A/N: OWOW! Here's chapter seven. Thank you thank you thank you everyone who reviewed on chapter six… and all the other chapters too! I think I've finally worked out most of the kinks in my uploading and editing, but if you find an error in spelling… grammar… anything! Please tell me so I can correct it. Anyways, enjoy ;).

--LA


I don't own sonic or anything like that… But wouldn't that be suhweeet if I did :D!? I would totally use my awesome power to do awesome things… Teehee :3!


Remorse coursed through Sonic's veins like poison as he stared at the chair which was destined to be his prison for the next month and a half. His legs, plastered strait in a pair of hard, white casts were still mostly numb. He was furious with his own ignorance of friction. It seemed so obvious now; of course fire would start when almost anything, especially something as flammable as fabric rubs together that fast.

For a few minutes, Sonic scanned every detail of the chair with disgust. He scowled as he took in the wheels. What were people thinking? Wheels were nothing close to a substitute of legs, rolling in a chair on wheels could never be compared to running.

He thought of the effort the nurse must have put into painting and customizing it. And why? Because he was a hero. He was only a hero because he could run. And since he could no longer run, he felt empty. Without his running, he would never have met any of his friends, never have met Amy.

Despite how, over the years, her persistent admiration for Sonic had never so much as weakened, she had only loved him because he had saved her. By running. Without his legs, she would probably see him as a normal hedgehog, nothing special.

"Err… Sonic?" The click of a carefully opened door snapped him out of his trance. He blinked and turned his head to see Knuckles entering the room. In an instant, Sonic relaxed his face and smiled contently at Knuckles. The last thing he needed was to be tormented by the echidna about the irony of the situation.

"Oh! Hey, Knuckles." His guest took a seat on the patchy, gray sofa. Knuckles raised an eyebrow.

"Well, look who's alive and breathing. You wanna explain what happened out there?"

Sonic rolled his eyes. That sent sharp pain up his forehead, but he ignored it and laughed.

"What a hello." And he told Knuckles the whole story from when he left Tails' house to that moment, although he left out the part about Amy's kiss. He was still not in the mental condition to take the echidna's taunts.

Knuckles raised an eyebrow and laughed out loud.

"So you mean to tell me that you're gonna spend a month and a half in that chair?"

Sonic nodded, putting all his effort into keeping a strait face and not losing his temper. Knuckles wiped a tear from his eye, chuckling.

"See you later Sonic, I've gotta go tell the girls… And Tails."

Though Sonic would have preferred his closest friends to hear the story from him, as he had a feeling Knuckles may change the story a bit, he didn't object as the door closed behind the red echidna. Looking at the clock mounted on the wall, Sonic realized how late it was and lay down to go to bed.

Hina slumbered silently, thumb in mouth and bright flashlight in the crook of her elbow. Tails rubbed his eyes and yawned, completely exhausted. As gently as he could, he lifted Hina and carried her to his bedroom, placing her in the crib as softly as he could. He kissed her forehead and stroked her cheek, retiring to his own bed.

Bright morning sunlight caressed Tails' face, gently waking him. He sat up and stretched, turning to the crib. He jumped in surprise, just managing to suppress a yell as his eyes fell upon the sleeping baby. A pale blue broach had grown, apparently overnight, covering most of her torso. It was bordered with white gold, and seemed to glow slightly.

As silently as he could, Tails tiptoed into out of the bedroom and toward the kitchen. When he reached his destination, he yelped. Amy, Cream, Rouge and Knuckles sat at the table sipping coffee (except Cream, who's mug was filled with hot cocoa).

"Ooh! Good morning, sleepy head!" Cream said cheerfully, with a huge smile on her face. Tails shakily returned it.

"Err… good morning… what are you all doing here this early?"

Rouge laughed gesturing to the stove clock.

"Tails, it's nearly noon. We let ourselves in, by the way."

The fox looked at the clock in surprise. He was usually up by eight in the morning, so the sleep-in came as a shock to him. He grabbed a chair and had a seat amongst the others.

"Sorry. I was up late with the baby."

"Oh Tails, Can I see her? Please?" Cream asked, obviously trying to contain her excitement and remain polite.

"Of course, Cream. But she's asleep now, and I don't want to wake her."

Cream nodded, and returned to her cocoa beaming.

"So Tails, what's it like to be a mommy?" asked Rouge, smiling slyly at him.

Tails smiled back and scratched his head.

"It's great. She's great. Pancakes anyone?"

Cream squealed and waved her hand in the air. As Tails got the ingredients out, Amy said passively,

"Well, I think I'll go check if Hina's up." She got out of her chair, finished her coffee, put the mug in the sink and left the room. Tails grabbed a frying pan and started to cook. After a few moments, he flipped the pancake, and then dropped it onto Cream's plate.

"Thank you, Tails."

Tails made four more, one for each of them. As he sat down with his plate, Amy returned with Hina in her arms.

"Oh, Tails! It's amazing! The gem on her chest, where did it come from?"

Tails shrugged.

"It just appeared there last night. I'm not sure what it is either."

Rouge's eyes lit up.

"Well, well, well…" She stood up and walked over to the pink hedgehog, eyes fixed on the blue stone. "What a pretty girl. May I?" she asked, gesturing to pick up Hina. Tails nodded, smiling. Rouge carefully held the baby, stroking the rock.

"Hmm… too pale to be azurite or sapphire… too blue for turquoise… but such gorgeous colour, and completely flawless… and it brings out those pretty eyes too." She said, gently poking Hina's nose with her finger. The baby giggled and rubbed Rouge's long nails. Tails thought he caught a momentary almost tender look from Knuckles, who quickly returned to his breakfast.

"How's Sonic?"

Nobody answered for a moment, but Knuckles finally explained, looking like he was trying not to laugh the entire time.

"Oh. He's not going to enjoy that chair. Maybe I can make something for him to help…" Images of jet packed wheelchairs filled his mind for a moment, but his thoughts were interrupted by an impatient gurgle. Tails laughed.

"You must be hungry! Breakfast time?" Hina smiled toothlessly, stretching her little arms towards him. He took her from Rouge, tossing her into the air. He grabbed a bottle out of the refrigerator, putting it close enough for her to reach with her mouth.

"Um Tails, you might not want to feed her that milk…" said Amy, pointing to the tiny yellow-brown spots floating in the liquid "It looks kind of dirty."

"Hmm? No. That's just potash. It's a mineral that's supposed to be really healthy for growing plants like our little Hina." He brushed her bangs out of her face, tipping the bottle so she could get more milk. Cream got out of her seat and stepped quietly towards Tails, mouth open.

"She's so pretty, Tails. She's just like Cosmo!"

Tails smiled.

"Everyone says that. I remember Cosmo used to have a stone just like this one, only smaller and red."

"I remember that rock. Ruby."

"How could you remember? You only saw her a couple times!" Knuckles said, raising an eyebrow.

"You think I would forget a perfect ruby like that? Imagine how it would look on a ring…" Her eyes glazed over as she sunk into a daydream of gems and jewelry.

"Would you like to hold her, Cream?" Tails asked. Cream's eyes lit up and she beamed at him.

"Oh, can I?"

"'Course. Just be careful of her neck." Cream nodded, as she gingerly took Hina from Tails' arms, and cradled the baby in her own.

"See Hina? This is Cream."

The rabbit looked into Hina's eyes, and as brown me electric blue, Hina softly cooed a slur of C's and M's.

"Cmmccmmeemm"

"I think she's trying to say your name, Cream." said Amy, smiling at her friend. The bunny widened her eyes and grinned at the child in her arms.

"We're going to be friends, Hina. I know it."


A/N: There you have it ;)! Ohh! I almost forgot to tell you guys! I was SUPER bored the other day… like bored out of my head with writers block… and I drew a picture of Hina so you can have a visual :P I know I did a really shabby job of shading, and I'm aware that she has no hands. Sorry I was lazy xD. Anyways, here's the link. Tell me if this one doesn't work:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/2881/hinacolourfflx7.jpg

Okay. Thanks for reading, and please review :D!

--LA