Ch. 6 Making Peace not War

"Shadow you seem to be distracted. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Shadow stirred from his thoughts and turned to look at Dr. Baker from his seat. He took note of her professional smile; not showing to much concern, as to not alarm him, but not showing too little, so he knew she was attentive. The dark male sighed and bit back his pride. If he danced around his issues, she would just get it out of him eventually. What was it with women being able to see through him?

"I… did something very selfish."

The woman across from the dark hero leaned back in her chair,

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Shadow shifted in his seat making himself more comfortable as well, "I know what I did was stupid and petty. I don't need you to tell me. And I know I have to fix it or I…"

"Your conscience will get the better of you if you don't?" Julia guessed.

"More or less. Maria wanted me to protect this planet and my actions may be combating her request."

Julia flinched slightly at Shadow's mention of the deceased girl, but soon regained her composure. This was the first-time Shadow spoke of her without prompting. The small woman waited patiently in silence, hoping the male would continue. Shadow sensed this and to her surprise humored the human.

"Maria once told me that her dream was to get better and go to earth. Then she would become a doctor slash dancing, botanist. I would tell her that would be great except for the fact she had two left feet."

Shadow chuckled slightly to himself envisioning his friends pouty face as she playfully flicked his nose. His voice trailed off and the silence fell over the two again.

"I apologize, but I'm not really feeling up to this today."

Julia reached into her file cabinet and pulled out a pad of paper for writing prescriptions,

"That's fine Shadow, we can end early today. Let me just give you that prescription I was talking about."

Shadow watched as she wrote down the details to his new medicine in sloppy hand writing. She had informed him at the beginning of their session that she had a diagnosis for his "episodes" he would sometimes experience. She called it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She had claimed that many soldiers had it, and that it was nothing to be ashamed of. Julia had mentioned however that she wished she could take him out of the action like a normal soldier, but apparently that was not an option in his case. She had been very upset to that fact. She really was trying he best with what she was allowed, Shadow thought to himself.

"Here you go." The woman said as she tore the paper from the pad and handed it to Shadow.

Shadow nodded and looked at the slip. Honestly, he wasn't planning on taking the stuff. He had been just fine without it and due to his biology, it might not have any effect any way. But Shadow didn't feel like arguing, so he replied with a simple,

"Thank you."

—-

Later Shadow met up with Rouge and Omega to head home. The bat leaned against her car and gave the hog an expecting glance.

"What?" Shadow said as he rounded the vehicle to the passenger side door.

"Nothing." The female answered throwing her hands up in the air in mock defense.

They both seated themselves and buckled up. Omega glanced between the two organic life forms,

"I am detecting emotional tension."

"Me too," Shadow said side eyeing his friend, "What's wrong?"

Rouge shook her head,

"Nothing is wrong. I mean we have been around each other most of the day and you haven't really said too much to me. Is there nothing you need to tell me? Nowhere we need to go? Nothing to do?"

Shadow caught on and dead panned,

"You were told about the prescription, weren't you?"

"yes sir, so give that paper to me so I can call it in."

Shadow groaned like a teen who had just been told to clean their room or they couldn't go out with friends. He pulled the slip of paper out of his quills and handed it over, still not wishing to argue. Just because he got the medication didn't mean she could force him to take it. After the call Rouge put her cell phone back in her purse and drove out of the parking garage,

"Alright we have some time to kill before we got to go pick up your drugs from the dealer."

Shadow snorted at the bats words then turned with a small smirk on his face,

"Are you hungry?"

Rouge cocked a brow at Shadow,

"I can always eat. Why are you hungry?"

Shadow softened his features which was enough to make anyone melt,

"Sort of. I mostly just wanted to see Greg."

—-

The gang sat at their usual table, chowing down on their food. The children had finally decided to leave Omega be for the moment and ran off. They couldn't quietly enjoy their meal for long though. Soon a pink and very bouncy hedgehog bounded up to the three in overwhelming excitement.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe we ran into each other. Long time no see."

Shadow rolled his eyes at the overly used phrase, that he wasn't sure if it was an inside joke between Sonic's friends or not. The pink female who he recognized as Amy rose chortled about with Rouge who was way better at making small talk then he ever could be. Apparently, she was taking a flight to Spangonia to visit a friend for a few weeks and had decided to grab a bite to eat before she had to be at the airport. Suddenly the girl turned to Shadow,

"Shadow! I haven't seen you since you helped me find cream in that castle. Thanks for that by the way. Also, I guess thank you for kind of saving the whole planet from world domination."

Shadow was shocked at the recognition he was receiving. Usually the girl couldn't go a sentence without raving how great Sonic was, so it was strange to have her recognize that he saved the day that time; not Sonic.

"Your welcome, Miss Rose." Was all he could think to say.

Amy turned her attention back to Rouge but then glanced back at Shadow with intrigue,

"Did I… interrupt something?"

"Our dinner? Yes." Shadow stated flatly.

Rouge was more susceptible to what the pink girl was hinting at than Shadow,

"Me and grumpy over there are not on a date, if that's what you are asking."

Shadow spit out a little of the water he was drinking back into the cup.

—-

After the meal team dark packed themselves up and piled into the car. Rouge drove to the pharmacy and to Shadows surprise she only had to lay on the horn once; when she felt like the person in front of her was driving too slowly. The poor person was actually going the speed limit. They went around the pharmacy pick up and Rouge cursed when she saw the line of cars,

"Come on let's go in, that's going to be faster than this, bull shit."

Shadow laughed silently at his crazy friend and then exited the car,

"Omega stay here."

"Affirmative"

Shadow fallowed Rouge into the establishment. Rouge pulled hard at the old doors that could honestly use some oil. The pharmacy itself was a bit dingy and old; it must be the only one near club Rouge that isn't rubble. Rouge walked up to the counter and spoke with the pharmacist who went to see if the prescription was ready. Suddenly something on the small tv hanging in the corner caught her eye. Sonic was on television, well a picture of him. It was one of those fake news gossips shows. The cat on screen with way too much make up on, even by Rouge's standards, was talking about Sonic being spotted in the down town area. The picture of the blue hero was not too flattering, Sonic had a donut in his mouth and either the camera they used was cursed or the picture was photo shopped, because Sonic looked like he had gained thirty pounds. Nope… not lean bean Sonic, Rouge thought, but then something the woman on screen said grabbed her attention,

"Sonic the hedgehog told our reporter that he was searching for Dr. Eggman, then refused to disclose any more information before rudely pushing away the camera man, is this how the hero of Mobious treats their fans?"

Rouge rolled her eyes at the last statement,

"well well looks like Sonic is on to him too, huh Shadow. Shadow?"

Rouge turned around to find her dark friend standing by the doors holding them open; stopping it with a nearby wooden wedge. Shadow then walked through the doors and entered a second later wheeling in a young boy in a wheel chair. The boy was smiling and thanking the hog. Apparently, the disabled button on the outside to open the doors was not working, and the tween squirrel had been stuck and couldn't get in.

—-

Shadow approached the counter and just as the pharmacist had returned with the prescription Shadow jabbed a thumb in the direction of the door,

"The disabled access button is broken."

"O-oh thank you s-sir." The man at the counter stuttered out, intimidated by the dark presence staring back at him.

Shadow tended to put a lot of humans off with his eyes. He couldn't understand it. Mobians tended to have eyes of all colors; what was so different about his? Perhaps it wasn't his eyes at all, perhaps it was the aura he gave off. Whatever it was Shadow was more thankfully he had it than not. It made things… easier, if people kept away.

Rouge stared down the male as they walked out of the building.

"What now?" Shadow snapped at the bat.

"What kind of dude acts like he's Billy bad ass, then helps a disabled kid out of no were and then scares the shit out of an innocent man a second later?"

"That man is fine, it's not my fault."

—-

Shadow opened the door to his loft and took his shoes off at the entrance way. he threw his meds on the counter top then removed his gloves. The male proceeded to empty his quills of their contents. He pulled out a file Julia had given him on his creation that he had requested; maybe the contents would give him more information on how he was made and what sub species of hedgehog he was. He then pulled out a pen, his G.U.N ID card, a hair brush Rouge had told him to hold on to and then forgot about, and finally his chaos emerald. Shadow hopped into the shower thoroughly riding himself of the day's filth. After he was done, he stepped out and wrapped his towel around his waist. He walked over to one of the various windows in his new home and opened it to let out the steam that had built up in the enclosed space. Shadow took a moment to gaze out at the city in the distance and all the people turning on the light to the floors of the far off sky scrapers as the sun began to set.

Shadow took his towel and began to dry off his head by tussling it over himself vigorously.

Whooosh!

Shadow paused and peaked out from his towel cowering his eyes. He caught a glimpse of a flash of blue zipping through the streets bellow. The hero blinked for a moment then turned to his counter top. He stared at the bright green gem sitting upon it for a moment, then on a last second decision scrambled to put his clothes on.

—-

"Are you sure? These readings don't lie, Sonic. The last emerald is somewhere in the city."

"I've searched everywhere."

"Sonic… are you telling me the truth? I feel like you know where it is but you won't retrieve it for some reason."

Sometimes that kid was just too smart for his own good, Sonic thought while talking to his best friend over his communication devise. The truth was Sonic was waiting. Suddenly the blue hog felt a spike of energy in the air and then heard foot steps behind him,

"Hold that thought Tails."

Sonic whipped around to find Shadow standing behind him with an unreadable expression. The dark hero's fur was visibly damp and he looked to be slightly disheveled. Sonic made a short wave with his hand.

"Hey ya Shadz. He he. We just keep running into each other, don't we?"

"Here," Shadow said cutting Sonic off, "Take it."

Shadow thrust the emerald into Sonic's hands. The blue hero looked to the shinning vermilion stone and then gave Shadow a soft smile, but before he could say anything Shadow cut him off again,

"I'm counting on you, so don't let everyone down."

The dark male looked off to the side not wanting to risk eye contact. Shadow waited to be called out on what he had done the few days prior but that didn't happen. Instead Sonic tucked the emerald into his quills and said,

"Thank you, Shadow."

"Yeah well…" Shadow wanted to respond with a witty come back, but found himself unable in the moment.

"You know," Sonic began with sincerity in his voice, "you can come with and we could team up… if you want."

Shadow was stunned and realized he had forgotten to breath. He raised his head in the direction of his rival but then shook it,

"No… no I can't. I'm needed here. You are more than enough to handle this."

Sonic took the indirect complement with a smirk,

"Well… in that case I need you to hold down the fort; make sure everyone is okay on your end, promise you will?"

Shadow stood still but then nodded,

"Always."

Sonic gave a signature smirk and tuned to dash off to his next destination,

"Cool. I'll be seeing you around dude."

Sonic was gone.

—-

Shadow made it back home and walked up to his loft. The entire way he kept the same stone-cold expression but as soon as he had closed the door behind himself, he was unable to contain himself any further. His heart swelled with pride and he silently fist pumped the air with a cocky smile plastered on his muzzle. Sonic had wanted him to help, he had seen him as useful, he had… why did Shadow care? Maybe it was because they respected each other. Sonic saw value in his attributes just as much as Shadow saw in him. If the hero of Mobious, everyone's savior thinks Shadow is needed, then it must be true… right?