Disclaimer: I don't own them, Sega do. I just like writing fanfic. Rated R for later chapters. Warning, some mature themes including same sex relationships.

What does it mean to live?

What does it mean to die? Sonic should know, the waters closed upon him with icy finality, the hedgehog hadn't stood a chance when the robot had smashed the last platform from under him, he'd plummeted straight into the icy water. Straight into the dark sea that was the same color as the hedgehog.

The water was cold, a shock to his system and for a moment the hedgehog sank frozen in shock, the small voice of reason desperately yapped in his ear for a moment before being driven out as debris lanced down through the water, one large metal strut found a target and the blue body sagged limply instead of stretching for the light and air.

Dim sunlight reflected off the blue spines for a moment then Sonic sank unconcious into the abyss.

Elsewhere, Robotnik was celebrating, the hedgehog was finally gone. No more hero getting in his way, no more wise cracks, no more humiliating defeats. The evil genius was all but dancing as he watched the hedgehog fall over and over again. Evil chuckles echoed around the room for a moment.

They searched, throughout the long night, thoroughout the storm, sweeping the sea. They searched until they froze, they searched despite numb hands, they were still looking when the sun peered above the horizon. Sally shook her head at them and looked out across the grey sea, dried tear trails decorated her cheeked and she shook slightly though whether it was from grief or the cold she couldn't tell anymore. This island was little more than a grey rock, but it had made a temporary base.

She looked around, they were all there, every one of Sonic's friends, faces creased with shock and sadness, they had looked but he wasn't here, no-one would say it but everyone thought it. Sally stared back at the ocean, for a moment she almost thought she could hear him shouting for her. Almost see him running towards her with his usual mile wide grin.

She turned at the shout, Knuckles stood almost nose to nose with Bunny, Sally was amazed at how angry he looked "Don't say that, he isn't gone" Bunny shook her head sadly at Knuckles' angry denial. "Ah'd like to believe sugarhog is a comin' home ... ". Bunny gave a yelp as Knuckles seized her shoulders and shook her before letting her stumble backwards into Antione.

Sally was beside the guardian before she thought about what she was doing, he rounded on her next, "So now what? you give up on him?" Sally shook her head.

"Knuckles, I know this is hard but he fell, you know he can't swim ... " Sally trailed off at the disgusted look Knuckles was giving her. The echidna turned and stormed off even as Sally shouted for him to come back. Vector shook his head as Sally made to follow Knux, "Princess, let him go, he needs to deal with it alone ... " Silently the group began to prepare to leave.

Knuckles stood on the edge of the island and glared up at the just rising sun as if it had personally offended him, he gave a growl "Sonic ... "