her won bed was safe for her lungs.

She heard the pounding of feet on the apartment carpet floor, and her mother came bursting into her room, wielding Kassie's inhaler with a concerned but annoyed expression.

"For heavens sake, Kassie, be more careful..."She scolded slightly, pressing the inhaler to her daughters mouth before she could reach for it.

Kassie grabbed it and took a puff, holding her breath for a moment ,then let it out slowly. She still coughed a few times in the aftermath, but soon her minor attack was done.

Kassie laid a hand over heart, which thudded from the lack of air painfully, "Sorry mom.."She let out softly.

Rena looked at her daughter with warmth In her eyes, and brushed a stray hair away from Kassie's face, "Are you done packing?"

Kassie grimaced, throwing an accusing look at her suitcase. Rena just shook her head smiling, she leaned over and patted the top of the suitcase, suggesting Kassie sit on it. The young girl did as she was told, and pouted when she found her mother was able to zip it up with no problems.

Rena laughed at Kassie's expression, kissing her on the forehead affectionately, "All it requires is a woman's touch…and patience…" she added smiling.

The woman sat on her daughter's bed, letting Kassie crawl next to her and lay her head on her lap. She continued to pet her fiery auburn hair in a soothing manner, as Kassie sighed depressingly..

"Mom?....you know I love auntie Lindsey and all of them there….but do I really have to go live with them? Why can't I just stay with you? We can go camping over in new Hampshire, until my health gets better then come back….or…"Kassie trailed of when she saw her mothers sad smile.

"You have no idea how much I wish we could dear-heart…"She said wrapping her long arms around her daughters torso and holding her comfortingly, "But I'm afraid this house is just not the safe and happy home we want it to be. I have to find somewhere else to live, somewhere where you'll be happy and healthy, so I won't have to carry your inhaler around all the time. Don't you want to be able to run around outside without coughing up a lung?"

Kassie looked away, not wanting to admit her mother was right. Her aunt's house would be big and open, away from the city's polluted air that seemed to cake her throat with it's thickness.

Rena laughed quietly, "We'll be together again before you know it, I bet you'll have so much fun you won't even want to come home with me."

Kassie "Hmmed" to pacify her mother, but in reality thought fat chance…

They were startled by a loud horn coming from outside. The cab was here.

Rena hefted Kassie's suitcase to the door, where the slightly hunched Italian driver took it from there, smiling kindly. As he loaded the trunk with Kassie's other things, Rena pulled her daughter into one last hug, which Kassie returned fiercely, she had never been away from home so long, especially not without her mother by her side.

"Auntie Lindsey's chopper will pick you up at the airport once you land, they'll take you to the mansion from there. Be careful in the airplane, I got you real close to first class, so the air should be slightly cleaner……I love you…"She said finally, kissing her daughters forehead once again and rocking her back and forth tightly.

"Ready ta go missy?" the cab driver asked patiently.

Kassie took a deep breath, inhaling her mothers scent once more, before reluctantly pulling out of her grasp. Her quirky mother, who always seemed to have a protecting eye on her but still gave her the room to spread her wings, her mother who would sing with her to Christmas carols while she painted her next master piece, letting Kassie watch intently. God she was gonna miss her..

Rena closed the door once Kassie was inside and waved, smiling as best she could while the car started up. It was all too soon before it pulled away from the curb, and finally down the street.

Rena put a hand over her mouth and hugged herself with the other, trying not to cry as the horizon swallowed the cab from her sight.

/////////////

Sonic smirked as he sped around the city, dodging the pedestrians around it at the last minute, but with effortless skill. If it wasn't for his ego, he probably wouldn't have to look so hard for knuckles, who usually avoided the teasing hedgehog.

Could Sonic help it if knuckles was hilarious when he got all wound up?

Finally, the blue hedgehog spotted said target, and stopped straight in front of him, shuddering like a hammer would after hitting a solid surface, "Heya Knuckles!"

Knuckles suppressed his groan…barely…sonic sounded like he was in a playful mood…which meant knuckles would have to either fight him or listen to him talk/insult him….the first was probably more likely.

"What do you want hedgehog?" the echidna growled, opening his eyes with a snap form his perch on the trash can.

Sonic's smirk turned sheepish, as he held up his hands in mock surrender, "Woah there buddy, I come in peace, no need to get all hostile…"

Knuckles glared openly at sonic, but nonetheless leaned back, prompting sonic to grin once again.

The blue hedgehog hopped on a trash can next to the red echidna, leaning back with his arms under his head, "Figured I'd come by and tell you the news. Chris's cousin is coming by for a visit."

"No offense to Chris and his family, but why the heck should I care?" knuckles asked, raising a brow at sonic.

Sonic shrugged, "well I figured if some new company was around you might get curious and come by Chris's more often. Y'know they worry about ya being on your own out here, personally I know you can take care of yourself, if Eggman isn't trying to trick you that is."

"Watch it.."

"I don't want them to worry, they've been good to us, so why don't you come by tomorrow when she gets here."

"It's a girl?" Knuckles asked

Sonic cracked an eye open, "No, a monkey." He replied sarcastically.

Knuckles huffed, "Whatever hedgehog, you know my main focus is getting back home to guard the Master Emerald….but if it'll get you off my back I MIGHT come tomorrow…." Knuckles paused for a minute, letting the silence settle between, "What's her name?"

Sonic smirked, "Do I detect interest my grumpy friend?"

Knuckles grumbled again and Sonic chuckled, "Her name's Kassie, apparently she was born with some heart problem so now her health isn't so good. So she's coming to live out here so she can get better."

"Don't her parents know this is where Eggman typically makes his attacks?"

Sonic shrugged, "as far as I know she just lives with her mom…and with me around she wont have to worry about Eggman? Sonic grinned and knuckles suppressed another groan.

The hedgehog hopped off of the trashcan and stretched his legs, "See ya tomorrow then knuckie-boy" Then sped off into the night.

"THE NAMES-dow forget it." Knuckles sat back down growling. Seriously why did he have to go greet this Kassie person? It's not like she's play a significant part in his life here or anything, he didn't plan on making too many friends while he was here.

Oh how wrong he was….

Well, first chapter's done, let me know what you think!