So, this is an emotional chapter. Probably not my best, but its good enough. I worked hard on it anyways. I've been itching to write this chapter since I started, and I was so happy I wrote it in less than two hours. :D I was up until 4am typing it out. It was quiet fun. x)

So, after this chapter is probably an epilouge, then I'll start the sequel. I'm thinking of switching the POV's in the next one. We'll see where it goes. I've really been wanting to write in 1st person for some reason. o.o I don't know why.

So anyway, enjoy the chapter. :)

Calling You

Chapter 4

The hospital doors slid open as Tails ran inside, panting loudly as he practically leaped through the throngs of people, rushing to the ER where Sonic was waiting for him. He couldn't hear the protests from the people around him. His heart was pounding too hard in his ears. He slid around a corner, breaking into a run until he reached the end of the hallway and burst inside the double doors.

The room was empty. Not a soul in site, not counting the person behind the counter. Tails raced inside, looking around desperately for Sonic, anywhere the hedgehog could be. The woman at the counter looked at him in confusion, and Tails quickly asked her if she had seen the blue blur. She nodded, pointing him down the hallway toward the ICU waiting room.

The words sent Tails's heart into a downward spiral. ICU? Was Amy that bad that she needed to be put there? The tearing in his heart was almost too much, but Tails raced down the hallway, ignoring the beads of sweat making their way down his face. He followed the hallway to the waiting room, and when he rushed inside, he saw Sonic immediately.

The hedgehog was pacing back and forth through the lobby, and Tails could hear the growls beneath his breath. There were already skid marks on the floor beneath the hedgehogs feet. Sonic heard the two doors open, and he turned to face Tails. And their eyes met. Sonic's green eyes were half frenzied, and bloodshot. It took that to make Tails completely forget the argument, the world.

"Tails...Tails..." Sonic was whispering his name, and the kitsune stepped toward him immediately.

"Sonic...It's okay..." And Tails ran to him, his vision blurry as he embraced him tightly, saying nothing. The hedgehog accepted the embrace, tightly hugging Tails, practically gripping onto him, as if to keep him centered on the earth instead of spiraling out of control.

After a few minutes, Tails made him sit down next to him, and the hedgehog dropped his head in his hands, not saying anything. "Sonic...Sonic, what happened?"

For a few minutes the hedgehog said nothing. Then his head shook slightly. "I...She went into labor, but...but something was wrong. Something wasn't right." He lifted his head, looking toward the double doors leading into the ICU. "There was...there was blood....Too much...too much..." Sonic shook his head, not taking his eyes from the doors. Tails felt the fear jump into his throat, and he swallowed the lump there, his eyes focusing on the doors as well. The room grew suddenly quiet, and very, very small.

"I can't lose her, Tails," the hedgehog whispered, and Tails felt the crack inside of him, the thread torn lose from the strings. He watched Sonic now, the hedgehog torn to pieces over something he couldn't change. Tails could hardly believe he was jealous before, how he had gotten angry. But there was no time for that now.

For at that moment, the doors into the ICU opened. And immediately, both kitsune and hedgehog were on their feet, looking anxiously at the white coated doctor before them. Sonic was at his side in a flash, and Tails stayed where he was for the time being. He watched the doctor as his face changed expressions several times. And then he slowly shook his head.

And before his very eyes...Tails's entire world began to unravel.

Tails knew exactly what happened. Before the earth shattering shout and the thud as a body hit the floor, he knew what happened.

A few rooms down the hallway, Amy Rose Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog's wife, his love, lay dead.

Tails's world was suddenly shattering around him, and he felt the fresh tears well into his eyes. "No..." he whispered quietly, shaking his head. "No..."

Sonic was on the ground, the piercing shout of "No!" still echoing in Tails's eardrums. His fist made rhythmic thuds against the tiled floors, and his sobs left the kitsune's heart hollow. The doctor lowered his head, saying something soft, soothing to Sonic. The hedgehog continued sobbing quietly for several minutes before Tails finally felt his feet begin to move. He was at Sonic's side in and instant, and he helped the sobbing hedgehog to his feet. The doctor nodded toward the door.

"Tails..." he pleaded, and Tails wrapped his arm across Sonic, holding him up. He felt the pain again, the tears dripping silently from his face. Sonic couldn't do it alone. He couldn't walk into that room alone. The two helped one another, stumbling slowly after the doctor down the hallway...and into the room.

Tails would always remember how cold the room was when they walked in. He would remember the white-washed walls - how similar they were to his dream - and how the doctor spoke his apologies. And he would defiantly never forget the heart wrenching sight before him.

Amy lie motionless on the bed, pale as a ghost. Her light eyes were close to the world forever, her hands folded neatly against her torso. Her hair was messy, sticking up all over the place. In a pile at the corner of the room, Tails noticed the bloodstained sheets. But Amy...Amy just looked as if she were sleeping.

A quiet wail worked its way into Sonic's throat as he stumbled alone toward the bed, collapsing on top of Amy, embracing her lifeless body as he sobbed, muttering words Tails couldn't understand beneath his breath. The kitsune squeezed his eyes shut, his sobs silent. The pain was nearly too much, and he automatically reached for his chest.

Amy was gone forever.

Sonic stayed like that for awhile, embracing Amy as if he could somehow keep her there, even though she was long gone. After a few minutes, he gathered her head into his lap, running his fingers through her hair and crying quietly. Tails kept his distance for awhile, mourning alone and allowing Sonic his last loving embrace with his wife. The heart-wrenching scene before him was nearly too much to take in; Sonic lovingly stroking Amy's wrecked hair, eyes closed as the tears fell from them, sobbing quietly and shaking his head as if not truly believing she was gone...

And then, he finally opened his eyes and looked at Tails.

The grief he saw there overpowered Tails's own by a long shot. He had never seen such hopelessness, such sadness in one set of eyes. The green, bloodshot orbs that watched the kitsune were so different than before. He sniffled quietly, and Tails decided to move forward.

Tails approached Sonic, leaning against him as he looked down at the peaceful looking body of Amy. Tails cried quietly, and Sonic layed his head against the kitsune's shoulder shoulder, as if it was too heavy for him to lift. He cried quietly, unashamed, and Tails watched him carefully, lovingly stroke Amy's hair. Tails could still smell the soft smell of peppermint from her shampoo from earlier that day. A stab in the chest.

"She...she had just bought that shampoo..." Sonic whispered. "..with the peppermint leaves...and traces of lavender..." Tails said nothing. He simply wrapped his arms around his older brother, his best friend, in a hug that seemed way overdue. Sonic sobbed quietly, allowing Tails's arms to comfort him.

It was around that time that the door eased open, and the white-coated doctor stood at the door, looking at the two leaning against one another. Sonic looked up, his eyes bloodshot and watery, and I did the same. The doctor looked embarrassed, as if not in place, but spoke anyway.

"Mr. Hedgehog...I know it might be a little hard for you right now...But would you like to see your newborn daughter?"

Tails felt a small sob rack Sonic's body, and he looked longingly down at Amy one last time before nodding. They both left the bed, Sonic glancing back over his shoulder a final time. Tails stayed close to him as they followed the doctor yet again, this time down a different hallway.

They walked into the first door on the right in the next hallway. The doctor settled Sonic on the bed inside, and told them both to wait.

It was only a few moments later that the doctor reemerged, pushing a small baby carriage. Tails saw the look immediately on Sonic's face...and when the doctor reach into the carriage, his eyes widened. The doctor lifted the bundle of covers from the newborn baby, and when Sonic layed eyes on his newborn daughter, Tails saw a change in him. A major change. Something he never thought to see in the blue hedgehog. There was a new gleam in his eyes, a new shining. It was as if he finally found his strings to the planet, and his entire world revolved around this one thing.

And at that moment, Tails felt the change too, as if gravity had shifted to what sat in the doctors arms.

The tinny hedgehog was a pale blue, with rings of light, light pink lightly dusting around her small eyes, ears, and tips of her quills. She had tiny fingers, tiny fists, tiny toes and feet. Her eyes, squinted against the bright light of this new world, were the prettiest shade of jade Tails had ever seen. And when she saw Sonic, her tiny arms reached for him slightly, and from the corner of his eye, the kitsune saw the doctor smile.

"Mr. Hedgehog, I would like to present you with your daughter," the doctor said quietly, gently handling the baby toward Sonic. The hedgehog reached for her, wrapping his arms gently around the blankets to hold her carefully. His eyes were glowing as he looked down at her, and they were wide with fear, anxiety, grief....and love. A love so strong it took Tails's breath away. He cradled the baby in his arms, not taking his eyes from her.

"...She's...she's beautiful, Sonic," Tails whispered, looking at his 'niece' closely. And she was beautiful. "She's...she's amazing..." Sonic said nothing, only nodding once, and Tails could see the tears beginning to spring back into his eyes. He sniffed, holding his daughter close to him, closing his eyes.

"Amy had a perfect name chosen. A perfect one for such a...such a beautiful girl..." He smiled sadly, looking down at his daughter. "Elli. Elizabeth Amy Hedgehog..." His voice cracked. "My...Mine and Amy's daughter...my baby..." He sniffed once, cradling his baby gently. And then, his eyes met Tails's. "Tails...do you wanna hold your niece?" He smiled at the kitsune, past all the pain and all the suffering, and all Tails could do was hold out his arms while he placed the baby in the kitsunes arms. And at first, Tails was terrified. And then...then Elli looked up at him, her small, jade eyes staring at him, as if deciding whether he was trustworthy. After a second, she smiled, laughing gently, and wrapping her hand around Tails's finger. All he could do was smile. He rocked her gently, allowing tears to fall from his eyes. Then, he looked up at Sonic.

Tears flowed from the hedgehogs eyes freely, and he stared at his daughter intently, gritting his teeth forcefully. He was crying hard, but silent, and Tails felt the sudden sob rise in his throat. Carefully holding the baby in his other arms, Tails neared Sonic and wrapped his arm around his brothers shoulder. Immediately, Sonic reached to help support the baby better, and his other arm wrapped around Tails. And a sob escaped his throat as he lowered his head, closing his eyes. Tails sobbed too, looking down at Elli, the tiny hedgehogs light eyes confused at the noises. And quietly, she too began to cry.

And for Sonic and Tails, the world had suddenly changed. And it had changed too soon.

xxx

After Tails handed Elli back to Sonic, the hedgehog didn't sit her down the rest of the night. He would cradle her, crying softly, and stare at her longingly, lovingly. Tails stayed with him all the time. It was later that night, when Elli was taken back to the nursery for the night, Sonic cried a little louder, unable to hide his pain. Tails was there the whole time, sitting next to him as they looked out the hospital window.

"Tails..." Sonic whispered late that night, as the two watched the cars move below them. His voice cracked, but he wasn't sobbing. "Tails...what am I going to do?" The kitsune's heart twisted in his chest, and he didn't know how to answer that.

"...All you can do, Sonic," he replied quietly. "You'll...you'll take care of Elli like Amy would want you to." In the dimness of the room, Sonic nodded once, and he sniffed quietly.

"...I miss her...too much..."

Again, Tails embraced Sonic, finding nothing better he could do. The hedgehog cried silently into Tails's shoulder, and Tails listened to his sobs, his own tears stinging his eyes as he looked out the window and up at the sky. A single star twinkled in the dark night, and the star seems almost lonely. Tails watched it, holding Sonic, as his world finished crumbling.

End of Chapter