CHAPTER 11

It was late that next evening at the Chaotix. In the lobby, Charmy was sitting at the front desk playing with Spike as Nails and Tikal watched him.

Charmy was gently bouncing Spike on his leg, causing the baby hedgehog to laugh in happiness. The bee's eyes lit up in admiration over how Spike was reacting to the attention he was giving him. "Holy crap! I can't get over how cute you are! Those e-mailed pictures Shadow sent me does not do your cute factor justice."

Tikal smiled as Charmy played with Spike. "Spike has really taken a liking to you."

"You're really good with kids, Charms", Nails added

"Thanks. I mean I guess I kind of have to be good with children considering I'm gonna be a dad."

Afterwards Tikal and Nails blurted out in disbelief. "What!"

Freya who was sitting at another desk in the lobby while using the computer couldn't help but to direct her attention to them as she heard them reacting to Charmy's exciting news.

"You're gonna be a father?" Tikal had asked with a shocked expression on her face.

Charmy had then given them blank looks. "Well yeah. Didn't the others tell you?"

"No!" Nails couldn't help but to be slightly angry with Rouge. Out of all people, why didn't she tell her sooner? "What happened? Who did you knock up?"

A small chuckle had escaped the bee. "I've had quite the experience over in Industrial City." He held Spike securely in his arms, "I guess I should tell you about Grace."

"Grace?" Tikal repeated.

He made a nod as he began to explain his story, "I met her while I was on my way back to my apartment on night. She was being attacked by an Almas. Long story short, I saved her. Afterwards, we introduced each other and she insisted on taking me out to coffee as a thank you. And from there we just really hit it off. We've been together since."

Tikal clasped her hands together in excitement. "Oh, Charmy! You found love!"

Nail placed her hand on his shoulder. "And you're gonna be a dad? Congrats!"

The bee's smile widened, "Thanks! You should've seen Shadow's face when I told him the news." He never really told anyone about Grace before even Shadow even though they both had been e-mailing each other from time to time. Although he did make sure that he was the first to hear about it when he first got back.

"I bet he's really excited for you too", Tikal spoke.

"You bet!"

Freya had then had the urge to go find Midnight. She had wondered if he knew about Charmy's news as well. She stood from her chair and walked into the garage room only to find Midnight sitting at her desk analyzing his handgun.

He was startled when someone had placed their hands over his eyes while he had his back turned. But he had calmed down once he heard a familiar feminine voice.

"Guess who?"

Once she took her hands away from his eyes, he spun around to turn to Freya who had stood behind him with a small warm smile on her face. "Oh hey, Freya." He watched her lean over to him to lightly kiss him on his cheek.

"Whatcha doing, handsome?"

He couldn't help but to blush slightly as she flirted with him. Even though they were now dating, it was still a different feeling for him to see another woman show affection towards him. "Nothing much. Just checking out my gun." He held the gun up next to his ear and shook it slightly. "I hear it making a weird noise when I shake it around. I think something's in the barrel." He slightly shook his head and placed the gun down onto the desk. "If Rouge did her job like she was supposed to, I wouldn't have to waste my own time figuring dumb shit like this out." He sighed and crossed his arms in annoyance, "Ever since Nails and Tikal have been babysitting Spike, you would think she'd have more time to do her job."

Freya shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe she's busy with other things?"

He scoffed bitterly, "Yeah like fucking Shadow. I swear if those two keep this up, they're gonna have another baby on their hands."

"Speaking of babies, did you hear about Charmy?"

"Oh yeah. Shocked the hell out of us. Looks like Charmy's been staying pretty busy since he's been away."

Freya's smile widened as she generally thought about babies. "I love babies. They're so squishy and cute!"

Midnight leaned his back against the chair he was sitting in. His eyes wandered up at the ceiling as he was sent into deep thought. "It must be great. Having kids and raising a family. I don't know if I'll ever experience that feeling."

Freya had then gave him a concerned look. What made him want to suddenly talk like this? Did he have some kind of special complication? Maybe he couldn't have children. Or perhaps it was directed towards her to discreetly drop the hint that he wanted to start a family with her. "...Wh-why do you say that?"

"Well" he started. " I am an artificial being after all. I don't even know if I'm capable of reproducing."

"...What..."

Midnight's eyes slightly widened as he noticed the sudden change of tone in Freya's voice. He shifted his eyes back over to a now angry Freya.

"...Are you saying?"

He paused and realized what he had just said. He had just realized that he had never once told Freya about how he was created. "Freya..."

"...Midnight?" She spoke in a hurtful tone.

He stood from his chair and gave her an apologetic look, "Freya, I'm so sorry. I should've told you sooner..." He reached his hand out to her but was smacked away.

"You...", she spoke in an angered tone. "What the hell are you?"

He sighed heavily and placed a hand on his chest as he started to explain. "I...I was originally created from Shadow's DNA by someone called Hao."

Freya's mouth had dropped as she listened to him.

He continued, "Hao created me to solely kill Shadow and nothing more. But obviously his use for me didn't work out so...here I am."

Tears had began to swell in her eyes as all kinds of thoughts ran through her head. "So you're...not...real?"

He slowly shook his head, "Freya, I am real."

She took a step away from him, "But you're not a real person! You're just some kind of copy!"

When Midnight took a step forward to her, she had took another step back. "Freya, I'm so sorry."

Tears had began to stream down her face. "So am I", she spoke in both an angry and saddened tone. She had then stormed out of the garage with Midnight following behind her.

"Freya!"

Freya swung the door open and ran through the lobby with the rest of the group wondering what had happened with her.

"Freya, wait!" He stopped chasing her and stood there in the lobby when he saw her leave the agency.

Espio turned to Midnight who stood there saddened. "...What the hell was that about?"

Before Midnight could explain to him and the rest of the group, Charmy had spoken.

"I'll make sure she's okay", Charmy gave Spike to Tikal and ran out the door to chase after her.

The orange sunset had lit up the empty playground at Azul Park within Tech City. Freya sat on a swing set with her head held down as she softly sobbed. 'Why?' She thought, 'Why does this always happen to me? I'm always getting hurt...'

"Freya?" A male voice had called.

She had then stopped crying and slowly looked up at a male bee who stood in front of her with a worried look on his face. He exactly wasn't the person she had wanted to see. She wondered if Shadow or Midnight sent him out to get her. She flashed her eyes away from him. "What do you want?"

He decided to sit down on the empty swing beside her, "I just wanted to talk."

She remained silent and didn't turn to him.

He made a small smile as he looked down at the sand below his feet. "I can't believe this is happening."

Freya slowly shifted her eyes back over to him.

His eyes looked over to her "I'm actually sitting next to the amazing Freya everyone's been talking about."

She turned to him completely giving him her full attention. She knew that the group had mentioned Freya due to the fact that she was his replacement. But she was curious about what all they had said about her. "Huh?"

"Ever since I got here, everyone was talking you up. Saying you're an amazing mechanic." He nodded his head, "Which yeah I believe it. I've seen your work in the garage."

She couldn't help but to make a faint smile as he began to praise her.

"And as for Shadow...man he would not shut up about you."

Her ears perked up as she listened in both interest and nervousness. "The...the boss?"

He made a nod, "He said you got on his nerves at first but with your skills, fighting style, and dedication...heh you sure knocked him on his ass. He freakin' loves you."

A slight blush formed on her face as she smiled. By the way Shadow's attitude towards her had gotten at times, she always figured that she had annoyed him. She was always determined to stay on his good side because when he gets frustrated, he manages to take it out on the people around him. "The boss really likes me?"

He nodded, "Trust me. If he didn't like you, he would've gotten in your face and told you off a long time ago." He slowly looked down to the ground, "It's good to know the team is still doing well with me being gone and all." He looked back at her with a small smile. "I'm glad you found them. They're all great people."

Her eyes slowly looked away from him. "I wouldn't have found them without Midnight..."

"Midnight?" He had recalled that she got upset earlier with him about whatever their disagreement was. "Did he have something to do with what happened earlier?"

Her eyes wandered down to the ground. "Midnight and I...well..."

He raised his head slightly as he figured what she was referring to. "You two are a thing? I see..."

She gently leaned her head against the chain that was holding up the swing she was sitting on. "We just started dating but...he didn't tell me..."

"Tell you what?"

"That he isn't real..." she replied in a hurtful tone.

He arched an eyebrow, "You mean with him being an artificial being?"

"He never told me..."

"I agree with you what Midnight did was wrong. He should've told you especially with you two being so close. But at the same time, he can't be completely faulted."

Of course he'd take his side. He knew Midnight a lot longer than she had so she just knew the two would be close. "What do you mean?"

He began to explain, "Midnight didn't come into this world full of knowledge and emotions. He was originally created to destroy and nothing more."

Midnight wasn't on their side when they all had first met? It was actually really had for her to picture him attacking the Chaotix team. "What happened anyway?"

He made a small smile, "Shadow."

She listened closely as he began to explain.

He slowly shook his head, "I don't know but there's just something about him. He's managed to accomplish so much for all these years." His smile widened, "I remember when there was just the three of us. Me, Vector, and Tonya."

Vector's name had came up again. She still didn't quite know who he actually was. He must had been very important to the team.

He continued, "Then along came Shadow and Espio...then Faye, Rouge, Midnight, Ker, Appex, and now you." He looked back over to her. "I guess you wouldn't believe me if I told you Ker and Appex used to be bad guys too."

"Huh? Really?" Ker and Appex tried to destroy the Chaotix team too? Was she the only newbie who didn't have the intent on killing anyone in the group before they started working alongside them?

He made a nod, "Yup! But Shadow...he saw something more in them. Yes he can be cold hearted and rash at times but he still somehow manages to bring the good out of people. Heh, even Mayor Sarah Wish was a thorn in our sides but...he got through to her and showed her the light."

"Mayor Wish?" It did seem like one time, she did recall a complexity involving the city and military with Sarah Wish's actions. But that seemed like that had happened so long ago.

He made a nod, "I guess you can say that he played a part in making Midnight the guy he is now."

Well at least some of Midnight's personality was starting to make sense. At times he would be quiet and to himself and sometimes give off a cold vibe. Although with Shadow, it seemed like he was like that all the time. At least Midnight smiled and laughed on a regular.

"But of course, Midnight has so much more to learn. He'll make mistakes but then again that's all of us. We're all living breathing beings after all. We were all born to make mistakes."

She slowly made a nod. She couldn't get over how wise Charmy was. He had the watered down personality of hers and to top it all off, he was just a few years older than her. She had then recalled when Shadow referred her as to being the 'chick version' of Charmy. "Yes you're right."

"If you really like Midnight, then perhaps you should give him another chance. After all, you are his first girlfriend."

This was true. With her now finding out that Midnight had to learn his emotions and behavior, she figured that he had never experienced romance before. He never showed attraction towards anyone. He never kissed anyone. He hasn't even experienced sexual contact with anyone. She figured if their relationship stayed strong, there would come the moment where they would finally share an intimate experience together. She would be his first love and sexual partner. Her heart raced as she began to slightly think about her future with him.

Back at the Chaotix, everyone watched as the doors swung open. The group turned to Charmy who stood beside Freya.

Freya stood there in the doorway directing her attention to Midnight who still gave her an apologetic look.

The wolf took a step forward to her just knowing that she was still angry with him. "Freya, I...I'm so sorry. Please..." Before he could finish, his words trailed off when he saw her run over into his arms and pressed her lips against his.

Shocked by Freya's sudden reaction towards Midnight, they figured that the two had gotten close with each other. They all smiled warmly as the two were caught in a lip lock with each other.

Appex watched in disbelief while the two kissed. "Wait what? You two are dating?"

Freya released herself from Midnight and turned to the group with a deep blush on her face as she made a small nod.

"That is so sweet", Rouge spoke while she held Spike in her arms. She looked over to Shadow who had made a small smile towards the happy couple. "They sure had us fooled right, Shad?"

He had then nervously looked over to her and then quickly took his eyes away from her.

Rouge arched an eyebrow as she had gotten suspicious about his behavior. "Why are you looking like that? Did you know about this?"

He still didn't look to her as he scratched the back of his head with uneasiness.

She now definitely knew that he had known about the new couple for awhile. "You did know! Shadow! Why didn't you tell me?"

With her constantly yelling at her, he turned to her and shouted back at her in annoyance. "Because you have a big ass mouth!"

Her mouth hung open in disbelief. She didn't think she had gossiped that much. "What? I'm offended! I do not have a big mouth!"

Espio who stood near the two had made a fake cough, "It's kinda true though..."

She turned to Espio in shock. "What!"

Freya had then saw Charmy confront her and the rest of the group.

"This is heartwarming and all but I really gotta get back to Industrial City."

Freya had made a saddened look. "Do you have to go so soon?" She had to admit, she was annoyed with him at first. Seeing how everyone was so happy to see him and got along great with him due to their long history together. But now she could see why everyone had loved him. She had just met him and she already loved hanging around him.

He made a small nod, "Yeah I gotta get back to Grace and all."

"You better come back and visit real soon. You got that?" Espio had spoke with a smirk.

Charmy formed a wide and warm smile, "You bet!" He spun around and started to work towards the door while waving back at them. "See you guys!" He looked back at Freya, "Take care of the team while I'm gonna okay?"

She made a nod and a wide smile, "You got it!"

Everyone had then said their goodbyes as Charmy walked out of agency.

In The Next Chapter...

Scourge: Meat...flesh...blood...that's all what I crave...

Luthor: Do what you must to stay strong!

Freya:...Is that?

Shadow:...Scourge...

Scourge: Shadow The Hedgehog...we meet face to face at last!