Chapter 10: Taken Away

Melinda's POV…

My legs and back are really sore, but I can feel the warm sunlight kissing my face so I know it's time to get up and start the day. I remembered that I went on a date with Mephiles last night, and that made me blush a little. But I don't remember what happened afterwards. But whatever did happen, it was painful. Painful… One thing came to my mind, but I didn't wanna believe it. I sat up and stretched my tired arms and yawned. I felt really nippy for some reason, and the fabric of the bed felt more bare. I looked down at my body only to see that I wasn't wearing any clothes! This made me shake in fear. "Oh, God… Please don't tell me I…" I whispered, slowly turning my head. I saw Mephiles sleeping next to me with his shirt and pants off.

"Oh, no…"

Meanwhile… Normal POV…

Sonic was deciding to check the last place they hadn't checked: The forest. Glory said that Melinda, her, and Mel had always gone on picnics together there, but since becoming a teenager, she had stopped wanting to go. "Why do you think she'd be there, Glory?" Sonic asked, dashing for the forest. "I don't know… but please just look!" she replied back, her voice breaking off. Sonic smiled and assured her he would. After hanging up the phone, Sonic put it in his pocket and dashed even faster through the forest.

After wandering around the woods for a little bit, Sonic found hide, nor hair, nor quill of Melinda. Just as he was about to give up, he saw in a clearing: A house. It had a light on, and that meant someone lived there. 'Maybe they know where Mel is?' the azure hedgehog wondered. With that, he dashed away towards the house.

Meanwhile…

Melinda had woken Mephiles up and was having a little verbal argument with him. "You raped me, didn't you?!" she demanded. "N-No! You wanted it, don't you remember, Mel?!" Mephiles retorted. Melinda exclaimed slightly and rubbed her chin. She had a hard time recalling all of the previous night's events. "Well, I remember you took me out on a date, and then we… kissed…" Mephiles nodded and smirked. "And then?" he pressed further. Melinda started to get her memories back, and then a slight vision. She saw a blurry shape of another hedgehog. She appeared to be sky blue with black hair and orange eyes. She didn't see her clearly but then remembered what happened after they kissed. She remembered her words, his words, and all of the erotic events. Melinda looked up at Mephiles with a shocked expression and a blush on her face, and he slowly approached her. "And did you… liiike it?~" he asked, his arms behind his back. Melinda blushed and bared her teeth as her orange eyes widened. As Mephiles drew closer and closer to her, she became nervous. "Well, uh, so, that is to say… I… um… Wait a minute, what are you-" She was cut off by a soft kiss on her lips. She was about to object, but then felt her own heart warm up and start to beat really fast. 'What is this?' she wondered, wrapping her arms around him and returning the kiss. 'Why is he being so… romantic with me?'

As he released the kiss, Mephiles decided it was time to tell Melinda how he felt about her. "Mel? I-" But then he was cut off as the door went flying across the room! Luckily, Mephiles was quick and pulled Mel and himself out of the way in time. They looked in the doorway in shock and saw Sonic standing there. He seemed angry and was growling while clenching his hands into fists. "Stay away from my cousin!" the azure hedgehog snapped. Melinda gasped and her orange eyes widened. Mephiles growled and let go of Melinda. "M-Mephiles?! I thought we killed you?!" Sonic demanded, striking a fighting pose. "Well, you thought wrong, fool!" Mephiles chuckled darkly. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter how you're alive… You better give me back my cousin or I'll kill you until you STAY DEAD!" Sonic warned, a dark aura forming around him. Mephiles was about to run for him and strangle the azure hero, but then he remembered that Melinda was still with him. He lowered his hands and un-tensed his body. Sonic tilted his head in confusion but still kept his guard up. "Sonic… I don't wanna fight you… Not in front of Mel." the ebony and blue-green hedgehog told him. "W-What?!" Sonic exclaimed. Melinda gasped and took a step forward. "Look… I know you came here for Mel, but I want her here with me." Mephiles went on. Then he turned his attention towards Mel and outstretched his hand. Melinda looked at it before taking it. She looked into Mephiles' green, snake-like eyes. "Mel… I guess in my heart I hoped this would never happen, but in my mind, I knew this was coming. I'm not gonna fight your cousin, because I know that'll hurt you and him… So, I guess it's time to… say goodbye, Mel…" the demon whispered, his voice breaking off. Melinda's orange eyes widened and shrunk down. For some reason, these words made her feel hurt inside. "M-Mephiles, what are you-" Sonic cut her off by grabbing her hand and pulling her along. "Mel, come on, you heard him! Let's go!" Sonic then ran off out of the house and towards the town. Melinda stood in the doorway for a bit and turned back to Mephiles. "G-Goodbye… and thank you…" she uttered in pain, dashing off with her superspeed.

Once Mephiles was sure she was gone, and he was once again, alone in his house, he keeled over and fell forwards; sobbing and crying loudly and painfully.

Sonic took Melinda home.

Glory was crying and sobbing in the living room, and Mel was starting to feel a bit like her. "Oh, Mel… I swear… If we ever find her, I'm never letting her go again!" the sky blue hedgehog lady said in a serious tone. "Honey, I know you worry about Melinda a lot, but you can't never let her go. Then how is she ever gonna try new things and meet new people?" Mel pointed out, running his fingers through his navy blue hair. Glory sighed and leaned into her palm. "You're right, honey… But how can I be so sure she won't ever be in trouble again?" she asked. Mel smiled and petted his wife's orange hair. "You can't," he explained, "trouble is a crucial point in life, even if we don't want it. Now, I'm not saying trouble is good, I'm not implying that. But, we learn from it, right?" Glory was silent as she took every single word of her husband's advice. And when she had processed it twice and thrice, she smiled and looked up at her husband. "What would I ever do without you, Mel?" she asked in a solemn voice. Mel shrugged his shoulders and chuckled nervously.

The door opened and that made the two look up. They saw it was Sonic and…

"M-M-Melinda?!"

Yep, it was her. Glory couldn't hold back her tears and ran for her daughter. Melinda gasped as her mother grabbed her into a very tight and loving hug. "Oh, Melinda!" she sobbed. Melinda was shocked, but she missed her mom as well, so, she hugged back and started to cry. Mel was crying as well and rushed over and joined in on the hug. They soon fell to the ground in a family embrace.

Sonic observed the scene and started to tear up. He let out a sniff that Melinda heard, and that made her look up at him. She smirked smugly at him. "I saw that, 'couz," the sky blue hedgehog said. Sonic gasped and quickly revamped himself. "N-No! It was just a fallout and that forest was dusty, and my allergies were, uh…" the blue hero stuttered. Melinda raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, okay! I'm not made of stone, okay?!" Sonic said in defeat, throwing his hands up before sighing. "But I really did miss you, Mel..." Melinda smiled and started to get tears in her eyes. She raised her hand out to Sonic who took it. She pulled him down into the hug and hummed out contentedly. Sonic fell into the warm loving feeling and sighed in relief. He now had his cousin back…

Melinda wanted to go up to her room, claiming that she missed it. Glory was hesitant to let her daughter go, but then decided after being trapped, she needed her space. After Melinda went inside her room, she locked the door and tossed herself on her bed. Although she was happy to be home with her family, she still felt guilty about leaving Mephiles. She wondered if maybe, just maybe… she had feelings for him? If so, should she have left? She let her eyes slip closed.

She felt oddly tired…

Meanwhile…

Mephiles was in the spot he had been in since Melinda had left. He was still crying, a thing had thought he was unable to do since he used to think he had no emotion. "I guess this is what they call a heartbreak?" he sobbed, looking at his hands. He then sobbed into them and let the hurt corrupt his heart. "I just want my Mel back!" he sobbed in agony.

The door opened and he gasped and looked up to see who it was. Much to his dismay, it was just Nimue and Flutterby. Flutterby was in her butterfly form and was flying beside Nimue. "Hey, Meph! I thought we'd switch it up and come to your house for a change." the pink hedgehog said. Then she noticed he was on the floor crying. She got worried and rushed to his side. "Mephiles, what's the matter? Where's Melinda?" Nimue asked. Mephiles lifted his face out of his hands and revealed his tear-stained face. "She went home… and you should've knocked before you came in!" the demon snapped. Nimue gasped and looked at Flutterby. "W-What?! What happened?!" she asked.

Mephiles explained that Sonic came and he let her go.

"What?! Why didn't you fight back?!" Nimue demanded, "Why did you just let her go?!" Mephiles sighed in sadness.

"Because… I love her too much to keep her here…"

Done! Poor Mephiles…

Shadow: Yeah…

R&R!