This is probobly the last you will get from me for a while as on thursday I will be away for weeks and weeks. Unless somehow I manage to get another chapter done over the next few days. Unlikely. So please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone used in the story.
Knocking once lightly on the bedroom door then entering before waiting for a reply, Shadow tiptoed into where Amy Rose was staying the night. To his relief, he found the pink hedgehog asleep, a relaxed expression on her face. The older hedgehog was worried the night before that she may not have been able to sleep with too much going through her young mind, but obviously he had not needed to worry. Bending down slightly over the bed, the ebony male gently massaged Amy's shoulder that was exposed from under the thick duvet that covered most of the female. Slowly, Amy began to stir, and Shadow removed his hand from her shoulder as the rosy teenager awoke. Finally, the hedgehog's emerald eyes snapped open, and she sat up, still holding the duvet up to her scarcely clothed body.
" Good morning Shadow," she yawned sleepily stretching her arms high in the air, " how are you today?"
" Just a minute, " Shadow spoke quickly in reply, and rushed out of the room. Amy remained still as she heard footsteps hurry down the stairs, puzzled at her boyfriend's actions. However, it all came clear a moment later as the door was pushed open again, and Shadow stepped into the room carrying a tray full of breakfast, a smile on his face.
" Thought you would want breakfast," the ebony male explained as he placed the tray on his girlfriend's lap. A wide smile was all he got in reply as Amy happily reached for a slice of toast, and began to devour it in huge bites, eating it as though she had been starving for months. As soon as that slice was finished, the pink hedgehog reached for another. Shadow watched in disbelief, shaking his head amazed.
" Okay, you enjoy that," he said slowly walking out the door, " I will leave you now to eat and get dressed. Then I will see you downstairs. We need to talk," then he left Amy in peace.
When Shadow left the room, Amy sighed deeply as she chucked back a glass of orange juice. It was about to be the moment of truth. She had a story all worked out, another lavishly detailed lie. Amy could act, no doubt about that, but this time it would be the hardest. Shadow the Hedgehog, the ultimate lifeform, was in no way easy to fool.
Finishing the last of her breakfast, Amy Rose finally forced herself out of bed, and started to climb into the clothes that she left lying creased on the floor. As soon as she was properly dressed, the pink hedgehog took a deep breath and made her way downstairs and into the lounge, running through the details of her story throughout the journey.
When Amy entered the lounge she saw Shadow sitting on the sofa, a solemn expression on his face as he patted the seat next to him. Obediently, the pink hedgehog walked slowly over to the sofa and sat where Shadow told her. As soon as she was touching the cushioned seat, the ebony hedgehog began.
" Amy, it is true you are planning to kill yourself, isn't it?" he interrogated looking straight into the adolescent's eyes.
The pink hedgehog said nothing for a minute, sometimes opening her mouth as though she was about to speak, but then closing it again. Finally, she decided that she had better say something.
" Sorry Shadow," was the only reply Amy could muster as she suddenly burst into uncontrollable and unplanned tears that dripped into her mouth, " I'm so sorry."
The older male was taken aback at this sudden outburst. He did not expect his girlfriend to suddenly break down after asking one question; it could make it impossible to get anything out of her if the only reply she would give is tears. Shadow thought all the crying was out of the way the night before, but girls were weird. If he had learnt something over the last few months, he had learnt that. That girls were so much different than men, that they seemed to experience all these different emotions and moods that could change in a second. Shadow rarely experienced all these feelings, and had no clue of how to deal with a crying girl. He did not know whether to attempt at comforting her, or how to. Would Amy push him away if he tried to hold her, does she expect him to suddenly come out with sweet words that would make everything better?
After a minute of contemplating an idea strolled into Shadow's mind, something he had overlooked throughout everything. So the ebony hedgehog took a deep breath and wrapped his arms securely around his girlfriend's waist pulling her closely to him.
" Amy don't cry, and don't apologise," the ebony hedgehog whispered gently, not believing that these soft words were coming from his own mouth, " If you do want to kill yourself, it is not your fault. It is not your fault if you feel like you want to end your life. You have been through so many ordeals lately, what with Eggman locking you up in a cell, and nearly being shot. So many traumatising things have happened to you, and I never really considered the emotional scars that could have been left on you. Therefore, I am sorry. Sorry for shouting at you and sorry for never stopping to consider your emotional state. If anyone should be apologising it should be me. So Amy Rose, I am sorry. I promise to always look after you from now, no harm will ever come to you again, I swear."
When Shadow had finished these words, he kissed the top of Amy's head and began to stoke her quills, as the young hedgehog buried her face into his thick bib of white fur, still crying.
" It is okay now, I will help you through this no matter how long it takes, " Shadow hushed continuing to caress Amy's head and beginning to feel like a therapist, something he never thought he could aspire to be, " I know how you feel. When Maria died, I went into a period of self-hatred. I blamed myself for the death of her, and I just wanted to end my own life in punishment. However, I overcame this. And I overcame my phase of blaming humans and wanting revenge. Therefore you can overcome wanting to kill yourself."
" Thank you so much Shadow," Amy whispered into her lover's fur as she slowed her breathing and her tears began to subside.
Those words that Shadow had said about Eggman and what she had faced over the past few months was going to be her story anyway, she was just glad that she did not have to recite it. The ebony hedgehog, although definitely not gullible, had seemed to assume that it was her reason for wanting to commit suicide.
A small smile flickered onto Amy's pale face for a moment as she remembered what Shadow had said to her. All those gentle words seemed weird coming out of Shadow's mouth; he was not the sort to be sympathetic or comforting. If there was one thing that the rosy hedgehog had noticed over the time that she has been together with the ebony male was that he was starting to soften, and Amy was sure that it was her influence on him. If he was presented with a crying girl a month ago, he would have stormed off disgusted, not embrace her and offer words of comfort.
It was the words of comfort, actually, that opened up various thoughts and memories in the young female's mind. Awful memories that she had almost forgotten with the stressful times of recent, and thoughts and debates in her mind that she never thought she would have. As Amy remembered being pale and weak, starving in a pitch black claustrophobic cell, how she was tied up to a chair with a gun pointed at her, how badly Sonic treated her, and how she attempted to end her life before a theory appeared in her head. Were these reasons why Amy now really wanted to kill herself for Maria? Before her first period of suffering the teenager was in no way sure she wanted to die for Maria, it was just an option that entered her mind and deserved consideration. However, as all the pain and tribulations piled itself into Amy's life the option of committing suicide for Maria became more and more definite in her mind, like it was all she could focus on, and she could not remember how it happened.
Then the pink hedgehog realised, as it all began to make sense. She was scared. Not scared, terrified, paranoid, panicky. Amy was terrified that again she would be tortured, and did not want to suffer anymore. Anything would be better than suffering in a cell or being told how much she was hated. No one had loved her, and her mind only seemed to let negative thoughts filter through into her brain. Amy just wanted to die so it would end her distress, and if she could bring back another by doing that even better. But now Shadow loved her, he promised to always take care of her. Dying did not have to be an option any longer…
Amy's thoughts were interrupted as Shadow began to speak again now he was sure his girlfriend had calmed.
" Amy, now that we have got this sorted tomorrow can we begin to retrieve the eighth emerald?" He began slowly, " but only if you feel up to it. I do not want to rush anything and we could just relax for one more day I suppose, as I really do not want to put anymore pressure on you. What do you think? Ready for tomorrow?"
Amy swallowed. What was she to do now? For the first time Amy felt as though she could give the quest up, she felt truly happy with Shadow. The pink hedgehog could tell the ebony male the truth, and she knew he would understand. Yes, he may be a little devastated for a day or two, but after that they could forget the whole thing. Then she could have a future, a future with Shadow. They could someday get married, and have children. Amy had always wanted children. A girl and a boy at least, but three children would be nice…
" Amy, honey, are you listening?" Shadow asked gently, stroking her head. Again, the pink hedgehog left her thoughts, as she knew she would have to now give an answer. Amy just hoped that her mouth would not let her down, it tended to say unwanted things when she was worried or under stress. She just prayed that whatever was now said, it would be the right thing.
" Okay Shadow," Amy began quickly, not considering her words, " tomorrow will be perfect."
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