While he ran down the stairs, Sonic ordered Shadow to send someone up to the roof to get Knuckles. Soon, he was on the ground floor and saw Julie-Su laying on the floor, her leg was at a strange angle, her eyes were shut and she wasn't breathing. He quickly rushed over to her.
"Come on, Julie-Su, you're stronger than this." Sonic stated as he gently picked her up and rested her on his lap. Her expression was one of peace, like she was sleeping.
"Sonic? We've got Knuckles but he don't look good..." A voice started, but, then stopped.
"How in the name of Chaos are you walking?!" A second voice gasped. Sonic turned his head slightly to see Silver and Manic staring at something, or rather someone. It was Knuckles.
"Is she alright?" Knuckles asked Sonic, who shook his head.
"She's gone, Knux." Sonic sighed. Knuckles walked over to Sonic and knelt down beside him. He then turned his attention to Julie-Su, the female who had saved their lives.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Knuckles mumbled, but Sonic managed to hear it. Knuckles then placed his hand on Julie-Su's chest. As soon as his skin made contact with hers, a dim green light began to glow. Sonic looked up at Knuckles with shock, only to find the Echidna had his eyes closed. Manic and Silver looked down at the events happening before them with confusion. Just as they were about to ask what was going on, the light faded and Julie-Su started breathing.
"Knuckles, how did you do that?" Sonic asked. There was a long pause.
"It's an Echidna thing." Knuckles stated, got up and walked off without another word.
When Sonic and the others arrived back in camp, they saw the soldiers and medics celebrating. With Yuri gone, the war wouldn't last much longer. Sonic carried Julie-Su into the medical wing so she could have her broken leg seen to, then he went in search of Knuckles. However, it proved hard to find the red furred Echidna. He did find Remington, so he figured that was just as good.
"Constable Remington, may I ask you something?" Sonic asked the brown Echidna.
"Of course Sonic, fire away." Remington smiled.
"Julie-Su died back there, then Knuckles done something. He put his hand on her chest and his hand turned green. After the light faded, she started breathing again." Sonic explained.
"Ooh, sounds like someone's been struck by the soultouch." Remington smiled.
"Soultouch? What's that?" Sonic asked.
"It's an Echidna thing. Basically, we got so caught up in technology we started to die out. No time for the birds and the bees if you see what I mean. Anyway, the soultouch is natures way of showing us who our soul mate is. What Knuckles did is something that can only done to those who have been effected by the soul touch. He gave her part of his life and it bought her back." Remington explained. Sonic just stood there, eyes wide in shock. Knuckles was in love.
Knuckles sat on the edge of the camp, looking out to the distance. He knew the war would be over soon and he could go back home, but, he wasn't looking forward to it. He would go back home, see his family, and yes he was looking forward to that, but he wouldn't see some of the people he'd served with ever again. Some of those people had become his good friends, some even more.
"Homesick?" A voice asked. He turned around to see Julie-Su standing behind him, a pair of crutches were holding her up. He then noticed the cast around her right leg.
"Not exactly." Knuckles sighed. She lowered herself down beside him and sat down.
"Let me guess, you're going to miss some of your friends when you go back home." Julie-Su said.
"Are you telepathic or something?" Knuckles smiled.
"No, I can just tell. Thank you for saving my life, by the way." Julie-Su thanked.
"Hey, it wasn't just me. If Sonic hadn't of gotten to you when he did then..." Knuckles started.
"I know what you did Knuckles, I know it was you who saved me." Julie-Su interrupted. Knuckles could feel the colour come rushing to his cheeks. If she knew what he did, that meant she knew about the bond that they shared, one he realised they shared when Yuri's men had taken her.
"So, what do you suggest we do now?" Knuckles asked, not looking at her.
"How about this?" Julie-Su asked and kissed him on the lips.
Sonic had gathered Silver, Shadow and Manic to help him find Knuckles. He'd figured if Knuckles had given Julie-Su part of his life then he might be weak or something and need help. However, when the four hedgehogs found the Echidna in question, their concerns vanished. They had found him sitting on the edge of the base, but, he wasn't alone. Julie-Su was there and they were kissing.
"Okay, I need to find out where he learns how to pull women." Shadow mumbled, receiving a jab in the side by Sonic. Shadow shot Sonic an evil glare, but, soon turned his gaze away from Sonic.
"So, let me get this straight, they're basically in a relationship because of this soultouch thing?" Silver asked. Sonic nodded and began pulling his friends backwards, knowing they were being rude by invading Knuckles' privacy. Shadow and Manic weren't keen on leaving, but, Sonic and Silver eventually manage to pull them away, just as Knuckles and Julie-Su broke apart.
Four months later...
The war was over, the good were victorious. All were sent back to their families and greeted with hugs and words of affection, well all except one. Julie-Su was a traitor to her family and had been banished, while those who she had helped thought of her as family. The people she'd served with, the soldiers she'd fought beside, all of them treated her as one of them. However, she wasn't with them, she was with her soul mate. It had been a little shocking when she found out, but, she wasn't disappointed by it. She was glad the soultouch had brought her Knuckles.
"When I tell her, you'd better brace yourself." Knuckles stated as they approached a house.
"Why? When she finds out who I am will she kill me?" Julie-Su asked.
"No, she's basically been waiting for this since I was thirteen." Knuckles chuckled and knocked on the door. The sound of footsteps approaching could be heard, then the door opened.
"Knuckles! Oh my Chaos! You're home!" Lara-Le gasped and hugged her tightly.
"Hi mum. Uh, mum, I'd like my ribs to remain unbroken." Knuckles groaned.
"Oh, sorry! I'm just so happy to see you! Who is this?" Lara-Le asked, her eyes locked on Julie-Su, which made the female in question feel uncomfortable, so she lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Mum, this is Julie-Su. Julie, this is my mother, Lara-Le" Knuckles introduced.
"Nice to meet you dear." Lara-Le smiled and offered her hand to Julie-Su, who took it and shook it.
"Nice to meet you too." Julie-Su said, her eyes still not looking directly at Lara-Le.
"So, how did you two meet?" Lara-Le asked when she stopped shaking Julie-Su's hand.
"Can we go inside and sit down? It'll take a while to explain." Knuckles smiled.
Twenty minutes later, Knuckles had explained the whole story, how he'd first met Julie-Su and saved her life, how he got punished for it, how she'd crept into his camp and thanked him then left. He explained that she'd betrayed her own forces to save him and his fellow soldiers by creeping into his camp and warning him of an attack, then how she'd gotten punished for it. He explained how he and Sonic found her, then she joined their side. When he got to the end of the explanation, he told his mother how Julie-Su had saved his life and Sonic's life, then he saved hers using the soultouch.
"And that's it." Knuckles finished. For the whole time he'd been explaining, his hand had been it Julie-Su's, neither of them had felt uncomfortable, neither of them had loosened their grip.
"Well, it's about time you found someone Knuckles!" Lara-Le smiled. Knuckles rolled his eyes and leaned back on the sofa, preparing himself to ignore the story his mother would now tell Julie-Su.
"I never thought you'd find anyone, since you spend your time with those Chaotix boys. You never used to spend any time with anyone of the opposite gender." Lara-Le added.
"Who are the Chaotix boys?" Julie-Su asked.
"You'll meet them soon." Knuckles sighed, just before there was a knock on the door.
"IF HE'S BACK AND IS HIDING FROM US, I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" A voice yelled.
"Correction, you'll meet them very soon." Knuckles groaned. Lara-Le opened the door and the sound of several footsteps could be heard. Soon, Vector, Mighty and Espio were in sight.
"KNUCKLES! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Vector exclaimed, and went to hug his friend but stopped when he saw Knuckles was hand in hand with another Echidna, a pink one.
"Who is this?" Vector asked. Knuckles turned to Julie-Su. She smiled and introduced herself.