Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic, unfortunately.

Hey, all! This is my first delve into this wonderful fandom. Ever since the first one came out, I've loved it. But once the second move dropped, I've become obsessed. I've seen it in theaters three times so far. Please stop me. Anyway, this fic is spoiler free. It takes places a few weeks after the first movie.

Happy reading, and please let me know what you think!


There was a crash in the kitchen.

Ozzie jumped off the bed, tail wagging as he went to investigate. Tom sighed and covered his eyes with his hand for a moment. He picked up his phone from his bedside table. 2:03am, it said. Maddie was still sound asleep beside him, face half buried in a pillow. More shuffling. The Sheriff rolled his eyes and threw his share of blankets to the side. He didn't bother with slippers, and soon regretted it as the cold hardwood floor chilled him.

"I swear, I'm going to nail the dog door shut," he hissed under his breath as he jogged down the stairs in the darkness. "Damn raccoons."

He really should have noticed the light on in the kitchen, or the fact that Ozzie wasn't barking, but didn't register it until he was standing in the doorway. Tom narrowed his cerulean eyes in the bright fluorescent light and saw Ozzie licking up something from the kitchen floor.

The blue hedgehog was standing on a dining room chair, pouring some leftover Olive Garden soup into a pot. There was a thin trail of it on the counter, and a small drip from where Sonic must have tipped over the bowl.

"Stupid, Sonic. Can't do anything. No wonder—"

"Will you shut up? No one asked you."

"Yeah, and this is why—"

"Shut up!"

"Sonic?"

The hedgehog whipped around, bamboo soup spoon still in his hand. His quills puffed up ever so slightly in surprise, and his wide, usually bright, eyes were dark with fear and guilt. Blue ears flicked back and down.

"Oh—no. I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Tom ran a hand through his dark hair, puttering over to the kid. "You didn't. I couldn't sleep."

"Ah." Sonic put the ladle on the stovetop, using both hands to quickly brush his quills back down. Pink colored his muzzle.

"What're you doing, bud?" The Sheriff asked.

Sonic cocked his eyebrow, glancing between the soup and Tom. A small smirk played on his lips. "Heating up some leftovers? I thought that was obvious."

Tom rolled his eyes and gave a small chuckle. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "Zuppa?"

Humming an affirmation, Sonic stirred the soup. "Maddie said that soup is a good comfort food," he said under his breath.

Keeping his features carefully schooled, Tom asked, "Are you in need of comfort?"

Sonic's lips parted for a moment. His left ear twitched, and his arms came up and crossed like he was hugging himself. He inhaled, but his mouth snapped shut again, and he stared into the soup.

"You know what'll go good with this?" Tom asked innocently. He snatched two tall glasses from the cabinet and pulled the milk from the fridge.

Sonic looked at him skeptically, eyebrow cocked.

"Trust me. Milk is an amazing comfort drink."

The hedgehog hummed again, stirring the soup. As soon as it began to bubble, the Sheriff took two bowls out of the cabinet and handed them to Sonic. "Wanna get me a bowl, too?"

The Blue Blur glanced at him hesitantly, but took the offered bowls. "Sure."

He ladled out their portions, and Tom took the bowls to the dining room table while Sonic jumped down from the chair he'd been standing on. He dragged the chair back to its rightful place, and they ate their soup in relative silence. Tom took careful note of the pink tinge in Sonic's large eyes and drooping ears. There was a definite tension in his lithe shoulders and a subtle shake in his hand as he brought the spoon to his mouth.

The hedgehog sniffed as he finished his soup and downed his milk, holding the glass his both hands as if savoring the chill. Tom slurped the rest of his soup and carefully grabbed Sonic's empty bowl, walking them into the kitchen. When he came back, Sonic was slumped over the table, face hidden in his arms. The Sheriff sighed sadly and put a hand on his upper back.

"Why don't we go sit on the couch, hm?"

The kid seemed to slump under his touch, but complied, allowing Tom's gentle hand to guide him. He flicked on the lamp next to the couch. The Sheriff sat and, tentatively, Sonic sat beside him, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. Sitting on the other side of Tom, the hedgehog was largely cast in shadows; most of the light playing on his watering eyes. His quills were dark, and Tom had to be grateful that sparks hadn't begun flying. Tom curled his fingers into the fur on Sonic's back, gently scratching. The Blue Devil leaned into the touch, closing his welling eyes.

"Do you wanna tell me what's going on, bud?"

Sonic was quiet for a moment, fiddling with his gloves. "It's... it's stupid."

"I'm sure it's not."

The teen wouldn't meet his eyes, but he choked out: "They're just... bad dreams."

Tom's fingers paused for a moment. "Nightmares?"

Finally, Sonic's eyes met his. There, Tom could see embarrassment, fear, and an unhealthy amount of shame and self-loathing. He closed his eyes and pressed his face into his knees.

"See? Stupid. I'm such a baby."

"No, you're not," Tom countered gently. "Everyone has nightmares, Sonic. I know I do."

"You do?"

"Yep." Tom adjusted his hand on Sonic's back, rubbing circles between his shoulder blades and running his hand along his quills. The young hedgehog tensed a moment before letting out a long, hitching breath and relaxing under his care. "Talking about it seems to help me. When I tell someone, it makes it seem not so bad. Not so scary."

Tom continued his ministrations and moved to scratch the top of the youth's head. He scratched gently behind Sonic's ear, noting how warm the thin fur felt under his fingertips. The kid suddenly ducked his head and leaned away.

"I'm sorry," Tom said quickly. "Did that hurt?"

Sonic's face was flushed, and he ducked his eyes. "No, I just... It just surprised me."

The Sheriff's hand hovered in mid-air. "Do you want me to stop? Or keep going?"

"Yeah, um... You can keep going. It felt... nice," the hedgehog whispered.

Tom tentatively placed his hand on Sonic's head again, taking his ear in the pads of his fingers and scratching gently. After a few moments, he switched ears, and the hedgehog seemed to melt into his side. Tom's heart swelled. Just two tough guys, willing to share their emotions, right?

Sonic let out a long, tired sigh. "I... I'm really sorry I pushed you guys off that building. You and Maddie. I... I'm sorry."

Well, he hadn't been expecting that.

"Hey, hey, Sonic. It's okay, bud."

The hedgehog scrubbed his bright eyes. "No! I could... I could have killed you!" He choked. "I'm so stupid. And reckless. And stupid."

Tom's heart thought it might burst. "Sonic—"

The tears that the kid had been so good at holding back suddenly rushed forth. "I can't lose you too. She's gone because of me. I can't—I can't—"

The hedgehog couldn't speak through his tears and sharp, shallow breaths. Heavy sobs wracked his small frame. Tom did the only thing he could think of—he grabbed the hedgehog in his wide arms, mindful of his quills, and pulled him into his lap and against his chest, both arms wrapped tightly around him. The teen resisted at first, always the strong tough guy, but soon nestled against him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt.

"Deep breaths, Sonic. In. Out. In. Out."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Tom shushed his boy. His boy. "It's okay, kiddo. Breath with me, okay? In, out. In and out."

He continued to whisper the mantra, as well as other soft reassurances, until the young hedgehog calmed. The Sheriff gently brushed his quills down, heart aching for his young ward. It was probably only Tom's arm around his waist that prevented Sonic from curling into a ball.

The hedgehog sniffed and rubbed his burning eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm such a baby."

Tom shook his head. "No, you're not."

"Only babies cry."

"Not true," the man chided gently. He looked down into Sonic's red eyes and brushed a stray tear off his muzzle. "Everyone cries sometimes, especially when they're hurting."

"I... I... You too?"

A small smile pulled at Tom's lips. "You bet."

"...okay," Sonic said, leaning his head against the Sheriff's chest.

"Listen, Sonic..." Tom reaffirmed his hold on the kid. "About San Francisco..."

Sonic's fist, still balled in Tom's shirt, tightened.

"It's okay. I promise."

"But—"

"Are you going to do it again?

Sonic inhaled sharply. "No! Never!"

"Then we're all good, bud," he said softly. "It happened, and there's nothing we can do to change it. But Maddie and I are okay. And it's never going to happen again. So it's okay."

The blue hedgehog sniffed quietly beneath his chin. "...okay."

Tom continued his ministrations, carefully scratching behind the teen's ear. "Is... is that what your nightmares have been about?"

Pushing his face somehow farther into the Sheriff's chest, Sonic shrugged. "Maybe. I... I don't wake up in time from the blast, or I can't reach the ring... Or I don't throw it far enough. And I... You and Pretzel Lady..." The kid's voice broke. "You and Maddie... And it keeps happening." More tears were coming now, hot and quick. "And I can't..."

There was a long pause.

"Can't what, bud?"

Sonic swallowed, nestled in his favorite human's arms. "I don't want to be alone again."

Tom thought his heart stopped. Or it was about to explode. Either way, he also couldn't breathe. He gave his son a long squeeze, warm tears pressing against the backs of his own eyes.

"That's not going to happen, Sonic. You'll never be alone again, okay? I promise."

Sonic only hummed in response, nestled in the Sheriff's arms. After a moment, Tom gave him a second squeeze.

"Hey, Sonic?"

"Hm?"

"How long were you alone out there?"

Tom knew it was a long time. The way Sonic talked to himself when he thought no one was around, the amount of things he'd collected in his cave... the state of the kid's feet when he'd found him lurking in his garage...

He didn't expect the small, pained whisper of "Ten years."

Years?

Ten?

This time, a single stray tear did fall from Tom's eyes and into Sonic's fur. The hedgehog looked up in surprise after feeling the warmth on his head. "Tom?"

The Sheriff used one hand to wipe his eyes, the other staying firmly around his boy. "That's never going to happen again. This is your home now."

The Blue Blur looked him in the eyes for a long moment before letting his gaze fall into his lap. "My head hurts."

Chuckling lightly, Tom said, "That's pretty normal after you've had a good cry."

Sonic groaned.

"Why don't you go grab some water and hit the hay, okay? Rest is also good for a weary soul," he smiled.

Tom hesitantly opened his arms for the hedgehog to escape, and the kid just as hesitantly climbed out of his warm grasp. They both walked into the kitchen, drank a full glass of water, and yawned. Sonic stayed close to Tom's side the whole time. Once the hedgehog deemed it time to leave, he trudged his way to the stairs, ready to pull down the rope for the attic.

"Where ya going, bud?"

Sonic looked at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Um. Bed?"

The Sheriff sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically, just for the sake of the laughter in his son's eyes. He sauntered over to the kid and carefully folded his hand into Sonic's. They climbed the stairs together, Tom purposefully ignoring the string that went to the attic stairs.

"...Tom?"

He gingerly pushed open the door to his and Maddie's room, the light from the hallway spilling onto the bedspread and, unintentionally, into his wife's face.

"Tom, what..." Sonic hissed, ears pinned back with worry. His gaze whipped from the light to Maddie, who was already stirring from the sudden change.

The vet squinted into the light, lifting her head from the pillow. "Tom?"

The hedgehog squirmed, horrified that they woke her. Shaking his head, the elder of the two led Sonic to his side of the bed, where Maddie could see him more clearly. Maddie and Tom shared a glance. That was it—just a glance. But it spoke volumes.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked kindly.

After a moment of unsure silence, Tom settled both hands on the hedgehog's shoulders. "Sonic had a nightmare."

Without hesitating, Maddie tugged back the blankets and patted the center of the bed. "I'm sorry, honey. Come over here."

Sonic's large eyes somehow became even bigger. Surprise, hope, and love shining in his eyes. "I—what? Really?"

The woman just gave him a welcoming smile and nodded. While Maddie helped Sonic get comfy in their bed, Tom shut the hall light off and climbed into bed, sandwiching the kid between him and his wife. Maddie was stroking his quills down in a smooth, calming motion. He was already drifting off.

Tom's heart, full to bursting, pounded deep in his chest. He gave Sonic a little scratch behind his ear, earning him a happy little hum. "Good night, Sonic."

The kid was fading so fast. "G'night... Dad."

Tom shared a watery smile with his wife, whose chocolate eyes were shining in the darkness. Maddie adjusted her blankets and snuggled closer to their kid. She was out again in just a few minutes, but the words 'ten years' kept ringing around Tom's head. He also thought about Sonic's nightmares and the mysterious 'her' that Sonic has mentioned during his breakdown. He made a mental note to research trauma and the effects of prolonged isolation in the morning. And to talk to Maddie about everything that had happened.

But for now...

He rubbed Sonic's ear between the pads of his fingers. "You'll never be alone again, Sonic."