Chapter Fourteen

Visions

That Evening at Vanilla's house, Rouge sat at Vanilla's dining table having dinner with them. Cream was happily eating her dinner, whilst Cheese was nibbling at his from his little plate.

Rouge looked at her plate that consisted of chicken, lentils, spinach and new potatoes; she also had a glass of water. "You're very kind Vanilla" she said. Vanilla smiled, "it's very high in iron" said Vanilla "and you need iron to help your baby grow healthily"

Cream was grinning from ear to ear "I can't wait till your baby comes Miss Rouge" she smiled "Chao Chao!" squealed Cheese. "Can I come and see him/her when it's born?" Rouge nodded "you may" she said "and can I play with him/her?" asked Cream.

"Calm down honey" said Vanilla "it's still too early" Cram blushed and smiled. Rouge grinned, "how you feeling about Shadow?" asked Vanilla, changing the subject. "I still feel sad" said Rouge, "even though my brain is telling me Shadow's dead, in my heart, he's still alive, he escaped death once, but then…he came back…and I've never given up hope that one day he'll return to me"

"Do you think he'll come back?" asked Cream, "I don't know" said Vanilla, Rouge sighed "he was so brave…he saved all our lives, and the planet, but he never returned…." Vanilla nodded. "But think about your child Rouge" she said "think about the baby" Rouge nodded.

Later that evening Rouge lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling, as she stared, she began to think more about Shadow, "I wish you were here" she whispered "I wish you were next to me, stroking my stomach and nuzzling me…talking to our unborn child and whispering how happy you were….if only you were here….if only….if only you had come back….." as she was laying there thinking her thoughts, she began to feel sleepy, she soon drifted into a deep sleep, Shadow's name still going around in her head.

Her sleep didn't last long, as her vision began to turn white and she could hear her own voice in her ears, "Shadow…..Shadow" the whiteness then began to fade and she began to find herself somewhere, it looked like a rocky canyon like desert, which a red and pink sky above.

"No" she thought "it can't be…can it?" she looked around, the area was so rocky and the sandy rocks almost cracked under her feet, she then realised, she was back on Molly's planet! All those months ago, when they were fighting the Metarex. She looked around more, then saw a figure standing looking at a cliff in front of a bit of metal sticking out of the ground.

As she walked closer, she saw it was a black hedgehog with red quills! "Shadow!" she ran over, holding her stomach with one hand, "Shadow!" she ran over and placed her hand on his shoulder. As she did, Shadow turned around. "Rouge..?" he whispered "Shadow!" cried Rouge as she threw her arms around him, "please tell me I'm not dreaming…tell me you're still alive!"

Shadow wrapped his hands around her waist and held her close, "Rouge…" he whispered "I am still alive….despite what the other's think….I'm still here…Knuckles is lying" Rouge took her tear stained face away from Shadow's shoulder and looked up at him "wh...What!" "Despite what the others have been saying…" Shadow whispered "I'm still alive"

"But…." Sobbed Rouge "I saw you…you performed Chaos Control and make that exploding planet get away from us…." "I know" said Shadow stroking his fingers through her hair "I know…but I survived….I'm here…on Molly's planet" "What!" cried Rouge "but why didn't you come back to us? Why!" she threw herself against him, sobbing her heart out.

"I couldn't do it" whispered Shadow "I had done my duty…and I tried to chaos control back, but I was thrown into space by the explosion…..then I blacked out…." He then lifted her hand and placed it on his shoulder where a deep scar was visible, then another above his eye and behind his ear.

"These scars are from the debris of the planet, all I remember was the flash as the planet exploded, then all went black….when I came round….I found myself here….the survivors of Molly's people had found me and brought me back here….they refuse to let me leave"

"Shadow…" sobbed Rouge, "why won't they let you…? I know you're strong….you can get away from them…." Shadow opened his mouth to speak, but he suddenly began to fade. "Shadow!" cried Rouge "don't leave me!" Shadow's face looked pained, "I'm being pulled from my dream…" he chocked, "I've never stopped dreaming of you! I want to be with you…and the baby!"

Rouge then suddenly felt herself being pulled from her dream "Shadow!" she cried "please! Come back to me!" she began to cry again as she felt herself being pulled away. "SHADOW!" she clawed the air as she heard Shadow's fading voice whispering to her…..

Rouge awoke with a start, her body was drenched in sweat and her eyes were stinging from crying tears. She got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, hoping the cool air would calm her.

She stood still in the dark bathroom; the only light that lit up the house was the full moon shining through the window. "Shadow…." She whispered "You're still alive….please tell me my dream was true….it was too real to be a dream….I saw us on Molly's planet….it's got to be true….Shadow…..you've got to be alive!"

My God....but was it just a dream? or a vison? Is Shadow still alive?

But now....what will Rouge do?