CHAPTER 6

PROMISES

Later at Rouge's house, Rouge was sitting on the sofa with Shadow treating his wound. "Dear god Shadow, what happened?"

He answered in pain, "Appex, he came after Kayla. He found out that I was with her. He tried to kill her, but he got me instead."

Rouge took out the sharp quill that was stuck in the palm of his hand. She removed the bloody glove from his hand and set it aside. She took a cloth and wipe away some of the blood from his hand. After that she began to gauze his hand. "This is what happens when you volunteer to protect a little girl that won't tell us nothing."

"I'm so stupid."

Rouge looked away from his hurt hand and focused on him.

"I shouldn't have promised Kayla that I was going to protect her. The Street Punks know that once I let my guard down they'll go after her and I won't be there to save her. How could I make a promise that I can't keep."

Rouge made Shadow face her, "Listen Shadow, if you do fail to keep Kayla safe, you still tried your best."

Shadow looked away from her, "My best is not accepted in my missions."

Rouge continued to bandage him.

Kayla came into the room and looked at the sad hedgehog, "Detective Hedgehog, are you okay?"

Shadow didn't face Kayla, "I'm fine."

Kayla turned to Rouge, "Detective Bat, why is Detective Hedgehog sad?"

Rouge didn't say anything, she kept bandaging Shadow's hand.

"Are you ignoring me because I won't tell you about Project D.E.A.T.H.?"

Rouge finally faced her, "No dear, not that."

"Why are you sad?"

Rouge looked at Shadow turning the other way, "Well..."

"Don't bother making up another excuse", Shadow had suddenly said. He faced Kayla seriously, "Kayla, you're going to die and that's the way it's going to be."

Kayla's eyes started to water, "...What?"

Rouge was shocked to here that from Shadow, "Stop it, Shadow. Don't tell her that."

"It's the truth! I'm going to fail my duty and she's going to end up dying!" He shouted.

Kayla then bursted into tears, "How could you say that? I...hate you!" She ran upstairs into Rouge's bedroom and started to cry.

Rouge was upset with Shadow, "What the hell is wrong with you! How could you say that to such a scared little girl!"

"It's going to happen! We have no right to tell her lies!"

Rouge was angry with Shadow, "You stupid bastard!" She took her hand and slapped him in the face hard. She ran upstairs to see if Kayla was all right.

After when she left, Shadow decided to finish bandaging himself.

Meanwhile upstairs Rouge slowly entered her bedroom. She saw Kayla laying on her bed crying into her pillow. Rouge sat down on the bed and stroked through her hair, "Kayla, sweetheart are you okay?"

Kayla shook her head while her head was shoved in the pillow.

"I'm sorry for what Shadow said to you. It wasn't right."

Kayla lifted her head away from the pillow and faced Rouge with tears running down her cheeks, "Is it true what he said? Am I going to die?"

Rouge wiped away the tears from her cheeks, "Of course not. Shadow wasn't in a good mood that's all."

"He's so mean when he isn't in the mood."

Rouge held the child close, "He doesn't mean what he said."

"He sound like he did."

Rouge smiled at the girl, "He'll come around."

Then a grey fox broke through the window. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Rouge, "Give me the kid or else."

Rouge stood from the bed, "Lance! Shadow!"

Lance fired the gun at Rouge's arm.

Rouge fell to the floor while holding her bleeding arm, "Shadow..." she said in a hoarse voice.

Kayla screamed when Lance grabbed her by the arm, "Detective Hedgehog!"

Lance jumped out the window with Kayla screaming scared.

When Shadow finally made it into the room, Lance was gone with Kayla and Rouge was lying on the floor bleeding from her arm. He helped Rouge up, "What happened? Where's Kayla?"

Rouge answered in a hoarse voice, "Lance, he took her. You have to go after him."

"But what about you?"

"I'm fine! Go get Kayla!"

Shadow then left the house quickly to find Kayla, hoping she would be okay.