October rolls around, and we find Sonic, Amy, Dash, and everyone else at the Hedgehog Residence watching a football game. It was the opening week for the season, and everyone was watching their favorite team win. Well, the guys were. Rouge, Cream, Tikal, and Amy were watching the kids and talking about various girl things.

Rouge looks at Slasher, and frowns. "I don't know what's wrong with Slasher. He's got a fever, and nothing seems to be working."

Tikal puts a hand on the toddler's forehead and pulls it away. "You need to get Slasher to a hospital. Now."

Rouge runs into the living room and grabs Shadow's hand. "Shad, we need to get Slasher to the hospital."

The black hedgehog turns his crimson eyes to the white bat. "Fever again?"

Tikal joins them. "I fear it's much worse than just a fever."

Shadow takes Rouge's hand. "Chaos Control."

Shadow, Rouge, and Slasher vanish in a flash of green light. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles go back to watching the game, unaware of how serious the situation really was.

-Three weeks later-

It's now the beginning of November, nearly one year after Sonic left the hospital. It's a cloudy day, and everyone is gathered at a cemetery. All present were dressed in black, and they were all crying. What caused this to happen? Let's take a trip back in time.

-Flashback-

A green flash appears in the lobby of the Station Square Hospital. Shadow, Rouge, and Slasher approach the secretary's desk, with Shadow doing the talking. "My son is burning up with a fever. Rouge and I have tried all we know, and nothing is working."

The secretary calls Doctor Alnilam. He arrives in the lobby, and nods to them. "What seems to be the problem, Shadow?"

The black hedgehog sighs. "My son has had chronic fever, and nothing seems to be working."

Doctor Alnilam takes Slasher and puts him in room 274. Shadow and Rouge follow. The doctor had been recommended by Sonic and Amy when this problem started, and the bat and hedgehog didn't question why.

Doctor Alnilam turns to face Shadow and Rouge. "I've got Slasher hooked up to various antibiotics, but the outlook isn't good. Come back in a week, and we'll know for sure what's wrong."

Shadow takes Rouge's hand and leads her out of the hospital. On their way home Shadow and Rouge talk about what could be causing their son to be feeling so bad at such a young age.

-One week later-

Shadow and Rouge arrive, along with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. Cream, Tikal, and Amy Rose were watching the kids.

Doctor Alnilam meets the group, a concerned look on his face. "Hello everyone. I'm glad you're here, but I have bad news."

Everyone's ears perked up as the doctor knelt before the black hedgehog and white bat. "I'm sorry, but Slasher is dying."

The news shocked everyone. The son of the Ultimate Life Form was dying? Rouge fell onto Shadow, crying on his shoulder.

As Shadow held her, he looked to the doctor. "He's - He's dying?"

Doctor Alnilam nodded and stood up. "It seems you're the carrier of a rare genetic disease, Shadow. Your son inherited it, and there's nothing we can do."

Rouge turned her tear-filled aquamarine eyes to the doctor. "You were recommended by Sonic and Amy. You saved Sonic's life, why can't you save my son?"

Doctor Alnilam spun around. "Do you really think I enjoy telling parents that their child is dying? That's the worst part of this job. I became a doctor to try and keep this from happening, but even I can't work miracles."

Sonic spoke up now. "Actually Rouge, Doctor Alnilam had nothing to do with my surgery other than watching to make sure nothing happened to me."

Shadow spoke to the doctor again. "How long does Slasher have?"

Doctor Alnilam sighs. "If you're lucky, two weeks." Everyone hangs their head as the doctor leaves.

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails all send the same text message to their partners. 'Slasher is dying. Doctor Alnilam has given him two weeks to live, if he's lucky.'

In less than an hour, the three other females arrive with the other children.

Two weeks passes quickly. Shadow and Rouge are in their dying son's room saying their last goodbyes. Rouge gives Slasher one last kiss, and then the machine flat lines. Shadow picked up his son and held the lifeless body to him. His body heaved as he cried. Rouge just watched, tears streaming from her eyes.

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles looked in the room from outside the windows, tears flowing from their eyes as well. They rejoin their partners in the lobby, and their crying says it all. Shadow and Rouge eventually rejoined them. The next few hours pass quickly as the group just cries in the lobby. Doctor Alnilam walks by a few times to check on the group. Each time, nothing changes, so he continues his rounds, wiping tears from his eyes as well.

-End flashback-

We rejoin the group at the funeral. Shadow was giving a speech. "Slasher was my only child. I was expecting him to grow up and use all of the abilities he inherited. However, an unseen disease has taken him too soon. My child…"

Here, Shadow breaks down and just cries, unable to continue. Rouge walks up and helps Shadow to his seat. A few more speeches are given, then the tiny casket is lowered into the ground. The black hedgehog can't and doesn't watch, simply crying on Rouge's left shoulder. The white bat holds him, quietly crying to herself.

As the dirt is piled onto the casket, Sonic begins singing a song. The song is called "Til I Die" by the Beach Boys. It was hard, since he knew this could have easily been his own son, Dash. Tails and Knuckles join in, providing the harmonies to the sad dirge. Once the casket is completely buried, the group leaves, tears falling freely from their eyes.

-One month later-

December comes, and we find Sonic reading another letter from the federal jail Sally was in. Amy, now 24, joins him on the couch.

Dash, now 4, runs in and climbs into Sonic's lap. "Daddy? What's wrong?"

Sonic sighs. "I really don't know how to explain it."

Amy leans over and reads the letter, then gasps. "It's not possible."

Sonic frowns. "We have to go Ames. I won't let Samuel be without a family." Amy nods. "I understand your concern, but we've already got Dash. What about Shadow and Rouge?"

The cerulean speedster thinks. "I don't know Amy. I'm not sure they're ready for another child."

The rose-pink hedgehog sighs. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, let's get to Sally."

Sonic takes Amy's hand, picks up his bluish-purple son, and the three hedgehogs vanish in a flash of blue light.

-Federal Jail, Arizona desert-

The hedgehog family appears outside the jail, and they're led to Sally's cell. The ground squirrel was on her bed, but something wasn't right. Her blue eyes were glazed over, and she looked pale. Samuel had already been taken to an adoption agency so that he wouldn't see Sally's final moments.

Sonic asks one of the paramedics what happened to Sally. The reply was one Sonic never expected. "Miss Acorn has lost the will to live, Sonic. Her time is short, going by her vital signs, so make it quick."

Sonic sighs and walks up to the bars. "Sally?"

The former princess rolls over, coughing up blood. Sally looked at Sonic, then at Amy. "I have a lot to say, so listen."

Sonic nods, and Sally continues. "First, I'm sorry for beating you all those years ago, Amy. It was wrong, and it should never have happened."

Amy nods. "Apology is accepted Sally."

Coughing again, Sally looks at Sonic. "Sonic, I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble. You were right, I was jealous of Amy having you."

Amy wiped a few tears from her eyes as the squirrel continued. "Sonic, promise me one thing."

The cobalt hero looked at his pink wife, then back to Sally. "What is it Sally?"

Her glazed blue eyes stare into Sonic's emerald green eyes. "Promise me… That you'll find Samuel… A - A good home… To live in."

Sonic nods, a few tears finally escaping from his eyes. "I promise."

Sally smiles, takes a few more breaths, then the blood-soaked cloth falls from her lifeless body. Turning away, Sonic puts his head in his hands, his shoulders heaving with his tears.

Amy walks over to her husband and nuzzles him. "I'm so sorry Sonikku."

Sonic wraps his wife and son in his arms and starts bawling. A white sheet is placed over Sally's body, and she's carried out of the jail.

A few minutes pass, then Amy gently pulls on Sonic. "Come on Sonic. It's time to go."

Slowly the hedgehog family leaves the jail.

-Three days later-

Once again, the group is gathered at the cemetery. Sally's casket was on the ground near where it would be buried.

Sonic was currently giving a speech. "Many years ago, I was proud to say I was with Miss Sally Acorn. I never thought she'd be gone at such a young age. Even though I'm happily married now, a part of me has always cared about her."

Amy gives a slight frown, but understands Sonic's feelings. When he loved someone, he loved with everything he had and would do anything to protect them. Sonic finished his speech and then rejoined his wife and son.

45 minutes goes by, then Sally's casket is lowered into the ground. Shadow and Rouge go to Slasher's grave, their bodies heaving as they cry.

Sonic gives Amy a frown. "I can't have Samuel without a mother or father. That, and I promised Sally her son would have a good home."

Amy frowns back. "I've told you before that I'm not going to adopt Sally's son."

Sonic nods, the wheels in his head turning. "No, but I think I know who will."