Mother Knows Best

Chapter Seven

Tails loved the dinner that Kiera had made. Himself, Kiera, Shadow and Rouge chatted and had laughs with each other. It was an amazing night, he had to say. Tails really did miss his friends from back in Mobius, especially Sonic, and Cream. Rouge and he had gone to their bedrooms for the night, leaving Shadow and Kiera to wash up the pots and dishes.

The two of them chatted away – more like flirted, as Rouge believes – as they cleaned, and dried the pots. They both smoothly and quickly put the pots and pans away as they worked together.

Shadow laughed at Kiera. She raised an eyebrow. "What?" He smiled, and just reached his hands over, and stroked away some left over soapy bubbles on her cheek.

Kiera's face heated up, she didn't know what exactly she was feeling. She didn't know how to describe it, but she did know that she liked the feeling – and it was caused by Shadow. Shadow dark crimson eyes were locked with her own deep auburn orbs, he was getting lost in them while he was still softly, and sensually stroking her cheek.

Kiera looked away, breaking the longing gaze they both had, and then looked back up at him. He had stepped back a little, his own face heated up at what he did. He hadn't known why he did it. The silence between them was deafening, and downright awkward. "Thank you, Shadow." Kiera said to him, breaking the silence.

He nodded. "You're welcome, Kiera." Kiera removed the apron once again from her waist, and set it again once more on the kitchen counter.

"Would like some tea? I'm going to make a cup." Kiera asked him, looking at him with an innocent stare. She was trying to forget about what just happened between them, but that was entirely impossible as that event was all she could think about – and that was all Shadow could think about, also.

Shadow gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I'd like one thanks." Kiera switched the kettle on and grabbed herself two mugs.

"Herbal or the… uh normal stuff?" She laughed at herself for being so awkward. Shadow chuckled.

"Whatever you're having, love." Kiera's eyes widened as he addressed her as 'love', her heart stopped mid-beat – as did Shadow. He had no idea why he had said that to her, but in his heart he knew it was right to. A deep blush grew on their faces; they both didn't know how to react so forgot about it straight away.

Kiera coughed. "The normal stuff it is." The natural ding of the kettle rang and Kiera poured he hot liquid into the two mugs.

Kiera passed Shadow his tea, and she walked away to the sofa in the living room – which was connected to the kitchen. "Thanks." Shadow said, and followed her to the living room. He was disappointed that she wasn't sat on the sofa, so he could sit beside her – she was sat on the chair, beside the sofa.

He accustomed himself on the sofa. Kiera now cradled the warm mug in her hands as she drank the soothing. The awkward and deafening silence was back again between them. Shadow sighed. "I'm sorry, Kiera. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable in any way." He looked at her. Kiera knew he was telling the truth, he was truly sorry – she had a knack of when to know when people are lying, it was an attribute of she survived so long.

Kiera nodded, accepting his apology. "I forgive you. It was a mistake." No, it wasn't a mistake, Kiera. Shadow thought, he believed that he did that on purpose and not as an accident.

"Yeah." He finished his tea, and set it down on the coffee table. Kiera did the same. Kiera stood up to her feet, ignoring the little pain in her abdomen, she reminded herself that she would need to take her medication before she goes to sleep.

"Well, I'm heading off to bed. See you in the morning, Shadow."

Shadow looked at her, then quickly rose to his feet. "Goodnight, Kiera, sleep well."

Kiera gave him a smile. "You too, Shadow."

Kiera walked down the hallway and stopped at her door when she felt Shadow tug on her hand. Kiera fully turned to him, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Shadow? Is something the matter?" Shadow nodded, and released her hand.

Kiera became concerned, worrying if something was wrong with him. "What's wrong, Shadow?" Kiera probed.

He looked down at his feet and took a deep breath before meeting her gaze again. "Could I try something, and do you promise not to run away from me?" He asked sincerely. Kiera knew what was coming. She nodded, hesitantly.

Shadow cupped Kiera's warm cheek softly and leaned into her. His eyes locking with her Kiera's auburn orbs, he lost himself inside them. Kiera fell into his spell and found herself leaning into him. Shadow's lips capture her own, they both melted in the embrace. There were more than fireworks erupting by the affectionate kiss. Unfortunately, oxygen was not on their side, and their passion filled embrace came to abrupt pause.

Kiera looked at Shadow, regaining her breath. He leaned his forehead against her own, and stroked her cheek as he also began to recover his breath. He smiled at her sweetly.

"Goodnight, Shadow." Kiera gave him one last chaste kiss to his lips before leaving him stunned in the hallway as she went into her bedroom and closed to her. Shadow stood there with a smile on his face. He turned away from Kiera's bedroom door and walked to his own bedroom for the night.

Kiera slumped her back against her door. She brought her fingers to her lips, still feeling the tingle on her lips from their kiss. She smiled at the recent thought and memory. Kiera moved swiftly to her ensuite bathroom. She opened the glass cabernet, and grabbed her bottle of aspirin. She opened the small bottle, and took her last daily intake with a swig of a glass of water. She groaned as the pills slid down her throat, it was rather uncomfortable for her but it was necessary for her recovery.

Kiera grazed her hand over her abdomen, and scowled down at her stomach. She hated how her stomach looked, scars and stitches everywhere. Kiera sighed then turned the light off in the bathroom, and left the room. Kiera slowly changed out of her black jeans and vest – being cautious of her stitches – and slipped into her pyjama shorts and shirt. Kiera climbed into her bed and curled herself under her soft and thick quilt, hiding her face into her pillow. She closed her eyes and sighed, knowing her time with Shadow will be short lived and leading to nothing.

Shadow would be leaving tomorrow afternoon, and probably will fall for Rouge. Kiera wasn't an idiot, she knew how Rouge felt about her partner. Their relationship – if there was one – wouldn't work. She lives in Yukon River with Tails, and he lives in Mobius with Rouge, and all of Tails' old friends – and the fact that she is in hiding from Lorenzo and Alistair. Before she fell into her deep slumber, she promised herself that she would get out of the house for the entire day tomorrow so she wouldn't face Shadow.

The next morning…

It was 9:30am and Shadow met Rouge and Tails in the kitchen. He noticed that Kiera wasn't in the room. "Where is Kiera?" He asked.

Rouge dead panned. "Good morning to you, too." He rolled his eyes.

Tails looked up at Shadow. "She has gone to the shopping centre." Shadow raised an eyebrow at that.

Kiera left? He thought. "How long ago did she leave?" Tails had a good idea why he was asking where she was but pushed it away to the back of his mind.

"10 to 15 minutes ago." Tails replied. Shadow grinned, I can still catch up with her, he thought.

"I'll help her." Shadow stated before leaving the house with two remaining speechless.

"Do you know what that was all about?" Tails asked Rouge, thinking she may have figured out the answer.

Rouge shrugged. "Nope." She said popping the 'p'. But I have a good idea why, she thought with distaste and anger – but she knew that their 'relationship' wouldn't last the end of the day, so she took pleasure from knowing that. Tails nodded and went back to fixing up Omega as quickly as possible so that Rouge and Shadow could leave.

Kiera swaggered through the shopping centre, nearing Café Nero. She froze in her steps as she came face to face with Shadow. She gulped as she didn't expect him to follow her to the shopping centre. She was thankful that she was wearing a scarf that was keeping her neck hidden so he couldn't notice her discomfort.

Although, he didn't notice her discomfort but he did notice her disappointed facial expression. He lost his smile from when he saw her walking by the café. "You don't look like you're pleased to see me, Kiera. Did I do something wrong?" He asked softly, a small crack in voice as he was lost in emotion. Kiera felt utterly terrible as she knows he did feel something for her, the same as herself.

"Perhaps, we should sit down." Kiera suggested. Shadow nodded, and he walked with her into Café Nero. They both ordered tea, as they both knew by now that was their 'thing' now. The two of them sat down at a table, secluded from prying ears and eyes – if there were any.

Kiera looked at Shadow, and sighed. "You did nothing wrong, Shadow. It's just…our lives."

Shadow got confused. "What do you mean, exactly?" He asked her gently.

"You live in Mobius, working as an agent." She said sadly. He knew that already, he began to think what her point to her statement was.

"What do you mean?" He repeated.

Kiera sighed, once again. "You will leave, and I will stay. You will go on with your life and go out with Rouge, and live happily ever after."

Shadow sat there shocked, and surprised. She thinks I'll be with Rouge? I don't even see her in that way other than a friend, of course. He thought. "Kiera, I don't like Rouge, and even when I leave today, I will never forget you. I will come back for you."

That made Kiera's heart skip and miss a beat. Her cheeks heated up but shook off the butterflies in her stomach. "You don't see it, do you? Rouge has feelings for you. Even Tails saw that she had, he told me last night." Kiera said near to a whisper.

"I don't care if she was romantic feelings for me, Kiera. You're the one I have feelings for." He's telling the truth, he feels something for me and doesn't care that Rouge feels love for him. He wouldn't like me if he did know about my history. Kiera thought, hiding her nostalgia physically on her features.

"Even though you do have feelings for me, you have a life back in Mobius – with friends and a job. Also, you don't even know me, Shadow." He took her hands into his own, a surge of electricity between them erupted from their touches occurred again.

This time, Kiera couldn't ignore that. "I may have a life back in Mobius but I would drop that for you. I may do not know you but I'd like to get to know you, Kiera." Her breath was caught in her throat. She froze in her seat for a moment. She needed some time to adjust to what he was saying.

"Let me get to know you, Kiera." He pleaded.

"Shadow-" She paused for a second before answering him.

"Okay."