A/N: Well guys here's the final chapter. I hope this wraps it up well. I'm actually on vacation in TN, but I managed to find time to write and post the last chapter. I really hope you've enjoyed the story and will tune in to my next fic. Enjoy!

Chapter 35

There was a gentle silence in the air surrounding the northern base. Rouge was standing outside, her arms gently folded as she stared upward towards the brightly shining sun, which had only just risen. She had a worried and sad expression. Knuckles was just coming out of the base. "Rouge."

"The air is helping..." She said not facing him. "They wouldn't let me go in to see Amy yet..." She said griping her arms tightly.

"Rouge." Knuckles turned her around so she had to look at him. He knew she was taking so much because she was trying to keep from crying. "It's okay. You don't have to be strong in front of me." He kissed her forehead as two hot tears ran down Rouge's checks.

She berried her face into his chest. "Knuckles," She said with relief in her voice. "What if she hadn't made it...what if they couldn't have saved her?" She cried. It had only been an hour or two since Ebony and the other two medics had announced that Amy would live.

"Don't think like that." Knuckles held her tightly. "Amy's tough, she wouldn't have given up without a fight, and she's had three of the best medical minds in the world working on her. She always had more than just a chance." He nuzzled the top of her head. "Besides this is no way to be thinking right now. You should just be thankful that our entire squad remains alive."

Rouge nodded, her tears stopping, as she ceased to think about the 'what ifs' of her own team and thought about the certainty of sorrow that was evident for many other sectors. "Many lived...but with even one death it made things unbearable...but eight..."

Knuckles nodded. "West sector was nearly completely whipped out. Mina and Tikal are the only survivors."

"And so many others..." She said softly as she found comfort in his warm embrace.

"We must of been the chosen sector in all this...we were the only sector that remained whole."

x-x-x

Silver was in the lobby of the base, he had volunteered to take care of the information on the dead. After the battle, the dead had been collected and gently placed in the downstairs basement where it was cool and there was room for those who wished to visit them before their burial. He was making sure all the notes were made as to each ones death. He took down their sector, rank, and cause of death. He sighed as he looked at the names on the list.

Espio

Vector

Charmey

Honey

Nack

Ray

Cosmic

Ash

x-x-x-x

Finally that evening Amy had come out of her induced sleep. Ebony was very cautious. "Amy is awake, but weak, very weak." She said as she, Tikal, and Tails stood before the others. "We're willing to let just one of you in today and see how it goes. If she handles it alright then we will see what we can do about tomorrow." Next there was a moment of silence before Ebony announced who was to go in. "Rouge, come with me."

"What!" Sonic stood up. "I'm her lover I should be going in first."

"Sonic," Tikal shook her head. "The way you're acting, that's why you can't go in. Amy's weak she can't take any kind of stress, not physical, mental, or emotional." She looked downward. "We were even weary about letting anyone in at all."

"Is that what that East Sector cat told you to say." Sonic growled slightly as he looked Ebony. "She's just trying to help her leader."

"Shut your mouth." Ebony said with a glare, everyone was exhausted and angry with a lack of sleep. "If I wanted to help my leader, I would of chosen him to go in, you dumbass." She said approaching Sonic and loomed over him with anger. "But as a matter of fact, I'm actually trying to help Amy, not Shadow and not you. You know, the one who almost died, or have you forgotten that you selfish bastard?"

Sonic backed down. He turned to the side slightly. "Fine." He sighed. "I'm sorry Ebony..." He said not looking back to her.

"Rouge come with me." Tails said as he lead his friend back to the surgery. "I have to warn you it might be a little bit of a shocking sight."

"What do you mean?" Rouge asked.

"Well she hasn't had time to fully heal of course so the wounds are still blatant and she has some rather large stitches." He looked at Rouge with half closed sleepy eyes. "She will live unhindered by the attack, the bot missed her spin by a few inches, and no vital oranges were critically damaged...but, it's not pretty Rouge."

The white bat entered the room and immediately understood what Tails meant. Amy was laying on her stomach in a rickety looking hospital stretcher, that had been turned into a bed. Tails had been right, her back did not look pretty. She felt tears welling up in her eyes but she quickly whipped them away and went to Amy's side. She bent down on her knees so her face was level with Amy's. "You really gave me a scare you know."

Amy's eyes were open only slightly as she made a weak smile to the bat. "Sorry about that...sometimes my body just does what it wants too..." She said softly. "Guess this'll teach it right?" She said in a spirited manner. Her soft voice was an attempt to keep Rouge's spirits up along with her own. "Rouge." Her eyes turned serious as she looked at her friend again. "How many?"

Rouge's eyes turned softer. She knew this wasn't really something the two of them should talk about now, but she also knew that if she didn't speak, Amy would worry herself to death. "Eight..."

"Who?" She said her eyes glossy.

"Amy please..." Rouge put her hand on Amy's. "You need to get well...we were so afraid we'd lost you...so please, just get well...they'll be plenty of time for that kind of talk after you heal."

"Rouge." Ebony opened the door. "It's time." Amy watched her friend leave. A tear rolling down from the corner of her eye.

Rouge looked back to the pink hedgehog. "It's okay Amy, don't cry. Everything's going to be alright now."

Amy nodded. "I know..." She closed her eyes. "I've never cried tears that were both happy and sad..."

x-x-x-x-x

Two weeks had past Amy had only been allowed a few more visitor. Ebony had been feeding her a special medicine to help her regain her strength. She could now sit up in her bed and eat and drink on her own. She constantly asked to be allowed to get up, but of course Ebony never agreed.

Today she would be accepting two visitors. One was already in with her, the second was standing in the waiting room. Ebony stepped out into the waiting area. "Shadow." She stood by him. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah..." His eyes didn't meet hers. "Honestly I wasn't expecting her to ask for me."

In the next moment Sonic came out of Amy's room. He gently passed the two and exited. Shadow sighed. The cobalt hedgehog hadn't seemed phased at all by his presence. He seemed completely confident in himself. "Alright, come on Shadow, you're next."

Shadow followed Ebony. The cat opened the door for him. As Shadow entered the room he heard the door close behind him. Amy was sitting up in her bed as she looked up at her new visitor. Though she may of been a bit weak and her face a tiny bit pale from lack of sun, Shadow felt as though he had never seen a more beautiful sight...the woman he loved was alive. He sat down in chair that was close to the side of her bed. Her expression was blank as she looked at him. He would of been continent to spend the entire time just watching her, but of course that was not why he was asked there. "How have you been?" Amy asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Fine." He said lowering his gaze a bit, unable to totally look her in the eye. "Everyone has been working hard out in the valley."

"The valley?" She questioned.

"Yes, the Core has been totally demolished and removed. All the bots have been moved as well."

"That must of been very hard with all the snow and slush."

"Something else has been happening." He said thinking that it would be a nice piece of news for her. "The weather, ever since we shut down all the bots, it has been changing."

"Changing?"

"The snow is going away." He said with his tone still gentle.

"Yes, the snow has been melting?" She said with her head tilted to the side.

"That's right." He nodded. "I hope you'll be able to see it soon. There's grass growing and plenty of sunshine."

"Is everyone enjoying it?" She asked.

"Yes, but we'll enjoy it more when you can see it for yourself."

"Why is that?" She asked.

"We all want you to see the fruits of your labor." He said gently. "If it wasn't for you, every sector would of only protected its own territory, and we'd all be dead right now, along with the rest of the world."

"Shadow..."

He shook his head. "It's the truth." He looked at her with serious eyes. "Before you...I would have turned this entire mission down in a heartbeat. I would have forsaken everything, simply because that was the person I was." He said looking to the side. "If you hadn't stayed with me, if you had given up on me, treated me like the dog I was then...I'd still be that same selfish bastard." He looked up at her. "You changed that about me, you changed the lives of all the sectors...and most importantly you changed the world, you not only saved it, you brought it back to life." He saw how gentle her eyes were. He hadn't seen those eyes since before they arrived to North base for the first time. He took it as his moment to speak his heart. "Amy, I want you to know that no matter what, I'll always be there if you need me."

"Shadow,"

"Let me finish." He said looking directly into her eyes. "I don't want you to think that I hold anything against you, I'm nothing but grateful...it's not easy to tell you this. It's really stinging my pride, it makes me angry and pissed even. But I can't help myself. You just do something to me that no one else does, it's hard and I don't always understand it, but you're worth it. You've always been worth it." He said moving closer to her. "Because every time I see you smile, whenever your eyes light up when you laugh, it gives me a feeling...the feeling that made me choose to help you, when you came to East Sector, and I want to continue having this feeling." He looked at her with longing. "I also want you to know that I didn't mean what I said to Storm that night we found the emerald." He made full eye contact with her now. "I was mad, I'd never needed anyone before, and there I was, needing you, wanting you, and not wanting anyone to know just how badly." He ran one hand through his quills. "I was angry, I was trying to make people think I was still the same cold guy, but the truth is I'm not. I'm may still be an arrogant son of bitch, but I care more than I ever did before, and that is because of you." He sighed. . "I'd be a liar if I said I was ok with you returning to Central with Sonic."

She looked at him, her eyes were still glazed over with that half hearted look. "Do you remember what happened when I got these scars?" She motioned to her back.

"Of course." He said feeling a bit of pain as he remembered her actions to save Sonic.

"Why do you think I did that?" She said meeting his gaze.

"You're gonna make me say it huh," He sighed with irritation. "You love Sonic."

"You're smarter than you look. You've proved that a couple of times now." She looked at him still with a gentleness he couldn't understand. "Can you do something for me?"

"What?" He asked as he sat up straight.

"Take this to Tails and stay with him till he's done." She said holding out a folded piece of paper.

x-x-x-x

Shadow had found Tails and told him what Amy had said. Tails didn't get to read the note until that evening, he'd been so busy trying to get communications back up throughout all the sectors, before anyone went home.

"So what's the message say?" Shadow asked as he leaned back in a chair with in the lab.

Tails was staring at the note with a bewildered look on his face. He turned to the computer. "She wants me to do a reenactment coordination. He was typing in some numbers on the computer. The screen that covered one wall suddenly blipped up an image from the battle.

Shadow recognized it instantly. "This is the where she saves the faker." He sighed annoyed that she would ask him to sit through this again.

Tails finished typing in the location and distant information. Then checked back over Amy's note to make sure he hadn't missed anything. He played the video. Shadow watched it as Tails played it three times. The image of Amy's pain reflected in his eyes. "How many times are we going to watch this?" He said suddenly standing up with a bit of anger.

"Shadow," Tails turned to the hedgehog with a look of pure surprise on his face.

"What?" He snapped, still angry.

"Can you not see it?" Tails rewound the video. "Look at this very closely." He pulled up some math on the screen to pinpoint his explanation. "Alright, if you do the math on that bot's throwing trajectory," He show the mathematical throwing distance of the bot, "and check it's targeting program," He motioned for Shadow to look at the screen carefully. "Shredder bots are designed with a better targeting system than the other bots, therefore they are program to always seek out the target furthest away, leaving the closer targets for the target-weak bots." Tails turned to his companion. "Shadow, Sonic was closest to that bot...you were the furthest away." He looked back at the screen. "Not to mention this." He turned the 3D image on the computer around so that Shadow and Sonic could be seen from Amy's point of view. When Tails pressed play and the video was watched through her eyes, one could see that from her line of sight Shadow was the only person in the strike zone, Sonic was completely out of the picture in her view.

Shadow watched as the video played in slow motion from Amy's point of view. She had been running to jump in front of those blades to save Shadow. He watched as Sonic only happen to move into her path when he was turning around to see what was happening. "He just...got in her way, she never had any intentions of saving Sonic...she was trying to save me..."

"Shadow, does this mean," Tails turned, but Shadow was gone.

Shadow was running to the infirmary, his mind was overwhelm he couldn't concentrate enough to go super speed. He flew through the entrance and was now approaching the door that lead to Amy's room. Ebony looked up as she heard Shadow coming. She held up her hands in a stopping motion. "Shadow wait, stop-"

Shadow pushed her a side and flew down the hall and threw open Amy's door. He stood huffing in the doorway. Amy was standing on the other side of the bed with a green towel gently clasped in front of her body. She had just finished taking a shower and was drying off. His eyes were locked with hers. "Why?" He said as he tried to catch his breath.

"It's a good question." She said standing there, with her eyes half open, that same gentle look as before. "After everything that's happen between us I don't know...during the end of the battle...when I ran outside, Sonic held me...I felt safe, warm, secure." She looked at Shadow as he stood at his full height now. "All the things you're supposed to feel when you love someone...or at least I thought..."

"What?" Shadow jumped over the bed and stood right in front of her.

"When the bot was targeting you, in that moment, I knew I couldn't live without you Shadow." She looked up at him with glossy wet eyes. "Every thought of life without you ran through my mind and I knew...I'd rather die than face that. I'd never see your crimsion eyes again or hear your voice call my name..." She blushed when she said the next few words "Not feeling your touch, your kiss, it's like no one else's." She looked up at him her eyes full of tears. "I care about Sonic, but I can't return his feelings...because I'm in love with you Shadow."

Suddenly she felt those strong arms wrapped around her body. He lifted her up into his grip. He was holding her against the wall as he kissed her deeply. She'd never felt such passion, even during the first time they'd made love, it'd been nothing like this. "Um..." She felt breathless as he finally released her.

"You know I'll never stop being selfish when it come to you." He said as he licked her neck. "I'll be jealous and rude, I'll be obscene in public just to show you're mine." He bit below her neckline. "I won't easily share you." He pulled the towel from her body, letting it fall to the side. "I'll ravish you constantly, make you yell out my name every time I embrace you." He kissed down her breasts and stomach then gently lifted back up to look into her eyes. "Will you still love me."

"Yes," She blushed as she felt hers hands interlock with hers. "I love you."

He pressed his lips to hers as he lifted her once more and placed her naked body on the bed. She was wet from her shower and her body was glistening and Shadow couldn't resist. "It's a shame you showered, seeing as how when I'm done you'll only need another one."

"S-Shadow." She said in a gentle embarrassed coo, and then blushed covering herself slightly.

"Did you not think I meant it when I said I'd ravish you?" He leaned over her as he kissed up her neck. "That was the part I meant the most." He placed one hand on her breast and the other between her legs as his chin rested over her shoulder. "Say it." He demanded as he kissed her jaw.

"I-I love you Shadow!" She said in a passionate gasp.

x-x-x-x-x

A few days had past and Shadow had spent every single one of them with Amy. The two had been totally inseparable. Finally Ebony, Tails, and Tikal had all agreed that Amy was well enough to leave the infirmary.

Amy and Shadow were walking out of the entrance of the hospital wing when Tikal approached them, standing a few yards back were all the others. Amy blinked as the peach echidna smiled at her. "We've been waiting for you to get better, and now that you are there's something I'd like to show you." She turned to the others. "Blaze, Mina you too." Amy noticed that Tikal had chosen three in particular along with all the others.

Amy couldn't believe the world outside the base. She didn't even know where she was at first. "W-Wow..." The snow had melted away, there was grass everywhere and even some tree sprigs had popped up.

"I told you the world was changing." Shadow said from behind her.

"Tikal, where are we going?" Amy asked. "And why are the three of us singled out?" She meant herself, Blaze, and Mina.

"I have a gift for everyone, but you three will call the loudest." She said before turning around. Amy had more questions, but before she asked them she noticed Tikal was humming in the next moment the hum became words.

It started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope, which then turned into a quiet thought, which then turned into a quiet word.

Amy realized that they were headed towards the core.

and then that word grew louder and louder until it was battle cry. I'll come back. When you call me. No need to say goodbye.

Tikal led Amy and the others over the ridge of the valley wall and down below was more beautiful than anything Amy had ever seen. It was filled with lush green grass and flowers were everywhere. In the center was the master emerald, as large as ever, shining brightly in the mid morning sun.

Tikal smiled at Amy as she continued her song.

Just because everything's changing doesn't mean its never been this way before. All you can do is try to know who your friends are as you head off to the war.

Once they were in the valley, Tikal pulled Mina, Amy, and Blaze forward. She made each of them hold out there hands, and then she nodded to Silver who came to stand by her side. He was holding a bag and as they went down the line Tikal pulled something from it and placed it in each of the girls hands.

Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light. you'll come back, when it's over. No need to say goodbye.

Mina received Espios wrist guards, Blaze was holding Ash's goggles, and Tikal placed Cream's blue ribbon in Amy's hands.

Now we're back to the beginning. It's just a feeling and no one knows yet. But just because they can't feel it too doesn't mean that you have to forget.

Silver and Tikal moved to stand beside the master emerald. Tikal motioned for the three to close their eyes. Each girl was thinking very hard about the person they missed most. Tikal smiled as the emerald began to glow brightly.

"Let your memories grow stronger and stronger till they're before your eyes. You'll come back when they call you. No need to say goodbye. you'll come back when they call you, no need to say goodbye."

When they opened their eyes they had to hold their arm up against the light, but when they looked again no one could believe what they saw.

Mina ran to Espio, even though he was transparent and glowing with a golden hew, he embraced her as if he were still alive. "Espio!" Her eyes were wet as she felt the familiar arms around her body.

Espio rested his head on top of Mina's as she nestled into him. "Come on Mina," He smiled. "Is that anyway for a leader to act." He held her chin up so that her eyes would meet his. "My beautiful second, now she's a beautiful leader."

"Leader..." Her eyes were still wet. "But only Tikal and I are left." She said gripping his arms tightly as if he would vanish any moment.

"You'll do more, and be more in this new world than simply the leader of five people." He said with a gentle smile as she embraced him once more.

Blaze was staring as Ash stepped out of the light. He was the same as Espio, glowing and colored with a golden shine. He approached her, a smooth grin on his lips, he touched his forehead against hers making her blush. "And here I was thinking I wouldn't get to say it to you too."

"What?" She blushed her eyes looking to the side as she nuzzled his cheek.

"I love you too." He kissed her temple. Their love was short and on a whim, but the tender moment bloomed all the same.

As the light grew brighter every person that had fallen in the robot war emerged from the shining stone. Tikal had managed to bring them all together one last time. The two groups of living and fallen warriors was mixing now. Friends reunited, broken families put back together, and lovers back in each other's arms, for however brief a moment.

"Tails." Honey was standing behind the fox. He turned quickly and saw her. His eyes grew large, she was so beautiful. She had the bright golden glow and unlike the others Honey had a pair of beautiful white angle wings.

He rubbed his eyes before looking at her again. "Wow...I knew you would make the most beautiful angel of all." He smiled as Honey ran up and hugged him.

Honey's arms were gently around his neck as she was on her toes to reach him. She opened her eyes and saw Marine. She flattened her feet once more and released Tails. "Don't worry Marine." She motioned for the raccoon to come over. She smiled and hugged her as well. "I just want to say thank you. I'm happy for you both. I still want you to keep your promise and take care of Tails alright." She smiled softly.

"Take care of me?" Tails blinked.

Honey had her arm around Marine as the two smiled. "Yeah, you will always need someone to watch your back." The two giggled making Tails blush.

Silver and Nack met with a fist five. "I can't believe it." Nack grinned. "Silver, leader of the North, has a warm spot for that sweet little West Sector medic?"

Silver blushed a bit. "Yeah, she's agreed to stay here with us, along with Mina of course."

"Sounds like a good idea." Nack smiled. "She and Mina would be lonely in the West."

"Yes with one condition on Mina's part." Silver said crossing his arms smiling.

"What's that?" Nack asked as he saw Tikal come to stand by Silver's side.

"We'll spend the summers here in the North and the winters in the West. She won't give up her and Espios home. During the time we're there we will be rebuilding the West base."

"Tikal," The purple weasel bowed to her. "Will your wonders ever cease?"

She smiled hugging and nuzzling Silvers arm. "This moment in time, the few fleeting minutes that we're all together again for the last time," She looked up at Nack. "Until we meet again as one single sector." She looked back to her dear Silver. "Until that time we will have to hold these moments dear to us as closely as possible." She looked across the way as Amy was coming up from the middle of the crowd toward the emerald.

Everyone smiled as Amy saw who was standing there with a golden glow and a shine bright with age. "Hello Amy." Cream held out her arms as her best friend ran to her.

"Cream!" Amy held the rabbit tightly. "I can't believe it." She said looking at her. "Y-You haven't aged a day." She said covering her eyes just a bit from the rabbits glow.

"Sorry about that." She smiled. "My glow is brightest because I've been like this a lot longer than the others."

"Oh I've missed you so much." Amy said as she cried a little. "I'm sorry about that day." She held Creams hands.

"Amy," She tilted her head to the side. "I never blamed you, it was never your fault." She hugged her friend. "I've kept an ear out for news about you. I heard lots of stories from other angles about your life." She released Amy and motioned upward. "I'm glad I could be hear when you finally get to see it."

Amy looked up into the beautiful clear blue. "Seventh Sky."

END

x-x-x-x Check out the Epilogue to see glimpse of the future x-x-x-x