"Damit hedgehog... You smashed the nail in my coffin this time.." Shadow growled looking out the back window of the G.U.N car. It had only been 15 minutes since the bet was made and with every minute the hedgehog hated it more and more.

"Calm down Shadow, It's not like the kid's gonna kill you. You haven't even met him or her yet... Then again neither have I, you know it's not like we can just ask a family if we can borrow their kid you know" The blue blur said with a soften tone. This only brought up more question to the ebony hedgie.

"Then where on Mobius do I get my hands on one ?" The ebony one question with a fixed eyebrow. scratching his head, Sonic tried thinking of the easiest way to explain things.

"Well... That's what a foster home is for Shadow. Some children don't have family's or have been taken away from them for their own protection. From there a child can be taken care of or even adopted into a new family, if it best suits the child... But some children don't get picked Shadow, either because there different or don't understand... Those poor children are left to wait and wait.. Hoping for that one someone to pick them but when the sunsets they see no one... And all there friends have new homes..." a small tear formed in the hedgies eye his reaction somewhat slow as to rub it off. Something very rare for Shadow to see in Sonic.

"I'm sorry.. This kinda stuff gets to me too much.. Shadow of course I want you to win this bet but don't pick a child if you think it's going to be easy.. Pick one you think you can do the most good for.. Promise ?" Sonic asked looking at him with a warm smile. Looking back at him with a heavy sigh, it seemed like Shadow had no choice but to listen to him now that he was caught in this mess.

"Promise.. That good enough for you ?"

"Just great" Sonic smiled tempted to wanna hug him but didn't knowing the ebony hedgie wasn't in the mood for those kind of things. Looking out the window, Sonic smiled to see the driver finally parking the car.

"We're here Shadow, come on let's go inside!" The cobalt hedgie beamed, rushing out the door, going inside. His ebony counter-part rolling his eyes as he followed shortly behind. Inside he saw Sonic and the Commander talking to the front desk lady, explaining the series of things they wish to happen, Although she seem highly uneasy about this.

"I'm sorry but you expect me to give you a child all for the sake of a bet...? No I'm sorry sir but that's not how it works here, otherwise we'd not have much children would we.."

"I know this seems crazy and probably too much but you can trust me, nothing bad's going to happen to the child, I promise on my life" Sonic smiled, looking over at Shadow with a wink to let him know it will be okay which only made his eyelid twitch, sickened.

"Ohh alright... But if that child doesn't go to school or the doctor at least once, I'll call child services to take him or her away. understand ?"

"Completely" He smiled, motioning Shadow to come over to them.

"Alright Mister Shadow and Mister Sonic, please follow me" Picking up some papers she showed them to the back where the children were, some playing, others sleeping, drawing or running away from workers trying to keep them under control. Just watching them Shadow had a twisted feeling in his gut and a sickened gag for it all. He wasn't completely emo, although to many smiling faces and squealing sounds was something he wasn't grown up used too.

"Aww their all so cute !" Sonic smiled, all the children turning their heads as they saw him, their face instantly filling with joy as they rushed over to look and climb all over him.

"Wow it's really him !" One racoon squealed clinging to his leg.

"Mister super hero person wanna pway with us ?" Asked the children looking at him with innocent smiles. Smiling, the blue blur never turned down a fan ( except Amy rose XP ), not even a child as he bend down looking over them happily with a nod.

"YAY !" they squealed running about as Sonic chased after them, slowing down as to be fair for them. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Shadow looked the other way trying to make his mind quick as to leave as soon as possible. Catching his eye he saw a white hedgehog child with a blue polka dot hat with matching pajamas, drawing when suddenly another boy, takes his crayon as he snaps it in half. Expecting the small boy to cry, Shadow blinked to see the exact opposite.

"Wow ! Now there's more than before !" The boy smiled all cheery, the other boy looking at him completely confused as his bullying didn't seem to be working at all. This was strange to Shadow though, sure Sonic could be annoying but the thing about this was that it didn't look like the boy was trying to be, heck it didn't even look like he knew he was being bullied in the first place.

"Tell me.. Who's that boy over there in the pajamas.." He asked looking over at the woman who blinked at him a bit.

"Your kidding right ? Ohh sorry I didn't mean it to come out like that.. It's just that one isn't.. well... How do I put it" She said trying to think of the words. Shadow just staring at her with question.

"Normal ? Ohh right, he isn't normal... In fact we find him the most hardest challenge yet as far as finding him a home.. Mostly because he still thinks his mother's still alive..."

"Mother ?" Shadow asked with confusion.

"Well, apparently nobody knew how to explain it to him right.. All he really thinks is she's in a better place, rather than she passed on.. I feel sorry for him, seeing how attached he is too her, I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. Notice his pajamas and night hat ?... His mother made those for him and he's never tooken them off since, not even for his bath time..I don't know why but I think it's because he misses her and expects her to come back..." Sighing she continued walking. Watching over the child, Shadow didn't know what kept bringing him back to the thought that this child was just different, too different.

"...What is the child's name.."

"Sleeper.." Said the woman, looking back at Shadow confused as to why he asked.

"I'll take him"

"C-come again ?" She stated in shock not expecting those words to be spoken once about the boy.

"I said I'll take him.. Is there a problem ?" He questioned, the woman quickly shaking her head.

"N-n-no !? Not at all" She smiled going through papers.

"I'll ready the papers, Till then this could be a good time for you to get to know him before you make a full decision"

"Alright whatever it takes" Leaving it at that the woman went off, leaving Shadow on his way. Walking over to the boy he bend down to his level, the boy seeing the older male's shadow as he looked up into the ebony one's red eyes.

"Hi" He smiled, placing his crayon aside as he stood up to Shadow's hight (bending down hight that is, not to be confusing ^^" ).

"..Hello.. Are you Sleeper ?" The Shadow questioned the younger male who smiled softly.

"Yep, and who might you mister ?" asked the younger male curiously.

"Shadow, Shadow the hedgehog... But to you probably from now on father..." He said trying to choose his words right. Looking over him in wonder the boy smiled and hugged him, to Shadow's surprise.

"Papa Shadow !" He smiled happily with closed eyes. Looking at the boy, Shadow wanted so badly to break the hug, being his long hate for them, yet seeing as how he was in a place like this he couldn't bring himself to do so. The words 'Papa Shadow' was all that sunk into his skull at the moment, aside from 'what have I done...'..