A/N: Thanks to the people who reviewed and added the story to their favourites! I didn't think that a chapter as short as that would get any attention. This chapter focuses on different characters, not just one, so it should be less tedious than the last chapter...I hope.


Something shuffled in the darkness. There was a click, and a dim light illuminated the area around the small figure, who looked around himself carefully, before turning towards the computer screen. Tails scrolled impatiently through the list displayed before him. He needed to hurry...hurry before...

There was a sudden crash. The auburn fox felt his heart leap violently as the door burst open.

"Sonic-" He cut himself off with a quiet gasp, as he noticed that the hedgehog's right side was stained a deep crimson.

"Hey buddy..." The hedgehog smiled weakly. "...Sorry for bursting in, I know it's late."

"It's fine! I was just..." Tails hit the power button with his foot as he backed towards the computer. "...looking for some new shoes for Knuckles on the internet...I mean, it looks like he's wearing a pair of Lego bricks!"

"I don't think he'd be very happy if you told him that..." Sonic smiled.

"Oh sorry...you're practically bleeding to death over there and I'm talking about shoes!" Tails exclaimed, suddenly feeling like an idiot. "I'll go get something to clean that up with."

Sonic watched the small fox scurry out of the room, before settling down into a nearby chair. He knew what Tails had been doing on the computer. It was his birthday tomorrow, and the fox had been looking for a last minute present. It was always difficult to know what to get for the world's fastest hedgehog, so Sonic could hardly blame him.

He should have been excited, but his gut feeling told him otherwise. The sense of dread was almost impossible to fight, no matter how hard he tried to. To his relief, Tails was quick to return with first aid kit in hand. No matter how well he covered it up, he had always hated being alone when he was afraid, ever since the death of his parents.

"So...if you don't mind me asking-" The fox began, as he dressed the wound. "What happened?"

"It was just a run in with Eggman-"

"Eggman? But I thought you went to the hills?"

"I did, but he was out there for some reason."

"But Sonic, don't you get it? If he was out there, then he was obviously expecting you and you alone, otherwise he would have gone and attacked Station Square!"

"And that means?"

"It was a trap Sonic, and you walked straight into it!"

"But traps have never really been a problem before..."

"Well you shouldn't just walk into them for the sake of it! But you never think, because you always assume that you'll be fine. Well this time, you didn't exactly come out smelling of roses did you?"

"I know it was dumb of me-"

"More like arrogant! It's a miracle you weren't killed..." The anger in Tails' voice died before he had reached the end of the sentence. He sighed deeply, looking up into Sonic's eyes, only too see the hurt that he had inflicted upon the hedgehog. "I didn't mean to be harsh Sonic, but I was worried. Just the thought...that maybe if you hadn't been so lucky..."

"You had every right to be mad Tails, I know how I would feel if I lost you. I shouldn't have been so stupid and arrogant, thinking that I could take on anything and everything that came my way."

"It's fine Sonic, but please, if something doesn't look right, ask for help next time." Tails sighed, trying to sound reassuring as he finished dressing Sonic's wound.

"Next time..." Sonic repeated the word doubtfully. "...Do you have a spare sofa I could sleep on? I feel kinda tired. I'll just go back to my house if you don't, it isn't far."

"No, no...there's a decent-sized one upstairs. Stay as long as you like, I'm not expecting anyone."

"Thanks buddy."

It was only six pm, but Sonic still couldn't shake the overwhelming fatigue off as he dragged himself sleepily up the steps. When Tails was sure that the hedgehog had gone, he turned back to the computer and hit the power button again, hoping that there was a present available to make up for the pain he had caused his best friend.


Amy Rose really wished she hadn't set her alarm clock for five am in the morning. When she had finally pulled herself out of bed, she grabbed the clock and threw it against the wall angrily, almost instantly regretting it.

"I knew I should have bought a tougher one..." She sighed to herself, ignoring the mangled remains of the clock and stumbling out of her room towards the kitchen. Before she reached the fridge, she noticed something on the table.

Present.

Birthday.

Sonic.

"Sonic's Birthday!" Amy gasped. Breakfast could wait, she dashed out of the room, running upstairs to get changed. Then, running back down again, she grabbed the present and made for the door.

It would have taken most people around half an hour to get to Sonic's house from Amy's, but it only took her half that time. She had been awake all night waiting for morning, just so she could wake up early and go deliver Sonic's present to him. She really was that obsessed.

As she reached his bedroom door, the excitement inside her was threatening to overflow. She couldn't wait to see the expression on his face, even if he was downright pissed off.

Three...two...one...NOW!

The pink hedgehog soared into the room, diving onto Sonic's bed. This might have woken him up, if he had actually been there.

"Dammit..." She sighed, wondering if he had purposely gone out for an early morning run, just to escape her. As likely as this was, she decided to go and check at Tails' workshop. If he wasn't at his house, he was usually there.

Surprisingly, Tails was already awake by the time she reached her destination.

"Hey Amy! I guess your here to-" He started.

"-deliver Sonic's present, yes. Now where is he?"

"Uh...upstairs..." Stuttered the fox.

"Got it."

Amy bolted up the steps, kicking open the first door she saw.

"Sonic?"

There was no reply. It was a small room, with little inside it, except an empty desk and a sofa. The window at the end of the room was opened wide, and a cold breeze swept through the curtains, across the empty space and past Amy, sending an uncomfortable chill through her.

But there was something else.

Something that turned her blood to ice.

As she looked over the arm of the sofa she noticed that it was soaked. Soaked in dark crimson.

She turned away from the sight, head reeling, stomach turning. She didn't wait to check the other room, from the disturbing silence she could tell that Sonic wasn't there either.

"Tails...oh my God...Tails..." She cried.

The fox picked up on the panic in Amy's tone and made his way up the steps towards her, where she knelt on the landing, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Amy..." Her panic caught hold of him, but he forced himself to calm down. He knelt down beside her and placed a shaking hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"

"B-blood...where Sonic was...."

"What? Where's Sonic?"

"N-not...he's not t-there..."

"Listen to me, Amy...Sonic hurt himself yesterday. It wasn't too bad, but he came here and slept the night because he didn't have a first aid kit at his house. He's probably just woken up and gone for a run, and the blood you saw was just from the cut in his arm."

"He w-wouldn't just run off though...n-not when he was hurt."

"Maybe he just went back to his house."

"H-he isn't there.

Tails sighed deeply, getting to his feet and reluctantly entering the room where Sonic had been. He kept his gaze away from the stained sofa, he didn't want to worry Amy but he couldn't help the sudden racing of his heart as he felt the wind from the open window send a shiver down his spine.

Please Sonic. Not now.


A/N: The journey has only just begun! Sorry if you found anything a bit too cliche but it should hopefully get only more interesting from here so keep reading folks! If you notice any long delays check out my profile where there should be an explanation. Just thought I'd get that over with. Until next time!...which should be soon.