Author's note: Yeah… Once I got into the swing of this story, I got back in!

Chapter Three: Holding Out

"So," Vector said, jumping me out of my thoughts, "what brings you here this late, Kim?"

Kim smiled. She turned to Espio. Knuckles noticed a silver streak on her neck that seemed to extend down her back. "You didn't tell him?" She asked the detective. Her voice was soft and sweet. I shook my head.

Espio looked offended. "Of course I told him!" He said. "He must have forgotten."

"Told me what?" Vector asked.

"We were leaving tonight, Vector," Espio said with a smile.

"Tonight? Espio, your friend has just come back."

"Vec, I can't just break my plans."

"Actually, Espio, I agree with him. You've told me so much of Knuckles hear and you shouldn't leave right now. We'll reschedule," Kim said.

"Vector, I'm hungry." I looked up to see Charmy in the doorway. He looked at Kim. "Kim!" He yelled and ran (yes, I said ran) to the hedgehog. She scooped up the younger teen in her arms.

"You three get to know each other. Espio and I need to talk," Vector said. I looked at him. He seemed older somehow. He grunted as he stood up and grabbed Espio by his arm. The chameleon shrugged and followed his older partner.

"So," Kim said. She had set Charmy down and the bee was rummaging through the refrigerator.

"So?" I asked.

"You are the famous Knuckle-head?" She asked with a laugh. I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Well, it's an honor to meet you. Espio talks about you all the time."

I nodded. "Yeah…Sadly most of those stories aren't good ones. Sorry. What else did he tell you?"

Kim smiled and sat down at the table. She sat in the seat I had been sitting in. I took Vector's. "He told me about Ceaira, and everything that happened. You are very strong to have gone through that and kept a high head."

"I have to admit, I almost quit a few times."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't." I shook my head, just fully wanting to break down right then and there. The entire three years I had been on the road, I never once cried. I had always sucked it up and told myself there was no reason to cry. I buried my head in my hands and finally let it all come out. I was a strong person and I knew it. I wasn't one to bawl in public or private. I had always been able to keep it in, but all the years that had built up had finally crashed down on me. I had everything and lost it all. I wasn't one for self pity, but at that moment I didn't care. I wanted it all out. I wanted someone to know my pain. I felt a gentle hand lay on my shoulder. I had wanted to cry since the day I killed the Beast. I had wanted the tears to flow since the day Ceaira betrayed me, since the day Shadow nearly choked the life out of me, since the day Sonic lost his mind. I wanted to, but pride had kept them in. Now pride didn't concern me anymore. I sobbed until there was nothing left. Years of build up just came out. I was only aware of my own sobs and the gentle hand on my back. My mind raced back to the day I killed the Beast. The same gentle hand that had led me away from death. I would never see him again.

I cried until there was nothing left to cry. When I was done, I looked up, wiping my eyes. Beside me stood the red hedgehog. Vector stood in the doorway and Espio sat beside me. I looked at him. His eyes were bloodshot. I took in a deep, shaky breath and nodded. He patted me gently on my back. I shook my head and laid it back on my arms. I just wanted to sleep. "We'll find Sonic," Espio whispered. "And the only way to do that…"

Vector grunted and growled slightly. "…Is to find Tails," he finished. I nodded and went to get up. "But," Vector continued, "We'll do that in the morning. Kim, you know where you can sleep. Charmy, bed time. Knuckles, I believe you know where the couch is. Good night, everyone." He stood up and walked out. I watched everything like a movie, like I didn't belong there. Espio stood up and hugged Kim and said good night. Charmy gave Kim a hug as well and walked (yes, walked, not flew, walked) out of the kitchen. Espio nodded at me and I shook my head, indicating that I didn't want to get up right now. He nodded and led Kim out of the room. I was alone again. I put my head back on my arms and closed my eyes.

Seven hours later, I hadn't moved a muscle "Knuckles…" Someone was shaking me awake. I looked up to see Espio standing there. "Come on. If you wanna meet Tails, we better go now, because he leaves early in the morning and doesn't come back 'till like midnight, and we can never find him during the day."

"Who's coming?" I asked.

"Me, Vector and Kim," Espio replied.

"What about Charmy?"

"School," Espio replied simply. School? They were sending that hyper active, ADD kid to school? They were stupider than I thought. "I know what you're thinking. He's not as hyper as he used to be. He's been going to school since you left. He's doing pretty well, I guess. He sure knows his ABC's." I cocked my head.

"I thought he already knew his ABC's," I said.

Espio groaned. "No, he makes A's, B's and C's, so he…. Forget it! No one laughs at my jokes anymore!"

"We never did," Vector said as he walked in. "Come on you two. Let's get this show on the road."

I caught up to Vector. "Has he really changed that much?" I asked.

Vector nodded. "Yep. After you left and he grieved, he lightened up a little. He got himself a good friend. I think he's happy."

"Yeah, Kim… She seems to know her way around the agency. You sure her and Espio aren't serious?"

Vector laughed. "Those two? Nah, colleagues don't get serious about each other."

"Colleague?" I asked.

Vector nodded. "Yeah. She runs a private owned Detective Agency and helps us sometimes when we have a bunch of research to do. We don't pay her though." I shrugged. This was all confusing and new to me. I followed behind the group of three as we trudged toward the Mystic Ruins. They were having a conversation, but I wasn't paying any attention to that. I walked with my head down. I fought the urge to put my hood back on. There was no more reason to hide. I shoved my hands into my pockets and sighed sadly. I was used to walking. Living three years on the road got you very used to walking. I took my hands out and hugged my trench coat to my body. The first thing I was going to do after all this was over was burn that coat, but not until I had fixed all my mistakes. I decided that once this was all over, I was going to burn all the clothing I had worn during my three years on the road.

"Knuckles, head out of the clouds," Espio said. "We're here. Want us to hang around?" I nodded. Tails' workshop had changed. He had painted it white and the water-power plant was covered. I guess it was water and solar now. I gulped and walked up to the door and knocked. The second knocking I had done since I returned.

"Coming!" A voice cried from inside. The door swung open. I blinked at the fox. He had grown about four inches since the last time I saw him. His yellow-ish orange fur was now a dark yellow. Even his eyes had changed color. They were now a much colder blue. Those cold blue eyes scanned me. He shook his head and blinked several times. I didn't know what I was expecting, but I sure didn't get it.

He opened his mouth to speak. He closed it and shook his head again. He almost said my name, but it never came out. What did come out shocked me. "You jerk!" He yelled. I stared at him as if he had struck me. I thought he was kidding at first, but his eyes showed nothing but cold shock.

I shot back. "Me?" I asked. "What about you?"

"I didn't leave!" Tails yelled.

"You could be nice to me! We haven't seen each other in three years and all you can do is call me a jerk?" I growled. "You ditched Sonic."

He glared at me. "I did nothing of the sort! That blasted creature stopped talking to me! I tried to call him, he never answered. I tried to find him in between random acts of heroism. If anything, he ditched me!"

I turned to Vector. He shrugged. "We told you what we heard. Being a detective, you learn a few things. One being, there are three sides to every story. One party's, the other party's and the truth." I growled and turned back to Tails.

"What about Amy, then?" I asked. Surely she wasn't the bad guy here too.

Tails laughed. "Amy? That idiot finally told her off! Slapped her right across the face, called her a few things. The kid is heart broken."

"She hasn't moved on?" I asked. Tails shook his head. "Then what story did I hear?"

"If you heard the version where Sonic is the victim, you've been lied to. That guy has changed! He's a jerk," he glared at me. "But you ditched us both!" I couldn't hold it. I backhanded the fox in the face. Tails stared at me. He nodded and rubbed his face. "I'm not a kid anymore, Knuckles," he whispered. "I have a life now. I have other friends. Sonic's gone. Forget it and go back to the road. We were better off without you."

I backhanded him again. "You demon!" I screamed. "You ignorant demon!" Tails stared at me.

"I'm really glad to see you, Knuckles," he whispered. "I… I missed you."

"Tails…" But I never got anything out again. He turned and slammed the door on me. I muttered softly and turned to the waiting trio behind me.

"Wanna go see Amy?" Vector asked. I didn't respond. "Let's go, then."

Author's note: I think I'm throwing everybody into this. I've never written with Amy, so bear with me for the next chapter…