A Bed of Black Roses
By Yumeko Sama

Disclaimer: Sonic and all it's characters belong to Sega/Dic/Archie. I do not claim to own any of them
Warning: Not for the squeamish, Please don't kill me for this chapter.

Chapter 6: Moonlight Shadow

It wasn't the purpose he was designed for, then again after preventing the fall of ARK and stopping Black Doom, he really no longer had a purpose. So taking his cue from the main character of a movie starring a fuzzy blue alien he was watching at Amy's one day, Shadow decided that living his life happily and fully with his Amy Rose would be his purpose.

The dark hedgehog sat in the staff lounge enjoying his break wishing that Amy were there with him. Shadow reclined on the sofa a little more making himself comfortable but just as he was about to close his eyes, he heard the sound of the two owners approaching the lounge area discussing something.

"…I don't see why not, I mean it has been an unusually warm fall so if the weather is nice we can do it out on the terrace." Mrs. Julia Maple beamed happily as she looked over a clipboard in her hands.

"But still we should have the Grand ballroom set up, just in case," Jonathon Maple returned his wife's warm smile. "We're doing this Halloween weekend?"

"Of Course!" Julia continued to smile as she bubbled with excitement.

"Well then you know we'd better get busy considering we only have two weeks to-" Jonathan began to say but was cut off by his wife.

"Oh everything is already taken care of except for food. I've already talked to some of the staff and we'll be two short in the kitchen since Melon is taking care of the stage show."

Shadow cleared his throat getting the attention of the couple who both turned and looked at him. "What's going on?"

"Oh it's our annual Autumn gala." Julia beamed and went about pinning a few items to the bulletin board in the staff lounge. "We host a masquerade gala every fall since we opened up ten years ago. Some members of the staff always pull together a variety show to entertain the guests."

"I do hope you will considering participating or at least coming, I know Mint and Melon recruited Amy to sing with them this year." Jonathan added.

Shadow raised an eyebrow and looked at the two humans who were not afraid of him. "Really, she is? I didn't know she could sing."

"Well maybe I'll come then," Shadow shrugged then headed back down to the main dining area of the café to resume his shift.

Before returning to the piano, Shadow ducked into the phone booth and dialed a number from memory. "Hey Rouge, I need a big favor…"

…

"Aww come on Sal, do I really have to go with you to this boring fund raising event? I mean can't you go with your brother or something?" Sonic whined as Sally dragged him out of a shop in the downtown area looking for a costume for the party.

"Will you stop whining?" Sally grumbled as she got in the car. She found Sonic's costume but every shop went to did not have the one costume she was looking for and she had gotten to the point of aggravation she made the owner of the last shop she was at call around until she found what she was looking for. "And to be able to stay here in Station Square, I had to promise never to bother my brother again."

As they drove past the café, Sonic happened to notice Amy exiting the building in the café's uniform holding a broom. His mood shifted from annoyed to enraged when he saw Shadow exit the building with Amy. Considering Sonic's car was at a stop light he watched the two thinking of a way to hurt the onyx hedgehog.

"Sonic? Are you okay?" Sally asked concerned. "The light's green."

Sonic pressed down on the gas speeding through the intersection driving in the direction Sally pointed ignoring her question. When they arrived at the costume shop, he tossed his car keys to Sally. "Hey babe, when you finish here, just take the car and go on, I'll meet you back at the house."

Before Sally could respond, Sonic took off with a burst of speed.

…

"Amy are you sure you don't want me to wait here for you?" Shadow questioned a little concerned. Even through the café kept evening hours, his shift ended before the service staff's sift did. Normally he hung around helping where he could until Amy's shift ended at closing time but with the gala coming up Amy had been staying late with the Cat sisters. Honestly Shadow did not mind because it gave him a chance to think about some things that had been weighing heavily on his mind but he felt something was going to happen if he didn't stick around.

Amy smiled at his protective nature and kissed him lightly on the cheek considering where they were. "I'm sure, besides Melon, Mint and I are going to work on our numbers for the show which reminds me, there's some beef stew in the fridge, all you have to do is make some rice."

Shadow held on to Amy's hand for a moment and looked into her sparkling emerald eyes. "Okay, okay I'll go but call me if there is any trouble." He gave his trademark half smile, squeezed her hand lightly, and then headed back to their apartment making a couple of stops along the way.

…

The rose colored hedgehog happily sang to herself as she went about the task of sweeping the leaves off of the walk leading to the café.

"Hey Ames, long time no see." Sonic sped up behind Amy undoing the work she had done sweeping the walk.

Startled, the pink hedgehog dropped her broom and turned to face the offender. The look of surprise turned to one of anger recognizing Sonic. "What do you want, faker?" she used the nickname Shadow gave because she knew it annoyed the hell out of him.

Sonic closed his eyes for a second seething mad that she called him a faker. "I came to talk some sense into your thick skull. I am not convinced that you are serious about that faker and you still want to be with me."

Annoyed, Amy picked up her broom and moved past Sonic ignoring him and continuing with his work. "I do not have time for your stupidly. Now please go-"

POW!

"What was that you were saying Amy?" Sonic replied calmly rubbing his knuckles looking down at the pink hedgehog on the ground. "If you say one word to anybody I'll do much worse. Besides, who's going to believe someone who fucks a crazed psycho anyway." Sonic sped of laughing feeling better.

Amy shakily rose to her feet and looked towards the front window and sighed seeing the only couple sitting by the window act as if they did not see anything.

…

After her shift and rehearsal, Amy wearily made her way home the back of her head still throbbing from where Sonic punched her. Amy sighed heavily as she entered the apartment and heaved a heavy sigh. She gasped startled as a pair of arms wrapped around her tiny waist from behind. "Welcome home, love," he whispered softly.

Amy relaxed leaning back into his warm embrace letting the stress of her encounter with Sonic melt away. The encounter pushed away when she felt his warm lips press a tender kiss on the nape of her neck. "Thank you, it is great to be home, safe and warm."

"I got something for you," Shadow guided Amy to their bedroom and retrieved a bag he hid in the closet.

Amy's eyes widened as she instantly recognized the design on the purple and white shopping bag Shadow handed her. Removing the gift box from the bag the pink hedgehog opened the box and gasped surprised. "Shadow, how did you know?" Tears of joy escaped her eyes as she fingered the luxurious black and red brocade bodice of the strapless dress she had been admiring since she saw it on a recent mall trip.

"Had a little help from Rouge," He admitted.

Amy set the box aside and sat on Shadow's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her forehead to his.

Shadow wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close to his body closing the distance between the two of them with a deeply passionate kiss.

…

Two Weeks later:

The night of the grand fall gala finally arrived. In the past two weeks Amy had practically forgotten about her run in with Sonic. She admired herself in the mirror smoothing her fingers over the elaborate black and red brocade bodice. Her quills she had brushed into a high ponytail with an elaborate black rose hair clip. She put a touch of crimson on her lips then placed her makeup, wallet and keys in the small matching purse.

"Are you ready yet?" Shadow called into the bathroom.

"I'm coming out no-" Amy replied as she exited the bathroom and was struck by the most astonishing sight. Shadow stood in the room dressed from head to toe in a black and red suit. "Oh my," Amy was speechless at the gothic vision before her in the dimly lit bedroom. "You look wonderful."

"That's my line," Shadow's dark smile touched his lips as he took in Amy's appearance. The black and red floor length dress gave the pink hedgehog an air of sophistication and elegance. "You are…stunning," he took her ungloved hand and kissed it.

Amy blushed deeply as Shadow helped her with her cloak, a black velvet piece she purchased after Shadow gave her the dress. He then donned a blood red duster. "Ready to go?' the dark hedgehog asked earning a nod from the pink hedgehog who in turn took his hand when she saw him retrieve a chaos emerald from his pocket.

"Chaos Control!"

The couple disappeared from their bedroom with a brilliant flash of emerald green light.

Upon reaching their destination, Amy looked around in bewilderment. Instead of arriving at the Café, they were on the beach overlooking the full moon shining brightly over a shimmering sea. "It's beautiful really, the way that the darkness and the light dance with each other in perfect harmony," Shadow stated.

Amy smiled looking out at the shimmering waters as a gentle breeze caused her velvet cloak to billow slightly. "It is beautiful," she smiled.

Shadow took a deep breath then took Amy's left hand in his hands catching the rose colored hedgehog by surprise. Kneeling on a knee, Shadow looked up at Amy, his crimson eyes burning with a newfound determination. "I know we have only been together for a few months, to me it feels like a few years and in that time I have learned that you are my happiness and without you there is no tomorrow. What I am trying to say, or rather ask is…Will you marry me Amy Rose?" Shadow produced a simple diamond ring from the pocket of his duster.

Tears of joy and happiness began to well in Amy's emerald eyes causing them to shimmer like the sea they currently stood by. "Yes, Yes a million times Yes!" Amy replied happily.

Shadow slid the ring on her finger then rose to his feet embracing his now fiancée kissing her lips passionately. "So are you ready to head to the party?" he asked after they finally broke their kiss. Amy nodded a yes then Shadow once again used Chaos control to take them to the café.

…

"Tails, what's wrong with Mr. Sonic?" Cream, who was dressed as a fairytale princess, asked the two tailed fox who was dressed as a pirate. "He looks like he has been in a bad mood since we got here."

Tails looked in the direction Cream was looking and saw Sonic and Sally both dressed as Zorro and a Spanish maiden respectfully. The kitsune raised an eyebrow when he saw the displeased scowl on the blue hero's face. "Honestly Cream, I don't know but I have a feeling it had something to do with the fight at Club Rouge a couple of weeks ago." Tails looked around and spied Rouge and Knuckles talking with some other people so he took Cream's hand and headed over to them.

"…So I said what the hell, no one ever can really own a chaos emerald so I've let my vendetta go. Besides, he makes Amy happy and I haven't seen her this genuinely happy in years," Rouge, who was dressed as Cher, admitted.

Knuckles, who was dressed as a vampire, looked towards the terrace entrance and tapped Rouge's shoulder. "And speaking of the devil, look who's here," he gestured to Shadow and Amy as they entered.

Amy smiled and gave her fiancée a quick kiss on the cheek then disappeared with the Cat Sisters to get ready for their performance.

…

"Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for joining us for our tenth annual Masquerade," Jonathan spoke from the stage specially set up in the garden terrace. "For five years going now we've had a live stage show… and this year is no different. I am proud to present the song birds of the Maple Leaf Café, Mint, Melon and Amy."

Shadow watched from the shadows as Amy and the Cat sisters sang and the others attending the party danced. His smile disappeared for a moment when he noticed Sonic casting an intense glare towards Amy and this really worried him considering that she was oblivious to what was going on out there.

His concern deepened when Amy surprisingly sang a solo holding the mic with her left hand unintentionally and Sonic's glare turned to a cold smirk.

When the trio got off stage, Shadow quickly sought out Amy protectively keeping her close by. The newly engaged couple stepped out on the dance floor dancing with each other enjoying the evening though Shadow remained on alert.

"Hey that was amazing," Knuckles spoke up from behind the couple. He and Rouge danced behind them startling the dark hedgehog. " I didn't know you could sing."

Amy smiled brightly at the red echidna she considered a brother. "Thanks Knuckles."

"And congratulations you two, I just happened to see your ring during your solo," Rouge congratulated Amy.

Shadow nodded thanks to the other couple but maintained his serious expression. "Knuckles can I have a word with you?"

Knuckles nodded and parted ways with Rouge after giving her a kiss. "So what's going on?" he asked when they were out of earshot.

"Has Sonic been acting strange lately?" Shadow cut straight to the point. "I only ask because I noticed how he was watching Amy on stage earlier."

Knuckles thought for a moment. "Well after recovering from the ass kicking you gave him a few weeks ago, he had been acting like his normal annoyingly cocky self but he would get really pissed of anyone mentioned you and Amy."

…

"Hey Rouge, I am going to the restroom, I'll be back in a minuet." Amy addressed the white bat then left the table the two managed to snag.

"Okay, I'll watch the table." Rouge smiled and relaxed at the table."

He wanted the Faker to suffer greatly and for weeks Sonic couldn't think of a way to get back at him and really make it hurt. But then it came to him when he saw Amy two weeks ago and knocked her in the back of the head. Hurt Amy and Shadow will most assuredly suffer more than anything.

"Hey Sal I'll be right back, I need to go get something from the car."

Sally smiled and kissed Sonic on the cheek, "Don't be long."

Following her was the easy part, no one really took notice considering the fact that they thought he was just heading off to the men's restroom. Patiently he waited outside of the ladies room for a minuet before sneaking inside locking the door behind him. "Well well, if it isn't the Rose of the ball."

Startled Amy dropped her lipstick in the sink and took a step back. "What are you doing in here! Get out or else I will start screaming!"

"Go ahead and scream" Sonic smirked.

Amy opened her mouth to scream but it was quickly muffled by an unwanted kiss. Sonic's hands roughly roamed her body groping and caressing her body through the dress. She struggled trying to break loose of the offending touch to no avail.

"What's the matter Amy, I thought this is what you always wanted."

"YOU CREEP!" Amy screamed loudly.

Sonic punched Amy in the abdomen knocking the breath from her body shoved the skirt of her dress up and proceeded to violate the innocent rose-colored hedgehog. When he finished, he pulled a small pocketknife and stabbed her in the abdomen. "Its been fun Ames." Sonic slipped out of the ladies restroom and quickly returned to Sally's side continuing on as if nothing happen.

…

Rouge waived to Knuckles and Shadow from the table she had been holding for the past ten minuets.

"Hey where is Amy?" Shadow asked a little concerned. He looked around anxious when he didn't see Amy anywhere around but he did see Sonic still sitting by Sally with his ever cocky smirk. "I'm going to look for Amy," Shadow stated and headed off.

…

Mint bubbled happily enjoying the evening as she retreated into the washroom. However her cheerful mood quickly vanished at the sight that awaited her.

"Hey Mint, watch out!" Melon bumped into her twin sister from behind. Mint stood motionless in the doorway in absolute shock. "Mint?"

Curious as to what would shock her bubbly sister into silence, Melon peered over Mint's shoulder and looked in the restroom.

"OH MY GOD SOMEONE CALL 911!" Melon screamed loudly drawing attention to the scene.

Having snapped from her frozen shocked state, Mint ran off to find Shadow luckily bumping into him as he entered the café. "Oh my God Shadow its Horrible!" Mint sobbed and took his hand pulling him towards the restroom where onlookers were already staring.

Shadow pushed his way past the crowd and gasped at the sight that met his eyes.

On the pristine white tile floor of the ladies restroom laid Amy Rose in a slowly forming pool of blood and her dress in a disheveled state.

Authors notes:

Hiding from behind the sofa: I'm Sorry I'm Sorry! Please don't hurt me, but my mind finally locked on a specific plot and well I got carried away. Don't worry, Sonic won't get away with it so easily cause this time Kunckles is on Shadow's side. It's just when I wrote this I was in a bit of a dark mood.

And to all sonic fans, I apologize for making Sonic the villan, but it's just how the story played out in my mind. OH before I forget, 100 brownie points to whoever gets the movie refrence at the beginning of this chapter.

Shouts:

Again thank you everyone who took the time to read and review. Because of you this has proven to be my highest ranking fic of all the stories I've written over the years with over 2500 Hits. I love you all.

Kabikku: Really do you mean what you say? I thank you for your kind comments. As for the first two chapters, I didn't preview the contents to make sure the dividers were present. I am however going to revise them soon. I work on fanfics as a practice for a fantasy novel I am working on.

Metal Heart-Ruby Fangs: I love fluff too

Playstation 14: Hmm let's just say he had an enriched education when he was on ARK with Maria

ShadAmy Rox: Well Shadow and Amy makes better sense than sonic and Amy