On the way home Amy figured it wouldn't be safe to walk all the way back so she decided to take a bus. While on the bus she thought about what just happened. So many different emotions rushed over her at once. She was angry at Shadow for making the move, she was mad at Rouge for pushing the romance, she felt bad about possibly hurting Shadow's feelings, and she was frustrated with herself and how she couldn't allow herself to be happy. Why was she always in the battle with herself?
After a few stops she got off the bus and headed toward her destination. Instead of going home she headed to Rouge's house. She knocked on her door and after a few moments Rouge opened it slightly surprised at who was there. Before she could even invite Amy in she stormed into the house, threw her purse on the couch, and turned to Rouge.
"This is all your fault!" she screamed. Tears stained with mascara flowed down her face.
"What happened?" her voice was filled with mostly concern but also curiosity. She assumed that Shadow and Amy had broken up.
"He tried to kiss me!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Rouge asked
"You don't understand!" Amy screamed back "You don't understand what it's like to have someone you loved...someone you loved so much be taken away from you! You don't understand at all and then you try to push this relationship on me! "You just don't know…" Amy stopped screaming and sat down on the couch sobbing. "You just don't know…" she repeated burying her face in her hands.
"No I don't…" Rouge replied calmly "…but he does."
Amy was about to yell at Rouge once again before suddenly realizing she was right. Shadow in his past had experienced the loss and could probably understand how Amy felt.
"Tissue?" Rouge offered Amy a box of Kleenex which she accepted.
"I apologize agian for pushing you into this." Rouge sighed and sat down on an armchair.
"It's okay Rouge." Amy replied quietly wiping tears from her eyes. "You were right about one thing I do…like him very much…" She did not want to say love. "…and to be honest it wasn't just him trying to kiss me I was trying to kiss him too until I realized what I was doing and it just seemed like…too much too soon. Although I loved everything else we have done walking together and holding hands, spending time together at work, and going on dates. I do in fact really like it."
Rouge merely nodded in reply
"But something is just holding me back it's just…" Amy started to cry again "I still miss him, I still love him, and I don't want to replace him."
Rouge came over and gave her friend a hug. "He will never be replaced." She reassured her "There will never be anyone else like him."
Amy started to cry even harder at Sonic's memory. She missed everything about him his smile, his emerald eyes, his willingness to help others, and she even missed his less desirable traits like how he could be annoying at times and how he used to reject her.
Rouge pulled away "If you're uncomfortable with a relationship I understand but Shadow is still your friend and would understand how you feel."
"You're right Rouge." Amy sighed and with that she got up, threw her tissue away, and began heading to the door. "Thank you." She whispered then slowly closed the door and headed back to the bus stop.
After Amy got home she went upstairs and before going to bed herself started going through a box she kept in the corner of her room. Inside the box were various gifts that Sonic gave to her, things that reminded her of him, and pictures.
She pulled out some of the earlier pictures of when they were first dating. Oftentimes Sonic would take Amy to places he had found on his travels. She sighed as she remembered the time they went to see the sunset. They had a picnic in the afternoon on top of a hill and stayed until the sun went down. She put those pictures aside and took out the photo album from their wedding. She started to cry again as she looked through the pictures. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and put the album away. Next she looked through the gifts. There were a few pieces of jewelry and other things. She took out the headband Sonic had gotten her before he left. She stared at the shimmering red jewels and felt the fabric between her fingers. Amy allowed herself to mourn a little more then she knew what she wanted to do...
The next morning Amy was getting ready to meet Shadow in the park that afternoon. She had called him earlier and asked him to meet her because she wanted to talk about everything that was going on. She hoped that Rouge was right and that he would understand.
Shadow was already sitting on the park bench waiting for her when Amy arrived. He looked up and smiled at her but she just frowned and looked at her shoes. Shadow looked down and frowned too he had guessed what this was about and although he understood why he wasn't looking forward to what he thought he was about to hear.
Amy sat down next to him and was silent for a moment but the began to speak. "Hello Shadow I just…I think we need to talk."
Shadow tried to hide his sadness he knew what that meant or at least he thought he did. Despite this he wanted to hear what Amy had to say and wanted her to be comfortable talking to him. "What is it Amy?" He asked
"First of all I want to apologize for last night." Amy started to say. She didn't know what else to say about that topic to she moved on to something else.
"Don't get me wrong Shadow I really enjoy the time we spend together. I mean it I really do but it's just…" Her eyes filled with tears that landed on her skirt. "I-I don't feel right about it sometimes because…I mean I know he would want me to be happy but at the same time…"
"…you don't want anyone to replace him." Amy looked up somewhat surprised.
"I know how you feel…I felt the same way once although it was somewhat different." His love for Maria was very different from the way Amy loved Sonic but it was love nonetheless.
"Maria was a great friend…she was like a sister to me." He shed a few tears in her memory "Whenever I first came here I didn't want to get close to anyone because like you I didn't want to replace her and I also didn't want to experience that loss again. Over time I decided to open up to people because like you said I knew she would want me to be happy although nobody could ever replace her. Also of course some people might not want to start knew relationships after someone they loved dearly is gone and that's okay too as long as they are happy."
Amy was both stunned and relieved. "I feel exactly the same way."
Shadow nodded then started to get up. "I completely understand if you don't want to continue this relationship…" he started to get up but Amy stopped him.
"But I do." With that she closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss which Shadow gratefully and revealingly accepted.
After they parted Amy looked into Shadow's eyes both filled with tears although this time they were happy ones and then quickly hugged Shadow.
"Thank you…" She whispered "Thank you for everything."
