only a little bit more
Fortunately, Shadow did not wake up in the air. When the kids touched down at the workshop runway, they were quick to realize he was very unconscious. His body had cooled down, his breathing had slowed, and worst of all, his heartbeat stopped. Sonic had initially panicked, but when Tails held a tube up to the adult's chest, they were both relieved to hear a very slow, and very faint heartbeat.
With more struggle, the duo managed to drag Shadow into the workshop, trying their hardest not to scrape him against the ground or knock him into objects. Eventually, they made it to the hangar, where Tails had a tarp laying on the ground. It was originally going to be used for repairs to the SeaFox, but the inventor never started the process. The Tornado was a bloody mess, but the two decided to wait to clean it up. Shadow was on the brink of death.
Upon laying the adult down, the two were at a loss. Shadow was absolutely covered from head to boots in dirty, bleeding wounds. Tails gagged again. This was going to be gross.
It took the children six hours to fully clean him out. Miles vomited twice and Sonic burst into tears. It was a full on miracle the elder didn't wake during the process. Goodness knows what could have happened if he did. There could have been some injuries - and not to Sonic and Tails. Applying bandages could have even been dangerous. Thankfully, there wasn't any reaction from him in the slightest.
What was once relief, soon turned to anxiety when Shadow didn't wake up at all. Long after the two brought him onto the couch for closer supervision, he remained unconscious. After two days, it became worrisome in the workshop, with Tails constantly checking for heartbeats and begging Sonic to let him go to the hospital.
Sonic refused. He knew deep down that wouldn't help Shadow, and he might even end back up on Prison Island. Tails wouldn't understand. Tails didn't even know. The young hedgehog didn't know how the fox would react to that news. Of all people for him to befriend, an escaped convict was not something Miles would approve of.
For days, Sonic would just sit, watching Shadow for any sign of life and trying his best to soothe any pain the elder might be feeling. Sonic had to be honest with himself. He didn't even know if he was caring for Shadow right. He just didn't know what to do. Hours were spent with his ear against the adult's bandaged chest - just listening with all his might for the faint thumping of the weak heart. The small paws would grab the fingers of Shadow's large, unmoving hand, begging Shadow to give some sign of coherency.
Tails was saddened one late night, just to see Sonic passed out next to the couch, dark circles and matted fur telling a story of worry and dedication. The Blue Blur barely left the adult's side. He spent his time talking to Shadow, telling him how the ARK made it back into space and how everyone was so happy about it. He read him the letters, explaining how they were written and describing the little pictures drawn inside. Often, he would lay on the floor, telling Shadow about the things Tails was working on. But the wounded hedgehog never responded. Shadow was still unconscious and never made any noise louder than a heartbeat.
It was painful for Sonic. He would go to bed at night, just crying from the stress and anxiety of the whole situation. Shadow didn't look good. He didn't move, barely breathed, and didn't even seem to listen to Sonic's voice. The young hedgehog actually worried that he had found Shadow too late. Perhaps his fate was already sealed… perhaps they were only delaying the inevitable….
Sometimes, while Tails was away, Sonic would shake at the adult, asking him to wake up. When it didn't work, the child would fall into a depression. It was heartbreaking to see Shadow in so much pain. He worried so much for the adult…
One day, Tails intercepted Sonic on his way down the stairs. The Blue Blur was beginning to look… sick.
"When's the last time you ate?" Tails asked.
"I...I don't remember…" The hedgehog mumbled back.
"Get your tail down to the kitchen and make yourself something." Tails sighed, floating upwards to get out of the way. Sonic weakly nodded. Miles was right. He needed to eat something.
A bagel was popped into the toaster, marking the beginning of Sonic's short wait time. He just stared at the shiny metal finish, looking at his own distorted reflection as the machine ticked on. When the toast finally was done, the loud pop did nothing to startle the young mobian. He was too tired and hungry to care what the toaster did. Sliding the hot bread out, Sonic buttered it.
Sitting down next to the couch, Sonic crunched on his food. The crumbs and bits of crust that fell onto his dull blue fur were brushed away with about as much enthusiasm as a student at a math test. The sun barely shone through the clouds, and the whole day was cast into a desaturated haze. A sigh escaped Sonic's lungs.
Leaning back, Sonic felt his dull quills push against the adult's limp arm. The young hedgehog did nothing about it and just rested there; sadly munching his bagel as he reflected on the past month. What an adventure.
Emerald eyes glanced up at the adult, watching the still hedgehog with a dejected look. What if Shadow never woke up? The horrible thought that crossed his mind shook the young mobian. What if Shadow never woke up? No one should be able to survive a fall from space, why was Shadow any different?
"Shadow…" Sonic whined, leaning against the adult's chest. The soft thumping gave him some reassurance. But how much more strength did he have? Was he on the brink of death?
"Please wake up…" The Blue Blur sniffed. He crawled on top of the adult, curling on his chest. The soft breathing could now be felt through the black fur as Sonic barely raised up and down. Tiny paws wrapped around the blue-furred knees as the young hero softly whimpered. Shadow…
"Please wake up…" Sonic whispered.
He rocked back and forth, trying to soothe himself as he wrestled with the fact Shadow might not make it out of this. It hurt - stinging at his heart to lose someone he tried so hard to save. It had been a week since they found him in the forest, he should have been showing signs of life by now, right?
Sonic sighed. Perhaps he had gotten his hopes up.
"Ger uff." A small voice whispered.
Sonic lifted his head. Someone had said that. But who?
"What?" Sonic asked, looking around the room.
"I said get off." Groaned Shadow, startling the young hero.
"SHADOW!" Sonic cried, wrapping his arms around the adult's neck. "I was so worried!"
Tears and sobs filled the room once again as Sonic embraced his friend - absolutely relieved and overjoyed that Shadow was finally okay. It was like a miracle. Tiny paws grasped onto the course coat, feeling the skin underneath as his eyes moistened the fur above.
"I missed you so much!" He hiccuped. "I thought you were dead and when I found you… you…"
"That's fine." Shadow gasped out, patting the young hedgehog on the head. "But I need you to get off. It really hurts."
"Oh!" Sonic exclaimed, pushing off the adult in a hurry. "I'm sorry…"
Shadow sat up, breathing in recovery before investigating the damage done to his body. Sonic cringed upon seeing all the bandages. Ouch.
"What… did you do?" Shadow pondered, running his hands along the miles of fabric wrapped around him. "This…"
"After I spent a month or two in the hospital, I went looking for you." Sonic admitted, grinding his heel against the rug and looking down. "I found you in Mystic Jungle…"
Sonic sniffed. It was tough thinking about the state Shadow was found in. He was really in a tough spot.
"You… you…" Sonic rubbed his arm on his nose. "You were almost dead - underneath all that dirt…"
Shadow visibly flinched. A short-lived distant look crossed his eyes as he sat, seemingly upset by the news he heard.
"Yes…" Shadow mumbled. "I...I remember…"
The large hand shot up around his head, grasping the bandage Tails had wrapped around the deep, painful gash. Sonic's jaw dropped in stunned horror as he began to unwind it, dropping the curled fabric onto his shoulders as he went.
"Shadow!" Sonic screeched, racing over. "What are you doing?"
Before Sonic could stop the adult, the deed was done; leaving the young hedgehog in even more surprise than before. The wound… was gone.
"Wha… how...but…" Sonic sputtered, trying to formulate the words in his mouth.
Shadow continued, unwrapping the other bandages around him. More and more blood stained cotton dropped to the floor as he went on.
"You- you just fell from space?" Sonic wheezed, sitting down on the rug. "How are you…"
"I'm the world's Ultimate Life Form." Shadow flatly responded. "I was made to be tough."
Clarity struck Sonic's head. That explained… everything. The diary, the prototype, the entire adventure. It was because Shadow… was PROJECT SHADOW. Or at least the final result of it. The realization hit Sonic so hard, he just sat there in complete shock as Shadow undid the rest of his bandages.
And that is when Tails came in from the workshop.
"Hey Sonic I ju- HOLY MOTHER OF CHAOS!"
Tails might have well jumped straight into the rafters. All he saw (without context) was Sonic looking shell shocked on the floor, Shadow standing up, and a pile of bandages laying on the carpet. The small fox's face grew paler than it already was, and his jaw pretty much dropped to the floor.
"Shadow!" He coughed, flying over to the adult. "How are you- how did you-"
"The professor gave me advanced healing abilities." Shadow responded, kneeling down to look over the distressed blue hedgehog.
"But you were practically dead!" Tails shrieked.
"You didn't breath! You didn't move! You only barely had a heartbeat!" Sonic cried, leaping off the floor. "I thought you were going to die!"
"You guys.. don't hibernate?" Shadow asked, genuinely confused by the childrens' outburst. "Don't hedgehogs hibernate?"
"Not anymore!" Sonic articulated. "We haven't had to for hundreds of years!"
"Oh…" Shadow mumbled, a little surprised by this information. "Well... I do that when I need to heal..."
"Need to heal?" Tails puffed, a little aggravated. "You fell from space!"
"Look, I didn't expect to come out of this alive either. " Shadow sighed. He pinched his brow before crumpling onto the rug with a pained groan, holding his abdomen in pain.
"Ugh… looks like I haven't healed all the way yet…"
"Will you… will you…?"
"Another week, and I should be fine."