a/n: I can't settle.

Wednesday.

Amy set the small terrarium on Shadow's desk. It had a small tree with proportional branches and roots inside, nestled in rich soil. He looked up from his book to glare at Amy, then did the same to Rouge who was just behind her.

"I want it out of my office."

"It's a bonsai tree. This one can grow indoors!" she said cheerfully.

"Out. Of. My office."

"You haven't even given it a chance, hon. It's good for relaxation and focus, you know? Aesthetics and all," Rouge said with a smile.

"I'm trying to enjoy my break. Go away."

"Black coffee and poetry? Oh, darling...you really are out of sorts," she said as she sniffed at his paper cup of coffee. "Amy and I just wanted to help you unwind a little, that's all."

"How much."

"Hm?"

He looked at Amy. "How much?"

"Got a deal for the whole thing. Three hundred!"

"I should sack you this instant."

"Let's not be hasty," Rouge said. "I'm not going on coffee runs for us if you do something so silly. Besides, Amy is a sweetie. She means well. Don't you, dear?"

"You fire me and I'll make sure you eat through a straw for the near future."

"She loves you!"

"Get that damned tree out of my office, and get yourselves to work. I'm off my break in five minutes, and there will be consequences if I don't see you two-"

"We're going!" Rouge shoved Amy out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"I said to take that stupid tree-"

His voice was cut off. Amy grumbled and smoothed out her blouse.

"Does he have to be such a jerk?"

"No," Rouge answered casually. "But this work is making everyone antsy, I guess."

"I can testify to that. So are you gonna help me today, or what?"

"Easy there, She-Hulk." Rouge put a hand on her hip, thinking. "Hm. We'll get things done, but not in this stuffy old building."

"Shadow's gonna murder us."

"He'll have to find us first. And by then, he'll have calmed down."

Amy held her tongue, knowing the bat was right as always. "How come you're not a thing already, again?" she asked after a bit of silence.

"We're not in...that kind of relationship. That's all."

"Weak answer, but I'll let it go."

"I appreciate it. Hey, grab Box C from our office and we'll go on a drive."

"Whatever. Meet you out front?"

"Yup."

Amy nodded and went back to the office space she shared with Rouge. The untouched Box C was stacked on top of the others. She picked it up and started on her way out.

Shifting the box to one hand, she knocked on Shadow's door as she passed by. The black hedgehog poked his head out.

"She wants to go for a drive. I've got C with us, that's okay, right?"

"Send me the virtual report by midnight, when you get home. We can sort the physical copies later."

"Right."

"I'll lock up when I'm ready to leave. See you tomorrow, Rose."

"See you."

Shadow disappeared back into his office, and Amy made her way downstairs. She reached the front of G.U.N's Station Square Headquarters and scanned the street for her superior of sorts.

"There it is."

She carried the box to the sleek black convertible and dropped it into the back seat.

"That's real leather, you know."

"Is it?"

"It is."

Amy shrugged and vaulted over the side door into her seat. She folded her hands behind her head and leaned back.

Rouge shook her head as she slipped on a pair of sunglasses.

"You've got a terrible attitude."

"Only around you."

"Don't I feel special?"

"You should. You're one of the few people I hold in contempt."

"Am I that bad?" Rouge asked as she pulled into traffic.

"You're getting there."

"You checked the files in the box, right? It's got the biggest list of all of them?"

"Yeah."

"Well, let's try and get it done. That way, he'll have some room to breathe."

Rouge accelerated and flew down the on ramp, hitting the highway in short order.

"You done your half?"

"Three more forms."

"I've got five..."

Amy held out her hand.

"I'm fine," Rouge said.

"Listen, I'm thinking the same thing you are. Might as well split it, yeah?"

"...fine. I guess I owe you. Again."

"You don't."

"I do."

"Whatever." Amy reached for a curly French fry and tossed it into her mouth. The sound of her pen scratching against heavy paper rang out in the silence. Rouge sat beside her in the convertible's back seat, twirling a pen in one hand as she held a clipboard in the other. A pile of fast food and snacks was situated between them, resting on protective plastic and the floor since Rouge had insisted on it.

The sun was starting to dip towards the horizon. Light and warmth practically filled the desert where they had parked a few hours earlier, with not a person or thing in sight.

"Hey...Amy?"

"Mm-hm?"

"I just wanted to say...thanks. For coming on board, and everything. I know Shadow and I aren't the easiest people to work with."

"You're not. But I trust you more than most people."

"Should I be flattered?"

Amy gave her a look. "That's for you to decide, sweetie."

"I think I'll be flattered, yeah. You're a peach. Seriously, you are."

"I try. Though office work has already made me a bit...loopy."

"Like you weren't before?"

"You know what I mean."

"It does that to you. You'll be fine." Rouge grabbed a fry and bit into it.

"Maybe."

"He appreciates it, you know. You work hard. You've already proven yourself."

"He hated the bonsai."

"Poetry was always more of his thing."

"Mm." Amy checked off another box on her sheet. "I'll give it to Knuckles."

"Really?"

"It's not like he does much else up there. I'm sure he can fit it into his routine. Actually, Sonic should be able to deliver it. He goes up there a lot these days, apparently."

Rouge shrugged. "Those two always seemed close."

"Sonic and Tails were his first friends. That was after Eggman tricked him...must have taken a lot to trust anyone after all that."

"Yeah. Poor Knuckie." She looked over at Amy, and the hedgehog noticed her gaze after a few moments. "Hey...you think we could be...like that, one day?"

"Passive-aggressive teammates? We're already there."

Rouge laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"'Whatever turns you on', as you would say."

"Well..."

"You make a move on me and I'll jam this pen through the seat."

Rouge gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't."

Amy narrowed her eyes. "Try me. The only one getting lip action from me is Sonic."

"Tch. Prude."

"Pervert. Hand me another sheet, I'm done this one."

"Yeah."

Amy attached the new sheet to her clipboard and let out a breath. Her phone went off inside of her purse in the front seat, and she reached forward for it. She found the text message and smiled to herself briefly before putting the phone back.

"Who was that?"

"Just Tails thanking me for lunch," she said. Well, it wasn't a lie...even if it was only half the message.

"Oh, okay."

"Do we do any work on Sundays?"

"Nah. Not unless it's an emergency."

"Good. Then I won't have to ask for Sunday off."

"Hot date?" Rouge asked with a smirk.

Amy gave her a genuine smile back. "The hottest."