(((you simply must forgive me for not writing for one day! said to those of you who care someone coughBILLYcough convinced me to go see Dawn of the Dead with him and I've had a very disturbing and sleepless night spent clutching a baseball bat and a Bible. couldn't find my bazooka, noh dah, so the bat would have to do anyway, it's about 7 in the AM on a Sunday morning and I'm the only one on the east coast who's awake right now. It's 12 where you are, Pistacio... or Picardo ... Picasso? Jimmy. There, that keeps it simple. So you should be having lunch right about now when's teatime, anyway? So I hope you enjoy this over a nice hot slice of pizza. Anyway...))

Tails: mmm... pizza...drools

Sonic: stop dribbling on my shoe... oO

Charmy: so, what's the question today?

Knuckles: gives Charmy a killer nuggie for reminding her traitor. TT

C: x,x itaiiiii...

A: sadly, none today, my amiable fuzzy friends. I shall go straight to an attempt of a chapter. But keep in mind I haven't had much sleep and I've been dwelling on morbidity all night, so it might be a tad shady.

S: Let's just think about sex and everything will be fine! pats heartily on her back

A: ahh, I love your optimism.

& me no ownies. That is all. &

Chapter 8- A Midnight Stroll

Sonic skipped down the stairs when he heard the door open, knowing exactly who had shown herself in.

"I brought my stuff! Running shoes and everything." She winked. "You are SO goin' down, boy." Val, as they had begun to call her, said as she closed the door with a foot.

"I feel like a jog tonight, if you're up to it." he replied, smirking challengingly. He stepped up to her, slipping his arms around her waist, kissing her suddenly. She dropped her two grey bags in surprise as he stealthily reached under her shirt and unhooked her bra. She shoved him away, grumbling as she struggled with said garment. "You're a real pain sometimes..."

"Thanks. I try." He gave her a peck on the lips, picking up her bags and winking at her as he headed for the stairs.

"Tonight, you said?" Velociti looked at her watch. "It's like eleven- thirty! Are you out of your mind?"

"Yes, but you knew that." he shouted back.

"... you're still goin' down." She retorted, beginning to stretch out while leaning against the doorpost.

"I sincerely doubt that."

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Knuckles jolted at the sudden knock on his door. 'Oh no, she's here! What do I say? Shit, it's so much easier on the phone...'

He hastily opened the door, laughing somewhat nervously. "Hey, Tarsa! You came after all!" he ushered her inside.

"Yeah, well, you did invite me..." she smiled, raising an eyebrow at him, then looked around, somewhat nervous herself.

Her hair and tendrils were tied in a loose braid, and she wore a skintight sleeveless white shirt which cut off just above her belly button (AN- if she had one...) and slanted in a v-neck revealing a pristine white crescent mark like a necklace draped loosely around her neck. She stuffed her bare hands in her flared jeans' pockets, looking up at Knuckles somewhat expectantly. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the crescent mark, the selfsame sign of a guardian. He couldn't understand how someone who hadn't even known she was an echidna could be a guardian, especially with her job and apartment to worry about.

Tarsa cleared her throat, shifting her feet uneasily. Knuckles realized how it might appear he was just standing there like some perverted idiot, staring at her breasts. He winced, turning away in mortification.

"So, uh, can I make you a drink?" he asked, retreating to the kitchenette, feeling as if he were about to cry from embarrassment.

"Sure. You wouldn't happen to know how to make a long island, would you?"

He turned with a look of disbelief in his large violet eyes. "Are you serious?"

"Hey, yeah, I'm feeling bold tonight." She winked so slightly, he wasn't quite sure he saw it.

"You asked for it. Hell, I guess I'll join you." He smirked, pulling the various bottles from a cabinet.

--.0.--

"Oh, comeon! That is so fake! Look, he's not even screaming loud enough to be believable!" Tarsa commented, sipping at her "iced tea".

"And the blood isn't even dark enough. Look, it's not spurting!" Knuckles stated, guzzling the last of his drink. The alcohol had done the trick. He felt fabulously comfortable, his arm stretched across Tarsa's shoulders as they watched the B-rated horror flick.

She laid her head back, neck supported by his arm, smiling tiredly and closing her eyes. She felt warm... and safe. So perfectly at ease with this strong, mysterious stranger... Perhaps not such a stranger to her anymore.

Knuckles, now made somewhat intrepid by the drink, absently traced a finger along the crescent on her chest, still contemplating its meaning. Tarsa raised her head, giggling slightly at his light touch, looking to him quizzically.

"What are you doing?"

"You know... I feel as if I barely even know you..." he said in a faraway voice.

"...you don't know me. Maybe that's why." She said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Then, tell me about yourself. Where do you come from, what's your favorite color, what do you think about when you look at me like that... You know, general stuff."

She pinched his nose playfully. "I think you've had enough to drink, mister."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Will you answer my question anyway?"

She sighed, laying her head back again, thinking for a moment. "I lived the first ten years of my life at an orphanage down near Luna beach, in Harborsvale. We all loved it there, you know, where the thousand-year-old oaks stretched out their branches and made the perfect spot for forts and swings. I had my own personal tree – I named her Mayla – and I used to drag all my favorite books up there to read. I had this incredible view of the ocean from there... ships and sailboats and fishing rigs were everywhere, but they all looked so small from my tree... I hated it when I had to go. The couple that adopted me took me away from the country, and we moved here...Monotreme... they never seemed to stop fighting... I think it's because Lauren – my foster mom- was a cat and her husband was a dog. Hm. in more ways than one..."

She was silent for a moment, shuddering slightly at the thought of her past. Knuckles looked to her, frowning.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just hated him. He was... well, let's just say I was more than glad to get away from him."

"Oh. I'm... I'm sorry."

She drew close to him, draping an arm across his chest, pulling her besocked feet up on the couch. He wrapped an arm around her in an attempt to comfort her distressed countenance. "Please, go on. I like the sound of your voice..."

She sighed, taking his hand in hers and looking at it. "After I turned eighteen, I moved out, even though they wouldn't let me. I kind of ran away, you see. But I've kept my own. I knew enough to make it in this rough city life. I guess ever since I've been trying to make my way back to the country. That's the only place in the world I can honestly call my home."

"Wow... that's beautiful. You ought to make a book out of it."

She laughed. "No one would read it."

"I would."

She looked up at him, her head still resting on his chest. Their eyes met, and she froze. The startling deepness of his amethyst irises struck her as odd, yet incredibly intriguing. She drank it in gladly; could have laid there listening to his heartbeat and gazing into his eyes all night...

"I have one more question."

"Ask me anything." She replied, refusing to break the delicious eye contact.

"Do you know what the mark on your chest means?"

Her lightheaded expression slowly wilted into a confused frown. "I didn't know it was supposed to mean anything... I don't know. Tell me what it means."

"You're... well, you're a guardian. Possibly the guardian of an Emerald or lesser gem of power. How could you not know?"

She looked away, brow furrowed in thought. "I...really don't even know what you're talking about."

Knuckles sighed, giving up, drawing her head back to his chest with a hand. She sighed happily, snuggling closer to him, soaking up his warmth. He stroked her soft hair and long tendrils absently, enjoying the contact with her fur.

"I really like this. We should do it more often."

"Yeah..." she said breathily, drifting into a light sleep.

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"Why did I even ask you to join me? I KNEW you couldn't keep up." Sonic shouted to her while running backwards across the damp field.

'She's so far behind I can't even see her...' he thought to himself, frowning. With a step he was facing forward again, dashing through the wet grass with impressive speed.

He started with shock, sliding in an attempt to stop, but only succeeding in landing heavily on his backside, looking with disbelief up at the violet hedgehog, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd catch up." She said, grinning from ear to ear.

"T.T you found the shortcut I see."

"…….ok, maybe. " her grey eyes lit up guiltily as she clasped her hands behind her back with innocence.

"Yeah, I thought so. There's no way you could beat me. And especially in Sketchers…"

She chuckled, dropping to her knees, leaning in to kiss him. He met her lips, leaning forward as well as he slid a hand up her arm, deepening the wet caress…..

Their small romantic moment was shattered as a sudden loud whirring sound was heard from overhead. Both looked up, eyes wide with terror, pupils tightening against the blazing light, expecting the worst.

"Sooooniiiic! You left and didn't say anything and I had a nightmare and woke up and everyone was gone and I FREAKED OUT! Don't DO this to me! I'll need all sorts of therapy when I'm older..." Tails whined through the loudspeakers of one of his flying contraptions.

Both fell over dramatically.

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"Hey, Tarsa, wake up. It's, like, three in the morning..."

"mmm?" she stretched, looking around groggily. "Really..?"

"Yeah. I'll walk you home." Knuckles offered, standing, causing Tarsa to fall onto the empty couch.

"Can't I stay here?" she pleaded, yawning and curling into a ball in the warm spot he left.

"Well...I ... It might be..." he rubbed the back of his head for a moment. "I don't see how it could hurt..."

She made a soft, tired sound of delight, rising to her feet and draping her arms around his neck. "To the bedroom, then?" she grinned in jest.

Knuckles blushed profusely. "You're not... serious..."

"I might be. Who knows...?" she hiccupped softly.

"You've had a bit too much to drink... tell ya what, I'll take the couch and you can have my bed." He said, prying her arms from his shoulders.

"But what's the use of me sleeping in your bed if you're not in it?" she giggled drunkenly, taking his hands and guiding him to the open door.

"I – uh...wait! Hold up! No! I mean it! Cut it out! You-"

He was cut off by a kiss. Sudden and unexpected as it was, it was not refused, and as our red echidna pondered the sensation of it for a moment, trying to decide if he was dreaming, he found himself slowly returning the soft contact of the lips, deepening the kiss as he felt her backing him toward the bed. The two fell as one to the cushioned surface, the kiss became open-mouth upon the impact, causing Tarsa to emit a slight moan into his mouth. He slid an ungloved hand up her slender back, wondering when exactly his gloves had been removed but minding little... he broke the kiss as she straddled his waist, pushed her off.

"Wait a minute. No. This isn't right."

"What? What's the matter?" she frowned with disappointment.

"I... feel like I'm taking advantage of you. You're not exactly sober, you know." He drew his hands to his face, sighing.

"Well, neither are you..." she said, sliding a hand slowly up his thigh.

"yeah... But... NO! Cut that out!" he shouted as she had slid her hand a little too far... He removed it none too gently, turning away.

"I can't do this. Not yet."

"Yes you can! I'll help!"

"You don't understand! I -" in turning back around to face her, his train of thought derailed, jaw slackening. Our intoxicated echidna had at that moment removed her tight-fitting shirt, revealing the lack of undergarment beneath.

"oh... Well, when you put it that way..."

He allowed her to tackle him once more, resuming the full-mouthed kissing.

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"Get up, you lazy pincushion!"

"wa? unn?" Shadow murmured, sitting up and looking around in sleepy bewilderment.

"She's left! Her apartment is empty! We have our chance to find the gem!" Karpa exclaimed whilst donning her tight black pants.

"Oh... Right..." he squinted at the digital clock, groaned. "It's almost four in the morning!" he complained, dragging a hand through his quills.

She turned to face him, glaring. "Do you want the emerald or not?"

"Oh, hell. Let's go." He growled, pulling on his shoes.

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Tarsa's abandoned jeans hit the floor, soon followed by her light lace thong. (AN- don't ask me how an echidna can wear a thong, they just can.) And she again had the former guardian betwixt her thighs, less nervous now that the clothes were out of the way. (AN- I just realized hardly any male characters in this story wear clothes. Only the girls are fully dressed. Must make things easier, noh dah? )

"And who said you could be on top?" Knuckles smirked sexily up at her while sliding his hands around her slight waist.

"Oh, do I have to ask permission, now?"

He flipped her on her back suddenly, pinning her to the bed with his body and kissing her again, gliding his nimble hands along her smooth sides.

((...aaaaand the lemon will continue in the next chapter. I promise I'll try not to parry it as I did this one. Again, forgive me! Laaa! I've also been starved for inspiration as of late, but it's all coming back to me now! sings the song okies! So, REVIEW! My loverly wonderful reviewing people!)))