"Tails now would be a good time to shut these things down!" Sonic zigzagged around about ten hundred military robots.
Tails sat in a spot in front of a computer that was in the wall, he had a cord running form it into his lab top on witch he was typing madly. "Just give me one more minute Sonic, I have to finish shutting down the security cameras so Knuckles can get to Rouge first!" A few minutes pasted. "Okay it's up to you now Knuckles."
"Hello Tails can you help me out here?" Sonic smashed through another robot.
"Oh right, this will only take a sec." Tails pressed a total of about three buttons on his lab top and all the robots suddenly went offline.
Knuckles ran around another corner using his hand to land on and swing around the bend so as not to fall. "Looks like Tails took out the cameras that almost made this to easy." Finally he came to a door at the end of the hallway. "This must be the door Tails was talking about."
Rouge leaned against the wall in her cell waiting for her permanent 'decommissioning'. "Well I guess I had this coming sooner or later, but what can I say falling in love is a big no no when you work for the government, they say it makes you soft." Rouge crossed her arms and looked down a gentle smile on her face. "But it was worth it, Knuckles is worth more than anything the government could ever offer me."
"Ah I'm touched." Rouge turned to the bars of her cell and saw Knuckles leaning on his shoulder a smirk on his face. She immediately ran to him. "Knuckles what are you doing here?"
"Saving your butt." He took a full standing position, and faced her.
"But you could have gotten captured."
"Ummm…You're worth it." He grinned at her as he took one step backwards. "Now stand back." He took his fist and smashed down the cell bars.
The dust cleared and Rouge smiled as she ran to Knuckles who was waiting with open arms. She threw her arms around his neck and he spun her around in a circle as they shared a tender embrace. Knuckles returned her to the ground still hugging her tightly it felt good to be with her again, and it felt even better when Rouge kissed him. "I thought I was never going to see you again, thank you for coming to save me Knuckles."
Suddenly a small radio that was at Knuckle's side crackled with Tails voice. "Knuckles did you find her yet, we really need to get out of here!"
Knuckles took one hand from around Rouge's waist and pulled the radio from his belt and put it to his mouth. "Yea I got her." Knuckles looked back into Rouge's cell and saw a bared up window. "Hey Tails you and Sonic get out, Rouge and I'll meet you back at the mansion." Knuckles put the radio back at his waist and then walked to the window.
"Knuckles what are you goanna do?" Rouge watched the echidna approach the window.
"We're taken a little short cut." Knuckles jumped into the air and smashed through the window and small bits of the surrounding wall. He climbed out then turned to Rouge and reached out his hand to her. "Com'on Rouge we gotta go!"
She ran to the wall and reached her hand up to Knuckles just able to grab it. He pulled her up and out, then the two began to run. They heard sirens going off as they continued to run. Rouge suddenly had an idea, she gave a big flap and she took to the air she quickly hovered over Knuckles. "Knuckles give m your hands!" Knuckles looked up and saw the bat, and reached his hands upward. Rouge grabbed him and lifted even higher into the air. "Knuckles can you glide from here?" Rouge looked down at the echidna.
"Yea, I think so." Knuckles released his grip on Rouge's wrist as she dropped him and he began to glide on his own.
The two were just able to fly out the reach of the military base's robotic personnel. They had just landed on the doorstep of the mansion. Knuckles opened the door and walked in with Rouge, and found Sonic and Tails waiting in the den. Tails was the first to jump up. "You guy's made it!"
"You didn't have any doubts did you?" Knuckles asked as he wrapped an arm around Rouge. "She can't get away from me that easy."
Sonic was the next to speak. "Rouge tell me do you know where Amy is?" Sonic's voice was a little tense.
Rouge's disposition suddenly changed, she seemed somewhat angry. "No, no I don't." Rouge pulled from Knuckles grip and walked over to a wall and leaned against it.
"Rouge you know something and you need to tell me!" Sonic took a few steps toward her.
"I said I don't know anything Sonic, so step off." Rouge was steamed she wasn't going to do anything to help this slime ball.
"Rouge I'm warning you." Sonic's voice was rather threatening.
Just then Knuckles stepped between the two. "Sonic back off, just give her some space."
"Knuckles I know that she isn't telling me something and Amy could be in trouble I want answers from her!"
"Sonic stop, you're being unreasonable." Tails pulled on Sonic from behind.
"Fine." Sonic pulled out of Tails grip and walked out the door.
Knuckles turned to Rouge he had a few questions for her. He took her hand and led her up the stairs. She followed without questioning, he led her into a room at the left end of the hallway it was a fundamental room with a bed, TV, stereo, just the basics. This was Knuckle's room, Tails said he could have it and hang around as long as he wanted Knuckles was much more help around the house than Sonic was. Rouge leaned against a dresser that was beside the bed and crossed her arms and legs then looked away form Knuckles obviously still irritated. Knuckles sat on the edge of the bed and began to try and reason with her. "Rouge what's up with you, why did you burn Sonic so badly?"
Rouge turned to him she knew he was trying to be nice about this. "I don't know if you'd understand knux."
"Try me." He leaned a little closer listening intensely.
Rouge sighed heavily and closed her eyes, her ears drooped she was clearly feeling shaky about the whole thing. "I'm not suppose to tell anyone." Rouge was thinking about what had happened before. Guilt had settled in on her subconscious and she felt like she had already betrayed Amy once she didn't know if she could do it again. "It's my fault…" Rouge's eyes were a little teary she thought that Amy and Shadow's capture or possible death fell on her shoulders.
"What's your fault?" Knuckles said in quite voice. Rouge took a few steps so she was standing directly in front of him, then she went to her knees and rested her head in his lap. Knuckles looked down at the bat with soft eyes and he very gently stroked the top of her head, he could tell that she was shedding tears.
Rouge sniffed a little, and her voice was just above a whisper. "What's it matter; they're probably dead anyway." "I won't breath a word to Sonic because Amy doesn't want to see him ever again."
"What are you talking about?" Knuckles continued to speak softly not rushing her in the least.
"She doesn't love him anymore…it's so, so obvious." She thought about her friend's feelings for a brief moment.
"What's so obvious?" Knuckles asked.
"That Amy's in love with Shadow." A small smile appeared on her face as she thought of the happiness Amy must have felt when Shadow returned for her.
"Shadow; but he's dead." Knuckles was confused but he talked as if nothing had changed.
"No he's not I thought he was to, but it turns out he's very well alive, and Amy's in love with him I know it…just like I'm in love with you." Suddenly she remembered something Shadow and Amy must still be alive. When she was sprawled out on the ground back at her house she remembered seeing a green flash it had to have been Shadow's chaos emerald it just had to be. Rouge lifted her head in one quick movement, she had a big smile on her face as a tear escaped each eye and she gazed at Knuckles.
"Rouge…?" Knuckles reached a hand out toward her.
Before he could even touch her Rouge had jumped on top of him knocking him backwards on the bed, she had her arms wrapped around his neck as she giggled a little and kissed him. "I love you so much." She said in gentle tone as she rested her forehead on his. She kissed him once more.
Knuckles wrapped his arms around her back as he kissed her in return. Suddenly they were interrupted when they heard a knock on the door. Rouge had attempted to get off of Knuckles but he pulled her back down on top of him. "I thought you said you loved me?" Knuckles wined.
"I do but this isn't our house and I love to keep you beggen for more." She removed herself from him and walked to the door.
When she opened it she saw Tails standing there. "Knuckles I need you for a sec."
Knuckles rolled his neck in annoyance and got up, and on his way to the door Rouge put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. "If I'm not here when you get back don't worry I'll be back in a few."
Knuckles nodded and walked out of the room and down the stairs with the fox. "You know Tails your timing sucks." "What do you need?"
"Can you talk to Sonic, ever since this Amy thing he's been acting weird I think he's jealous of Shadow."
"Yea I'll do it." Knuckles answered as they reached the bottom of the staircase.
"Thanks Knuckles he's outside on the steps."
Knuckles walked outside and saw Sonic sitting on the bottom step. He took a seat next to him. "So you goanna tell me why you've been acting like total A-hole?"
Sonic looked at the echidna. "You don't get it, Shadow took Amy away from me and Rouge is the only one who might know where he's taken her."
"Well your pressuring her isn't helping, maybe that's why she won't tell you anything."
"What does she know Knuckles you gotta tell me."
Knuckles stood up. "I don't have to tell you anything." Knuckles walked up the stairs and then stopped at the door not turning to look at the blue hedgehog. "You ever consider maybe Amy doesn't want to see you." Knuckles entered the house leaving Sonic alone.
Tails heard Knuckles come in and leaned out of the kitchen to see the red echidna heading back up the stairs. "How'd it go?"
"If he doesn't get it through his thick head soon he's goanna be in some deep shit. Hey is it okay if Rouge sleeps here tonight?"
Tails looked at Knuckles with a smirk. "Let me guess she's sleeping in your room right?"
"Shut up, I heard you spent the night at Cream's house." Knuckles replied as he continued up the stairs, he didn't hear a peep from Tails after that. He opened the door to his room and for some reason the lights were off he entered and closed the door. He ran his hand up the wall looking for a light switch suddenly he ran his hand across something smooth it was flesh. He almost jumped.
"What's wrong Knuckles afraid of the dark?" Knuckles could feel Rouge's hands on his chest he could tell that she wasn't wearing her gloves.
"The dark no, you maybe." He felt Rouge's bare leg rub against his. "Are you-?"
"No not completely, why do you want it that way?" Rouge's voice was sweet and soft.
Knuckles put his hands to the bat's body and caressed her sides. "Um perhaps." He felt Rouge's lips on his neck. He pushed her to the bed "you're amazing." He tired to look through the darkness at her, but all he could see were he eyes.
"I love it when you talk like that." Rouge kissed him again.