Chapter 1

Bartleby grinned as they stepped out of the station. They were home. He hugged his wife. "We're home, Sonia." He told her, watching her eyes scan the city. Recognition shimmered in her coal-black eyes for a brief moment before it dimmed.

"It looks familiar. I know I've been here before but it's just…. It's so fuzzy… I don't think I was in this part of the city too much though or I'd remember more," Sonia justified her confusion as they headed down the street.

Bartleby took a deep breath as he looked around. "Looks as though the new air scrubbers have been installed. It's looking much better already." He smiled. "Usually, being in the city gives me an asthma attack."

Sonia squeezed his hand. "It looks like it used to be beautiful." She looked around as they walked down the street.

They were nearing the hospital when a couple of voices caught their ears as they called out. "Sonia! Sonia! You're back!" A mouse with shoulder-length red hair accompanied by a tan lion with an orange mane ran over. Sonia fought the shyness that welled up in her. She knew these people. She had to or they wouldn't call her name.

"Um, hello… it's… it's good to see you…" She stammered. She tried to put names to the faces but they all swam together and she groaned, bending over with pain.

His hand squeezed hers and he stroked her hair. "Hey, guys. Sonia, Cyrus, and Trevor are friends you only recently met over the last couple of years. You worked with them."

Sonia nodded gratefully while the lion and mouse looked at each other curiously. "How are you doing? I hope work hasn't been too crazy while I was gone."

Cyrus' cocked his eyebrow and looked at Bartleby. "What's going on?" He asked. "What did you do to her? And where are Sonic and Manic?"

The mink sighed. "There was… there was an incident. Aleena kidnapped them and used a memory potion on them. Look, can we discuss this elsewhere. I'm worried about Uncle. How is he? Is he still in the hospital?"

Trevor nodded. "He's still unconscious. Dingo won't let anyone get near him. He said he needed your permission first."

Bartleby gaped at him. "He's still asleep. It's been over a week! Yes, please, let us see him first. Then we'll explain."

Sonia nodded. "Yes, I have to see Father." When both mouths dropped heavily, she knew she'd said something odd. "What is it?"

Bartleby shook his head. "Nothing dearest. Please, let's go to the hospital to see him. Make sure he's okay and I will tell you everything."

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll wake up soon. Heart attacks are exhausting."

"I hope so but please. I'll explain better there. Please, I beg you to try and understand." He whispered. "For her sake."" He pleaded.

Cyrus looked at the pink-haired hedgehog and then to Bartleby. "We'll try. Let's go…"

Aleena looked around at the remains of their burned-out apartment. She could easily fix it but it was what the apartment represented. She had spent twenty years in this apartment, hiding from a man just under three-thousand miles away. Now it was a mess of burnt wood. The bed sat there like a man guilty of a terrible crime. It was black on the top and she could see the melted mattress material beneath it. The wood was charred.

"What are you going to do?" She heard the wolf ask her. She looked up in shock.

"Geez, you scared me. You need a cowbell. Where are the boys?" She asked him.

Sleet looked around at the mess as he replied. "They're back at my apartment doing their weekend homework. Manic was working on his weekend homework and ran out of milk so I'm really on a milk run but I saw you come up here."

She nodded. "I can fix this place up easily with my magic, and I will because my landlord shouldn't have to deal with this. But…" She went over to the jewelry box that was untouched by the fire. "I coated this with a fireproof spell." She opened the box and pulled out the envelope. Sleet saw the rose gold ring but she closed the box before he could comment. "I've decided to accept Mr. Montclair's gift. I have to accept my daughter's decision. And… if she ever decides she wants to come back, she just needs to say so…" She took a deep breath.

The wolf nodded. "I'm going down to get that milk. See you across the street." He left the room. He wondered if she meant what she said. She seemed to run hot and cold.

Down in the small convenience store underneath the apartment, Sleet went to the cold cabinet to get a jug of milk. He froze when he saw one of the smaller cartons of milk. He chuckled and took a jug from the back. He took a moment to scan the shelves and grabbed a carton of eggs and a four-pack of butter sticks.

When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors and nurses gladly let Bartleby and Sonia back. When Bartleby asked, they allowed the two freedom fighters to join them. They could hear two voices talking back and forth.

"Sleet's email said they were on their way back. They should be here soon," a heavily-accented voice said as the nurse opened the door for them. A large orange jackal with a golden mane stood with a red-headed fox. "You're back!"

The red-headed fox took a deep breath of relief. "Oh, Sonia!" She ran at the hedgehog, hugging her tightly. "I was so worried about you."

Sonia smiled at the vixen. A name flashed in her mind. "Mindy!" She returned the hug. She pulled away. "How is Father doing?"

Two new sets of eyes stared at her with shock. Cyrus turned dark eyes towards Bartleby. The mink nodded. "Go sit with him, dearest. I'm going to go talk to our friends. Mindy, I'll explain later but can you stay with her?"

Mindy nodded as she led Sonia to the bed where the man lay. An oxygen mask covered his face and an IV line went from his thick arm to a bag of pain medication. His round belly heaved up and down, moving the electrodes on his shaved chest just slightly.

The mink led the two rebels out of the room and sighed. "There was… there was an incident. Aleena kidnapped them and used a memory potion on them. She's convinced that Robotnik was only using the ball to lure her into a trap."

Cyrus rolled his eyes. "And you're going to try and say he wasn't? I was there. I saw it. He proposed to her. You're going to say that wasn't a trick?"

"It wasn't a trick or lure. He really meant it when he proposed but she flipped out. They met using the dating website I created. Life Connections," Bartleby explained. "That's what started all of this. I just wanted to help and I wanted to be with my darling Sonia."

Trevor covered Cyrus's mouth. "I've heard of it. Renez and I use it to communicate when we can't get together. She lives all the way in Anez."

The blond man smiled. "Good. I thought it would be a great way for lonely people to find each other. But Aleena reacted badly and now… Sonia's memory is splintered. She remembers me, her husband, and her best friend since childhood. She's got bits and pieces that she sort of recalls. But as you saw, she thinks Robotnik is her father. She doesn't remember the last three years at all. Which is why the two of you were strangers to her."

Cyrus clenched his fists. "She lost her memory and you took advantage of it. You're low! Telling her that Robotnik is her father."

The mink sighed. "I didn't take advantage of anything. She just woke up and started calling him her father. I don't get it either but I'm also hesitant to correct her. Aleena said that if her real memories were called up too fast, she could end up catatonic or worse. Please, I beg you, try to understand. Don't lie to her or anything but there's no reason to be too specific or try to trigger anything. We need to let it come back slowly." He looked into the small window on the door. Sonia was sitting beside the old man, holding his limp hand while a nurse mopped his glistening brow with a cloth.

Trevor followed his gaze and nodded. "Sonia was always the strongest of us. Mentally and physically. Seeing her look so confused and dazed. Where are Sonic and Manic?"

Bartleby sighed. "They stayed behind. They're going to school and their memories are still gone. I had to get Sonia out before something terrible happened but they didn't want to leave. Sleet stayed behind with them. If they get their memories back and want to come home, he'll bring them home."

Cyrus took a deep breath. "This is really happening? She chose you and now she doesn't even know who we are? Queen Aleena is a good mother, she would never hurt Sonia."

"She would never intentionally hurt her but she would do anything to protect her daughter," Trevor said. "Cyrus, she could have been mistaken. Let's give this guy a chance. Aleena's obviously not coming back. We might as well accept the peace that we've been given."

Bartleby nodded. "Aleena has officially abdicated the throne. She doesn't want it and she wants the fighting to stop." He offered Trevor a letter with Aleena's seal on it.

The mouse accepted the letter and read it quickly. "I'll pass this on." He pocketed the letter. "Cyrus, let's leave them be. They had a long journey and I'm sure they want to rest."

The lion reluctantly let his friend pull him from the hospital. He wanted to stay and make Sonia remember him. However, he knew it wasn't the right time.

Manic took the ingredients that Fenri brought home. He used milk, heavy whipping, eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla to make a custard. The silver wolf examined the concoction as it cooled and thickened. He used a gloved finger to take a small amount of the creamy confection. Manic watched as the older man tasted it. He blushed for reasons he didn't fully understand. "What do you think?"

"Very good," Fenri said as he nodded. "Just the right amount of sweet. Did you follow the recipe the teacher gave us?" He asked as he read the recipe card. "A cup of sugar?"

Manic shook his head. "Gods no. After the lemon bar incident, I knew a cup of sugar was way too much. I did just three tablespoons."

Fenri nodded approvingly. "Good catch. A cup of sugar would have had you wondering what planet you were on." He chuckled as the door opened.

Aleena joined the two of them at the counter. "So, son, what is your homework this weekend?"

"Custard-filled thumbprint cookies. The dough is chilling now. How does the apartment look, Mom?" Manic asked as he set the oven to preheat at three-hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

Aleena sighed. "It's gone but don't worry, boys." She looked over to Sonic who was sitting at the dining room table, reading his textbook, and taking notes. "Tomorrow morning, we'll be moving into our new home. I hope it's okay that we stay tonight, Mr. Lycon. It's just getting too late in the day and I'd hate to interrupt Manic's homework."

Fenri nodded. "Of course ma'am. You can have my room. The boys and I will take the living room."

Sonic cocked an eyebrow curiously. "New home, mom? That was quick." He asked.

"Not really. I was looking and Murray was helping me," she explained and the blue hedgehog shrugged. He supposed that made sense. "I know we've loved living in that tiny apartment, it was so simple. But this will be better. You'll each have your own rooms. It's high time."

Manic grinned. "Yes! Our own rooms! I can't wait!" He couldn't wait to have Fenrir over to the new home after they'd moved in. He couldn't wait to see his new room. He couldn't wait to see what the kitchen would look like.

AN: The story is starting to progress. Sonia and Bartleby are home, Robotnik is still unconscious. The question becomes, is Robotnik really her father from her previous life, or was that all a dream from the Oracle to make her past easier to stomach? Will she ever remember her friends and her life from the last few years? Will the peace that Robotnik promised really be or will the Resistance gum up the works? And what was it about the small milk carton that amused Sleet so.