EDIT: So sometimes, you have to critique your own work. Older readers, I know there was some confusion as to why Super Sonic was shot and it damaged him even though her was invincible. A lot of people have argued with me and after doing my own research...it IS canon that Super Sonic is quite almost invincible. Therefore, I have changed it to where Super Sonic changed back into Sonic and then Cream took the chance to shoot him. I'm sorry for the confusion and not following canon. Sometimes...you gotta listen to your fans.

If you're a new reader well, for all you know, Super Sonic turned back into Sonic before Creams shot him.

Chapter 25: Stay With Me

July 18th, 6:27pm

Amy Rose's point of view:

Why?

I quickly run to Sonic's side and scoop his shaking body into my arms. "Sonic! Sonic, love…please. Stay calm!" I tell him between sobs.

His chest is heaving and his breaths are stuttering. Yet, he opens his eyes and looks up at me, smiling. "Ame's…don't w-worry about me…I'm..I-I'm…okay…"

I press a finger to his lips, shushing him. He softly kisses my finger and nuzzles his face against my hand.

A nurse runs to my side. "He's going to have to go to surgery," she tells me, "The bullet may be close to his lung."

A tear falls from my eye as I lock eyes with my hero. All he can do is smile, then he spoke, "I'm gonna be okay…"

"We don't have time for this Sonic! You were just about to tell us to leave and escape because Robotnik has taken over the city…"

As I speak the last of my words, Sonic's eyes became unfocused and he slowly fell unconscious.

"I need oxygen in here!" the nurse yelled to the other nurses bringing the stretcher. She looked at me, "We need him now. You're going to have to let go…"

I nod my head and slowly lay Sonic down to the floor. The nurses immediately roll him onto a stretcher and take him back behind the same white curtain where Tom is.

I now look back over at my friends and my eyes immediately widen. Knuckles is trying to grab a gun away from Cream. He finally grabs her arm and twists it, making her cry out and drop the gun. Vector rushes and grabs it and Knuckles throws Cream aside screaming, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

I gasp. I don't understand. "Cream…shot…Sonic?"

Cream is my best friend…she would never do something like that…would she?

"I was trying to KILL HIM!" Cream screeched.

The room falls silent as we stare at Cream in shock. I shake my head in disbelief. "No…No, no, no. Cream, you…you wouldn't…" I stutter.

She looks over at me, her eyes glaring. "…Yes…I would."

My lips part and my hearts stops. "…Why?"

"LOOK AT WHAT HE'S DONE!" She screams toward me, "Look at Shadow! He is one of our strongest and his life was also almost taken! Tails! His own brother is almost DEAD! And why?! Because he just felt like it! And actually, it would have been ME lying there if Tails didn't save me!"

"WELL MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!" I barked.

Her eyes burn with anger and she stands up. "Amy…Sonic has betrayed us," she growls.

"No Cream…you have betrayed us. Sonic is our leader and more than that, our friend! We have been a team for almost 12 years now…we have battled with our own pasts and we have all had our share of mistakes. But in the end, we have said our apologies and forgiveness has been given…"

She just stiffs a laugh and spits callously, "He's going to kill you all…but I'm not gonna be around to see that happen."

She grabbed her bag at the edge of Tails's bed and begins to walk towards the stairs.

"Cream!" I cry, running towards her, "Stop this!"—I take her bag and throw it on the ground, grabbing her shoulders—"Why this sudden change of heart?! Tails isn't dead! Sonic was not in his right mind! Please, we can figure this out! Don't just leave! Y-You'll be killed out there—"

"Not if I join up with the enemy…"

My breath hangs in my throat and I step away from her. "You…but what about Tails?" I'm barely able to let words escape, "What about…me? Y-You're best friend…"

Cream's face saddened. "Amy…Sonic…is lost. And if you won't fight him, then I have to go with who is. I'm sorry. Amy, I love you tons. But…until Sonic is—"

"Cream! Sonic is NOT lost!" I scream in her face, "He lost his way, yes, but he is almost back to normal and—"

"ALMOST?! Amy…almost isn't good enough…Tails is—"

"NOT DEAD! He is alive! What do you think he would do if he was conscious enough to hear you say all of this—"

"I am…" From across the room, we hear Tails' voice.

Cream and I spin around to see Tails sitting up in his bed. His eyes swelled with tears as he stared at Cream as if he didn't know her. "Cream…how could you?"

I hear Cream gulp and her cheeks redden as she holds back tears. "Tails…he…he hurt you—"

"CREAM! THAT'S MY BROTHER!" Tails screamed, exasperated, "Do you honestly think this is what I WANT?!"

"But he has hurt you OVER AND OVER!" Cream cried, "Look at what Sonic has done to you in the past, Tails! Sonic has lost it! All of the years of fighting Eggman has made him psychotic!"

Tails shook his head. "I don't understand where this is coming from Cream…I don't know you anymore. It sounds to me like you have your own demons to battle, and until you do…we're through."

The room fell silent. Heavy tears fall from Cream's eyes and she turns her back from us. She burst into tears and I grab her shoulders only for her to tear away from me. "No! Don't touch me!" Cream yelled, turning to us again, "Look…I am sorry for shooting him but I still feel that it was necessary!"

She looks directly at Tails. "Tails…I love you…and seeing you in this state…maybe I have let some demons out. I need…some time to think about all of this…so…I am leaving…goodbye…"

She picked up her bag and started for the stairs again. "Cream! Stop!" Tails cried out.

Grabbing his IV, he quickly gets off of the bed only to rush to her side but on his way, exhausted from his chest wound, his legs give out and he falls to his knees. Cream gasps and rushes to him.

Tails looks up at her, eyes pouring with tears. "Cream…p-please…don't leave. I need you in my life. You are my everything…I know we have been through hell lately but…we are all still together and I am still alive. I'm stronger than you think, my dear. But not without you. Why do you think I've managed to get this far…because of you. My love for you and our future together has kept death at bay. I'm not giving up and neither can you. Especially on Sonic…he is still my brother and sometimes, brothers fight and hurt one another…and sometimes, we lose our way. Sonic has lost his and it is our job to bring him back…so please…I love you so much, Cream. Please, stay with us…"

Tears drip from Cream's downcast eyes. She looks up after a moment, "I love you too Tails…but because of the hate I feel towards Sonic at the moment…I can't be here. I might do something worse…I don't know my own heart right now so…until I do…I will separate from the group—"

"Cream you don't have to do that!—"

"Yes, I do Tails! It's…for the better…I…I've made a huge mistake and I didn't realize what I would lose when I made it…Robotnik will probably take over this planet…you all need to escape…I will find my mother and we will hide together for a while.

I step in. "Cream…if this is your choice, there is no way you can make it to the Mystic Ruins alone…"

We hear someone clear their raspy throat and turn towards them. Vector stepped forward with a hand raised. "I will take her and stay with them both. I leave Espio in charge of Charmy—"

"WHAT?!" Charmy's whiny high pitch squeal fills the room and Espio grabbed his arm to shut him up.

"I will make sure the bee stays out of trouble…" Espio bows honorably.

I nod my head and turn back to Cream and Tails. Tails doesn't look happy with the conclusion.

"Cream…w-when will we see each other again?" he stutters, clasping her hand with what little strength he had.

She shook her head. "I…I don't know…"

Tails let out a cry, "Cream! Please! Stay with us! Stay with ME! You…You don't have to do this—"

She stops his words with a soft, tender kiss on the lips. "We will see each other again…someday…" and she kisses him again. After a few seconds she let go of his hand and turned to me. "I have to go now…or I may not be able to leave…"

"You don't have to go, Cream…" I tell her firmly, "You are hurting all of us…"

She shook her head again. "If I don't go, I will hurt you all even worse…Vector, let's go…"

Tears welled up in my eyes as they started walking towards the stairs again. With every step they take, Tails' cries got harder until he finally cries out, "CREAM!"

But she doesn't turn around. She continues up the stairs until we lose sight of her.

Tails lets out a loud scream and slams his fist to the ground, crying uncontrollably. I rush to his side and fall to my knees in front of him, scooping him into my arms tightly. He buries his face into my shoulder, crying out the last of his tears.

July 18th, 7:05pm

A nurse emerges from behind the white curtain and walks up to us. Tails had fallen asleep in my arms and he was now back in his bed.

"Both surgeries are complete and went well…" she tell us.

We sigh in relief and she holds up a hand. "But…there is some not so great news…both are stable yet, the General is still in a critical condition. We were able to save him but, his back was broken and he has permanent spinal damage. That being said…the General is paralyzed from the middle of his back down and will never walk again…"

"Oh my gosh…" I whisper, hardly able to get my words out. Knuckles stepped forward.

"And…what of Sonic?" he asks cautiously.

The nurse looked down. "Sonic's surgery went very well and we were able to remove the bullet and prevent him from loosing too much blood…but the bullet punctured his lung. We saved it…but it is terribly weakened. He will not have to be on oxygen but…he will not be able to do anything that may increase heart rate and make him breathe hard or his lung may give out, if so, he could end up having to be on oxygen for the rest of his life…or it could kill him…"

I gasped and stepped towards he nurse. "Ma'am…but, I don't think you understand. This is Sonic the Hedgehog, fastest living thing on this planet. He lives to run! If he can't run, he can't fight and he…he…"

The reality hits me hard as I realize the big picture. "Sonic…will never run again…"