Three Years Later.

Part 4 of 5

See previous chapter to see disclaimer and warnings.

Tails awoke to find himself lying on Sonic's bed between Sonic and Sally. Taking advantage of the situation he moved closer to Sally and gently nuzzled against the back of her neck. He felt bad and, to him, it felt as he was taking advantage of her. But he couldn't stop. He needed the contact. He couldn't take another day without the feeling of someone else's fur.

He moved away a few seconds later and smiled sadly at the two lovers. I wish you actually loved me. Tails though sadly to himself I wish anyone would love me. But it...just isn't going to happen. I'll pretend for a while but...

He couldn't complete the thought. He turned away from her beautiful face, to get out of bed, and felt two arms wrap around him. He let them carry him back under the covers and wrap themselves around his body. He twisted and could see Sally's face.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked in more of a joking tone than any other,

Tails shrugged "I don't know"

"Then come here" Suddenly Tails found himself surrounded by her arms and felt soft kisses raining down on his cheek. Embracing the feeling he buried his head in her neck and hugged her back, softly kissing her neck. However as soon as he started to kiss her neck he felt her tense slightly. He quickly stopped kissing and decided to just lie in her arms letting her do what she wanted. He loved the feeling of her running her hands through his think fur but for some reason it wasn't enough.

He felt Sally let go and get up, probably to make breakfast, and that's when he realized what had happened. She's pretending to treat me like Sonic but is really just treating me like her son again. No wonder she was so tense when I started to kiss her neck...god I'm such an idiot

Sally had left the room and Sonic wasn't going to wake for the next few hours at least. Feeling like the worlds biggest looser Tails pulled himself out of bed. He was going to leave them and kill himself tonight. What was the use of pretending to be loved?

Why did she have to pretend? Tails wondered to himself sadly as he climbed out the window to avoid Sally from spotting him. Why couldn't she just be honest and tell me I was been stupid? Why doesn't anyone just tell me the truth?

By now Tails had reached the outskirts of Mobotropolice. Tails sat down against a tree staring up into the sky.

"Even after I try to kill myself they still treat me like a little kid" He wondered aloud "Why can't they at least be honest with me? Why can't they just sit down beside me and tell me that there isn't anyone for me? Why do they instead pretend and leave me worse off than before? Why do they play with my emotions like that?"

He looked down, fighting tears, wondering what he'd done to deserve the mess his life had become. Suddenly he felt a hand land on his shoulder. Screaming, he jumped up and span ready to attack. It was Bunnie.

"Geez Bunnie don't do that" Tails complained

"Sorra Sugar. I wanted ta comfort ya. Sorra"

"Yeah yeah" Tails turned away

Bunnie frowned "I can see that sometin botherin you, sugar"

Tails pointedly didn't look in her direction. "It's not important"

"Sugar. I saw ya crying. Just tell me, I could help"

Tails turned to look at her. Since he always complained about them not being honest, he realised that he was also doing the same. "I tried to kill myself but Sally stopped me. She said she loved me like sonic...but...she treats me like a little kid still...and when I tried to kiss her I could tell she didn't like the idea of it...Why did she lie?"

Bunnie sat down beside him "Look, Sugar, It may be true that she doesn't love, love you. But please don't try to kill yourself. It would make all of us unhappy. I know you've been bottling up your feelings and...well...I think you just need to tell someone everything. It'll help you"

Tails looked at the semi-robot bunny. "It would"

"Yes sugar. Tell me what's wrong and I'll try and help you" Bunnie promised

"Will you keep it a secret?" Tails asked, worried.

"Of course Tails" Bunnie promised. "I want you, right now, to tell me everything that's wrong. You'll feel heaps better"

Tails nodded "Okay...I guess I'm feeling a bit lonely...well...I though I was lonely but...it was more...I don't know...I missed Sally's hugs...I missed her touch...I was afraid I'd fallen for her so I started to avoid people...but then I realized that I DID love her and no matter what I always would. I...I decided that it would be best If I...removed myself from her life...that way I wouldn't irritate her...but she caught me and told me she loved me...but when I felt her kiss me I could feel her tense and she broke it off much quicker than Sonic's. Then she gave me a hug like before and then kissed me goodnight the same way she always has, on my forehead...What delusion did I have that made me think that she would ever love me?" He still wouldn't look at her.

"Look sugar...I..." She didn't know what to say.

"I think I know why she did it" Tails suddenly started interrupting Bunnie

"You do?"

"Yeah. Tails answered "She thinks that I'm a little kid and expects that people show love the same way she cares for me. I guess I should be happy she was willing to pretend to love me. Yeah I should be. Thanks Bunnie" Tails, happier now, suddenly jumped up and flew off.

Tails found Sally eating breakfast beside Sonic, a look of pure joy on her face. Tails waited, the situation was too perfect to ruin. Ten minutes later they finished and Tails saw an opportunity to talk to Sally, while Sonic was, as a favour, washing up.

"Sally?" Tails said waiting for her attention.
She turned "Oh hi Tails, where were you?" She asked, a tone of worry in her voice.

"I just had to rethink things" Tails told her "And I think I've got it all worked out"

"About what?"

"Well...I'm sorry for almost forcing you to love me. I know it wasn't the right thing. I've also decided that I don't want you to pretend any longer. I prefer to be alone that for you to pretend to love me"

Sally looked surprised "Err...Tails...I wasn't..."

Tails rolled his eyes "Yeah right. I saw you when I tried to kiss you. It's okay Sal. You don't have to pretend"

"But..."

"Sally. It's okay really. It was nice but...well...even if I was with you I still wouldn't be happy...I mean come on. I never really had a chance, did I? I'm too young for you aren't I?"

"Tails...I...I wasn't ly..." She was having trouble keeping a conversation up and Tails interruptions weren't helping the matter.

"I know you were. I'm just saying that it doesn't matter. I never really could be with you anyway. You are a princess, soon to be a queen. Royalty marries royalty, something I'm not..." He sighed "I was really dreaming to even want you. There are so many things against it. I'm a young fox who's barely half you age...You're already married to Sonic...You're royalty, I'm not...you think of me as a son...and to be completely honest I don't even see myself as worthy of your time"

Sally started at him, shocked. "Tails...I...I care for yo..."

Tails again interrupted her "It doesn't matter. Look I really need to go and think this over. See you" he took off before she had a chance to respond. Sonic came back into the room.

"Where's Tails?" He asked noticing the absence of the fox.

Sally looked away from the door ails had just ran out of. "I messed up" She told him

Sonic sat down beside her "Tell me everything. I can help"

Sally nodded and started to tell Sonic what she'd done and the state Tails was in. (I'll skip this as it's just a retelling of the story so far)

"I know I screwed up but I wish there was something I could do to make him believe I really do love him. He just won't believe me"

Sonic frowned "Tails responds to actions rather than words. Did you show any reluctance to loving him?" He asked. He understood what could set off Tails.

Sally nodded "I loved him but as he started kissing me I felt that it was right and wrong. The feelings were perfect and I felt so at peace with him...but then I though about what everyone would think of me and...and...I stopped" She was almost crying at this point. "I just want to share my love with you and Tails...I wish I could..." Sonic pulled her into a hug.

"You can Sal. You can" He comforted her. "Now I'm going to find Tails and bring him back. I think it's time you both actually listened for once. Can I leave you alone for a few minutes?"

Sally looked up at Sonic with her eyebrow raised. "I feel bad, I'm not retarded. Of course you can leave for a few minutes. I'll wait for him"

Sonic nodded and ran off to locate the fox.

Sonic located the fox sitting only a few minutes jog away. Tails was sitting hunched over with his head in his hands. Sonic sat down beside him and the fox looked up at his hero. "Hey Sonic" Tails told him, he was smiling but Sonic could easily tell that it was forced.

"How are you Tails?" Sonic asked cautiously.

Tails shrugged. "Not to bad. Nothing to really complain about"

Sonic frowned "You were rejected by the one you love and all you say is that it isn't anything to complain about"

Tails shrugged again "She was out of my league. It was never going to work and anyway in case you forgot she married to you" The kid looked at Sonic like there was something wrong with HIM.

"Tails, Sally really feels bad for what she did. She only hesitated because she was worried what others would think" Sonic told him.

Tails looked away from Sonic "It's always because of what other's think. The amount of times that I've been stopped because of that idea. Did you know that I can't design planes anymore as they could be dangerous as I haven't gone through an engineering course? This is just another example and the worst bit is that they are always right, I haven't done an engineering course and obviously you're a much better candidate for Sally..." he trailed off and sat there silently thinking to himself.

"Tails. You shouldn't care what other's think. If I did I would've never been able to defeat Robutnik, would I? I'd have been hiding under my bed like everyone and waiting for my demise. Tails the idea is to use the others as a guide. They may sometimes be right but the majority of the time they are just general idea that apply to some but not all. Sally cares for you dude. It doesn't matter that she also cares for me and you're young. Now come on. Cheer up. Sal has something to say to you and this time she means it entirely"

Tails nodded and allowed Sonic to take him back to her.

A/N Last Chapter Done. Epilogue next