A/N: I've had some people message me to ask what the approximate time frame did the flashback take place. As with this chapter's flashback, it isn't completely clear but by then end you will be able to put all the flashbacks in a timeframe and figure out when they happened. If people still have questions at the conclusion of the story I'll be sure to answer them. Also, words in bold mean they are what characters are reading. Anyway, enjoy the chapter :)

Chapter 3

The storm continued to rage, thunder cracking through the sky and lighting flashing, illuminating searing silver across the heavens. The torrential downpour of rain only worsened, growing heavy as the droplets of water began to turn to those of ice almost as big as golf balls. They pelted Sonic's face, stinging his clammy skin and melting into his cobalt quills. He quickened his pace, braving the storm as he continued to sprint as fast as he could. His pulse raced as his heart beat faster than it ever had. He was fueled by adrenaline and fear. Nothing, not even this horrid storm, could stop him.

Sonic slowed to a jog as he rounded the street corner and came up on the brick-layered house. His shoes squelched through the mud of Knuckles' garden path that winded through towards the front door. Without waiting, Sonic pounded his fist against the door, ringing the doorbell frantically with his other hand.

"Shut up!" He heard a voice call from above. "I'm coming, I'm coming." Sonic waited, panting loudly as he heard heavy stomps race towards the door. Suddenly, the large door was flung open to reveal a disheveled and tired echidna. His long, damp dreds draped down to his shoulders, resting on his plain white t-shirt. His indigo eyes were deep and heavy, black bags hanging under his fatigued eyes. He wore thin pants and socks that covered his feet. Sonic's eyes looked right past Knuckles, scanning the room behind him for any indication of Tails but saw nothing. He glazed over the many pairs of shoes lying next to the door, hoping to see Tails' familiar vans. Flip-flops, a pair of trainers, his signature red converse shoes and garden boots caked in mud. No sign of anything that belonged to Tails.

"What the hell do you want?" Knuckles shot, his tired voice floating with malice as he let out a large yawn, stretching his limbs. "It's two in the god-damn morning. Why did you wake me up," he scowled, folding his arms over each other."

"Have you seen Tails?" Sonic yelled immediately, not bothering to explain. "Ames said that the two of you always had your Thursday gatherings together."

"Yeah, he was here. But he left hours ago. Why don't you just call him instead of annoying me?" Knuckles replied somewhat brashly. He stifled another yawn.

"Did he say where he went? Did he say what he was going to do? Did he say-" Sonic spewed out his words without pausing at all, giving Knuckles a headache.

"Sonic, calm down," Knuckles interrupted, ceasing the babbling boy. "Tell me what is going on?"

"No time. Got this phone. Tails is kidnapped. Saw a video. Have until sunrise to save him," Sonic regurgitated the information as he fished out the phone from his pocket and waved it in front of the curious Knuckles. He raised an eyebrow skeptically as his eyes glossed over the phone.

"And you say that this is the phone that was delivered to you tonight?" Sonic nodded in response, not opening his mouth. "Well, you said that the kidnapper instructed you to watch a video but did you check the rest of the phone? Maybe if we go through his phone we can see if there are any clues indicating what happened?" Knuckles offered.

Sonic's eyes lit up, unable to believe that in his frustration and haste after receiving the phone call he had neglected to remember to check the phone. Sonic picked up the phone, the screen buzzing to life as he swiped his thumb across the screen and unlocked it.

…

Sonic swiped his thumb across the screen and unlocked it. His elbows were rested on the white decorative tablecloth as he read through his phone. Amy sat across from him, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she thought he was already bored despite only just arriving at the restaurant. The two sat at one of the back tables of one of the most marvelous restaurants in the whole city. Sonic had to book months in advance just to get one of the smaller tables. The whole extravagant restaurant was crowded with bustling people talking, ordering and laughing. A gigantic, crystallized glass chandelier hung above, drowning the room in a gorgeous light. It was perfect. The most elegant place Sonic could have taken Amy, she thought, but to her, he was already ruining it.

"Ahem," she coughed loudly, trying to gather his attention away from his phone. Sonic raised his eyebrows as he looked at her, a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Sorry Ames, you look beautiful tonight," he flattered her, noticing her astonishing navy blue dress.

"Thanks, but… could you get off your phone?" She asked, trying her hardest to be as polite as possible. Once again Sonic apologized, hurriedly tapping out one final message before he shut off his phone and replaced it back in his pocket.

"So, do you know what you are going to order tonight?" Sonic asked strangely, sweat beginning to bead on his brow as he began to get nervous now that he wasn't on his phone. Amy raised a quizzical eyebrow but dismissed it, turning her attention to the menu.

"I'm thinking of the fish risotto," Amy decided finally, but once she closed her menu and glanced back up to Sonic, his face was once again illuminated by the artificial light of his phone again. She groaned, muttering under her breath. "Unbelievable. Some third-year anniversary this turned out to be."

"Huh?" Sonic looked up. "Did you say something Ames?" She sighed, rolling her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that evening but before she could open her mouth to complain, a familiar voice sent dread running through her.

"Sonic? Amy? No way, fancy seeing you guys here," Tails walked up to their table, a huge smile plastered on his face. His voice was shaky, trying to play it off like he just happened to be walking through a fancy restaurant, alone, but Amy knew that Sonic had texted him.

"This is just great," she grumbled under her breath as Sonic called him over. "We can't ever get a moment alone." Amy stood up, running a hand down her hair before announcing, "I'm going to go freshen up."

"Okay, don't be long," Sonic called back obliviously, unbeknownst to him that she was already mad at him and the night was still very young.

"So, why did you call me here? Date really going that bad?" Tails asked, still standing next to the table. Sonic's gaze was trained on Amy, waiting until she turned the corner and entered the bathroom before he let himself speak.

"Okay, thanks so much for coming. Tonight is super important," Sonic began, standing up to give Tails a quick hug.

"Why?"

"Well, you know Cream and Knuckles have been dating for just over two years now," Sonic continued. Tails nodded. "And I bet Knuckles has told you how he is saving up to buy a ring for her." Another nod. "Well thinking about Knuckles planning to pop the question to Cream has gotten me thinking."

"Actually, Sonic, there is something I need to tell you. You see, the thing about Cream is-" However, before Tails could finish his sentence Sonic had reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a small black case with a stunning diamond ring concealed inside.

"I'm going to ask her to marry me tonight. That's why I need your help." Tails froze, unable to finish his sentence. He knew he couldn't spill his own news he had. He didn't want to ruin Sonic's big night.

"M-my help?"

"Yeah, you're my best friend, buddy. You're the only person I can trust to help hide the ring in her meal. I contacted the waiter tonight as well and messaged him that she was planning to order the fish risotto. Can you deliver this ring to him and make sure everything goes according to plan? This ring cost me all the money I had been saving for my trip around the world but… but Amy is more important," he finalized, leaving Tails in awe.

"Y-you spent the money you were saving for travel?" He blinked, before shaking his surprise away. "I mean Yes,", his gaping mouth replaced with a beaming, happy smile. "Of course I'll help you out. I couldn't be more happy for you. Congratulations!"

"Don't congratulate me yet," Sonic laughed. "She still has to say yes."

…

Sonic snapped back from his memory of the night Amy agreed to marry him, pressing the images button on the phone. Apart from the video he was sent, everything else seemed to be deleted.

"Why don't we try looking through his recent messages? Maybe there is a conversation that could help," Knuckles spoke up, trying his hardest to help the disgruntled and worried Sonic.

"I doubt it," he said in defeat. "If this freak wiped everything else on this phone, why would they not have deleted his messages too?" However, despite the lack of hope, Sonic clicked on the little message app and watched as the screen change to a list of messages. Just as Sonic predicted, they had all been deleted. That is, all except one. "That's strange…"

"What?

"One conversation wasn't wiped. One between him and Cream."

"My Cream?" Sonic nodded, opening it. It was obvious that some of the conversation had been tampered with, as the only set of messages were from a week ago, and all messages prior to the specific conversation had also been deleted.

"It's been tampered with," Sonic remarked aloud as he scrolled up to the top of the excerpt and began to read.

"What does it say? What were they talking about?"

Tails: I still don't know if we should do this

Cream: This was your idea

Tails: I just don't know if I can completely abandon Sonic like that

Cream: Didn't you tell him? I thought you were going to ask him to come with us

Tails: I was but he called me out to dinner and proposed to Amy

Cream: That's great news. I'm so happy for them

Tails: Me too, so I can't tell him about our plan because I don't want to drag him away from Amy forever. He spent all his money

Cream: So what are you going to do?

Tails: Shit, that was too close. Knuckles almost saw these texts. We need to be more careful

Cream: What do you suggest?

Tails: Check your mail box

Sonic's eyes grew wide as he read over the conversation. Tails was going to leave him? Why? And for what? He had no idea that his best friend was planning anything. However, more than his own shock at his friend's unusual behaviour he was scared for him. Scared at what Knuckles might do.

"Knux… you okay?" Sonic asked cautiously, glancing up at the taller man who looked completely stunned. Sonic couldn't read his face. It was frozen, emotionless. His mouth barely more than a horizontal slit, eyes dark and foreboding.

"Did you know?" Three simple words escaped Knuckles' lips.

"No, I had no idea this is the first I'm hearing of this," Sonic replied almost too quickly.

"Some best friend you were," he snapped harshly.

"Dude, this is news to me! Don't go attacking me about this," Sonic exploded back, the tension from the night's events and constant fear for his best friend straining his tolerance. Knuckles let out a guttural grow, his hands in fists, shaking in anger as he tried to satiate the pain.

"How could she… she was planning to run away with… with him? I was planning to propose to her," his voice was raspy and distant, trying to hold back the anger.

"Knuckles I-"

"I'll kill him!" Knuckles bellowed in anger. "How could he do this to me? I thought we were fucking friends but he stole the girl of my dreams from me?! I'll fucking murder him."

"Knuckles, calm the fuck down!" Sonic grabbed his arms, staring daggers into his cold eyes. "We can sort all this shit out later but getting angry isn't going to help. We need to save Tails first. Besides, you don't know for sure they were cheating on you."

"Yes they were! Fine, but I'm coming with you," Knuckles decided. Sonic shook his head, frowning.

"I have to go alone or else he'll kill Tails."

"Whatever, go do your own thing then. But you must promise me something, Sonic."

"What?"

"That once we save Tails, you'll get him to come talk to me and face me like a man," Knuckles' eyes were dark, a fire dancing inside of him as flames licked his eyelids.

"Okay. I promise. Now I gotta go. Hopefully Ames has found something that could help us," Sonic urged as he turned to sprint off back into the unrelenting storm.

"I'm gonna go check if Cream is okay," Knuckles called as he grabbed his coat off the hook and draped it over him, shutting the door behind him forcefully and locking it. "I'll give you a lift to Amy's. Time is of the essence, remember?"

"Thanks, Knuckles." Sonic hopped in the passenger seat, turning to his stoic friend beside him, studying his facial features. "Also, I'm sorry. Sorry all this shit happened to you."

"You'd be surprised what people can do behind your back when you think you know them," he responded gravely as he stomped his foot on the accelerator and they roared off down the road and into the stormy night.

A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed the next chapter, only 3 more to go so I hope you are all enjoying it so far and please leave me a review to let me know what you think or any theories you have. Constructive criticism is always appreciated :)