Sorry for the long wait, I have lots of things going on in my life school wise. Here's chapter 4. I hope I won't take a long time to update next time and in the future, but as I said school takes it's toll. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Search

Tails, Cream and their already stumbling drunk Friend Espio leave the abandoned factory and head into the city in search of the last Chaos Emerald. The fox makes small talk with Cream and tries not to bring up any parts of their less than notable past. Espio stays behind the two and drinks his liquor while trying to conceal it from police or anyone who would call to report his public drinking.

The group gets downtown and decide to split up at this point to look in separate areas of the city. Tails goes north east, Cream to the west and the purple Chameleon goes south. During his search, Espio runs out of liquor so, when he knows Cream and Tails aren't around, he slips into a bar to pick up some more. Cream and Cheese hit the sky and look from rooftops just to make the search easier but they find nothing while Tails leaves Two Gates and to the highway he took into town. He looks around small ponds and trails but it isn't until he reaches a small cave like stone ruin that his day starts to get better.

The fox carefully climbs down a dirt hill that leads into the large stone area, hoping this will be the place he finds the last chaos emerald. As day turns into night, Cream and Cheese call it a night while Espio is socializing at "The Lucky Clover" with a few friendly faces he met some time ago. Tails stumbles down into the dark cave and takes out his phone to switch on a bright blue LED light to make his way further in. He spots something bright Orange glowing in a corner so he runs over to grab it.

"Gotcha you son of a-"

Tails cuts himself off when he realizes that he just pulled the emerald from the big paws of an even bigger brown Bear sleeping. The grizzly sits up only to see a light flash in his face and the Fox standing next to him with the chaos emerald. Tails wastes no time speeding off out of the cave and back where he came from but this bear chases him through the grassy woodland and onto the highway road. The fox uses his tails to make his way above the bear.

"Haha!" Tails yells, but he is again cut off as the bear grabs a hold of his pant leg "No! let me go!"

Cream looks around Two Gates for Tails and Espio but she can't find either of them so she tries the next best thing; looking in the windows of bars and clubs for Espio. By 9 o'clock she is able to see the Chameleon knocking a few drinks back with some of the locals and watching a football game on a big flat screen TV. The Rabbit gets into the bar and makes her way to Espio, pushing past everyone in her. She walks up to him while he is talking to a waitress.

"So you gave up, too?" Cream says, putting her backpack down

"Oh, is this your girlfriend, Espio?" The Waitress asks, stepping back from the Chameleon.

"What? No, she's a friend. To answer your question, yes I gave up a long time ago. Where's the Fox?" Espio asks

"You tell me" Cream retorts "I swear, that guy just likes to piss everyone off for fun. I bet he's out relaxing in some hotel making us look around this city"

The grizzly bear digs it's claws into Tails body, causing blood to run from his wounds and this puts Tails in panic mode. He lashes out at the bear, hitting him with dozens of elbows and punches. Then, it's the bear on the retreat back to his cave and Tails stands up to catch his breath.

"Yeah, you'd better run, man! punk ass.."

Around 11 pm Tails makes his way into the abandoned factory but his friends aren't around so he throws his stuff on the burnt up concrete floor and sits in a chair. He lifts his shirt to inspect the wound and sees a big scratch going across his stomach. He hears two voices getting closer so he grabs his backpack and goes to meet them outside.

"Where the hell have you been?" Cream yells to the fox

"Don't even start with me, tonight.." Tails says

Just as the Fox walks to Cream and Espio, an older man's voice yells to them

"Hey!"

It's a security guard

"Shit, take off!" Espio says

The three run in different directions but the large security guard chases Cream, that is until she flies into the sky. The guard stops and swears at them while Tails and Cream meet up in the downtown streets later that night. They walk around until a large park comes up so they stop at a bench under a street light and talk.

"So, know any other places we can crash for the night? I'm tired as hell" Tails says

"We can try the homeless shelter-"

"No, I ain't staying in a homeless shelter, Cream"

"Then where else, smart ass?"

Tails didn't respond, so the two sat in silence and watched others walk through the park either in groups or as a couple. Cream paid attention to a boy and girl hedgehog that resembled Sonic and Amy.

Tails eyes were laid on the Rabbit, everything about her seemed to shine with beauty. He knew that if he told her how he feels about her she would just get mad at him again so he decided to keep his mouth shut. When Cream turned around she noticed The Fox's eyes on her.

"What?" Cream asks

Tails froze for a second, then thought Screw it

"You look incredible tonight-"

"Tails, we're 'friends' right now, lets just...just keep it that way.."

"I know but I'm just saying"

"If you need a place to stay.." a voice said, causing Tails and Cream to jump out of their seats.

Espio reappeared sitting next to Tails on the bench "I have a friend who wouldn't mind letting us stay"

"Jesus you scared me, Chameleon!" Tails says as he sits down

"Who, your waitress girlfriend?" Cream asks

"Whoa, when did that happen?" Tails asks

"She's not my girlfriend, but yes the girl you saw earlier would let us stay the night"

"Then lets get moving, boys. It's getting cold out and I'm tired" Cream exclaims, grabbing her backpack and stands up

As the three walked through the neon lit streets, Tails explains how he got his clothes bloody and reveals the last Chaos emerald. Cream doesn't stop her jokes about him and Espio continues to drink. It feels like 2 nights outside as they walk across the large city, looking at all the lights that brighten the streets.

While walking, Cream's hand grasps Tails for a second and the fox glances at her. She's shivering, so he takes off his jacket and offers it to her. Espio laughs to himself then takes another drink and walks ahead. Finally they reach Espios' friends house and Cream and Tails wait by the road while Espio goes up a flight of stairs to a doorbell.

"Cold out, huh?' Tails asks

"No shit.." Cream answers looking away from the fox

"Hope we get stay here the night. I haven't slept in a bed in so long"

Espio signals to the Rabbit and Fox to follow him up into the house. Cream walks through the doorway first and hands Tails' jacket to him. She looks at the interior, amazed at how big it is. Espio and his waitress friend stand in front of Tails and Cream.

"Guys, this is Grace. Grace, this is my friend Cream the Rabbit and my idiot buddy Miles Prower" Espio says introducing the three.

"Haha, very funny" Tails says "I'm actually very smart when it comes to technology and mechanics. And I prefer to be called Tails"

"We met earlier in the bar. I think you were working and asked if I was Espio's girlfriend? I can't exactly remember…" Cream says

"Right. Well, come in and make yourselves comfy. My three brothers live here so there aren't any other rooms available, I hope couches are okay with you guys" Grace says

"That's fine. Anything's better than where we were. Thank you for letting us stay tonight" Tails says

Cream pushes past him and into the living room where large couches are laid out so she can get to rest. She looks at the clock. 2:49 am. Espio took the largest couch first and left Tails and Cream staring at the next couch.

"Well, it looks like there's only one spot left. Looks like we have to share I guess.." Tails says

Cream jumps onto the couch and wraps herself in a blanket.

"You get the floor, fox boy" Cream says

"Fine, be like that" Tails says

Tails lays a blanket on the floor, takes a pillow from Espio's couch and uses this as a bed. He finds a down comforter, takes off his beanie and then tries to go to sleep.

"Hey, Tails.." Cream says, the Fox' ears go up "Thanks for lending me your jacket earlier"

The next day Espio is the first to get up so he goes to talk to Grace and when he leaves Tails jumps on the couch the Chameleon slept on and falls asleep. At noon the fox and rabbit wake up and tell Espio they want to leave.

The group leaves and head to the library downtown. They sit at a table on the top floor way in the back so they can talk about the chaos emeralds.

"So we've had these with us for a day and we've done jack shit with them. Please tell me why I should stick around now?" Espio says

"Remember what we were doing a few months ago with our old teams? Nothing. You've seen the crime in this city, not just to kids our age, but to young kids in pre school and the elderly. We can help stop these creeps who think they run this place. But I need to know I can count on you guys" Cream says, looking Tails and Espio in the eyes "So lets put our shit behind us and do this. A new team, the three of us. are you guys in?"

"Yeah, I'm in" Tails says

"You damn kids know how to talk a man into anything. Yeah, I'll stick with you" Espio replies

Cream smiles and the three walk around town again. Sensing they need some time alone, Espio takes off down a dark road and leaves Tails with Cream.

"So, you're really committed to the idea of helping this place out, huh?" Tails starts off

'Yes, I am. I have been since I got here, and that night when those creeps attacked me just made up my mind. I had to help somehow. Speaking of that night, nice save there, Fox boy" Cream says, chuckling.

"Hey, I'm not a super ninja okay? And there were 5 of them, what'd you expect?' Tails replies

The two enter the same park they were in earlier and walk around, looking at the rainbow of colours around them. They get back to the streets and continue their conversation. Cream starts talking about when they used to live back in Station Square, then she asks Tails about the night she rejected him.

"So, that night you asked me out..did you actually mean all that stuff about really liking me? or.."

Cream stops at a wall and looks Tails in the eyes. He stands in front of her and looks into hers.

"Cream, I meant all of it. I know you said you wanted to stay friends but I just want you to know I really do care for you and always will" Tails answers

"Do you still feel the same way? Even after all that crap I said to you?"

The Fox reaches up and gently caresses Creams long ears and stands closer to her, letting others walk past them.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't lie to you anybody about. And it's easy to tell when I like a girl"

Cream puts her hand on Tails' right arm and he grabs her hand with his. The fox and Rabbit don't lose eye contact while they slowly begin to move in closer. Something gets at the Rabbit and soon she doesn't want to stay here with Tails. Cream closes her eyes, looks away from the Fox and lets go of his hands.

"What's wrong?" Tails asks

"Nothing"

The fox tries to talk to her as she walks away but he gets cut off "Lets just get back to Graces'"

Tails didn't question her after that because he knew something was definitely wrong. He got mad at himself and thought a lot during the walk back.

God damnit…What did I do this time?

The two arrived at Graces' house without Espio but she tells them he stopped by earlier and said he wanted some time to himself. Cream laid on the big couch while Tails was cramped up on the small couch. He looked at Cream to see if she would talk but she was already fast asleep so he just closed his eyes and did the same.

Somebody's having some problems… don't forget to R&R and look out for chapter 5! Until then, later…