Chapter Two

"Looking for this?" a dark, calm voice whispered into Amy's ear. She swiftly turned around now face to face with Shadow.

"S-shadow?" Amy stuttered. The black hedgehog looked somewhat annoyed. Over whelmed with joy Amy tackled Shadow into the sand. "Oh my god! Shadow I'm so happy your alive!" She was hugging him so hard that he could have sworn he was turning blue.

"Yeah, yeah it's no big deal." He kept the same calm, cool expression he always had. Amy was so happy she began to cry.

'What am I doing? Now Shadow will probably think I'm just as weak as before.' the pink hedgehog wiped away her tears hoping Shadow had not seen.

"Here Amy these are yours." Shadow said handing Amy her neatly folded clothes and a towel.

"W-why did you get me a towel?" She asked curiously. Shadow just kept a straight face showing no sign of embarrassment, cockiness or anything.

"I saw that you had gone into the water so I thought you might need it." He said blankly. Amy searched his eyes for anything other than the truth, bit it seemed he was just being friendly for once and decided to help her out.

"Thanks Shadow." Amy said a smile creeping back to her lips, "This was very nice of you." She took the towel and dried herself off. Then she slipped back into her dress.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking what are you doing all the way out here?" Amy was shocked by the question.

'I can't tell him I was searching for him; he might think I'm some kind of stalker.'

Deciding not to answer the question Amy replied, "Well I should be asking you the same thing."

Shadow took a brief moment to answer, "Well I was kind of hoping to stay away from everyone. Isolated. That's what a monster like me deserves." Shadow the Hedgehog explained, anger creeping into his voice, fist clenched.

Amy placed her hand under his chin and brought it up. "You're not a monster Shadow. What happened was not your fault."

"You're wrong." Shadow said bluntly.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Haven't you ever noticed that when something bad happens, like last time, it has something to do with me? That's why everyone hates me... I'm a monster." the two hedgehogs just stood there looking at each other. Amy focused on Shadow's eyes and she saw what she never thought she'd see... sadness and anguish. He was just a tortured soul who has been through so much. It's amazing and fascinating, yet sad at the same time.

"That's not true Shadow. You're good. Every time something bad happens you're always there to save us. We all owe you our lives. So you see you not a monster, your just a Fallen Angel. An angel who has not yet been fully recognized for what he truly is. But you will be, soon." Amy took her hand from Shadow's face, but he grabbed it as she pulled away.

'What the-?'

"Thank you Amy." were the words that crossed Shadow the hedgehog's lips. The lips of a perfect being. The Ultimate Lifeform. Said to be the closest thing to a god that any living creature will ever see. And they are right. Every time he speaks, every time he moves it is done without flaws. A twitch of the head, a flick of the wrist, all done perfectly.

"You're welcome." She answered back some-what shyly. She felt her face, it was a little warm.

'Crap I'm blushing! I just hope Shadow didn't see.'

Luckily for Amy he was gazing at the beautiful sunset. To her it almost reminded her of sherbet ice cream.

'I wonder what Shadow thinks as he stares at the sunset?'

"Maria and rage..." he said as if reading her mind, "What? You seemed surprised. Your expression says it all." Amy jumped back at his sudden response.

"N-no it's just that-" Amy started but didn't get to finish.

"Amy you should know that you can't lie to me." He said walking towards her. Amy kept backing up, feet taking the soft impact of the sand, until she hit a tree. Shadow stopped leaving only centimeters between their bodies. His eyes were half closed, he almost seemed disinterested. Amy's eyes just widened and her body began to shake violently. A smirk slowly began to creep across his handsome face. "Anyway, Amy..." he said in a semi-pleased voice, "shouldn't you be getting back home?"

"Oh yes, I have to-" She began, when she saw Shadow turn back to the sunset she stopped. She saw a small tear fall from his face. The sun hit it making it gleam in the twilight. "Shadow." Amy started. He turns towards her, he look hurt. "If you want to you can come to my house and stay for a while." Amy said twiddling with her fingers. She turned away but kept glancing over every few seconds. Shadow's mouth curved into a small smile, his eyes still half closed and he tilted his head a little. This is the first time her had ever shown so much emotion, it was over whelming. He grabbed Amy's arm and pulled her into a soft hug.

Amy began to blush ferociously. She never expected Shadow to do anything like this. Falling into the hug she lightly grabbed his arms pulled him closer. "It's okay Shadow." She said pulling away.

"Thank you Amy." The smile was still on his face. If you looked at him you wouldn't think it was the same person. For the first time he looked so sweet and caring, and… real.

Amy took her hand away from one of his arms only to find it was soaked... with blood! "Oh my god Shadow! How could you be so careless!? Hurry we have to get to my house before it gets infected." Shadow looked down at his arm. There was a huge incision in his skin. Yet it didn't hurt. He didn't even feel it. It almost was like it wasn't even there. Shadow turned back his attention to the pink hedgehog; she had a worried look on her face.

"If it'll make you feel better Amy." Shadow sighed. What she was doing was completely unnessicary but like he said if it made her feel better than he wouldn't argue. Amy slipped her hand into a little pocket and rumadged in it for a few seconds before pulling a hankercheif. She place it lightly in her mouth and tugged at it making it rip in half. Taking the one half Amy whipped the blood surrounding the wound away and with the other she firmly wrapped it around the cut to stop the bleeding and to prevent any further infection.

"I know it's not the best but it should last it till we get to my house." Amy apologized. Shadow nodded wrapping his hand around the bandage. Blood began to soak through fast but he didn't seemed conserned. Taking his hand away from his wound he stared at his blood soaked hand. The crimson stained his hand contrasting greatly with his white glove. His eyes stayed focused on the stain.

'This blood is... my blood. My unholey blood...'

"Shadow are you alright?" Amy asked. Her concern for his well being was beginning to get on his nerves but he was grateful that she was so dedicated to helping him.

"Hm?" He lifted his head from his bloodly hand to meet Amy's worried gazed. Her emerald yes sparkled in the thin ray of light that came horizonaly through the bushes. They were so enchanting, they were like the many multi colored phantom chaos emeralds. His crimson eyes shook at the mear site of her beautiful eyes. "What is it Amy?"

"Nothing... well actualy there is something." the pink hedgehog said nerviously twidling with her thumbs. "If we plan to make it back to my house before dark then you need to run us there... if that's not too much trouble." Shadow raised his brow a bit. Why was she acting so flustered? Well whatever the reason Shadow just desided to push the thought out of his head and nodded. A smile once again crept across Amy face claiming her lips. Shadow took hold of Amy's hand with the one of his hands that wasn't soaked in blood and prepared himself for the run.

"Are you ready." He asked. Amy nodded her head and her grip on his hand.

It all happened so fast. They were moving faster than the speed of sound and Amy could see the lanscape flowing by only making smears of color in her vision. It made her feel... free. To Amy now, it was perfectly understandable why Sonic and Shadow had their deep burning desires for speed. But the sensation she felt didn't last too long because as soon as it had started it had ended. Amy wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes from her wind beaten face.

'A girl could get use to this.'

The grips they two hedgehogs had on each others hands loosened and fell back to their sides. They had stopped right outside the city limits of Westopolis.

"Will you lead the rest of the way 'cause I don't know where you live." Shadow said emotionously. Amy nodded her head and lead him into the city. The entire time Shadow seemed rather uncomfortable and tense. It almost seemed like he was expecting something to jump out at him any moment.

"What's the matter Shadow?" Amy asked sweetly.

"It's just that after that... Black Doom incedent the people of Westopolis seemed rather scared and angry with me. I mean how would you feel about someone who betrayed their planet for their own selfish gain." Shadow said dropping his head a bit. Amy stopped and placed a hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. The only reason you did that was because you were confused and needed someone to give you some answers. And Black Doom did just that, gave you what you wanted. But in the end your will, your own free will, not his, gave you the power to do what was right and save us all. So you see we are all grateful most of all me because you opened my eyes to what everyone is after..." Amy stopped. "A hero. Not like Spider Man or Super Man but an everday one who stands up for what the believe in, not afraid of what other people think of them. That's what you are but... more special."

Shadow lifted his head a his ruby eyes were filled with tears. He looked so sad he almost looked child like. This time it was Amy's turn to comfort him. She gentally wrapped around Shadow's shaking body giving him a warm hug. "Shadow please... never cry alone." Amy softly whispered in his ear like a mother trying to sooth her child. Shadow's eyes widened and the tears streamed over the edges of his eyes. He blinked them away and gave in to Amy's hug. An old feelin crept it's way back into his body making him feel warm inside.

'I haven't felt this way since...'

Shadow closed his eyes tightly as an image of the young blond girl entered his clouded mind.

'Maria...'

The sadness in his heart fought the warm feeling that was invading it. It lost and was replaced by something different... something that he hadn't felt in a long time. For the first time since the Ark accedent fifty years ago Shadow felt... love.

Amy pulled away from Shadow and looked him in the eye. "Come on Shadow we're almost there." She said giving him a warm smile. Shadow smiled back with the same sincerity Amy did and it felt good.

The pink hedgehog led him the rest of the way till they both stood in front of a pink house. There were Cherry Blossom trees out in the front of the house almost as if guarding it. A beautiful garden filled with tomatoes, blue berries, radishes, and many other fully bloomed fruits and veditables surrounded her house. Shadow smiled at the the effort Amy must have put into making this. She lead him to the front door and paused. After a moment of digging around in her pocket Amy pulled out a key and unlocked the large oak door leading into the house. After the lights were turned on it revieled a large front room. The walls were a light pink color where the carpeting was a snow white shade. Their were two large couches into the middle of the room positioned in front of a giant widescreen television set. "I know, it's not much but I call it home." Amy said turning her head towards Shadow. "Please wait here while I go and make dinner."

He smiled and nodded back at her. As soon as Amy walked off Shadow walked over and sat on one of the two large couches.He then grabbed a remote that was left on a little end table next to it and turned the tv on. The light of the tv was causing his eyes to droop with exhaustion making him yawn slightly. Shadow lay his head gently on a cotton soft pillow and began to drift off.

'I'm sure Amy won't mind if I... take a... quick nap... on... her... couch...'

And with that thought Shadow the Hedehog fell asleep on Amy Roses couch.

To be continued...