She just stared at him, a completely stunned expression on her face. She waited for her vision to go blurry and dark before finding herself staring up at her bedroom ceiling, waking up from what could only be described as a cruel dream. But her vision was so clear, she wasn't waking up. He stared back at her with a guilty smile plastered across his muzzle.

She felt her bottom lip start to quiver as if she was going to cry, but no tears seemed to form. She felt this incredible surge of fiery anger build up inside her, desperate to burst forth but she couldn't seem to let it escape. She just stood there, hand still holding the door knob firmly, her chest heaving in shallow breaths. Her mouth gaped as if she was trying to say something, anything, but no sound rose from her throat.

'I know this is probably a bit of a shock.' Sonic muttered as he took a step closer to her, carefully avoiding the shattered glass.

It's as if the word itself brought her back to what was happening, shocking her back to reality. It happened before she knew what she was doing, before she could stop herself. One second she was staring blankly at him, the next her hand was stinging and he was wincing, the side of his face turned to her as he rubbed his throbbing muzzle. He said nothing, an eerie silence settling over them again, tears finally threatening to fall from her jade orbs.

'A bit of a shock?' Amy breathed out shakily.

'I deserve that. I know it's been a while, and I know I should have made contact with you-'

'You were dead for all I knew.' She cut him off with the same venom that struck his face.

'I contacted Tails often enough for him to know I was safe?' He told her as if it was sufficient.

'I couldn't have known that, I haven't spoken to Tails in months! Or any of them for that matter...' She admitted to him, the reality setting back in as she momentarily forgot the burning rage.

'What are you talking about?' He cocked a brow, still rubbing his cheek.

'Since Eggman died, since you left, everyone just drifted. Moved on with their lives and left the rest of us behind.'

He stared at her strangely, clearly confused. She felt that familiar feeling creeping back in, that binge emotion that only that morning she swore she wouldn't let herself return to. It was consuming her so rapidly she feared she might crumple into the ground right there in front of him. She wanted more answers, she needed them. There were so many questions but she didn't know where to start – with asking questions or continue to scream at him.

'I'm not saying I'm innocent, I gave up trying to stop the drift. But this past year has been so unbearable, you have no idea.' She breathed out as she wandered aimlessly towards her kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine as he watched, forgetting the shattered glass in her doorway.

'I don't know what to say.' Sonic sighed.

'Then why are you here?' She spat as she looked him dead in the eye, 'Why did you come back after all this time? Why here? Why now?'

'I-I don't-'

'I spent weeks and weeks so depressed that I didn't leave this god forsaken house. Thinking you could be in trouble, or worse. Wondering why you left and why you never made contact. Wondering why you up and left when things were finally getting… good, making sense… between us.' Her voice broke a little, but she refused to cry in front of him as she began to drink and let her words sink in.

'I've spent so long feeling so alone. I missed my friends, I still do. But you? I've never felt pain like the ache in my chest every second of every damn day you were gone. I've hated you for leaving, and battled that with the intolerable urge to just see you. I'm so mad at you.'

'And you have every right to be,' he cut in while he had the chance, 'and I'm so sorry I put you through that.'

'It's going to take a long time for me to forgive you. If at all.' Amy shook her head as she finished her glass and poured another.

She began to drink again, seemingly effortless. Sonic watched her and wondered if this is what she'd been doing since he'd left. He leaned against the doorway as she leaned against the bench, the pair of them both out of things to say in that moment but so much to say without knowing where to start. The fuchsia hedgehog allowed a tear or two to fall when she was turned away from him.

'So, where did you go? Last I heard you were 'travelling'.' She asked, her voice dead.

'Everywhere, I guess. I just kept running and stopping every time I found somewhere new.' He answered, remaining cautious.

'Run out of new places then? That's why you're back?' Her vicious sarcasm stinging him.

'No.'

'Then tell me, Sonic,' Amy began with a dramatically sarcastic grin as she made her way to the living room couch, 'tell me what's been going through that delicate little head of yours all this time.'

'When I left, I didn't intend on being gone this long,' he began as he sat on the coffee table across from her, 'maybe just a few days or so but with Eggman gone… I'm embarrassed to admit it really shook me. I just kept running and running, like it was some way of dealing with it and…well, then I'd think of you and… that night a few days before everything went sideways.'

'You think I haven't thought about that night?' Amy cut in, the memory brewing fresh tears, 'that's been all I can think about. Wondering why you followed me upstairs and away from everyone else in the garage. Wondering how we could talk and laugh so easily. But above all, wondering why for a brief and fleeting second you kissed me just to run away and leave everything behind.'

'I wanted you to know how I felt- feel!- about you, Amy! I got scared, I admit it! I didn't know what I wanted! I know I messed up and I'm sorry!' Sonic yelled as he stood up.

'No! You don't get to be the victim!' Amy stood up to meet him, that urge of rage fighting to burst forth, 'I've been a wreck. My whole life turned upside down and I hate that I let you do that to me! I hate that because of you, I aided in every good friend I have drifting away from me! And I hate that you think you can come back here and make everything ok again!'

'I never expected you to forgive me right away! I'm trying to make it up to you!' Sonic yelled desperately as he grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him.

'How in all of Mobius do you think you can make up for this?!' She screeched as she beat his chest and forced him away for her. 'How can you possibly make up for all the time you were gone?! For what you did to me!'

'Amy, please,' He begged as his legs collapsed, sitting him back on the coffee table with his head in his hands as she stood over him, 'I don't know what to do, but I swear to Chaos I'll spend every day trying to make it up to you. And the others. It's hurt me being away from all of you, and I know that's my fault. I still feel the same way about you that I did before I left, if not more.'

'And what makes you think I still feel the same?' She spat out and almost immediately regret it, knowing she was still well and truly in love with this idiot.

'I don't expect you to feel anything for me other than hatred,' he said quietly before holding her hips and resting his forehead on her stomach, 'but, I'm begging you, please… Just give me a chance to make it up to you. I know now that I need you.'

A stunned silence filled the room as he continued to rest his forehead on her stomach, the fuchsia hedgehog staring at his long royal blue quills. In all the time she had known Sonic, she'd never seen him so vulnerable – which she figured was a pretty good indicator on how sincere he was. She could swear for a second he might be crying, and she fought the urge to start running her fingers through his quills but she didn't want him to think that was a sign of forgiveness. How she had longed for this moment, though.

'Every damn day, Sonic.' She let out a strained breath, beginning to cry, and began to gently run a hand through his quills, 'Every day you need to show me that you really want to make up for what we lost. I need to be able to trust you again.'

'I swear to Chaos, Amy.' He said through a gentle sob as he got to his knees, still holding her.

The sound of him in tears ripped her heart open and caused fresh tears to sparkle in her eyes. She made him let go and knelt down to his level. He was clearly trying to hide his face, but she cupped his muzzle in her hands and wiped away a tear with her thumb. She still wasn't ready to forgive him, that would take time, but looking at him now, it was so hard to stay mad at him. She felt her lips curl up into the tiniest smile before kissing his nose and resting her forehead on his. He tried to pull himself together and let out a small laugh.

'Have you seen any of the others yet?' She asked him quietly.

'No, I came here first.' He smiled in return.

'Well then, I think it's time to get everyone back together…'