Sonic was on his way back from the shops, the evening was just starting to draw in and the cold snap in the air was present.

Hands propelling the wheels, Sonic entered Knothole, his shopping hanging from each wheelchair handle. He looked at his watch, it read 5pm.

"Great! Made it back just in time for tea. Hope my chilli dogs are at the table when I get back!" He thought.

Suddenly, a shaded figure started to appear from behind... unknownst to Sonic. The mysterious figure wore all black, covered from head to toe in black disquise, he even wore a hat which covered his entire face! It appeared everything bar his eyes were covered. He drew closer and closer.

Sonic was going pretty fast. For being handicapped, he had learnt to steer his chair at a fast pace, faster than the average Mobian could walk.

The figure was just a mere few inches away from Sonic now. Still, he hadn't noticed, assumingly too eager to get back in time for tea.

Then, it happened. The Mobian dashed towards the back of Sonic's chair at full speed, grabbing onto the handles and rapidly pushing the wheelchair forward.

"Uuugh!" Sonic screamed.

The hedgehog went flying, he landed flat on his stomach, his wheelchair several metres away lying on its side, toppled over... along with his shopping.

Sonic lay on the ground, helplessly, being unable to move.

The mysterious character inched forward, making a quick aim at Sonic.

He grabbed Sonic by his head quills, the grip in a tight hold, and repetively kept hitting Sonic's head against the ground.

"What's your problem, man?! Lemme go!"

"Ha! Not so strong anymore, are you hedgehog?" Spoke the Mobian, whose voice was impersonated to hide who they really were.

He scuffed Sonic off the floor once again by his head quills, this time to his feet.

"Who ARE you? And can't you see I ain't in that wheelchair for fun?!"

"You don't need to know who I am, you just need to realise what a PATHETIC creature you have turned into. Nobody likes you any more! The world isn't meant for disabled people!"

He was holding Sonic upright and he was hunched backwards helplessly, unable to hold his upper body upright due to his condition. Sonic's hands were sprawled out trying, but failing, to gain balance. He rather cruelly released his grip of Sonic, and immediately, his paralysed legs gave way and he fell back towards to ground, in a second.

Nearby in a treetop just as you enter Knothole Village, a two-tailed fox had just reached the top of the tree, ready to take on the evening night watch until 8. Sure Robotnik was history, however Sally insisted they still keep a look-out, just a little longer just in case. He had his binoculars at the ready.

"I really don't feel like this tonight..." Tails yawned.

Grabbing a seat and inserting the binoculars affront his eyes, Tails started gazing out around Knothole, keeping an eye out for trouble.

And that moment, his stomach dropped to the floor. He was horrified at what he'd just seen.

"Oh my gosh, that's Sonic over there!" Tails thought, in a state of shock.

"Is that… someone beating him up? No, this can't be happening! Bro…" For a minute, he continued watching the scene through his binoculars, assumingly to double check he had seen it right.

"Sally doesn't love you, she never has! Do you REALLY think she still has feelings for a helpless, disabled idiot like you? You can't even have kids, that's how useless you are. She deserves to have a REAL King to rule by her side, someone who can actually DO something bar sit on their ass 24/7!"

He continued smashing Sonic's head hard against the ground. Sonic's two front teeth had flew out of his mouth, blood now pouring from his nose. He was covered in bruises all over, and was more black than blue.

"Oh look! Someone's going to need dentures!"

"Shut up!" Sonic yelled.

The whole situation had really started to take a toll on Sonic, he was getting tired, physically and emotionally. Tears started to gather in his eyes. What he said was right, he WAS useless now...

"Remember one thing. Sal may or may not love me anymore but I know one thing for sure- she will NEVER go out with someone who goes around beating up disabled people in wheelchairs!" Sonic made this clear by pointing his finger, whilst currently being pinned to the floor.

Sonic couldn't hold the tears any longer. Tears started spilling down his face.

"See, you even admit it yourself Sally no longer loves you! She'll hate you even more once I turn you into a quadriplegic! Ha, imagine that. You won't even be able to move your head by the time I've finished with you!"

The mysterious form turned Sonic onto his back, and started slamming his foot hard on his spine.

"NO! STOP IT!" Sonic cried out, in agony.

Harder and harder the foot slammed on the hedgehog's back. Sonic was slowly starting to lose consciousness. His spine was extremely fragile, especially after the 12 hour surgery he went through to have it repaired.

Suddenly, a familiar orange figure appeared.

"No one hurts MY disabled big bro and gets away with it!" Tails screamed.

"What do you think you're gonna do? you double-tailed freak!"

"Give you payback for hurting my bro!"

"Bring it on!"

Both Mobians made a charge at each other, the attacker getting the upper hand, holding Tails by his neck and throwing him with great might.

Tails charged back and aimed at the person stood affront of him, sending him flying. Tails tackled him to the ground. holding the squirming figure down.

"Something to hide? Let's see who you REALLY are, shall we?!

Sure enough, the fox started ripping off the Mobian's attire, one by one, his hand shook at what he saw in front of him.

"NOOO, DON'T!"

Tails' hand shook when he saw who Sonic's attacker was. No other than...

Monkey Khan.

...

"You SICKO! How dare you betray us after all these years? We trusted you!" Tails screamed, who quickly got onto his communicator watch. "Hello, 999? I would like the Police please. Knothole Village, by the treehouse watch.

"No please, Tails, I will explain!" Khan shouted, still struggling under Tails' strong grip.

Tails had been trained from the best, he was not a pushover by any stretch of the imagination, and was a lot stronger than he appeared.

"There's nothing TO explain. Look at what you've done to my bro. He can't walk or defend himself! You've always been jealous of his relationship with Sally. She will NEVER love you, you hear me, never!" Tails yelled, still keeping a strong hold on Khan (who was struggling more than ever, but failing to escape), all the while keeping an eye on Sonic, who still lay on his stomach in a puddle of blood around his face. He was barely conscious, and Tails wondered if he knew what was going on. He hated not being able to rush to his side, especially after treating him so horribly since his accident, however he knew he had to keep a watch on Khan first, or risk him getting away never to be seen again.

Soon enough, the Police arrived, and Khan was arrested.

Tails quickly dialed 999 once again, this time for an ambulance. He rushed to Sonic's side.

He was very pale, bloodied and bruised, but in a stable state.

Tails took a hold of Sonic's hand, tears welling up in his eyes. He noticed Sonic's two smashed teeth lying before him and his toppled over wheelchair in the near distance. Along with a shopping bag full of stuff. The football had rolled out of the bag, along with a now-smashed mirror and vase.

"Sonic... it's ok big bro, Khan's gone now. I'm here for you." choked Tails, tears flooding down his face.

And then, Sonic did something to horrify Tails. His shoulders stiffened and he sharpened his quills, as if… as if he was afraid Tails was going to… hurt him?

"Sonic, buddy please stay calm, it's Tails. I'm not going to hurt you." He spoke, gently rubbing Sonic's shoulder. Sonic seemed reassured, and his quills flattened, his shoulder loosening.

Tails suddenly felt the grip of his hand tighten.

"Tails..." Sonic feebly whispered.

"It's ok Sonic, the ambulance is on its way, okay? I'm here. Which reminds me- I haven't let Aunt Sally know yet!"

"No please, don't worry her..." Sonic said in a weak, hoarse tone.

"Sonic, she has a right to know..."

Tails immediately got onto his communicator watch. "Aunt Sally, are you there?" Tails spoke in a worried manner.

"Yes Tails I'm here. Is everything ok? Why are you crying?"

"You've gotta come quick, outside the treehouse... Sonic's been beaten up badly, but don't worry! He's alive." Tails admitted, in the sadist of tones.

"Oh god no. Sonic!" Sally immediately left her hut, running with every bit of strength within her to Sonic's side, in floods of tears. She felt physically sick, her heart threatening to explode from her chest.

She arrived at the scene just as the ambulance had finished taking Sonic in.

"SONIC!" Sally cried. "I'm Sonic's partner, please, I must go with him!"

"We're sorry, but only 1 passenger is allowed to ride in the ambulance" Explained the Doctor.

"I'll follow on behind" Tails noted.

"Thanks Tails. Could you bring along Sonic's wheelchair, he'll need it when he comes out" Said a rather tear stricken Sally.

"Don't worry, I will do"

Tails exited the ambulance, and the doors closed. The sirens piercing his hearing and sped off. He stood there hopelessly for a second.

Tails approached Sonic's smashed teeth, Christmas shopping and his toppled over chair, folding it up. Holding the folded chair, he thought to himself how much Sonic depended on this very equipment, and how he would have no life without it. It wasn't fair. After folding it successfully, he dropped it again and fell to his knees, in a flood of tears which was almost starting to form a puddle.

"I'm so sorry for how I've treated you since your accident big bro. Please forgive me. I love you!"

He thought to himself silently. If he hadn't of shown up, Sonic would have died today... and Tails would of had to live with the guilt of never apologising to Sonic about his long absence, he would have died thinking Tails hated him, and this made him feel extremely guilty.

Once Tails had gotten ahold of himself, his eyes slowly drew to the shopping bags, he noticed the rolled out football and the smashed mirror and vase. Curiously, he peered inside the first one.

It was full to the brim of interesting things, but not something Sonic would buy for himself. Tails continued to rummage through, and finally realised...

"Sonic must have bought all this for me." Tails' expression showed that of someone in shock. After how he had treated him recently he wasn't expecting anything, and Sonic had never given up on him. Tails cried heavier, currently holding the remote control helicopter in his hand.

"You never gave up on me... Don't worry brother, when you come out of hospital we will spend every day together." Tails thought.

He started putting the contents back into the bag, and was to pretend to Sonic he hadn't seen any of it. Before anything he picked up the bag, and decided to enter Sally's hut, she had left the door open in a hurry. This way, Sonic will know it had been hidden from Tails, presumably by Sally. He left it in the corner, and would explain to Sally later.

Tails took in the hut, albeit in darkness. Sally must have been watching TV as it had been left on. Every piece of furniture had been remodelled to be lower to the ground, to meet Sonic's need of independence. It must have cost her a fortune, he thought.

Finally Tails closed the door to the house, and headed back. Peering into the second bag, he saw a more feminine selection of things. Assumingly aimed at Sally. The next bag was house to the two broken objects and the canvas print. Tails decided to leave the broken pieces as didn't want a cut hand. He took both bags over into his own house, to hide from Sally, and left them by the side of his bed. He remembered Sonic's smashed teeth, and decided to bring a tiny box to keep them in and bring it with him. The Doctors may need them, he thought.

Tails finally left his house and headed over for the wheelchair. He picked up Sonic's teeth and inserted them into the tiny box. Picking up the folded wheelchair, Tails flew off in a rush, heading for the hospital.