This chapter has been updated as of 09/08/2020

Thursday, November 25th, 7:49am, Amy's room

To say Amy is disoriented when she wakes up is an understatement. Sure, she's in her own bed—she usually sleeps in her own bed—but she can't remember getting here. Well, she can, but not… here. She remembers going to sleep at the hospital, on the floor. She remembers being woken up by Shadow, but there's a fuzzy, dream-like quality to those memories. If she weren't in bed, she'd swear she dreamt it all: the walk home, Shadow telling her that her relationship is a lie, him holding her as she cried. She remembers how solid his arms felt around her, the way his scent had enveloped her. She frowns because, despite the evidence to the contrary, she's still half convinced it was a dream.

Shadow isn't in the hall when she leaves her room. He's not in the sitting room either, nor the kitchen. She doesn't find him until she pokes her head into her parents' room, where he's fast asleep in a cocoon of blankets despite being exposed to the elements by way of the broken glass wall. She decides to leave him and wanders back downstairs to the kitchen. She wonders what time it is, and where Cream and Vanilla have gotten to. The answer to the latter question comes in the form of a note on the fridge.

Heard our school has been turned into a makeshift
shelter. Went to help out.
-Cream

Amy feels a lump form in her throat. Cream is trying so hard to help out; to keep busy and distracted. Amy can understand that; keeping busy means not having to think about the losses. So many losses. So many. She'd seen the hurt in Cream's eyes and posture, knew her friend was feeling the losses too. Cream, who always has a smile, whose tiny frame seems too small for her massive heart. There's something wrong about Cream not being happy, but Amy can't think about that right now. She can't. She needs to do something. Last night she'd spent hours crying for the lost; she'd wasted enough time.

She hears the distinct sound of the power coming on and knows that now isn't the time for tears, now is the time for... breakfast. Yes. Yes, Amy will make breakfast for herself and Shadow, and then they can go help out at the school.

She's gathering supplies as Shadow wanders into the kitchen. His hair is a mess and he looks even more disgruntled than usual. Despite his clear desire to be back in bed, he manages a polite 'good morning' when he sees her.

"I take it you're not a morning person," Amy teases as he makes a beeline for the electric kettle, earning a grunt and a dirty look. Right. "What 'cha looking for?" she asks as he rifles through the cupboard. He finds some black tea and holds it up triumphantly before looking for something else. "Do you even know where we keep our mugs?" This time, he responds with a shrug. She lets out an irritated puff of air. "Really, Shadow, I can't see why you have so few friends. You're such a sterling conversationalist."

Shadow snorts at that, and she takes the way his lips quirk into a momentary smile as a victory. "So, where are the others?" he asks as she chops up an apple.

"Volunteering at the school. Apparently it's being converted into a shelter? I guess they need to take their minds off-" No, best not to think about that. It's done, over. There is nothing to do about the people who are already gone, but if she goes to the school maybe she can help those who aren't. She needs a distraction, she needs to help, she needs-

Amy muffles a curse as blood wells up from her finger. The cut stings fiercely and reminds her of the hospital. There'd been a lot of blood yesterday...

Shadow is at her side in a heartbeat. "Pay attention to what you're doing," he scolds as he examines her finger, ignoring the red staining his hands. "Do you have anything I can clean this with?"

"Ah, I can manage. I need a shower anyways, so I'll clean it then hop in. Can you finish breakfast?"

He frowns. "The water could be contaminated," he warns. "You shouldn't drink it or get it in any open wounds. Honestly, you're probably better off skipping it altogether."

Amy considers, but...

"I need to shower," she tells him, and thankfully he drops it.

As the water runs over her, Amy can't stop her hands from shaking. True, she just sliced her finger open, but that has nothing to do with it. Last night she'd still been pretty numb to the events of the day; it hadn't really sunk in before she'd gone to sleep, but it's all beginning to hit her now. It's too much. The pain, the suffering, the death.

It seemed like such a good idea when she'd volunteered to stay with Bunnie. Only, how could she sit there when she was surrounded by so many overworked nurses? They weren't even getting paid for their time, not really. Everyone was working because it was the right thing to do, and Amy was just sitting there. So, she asked if she could help.

It seemed like such a good idea.

There were so many people: stretchers lined the walls and every seat and bed was taken. Everywhere she looked was suffering. People covered in bruises and burns, some with bandages soaking through. This was the closest intact hospital to the blast, the closest one that still had its generators and solar panels. Seeing all those people, though, was awful. Still, Amy was going to help.

She'd just wanted to help people.

Over the course of her day there, Amy changed more bandages than she could count, cleaned more wounds than she had ever imagined would be in one place, and helped more strangers use the washroom than she cared to admit. She also took notes, grabbed supplies, and was taught how to administer an IV. And all of that would have been fine if it weren't for the bodies. The morgue was full up, but people were still dying. They were being piled in the basement, crammed away from the living to free up space. She'd recognized some. Most prominently, she recognized her father. After seeing his body dumped with the others, she'd gone numb.

Eventually she was so bone weary that she returned to Bunnie and laid down on the floor, falling asleep almost instantly and losing herself in blessed, blessed darkness.

The feeling of something warm and soft enveloping her snaps Amy from her memories, and when she looks up her eyes lock with Shadow's. He's wrapping a towel around her shoulders, and she can't even begin to decipher the emotions on his face.

...

Thursday, November 25th, 8:27am, Amy's kitchen

Shadow's desire to do something gets the better of him, so it's not long after he finishes cooking for himself that he gets busy cleaning the condo. First, he tidies all the dishes into a nice pile, then he works on clearing more of the debris in the dining room. When the power goes, he expects Amy to get out of the shower. She doesn't. Eventually the water stops running, but there's still no sign of her. He considers continuing to tidy, but...

Steeling his nerves, Shadow heads upstairs to her en-suite and tentatively knocks on the door. "Amelia? Is everything alright?" No answer. He waits a minute before knocking a bit louder. "Amelia? It's Shadow. What's going on?" Still no answer. Dread grows in his stomach. This time when he knocks it's hard enough to crack the wood. "Amy," he calls again, much louder than before. "I'm coming in. Don't say I didn't warn you." He gives her another thirty seconds to respond before opening the door.

There, sitting in the shower, is Amy, her arms wrapped around her legs and her forehead on her knees. She's shaking so hard he can see it, and does not seem at all aware of his presence. Shadow swallows. This is... uncomfortable.

"Amy?" She hiccups at the sound of her name, but doesn't look up. Shadow has no idea what to do. He steps further into the bathroom, notices that the taps are still on even though no water's coming out. He opens the door, reaches past her to turn them off. The metal is cold in his hand. After that, he glances around and spots a fluffy, pink towel hanging on the rack. He wraps it around her shoulders, very careful not to look at her. The contact prompts Amy to move, and she slowly lifts her head from her knees. Her eyes lock with his, and Shadow can't stop the heat that threatens to sear away his cheeks. He hasn't done anything wrong, but it still feels like he's been caught doing something sinful.

"Shadow?" she croaks, and it barely sounds like anything. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, and she's shivering violently.

"You're freezing," he tells her, reaching forward to pull the towel a bit tighter. "You need to dry off and get into some clothing. Do you think you can manage on your own?"

She blinks slowly, then nods. "Yeah, I think so."

He heaves a small sigh of relief as he steps back from the shower and turns away. He's so aware of her presence that he can practically feel her slowly get to her feet and awkwardly step out of the shower, feel her pull the towel tighter, feel the way her legs wobble beneath her. He glances back before he can think better of it, but diverts his gaze upwards, lest anything slip and reveal itself.

"Are you sure you're good, or would you like a hand walking to your room?" He hates that part of him hopes for the latter, for an opportunity to hold her again like he had last night. Really, if he were to pull her close right now, he could say he was just trying to warm her.

He's relieved when she says she can do it on her own, even as disappointment curdles in the back of his throat.

...

Thursday, November 25th, 9:17am, Amy's kitchen

After getting dressed, Amy makes her way to the kitchen, where she finds Shadow sitting on the counter. His expression is the same one he'd worn when wrapping the towel around her shoulders: concern in his eyes, mixed with what looks like guilt set into his shoulders. Except, why would he feel guilty? She crosses the room and places her hand on his. "Are you alright?"

Shadow flinches at the contact and curses. He wraps her hand in both of his and attempts to rub some warmth into it. "You're freezing, Amelia."

"I'm fine," she protests, but doesn't pull her hand away. His skin is nice; warm and surprisingly soft. He feels safe. At some point, Amy's skin warms up and Shadow stops rubbing her hand but doesn't let it go. His brow is furrowed and he seems a thousand miles away. Amy doesn't want to disrupt him, but her stomach's growling like a caged animal.

"Ah, Shadow?" He blinks, returning to himself and dropping her hand. He adopts his usual closed off expression, but Amy isn't intimidated this time; she knows his cold exterior is a ruse. "Did you finish making breakfast? And, uh, did you read Cream's note?"

He nods. "Yes, to both. Though, you also told me where she went, even if I hadn't read the note."

"Ah, right. Then, after we eat, would you walk me to the school? I'd like to help out. I know you're probably busy with your own things, but I'd appreciate the company."

"I'd planned on heading over after breakfast, actually. Someone there might know what's going on."

Amy frowns. "You mean, other than the aftermath of some sort of attack?"

He hesitates. "Yes, but I think it would be best if you forget I said anything."

"You do realize that just makes me more curious, right?"

"Amelia, please." His expression is somewhere between its usual detachment and a quiet urgency she's never seen in him, and in light of everything, it scares her.

She hesitates because she hates being left out, but in the end she nods. "Alright Shadow, I trust you."

Perhaps it's Amy's imagination, but Shadow doesn't look very happy about that. "Thank you."

...

They make their way to the school in relative silence, both distracted by their own thoughts. In Amy's case, she's focused on the dawning realization that Shadow has now seen her naked. Her! Naked! That is just too many levels of not okay! She may not be entirely sure how much he'd seen, or even if he'd actually seen anything, but just the idea of it makes her want to curl up and disappear. She can't tell if his acting like nothing happened makes it better or worse. A covert glance at him doesn't help make up her mind, and without meaning to, her glance turns into a stare.

"What's on your mind?" Shadow asks, eyeing her curiously.

Amy's cheeks feel ready to burst into flame. "Ah, I was... I just... Um. It's nothing."

"Somehow I have trouble believing that." His voice sounds just as flat as it usually does, but Amy notices the colour flooding his cheeks. Okay, so it was definitely better when he seemed unaffected. Amy spends the rest of the walk trying her hardest to pretend she's walking with anyone else.

As soon as they enter the school, all embarrassment fades. It's not nearly as crowded as the hospital, but there is still activity everywhere: the halls are relatively clear, but every classroom has people milling about. The front office is by far the busiest room, though. There are less people than in the classrooms, but everyone is doing something. At first, no one even notices Shadow and Amy, as focused as they are on their current tasks. After a minute, though, someone sitting at the front desk comparing various lists looks up.

"Oh, hello. Are you here to help?" He looks like he's been awake for far too long.

"Ah, yeah," Amy says. Shadow just nods.

"Alright, good. Just...," he rifles through the papers on the desk for a moment before producing a pair of school maps that have some hastily scribbled notes on them. "Work wherever you think you'd be the most helpful. We need everything."

Nearly every room has been given a new purpose. The theatre is now a secondary infirmary, the cafeteria now a soup kitchen. The gym and a large portion of the classrooms have been converted into sleeping areas. Amy points out that Cream and Vanilla are probably helping in the cafeteria.

Shadow nods. "I think I'm going to have a look around and see where I could be the most useful," he says, pocketing his map. He turns to go but Amy reaches out to catch his sleeve.

"Ah, Shadow?" He turns back to raise an eyebrow at her. "Are you, um, going to be staying with me again tonight?"

He opens his mouth to respond, but seems to think better of it and shakes his head instead. "I shouldn't impose."

Amy doesn't understand why the answer disappoints her, when not even thirty minutes ago she'd wanted to be as far from him as possible, but it does.

"You wouldn't be imposing," she hastens to assure him. "You could stay every night, and it wouldn't be an imposition!"

His eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and she feels her pulse take off. While what she said is true, it's not the sort of thing you say to people. That kind of talk makes people uncomfortable, and she just knows that her words have driven Shadow off. Any second, he's going to tell her that he has somewhere else to be, or that really he's fine, or something else to let her down gently, and then he'll head off and they'll never speak again. She knows it. She came on too strong and made everything awkward, like she always does, and there's no coming back from it. Really, it was silly to think she could be friends with Shadow anyway. He'd already told her that she's too excitable, too unfocused...

"Perhaps you feel that way," Shadow concedes after the most awkward moment in the history of ever, refusing to meet her eyes, "but there's still Cream and Vanilla's feelings to consider."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind either," she insists, even though she should be letting this go while she still has some dignity. But, Cream and Vanilla are good people, and it's not as if he can go home. She doesn't know why, but there's probably a good reason for it. So, really, he should stay with her. "Where else would you go?"

Shadow hesitates. "I could probably stay with Manic. Or Rouge. Or I could stay here." From the twist of his lips, it's obvious he finds all of those options at least a little bit distasteful.

"I'd, ah, really rather you didn't stay with Manic, if it's all the same to you."

"Oh?" His voice is think with scorn, and the tilt of his head screams haughty disapproval. She can't blame him, though; who is she to tell him where he can and cannot stay?

"You and Sonic nearly came to blows after spending less than five minutes together," she points out. "Do you really think you could stay in the same house at him for an entire night?"

He gives her a hum of acknowledgement and drops the haughty posture to rest his chin on his hand. "No, I suppose there would be no avoiding a fight if I were to stay there for an extended period of time."

"Right, so that leaves me, Rouge, and here. Except Rouge lives in that big mansion and it's probably a prime target for looters."

Shadow gives Amy a considering look as his lips curve into the smallest of smirks. "I suppose you also have a reason against staying here?"

"It's… very crowded? I mean, there's no way you'd get a room to yourself, and you hate people. At least at my place there are only three people, and I'm pretty sure you don't actually hate any of us."

"Amelia," he chides, "if I didn't know better, I'd think you actually want me to stay with you." His tone is teasing, but it causes her to blush.

"And what if I do?" She asks in a soft voice, biting her lip and unable to meet his eyes.

It's Shadow's turn to blush. "I shouldn't. It's not... it wouldn't be..." He swallows twice, pushing his free hand through his hair. "Does it really even matter where I stay?"

"Of course it does!" Amy insists, and his eyes swing back from their intent survey of the ceiling, narrowing and pinning her with a disbelieving look.

"Why?" he demands, and she barely stops herself from flinching.

"Because I'll worry if I don't know where you are, or if you're safe," she answers, even though she'd told him this yesterday.

"But... why?"

"Shadow," she starts in what she hopes is a soft yet firm tone of voice, "I'll worry because you're my friend. If you had any sense, you'd know that." She tries to convey her seriousness through her eyes, willing him to get it through his incredibly thick skull.

"How can I be your friend?" he asks, "You barely know me."

She shakes her head. "Maybe, but I know you well enough to know that I like you. You're brave, and kind, and honest. You've been a huge comfort while the world has fallen apart around me. How could I not consider you my friend?" Her face feels hot and her palms feel sweaty, but she resists the urge to look away or hide. How can she make him understand?

"I haven't tried to be your friend," he protests.

Amy can't stop the small huff of laughter from escaping. "Friendship isn't something you try to do, silly. It's just something you do. If you care about someone and are there when they need you, you're their friend."

"But, I don't care," he tells her, but the response sounds automatic.

"Well, you could have fooled me last night, after you told me-"

Last night, when she'd found out that Sonic never loved her and had just been leading her on, playing her. She lets go of Shadow's sleeve so she can wrap her arms around herself. She tries not to think of Sonic. His betrayal should be nothing in the face of her day at the hospital, and yet.…

No, bad thoughts. She shouldn't think about the hospital, either. Why think about things she can't change? If she weren't so useless then maybe... no. No, she'd done everything she could. Except, it wasn't enough, it would never be enough. She could work herself raw day in and day out for all eternity and it would never replace all the lives lost. Nothing could ever make this right...

Red. Vivid crimson eyes fill her vision, recalling her to the present. Without noticing, Amy had begun to cry again, and now Shadow is right in her face, gently thumbing her tears away and murmuring reassurances. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, shh. I'm sorry that I've upset you, Amelia. Please don't cry." He leans in close, talking softly so that only she can hear him. They're so close that Amy would barely have to move to catch his lips with her own.

As soon as the thought crosses her mind, she steps back, breaking eye contact as she does so. Where had that come from? It was a silly thought, especially when directed at Shadow. Not only has he never shown any interest in her, but she was literally just crying about Sonic. Sure, Shadow's a perfect gentleman—most of the time—and he's easy to talk to, and- No! No. Now isn't the time. And even if it were, he isn't interested in her and she is definitely not interested in him, and that's that.

"I'm sorry I'm so weak," Amy whispers, staring shamefully at her feet.

"You're not weak," Shadow argues, voice laced with confusion.

"No, I am," she insists. "I'm so scared I have to constantly resist the urge to curl into a ball and cry. I'm terrified, and I don't know what's going on, and I'm just… weak." It hurts to admit it to someone who's so strong, but it's the truth. "I'm weak, and useless, and a coward."

"Being scared doesn't make you weak," Shadow tells her. "Neither does crying. The fact that you keep going despite being so scared is a testament to your strength, if anything."

Amy knows he's being too kind, but the words do help her feel a little better. The silence stretches on, until Shadow breaks it by clearing his throat. When she looks up, his face betrays no sign of the conversation they'd just had.

"If the offer still stands," he says as if they hadn't just had an intense, friendship affirming conversation. "I think I'd like to stay with you."

She can't stop herself from grinning and throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you!" He tenses up, and she steps back before he has to pry her off. "I should find Cream," she says as she feels yet another wave of heat passing through her cheeks. "Find me in the infirmary when you're ready to go?" She waits only long enough for him to nod before scurrying off down the hall, leaving him standing there all dark mystery and confidence, while she's left trying to hide the embarrassment just now kicking in from saying all those things to him. She must seem like such a fool, if he had any idea what had briefly crossed her mind...

No matter. Amy has more important things to worry about, like finding Cream.

...

Cream, as it turns out, is exactly where Amy predicted, working hard in the cafeteria with Vanilla and some others. There seems to be plenty of help here, but Amy had expected as much.

"Amy!" Cream exclaims, catching sight of her. "I'm glad you came, I wasn't sure if you'd gotten the note when you didn't show up last night. Is Mr. Shadow here too?" Her small voice sounds much closer to normal than it had yesterday, and Amy can't help her resulting smile. No wonder, though; Cream always loved to cook, and helping others gives her a good way to take her mind off things and feel useful.

"Yeah, Shadow's around too. He's going to be staying with us for a while, I think."

Cream's eyes widen at that. "Really? Mama and I were thinking the four of us should stay here, since it'll make it easier to help out, and there are better generators. Mr. Shadow might even find his family here, too!"

Amy swallows. "Ah, that's a good idea, but... umm."

But what? The points Cream raises are all valid, and the school is in better shape than the condo. But if they stayed here, would she still be able to talk so intimately with Shadow? Not that he's the only reason against staying at the shelter. There's also the matter of getting to sleep in her own bed, and being in a familiar environment. Plus, it's less crowded at home, and all her clothes and toiletries are there. Really, there are so many reasons to go back home tonight and besides, why take up space someone who has nowhere to go might need?

"I'm sorry, Cream, I just don't think I'd be able to sleep here. I'll be back every day, though. If you want, you could give me a list of things to bring you and Vanilla tomorrow."

Cream nods, but her smile has dimmed a touch. "Of course. But, I should get back to work. Talk to you later, Amy."

...

Thursday, November 25th, 10:13am, Station Square Academy

Shadow tries to ignore the pounding in his heart as he watches Amy walk away. She actually wants him to stay with her? She'll worry if she doesn't know where he is? She likes him? Sure, those things were all nice to hear, but they shouldn't be affecting him the way they are. Certainly they shouldn't have made him give in so easily. True, part of him already wanted to stay another night, but still. Pretty eyes and pleasant words never worked for Rouge when she wanted him to do something, so why did they work so well for Amy? It's not okay for him to be staying with her, not with G.U.N. after him. Why is he being so selfish? Is it because of how vulnerable she was earlier this morning?

Thinking of this morning is a mistake, of course, and the anxious way his stomach lurches in memory makes him more than a little nauseous. He can't help but remember her face, wide-eyed and framed by hair that left little streams of water to mix with her tears. When he'd wrapped the towel around her shoulders, he'd felt just how violently she shook. And then she'd come out and asked if he was okay, as if that were the most important thing in the world. For all Shadow knows, to her in that moment, it was.

Still, her breakdown had caught him completely off guard. She'd seemed fine last night, and even for a bit in the kitchen. It hadn't been until she was alone that she'd fallen apart.

Alone...

But, she has Cream and Vanilla; they can keep her company. Maybe he should have walked her to her destination.

"Mr. Shadow?"

Shadow glances up, startled to realize that he'd wandered into the cafeteria. Still, best not to be rude. He nods to Cream in greeting. "Amelia said you'd probably be here, I just wanted to make sure she found you okay." It's close enough to the truth.

"Ah, of course! Amy just left, actually. Are you going to volunteer too?"

He nods, figuring now's as good a time as any to start finding answers. "Perhaps you could direct me to where I'd be the most useful? But first, could you help put my nerves to rest?" He tries to make his expression look embarrassed, but the emotion is one he's always worked hard to avoid so he's not sure he succeeds.

Cream seems caught off guard by the request, but she nods decisively. "I can try. What's wrong?"

Shadow picks his words carefully. "I've heard some, ah, unsettling rumours. I was wondering if you could lend me your opinion on them."

"Oh, sure thing! What did you hear?"

"Apparently G.U.N. units have been stationed outside some civilian houses since the bombing?"

Cream starts. "Oh, goodness! That certainly is unsettling! But, I don't think there's any basis to it. The only thing I've heard about G.U.N. is that they're currently working to keep us safe." Her smile is clearly meant to be reassuring, but her words make his stomach sink. It's just his house? Or have they already captured people from other houses? Regardless, he'll have to be careful about the questions he asks if no one else has mentioned it.

"Right. Thank you, Cream. Do you know which areas need the most help?"

Her face scrunches up for a moment as she thinks about it. "The infirmary always needs more volunteers, and I heard someone asking for more hands in the shop class."

"I'll try the shop class," he decides. If they need engineers that will be a good way for him to ease some of the tension from the last few days, if only for a little while.

"Alright! Last I heard they were trying to rig up a man-powered generator, since there's only so much fuel for the current generator."

Shadow nods. That seems like a good use for his talents.

...

Thursday, November 25th, 10:16am, Station Square Academy

Amy hesitates a moment before entering the theatre, but surely it won't be as bad as the hospital. It can't be. The memories threaten to overwhelm her, but she needs to be strong. Swallowing her growing nausea, she pushes the door open. It can't be as bad.

Inside she catches sight of the school nurse, who approaches with tired eyes and a warm smile. "Miss Rose, right? How can I help you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could help you."

The warmth in her smile seems to grow. "We could always use more hands," she answers. "I have just the job for you."

And just like that, Amy is swiftly led to the stage where a bunch of desks have been set up as makeshift beds for those who can't sit while they're tended to. One patient is an older man with a haggard expression and haunted eyes. His peach hair has wisps of white throughout and long years have creased his face.

"Mr. Schmitz? This is Amy Rose. She'll be keeping you company while we tend your leg. If you need anything, you ask her, alright?"

The old man smiles, though it doesn't reach his eyes. "Of course. It's a pleasure to meet you, Amy."

For her part, Amy is more than a little surprised. Surely there's something more important she can do? "And you as well, Mr Schmitz. Is there anything I can do to help you? Anything you need?"

The nurse's voice is low and she speaks quickly to Amy. "For now, just talk to him, keep his mind off what we're doing. His leg is infected and the best we can offer is Tylenol. He's going to need a distraction while we clean it out and close it up."

Despite the nurse's efforts at quietude, Mr. Schmitz snorts at her words. "I appreciate the concern, but this isn't my first rodeo. Still, if you insist on making her dote on an old man, I suppose I can tell her the stories my grandchildren grew sick of hearing years ago." The nurse gives him a look before checking over her supplies.

In spite of his words of bravery, Mr. Schmitz is barely able to suppress a wince at the first tentative inspection of his leg, and Amy immediately pulls over a nearby chair and grabs his hand.

"I would love to hear your stories, sir." Hopefully talking is enough to distract from the pain.

By Amy's reckoning, Mr. Schmitz is either a very creative storyteller, or his life has been an extremely interesting one. According to him, he ran away from home at thirteen and lied about his age to enlist in the military at fifteen. He always suspected that everyone knew he was lying, but they'd let him stay anyways. He'd served nearly fifteen years before they'd sent him to the Space Colony ARK, which was apparently his final deployment before he resigned. It sounded like he planned to gloss over that story, but Amy's never heard of such a place, and so she asks him about it.

According to Mr. Schmitz, the Space Colony ARK was the most advanced research facility of its kind, where the most brilliant minds of mankind had been sent to discover ways to better their race. One of the scientists in particular caught Amy's attention: Gerald Robotnik, very likely related to the man currently terrorizing the city, and leader in the field of genetic modification. He'd been researching immortality. In the end, though, his research had gotten out of hand and they'd had to forcibly shut down all projects on the ARK.

An interesting story, for sure, but not something Amy feels inclined to believe. She lets him move on to his life after the military until the nurse says she's done with his leg, meaning it's time for him to rest. She tells Amy to put a cool, damp cloth on his head and then go around asking the other patients if they need anything.

"Be sure to check back on Mr. Schmitz regularly," the nurse continues. "Out of everyone here, he's in the worst shape. Old fool should have gone to the hospital."

While Amy works, she thinks back to Mr. Schmitz' story. A government facility in space dedicated to researching immortality? It's wild! How could he expect anyone to believe such nonsense? Then again, it keeps putting a smile on her face, so maybe he doesn't.

...

Thursday, November 25th, 10:41am, Station Square Academy

Once Shadow gets to the shop room, all thoughts of asking questions dissipate. There are only three other people in the room, making it an ideal work atmosphere for him. He quickly loses himself in his generator, figuring out the perfect way to adjust it into something that can be powered by a human being. As usual, working monopolizes his concentration, and he barely notices when food is shoved into his hands some hours later, or when other people come and go from the area. When the sun sets, he doesn't notice at all. It isn't until someone physically pulls at him that he comes back to reality.

"You'll work yourself to death, hon'," a motherly looking redhead tells him as she gently attempts to remove the tools from his hands. He recognizes her as one of the original occupants of the room.

Shadow frowns at the woman. "I'm fine," he tells her, and she laughs. This time her attempt to remove the tools from his hands is much firmer.

"I reckon it's nearly midnight. You'll do no one any good if you don't get some sleep. B'sides, hon', they're turning the generator off for the night."

Shadow's more than a little taken aback at that. Nearly midnight? Has he really been working that long? He swallows and suspects that Amy is not going to be very happy when he finds her.

He enters the infirmary and searches for her. She's sitting next to an older man with whispy, peach-coloured hair, and Shadow isn't sure if he should approach. Luckily, Amy catches sight of him pretty quickly and says a quick goodbye before hastening to his side.

"Sorry to keep you," he greets, and she shakes her head.

"That's okay," she says, "it gave me plenty of time to say goodnight to Cream and Vanilla."

That gives him pause. After a moment, he asks, "Why didn't you head back with them?"

"Oh, ah, they're staying here tonight, actually. They gave me a list of things to bring them in the morning."

He frowns, holding the door open as he voices his next thought. "If they're staying then why aren't you?"

She blushes at that, and for the life of him he can't figure out why. "Ah, I'd feel bad taking up space someone else might need when I have a bed not far from here. They wouldn't be staying either, except they've been on their feet since sun-up, and intend to spend even longer helping out tomorrow."

"Your friends are very generous," Shadow murmurs, feeling like he should probably reply with something. Amy nods in agreement.

The walk back to the condo is spent in relative silence. Things look fairly normal in this part of town, and it's easy to pretend that nothing happened while they walk. At least, for Shadow it is. Amy keeps looking down and fidgeting, alternating between playing with the drawstrings on her sweater, twirling a strand of hair up near her ear, and tapping her fingers against her thigh in a light, uneven rhythm. Shadow wants to take her hands in his own, run his thumb along her palms and fingers until the restlessness is soothed away. It's a strange desire, and doesn't help the already confused feelings her presence causes.

Every now and then, they hear strange noises off in the distance that cause Amy to jump and grab his arm, but she always lets go and steps away before he can react. That doesn't help, either. Still, it's a nice night. Under different circumstances, he might have even found the walk pleasant, since there are very few people out at this hour and the air is crisp. The stars are out in force and it's very tempting to grab his friend—she'd told him they're friends, and Shadow wants less and less to change that—and lead her off into the night. But no. It's late, and dangerous, and giving in to the part of himself that craves adventure always leads to unnecessary trouble.

"Well," Amy sighs once they reach the building. "We're here."

Shadow raises an eyebrow at that. "I never would have guessed," he drawls, and she flushes a deep pink.

The building is dark when they enter, quiet and still in the way that their world has become outside of the hum of generators. It makes everything feel dangerous, and Shadow isn't surprised when Amy starts to walk a bit closer. He passes her his flashlight, and she leads them to the stairwell. They ascend through the inky void in silence. The flashlight can only do so much, and Amy sighs out her relief when they finally reach the correct floor.

Once inside, she heads straight for the fridge. "I don't know about you, but I couldn't sleep if I tried. Do you want some milk?"

"If it hasn't gone bad yet, then sure," he replies as he makes his way for the cupboards and gets them each a glass.

She leans against the counter and he wonders if the rest of their night will be spent in this awkward silence. He tries to think of a way to break it when she speaks up again.

"I heard an interesting story today," she tells him, and it's a better start than he could have come up with.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was helping the head nurse with an old man claiming to be a former G.U.N. agent, and he told me a bunch of wild stories."

Well, that certainly piques Shadow's interest. "What kind of stories?" He hopes he doesn't sound too eager; it's a long shot, but if this man mentioned anything at all that could explain what's going on now...

Amy tells Shadow about Mr. Schmitz' youth; about how he ran away from home and went on all sorts of adventures before joining the military, about the shenanigans he supposedly got into. They drink their milk slowly as they talk, neither one of them ready to go to bed. Eventually she says something that catches his attention.

"Wait, what was that name?" Shadow asks, going to take a sip of his drink only to find the cup empty.

Amy's face scrunches up like it always does when she's trying to remember something verbatim. "Ah, I think it was called the Space Colony ARK?" Shadow doesn't know why the name sounds so familiar. "He claimed it was some sort of advanced research facility, but can you imagine? Scientists living in space, looking for the key to immortality?" She's not speaking so much as laughing as she says it. "It sounds like the plot of a terrible sci-fi movie!"

The laughter bubbles out and over, shaking her entire body and causing her to clutch her sides from the force of it. Seeing her laughing like that is enough to drive whatever thought had tickled Shadow's mind away, and when her laughter causes her to slip off the counter and onto the floor, he can't help but laugh himself, earning an indignant glare from Amy.

And then they're both laughing, clutching their sides and gasping for breath. It eases up and they seem calm again, but they make eye contact and another wave hits them. It's the kind of laughter born in stressful situations, when the bad hits you blow after blow, until you're so overwhelmed and full of pent up emotion that there's no place for your feelings to go but out. It's desperate. Hysterical. Cathartic. All it had taken was this one tiny thing that wouldn't even be funny under normal circumstances, but here and now, it's a life raft. Yes, bad things are happening, the world is falling apart and their lives will never be the same, but there are still old men who exaggerate their stories to a ridiculous degree, and there are still friends who laugh so hard at stupid things that they end up gasping for air on the floor.

Eventually, Shadow is able to calm himself enough to attempt to help Amy up, but when he holds out his hand she pulls him onto the floor with her, and his shocked expression causes another fit of laughter. They stay on the floor like that for way too long, laughing at nothing. When it finally subsides, they're left in silence, but it's not oppressive like before. It's pleasant, comfortable. There's a warmth to it that Shadow quite likes.

Amy's breathing slows from ragged gasping to the gentle rhythm of sleep, and Shadow deeply considers letting himself fall asleep on the ground next to her. His stomach twists in a mildly pleasant way at the idea of it, and that decides things for him. He forces himself to get up and carry her to her room before retreating across the flat to her parents' room. Sleep takes him within seconds of his head hitting the pillow.