Chapter 4 – The Moment of Truth

Maple barely got two words out of her mouth before Shadow cut her off.

"Say nothing," he growled, stepping past her now speechless gape. "I've had a really shitty night, and I don't feel like explaining it." He crouched by his bed and lay his son there, who continued to whine. Hanging his head over the infant, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The image of Amy sobbing helplessly on the bridge was burned into his mind. Seemed he'd exacted his revenge after all, but the morbid gratification hadn't come with it. As he hovered there in exhaustion with the baby screaming right into his ears, he almost felt like crying himself. Everything had happened so quickly…he'd made a mess of the abduction, lost his beach house and everything in it, and now here he was, holding a kid he had no clue how to raise.

Maple approached carefully, finally daring to speak. "…What's its name?"

After a few moments of silence, Shadow broke into hollow laughter. He didn't even know. Maple backed away, perturbed.

"It doesn't matter…" he finally answered, calmer. "He's mine now."

Elsewhere in Mobius, Sonic burst through the doors of a familiar workshop.

"Tails??"

His voice bounced off the steel walls of the fox's hangar, to no response. He whirled around in growing frustration. "Of all the freakin' times for him to be gone!!" He'd hoped to use the X-Tornado to conduct an aerial search for Mercury. The last few hours, as far as he was concerned, had been all but wasted talking with the authorities when he could have been out looking. Nothing was going right. The RFID chip implanted in the baby had only tracked him as far as the world portal; on the other side, it was useless. While it was possible to reconfigure the tracking device to work in Mobius, what few satellites orbited the world were under the control of Dr. Eggman, and Sonic wasn't about to count on his cooperation. He came out of Tail's workshop and hopped onto its roof, thinking he might spot him. "TAAAAILS!" he shouted through his cupped hands. Some startled birds flew from where they'd perched on the runway, but otherwise he got nothing. He'd just have to do things the old-fashioned way.

Dust trailed over a mile behind him as he navigated Mobius' vast terrain on foot. Following the well-traveled path, he wound up in the outskirts of a bustling metropolis. Mobians were everywhere, flowing endlessly through the streets like a living river. He scanned the area and questioned several individuals, but no one recalled seeing a black and red hedgehog with a matching baby. Another two hours went down the drain before he finally decided to double back and see if Tails had returned to his workshop yet. On the way, however, he noticed a smaller, lighter trail branching from the main one that he'd completely overlooked the first time through. Glancing ahead of it, all he could see were a few isolated lights pinned against the night. The area obviously wasn't well populated, but it was worth a look.

He could hardly see where he was going. Was he even on the trail anymore? His foot rammed into something, sending him flying. He curled himself and landed as a ball that rode out the momentum, right into the side of a hay bale. His head popped out of the top as bits of straw landed around him. This was farmland…no wonder there were so few residences. He crawled out of the hay and checked his ankle, flexing gently. It ached a bit, but it seemed to be all right, thankfully. The last thing he needed was another injury. He decided it'd be best to wait until daylight to continue the search.

Shadow, meanwhile, was getting his first taste of fatherhood. He dipped his pinkie into a cup of warm milk and offered the tip to Mercury, who sucked on it eagerly. Every time he removed his finger the baby would start to cry until he brought it back with another drop. Despite his fatigue, or perhaps because of it, he found the sight amusing.

Maple backed in the front door with a box in her arms. "I found it!" She scurried into the kitchen and unpacked the bottles inside, rinsing them in the sink. One was then brought into the living room, where she poured the milk into it and snapped the nipple on top. Shadow received it and gave the baby a proper feeding. "Tomorrow I'll go to town and pick up some more supplies," Maple offered. "He could use some real formula…and gloves and shoes and blankets and toys!" She was in love with the darling already.

"Mm." Shadow kept his eyes on his son.

"Um…did you feel like talking about it yet…?" She wasn't sure how to ask. Shadow blinked thoughtfully, then took a breath.

"My mate left me for another man. She didn't even want the baby. I went to visit and she told me to just take him." It was almost the truth, albeit twisted.

"Oh my gosh…." Maple whispered.

"I don't even know his name."

The opossum lit up. "Then we'll name him!"

A dark glare escaped from the corner of Shadow's eye. Maple started to say something else when a golden stream suddenly volleyed from the infant, leaving a stripe across his father's white chest. The soiled hedgehog's ears folded as he peered down at it. Maple busted out laughing.

"Towel…." he requested in a surgeon's tone.

Early the next morning, Sonic resumed his journey through the cultivated countryside. He ran for over an hour before coming upon a building that actually contained people, which, he was pleased to discover, was a general store. His stomach growled as he headed inside. Several other customers were present, including a silver tabby, a robin, a Dutch rabbit, a whitetail buck and his doe, a salamander, and a bullfrog. He forgot for a moment why he'd initially come there as he scanned the selection of breakfast foods. Mercury resurfaced quickly, however, and he began to wonder sullenly if anyone was feeding him. The cashier, a beaver, smiled as he approached the counter.

"Good morning! What can I help you with today, sir?" she rattled off sweetly.

"I was wondering if you've seen a hedgehog come through here, young adult male, black with red stripes, possibly with a baby," Sonic detailed.

"Hmm, no, I don't believe I've seen any hedgehogs besides yourself in a while," she replied. The salamander looked up from his newspaper at them.

"Are you lookin' for that kidnapper that's in the paper?" the lizard called out.

Sonic turned quickly. "Yeah!"

"I just got through readin' about him. I hope y'all find him and get the baby back safely."

"Oh, thanks," Sonic answered, a bit disappointed that he didn't have anything more useful to say. "Me too." He zoned out for a second, then addressed the cashier again. "Oh, could I get a breakfast burrito?"

"Certainly!" The beaver turned around and reached into a warming oven, retrieving the foil-wrapped meal. She set it on the counter as Sonic leaned over and dug into his sock. "That'll be eight fifty." His eyes bulged for a second until he realized she was referring to Mobian currency. Aw crap….

"Uh," he laughed sheepishly, holding up a five dollar bill, "do you take US Dollars?"

"Ahhh…." Her eyes fell on the greenback, then squinted amiably at him as she reduced her voice. "Don't worry about it."

"Really? Heh…thanks! I appreciate it!" He took his breakfast and headed out the door before ripping off its wrapper. Just as he was taking his first bite, he suddenly could have sworn he'd caught the slightest whiff of Shadow's scent. He spun around to see who'd just passed by, finding that it was only an opossum on her way inside. He snorted, figuring it was just the burrito messing with him.

Back at the earthen abode, Shadow had finally gotten the baby to fall asleep and had dozed off next to him. They lay that way on his bed until the slam of the front door jarred him awake. Maple marched in wearing a venomous scowl.

"I think I know what to call the baby," she stated, her voice sharp.

"Hm?" He sat up slowly and rubbed his eye.

"Mercury," she concluded, not waiting for anything more from him. "And while I'm at it, I think I know what to call you too, Shadow!"

Now he was definitely awake.

He stared in silence as she went on, "You kidnapped him!! It's all over the news!" The rolled up paper in her hand was slapped flat on the floor. Mercury stirred and began to voice his distress at the commotion. Emitting a single-syllable laugh, Maple turned her burning sienna eyes upwards as if reading the ceiling. "Everything you ever told me was a lie…. I trusted you, let you into my home, cooked for you, gave you a job…and the whole time you were just playin' me for a fool!" Tears began to spill out as her eyes fell back on him.

Shadow glowered at her. "You act as if I owe you something."

The words merged in tandem with her fury, morphing it into a full blown rage. A shrill scream escaped her lips as she charged him, hands extended in anticipation of the target they were about to harm. Shadow quickly snapped to his feet and caught her wrists, forcing them back over her head. She writhed violently with another scream, trying to break free, but he maintained his grip and pulled her to him, then sent her lunging back. The potted dracaena near the front door broke her fall, its soil scattering across the floor. She heaved loudly against Mercury's frightened voice as she struggled to push herself up.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!! I don't ever want to see your face again!!!"

She clambered to the door and fled out, leaving it open behind her. Shadow stared for a few moments, then peered down at his son. He was about to pick him up when Maple came dashing back inside, slamming the door once more and immediately flattening her back against it, her eyes frantic.

"The police are coming!!"

She ran toward him conveying no thought of the scrimmage that had taken place just seconds before. Diving to her knees, she peeled back the living room rug, revealing a trap door. With her strained tugs, it began to budge open. Shadow helped her pull it up the rest of the way, underneath which was a tiny dirt room partially filled with stacks of canned food. "Get in with him!" she barked. "Hurry!!" Shadow grabbed Mercury and the bottle and jumped down. She pushed the trap door shut over them just as the police knocked on the front door Hastily replacing the rug, Maple took a steadying breath and looked around for anything that might give away the boys' presence. She kicked the newspaper up under his bed. At last, she rushed over to the front door and opened it. Two constables, a raccoon and a wallaby, stood taken aback by her breathless, manic state.

"Good morning, Miss Maple," the wallaby greeted. "…Are you all right?"

"Oh-h, yes, I'm fine," she panted, brushing strands of hair from her flushed face. "I just…knocked over my plant!" She laughed nervously as they peaked in at the mess. "So how've you two been? What brings you all the way out here?"

"We're fine, thank you. We apologize for the interruption and will try not to take too much of your time, but we're currently conducting an investigation of a recent kidnapping and have reason to believe that the perpetrator might have come through this area. There are some reports from local residents that you had claimed hiring a hedgehog recently, and as it turns out, the suspect we're looking for is a hedgehog, so we were wondering if we could have a word with him. Is he here at this time?"

"Uh…yeah," Maple squeaked, "he's—right outside in the garden! Here, I'll take you to him." The constables thanked and followed her up the root steps and past several rows of crops, where she stopped beside a scarecrow resembling a jester in a red vest and purple-striped hat. She turned to them, bearing a lovely grin. The officers stood looking a bit perplexed as their eyes darted about. After a few seconds, Maple elbowed the scarecrow. "Go on and say hi, Joe; don't be rude!" She leaned forward with her hand hiding her mouth from the straw figure and whispered to them, "He's a little shy!"

"This is the hedgehog you were talking about…?" the wallaby asked, scratching his long ear.

"Mmmhmm! He's been a big help ever since he showed up! Sorry he's bein' kinda quiet right now. He's not normally like this!"

The constables exchanged cock-eyed glances, then the raccoon spoke. "May we have a look around in the house?"

"Sure!" Maple agreed, leading the way back. She hummed an overly chipper tune along the way. "You two thirsty or anything? Can I get you somethin' to drink?" she asked as she stepped in the front door. They politely declined. "Oh, watch your step; there's soil all over the floor." She moseyed over to the guest bed and took a seat. "Just, uh, do whatever you've gotta do."

In the pitch darkness of the hidden pantry, Shadow had been holding Mercury against his chest to muffle his cries, but hearing Maple's and the officers' voices overhead meant that they, too, could hear through the floor. After the infant refused his bottle, Shadow resorted to plugging his airway for the second time in two days. The first time he'd done it, during his escape from Seabright Beach, had nearly proven fatal…but it was either this or be caught. The seconds were each an eternity as he waited, Mercury struggling in vain against his hand.

"Come on…." he hissed under his breath.

At last, the officers had seen enough. They thanked Maple for her cooperation and departed from the home, commenting to each other as they walked down the dirt road.

"I think she's getting worse," the wallaby lamented, finding agreement in his partner's nod. "It's a shame to see someone so young and beautiful messed up like that."

"Yeah it is…."

Maple pulled open the trap door. "They're gone!" Shadow jumped out, relieved to be back in the light and fresh air and that Mercury, though now extremely upset, had pulled through okay. He stood cradling the infant with his back to Maple.

"Thank you…" he expressed, his tone low, "…and……I'm sorry…for lying." With that, he headed for the door.

"Well wait a minute, you can't leave now; they're still out there! And besides, you should get some rest, and the baby too! At least stay for lunch!" she pleaded. Shadow turned around, his mouth contorted in near humor. He'd heard that line before.

"You really are crazy," he uttered in pseudo-animosity.

She shrugged, cracking a smile. "It's got its advantages."

And so it went. Though more wary of her explosive nature, Shadow held a new sense of respect for Maple. Her looking out for him even in the light of his dishonesty had impressed him deeply, which was a key factor in his decision to remain part of the household. In turn, he swore that he'd never lie to her again.

But now came the real test. The next few days were a crash course in parenting and willpower. The crying was the worst; Shadow frequently found himself questioning whether raising Mercury was worth keeping him out of Sonic's hands, but the image of that concept always drove him to press on. He handled the majority of the care himself, but Maple brought home baby formula, diapers, blankets, a set of gloves and shoes, a pacifier, and a selection of toys, carefully acquired from the more distant mass merchandise retailer so as not to arouse suspicion among the locals. At the end of the first week, Mercury was a clean, warm, well dressed, and accessorized noisemaker. Outside of Maple's efforts, not much got done in the garden.

Throughout the second week, Maple kept mostly outside, resting her ears and allowing the shreds of Shadow's patience to be devoted where they were needed most.

By the end of the third week, they'd switched places, with Shadow outside pulverizing cabbages while she suffered.

Finally, about a month had passed, and things were starting to get a little easier—or perhaps just more routine. While Mercury napped inside, both of them sat outside under the oak tree, appreciating a much quieter sunset. Crickets and tree frogs lent their soothing piece of the atmosphere.

"Hey, Jo—aheh, I mean Shadow," Maple corrected herself, "…ahh…do you like it here?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he answered plainly. She waited, but he didn't say any more.

"Well…it's just…I mean…." she attempted, but she was too nervous to continue. Shadow glanced over with a knitted brow. She turned away slightly lest he see her blushing. "…My life has changed so much since we met…."

His eyes shifted in thought. "Does the baby bother you?"

"No!" she quickly assured him as her head whipped back about. "No, not at all! I'm glad he's here! That's what I'm trying to say……I'm glad you're both here…."

"Oh," he sounded a bit surprised. He let out a near laugh as his eyes returned to the garden. "Strange how it happened. I honestly didn't intend to stay that first day, but I was just so tired…."

Maple bit her lip. "Ehh…actually…I have a little confession to make." She fidgeted with her braid as he looked to her. "I…put somethin' in your food to make you fall asleep."

His eyes widened. "Why??"

"…I didn't want you to leave." She was beginning to blush again. "You're not mad, are ya?" He let out a breath and thought for a moment.

"I…don't suppose I have room to talk," he admitted, turning back to the garden.

She nudged him lightly. "Makes us even, right?"

"Hmph." He didn't sound angry, at least. Things weren't going quite as she hoped, but she was inwardly relieved that she hadn't ruined the moment. He was quiet again, seeming to be mulling something over in his mind. Again she waited, but again there were no more words. He merely bent his knees and leaned his folded arms into them.

She needed a different approach. Uncurling her tail from around the tree trunk, she snaked it behind him, over his opposite shoulder. He reflexively flinched away from it as he turned to see what it was, giving her the opportunity to lean in. When he realized it was her tail, he turned back to her, and she was ready. Her tail held fast behind him, preventing him from backing away as her lips caressed his. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her numbly. A million things must have been going through his mind. She waited, heart throbbing, as he considered the card she'd set before him. He blinked once, then again, and then frowned. He turned sharply as he stood up, so much so that she had to lean back to avoid being scraped by his quills. Just as fast as it had happened, he was gone. Dropping her hands into her lap, Maple leaned her face into the tree and sighed.