CHAPTER 3

HOME AGAIN

Later that night, Spike was once again outside sitting on the bench looking in the sky looking at the stars shine, until one star caught his eye. It looked like a shooting star.

Meanwhile at the graveyard at Shadow's grave, Shadow's spirit had reunited with his body. After Shadow had regained consciousness, he had panicked because of the coffin he was in. He started to pound on it with his fists until it broke open. He quickly got out of the coffin and found his way on top of the ground. He panted heavily by trying to break out of the coffin. He had never been so afraid. Who wouldn't go insane if they were in a coffin underground alive? He tried to stand. He had to adjust using his old body again. He noticed he was in a black suit with a red tie around his neck He was covered in dirt from trying to get out of the ground. He also didn't feel any older than he was suppose to be. He was wondering where he should go first. The only person he could trust would be Espio, so he decided to go over to his house. He didn't think to use Chaos Control. He just started to walk out of the graveyard.

Later at Vector's house in Charmy's room, Charmy had his arms wrapped around Chloe's body while they were sleeping together, until Chloe had suddenly woke up.

Charmy slowly woke up after her, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

She faced Charmy, "Why do I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen?"

"Chloe, you just had a bad dream." He kissed her cheek, "Just go back to sleep."

Chloe laid her head upon her pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

Later at Espio's house, Espio and Tonya were making out on the couch.

Espio was on top of her sliding his hand under her purple dress making her moan. Just as he was about to get hard, he heard a scream from the kitchen. He looked over to the kitchen and saw a pink teenaged cat girl staring at them with disgust, "Mom! Dad! For the love of god, do that somewhere else!"

Espio smirked, "Hey Lynn, why don't you go upstairs in your room and turn your radio up as loud as you want."

"Espio, please", Tonya said as she pushed Espio off of her.

Lynn heard the doorbell from the door, "I'll get it." As she opened the door, a black hedgehog fell on the floor. She let out a scream, "Dad!"

Espio ran over to her, "What's wrong?" He looked on the floor and saw a familiar black hedgehog, "No way! It can't be!"

Tonya ran over to them and noticed the hedgehog's body on the floor, "Oh my god it's..."

Espio grabbed his wrists, "Tonya, Lynn help me set his body on the sofa."

When they set his body on the sofa, they began to wonder how he came back to life except for Lynn who was confused.

"Mom, dad who is this guy?" She asked.

Espio turned to her, "His name is Shadow, he used to work at the Chaotix with me, but he died."

"If he's dead then why is he here?" She gasped, "Is he truly alive? Was he somehow revived?" She studied his appearance more reminding her of another hedgehog. She let out another gasp, "He looks just like...Spike."

Tonya looked into her yellow eyes, "Lynn, he is Spike's father. His real father."

"But you can't tell Spike that. He has to figure it out on his own", Espio thought it was a stupid idea to hide the truth from Spike like that.

"Spike would know that Knuckles is not his real father. A bat and echidna does not equal a hedgehog. Besides they both have good looks", Lynn said with a smile. She heard moaning coming from the sofa and saw Shadow waking up.

As Shadow slowly opened his eyes he saw Espio, Tonya, and a young female pink cat. He had his eyes fixed on Espio, "Espio?"

Espio smiled with tears in his eyes, "Shadow, it is you." He hugged him, "I missed you so much. It's been so long since I've seen you. You haven't changed a bit."

"We all missed you, Shadow", Tonya had said.

Shadow made a slight smile at Tonya, "I see you gave up that crush on me."

"And you said there was no possible way she would go out with me. Heh, we're now happily married with our little Lynn in our life", Espio said dragging Lynn close to him.

The pink cat blushed a little, "Dad, you're embarrassing me!"

Tonya noticed how much he was covered in dirt, "Look at yourself. You're all dirty. Come upstairs and you can use our shower."

Shadow got off the sofa and followed her upstairs.

When they got upstairs, they were in Espio and Tonya's bedroom. Usually when Espio was living alone the room would be covered in his junk, but now that Tonya was with him he was keeping it clean. Tonya pointed to the bathroom, "There's the bathroom. When you come out, clothes will be set on the bed for you."

"Thanks, Ton", he went into the bathroom.

When he came back out of the bathroom, he tossed his dirty suit to the side and started to put on his clean clothes. He looked at himself in the mirror and he was wearing the same clothes he wore sixteen years ago. He was wearing a long black coat, a short sleeved red shirt, black pants with a black belt, and his regular shoes. He just looked exactly the same.

When he came downstairs, he saw Espio and Tonya talking on their sofa until they saw Shadow step into the living room.

Espio faced Shadow slowly, "Shadow, we have to talk."

Shadow sat in a chair and had his eyes on them, "What about?"

"Well...it's about the things that had changed around here", Tonya started.

The hedgehog sighed, "I know."

"You do?"

"Of course I do. You and Espio are married and got a kid. Vector and Margaret split up while Charmy and Chloe are married and living with Vector. Rouge is...married to Knuckles and he's raising my kid. I know..."

Espio wondered how he knew that, "How did you..."

"When I died I went to heaven. I'm technically an angel sent from heaven. I'm not just here to catch up on what's happened to everyone. I was sent here to claim something that was stolen. He got up from the chair, "I...gotta go."

Lynn heard what they were saying. She ran downstairs and grabbed Shadow by the arm, "You can't just go without having concern for Spike. Rouge told him a lie about you, you know."

Shadow removed her hand off his arm, "I know."

"What are you planning to do about it?"

"Nothing", he simply said,

"Nothing? Because of that lie, Spike thinks that you're an asshole. You have to do something!"

"No, I won't. If Rouge wants to be with Knuckles, I have no right to separate them", he said in a cold voice.

"But you..."

Espio grabbed her shoulders and shook his head.

Lynn watched as Shadow walked out the door with a hidden broken heart.