The rain had poured for almost three days, as the pair made their way through the forest. Nether one of them had talked about the kiss. Swatbot patrols had been increased over the past couple of days. So sleep had been light and rest rare. Speed seamed to be unaffected and Sally was no stranger to no sleep, but the journey and the things on her mind were starting to ware her down. Speed noticed this and quickly changed their path. He had noticed a waterfall on the map and figured a hiding place could be found near there. The rain had caused the river to over flow in places and parts of the path were muddy. Sally looked around as they neared the waterfall, "Don't we have enough water?"

Speed walked over to the thirty-foot waterfall, "The water should hide us from the bots' audio sensors." He edged around the rock face and peered through the water, "Come on!" Speed walked along the edge and got behind the waterfall. Sally quickly followed him and found herself standing in a large cave. Speed nodded, "Damp, but no rain! And it is doubtful we will have bot trouble."

Sally nodded, "Yeah! Maybe I will be able to get a full night sleep."

"One can only hope!"

They made a small camp. Sally managed to start a small fire at the very back of the cave. She was happy she had managed to save some starter logs and paper. The place was too small for tents, but their sleeping bags were fine. As they got ready to sleep, Sally sat down, "How did you get cursed?"

Speed shrugged, "I don't know!" It was a lie, but he wasn't going to tell her the truth. "Why are you even on this journey? I'm doing this to find peace, but I am unable to figure out why you are doing this."

"I guess you deserve the truth." Sally hesitated, "I just couldn't take it anymore. I was with people, yet I was alone. I was a Freedom Fighter, but then they were disbanded."

Speed chuckled, "A Freedom Fighter!" He laughed!

"What?"

"A ragtag band of mammals, going against Robotnik. With his hoards of machines and allies. No offense, but to the rest of the world, your just wasting your time."

Sally thought for a moment, "But we are... were trying to save the planet. So much was sacrificed for it."

"I can't talk! But Robotnik has all that power." Speed leaned against the cool stonewall, "The power to destroy lives."

"Did he destroy yours?"

Speed held up one of his fists, "I was close enough to Robotnik to kill him. All I had to do was slam this fist into his neck." Speed slammed his fist down, "But I couldn't! I was to caught up in my own problems."

"Sorry!"

"Forget it!"

Sally sighed, "So what now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Speed stood up and walked to the wall of water, "I'm playing with the idea of just storming Robotropolis."

"But you'll get killed!"

"Maybe! But I might be able to do some damage."

Sally jumped up and walked over to him, "Throwing your life away is foolish."

"So is living an empty life." Speed looked at his hands, "These hands have caused so much pain. I just can't live with it anymore."

Sally gently grabbed his hand, "Getting yourself killed won't solve anything. You have a good heart, but you need to listen to it."

"Thank you!" The two stood staring at each other for a long time, before their lips met once again. It was a quick one. Each one testing the waters. The two embraced each other and longer kiss started. The two fell to the ground in each others arms.

Speed woke up and rubbed his eyes. He sat up and covered Sally up with a blanket. He flexed his arms and walked over to his backpack. He rummaged through it and pulled out a small photo, "Leda!" He shook his head, "Damn it all! I'm not being fare to Alicia!" His watched beeped, "Bots!" He ran to the wall of water and held a mirror out. He saw a squad of Swatbots searching the area around the waterfall. Speed cursed, "Perfect!" He snuck out from behind the waterfall and hid behind some bushes.

A Swatbot stood in front of a floating metal sphere, "The Princess was detected in this area, but we have been unable to find her."

"I don't want to here excuses! Find her!"

"Yes my lord!"

Speed recognized the voice coming from the sphere, "Robotnik!" He snuck back and jumped behind a few rocks, "Princess? What Princess?" Speed scratched his head, "Couldn't be!" Speed quietly got out of the Swatbot's sensor range and ran as fast as he could. He got to his hidden ship and got aboard. He linked up with The Bounty Hunter mainframe. After a few keystrokes, he sat back, "I was with Princess Sally this entire time." He chuckled, "I was with a fifteen million bounty head. Well if that don't beat all!"

Sally rolled over and sat up, "Sonic?" Sally realized where she was and looked around, "Good thing Speed didn't here that." She stood up and pulled her boots on, "I wonder if they are worried." She grabbed her blue vest and threw it on as she walked to the back of the waterfall, "Where did Speed go?" A she reached the wall of water, a Swatbot stuck its head through it. It sounded an alarm that made Sally fall back. She grabbed a blaster pistol that Speed had left. She shot the bot through the red visor. It fell back, out of the water. The other six bots quickly made their way to the waterfall.

One of the bots stopped and looked around, "Super sonic energy coming from the rear." Before the bot could turn around, a blue ball blasted through the bot's chest.

Sonic uncurled and shot around the rest of the group, "Hey metalheads! Priority one hedgehog here!"

"Priority one hedgehog!" The bots activated their wrist lasers and opened fire. Sonic ran around so much the bots managed to shot themselves.

Sonic laughed as he picked up a large stone, "Better luck next time Robutnik!" He tossed the stone at the spyorb and it exploded, "Sally!"

The squirrel walked out from behind the waterfall, "Sonic!" She ran over and hugged the hedgehog, "How did you find me?"

"One of the other Freedom Fighter cells sent me a message."

"They did?"

"Yeah! Lets go home!"

Speed watched Sonic carry Sally off, "Thanks Sally!"

Present

"That is when that happened!" Sonic dropped his jaw. Sally nodded her head. "And you were the one who called me." Speed nodded. Sonic shook his head, "Why didn't I see that?"

Speed shrugged, "Doesn't matter now! I'll catch you latter." Speed left with Leda following.

Sonic sat down, "To think I missed what you were going through."

"You couldn't have known! I kind of got it in my head you were board with me."

Sonic shook his head, "No! I was scared!"

"Scared?" Sally walked over to him, "Why?"

"I'm not a real leader Sal. Marrying you would mean I would be a king someday. I love you, but I couldn't handle that kind of responsibility."

Sally sat down and leaned her head on Sonic's chest, "Thank you for telling me."

Sonic wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you for forgiving me." The two laid with each other the rest of the night.

Speed stood near the edge of the island as the sun started to set, "Feel better?"

Speed turned and nodded as Leda walked up, "Do you?"

"I'm happy that I know the truth." She sat down on the ground, "During the time we were apart, there wasn't a moment that I didn't think about you!"

"You were the only reason I didn't lose myself to my rage." Speed sat down, "It is peaceful! It won't last."

Leda laid her head down on Speed's lap, "Then lets enjoy the peace we have before it ends."

"Yeah!"

Shadow stood atop Sky Sanctuary. The stars were out and he couldn't help but stare at the small sparkle in the sky, "The Ark!" He sighed, "Is all I'm good for is fighting?"

"If that is what you think." Rouge walked up.

"I don't know what to think! I was created and programmed, I was given no purpose. I am no better than a robot." Shadow crossed his arms, "I just need time right now."

"Then I will leave."

"No! Please stay! I would enjoy your company." Rouge smiled and stood next to Shadow.

A black hedgehog sat at the base of a tree, deep in The Mushroom Forest. His eyes glowed red, "Enjoy this peace while you can. Soon my master will have you in the palm of his hand."