**Note: Sorry for the terrible ending of the previous chapter… I hope this one isn't as bad…
Chapter 13—Enjoy! ^_^
Chapter 13: Lullaby
After dinner, Shadow and Luna went to the living room and sat at the couch. Luna then looked at her brother and slowly poked his cheek. His eyes grew and then looked at her, "Yes?"
"Are you mad?" she asked.
He shook his head, "No."
"Then… are you frustrated?"
Shadow looked away for a moment and remained silent. Luna then poked his side, making him jump and look at her. "Are you?"
"Maybe a little."
"I'm sorry…"
He patted her head, "It's not your fault…"
She gave him a smile and poked his arm, "Shadow?"
"Hm?"
"Can you tell me a story?"
He let out a sigh, "I don't know of any…"
She pouted and crossed her arms, "Liar…"
His eyes grew, "Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
From the kitchen, Rouge was laughing softly while she placed the dished in the dishwasher. The sounds of two siblings arguing were usually annoying…. But giving the fact of who the siblings were, it was hard not to laugh. She slowly walked over to the doorway and looked at the two hedgehogs, trying her best to keep her laugh under control.
"You're so mean, Shadow!" Luna pouted.
The Ebony hedgehog crossed his arms, "I am not mean!"
"Are too! You won't tell me a story!"
"I told you, I don't know of any…"
Thinking the argument could continue all night, Rouge walked out of the kitchen, walked behind the couch and hugged the two hedgehogs from behind, "Will you two stop arguing?"
Luna looked at Rouge and then pointed at Shadow, "He won't tell me a story…"
The treasure hunter looked at Shadow, then at Luna and gave her a smile, "You see Luna, Shadow lacks of what we call imagination."
"Exactly—wait, what?!"
Luna and Rouge shared a laugh as Shadow just gave them a glare.
Luna then let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes softly. "I sleepy…"
"Well go to bed then." Shadow said.
She looked at him with sad eyes.
He gave her a smile, "I'll be there in the morning."
"Okay…" She stood up, "Night Rouge, night Shadow."
"Good night." They replied.
Luna went upstairs and into her brother's room. Once the door was closed, Shadow stood up and began to walk towards the door. "I'm going to see Vector."
"It's late."
"He's still in his office."
"Okay then, just don't stay out all night."
He gave her a smirk, "Okay, mom."
She rolled his eyes, "Don't get smart with me."
"I'll be back before midnight. Watch my sister, will you?"
"Of course."
The Ultimate Life Form gave her a small nod and walked out the door. Rouge let out a sigh and walked towards the stairs. Looking over her shoulder just to make sure the door was closed. After a few seconds, the bat walked upstairs and into her room.
XXXX
*Chaotix Office*
Vector was sitting in his office, looking over the reports Espio had given him earlier that day. His eyes began to close, but he refused to let himself fall asleep. He continued to read the reports, drifting away and finding himself reading the same sentence at times.
"You want some coffee?"
The crocodile flinched and raised his head to see the black hedgehog leaning against his office door. His arms were folded across his chest and he had a look on his face that clearly read 'If I were an assassin, you'd be dead.' He let a groan escape his lips and placed the report papers on his desk. "Shadow. What are you doing here?"
"I came to speak with you."
"I'm a bit busy."
Shadow gave him a smirk, "I came to talk about my 'emo shit'. But if you're too busy, then I suppose you'll never hear it." He turned around and grabbed the doorknob.
"Wait a minute, Shad."
The ebony hedgehog looked over his shoulder.
"Sit down."
Shadow turned his body again and walked towards Vector's desk.
The Detective locked gazes with him before letting out an aggravated sigh. "Tell me."
XXXX
As the sound the emergency alarms went off, the young hedgehog's eye opened. She saw a human girl and who appeared to be her brother in front of her. She noticed how they were focused on the loud sound that surrounded the room, she placed her hand on her brother's before he and the human girl ran out of the room.
The next thing she saw where other humans running in the hall. Some wore long white coats while others wore some type of green clothing that made them look the same. They also carried metal objects with them. She heard screams and cries then loud sounds. Through the small opening of the door, Luna saw as a human wearing a white coat begged for his life but soon fell to the floor.
Her eyes grew in fear as she saw a red liquid emerge out of the human's head. The loud banging sounds continued, more and more humans continued to fall.
Then, the door opened and a female scientist entered the room. She was holding her side, trying to stop the red liquid from leaving her body. The young hedgehog placed both her hands on the glass and began to hit it lightly.
The female scientist looked at her and smiled weakly. She closed the door behind her and began to approach the stasis tube. "You… you're awake…"
The hedgehog just nodded.
"Project… Shadow 2… you and Shadow… are the greatest creations… the Professor…" She coughed and leaned against the tube. "the professor could have created…"
Then the sounds of other humans made them turn their attention to the closed door. The scientist looked back at the project, "They… must never find you… you or Shadow…" she coughed again, "they will kill you both…"
The young hedgehog's eyes widen, the scientist then pressed a red button and the hedgehog found herself falling from that room to an enormous blue planet.
She screamed.
Rouge ran out her room and into Shadow's. She turned on the lights and noticed how Luna was screaming and kicking in the bed. The bat approached her and began to move her, "Luna, wake up!"
Luna opened her eyes, sat up, hugged Rouge, and began to cry. At this point she didn't bother to ask for her brother; she was far to scared for that.
Rouge hugged her back and kissed the top of her head, "It's all going to be okay, Luna… don't worry."
But Luna continued to cry. This time she didn't mutter anything, which lead Rouge to believe that the nightmare had been worst than before. "Calm down, Luna… it's okay… everything's okay."
Yet the young hedgehog continued to cry, each time harder and with clear fear and pain. Unsure of what else to do, Rouge began to hum and rock back and forth.
"Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby
Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay
And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow
Bless you with love for the road that you go"
Luna began to hug her tighter, yet her cries didn't stop. Rouge took a deep breath and continued,
"May you sail fair to the far fields of fortune
With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet
And may you need never to banish misfortune
May you find kindness in all that you meet"
She hummed again, and Luna's cries began to soften.
"May there always be angels to watch over you
To guide you each step of the way
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay"
Luna began to release Rouge from the tight embrace, but continued to hug her. As Rouge hummed, she rested her head lightly on Luna's.
"May you bring love and may you bring happiness
Be loved in return to the end of your days
Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you
I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay"
Rouge then noticed how Luna's breathing had begun to lighten. She looked down at the young hedgehog and smiled as she noticed her drifting off into sleep. She placed her back in her pillow, covered her and finished her lullaby,
"May there always be angels to watch over you
To guide you each step of the way
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay… Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay..."
She kissed Luna's forehead lightly and walked out of the room
**Aww… I think this chapter was cute. I hope you did too, ©Sleepsong by Secret Garden.**