I'll give ya'll something to read while I type the chapters for Metal Without a Heart. I hope you enjoy. I apoligize in advance of any grammer/spelling mistakes.

Where You Are

Sonic's paws were on his hips as he selfishly despised the Westopolis Cleanup Project. A gentle breeze ruffled his spines as he sighed. Black Doom and his monsters made such a mess that it was take ages to fix up. The city had been terrorized by a group of twisted alien scum with world domination on their mind, but first, they had to find the Chaos Emeralds. The leader of the group, Black Doom, used Shadow the Hedgehog to collect the emeralds due to a deal make over 50 years ago by the hedgehog's creator. But nonetheless, Shadow put a stop to the aliens before complete domination, but the damage was still great.

Only the blue hedgehog, Amy, and Knuckles were on this shift right now and with little avail, were making little progress. "And you want to do what with this?"

Knuckles ran a heavy claw through his spines. "It's rubble, just pile it somewhere."

Amy shook her head, scanning the area around her. "We're not getting anywhere fast. This place won't ever look the same again."

"How about we mark it with a big red X," Sonic said sarcastically, grinning in amusement, "and get on with our lives! We've been out here for three weeks and look how far we've gotten."

It's true that the town hadn't made much progress but the debris was almost swept of the streets, and the dead bodies and smashed up cars had been removed. Even a few residents were coming out and giving a hand to the reconstruction. Westopolis was slowly regaining life.

"Don't push it blue boy," The echidna scoffed, throwing a small rock at the hedgehog. "The sooner we get this cleaned, the faster I can get back to the Master Emerald."

"Hey, I'm only here because I'm so bored." He rubbed his head where the rock made its impact. "I'm actually willing to spend my afternoon lifting rocks. If you want to do this yourself, Amy and me are happy enough to go to Twinkle Park."

"Really!" screamed the ecstatic pink hedgehog as she clasped her hands together, forgetting about the trash items she was formally picking up. "We will?"

Realizing what he had just suggested, Sonic quick covered it up. "Where should I start?"

A few minutes passed in silence. The task was not so difficult but, required more than a little thought. Their objective was to get rid of any excess rocks that couldn't be recycled in the rebirth of the city. Knuckles would punch the rocks using the steel claws on his gloves, due to the buildings being out of an "indestructible" metal; a task that neither Sonic nor Amy could accomplish. The blue hedgehog was already careless enough carrying the rubble to him but, it was still a less accident prone job than him using a sharp object.

Reinforcing this very statement, Sonic tripped on his own two feet and came crashing down, allowing the rock to fall a few inches on to the echidna's foot. The hedgehog sat up and a quickly realized his fault.

Sonic rubbed the back of his head as a large sweatdrop form on his head. "Uh…oops?" He chuckled nervously. "My bad Knuckles…"

Amy watched quite amused as Knuckles shoulders began to shake uncontrollably and a crimson hue covered his face. He launched a heavy punch towards the hedgehog who rolled out of the way before any damage could be done. She sighed inwardly, smiling at the sight and started to walk away.

Everyone was working hard helping to repair the damaged area of the local area. Even Station Square had suffered some minor casualties. The others were probably near done while they, well with those two constantly bickering, no even close to done. Amy had been working a little but her mind had been everywhere lately, so she decided to designate herself a break.

"Knuckles," Sonic warned from behind the little pink hedgehog, not noticing her departure, "Remember that talk we had about anger management?"

o

The rose hedgehog finally reached a hilltop that was shaded by a mammoth oak tree and a lovely orchid of daisies and such nearby. She sat down in a slow plop and closed her eyes as she rested her head into her gloved hands. Amy told herself she wouldn't cry but…

"Amy are you sure what you saw?" Sonic asked softly. Amy had arrived at his house, hysterical and frantic, unable to even get a whole sentence out.

She timidly nodded; her throat to tight to speak. Her eyes were swollen and puffy red as her sadness poured down her face. Sonic had been comforting her for at least an hour trying to calm her down. The only words he had gotten out where dead body, TV, Sha…, then the hedgehog would begin weeping again.

"He's gone, Sonniku! They found his body dead!" she exclaimed in one breath.

Sonic's ears went to the back of his head in empathy. "Who's body Amy?"

Her heart sunk lower into her body; a pain she had never in her life consumed her soul. "Shadow!" Her jade orbs looked into his, completely lost and broken. He brought her into a hug calming her down before she completely lost it.

"Look Ames," he started, choosing his words carefully. "We don't know for sure he's dead. You can't always listen to what the tabloids or the news says okay. I'll go look around a bit and see if I can get to the bottom of it." Sonic released Amy and stood up. "I'll be back in a little bit. Will you be alright?"

Amy nodded. The blue blur glanced back one more time before zooming off.

"Hey Ames, catch," he called as he threw a gold object towards her. "It's one of Shadow's power rings. I got it during the fight with the whole ARK thing. You can have it, if you want."

The pink hedgehog caught it and slipped it on her wrist, replacing it with one of her own. She rubbed it gingerly like it was a fragile antique as she thanked Sonic.

"It looks nice," he added before speeding off in the east.

"Oh Shadow-san…"

Tears were already starting to freely leak from her eyes as she massaged the ring. A small sob escaped her lips. Sonic had come back last week unable to find anything on the matter. He promised later that he would go look again after helping get a new start in Westopolis. They decided to keep the information confidential before spreading any untrue gossip around.

Amy rested her head against the course bark and rested her eyes. Why was she so upset over this though? He wasn't one of her closest friends nor had she really ever talked to him, except their one little escapade in Cryptic Castle and onboard the ARK. She figured she did have a sight crush on him. His exotic quills, mysterious past, unlimited power and speed, and those piercing red eyes made her drawn to him like a moth to a flame. But even a moth knows to never get to close to fire or you might get burnt, that's why she feared him in a sense.

Her eyelids became heavy as she looked at the sunset and drifted to sleep.

o

Night had fallen on the outskirts of Westopolis, and the crickets sang the melodic song of the evening. A full moon was out, shining radiantly in the celestial bodies in the sky. The wind began to pick up gently, whirling the napping hedgehogs bangs into her face, tickling her awake. Her eyes flickered open lazily, and a gasp escaped her lips at the figure standing before her.

"Shadow? Is that really you?" She sat up now, fully awake and tackled him into surprising embrace. "I thought you were gone forever!" Amy snuggled his neck affectionately as tears fell down her face.

Shadow sighed after about five minutes; he was uncomfortable being so close to this girl but something inside made him feel jubilant. "Yes Rose, it's really me. But I'm not really alive."

The girl hedgehog lifted her head and stared at him, with a skeptical look forming. It sure did look like Shadow, exotic red and black quills, long slender arms, and even the white plushy fur, yet he had a transparent aura and glowed with the same light as the moon.

"Are you a ghost?"

He shook his head and sat up from the soft green grass, placing his full attention on her. "No, it's difficult to explain."

"But you're dea-" He placed a finger on her lips hushing her. With his free hand, Shadow wiped her tears and rubbed her cheek gingerly.

"We have the night together, that's all I can say, so let's make the best out of it."

Amy nodded and smiled slightly. The scenery was so peaceful as the fireflies flew around him, softening his tough facial features which gave him a caring exterior. Even his normally course eyes were less threatening in the moonlight.

The rose hedgehog grinned forgetting all of her past stress and sorrow. She jumped at him again and brought them both down into the ground but this time, the duo rolled down a miniature hill, crashing down beside each other. As they landed, the fireflies gathered around them dancing around gracefully as the cricket joined the festivity by singing. She started giggling and soon, a more quiet laughter joined her. She silenced herself to hear the darker hedgehog laugh. It was a malevolence sounding noise, but a deep, rich yet soft.

"I've never heard you laugh before. I love the way you laugh." She turned over to gaze at him. The hedgehog slowly inched over to the male and placed a tiny kiss on his cheek, shocking both of them at such a simple form of fondness. "I didn't think I ever see you again." She rested her head in her hand, still looking at him. "I didn't get to say goodbye when you defeated those creepy black monsters."

"Even so you should have received my gift."

"A gift for me?"

The black hedgehog rose from the earth and sighed. "A power ring," –he lifted his right wrist which lacked his golden bracelet- "I gave to Sonic to give to you."

Her eyes widen as she looked at her limb. Sure enough, there was the power ring safely secure on her left arm. Amy inwardly sighed for relief that she had put it on. "Oh, this ring is for me?" She cupped it lovingly. "Hey wait a minute, there's something on it. Some kind of writing. It's kinda blurry…"

Shadow grabbed her wrist and rubbed it shiny and clean. "Now try reading it; hold it up to the moonlight, that's how it works."

She held the ring into the air, and a engraved pink manuscript shined in the dark, casting a magenta shadow across both of there faces. Amy squinted her eyes together to read the passage.

'Like a flower in the garden bends toward the sun. You unfold your tiny petals, one, by one, by one. Let faith expand its beauty until at last you will grow into life's lasting flower. My heart's fair perfect rose.' She continued to scan the poem over and over again until she could read no more because of her tears.

"It's beautiful," the hedgehog whispered. "You…made this for me, and I don't have anything to give you."

Shadow shrugged and crossed his arms. "I probably couldn't take anything back after the sun rises."

Amy's face turned into a down cast again. "Do you really have to go? I…don't want you to leave me again." She reached over to give him a hug which he hesitantly took. Rose was a huggy-touchy type of person. Normally he wouldn't be in touching distance of a person, but this was nice. It would defiantly take some time to get use to.

"Don't worry about me. You got all those other people who hang out with that faker to be happy."

"You're right but I also need my other friend, you. All my others friends are great but you, you are not like any of them. I wouldn't be the same now that I know you. So when you go…" Her jade orbs began to flood with water again.

"Listen Rose, I'm always going to be here. Even when the sun is shining, I'll be with you on spirit, so don't cry for me anymore. We have one night together, don't spoil it with tears because then you will regret it later."

He unwrapped the hug and laid her down on her back. He slipped his hand up her shirt receiving a shocking gasp from the girl. He had nothing perverted up his mind, just a devious plan to raise her mood. A blush across her face as his hand traveled up her sides but kept a safe distance from certain areas.

"Shadow-san…" she cooed, squirming at his gentle touch, "that tickles." A smile giggle escaped her lips causing Shadow to smirk. Bingo! He had found her ticklish area. He attacked her sides with his fingers receiving a thrashing fits from the girl. She rolled away from the assault, smiling at her maneuver and dashed off into the rose garden.

"Can't catch me!" Amy called over her shoulder before vanishing into an endless maze of plants.

The raven hedgehog slightly smiled seeing her childish personality burn through again. His duty was to keep her happy so being a little out of character would have to do until she was her old self again. But still, even playing tag was so…annoying. He sighed and rubbed his temples then reluctantly followed her into the garden.

He knew Amy hadn't gotten far being she was incredibly slow in Shadow's standards. He found the little hedgehog about 5 seconds later. Shadow caught her as they stumbled on each others foot, falling into the ground; both were entwined in the other limbs making Amy squeal in amusement with Shadow's body being upon her own. (A/N: No sick thinking people.) Rose petals rained down onto the duo, and one glided unto Amy's nose. She giggled as the Ultimate Lifeform brushed it off by blowing gently on her face.

The female face flushed seeing Shadow so close now. "I guess you got me," she said, grinning sheepishly.

"I guess so…" He studied her expression and couldn't help but give a genuine smile. She was so beautiful in the moonlight; it gave her angelic look that he couldn't help but love it. So much like Maria. "My time is running short now."

Amy nodded seeing the sun starting to creep upon the scenery with a blinding light. The crimson eyed hedgehog was beginning to fade away with the moon's departure. Shadow slowly bent down and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. The pink hedgehog blinked twice before returning the gesture, deepening the kiss. He ran a gloved hand through her quills, stroking with an even pattern. The wind began to pick up and just like he appeared, he was gone in the same instance just like a dream.

The rose hedgehog closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling as she remembered his words. Before he disappeared, she felt a object slip into her hands. Amy looked down to see one ebony rose and a single pink rose wrapped together. She picked them up carefully and cherished the roses by placing them close to her heart.

"Goodbye forever, Shadow the Hedgehog."

"AMY!" Someone in a distance called. Her eyes shot open recognizing the voice to belong to no other than the infamous blue blur.

'Oh yeah, I did leave without telling them. The guys must be worried sick.'

She stood and ran to the edge of the garden to go greet him but stopped dead in her tracks. The rose hedgehog turned back around and placed the rose back on the ground just as she received them. She kissed her pointer and middle fingers and touch the flowers lovingly.

"Amy, are you out here?" the voice called again.

"Sonniku! Here I am!" She emerged from the rose ticket bumping into the hedgehog. He fell down, and Amy smiled. "Sorry, I didn't know you where so close."

Sonic groaned, "Yeah well, where have you been? Knux and I been all over the city and even Station Square looking for you. I was almost convinced myself Eggman had taken you…again"

"Sorry to worry you guys. I was just thinking about some stuff, you know?"

"Yeah well next time you try to sneak away while Knuckles is in his rage mode, take me with you."

"Something tells me you wouldn't have enjoyed yourself."

"And why's that?" Sonic questioned, walking back toward the destroyed town.

Amy turned and looked at the sun rise in the sky, avoiding his question. Her face was hard but then softened as the wind caressed her body. She smiled and looked at her new bracelet; the words still embedded into the gold. Shadow was still with her. Maybe not physically, but he was there. She spun back around and ran to catch up with Sonic.

Now baby there are times when selfishly

I wish that you were here with me

So I can wipe the tears from your eyes

And make you see

Every night while you are dreaming

I'm here to guide you from afar

And every time you feel alone

Just close your eyes and I'll be right where you are…

Fin

We'll I'm not completely satisfied with this. It didn't flow like I wanted. Shadow was OOC, and I suck at endings. I think it's self-explanatory, but the ending verse was Shadow talking. Anyway I don't know about this one, but one the positive side, I'm writing an original ShadAmy very so. And it's a chapter story. YAY! It's called: Don't Eat Chao Fruit. We'll see ya around.

The poem nor the song lyrics belong to me. Poem's author is unknown, and the song is by Jessica Simpson.