Disclaimer: All Sonic Characters © to Sega/Sonic Team/DIC/Archie Comics.
Fan characters belong to the writer of this fiction, which is me: Lynxia aka Patty Hendriks.

Life before and after Death

Chapter Five:

A Heartbeat

Days have passed...

Ever since Bronx left the cold chamber to become part of the broken promise to his beloved Jenna, he has been quiet and distant. He now works in name of doctor Robotnik, the man who wants to take over planet Mobius. The thought about the situation he is now in, makes him sick. He has to put up with it, because Jenna's life risks on it. She might be dead, but if Pepper is right, Robotnik might be able to bring her back to life.

Bronx stares down at the silent creature in the capsule infront of him, the cold of the dark room gnawing through his dark fur. How he would like to take her hand in his and whisper to her how sorry he is. If only she would just wake up so they can leave this place like nothing has happend.

That she never fell of that cliff, that he never had to drag her through the mud and the rain... to end up here. This empty cold place where nobody seems to care, where almost everyone doesn't have a heart.

A heart...

The hedgehog sighs deeply as his gloved hand brushes over the glass, just imagening he is touching her furry cheeks to comfort her and himself. his feelings... He slowly leans forward and lays his head against the glass hatch and pressing his ear to it as if he is trying to listen to something.

A heartbeat would be nice... Just a sign to tell him everything will be okay. Even though Pepepr tired tot ell him many tiems to have faith in the doctor, deep inside he feels unsure about it.

Memories are still fresh. When he pictures Jenna in his head, he can still smell her scent and feel her warmth. Her laughter and her smiles... Her voice was always suiting and music to his ears. When she came walking towards him, he could only stare at her movements, always in a trance untill she would speak to him. How he misses all of it.

He still remembers...

"Can you hear it?"

"No.. not really..."

"Maybe he doesn't like you, Bronx."

The grey hedgehog giggles as she pats on Bronx's back and slightly pulls his ear to disrupt his concentration.

"Hey, I am doing my best! And stop doing that... I think I hear something..."

Bronx keeps his ear pressed against the stomach of the pregnant miss Waterdown and almost closes his eyes as he tries to listen to the unborn baby. Jenna lets go of his ear and leans forward so she is able to look at him, saying with a teasing smile," watch out or you might wanna become a daddy when you are old enough."

"I do not!" Bronx quickly says and gets back up to let go of miss Waterdown's belly, hearing the pregnant fox lady laugh about his reaction. He looks like he is shocked about what Jenna says and quickly looks down at the floor, his furry cheeks slightly turning red," I just... I was looking for the baby's heartbeat. That's all..."

Miss Waterdown places her hands on Bronx's shoulders as she slightly leans forward and says," don't worry, Bronx. The baby is now a little bit too small to let you hear his heartbeat. When he is born, you may listen to it, okay?"

Bronx looks slightly disappointed, but nods in agreement, saying softly," yes, miss Waterdown..."

"Now, go off you two. Go playing outside in the sun instead of bothering a pregnant woman who needs her rest," the fox lady smiles and rubs over Bronx's spikes to show him she isn't angry at him.

Jenna takes Bronx's hand and pulls him out of the wooden house to do what miss Waterdown requested of them and lets go when they are at the border of their village. As she lets go, she looks at him and frowns slightly when she sees he still looks like he is down. She sighs softly, a concerned expression across her gentle face and she says," Bronx... You heard what miss Waterdown said. You can't hear the heartbeat right now... You just have to wait."

Bronx looks at Jenna for a moment and sighs as well, kicking up some dirt as he walks passed her to sit down on the fence which indicates the border. He climbs on it and sits down with his head low, looking towards the sea in the distance.

"Thats not the point. I... I have never heard a heartbeat before. I was just curious..."

Jenna blinks slowly and walks up to Bronx, not sure what to say in return. She lays her arms across the fence and also locks her gaze towards the horizon, while tapping with her fingers on the wood as she looks for words," you really never heard a heartbeat?"

Bronx shakes his head and remains quiet. Yes, he heard his own when he ever plugs his ears, but he never heard the heartbeat of another person. It doesn't seem to be the same .

He looks up when he notices movement beside him and slightly turns his head to see Jenna climb onto the fence to sit down beside him. She look serious as she pulls on her skirt to try to get it over her knees and then looks towards him, scanning his face for a quick second. Slowly she takes his hand in her own and guides it to her chest to press it agaisnt the left side of it.

"Can you feel that?"

Bronx doesn't reply as he looks at Jenna with big eyes, startled by what she did. His hand is now on her...

He quickly shakes his head to snap out of it and feels his fingers tremble, yet feels something through it. The warmth of her fur coming through her dress and her heartbeat. He nods slightly to answer her question and looks down at his hand which is held against Jenna's chest.

"My heartbeat..." she smiles softly and squeezes his hand gently as she continues to speak," its the same like everyone else, because everyone has a heart."

Bronx nods once more and opens his mouth as he squints his eyes, asking with an unsure tone in his voice as his eyes are fixed on his hand," may... May I listen to yours?"

Jenna continues to smile and slowly lets go of his hand, saying softly," you are my best friend, Bronx. Of course you may listen..."

Bronx smiles and takes his hand away from her chest to let it rest on her side. He quickly pulls it away from thatc ertain psot and slightly holds it up, not sure where to leave his hand at the moment. He smiles in a nervous way as he looks at her; she looks very calm and amused by his unsure nature.

"Thank you, Jenna..."

He leans forward, carefully coming closer and hesitates with laying his head against her chest. It is still Jenna afterall... He would never do anything to offend her. He takes a deep breath and lays his head agaisnt her chest, his ear pressed against the dark grey dress. He listens carefully, feeling the warmth of her body agaisnt his cheek. His face suddenly clears up when he hears her heartbeat, softly and calm with a steady pace.

"I can hear it," he says with a broad smile acrros his lips and he looks up to Jenna," I can really hear it."

She only smiles down at him and wraps her arms around him, knowing he is excited about this new thing. She is already glad enough she could help him with his wish to hear another heartbeat.

Bronx closes his eyes when he feels her arms around him and holds her as well as he continues to listen to her heartbeat. She isn't right... Its not the same...

"Your heartbeat is unique, Jenna..." he says softly and keeps the smile on his face, listening to the steady beat which belongs to the one he admires so much.

They remain sitting there on the fence, listening to the sound of life as the world passes by them as if there are no worries at all. If only that feeling could last for ever...

Bronx slowly opens his eyes and looks down at Jenna.

There is no heartbeat in that capsule...

He pulls his head away from the hatch and clenches his fists with a low growl coming from the back of his throat.

It just isn't fair... They were young, they had hopes.. He hoped he could listen to her heartbeat for so much longer and now... there is nothing but silence. What has he ever done to deserve this?

He sobs softly as he keeps his head down. Ever sicne he got here, the tears he tried to hold back almost tore him apart. When ever he is alone and feels the way he does like right now, he just lets them flow. The salty prove of how he feels deep inside...

His sorrow gets interuppted painfully when he feels soemthing touch his shoulder. He quickly turns around, a hand whipping away to tears and he presses himself back agaisnt the capsule to see who touched him.

Before him stands Pepper with her hand still raises at the hight of his shoulder. She looks like she is surprised by his sudden reaction of her touch. She slowly lowers it and clears her throat, saying softly as if she feels sorry for startling him," the doctor wants to work on Jenna again... You better leave this room."

Again...? How many times will he work on her to find a solution? He sighs softly and nods with his head, letting go of the capsule as he steps away from it. He knows the drill... He walks without looking back towards Jenna, the memory still spooking through his head.

Pepper watches him with a worried look. He was crying... She turns her glance towards the dead female hedgehog in the capsule and her visor lights up for a brief second. She then skates away from the capsule to follow Bronx out off the cold room to let doctor Robotnik experiment on the body. All for a good cause in the end... Or atleast she hopes.

As the large doors close behind them the moment they leave the dark room, the lights flicks on, making the capsule bathe in bright, almost blinding light. Silence remains, yet the presense of another being who casts his shadow over the capsule with the dead Jenna inside distrubs the peace...

There is no heartbeat...

-To Be Continued-