Boom! Back with a chapter and it's a big one ;)

Hope you enjoy.

An hour or so had passed, and Shadow had waited outside of the spare bedroom for what he deemed as too long with only an irritated white bat as his company.

"One thing Shadow. I asked for one thing" she mumbled, her arms crossed over as she leaned against the wall, clearly in a foul mood. Not surprising however, as her hair was currently up in rollers and she had no make-up on her face, relieving the tired bags she tried to hide under her eyes, as well as skin blemishes.

Shadow didn't care how she appeared, he was just glad she hurried over. Though at this point he regretting calling.

"I had no other choice. He needs to be part of the mission and I will do what needs be."

"By getting a mentally unstable guy to relieve a traumatic moment in his life? Yes, well done, that's very convincing" she hissed.

"Eggman did something to him, and I almost found out what it was. Once I have that information I can put a stop to it..."

"Oh shut up!" Rouge snapped, being louder then she intended. Shadow raised his brow.

"Admit it, the only reason you're doing this is because you feel guilty for getting him captured. That's why you wanted him to stay with you instead of a prison cell. If anything that's why you've both been fighting each other so much, you want to help him and he won't let you."

Shadow quickly turned his head away, growling under his breath in annoyance. By this, Rouge knew she had hit the target mark. "You know I'm right."

He did, but it was for reasons he couldn't tell her. "I need him for the mission. Nothing more."

With a deep sigh, Rouge didn't feel the need to much the matter any more. Shadow was the most powerful person she had ever met, but he was also the most stubborn. If he didn't want to listen, then he wouldn't.

"Just... make sure you haven't screwed him up too much" she said, before walking away.

Shadow grunted, but when she left, he felt a slight dip in his chest. She was right... this was his doing, and he needed to fix it.

First thing he did was walked across the hall and into his own bedroom, where he retrieved a green over size human jumper, one he didn't even know why he still had... But it belonged to Maria.

He then waited again, until finally, the door opened, and out walked the G.U.N tech guy Espio.

"I'd at least have expected Rouge to bring a real Doctor" Shadow snidely remarked.

Espio was not one for words, or emotions, much similar to the black hedgehog, but in this case, a slight look of insult was dancing on the chameleons face. "I am more then qualified in medical cases. Besides, all the medical department refused to come after what he did the last time."

"Tsk, they shouldn't be so weak. Regardless, how is he?"

"Tired for one thing. He needs to sleep Shadow. He's been awake for thirty six hours! He's also frozen, he said you doused him with cold water outside in the storm."

Shadow paused a moment, eyes briefly looking away as he struggled for an argument. "Ugh..." was all he managed before being over spoken.

"I don't want to know. The flash backs and sudden out bursts are a result of clear trauma, like you said. He's not physically unwell in anyway other then minor injury to his leg. I checked his blood pressure, it's high, but that could be from stress."

Shadow nodded his head, "So, what you're saying is he's fine, nothing serious to worry about."

Espio looked him dead in the eye, appearing to wanting nothing more then to punch the agent in the teeth. "He. Has. Trauma! That's a very big, serious, thing. You of all people should know that."

Shadow visibly flinched, before Espio left him alone to his thoughts.

He wasn't alone for long though, refusing to let the chameleons words sink in, Shadow distracted himself, by walking into the spare room.

Sonic was sat on the bed, knees up and head rested on his arms once again. Espio was right, he looked really to fall off and sleep on the floor. His eyes were drooping and only opened once Shadow made himself known with his heavy foot steps.

Nothing was said at first, so Shadow held out the green jumper, "here" he said.

Sonic's jacket wasn't so much wet, but damp enough to still make him shiver, refusing to take it off. So when given this jumper, one that didn't have horrible memories attached to it, he was much more receptive. He took it, then to Shadow's surprise, place it over his head, and pulled it down... over his jacket. This was just getting annoying now. Sonic was covered, and before putting his arms through, he pulled around underneath, taking the old jacket off first, then pulling that off over his head with one hand, and finally putting his arms through the jumper.

"You couldn't have done that in the first place?" Shadow grumbled.

Sonic narrowed his brow, "You gave me a coat, so no."

Shacking his head, he wasn't having a repeat and let the matter go.

"Doesn't matter. You're fine now."

"You didn't need to bring a Doctor, I would have been fine" Sonic commented.

"Hmph, he's not a Doctor."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes I did have to. I didn't know how long you'd be screaming for, and personally it wasn't something I wanted to deal with. Espio helped you didn't he? Perhaps you should show more gratitude" Shadow said.

Immediately Sonic looked down at his bare feet, feeling lower now then he did before.

"You know, despite what you think... not everyone is trying to hurt you."

The words cut him deeper then expected, and the blue hedgehog felt lost for words. He knew his anger and fear often got the better of him. He always expected the worst to happen and would do anything he could to escape. But... that's what he was trained to do. How could he trust people when no one has tried to help him before? Shadow couldn't understand that, no one could.

"Why... didn't you tell me before?" he asked, now thinking on all those moments Shadow had seen him, all the times he could have told him the truth. If Shadow had a no intention of hurting him then why was he so forceful and aggressive? Why tell him the truth out of nowhere?

Shadow for his part hesitated to answer, but in his mind, he knew that now was the time to be far, and explain truthfully. He turned his back, unable to face him. "At first I didn't recognise you until I shot you, by then it was too late to do anything because G.U.N stepped in. When we were at the head quarters, I didn't say anything because I wanted to use you for the mission. If it was reported that I knew you outside of the case, I would have been removed and Rouge would lead the investigation. I worked for so many years on bringing down Eggman that I couldn't lose it now. Yet... I couldn't watch you, suffering in that cell. I felt I owed you too much to allow that. Mostly however, I was worried I had left it too long to tell you, and I wasn't sure how you would react. I didn't... I didn't want you to resent me for what happened to you. I was... concerned... and I felt, I needed to tell you the truth. This is not easy for me to say, it never has been, but truly, I am sorry."

Shadow turned around, looking back to the blue teenager he confessed to.

Only to feel nothing but an embarrassed rage fill within him as his eyes set a blaze with fury!

The damn hedgehog fell asleep!

Sonic fell on the bed, eyes shut tightly, and was snoring. That damn blue bitch! He'd kill him!

Anger too powerful to even think straight, Shadow clenched his fists and resisted with everything he had not to grab a pillow and hold it over Sonic's face. That was the first time he had let weakness slip and dropped his pride, and the git wasn't even listening!

Without any care to what Espio said about him needing sleep, Shadow opened his hand and smacked it across the blue hedgehog's head.

Sonic woke up startled, gasping loudly as he shot up from the bed, "WHA- W-what happened? Where am I?" he yelped, before looking around and remembering where he was.

Shadow stood by the bed, a deep glare forming from his crimson eyes that demanded spilled blood. That wasn't happening today though.

"Your fox friend called earlier, but you were too busy being pathetic. Call him back on this number" he snapped, before throwing the number he had written down and kept in his glove onto the bed before walking away.

"W-wait, I don't have a phone!"

That was the next thing thrown at him.

Shadow stormed down the stairs, annoyed, angry and most of all, embarrassed. Why he ever bothered to say those things he didn't know.

Back in the living room, Rouge sat with Espio, deep in conversation.

"What's going on?" he asked, making himself known. They both looked up and Rouge was the one to answer.

"We were talking about Eggman. I have an idea of how we can track Sonic's movements without using any equipment" she said.

Shadow instantly perked up, "Really? How so?"

She held out her hand, "Espio" and motioned to the chameleon sat next to her.

Mood ruined again, Shadow narrowed his eyes. "No."

"Why not?"

"He's a tech guy, all he does is test evidence for the real agents."

"He used to be out on the field a lot longer then you were Shadow. We need Espio, he can turn invisible, it's the perfect way to track Sonic."

"No!" Shadow snapped, ignoring all logical sense.

At this point, Espio stood up, breaking his silence, "As flattering as this is Shadow, I'm the only way you will get that boy past Eggman's security. I'm willing to help, so please will you leave the past where it belongs and move forward so we can finally get this evil off the streets?"

The offer was not that difficult of one, but Shadow was still too stubborn to admit that. He tusked loudly, crossing his arms over his chest and acting as if he was in the company of a fool. "It doesn't matter what uses you supposedly have, Sonic refuses to do the mission. Without him we already failed" he huffed.

Espio looked down for a moment, "I shall talk to him" he said, only to be instantly grated with a false laughter.

"You'd be more useless then you already are. I will talk to him" Shadow said.

Rouge quickly got in between the two before anything could escalate. "You've already done enough! I will talk to him."

"S-Shadow?"

The three of them paused, hearing the familiar voice from the doorway. They turned to see Sonic, standing by the door frame, a sort of panic and dread in his eyes as he stared at them.

"What is it?" the ebony hedgehog asked, taking steps closer.

He had to inhale deeply before he could answer, but finally, he did.

"I'll do it. I'll help you catch Eggman."

The day had come, one that Sonic dreaded for so long.

He had done everything to avoid this meeting, he had ran away so many times, and now he was back... damn it, he had to come back.

He stood anxiously at his pick up spot, out from the city along an old dusty road no one ever really used, waiting next to a weathered old billboard, with half it's poster ripped off.

Despite pain, he paced around, too scared to stand still. He felt a hand touch his shoulder, but couldn't see the person there.

"Don't threat, I'll be here the whole time" Espio said.

Even though he couldn't see him, Sonic still looked into his eyes. "W-what if something happens and I loose you? What if you don't get past the security systems, or you can't get in at all?"

"Focus. We have a task force ready at hand, Shadow and Rouge are one step behind us all the way, you won't be abandoned. If there are any issues however, stall for as long as you can. All we need is Eggman's location and evidence, then this will all be over."

He wanted to take comfort in those words, so badly, but his fears clouded his mind. Sonic couldn't trust them. He wanted to, but couldn't. He was terrified. Swallowing his thoughts, he was ready to argue once more, but the sound of a car, driving along the road, and pulling up onto the side, caught his attention instead.

Sonic could feel his throat close, now wishing more then ever he could grab hold of Espio's hand, in a pitiful attempt of reassurance, but he couldn't. All he could do was pray Espio didn't leave him.

With a trembling stance of uncertainty, he slowly turned around, knowing what he was going to see. The black car, tinted windows, and a large enough boot to carry a body in.

The door opened, no one stood out though.

This was it. This is what he had worked so hard to try and avoid. He wanted to run! He could run away so easily. He had his shoes back, the tracker was taken off his ankle, he was free. Why risk his life? Well... he knew why. So, without giving in to urge to flee, Sonic mentally slapped himself until he felt stronger. He had to trust Shadow, he had to trust Shadow, the thought raced through his mind again and again. Now, he would face his demons, and he would not give them the satisfaction of seeing how frightened they made him.

With fists balled tight enough to turn his knuckles white, Sonic walked up to the car, and stepped inside. The door was shut firmly behind him.

Being as skinny as he was, it wasn't hard for the large pair of hands to grab him around the waist and throw him down into the middle seat, strapping him in tightly. Sonic swallowed hard, feeling another pair of hands grab his wrists.

He didn't know if Espio had made it into the car or not, but he had to pray and trust that he was there. Because right now, the hardest thing was not calling for help.

A thin wire was woven tightly around his wrists, securing them in place. "Agh!" he exclaimed, hands now shaking from the lack of blood flow. Yet there was no use in saying anything. He was sitting in the middle of two robots. All they knew were orders, with no level of emotion or empathy. The other robot, larger then it's companion, took out the blindfold he knew too well, and proceeded to cover it over Sonic's eyes, blocking out any view, or chance of remembering the road to Eggman's location.

This was it... no going back.

Shadow would be his only hope now.