GUYS. LAST CHAPTER.

Jet: She does not own any of the characters in this chapter.

Wave: And thanks to... Silverdawn!

Storm: Nexus!

Jet: SoNiCrOxMaIsOx!

Wave: ChReNiC!

Storm: For the awesome reviews!

Alright, short A/N because there shall be a longer one at the bottom. Enjoy the epilogue...

WARNING. THIS CHAPTER MAY CONTAIN SOME ANTI-SHADAMY, SLIGHT AMY HATE, SLIGHT HINTS OF VECTNILLA, SLIGHT HINTS OF TAIREAM, SLIGHT HINTS OF SONAMY AND KNOUGE (Jeez, it was about time...) IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY TO ANY OF THESE CAUTION IS ADVISED WHEN READING.

Enjoy XD

My eyes snapped open with a start, the burning, sharp edges of the nightmare that had just plagued my otherwise peaceful sleep ebbing away.

It was just a dream.

The first thing I was aware of was the cool spring breeze, slowly shifting the leaves many coloured leaves from the trees that were once again being re-born. Dew wet my fur, its dampness cooling the heat from the nightmare; I was lying on oddly soft grass. The slab of stone that stood right in front of my eyes told me where I was; the graveyard.

Without bothering to read the stone, I yawned. I thought I'd got over this; a large part of the first year after I recovered my memories I would, in a deep sleep, walk down to the graveyard from Club Rouge, (where Omega and I had and still have now permanently started to live after realising that we were, in fact, homeless) and fall before Maria's gravestone, only to be woken by either a prod in the back from said club's namesake or the wind hitting my face.

The place I was laying was unusually comfortable, as if the ground had only been churned up a year or so ago, not over fifty years.

Glancing upwards, I caught sight of the sun; the positioning told me it must have been at least half ten. I was meant to meet Rouge at work a whole twenty minutes ago.

Sighing, I pushed my hands under my chest, attempting to stand. Not realising how close I'd been, my nose grated the stone.

Flinching backwards I gasped, for the first time catching sight of the name upon the headstone.

Sonic the Hedgehog.

1994-2010.

Friend, hero, brother.

Sacrificed for the good of another.

Dearly beloved and missed by all.

Stumbling backwards, I gasped in pain, doubling over before tripping over a second headstone.

Cream the Rabbit.

Buried with beloved pet 'Cheese'

2004-2010.

Daughter, Friend to all.

'Polite, golden hearted young girl'

Dearly missed.

My eyes slid closed, the memories returning.

The screams, the pain, the shots, the blood; all of it.

It hadn't been a dream. This nightmare was reality.

I wasn't working today. It was a year since such incident and in one hour every survivor was coming for a remembrance.

A year... So much had changed.

Nobody told the public. We reported to G.U.N straight away, telling them everything. They listened, wide eyed, open-mouthed. They then told us to shut the hell up. They told us they needed an excuse; if the public knew what had happened well, they would go wild. They made up an excuse. They told everyone that The Doctor had gone wild once again, coaxing us all before blowing up the island. Sonic the Hedgehog died getting us survivors out. So we were thought of as week, non-heroes so they could over-glorify his memory. The whole story had many, many flaws but the public believe anything in a newspaper.

The company wasn't sympathetic. They gave the whole "Someone close to you died, take a couple weeks off and come back fresh on Monday" line.

Miles Prower, also known as Tails, was still grieving for his brother and too for the young rabbit. Nobody had noticed him enough to realise his feelings or how much he had cared. A year on, he continued building machines to fill the loneliness he felt. See this talent, G.U.N asked if he could assist them. Feeling without a purpose now that his world-saving brother was gone, he accepted. He fixes the machines occasionally, although never anything too much; he is only a nine year old.

The two ex-detectives were the unlucky two that had to break the news to Cream's mother. She sobbed for a while, and for the head detective; nobody had realised the stupid crush had worked both ways. It didn't take long for her mothering instincts to override; she asked if they would like to live with her, since now they had no agency. She quickly took the young bee as her adopted son; at least he's happy now. Espio also lives with the two; she treats the seventeen year old like a teenage son. Soon after we got back I extended an offer to him; he would come to work in G.U.N as an espionage spy. He accepted; with no job, he was grateful just for the companionship. We've worked with him a few times on missions; I consider him a good person and I know that he is a great friend of Rouge.

Rouge. She still believes that a large part of this was her own fault, I know, although she does not show grieving on the outside. At nineteen, she is the oldest of everyone and I have never once seen her cry; I respect her greatly for that.

Omega has had the most significant change. He feels compassion for many who do not deserve to be harmed; if ever witnessing a lesser person being harmed, he will rush to the situation. He surprised everyone; this robot really does have feelings.

The echidna still lives on the island above the clouds, although he took his friend's advice does come down often. I do not see him much; he only rarely visits anyone besides Miles or Rouge. We never did quite see eye-to-eye. Now seventeen, he is very much the same as always. I know he feels guilt although he never shows it; he still remains somewhat of a loner, with just two emotional ties.

The two did come together, as I had always expected, although it wasn't for two months. What happened didn't change the fact that they were still obnoxious and stubborn. They still argue; it's common for her to tell me about something that has happened, only for me to turn up an hour later and find them in each other's arms again; some things never change.

She did return after three days. Nobody questioned her actions or where she had been; she rarely talked to anyone. She does try to be happy but the sorrow is easy to see. She still blames us and will rarely converse with any of us, especially Rouge; I know she finds it horribly unfair that the person that sentenced her 'love' to death went on to find just that, to be happy. She is angry at the kind heated Vanilla for 'replacing' her daughter. She does not understand that this is what the young rabbit would have wanted. That has nothing to do with me though; I do not sympathise or feel any different from the day I told her those harsh words. At thirteen she is still as immature as she was before.

The graveyard is silent as everybody presses together around the small cluster of graves. It starts to rain; how cliché.

Some sob; the pink hedgehog being one and Vanilla being another. The former falls to her knees, wondering why and sobbing harder seeing the couple embrace, something she will never get.

A single tear runs from the young Kitsune's sapphire eye; he has grown much stronger in just one year. He bows his head in remembrance.

The young bee clings to his new mother; the two have strong bond, finding comfort in each other.

Espio bows his head also, remembering those loved and lost.

Rouge stands, fists clenched and eyes shut tightly; attempting not to cry, to be the strong one. Masculine arms wrap tightly around her hips; she turns to return the embrace, burying her face in his chest. Lightly, he kisses her forehead, placing his cheek against the top of her head and murmuring something inaudible. She stops shaking.

Beside me, the robot is silent. I couldn't expect much more.

One year on, the wounds are still open. Those gone would never be forgotten and I cannot help but feel a pang of guilt.

I place the single carnation down, looking out onto the grey horizon. They will never be forgotten...

But people must move on.

I hoped you liked my depressing epilogue. Now, the last authors note.

Asher, Luna Stellanova, EchidnaGirl, barrel7, Bubbles, Koollolly, SoNiCrOxMaIsOx, Silverdawn, -MintCloud-, Sonic9234, TailsFOREVER, AlloraPrower, Nexus, ChReNiC.

You do not know how grateful I am to all of you for your reviews. Seriously, if not for them then this story would not be where it is now.

It's really transformed from the idea I had whilst shopping one day in Tesco. To take the time to review once is awesome enough, but to actually review every chapter since you started reading the fic... Wow. I'm very humbled that you followed it and that you actually enjoyed it. I do hope to see you all again. Once again, I thank you all.

Until next time my friends.

Sayonara! XD.