The doors I stand in front of look like every other set of doors in this monstrous colony. They're
metal, cool, and open with a switch. Regardless of this, these are the only doors I stop at. I'm
afraid of going through them. They will all be waiting for me beyond these two doors. This metal
doors are my last barrier from their hopeful faces. I do not know how long I was in that shrine,
crying and telling him I hated him. I hated him for being so selfless. This isn't how it's supposed
to be! I was supposed to save everyone from all the dangers… He was supposed to come back by
some miracle that could only happen once in a lifetime. I wasn't supposed to come back alone.
He wasn't supposed to die for me… I'm a hero, heroes aren't suppose to have people die to save
them… Right?

I shake my head and try to clear these thoughts from my mind. I close my eyes for a moment and
try my best to push all this pain I feel into my heart and lock it away. My eyes open and focus on
the door. I know I need to go in. I force myself to stand up straight as I push the button to open
the door. They all turn to face me and I feel myself cringe at their hopeful faces. I failed
everyone. I failed him by being too weak. And I failed them by not doing my job. Sure, the planet
was safe, but what did it matter if the real hero wasn't there to be thanked and congratulated? I
lower my eyes and try to force myself to enter the room. That bat – Rouge, I think – is the first to
speak.

"Shadow is…?" She doesn't say it. She wants me to tell her something different. I glance up for a
moment and see her green eyes shine with a vain hope and then look back to the cold ground. I
hear someone step forward and flinch when I hear her small voice.

"Sonikku…?"

I shake my head. They all know the truth but they want me to lie to them. They want me tell them
that I did it again. That I somehow saved everyone and it can all go on happily until the next
threat. I clench my fists and feel the hard metal of his bracelet in my hand. I suddenly just want to
throw it away from my body and yell at them all for being so stupid. I want to scream that I didn't
save him. That he died. I want them to know that I didn't do the right thing this time. That I
screwed up. I want them to know exactly what happened. I want them to know this pain that I'm
feeling. I want them to understand. I know that they'll probably say it's OK, but how could they
mean that? How can it possibly be OK for him to die saving me? I close my eyes and hold out the
bracelet to Rouge, my gloves strain around my hand as my grip on the object strengthens.

I can feel her confusion as her eyes focus on the golden ring. I refuse to meet her eyes. I can hear
her take a shaky step forward and see her hand touch the bracelet. I don't let go, and begin to
shake uncontrollably. I know that I'm crying as my grip loosens and she takes the ring from me.
She steps back, her eyes wide as I sink to my knees. I begin to lose control of my tears and am
forced to use my hands as added support as my body shudders violently. Their hero is on his
hands and knees, sobbing… I feel their stares on me and I curse myself. I thought I was never
supposed to show anyone that I was weak. That I could be broken easily. Then again, only heroes
really have to be strong… That isn't me anymore, is it? She's the only one that steps forward. I
smell her perfume as she stands in front of me, her red and white boots within my sight. She
seems afraid to come any closer and I raise my hand and eyes towards her, begging her to come
closer. I just need someone near. I need someone to tell me they understand. She does not step
within my grasp, but rather begins to tremble softly. I look up at her, my eyes telling her that I
need someone close enough for me to touch. Her arms wrap around herself and her eyes shut
tightly as her shaking increases.

"Where is he, Sonikku?" Her voice is shaking as much as her body. Her eyes never opening. I
lower my hand and gaze to the floor. Even she wants to hear the words from my mouth. I begin to
sob with this new knife in my heart.

"Amy…" I sob, my voice cracking. I know I don't deserve kindness, but she was always willing
to help anyone who needed it. I suppose she's finally found someone who is unworthy of her
kindness.

"How could you?" I hear Rouge's voice cut through the silence and my breath catches in my
throat. She steps closer to me, blocking Amy from my view, and glares down at me. Her eyes are
full of tears and her mouth twisted in a horrible way. "How could you let him die?" She clutches
the bracelet to her and I feel as if a knife has been stabbed into my heart. She steps closer again
and I can feel her anger spilling over me.

"He was right. You are a Faker."

I sink lower to the ground, hands clutching at my head and breath coming in quicker bursts. She
stands, resuming her place above me to rain down her hatred upon me as I hear his voice in my
head.

You're not even good enough to be my copy.

A drop of water hits my head and I look up, startled. She's crying. The tears burn like acid as I
see the fire of her glare. I reach up to her, trying to tell her I'm sorry and she kicks my hand away.
She changes her stare to the bracelet and she speaks with a venom in her voice.

"You purposely did it… You let him die… What did you do? Did you kill him? Is that how you
got his bracelet? Did you take it as a souvenir?" Her voice rises to a scream as she pulls me up to
my feet and holds me there. "Answer me, damn you!" She shakes me, forcing me to look into her
eyes and I see the pain hidden behind the growing hate. I look around in a panicked glance and
realize that none of them are going to stop her. They all want to know the answer. I close my eyes
tightly and ball my hands up at my sides. My voice is shaking as I yell my next three words.

"I killed him!"

Silence now. They're all staring at me. All of them wait to hear something that would explain my
words. Her hand falls away from my skin, forcing me to support myself. I stumble a little and
regain my balance, fists still tight and eyes clenching tighter. I don't want to see any of them. I
don't want to acknowledge them. I just want to tell someone what happened. I want them to know
why he died. He needs to be the hero that he was.

"Nani, Sonikku?" Amy asks, her voice is small, a glimmer of hope still evident in it as I hear her
take one step towards me. I turn my head away from her.

"I said I killed him." My voice is stronger. The anger washes over me, commanding that I tell
them what happened. That they should feel the pain I feel. I keep my face away from them all as I
continue.

"I wasn't strong enough… I couldn't use Chaos Control right… He saved me… I tried to get him
to do with me… I grabbed his wrist…" I pause painfully, the memory flashing before my eyes.

Screaming without words. Reaching. Slipping. A smile. A good-bye.

"Adios, Sonic the Hedgehog."

A scream. Light. Nothing

.

"He took off his bracelet and… smiled…" I can't bear to say that he died, so I say the first this I
can. "He said you needed me…"

She slaps me. Her hand, though, barely burns compared to her next words.

"We don't." Rouge's voice is harsh as she cuts through me. "We needed someone who could save
us when we need it. We don't need someone who will just kill us to survive."

My eyes widen in shock and I'm forced to look at her, I need to see that she really believes what
she's saying. She does. I look around the room, trying to see how the others feel. Knuckles isn't
looking at me, he's staring out the ground, fists tight at his side. Tails is staring dumbstruck at
me… I'm almost positive he hasn't gotten past the fact that I'm here because of him. Amy's
watching Rouge and I carefully. One of her hands is stretched out towards us while her brows and
furrowed and she looks like she wants to say something but is too afraid. Robotnik watches the
happenings with interest, a small smirk playing on his face. I cannot look at Rouge again. I take a
step back from her. My body trembling once more. I know that I need to leave. If I don't, I'm not
sure what will happen, but I don't want anymore pain.

"You're right… I'm not a hero… He died because of me… And it could be anyone of you next
time… You don't need me around…" I close my eyes, and take several breaths, trying to steady
myself. I look them all in the eye and smile a small smile. I know this will probably be the last
time they see me. She was right, they didn't need a hedgehog who couldn't protect them. They
didn't need someone who was so weak. I close my eyes again and feel a single tear fall down my
muzzle. I turn, eyes still closed, and begin to run. I run into the door frame, trying to just get away
from them. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I don't stop to recover, I go through the now
open door.

And I run.

AN: Ok, first, I'd like to thank all my readers (specially those who reviewed). Second, I'm still
looking for a beta reader, if anyone is interested, please e-mail me
Third, if you're wondering why Sonic is being such a pansy, think about it. A dude just died to
save him – that's the first real death that Sonic (not Archie Sonic or anything else, just Sega's
Sonic) has actually had to deal with. I think he's going to be a bit unstable. I know I would be
unstable to no end. Really. Fourth, why is Rouge so mean? Because she was closest to Shadow
out of all of them. I think that's why Sonic gave her the bracelet and I can't fathom that loud-
mouthed and expressive Rouge would just SIT THERE and say "Oh… Ok… That's sucks." So,
this is all my theory about what happened during and after the battle, if you don't like it, I'm
sorry. Fifth, This STILL ISN'T OVER. There are a few more installments to be made. I'll explain
in the end why I think Shadow would say "Adios". Ok? Ok. Thanks for your time.

----Leah Bea