Flower: Woot! I love this chapter! Oh, and I was only joking about killing one of the hedgies. After all, then they wouldn't be in the ::Sequel::!

Chaos: Oh, give away the secret, then!

Flower: (shuffles feet) Sorry...couldn't resist...so exciting...hehe...

Chaos: (sighs) Anywho, review responses next chapter!

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Rouge looked out of the window of the helicopter. The fog was lifting, the sun had come out, and the flood was going down.

She yawned, and looked back inside. On the seat next to her, leaning on her shoulder, Shadow was dozing again. He was tired out from everything, and still shivering. He didn't look half so fierce when he was asleep. She smirked.

Come to think of it, she was pretty tired too...she pulled the warm blanket closer around herself, and let her eyelids droop.

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"How's he doing?" Knuckles asked tiredly, leaning on the doorframe. Tails looked up slowly, and said, "Not woken up yet...but...he...miiiiight..." The fox's head was drooping onto his chest; he was practically asleep himself.

Knuckles yawned and turned away. It was nearly midnight, and after all that bustle getting Sonic back from the hospital...well, he was surprised that he was still awake himself. Amy had collapsed into bed already.

Cream padded up the hallway in her slippers, and said, "Mr. Knuckles? Do you want some hot chocolate?" He looked down at her in surprise, and said, "Aren't you asleep yet?"

She shrugged, and said, "I woke up again. Have you slept yet?" Knuckles shook his head. Ah, sleep...so tempting...he forced his eyes open to hear Cream saying, "...so I made some hot chocolate for you and Tails, if you want it."

"Yeah, thanks." he said as she offered him a mug. Cream peered around the door, to see Tails snoring quietly next to the bed. Sonic was still unconscious. She bobbed back, and said, "Erm, I'll just give this one to Cheese and Chocola."

Then she padded down the corridor again. Knuckles' head nodded, dreadlocks dipping, and his mug tilted a little. He jerked awake again, and then shook his head. This was stupid. Why didn't he just go to bed? Something about...Sonic...he slid along the doorframe and nearly fell into the room, somehow managing to keep the hot drink upright.

He saw the bed, and remembered. Well...maybe if he just...sat...here...for a while...

Within minutes he was asleep.

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Next morning

A beam of morning light slanted into the room, casting across the bed. It hit Sonic in the eye, and he twitched. Slowly he opened one eye a crack. Where was he? He couldn't see anything...just white.

Then he realised that there was something over his eyes. He tried to lift a hand to remove it, but could barely move. Something was holding him down. What had happened? He tried to remember...ugh...something about a fight. Oh, his head hurt...

Ok, think back further...he was Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog. Yes, he remembered that. And...and Eggman. Something to do with Eggman? Was this where he was? Had he been captured?

He tried to make a sound. "Hegghhh..." It came out faintly. What had Eggman done to him? Was that why he couldn't move? He started to panic. No...no! Calm. Calm. How bad can it be?

Bad! Very very very bad!, the voice in his head argued. No, no...be rational. Call for help. No, wait, if it is Eggman then...oh, my head...ok, settle for hello. Simple enough.

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Tails was having a strange dream. He was running through a cave. Behind him came an echoing laugh that he knew was Sonic's. "Tails...Tails! It's me! Come back!"

No...no. It would just be a trick. Sonic trying to get him. "Tails...Tails!" No, wait...Sonic hadn't been able to speak in the caves...but what if it was a trick? What if...

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"He...Hello?"

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Behind him, the footsteps faded. "Tails...? Is that you? Wait, you aren't...AAAH! Tails! Help!!!" Tails stopped abruptly, and ran back. He had to help him...! It wasn't a trick, he was in trouble. It was his fault!

He ran into a square white room that he recognised. In front of him...TWO Sonics?! No...one was different. It had mottled fur and an evil growl. The other was the real Sonic, crumpled on the floor.

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"Hello? HELLO?"

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"What have you done?!" Tails cried as he ran to the hedgehog. The other backed away, hissing. Sonic was face-down, Tails rolled him over...and Sonic bared sharp fangs and lunged for his throat, while the other Sonic growled and backed away further.

And Tails screamed.

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Sonic was desperate. He had called 'hello' several times, and he could hear breathing nearby. Then suddenly someone was screaming, right in his ear! It was Tails...he was in trouble!

"Tails! Tails, are you ok? Tails, speak to me!"

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Tails jerked awake screaming, to another Sonic. No...no, this one was real. His bandaged face was turned towards him, frowning worriedly, saying something...

"-ok? Tails, speak to me!" Tails stopped screaming. Sonic...Sonic had called him Tails...he had...

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The screaming had stopped...but the breathing was still there. Was it Tails? What was going on?

"Tails? ...Tails?" No response. "Tails, are you ok? What happened? TAILS!" He began to yell again.

Suddenly Tails' voice sounded, in his ear again. "S-Sonic? You...you...remember me?" Remember him? Of course he did! What was going on?! Ow, his head hurt. It must be something important.

"Tails...what's going on? I...can't...move..."

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Chaos: Dum dum dummmmmmm! Come on, who saw that coming? Be honest!