Shadow had been hating himself these last few weeks. Ever since breaking up with Rouge, he felt a great blanket of loneliness had enveloped him, only showing a slight hint of lifting itself when he found Knuckles, lying alone in the rain. Yet, despite the promise of a friend, one that he had been waiting for so badly for years and years, Shadow found himself avoiding the red echidna. Often, he had found himself in front of Knuckles new flat, ringing the doorbell and waiting, only to find his confidence sucked away and being forced to run away, the sound of Knuckles unhappy cussing reaching his ears as he fled. He hated himself for becoming nervous for no reason and annoying the echidna at the same time. He finally gave up, knowing if he did it anymore he would ruin any chances of talking to the echidna again. Since then, he had mostly stayed in his apartment. It wasn't as if he had a job or girlfriend to take up his time with, or that he had any where else to go. So that was where he stayed, thinking over his entire life. Why had he chosen to live in the city in the first place? The answer was printed in the back of his mind like a safety sign hung on the wall. He came because he wanted to be with the people he knew, Rouge, Sonic, Amy, the Chaotix. But, as he found out, Sonic didn't really live in the city. As a matter of fact, he didn't really live any where. Amy was too busy chasing Sonic, the Chaotix were always working. The only one he really spent time with was Rouge, and it turned out that wasn't the brightest move either. He was so lonely and needed a companion, just like Knuckles. So then why was he so hesitant to talk to him? He wondered to himself as he sped along a long plain that excited a few miles outside of the city. Like Sonic, he liked to get away from it all to clear his head, and , like Sonic, he had the ability to go any where, any time as quick as a flash. But unknown to him, at that exact time, a certain echidna was standing at his doorstep, waiting to meet him.

The doorbell rung through the house, no answer. Knuckles tried again, still no answer. He frowned in disappointment, turning round and getting ready to trudge back home, his mood rapidly darkening. It didn't help when his twin reappeared in his vision. But what the annoyance had to say caught Knuckles attention, as well as his curiosity.

" Don't give up hope yet". Knuckles pondered for a second, then replied in an anxious and slightly annoyed tone

" What's that supposed to mean?". But by the time the words had escaped his mouth, his guardian had gone. Knuckles was miffed by now, and he turned around again and began to storm off in a rage. He reached his flat tower, but the sight of it depressed him even more, so instead of going home, he kept walking, eventually reaching the edge of the city and walking past it. He felt so lonely and angered by the fact he still found adequate company in his own head, just wishing there was someone he could spend some time with that wasn't a figment of his imagination. Shadow had let him down, god knows where the hedgehog had got to, but he definitely wasn't at home. The night had begun to fall again, and Knuckles closed his eyes, feeling the still wind in his face as he walked, further out still, until he came to a spot which was particularly to his liking. It was away from the main body of the city, where nature still had some grip on the surroundings. A river cut it's way down a narrow street, a willow tree gracefully sweeping over it, it's leaning branches just dipping elegantly in the water. The water reflected the moonlight mystically, giving it a silver hue, almost like it's soul was shimmering atop it's surface. The place reminded Knuckles of angel island at night, before he drove himself away from the emeralds captive grip. He had forgotten how peaceful nature could be at night, the silence swimming with semi darkness creating an image of twisted heaven. He glanced at the moon, half way full and radiant with pride. A soft wind swept through Knuckles dreads and caressed his dreads with love. The echidna let out a sigh, feeling utterly at peace for one in his life. Under the majestic willow, there was darkness. A shadow cast not by the sun, but the moon in it's half full glory. The darkness reminded him of Shadow, he could almost imagine the hedgehog coming out from that blanket of blackness, his dark coat melting away into the night, like he was part of the darkness itself. The image instance Knuckles, and he found himself suddenly wishing that Shadow were there. He remembered his guardians words ' Don't give up yet', but was he referring to today ...or his entire life?

Shadow had stopped in the shade of a towering cliff, resting, buried in the shadows of it's moon blocking form, looking out at the stretch of blackness that was before him, the plains of the desert. Although this place was soothing enough, it didn't clear his mind enough for him to realize what he truly wanted. There was something about the echidna that kept nagging in his mind. The thought of that red animals just wouldn't go away. He thought it was jealously, or maybe even stress or boredom. But, as the days wore on and the confused feelings didn't stop, he decided that a run was needed to clear his head, somewhere he could be alone with his own thoughts, somewhere no-one could disturb him while he came up with the answer. But alas, the cold desert sands couldn't cool his raging, rampaging mind, even after trying to go into a state of half dreaming, his own form of meditation. Nothing was shifting the thick murk of confusion. A shiver rattled through him like a slice of ice slammed through his veins, and he decided that the desert was too cold for him, in temperature and in appearance. He got up, un-cramped his stiff legs, then began to run again, back to the city.

Once the streets were back in his view, he started to head to the one place he knew could relax him. A forest at the edge of the city, a narrow, quite street. The forest began with an arching willow tree, it's quill like branches dipping in the silvery waters hue. He loved that place, and something told him that tonight, it would be even more enchanting.

Still at full pelt, Shadow began negotiating the narrow, edge of city streets. During the day he would never do this, as he would almost certainly crash into any unsuspecting person that got in his running paths way. However, at this late hour, no one was free to explore their surroundings at night, witnessing the spectacular beauty of their own world at night, the errie wonderousness.

Another street corner, and he'd be there, Shadow thought as he continued to sprint. He turned the corner to the narrow valley, finding himself skid around the tight corner, loosing his fitting as his jest deactivated, leaving him with no method of breaking. He spun, dazed for a few second, before something made contact with him, or, rather, he made contact with something else, hard. The thing he had slammed into buckled and let out a surprised shriek, loosing it's own footing as the momentum from Shadows 150 mile an hour dash knocked them both into the air . They tangled in a kind of mesh of body parts, sliding helplessly down the bank of the shallow river, eventually stopping when the two hit the surface of the lake, shattering it's silver hue.

It took a while for Shadow to register that his head was resting against a body part of another creature, it's fur wet and slick. He lifted his head to see his eyes in contact with the mystic symbol of the guardian, no less stunning even though it was wet. When he figured out he was straddled across Knuckles, the echidna who had occupied his thoughts during half the last month, he promptly picked himself up, proceeding to apologize humbly, but then realized something was wrong. The echidna wasn't moving, and his eyes were closed, his breaths weak. Shadow panicked a little and nervously picked up the creature, hoisting him over his shoulder like he were no more than a sack of feathers. Carefully, he climbed out of the river, choosing the side of the willow tree, leading Knuckles into it's over seeing darkness.

Carefully, he laid the echidna down, resting his head on his own lap. He took a shacking hand and placed it on his chest, first covering the guardian mark, then slowly stroking the echidna, hoping to persuade him to wake up.

It worked. The holding hedgehog felt a wash of relief at his waking . The echidna eyes inched open, revealing his magnificent purple pupils beneath. They grew through the surroundings of darkness, but still Knuckles couldn't see who was holding him. A hand on his shoulder, another on his chest, caressing with care, tracing his sacred symbol. The wind slithered around them, calming him where he would usually be shocked. His eyes strained yet could not see the black hedgehog that held him. But Knuckles knew it was him, he just knew it.

" Knuckles" uttered Shadow almost silently, through his unseen mouth. Knuckles didn't know it, but the hedgehog was gazing fondly at Knuckles, the faint outline of red and those deep, mystical eyes, so wide and innocent, yet they held so much rage inside.

Knuckles felt his head sway a little, and blinked to slay the movement. He gave a small, peaceful smile and mumbled in a vague voice

" I think something hit me... "he said, baring his teeth in a tiny, lopsided grin. Shadows eyes opened a little more, and his hand come off Knuckles shoulder, moving to his long dreads. With one swift movement, he slid his hands through them. Knuckles shivered at the tingling he felt at Shadows touch. For now, Shadow wasn't himself, he was an invisible god, a gentle creature that could melt into the darkness, with power to strick away all the filth in someone's mind with his simple touch. And Knuckles was a tiny, helpless being, begging with an innocent soul for the help of the dark one, begging for a reprive from his torturous life. Something Shadow, right now, with the willow tree guarding them, the moons half open eye watching with piece, the settling water flowing, it's skin shinning with the moon, he was willing to do. Willing to help Knuckles. The victim. The guardian.

" You hit your head Knuckles, your not thinking straight. Just rest" he whispered softly, stroking Knuckles dreads slowly " Rest..." He soothed, and Knuckles sighed at his touch. Insane or not, Knuckles was willing to let this situation go on. Shadow was bringing a degree of peace that he had never felt in his life.

It was as if the silent song of the wind and the tinge of the silver water cleared his thoughts, ordered them and gave them meaning, for now Shadow knew just what he wanted, what he needed. His companionship, his friend, his lover, all could be found in the animal that had literally fallen into his grasp. He knew they could cure each other, wash away the ills of mind that both had suffered. Shadow almost declared his feeling a loud, and he would have done, if Knuckles hadn't spoken first, his soft whisper of words so low they wouldn't have been heard in the hectic rush of the day.

" Ever since I can remember, I've had something missing inside of me, a hole that couldn't be filled, no matter how much a fought or how much I made love. Not even the emerald could fill it, and I thought nothing ever would. But now, here, with you, it's closing, healing. I feel as if I'm whole for the first time in my life". Knuckles couldn't tell what Shadow was thinking. But the dark ones face had softened, not smiling, but settled, intently staring at Knuckles as he spoke, taking every word as the truth. Without thinking about it, Shadow slid forward, his body shifting closer to Knuckles, as the echidna mirrored the movement as they moved as one, merged in motion as they neared each other. They stopped, both staring into blackness, the darkness stealing their sight but heightening their other senses, capturing them in a world of forfillment, as the willow tree locked them away in eternal embrace. They were so close now, electricity seemingly course between their two bodies, connecting the two together in an energy embrace. And, just before their lips slid together in a dance of love, Knuckles uttered three words, three words that would change his life forever

" You complete me" he said, utterting the truth, what he felt inside.

And with that, they kissed. Their bodies connected physically and spiritually, their half formed souls merging and melding as one, one body, one existence. And as they dove deeper and deeper into each others spirits they melted, together into the darkness, becoming one, silently flying through the blackness, together, as one soul with a thousand feelings, as free as the still and silent wind.

Authors notes

OMG! You won't believe how many drafts of this chapter I did! I was determined to get it perfect and some how it just wasn't cutting it. So I stayed off the Internet, set my music on, and got to work, determined that it would become magical. And I believe I did it! This has got to be the most romantic and magical thing I have ever written! And thanks all to ' Spiders' by system of a down, the song that inspired this whole scene. Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you enjoyed it and review! Please! Btw, this is not the end!