STH © SEGA

Sarah belongs to me, BlackPetals23.

Chapter Four:

Shadow's A Fan Of Celine Dion

Everything was silent in the truck while Shadow drove them home.

He had turned on the radio and a marathon, Amy guessed, of Celine Dion was playing. Amy wasn't gonna complain, she loved her songs. Like the song playing now for instance. 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' was playing and Amy found herself whispering the words.

Shadow looked over to her, "You a fan of Celine Dion?"

Amy looked at him. "Huh? Oh…yeah. Why? Is that a bad thing?"

He shook his head. "Not at all, I enjoy her songs…."

Amy laughed, "You?"

"Yes," Shadow pretended to look hurt. "Does that surprise you?"

"A lot," Amy smirked. "I mean someone like you…"

"Someone like me?"

"Tough acting and mean," Amy responded with a slight smile on her face.

He smirked at her. "But?"

"But you're actually a sweet guy under that entire mean and tough act," the rose hedgehog replied.

"And how would you know? You haven't known me for even 24 hours…." he said as 'The Power of Love' came on.

Amy looked at him. "I've known you 12 hours and forty-six minutes," she said.

"Forty-seven," he pointed at the radio clock.

"Fine, forty-seven," she smiled at him.

He looked at her before looking back at the road. Amy looked out the window. "'Cause I'm your lady….and you are my man….."

Shadow looked at her, "Whenever you reach for me."

Amy looked over to him as he sang. "I'll do all that I can," she sang.

"Lost is how I'm feeling. Lying in your arms," he sang, mocking her.

Amy glared at him, but the bad part was that…he was actually good. She looked out the window as he just smiled at her. It was silent….kind of:

"'Cause I'm your lady!" Shadow screamed/sang.

Amy laughed as he yelled out. "And you are my man!"

"Whenever you reach for me, I'll do all that I can!" he kept yelling.

He laughed and looked at her as she laughed and looked out at him. Shaking her head she just smiled at him as he sang. "For the power of love…"

Amy looked at him. "The feeling that I can't go on!" he screamed.

She laughed and shook her head, "'Cause I'm your lady! And you are my man!" she joined.

"Whenever you reach for me, I'm gonna do all that I can!" Shadow tried not to laugh.

They laughed as Celine Dion sang on radio. They waited for the next song as Shadow cleared his throat, "Can't keep that up for long…"

Amy laughed as they sat there and heard, 'Because You Loved Me' came on. Amy hummed a little to it.

"What you ain't gonna sing?" she heard.

She looked to Shadow. "After your performance I don't think it could get any better."

He looked at her with a blank stare, thinking. "Was that a compliment?"

"Yes," she smiled at him. "You're actually quite good, great even, but you singing the words aren't so…."

"Natural?"

"Yes," she smiled. "It's usually a girl, Shadow, and you aren't a girl."

"But you are, so why aren't you singing?"

"You want me to?"

"Just to see if you're as great as me…" he smirked at her.

She laughed. "You weren't gonna take that good even if that great wasn't there were you?"

"Oh no, I would've taken it," Shadow said nodding at her. "Don't you worry Rose, I would've."

She smiled and nodded looking out of the window. "But since that great was there, I had to take it," she heard and she giggled.

"You're the one who saw me through, through it all," she sang as he smiled, still looking at the road.

She rolled her eyes. "You were my strength when I was weak, you were my voice when I couldn't speak, you were my eyes when I couldn't see, you saw the best there was in me."

Shadow had to admit, he did like her singing, it was…soothing, got his mind off of things like fixing the truck in the garage and the fight with Sam, not just then but years ago. It made him feel…good, like it was right, sitting here with her. He threw away his past about Maria, but that didn't mean he would forget about her. Amy made him feel happy like Maria did.

He might as well get use to it, because something told him she was staying for awhile until she got back on her feet. He frowned at that thought. Her leaving…..it would come wouldn't it? Would he be glad of getting her out of the house? Or would he follow her to the airport just in time to stop her from leaving?

He mentally shook his head, he wouldn't think about that. He wasn't in love with her! He had only met her twelve hours and fifty minutes ago! He wasn't in love with her, no! He just enjoyed her company…it wasn't teasing like Sonic's and the only time he spent with Sarah was…hardly, only at dinner when they all ate. He never really spoke to her but he knew her.

Shadow sighed as Amy continued, yes her voice was soothing for him. He decided as he drove on, that he could definitely get use to this….to her.

"Lifted me up when I couldn't reach, you gave me faith because you believed!" she yelled as she laughed with him.

"I'm everything I am, because you loved me," she sang softly.

She sighed and put her head on the window. "Shadow?"

"Hm?"

Amy looked to him with a serious face. "What did that cashier mean about a broken leg again?"

Shadow sighed knowing this would come; he was surprised it hadn't come earlier. "I…."

Amy looked at him. "Did Sam break your leg?"

"No," Shadow said staring at the road still. "Scourge did….Sam was there but…..it was Scourge I really had a fight with…Scourge was burning the barns one year so he would get the most money since people had more than him. And when he killed most of the cows the people had, I couldn't help but think it wasn't just some crazy fire thing going around town. So I slept in the barn those nights. One night I heard it. Faint footsteps walking around the barn and the pouring of liquid….."

Amy looked at him. "He was setting your barn on fire…."

"Yes, he was, I got up and scared him, tackling him but he wasn't alone. Sam was there. Sonic had agreed with me sleeping in the barn because he also thought it wasn't just some freak accident or something. He had Tails make this communicator thing; I wore it around my neck since it looked like a dog tag. It had a button you'd push and it would go off in the house. I pressed and ten minutes later Sonic and Sarah came."

Shadow chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen Sarah so angry, with a pitch fork or rake I couldn't really tell…" he quit chuckling. "I couldn't get up though…Scourge had broken one of my legs with a metal hammer. I remember yelling in pain," Shadow shook his head at the memory. "I remember Sonic chasing off the two while Sarah kept me awake and soon I was in the hospital….he had broken my…fibula I think….the doctor said since it was dark and he probably couldn't see what he was doing that I….that I was lucky it hadn't landed on my femur…." Shadow swallowed and kept his eyes on the road. "I remember shaking on the ground in pain…wishing to die, it hurt so much, hearing Sonic's shouts and cussing at Scourge and Sam, threatening them….that if they ever came back on any land that wasn't theirs uninvited, Sonic would…kill them…"

Amy took a breath. "Sonic saved your life?"

"Tails too….I wouldn't stop thanking them until Sonic yelled at me….about how he missed the pissed off and always angry Shadow," Shadow chuckled.

Amy smiled weakly as he continued. "So was I in the hospital for two weeks…when I got out Sarah had to look after me for awhile since I couldn't do much. I had a cast that Sonic kept doodling on and making stupid faces," Amy laughed and he chuckled, "and those damn crutches I wanted burn but Sonic kept them for the fun of it…he said that at his next family reunion he would walk in on them…say he couldn't walk anymore," Shadow smirked in humor.

He noticed Amy hadn't said much so he looked over to her "You alright?"

"Me? I'm fine—you….you had a rough time…" Amy looked at him.

He shrugged "It's the past, now I'm fine."

"What happened to Sam and Scourge?"

"Sam got two weeks in jail and then Scourge still is I think….I can't really remember, no one knows where he is, whether in jail or someplace else. Sam didn't do much, he only came that night since he hated me and Sonic after a yelling in some grocery store."

He heard Amy sigh "What?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, you had nothing to do with it."

"Exactly," Amy said looking at him "I wasn't even told! I would've come!" Amy yelled.

Shadow looked at her "You care about me that much?"

Amy sighed "I care about anyone who is hurt, Shadow."

Though she didn't mean it in a mean way Shadow was hurt. There he was enjoying her time then she says that. His anger came back "Well, don't be sorry, you couldn't have done anything anyway that would've made me feel any better."

Amy noticed his tone and backed off.

What did I say? I basically said I cared about everyone who was hurt! That's a nice thing!

Amy put her head on the window.

So why is he mad? Even his face tells me that he doesn't even want me here anymore! What did I say?

Amy was hurt, she couldn't help but think.

When I first saw him…..I don't know why but my heart felt like it skipped a beat…..and I'm actually happy to be hanging out with him….when he isn't angry….when he's angry he's scary….makes me want to cower back and whimper…oh chill out Amy, he's probably just mad since he didn't have a good breakfast! Yeah that's it!

Another voice in her head went off.

Really? Amy…..what to do with you, what to do…

Amy was in her thoughts as Shadow was in his own, all the way home.

"Almost got it!"

After the long ride home Amy was in the kitchen, trying to reach the box of brownie mix. "Almost there Amy!" she told herself.

She finally got with the tip of fingers, sorta. It fell along with the other boxes "Ooops…" she looked down at the boxes on the floor "At least they weren't open…."

Amy grabbed two boxes to start with and the rest of her ingredients. As she put them on the counter and stared at them, the thought came back, about Shadow. When they had gotten home he had gotten out of the truck as fast as he could. Cursing when he forgot about his seatbelt and practically ripped it off, he had slammed the door of the truck and left Amy in there. She had watched as he walked, or stomped, towards the garage/shed that was built into the house.

Amy sighed, that was the past…nearly thirty minutes ago, it didn't matter anymore, right?

She read the directions while thinking. The kitchen had a door that led to the garage. So she could easily go in and yell at Shadow, but what good would it do? Pain came to her stomach, she hated this feeling; it was kinda like guilt only not. She sighed again, she couldn't ever find a good word for it but Silver always said she was weird when it happened.

Silver….she hadn't seen him since she lived with him maybe…five years ago. How old was she now? Amy thought about it, already she was twenty-three. Sonic was the same age as Shadow, so Shadow had to be…twenty-five or twenty-six, she couldn't remember. She hadn't talked to them in a long time. Shadow mentioned Tails, so he lived around here; he had to be near twenty or nineteen maybe. Meaning Cream was around that age. Amy sighed; she hadn't even talked to her best friend. The only one she really ever did talk to was Rouge.

Rouge.

Amy sighed.

Poor girl. Raped in her own home and had twins, at least the guy was caught and executed.

Amy nodded to herself.

Served him right, that bastard.

Rouge's twin boys were the cutest in the photos she had seen over email. The rest of the group, or what was left of it, didn't know. Rouge never really talked to them, even Shadow. Her boys, Derrick and Dex, were black bats with her eyes. Their father had gold; Rouge was the one who turned him in. She wasn't a weak girl he had thought she was; almost cutting off his ear with a steak knife trying to get away from him.

Rouge had the journalist job. Amy read her parts in the newspaper from time to time when she saw them. She mainly did magazines, the how to's from time to time. Rouge said to Amy once that it took awhile to write about things that her boss would actually find interesting.

Amy heard the phone ring. She looked through the house and saw it on its stand on a coffee table. Running over to get it she picked it up and said, "Hello?"

"Is Amy there?"

"Rouge! I was just thinking about you!" Amy smiled and walked back in the kitchen.

"Well, that's nice, but I have a question, on cooking chicken….how do you do that?"

Amy laughed. "Rouge…okay there's a recipe in the cupboard."

"I'm looking…and I don't see it."

"Look left," she paused. "Then up," she paused again. "Recipe box."

"You are a life saver, they want chicken and I don't want to order pizza again, I'm gonna get sick and tired of it. So I thought I might as well learn how to cook chicken. Thank you, Amy, so…"

"So, I'm cooking brownies for Sarah and her school's party thing on Valentine's day," Amy cracked the eggs while the phone was in her shoulder. "And I'm here, technically in the house alone, I have no clue where Sonic is, Sarah must be at work since it's Tuesday, I think."

"Where's Shadow?"

"Did you want to talk to him?" Amy stopped and wiped her hands on her apron.

"No, I'm just wondering where he is….is he nice to you? Because if he isn't I will come up there and kick his butt."

Amy laughed. "He's…fine. He's working on the truck in the garage, I guess. I'm not really sure. We headed to town and when we came back he was all angry for some reason. Maybe because of seeing this guy named Sam who-"

"That bastard is back!?"

"Wait, you knew?" Amy stopped.

"Yeah, didn't you?"

"No," Amy looked at the counter, glaring at it. "How'd you know?"

"Knuckles."

"Ah," Amy smiled. "How's the knucklehead?"

She heard Rouge move them move back. "Currently playing space aliens with them….God, Amy, how did I have twins that both are alien fans?"

Amy laughed, "I can just see Knuckles now! I told you that you shouldn't have let them watched E.T. every day when they were little…well, little-er."

Rouge laughed. "He's wearing a foil thing on his head; I think he's the alien this time….they painted it red…"

Amy busted out laughing. Hearing the door open and the heavy footsteps of Shadow coming in she said. "At least he treats them good and they love him."

Shadow walked past her looking at her and washing his hands in the sink right next to her. She moved a little when his arm brushed against her arm a little. "Yeah," Rouge sighed. "I don't have a clue what to do with them some days, just let them wander around town, I guess, wearing little alien suits…."

Amy laughed as Shadow looked at her. "Scare people, I can see Knuckles doing that," she mixed the brownie mix as Shadow's arm went across to reach the towel that had been thrown on the toaster.

Rouge laughed. "Did you ever hear from Silver?"

"Silver?" Amy asked. "Hardly, when I stayed with him, he was actually quite open instead of shy, and then when I left because I had a job, he kinda just disappeared. The funny thing though," Amy looked at Shadow, slapping his hand as he tried to eat the brownie mixed that was mixed perfectly now. "Well, not that funny, is that Silver actually said that he liked me when I asked why he and Blaze weren't together," she saw Shadow stop all of a sudden but she didn't pay any attention to it as she put the brownie mix in the pan, spreading it around.

Shadow was staring at her and heard whoever was on the other side of the phone say, "Really! Oh my God! Did you two date? I told Knuckles, Silver liked you, I told you Knuckles!"

Amy laughed. "Rouge…" she heard Knuckles say something.

"He asked if you two dated," Rouge said.

"No, we didn't date, I told him I only saw him as a brother," there was pause from her as Shadow listened to Rouge say something. "I know! A total Sonic and me flashback right there!" Amy laughed.

Amy looked to Shadow then to the brownies then to him. "What?"

"I didn't say anything yet, Amy," Rouge said.

"Sorry, Rouge, not you—Shadow."

"Shadow! Put it on speaker! I gotta here my old partner speak!" Rouge sounded excited.

Amy heard Knuckles say something as she put it on speaker. "Oh, hush!" she heard as Rouge said.

Shadow watched as Amy put the phone down on the counter and Rouge say, "Well?"

"You're on speaker, he's just staring at the phone, no wait, he's staring at me, no, the phone now!" Amy told her.

Rouge laughed. "Shadow!" after a moment of silence Rouge sighed in annoyance, "Say something damn it!"

Shadow chuckled. "Same ole Rouge, I hear?"

"Sorta…" Rouge said.

Amy knew Shadow didn't know she was raped and had kids and that she was uncomfortable talking about it. So Rouge never did say anything about it and Amy and Knuckles, the only ones who knew, didn't push her to.

Shadow smiled and shook his head. "So Knuckles is with ya now?"

"Been dating for almost four years now…."

"That's good…I guess, I haven't seen him in awhile, maybe five years ago," Shadow thought to himself.

Amy heard footsteps and looked over Shadow's shoulder seeing a blue hedgehog rubbing his eyes. "Morning Sonic!" she yelled.

He jumped almost two feet in the air. "Jesus, Ames, don't do that!"

"Sonic's there?" Rouge asked.

"He was sleeping," Amy shrugged despite the lack of vision Rouge had through the phone.

"Why are you two talking to the counter?" Sonic said, walking past them to get a box of cereal but stopping at the pan of brownie mix. "Maybe this instead."

"Don't!" Amy slapped his hand. "Brownies are not for you!"

"How about brownie mix?" Sonic said.

"Not that either! Stick with your Captain Crunch," Amy laughed as he grabbed a box.

"Nah, this is Sarah's thing, I just like pissing her off; it hurts the top of my mouth though…." Sonic said, stepping in between the two and looking at the phone. "Hello, Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?" he leaned into it.

"Purple!"

"Hey!" he looked at Shadow. "She's gets it, unlike you…"

Shadow rolled his eyes. "That's because I have to live with it…."

Rouge laughed. "So, Sonic, how are you?"

"Great! How about you? I heard Knuckles lives with ya; he seemed kinda weird though talking about you when I asked how you were."

"When was this?" Rouge asked, a little nervous.

"Maybe…nearly five years ago," Sonic said, setting the bowl down and putting the cereal in.

"You remember that?" Rouge asked.

"I have a feeling you're trying to change the subject….you hiding something?" Sonic asked.

Rouge was silent for a moment. "Maybe…maybe not."

"Well then…." Sonic grabbed the milk.

Amy looked at the phone. "Sorry, Rouge….you know…"

"Yeah," Rouge sighed.

Sonic stopped and looked at Amy. "Are you hiding something? You two?"

"No!" Amy said quickly.

Shadow looked at Sonic who looked back and nodded. "Alright…we'll just go."

Sonic forgot his cereal and walked out in his pajamas with Shadow. "That was weird…."

"Amy," Rouge said. "I think they know something's up or was…..I think they're planning something though."

"Together? Come on Rouge, you and I both know they don't get along with each other," Amy said.

"They're boys, Amy, you better watch your back, I gotta go and cook this…somehow…"

"Alright, Rouge," Amy laughed. "See ya."

"In another five years!" Rouge laughed.

"Haha," Amy told her before hanging up as Rouge did the same.

Putting the phone on the counter she felt arms wrap around her waist. "Wha-"

A hand went over her mouth and another pair of arms over her eyes. Someone was carrying her out! No, two people! Amy didn't do anything but let them.

Shadow and Sonic….what are they up to?

She felt them kinda try to drag her. "I told you we shoulda got some rope and a bag!" she heard Sonic whisper.

She had to smile and giggle. "I don't know, a bag would've be stuffy, guys."

"Alright, I quit," Shadow said, dropping her on the carpet floor.

She looked above her as Shadow stood up and Sonic knelt down. "What's your secret? What are you hiding?"

"Sonic…" Shadow tried to say.

"Shush, Shadow!" Sonic told him and looked back at Amy. "What's your weakness? Money? Men?"

Amy looked at him then cracked up smiling and laughing. "I'm not going to tell you!"

Sonic glared at her before he got on top of her. Shadow kinda growled but stopped when he heard Amy laughing. "Stop! Stop!"

Sonic was…tickling her. Shadow rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Faker…"

"Tell us!" Sonic laughed, tickling her stomach.

"No! I won't! Try as hard as you want! I'm not—hahaha! Stop! It tickles!" she tossed and turned on the floor as he just moved with her.

"That's the point, Ames!"

"No! Stop! Stop!" she laughed.

Shadow watched before rolling his eyes.

Amy laughed harder as she felt another pair of hands tickling her on her shoulders. Putting her head on the hand, trying to make it stop, another one made its way to her other shoulder. "Ah! Stop!" she laughed.

"Tell us!" Sonic laughed, getting off of her.

She made a run for it but Shadow, who had knelt down near her head, grabbed her waist and pulled her back, "Her feet, Sonic!"

"No!" Amy gulped in air."Not my feet!"

"Right!" Sonic moved to her feet and started tickling them.

Curling her toes and shrugging her shoulders, she tried to stop them. "I'm not going to tell you! I promised Rouge I wouldn't! Haha! Stop! Stop it! Ah!"

Sonic laughed while Shadow joined him. "Tell us, Rose, and we'll stop!"

"Never!" Amy kicked her feet, hitting Sonic's arm. "Ow!" he yelled.

Her hands grabbed one of Shadow's and she did the first thing she could think of, she bit it. "Ow!"

Both boys backed up long enough for Amy to get up and make a dash for it. Sonic tripped her; her hands stopped her from hurting her face. "Sonic!"

She got up on her knees as Sonic held onto her feet. "Don't worry, Shadow! I won't let go!" Sonic called after to his friend/rival who was looking at his hand.

He watched as Shadow got up and headed over to them, letting go when Shadow was near, Sonic watched. Shadow bent down and picked Amy off the ground, hanging onto her waist, as if it were kinda like a swing dance, he held her to the side. "Rose…." he kinda growled. "That was very mean of you…"

Amy looked at Shadow and smiled innocently. "Shadow…"

Shadow looked to Sonic who watched. "If she won't tell us…then we should eat that brownie mix…."

"How? She'll stop us," Shadow looked at him.

Amy struggled against him. "We could tie her up, knock her out, or throw her in the pool..."

The two stopped as Sonic said that. "…." They looked at each other and smirked.

"…The pool…."

Sarah set the keys on the counter and saw two pans of brownies. "What…."

She heard something in the living room and walked in. She laughed as she leaned on the door frame. "Sonic? Shadow?"

A bowl of brownie mix sat in the middle of the two. Practically four other bowls sat near Sonic who was sitting closer to the kitchen. They looked at her. "Hey, Sarah!" Sonic said.

Shadow nodded as he set a card down. "Your turn."

Sonic looked at his cards. "I have an ace and a Jack; two's are wild plus one-eyed Jack's."

Shadow nodded. "Yes, but I have two aces, same as you, to the Queen, you only have it to the Jack, I win…again."

Sonic sighed and threw his cards at Shadow. "Fine, be that way," he got his spoon and ate some brownie mix.

Sarah looked at them with an eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry," Sonic stopped eating and pointed the half eaten brownie mix on the spoon towards her. "Did you want some?"

"Ugh….where's Amy?" Sarah asked. "I have yet to meet her."

Shadow and Sonic looked at each with their eyes widened. "Shit…." Shadow whispered.

They both got up and raced out, heading to the door, they were met with the wet, soaked head from toe, Amy Rose. Glaring at them, she slapped Sonic but Shadow grabbed her wrist. "We forgot about you!" Sonic laughed. "We cool?"

"Oh my God…" Sarah pushed between them two.

She looked from each boy then to Amy. "They did this to you? Guys, you know it's still cold, the snow hasn't even melted!" Sarah slapped them each on the shoulder.

"Come on," she took Amy in, ripping Shadow's hand off of her wrist.

"Sorry, we don't have another room for you, Amy," Sarah said as the boys watched TV with the girls.

Amy had a brown blanket over her. "It's fine, Sarah," she said, taking the hot chocolate. "Thank you…"

Amy stared at it as Sarah sat next to Sonic. Sonic had Sarah on his left and Shadow on his right. Amy was on the rocking chair they had, looking down at her drink. Everything was silent. "You cooked the brownies?" Sarah asked.

Amy nodded. "They at least remembered to get them out of the oven after they put me in the pool…"

"Ames, we're sorry," Sonic said looking at her. "Really, never will we do it again."

Amy sighed and looked to Shadow who was still looking at the TV. Glaring at him, she remembered something. Walking over to him quickly, she slapped him across the face. "What the hell!" he yelled staring at her.

Sonic scooted closer to Sarah. "You never answered my question in the store!" Amy had her hands on her hips.

"So? You kept interrupting while I was trying to read the dog food!" Shadow glared at her.

She slapped him again. "Damn it!" he touched his face. "What was that one for!?" he glared at her.

"That was just for fun," she smirked.

It was silent until Sonic burst out laughing.