A/N: Yep, Shadow and I are now sitting in rehab, going through withdrawal. I swear I'm not able to write a romance fic in my right mind. I need to be high ^^;!
Shadow: (shoulder twitches, looking around nervously) Man, I need a hit!
Everyone else in rehab: We all do!
Shadow: (sees me take out a joint) Whoa! Where'd you get that?! I thought they searched you!
Author: I had it in my rear. Wanna hit?
Shadow: ^^; No, thanks. I'll pass.
Author: (sees everyone else eye joint like a steak) Oh, crap.
Some random junkie: Get'em! (Everyone but Shadow rushes author)
Author: (knocks out everyone with one hand while holding joint)
Shadow: ^^; Okay, that was pointless.
Author: Right, now to get high and write this chapter before the rehab people get back. (Lights it, takes an unnecessarily big hit) *hack, cough, wheeze, hack* Okay, here we go!
By now, the ages should be drilled into your heads, so we'll skip it.
Miami, Florida. Amy's apartment. February 12, 2003. 8:03 A.M. EDT. 39 hours, 57 minutes remain…
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." Sonic heard Amy's nearby voice murmur softly. Amy was already in her work clothes; a red semi-casual business suit.
Already? Sonic thought. It can't be eight already! He had just gotten comfortable about two hours ago, mostly because the couch was like a slab of concrete.
"Come on, Sonikku (A/N: Yep, I'll start using that). It's eight o'clock." She persisted, this time gently shaking him.
Sonic's only response was to roll over on his stomach and stretch a little. Damn! Why does time have to travel so fast?
He felt her soft hands gently rub his back, trying to rouse him, and he cracked open one green, bloodshot eye to see Amy crouched down so that their faces met. "Ten more minutes." He croaked sleepily, and then closed his open eye. He didn't want to get up. He knew he had to work this morning. If it wasn't for the fact that he had to shower, and he usually took long ones, he could theoretically sleep until 8:55 and still be on time.
Amy smiled sympathetically. She thought she saw more red in his eyes than green. Nonetheless… "No can do! I know you. That ten minutes will turn into twenty, that twenty into forty, and so on and so forth."
"No it won't," Sonic mumbled, almost inaudibly. "Promise."
She sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "That's what you always say." She saw that Sonic didn't even bother to get the quilt on top of the couch, so she couldn't even strip that off of him. Hmm… how to wake him up? She ruled out sticking an ice cube down his shirt or yelling, "Wake up!" as loud as possible; she wanted him up, not down and in traction. Hmm…
*FLASH* *CRACK*
Unfortunately for Sonic, it seemed that God had other ideas of waking him up. Caught totally off guard, Sonic quickly rolled off the couch in a burst of adrenaline… and right into Amy's lap. "Oookaaay, that'll work." She muttered, amused.
Sonic looked up at the ceiling. Was that just lightning? "Okay, I get the message. I'm up." He breathed, the extra adrenaline making him shake. He walked up to the window. Yeah, it was raining. But, it was raining big, fat raindrops to accommodate the occasional flash of lightning and crack of thunder. He threw his hands up in frustration. "Outstanding!" He exclaimed sarcastically. His bike wasn't exactly an all-weather machine. He'd have to hoof it in the rain.
"Well, I wonder how Tails is holding up?" Sonic muttered to himself, moving to gather his work clothes. Knowing the fox, who has a lasting phobia of thunder, he was probably deep inside the bunkers below 'The Strip', curled up in a ball.
Amy laughed to herself. "Probably. Poor kid."
Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Poor kid my ass! He can run right through enemy fire, but freaks when thunder claps? I don't buy it!" He picked up his clothes, and headed towards the bathroom, grabbing a towel on the way.
Surprisingly, Sonic only took all of five minutes in the shower, and he stepped out of the bathroom wearing typical warehouse type work clothes. "What time is it?" He asked, making his way into the living room.
She checked her watch. "Just ten after. Why? Want breakfast?"
"Don't need it." He rarely ate breakfast since he usually wasn't hungry in the morning.
Amy looked out the window. The rain didn't look like it would stop soon. "How about I drive you to work? The rain doesn't look like it'll let up soon, and you'll stay, well, mostly dry."
"Nah, I'll be okay."
She sighed. "Sonic, what did I say about letting other people help you?"
It was his turn to sigh. There was no point in arguing; he'd lose every time. "Fine. Thanks."
She smiled. "Not a problem."
A beat. Sonic noticed that the X-Box was still on after more than twelve hours. He remembered they forgot to turn it off before going on that not-so-brief supply run. If he remembered right, they were playing Halo on Juggernaut mode (A/N: For those few who never played Halo, in Juggernaut, the first player who scores a frag has their gun's power increased until somebody kills them. Then, that person becomes the juggernaut) on the Hang'em High map. He checked his watch. It was only quarter after. He also remembered that he had Amy in the crosshairs of his rocket launcher, too. He moved to turn on the TV. "Y'know, we never did finish our game."
Amy eyed the still running X-Box. "Oops, I guess we forgot to turn it off." She smiled sheepishly. "Wanna finish it? Loser buys lunch!"
"Bet! We're going to the most expensive chili place in Miami, then." After turning on the TV, Sonic moved to join Amy on the couch, grabbing his controller and waiting for her to get hers. "Ready?" He smirked. She still doesn't know, yet.
"Yeah—hey what the?!" She just realized that she was in Sonic's scope. Too late.
"Go!" Sonic pulled the trigger. Amy's pink Master Chief went flying some fifty feet in the air before falling dead. Sonic was the juggernaut. "Heh, heh! I'm winning!"
She elbowed him in the ribs. "Cheater! I hate you!"
"Get in line. It wraps around the block three times!"
A smile spread across her face as she respawned. "You'll get yours, Sonikku. Cheaters never win, you know."
Sonic smirked. "Not true. They just say that to promote morals. 'Sides, it ain't cheating if you don't get caught!"
Fifteen minutes later…
Even with the cheap shot at the beginning, the two hedgehogs were dead even. The score was nine all. The next frag would win. And Amy was the juggernaut, having scored a headshot with her trusty sniper rifle. She was deadly with it, and Sonic knew it.
Right now, Sonic's blue Master Chief was toting a shotgun, and Amy kept her sniper rifle. Sonic decided to camp inside the level's tunnels to avoid Amy's sniper rifle and lure her into a closed quarter battle, and Amy was camped on the level's catwalks hoping to pick Sonic off from long distance. They were in a stalemate.
"Sonikku! Come out, come out wherever you are!" Amy sang out
"Y'know, you've been camping on that catwalk for the last five minutes," Sonic remarked. "You know I ain't coming out; I ain't stupid." He dropped his controller, reclining on the couch. "My will against yours. Yours will lose."
She smirked. "Oh, really? I'm not the one who has to be at work in half an hour.
"I can be there in five minutes if need be." He countered proudly.
The standoff continued. Finally, Amy caved and moved off the catwalk. "Okay, time for me to end this!"
Sonic smirked, picking up his controller. "I knew you'd see things my way."
It didn't take her much time to get into Sonic's tunnel complex. She equipped her pistol this time, since the sniper rifle wasn't good for close up firing. Sonic's motion tracker detected her movement around the next corner. "I hope you know I have the advantage." He proclaimed.
Amy just smirked. "Yeah, sure." She was just around the corner from him.
"Come on around, Ames, and you can buy lunch."
"Boy, please!" She threw a frag grenade around the corner.
"What the?!" Sonic didn't expect a frag grenade, and he lost sight of it as it landed behind him. He knew he had it. "Aw, hell naw!"
*BOOM*
The grenade exploded just behind him. With Amy as the juggernaut, the extra power of the grenade was enough to kill him, and his carcass flew into the wall from around the corner.
"Game over." The game said.
Stunned, Sonic just tossed his controller, trying to refrain from cursing while Amy just on the couch, holding her sides because she was laughing so much. She had just done him in again. Funny thing about it was he plays Halo more than her.
"Told ya, Sonikku," she gloated, still giggling. "Cheaters never win!"
Sonic just eyed her. Then an evil smile crossed his face. "Oh, you think it's funny? Huh? Do you?"
All Amy could do was laugh hysterically and nod.
"Then, I'll give you something better to laugh at!" With that, he pounced on her and began to tickle her ribs.
Amy yelped and laughed harder a few seconds before she countered with her own attack, making Sonic laugh hysterically. And so, the tickle battle of apartment 507 raged for another five minutes. An unspoken ceasefire was then announced, and the two combatants laid back on the couch, Amy leaning on Sonic's shoulder, both of them enjoying each other's presence, giggling every now and then, both not even caring about the time.
"Y'know, I would've bought lunch either way." Sonic said.
Amy giggled. "Sure, you would have." She said, a hint of skepticism in her voice.
"Hey, I'm serious!"
*FLASH* *CRACK*
Another lightning strike landed nearby, and consequently, all of the lights went out. "I guess this is God's way of telling us to get moving." Amy remarked.
"He doesn't have to tell me twice. Let's move!"
Miami, Florida. Port Of Miami. 11:56 A.M. EDT. 36 hours, four minutes remain…
"Good, only five minutes to lunch time!" Sonic muttered, glancing at his watch while loading another palette on his forklift. Because of the extra roughhousing with Amy, he was late for work. Boss got on his ass about it, but to be perfectly honest, Sonic didn't care. Nor did he care when Boss ragged on him when he was caught daydreaming.
Of course, the subject of his daydreams had been Amy. He had to admit; she was a lot of fun to be around. And with him being depressed because of his apartment being burned out, her cheerfulness helped break his sullen mood considerably. To say nothing of the fact that she was cute, caring, and long been loyal to him, it was all the more reason for him to like her.
And all the more reason he was becoming apprehensive about leaving the country this time around. Which is funny because most people want to leave Cuba; he's trying to get into it.
But, he was a fighter, not a lover! He didn't have time to fall in love. Not until Eggman was dealt with for good. But then again, the fat bastard did have a knack for escaping justice every time, and 'for good' may not happen for a long time. Maybe it was time to—
"Hey, Sonic!" Boss called, disrupting his train of thought. "Someone's here to see you! A girl named Amy!"
Oh, yeah. Amy was supposed to be meeting him for lunch. "Alright! Give me a minute!" With that, Sonic unloaded the palette, parked his forklift amongst the other forklifts, clocked out, and walked to the front gate, where Amy was waving at him.
"Hey! Ready to go?" She asked when he got to the gate.
"Where're we going?"
Amy paused for a moment to think. "Hmm… why don't we go to Penn Station? There's one right by the bank I work at."
Sonic shrugged. "Fine."
The two started to walk to Amy's car when she remembered something. "You're treating, remember." She smirked.
He just glared at her, his defeat now fresh in his memory. "Sure, Ames! Just twist the knife a little deeper, why don'cha!"
She patted his back, giggling. "Oh, you'll be okay! It's just a game, remember."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
Coral Gables, Florida U.S.A. Penn Station. 12:19 P.M. EDT. 35 hours, 41 minutes remain…
The two had already ordered and sat down. Both had ordered a large Philly cheese steak sub. Sonic had his with mushrooms, banana peppers and "swimming in oil and vinegar", while Amy had hers the same way, sans the oil and vinegar.
Amy just stared at Sonic's dripping, soggy sub. "You are gonna have a heart attack in five minutes flat." She remarked.
Sonic smirked. "Hey, like The Joker says: 'When you gotta go, go with a smile!'"
She just shook her head. "I guess."
The two just ate in silence for a few minutes. Then, Sonic noticed her take out her Anatomy book. He swallowed his bite, and arched his eyebrows. "Why do you have that?" He asked, motioning to the book.
She sighed. "I have a test coming up."
"About?"
"We gotta name and identify all the arteries, veins and capillaries in the heart."
Sonic just made a face. "All that?! That's a bit much!"
She smiled. "Tell me about it."
"Anyways, when's this test?" He asked.
She sighed again. "Tomorrow."
"Then, why are you working today?" He asked, bewildered. "If I were you, I'd be at home cramming!"
"Well, unlike some people I know, I have to work to pay the rent." She argued.
He shrugged. "So, what if you miss a few hours? You can always make it up the next week."
"Besides, it's not like they'll let me just take the rest of the day off without a good reason." She reasoned.
Sonic just arched a brow. "Oh, no?" He wrapped up the rest of his sandwich, stood up, and took Amy's hand.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" She asked, puzzled.
He smirked. "Take it to go. We're going to pay your work a visit." When Amy looked a bit uncertain, he squeezed her hand reassuring. "Trust me on this." With that, he took his sandwich in his other hand, and the two were out the door.
Coral Gables, Florida. Provident Bank. 12:42 P.M. EDT. 35 hours, eighteen minutes remain…
Sonic had dragged her across the street to the bank. It had stopped raining a couple of hours ago, so the two didn't get drenched. As soon as they went through the double doors, Sonic scanned the bank, looking for someone who could be a manager. "Where's your boss?" Sonic asked.
Amy pointed to a cubicle on their left. "She's over there."
He had dragged her just outside the cubicle where a human woman, appearing in her lower thirties sat. "Excuse me, ma'am."
The woman looked up from her paperwork. "Oh! Hi, Sonic. Hi, Amy. How may I help you, today?"
"May we have a word with you? It's about Amy."
The woman nodded. "Please have a seat." The two sat down. "So, what is it?"
Sonic looked at Amy, who was too stunned to speak. Figures. It would've happened to him, too if he were in the same scenario. "Okay, you are aware that Amy is taking medical assisting classes, right?" The woman nodded. "Then, are you aware that Amy has a very important test tomorrow she has to study for?"
She shook her head. "No, I was not aware of that."
Picking up a head of steam, Sonic went on. "So, what I'm asking on her behalf is that she be granted the rest of the day off to study. Is that possible?"
The woman paused to think. "Hmm, I guess that's possible. Today's been a slow day, and I guess we can afford to let her have the rest of the day off."
Amy just gaped in awe at Sonic. Whoa! He made that look easy.
Sonic sighed inwardly in relief. That was easier than he expected. He had mapped out an entire contingency plan if she said no.
"So, that's it?" Amy asked. "I have the rest of the day off?"
"It's not a big deal, Amy." The woman said. "Just do well on that test."
She smiled. "Will do! Thanks a lot, Cheryl!" With that, the two hedgehogs left the bank.
Just outside Provident Bank. 12:47 P.M. 35 hours, thirteen minutes remain…
"Wow, Sonikku! You didn't have to do all that for my sake." Amy said, walking beside him.
Sonic shrugged. "I know how hard it is to talk to your boss. It would've been the same for me if I had to talk to mine. Anyways, I get off at three. You need all the time and quiet you need to study, so I'll make myself and Kristen scarce for the rest of the day."
She smiled up at him, hugging him gratefully. "Thank you so much, Sonikku!"
He blushed, trying to play it off, while weakly returning the hug. "All in a day's work. It wasn't that big of a deal."
She stared up at him. "Trust me. It was for me." She wanted to stay in his arms forever, but time wouldn't permit it as she glanced at her watch. "Whoa! Don't you have to be back at work?" She asked, breaking the hug.
Sonic looked at his watch. "Oh, relax. I got plenty of time. Remember, your talking about the guy who shattered just about every land speed record in the books!" He said proudly. "Anyways, just study and ace the test for us. I'll pick up Kristen from school, and we'll stay out of your hair."
Amy arched an eyebrow. "Where're you going to take her?"
He shrugged. "Well, it seemed a good idea to hide out at 'The Strip'. Relax, we'll be back in time for dinner. Good luck!" With that, he took off down the road.
Amy smiled. It was all the more reason to love him.
Miami, Florida U.S.A. Brownsville Middle School. 3:39 P.M. EDT. 31 hours, 21 minutes remain…
"Well, this is the place." Sonic muttered, stopping his bike. School let out at three o'clock. There were only the few kids who either had detention, had an after school meeting, or in Kristen's case, was waiting for their ride, remaining. Sonic took off his helmet. The girl was outside, and probably didn't recognize him with his helmet on. When she did recognize him, she walked up to him questioningly.
"Hey, where's Amy?" She asked.
"She's studying for a big test, so I'm taking you and we're heading for my base so that she can study in peace." He took out a blindfold. "Put this on."
She eyed it. "Why?"
"Because you'll know how to get to my base, and then I'll have to kill you." He joked. "But really, I don't like other people knowing where it is, so get on, put it on, and put on the spare helmet."
She obeyed.
"Now, hold on tight!" With that, he eased the bike out of the school parking lot.
Key Largo, Florida U.S.A. 'The Strip', hangar. 4:21 P.M. EDT. 30 hours, 39 minutes remain…
Sonic had parked his bike inside the hangar, and allowed Kristen to take off her blindfold. "Kristen, welcome to 'The Strip.'" He looked around. The computer terminal by the Hurricane was off and the lights were off in the office and the lounge. "Is the power here still out?" Also, it didn't look like Tails and Knuckles were inside either room. Then, it hit him. They're probably inside the bunkers trying to get the backup generator going. "I'll be right back. Don't touch anything." He ordered, emphasizing each word before grabbing a flashlight, heading out of the hangar, and to the derelict control tower, where the bunker was located.
Inside, he could hear voices inside the dark passageways. He could recognize them as Tails and Knuckles. "Hey, guys!" He called out. "It's me!"
Down the hall, he could here Knuckles say. "Can you lend us a hand with this generator? The power's been out most of the day!"
"Hang on! I'll be right there!" He jogged down the passageways, taking a right at the next intersection, and the generator was in sight, along with Knuckles and Tails' flashlights.
"How the hell do you get this piece of crap going?!" Knuckles exclaimed. The generator was there since the base was built during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was the kind where you had to pour sulfide into a pipe, light it, close it, and crank the generator and pray you're able to get it running.
"Hold on, Knucklehead. I'll get the crank. You just light the sulfide." With that, Sonic manned the crank.
Knuckles poured the sulfide in and lit it, producing smoke. Quickly, he sealed it. "Now!"
Sonic cranked for all he was worth. The lights flickered for a few seconds, and then finally, power was restored to 'The Strip'. "How long will it take for the electric company to get here?" Sonic asked, walking back out of the bunker.
Tails shrugged. "Who knows? Does anyone else have knowledge of this place?" As soon as he said that, they were out of the bunker, and Kristen was there to meet them. Tails did a double take. "Wh-wha-what is she doing here?!" Tails yelled.
"I'll explain later." Sonic muttered.
Kristen smiled, walking behind Tails. "What's wrong, Tails? Aren't you happy to see me?"
The fox shrugged. "Whatever."
Miami, Florida. Amy's apartment. 6:54 P.M. EDT. 29 hours, four minutes remain…
Amy listed off the names. "Let's see. Superior Vena Cava, Inferior Vena Cava, Pulmonary Artery, Pulmonary Vein, Aorta, left and right Coronary Artery, Coronary Vein. Okay, that takes care of all the major stuff. Now it's time for the capillaries."
As she went through the insignificant names, she thought it ironic that a test about the heart would run close to Valentine's Day. But, ultimately, her thoughts strayed from her studies, and back to Sonic. Would he hide out this year? Or is it even possible this year, since he has to spend the next two nights here?
Or will he finally come clean about his feelings, after all this time?
There were still two days left until Valentine's Day. She was still optimistic about this year being different, what with everything that has happened prior. That, and with Sonic helping her today really got her hopes up. She sighed. "Sonikku, please don't hide this year." Speaking of whom, she had been trying to call him at 'The Strip' since six for dinner, but the phone lines were dead. "Well, I guess I gotta go over there. I've been studying since one. I could use a break." With that, she grabbed her keys, and left.
Key Largo, Florida. 'The Strip', hangar. 7:33 P.M. EDT. 28 hours, 27 minutes remain…
Meanwhile, Sonic's thought line wasn't much different than Amy's. To run, or not to run? To run, or not to run? Ah, screw it. There's still a full day until 'The Day.' There was still time to think.
"Hey, Sonic!" Kristen called behind him, walking to him.
Sonic turned around. "What?" When he saw her with her hands on her hips, he made a face. "What's wrong with you?"
"Is it true you're really gonna hide from Amy on Valentine's Day?"
That made the hedgehog do a double take. "Where'd you hear that from?!"
"From Tails. So, is it true?!" She demanded.
Sonic was at a loss for words momentarily. Finally, he answered. "You know what? I ain't so sure. If you asked me a month ago, the answer would've been 'hell yeah!' But, things happened. Right now, I don't know what my feelings are about her—wait a sec, why am I telling you this?"
She shrugged. "I don't know." The sound of a car pulling up came from outside the hangar. Momentarily, headlights from Amy's car flooded the hangar with light.
"Anyways, I'll tell you later." Sonic said. "I guess it's time to go." Kristen got in the car, and he walked up to the side of Amy's car, waiting for her to open the window. "Hey, what're you doing out here? I thought you were studying?"
She grinned. "Yeah, for the past five hours! I needed a break. Plus, I was wondering if you two were hungry." When Sonic's stomach growled as if on cue. She laughed. "I guess so."
"Anyways I'll meet you back at the place." With that, Amy drove away, and he walked to his bike, let Knuckles and Tails know that he was leaving, and popped a wheelie out of 'The Strip.'
Amy's apartment. 9:49 P.M. EDT. 26 hours, 11 minutes remain…
Sonic had already gone to sleep on the couch, since he had to work again early, and Amy and Kristen were the only ones up. Amy was telling the younger fox the story of Sonic giving her studying time.
"Really?! He did all that?! Wow!" Kristen exclaimed. "He must really like you, doesn't he?"
Amy sighed, sitting cross-legged on her bed. There was no doubt they were close friends, but how deep did his feelings for hers run? "Yeah, but I don't know how much?"
The younger girl raised her eyebrows. "Hmm, that's pretty much what he let slip."
Amy perked up. "Let what slip?"
"That he doesn't know how deep his feelings run."
"Hmm… is that so?" So, Sonic was unsure of his feelings. Then, maybe, just maybe, she could help him explore them. With that in mind, she turned out the light, and got into bed. Her test was at ten o'clock. She'd need all the sleep she could get.
Author: Heh, heh. Managed to get high enough to write another chappy.
Shadow: Only one problem: that was the last joint.
Author: (shrugs) Then we'll have to escape.
(The wall suddenly gives in. Sonic steps through the hole holding a sledgehammer like he was Triple H)
Author: Oh, crap!
Sonic: I'll get you for this!
Shadow: Garoad! (Grabs author, and Chaos Controls out before the sledgehammer crushes our skulls)
A/N: On a more realistic note, I feel like I sort of half-assed this one. Reason being in the middle of writing this, an idea for my next story flashed into my head. Now, I can't wait to write that one. Well, just one day left, and probably one chappy left. Don't forget to leave your comments in review form. Peace!