.:Chapter 9:.

The Void

Sonic shook his head, hardly believing what he was seeing. The way things had been going it was hardly to believe anything anymore. But this couldn't be real . . . Naugus, Ixis Naugus, the evil sorcerer that had once been partners with Mobius's oldest enemy Dr. Robotnik, and the very same enemy that ironically had brought the girls and the Freedom Fighters together in the beginning. But Sonic had witnessed Naugus die right before his eyes! It was in the great stone chambers that guarded the Red Glow, where he himself had summoned the power of the Chaos Emeralds and transformed into Super Sonic! He had easily overwhelmed Naugus with is intensified power and speed, and then it was the pack of Night Demons who took him in the end to avenge Vren.

Yet here was Naugus, directly ahead of him, as real as the day. The only thing different about the wizard was that he was no more than a ghostly apparition, nothing but a spirit. Everything else was the same. His eyes glowed a burning red and flickered with cunning. When he smirked, sharp, wicked teeth glinted in the blinding light of the ever-spinning Void. His long, white beard billowed in the wind along with his dark cape. There was no description for what Naugus truly was in the line of species or race -- there never had been. His origin and past had been a mystery ever since the Freedom Fighters learned of his power. Most just accepted him as nothing but pure evil, like his ex-partner, for evil had no true form.

Again Naugus's strident, wheezing voice filled the air.

"Why, if it isn't my old friend the Quickster." He smirked darkly in Sonic's direction, and the Freedom Fighter leader pinned his ears in response.

"Naugus," he said coldly. "So it's true. You are back."

"Ah, back in a sense, Quickster," Naugus replied. "I am finally free of the Void, having slowly and painfully regained my magic over the years. One little thing you foolish Freedom Fighters forgot when you 'killed' my, Hedgehog. A sorcerer of my aptitude can never be truly destroyed. Our bodies may die, but our magic and our spirits can heal and come back over time, as mine has done. But I will not be in this form for long . . . Soon I will regain my life force, and be back in this world forever!"

"Don't bet on it, Naugus," said Sonic. "I don't care what happens, I'm not gonna let Mobius be taken over again. Especially by you!"

Suddenly Knuckles stepped forward. "How can you regain your life force? You need a body, and your body from what I hear has been destroyed."

Naugus turned to Knuckles, and his eyes narrowed scornfully. "Ah, Knuckles, Guardian of the Floating Island. Yes, I've heard about you. You descend from a very intelligent race indeed. Intelligent . . . but ever so gullible."

"Don't diss the echidna race, pal," Natalie suddenly growled, eyeing Naugus hatefully.

Now the wizard looked at her. "I remember the first two humans who managed to somehow escape the Night Demons back during the Spell of Darkness. But I do not believe we have been introduced. Ixis Naugus."

"Natalie," she returned coldly. "The pleasure's not mine."

Ixis only chuckled. "I have always admired the human race for their spirit. Yes, once I have conquered Mobius, I will target them next. Their lust for power would make them marvelous minions."

"What do you want, Naugus?" Sonic spoke in a hiss.

"Want? Why, conquest, Hedgehog! Vengeance! After being betrayed by Robotnik, and having my plans foiled the first time by you feted Freedom Fighters, I have elaborated long and hard while regaining my strength in the Void, devising some way to take total control over Mobius. And at last, it has come to me! I have a plan, Hedgehog, a plan that not even you, the most renowned warrior of the old kingdom, the most imfamous Freedom Fighter of them all, can stop."

"You wanna bet, Naugus? Throw anything you got at us! You may be strong, and you may have superior magical powers, but you can never defeat the spirit of Mobius. The Freedom Fighters and all the other rebels are that spirit."

"Ah, bravely spoken, Quickster. But you forget one tiny little detail. I have the power of the Chaos Emeralds on my side, and this time, aided by the control of the Master Emerald, and combined with my magic, they'll wield powers beyond your mortal imagination."

"You forget one detail too, buddy," Sonic returned. "I can harness the emeralds' power."

"And I can control the Master Emerald." Knuckles added.

"Oh no, I haven't forgotten. I remember very well, how at the last second during the Spell of Darkness how you summoned their awesome power, and brought my plan and my magic crashing down. And I know very well, Knuckles, of your ability to control the Master Emerald. It is in your blood. But, you see, I have come up with a way to stop even that possibility."

"What do you mean?" asked Sonic, narrowing his eyes.

"Do you remember a realm in the Void known as Sanctuary?" inquired Naugus. "It is a vast world of nothing but pure ice as far as the eye can see. A peaceful world where anything is possible. The magic of one's heart and mind is enough to make their deepest dreams come true. Well, once I cast my spell, using the power of the emeralds, I will be able to do absolutely anything within the universe."

The Freedom Fighters looked at each other in amazement.

"But that can't be true . . . " said Nihara. "Even if you do have the Chaos Emeralds under your control, you still need a body like Knuckles said."

"And you can't leave the Void," Sonic added. "Even as a spirit, it'd stop you because you don't have the magical ability to escape."

Naugus shook his head in mock pity. "Ah, my friends, you do not realize how full proof this master plan truly is. I've looked at every little possibility, every possible flaw, to make sure it could not fail. Don't worry, I'll gain my life force back. And as for leaving the Void, let me clue you in on the biggest part of my plan of all."

Sonic pricked his ears forward. "I'm waiting."

Naugus smirked malevolently, his red eyes glittering. "I am about to unleash a spell, Freedom Fighters, a spell that is sure to trap all of Mobius hopelessly within my snare. There is no way to stop it, no way to control it, unless you were me of course."

They all had their eyes fixed on him now, trying to remain as fearless as possible. They had faith in each other, and their fellow rebels, but what could possibly capture all of Mobius with one spell? It didn't seem possible.

"It is truly my greatest stroke of genius yet. It is a spell that will increase the energy of the Void rapidly, causing it to grow and grow. It will continue indefinately, until at last, the Void has engulfed the entire planet of Mobius."

Sonic's eyes widened. " . . . That's impossible!"

"Anything is possible in Sanctuary, remember?" Naugus grinned.

"But the Void engulfing the planet! That's--that's preposterous!"

The smirk on Naugus's face spread nearly to his enormous pointed ears. "Fazed, are you Quickster? I do believe you've lost a great deal of your luster since our last meeting. No matter -- all the easier to conquer when emotions play a part in it."

Sonic suddenly bolted forward, dangerously close to the mouth of the Void and the furious wind that was whirling around it. He looked as if he'd tear right through the spectral form of Naugus as he charged forward, faster and faster until fire spewed up from beneath his feet. There were emerald flames in his eyes as well as he looked straight into the eye of his enemy, not a trace of fear on his magnificent coutenance. "Just try it, Naugus! Just try it!" he cried furiously, his breath coming in gasps. He was remembering the pain, the pain he had felt when Sally had abandoned him . . . Desperately he tried to pin it down, to fight it, for the weakness would show and Naugus would surely see it. Inside him a raging battle was going on -- a rampant, unbridled fire was colliding with this pain in mortal combat. It refused to give in, no matter how formidable this opponent called Pain was. No doubt it was strong, stronger than anything else it had ever faced . . . With vicious claws it cut deep into its burning skin, draining the life and power out of it. With wicked fangs it seaped the flaming blood, and with brutal blows it bruised the dazzling hide black and blue. But the fire, that deathless fire of Spirit, fought back with all its splendid might. It would not fall, would not submit. Never, never . . .

"I don't care what you do, Naugus!" Sonic shouted. "You can take everything, you can leave us with nothing, and bring us to our knees, but will will never give in to you . . . Never! NEVER, do you hear me!"

Naugus looked for a long while into those courageous eyes before him, the very eyes he wanted to beat the life out of. Yes, how he had longed to seize every bit of spirit within him and smother it. With Sonic would die all the fight left in Mobius's people, and the sorcerer knew it. No wonder there was such a remarkable prize put on his head. He was the very soul of the planet . . . Some even believed that he was the mind and heart of Mobius.

Like the battle of Spirit and Pain, Naugus found Sonic as a very formidable opponent indeed. The challenge was what made it worth it -- for to conquer something so very great was only legendary. But Sonic would fall this time, he knew. There was no escape from his magic and his evil now. "You have such noble courage, Hedgehog. Don't worry . . . the last Mobians will know it and honor it when you are defeated, and then they too will meet the same terrible fate!" Suddenly he turned his attention to the entire group. "Quiver with terror, Freedom Fighters, and may you regret the day you formed this rebellion to stand against those who wish to turn Mobius into the greatest war planet of them all! For now I have the power to take it all with one fell swoop! And with that knowledge, witness now the beginning of the end!"

Abruptly Naugus whirled around, his black cape flicking about his ghostly image, at then he lifted his hands to the whirling portal before him, and spoke a hypnotic, and fearfully foreboding incantation:

From the soul of Darkness where exists not light

Let the Emerald's power be Mobius's blight

Seize her spirit, and snatch her life

And open the doorway for the strife

Ensnare her great wings, and bind her fast

Let them know that her pride shall not last

O, great Emeralds, with your power of legend

Let the Darkness come forth and bring her end

Open the Void, swallower of worlds

And unleash the terrors to be unfurled

Let it swell, swell with the souls of its prey

Her heart to suffer, her faith to decay

Spread! Spread your terror and your might!

To Mobius bring eternal night!

And as soon as the words were out of his mouth, the energy about the Void suddenly flared into a blinding brilliance! The Freedom Fighters cringed from the fierce light, shielding their eyes with their hands as the portal gathered itself, and then, as if unleashed from a cage it had been trapped in for centuries, it exploded into action! Swiftly it began to spread, lunging forward at the living creatures before it, the life it had been intstructed to destroy! Naugus cackled madly as his plans, all his years of regaining power and intelligence were set into motion. Sonic swept forward again to try and stop the wizard before he disappeared within the wild energy roaring about them, but it was no use. The mighty sucking gales of the Void were furiously trying to swallow him, and he was forced to retreat and get the others out. Signaling to the Freedom Fighters to mount Dulcy, he whirled around toward the safety of the Emerald Mountains, and together they fled, while the Void continued to expand, plucking the very trees from the ground in all its wrath, devouring the beautiful forest.

Hours later found the small group still traveling deeper and deeper into the mountains, afraid to stop or slow down for fear of the fast-expanding Void catching up with them. They had all been terribly startled by what they had seen, and even more terrified by what Naugus had told them. Could the Void really continue to grow until it swallowed the entire planet? It certainly looked that way, for every now and then, as the group came along a ridge in the mountains where the trees parted just long enough for them to look down on the forest below, they could see the yellow-and-violet gases of the Void stretching father and farther from its starting point in the campsite. It was beginning to travel farther toward the south and the north, but it was moving faster toward the western direction which lay directly ahead of it. Soon it would consume the entire western half of the island.

Sonic shook his head as looked down upon the dreadful sight. Never had he endured so many hardships all at once. He could still feel that inner battle raging on inside him. He knew he had to be stronger now than ever for his friends, and keep their hopes and hearts up. He was their only leader now, after all. Sighing heavily, he thought of Sally. Only heaven knew where she was now . . . Oh, why had she done it? Why had she left him for St. John? Why? They had known each other so well it seemed . . . Knew exactly what the other was thinking. They had fought so many battles side-by-side, endured so many troubles . . . It had seemed like they could have survived anything. Pain stole through the gallant leader's heart once again, and he winced, shaking his head furiously to keep it from taking over.

"You mustn't think of her . . . " he told himself sadly. "You loved her so, but it's over now, there's no going back. You just have to accept it. There's no other choice. Your Freedom Fighters need you, as well as the rest of the world. You can't let them down now because of her . . . "

Sonic closed his eyes and lowered his head, trying, fighting, to beat this horrible agony within him. He couldn't let this take him now . . . Not when the world itself was at stake. But how it hurt . . . How it constricted his throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe at times . . . How it ached in his heart, and throbbed in his chest. Such pain was maddening. Several times as he was walking along the mountain path they now followed, he pawed the ground in frustration, and inhaled the clear mountain air to relieve his pained breathing. How much longer could he take this?

Rubbing his aching head, Sonic turned and looked back at his fellow Freedom Fighters. He knew they were upset too, not just by the incident with Sally and Geoffrey St. John, but also by the fact that their planet could once again be in very grave danger. There were Hershey and Valdez, who had chosen to remain with the Freedom Fighters after their leader had committed such a unspeakable act. Such things on Mobius, after all, were frowned upon and very rare indeed. And the two troops were deeply affected by the loss of their commander, whom they had known for years. Clearly both groups were feeling betrayed.

And then there were the two girls, Natalie and Jessica. Both had been frightened and worried over the loss of Kim, and wanted nothing more than to do whatever they could to help get her back. It was because of this that the Freedom Fighters had landed and were now in search of the griffin and the mysterious black hedgehog. They knew they had traveled far north again, into the high mountains, and that was now where they were headed. But the trip would be dangerous . . . For according to Knuckles, the Emerald Mountains soon turned into the craggy, towering peaks of the very heart of the island, where the mountains reached beyond the clouds. There awaited monstrous ravines, treacherous chasms, gigantic rivers with ravenous rapids, and frequent blizzards.

Sonic could hear the Guardian and the two girls talking about their mission now, and he flicked an ear in their direction to listen quietly.

"How far do you think it'll be?" Jessica was asking.

"At least fifty miles . . ." Knuckles replied. "It'll take days to cross the mountains under normal circumstances. If we get caught in a blizzard, it'll take longer."

"Can't you sense the energy given off by Chaos Emeralds?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah," answered the Guardian. "It's an ability only guardians possess."

"But Sonic can sense them too . . ." said Jess. "And I think Shadow can as well. Don't you think it's strange that he and Kaligarr always somehow knew why the Chaos Emeralds were?"

Knuckles shrugged his broad shoulders. "As far as guardians go, it's all a matter of blood. It's a trait we've inherited for generations. As for Sonic and Shadow, I really don't know how they possess the ability. But it seems to me hedgehogs always somehow magically possess some kind of strange trait -- take Sonic's speed for instance. Neither his father nor mother had the gift of speed, or at least the same as he has. But he has it."

Jessica smiled slightly. "He has many things that make him different . . . Many, many wonderful things . . ."

She looked ahead at the one she loved, leading the band at a brisk but steady pace up the steep mountain trail, the first rays of dawn shining on his brilliant blue hide. Sonic had heard what she had said, but pretended not to notice. For the moment his pain had subsided, and there was that same urge again . . . The urge to be near Jess. Sonic furrowed his eyes, trying to understand why this had begun to happen all of a sudden. What did it mean?

"Well," Natalie said suddenly. "I don't care how far it is. We'll get Kim back . . . And when I find that Kaligarr again, I'll pin him down and rip his feathers out one by one!" She tossed her head and gave a defiant snort.

Knuckles smirked. "You did nail him good last time. You're not a bad fighter."

"Not bad?" Natalie asked, perking an eyebrow at him. Then, suddenly, and without warning, she reached over and shoved him, nearly knocking him off balance.

Knuckles shook his head, going cross-eyed for a moment. "What was that for?"

"Making a correction," Natalie smirked.

He caught her drift and raised his brows at her. "You mean a challenge."

"I guess you could call it that." came her cool reply.

Knuckles merely held his head high and confident, his blazing red contrasting sharply with the dark sky around him. "You think you could take me on?"

Jessica smiled and shook her head. She knew what was coming.

Natalie suddenly stopped and turned on him, her eyes going aflame. "Oh, now you've done it, Red."

"Hey, just stating a fact. There ain't no way you can match me in combat."

"I'd bet the Master Emerald I could."

"I'll take that bet."

For a second the two stood in a face-off, their eyes blazing as they looked directly at each other, sizing each other up. And then they both charged each other, both determined to prove to the other which was truly stronger. They locked, and almost immediately Knuckles had managed to gain the upper hand, grabbing Natalie by the arm and wrestling her to the ground with startling strength. But it didn't last for long. With her own amazing strength she broke free and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him down in a headlock. There was a hint of surprise in the Guardian's eyes, but he was far from fazed.

"Not bad," he grinned. "But not good either!" Abruptly he heaved upward and with a simple jerk sideways he threw her to the ground. "Give it up."

Natalie was on her feet in a matter of seconds. "Never!" She rushed at him headlong, this time throwing a playful punch at his chest.

Knuckles jumped aside to dodge. "Heh, too slow!" He gloated. And that was his mistake. Catching him off guard, Natalie turned and caught him on the nose.

"Ow!"

Sonic, along with many of the other Freedom Fighters had turned now to watch, quite amazed at what they were seeing. There were few creatures on Mobius that could match Knuckles in battle, for he was well known for his strength and power. Natalie merely grinned at him, standing with her arms crossed. The others looked to Knuckles to see what he would do.

They stood rigid for a moment, and then Knuckles plunged forward, this time leaping into the air and gliding straight over her head. The ability to glide on wind currents through the air was another trait of guardians.

Natalie chased after him, and managed to catch up with him when he landed, but he rounded upon her and with a powerful hit sent her to the ground.

"Y'all aughta stop before someone gets hurt," said Bunnie.

"We won't hurt anyone -- just play-fighting!" Natalie replied, and lunged at Knuckles again.

This mock-fight between the two of them went on for nearly half an hour, going through the same processes. Whenever it looked as if one of them had gained an advantage in the fight, the other would suddenly spring forward and win back their lead by showing an awesome demonstration of power and wit. It seemed to the watching Freedom Fighters that the two would only tire each other out the way they were going. Sooner or later one would have to give in -- either that or put the play-fight on hold until they had regained their strength.

At last, minutes later, the two combatants squared off, both in a dead pant, their scores still matched.

"Give up?" Knuckles panted.

Natalie wiped the sweat from her forehead. "No . . ."

Uncle Chuck chuckled. "Let's call it a draw, guys, you're both too worn out to fight any longer anyways. It's obvious you're well-matched."

"I still think I could beat her," Knuckles insisted.

"Could not." said Natalie.

"Could to."

"Could not."

Jessica snickered as they started off again. "Looks like you two are hitting it off real well." she whispered to Nat.

"Literally." her friend grinned.

"At least some people are getting along . . . There's been so many fights lately, so many toils." She looked up sadly at Sonic, who had turned back to watching the land below to keep a watchful eye on the Void. She could only imagine how alone he felt . . . How much pain he was suffering . . .

Natalie followed her gaze and then said, "You know, Jess. Maybe this whole fight between Sonic and Sally is a good thing."

Jessica turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the way I see it, Sally's not in your way anymore. I know Sonic's probably gonna want to be on his own for a long time before he'd ever accept anyone else, but isn't there someone we all know that loves Sonic more than anything?" She quirked her eyebrows and smiled slightly.

Jessica suddenly felt a chill run down her back, and her eyes widened. Remarkably she hadn't even thought of that . . . But it was true. Secretly, she had always felt deeply jealous of Sally's relationship with Sonic. Sometimes it had been all she could do just to restrain the urge to compete with Sally, to prove to Sonic that she could be far more caring and compassionate than the princess ever could. But since these feelings seemed rather selfish to her, she had always repressed them, and painfully accepted the fact that she and Sonic would never be able to love each other. Suddenly there was a flutter in her heart that made her tremble. Could she really have a chance now, that there was no longer any competition? Now that Sally wasn't there to stop her, could Sonic see that she loved him more?

The girl suddenly slapped herself mentally for thinking such things. No . . . It just couldn't happen. It was too good to ever be true. For all she knew, Sonic still loved Sally very much, and that's why, perhaps, that he was taking her loss so hard.

"I'd like to believe that, Nat," she answered lowly, eyes fixed on the ground. "But it'd never happen . . ."

"What makes you so sure?" Natalie asked.

"Because--I don't know . . . Because he's so perfect, so wonderful . . . And I'm just--me."

"Don't you think that's why he would love you above anything else? Because of who you are?"

"Well . . . " she sighed. "I'm just not deserving of someone as great as him, Nat. I'd never be able to take Sally's place. She was brave, strong-willed, smart. I'm nothing but weak and cautious."

"Who says?"

" . . . I do."

"Well, if you don't know for a fact that he thinks that, then I wouldn't be too sure. You're not weak, Jessie. You and Sonic have been pals forever. Even before we met him in person. There's always been something between you two, some kind of weird connection. Good grief, you two were made for each other."

"Heh . . ." was all Jessica said.

"I wouldn't give up without a fight, Jess. It's worth a try, I know that much. It may sound kinda selfish, but you love him too much to ever walk away or live without him. And right now he needs someone there for him more than ever. There may never be another opportunity like this again, Jess. It's now or never."

Never . . . That word had been repeated so many times in Jessica's mind, and it became more and more painful each time. It was always there, like a stinging wound, to remind her that she and Sonic would just never be together, never share the same feelings for one another. Oh, how she wanted to fight it! How she wanted to alleviate that pain of knowing that it would only be forever until she could hold him at last. But never in her wildest dreams had she ever even considered the possibility of having all obstacles, all competition for him suddenly eliminated.

Shakily she looked up again at Sonic. Ahead the sun was just beginning to rise above the eastern peaks, casting a flaming gold upon his long, cerulean quills. The colors blended beautifully, seeming to bring his skin alive with a fiery radiance. The air itself seemed to tremble with his greatness. The girl shook her head slowly. She could never be worthy of him . . .

Suddenly she felt Natalie's hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, Jess. Why not give it a shot? It may be hard, or it may be a lot easier than we both think. It all depends on how much you want him, need him."

Jessica swallowed hard. Oh, she wanted him all right . . . Wanted him desparately . . . Needed him. Never could she feel the same liberation of her problems, the same exhilaration without Sonic. Never could she look into anyone else's eyes, and see the same dazzling fire, the same thirst for adventure and the same undying spirit. He was her only true mate in life, the one and only she wanted to share her life with. Anyone else she just scoffed at. Any other soul that even had the gall to compete with Sonic's greatness, to attempt to match his flawless attitude and remarkable courage, she considered a fool. No one could ever be better than he, no one. He was one in a billion, one of a kind, and Jessica would never see a soul more mind-bendingly incredible than his.

Jessica sighed and closed her eyes. Should she even dare to think that she may have a chance of winning him? She remembered that star-studded night when the two had raced side-by-side through the great valley nestled within the Emerald Mountains, and how she had pictured his heart as those many gleaming stars above . . . How trying to catch it would be as impossible as trying to catch a star. Why, his heart was a star. It was great and golden, burning with a power, a fire, and a brilliance that one could scarcely comprehend. And like a star, it seemed so hopelessly far away, so desperately out of reach . . . How could she ever hope of reaching it?

Suddenly, and as always, without even a thought, she moved toward Sonic, toward the one she thought so far away . . .

Natalie watched her, smiling knowingly. It was going to happen. It was destiny.

Somehow, without even looking back, Sonic could sense her approach, and he turned his head toward her happily, a sensation of total relief and reassurance stealing through him as she came up alongside him. "Hey, Jess."

"Hey, fella." she smiled. "How ya been doing?"

"All right . . . " he replied. "Still been hurting a little . . ."

"I wish with all my heart that I could help you." Jessica said sadly.

Sonic nearly laughed. Little did she know just how much she was helping him in being by his side . . .

Jessica gazed up at the brightening skies ahead, turning from a sullen gray to a wild, radiant golden-blue. "Don't worry, Blue . . . It may seem, sometimes, that we were meant to walk this world alone . . . That we weren't meant to be loved, to be needed . . . That everyone's abandoned us, and that there's no hope at ever finding a soul that'll stay with you, no matter what. But it isn't true . . ." she paused as tears came to her eyes. "We're never truly alone . . . Never. There's always someone out there who'll love us, who'll need us . . . We may not know it at first, but they're there. And no distance, be it through miles, years, or even lifetimes, can keep them from us." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "Because love can withstand every barrier, every test, every distance, to reach the one it seeks."

Sonic saw the tears in her eyes, and patted her shoulder gently. Her words had moved him as well, for he had felt that ever since Sally had left him that he could never love anyone else again. But that doubt was rapidly diminishing. For this girl beside him never failed to be there in his shadow, there to soothe his pain, there to ease his fury, and there to give his heart wings. Sally had been there for him, but never like Jessica had for him. She made it an extra effort, a painstaking effort, to be there whenever he needed her, no matter what. Suddenly he wondered if it could ever be possible . . . to forget his past, and allow the girl that eased his bitter pain into his empty heart.

He sighed and shook his head for thinking of such things . . . It could never be. Despite the fact that he knew Jessica cared for him, loved him, needed him, it just couldn't ever work. They were of different worlds, separated by thousands upon thousands if not more light years from one another. Even if they were together now, there was still that haunting possibility that Jessica and her friends would eventually have to return to Earth one day. And then what would he do? He'd be alone again, perhaps suffering more pain that he was now . . . No. As bad as he was beginning to want to, he couldn't be with Jessica . . . He would hurt far too much to ever lose her.

The two walked on, side-by-side, moving as one, and thinking as one, trying futily to suppress those growing desires to love one another openly. Little did they realize just how much they needed each other and that they were thinking the exact same things deep in their hearts . . .