It would soon be Shadows and Siberia wedding and Knuckles and the rest of the boys would soon be at their stag night. Shadow was their of course , as well as Knuckles, Sonic, Tails, Espio, Charmy, Vector and Neo, Creams boyfreind , a white rabbit rabit with baggy demin jeans and a black vest. The wandered into the club they had reversed just for themselves and any freinds they had decided to bring along. While everyone else had a talked to Shadow and performed other average party activities, Sonic noticed Knuckles was away from the rest of the crowd, looking a bit nervous and bewildered. Sonic didn't know this but it was just a day after Rouge had told Knuckles the news and it still hadn't sunk in. He wondered over and said
" Hey Knuckles! Whats up?". Knuckles jumped and the sound of his voice. He looked round and spotted Sonic , staring at him for a few secinds before replying vagualy
" Nothing, no nothing...nothing". Sonic raised an eyebrow and said
" Are you sure? You don't seem to want to join in with everyone else! Whats happened that's made you so...stressed?"
" No it's nothing , just well Rouge is er... Nothing!"he said, walking away and leaving a confused Sonic standing their. He narrowed his eyes. Knuckles was never this nervous unless something was wrong out what it was.
" Hey Knuckles!" Said Sonic as he approached him again. Knuckles growled and turned around, swinging his arm round to hit Sonic on the jaw. He flew across the room, crashing into the cd player and killing the music. There was sielnce as everyone stared at Sonic, knocked out against the wall and Knuckles, who was standing in the corner, fuming.
" What's wrong with you!" Snarled Neo, who didn't know Knuckles well enough to be familiar with his quick temper. Most of the others knew that Sonic did like to aggrivate Knuckles and that he wasn't the most patient of people. But wasn't his reaction a little, over the top?
" ARRRRGHHHHHH!" Yelled Knuckles, storming out of the room becuase of all the angry and surprised glares he was getting.
" Sheesh! I knew old Knuckles had a temper, but what was that all about? He en't even drunk yet" grumbled Vector, sipping from his can. Everyone else just stared. He was right off course, there was DEFINATLY something bothering him.
Outside, Knuckles had run out side and was currenlt letting of his anger against some near by dumpsters.
" STUPID IDIOT HEDGEHOG!"he yelled, knocking of the nearest bin, making a loud crashing sound as it smashed into the others. " STICKING HIS STINKIN' NOSE WHERE IT AIN'T WANTED! WHY CAN'T HE JUST!" He kicked over another bin " LEAVE!"he smashed a hole in a nearby telephone box " ME!" He threw an abandoned trolley into the air, which came down later and crashing on the floor behind him " ALONE!"he picked up a brick and threw it through the club window, which set off the alarm.
He sighed. It wasn't Sonic that was bothering him. It wasn't even the fact that he didn't want to tell them that Rouge was pregnant. His anger was coming from his stress and his stress from his worry.
He started the long jorney home. Getting piss ass drunk wasn't his idea of fun anyway, plus if he stuck around he was have to pay for the damage he caused.
He thought of Rouge. Would she still be there when he got back? He was sure she would leave anyday, becuase, he feared , that she had found another man. He stoped, sighing. She said that it was his, but how was that possible? Echidna's and Bat's just don't mix, full stop. So why had Rouge suddenly announced there was a child on the way? The only possibilty was that she had been seeing someone else. A bat walked past Knuckles in the street. He glared at it. 'If your the one who has been playing around with my wife' he thought, even growling a little ' then i'll rip your head off'. The bat didn't even notice Knuckles , simply getting into his car and driving off. Knuckles watched him go.
" Punk" he spat, turning and entering a sprint as it started to rain. The only thing that was keeping Knuckles from demanding who Rouge was seeing right now was the fact that she had told him. If she was seeing someone else, she wouldn't just tell that she was pregnant, that would raise his suspitions. Plus the fact that she hadn't left... Yet. He quickened his pace, incase Rouge had decided to make a break for it while he was gone. He had made up his mind. He would ask her tonight...
Knuckles returned to the island. His bad mood had subsided , only to be replaced by anciety. He was douting his whole life. A few days ago, everything was perfect, he had Rouge and was able to properly guard the master emerald, he never thought he could have both. But then Rouge made her little announcment, which sent everything spiriling out of control. It pulled up posibilities of her being with someone else and since he could give her a child and Knuckles couldn't, surly she would choose this bat over him. Even if she didn't, what would happen when the child came, how long could she hide the fact that the child wasn't his? From his and the rest. Someone would figure it out, surly?
Then there was the small and almost impossible chance that Rouges child was his. What then? Was he ready to handle a child? And what dangers would it bring to Rouge? If it came in an egg...who knows what could happen? Would it even survive?
He gulped and tried to force those thoughts out of his head. Landing on the island, Knuckles set out to find Rouge and get the truth out of her.
But , to his horror, Rouge was no where to be found. He searched her favourite spots, the waterfall hidden by exotice palm trees. The old tree that jutted of the edge of the highest cliff, even the caves, but Rouge was no where to be found.
He sunk to his knees. He knew it, he just knew it. Rouge wasn't pregnant with his child, it was some crappy bats. She must have told him becuase she felt sorry for him, like a little pet when you say good bye too it becuase you've found a better one. Poor stupid Knuckles, better tell him, better tell him before I leave him and break his heart forever. He sniffed, how could he have been so stupid! No one ever prefered you. Even the fans ( exept me! Knuckles rules!sorry kind of spoilt the tension there...opps). They all chose Sonic, or Tails, even Amy was the favourite sometimes, but never him. Rouge probably just wanted him for the master emerald, gain his trust and then...
" THE MASTER EMERALD!" He yelled when he realised . He threw himself off the ground and sprinted out of the forest. He had just lost the most important thing in his life. No way was he going to loose the second. He felt the strange energy that showed the master emerald was nearby. He quickening his pace and willing his legs to go faster and failed to noticed the white bundle on the floor, a white bundle with wings...
It came into veiw, it's glow a welcoming sight in his horribly emtpy life. Grinning for no real reason, Knuckles rushed over. But his back foot lodged onto something. He tried to pull it free but his other foot got caught was well. The master emeralds veiw slipped form his eyes as he feel flat on on face.
He raised his head quickly, shaking it off and pushing himself up.
" Stupid bat girl" he grumbled as he walked away from her. He stopped. " Wait! Rouge!" He said, when he realised that had had tripped over her still body. Panic flooded through his body and he rushed up, not even bothering to slow down and skidding to a halt on his knees, by her side. His breathing rushed in and out, unlike hers, which didn't even seem to be working.
" Oh no! Rouge!" He yelled desperatly. He forgot about his suspitions and carried Rouge out of the forest and into their house. Resting her on the bed he sat down beside her, never leaving her side. It was almost three hours before her eye lids flickered. He glanced up.
" Rouge?"he asked cautiosly. Her eye lids flickered again.
" What?" she suddenly said weakly. Knuckles, forgetting that she seemed to be ill, enclosed her in a hard hug.
" Owch! Knuckles! Take it easy!"she said, when she realised what the sudden sqeeze around her upper body was. A droplet of water feel on her shoulder, the tear of her partner.
" Rouge, I thought I had lost you!"said Knuckles, breaking down. He had been through every possible emotion today and was just about ready to crash. An increase in pressure around his chest told him that Rouge had hugged back. He sighed. Everthing was back to normal, exept...
" IS IT MINE!"he asked suddenly, pushing Rouge off of him so she landed roughly on the pillow. Her eyes wonder, dazed.
" What? What do you mean?" She asked, feeling lost at Knuckles sudden change in attidude. His face was angry, worried, ancious. He really didn't believe it was his child.
" What were you doing by the master emerald?" He said, looking into her eye as if to interrigate her. She backed away a little in fear. Did she still not trust him?
" Look Knuckles, I know it's hard to believe, i'm still confused myself, I don't know how it happened, but it has and it IS you child, I promise. As for the master emerald, I felt it calling to be somehow, I don't know why but I felt drawn to it" she looked down, feeling a little ashamed and stupid and continued " Please forgive me"she begged. It was Knuckles turn to back away now. He was surprised. He had expected lame excused, or for her to simply fly away and never come back. But there was something about the sincerity of how she said it, that made him want to believe her, even though she had no proof.
" Rouge, It really sounds like you just spouted a loud of nonsence to cover up something, espicailly since you have no proof"he said, his expression hard and his tone dark. Lowering her eyes, Rouge felt her anger spike up. How untrusting could someone get? Knuckles stared at her. His eyes as hard as stone. Glaring back at him Rouge held his gaze. His untrustfullness was exactly what had kept them appart for so long , now it was tearing apart their relationship once more.
Then , the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.
" But since i'm such a trusting person" he joked " I guess i'll believe you". Rouge shock her head at his joke. She smiled too and said
" Don't worry Knucklehead, only a kid from you could cause me this much greif". Knuckles grinned and nodded his head, before realising what Rouge said
" Hey!"he said , pretending to be hurt. " Wait" he said, his tone turning serios again " Why did you collapse?"he asked. She turned serios too and said
" I'm not sure, i've been feeling faint since yesterday, i'm not sure why". Knuckles face grew shadowed as he lowered his head.
" It's my fault". Rouge tilted her head curiosly.
" Why do you say that?"she asked. Knuckles sighed and said
" It's got to be something to do with my weird echidna genes mixing with your ones, it's corrupting you and the baby somehow"he said, his lack of knowlegde about pregancy clearly showing. Rouge rolled her eyes and said comfertingly
" Don't worry Knuckles, it's NOT you, I Probably just have a bug or something"she said. Knuckles smiled nervouly, still slightly worried about Rouge, but deciding to shake it off. His time was better spent, After all, they did have a baby on the way.