Rouge bent over and burst into laughing. Sonic stood there, confused.

"Heh… you actually BELIVE that crap? Sweetie, it's just a dumb rumor going around." She said between gasps for air.

"No, it's true! If you don't believe it soon, it'll be too late!" Sonic said defensively. Rouge wiped a tear from her eye.

"Look Sonic… I like you, you're a good guy. Why G.U.N wants you dead I'll never know. But I'm giving you a chance here. Leave and I won't tell security it was you."

"I'm not leaving without those emeralds!"

"I didn't want to do this-"

Rouge was cut of mid-sentence by someone hitting the walkie-talkie out of her hand. She went to turn around, but something cold and metal was pressed against the back of her head.

"You're going to open that door Rouge" A voice said. She could recognize that voice anywhere.

"S-Shadow?" she choked out.

"Shut up and open the damn door!" He yelled. Rouge bit her bottom lip and made her way towards the door. Sonic looked over at Shadow. He seemed more pissed than usual. Rouge began typing in the code for the door. She stopped mid-way in her typing.

"Shadow… I just want you to know-" She began.

"You shut your mouth before I do it for you, PERMANENTLY!" He yelled. She let out a sigh and went back to her typing. She then stopped, abruptly again.

"Why'd you stop? Last I checked, the door still isn't open!" Sonic said. Rouge smirked.

"Shadow, how gullible do you think I am?" She said. Shadow's eyes widened. She quickly spun around, her foot colliding with his cheek, sending him to the ground. In his hand was a stapler.

"Did you actually think I would buy that? We learned that trick together, remember?" she said, standing over him. Shadow lay on the ground, breathing deeply.

"Jeez, how is this the Shadow that used to be on my team? Oh, right. YOU'RE NOT!" She yelled, kicking his side. He let out a groan of pain and clutched his side.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Sonic yelled. She shot him a glare.

"None of your business. Now get out before I call security!"

"I'm not leaving him behind again!"

"Wow… you really have been gone 20 years…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Rouge dug her heel into Shadow's chest. He clenched his teeth and growled, trying to mask the pain he felt.

"Tell me hon, is this the real Shadow?"

"OF COURSE IT IS! NOW GET OFFA HIM!"

"Sweetie, this is nothing but one of those androids old fatty made."

Shadow's eyes shot open.

"W-what? Is that what they told you?" he said. Rouge pressed her foot down harder.

"It's the truth. Now drop the act."

"So, when I thought you had abandoned me… they had told you that dirty lie?"

"SHUTUP!"

"Rouge… it really is me…"

"No… the Shadow I knew died on a mission 10 years ago!"

"The Shadow you saw die WAS an android… I've been here for 20 years!"

"…"

Shadow grabbed her foot and moved it off of his chest. Struggling, he got to his feet.

"It's me…" he said.

"Shadow…"

Rouge wrapped her arms around him. Sonic watched, happy to see that things were getting better.

"Now then. Happy reunion aside, can you open the door now?" Sonic said, cutting in. Rouge let go of Shadow.

"Yeah… sure…"