Flower: Did they really think I'd kill Sonic AND Shadow?! .
Chaos: Apparently so...hahahahaha...not saying that ONE of them doesn't.
Flower: Yeah, but not both!!! Aaw, I could never do that...though it might be fun...(laughs evilly)
.................................................
Tails stared dumbly for a few minutes, hands against the cool glass of the window in the door, blinking disbelievingly at the empty bed. This...this was the right room? Then Sonic was...
He let out a strangled cry of disbelief. Then a shout from the end of the hallway pierced his thoughts. "Tails?! Hey, are you ok?" He looked up to see Amy in a full nurse's outfit.
She bounded up, and squealed, "Look! They're letting me help out as part of my course! Isn't it great?! And later they're going out to look for any trapped in the flood downtown, so I'll be able to help there..."
She was talking very fast, and Tails suspected she had been drinking coffee to stay awake. He blinked, and then said, "Where's Son-"
"Oh," Amy cut him off, "His condition stabilised. They moved him to another room, and said he can go home this afternoon, but to keep the bandages on for another three da-erk!"
Tails removed his hand from her mouth, and said in exasperation, "Amy! Slow down! Now...which-room-is-he-in?!" He pronounced the words slowly. Amy put on an injured expression, and pointed down, "No need to say it like that, Tails. Honestly. He's down there, in Ward 5, room-"
But Tails was already gone, leaving the hedgehog talking to thin air. She blinked a few times, and then continued the monologue to herself as she returned to her trolley at the end of the corridor.
...............................................
Tails entered the room, pushing the door open silently. He peered in, recognising Sonic instantly. The blue hedgehog had bandages wound round the back of his head and over his eyes, and a drip connected to his arm, but otherwise looked ok.
His fur even looked a bit cleaner. Tails walked up to the bedside, and stared down. Sonic's expression was unreadable, and he doubted seeing his eyes would make any difference. He stared for a few minutes, listening to the soothing beep of the monitor.
Then the door clicked open, and Knuckles walked in, looking around distastefully. His red fur stood out from the walls, making him easily spottable. "Ugh." he muttered, obviously not a fan of hospitals. Tails' head snapped up quickly, and he said, "Hey. Er...I thought you hated this place...?"
Knuckles sneered, glaring at the wall as though it might try something behind his back. "Believe me, Tails, I wouldn't come in here if you paid me." He shuddered slightly. "I'll stick with the Master Emerald's healing, thanks."
"Guardians only." He added quickly, at the look on Tails' face. Then he said, "Anyway, apparently Sonic can come home already. He's progressing much faster than the doctors," he shuddered again, saying it like it was a swear word, "expected. With Amy to take care of him, I'd say he'd be suicidal. But, anyway, I fixed up your lab a bit, so we can get out of here."
Tails sniggered, and Knuckles turned away, embarrassed.
............................................
By midday, the summer sun managed to break through the clouds, shining down warmly. The flood still surged around the skyscrapers, but the level was dropping.
In the centre, on a small rock, two figures huddled.
Shadow's eyelids flickered, and then opened an inch. Where...was he? His head felt very heavy, like he had just been in a deep sleep. He opened his eyes further, and saw the green-blue water stretching around fallen buildings. Oh...yes, he remembered.
He opened his eyes fully, coughed painfully, and tried to move. His arms and legs were numb, and, as he moved, the horizon swayed dizzyingly. He was still freezing, but it occurred to him that he should have been colder. Or not awake at all...
He turned his head to the side, and saw a familiar pair of white ears cross his vision. Rouge was...she was...
He felt grateful...she was shivering too. He wanted to help her, but his arms were like lead. He managed to hook them round her neck, so he was leaning on her shoulder. Now they could warm each other up.
He looked around at the rock they were stranded on. No way out was apparent...they were as good as trapped. Everything swayed as he tried to focus, and for a second he saw double. He shut his eyes and waited for things to settle.
...........................................
Rouge blinked a few times, and opened her eyes. For a second she, too, forgot where she was, but a quick look at the rock reminded her. She yawned and looked to the side; where was Shadow? Was he-
Still there. His breathing had steadied, and as she moved he half-opened the eye facing her. She smiled weakly, and muttered, "You're ok." He shut his eye again, and muttered, "Yeah. Thank you...for...what you did."
She smiled and muttered, "It's ok." He coughed weakly in reply, and leaned more heavily on her. He looked as exhausted as she felt. Then her sharp ears picked up a whirring through the mist. A helicopter!