Chapter 17.

The Other Side.

Tails woke up without any pain in his chest. However, his head still throbbed. He squinted his eyes as he opened them. He didn't expect to find himself in a white room. Then he felt. The medication in the IV tube going into his body, via his left arm. And he felt that something had been stuck up his nose.

'An oxygen feed.'

His head obviously still throbbing, Tails closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but when he did, his chest suddenly started to throb, and rather badly. He soon found himself coughing violently. And before he knew it, a team of doctors and nurses were in the room, obviously trying their very best to keep him alive. Tails then felt it. The fox felt himself barely slipping out of what seemed to him, like a shell. He felt himself slowly drifting away from everything he ever loved- and everyone he ever loved. Tails barely opened his eyes, but the only thing he saw were the faces of the doctors and nurses, everything else around him was surrounded in a black void. The last thing Tails heard was a doctor yelling his name, trying to keep him alive, then everything went completely black...

Three hours later...

"Sonic. Knuckles. Amy. Sticks."

The four of them looked up at who had called their names. It was none other than Fara. And she had a blank look on her face. And from the way she spoke their names, the four could tell right away that something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Fara?" Amy stood up from where she was sitting down.

Fara had tears rolling down her face and muzzle.

"There's no time. We have to go. And now."

"Wait? What?" Both Sonic and Knuckles asked her.

Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks all grabbed a hold of their IV poles and followed Fara out of Knuckles and Sticks' assigned medical patient room.

"What in Chaos is happening?" Sticks asked as she followed her friends down the hallway and towards the Intensive Care area. Soon, they were led to an Intensive Care patient room, and as soon as they made, Kim walked out of the room. Right away, Sonic saw Cody and Chad in there. He knew what was coming next. Nobody needed to tell him, he just knew. And from the looks on Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks' faces, Sonic knew that they also knew what was bound before them.

Sonic stuttered. "Is- is he-"

Kim looked sadly at him. "Yes. Go."

Amy gulped immediately as she and the rest walked into the room. Cody barely waved, then glanced at the floor. Chad got up from where he was sitting and hugged Fara. Sonic slowly looked towards the medical bed, where the person who was laid on it was none other than Tails. The kid looked very weak. And from the way his face looked, also very drained. An oxygen feed had been installed into his tiny nose. And the worst part of all, the cub's eyes were closed. Also, from the way Tails sounded, it sounded like he was barely hanging on to dear life. His bangs had dropped to one side of his forehead and somewhat down his face. Despite all that, the fox's goggles were still on his forehead. Sonic, Amy, and Knuckles looked at the barely living fox laying in the hospital bed. Sticks soon placed a hand in the fox's hand. Sonic walked over to the bedside and sat down in a chair that he had grabbed. The hedgehog then placed a hand on Tails' shoulder. The fox's chest barely rose with each ragged breath. Then all of a suddenly, the fox's eyes flickered. His hand moved slightly. Tails then tried to speak, only to find out that his voice was scratchy. Fara immediately hushed him. His eyes finally opened up somewhat. His whole body shook as he slightly glanced around the room. Tails smiled weakly as he saw his friends. Suddenly, the fox squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to talk again.

"Tails, it's okay bud." Sonic whispered. "Let one of us do the talking."

Amy explained what had gone off before. She told Tails where he was, and what had became of him. Tails only nodded, and with each sentence he heard being spoken to him he seemed to stir a little bit more.

"The base," Tails finally said.

"You got that right bud," Sonic said, "the Regency's base."

"Water," Tails said with a raspy voice.

Fara grabbed a hold of a cup and a pitcher full of water and poured him a glass. Tails' throat felt really sore. Fara then placed the glass to his lips and helped him drink it slowly while Sonic gently lifted the fox's head off the medical pillow.

"How did we get back?" Tails asked.

At least, the four Team Sonic members were overjoyed to be talking to Tails that Sticks choked as she spoke.

"The Acadian Military rescued us."

Tails choked.

"What... about... my... uncle?"

"He's safe and sound." Amy answered.

"Esmer?.. Tauren?" Tails choked out.

"They're okay too." Sonic said.

"Jerek...?"

"Last I heard, he's helping your aunt Kari set up medical centers for the masses to get the actual antidote."

Tails barely opened his eyes and looked at Sonic. The fox smiled when he saw the hedgehog cry, tears streaming down his face.

"Hey... I saw... that..." Tails spoke weakly, "i-it's... gonna.. be o-okay..."

"Tails, you listen to me," Fara said, "you are going to be just fine, okay?"

Chad spoke up. "You'll pull through this."

"No..." Tails choked.

The kid closed his eyes and placed a hand in Sonic's. Then he weakly smiled. His hand fell to the bed.

"I-I'm... ready.." Tails barely whispered.

"Of course you are," Amy said. "You'll need to get better first; then we'll be going home. And you with us."

Tails choked. "No... you... all... don't un-understand..."

"What do you mean Tails?" Chad asked.

Tails smiled. "I-I'm.. ready.. for... home..."

"Tails, we get that." Fara said.

The kid only shook his head on the pillow. Then he weakly lifted his head off the pillow.

"I-I mean... home.. in... the.. Other Side.."

Sonic felt a chill snake its way through his body.

"Tails, we know that you've been through a lot; and look, you're still here. You need to fight this."

The fox child tried to sit up in the bed, but was too weak to even do so.

"Three... hours ago.. I.. I-I... felt.. my.. life.. slip away.. so s-sorry g-guys.. but I-I'm not... gonna... make.. it..."

"No, Tails. You're one little tough guy. Don't give up now, please?" Amy choked, trying her very best not to lose it.

Tails looked at her, then he smiled.

"S-sorry.."

"Tails? No." Sonic sighed.

Tails closed his eyes. "Mom... D-Dad.. I-I-I'm coming..."

"Huh?" Knuckles said.

"Hey!" Sticks snapped. "You'll get to see them soon enough."

"Just hang on." Chad said.

Suddenly, Kim reentered the room.

"Can I say something to you all a moment, please?"

Sonic leaned closer to Tails. "We'll be back... just hold on, okay bud?"

Tails closed his eyes and smiled, nodding his head in the process.

Kim spoke to them.

"As a friend who's just about to lose someone you love, it's one thing. But for a doctor or a nurse; it's a whole different perspective. The only reason why Miles chose to hold on was because he knew that you all would come see him one final time."

"Then why is he not fighting this virus?" Sonic asked Kim. "Tails cannot die; I will not let him. He's... he's my little... little bro.."

Kim looked Sonic dead in the eye.

"This is not you fight. As my father told me as a kid. 'When someone is ready to move on from this world, it's okay to cherish the moments. But when the time comes for that person to cross the line from this world and into the next, burn the ships, not the moments.'"

Sonic sniffed. Kim placed her hands in his.

"And now, I'm telling you this. It's time to cut the ties and burn the ships. Not the moments that will be with you forever after he goes to the Other Side."

"Yes. But not now." Sonic said.

Kim looked at him still.

"Have you ever thought of this? Like I said, this is not your battle. If your friend, or brother, decides it's time for him to pass on to the Other Side, then do not stop him. Because when you try to, you're actually in fact, trying to be selfish."

Ouch. That cut Sonic right to the heart. The Blue Blur was not expecting those words of wisdom at all.

"Trust me; I've been there. I seen it happen before to other patients."

Sonic only nodded his head. Then he and the rest returned to Tails. His eyes were closed. His bangs were a mess. Tiny white beads formed at the left corner of his mouth. And the fox child was barely moaning. Suddenly, his eyes flickered. He smiled.

"They want to see me."

"Who..?" Cody choked as he held the tears back. "Who?"

Tails opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"I-I'm sorry, but I have.. to leave now.."

Whereas everyone else tried to keep their composure, Sonic wanted to yell. He wanted to run far, far away from all of this. But he knew that Tails needed him in the final moments of the kid's life. He had to think of Tails, not himself. But it was very hard for him to do so. He just didn't know what life would be like without his best friend; no, his little brother- his baby bro. Sonic and Tails had been through so much in life; name it all. The good. The bad. The ugly. The trials. The triumphs. The victories. The defeats. The joy. The pain. The thick. The thin. The mountains. The valleys. The highs. And the lows. Name it all; they have went through it all.

"Tails, I'll be fine." Sonic finally said.

Tails smiled as he closed his eyes again. "They're calling me."

"Who?" Fara whispered. Tails didn't respond.

Sonic buried his face in his hands, He and Tails had been through so much of life together.

Kim gently placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder,

"It's time. Time for you all to cut the ties and burn the ships."

Sonic summoned all his strength and grabbed a hold of Tails' hand.

"Tails," he whispered, "you've been the best little brother that I ever had in all my life. And now, I know it hurts to say this, but if you really want to go to the Other Side, then go. I'm not going to stop you buddy. You have been so brave. So smart. So caring. And, so.. so loving. I'll forever remember you.. Tails."

Tails smiled. A single tear escaped one eye and rolled down the length of his left cheek.

"You've got this bud. I'm gonna miss you." Sonic choked.

"I don't want you to go, but it seems as if you and I got no other choice but to let you go. I want you to live your final moments in harmony. Don't regret leaving me, Amy, Knuckles, Sticks, and the rest."

"I-I.. feel... like a... jerk.. Sonic..." Tails choked. "I-I don't wanna.. leave... you... guys.. I-I feel.. like... I... let... you... all.. down..."

Sonic frowned a little, but not much.

"Tails, what did I tell you? Don't beat yourself up."

Tails opened one eye. "You'll be fine?"

"Yeah. But do me one favor?" Sonic said.

"Anything." Tails whispered as he shut his one eye.

Sonic closed his eyes and placed his head next to Tails'.

"When you get to the Other Side, will you go and see my parents for me?"

Tails raised his head off the pillow a few inches and looked straight at Sonic. The fox saw that through the tears, the hedgehog was smiling.

"I will. And I'll also tell them that they raised such an upright son, because you were the best big brother that anybody ever had."

He smiled again, then he rested his head on the pillow. A few minutes passed. Everybody in the room watched as Tails began to fade. The fox's breathing grew erratic. Fara cried silently.

Sonic leaned in close to Tails' head.

"I love you," he whispered.

The fox's eyes were halfway opened.

"Love you." Tails whispered.

Then his chest fell. And in the next moment, everything grew black for Tails as his friends' faces faded away from his sight, then he saw nothing but a black nothingness...

Tails looked all around him. Nothing but the black nothingness that had crept into his eyes. He yelled into the pitch black. Nothing. Nobody. He was in total darkness. Yet at the same time, he felt perfectly at peace with this black nothingness that was cloaking itself all around him. He was silent. Tails just stood there. He put a hand in front of him, okay; he saw that. No wonder why he felt peaceful. The fox scratched his head. He felt no pain at all. No pain. No sadness. No sorrow. No weeping. No fear. None of it. Tails smiled. The last thing he heard before slipping into this blackness was his friends shouting his name, but that was when he was transported into this black nothingness. Suddenly, Tails' ears shot up straight. He heard something... no, wait. Tails heard someone. And the best thing of all was that that someone was peacefully calling his name. Tails looked to his left, then his right. he looked behind him. Nothing. Then he heard the sweet voice again. It was the voice of a female anthropomorphic woman that was calling his name. It sounded familiar to him. Was it Any, Sticks, or Fara coming to get him out of the dark? Something immediately clicked inside Tails' mind. Like it was telling him to look to his right. So when he did, he immediately saw right away that there was a bright, bright white light shining towards him. Then he saw them. The two figures, just standing there, in the light. Suddenly, the white light shined all around Tails. And soon, he found himself standing in a field of bright colored flowers. He immediately plucked one off its stem, and was amazed as he saw the stem regrow itself with a brand new flower head. Tails suddenly felt a joy in his heart. He looked to his right again, and saw the same two figures, but this time, rather than just standing there, they were walking towards him. Then like a fire suddenly being set ablaze, Tails squealed with pure joy and true happiness as he recognized who the two figures were. They were none other than his parents. Tails immediately started running towards them, squealing with joy. And before he even knew it, Tails felt his mother sweep him off his feet and into her ever-loving arms, free from the cares of the world he left behind him. Now Tails truly knew what his father meant all those years ago when told him that when he were to die and join his loved ones in the Other Side, that all the pain, sorrow, death, sadness, weeping, suffering, fear, cares, and scars were only ships ready to be burned when he made it into the Other Side. And Tails obviously made it into the Other Side. Tails finally knew what his father's phrase, "Burn the ships" meant. Tails joyfully snuggled himself into his mother's arms like a lost puppy. His father approached him from behind and soon, Tails was wrapped in between his parents.

"Just look at yourself my son," his mother said.

Tails gave her a toothy smile as he looked up at her face.

"Since when did my handsome, brave son grow up?" Tails' father asked joyfully.

Tails hugged both his parents. "I so missed you all so, so, so, so much."

His father looked down at him and smiled.

"I know that you did. Welcome home son."

Tails smiled. "Welcome home... to a Home with no more goodbyes."

His mother smiled. "That's right."

For a long brief few minutes, neither of them spoke. They just hugged each other in reunion. But to Tails, the long minutes seemed like seconds. They were right when they said that the Other Side was just a peaceful, blissful, place. Then his mother finally spoke.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"No." Tails replied joyfully.

"We came to get you Tails," his father said.

"Me?"

Tails' father gently ruffled his bangs.

"Yes. But the decision is for you to make."

Tails' face grew a little rueful as the words cut into his heart.

"Wait, no. I don't wanna leave you guys-"

Tails stopped speaking. Now he knew what his father meant. Tails could either stay with his parents in the Other Side; or he could go back to the world he left behind. And for the first time ever, Tails was caught with choices that he knew would impact what became of him. Tails suddenly thought of his friends in the world he left behind. He thought of Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, Sticks, and his other friends, and extended family. They were all family to him, no matter what. Tails looked up at his parents with a look of regret. And shame.

"What's gonna happen if I go back? I-I.. I mean, I don't wanna lose you guys all over again."

His mother looked him in the eye. "I know. But like your father said, the decision is yours to make."

Tails was at a loss for words now. Tails knew that if he did decide to stay in the Other Side, then he knew that he would never be able to return to his friends. But at the same time, he wanted to go back; but more then anything, Tails really wanted to stay with his parents in the Other Side. Tails wondered what his friends were going through as they were probably still in the patient room, with his dead body. Tails was conflicted. His mother hugged him. Tails suddenly teared up as he felt her gentle hug. He buried his face into her arms.

"I don't want to leave you all." Tails sobbed.

His mother grabbed his face and looked him in the eye.

"No matter what choice you make, either way. Your father and I will always- and when I mean always- we'll always love you sweetie."

His father gently rubbed one shoulder.

"It's perfectly okay if you decide on going back; your mom and I will be waiting for you. It's okay."

Tails was relieved by the words his father just said. He looked up at both of them.

"Can you do me just this one favor?"

"And what's that?" His mother asked.

"Whenever I start to feel lonely; like you know, sad when I think of you all, could you all just come and-"

"Of course sweetie. But only through dreams."

Tails smiled. Then he snugged up against his mother again.

"You and dad will be waiting for me, right?"

His mother smiled. "Yes we will."

Tails smiled even bigger. "Thank you."

His father smiled. "Don't ever forget our love for you; we'll love you with a eternal, unconditional love."

Tails was in tears again, but they were tears of joy.

"I won't..." He choked.

Then Tails hugged his parents one final time. And he made sure of himself to savor this moment of perfect, blissful joy. Then his father spoke.

"It's time for you to go. We love you Tails."

Tails looked back at them one final time. "I love you both... mom... dad..."

His mother swept him off his feet and hugged him one last time, then she let him go. Tails watched as his parents walked away. Away from him. He already missed them, but he knew that he had made his choice. But he wondered. Could Tails run after his parents and stay with them forever? Just as he got ready to, everything around him turned black once again. But despite all this, Tails still felt at peace. Then the next thing he heard was someone calling his name...

Sonic.

Tails smiled as he started running towards his voice. It became clearer and clearer, until it sounded like it was coming from right in front of him. Stopping, Tails reached out towards it and felt a hand grip his. He closed his hand around it, letting it pull him forward. Back into the temporary reality...

It felt like hours had flown by since Tails had... died. Sonic didn't see any point in talking to a dead body. He knew that Tails was no longer there. When the fox had died, he had died, eyes halfway open. Sonic, when he felt the fox's final pulse, had closed them with a single swipe of his hand, and had ever since then, been talking to him, or not. Wherever Tails was, Sonic knew that the kid was now living in harmony and perfect bliss. Lost in his depressing thoughts over the loss of his best friend... his little brother, Sonic did not even notice the twitch in his hand. Then suddenly, Sonic felt it. The hand twitching in his.

'Wait? What? No, this can't be? Tails is... is back?'

Sonic whipped his head just in time to see Tails' eyes flutter. As he watched in disbelief, Tails' hand tightened in his. Sonic immediately whipped around.

"HEY! GUYS! GET IN HERE NOW!" Sonic shouted joyfully.

Soon, everyone else who had been there for Tails when the kid had died soon rushed into the room and saw right away why the Blue Blur had called them in here. They immediately saw that Tails' eyes opened up, and with a spark of joy and life in them. The fox kid looked at Sonic, then them, then back at Sonic. The leader of Team Sonic had tears rolling down his face. But they were tears of joy, and relief.

Sonic immediately hugged Tails.

"Tails!? Why did you come back? I mean, are you okay buddy?"

Tails smiled big.

"Yeah, I'm fine. And I came back for you all..."

Fara smiled, no tears in her eyes. Just all smiles.

"I would say, you sound like you're fine. I mean, your voice isn't scratchy anymore."

Knuckles, Amy, And Sticks ran up to the other side of the bed and hugged the fox child. Tails immediately squeaked when he felt all three of them hugging him. He had just come back from the dead, and now, he felt like they were already killing him.

"Okay... I get it... you guys... you're squishing me.." Tails piped.

Amy and Sticks were in tears as they kept hugging him.

"Okay, you girls, keep it up. Knux, let.. me.. go..."

Sonic, Cody, Fara and Chad smiled.

Sonic just kept on smiling. Finally, his team was back together. No, not just his team, but his whole family was.

Yes. That was it. Family.

What!? Did you really think that I would kill Tails off like that or what!? Because, if so... think again! TAILS IS MY FAVORITE SONIC BOOM CHARACTER! Why would I do something like that? What took place in this chapter was actually something that I thought of adding in for quite a while, as a matter of fact. So tell me, despite there being some despair and sadness in this chapter, did you all like it? If so, please Read and Review. Thanks. G.B.Y until then

(And G.B.Y stands for God Bless You!)

JalcoFox.