A few weeks later, it was Christmas Eve. Amy was working at the bakery again after taking a few days off to try and reset. Which had helped tremendously, though she still wasn't quite at one hundred percent. She had seen Shadow here and there, but she'd mostly been talking to her friends she hadn't seen in a while.

In truth, Amy was trying to avoid Shadow, but it wasn't because he'd done anything wrong. She still wasn't completely sure why, but she knew she felt a little weird around him now. It was the same feeling she'd had around Sonic for the past several years, but she didn't want to admit it.

Now that she'd gotten a taste of rejection she wasn't eager to feel its sting again.

But there was only so long she could really avoid him, especially when he'd been coming into the bakery more lately than he ever had before. And just as that thought entered her mind, the bell above the door rang and Shadow appeared.

Amy's stomach wobbled again, and she fought a grin trying to spread across her face. Don't do what you did with Sonic, a little voice in her head was telling her. You'll just get hurt again. Don't show too much affection.

She hated that voice, but she thought listening to it would be better than repeating whatever mistakes she had made to make Sonic ultimately not like her.

"Hey, Rose," said Shadow, dragging her out of her thoughts for a moment. "I actually wanted to ask you something."

Amy let herself smile a bit, though she tried to keep it just friendly. "Hi! Sure, what's up?" she said.

"Well..." began Shadow. "If you have nothing else you're doing tomorrow, would you like to come over to my place and have dinner with me?"

Amy hesitated for a moment. Going over to his house, and spending Christmas Day with him, when she was trying to squash a growing crush on him. Was that really a good idea? Even so, good idea or not, she couldn't deny that she wanted to. That she wanted to spend more time with him. That even though she'd been avoiding him, she'd missed him.

"I don't think I have anything planned for tomorrow," Amy finally said. "Normally I'd spend it with Sonic and everyone, but they've all kinda got their own stuff going on this year. So... I think you can count on me being there."

Amy saw the corners of Shadow's mouth quirk in a smile, and that set off her butterflies even more. "Alright," said the black hedgehog. "How's around six o'clock? And are you able to get there?"

"Well..." said Amy. "Six should be fine, but I don't know how to get there, no." She chuckled awkwardly. "I've never been to your house before."

"Indeed, you haven't," said Shadow. "Alright, then I'll walk you over. It's not too far from yours, though it's further away than your friends places."

Amy smirked. "Still can't get along with anyone?" she teased.

Shadow rolled his eyes. "You know Sonic and I have never gotten along. I simply want nothing to do with his craziness. He gets into too much trouble."

"You sound like a grumpy old man!" Amy laughed. She put on a wavering voice and said, "That blue whipper snapper needs a whoopin', he's getting into too much trouble, I tell ya!"

Again, Shadow rolled his eyes at her, but he smiled wider, and his chest shook silently for a moment. Amy's eyes widened. "Did I just get a laugh out of you, Shadow?" she asked.

"I... don't know what... what you're talking about," he said, though his voice was strained. Amy smirked. "Oh really!" she said. "Are we thinking the same thing when we're talking laughter? You look like you're laughing--or trying not to--to me."

"Shut up, Rose," he said with a tiny chuckle. Amy grinned wide.

The next day, Amy stood outside her house, her breath steaming in the chilly winter air. Snow was falling fast, the huge flakes already building a thick blanket on the ground. She was bundled up in several layers, even putting a scarf over her face to try to keep it warm. The sun was setting, and with it, the temperature was steadily dropping even further.

She was out there for several minutes before Shadow finally appeared on the street, and Amy was surprised to find that he was wearing his old rocket shoes. She hadn't even been sure whether or not he'd still had it. Aside from that, he was only wearing a thick coat and a scarf. How are you not freezing? Amy wondered, completely bewildered.

He came up her walkway. "You ready?" he asked her.

She nodded, then said, "What's with the shoes? I haven't seen those in forever."

He looked down at his feet. "Didn't want to deal with the ice," he said simply. "The sidewalks are slippery as hell. Decided to go for something that would serve the dual purpose of keeping me on my feet and melting the ice beneath them. Didn't melt everything though."

Amy peered past him and saw that he was right. There was still a lot of ice shining on the sidewalk leading away from her house. "Well, that's all fine and dandy for you," she said. "But what am I supposed to do? I don't have shoes like that."

"True," said Shadow. "But I could carry you. Saves time and energy."

Amy felt her ears go warm. "How does carrying me save you energy?" she asked.

"By making sure you don't fall and therefore I don't have to repeatedly pick you up. Or have you drag me down with you." His expression was hard to read. He wasn't smiling, which was still normal, but he wasn't exactly frowning either. He looked... nervous.

But why would he be nervous? thought Amy. He's never been afraid of me, so why start now?

"Well..." she said. "Can't really argue with that." She chuckled nervously as she nodded, her ears heating again as he awkwardly picked her up bridal style. It reminded her of how Sonic used to carry her when he had to get her out of trouble. She'd always been able to hear his heartbeat going a mile a minute.

Within a moment, Amy's weight was settled safely in Shadow's arms. "You ready, Rose?" he asked her, his voice soft. She reached up and grabbed his shoulders, linking her hands behind his back. She could feel the quills on his back through his jacket, and she realized this felt much different from Sonic. His arms were stronger, more sure underneath her, and the heartbeat she heard in his chest was slower, closer to her own.

She nodded against his chest, and Shadow pushed off, swaying back and forth like an ice skater as he made his way down the sidewalk. Neither of them said anything. All Amy was able to focus on the entire time was the sound of his heartbeat, and how he smelled strangely like lavender and yet something else that she could only describe as Shadow. It was a calming scent, and she closed her eyes and tucked her head into his chest.

"Rose," Shadow said a little while later. "You can let go now."

Amy blushed as he set her down on her feet, but it took her a moment to let go of his shoulders. And when she did, she felt strangely cold afterward. He gave her a little smile, then walked up to his front door.

His house was strung with red and green holiday lights, and through a window Amy could see a tiny Christmas tree on the windowsill, which made her smile. It was adorable.

"I like the display," Amy said as Shadow unlocked the door and ushered her inside. "I didn't think you'd be that festive around the holidays."

"Well, you'd be right if it weren't for Maria," said Shadow. "She always loved the holidays year-round. Christmas, Halloween, Valentines, you name it, she loved it. Christmas was her favorite though. On the Ark, Dr. Robotnik--Gerald--would fill stockings with candy canes and other sweets, and Maria would make cards for all of us. And if we could we'd exchange gifts... We all enjoyed it, but Maria especially loved it."

Shadow's expression sank, and Amy wished she hadn't said anything. But after a moment, he continued. "It's taken me a long time to feel okay celebrating it without her. Even now... it doesn't feel quite... right."

Amy nodded. "I can't say I've been through anything like what you have, but I think I kind of understand the feeling," she said. "It's hard to adjust as time goes on and people leave, and I mean... I told you yesterday, normally Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and I all kinda celebrate together. But Knuckles is off doing his own thing with the Master Emerald, Tails is always working on techy things nowadays, and Sonic... has a girlfriend who he wants to spend it with."

She looked at Shadow, smiling sadly. "I know it's different. They're still alive and well and I can see them any other time. Only I can't. It's like everyone is just kind of moving on without me. But... I guess that's what happens as time goes on, huh."

Shadow didn't say anything for a moment, frowning. "So..." he said slowly. "Does that mean that... you wouldn't have spent it with me if they had been around?"

Amy shook her head. "No, Shadow. I would have. But in that case you would have had to share me with the others." She laughed a little. "That sounded weird, but you get what I mean. I would have said yes either way."

Shadow still didn't look convinced. "Why did you say yes anyway? I thought you'd find some excuse to say no."

"We're friends now, aren't we, Shadow?" Amy replied. "Again, I would have said yes whether the others had been around or not because I actually do enjoy spending time with you."

Her ears went warm again. "I know... I know I've been avoiding you lately and I'm genuinely sorry. That's all on me, you've done nothing wrong. I really do enjoy spending time with you, Shadow. I wouldn't lie about that."

"Then why have you been avoiding me?" Shadow asked in a wounded tone. "I know that you still don't quite trust me and I understand that, but I'm trying to get to know you better. We've known each other for over six years and barely spoken until recently. And a lot of that was on me, yes, but what reason would you have to avoid me if it wasn't something I did?"

"Because I'm trying to figure things out!" shouted Amy. "You've been nothing but good to me, Shadow, and especially during the past several weeks, I have really appreciated that. But I'm... I don't want another repeat of Sonic and..."

"Wait," interrupted Shadow. "What do you mean 'repeat of Sonic'?"

Amy took a deep breath, trying to calm down before she either burst into tears, said something she'd regret, or both. "I mean that... I don't want to be hurt... I just want... Ugh! It means that I'm starting to fall for you, okay? And I don't want to!"

She took deeper and deeper breaths, trying to keep the tears at bay. Trying to steel herself against the next words out of Shadow's mouth.

But what came next was a tight embrace, and the smell of lavender. "It's okay, Rose," he whispered. "Just calm down."

It was then that her tears finally began to fall.