Another short chapter yes I know, but I think it's pretty good tell me what ya think?

Chapter 5: Our Path's Cross Again

Months had past sense Knuckles and Rouge were last together it had been almost a year now. Knuckles had of course continued guarding the Master Emerald and truthfully not a day went by that the red echidna didn't think about the white bat. He truly misted her but he would never admit that to anyone not even to himself. Rouge on the other hand had been dragging through the time and the separation how she longed to be with the protector once more to feel his touch to see his face to be able to look into his violet eyes again.

Rouge had finally come to a big decision which she had once assured herself she would never have to make and yet here she was deliberating on what too do. She had promised herself she would never go back to the guardian for reasons she didn't want to think about but she didn't care any more if the worst came she would deal with it as long as she got to see Knuckles again she wasn't troubled about those problems any more. She thought maybe if she could just see Knuckles again she'd be okay but she was unaware of the events that would soon unfold in her near future.

Knuckles sat against the Master Emerald as he often did just waiting for another uneventful day to end. Unbeknown to him a white bat had earlier fluttered onto the island and she was rather close to him now, she was sitting in the branches of a tree. She leaned closer in gazing at the echidna she felt her heart beat faster as she saw him stand up had he heard her? He walked down the stairs of the alter and was standing close to the tree she was in he didn't know what it was but there was something there something or someone, and the presences of this being was somehow familiar to him. Rouge snapped her eyes shut Knuckles was now right under the branch she was on she twitched her ears as she heard him take a few steps she cracked open her eyes and saw him slowly moving away. She lightly began to sigh in relief and when she did the branch broke and Rouge fell to the ground hitting it rather hard. Knuckles turned around with a quick jolt. "What do you want and who-" Knuckles stared at the intruder his eyes glistened with a hidden joy deep in the pit of the echidna's heart he was honestly glad to see her again. Knuckles had missed out on many a good night sleep because he couldn't get his mind off her or his sexual desire he now harbored for the bat. Rouge pushed herself up holding her head a bit she looked at Knuckles her eyes shook a bit what was she to say? It didn't really matter Knuckles was the first to speak ready to prove he was still as hard and unfeeling as he had always been. "What are you doing here Rouge?" He crossed his arms over his chest watching the bat as she got to her feet.

Rouge turned away slightly so she wasn't fully facing him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you so what's the point?"

"If you're after the Master Emerald again you can forget it." Knuckles closed his eyes as he looked to the side.

Rouge suddenly felt a flame come alive in her stomach why does he always accuse her of that, sure she had come here for that in the past but if that was what she really wanted she would have taken it or at least tried to take it by now. "I don't want the stupid rock OK!" Rouge turned her back to the echidna. "Every time I come here that's the first thing out of your mouth, I could careless about that stupid pebble!"

"Then why are you here Rouge?" Knuckles questioned.

"Why do have to ask me that why do you always have to know can't I just be here and you watch me every waking second I stay. My reasons for being here are my own. You have as much right to know them as I would to your reasons for being in Station Square."

"Rouge you're comparing apples and oranges this island belongs to me I have a right to know why you're on it."

"Look what if I don't want to tell you?" Rouge still had her back to the echidna.

"Why don't you wanna tell me if it's harmless then just say it any other reason can't be good."

Rouge faced Knuckles. "Look it's just complicated okay." She came closer to him so they were only inches apart. Then she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Knuckles didn't return the hug he just allowed the bat to embrace him. "I'm not up to anything I promise just…try to understand."

Those last words all of a sudden made Knuckles blood boil. He tore Rouge from him and held her by the shoulders as he looked her straight in the eye. "Understand, for the past year I've been trying to understand you. After coming here attempting to steal the Master Emerald and then acting like you wanna be my friend, I told you about my past I've never share that with anyone and then you sexually harass me and leave and now after a year your back again telling me your not up to anything and asking me to understand!"

Rouge's eyes were slowly pouring out tears as she looked on at Knuckles. "I wasn't pretending to be your friend you were the first real friend I've ever had and I had to leave if I didn't they would've ended up killing you and I couldn't let them do that!"

"What are you-"

"You know who I'm talking about I told you they keep me on a short leash and if they found out about you about how you helped me they would surly kill you and I couldn't bare that."

"Rouge you know no one could ever hurt me." Knuckles protested.

Rouge gently wrapped her arms around him once more. "I know I just felt like it was my responsibility to keep you from having to deal with the government I mean letting them attack you is no way for me to repay your generosity." Rouge released him slightly.

Knuckles softly took her by her forearms. "You can stay."

Rouge looked up from the ground her eyes wide. "Knuckles…"