PART 1 - A Love Unlived

CHAPTER 2 - Four's a party

Sunlight streamed through a small gap between closed curtains and split the darkness like a golden wall. It was late morning and the day was warm, too warm! Tails turned uncomfortably and kicked off his blanket. Lazily he watched the dust particles swim in the sunbeam and thought about the week he had had. Things were going right, really right!

What are the chances of all that missing stuff showing up? The mood regulator, the chaos energy calibrator; Heck, I didn't even know I had a spare laser assembly! There was that time I couldn't remember something and the answer was in the first book I found, there was the time where the soldering iron broke and then suddenly started working again, heck I'm sure even my coffee has tasted better the last few days.

He smiled and glanced at the clock on his bedside; Heh 12:05, man It was another late one last night, he thought as he lay comfortably back on his pillow, Wait! 12:05, Oh no! I'm late for lunch with Sonic and Sally!

Bedsheets flying, tails leapt up and dashed to the bathroom, splashing his face with a handful of icy water and chasing it with a towel. He glanced at the shower and then back at the clock. Dammit No time! deodorant will do… oops too much! Slinging a satchel over his shoulder he dashed out the door and briskly started towards the center of town.

The weather was perfect and tails drank in the warmth of the sun as he hurried through the bustling midday streets of new Mobotropolis. The town was so busy and vibrant today that he had to duck and weave between groups of mobians crowding the sidewalks. Hurrying past a shop window he glanced at a clock. 12:17! Argh I hate oversleeping! He quickened his pace.

Rounding a corner a shady cobblestone mall lined with rows of cafe and restaurant tables swam into view, It was lunchtime and very busy. He scanned the crowd carefully, almost all of the tables were taken. I thought they said to meet here... I hope I'm not too late! Turning around he walked back to the corner, maybe they're down this-

"Hey Tails! yo little buddy, wrong way!"

Threading his way down the busy street was Sonic smiling widely. He thrust his hand out for a brotherly handshake.

"Late night eh buddy? those eye bags are coming along real nice" Sonic said jocularly.

"Ha yeah, I've been really busy, thanks for the compliment. Sorry I'm late".

"Don't sweat it dude! You're not late yet, we only just sat down a few minutes ago, Sally and Nicole went to get a table over this way because all of these ones here are taken. C'mon".

Tails' heart leapt a little in his chest as he briskly followed Sonic. Nicole? I didn't know she was coming. Using the reflection of the shopfront window he quickly inspected and cursed the dark circles under his eyes. They rounded the corner onto a quiet avenue which looked onto a lush garden. Sally and Nicole sat at a table together, talking animatedly and peeking at something Sally had in a shopping bag.

"Hi Tails! Come and join us" Sally shouted as she saw the boys approach. Nicole smiled and gave a little wave, Tails greeted and smiled shyly as he pulled up the chair opposite to her. Pleasantries were exchanged.

"So how's the party organising going Sal?" asked sonic "Is the old man looking forward to his 50th?"

"Oh well, you know, it's okay…" replied Sally, "Dad keeps telling me not to make too much of a fuss, and I'm trying not to go overboard but geez, I had no Idea how much work goes into planning something this big. Beating robotnick was easier!"

"Anything's easier than fighting Robotnik" shot Sonic with a smirk.

"What still needs to be done sally? Is it something we could help with?" asked tails.

"Well, actually I have to admit I was kind of praying you would ask" admitted Sally looking down guiltily, "It's only a week away and I still haven't finalised all the details; the decorations, the food, I'm in over my head…"

Nicole spoke up. "Sally, why didn't you say something earlier? I'd love to help out!", Tails nodded enthusiastically.

"Help eh? I dunno… do we get free food?" nudged Sonic

"All the chilli dogs you can eat" sally replied.

"Alright I'm In."

"But only If you help make them"

"Awwww!" sonic groaned emphatically.

Nicole and Tails laughed and for the next twenty minutes the table was alive with jokes, banter and exciting ideas.

Finally sonic interrupted. "Hey here's a suggestion guys!"

"Sonic No! For the last time you can't face paint the palace guards!" protested sally.

"No seriously, I think we can all agree on this one…"

The table went quiet as Sonic grinned and waited. He motioned with his eyes at tails who was lost in the menu. Almost as if on queue, Tails' stomach broke the silence with a loud growl.

"oh, I… excuse me, I um… didn't have breakfast"

"Anybody else keen for some lunch?" laughed Sonic.

Tails blushed and glanced at Nicole who was trying to stifle a giggle. The four friends studied their menus for a minute and then sally took orders.

"Sonic will you come with me? I was hoping to talk to you about something"

"Sure Sal" said Sonic and turned to Nicole "Watch out for Tails while I'm gone Nicole, he bites when he's hungry."

Tails cringed with embarrassment and shot a death glare at Sonic who winked and waved before rounding the corner. Nicole looked apologetically as she tried to hide her amusement. Tails smiled shyly and averted his eyes towards the tabletop.

A minute passed, silence; Tails took a sip of water, his throat was dry.

Say something you idiot, say something! You gotta say something now!

But why would she want to talk to me?

Just say something moron!

But I don't know what to-

SAY SOMETHING!

Tails looked up. "I really your like...-" shit! *ahem* "I- I really liked your party idea before Nicole, about lighting up the sky with coloured stars. Do you really think you could do that?"

Nicole quickly looked up when she heard tails speak, the spot on the ground she had been studying intently suddenly seemed less interesting.

"Do you really think so?" She said and for a split second her face shone with delight, but then, as if catching herself she suddenly turned somber. "Oh no... actually I wish I hadn't said anything… I've been doing some thinking and, well, I just don't know if I can actually do it. The nanites' field doesn't reach very high and even if i could make the stars I don't know how I could keep them floating. Oh I wish I hadn't said anything, Sally was so excited too, now I feel like such a let down."

Tails couldn't help but chuckle, after listening to Sonic and Sally banter for so long Nicole's modesty caught him by surprise.

"Yep that's just about how I would describe you Nicole. Biggest letdown in Mobotropolis! Sure you can build buildings out of thin air, read a million books in a minute and protect the entire city by yourself but when It comes to something really important like decorating for a party you're all talk! What a let down!"

Nicole glanced up and gave little smile, she still looked a bit down.

"I liked your ideas too Tails. Did you have a particular idea when you suggested a present?" she smirked slightly "I get the sense that sonic's idea of 'fuzzy slippers' wasn't quite what you had in mind?"

"Heh, well no not quite. I did have an idea sort of. Well actually, yes and no. There's something I've been working on for Sally for a while now and I think It would be the perfect present for the king." He looked up with a cheeky smile "Perhaps I'd better not say too much. I wouldn't want to be a let down."

"Heyyyy you're mean." pouted Nicole and they shared a laugh.

Tails paused a moment, something catching his train of thought. "Do you believe in luck?"

"What do you mean?" asked Nicole.

"Well it's the craziest thing, if you had asked me a week ago about this project I would have said there was no way in hell I'd have the present ready for the party. It's weird though, it's almost as if everything has suddenly started going right for no reason. All of a sudden I can't get things wrong, all of the stuff I'm missing turns up, all of the things that are broken start working… It's like I have a lucky charm…" Tails trailed off, slightly lost in thought. He looked at Nicole who had suddenly become very still.

"Y-You must be working really hard Tails, you look a bit tired." blurted Nicole.

"Heh, yeah" Damn eye circles, she must think I'm such a slob "Actually I was a bit late today because I slept in, sorry for inconveniencing you guys".

"Oh that's okay, we were just shopping. I'm glad you came… It's nice to see you again"

Tails blushed; his heart skipped a beat. Was Nicole blushing slightly too? No. don't be stupid. idiot. Get a grip.

There was a another moment of awkward silence and the tabletop once again became very interesting.

"So what have you been working on lately Nicole, ever since you finished repairing the city I haven't seen much of you." Nowhere near enough…

"Oh, actually It's something really exciting, I've been helping Rotor with it for a few months now and It's going to be finished soon. I'd tell you more but it's meant to be a surprise and well..." Nicole smiled coyly "I've learnt my lesson about telling you my ideas haven't I?"

"touché" replied tails playfully. Man she has beautiful eyes "So… so what do you think Sonic and Sally are talking about?"

"Oh I know that!" chimed Nicole, she leaned in to whisper "The party is going to be a formal, there's a partner dance and Sally's been talking all week about how she wants Sonic to be her date. She's got a plan to make him ask her".

"A plan to... make him ask her?" Chuckled tails and rolled his eyes, "man it's always something going on with those two isn't it?".

"He he, It sure is" laughed Nicole, smiling knowingly.

Something about the way that Nicole had laughed sent a jolt down tails' spine and he suddenly felt a bit light headed. Holy cow she's pretty.

Ask her, Ask her now! came the scream inside tail's brain so loudly he couldn't ignore it.
But! but-

Ask her now you bloody moron or I'm out! Me and the stomach are leaving and moving to
the country and we aren't coming back!

Tails looked at Nicole who was smiling at him shyly and time slowed down, the blood seemed to drain from his extremities, the butterflies in his stomach were having a rave.

Tails voice was dry, "Are you… are you going with anybody N-Nicole?".

Nicole's eyes dilated and she seemed a bit shocked. "I…."

Time stood still.

"The other day Rotor offered to take me if-"

"Hey Guys!" Sonic yelled out as he plonked a big basket of chips in the center of the table and promptly grabbed one.

Tails wasn't hungry, something had punched him in the stomach.

"Would you believe I forgot I'd asked sally to this dance thing? I swear I can't remember it but then we did have a bunch of weird mind magic stuff going on after Nagus left, maybe it was some kind of amnesia... But hang on-"

"Okay, so where were we…" sally quickly interrupted and steered the conversation back to the party.

With food in their hands (and sometimes in their mouths) the friends talked and laughed until the lunch crowds had gone and when it was finally time to leave Tails said goodbye and waved cheerily. He arrived home at three and got back to work, or at least most of him did - the rest lay cold and dying at the cafe, trapped in a moment that would last forever.