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

Friday, November 26th, 6:03am, ?

The metallic walls are familiar, but the scenario itself is not. This is definitely where his recurring nightmare takes place, but something about the timing feels off. Shadow is about six or seven this time, colouring at a table with Maria. He wants to ask who she is to him, and where they are, but he can't. He's just a passenger in his own body.

As they colour, a man comes in and if Shadow had control of his body, he wouldn't have been able to hide his surprise. The man is an older version of Dr. Robotnik; not so wide as the man he'd seen on TV, sure, but with the same bushy moustache and prominent nose. Maria grins when she sees him, calls him grandpa, and asks him to come see their pictures.

As the old man approaches, the world flickers.

Shadow stands in an empty room looking out a large window with Maria. From where they are, he can see Earth but he barely notices. This is the same room that has haunted his dreams for years, the room he will never forget. This is where Maria dies. He wants to scream, and vomit, and run.

"What do you think it's like on Earth?" Maria asks him, and he's powerless to warn her.

The world flickers.

Her condition is worsening. Maria lays in the hospital bed, and Shadow can practically see her life force draining away. The doctors don't know he's there so they speak openly. It's only a matter of time...

Flicker.

They're running now, and if Shadow could scream, his throat would be raw. Not this, never this! He wants to yell at his younger self. He's going the wrong way! Shadow, please! Anywhere but there! They enter the room, and Shadow feels the bile rise in his throat. She trips but knowing she would have died anyway doesn't make this easier. And then, suddenly, he can move! He turns around as fast as he can, and he's going to make it! He can change it, fix it, make everything better!

But an invisible force grabs his shoulders and drags him into the centre of the room. He struggles, but the grip is too strong. A tube crashes down around him, and whatever force pulled him back is now preventing him from turning away. He watches the bullets tear through her frail body and he screams, lashing out at whatever it is that holds him.

He falls to the ground grappling his invisible assailant, and metallic walls become soft blue wallpaper, the floor an even softer bed. And the invisible force is-

"Amelia?" His voice is hoarse when he speaks and his cheeks are wet.

"I'm sorry," she squeaks, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed. A tear splashes down on her face and he realizes that he's over top of her. One of his hands is braced at her side while the other is raised in preparation to strike. "I could hear you from my room," she tells him, visibly shaken. "You sounded like you were dying, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry!" Her words are quick, and her voice trembles. Shadow groans as he pulls away from Amy. He leans against the headboard and rests his arms on his knees, requiring a moment to collect his thoughts and still his heart. "Shadow?" Her voice is tentative as she leans towards him. She tries to peer into his eyes so he closes them, only to regret it immediately as Maria's blood sprays across the backs of his eyelids, startling him into opening them again.

"Did I hurt you?" He tries to sound gentle, but he's too on edge.

She flinches at his tone, but forces a small smile. "No, I'm fine."

"I scared you, though." Her smile slips at his observation and it's all the confirmation he needs. He looks to the ceiling. There are still tears in his eyes, should he deign to acknowledge them. "I take it I woke you up?"

She nods. "You were screaming."

They sit in silence as the sky turns from the inky-dark of night to the muted grey of predawn. Neither of them moves but Amy does eventually break the silence. "Shadow?" she starts, and he makes a noncommittal grunt in acknowledgement. She swallows, and in his periphery he sees her staring down and worrying at a corner of the blanket with her fingers. "Would... could I... do you mind...," she swallows again, fingers now clenching tight around the blanket. "Do you think I could sleep with you tonight?" she blurts, and he gives her a wide-eyed stare. Oh, a part of him most certainly would not mind that, and his temptation is answer enough.

"It wouldn't be… decent," he says with as much disapproval as he can muster.

"Not like that!" she clarifies hastily, every visible inch of her turning crimson. He nearly chokes, wondering if his skin is as flushed as hers. Not like that indeed! "It's just," she twiddles her fingers, "I don't want to be alone right now. I'm scared." Tears form in her eyes and as she wipes them away, Shadow's resolve crumbles. His entire body is on fire.

He averts his eyes, trying to cling to his last shred of decency. How is it possible that she causes him so much turmoil with absolutely no effort on her part? He's not sure what agitates him more: the idea of sharing a bed with her, or the eagerness he feels at the prospect.

"Shadow?"

He glances back at her. She's trembling and her eyes keep darting around. He sighs, nods, and kicks himself for giving in.

"Thank you!" she gushes, and her relief is almost enough to soothe his frayed nerves. After they settle themselves on opposite sides of the bed, Amy speaks up again. "Do… do you want to talk about it?" she asks. "Your dream, I mean. It sounded bad." He frowns, but doesn't answer. She tries again. "It's not good to keep things bottled up, you know."

His heart twists, and for an instant he considers saying something. He buries the urge before he can act on it. After another moment she rolls over and takes his hand.

"I'm here for you, Shadow. I'll help you, if you let me."

Her small fingers feel nice laced in his but he pulls away, rolling so his back is to her. A lump forms in his throat, but he ignores it. He can't let her in any more than he already has; it wouldn't be right. A part of him argues that he's already endangering her with his presence, so what does it matter? Nothing is right anymore anyway.

She sighs and rolls over. He hopes she's given up for good, but the idea hurts much more than it should.

...

Friday, November 26th, 7:35am, Amy's parents' room

Amy isn't sure she's ever woken up so cozy before. Her bed has certainly never been this comfy, and she's so warm. Her pillow is supremely huggable. She knows she should get up, but she can't even open her eyes yet. When she wakes up, everything will be real again. She'll be scared and sad and helpless. Just thinking about it dampens her mood, but she refuses to lose this moment of tranquility before she absolutely has to. She tightens around her pillow in defiance, fingers slipping under the case to brush against the warm, silky-smooth skin beneath. Her pillow grunts, pulling her tighter into its own arms, and she hears the faint pulse of its heart.

That Amy doesn't register the wrongness of things for a solid minute is a testament to the chaotic nature of the past few days. But pillows don't have arms, or skin, or pulses. They also don't grunt.

Last night rushes back to Amy and she wrenches herself away from her 'pillow', AKA Shadow, AKA the least cuddly person she knows. He stares up at her through half-lidded eyes, making it clear that he isn't fully awake. He looks innocent and sweet, so much so that when he reaches out to her she very nearly lets him pull her back into his arms. Perhaps five more minutes wouldn't be so bad...

No! This is Shadow! He's her friend, and he would not appreciate her taking advantage of his half asleep state just to catch a few more minutes of sleep! She gets up and heads to the door. When she looks back, his eyes are closed again and he's pulled her actual pillow, the one she was supposed to be using, into his arms in her place.

Without anything else to do, Amy heads into Cream's unit to gather the things they'd asked for. The suite is a mess of broken objects and singed patches, and it really drives home what a difference Shadow's cleaning made on that first day. She tries to ignore the damage but she very nearly has a breakdown when she sees a photo of Cream's and Amy's families having dinner together, the happy image so wrong in the midst of all the wreckage.

She returns to her condo when the power comes on and Shadow emerges shortly after. The state of his hair is actually impressive: all tangled and twisted, flattened on one side and wild on the other.

"How was your sleep?" she teases, hoping he can't tell that she was just crying. She has to stay positive.

The way the tips of his ears colour makes her own face feel hot. He grunts, gives her a dirty look. "Where are the towels?" he asks. She's glad for the change of topic, even if his lack of 'good morning' is a little rude.

"Each bathroom has its own, the ones down here should be clean." He nods and heads to the downstairs bathroom. After a minute she hears the water start up and sighs. When Shadow returns to the kitchen, she greets him with a breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast. "When do you want to go back to the school?"

"Actually, I have something I need to do," he tells her as they eat. "I'll walk you there after we finish, if you'd like."

Amy frowns. What could he possibly need to do? Shouldn't he have said something yesterday? Or, could it be that this is just an excuse and he's actually avoiding her? Yeah, that's probably it. She was too pushy last night when she'd asked him to talk about his nightmare, and now he doesn't want to spend more time with her than he has to. That has to be it, what else could it be? She's gone and done it again. She's pushed someone away by being too clingy just like she always does. Why does she do this? She should say no. She should tell him that it's fine and walk to school by herself and show him that she's perfectly capable of giving him his space. Yes, that would be best.

Except, that would leave her alone, and she can't be alone. She can't.

What should she do? And now he's looking at her, expecting an answer. Shoot, why does he have to be looking at her? And now he's frowning, and his brow is all furrowed. He's probably mad at her for being weird. Any minute now he'll take back his offer and tell her to walk herself. She needs to say something! She needs-

Her thoughts halt in their tracks when Shadow reaches out and thumbs a tear away from her cheek. His brow is still furrowed, and he's still frowning, but he looks as if he wants to say something. Whatever it is he must decide against it because when he leans back all he says is, "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather we left sooner than later."

She gives him a weak nod and wonders if he'd really wanted to say something, or if, like with Sonic, she's just projecting.

...

As they walk, Amy is increasingly aware of the differences around her. True, the school is even further from the impact site than her condo so the damage is minimal, but there's more to it than that. The street is devoid of traffic, and the few cars parked around have been broken into. Then there are the people; very few people are out, and those that are carry themselves in strange ways. No one waves. Most people don't even look at them. Everyone is focused inwards, it seems. Some are slumped over so far it's a wonder they're still standing while they shuffle, barely aware of the world around them. Others have very determined looks on their faces and walk with clear purpose. And then, of course, there are those that are very blatantly breaking into houses and cars. She and Shadow steer clear of those last ones. It's a relief when they get to the school and people actually acknowledge them, even if it's only briefly.

"I'll be back tonight to walk you home," Shadow tells her, turning to go before she can figure out how to tell him he doesn't need to. With a frown, Amy makes her way to the cafeteria to ask Cream and Vanilla where they want their things. It's super busy when she gets there, though, and Vanilla only pauses long enough to tell Amy to cram what she can into Cream's locker. So much for a reassuring conversation before getting to work, but that's fine. She needs to help, after all. Not helping would be selfish.

When she reaches the theatre, she finds herself tending to Mr. Schmitz again, and he tells her about the time he'd actually seen a Chaos Emerald. The story sure is fun but he really seems to believe it, and Amy wonders if maybe he's losing it. Everyone knows the Chaos Emeralds are just a myth. When she isn't indulging Mr. Schmitz she's running errands for the head nurse: fetching supplies or getting food or noting down symptoms. The day passes slowly, so it's a surprise when she sees Shadow waiting in the doorway.

...

Friday, November 26th, 10:03am, Station Square Academy

Shadow wastes no time in starting up his hover skates and heading to Manic's after dropping Amy off at the school. Normally he would have brushed his dream off as a product of the story Amy had told him, but it seems a little too coincidental that Robotnik had attacked the city and then G.U.N. had swarmed his house not even a day later. There has to be some sort of connection and he intends to find it. He barely notices how fast he's going, or the startled looks a few people give him as he passes.

When Sonic answers the door, Shadow very much misses the convenience of having a phone.

"What's up, Shads?" he greets, and Shadow really hates the familiarity in his tone.

"Is Manic here?"

The other teen nods. "Uh, yeah. He's in his room." When he doesn't step out of the way, Shadow raises an eyebrow. "Look, I was, uh... did you, ah, say something to Amy? She hasn't been by since the hospital, and I'm getting worried."

"I did," Shadow sneers. "Someone had to."

Sonic gives him a sharp look. "You had no business telling her!"

Shadow snorts at that. "Right, because you were going to?"

"I was!" Sonic heatedly protests. "Just... Amy's sensitive and she needs to be handled delicately. You probably just told her like it was no big deal, but to her it would've been the end of the world."

Shadow scoffs. "No, to her, the end of the world as she knows it is the end of the world. This is just the realization that she loved and idolized the wrong person. Perhaps you need to stop pushing your own insecurities onto Amelia."

"What was that?" Sonic demands, hands balling into fists.

"Only the truth," Shadow taunts. "You're pathetic."

Sonic lunges at him but Shadow dodges with ease, stepping aside as a smirk plays across his lips. Sonic comes at him again and this time Shadow catches his fist in one hand, using Sonic's own momentum to twist his arm up behind his back. Unfortunately, Shadow underestimated his opponent's speed, and he's wholly unprepared for the swift kick that takes out his legs. He twists as he falls and the two boys land together. They continue to grapple on the ground, rolling around and occasionally getting shots in, until Manic emerges from the house.

"Okay, what the actual fuck?" Manic demands, putting a hand on each boy's shoulder and shoving them apart.

"Your useless brother can't handle the truth," Shadow snarls as he gets to his feet.

"Why you-" Sonic begins, but Manic gives him a firm shove.

"Bro, chill. Do I need to give you each a time out?" The looks he receives are murderous, but something in his expression keeps the fighting teens from starting back up. "Sonic, weren't you going to fly perimeter with Tails?" Sonic nods, there's a stubborn look in his eyes, though. "Then go," Manic continues. "Fucking leave already."

The twins lock eyes for a moment, and Shadow can practically feel the wordless conversation between them. Finally Sonic relents. "Yeah, okay. But Shadow? Stay away from Amy. If you hurt her, I'll make sure you regret it."

Shadow snorts at the threat. He'd like to see Sonic try. He watches Sonic take off down the street with a look of utter contempt. True, even now Shadow can't help but admire the track star's speed, but still. His thoughts are halted by Manic's finger jabbing into his chest, and when he looks, he's surprised at the fire in the wiry teen's eyes.

"You'd better have a good reason for picking a fight," Manic snaps. "I don't exactly appreciate you beating up my brother."

"He started it," Shadow protests automatically.

"Yeah, and I finished it," Manic retorts.

Part of Shadow wants to shove Manic away, to yell at the other teen and get him out of his face, but he resists. It would be too easy to accidentally hurt him, and Shadow doesn't want that, so he relents. "He didn't appreciate me telling Amelia about their sham of a relationship."

That gives Manic pause. "Wait, shit, you actually told her?" Shadow nods. "Damn. How's she holding up?"

"She's a lot stronger than you guys seem to think. She actually thanked me."

Manic whistles. "Well, that's good. I'm surprised, though. Amy has a scary temper sometimes." Shadow raises an eyebrow at that. Sure, she can be a bit fiery, but scary? "Dude I'm serious. When we were younger, she used to hit us when we disagreed with her, and one time she kicked me so hard I couldn't breathe properly for an hour. I mean, she was right sorry for that one, but still."

"I see," Shadow replies, and Manic nods.

"Yeah. So what's up? I assume you didn't come here to pick a fight." He says it in his usual relaxed tone, but Shadow doesn't miss the accusation that flashes across his eyes.

"I need to find Dr. Robotnik's base, and then I want you and Rouge to help me break in."

Manic grins, and the last traces of hostility leave him. "I'm in."

Does he have no self-preservation instinct? "It will be dangerous," Shadow points out.

"Bruh, you don't need to try so hard to get me interested, I already said I'm in."

...

It takes the rest of the day, but they eventually find the right building. Then they're off to the hospital to persuade Rouge. Once successful, they agree to meet at Manic's in an hour or so to plan their course of action. In the meantime, Shadow goes to see if Amy wants to be walked home. He tells his companions he'll see them soon and speeds off before they can reply.

With the skates, it's a very quick trip from the hospital to the school, and he is incredibly grateful when they don't short out on the way. Again, he finds Amy in the theatre. He waits in the doorway, and as soon as she notices him she excuses herself to come over.

"Oh, I hope you weren't waiting too long. You should have come over, I- wait. Shadow, where did you get this?" Her fingers delicately trace over his lip, where a well-placed blow from Sonic had managed to split it open. He hopes she doesn't feel the way her touch causes him to shiver, and is very glad the rest of Sonic's blows had hit him under his clothes and away from Amy's prying eyes.

"It's nothing," he assures her. It feels weird talking with her finger against his lip. "Don't concern yourself with it."

She shakes her head. "At least let me clean it up, okay?"

He frowns. "I still have things I need to do tonight," he protests. "I-"

"Shadow," she cuts in. "Please?" She's staring up at him, eyes sparkling like gems the colour of the forest. He nods, and wonders yet again why it's so damned hard to refuse her.

She leads him further into the theatre, quickly finding a reasonably secluded chair near the back. She then approaches a dark haired lady whom Shadow recognizes from around the school. When Amy returns, it's with a small tray of supplies. First she wets a soft cloth and dabs his lip, then she dabs a cotton ball with some sort of disinfectant and cleans the split. Finally, she spreads a tiny bit of ointment onto the offending injury. He can't help but stare at her eyes the entire time she's working. She seems calm and focused in a way he doesn't often get to see. When she's done, she glances up at him and blushes.

"Try not to poke at it or lick it too much. That cream will promote healing if you leave it there," she tells him. He nods. "Do you have any other injuries?"

He hesitates. He doesn't want to lie, but he also doesn't want her to worry or ask questions.

"I'm fine," he tells her, and she snorts.

"You'd say the exact same thing if you were on your death bed," she teases.

He shrugs. "I just have a few bruises, it's nothing."

She frowns. "Show me."

"What?"

"I'd like to see them myself," she explains.

Shadow grimaces, but Amy has a determined look in her eyes. He wouldn't put it past her to begin unbuttoning his shirt on her own if he doesn't cooperate. When he has the shirt open, she claps a hand to her mouth. He glances down, and feels about as surprised as Amy looks. Honestly, it doesn't look as bad as he'd expected. Sure, there are black and purple bruises all over, but they're just... not that bad, all things considered.

"What happened?" Amy breathes.

"I had a run in with-" he cuts himself off. He had been about to refer to Sonic as her boyfriend, but he isn't really her boyfriend anymore is he? "With Sonic."

Her expression grows distant, her sparkling eyes now flat. "I see," she says, and the following silence is thick. Then, she shakes herself and gives Shadow a small smile. "I can't really do anything for these," she admits, "but at least they don't seem to be bothering you. I'm sorry for giving you a hard time." As she speaks, she begins doing up the buttons of Shadow's shirt, and the way her fingers brush against his skin feels so nice he's tempted to let her finish. He pulls away and buttons it up himself.

Amy makes to get up, but Shadow catches her shirt sleeve. "I just came back to see if you'd want a walk home now or later. I'm going to be busy for a few more hours and I don't want you to have to wait up for me."

Amy frowns, chewing her lip as she thinks it over. "I don't really want to be alone," she admits. "Would you be willing to walk me back here after I get some overnight stuff?"

He nods, and they head off. The walk to her condo is spent in silence, and Amy seems distinctly upset. She smiles whenever she notices him looking, but the smile is wrong somehow. Forced. Eventually, he takes her hand in his, giving it a quick squeeze when she looks at him. This time, the smile seems more natural, and without thinking, he returns it with one of his own. He continues to hold her hand all the way up until her building comes into view, surrounded by G.U.N. agents. He curses himself for not seeing this coming.

Amy stands, transfixed by a sight she'd only ever seen in movies. "I wonder what they're doing here?" Shadow suspects he knows. He tightens his grip on her hand and starts to leave. "What-"

"We have to go," he hisses, and she frowns.

"Why?" she asks, holding her ground. He hesitates. If he tells her, there's no going back. She'll want to help. If he tells her, it means they really are friends. "Amelia," he begins. "I..." He doesn't have to tell her. He could just leave her here with no information. Except then she'd definitely ask one of the agents what's going on, and who knows what they'd do. Still...

One of the agents spots them, and Shadow curses his indecision.

"Subject spotted," he shouts. Then he speaks into what must be a portable radio. "All units to the Twinkle Park area, Project Shadow must be apprehended at all costs."

That sounds bad. Shadow adjusts his grip to Amy's arm, holding her so tightly that she'll probably bruise, and he prays his fingers don't slip. "I hope you can run," he grits out before starting up his hover skates and taking off.

The two of them speed off into the distance, and he marvels at Amy's ability to keep her feet under her. They're racing at breakneck speeds and she's managing to stay more-or-less upright. Within seconds he can hear her gasping for breath, can feel the resistance as her energy wanes, but he just tightens his grip and presses on. He'll apologize when they're safe. After a few minutes he ducks into a nearby alley, dragging Amy to hide behind a dumpster with him. It isn't the best spot, but she's struggling for air and looks ready to faint, so it'll have to do.

"What... going... on?" she chokes out between gasps.

"I... I'll explain later. We'll, ah, I guess we'll head to Manic's for now." It's too close to Amy's condo, but it will have to do. If they can sneak in through the back, it should be fine.

Amy shakes her head at that. "Sonic... be there... don't want... see..."

"I'm sorry," Shadow tells her, and he is. For everything. He wonders how G.U.N. found him. But for now, they have to get going. "Get on my back," he commands, turning away from her and dropping to one knee. "We need to move."

When nothing happens, he wonders if she's going to protest. He would in her shoes. She doesn't, though. She complies, and once she's settled, he speeds off again. He can go faster like this, and he recklessly takes full advantage of the opportunity. As they get closer to his friend's house he turns off his skates and starts cutting through yards, keeping to the shadows to minimize the chance of anyone seeing him. Then they reach Manic's backyard, and Shadow knocks on the sliding glass door. He hopes beyond reason that no one saw them.

...

Friday, November 26th, 9:43pm, Sonic's kitchen

After a long day of flying perimeter with Tails, Sonic is glad to be back in his house. They didn't find anything, but if they just keep looking, they'll eventually find a way to sneak people out of the city. Sonic still thinks it would be easier to find the scientist and destroy his robots, but Tails insists that finding a way out is a much more efficient plan as far as everyone's safety is concerned.

Despite having no leads, he feels pretty good about the day. Or, at least, most of it. Just thinking about his scuffle with Shadow makes him wince. He's sore all over, and judging by the pain in his chest whenever he breathes in too deeply, he has a bruised rib or worse. Probably not worse, but still. Damn that Shadow, sticking his nose in places it has no business being! Then having the nerve to call Sonic pathetic! Thinking of it gets Sonic's blood going again, but no. No. Today has gone well; Sonic is taking steps to make a difference. He can't let Shadow ruin his good mood. Shadow may have grossly overstepped, but that's understandable. Things are bad right now, and everyone is on edge.

The plane Sonic and Tails had been working on in the weeks leading up to the explosion—The Tornado—flies much better than expected; Sonic and Tails actually managed to find people in more structurally unsound parts of the city and transport them to safer areas. They'd also seen the wreckage of the parking garage Rouge, Sonia, and Bunnie had been in when the explosion hit. Sonic's stomach turns at the thought, and he tries not to think about his sister, who's currently in bed with a fever and a headache since she refused to go back to the hospital.

He's just grabbing some leftovers from dinner when he hears a knock at the back door, which is strange but not as strange as using the fireplace to cook. "I've got it," he calls into the rest of the house.

He's not sure who he's expecting, but it definitely isn't Shadow. He opens his mouth to say something, but scathing words die in his throat when he notices Amy slipping from Shadow's back, flushed and out of breath with wide eyes. Wordlessly he lets them in, watching as Shadow helps Amy into a chair and then goes around the room closing all the curtains and blinds. When Sonic meets Amy's eyes, her mouth thins into a tight line and she looks away. Right. Definitely mad at him. His stomach clenches, and he turns to Shadow as a distraction.

"Alright Shads, what the hell is going on?" Talking hurts his ribs and does nothing for his rapidly failing mood. Shadow crosses his arms and Sonic lets out an irritated sigh. "Look, it's obvious that something's up. If I'm going to be involved, I think I deserve to know what it is."

"You're not going to be involved," Shadow replies in a flat tone.

Sonic snorts. "You're at my house, I'm already involved."

"It's not just your house. Manic lives here, too."

"That's such bull," Sonic protests. "You can't seriously expect me to sit idly by knowing that you're getting both Amy and my brother into some sort of danger!"

Shadow hesitates. "Actually, Amelia is not participating either." Sonic glances at Amy to see how she feels about that news, and he almost feels bad for Shadow. Almost.

"What do you mean I'm not participating, Shadow?" she demands as she gets out of her chair and plants her hands on her hips. "Who are you to decide what I can and cannot do?" She manages to pull off the impression of looking down on Shadow, despite being two inches shorter than him and having to look up into his face.

Rather than back down, Shadow draws himself up and returns her haughty expression. "It's too dangerous," he argues, "I'd rather not involve you, and so I won't allow it." Sonic winces. No one speaks to Amy that way when her temper flares. It isn't safe.

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before G.U.N. surrounded my building!" She punctuates her shouting with a sharp jab to his chest. "I'm involved whether you," jab, "like it or not, Shadow," jab, "so you had better get used to including me!"

As she goes to jab his chest again, he catches her wrist in his hand. They stand like that, glaring into each other's eyes, until Sonic can't take the tension anymore. "Right, well, I'll be in Manic's room. When you two are done gazing lovingly into each other's eyes, you can meet me in there and we'll figure something out."

He isn't around to see the looks they give him.

...

Friday, November 26th, 10:02pm, Sonic's dining room

Amy watches Shadow glare at Sonic's retreating form. Of course it was Sonic who answered the door. With Amy's luck, it's a miracle that someone from G.U.N. hadn't answered, though she still doesn't know why they're running from an organization known for peacekeeping in crisis situations. One way or another, she intends to find out.

"Shadow," she growls, "you owe me an explanation." He'd rather not involve her? Well that's just peachy, but it's too late for that! And even if it wasn't, she refuses to be left out! The look he gives her is arctic level cold, but she holds her ground.

"The day after Robotnik attacked, I went home to collect a few things only to find my house surrounded by G.U.N. They were looking for me and my mother. I have no idea why, but I suspect it would be bad if they found me."

Amy feels the heat drain out of her. She can't imagine a more terrifying scenario. Gently as she can, she tugs her hand out of Shadow's grip, using it to brush a lock of hair away from his eyes. "I want to help."

"No," he protests immediately, and this time his voice is so sharp that she takes a step back. She doesn't get far, though. He grabs her arm much tighter than before, yanking her back to him. She catches herself on his shoulder with her free hand, clutching his shirt to maintain her balance. "Anyone who helps me is in danger," he tells her, barely an inch away. His looming makes it difficult to stand up straight. "I've already had Aziza taken from me, I won't let you be taken too." His free arm snakes around her waist, and it's suddenly a lot harder to breathe. His grip on her wrist hurts, and her heart is pounding against her ribs. She feels dizzy. Without thinking, she rests her head on his shoulder. He stiffens.

"You can't stop me," she whispers, lips brushing against his collarbone. She can feel him shiver.

"Amelia," he breathes.

"Amy," she corrects, and he swallows.

"Amy," he echoes. "Why-" The sound of a throat being cleared in the doorway cuts him off, and he pulls away, hands lingering long enough to stabilize Amy.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something," Rouge's sultry voice teases. Amy's cheeks burn and her palms sweat, and she wants to assure Rouge that it's not what it looks like. An accusatory voice in the back of her head points out that she'd completely forgotten about Rouge and Shadow over the past few days.

"Rouge, so good of you to join us, and you're not even late. That's a first." The mocking in Shadow's voice comes as a shock, and when Amy glances at him there's nothing in his expression to suggest that he's just been caught in a fairly intimate seeming situation.

Rouge just laughs, brushing off Shadow's tone as if it's nothing. "Yeah, yeah. But if I'd gotten here later who knows what I might have walked in on, hmm?" She winks as she says it, and Amy's blush deepens. Shadow just rolls his eyes, finally letting his hands drop from Amy's sides.

Taking advantage of her newfound freedom, and unable to take the embarrassment any longer, Amy scurries down the hall to Manic's room. She knocks on the door as Rouge and Shadow follow at a more leisurely pace.

Manic grins when he opens the door and sees the three of them. "It's gonna be a regular party in here," he jokes. Amy knows what he means; Manic's bedroom is spacious enough, but all the stuff everywhere makes it hard to find a place to sit. Manic rejoins Sonic on his bed, and Amy decides to perch on his computer chair. Rouge looks around and then seats herself on the dresser, leaving Shadow the beanbag chair. Shadow decides to remain standing by the door, arms crossed. With five occupants—six if you count the cat lounging in his tree—the room feels almost claustrophobic. Amy tries not to think about how much more crowded the hospital is.

"So what's the plan?" Manic asks.

"Whatever it is, I want to help," Amy chimes in.

"If she goes, I go," Sonic adds. "Someone has to watch out for her."

Amy shoots him a dirty look. "I can handle myself just fine," she snaps.

Manic snorts. "We don't even know the plan yet and you two are already arguing about who gets to go? Yeesh, you sound like an old married couple."

The two teens both shoot him withering glares. "As if," Amy huffs at the same time Sonic says "No way!"

"Neither of you are coming," Shadow informs them with a glare. "Too many people will attract unnecessary attention."

Rouge nods. "So who is going?"

"You, Manic, and myself. We'll be sneaking into Robotnik's lair to gather information. You two," Shadow glares at Sonic and Amy in turn, "can sit here and twiddle your thumbs."

"You expect me to go along with that?" Amy demands, getting up and crossing the room to get in Shadow's face once more.

"Yes, I do," he snaps. "Manic and Rouge have experience breaking into guarded buildings. Do you? If you come, you'll be a liability, and I'll have to rescue you if you get caught. I don't have time to worry about you, Amelia."

Amy draws herself up with every word, eyes sparking and nostrils flaring. "Fine," she spits, "go! Get yourself hurt, or even killed. See if I care!"

She pushes past him, leaving the claustrophobic room. She needs air. She needs to be alone. How dare he talk to her that way? That he's right only makes it worse! She hates that she can't go, hates that he's going to leave her to worry, hates that she wouldn't have known about any of this if G.U.N. hadn't surrounded her building. If they get hurt, there will be nothing she can do, she won't even know until it's too late! Instead of helping she's going to be trapped here with Sonic!

Sonic... just thinking about him makes her livid. Leading her on like that, letting her think she had a chance! He'd had so many chances to come clean, but no! He was too afraid of hurting her, so he'd lied. What kind of coward does that? She wants to knock some sense into him. She wants to make him sorry. She wants to cry. Everything is so overwhelming. Her feelings are too strong and she doesn't know what to do with them. Sonic is infuriating!

Unlike Shadow, who is up front with her and doesn't lie about things. Except, he'd kept stuff from her too, hadn't he? He should have told her about G.U.N. looking for him, should have warned her. Did he even want her friendship? He's tried so hard to push her away. Except, he literally just said he wouldn't let her be taken away from him, and he'd held her so close, so possessively... does... does he... is it possible that he loves her?

No.

No, of course not.

He tolerates her, at best. Thinking of him as if he loves her is a mistake- look where that sort of thinking got her with Sonic. Besides, why does she even care? She doesn't love him. She knows what love feels like because she'd been in love with Sonic, and it isn't this. Love is desire and need and being unable to keep them out of your thoughts. Love is an overwhelming battle. This is... warm, cozy even. It's too easy, and comfortable. Loving someone means they can do no wrong, and Shadow does plenty wrong. Sure, he makes her heart race, and when he holds her everything feels safe and okay, but that doesn't mean anything.

Does it?

Her thoughts continue until long after Shadow, Manic, and Rouge depart.

Eventually, much to Amy's surprise, Sonic comes out to the living room. "Can we talk, Ames?" She narrows her eyes.

"We have nothing to talk about," she tells him, trying to make her voice icy like Shadow's. Inside, though, she's on fire.

"Look, I messed up. I get it. But there are more important things to worry about right now. The least you could do is give me a chance to apologize."

She gives him an incredulous look. The least she could do?

"I'm sorry Sonic," she says, voice taking on that dangerously sweet quality it gets when she's about to go off. From the look in his eyes, it's clear that Sonic recognizes the tone. "You're right, of course. How selfish of me, being angry at you for lying. I mean, G.U.N. could show up at any moment. Shall we just kiss and make up?"

He rubs the back of his neck with an awkward laugh. "Would that make you feel better?" She stares at him. She has no words. Does he really think...? Her fists clench in her lap, and she wants to scream. "Bad joke?" he asks with that same awkward laugh. "Look, if you'd just calm down for a-"

"Calm down?" she cuts in. "You want me to calm down? Why should I? You lied to me! You led me on for weeks! And now you're making jokes about it! Don't tell me to be calm, Sonny," he flinches at the use of his first name: Even the teachers had taken to calling him Sonic. "You're lucky I'm even talking to you!" Well, yelling at. Same thing.

Sonic scoffs. "Maybe talking, but certainly not listening," he accuses. She screams and lunges at him. He jumps back, hastening to put the couch between them. "Whoa, hey! Watch it! Shadow already did a number on my ribs, I don't need you adding to the bruises! Look, I'm just trying to apologize. Can we be civil?" She scowls. He calls this apologizing? Really? "Look, I'm sorry I hurt you, okay? I just...," and all the heat leaves his voice, at this point. "I didn't know what to do. You looked so happy, and I didn't want to be the one to ruin that, y'know?"

Amy feels like ripping out her hair. "That doesn't make lying okay," she points out. "You know that, right? That it hurts more being lied to?"

He groans. "No, I know. I messed up, I get that. I've gotten that from the beginning. You're like a sister to me, Ames. I love you, just maybe not...," he swallows. "Y'know. But, I do. I just want you to be happy." He stares at his feet as he says it, and Amy's rage begins dissipating. Oh, she's still angry, but this is Sonic. She might hate him right now, but he'll always be important to her.

After a moment's peace, he looks up with a cheeky grin. "Besides," he continues. "You've got those big, sparkly eyes. Even Shadow can't say no to you."

She isn't sure how she feels about that. "I'm still mad," she tells him. He nods.

"I know."

"And I'm not forgiving you any time soon."

"I don't expect you to."

"As long as that's clear."

Sonic nods again. "But we're… good?"

"For now," she concedes. He's definitely in the wrong, and he knows it, but he's right about there being more important things to worry about. For now, she will get along and be civil, because they're on the same side. She's still furious with him, but...

"For now," she repeats.