Can I Have This Dance

Chapter 17

Dingo waited away from everyone, knowing that Bartleby would soon seek him out. It didn't take long after the hedgehogs had left. "Bartleby… I… Robotnik wanted someone watching you all the time…" He started. "I'm sorry I saw… You and…"

Bartleby stopped him. "Just tell me what you want. To keep it quiet, I mean… I promised her that Uncle would never find out… So tell me what it will take to keep you quiet. I'll give you anything… even as much money as you desire…"

Dingo sighed. "You would do anything? Really? Let's see… It'll be hard… I always had a big crush on her…" He saw Bartleby tense and get out his checkbook, ready to live up to his promise. "What do I want… A promise…"

Bartleby looked at him. "A promise… What kind of promise… I just promised to give you anything you want. So spit it out…"

Dingo chuckled and smiled. "A promise that you will never… Never hurt her… Not on purpose… That you will take care of her…"

Bartleby nodded. "You have my word. I will never hurt her if I can prevent it… I love her so…"

Dingo nodded. "Then you have mine… I will tell no one. I swear."

Bartleby sighed with relief. "Thank you…"

Sleet ran over with alarm. "Robotnik just called. We have to get the villagers ready to leave immediately. The water and the soil on the island have been heavily poisoned. This island is uninhabitable."

Chief Takai heard the wolf sounding alarmed. "What did he find?"

Sleet shook his head. "Your food hasn't just been disappearing. It's been poisoned. Nothing can grow here, the water should not be touched. That's why the fish have left. This island is uninhabitable. Prepare your people to leave immediately."

Takai gasped. "Yes, I will, thank so. You should keep your money. It cannot be sold under that condition."

Bartleby shook his head. "You are getting your money. Robotnik will need to examine the island and study everything to see what he can do to save it."

Takai nodded. "I must ready my people and my son…"


Sonia looked out the window of the van as Manic drove them through the water. She couldn't hold back the smile. Her time with Bartleby had left her feeling very relaxed.

Sonic saw the look on her face. "Are you okay Sonia? There's gas-gone in the glove compartment if you need it."

Sonia looked back at him and schooled her expression. "Oh, um, thanks… I do have a little gas…" She lied as she got the medication. She couldn't tell them the real reason she was smiling.

Manic glanced slyly at her. She clearly had spent time with Bartleby. He wanted badly to talk to her about it, but he couldn't. He needed to talk to the Oracle before he could do anything else. "It's a shame that we couldn't help them… I hope everything works out…"

Sonia nodded. "I do too but Bartleby pointed out something. If Robotnik was just going to roboticize them then going through the process of purchasing the island would be a little pointless. He could just send in bots and take the island by force. So I think they'll be okay… hopefully they can get some food."

Sonic sighed. "That sounds logical but… Robotnik is not logical. And Bartleby is on his side. I know he's your friend Sonia, but you need to be careful listening to anything he says."

Sonia went quiet. Sonic would never understand her love for Bartleby. Every day it got harder not to tell them the truth, to pretend to have no feelings for him, to not defend him. Now they were married and they had to live apart. Her brothers would never accept him. Looking out the window again, a tear slid down her cheek.


"No!" Mantu shouted as Robotnik helped his people load what few belongings they had into the ships. They had arrived only an hour after Sonic and his siblings had left. "No Father! I won't leave! This is our home!"

Takai sighed sadly. Mantu still couldn't handle the move. Robotnik knelt down to the boy, kindness in his eyes that he usually saved for Bartleby. "I know… moving can be scary. Leaving behind the place you know best for something unknown, for a new life."

Mantu shook his head. "I'm not scared… I just can't leave here. This is our home… the stone guardians are here and I'm supposed to take care of them when I'm grown up. "And Sonic says we can't trust you anyway! He says you're evil…"

"Mantu!" Takai attempted to scold the boy but Robotnik lifted his hand. Takai saw the hurt in the man's eye.

"I know what Sonic thinks of me. The entire underground believes it. But judge with your own eyes Young Mantu. Do I seem evil to you?" Robotnik asked. Mantu thought about it and shook his head reluctantly. "Now, please, tell me why you don't want to leave."

Mantu fought the pain in his chest. "I can't leave… I… the guardians… I promised… we promised Mother… that…"

Takai felt his heart sink as he realized suddenly why Mantu didn't want to leave. "His mother is buried on this island."

Robotnik nodded understandingly. "And you feel as if you're leaving her." He said to Mantu, summing up what the boy was trying to voice.

Mantu sniffed and nodded. "I can't leave…"

Robotnik nodded. "That makes sense… I wouldn't want to leave someone I loved either. But would your mother want you to stay where you would become very sick?" He pulled out a vial and opened it. "Don't touch it just take a little sniff."

Mantu took a sniff and instantly covered his mouth and nose. "Ah! What is that!? It smells disgusting!"

Robotnik nodded. "This was found in the soil and in the water of your island. It's some sort of poison or pollutant. I'm still trying to isolate the compound and identify it. But this is why you have to leave. If you stay here, you will eventually become very ill. Extremely so."

Mantu looked like he could vomit. "How did it get here? Can't you fix it?"

The man looked unsure. "Honestly, I don't know. I hope so… it leaves me heartsick that it cannot be used now… but I'm going to try. If I can, it will take many years. You'll likely be grown before the island is inhabitable once more. But I will try. You have my word on that. In the meantime, consider, with this here… if your mother found it, what would she want your father to do?"

Mantu wiped his eyes. "She'd… she'd want us to leave… She loved us… she'd want me where I'm safe."

Robotnik nodded. "That's right. And your father only wants the same, for you to be safe. So, I think it's time to leave… don't you?"

Mantu nodded slowly. "Yeah… it's time to leave…" He looked at his father. "I'm sorry father… and I'm sorry…" He looked at Robotnik. "For calling you evil. I was wrong."

Robotnik smiled. "All is forgiven." He stood up and looked over at Bartleby as Mantu and his father got ready to leave.

Bartleby came over to him. "Well, I think you reached him. I hope that when the time comes, I'm half as good with kids as you are Uncle."

Robotnik sighed. "I know you will be. You're going to be an excellent father someday… of course, you'd need to get married first." He said, opening the door for the boy in case he was ready to tell him.

Bartleby nodded. "Yeah, I would… I will find the right woman someday… When the right woman realizes the truth…" He had to keep their secret. At least until Sonia gave him leave to say something. Hopefully, it would be soon. He hated lying to him.

AN: Sorry for the delay. I had some major blockage on top of working full time. I'm still working full time but my brain is working again lol. Next time, a discovery gets the lovers thinking about their eventual future while Sonic's hate of Bartleby and keeping secrets starts causing Sonia to breakdown. What will happen? You'll have to read and review to find out.