Author's Note: This has pretty much turned into a full story now.


When Shadow returned to Club Rouge, it was getting dark and she was setting up. Shadow stopped in the doorway and looked at Rouge with wide eyes. He'd been caught.

"I found the jacket," she stated whilst cleaning a glass behind the bar. "Shadow." She suddenly set it down, hovered over the counter with her wings and landed in front of Shadow. Then, she hugged him tightly. "I worried about you."

Shadow shivered and groaned.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I thought-" Rouge pulled away. Shadow clutched his stomach and bent over.

"N-no, it's not that…" he rasped.

"What's wrong?" Rouge exclaimed.

"S-Sonic… m-made me try…" He swallowed, hard, then straightened up. "He made me try Chili dogs."

"And you didn't like them?"

Shadow shook his head.

"Sh-Shadow… don't you remember that your stomach doesn't agree with spice?" Rouge asked.

Shadow shook his head.

"I'm the Ultimate Life Form."

"Made for fighting. Not… digesting chili powder," Rouge said. "Believe me. Sonic's made me try that stuff. It's not nice."

"He insisted it would be better than pizza," Shadow said. He stumbled over to a table and pulled a chair out. He slumped down into it.

"I'll make you a drink," Rouge said and walked back to the bar.

"I-I feel so pathetic…" Shadow rasped as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Shadow, most of our kind react that way to spice. Not all humans can handle it either," Rouge said. "Sonic's just… different, I guess."

Shadow clutched his stomach.

"S-Sonic… really is something," he whispered to himself.

Rouge walked back over to Shadow and placed a glass of drink down on the table. Shadow lifted his head and looked down at it.

"Try some milk. It should calm the pain," Rouge suggested.

OOOOOOOOO

Shadow looked out of the window again whilst bass from the music downstairs crept through the floor. The street looked different at night, because it was dark. Orange overhead streetlights lit the floor below it. Neon signs caught attention of passers by. It was Saturday. Time for people to come out and party their troubles away. That's when Shadow hid. Even if he didn't have to hide his identity, he didn't want to be around the atmosphere anyway.

There was something about being around happy people whilst feeling sad that made Shadow feel even worse.

Suddenly, the music stopped. This caught Shadow off guard. Usually the music would go on longer. Shadow looked at the door, knowing what would come next. After the music turned off, Rouge came upstairs for the night.

But she didn't. Shadow opened the door and looked down the steps. The door at the bottom of the steps was open ajar and the lights were still on downstairs. Shadow crept down and peeked around the door. No one was there, apart from Rouge, grabbing her keys.

"Rouge?"

The bat jumped and looked Shadow's way.

"Oh, Shadow… I had to close early," Rouge said in a tone that sounded like she was hiding sadness. Shadow walked over to her and looked at her in concern. "GUN called me in."

Shadow didn't react. This was normal.

"They never call me at this hour," Rouge said. "Unless it's something."

Shadow's facial expression hardened and he stepped back.

"Be safe," he said.

"I'll always be safe, Shadow," Rouge said and forced a smile. "I'm going to lock up and head out. Don't leave, okay?"

Rouge turned and left Shadow. Walking out of the door and leaving him, she felt terrible. Like she was leaving behind a helpless child. She knew that Shadow could take care of himself… but she could tell that Shadow was fragile, even though he hid it so well. She couldn't stand the thought of any harm coming to him.

GUN HQ wasn't too far away. Using her wings, she arrived in short time. She walked through the main doors, gaining access with her ID card. In the corridor, the Commander greeted her.

"Rouge, step into my office. I need to speak to you," he stated, then led her down the corridor.

"What about… may I ask?"

"Wait until we're in private."

They entered the Commander's office and sat down, the Commander at his desk, and Rouge on the other side. They faced each other. Rouge clasped her hands together nervously. She had a strong feeling of why she'd been brought into the office. All she wanted was for it to end and to go home to Shadow… to know that he was okay.

"Rouge," the Commander began. "You remember Project Shadow."

Rouge closed her eyes and stopped herself from sighing in frustration.

"Yes," she said.

"Just to confirm… he died after the ordeal at Space Colony ARK?" the Commander asked, formally… but there was a hint that he wanted something. Rouge felt as though she was getting set up.

"Yes."

It was true. He did die. But he came back.

"Eggman made copies," the Commander said.

"Yes. I know. I… encountered a lot of them, during our last battle," Rouge said.

"You do know… that to create such perfect clones… the original must exist," the Commander said.

"Are you sure? They're only robots so…"

"Rouge. They're androids, based VERY closely off of the original," the Commander said. "We managed to capture one… and… tested it for DNA. It's there."

"And?" Rouge asked. "What do you want to know?"

"Where is the original, Rouge?" the Commander put his hands on the desk and leaned forward, looking Rouge in the eyes. Rouge tried hard to stare back at him with a neutral expression. "We've seen him, Rouge."

"Where?"

"Near here. In central city."

"When?"

"Today."

Rouge wanted to cover her face with her hands. She told Shadow not to go out without the jacket… and what did he do?

"We nearly caught Sonic. I think Shadow is working with him," the Commander said. "And I think that you are working with him too."

Rouge's face burned with the feeling of accusation.

"He was visiting you, wasn't he, Rouge?" the Commander asked.

Rouge didn't answer. She didn't know what to say.

The Commander gave Rouge a warm smile.

"Rouge, you're one of our most trusted agents. You wouldn't want to cause trouble for us. I understand if you are protecting Shadow because you're friends with him. Or if your alliance with Sonic and his friends has brought you into whatever schemes they're up to."

"Schemes?" Rouge snapped.

"No-no… ignore my wording. That's not what I meant," the Commander shook his hands, then his tone hardened. "Rouge," he warned. "Tell me what you know about Shadow."

Rouge folded her arms.

"We saw him, Rouge!" the Commander slammed his hand down on the desk.

"What if it was an android!" Rouge exclaimed.

"Why would a mindless android visit you, Rouge?" the Commander asked in exasperation. Then, he grit his teeth and quieted his voice. "Look. I want to help you," he said discreetly. "I don't want to have to punish you. Tell me the truth."

"There is no Shadow," Rouge said adamantly and held her head up in defiance.

"Then it's okay by you that I sent an agent to watch your flat," the Commander said.

Rouge's ears drooped.

"Watch…?"

"If you have nothing to hide, then it's okay that someone watches the entrance to your building," the Commander said.

"Fine by me," Rouge said. "They're wasting their time."

"Rouge… this is just a precaution. We got a report of the hedgehog leaving your building earlier today. We… we need him."

"Need him?"

"We need him in our custody. Back in the cryo chamber. Back where he belongs," the Commander said, seeming distant.

"B-because he… tried to destroy the Earth?" Rouge asked quietly. The Commander nodded. "It doesn't matter that he also helped save it last minute?"

"That doesn't help his case one bit," the Commander said.

"He was confused," Rouge said shakily. "He was… just a weapon… you can't punish him for following what was put in his brain."

"Getting passionate, Rouge?" the Commander raised a brow in suspicion.

Rouge swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You may leave. But… let this be a warning. If I find out after today's meeting, after I gave you the chance to own up without consequences," the Commander started, getting heated. "If you help him, Rouge, after your chance… there will be serious consequences."

Rouge nodded.

"I understand, Sir," she said and stood up.

"Last chance, Rouge."

"Goodbye, Commander," Rouge said firmly and walked out of the door. She shut it behind her.

"Goodbye, Rouge…" the Commander returned, rather solemnly. Then he held up his wrist and spoke into the communicator. "Do it."