Chapter Thirteen

Shadow opened his eyes lazily, blinking a couple of slow blinks. He sighed as he stayed all snug within his covers. Taking a quick glance at his clock Shadow was hoping it read something other than eight o'clock in the morning. He raised a brow at it read five minutes passed six in the morning.

"Well it's no eight o'clock but I was kind of hoping for a later time. I might as well get up and grab a coffee, maybe I'll go out and grab that coffee. Yeah I'll have an early morning run, sit and have a nice coffee then have another run before coming home." Shadow softly spoke to himself and made a move to get cracking on his morning plans.

When he was all ready he glanced at himself in the hallway mirror and smiled softly. He was wearing another one of his t-shirts that was dark blue with black along the ends of the arm sleeves. He wasn't wearing his gloves and had on his jet shoes.

"Yep rocking the look as always." Shadow thought as he began to smirk then soon after he left his home.

As Shadow ran towards the town, not at top speed for that will mean he would reach there within ten minutes, his mind wondered to his dreams yet again. This led him to feel a little lost and somewhat alone without his family around.

"Maybe instead of going home after my second run I can go see if Sonic is free." Shadow thought and was hoping Sonic was available to hang out together for a few hours, maybe have lunch together and a race back to his place.

"Yeah that sounds perfect, I'll go to him after my coffee... although I better not rush it's only six thirty and he won't be up for a couple of hours yet. I could always sneak into his room and scare the fur off him." Shadow thought and slowly began to grin a little evilly at that little prank.

Shadow eventually came to a halt outside an open café and entered. He sat down at one of the tables by the window and glanced at the menu. At the very thought of having breakfast with his coffee made him feel hungry.

"Coffee and bacon sound very much needed right now." Shadow thought with a grin.

Over an hour later Shadow was done with his food and on his second coffee. It was only seven fifty and still far too early to noise Sonic up. Sonic did after all live with his kid brother Tails and the fox could still be sleeping.

"Shadow?" Rouges voice filled Shadow's ears, making him look up from his coffee and watch the bat sit opposite him.

"Hello Rouge, you staying for a coffee?" Shadow asked with a grin.

"Yeah sure why not. At first I wasn't even sure it was you sitting here, you don't usually go out wearing tops and why aren't you wearing your gloves?" Rouge said as she looked at Shadows bear hands holding onto his mug, his inhibitors hung a little loosely around his wrists.

"I didn't feel like wearing them today so I wore one of my tops instead. I personally think it's a nice casual look for me, not so serious and more of a relaxed look." Shadow gently answered with a faint smile at Rouge.

"Yeah it's nice and all but I thought you needed your gloves." Rouge replied with a puzzled from.

"No not really, they are more of a fashion statement and a way to look a little less naked when out in public. It would be quite bazaar if you saw me in just my skates right?" Shadow smirked as he spoke back then lifted his mug up to his lips.

"I suppose you do have a point there, anyway I'm ordering that coffee and yes it's your treat too." Rouge grinned back then waved a waitress over.

"Fine I'll even treat you to breakfast if you want." Shadow shrugged as he had no issues with this.

"Well in that case I'm getting some pancakes." Rouge said then when the waitress arrived she placed her order.

Another hour went by making it almost nine o'clock. Rouge has finished her pancakes about twenty minutes ago and had ordered another coffee.

"You got any plans for today?" Rouge asked as she held her mug near her mouth with both hands, her elbow resting on the table.

"I was going to see if Sonic was free but you already mentioned he and Tails are camping up on Angel Island so no I haven't." Shadow casually said with a shrug and hid his disappointment very well.

"I might just go for a run then just go home, it does need a tidy up and beds stripped for washing." Shadow added with a small frown.

Mentioning his bed made him want to return to his family and hopefully go back to his family vacation.

"Sounds like a plan, I'm popping to Angel Island. With Knuckles distracted the master emerald is free for the taking." Rouge grinned back but then soon began to frown in concern as Shadow began to look a little depressed as she spoke.

"You sure you are alright Shadow? Say why don't you come with me and we can scare the heck out of Knuckles by taking the master emerald." Rouge suggest with a soft tone and gave a small smile.

"Nah I'll just go home and sort out the place, if I go with you then it will never get done." Shadow sighed as he so badly just wanted to take those pills and get back to his happy life.

"Ok hun...well that is me finished." Rouge said with a sigh, finished her drink then stood up.

"I'll see you Friday morning about eleven ok, thanks for the breakfast and see you then." Rouge said with worry in her eyes down at Shadow.

"Yeah sure thing Rouge, say hi for me." Shadow replied with a forced smile up at Rouge then watched her walk out then fly away.

Shadow sighed then look down at his long since finished mug of coffee. He frowned sadly into the mug as he was missing Maria and Gerald more so now.

"Can I get you another coffee Shadow?" The waitress asked when she approached the table to pick up the dirty plate and mug Rouge had.

"Hmm? Oh no thanks I'm leaving now, thanks very much. I'll be seeing you soon I am sure." Shadow softly said as he put that fake smile on his muzzle then got out his money from the secret compartment in his skates, placing it on the table with a tip then stood up to leave.

"You take care Shadow and loving the look." The waitress said with a smile before Shadow walked away from the table.

"Thanks, have a nice day." Shadow replied then walked out with a real smile now, having that compliment said to him felt nice and cheered him up a little.

Shadow ran the long way home, going through the town and then around the entire place on the outskirts. He reached home within half an hour and got straight to work with stripping the bedding for washing, drying and putting back. He wanted freshly washed sheets for later and that is what he's going to have.

Two hours, it took two hours for all that to be done and with the spare bed sheets back on Shadow was now on his way to make up his bed to sleep in.

"I'll quickly get this done, lock up and get back to my family vacation." Shadow muttered as he stood by his bed then got cracking.

That task took under ten minutes to get the sheets back on, in the ready position to just get straight in, and to get all the pillows all nice and fluffed up. Shadow smiled down at his work then rushed around the place making sure everything was locked and secure.

Once done Shadow did his usual bathroom routine then jumped into bed. He took two pills then got comfortable.

"Maria, dad, here I come." Shadow whispered to himself as he snuggled into the very fresh smelling sheets and slowly closing his eyes.