The return home was far different from the journey from it. Both Shadow and Amy were completely exhausted and weren't in the mood for talking as much, although the contented smiles on their faces did seem to express their feelings about the day quite well. Upon entering the house and turning on the lights, both headed to their respective places without saying a word: Amy upstairs and Shadow back down in the den. Before the thought of settling down for the night even crossed his mind, Shadow snatched up a clean dishtowel from off the kitchen counter and tried to dry his fur off, but he wasn't able to do much except cause his fur to stick out in all directions. After that, he put the towel back, retreated to the couch, sat down and picked up the remote, not even bothering to wrap his cold body in the blanket beside him. After turning on the television, he simply threw the remote down, his mind too focused on the day's events to even channel surf. He thought back to what he said to Amy about the vaguely familiar place. Maybe it was a coincidental matter that he had picked up on during his last visit to Station Square when he was getting chased by the police and happened to pass by the park; an insignificant deja vu moment. But he was too strange a character himself to believe in things like silly coincidences. After all, strange things had started to happen to him when he woke up in the house six weeks ago; things that opened him up to the better nature of life in such an unforgiving world. They probably could have come about from his pleading for such an idyllic lifestyle, but he thought if that were the case, he would have had his way 50 years earlier. Then he began to wonder even more about whether those events could have possibly been linked to a supernatural force. He had heard the stories of higher beings watching over you, and sometimes having to interfere indirectly to make things turn out all right...

Maybe that's the case, he thought to himself, smiling. It sure is a lot more satisfying to think that the unnatural is the real cause of everything.

His absentminded thoughts were soon branching off into daydreaming, and once he woke himself up, he knew he was tired. After hopping under the covers and resting his head down on the armrest, he found going to sleep a bit difficult, probably because it was so cold, but he wasn't one to complain about such things. More time under the covers and he wouldn't even notice it all. So, he stayed up, not bothering to even try and think about the random flashes occurring on the screen. With a sigh or two, he soon found himself nodding off to sleep faster than he had expected. The clock on the cable box read nine on the dot. After his experience here, however, he learned that when your mind was telling you to go to sleep, regardless of time, it was always a good idea to listen to it. So he turned towards the inside of the couch and pulled the covers back over his shoulder, unable to close his eyes after feeling something tap him on the shoulder. He turned around and came to attention when he found Amy by his side, dried off and dressed in her pink robe.

"Some–... something wrong, Amy?" he yawned.

"Yeah... It's so cold down here... Do you want to come upstairs?"

"Well, I–" He took a far-off look deep into her eyes, mildly surprised by her random offer, then he glanced down at himself. It seemed as if his fur did not want to dry off anytime soon, so he gave a short and sweet, "Sure."

He slid off of the couch and proceeded to follow her around the corner and up the stairs, holding on tightly to the banister as he traveled up the dark corridor. As he went along with her, he began to wonder why she simply didn't turn the heat on for him, but he got his answer once he hit the second floor and entered into her room. The sudden temperature change from freezing cold to warm felt good, and the low-key lighted atmosphere put him at ease. He could fall out right now on the floor and wouldn't care one bit. While reveling in the passive atmosphere, he looked up to see Amy quietly make her way in front of the mirror, stationed on a large dresser, and began to brush her hair.

What a heavenly sight...

He then walked up behind her (not so much concerned with a sneak attack this time) put his arms around her waist, placed his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes, rocking slightly and ears twitching to the mellow brushing noise as she continued doing her hair.

"So where are you going at this time of night, young lady?" he joked.

"Heh heh, the new hangout on 5th called My Bed."

"I've heard of that one. Hmph, lucky for you that place admits all ages."

The hedgehog smirked, opening an eye and looking at their reflection in the mirror. Upon a few seconds' glance, Shadow couldn't help but love what he saw: Just the two of them being together like that. It somehow filled him with an obscure happiness. He didn't want to let go of her right then, because it felt like everything would remain perfect right where they were. Amy took a look over at Shadow, who had just closed his eyes and sighed. She fully understood what he was feeling right now also. Everything was always perfect when they were near each other...

"Shadow?..." He only answered her with a moan, "Hey, Shadow... Ah– wake up!" she laughed, tapping him on the head with her brush a couple of times, "Save the dreaming for bed, okay?"

"Sorry 'bout that," he said, releasing her from his hold.

Once free, the smiling girl walked over to her bed without another word. Shadow could now feel his heart skipping beats as she laid herself down under the covers, and swore that it had stopped altogether when she told him that he could lay down also. He stood rigid for a second but complied hesitantly, very nervous and anxious, as he had never had the experience of sharing a bed with anyone; the few naps they had on the couch were exceptions. However, as he laid himself down he had to admit that it was much more comfortable than the solid couch he had become accustomed to. All prior fears vanished as he relaxed and rested his head on the pillow, running his fingers lazily through his matted and tangled white fur.

"I see you're relaxed," Amy said, looking at him out of the corner of her eyes while she watched television.

"Very," he laughed, "I know you get a good sleep every night."

From that, all conversation ceased as the two continued to enjoy yet another one of their peaceful moments. Aside from the lowly tuned television, all went silent, Amy doing a mixture of reading and watching what was going on, while Shadow seemingly had his mind focused on the situation unfolding on screen. However, his thoughts couldn't be any farther from that. After all of this time, there was still one more thing on his mind; something that everyone on Earth would sooner or later admit to another. He felt that, as her love, he was obligated to tell her this little secret, even though she knew of it very well already. Although she knew what he was about to tell her, he felt that sometimes it was good to admit it in person every now and then, and the way he was feeling it was one of those times. Yet, as time passed, his mind would roam in and out between daydreaming about what he was to say and watching the long movie, and waiting for it to be over was challenging. He drifted off into a light nap several times, waking up within a few minutes time, and at the rate he was slipping away, he knew he'd probably just tell her in the morning. He pulled the covers back over himself, preparing for a much needed rest, until he was once again barred from doing so by Amy.

"Good idea," she whispered.

Shadow wasn't too far asleep to hear her, and he turned on his side to question what she said.

"Hmm? What'd you say?"

"Oh. Nothing much. Just saying I was going to sleep myself," she slipped under the covers and reached for the switch on a lamp, "Good night, Shadow–"

She was stopped from turning off the light by a firm grip on her arm. She turned her sight towards Shadow, whose emotionless expression immediately brightened upon sight of her face.

"Um... Amy?"

"Yes?"

"There's one more thing I've kept from you for the longest; something I should have really admitted a long time ago..."

As he let go of her arm, she quickly turned to face him with worry on her face, concerned about whatever it was he had to tell her was as devastating as his admittance of his past life up in space.

"Oh, no Shadow! You have another secret? Is it something that–"

"No, Amy. No... It's nothing like that, but... it's still something I should have told you..."

Neither one of them said a word to each other as Shadow lowered his head and took her hand into his once more.

"Amy?"

"Yes, Shadow?"

He then looked into her eyes, his own as big as ever, smiled to her, and for the first time ever since he had laid eyes on his dear Amy Rose, he said,

"I... I love you... I've loved you ever since I saw you, and–" he then noticed she hadn't shown much change, swallowed hard, and continued on to say, "I had... I had to say that; I did... because... you are everything... that I've ever wanted... and... and whenever I'm around you... I–... I finally know I'm at home."

"You are everything... I've ever wanted to, Shadow," she admitted as she put her free hand on the side of his face, stroking his orange fur.

The sensation of her touch against his face was mesmerizing. He closed his eyes while leaning over closer to her, meeting her right in the middle for a kiss, which surprised him into pulling away. But as he put his hand on her waist and she pulled him back in, the hedgehog questioned her no further, letting his heart take over in the matter. Once the couple pulled away from their passionate embrace, they quickly went to sleep without a word, still in each other's arms. However this time, Shadow's dreams were interrupted once more...

Shadow...

"What?... Maria?"

Yes, Shadow. It is me. I want to thank you full heartedly, Shadow.

"What for?"

You have now fulfilled your promise to me and found your purpose: To make the people of Earth happy.

"I still continued to believe that I had done that last time I talked to you... What did I do right this time?"

Remember, Shadow. Your promise to me was to make everyone on the planet Earth happy. You forgot two very important people in the process...

"I'm afraid I still don't understand..."

The two remaining people that were left on Earth for you to fulfill your promise to were your dear Amy Rose, and even more importantly... yourself, Shadow. You have just told your love that she was everything you had ever wanted in your life. Now, you are truly happy and your accomplishment has put an undying gratitude and happiness in my heart. Thank you, Shadow.

"You are more than welcome, Maria."

And so I bid you farewell, Shadow the Hedgehog.

It was then that Maria left Shadow's side, never again to disturb the hedgehog until she felt that he needed her once more in his life.And when Shadow did not feel at all too sad at Maria's departure, he finally knew that everything was to be all right from that moment on. His promise was finally fulfilled and everyone was happy, including Maria herself. What more could he possibly want?

And thus we leave Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose, two lovers bound by passion and need forever and all eternity.

And well... that's the end to this purposefully short story. I thank all of my regular readers and reviewers for their support with and love of this story. However, a thank you is not all you will get. Head over to my profile for a bit of good news. But until later, see you all.