Chapter three

This is nice, the cool salty breeze of the wind, the sound of the calm waves hitting the shore line and no one around apart from me and my friends. Yes Amy and Cream tagged along but I do not mind, I'm finally somewhere I want to be. I smile as my eyes catch a glimpse of Amy and Cream splashing in the sea, running up and down in the shallow waters of the ocean. I can faintly hear them both giggling with joy and how I do envy them both, to be so innocent and not having to worry about ever losing something so precious in their lives.

"Enjoying yourself Shadow?" Rouge asks me as we both sat on the sand and leaning against a palm tree, well I was since I sometimes find it tiring to keep sitting up without back support.

"Yes it is so peaceful out here, thank you for bringing me to the beach." I calmly reply as I look out to the sea way in front of us both.

For the first time in weeks I feel completely at peace once more, as if nothing had ever happened to me. Of course my time here will be over soon so I am going to make the most of my clear thoughts and enjoy the bliss I am feeling.

Just as I predicted my peaceful time was over and way too quick for my liking. No not because time passed quickly as I enjoy the view of the beach or the calmness of the waves but because Dr Eggman showed his ass and brought company. I growled in anger as the Dr began to grin sinisterly at me then he pointed something at my only means of transportation. Amy and Cream had come running over to us when he made his appearance and were now standing with Rouge a little in front of me. I hated the fact I was weak and useless, I couldn't even use a chaos spear without there being huge consequences for my energy levels. Well that's what me and my friends think, it hasn't really been tested out so I'm just assuming I will grow very tired.

"So thought you could have some fun at the beach well I've got news for you. There is no fun without me being involved." I hear the Dr shout out to us and I couldn't help but to roll my eyes in annoyance.

The next sound that hit my ears was a blast from that weapon Eggman had aimed at my collapsed wheelchair a little away from us all. I watched with wide eyes as I witnessed the impact, my chair exploded into flames and was now burning up fiercely. I couldn't help but to become sad as I watched the flames flickering high above the burning wreckage that once was my aid to get around.

"Now there is no escape for you Shadow, it is time to finish you off. Eggbots attack them and bring me Shadow." I just about heard the Dr shout but my attention remained upon the flames that were slowly dying down. Then I turn to look at what was happening and I did not like what I saw. Amy and Rouge were battling it out and trying to make sure none of those, poorly designed in my opinion, Eggbots from reaching me and Cream. Speaking of Cream, she was huddled beside me and gripping my arm tightly. So tightly that I kind of wished it was my arm that had no feeling in it but I'm sure when this is all over with it won't for a while. Yeah she was holding on that tightly out of fear.

"It will be alright Cream, no one is going to hurt you while I'm around." I assure her with a confident voice as I look down at her fearful shaking form.

It is very true that I have grown quite a soft spot of the rabbit child as she sometimes reminds me of my Maria. Her innocence is precious and I will not allowed anyone to take that away. At this point I am willing to do anything to keep my word, even use my chaos energy in an attack formation. I know it will be very risky but if I manage to keep Cream safe then it is worth the risks.

"I'm scared Shadow, there are so many." I hear Cream whisper as she looked up to me with such a scared expression.

I smile and pull her in for a hug to keep her close and I can feel her bury her face in my chest area to keep from seeing the fight in front of us. I look out to what the two girls are accomplishing and frowned deeply as I can see that they are losing as two more Eggbots joined the five that were sent out first. This is not good, where the hell is my boyfriend when you really need him? I growl as I witnessed Amy getting knocked out cold and Rouge being ganged up on by four robots. I know she is doing all she can and the girls have only managed to destroy two but now with Rouge surrounded, we are out in the open for an attack. I hug Cream a little more securely as I narrowed my eyes at an approaching Eggbot with a gun pointing at the both of us.

"Don't worry Cream I won't let it hurt you." I whisper to the child as I kept my eyes on the robot getting closer and closer to us.

I released one of my arms from around Cream and waited for the right moment to defend us both. I began to draw my chaos energy into my free hand and held onto Cream tightly with my other. Ok just come forward a little more. Smirking at the stupid robot I flick my wrist and sent my chaos spear flying right at the Eggbot, getting a direct hit.

"You are supposed to be defenceless!" Eggman shouted out making me look at him with my smirk then I charged up another spear, chucking it at one of the robots Rouge was fighting all at once.

I kept my gaze at Eggman and I can tell he was getting anxious at the fact I am able to fight without the use of my lower body. Heck I'm a little surprised I am able to without passing out, then again I'm not charging my spears to full power but just enough to destroy the robots.

"Retreat back to base, we are not fully prepared." I smirk wider as I watch Eggman fly away fast and his robots scurrying along to catch up with him.

Now my main concern is whether or not Amy is alright, she was still laying unconscious but I sigh in relief when Rouge went over to her and got her to come around by lightly slapping her face a few times while calling her name loudly. I loosened my grip on Cream and smiled down at her before she moved off my body. I suppose I did managed to have some quiet time on the beach, if I don't think positively then I will go into another spiral of depression.

"Looks like someone will need carrying back home." I hear Rouge call out as she and Amy began to walk over to me and Cream.

"Yes and how do we do that exactly? I may look light but I really am not, you've told me on numerous amounts of times I am heavy to carry." I smirk at Rouge as I teased a little, trying to lighten up everyone's mood.

"Wait I have an idea." I raise a brow at Amy when she said that then I began to get very curious when she ran off.

"Did she get hit on the head?" I question as I wasn't all too sure what the pink hedgehog was up to but I do know I will find out very soon though.

I was right I did get my answer and I do not feel comfortable right now. Amy returned fifteen minutes after leaving us on the beach. She came back with, what I can only describe it as, some kind of wagon that was on a large side of things. Well it was big enough for me to fit in it sitting up with my legs made to cross with the other. There was even a pillow to rest my back on and to keep me upright. I had crossed my arms and made my ears fold flat to my head as I was feeling very embarrassed by this.

"This was all you could find?" I lowly growled in frustration and announce as we were slowly making our way towards civilization from our secluded part of the beach.

"It was either this or a wheelbarrow." The reply to my question was as Amy and Rouge took turns in pulling me by the handle of this damn stupid contraption.

"Cheer up Shadow, it's not all bad. Your blanket mama knitted for you didn't get burned." I can hear Cream say to me as she walked beside me.

I was too embarrassed to even lift my head up to look at her but she had a point. I really did love what Miss Vanilla knitted for me. She went out of her way just to do something to cheer me up and it worked. Yes I know it's just a knitted blanket but the care, time and effort that went into every stitch made it that more special to me.

"Yes I am very thankful it was not caught in the flames." I faintly smiled as I had my eyes on that very blanket that covered my awkwardly crossed legs.

Before I was brought back home, and to my dismay, we stopped at the very busy hospital to pick up a new wheelchair. I was given some very strange looks by a few people that seemed to have forgotten all about my paralysis but thanks to Amy telling them to not stare at me, they soon looked away. I couldn't help but to smirk a little at the shameful expressions on some of the people when Amy went off on one telling them it was rude to stare at me and that they should show me some respect. I did however get a little annoyed when she went onto retelling how I ended up losing the feeling of my lower half of my body and I did not like the new looks I got either. Pity really isn't something I want given to me, not by anyone.

I was finally home and sitting in my new wheelchair with my blanket draped over my lap. Amy and Cream left us after we were finished at the hospital so now it was just me and Rouge in mine and Sonic's home. Speaking of Sonic didn't he say he was only going to be a couple of hours? It has almost been four since he left with Knuckles and Tails. What is he doing in the city that would require hours? I know he wouldn't be off shopping for he hates shopping unless it benefits himself of course.

"Want me to get you anything hun?" I faintly hear Rouge asked me as I was slowly coming out of my thought to where my boyfriend was currently at.

"No thank you Rouge. I'm just a little tired, it's been a busy afternoon." I reply to her with a soft voice and in truth I was getting very tired, probably from using far too much energy with defending us all on the beach.

"I'd say, I'll give Sonic a ring to see how long he's going to be. Won't be but a moment alright." Rouge smiles at me before she walks out of the living room.

Right ok, I can do this. I just need to move this wheelchair a little closer to the sofa then I can push myself out and onto the sofa. Well here goes nothing...damn doing this is more challenging when you are tired but not impossible. Oh no, damn it! Great now I'm on the bloody floor with the wheelchair half on top of me. I should have put the wheel breaks down to stop the chair from moving.

"ROUGE, I NEED A LITTLE HELP IN HERE!" I shout in a desperate manner as I could feel my muzzle heat up from being embarrassed at my stupid mistake.

What is taking her so long? Did she leave the house to call Sonic? It's been what three minutes of me stuck on the floor by the soft and I have no strength to move the wheelchair off my body and yank myself up. That and I'm pinned down in a slightly awkward position where I can't twist myself around to face the sofa as my back was currently facing it. This is seriously ridiculous, I mean I've now been laying here for over five minutes, what is she talking to Sonic about anyway?

"ROUGE, WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED HELP, PLEASE!" I call out once again but still no reply.

I might as well bloody go to sleep because I'm sure it's going to be some time before anyone comes in here and finds me like this. When Rouge gets talking it can sometimes be hard to get her to stop...

"Oh my chaos Shadow!" Who the hell was that calling me?

I slowly open my eyes and I could hear someone lifting the wheelchair off me then I was being lifted up by a pair of peach arms. Sonic, Sonic is back home. He carries me in his arms out of the living room and I lazily look up at his face. Yes I was still sleepy but I can't tell you just how happy I am to see him. I hear him lightly kick our bedroom door open and then puts me down on the bed when we got there.

"Man I'm so sorry babe, I asked Rouge to help me, Tails and Knuckles in the city but she said you would be fine and was sitting in you chair. She said she thought you had fallen asleep because she called out to you but you didn't reply." Sonic softly said to me as he sat beside me on the edge of the bed.

"Well in her defence I was asleep just not in my wheelchair but since it was kind of half on me, you could say I was." I gently replied as I joked a little, yarning after I finished talking.

"You get some sleep babe and I will join you very soon. It's late now anyway and almost eight o'clock." Wow I was asleep for almost three hours. I smile softly at my boyfriends loving tone excepting a longer kiss from him before I allowed my eye lids to close once more. The last things I heard was the clicks to the bed guard locking in place beside me, light footsteps heading for the bedroom door and the door closing shut.