Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for, The Final Chapter! I was so happy to finish it, I decided to submit it early! So now, here it is. Enjoy.

Silence. Sonic could hear nothing in his head except his own thoughts. For most people, that's how it is. But Sonic was used to having someone in his head, someone to help and give him advice when he was in trouble. After five years of having someone in your noggin, you get quite used to it. Now, no one was there. Just silence, and Sonic was all alone.

"Where are they?" Sonic asked in his mind, but there was no reply. Sometimes, he heard their voices, but it was only a trick of his mind, a failing attempt to grasp on to his sense of "normal." Sonic was worried, for how could they disappear? What if this meant they were gone forever? Despite Sonic's attempts not to, his mind continued fleeting to the worst conclusions. They were absorbed by Egg Aqua. Amy could never come back, and neither could Aurum and Mic. Sonic would lose yet another family member, as well as another girlfriend. Despite that, a part of Sonic's mind was still hopeful, and he kept calling out to them.

"Whether they're here or not, I still have a mission to do," The blue blur thought. Now, he was more determined than ever to retrieve the rest of the emeralds. Seeing the white one nearby, Sonic began his desperate kicks again in an attempt to swim.

Silence. That was all Amy heard too. She opened her eyes, but couldn't really see. The void was all around her, and her mind still could not comprehend it. Therefore, she was having trouble seeing it. Before her flashed colors and images all at the same moment, as if a million instances were rolled into one. Then, Amy saw something. A gold form, and a smaller blue one. Aurum and Mic. Amy was relieved to see them, she had never been more in her life. Could she make her way over to them? To Amy's relief, she could. It was weird, though, because there was even less feeling here than inside of Sonic. Back there, she could at least feel her body, and those of the two that she was trapped with. This feeling was cold, but not like the temperature cold. It was as if there never had been feeling, and never would be. The pink hedgehog wanted out as soon as she could. She continued to make her way to her comrades, who also seemd to be waking up.

"Amy? That you?" Aurum asked. His speech was back to normal, but he looked different. Older, almost, as if the years inside his brother had more than caught up to him. His appearence was that of someone in their late twenties, even though he had told Amy once that he was only about nineteen. Mic didn't look any different, but then again, chao don't show age much. Amy wondered if she looked any different, and guessed that she probably did a little.

"Are you okay guys?" Amy asked. The duo in front of her nodded.

"Chao, where are we?" Mic asked, looking even more scared. Amy bent to pick him up, but he felt like a lead weight.

"The brink of Sonic's mind," Aurum said quietly, as if talking was a problem for him still. "I've been here before. This is the farthest out of Sonic we can get without actually going out. It seems we were dragged here when we were almost absorbed by the Egg Aqua. I suppose Sonic having some of the Chaos Emeralds helped."

"Will we be out of here soon?" Amy asked. "I don't like it here. It's too..." She didn't need to explain, for they all understood. It was one of those things that you had to be there to understand. The easiest way to explain it would be too weird, for it was the only understandbale one.

"As soon as Sonic recovers the lst of the emeralds, we might be able to get out," Aurum replied. "This is where the portal out is. It's only open for a few seconds, so you'll have to get out fast."

"What about you?" Amy asked. "You can get out, right?"

"I wish," Aurum muttered. "I'm too far gone, Amy. I've been in Sonic's mind too long, and have been tied in with Chaos Energy. Mic's been in a while too, but he was kept safe from the Chaos Energy by staying in the memory room. You two could make it out, but it'd be pure suicide for me."

"Then I'll stay," Amy replied. "I don't leave friends behind." Mic stared up at Amy in disbelief, while Aurum softly chuckled.

"Sometimes, you need to let friends go," Aurum replied, "In order to save others. Surely, you know what I mean? You've watched friends give themselves up for something better, and you've heard of it. Same thing here. You can leave without me Amy, it's alright." There was an uneasy silence between the trio, when a voice could be heard.

"Guys, are you there? Answer me, please." There was no mistaking that voice, it was Sonic.

"Sonic, we're here!" Amy yelled as loud as her voice would let her. "Are you okay out there?" Amy hoped for a reply, hoping he heard.

"I've almost got the last one," Sonic said. "When I grab it, get out of there, okay?"

"All right Sonic," Amy cried back. Once again, the three were silent, waiting for the final emerald to be reached. Seconds passed, feeling like an eternity of waiting, and then it happened. A portal appeared, flashing the colors of the emeralds.

"Now or never," Aurum said. "Get in there, both of you." Amy, managing to grab Mic, threw him into the portal with a gargantuan effort. He flew through, disappearing before their eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Aurum asked, as Amy grabbed his hand.

"I'm not leaving you," Amy replied. She tried to pull him towards the portal, but he couldn't budge. He was too heavy, the ties of Sonic's mind weighing him down.

"Foolish child," Aurum muttered sadly. "Fine then, you leave me to this." Before Amy could expect it, Aurum pulled Amy into a kiss. Amy had kissed people before, she had even kissed Sonic once, but she had never been kissed like this. It was like the kiss Amy had always imagined getting form Sonic, the one she always read about in novels. She was taken by suprise by this, and Aurum knew it. While she was stunned by his sudden touch, he gave her a push towards the portal, and watched her fall in, disappearing into the colorful vortex. Then, Aurum once again felt the familiar energy of the Chaos Emeralds circle around him, as they had done so many times before.

"I think this is my last time getting out," Aurum thought to himself solemnly. "Time to go out with a bang."

Amy opened her eyes to see gray skies above her. Actual sky. The pink hedgehog tried to pull herself up off the ground, her muscles feeling as if they had not been used for a long time. She saw Mic beside her, also trying to get to his feet. Amy could hear suprised voices behind her, wondering how the rose hedgehog had reappeared.

Amy's emerald gaze fell upon Sonic. More precisely, it fell upon Aurum. The magnificent gold pelt of fur was shining brighter than ever, as the Super Hedgehog pummeled away at the Egg Aqua. It seemed to have grown from it's previous absorbance of the Chaos Energy, but it was still no match. The mechanical parts were blown to bits. The watery body melted away, this time for good. Up in the air, "Super Sonic" admired his work, deciding to finish it off in style. He knew what no one else knew, that this would be his last appearence. from now on, it would be Sonic himself doing the fighting, Aurum would just be the little voice inside. But it didn't matter anymore.

"Chaos...Ray!" Aurum yelled out, unleashing a bright light. The light became whiter and brighter, until it was all anyone could see. Everyone heard the Egg Aqua's screams as the source of the attack oblirated it, and it finally died.

Still not daring to open her eyes, Amy felt something on her lips. She didn't need to open her eyes to know it was Aurum, wishing her goodbye.

"Thank you Amy," Aurum whispered. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you. Take good care of Sonic for me." The light faded, and all eyes turned to Amy, who was now locked in a kiss. The golden fur upon her lover faded, until he was Sonic once more. Aurum was gone, but Amy was back.

A few days later, everything had pretty much returned to normal. Amy and Sonic had come up with a story to explain what had happened to Amy, and it seemed to be taken for granted. Amy moved in with Sonic, and was quickly getting used to her body again. Mic had come too, and now Scorge never went anywhere without his little chao friend. Currently, Amy was sitting by the living room window, when she heard a voice.

"Come on Daddy, aren't you going to ask her now?" Amy turned her head to see Scorge, who, along with Mic, was pulling at a gloved hand. Into the room came Sonic, and Scorge flying over to Amy.

"Amy! Amy!" Scorge said, jumping up and down enthsiastically. "Daddy wants to ask you something."

"Scorge, I can ask her myself," Sonic laughed, walking up to Amy with a hand behind his back.

"What is it Sonic?" Amy asked curiously. Sonic smiled shyly.

"Well, after Aurum woke up again, we got to talking. And well, he convinced me to do...something." Sonic cleared his throat, as Amy kept her eyes on him.

"And that is?" Amy asked him, looking him straight in the eyes. Sonic grinned sheepishly, which looked odd on the hero.

"Well, uhm..." Sonic cleared his throat again. "Amy, you know me better than any other girl ever did. Even more than Beau. And I was wondering if..." Unable to speak any longer, with his cheeks a bright red, Sonic pulled out a small box. Inside was a ring, with three emeralds placed on top. Amy knew what he was trying to ask, the question she wanted to him to ask her whole life. She could have screamed in joy, she could have wept in happiness. There was a lot of things she could have done, but she just nodded.

"Of course I'll marry you Sonic." Both of the hedgehogs smiled, and inside Sonic's mind, Sonic knew his brother was doing the same.

Owari, the end. I hope everyone enjoyed this! I just want to say, thanks to all the reviewers, and all the people who helped with this fic (you know who you are). Okay, you can all pack up your tents now, and you better clean them before I start getting the next story up! Next up, the sequel to You Never Know, which is to be titled Crimson Stripes. Until next time, sayanora!