I was shocked at how grateful the commander was when I finally confirmed the invitation to meet with Sonic. I know they really needed more information about the doctor's death, but it's almost like he thought I wouldn't do it. I suppose I have a good enough poker face that no one notices how much I secretly find the little bugger charming. Thank goodness, I suppose. The last thing I want is people assuming I like the guy. Heaven forbid I start allowing myself to think of him in such a way myself.

I huffed slightly inside my scarf as I waited for my motorcycle to heat up. My jet-black leather jacket was gently fluttering through the frigid, sharp wind, and I scowled a little when I noticed how cold I already was even though I had just left my house. I should have figured with how intense the winds were yesterday that it would only be worse today. The snow that had begun falling last night had left a soft blanket of white across the thick and mucky forest floor. I loved my humble abode amongst nature, but it was not pleasant during this year.

I felt an eerie chill slide down my spine as my mind started to wonder how I would get through today. I suppose it's natural for me to feel nervous after all that has happened, but my anxiety was really starting to take a toll on my psyche. What if Sonic is angry and violent? What if he thinks im there because of some moral obligation? What if he catches on that I'm trying get more information out of him? I guess there was no point in burying my mind underneath a million questions and worries as I knew that whomever Sonic was at this moment in time was in desperate need of support. Not only that, but I was the only one even allowed to do so.

I could feel my cheeks flush a bit as I began to wonder if he missed me. We had been apart for a good couple of months. I know he's the kind of guy to let his impulsive thoughts drive his actions, and he had been acting all flirty the last time I talked to him. I'm sure being locked up for weeks has him physically starved... Maybe… Just maybe... He will be desperate enough to...

My thoughts were immediately cut off by the exploding pop of my motorcycle engine revving to life as I released a very short nervous chuckle before rubbing my gloved hand against my forehead. Maybe I'm the one hungry for the touch of another person because normally, my brain would instantly shut off any lewd thoughts.

For crying out loud, Shadow. The guy is in a mental hospital. Have some freakin decency. This isn't some messed up porn where you can get away with sexually assaulting a patient. They have cameras, and you have to keep up your reputation at G.U.N. No matter how alluring his tight, muscular body or slick, seductive words may come off, keep your hands off of him.

I sighed slightly as I kicked my motorcycle stand to the side and swung my leg around to the other side before throwing on my helmet while securing the strap around my chin.

That golden demon really has me all sorts of messed up right now. I need to quickly snap myself back to reality before I do something I regret. We are seeing Sonic show our support while calming him enough to squeeze any other details regarding the doctor's demise. We are NOT going there to devour his innocence, or at least what's left of it at this point.

No flirting, no teasing. Just support.

I sucked the chilling air through my teeth before pulling the snow goggles out of the compartment of my motorcycle. This was going to be a bumpy and snowy ride; I could sense it.

—

A sudden shiver slid through my body as I pulled into the parking lot of what seemed like the smallest hospital I had ever seen. It housed maybe 30 rooms and had a very industrial, 1950's futuristic look to it with its rounded walls and bubbled windows lining the side of the cold concrete exterior. It felt like a remnant of an old socialist dynasty and knowing the history of Adevăr, that was certainly a possibility. I thought these kinds of mental hospitals had been closed down decades ago, and I prayed Sonic wasn't being tortured in there.

I bit my lip nervously as I was reminded of all the horrible psychiatric techniques of the '50s. I could clearly remember Maria informing me when I just started learning how to talk on how you were never to admit seeing or hearing anything, or the doctors (if you can even call them that) would shock the hallucinations straight out of you. Man, Maria. You would be so happy to see how much progress the world has made.

I choked a little in sad remembrance as I made my way through the snow-filled parking lot to the main entrance. This was no time to start moping about how much I missed Maria. Sonic needs my full attention right now. I glanced forward as I noticed that the doors were frosted over with the hinges rusted and falling apart.

I swayed nervously as I couldn't decide whether or not this was even the right location. This place was certainly giving me the creeps with its barely-standing foundation, but in a way, it felt strangely familiar… Why couldn't they place Sonic in a more sophisticated hospital, anyway? Had they forgotten that prior to Ivo's death, he had been one of the country's greatest heroes? Why would they place him somewhere so… Desolate. I can imagine Sonic complaining up a storm in his typical sarcastic manner, asking people if they knew who he was. It made me smirk a little. I missed that stupid brat more than I realized. He may not be the same Sonic I saw a couple of months ago, but I had to try to remain hopeful. If there is anything that dork has taught me, it's to remain as optimistic as possible

I bit my lip anxiously as I moved my gloved hand towards the door before freezing in place. This place WAS familiar. Suddenly, I could feel a rush of deja vu as I remembered an extraordinary day I shared with the hedgehog a few days before my international excursion.

—FLASHBACK —

We had just finished another one of our weekly races. We tried to fit in at least once race a week in an attempt to keep our bodies in tip-top shape for combat. In reality, though, I think we just enjoyed spending time together without anyone becoming suspicious. We argued for a few minutes over the winner before stopping at the end of the forest to take a small water break. I glanced at him with a look of disapproval as he rolled his eyes at me in response. It looks like I'm going to have to let him win this one… Again.

We took it upon ourselves to rest together on a relatively small and old wooden bench just across from a cold, practically lifeless looking concrete structure until we felt rested enough to decide where we were going to race next.

I really did think this was an odd location for such a structure. Hell, I wasn't even sure if it was operational anymore, but it looks as if there was staff inside. It was hard to see through the old, murky glass, but I could undoubtedly see shadows. How unsettling.

I stuttered bashfully as I realized our thighs were firmly nudged against one another, with our hands carefully placed just inches apart from the other. I could sense that Sonic was uncomfortable, too, as I watched him anxiously fidget with the strap to his water bottle, almost as if he was at a loss for words. It was rare for us to be this close in a non-battle related situation, and I could feel his monstrous Chaos energy fizzling against my leg before shooting straight to my spine, causing an intense yet pleasurable chill. Maybe he sensed mine as well as he shivered merely seconds after me. Or it could have just been the cool, crisp autumn air getting to him. It made my cheeks warm slightly to see him so shy. Typically, he was obnoxious and egotistical, if not a little assertive. Certainly not reserved and quiet like this.

I took a deep sigh before tapping my hand against my thigh uncomfortably.

"Never thought I would see the day when you did not get in my face with questions and comments, hedgehog. It is a nice change of pace." I joked coldly as I took a small sip of my water before glancing over at said hedgehogs' baffled and embarrassed face.

"Ah. Ya. You noticed? It's not you. It's… This place… I do not like being here.." He explained while biting his lip nervously.

"Oh. I assumed our closeness was bothering you. Why didn't you say something earlier? I do not wish to bring you any unnecessary anxiety. Let's just go." I replied matter-of-factly with my face remaining cold and distant before forcefully standing and beginning to walk in the direction we were heading.

I wondered if it had anything to do with that creepy building in front of us. Not that I feel Sonic would ever admit something so personal. Of course, I was genuinely curious, but I would rather leave and pretend like none of this ever happened like we always do.

Before I could even walk a foot in said direction, I felt a tight gloved hand grab my own and aggressively yank back down to a sitting position on the bench. He glared over at me with an unusual stare I had never seen on his face before. His velvety blue ears fell flat across his head, and his emerald eyes lost most of their shine and were replaced with a dull, vacant gloss. It was almost as if his bright and vibrant soul had just left his body.

I swallowed deeply as the deepest parts of my soul wanted to pull him close and comfort him until that dead-look ceased, but there was absolutely no way I would ever let that part of me show to anyone, let alone my faker. I opened my mouth in an attempt to speak but was immediately cut off by a long and frustrated sigh.

"Were friends, right, Shadz? We can talk about deep stuff, ya?" He croaked sheepishly before rubbing his hand against the back of his neck, being careful to avoid glancing at my eyes the entire time.

"Well… I." I stuttered slightly before deciding that this was one of those moments where I needed to swallow my pride.

"Yes. We can talk about sensitive subjects, hedgehog. I am certain you know that I am solemn to judge." I responded confidently before following it with a sympathetic yet assuring pat on the shoulder.

He glanced over at me with his hand "accidentally" slipping over to rest on top of my leg as he shifted to look at me more deeply than I think my heart was willing to handle. I attempted not to show a response but found it difficult to concentrate as I was forced to gaze into his beautiful yet frustrated and nervous eyes. I was soon relieved to see some of that shine and glimmer come back as he was quick to respond with a nod and a genuine smile when he finally decided that I actually meant what I said.

"Radical. I uh… Well. I used to go here frequently as a child. I was very rowdy. Super rambunctious, and I often would throw temper tantrums when things didn't go my way." He explained matter-of-factly, but I was quick to notice his breath suddenly stutter with anxiety.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise before responding with an abrupt "hmph." This was a moment I was not prepared for. Hedgehog actually wanted to discuss something personal and most likely painful. I suppose this was a better time than ever to try and discover what actually made Sonic tick.

"I know. Sounds odd. I'm known for being free. Like the wind, as some would even say. But I wasn't like that as a kid. In all honesty, I feel like we have a lot in common, Shadow. I used to be so angry. All the time. Maybe even a little violent. However, I learned that I couldn't be in control of everything. I learned that I needed to give in and accept that bad things were going to happen to good people. And I learned all of that right over there." He continued before moving his hand currently placed on my leg to point over at the industrial, concrete building across the way.

My mouth hung open a little as I was genuinely interested in why he would admit something so… Personal to me. To his rival of all people. It's almost like he trusted me. Had we gotten to that point? Have we finally reached enough respect to actuallly learn about each other? I certainly didn't feel ready myself, but maybe I never would. Was he expecting me to reveal something in return?

He smiled gently over to me before continuing with his monologue and sneaking his hand back onto my thigh. I choked a little as I realized the prior incident was not an accident. I usually would have shaken it right off, but it felt… Intimate, and it felt appropriate for the current conversation.

"I understand your pain, Shadow. With Maria and all that. I really do. I was furious at the world, too — all the crime, despair, hate, and corruption. I wanted to burn it all down to the very ground. I wanted to see positive change! I wanted to see lives change for the better! I wanted to see justice be served, and I honestly didn't really care what it took to make it happen." He proclaimed confidently with his other hand turning into a tight fist.

I was startled to see this part of Sonic be so passionate as his eyes seemed to change from sparkling waves of green to explosive sparks of devotion. It was almost as if he really did want to burn everything to the ground and start over. The desire seemed very similar to a certain doctor I knew, how peculiar. Maybe they were more similar than they let on.

"Then, I was brought here. Day after day. For years. And they… Well, they whipped me into shape." Sonic finished as his body seemed to return to its relaxed nature, if not a bit more closed off than before.

I chewed on the nozzle of my water bottle a little as my thoughts started to drift from the conversation. Sonic seemed like he was being honest, and it was surprising that I never noticed this side of him before. The hedgehog always complained of how closed off I was when in reality, he was the same. We both kept our hearts locked behind dozens of doors, so why was he deciding now to actually start opening up to me? What happened?

I stuttered a little as I remembered Sonic had stopped talking and was awaiting a response. I gulped slightly before beginning to reply to his confession.

"If they helped you so much, then why do you hate coming here? It would seem that you are grateful for how much they aided you in unlocking the true hero inside of you." I replied in confusion before tilting my head a little to the side.

Sonic was quick to return to the nervous mindset he was in a few minutes prior as he mouthed a few words before turning his head to me in pure disappointment.

"No. No. You don't get it. They didn't unlock anything. They beat that part of me into submission, Shadow! I still feel it. The frustration and anger, that is. But I am older and in better control of myself than I was then. That's what they taught me, to be ashamed of that part of me and hide it with every fiber of my being. I never wanted to be angry and bitter so, I guess it's for the best. I can be the hero that everyone needs. Not whatever I was before. Still, though, it's difficult. Anger is a powerful emotion." His ears once again fell flat against his head as his arm that still happened to be resting on my thigh, squeezed in what I can only describe as pure, unfiltered rage and defeat.

A dark aura started to emit from the hedgehog's body, and I could feel him getting riled up as he bit down hard on his lip in an attempt to keep himself under control. Whatever this place did to the kid must have been horrendous because I had never seen Sonic so manically furious. I could even clearly see him mouth the words, "I pray they all burn…"

I hesitated a little as I tried to find the right combination of words to calm him. The last thing we needed was an actual real battle. That would only end in complete and total destruction, and I wouldn't want Sonic's reputation collapsing with the city either.

"Sonic. I think it goes without saying that there is nothing to be ashamed of. We all find ourselves angry at the world sometimes. It is a completely natural emotion. I am sure you already know that. It merely means that you love those living in the world so much that you are willing to do anything to help them. I had the same reaction to Maria's death, remember? I wanted to destroy the whole planet to avenge her death. But, you taught me that fighting violence with violence is never the answer. I feel that you should be proud of who you have become purely based on how much good you have done for everyone in this country." I replied bashfully, my eyes falling to stare down at the ground in an attempt to hide my embarrassment.

Naturally, I hate giving this kind of hippy-dippy bullshit speechs, but it was clear that Sonic came to me for support. He may not have told anyone about this incident, so I suppose it was my responsibility to act like an adult and calm the repressed child inside of him.

"Ya really think so?" I could hear him mumble back, his voice sounding both shocked and warmed by my previous statement.

I dared not look over in his general direction as he was probably bouncing off the walls in pure egotistical ecstasy. I said what I had to say, even if it was a bit sappy.

"I would not have said what I said if I did not mean it. You should know better." I responded sternly before straightening my back and folding my arms across my torso.

It was then that I finally regained the courage to look back at him. He shuffled so that his leg closest to me was up and resting across the bench and was turned to face me as his eyes lighted up as soon as he met my gaze. I could sense his appreciation almost instantly as my body stiffened in response to his genuineness.

He wasn't being an egotistical little brat like he usually was. He actually seemed genuinely happy and content to hear that I supported him. It made my body fill with a warm bubbly feeling, I had never felt before, and I glanced to the side in embarrassment as soon as our eyes met. This sappy stuff was starting to get on my nerves as I could feel myself losing control of my emotions. I wondered if this what Maria called the stomach butterflies.

"Ha! Ya. Your right. That's why I love ya, Shadz. No bullshit. appreciate it, bud." He confirmed as he quickly gave me his traditional thumbs-up motion with his smirk growing into a wide smile.

I felt the whole world screech to a halt as all I could do was stare in complete wonder and shock at his statement. Surely, he only meant that he liked that part of my personality, right? I could not have just heard a confession of adoration. Absolutely no way.

I mentally shook myself before returning to my uninterested scowl as I prayed he didn't see my loss of control. I took a quick stand before resting my hip against the bench, being careful not to look into those gorgeous emerald eyes for any longer than a second.

"So, are you done moping and self-victimizing, or do I need to go into detail on how much good you have done for everyone?" I teased coldly in an attempt to soften the mood a little.

I was expecting to see him light up in anger but was surprised to see his eyebrows raise in playfulness.

"Well… Continuing to stroke my ego certainly won't make me feel any worse..." He teased back before sending me a short yet direct wink.

My face lit up again in embarrassment while my mouth released an abrupt cough as a vile response to such a forward request for admiration. Whoever this Sonic was, was starting to test my patience, and I was about to snap into unapologetic sass. No one takes advantage of the little kindness I give and gets away with it.

"Mmm. I think not. I have been nice enough to you today. I think you'll survive." I waved my hand in denial before rolling my eyes towards his now frustrated glare.

It seems like I denied him hard enough for him to stop pushing me to suck up to him like all his other little friends. Gross.

"Right… Sure, sure. Was worth a shot, I guess." He replied while shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

"Oh… By the way, Shadow." He continued before following it with his typical sarcastic smirk.

"What? You're not done being sappy yet?" I asked, annoyed that we hadn't moved on from this conversation yet.

Sonic paused for a minute, his eyes averting my own in anxiety, making me hesitate some as I knew he was probably going to say something stupidly adorable.

"You're the closest and most honest friend I've ever had. Really, Shadz. I appreciate that you don't baby me like the rest of my friends." He finished before nodding and reaching his hand out to my own.

I could feel my heart skip a beat as his hand slipped into mine before a sporadic rush of wind ruffled all the autumn leaves from the ground up into the cool, humid air.

I was fortunate that my face was turned in the opposite direction because I swear it was on fire. Fakers' Chaos energy was incredibly powerful even through both pairs of gloves, and it felt way better than I was ever willing to admit.

This felt so childish, like a stupid love scene in a ridiculous romance novel, but in all honesty, I didn't care. His energy felt so alluring that I allowed myself to enjoy the moment for a minute. I wondered if he felt the same energy or if I was merely alone in my own head. My frustration grew with every second. Why now… Why him…?

It was then that I felt my hand be pulled down towards the bench as I glanced down to look at my lovely sapphire hedgehog (nope. I didn't just say that…) in an attempt to see what this sudden movement was for.

I was left baffled as I looked at said hedgehog use my arm to help him stand. It seemed like he was merely using my arm as leverage. I stuttered as I somehow felt both unbelievably offended and relieved at the same time. I must have been overthinking things again.

He skipped freely over to face me head-on with my face still burning with embarrassment, but I hoped that my fur was enough to cover my shame. This was stupid, and I was stupid for feeling it. Were adults not love-struck teenagers. If he actually did have feelings, he would tell me, right? Surely, I must just be treading water here.

"I'm shocked you actually took my hand, Shadz. Thanks. I find that every year, it gets harder and harder to stand up. I'm sure you know that feeling." He replied before releasing a long and relaxed stretch.

"How rude of you to assume that I feel age the same as you inferior Mobians. I'm the ultimate lifeform, remember?" I pouted slightly in defense as I could feel my agitation growing minute by minute.

"How could I forget. I feel your energy every time we come into contact. It's obvious that you're extremely powerful and not to mention ungodly strong. Buuuuut… That don't mean ya don't feel pain like the rest of us." He replied flirtatiously before booping his finger against my nose.

He did feel my energy. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or concerned that we both felt waves euphoria when we were close.

"I don't." I scoffed in response, being unable to look away from his glimmering gaze any longer.

His eyes were entrancing, to say the least. The longer I stared, the more my mind would be unable to control my body. I could feel myself slipping, almost as if I was drowning in a sea of emeralds.

"Ya do." He teased, quickly stepping closer until our faces were only inches apart from one another.

What was he doing to me? Why?! This was torture. This GAME was torture. He has to be playing with my emotions, isn't he? Does he have some kind of power complex? Does he like to see people melt underneath his incredible stare?

I froze completely in place as we just stood there for a few seconds, allowing us a moment to bask in the pleasure of our closeness. His smirk receded into a relaxed frown as it seemed like time had stopped in its tracks. I felt trapped, almost as if he had invisible arms that were holding me tightly against my will. Normally, I would be irritated, but all I felt was panic and lust. Not a good combination for keeping one's sexual desires under control.

"Too close?" He eventually queried, his voice softening into an almost loving demeanor.

I could feel his breath against my face as its warmth was a stark contrast to the cold crisp autumn air enveloping us. It sent multiple shivers up and down my spine as my mind had finally melt down to a puddle of pure intoxication.

"Not at all." I gently replied without a second thought before mentally punching myself for admitting something so stupid.

I could see his mouth open in shock before closing back into a sarcastic smirk. I could swear for only a second that I saw the glittering of his fangs gently bite down on the bottom of his lip. He was enjoying this power trip, wasn't he?

"Sweet." He responded, his voice returning to its typical teasing and sarcastic tone.

There was a split second where he moved even closer before pushing his forehead against my own with our euphoric Chaos energy zapping between each other for only for a split second before quickly being pulled back. He then gleefully skipped a foot away from me and turned himself until his back was to me. He playfully swayed from side to side as my heart sank to the bottoms of my feet.

This man IS trying to torture me. Why was I letting him? Usually, I would punch him straight in the mouth for being anywhere near me, but I had to admit, this game was sort of fun, embarrassing but certainly a lot of fun. Though I would never admit it, I kind of liked being teased and played with. Sonic seemed to notice it as well as he released a hefty yet content sigh.

"Want to chill at my place for a bit? Tails is busy doing sciency stuff at another lab until like ten tonight." He hummed softly while talking through his yawn. It seems like he had returned back to his typical snarky self, again. This back and forth stuff was starting to exhaust me.

"Why would he matter?" I queried teasingly, hoping he might be inferring that we wouldn't want to be caught doing anything scandalous.

One can dream, right?

"Ah… Well. I dunno… Incase ya wanna smoke weed with me or something… I know you normally aren't the type, but you seem like you could use some time to unwind. Especially with how tense you've looked the past couple of hours…" He teased back, his lips emphasizing the word tense seductively a little more than my heart could handle before turning to me and raising his eyebrows.

He walked over to my side before placing his hand on my shoulder almost as if he was trying to persuade me with his comforting Chaos energy. Little did he know that he won me over the minute he said unwind. Normally, I would be quick to deny any drug-related experience, but I did have to admit, I was nervous about going away for so long.

"You know what, hedgehog. For once, I might actually take you up on that offer." I responded matter-of-factly before turning to face him and following it with my typical dark smirk of confidence.

I glared at his enthralled face before losing some of my self-control and releasing a short but hearty chuckle. He looked like a child that was just told he could have a piece of candy. It was so adorable and rare to see Sonic so excited for something so trivial. I had no idea he needed weed that badly.

I quickly put my hand over my mouth in an attempt to stop my laughter as my childlike hedgehog decided to giggle back in response. It seems like he enjoyed my loss of control.

"Really letting lose today, huh Shadz? Well, I'll be sure to start you slowly. Don't want you tripping out before your trip, am I right?" He replied before winking and pointing his finger into the air.

He ran behind me before pushing his hands against my back in an attempt to get me to move faster.

"Hmph. That was painful. Please avert from breathing in my general direction". I complained before driving my heels firmly into the ground to keep myself in my place.

"Aww. You're cruel. It was funny!" His voice croaked in anger as he stomped his own foot in frustration.

"It was not." I replied as I crossed my arms in disappointment before sending him a playful smirk.

"Was too! Your sucha draaaaag." He whined back before pushing me just hard enough for me to go flying forward.

He sent me a confident hmph of triumph as he started to slowly waltz in front of me and towards what I assumed was his house before turning to me and curling his fingers towards himself in a "come here" motion.

If it's a game you want hedgehog, then it's a game you'll get.

—

I vaguely remember the rest of that day. I was happy to have finally made it back to his house as we took a few unnecessary detours. So typical of Sonic to get distracted. The furniture was sparing and outdated. It looked like he didn't have much care for interior decorating. Maybe Rose should help him with that.

We didn't say a whole lot to each other throughout the course of the night, or at least anything of substance. I had to admit, though, I had a really good time. My first puff of weed was followed by a long and exhausting coughing fit but I was quick to familiarize myself with the proper smoking technique soon after. It wasn't long for the relaxing effects to start flowing through my tense muscles and mind. Chaos, it's no wonder Sonic loved this stuff.

Sitting next to the blue hedgehog with glimmering emerald eyes as vibrant as the denial in my soul was a treat. We laughed, joked, gossiped, and even played a few video games (of which I was all terrible at). I suppose the weed did help me unwind a little and show a little more of my secretly sassy personality (at least that's what Rouge called it). However, it did little to distract me from my heart pounding heavier each time our hands touched when he decided to take the controller away from me in an attempt to "help" me — what a rude little brat for making me feel so flustered.

Likewise, the rest of the time, I felt so at ease and comfortable that it was almost as if all my anxiety had been lifted off my shoulders, and I could finally breathe again. I noticed Sonic becoming more attractive with every following minute. If it wasn't for my submissive personality, I might have actually tried to make a move on him. I'm sure he would have replied with his characteristic egotism and sarcasm, but it still would have been fun to try.

Case in point, Whenever those peach lips curled into a laugh, I would freeze. I would outline every curve and every subtle crack. It looked like the upcoming winter was chapping his lips quite a lot. How I desperately wanted to sooth them with my own, but I would be quick to stop any attempt. Am I really this embarrassing? It's a wonder how I don't cringe every time my thoughts delve into sappy territory like this.

It seemed like Sonic started to catch on that I was staring deeply at his eyes and lips as he attempted to confront me a few times on if there was something on his face. I would blame the weed for making me mentally drift off into a fantasyland, causing me to stare. He would always be quick to ask, rather seductively, what this fantasy was, and I would always reply with, "that's for me to know and for you to not find out". He would chuckle and reply, "I'll find out someday!" It was interesting to see him so excited to hear of the crazy things going on in my head.

At around 7 pm, I began to slowly drift off into a drug-induced dreamland as I would occasionally start nodding off against the couch when Sonic wasn't looking. At this time, the stupid hedgehog took it upon himself to take advantage of my vulnerability and pull me down until I was lying on the couch with my head gently resting in his strong yet extremely comfortable lap. I could clearly see what looked like his typical smirking face, yet it came off different from the ones I was familiar with. It was difficult to comprehend the exact mood as I was barely able to keep my eyes open at that point but he seemed genuinely emotional.

"Ay. Don't worry. Feel free to fall asleep. Mary Jane be like dat sometimes. Knocks me out all the time. Don't worry; I'll keep your head here, so ya don't fall off the couch." I could hear him speak delicately but just barely as my ears were muffled with auditory hallucinations of crashing waves.

Liar. That's not why you're doing it. No. I'm done playing games. As soon as I wake up from my drug-induced coma, I'm confronting you, hedgehog.

Alas, his voice sounded so sweet against the crashing waves, and like a sweet lullaby, I started to finally drift off. Suddenly, I could feel the touch of an ungloved hand against my cheek wake me back to life. It was much softer than I could ever have imagined, and for a minute, I thought it might merely be another wonderful hallucination. Was it? I wasn't sure, but all I knew was that I never wanted it to leave. I could feel my cheek explode with euphoria and my body relax into complete numbness. It must be that amazing Chaos energy of his.

"I'm going to miss you too, Shadz." His voice croaked in a sweet and genuine tone.

He sounded distraught to say the least. i couldn't decide if I had said something or if he was just reminded that we wouldn't be seeing each other for months. Unfortunately, it was too late to ask as by that point, I had officially passed out in my lovely rival's lap. The last thing I could remember was a sharp yet warm drop of liquid splash against my cheek.

My heart ached for weeks to know what that drop was, but I never did have the guts to ask.

— Flashback Over —

And that's it. Everything went black. The next thing I remembered was opening my eyes to my bedroom's sleek flooring with my head gently resting against my pillow. Clearly, I had way too much that night as my mind was pounding with vigor and my eyes squinted at even the smallest fraction of light. Maybe next time, I'll smoke a little slower to prevent this excruciating hangover.

I never was able to ask Sonic about our little weedventure since our differing schedules never allowed us much time together before my trip, but somehow I knew it probably didn't matter. Clearly, Sonic was not ready to admit anything, if he did feel something that is, and I wasn't going to confront him until I had concrete evidence. It's completely possible that he just needed someone to vent to or have a shoulder to cry on. I might just be a tool in his toolbox to help him cope with the undeniable stress of Ivo's constant attacks. I suppose now that the doctor is gone, he might lose interest in me all together if he hadn't already.

Even if that was the case… When and how did I even get back home? Obviously, some of the events after my nap had gotten lost. It certainly was not uncommon for me to have straight up hours worth of memories missing. Hopefully, it was nothing important.

I took a deep breath before following it with a sigh. That was a lot to remember in such a short period of time. It was downright freezing out here, and I really wanted to get inside where it was warmer. However, part of me still hesitated. Why did they bring Sonic back to this horrible mental hospital after so many years? Was he actually beaten into submission, or did he just use it as a matter of speech?. Are they beating him now? Is he really so dangerous that he needs to be placed in solitude?

I guess I had no choice but to walk in and find out. If they were hurting Sonic, I want to be certain I document it and get him out as soon as possible.

I bit my lip as I grabbed the handle to the creaky old metal door and swung it open with enough force to practically rip the door off its rusted hinges.

Even though you think you're alone, hedgehog, you are not. I am coming.