A/N: I have given up on author's notes.

Ch 4: Face the truth

Everyone was silent. They were all looking at Sonic in shock and puzzlement. Shadow glared at him, trying to glare as he normally did; but for once in his life, Sonic saw a look of non-understanding in his crimson eyes. Shadow didn't understand. Neither did Sonic. How was it possible? He had always admired Signo, but he had never thought she had been looking at him in that way.

"Well," Rouge said quietly "Even when she's gone she's still as unpredictable as ever"

Sonic looked at her. Then he looked at Espio. Espio was sat, completely still with his mouth hanging open. Sonic turned again and looked at Signo lying on the hospital bed immobile. He turned round and ran out of the room, out of the hospital, out of the town.

"Why, How, when, Sonic?" Espio stuttered. Shadow looked at him.

"I think you best leave," he said with his head down then he looked up. "ALL OF YOU!" He yelled angrily. All of the people in the room rose and left abruptly. All except one. Rouge stayed exactly where she was. "GO!" he shouted at her, steaming with anger. Rouge still did not move. Her eyes were transfixed on Signo.

"No" she whispered, "I'm staying right here"

"MOVE!" Shadow shouted at her.

"No" she dragged her eyes away from Signo and focused on Shadow. Shadow glared at her, but for some reason couldn't hold it. "What happened Shadow?" she whispered, "How did you find out?"

Shadow looked up at her in bewilderment. She stared at him and he sighed. "I'm not the one who knows her the best anymore." He looked at her "You are. You know more about her than I do"

"Yes, I admit I knew, but she didn't tell either of us – so how did you find out" Rouge asked.

"I watched them together. They were always close. But it was one time, I saw them; and I doubt anyone was suppost to see. Sonic's memory was wiped afterwards, Eggman did it. It was when she was close to death. There were there and then Sonic, Sonic……" Shadow trailed away and put his head in his hands.

"First kisses are always special aren't they?" Rouge whispered. Shadow looked up.

"How did you……?" Shadow whispered.

"I Saw. It was an extremely hard thing to miss when sneaking around an evil genius' base," She answered. "We can find out everything, if she wakes up. But the thing that worries me," she continued "Is Sonic"

Sonic walked down the road staring at his feet. He looked up as he passed the arcade, and remembered all the good times he had had with Signo in there. It was unbearable the thought that she was almost dead, but yet had managed to release one of her most well kept secrets. She was still alive, but Sonic wasn't meant to know until she was dead. Shadow and Rouge and the others must of left the hospital by now, it had been hours since he had stood up and left. He looked around; the streets were deserted. He remembered one particular time he had walked up this very same street with Signo a couple of years ago.

"So" Sonic said, facing his friend "Who's going to escort you to Rouge and Knux's wedding?"

Signo turned to look at him. She was wearing a rather puzzled look. "What d'ya mean Sonic?"

"I mean like a" he paused "like a date." He added quietly.

"Since when did bridesmaids have dates? Anyway, I have, er, something on that night" she said. She looked down at her feet and looked around to see if anyone was listening in.

"What d'ya mean, 'something on'?" Sonic asked. He wanted to know what his friend was up to. He looked at the 15 year old carefully. Signo avoided his eyes. "Signo?"

"Just forget it Sonic," she said, sighing. She started walking again. Sonic grabbed her arm and turned her around. He stared at her, straight in the eyes. Signo stared back at him, but her eyes seemed to be surveying him.

"You're going to the base again aren't you?" he whispered. Signo tried to pull away, but Sonic tightened his grip. "I'm coming with you," he decided. Signo spun round.

"NO!" She yelled. "I'm not letting you! You're not coming, I don't want to see you get hurt," she said. "You're my best friend Sonic." She said sternly "I'm not letting you get hurt"

"And you're my best friend, and I won't let you get hurt either. I'm coming Signo, end of story," Sonic said, and then he let go of his friend's arm and hugged her. Signo hugged him back.

"Meet me at the back of the marquee, at 10 o'clock." Signo whispered. "Don't tell a soul"

This had been a rather strange experience for Sonic, but when he looked back at it like this; he finally realised its relevance. He had gone with her to Eggman's base, it had been a secret mission; but he had recently found out that Rouge and Shadow were on the base as well. Something had happened on that base then, but he did not remember. Maybe it would help him find out why Signo had said what she did in the will.

It was all Eggman's fault, for wiping his memory then. And it was Eggman's fault that Signo was dying now.

It had been another time, trying to infiltrate another of Eggman's bases; and they were in the middle of fighting a losing battle. The crew were outnumbered by at least 100 of the robots to 1 of them. Shadow, Knux, Sonic, Signo, Rouge and the CDA had been trying to fight them off, but it was no use. Signo sneaked away, to try and get to the core of the base and blow it up, but when she got there Eggman, Boco and Deco greeted her. It was a very nice welcome either. They left her very weak and almost dying, but she still set off the explosion anyway. So used the power of the chaos emerald she always kept at hand. And of course it was only a matter of minutes before the base blew it's top. Shadow had been carted away, after yelling crazily to everyone that Signo was still in there. It had been Sonic who had dashed back in to get her out.

And here they were now. Who could've guessed Signo had loved him. Then he knew.

He had to go back and see Signo the hedgehog. ONE LAST TIME.