Chapter 1
That evening, Sonia let Cyrus take her to an upscale restaurant in her old district. He politely pulled out her chair for her. "Cyrus, this place is very expensive. I didn't expect…"
He chuckled as he sat down. "I've been saving my money and I figured this was a good use for it. I wanted to try and give you a familiar experience. Yes," he addressed the waiter. "We'll take a bottle of your finest champagne, please."
Sonia smiled. "You're a nice guy, Cyrus. Thank you for this. I just need to get him out of my head and this is a good start."
Cyrus nodded. "You know I've liked you forever. Since you helped me try and save my dad. I always thought you were the prettiest girl I've ever seen. And add to that the smartest and the strongest… You're special."
"You're special too, Cyrus. You've always been such a good friend. So um, we've never really talked much outside of… well, work I guess. What do you like to do in your downtime?" She asked, looking up as she saw someone coming in. "Oh my, it's Bartleby. And he's with another girl." She blushed as their eyes met and he began coming over.
Cyrus felt his eyes narrow. How dare this guy be here and with a date? How dare he come over to their table.
"Sonia! I didn't expect to see you here." The mink said with a smile.
"I didn't expect to see you either." Sonia replied as she stood up. "This is Cyrus. He and I work together."
Bartleby nodded. "And this is Cecilia… She and I are on our first date. Oh, and our table is ready. It was nice seeing you." He hurried away with the red-haired fox.
Sonia looked down at the table, her eyes filled with tears. "He's dating again."
The lion touched her hand. "It's okay. Forget him. He's a loser and she's not even pretty."
She nodded as the waiter brought a tub with ice and the bottle of champagne. He poured them each a glass. "You're right. I don't need him." She began drinking deeply from her glass. It was empty in moments. "Can I have another glass please?"
Cyrus quickly obliged, shocked at how quickly she chugged the first. Then the second… and third.
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Bartleby didn't want to date this woman, this strange vixen. He had been pushed into it by his uncle. But he had not expected to see Sonia with another male and it broke his heart. He didn't eat a bite of his meal or even try and make conversation. Cecilia understood that he was depressed and wisely chose not to get mad.
When he got home, unaware of Dingo following him as a fly, he sat down on his bed and sobbed. "Why! Why! Why can't we be together? Doesn't she understand that I love her! I don't care about any danger! I want to be with her!" He shouted into his pillow, beating it until feathers flew out of it. Out of energy, he curled in on himself and cried until he fell asleep.
Dingo sat on the wall, watching sadly. He felt bad for what Bartleby was going through. "Sleet, he's definitely in a bad way. I think it's because of Sonia and no, that blind date didn't work." He said into his headset.
"Wow. I never thought we'd have to help with something like this. Hopefully, His Lordship will know what to do…" Sleet sighed.
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The next morning, Sonia woke up with a terrible headache in an unfamiliar bed. She put her hand on her head and looked around. She felt his stomach cave in on itself when she saw Cyrus smiling up at her. "Oh my…"
"Good morning, beautiful…" He said softly, knowing she wasn't feeling well.
She blushed. "Oh my… did we? Did I? Oh what happened last night? All I remember is seeing Bartleby at that restaurant and having a lot of champagne." She moaned with pain. "Did we?"
Cyrus grinned. "We did and you were great. I love you so much." He sat up as she started crying. "Sonia, what is it? I'm sorry. Maybe we shouldn't have but you wanted it so badly and you were so sad. I thought I was helping. I thought you felt the same way."
She got up and got dressed. "I am so sorry Cyrus. I was upset and drunk. I'm so sorry." She trembled.
"No, don't apologize. I think I misread the signals. I shouldn't have taken advantage of your drunken state." He looked down. "I'm sorry."
She shook his head. "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have gotten drunk. I shouldn't have let Bartleby dating affect me like that. I'm sorry Cyrus but you're sweet. I just… it's too soon. Please, tell me you used something."
He nodded. "Yeah. I wouldn't risk having a kid in this city right now. I'm sorry…" He felt his lip trembling. "Look, I do love you Sonia. Anytime you need me, please…"
She stroked his face. "You're sweet. And if it weren't for the fact that Bartleby still holds my heart, I could easily fall in love with you." She kissed his cheek. Grabbing her purse, she left the small hut.
——————
When Robotnik arrived for tea that morning, it disturbed him that Bartleby was worse than he was the day before. Sleet had told him about Dingo's initial investigation and he'd found the lovely Cecilia for his nephew but he could tell it hadn't done any good.
"Bartleby, you need to eat. Whatever is on your mind can't be so bad. I'm sorry you didn't like Cecilia…" He watched the boy lean back, silent but his eyes showed his misery. "Bartleby!" The green eyes darted towards him. "Bartleby, this is enough. I must insist you tell me what is wrong!"
The mink's lip wobbled but he shook his head. He couldn't find any words but tears filled his eyes and before he could stop to think about who was there, his sobs began anew. He threw himself at his uncle as if he were a child again.
Robotnik didn't know what to do. It had been so long since Bartleby had needed comfort on this level. He looked helplessly at Sleet who looked knowingly at the old man. "Bartleby… I want to help… I can't help if you don't talk to me."
The boy just wept until he passed out from exhaustion. Robotnik laid him on the sofa and looked at Dingo. "I need you to tell me everything you know. He is worse by far today. What happened?"
Dingo shook his head. "He took Cecilia out as you ordered but… Sonia was at the restaurant. With that Cyrus."
Robotnik growled. "Alright, I've had enough. Stay with him. I'm going to do something about this." He stomped out of the mansion, determination in his eyes.
——————
When Sonia returned home, she was grateful that her brothers didn't ask her where she'd been all night. How could she do that with Cyrus? How could she let herself get that drunk?
She got herself a tall glass of water and an aspirin while her brothers watched the news.
Sonic looked at her. "Did you have a nice time last night?" He asked.
She forced a smile. "Oh just lovely, thanks for asking. Oh! Look! Robotnik's on the news." They all groaned wondering what new horrors he had in store.
"Thank you for allowing me to interrupt your broadcast. I have a very important announcement." He growled. "This is directed to Princess Sonia. I know where your precious Sanctuary is and unless you come to talk with me, I will have it raided and every single man, woman and child I find will be roboticized! You have an hour to be here in my presence. Come alone and unarmed." He declared. "Their survival depends on you." He stomped out, leaving everyone in the news station shaking violently.
Sonic growled. "So he's going to force you to give yourself up, huh? It's obviously a trap. Why only you Sonia?" He asked.
She shook her head. "I don't know but I should go. Sonic, you and Manic need to get to Sanctuary and fast. It may just be a bluff but we cannot take that chance. If necessary, after you've gotten everyone securely away from Sanctuary, you can come rescue me but I really can handle myself." She sighed. What could Robotnik want her for? Why just her? He said he only wanted to talk.
Manic bit his lip. "Sonia, that's not a good idea. What if he captures you."
"I just said I can handle myself. Go secure our kids at Sanctuary!" She ordered. "Get the others for backup." She ran out of the safehouse and towards the palace.
When she arrived, she saw Sleet standing outside. His glare was odd. It wasn't just the usual hatred he felt. She got the feeling that he was actually angry at her. "I have come. I won't let Robotnik hurt those children."
Sleet said nothing but escorted her in. When they reached his parlor, he whispered. "You disgust me." He slipped out of the room, shutting the door.
Sonia saw the same disgust in the old man's eyes. It wasn't what she normally saw there. "I'm here."
"I see… Have you any clue why I might have called you here?" He asked, looking down his nose at her. He took a deep breath and turned, leading her down a corridor. "This is something I have never shown to anyone and you will keep silent about it. Are we clear?"
She didn't know why but she nodded. "You have my word. But if you harm those in Sanctuary, I will have it all over the resistance." She warned.
He chuckled darkly. "I don't really know where it is. I said I did to get you to come. Effective wasn't it?" He led her into a room that stood out like a sore thumb in relation to the rest of the fortress. The wallpaper was pink balloons and elephants dancing on large balls. In the corner was an egg shaped crib with a gauzy white canopy. A pair of booties sat coated in bronze as bookends on a shelf. Plaster moldings of tiny hand prints and footprints hung on the wall. One wall was nothing but pictures of a little mink.
She looked at the pictures and touched one. "I miss him. Why? Why do you have pictures of Bartleby? What is this room?"
"It was his nursery. I have these photos because he is my nephew. He is like a son to me." His face contorted in anger. "And you! You betrayed him!" He shouted, advancing on her like a rhino. "How dare you act as though you care about him!" He lifted her up by her collar and shoved her up against the wall.
"Of course I care about him!" She shouted. "I only broke up with him to save his life!"
Robotnik's eyes widened and he slowly lowered her. "Explain. Did you think that I would roboticize him? Over you?"
Sonia panted and trembled. "Mother was so sure that you would. That you would use him to hurt me or that Bartleby would give me to you. To please you. I know he'd never do that but she feared it and she made me promise to end it. And she threatened him. What am I doing? She'll know I'm here… and you threatened Sanctuary."
The old codger nodded, realizing what she was saying. "We will go get Bartleby now and then you will take me to Sanctuary. I know how to settle this."
She shook her head. "I cannot let you hurt those kids. They're just kids!"
"And if you do exactly as I say, they will come to no harm. In fact, you do as I say and I will end this war tonight. All of your resistance friends will be pardoned and I will even allow your mother to return. Not as queen but she won't be a fugitive any longer." He promised. "But only if you do as I say." He saw her uncertainty. "It's either that or I roboticize you right now." He growled.
Sonia jumped slightly but finally nodded. "Alright. Fine. But if you're lying, Bartleby will be there and he'll see you hurt those children." She hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake.
AN: What is Robotnik's plan? Will it work? And what will it mean for Cyrus? Favorite, Follow and Review please.
