Rouge awoke slowly; her sapphire eyes flitted as they took in the moonbeams. She stretched and pulled herself up, grimacing as her head throbbed. Holding her head, she tired to focus on where she was. Glancing around, she saw Shadow sitting next to her, a little out of it but conscious enough. She jumped up in surprise and fell backwards into the freezing brook. Shadow's eyes snapped open; she'd awoken more quickly than he had planned. She was doused in water while trying to take pieces of drenched fur out of her eyes. The little splash had made her utter a small scream and she had every reason to. The cold water that had met her skin was chilling her to the bone. Why was Shadow here? That was a question that was left unanswered in her mind. Her eyes didn't meet the hedgehog's but, she did look around. It looked like the park. What had happened? She shut her eyes and tried to remember scenes. The dark hedgehog smiled and laughed a bit inwardly. So much for the bat's seemingly perfect outside. She seemed a little shook up but; her outlook was probably the last thing on her mind at that moment. She flapped out the water from her wings and Shadow then gave an outreached hand towards her. Rouge hesitated but, reluctantly took a hold of his helping hand and he lifted her upright. They let go of the other person's hand a bit awkwardly. The bat kept her comfortable distance and placed herself on the dewy grass. She smoothed out her matted fur and hugged her knees. There was a silence and Rouge shifted a bit in the quiet. Shadow waited patiently for her to say something. He wasn't expecting a "thank you" right now but, a "hi" would be acceptable right about now. At a loss of words, the bat replied quietly,

"Hey." Shadow lifted a hand to reply to the greeting and then let it drop back on the grass.

"Why am I here?" she quickly questioned before the loud silence began again. Shadow raised an eyebrow; she obviously didn't remember anything…how unfortunate. He opened his mouth as if to speak but then shut it. Her reaction to the word "Knuckles" could trigger off something, but he decided to wait and unravel some other mysteries right now.

"You looked like a scary person for a second." She sheepishly looked away and hugged her knees. Shadow was fine with that, after all, he was a dark figure sitting next to her…what more could he expect? She was providing 99.99% of their conversation so he decided to speak up a bit,

"Oh, really…" trying to sound amused. She seemed to take that a little bit as an offense but kept quiet. There was no edge in his voice. Determined to work his way up to a couple of questions, he spoke again,

"How are you feeling?" Rouge glanced at the grass and replied carefully,

"Fine, just a little wet and still surprised." He nodded. It wasn't getting him anywhere but, it felt nice to talk to somebody again instead of himself all the time. She wiped her face from droplets of water and stray streaks of makeup only leaving her true face…which wasn't that bad to the hedgehog. He tried to get a real conversation happening again,

"Does your head hurt?" she rubbed her forehead and nodded,

"Yea, how'd you know?" the hedgehog shrugged.

"You…" he was going to mention Knuckles again…damn, he wasn't good at this stuff.

"You what?" she replied, a bit interested.

"You look like you're in a lot of pain because of your head…" he replied.

"Oh, I hope I'm not being too annoying…" Rouge took the time to shoot an attack at him. The hedgehog ran a hand through his fur and shook his head.

"No…" He decided not to bother her, but the bat didn't stop.

"That's good…well, I guess I should leave before I do eventually become too much…I'm really clumsy I suppose." She got up to leave but, this time Shadow acted.

"No, stay."

"Why?" she replied. It was a sudden request.

"I need to ask you a couple of questions." He responded in a level headed voice so Rouge sat down. She was a little reluctant to do something like this now…she was still a little mad at Shadow. Why in the world should she listen to him? She was under no obligation to but…

"Fine…go." She was so pathetic sometimes…

"Do you still hate me?" she narrowed her eyes at the voiced question.

"Hey, I get to ask you a couple of questions later then, mister." Shadow nodded and waited for her answer.

"Um…a little to tell you the truth…but I guess I shouldn't care what you think of me." The dark hedgehog glanced away in a bit of shame.

"Okay, next question then." Rouge prodded him on.

"Do you really think everything I said in Sonic's house was true?" It didn't take the bat long to reply to that.

"Yes." She sounded so sure that it hurt him a bit.

"So you think that I helped you for no good reason?" Rouge paused for a moment. That was a good question to ask on Shadow's part. She glanced at him,

"I wonder if there's a real reason…" maybe she had thought a little bit too quickly. The hedgehog was going to question her again but, Rouge stopped him with a raised hand.

"That was three questions." Shadow gave a surprised look.

"We never agreed on a limit on questions…"

"Well, I want to ask some questions too. When I'm done with my three you can ask more if you still have any." Shadow shook his head, she was so independent.

"Okay…fine then." He waited for her sharp questions to hit himself this time. Rouge gave a little smile of triumph but, immediately began her attack on him.

"Why do you hide everything from everyone?" He had more secrets to uncover…it was so easy to hit him in a good spot. The hedgehog seemed to wince. He paused, but the bat was determined to get an answer from him.

"Hey, I answered all of your questions!" she replied.

"I know…I know…" he sighed. Shadow gave this troubled look at the ground but answered,

"I don't think that anyone'll ever understand me. I want to prevent myself from getting hurt. Haven't you noticed?" Rouge glanced over at the obviously hurt Shadow. It was probably very difficult losing Maria. That incident still had an effect on the hedgehog's outlook on the world. People must seem so cruel to him. His loss was something she could never fully understand, but she could feel some sympathy for him. What could Maria have been like that left such an impression on Shadow? Rouge wondered. She waved that question out of her head. That was a detail, she could ask that later. Shadow prepared himself for the next question anyways.

"Okay then, did you mean anything you said in Sonic's house?" The hedgehog shook his head.

"Absolutely not." He evenly replied back. Rouge's expression softened a bit. It cleared up some of the conflict in between them and the reaction was amazing. It was almost like a giant weight had been lifted off of her. Funny…she thought, he does everything out of…fear…Shadow realized her lack of response and his eyebrows furrowed,

"Was that a wrong answer?" she shook her head quickly and waved her hands defensively.

"No, no, no, of course not! I was thinking of the next question." The hedgehog nodded and waited. Rouge exhaled slowly and glanced over at Shadow. He was paying no mind to anything right now; his focus was strictly set on the stars above them. Did it remind him of good times in the ARK with Maria? Rouge felt a little sheepish now…he had so much on his plate, yet she was complaining about a simple problem that she was fighting with right now. He looked very relaxed and the stress that both of them had felt disappeared into the air. The bat then remembered her last question,

"Oh, and um, for my last question…" Shadow's ears perked up and he turned towards her.

"Yes?" she fidgeted and took a deep breath in…this question would finally break the ice,

"Do…do you…" she couldn't bring herself to do it. Carefully, the white bat chose a different word than her original choice,

"Do you hate me?" The dark hedgehog gave her a look,

"Hate you for what?"

"Hate me for acting so childish…you have many more worries and I'm just troubling you." Shadow eyes broke away and he began glancing around in silence. She hated when he did that though…when he did that, there was absolutely no way she could possibly read his expression.

"No…I don't." Rouge nodded slowly. That didn't really answer her true question but, it was good enough. Goodness knows though, she should be Rouge the chicken instead of a bat. She opened her mouth to eagerly question Shadow again. There was so much she wanted to know…unfortunately her turn was up and the sleek hedgehog merely smirked and held up his own hand.

"My turn…three questions, remember?" It hit her and she began to feel a little embarrassed,

"Oh, yea, go ahead then." Shadow then gave his own little triumphant grin.

"Thank you." She shrugged and waited for him to ask her some questions.

"Okay, do you think I'm a spoiled, troubled, too depressed for his own good hedgehog?" the bat gave a shocked expression. When had anyone said things like that about themselves? Had her questions really done a number on him?

"No, I don't think so. I think it's normal for you to feel that way…if you think about your past at least." Shadow nodded understandingly, she wasn't that mad at him then…

"Next then, do you really love Knuckles?" Rouge growled this time.

"Yes...and no…"

"Why do you love him and not love him at the same time?" the bat sighed and twirled a piece of pure white fur in her fingers,

"Well, he acts really…mean sometimes and he can't control himself. But, he really cares at times. There, you happy?" Shadow smirked. Rouge then acted quickly,

"Well, since you don't hate me, what do you think of me?" The hedgehog raised an eyebrow, what was she getting at?

"I think…you are a good friend." The bat colored very slightly, so slightly that Shadow didn't even catch it.

"Wow…thanks." She replied.

"Even though I said I hated you and everything?" Shadow nodded,

"How am I supposed to hate the person that actually listens to me? I help you with your klutziness and you in return give me somebody I can trust…a little." The bat gave him an unsure look, was he telling the truth? Was he insinuating the fact that they both seemed to need each other?

"Believe me, I'm pretty sure you'd be dead by now if I didn't save you on a daily basis, and I'd probably still be withdrawn and have eventually gone crazy if I didn't have any fun in my life." It was then Rouge's turn to turn away and she felt embarrassed.

"So…thank you, I suppose." There was another silence. His crimson eyes seemed to see right through her as he read her mind,

"Yes, I'm serious." He gave this look that told Rouge that he was definitely not joking. She'd been with him on and off, whether for Eggman or on Sonic's side.

"Oh…okay." She then became silent and Shadow had nothing else to say. They both had their eyes turned away from each other. Rouge finally voiced something,

"Your turn." The hedgehog's expression shifted and he nodded,

"If you had to choose your happy ending what would that be?" Rouge felt her stomach leap inside her, a nervous feeling swept throughout her.

"Uh, one where I could be stress-free and be happy." Shadow studied the ground and nodded, deep in thought,

"Fine…" Shadow asked a question that would now stump Rouge for a bit,

"Why was Knuckles in your room?" She gave a bewildered look,

"He was in my room? When?" She caught herself when she realized that it was still Shadow's turn but, he answered her. It was okay with him,

"He was in your room and had you knocked out." Rouge's eyes widened and memories began to flood her mind,

"Oh…yea, that." She mumbled. It was something that was a little odd to her now but, she figured it was nothing.

"So, tell me…" Shadow was persistent to know why that echidna was in her room

"Knuckles burst into my room when I came back upstairs from my club. He started acting really weird; he kept saying that it was your fault that I hated him…" She quietly explained. Shadow's eyes lit up for a moment. Rouge fidgeted and started up again,

"I tried to tell him that it was his fault and I chose to leave but, he wouldn't listen. He said that he'd be the prince to whisk me away from all my troubles and that there were things that he didn't want happening and that he wanted me to tell you to…like, go away." She whispered. Shadow nodded and responded,

"But, he didn't." the white bat nodded and continued,

"No, I refused because I didn't think that that was the right way to do anything. He got really mad and he took my and slammed me to the ground." From the corner of Rouge's eye, she saw Shadow grunt and look a bit agitated.

"He knocked me out and the last thing I heard him say was that he would do anything for me even if I didn't know that it was good for me." She gulped the large lump that had now formed in her throat and glanced away from the hedgehog.

"I guess he must really care and want to be with you again." Shadow almost snapped but, he kept his voice at a soft level. Her mind was uneasy as she thought about his reaction to Knuckles.

"Okay then, my last question." He replied, breaking the stillness. She nodded and waited,

"Do you love me then?" his eyes bore holes into her. Rouge gave a surprised look while Shadow's was truly serious. She played with her fingers and glanced away from the hedgehog.

"Well?" Shadow prodded her on. Unfortunately, he couldn't control his desire to know things right there and then. He really wanted to know if all of this time spent together was worth it. She fidgeted, as he tilted his head a bit to get a better look at her face. Rouge sighed and shrugged,

"I guess I must do…" she finally turned to face the hedgehog and their eyes clashed. He read her whole expression; it was full of relief and final peace. They awkwardly looked at each other until finally Shadow broke away.

"You do?" he carefully questioned. Rouge nodded behind his back and replied a little more confidently now,

"Yes." Her answer floated in the air. Shadow got up abruptly and turned towards Rouge. The bat scrambled to stand up as well and had a curious look on her face,

"Well, then. That sets my priorities. I'm leaving now." He turned to leave but stopped when she tapped his shoulder.

"No, wait a minute, where are you going?"

"Going to set things right with you and Knuckles." Rouge gasped,

"What are you doing Shadow the hedgehog?" He smirked and shook his head,

"Not what you think…" she gave Shadow a look and questioned him,

"Then what are you doing?" The dark hedgehog paused before answering her,

"I'm going to go to Knuckles and ask for his forgiveness…I will do as he says, I will leave you alone." Rouge searched his face for the reason but, found none,

"What the hell!? You can't do that!" she screamed. Shadow shushed her and replied,

"You said you loved me right?" she nodded.

"I love you too and right now I have to try to steer Knuckles straight for you…no matter what it takes." Rouge gasped and gave the dark hedgehog a bewildered look,

"You…you love me?" He looked deeply into her sapphire eyes and nodded,

"Yes, so I am doing this for someone I love. I'm a shadow, you are my sun, and I thank you for bringing me out to face what I need to…now I have to help you." Rouge was speechless.

"Wasn't it obvious? You are the closest thing to heaven that I have right now and I'm not about to lose someone else by standing by. I'm going to take my own action." The bat shook her head and trembled.

"He'll kill you!" Shadow smirked,

"So be it then, I don't lose as much as you would if Knuckles got his hands on you again." Tremors shook her body even more and tears began to flow.

"Don't cry…I will give you your happy ending."

"What about yours!?" she managed to choke out through the few tears that fell. He wiped away her tears and gave her a tired look,

"You've provided enough for me, please, let me go." She shut her eyes and struggled to level her breathing. Shadow, seeing her distress, touched her lips with his own. It was another electric adrenaline rush. They stood there holding each other in the moonlight, taking in what little they would have from that point on. Rouge sadly kissed him through her tears. He warmed her up again from the chill of the brook earlier. They both did what their last minute instincts kicked them into doing. Finally, Shadow pulled away and hugged Rouge one last time. He wasn't about to cry, but inside, he was still a little sad…the bat bit her lip as the dark hedgehog kissed her lightly on the cheek and slipped something into her gloved hand. Before she had the chance to ask him what it was, he dashed off, a black streak in the middle of the warm night. She opened her hand and saw a sapphire ring. Engraved on the inside, were the words "I love you." Absolutely unhappy, she clutched the ring and her eyes squeezed out more tears. She called out for Shadow in the distance,

"SHADOW!!! I love you too!" she finally let herself sob. Through her tears, she managed to let herself fly her way to Amy's…somewhere where she could cry and have friends around her. She was utterly angry at herself for not showing her own true feelings earlier. Anger, sadness, regret...feelings swirled around her head. The bat cried hard as she flew across the midnight sky, past the quiet moon and clouds. It was almost unreal. It was so hard to grasp…it was finally true though…Shadow the hedgehog was gone…

AN: I DO NOT OWN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG AND ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS. [did I copy and paste yet? nope...:)...will I stop complaining? uh...XD]