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I only own the plot of this story. The characters are owned by…wait for it….SEEEEGAAAA.

Don't Stop Believin'

Chapter 13: She Took A Midnight Train Goin' Anywhere

The next day after their one month anniversary, Amy took off for the Emerald Coast Resort for a spa day with Blaze, Rouge, Tikal, Vanilla, and Cream. All the girls were leaving for the day and they weren't coming back until the next day. So the boys were left by themselves and Tails was asked to Chao-sit Cheese, which he accepted to do before the question was even finished. He thought Cream was going to ask him out on a date so his instincts told him to say yes. It was then he thought he should probably ignore those every once in a while because they can be misleading.

So with all the girls gone, the guys decided to have a little fun for themselves. Silver decided to host a poker game at his place with a few pizzas and soda. Every guy was invited and every guy agreed to come. The buy in was 20 rings and that was the amount everyone brought. And to almost everyone's dislike, Vector, Espio, and Charmy showed up as well to play. Not Charmy though. He and Tails were too young to understand how to gamble right so they just took Cheese and played Silver's 360 in the other room and they came out every few minutes for food.

All of the guys who were in the game handed Silver their rings and he placed them in his room and came back out with the cards and chips. After sorting the chips out, Silver dealt the cards first and the game began. After about three or so hands, the group of Y-chromosomed Mobians began to chat.

"I tell you. I don't know how the rest of you guys do it." Vector was referring to Sonic, Shadow, Silver, and Knuckles. "I'm not the kind of guy who would even WANT to be strapped down by commitment. I'm happy being single."

Of course, Espio didn't believe a single word of that.

"And yet you constantly make countless moves on Miss Vanilla almost every time you see her."

And then came one of Vector's ever so famous crazy responses.

"I may not like commitment NOW, but when she and I DO get together, I'm sure I'll be opened up to it by then."

Espio had to live with Vector's nonsense 24 hours a day 7 days a week. So everyone had to commend him for not feeling any urge to murder Vector and put an end to all the insanity that goes on the Chaotix household. And then Sonic voiced his opinion.

"For your information, Vector, I'm happier than I've ever been because I'm with Amy. You're entitled to have your own opinion. But in MY opinion, you're out of your mind."

"ME? Out of MY mind?" Vector nearly shouted. "You're the one dating someone who used to be your stalker."

"We were there when he and Amy showed us the pictures, Vector." Espio interjected. "Sonic and Amy have known each other since they were babies."

"But they only found that out recently." Vector pointed out. "So it doesn't really count as a lifelong friendship when one of them forgets that the other even existed."

"But I know now, Vector. And I really want be with her right now." Sonic said.

Vector regained his calm.

"Eh, whatever." Then he looked at his cards and threw in a few chips. "That's to you, Knuckles. Call or raise."

"I'll call you." Knuckles threw in the same amount of chips Vector put in a few seconds ago.

"I fold. I don't got anything." Shadow put his cards face down and slid them over to Espio who was currently the dealer of this particular game.

"I'll call you, croc." Silver used his psychic powers to float the right amount of chips into the pot. "Sonic? You in or out?"

"I'm in. Call." The blue hedgie threw in his own chips.

"Fold." Espio put down his cards just like Shadow did.

It turns out the winner of that game was Silver who had a full house. Aces over nines. As the grey hedgie took his winnings, the conversation they were on picked up again.

"At least he and Amy are talking with each other." Silver said. "Blaze told ME, that Tikal told HER, that Shadow seems to be quite distant from her lately. Care to enlighten us, Shadow?"

Shadow had that scowl on his face. It said he most certainly did NOT want to talk about it. But his words had to make sure he got that across.

"No I'm not enlightening ANY of you on anything. I do have a reason for my sudden silence around Tikal and it's a good one. But I'm not gonna tell any of you what it is. Especially faker and the dumbass."

Faker was Sonic. And this was new information for everyone, but apparently Shadow's nickname for Vector, was dumbass.

"What's wrong with ME?" Sonic asked offended.

"Or me?" Vector asked along.

Shadow already had answers prepared for this.

"Dumbass, you're a blabbermouth. Any secret anyone tells you, you blab it to everyone you know. If you worked at GUN handling top secret information, this country would be screwed." And then Shadow turned at Sonic. "And YOU are dating Rose. And I know if I tell you anything, you'll tell her, and then SHE will tell everyone. And this is something I do NOT want Tikal finding out about. This is something I wouldn't even want MARIA to know about. So if any of you value your lives, you will shut up right now. Now give me those damn cards. It's my deal."

His anger seemed to rise as that explanation went on. And Vector started to fear for his life a little bit. A few hours later, the chips were scattered around the table. But the majority of them were split between Silver and Espio. They had also ordered those pizzas and they were eating while they played. And then one more hour later, they decided to call it quits and the results were decided. The amount of rings everyone bet at the beginning in total was exactly 120 rings. And Silver ended up with 50 of them. Almost exactly half. Espio got 35, Shadow got 15, and then Knuckles and Sonic both got ten. Vector got nothing. So out of all of them, Silver and Espio were the only ones who actually made any money tonight. It was pretty obvious something like that would happen. Vector isn't really the best poker player because he doesn't know how to bluff.

After the game ended, they all chatted for a few more minutes and finished off that pizza before they all had to go home. And it was pouring rain outside. Sonic had completely forgotten to bring an umbrella. Which meant he had to run a little slower so he could see where he was going. But eventually, he got home and inside his house where it was warm and dry.

"Stupid rain. Whose idea was it to create water that falls from the sky anyway?"

As he asked that question to himself out loud, he noticed that the tiny red light on his telephone was blinking on and off. That meant he had voicemail. He walked over to the machine and pressed the play button. And immediately he heard her voice.

"Hi Sonic! Just wanted to let you know that the spa is going GREAT. Part of me wishes you were here with us, but then that would be pretty weird for me to drag you to a spa with a bunch of girls. Anyways, just calling to let you know we got here alright and I'll see you tomorrow1 Bye Sonikku!"

Sonic chuckled. A couple months ago, Amy would have knocked him out and dragged him to a spa if he said no. But she had really grown up. Less clingy, which was good, and more herself, which was also good.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Sonic exchanged multiple glances between his front door where the knocking came from, and his digital clock on his small table next to his couch. 11:35.

"Who the hell would be knocking on my door this late at night? In the rain no less."

Wanting to find out for himself, he got up and answered the door. He was quite surprised to see who it was.

"Sally?"

Indeed it was. Sally was right outside his door her fur soaking wet from the rain and she had a suitcase over her shoulder.

"Sally? What are you doing here?" Sonic asked the obvious coming question.

Sally explained herself.

"I was about to get on the plane to New Mobotropolis when suddenly the captain comes out and tells us there are engine problems that have to be dealt with. So my flight was delayed until tomorrow afternoon and I don't have any more money with me to check into a hotel for the night."

"You're a princess. Don't you have some fancy bank account or something?" Sonic asked hoping she wouldn't say what she thought she was gonna say.

"I checked my wallet for my ATM card. I must have left it in my other wallet back home." And then she asked it. "Is it cool if I stay here just for tonight?"

There it was. The question he knew was coming but wished it wasn't. You have an ex-girlfriend outside your house asking to crash there for the night. What would you do? But Sally and Sonic were still sorta friends. And Sonic just didn't want to leave her out in the rain. He's not heartless like that. Sighing in defeat, he opened his door up all the way.

"Just for tonight. You can crash on the couch."

"Thank you."

Sally walked in the house and Sonic went to go get her a towel so she could dry herself off and made a fire so she could warm up. Sally looked around Sonic's front room.

"This place is a lot different than your house you used to have back in New Mobotropolis." She said to him.

Sonic smiled a bit at that.

"Actually believe it or not, this house is the first one I ever lived in even before I moved out there. It wasn't easy to find it, but I found it."

"Wow. There must be a lot of memories in here." Sally said.

Sonic smiled again. Boy was that true. Even now he could see images of him and Amy as babies running around the house.

"You have no idea." He muttered as he found some blankets for the couch.

He brought out two blankets and a pillow for Sally and set the couch up for her. But Sally wasn't quite ready to go to bed just yet.

"So how have you been, Sonic?" She asked. "You and I didn't really talk that much in that restaurant last night."

"Well that's because it was the one month anniversary of Amy and I and we wanted to celebrate. Well…SHE did. I just went along with it."

"Sounds a bit pushy if you ask me." Sally voiced her opinion.

"Oh believe me. She's not. It's just she's really into celebrating stuff like that and I like making her smile so it's really a win-win arrangement right there."

"Do you love her?"

Sonic froze up when Sally asked that question. And he stood there in that exact spot for a minute before responding.

"Well…I'm still not sure. Saying that you love someone is a big step in a relationship. Take you and I for example. I think part of the reason we broke up is because we moved things way too fast. Even for me."

Okay. Now Sally was interested in this.

"Really? You don't think the reason we broke up had anything to do with the fact that you chose to fight Eggman instead of being with me?"

Sonic was hoping this wouldn't happen. Him and his big mouth.

"Sally, you don't understand. When we first started dating, we became betrothed. And I didn't voice my opinion back then because I didn't want to upset you. But you want honesty? Well then here it is." Apparently Sonic had kept a few of his feelings bottled up for some time now. "Do have any idea how stressing it was for me to get engaged at age 13? All the royal decrees, those fancy banquets, those STUPID suits I had to wear. It was way too much for me to handle. I knew from the minute we got betrothed that our expiration date was set. And I knew it would be WAY before five years."

"Well maybe if you actually tried a bit harder at being a boyfriend than a hero…."

"Oh I tried, Sally." Sonic cut her off. "You have no idea how hard I tried to be your fiancé AND everyone's hero at the same time. It was hard for me to be a hero when every time I came back from fighting Eggman you were always…."

Sonic paused when he saw Sally's extreme glare.

"…. like that."

"Sonic, I cared about you. I didn't want to see you get hurt. What if something happened to you?"

"But nothing DID happen to me."

"Sure but something could have happened to you, Sonic. And if something DID happen, I wouldn't know what to do."

The math was being solved in Sonic's head. He only figured this out right now.

"You never had faith in me. Did you?"

Sally looked down at her feet.

"You thought I was going to lose every time I fought Eggman. Wow. I just realized how different you and Amy are. She's fought by me even BEFORE she and I became a couple. YOU on the other hand just sat on your throne like the pris princess you are."

Sally did NOT like being compared to Amy at all. She had a plan tonight. And it seemed to be going south. She had to make up with him or this was all shot to hell.

"You're right, Sonic." She said. "I didn't come here to fight. You're right. I was your girlfriend and I wasn't as supportive as I should've been. But…I guess the reason for that is…is because I was too scared. I was the princess even before I was born. I was supposed to be and still am the future ruler of New Mobotropolis. If something happened to me, the line of Acorns would have to abdicate. And I couldn't let that happen. But I was a coward, Sonic. I should have been there right by your side in the line of battle. I was just too scared. But I loved you nonetheless, Sonic. I never stopped until you moved back here."

Sonic took a sigh. Of all the people who could have knocked on his door, why did it have to be her? He would have rather dealt with a pissed off Shadow rather than her.

But the two of them had to understand their points of view. Sonic was right and Sally was right too. Transitioning from normal to royal life for a teenager so quickly is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. Especially if you were currently hero of the world. Things like that just don't work out. You could either be one or the other. A choice had to be made and Sonic made his. Sally just didn't like it.

And as for Sally, she was right in a way. Even when Sonic wasn't saving the world, all he had on his mind was stomping on Eggman's badniks and running all the time. It got annoying for Sally to have to drag him back into what was happening right now. But when he DID leave, yes. She should have had faith in him.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, Sonic." Sally whispered.

Sonic nodded.

"I know you didn't. I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Blue and green eyes locked and then the green ones quickly looked away.

"It's getting late. And Amy's going to be back tomorrow. I need to sleep. Good night, Sally."

"Good night."

With a yawn, Sonic resided to his bedroom and Sally got comfortable enough on the couch. This was her plan all along. Get inside Sonic's house was step one. Have a tiny fight so they could make up was step two. And one hour later, it became time for step three.

The rain hadn't let up yet. If anything it became harder. The droplets pounded against the window creating a faint rattle inside. It was enough to cover up Sally's footsteps as she walked to Sonic's room. She opened the door and there he was. Sound asleep. And then she proceeded with step three. She tip-toed up to the side of the bed Sonic wasn't on, lifted up the covers, and then got in there with him. But the movements she made were enough to make the bed shake. Which was also enough to wake Sonic up.

"Sally? What the hell are you doing?" Sonic groaned.

"It's cold out there." Sally said her excuse. "You don't mind, do you?"

Sonic sighed. His ex-girlfriend was in the same bed as him. What's wrong with this picture?

"Fine. I'll take the couch."

Sonic was about to get up but then Sally grabbed his arm.

"You don't have to do that, Sonic."

"Yes I do. It's weird for two exes to be sleeping in the same bed together."

"Don't think of it like that. Think of it as two friends having a sleepover. Just like you and I used to."

Sonic sighed once more and then he just gave up.

"Screw it. I'm too tired to get up anyway."

With that, Sonic lied back down and immediately fell back to sleep when his head hit the pillow. Sally gave that evil smirk as she too drifted off to sleep. Part one of step three was complete. The second part would come the following morning.

XXX

Even though I've never said it before, from the first chapter of this story, this thing has been dedicated to SilverDawn2010. She's going through a rough time right now, and I send her my deepest sympathy. We all should.

This is for you, Silver. It always has been.

But other than that, Sally's making her move. And Amy's coming back tomorrow. Sonic shouldn't have told her that. What's going on in her head? Until the next chapter, peace bitches.