Hello everybody! Yes, I have had writer's block I took a while to update. I've been busy too, though! I'm hoping that if I just get through these chapters I can get to the part where my changes actually come in.

Anyway, I thank you all for your support! You really help! I mean seriously, what's a story without readers?

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Chapter XII

Shadow was getting bored. Maria was still sitting on her bed, thinking about something that was making her more and more sad. In honest he wanted to make her feel better, in the same way that she had done for him, but he couldn't think of what to say besides 'are you okay'. So now, he was sitting on the floor bored.

He would every now and then look up to see if she wanted to leave, since the door was now unlocked, but she was lost in thought. He didn't want to leave her, but he didn't want to pester her about it either.

He looked up at her again, but was then startled to see tears falling. It took him aback as if he hadn't subconsciously realized Maria could cry the same way he did. Concern built up inside as he felt he should hug her. It always made him feel better; it should make her feel better too.

What if *sniff* what if they end up… KILLING Shadow? I will *sniff* never forgive myself… Maria's thoughts were interrupted by a hug around her waist. She looked down to see the hedgehog she had been worrying over embracing her. She smiled a small smile as her eyes softened at the sight of him. I love you too, Shadow…

"I'm sorry Shadow; I just don't want anything to happen to…"

"Don't worry." Maria was startled when he spoke.

"What?"

"I'll protect you no matter what." Protect her? Maria began to feel heavy tears create rapidly in her eyes. She shut her eyes tight in attempts to keep them from falling but they did so anyway. She was so worried about Shadow yet all he wanted to do is protect her from harm?

"Oh Shadow!" She returned his embrace. "I think you do great job." With eyes blurry she looked up and blinked a bit as she saw the door wide open.

"The door! Oh, of course! Come on, Shadow, I need to talk to my father." She picked him up and stepped outside. He sighed in relief, glad her attitude picked up a little.

"Uh, Maria?"

"What is it, Shadow?"

"Can I be put down?"

"OH! Oh yes, of course." She gently let him down. "Here, follow me; I need to make amends with my father."

"But isn't he…"

"NO. He isn't."

"But I didn't finish what I was going to say…"

"It's okay, Shadow. We need to show him that you aren't a mistake and that he would make a mistake by…well…you know…"

"Getting rid of me?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Come on, his lab is just ahead." They briskly walked down the repetitive hallways not running into anyone until they reach the door that led to the Professor's lab. It was slightly cracked open, so Maria and Shadow could slip through. To Maria's surprise, the lab was dark and empty.

"Father?" She called, only to be responded to by a slight echo. "I don't think he's here…"

"Shall we explore?" suggested Shadow.

"No! Of course not! This is my father's lab! I can't just rummage through his stuff!" Just then something red and white caught Shadow's eye. It, whatever it was, was quite noticeable since everything in the room consisted of grays and blacks. The red stood out like a target against the huge equipment and large walls.

"What's that?" Shadow pointed to the red and white objects.

"What?" Maria followed Shadow's finger to the objects sitting on a desk covered with various papers. She walked over to the desk to find, they were a pair of shoes.

"Shoes?" Shadow questioned, who had followed Maria to the desk.

"Yeah, though they don't seem like a regular pair of shoes, they seem to have some kind of rockets on them." She had leaned over to inspect the shoes, not wanting to touch them. Shadow didn't seem to realize she was trying to avoid contact because he picked them up off the table.

"Shadow! Put those back!"

"Why? They look like they could fit me…" and with that he started to put them on.

"But Shadow, they aren't yours…" She saw they were a perfect fit. "On second thought, they look pretty good on you."

"Don't they?" Shadow broke into a grin. "They feel great!"

"Uh, yeah. Look, they come with a pair of gloves." Maria picked up white, cotton gloves from off the desk.

"Here, let me try them." Shadow took them from Maria's hands and put them on. "They feel comfortable too."

"You should wear them all the time." Maria smiled as Shadow actually looked good.

"And what do you suppose you're doing?" Maria and Shadow gasped as they turned around to see a man standing in the doorway.

"Father!" Maria gasped.

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Shadow unfortunately found out about my story. Ugh. But I guess that means you can go and blab to him about what you liked and didn't like.