STH © SEGA/Archie
Sarah, Peter, Samwell, Rosemary & the Wilson Family © Cozy Shadow
Flame, Petunia, Jeffery, and Sunny © Phantomask
Italicized brands or names (like food labels, movies, and songs) belong to their rightful owner.
Guest Review Responses:
To Walalo: Yeah, life gets busy. Fanfiction isn't top priority of mine. XD My old account is still actually up, but under a different name which no one will ever find. Muhahaha - but all the old stories I did are still deleted. And I won't be recreating them, either. The one you're referring to was called "Their Family," and it was my first ever story. I still know to this day what date I finished it. :P But I won't be redoing that one, probably ever. I think about it and cringe - and I don't even remember a whole lot of it. Plus, I don't have the documents for it anymore. I did things a lot differently back then, than I do now. I don't want to be stuck here doing redoes of stories, also. I want to do other stories that have been on the backburner for years, lol. I'm thinking TCG might be the last redo for a while.
I'd sit here and type excuses because a bad excuse is better than none at all - but I decided I don't really have to explain to anyone what's going on with my life personally. So, here is the next chapter of TCG, if you're still waiting around for me to update. I appreciate those who have stuck with me this long. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Six:
Sign of Life
That night had gone by better.
The household had gone to sleep at a decent time, and weren't intruded by any late night calls from the hospital. Everyone slept well - or as well as one can when grieving.
For the majority, everyone was still sleeping by the time seven-thirty rolled around. Silver and Blaze were still fast asleep on the couches by the main entrance. Manic and Sunny were somehow wrapped around each other on the couch in the living room. The other couch was taken up by Butch.
He appeared to be the only other living thing awake besides Shadow.
Shadow had gone out to feed the animals and had come back in. Upon seeing no one else up, he was grateful he'd decided to stay in his pajamas. Sauntering back to his bedroom, he wasn't surprised to see Amy hogging up the bed. Her feet tangled around the blanket as she was curled up in a ball.
The ebony hedgehog went to close the door, stopping the dog from coming in. He didn't want Butch to wake up the dozing female. Unfortunately, Butch had mastered squeezing through the door before Shadow could close it.
"Butch!" Shadow hissed quietly.
The dog paid no attention to his Master. Butch wanted to see his Master's new mate, as it had been a long time since seeing her at dinner.
He hopped up on the bed before Shadow could take another step. Softly, he placed one paw on either side of Amy's body, sniffing at her quills. His tail wagged happily when she swatted at his nose. Butch couldn't resist himself at that moment.
Originally, Amy thought she was swatting at Shadow. But her mind was still in a reverie state when the tongue licked her cheek. It dawned upon her that, despite her and Shadow's unknown future together, the Ultimate Life Form wasn't one to lick someone's cheek.
She moaned in annoyance. "Dog," she merely grumbled, pushing her face into the pillow. "Go away."
Her hand continued to swat at wherever the dog might be. Once she made contact with something, Amy thought it was Butch - and that the whack was hard enough to send the mutt away. Yet luck was not on her side.
"Ow."
This time she opened her eyes a bit. Apologetically, she glanced up at the dark hedgehog that was crawling back into bed. "I thought you were up."
"I was. I fed animals. No one was up yet, and I figured a few more minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt."
She cracked a smile, ignoring the dog heavily breathing behind her now. "It looks like I'm a bad influence on you. Perhaps I should sleep downstairs."
Amy would have been lying if she said butterflies didn't flutter in her stomach as Shadow's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to him. A blush crept up on her cheeks, but she burrowed into his chest fur before he could notice.
Shadow scoffed. "Sonic has managed to persuade me into sleeping in once or twice on cattle drives with the Wilson's. Not particularly the best idea."
Her giggle was barely heard in his chest. Amy tilted her head to stare up at him.
Butch tried to squeeze in with them somehow, as he was beginning to feel left out. At least the mated pair across the hallway made room for him when he intruded. Butch let out a huff, causing Amy to lightly smile and pat his head softly.
Shadow sighed as he rested his chin on her head. It became quiet for quite some time, but neither of them were asleep. As he stared at the wall, she gazed into the dark curtains that the sun tried peeking through.
A thought hit Amy.
"I don't have a dress for the funeral on Sunday. Or anything for the birthday party, if it's semi-formal. And I doubt Blaze or Sunny have anything."
"Perhaps Sarah has something," Shadow tried to walk around the conversation as he knew where it would lead to: going to town.
"You and I both know Blaze and Sunny are skinnier than Sarah. Besides, I've looked into her closet before when there was that Valentine's Day party at the school. I thought maybe there'd be something a bit more modest in there than the dress that I had."
Shadow snorted. "You certainly wouldn't have fit into her dresses. All you women are skinnier than Sarah. Or you at least lack hips."
"Hey!" Amy whispered harshly, glaring at him. "I have hips. Need I remind you that you're holding them now?"
Shadow grumbled something incoherent as his grip changed from on her hip bones to around her stomach. "Still. There wouldn't be anything you'd fit into in Sarah's closet. Even if she had any dresses to wear."
"Oh, so you look in their closet, too?" Amy batted her eyes and laughed a little. "Someone have a secret crush on Sarah?"
"What?" Shadow narrowed his eyes at her.
"It's a joke, Shadow. Don't take things so literally," Amy reassured. The sight of his cheeks reddening in embarrassment just a tad was good enough for her. "She doesn't have a lot of dresses either - and none that I saw were black. Plus, I don't think Silver and Manic brought a suit."
"They all came for the wedding, why wouldn't any of them have suits?"
"They're a little early for the wedding. I think they just wanted to catch up with the group - and rent tuxes when the wedding rolled around," Amy assumed, although it wasn't particularly Silver and Blaze's reason for showing up early.
Shadow fought the urge to roll his eyes. "So, you're saying we need to go to town."
"Hmhm," she hummed in agreement. Staring up at him, it was clear that some excitement danced in those emerald eyes. The idea of getting out of the gloomy house made Amy almost leap out of bed right then and there to leave. "That is if the others want to go too."
"Maybe they won't want to…" Shadow whispered mainly to himself with hope.
Amy tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a suit? Sonic?"
"I think Sonic has one from some meeting he went to once. And possibly a co-worker's wedding two years ago. But I've never had a reason to get one."
"Really? Nothing with the Wilson's?"
"Birthday parties are casual there. Some of the women wear spring dresses, though."
He wasn't trying to throw the idea out that Amy should get a spring dress and wear it on their kind-of date.
No.
Absolutely not.
But the image did cross his mind and it did strike his fancy. He blamed his animal drive, but knew a part of his logical side agreed that a spring dress could look good on Amy. Hell, anything in his opinion would look good on her.
"Shadow?" Amy questioned the male when he started to look off into space.
"Huh?" Red eyes stared into green. He swallowed. "Yeah, other than parties, there's been nothing formal from the Wilson's that I've been invited to."
"No wedding?"
"I think there was one, but it was one of the older kids I didn't know. Barely met them, if I recall. They're into real estate and whatnot in California. Not much for the ranching type. Besides, their wedding was in Hawaii. I stayed with Sonic and some of the Wilson's farmhands to take care of the farm and ranch."
"They have workers?"
"Well, they'd better if they have half the land in this valley. You didn't think they had just kids to help them, did you?"
Amy's ears folded back against her head. "I guess not...So, town?"
"Ugh," Shadow groaned. "I don't want to -"
"Please."
He leaned his head into his pillow. So much for the few extra minutes of sleep he had originally planned for. He blamed the dog.
Gazing down at Amy, his expression softened. Shadow wanted to be obstinate about the whole idea, but he knew it wasn't something they could avoid. They couldn't show up in their regular attire to Aleena's funeral.
It'd be disrespectful.
Exhaling heavily through his nose for the longest time, Shadow kept eye contact with her. Neither one of them blinked. One waited in anticipation for the designated driver to give in. The other bided their time before they had to cave.
Unfortunately for the latter, it wouldn't last forever.
With one more groan, Shadow rolled over. "Fine."
While it wasn't for a particularly happy occasion, Amy managed to corner everyone into going to town.
I almost had to throw Blaze in the vehicle. Amy was proud of herself, despite everyone clearly not fully awake nor wanting to go. Still, a day in town will be better than a day here. Cooped up in this house. At least, I hope it'll be better.
She was stuck in the back seat again, with Manic and Sunny. Blaze and Silver had opted to take Sarah's car and promised not to detour or "accidentally" get lost. Shadow drove Sonic's truck - which seemed odd to Amy.
Sure, he drove it when we went to the hospital, but that was because Sonic was a complete mess. He couldn't drive. But, he's capable of driving now.
She glanced over at the passenger seat.
Sonic remained stoic, yet there was a harshness in his gaze. Something Amy couldn't put her finger on. She looked to Sarah, who sat in the middle of the two males. The lime green hedgehog had been terribly quiet all throughout breakfast. The only time she spoke was when agreeing that she too needed a dress for the funeral.
Other than that… Amy frowned as she looked at the engaged couple. Something seems off between the two. They seem...further apart.
The more she stared, the more she convinced herself it was true.
Sarah's even leaning towards Shadow -
"Do you mind?" The ebony male suddenly spoke, whispering towards Sarah.
"Huh?" Sarah seemed to break out of some reverie. "What?"
Shadow raised an eyebrow, glancing from the road to her. "You're practically leaning on me, Sarah."
"Sorry."
Amy probably wasn't the only one to see the hesitancy to move closer to Sonic. The rose flower frowned. What could be wrong between them? Sarah seems like she doesn't want to be near Sonic, yet Sonic -
At that point in time, it seemed that Sarah hadn't moved far enough from Shadow - at least to Sonic. The blue hedgehog had his arms wrapped around her waist instantly. Before Sarah could even retort, she was nearly laying on top of Sonic.
Shadow rolled his eyes. "Jesus, I didn't mean ride Sonic."
Amy raised an eyebrow at Sarah's response: flushed cheeks. Sarah wouldn't normally care what Shadow says about their relationship. Why is she so jittery around Sonic now?
Green eyes caught the quick movement of Sarah escaping from Sonic's grasp. After some time of observing the two lovebirds, Amy finally came up with the word that described them at the moment.
Tug-of-war.
Sonic looks kind of...not so happy with her. I wouldn't say angry. There's no word to describe it. Sarah seems the same way - they're trying to pull each other apart. Or at least Sarah is. Despite his look, Sonic's actually sticking to Sarah like glue.
Amy watched the two with an odd look.
Something is far from normal with these two. I wonder if I can talk to Sarah.
The confusing couple finally stopped their fidgeting when Shadow glared at them. Sonic gave a little sneer for some reason, but ultimately went back to looking out the window. Sarah reluctantly leaned against her fiancé and shut her eyes. Manic and Sunny remained oblivious to everything, whispering their own conversation in each others' ears.
Amy, all the while, was hatching a plan of attack already.
~.~
The first stop was for the suits.
Manic leaned forward to stare at the sign. He squinted a bit. "The Suit Store?"
"What can you say? This town is great at naming things," Shadow deadpanned. He unbuckled his seatbelt and glanced around the parking lot. Silver and Blaze were parked beside them and were literally the only car near them. "Looks like it's pretty empty today."
"It is a weekday," Sunny noted, but a gave a small smile. "At least, it'll be a quick stop, right?"
"I don't know," Manic whispered in an almost sing-song fashion. He cracked a tiny grin and glanced at his girlfriend. "I might take awhile to get back at you for all those times we went shopping back home."
"Hey!"
Amy didn't bother to listen to the rest of their banter. She hopped out of the truck along with the other four, leaving Manic and Sunny to trail behind. Silver and Blaze stood outside Sarah's car, staring at the store with disdain. The pink hedgehog nudged Blaze a little - still wary of their conversation a day ago.
"How was the drive?"
"Quiet," Blaze replied curtly. She flicked her tail and walked towards the store, not giving Amy a second glance.
Amy thinned her lips and caught Silver's eye.
She merely shrugged and pretended she had no clue what Blaze's cold shoulder was about. The white hedgehog didn't seem entirely convinced, but he went on ahead anyway. Amy sighed in relief, wondering if Blaze could ever come to terms with the whole idea of someone actually dating Shadow the Hedgehog willingly.
And having that someone be me of all people. I just hope whatever rift is between us will mend itself in time. I'm sure it'll pass. She's cautious, and worried about me - I get it. But I am an adult. No matter how many mistakes I might have made that led me here, those mistakes are somewhat blessings.
She jumped a little when Shadow nudged her. He raised an eyebrow at her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she reassured him, giving him a little smile. Amy turned towards the small store in the downtown area. It was quiet and peaceful - perhaps just what they needed. "C'mon," she boldly grabbed his hand and marched towards the glass doors.
Shadow swallowed heavily at the feeling of holding her hand. It felt so...intimate. Still, he allowed this to go on until they walked into the store.
Releasing his small grasp on her hand, Shadow cleared his throat. "Just don't get too bored. We'll try and make this quick."
Amy cast him another small grin, and he wandered off after Silver. Manic trudged behind with Sunny, still chatting away but softly. Blaze preoccupied herself by looking at the watches in glass cases near the only worker. Amy still remained at the front of the store, unsure of where to go or who to follow until her eyes found the last couple of the group.
Sarah and Sonic. There they are.
Amy pondered as she observed the two. Not wanting to look suspicious, Amy walked between two mannequins and into a separate aisle of bow ties. She picked up a striped one, pretending to be interested in its hideous pattern.
Taking glances, she watched both hedgehogs.
Sarah wandered aimlessly, picking at the wooden shelves occasionally or holding onto a tie. Sonic looked at suits hanging on the walls, already pre-matched with a shirt underneath. Anytime there was about a ten foot distance between the two, Amy came closer.
Here's my chance. I can just start a conversation with Sarah, and maybe Sonic will go away.
"Sarah."
That was it. That was all it took. Every time.
Sonic would barely mutter her name - whisper it - and Sarah would be back in his line of vision. Amy found it absurdly annoying, especially since he had never been so needy before.
Just what the hell is he doing? They're so quiet, you can feel the tension from across the store! Yet Sonic won't let her out of his sight. Something's definitely up.
The pink flower wasn't even trying to be discreet anymore. She glared openly at Sonic as they circled the store. She got a look from Shadow, passing the ebony male once. He didn't quite understand why Amy was clearly following the two around the store, but he made no comment out loud about it.
So, she continued doing so until finally, she caught a gap of space between the two.
Sonic had become attached to a certain bland looking suit by the fifth time they walked around the store. He was staring at it, inspecting every inch of it for some unknown reason. And Sarah had successfully sauntered over to a swivelling display of watches.
Amy glanced around to see everyone's position at that point.
Blaze was helping Silver pick out a tie, seeming quite frustrated that her boyfriend wouldn't settle for the one she picked out. Sunny and Manic were whispering in each other's ears still while looking through dress shoes. Sonic was enthralled with the suit several feet away, and Shadow was nowhere to be found.
Not wanting to waste a moment, Amy dived in.
"Hey," she smiled a little too cheerfully as she stood next to Sarah. "What'cha doing?"
The lime green hedgehog was silent. She stared at Amy as if the rose hedgehog was off her rockers. Seeming to calculate something in her head, Sarah gave Amy a knowing look. "What do you want, Amy?"
"What, I can't have a conversation with you?"
"Not when you're so terrible at pretending like you want to have a normal conversation. It's quite clear you're about to start asking questions," Sarah turned the swivelling display, letting it make a terrible squeaking sound.
"Well, I couldn't help but be observant about some things," Amy confessed. She glanced over Sarah's shoulder and didn't see Sonic. She looked around and barely caught the blue blur heading to the changing room. "Sarah?"
The female picked up a watch in its case. "Hm?"
"What's going on between you and Sonic?"
In that moment, Sarah nearly dropped the case that held the expensive watch. She cleared her throat multiple times, setting the watch back into the display. Staring at Amy with wide eyes, she finally sighed and relaxed. "Care to elaborate?"
Amy narrowed her eyebrows just a titch. "You weren't talking during breakfast. You seemed about ready to jump out the window of the truck before you sat near him. There's tension between you two - he seems almost angry about something." She glanced back at the changing rooms..
"He's not angry," she heard behind her. "He's upset."
"Upset about what?" Amy pried, turning back towards Sarah.
"You know, you shouldn't put your nose where it doesn't belong."
"I'm just concerned about you two, is all. Like you wouldn't stop asking me about Shadow. Why can't I ask a question about you and Sonic?" Amy nearly glared. She put her hands on her hips. "Seems like you're a hypocrite - "
"Amy, I'm pregnant."
The rose hedgehog stopped breathing for a second. But she blinked back into reality. Nothing but silence came between the two. "What?" Amy breathlessly asked. She tugged on her front quill. "W-Why would he be upset about that?"
"He's not upset about me being pregnant," Sarah scoffed, rolling her eyes. "He's probably thrilled about the idea."
"Then what is he upset about?"
Sarah sighed. "Well, for starters, I didn't tell him a damn thing at first. I had thoughts that I was ever since we - " she paused, stopping herself from saying anything too personal.
Amy merely grabbed her arm and dragged Sarah to the closest thing to sit on, which thankfully was a couch. She practically pushed Sarah down onto it before sitting down herself. Clasping her hands together, Amy stared expectantly.
"So, it's for sure?"
"Knowing my luck," Sarah muttered. She rubbed her arm as if she were cold, looking away from Amy. "I haven't taken a test yet, but it's on my to-do list."
"Sarah - "
"Tonight. I'll do it tonight. Trust me," Sarah reassured, making eye contact. "Now with himwatching my every move, it's hard to postpone it," she motioned to the changing room near the back.
"Wait, how'd he find out if you never told him?" Amy asked. "And why were you postponing it?"
"Let's just say, I'm not a big fan of having kids of my own. Responsibility and commitment. It was a big enough step with the whole engagement, I didn't think this would happen. It was an honest, dumb mistake."
"And he found out, how?" Amy repeated her first question.
Sarah made a groaning sound. "It wasn't pretty. When we took our turn showering, I could tell he was onto it, he just thought I was sick in a sense like Aleena. Not sick as in pregnancy. At least, he didn't put it together until last night..."
Flashback
The pillow was calling her name.
Sarah walked back into the room after brushing her teeth, ignoring the feeling of nausea.
'God, I thought it only occurred in the morning. Maybe I do just have a stomach flu. But still...I missed my period. It's been plenty of days since Sonic and I last had sex. That dumb morning in the shower - the day after he proposed. Goddamnit, why didn't I say anything about protection? Had we taken precautions, then I wouldn't be worrying right now. And my period probably would have shown up by now. Big chance it would have.'
She was still trying to come to grips with the possible fact that something might be growing inside her. Of course, it wasn't even the size of a sesame seed yet. But it had its own way of terrifying her.
'I thought maybe one kid in the future. Far future. Hell, maybe even two. Not now. Not barely after getting engaged.'
Sarah shook her head free of thoughts upon seeing the bed neatly made. She would have crashed then and there had Sonic not blocked her way.
"We need to talk."
Fear struck her again. She didn't want to talk. She wanted to pretend she didn't know English.
"Hold that thought - " Turning, Sarah went towards the door.
Unfortunately, she easily forgot who Sonic the Hedgehog was. And that she was dating the fastest thing alive. The door shut and his hand rested on it. Clearly, she wasn't going to be able to open it, run outside, and drive across the border.
"Sarah. Now."
Twisting around slowly, Sarah bit her bottom lip in anxiety. She folded her arms across her stomach, aware that something was probably in there. And even more so aware that Sonic was catching up.
He swallowed, staring down at her as if he still felt betrayed. "I know you're lying to me. You're not fine."
"What makes you think that?" she whispered, looking at anything but him.
"Because you're avoiding eye contact," he nearly growled. "Not to mention, you're fidgeting like crazy. I know when you're lying, Sarah. It's not that hard to see."
She scoffed, staring up at him. "Maybe I'm just tired. Tired of you trying to make up something that isn't there. I'm fine."
"You can't bluff that waking up in the middle of the night to go hurl your guts out is something normal."
Sarah ducked under his arm and went towards the bed. She was aware of how close he was getting. Turning to face him, she wasn't surprised to feel his breath on her cheek. Just a little annoyed. "I told you, a stomach flu is passing through the school."
"You're not acting like you're sick."
"I'm puking. I'm sick," Sarah flailed her arms and climbed onto the bed. She was on her knees now, facing him. She became aware of how still Sonic had become. "What?" she hissed in annoyance, trying to be quiet. She was aware of the household falling asleep - as she wanted to be apart of them.
"You're not sick."
She froze. 'Shit. He knows. I'm dead. I am so dead.'
Sonic wasn't catching up as quickly as he could run, but his mind was at least putting the pieces together correctly. He raised an eyebrow as he approached her slowly. "You just said you were sick - as if waving it off as an excuse. You were being sarcastic."
"I'm sick, Sonic. A stomach flu - "
"Shut up." Sonic glared, leaning across the bed. He put his fists down to balance him as his nose touched her. "Stop lying to me, Sarah. If you're not sick, then what's wrong?"
"Bulimia - "
"I know you better than that. You hate the whole idea of vomiting, and you don't care what you look like compared to other women. You wouldn't do that - I know you."
Sarah, at that moment, realized how he was one step ahead of her in excuses. And how she was barely ahead of him in the real situation. "Sonic," her voice faltered.
"There's something…" Sonic whispered, crawling closer until his nose nuzzled into the crook of her neck. "I sense it."
Had anyone walked in, they'd assume the couple was being lovey dovey and immediately get out of the room. But Sarah knew better than to relax, even as he kissed her shoulder lovingly.
"There's plenty of differences between Shadow and I. For starters, I'm faster." He nipped at her neck, smelling her scent. His hand reached out and grabbed her waist. "And while he might have the more noticeable animalistic traits, I am just as instinctive."
She flinched at the low growl that rumbled through his throat. She didn't quite understand what he was getting at, but her own instincts told her that her secret was out.
Suddenly, she was on her back, lying down on the bed. Her mate towered over her and softly glared at her. They were a few centimeters apart. Sonic's low growl turned into a purr as he bent down and nuzzled her neck.
When he pulled away, Sarah glowered harshly at him. Sonic merely sported a blank stare. "If you're so instinctive, then what do you guess? What do you sense, Sonic?" she hissed again.
He gritted his teeth. "Don't snap at me." He lowered himself again and practically laid down on top of her. "I'm still guessing," he mumbled in annoyance. It irked him. He wanted to know. It was on the tip of his tongue - he just knew it.
Sonic continued his nipping at her neck, before he went down. She squirmed under his hold, instinct telling her that he had already succeeded in impregnating her. That seducing her now was pointless, and a little uncomfortable.
'Please tell me that doesn't confirm that something is growing in me,' she pleaded to herself.
Her husband-to-be seemed to pause as she stiffened. Something dawned upon Sonic. His gaze shifted down to her stomach, and so did his nose. She smelled different. Not like her usual scent of the peach body wash. And not like when she was on her period -
Sonic froze. This time, he was the one to stiffen.
The change in scent was starting to become noticeable. His nose twitched as his grip tightened. He hovered over her. Looking into his deep gaze, Sarah could tell he knew.
"I…" She faltered as she raised an eyebrow and shrugged at him. "I think I'm pregnant?"
For the longest time, he stared. And the longer he stared, the more Sarah thought she had broke him. Tapping his cheek lightly with her finger, Sarah bit her bottom lip. "Sonic? Say something."
"Uh um," Sonic was still grasping the news.
'This explains the feeling I was getting while we were in the shower or in bed. Alone together, yet it felt like something else was there. Because something else is there.' Sonic was caught up in his own thoughts.
Sarah remained still underneath him. She watched with a questioning gaze, wondering if her mate's sanity was completely gone by now.
The blue blur gripped the sheets. 'Why didn't she say anything? Why did she try to hide this from me?'
His gaze turned a little harsh as his ears flipped back against his head. Breaking out of his trance, Sonic met her gaze. "You think or you know?"
"I...don't know."
"And you didn't say anything because?" Sonic gritted his teeth. "How long have you had the symptoms?"
Sarah could feel her head on the pillow. And all she wanted was to sleep - she didn't want to be pestered with his never ending questions. "A few days. Sonic, we didn't...um...you know, use protection the morning after you proposed."
"..."
"And it's technically been long enough to start having the symptoms, and I missed my period. So I only started assuming that I was pregnant. I mean, there was a small flu going around school, but I'm not around any of the other teachers that have it. So the more this goes on, the more I just keep thinking that I am...pregnant."
Brown eyes hesitantly looked up at Sonic. He sat up, sitting on her legs. Sarah propped herself up via her elbows. Sonic merely ran his hands over the sheets before heavily exhaling.
"And you didn't take a test or anything?"
"Not yet."
Sonic narrowed his eyes. "If you kept thinking you might be pregnant, why didn't you take a test. Hell, why didn't you say anything to me, Sarah? God, I was worried sick for a moment there."
"And you're still not worried," Sarah scoffed. "I could be pregnant, Sonic. An actual living thing inside of me that we have to keep alive. And you're not worried?"
"I'm not a drama queen like you are," Sonic put it bluntly, to which Sarah gave an offended expression. "I'm more concerned about the fact that you didn't trust me enough to tell me. Sarah, we're partners. You come to me with this type of situation so we can work through it together. Like a team."
She pouted her bottom lip out and looked away. "I never liked working in groups."
Sonic sighed at his overdramatic mate. He crawled in beside her and hugged her from behind. "You're taking a test as soon as possible, Sarah. Even if I have to hover over you to make sure you do it."
She merely growled in annoyance at him, but he combed through her quills. She could sense that he still wasn't quite happy with her answers, or with the fact that she hadn't told him upon first thinking she was pregnant.
Sarah figured she would leave out the detail that she had told her estranged parents before him - just in case.
End of Flashback
"So...that's it. That's where the crumbs have fallen so far."
Amy blinked, unsure of how to respond to the entire thing. She coughed awkwardly while rubbing the back of her neck. "Well...that was quite the way of him figuring it out." She blushed at certain details of the story, as Sarah hadn't left anything out. "So, he's cooled down since then?"
"A little. Won't let me out of his sight. As if I'll vanish into thin air and change my name," Sarah snorted. She rested her chin on her hand with her elbow on her knee. "And despite the lack of any test results, he's positive I'm pregnant. Says he can sense it, and that I'm already smelling different. Whatever the hell that means..."
Amy still couldn't find the words. But she didn't need to.
A snort behind them drew their attention to one Shadow the Hedgehog. The eavesdropper stared down at Sarah as if he knew it would happen sooner rather than later.
Sarah groaned. "Great. What do you want? I can't possibly wait to hear what you have to say."
Red eyes continued to stare down at her knowingly. A smug smirk came across his muzzle.
"Tails owes me fifty dollars now."
By the time the men were done with the suits, it was lunchtime. The group had quickly stopped off at a restaurant and gotten lunch. When they were done, they headed to find dresses for the girls.
"At least it's just black dresses," Silver muttered.
Despite being aware of what the dresses were for, Silver didn't want to be stuck in a dress shop for longer than needed. He wasn't the only one either.
Blaze glanced over a black dress, and then another. There were slight differences, and she was unsure about which one. However, she didn't dare ask Silver for she knew he wouldn't notice the differences.
Still, she wanted to get done with this shopping trip.
The day had been uneventful, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Blaze was bored, to say the least - but as time went on during the day, she noticed she was practically the only one bored.
Well, a certain pair didn't seem too bored.
Amber eyes watched the pink hedgehog stand oh-so-close to the ebony hedgehog.
Despite her and Amy's conversation, the feline was still wary of Shadow. And yet...she wondered.
Amy and Shadow weren't far off, looking at spring dresses no doubt for their "date." Blaze frowned. How strange of him to ask her to a birthday party for an old man as a date. Yet he seems completely sincere with his actions towards her.
Shadow was calm as he leaned against a display. Amy was talking about some dress or something, but Blaze was focused on how entranced Shadow seemed with her. The way he stared at her didn't seem healthy for the Ultimate Life Form. Or at least nothing Blaze had ever seen from him, which was very little. Shadow's red eyes were soft as they gazed down at Amy. A small smirk was barely noticeable, playing at his lips. His ears were directed towards Amy, completely enthralled with the being in front of him.
Blaze continued to frown.
She looked down at one dress and grabbed it, leaving the other on its hook. As she turned to the dressing room not two feet away, she decided to clear her mind and see what Silver thought. After all, they were an odd couple to begin with as well.
"Silver?"
"Hm?" Her boyfriend wasn't much for paying attention when she was shopping. He was used to just sitting there - Blaze was quite silent when shopping. "What?"
"What do you think about Shadow and Amy's relationship?"
Silver raised an eyebrow. Blaze was in the dressing room, slowly taking off her clothes. The white hedgehog turned his head to look in the direction of where Amy and Shadow were. All he saw was the top of Shadow's quills - as Silver was sitting down on the comfy bench.
"...What's with the sudden interest?"
"Pfft," Blaze scoffed. "Don't give me that - you were interested, too. Don't act like I was the only one concerned about her decisions."
"We're not her parents, Blaze."
"Well, they're going on a date!" Blaze hissed under her breath. She grabbed the dress and slipped it on. "And for some reason my mind can't wrap around it - they seem so much odder than us when they're together. Did Amy tell you that she was going on a date with him? With Shadow the Hedgehog of all people? I'm still trying to figure out how with such a short time being here with them, Amy agreed to going on a date with him!"
She made sure to be quiet so only Silver could hear, but she knew she wanted to practically grab Amy and yell all of it.
"Blaze…"
"I guess I just don't see what she sees in him. We didn't really know him that well, and I suppose they have more in common now than back then, but still - "
"Blaze, there's something I didn't tell you." Silver looked at the dressing room door. He clasped his hands together and leaned forward. There was little to no chance she would stop once she started. But he had to tell her the truth.
"What?"
"I...I was the one to convince Shadow to ask Amy out on a date…" Silver winced at every word, waiting for Blaze to snap his neck.
The door to the dressing room opened, and Silver looked her up and down in the black dress. Blaze, however, was staring at him as if he were a lunatic. "What?"
"I'm the reason they're going on a date."
"But why?" Blaze narrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I thought you didn't like the idea of Amy and Shadow dating."
Silver was hesitant. "...I'm not sure anymore, Blaze. Everyone figures that Amy would be great for Shadow, and I agree with them. But I'm also wondering if Shadow is any good for Amy. He's got a past darker than hers, and people still aren't welcoming of him. It's not the typical good girl falls for bad boy situation here. It's...different."
Silver stood as Blaze folded her arms.
"Look at them." He gestured with his hands softly.
The feline took a moment, but she reluctantly looked over at her friend and Shadow. The two were getting along as if they were already a couple. She could see the signs, the subtle hints.
Arms wrapped around her warmly. "I figured it wasn't too late to give the guy a chance. Especially since he's gone through so much. Despite how different they are, we have to realize that whatever things they have in common are things they only know about. I mean, how many people know that you and I like ordering Chinese rather than going out? While all of our friends in New York imagine us as the couple to go out to fancy restaurants every night. Those types of things - those intimate things are shared between us. And whatever Amy and Shadow have right now, I'm not going to stand in the way any longer," Silver admitted.
Blaze stared up at him.
"I don't see Shadow as a villain - as a bad guy wanting to hurt Amy. All I fear is that he might hurt her unintentionally. And that fear isn't just for them. It's a risk with any relationship. Hell, I'm scared when I say something and you seem hurt. But it's just another risk, Blaze. I convinced Shadow to ask Amy out on a date to see how sincere he really was. And yet you and I both know deep down that Shadow is one of the most loyal friends we could have," Silver stated. "We can't parent her anymore. She's a grown adult. She can make her own decisions, even if those decisions make us bite our nails."
He waited for his girlfriend to respond. She only stared at him with an understanding look.
Swallowed, Silver nodded slowly. "So, we give Shadow the chance. Chances being one of those things not many people would give him. Different is the only thing people have ever seen him as. Even us." He grabbed her hands and kissed them softly. "But I think in our moment of trying to stop Amy from making any more mistakes that might hurt her, we overlooked him. And how similar he is to us. All of us."
Blaze bit her bottom lip. "What about his animal instincts? Sonic's stated several times since we've arrived that he's cautious in that area. Shadow could very well lose control - "
"You've read Sally's books more than me," Silver said with a small laugh, knowing she was only trying to find an excuse. "And I know from the books she's written, upon infinite amounts of research, that if Shadow and Amy were to actually date and become closer - then his animal instincts are toned down. Put to ease, if you will, and he becomes "normal." Besides, it's Shadow the Hedgehog we're talking about. The guy has self-control. Give him a chance, Blaze. Give them a chance."
He kissed her forehead and let go, walking a step back. "Okay?"
"Okay."
Silver smiled at her before turning to walk around. Manic's voice calling for Silver brought the white hedgehog further away from Blaze.
The feline stood outside the dressing room in the simple black dress. She looked down at the other dress. Catching herself slightly grinning, Blaze grabbed the dress from the rack.
Maybe he does see differences better than I thought. But perhaps he's right. She warmly looked at the duo in front of her, a little ways off and still close together. Maybe we should be looking at the similarities instead.
When all was said and done for the day, the group had gone back to Shadow's house with aching feet. Manic couldn't believe how long it had taken them all to get their suits and dresses - and some added groceries for the extra mouths to feed.
Still, something seemed off with a certain few.
The green hedgehog was sprawled out on the couch. The clock on the wall showed that it was almost nine. Shadow rested in the rocking chair. Silver and Blaze were watching the television, and Sunny was curled up next to Manic.
The latter wasn't looking at the television or sleeping though.
He observed his older brother with a look akin to concern. Glancing at Shadow, Manic wondered if the ebony hedgehog noticed that the blue blur was currently pacing like crazy. He wondered how the hell it wasn't bothering Silver or Blaze whenever Sonic walked in front of the TV.
Glancing around the room, Manic realized something.
Sarah and Amy are gone...Huh. I could've sworn as soon as we got home Sarah went to the bathroom. And then Amy followed. Manic raised his eyebrow as he looked at the hallway. Are they in there together? What the hell are they doing?
Staring at his brother, Manic became aware of how reclusive Sonic and Sarah had been in the grocery store. While Shadow had made him push the cart, the ebony male rattled off things for Silver and Blaze to fetch off the shelves. That left Sunny and Amy just to catch up while Sonic and Sarah were God knows where.
But why the secrecy? Something doesn't feel right as is. Sonic's been acting strange. Maybe it has to do with Mom's… Manic stopped his train of thought as he couldn't even think the word. He swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Uh, hey, Sonic?" Silver finally broke the silence. "Not to be rude or anything, but why the hell are you pacing back in forth? I can't watch the TV."
"Sorry," Sonic mumbled but continued with his pacing.
Blaze and Silver gave each other a look of confusion. They glanced at Shadow to see if he was seeing the same thing, but he was only focused on the screen of the television.
"Sonic? Are you alright?" Blaze hesitantly asked.
"Fine. I'm fine."
"Really? Well, great. Sit down then," Silver droned with a blank stare. "I can't watch TV."
As Blaze nudged him sharply with her elbow, Silver glared at the blue hedgehog. Why the hell was he still pacing? "You need to go for a run, Sonic? Jesus, stop."
Sonic let out a low growl, which awoke Sunny and got Manic's attention. The couples looked at each other from across the couches. It was a peculiar thing - Sonic growling.
"Relax, Sonic." Shadow calmer voice suddenly broke Sonic's concentration on pacing.
The blue hedgehog let out a sigh as his quills ruffled a little. He stopped pacing, but still stood in the middle of the living room. As he blocked the screen, Silver gritted his teeth. "Sonic. There are twenty places to sit in this house. Get out of the way."
Sonic only stood there for a minute. Then he continued to pace, but this time he gripped his quills and scratched his head nervously.
"Sonic, what the hell is wrong with you?" Manic raised an eyebrow. "This isn't normal."
"Does it have something to do with Sarah?" Sunny yawned.
As Sonic paused and stared dead at Sunny, the rest of the household watched with anxiety. Manic swallowed and wrapped his arms protectively around Sunny. "Sonic?"
"I didn't mean to offend you, Sonic, it's just it's rather plain to see that something isn't normal between you two," Sunny whispered. Her ears folded back as she cowered against Manic. "I was only wondering…"
"Sonic?" Silver slowly asked. He was about to get up off the couch and approach the blue hedgehog.
Suddenly, Shadow cleared his throat. "Sonic, whatever happens, I'm sure you'll make an excellent father."
Sonic's blank stare at Sunny turned to a glare at Shadow. The ebony hedgehog smirked as he watched the television.
The blue hero was then bombarded with questions.
~.~
Sonic wasn't the only one pacing.
Back in the bathroom, Sarah wandered in circles - watching as the plush carpet felt soft on her feet. Amy sat on top of the bathroom counter, staring at the wall.
The pregnancy test was on the other side of the counter, and neither of them had dared to look at it yet. The timer on Sarah's phone hadn't gone off yet, either, so that gave the two something to be relieved about.
Amy blinked and got out of her trance of staring at the wall as a thought hit her. Carefully looking at Sarah, Amy bit her bottom lip. "Are...Are you going to tell your parents?"
She kept going in circles. "My mother already knew. Or at least, she was the first person that I told when I was suspicious."
"And?"
"She was furious. And so was my father when she told him. I don't want to call them."
"You should, Sarah. They're your parents." Amy offered a small smile. "They'll turn around eventually."
"That's false hope with these people, Amy." Sarah muttered as she stopped circling. "They hated Sonic to begin with. Right from the very start. But their dislike for me started before then. But I'm still...scared. Frightened even of having my own child. I didn't plan on this. I know I have plenty of people that will help support me, but I just…" she looked away and down at her feet in shame. "I just wished my parents were part of that support group, ya know?"
"What do you mean?"
"They probably won't even bother coming to the wedding anymore. The longer that damn timer takes," she hissed at her phone, " the more I'm positive that something's growing in me. And if it's true, then they definitely won't come to the wedding. They won't accept Sonic at all then, or the baby - hell, they'll probably completely cut me off."
Amy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why on Earth would you want your parents at your wedding if they'd rather be anywhere else, Sarah?"
She bit her lip. "...They didn't always despise me, you know."
"It's not entirely about Sonic?"
"No. Like I said, it started before Sonic." She shook her head, swallowing roughly. Tears were daring to slide down her cheeks but she wouldn't let them just yet. "My mother used to adore me," she whispered, staring at her clasped hands. "I was an only daughter. Then things happened during the collapse of Mobius and…"
Amy scrutinized her every move. Sarah seemed...frightened. At that moment, Amy felt as if she should be wary of her, too.
Although, that's nonsense. Amy waved it off. Whatever happened couldn't have been that bad.
Sarah continued slowly, "...I was forced to do something. I had to do something that made my parents fear me - despise me. Treat me like the middle child that I am." She gave a lighthearted laugh.
"What was it?"
Sarah was reluctant. She didn't meet Amy's eye contact - she couldn't. "I haven't told anyone...only my parents and siblings know what happened because they were there. They just don't talk about it. I haven't even told Sonic."
Amy remained curious. She tilted her head and leaned closer to the distressed female. "Sarah, you can trust me."
"I know," Sarah sighed and closed her eyes. She opened them to stare at Amy. "I know. But I don't want the past to haunt me every day. I can't, Amy. I'm sorry."
There was a pause, and the rose hedgehog was half tempted to pressure Sarah into telling the truth. But when Amy looked down at Sarah's shaking hands, she took a step back in her head. Respecting Sarah's decision, Amy only nodded and remained quiet.
Sarah sighed and sat down on the toilet seat's closed lid. There she remained for awhile with her chin resting on the palm of her hand. Glimpsing at Amy, the older hedgehog wondered out loud something that caught Amy by surprise.
"What do you think would have happened if Sonic and I never met? And you showed up here still?"
The rose hedgehog blinked, unsure of what to respond with. Cautiously, she found her hand reaching to her front quill as usual. A habit of being embarrassed or shy. Or put on the spot with a random question. "What?"
"I mean…" Sarah licked her lips and stared at the plush rug. "Do you think you and Sonic would be the ones everyone wanted together?"
"Why would you think about that, Sarah?" Amy whispered with a tone of reprimanding.
Sarah shrugged. "I don't know…You're pretty, Amy. Hell, you have Shadow wrapped around your finger. I didn't see you two together at first. I still don't really see you two together. But if you can win him over, I bet you would have already had Sonic if I wasn't in the picture. If he had remained single, he would've jumped at the opportunity."
Amy narrowed her eyebrows. "Sarah, don't talk like that. Whatever happens, happens for a reason. You met Sonic. And he chose you. Even if you weren't in the picture, I don't think I would fall heads over heels for him like I did in the past. I wasn't mature then. I was a twelve-year-old girl with delusions. A hopeless romantic the first time I saw him. Don't tell me that you were...threatened by me?"
She gave a slight smirk. "Not at all. I just wonder, is all. It would be interesting to know what would have happened, honestly. Perhaps you'd be stuck in some love triangle between Shadow and Sonic. A hopeless romantic's secret dream, no?"
"Not really," Amy frowned and crossed her arms. "I wouldn't want two men fighting over me, personally. Being a hopeless romantic in my way is just wanting to find that one person I love, and being with them for as long as they'll have me. Not two constantly trying to win me over."
"So be honest then. If I wasn't in the picture, would you go with Sonic or Shadow if either of them were interested in you?"
"That's not a fair question. I know Shadow more now than I know Sonic, really. Sonic could've gained more quirks over the years and completely changed. Shadow did, and this version of him is all I can really remember now. I barely recall the Shadow from my past anymore."
Sarah cracked a grin. "So, you'd choose Shadow?"
"Well...I didn't say that," Amy stuttered.
She tugged harder at the quill. She looked towards the door, wondering when the timer would go off. Neither of them dared to look at the test yet. She was beginning to hear voices out in the living room. They were slowly rising - which made Amy wonder if Sonic had let the secret slip. She had figured he might - that or Shadow.
"Let me tell you something, Amy. I don't see you and Shadow together." Sarah turned to Amy with a serious gaze.
Amy bit her tongue and narrowed her eyebrows again. "So? Why should I care what you think about our relationship? You're being like Blaze, right now. She's not a fan either. Personally, it's not either of your decisions."
"You didn't let me finish."
She was caught by surprise and curiosity. Twisting her body towards Sarah, she waited rather patiently. Brown eyes warmly looked up at her.
"I don't see you and Shadow together romantically. Not yet, anyway. But that doesn't mean I don't notice the way you look at him."
Amy blushed and turned her head to stare the carpet. She wasn't that obvious was she?
"Or the way he looks at you now."
This caught her even more by surprise. Amy looked at Sarah for a few seconds before she found herself smiling. "Really?"
It really shouldn't have been that much of a shock to Amy. Shadow was willing to see where their relationship went. He had said so himself - that he wanted to see for himself if they were good for one another. He wanted to be with her, or at least get to know her better in a way that was more than platonic.
Sarah nodded with a genuine look. "You say you want to be with a man for as long as he'll have you. I can't help but think that you're subconsciously thinking of Shadow when you say that. And if I know Shadow, he doesn't do things unless it's for long term. Look at the farm. He's built it up as his home and his work. He's around to stay. And if you're really serious about taking the chance to be with him, Amy, then I just want to to say something."
"What?" Amy found herself already knowing what Sarah was about to say.
The lime green hedgehog gave her a small smile. "He'll be with you for as long as you'll have him."
A certain type of warmth went through Amy at the thought. The more she got to know Shadow and vice versa, the more she found it harder to imagine not waking up next to him. It was an odd thought, really, but it made her genuinely happy.
Suddenly, the phone lit up as the timer beeped. Shakily, Amy shut it off and looked at Sarah next to her.
Amy watched as Sarah's gaze turned into one full of anxiety. With a concerned, cautious glance towards the female, the pink hedgehog got off the counter top. Sarah stood up with her, as the two took in a heavy breath.
Hesitantly, they looked at the pregnancy test.
So it's been awhile. Honestly, I had this chapter halfway done for awhile but then things got in the way for a long time. But I finally got around to it, even when I should be doing other things right now. Chapter 27 is coming along as well. I've been writing to it while editing this one (with the help of MistyVoid48).
I hope you readers enjoyed this chapter and have stuck around - I'm, again, very grateful if you did stick around this long. There's probably some mistakes more near the end of the chapter, but I'm honestly so sick and tired of looking at this chapter, that I can't see any mistakes clearly anymore. It all just sort of blends in together now, lmao.
The funeral and party/date thing is going to be done differently, just because this chapter went on longer than I wanted it to, and if I had kept going with my original plan, it would be WAY long. So, yeah. Uh, just know that eventually we will get to the funeral, the date, more Samwell shit and all that jazz.
Next chapter especially is focused around Samwell and his gang, so be prepared for that. Also, next chapter might be a more chill chapter with the Sonic group and whatnot, simply because a lot of shit has happened during the story to the point where they don't have a moment to feel like regular fucking beings that hang out. I mean, how much does Silver and Blaze really know about Shadow? Or Sunny knowing anything about the others except for what Manic might've told her? Plus, I feel like I need some comedic relief in this story somewhere - a thing I haven't been doing as much as I did in the old version. So, yeah. That's the new plan, hopefully.
Thanks so much readers - and until next chapter, let those positive vibes keep a-flowin'!
Arrivederci!