After some thinking, I finally came up with what to do with this chapter! And, being as impatient as I am…I had to update… So, let us begin, right after the list.

Wolf!

'Lemon'!

Thank you kindly, and let us continue!


Chapter 7

Birthdays and Family Discussions

Today was Amy's 18th birthday. It was something she only dreamed would come. Here she was, finally considered an adult. She had survived all the hardships up to adult hood. Wouldn't her parents be proud…?

Amy wiped a sudden tear away from her face as she got out of bed. Her parents…she hadn't seen them since…well, forever it seemed. Where they still alive? Had they died from the war?

But today wasn't the day for her to feel upset about them, and she knew it. They could still be alive for all she knew. Today was her birthday; it was not a day to be crying.

Silently she crossed her room, which was painted a mellow green and had pink carpet. Her bed sheets were brown with pink pillows. Often she would think about how only two years ago her room was all pink and childish. She smiled to herself as she looked in her clothes' drawer, remembering when she had decided to grow up a bit. Her friends had thought something was wrong with her, but they soon became used to the more mature Amy, and didn't protest when she invited them to come redo her room. In fact, there had been a painting party at her house, and Amy recalled it as if it were yesterday.

Pulling out a pair of jeans and a green tank top, Amy shuffled over to the bathroom, where she quickly took a shower and dressed. Looking at the clock in the bathroom, she realized she didn't have much time until the party began at twelve that afternoon. Two hours might seem a lot to other people, but when she had baking to do that could take that long, she became worried, and hurried into her kitchen to start the process.

With the cookies and supper soon in the oven, Amy was about to start her cake when suddenly the phone rang. Her heart leaping, she practically ran to the phone, and immediately answered it.

"Hey, Cream," Amy said, when she saw it was Cream calling from her caller ID. "What's up?"

A cough was the first thing Amy heard, and then Vanilla's voice.

"Hello, Amy, this is Vanilla," Vanilla greeted.

Amy's head swirled. She didn't usually talk to Vanilla on the phone.

"Hi, Vanilla, what's going on?" Amy asked, hoping everything was okay when she again heard a cough.

"I'm very sorry, Amy," she started, "but Cream's caught some kind of bug, and isn't feeling very well. She won't be able to come to your birthday party, and I'm afraid I have to stay with her so I can't come as well. I'm very sorry, dear. Maybe we can reschedule?"

Amy tried to hide her true feelings as she answered,

"S-sure. I'll just call up Tails and Sonic and reschedule. What day do you think would work?"

There was a slight pause on the other line, and Amy guessed Vanilla was telling Cream to go back to bed when she heard another hoarse cough and a "go to bed now darling". Vanilla was soon talking again, however.

"I'd say…maybe two to three days," she answered sorrowfully. "I'm very sorry again, Amy-"

"That's alright, Vanilla," Amy reassured. "I'll be fine, really. Tell Cream to get better soon."

"I will, honey, and happy birthday none the less. Goodbye."

With her own goodbye, Amy hung up the phone and looked around the empty house. Packages of balloons lay sprawled out on her sofa, and they had been waiting for her and Cream to blow them up.

Apparently they'd have to wait another few days, Amy thought bitterly, but she forced herself to stay strong and not get angry over the situation. It wasn't her fault or Cream's for the matter, and if this is what was intended for her at this point, then so be it.

Picking up the phone again, Amy dialed Tails' number, and quickly informed the fox about the change of schedule. Tails sounded a bit disappointed, and said he was sorry.

"Want your present now anyway?" he joked, and Amy laughed softly.

"No thanks," she responded. "I think I'd enjoy it more with everyone here."

"Alright, if you're sure," Tails replied, and there was a slight pause before he said, "Sonic's here with me right now…Want me to tell him for you?"

"I'd like that," Amy responded, glad she didn't have to make yet another phone call. "Thanks, Tails. I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up, Amy sighed, and sank down into her chair in front of her. Life could be so unfair sometimes.

A sudden rush of wind and the sound of her doorbell brought her to her feet. It sounded so much like Sonic, but what would he be doing here? The party had just been canceled.

Quickly, she rushed to the door, and opened it to none other then Sonic the Hedgehog, who was grinning madly, a picnic basket resting by his side.

"Ready to go?" he asked simply, as if he expected Amy to know what he was talking about.

Amy stared at him open mouthed.

"Go where?" she finally brought herself to ask, and Sonic chuckled.

"I don't know yet where we're going," he answered truthfully. "Where ever my feet take us I guess."

Amy was still confused.

"Wait, so…like a date?" she asked, telling herself not to believe it.

Sonic's smile faded for a second as he recalled the 'incident' a week ago, and answered,

"Well…I guess you could kinda call it that…I was just thinking of doing something with you for your birthday. Since the parties canceled an' all."

"Oh," Amy replied, slightly feeling dejected, but decided it wasn't worth getting emotional, and smiled up at Sonic. "Sounds fun. Let me get my jacket. I'll only be a minute. You can come in if you want."

Smiling brightly, she ran off to find her jacket, and Sonic stepped into the small house, immediately smelling the freshly baked cookies. Maybe Amy would let him have one, he thought to himself with a grin.

Looking around, Sonic realized he hadn't been in Amy's home since her last birthday party. It hadn't changed dramatically, but there were a few more pictures up on the wall he hadn't seen before, all consisting of their friends and sometimes her. He smiled as he looked at one very familiar picture that had never been replaced by Amy for another. It was a small picture, but none the less the most important to Amy, Sonic guessed. It was taken just before she had stopped jumping him and had learned to control herself a little better, and she was, as guessed, jumping him. But, instead of frowning, this picture showed Sonic smiling, and was one of the main reasons Tails knew Sonic liked her. The camera had never before caught the split second of which Sonic smiled until that one picture.

Sonic had a hard time denying he might like her when ever he looked at that picture.

"Ready!" Amy called, as she came running into the living room, grinning broadly. Sonic smiled as well at the sight of her.

"Let's get going then!" he exclaimed as he pulled Amy up bridal style and was about to rush out of the house, when he suddenly halted. "Uh, Amy?" he asked.

"What is it?" Amy questioned.

"You know…we don't want those cookies to go to waste, right? I mean…"

Amy rolled her eyes and laughed, saying,

"Let's take the whole batch."

With the cookies soon snuggly packed in the picnic basket, Sonic took off running at full speed. Amy squealed with delight, and clung on to Sonic tighter as the wind rushed past them at incredible speed.

For thirty minutes this went on non-stop, both enjoying themselves thoroughly. Amy hadn't gone this fast in the open air since…well, forever she concluded, and this thought in itself made the moment even more special for her. Sonic couldn't remember a time when holding Amy in this style had ever been so enjoyable; either he was saving her from danger, or she had begged him for a fast paced ride. Proudly he thought about how this had been his idea this time and he couldn't ask for a better run. He'd have to do this more often, was his conclusion.

Once the thirty minutes were over, Sonic halted, and they decided to eat their lunch there. It was a beautiful area, they both agreed on that as they set the blanket down on a large stone underneath a tree. Amy couldn't help but keep glancing around the area, full of hills with bright green grass except for their one tree. She found it amazing that after every blink the beauty was still there, just as it had been.

For an hour that chattered about nothing in particular, mostly revolving around their friends or family.

"Is that what you think about?" Amy wondered, "When you're on the roof of your house? Your family and what's become of them?" (Information of most of this on Sonic the Hedgehog's Past; will be made into a real story soon.)

She followed Sonic's gaze to the distant hills, and his eyes seemed far away as he slowly answered,

"Yeah. Sometimes."

Seeing as though that was all Sonic would admit Amy stared at him sadly, before turning back to the apple in her hand. Sonic, who had already finished his lunch leaned back against the tree, and surprised Amy when he continued talking.

"You can't just forget 'em, family's too important for that. I was close to 'em…well, my bro an' sis, you know that. My mom had trouble controlling me…obviously." He chuckled and went on. "Dad just thought I'd grow out of it eventually, but realized by my tenth birthday there was no way. He didn't mind though, in fact, me and him, we got along real well. He understood when Sonia was being 'A Meany Head' as I'd call her."

He closed his eyes, as if remembering his once simple life had become difficult, but then smiled.

"Good times, weren't that?" He looked intensely up at Amy, hoping she wasn't getting too emotional, having remembered the pain she had gone through leaving her own family.

Amy merely nodded and also looked out into the hills, and there was a silence for a moment, but not an awkward silence, a comfortable silence. Amy had never known Sonic to be so deep, but now that she realized it he wasn't getting deep anyway, he was just stating a simple fact about how his family viewed him and how he had as well. Even this seemed a stretch to Amy though, and she became suddenly thankful for the party canceling. After all, it was rare that she was able to hang out with Sonic, alone none the less, and talk about such touchy subjects.

"I was an only child," Amy started, "but you already knew that." Sonic smiled at Amy, showing that he was listening and she continued. "I was probably spoiled by my father because of it…Mom never did fully understand me. But, hey, there's usually some situation like that in a family."

"You sure did seem to miss your Mom when I meant you though," Sonic pointed out.

"Well, I missed my Dad too, but I didn't want to look that bad. Dad had already been gone a few years, at the war."

"Hmm," was all Sonic said, and he again looked off into the distance.

They sat there silently for a moment, taking in everything that was happening. Never had they had such a serious talk, it seemed to both of them, although they knew that must have talked good naturally before hand, otherwise they wouldn't be as close as they were today.

Close.

What did the word 'close' mean in their case? Again Amy couldn't keep her mind from wandering to that very question, and she almost asked Sonic what he thought of her again, but decided against it. He'd tell her when he was ready.

Meanwhile, Sonic was wondering why she hadn't brought the question up, and had almost asked her about it himself, but didn't think that was a wise idea if he didn't want to delve into emotions just yet.

If they had known that they were both thinking about the kiss, they might have shyly brought it up, but they didn't. So instead, Sonic soon stood up and offered to run Amy back home, who gladly accepted. The run home was as exciting as ever, but the unspoken question hung in the air, seeming to choke both of them from a more enjoyable ride back.

It wasn't long until the run was over, and Sonic gently set Amy down at her doorstep, wondering what to say next, but Amy started first.

"Thank you for such a great day, Sonic," she joyfully said, as she hugged him. "Sometimes, I just don't know what I'd do without you."

"Same," was all Sonic said as he hugged her back, his stomach flipping as he did so. "Glad to make your birthday a good one, despite the changes." The two smiled at each other, said a good-hearted goodbye to one another, and Amy headed back into her house.

For a minute, Sonic stood by the house, going through the day to himself and wondering if he could've done any better. Maybe voice the sickening question, he thought to himself. Shaking his head, he looked once more at the small home, and ran off to his own four wooden walls.


A movement in the nearby bushes of Amy's house stirred, and slowly a small head of a grey robot popped out as he watched the cobalt hedgehog run home.

"Interesting," he said to himself, and he quickly pushed a small button on the screen in front of him.

A low voice said something through the small device, and the robot answered with a, "Oh yeah, they're in over their heads. The plan will work like a charm."

With a quick nod, he closed the flap of the screen, and looked up into the sky, noting the sunset. A smile twitched on his robotic lips, and he slowly crawled out of the bush, made sure no one was watching, and descended into the nearby forest without a word.


As you can see this is one of my longer chapters, and I'm pretty proud of it. Yeah, I know it's going slow, but the next chapter will pick up the pace a bit, trust me. I figured Sonic and Amy needed some time together, and they had a date in the original anyway. Again I'm requiring 2-3 reviews…Next chapter coming up!

~Ksonic~