Chapter 4: On the balcony

Note: I thank you all for your reviews! I'm glad you all like this story! I'll make this my top-priority for fanfics to finish. So for all my minions, err, adoring fans, a long, juicy chapter that'll make you drool.

Knuckles looked up at the starry sky. Dozens of planets and constellations Knuckles recognized were up that night. The moon shone brilliantly in the east, the once white and fluffy snow of the mountaintops darkened to a grey, and a luminous city of the night life lay below.

He began to wonder more about Tikal. Who was this spirit, and why had she wanted Knuckles for this? And why had she suggested Rouge to come with him? As the day turned into night, it felt as if the questions wouldn't stop flooding his mind.

Rouge seemed to be taking her time inside. Knuckles turned back to the sliding glass door, the curtains still closed. It seemed to Knuckles that Rouge had really changed her attitude about him. Knuckles feared that he would, too.

Knuckles turned back to the railing and lay his head in his folded arms. Everything had been running by him so quickly. He felt more confused than Tails at a redneck convention.

The sound of the sliding glass door was heard, and Knuckles spun around. Standing before him was Rouge, wearing what Knuckles remembered to be her stealth suit (from Sonic Adventure 2). Her suit consisted of long, yet tight, black pants that turned into a pair of white boots. At what seemed to be her top was a large, pink heart. Rouge smirked at Knuckles, noticing Knuckles awkward reaction to her change of clothes. "You like?"

Knuckles found that he was smiling somehow, and turned his head away quickly. His cheeks were red with embarrassment. "You look great."

Rouge blushed, too, and joined Knuckles by the railing. "So..." she hesitated. "I have to ask this. Why'd you want to bring me along? There's only so many other friends of yours."

Knuckles was trying to avoid telling Rouge about Tikal, but didn't want to act dumb. "They were all busy," he stammered, "besides, I guess I'd like to talk with you some more."

Rouge laughed. "So this is just your little excuse to going out with me?"

Knuckles was at a loss for a comeback. Rouge loved toying with him like this, and he knew it. "No, it's..." he sighed. "Forget it."

A long, awkward silence followed.

Knuckles sighed again. "Nice night, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she said, still looking out into the sky. "Is it like this back at Angel Island?"

"It is. I just don't have anyone else with me at-"

"Do you remember when you saved me?"

Rouge's question startled Knuckles. "What do you-" he stopped, realizing what she meant. Not long ago was the day that almost caused the end of the world. Knuckles had met up with Rouge in a large structure consisting only of construction beams and fought for the master emerald.

Knuckles closed his eyes. Everything fell into place before him almost perfectly.

Day X, Meteor Herd

Knuckles and Rouge, two bitter rivals from the start, were battling for the remaining shards of the once-whole Master Emerald. They both climbed to the highest beam of the structure and caught their breath. Below them, a 4 story drop into a pit of bubbling lava.

"Stop fooling around!" They both shouted, almost simultaneously, "and give me back MY emeralds!"

Rouge was taken back by Knuckles' wordss. "What are you babbling about? You call yourself a hunter? Attacking a lady?" she put her hands to herself and flushed her eyes, trying to act innocent. "Shame on you!"

Knuckles thrust himself forward. "What kind of lady goes around stealing gems, anyway?"

Rouge stomped her foot down. "Those belong to me- AHH!" Her foot slipped off the beam she had been standing on, and fell off the beam. She screamed in terror as she watched Knuckles and raised her hand to him, desperately. She closed her eyes and felt the wind rush past her.

She felt a sudden jerk as she stopped screaming. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found Knuckles grabbing her arm, and hanging on the beam only with his other arm. "What in the world?" she muttered to herself.

Knuckles pulled him and Rouge to the beam. Rouge kneeled close to him and looked down. She followed her eyes up Knuckles until their eyes were on each other. Neither one moved.

Finally, Rouge quickly pushed herself back and onto her feet. "Keep your hands to yourself! Don't touch me."

Knuckles swung back. "Is that how you say thanks to someone who just saved your life?" he snapped back.

"Saved my life," Rouge mocked. "Don't think I owe you one. You just wanted to hold my hand. That's why you saved me." She smirked and narrowed her eyes. "You're such a creep."

Knuckles shook his head. "This isn't a joke you know!" Knuckles steamed. "Think what you want, Batgirl, I was saving the master emerald."

Rouge looked away and remained silent for a moment. Then she threw her head up in exasperation. "Ugh! No matter what you say, it sounds crazy."

She took all the master emerald shards she had and threw them on the beam in front of him. Knuckles glanced at the shards, then back at Rouge, obviously confused. Rouge crossed her arms. "Fine, then just take them." she said. "They stink, like echidnas do."

Knuckles had already started gathering the pieces together. "If that's what you thought, you should've given them to me in the first place!" The Master Emerald had finally been reassembled, and retained its green aura. Knuckles put his hands over it. "Finally!"

He looked up to Rouge. Rouge crossed her arms and turned away. Knuckles looked back at their childish arguments and felt a wave of guilt befall him. "I'm sorry," he said. "If I hurt you." He took the emerald and glided off into the distance, with one less rival in his mind and one more friend in his heart.

Back at the balcony

"Knuckles?" Rouge was waving her hand in front of him. "Knuckles, are you awake?"

Knuckles opened his eyes and saw frustrated Rouge waving her hand in front of him. "Sorry." He groaned.

Rouge's anger quickly faded into concern. "You were thinking about it, weren't you?" Knuckles nodded. Rogue started towards him. "I'm sorry I was so rude about the whole thing. I should've given those pieces back to you in the first place." She leaned on the rail again, now close to Knuckles. "I feel bad about it."

"It's all in the past." Knuckles said, reassuringly. "We can't change what we've done. But for the record," he put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, too."

Knuckles' hand sent a wave of warmth throughout her. She smiled back at him. "Are you ever lonely on your island?" she asked. "Have you ever really had any friends?"

"Besides Sonic and Tails? No." Knuckles sighed. "I've been on that island for as long as I can remember, watching over this emerald, and guarding it from intruders. I can never really leave. So I don't really have many friends."

He put his hand on hers. "Except you." He added. "I'll probably never be lonely while I know you." Rouge took her hand in his. They both locked eyes, not just seeing each other, but knowing each other. Rouge threw her arms around him and embraced. Knuckles hugged her back.

"Thank you." Rouge said quietly. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed.

Knuckles felt a surge of warmth from Rouge. "You tired?" he asked. Rouge slowly nodded. "We should get some sleep if we're going to get Eggman tomorrow."

Rouge slowly backed away and headed for the door. As she slid the door open, she turned back to Knuckles, who returned back to the railing. "Are you coming?" she asked.

Knuckles shook his head and gazed out at the stars. "In a few more minutes."

Rouge hesitated. She glanced at the hotel room, then back at Knuckles. The reflection of the moonlight glowed in his eyes. Rouge crept up to Knuckles and kissed him on the cheek. Knuckles was completely red. Rouge put her hand on his shoulder. "Good night, Knuckles."

Rouge walked back into the room and closed the door behind her. Knuckles rubbed his cheek. All of the thoughts and questions in his head seemed to multiply.

A few more minutes passed, and Knuckles found no reason to stay outside any longer. As he headed to his bed, he passed by Rouge's. She had already fallen asleep. A smile escaped his face. "Good night, Rouge."

The next morning

Knuckles dashed out of the door of the hotel room and down the stairs to the lobby. On Rouge's bed was a letter with an imprint of an egg with a jagged, orange mustache, left on the bed of the ransacked hotel room.

Knuckles,

It is I, Dr. Eggman! Having trouble finding your roommate? Well, let me save you the trouble of looking. I have captured your little girl, Rouge, and she's now with me at my base down the side of this mountain. I've got a score to settle with her for double-crossing me.

However, I can change both the fate of Sonic AND Batgirl if you do me a favor. You know what I want, Knuckles. I want the Master Emerald (I couldn't find it in here...). You have exactly 5 hours after you wake to haul hide over here, or else both Rouge and Sonic are going on a little ride to their deaths!

Dr. Eggman

Knuckles finally reached the lobby and skiided to a haltbefore the receptionist. "I'd like to check out, please." he managed.

The receptionist did as she was told without hesitation. "Sure, but what's the hurry?"

"I have to save my girlfriend."