(Time to pick off from my "evil" cliffhanger… I don't own Sonic, remember. All I own is the Nega-5, and Toya AKA Ambient.)

CHAPTER 6

End's eyes showed no remorse. "Idiot… Trying to be some sort of hero… I hate heroes." She straightened out her free hand and drew it back, aiming right for Shadow's rib cage, where his heart would lie. "Die, worthless filth!" She thrust her hand forward.

CRONCH

End winced in pain as she felt her wrist being crushed like a pop can. When she looked at her arm, there were two gloved hands right there. Shadow's hands, that is.

Shadow's eyes were still closed, but he held a weak smile. "N…Nice try End. But I don't plan on dying just yet." With those words he did a quick flip kick, smacking End across the chin, forcing her to release Shadow.

Shadow watched his adversary flip over and land on the ground, as he rose into the air. Snapping his fingers once more, he let loose his "air chaos magic" attack, which caused an energy blast right on top of End. He landed on the ground, and waited to see if End was finished. But to his surprise, End stood up like the attack was nothing.

"Don't you get it? Your chaos attacks can't hurt me!" End said with arrogance. "I suggest you give up before I get, UGH!" She fell to her knees. "I'm…loosing power!"

Shadow finally smiled. "Seems you need to recharge your battery, End. Plus, it's not just your clothes that are tattered. Look at your skin."

End looked down at her arms, to find that bits of her skin were crumbling off, revealing what looked like many metallic cells linked together.

"Not quite so ultimate after all, are you?"

End just growled, and pulled out a green chaos emerald. "I didn't expect you to be this strong… I retreat for now, but mark my words Shadow, you WILL die." The chaos emerald's energy enveloped End, and she vanished from sight.

Shadow breathed a sigh of relief, and fell to the ground. "That was close… I was able to hold out and force her to retreat… God, that took a lot out of me… I better get back to the city…" Shadow stood up, a bit shakily, and began to walk to the nearest town. He noticed that he was in the southern part of Holy Summit, near the wooden Bridge that lead to Central City. "I can't…get there on foot… I'm too weak." He took out his chaos emerald, and frowned at its state. Damn it, it must've got cracked in that battle with End. One more chaos control and it'll probably shatter. If I choose the wrong area, I'm screwed. I must make this transport count…" Holding the cracked emerald, he gave it one last use. "CHAOS CONTROL!" Shadow vanished in the energy surge that followed… After viewing nothing but blinding light he found himself in a dark area of the city, lit up by many neon lights and signs. "Night Babylon…" He spoke, and then turned his attention back to his red chaos emerald. The emerald cracked a few more times, and then it shattered into a million shards. Shadow looked behind him to see what building of Night Babylon he was at. It was Club Rouge, Rouge's hang out, and it was open, meaning people were inside. Shadow wanted to laugh with relief, but couldn't muster the strength to. He raised an arm to the door, and with his remaining strength, he banged on the door as hard as he could, praying that he'd be heard. After nine or ten knocks, he dropped to his knees, suddenly feeling horrible in the pit of his stomach. "Oh god… It feels like I'm…going…to…BLAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" He vomited right on the doorstep, spilling out whatever was in his stomach. After 15 seconds, he finally stopped. "Ah great…" He said sarcastically. "Rouge is gonna be pissed." He then thought he heard footstep coming from inside, as his eyelids grew heavy and he began to black out. The last sound she heard before falling unconscious were the sounds of the door opening and a female gasp…

During that very moment…

"Ooh…unh…oh…AH!"

"Right there, Rouge?"

"Oh God… When did you get so good at this?"

"The martial arts I practice give me good powerful hands, useful for lifting heavy things, fighting and defending, and apparently as of now, massaging."

Rouge lay on her stomach on top of her bed, sprawled out wearing nothing but a man's button up dress shirt. Knuckles was at her side, rubbing his strong hand across her lower and middle back, giving her a relaxing back massage. She was in pure bliss at this moment. "Oooh… You're hands are as good as your lips…" Rouge said in an entranced voice.

Those words made Knuckles' mind take a journey back to the hospital…

FLASHBACK

After a few minutes of the intense kiss, Knuckles finally came up for air, flushing madly. He looked down at Rouge, who seemed to have a smile on her face, which was half confident, yet half blissful at the same time. "R-Rouge… You were awake!"

Rouge nodded, blushing a, a look of embarrassment appearing. "I heard you before too… About how I looked like a sleeping princess and how I was YOUR Jewel Thief…"

Knuckles was sweating now. "Well…I…uh…"

Rouge sat up and looked at Knuckles with a wistful, yet questioning look. "Are all those things you said, true?"

Knuckles, having no other option, came clean. "Yes, ma'am, they were…" What came next surprised his mind, but didn't surprise his heart. Knuckles was staring at Rouge one moment, and the next minute, he was full off her, as the bat-girl reached out and drew him right into a loving hug, and yet another kiss.

'Wow…' That was the only thing on both of their minds.

END FLASHBACK

Knuckles smiled. "That was the best moment of my life…"

Rouge sighed contently. "Mine too…ooh…right there…"

Knuckles chuckled inside of his mind. 'She's just a little pussy cat when she's like that… I could probably do anything to her right now, and she'd think it was a dream.' He continued to rub Rouge's back making her moan in pleasure. He leaned down to her as he moved up to her shoulders. He started to kiss around Rouge's neck, as he massaged her shoulders.

Rouge shivered at Knuckles' touch as she felt what he was doing. She felt waves of pleasure course through her body and brain as she felt his kisses and caresses. 'Oooh… Does he have any idea what that does to me…' "Uuunnnnh…"

Knuckles smirked. "You like that don't you?"

Rouge moaned in response and suddenly turned over onto her back.

Knuckles flushed a bit and what she seemed to be indicating. "You want me to do the front now, don't you?"

Rouge nodded, giving a smile.

Knuckles started to rub Rouge's thighs, gently, and resumed kissing her neck and muzzle. He then started to feel a pleasure full, rubbing pressure on his own back. It seemed as though Rouge was returning the favor to him. He moved up to Rouge's stomach, while rouge started to kiss his face and massage his neck. Knuckles hands began to move up to Rouge's shirt, and he proceeded to unbutton it. He slowly undid Rouge's first button, which exposed more of her collar bone, and then he moved down to the second and third buttons, gently unbuttoned them, exposing Rouge's large, d-cup breasts, covered by a black silk bra. He could feel himself going wild with desire inside as he continued to unbutton the bat-girl's shirt. He unbuttoned the last bottom button, exposing her silken black panties. He quickly removed the shirt, tossing it to the side. He felt Rouge pull him down on top of her and gave him a big kiss on his lips. He felt Rouge's tongue lick the inside of his lips gently, as her hands caressed his back.

BAM BAM BAM BAM

Knuckles and Rouge stopped what they were doing, hearing the banging at the door.

"DAMN IT!" Knuckles cursed as he sat up. "Right when I was the middle of pure pleasure!"

Rouge sighed in disappointment and frustration, since she was very much enjoying herself. "I'll get it Knux, just came the fires burning…" She gave him a sexy wink.

Knuckles smiled slyly. "Oh I will…"

Rouge picked up her shirt and pulled it over her underwear clad body, without buttoning it, and walked to the door. "Who the hell could be knocking at this time of night?" She stopped in front of the door, and opened it up. She gasped as she saw who it was. "Shadow!"

At the present time…

Shadow slowly started to come to, as he slowly opened his eyes. His vision was hazy at the moment so he couldn't tell exactly where he was. But his vision started to clear as soon as his head did. 'Agh… I'm sore all over…but it doesn't feel like anything's broken…' Shadow thought as he sat up.

"Shadow? Are you finally awake?"

Shadow rubbed his eyes and looked for the source of the voice. "Knuckles?" He asked when he saw the red echidna sitting by him. He cocked an eyebrow. "What are you doing at Rouge's place?"

Knuckles flushed slightly and fumbled for words. "Well… I…"

Then Rouge decided to come in, hoping to check on Shadow, whom she found to be very much awake. "Shadow! You're awake!"

Shadow turned to Rouge and noticed her state of undress, with her open shirt and black underwear on view. He smirked, but also blushed a bit. "Nice underwear Rouge… You and Knuckles have been having some 'fun' have you?"

Rouge looked down at her state and blushed madly, trying to cover up. Shaking her head, she huffed. "What Knuckles and I do together, is none of your concern…"

"Especially if it's in bed, hmm?" Shadow joked, earning blushes of embarrassment and anger from both Knuckles and Rouge. Shadow laughed at his own joke until… "ARGH!" He clutched his side in pain.

Knuckles and Rouge gathered around him, worried for his well being.

Shadow grimaced. "Ugh… That wasn't a smart thing to do… I guess I shouldn't have been out in the open, and then End wouldn't have caught me…"

Rouge's eyes widened. "End? One of those five freaks who attacked us before!"

Shadow nodded. "Apparently they've already had a run in with Sonic…and now they've decided to after anyone from Team Sonic now too… You guys have got to warn Sonic and Tails about this. If they go after and capture them, there's no telling what GUN will do to them, or what the Nega-5 themselves will do."

Rouge narrowed her eyes. "If they think they'll take Knuckles away from me, they've got another thing coming!"

Knuckles looked worried as well. "I'm worried about Amy and Cream too. They're awfully close to Sonic and Tails, and if the Nega-5 find out… Well you know what could happen…"

Shadow had a sad look on his face. 'This all my fault… They're going after everyone because of me…' He thought. 'But if they think they're going to capture anyone for military gain… They're sadly mistaken!'

TO BE CONTINUED

(Things are just heating up… What are the Nega-5 gonna plan next? What's Shadow gonna do to get back at them? Find out in future chapters…)