So this is the second part to the story. In this chapter we'll see more violence, abuse, and blood. But will there also be love? NO FLAMEZ!

Bitter Rivalry

Chapter 3: A Turn For The Worse

Recap:

"Knuckles!?"

"Rouge!?"

This was going to be and interesting day.

Knuckles stood, he was shocked.

He didn't expect Rouge to actually bump into him again; in fact she probably didn't even want to see him again.

Rouge just stopped dead in her tracks, panting and breathing hard from the run, a look of confusion struck her face.

'Why is he here?' she asked herself. But she found no answer.

Knuckles asked the same thing, but he couldn't find an answer either.

"Why are you here? You're not planning on stealing our cargo? Are you?" he demanded.

'Would you?' he also thought, as he began to glare at her when she took a step back.

'He's being a jerk, just like Shadow. I guess all men are the same' Rouge thought as she quickly retorted back "YOUR cargo? You're probably here to steal ours! You're so low and vile!"

Knuckles gritted his teeth, and squeezed his fists. He had forgotten to bring his gloves.

Rouge stood proud and stared at him, her heart ached from his harsh words but she brushed it off.

Pain was nothing to her; she had already been in many unstable relationships.

How was he any different from the rest of the scumbags?

Both made no move to attack, they just stood glaring at each other.

Their eyes held such a fiery intensity that even the sun would be jealous.

Suddenly a boat horn was heard in the distance, the shipment would be here soon.

'I guess I have to hold her off so she won't snatch out alcohol' Knuckles thought with disdain as Rouge quickly attacked.

'He really was here to steal from us! We I'll show him that a woman like me won't be pushed around!' she growled to herself.

Knuckles was knocked back from the blow, he slammed into a tree before retaliating.

He charged at Rouge, and as she was about to fly up and out of his way, he grabbed her ankle and slammed her back into the earth.

The blow left her winded, and she felt her wing snap in pain.

Knuckles lunged at her, his dukes ready.

Rouge got up quickly and fended him off with her legs, kicking viciously.

She luckily managed to strike at his face so he backed off, giving her time to regain her composure and get back up onto her feet.

Knuckles stumbled back and shook it off. Then he came at her again.

'I'll show her not to mess with me! I'm not gonna be pushed around like how I was last time!' he screamed in his head as he jumped her and began to pummel her with his bare hands.

Rouge was pinned under Knuckles, with his weight advantage and his bigger body; she wouldn't be able to push him off.

Her legs were useless, for he was on them and her wings were no better.

She tried to desperately block his attacks, but it wasn't of any use for he was launching them from all directions.

He struck her across the head a few times, and he saw the blood run from her face.

But he didn't notice; he was in a blind rage.

Rouge was losing consciousness, and she could feel the pain begin to numb as her body was shutting down.

'No…if I give up now…he'll kill me' she managed to think as she began to struggle under him.

Knuckles picked her up by her legs and began to slam her into the trees around him.

He then flung her to the side like a rag doll, his rage dissipating.

"Serves her right…" he managed to mutter as the ferry suddenly appeared.

He watched as it dropped off two loads of alcohol.

He stood panting as the ferry soon drifted away; he then fell to his knees.

There were two loads. One for each of them. She hadn't come to steal at all.

Knuckles could feel the guilt wallow up inside of himself; he hugged himself to try and stop it from surfacing.

'How can I be so reckless? How can I hurt someone without even thinking twice?' his mind roared.

Rouge managed to get up to her feet shakily. She hadn't knocked out from being smacked around the trees.

She could feel herself swaying back and forth, and one of her eyes was shut because of the blood running down her face.

And she was tired, so very tired.

She felt slightly dazed and she looked to Knuckles.

He was on his knees, his hands covering his face.

She looked over to the cargo and spotted two loads.

'Two loads…he wasn't here to…steal' she thought as she tried to hold her footing.

"Knuckles…" she managed to spit out as his eyes suddenly flashed open and he turned to her.

She tried to steady herself, but failed and tipped over.

She could sense the ground coming closer and she braced for impact but suddenly a pair of hands held her still.

She fluttered open her eyes to see Knuckles holding her up so she wouldn't hit the ground.

"Don't worry…I got you" Knuckles softly mumbled.

"Why?" was all she managed to say before letting sleep take over her.

Knuckles didn't know why, it was just a sudden impulse that took over him.

What was he to do now?

Rouge was beaten, battered, bruised, and bleeding. He wouldn't be able to carry her back along with the two loads of shipments.

He gritted his teeth, why did he attack? He was getting reckless, and he hated himself for it.

A woman change him. HIM! The mighty Knuckles the Echidna getting soft over a woman.

It sounded very ridiculous to him, and the people around him would probably have a laughing fit.

'I can't leave her here…she might die…come on Knuckles! Are you an Echidna or are you a coward! HUH! Both!' he screamed at himself.

He pulled out his cell, and scrolled through the list of numbers.

'Sonic wouldn't be of any help…Tails can't drive…Cream & cheese…I don't even wanna think about them…Amy…I could call Amy' he pondered as he dialed the number. 'Pick up…please pick up…' Pleaded Knuckles.

After a couple of rings Amy picked up.

"Hello?"

'Thank god' he thought as he quickly replied, "Amy…can you come to the alcohol's appointed pick up I'm a little preoccupied at the moment".

"Um…ok"

"Thanks…" Knuckles managed to choke out as he hung up.

He felt sick, as he looked over Rouge's body.

Her face dripping with blood and mixed disgustingly with her makeup. Bruises made their way from her head to her stomach, each of them purple and swollen. Her white gloves and boots covered in dirt and mud. Her jeans and shirt ripped and shredded, almost revealing her undergarments.

He blushed suddenly, staring at her developed top.

'NO! Not now…concentrate on getting her back' he scolded as he gently picked her up bridal style.

"I have to go back to the speakeasy…" he reassured himself as he dashed out of the woods.

'Even if Sonic disagrees' he added.

Shadow came back to The Saint Maria only to find an empty bed.

He noticed the note on the table and read it quickly, grinning at the last bit. the Luv u

He crushed it and hurtled it into the trash, just barely making it in.

Then he took a seat at the bar, taking with him some of the alcohol that hadn't been broken during Rouge's fight with him.

He'd become and alcoholic but didn't care. He liked the taste of the booze sliding down his throat while leaving a burning trail.

Then he loved to piss Rouge off and make her love him.

He smirked when he remembered how he had to force her to do it. Like as if she still was a virgin.

"Heh…that cunt as a virgin…haha…hahahahaha….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he began, holding his sides and rolling in laughter.

Knuckles made it back to the Emerald Gang's speakeasy without being seen.

He silently slipped in from the back entrance and made his way up a long spiral staircase.

Once reaching the top he stopped, he would soon be at his room but the others could be in their rooms as well.

It was a long hallway, mahogany doors running on both sides. Large windows between the doors covered in black satin drapes. Large pictures of beasts and birds fighting, tapestry's and sculptures lay along the vast hall.

Knuckles soon dragged Rouge to his room; he knew he wouldn't leave a trail of blood because it had already dried on her body.

He fumbled with his keys for a bit, then inserted them into the door and bustled through.

Quickly shutting and locking the door, he then placed Rouge on the bed.

'She needs medical attention…and fast!' he panicked as he pulled out the first aid kit.

'Can't go to the hospital, they're gonna be suspicious about this place…I guess I have to treat her here' he contemplated as he suddenly came to a realization.

He would have to take her clothes off in order to dress the wounds.

Knuckles blushed furiously as he carefully began to life up her shirt.

'Who's that…Who's touching me?' Rouge thought as she suddenly flashed her eyes open and slapped his hand away.

"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TOUCHING ME!" she screamed as Knuckles pinned her and placed his hand over her mouth.

"SHHHH! Listen! I'm not here to hurt you ok! I was just going to dress your wounds…but since you're up you can save me the trouble" he mumbled as quietly as he could, while waiting for someone else to come barging into his room.

'More like saving you the pleasure…' She thought as she began to take of her shirt.

"What are you doing!?"

Knuckles face had suddenly turned a deep crimson, and was visible even when his skin was naturally red.

"Well…are you going to attend to my wounds or not?" she simple stated as Knuckles held his tongue.

Luckily for the both of them Sonic, Tails, and Big went out leaving the two of them alone.

Knuckles began to slowly clean her cuts, lightly dabbing them with a wet cloth.

Rouge winced; even though he was being gently they still hurt.

Once that was done, he began to wrap her waist, arms, wings, and head.

As he was wrapping her could feel her silky soft copper skin that lay hidden beneath her gloves and boots. There was a bit of tingling in his finger tips as he brushed them along her back when wrapping.

He blushed.

Rouge took notice of the red, and quickly pulled away from him.

"I think I'm done being wrapped up like a mummy for one day" she snorted as she stood up and tried to walk away.

"Wait…" He softly pleaded as he gently took her hand.

She froze, and slowly turned her head to acknowledge that he was there.

"I want you to stay" he shyly uttered as he realized her still held her hand and let go.

"Why should I stay?" she scoffed as she turned to face him.

She shouldn't have done that because once she turned around and looked him in the eye, she was captured by the pleading gaze.

You're injured…you need tending to" he simply stated as he hoisted her onto the bed.

He sat her on the bed, and went.

'Where is he going? Maybe to get something to tie me down with' she thought with fear as she was going to stand up again when he suddenly came back into the room.

He held a tray of fruits in his hands.

She stopped and plopped back onto the bed, Knuckles didn't take notice.

"Here…I got you some fresh fruits to eat" he said as he handed her the tray.

She looked at them a bit and began to slowly munch on the delectable food.

Knuckles took a seat next to her and pulled off the grapes and began to eat as well.

They sat eating in silence until the entire tray was left with only scraps.

Suddenly a voice was heard downstairs.

"Knuckles? Sonic? Anyone?"

It was Amy.

Knuckles quickly reacted.

He grabbed Rouge and ushered her into the bathroom, he then locked the door made his way out of his room and locked that door. Then he made his way slowly down the stairs to Amy.

"Oh! Knuckles you scared me! I thought you were a burglar!" Amy scolded, waving her giant hammer at him.

"Amy…please! Why would a burglar come into a speakeasy when I'm here" he gloated as she bopped him one.

"OW! What was that for?"

"For scaring me!"

Knuckles muttered unspeakable words as he rubbed the tender area on his head, for the moment he had completely forgotten about Rouge.

Rouge stood pressed against the door listening with her giant bat ears.

She had acute hearing so she could make out every word the said, it also helped that they were yelling too.

"Well…since I'm in here…I guess I should clean myself off" she mumbled as she took a cloth and began to wipe off the dirt from herself.

Back downstairs Knuckles had told Amy about what happened when he went to go pick up the shipment.

"I kinda figured that might've happened since I had to drop off the load with Shadow!" Amy grunted as Knuckles held a confused look.

"Well the ferryman had left two loads so I figured that one was ours and one was The Saint Maria's. So I dropped it off and Shadow asked me if I had seen Rouge. I told him that I didn't see her but I had a hunch that she might've ran into you when he mentioned that she went to go pick up the cargo" Amy breathed.

"Oh…sorry Amy" Knuckles stated when suddenly a large crash was heard from upstairs.

"Don't tell me she's here Knux" Amy groaned as they made their way up.

"OW! GOD DAMN PIECE OF –!!" Roared Rouge as she held her foot while bouncing up and down in the bathroom.

Knock, Knock.

"Rouge? You ok in there?" Amy sweetly asked as a mumble was heard from the other side.

Knuckles unlocked the door and Rouge stumbled out and into his arms.

They both blushed furiously.

"Aw! How cute!" Amy squealed with delight as they both sent death glares at her.

"Ok, ok! I'll be downstairs" she chuckled as she headed out.

Knuckles still held Rouge in his arms, and they stood like that for awhile until Rouge quickly pulled away.

"Get your hands off of me! Don't touch me!" she shouted as she slapped his away from her body.

Suddenly she felt a jabbing pain in her side, and she buckled only to be caught by Knuckles, again.

"Hey! Take it easy…" he growled as he helped her back up to her feet.

"Listen…stay here for awhile until you heal completely…understand?" Knuckles whispered as she quietly nodded. She wasn't going to go anywhere for some time.

Meanwhile Shadow paced around the room.

He was worried for the bat, even though he didn't like to admit it but he still did care for her.

"Where is she!? She's supposed to be back by now! Dammit Rouge!" he grumbled and growled as he took as seat by the bar for the fifteenth time that day.

He gulped down another scotch and another and another and another.

He didn't care about his growing anger and the fact that he was drunk. He needed her. NOW.

Shadow began to throw things around the room in his drunken rage.

He ripped apart the seat covers and the drapes. And he even broke a few chairs before collapsing to his knees.

He calmed down for a bit and began to ponder about what Amy had told him just hours before.

Even though she was his brother's girlfriend she was always special to Shadow.

She wasn't like Fiona or Rouge actually. Amy had an aura about her that caught everyone's attention.

'Damn you Sonic…you're one lucky bastard to have a girl like that' he roared in his mind as began to once again smash and break things while cussing.

Well…finally I made it to the ending of this chapter…whew…took a lot outta me but I hope I'll be able to put up more before I go back to school. Well ciao for now!

Preview for next chapter: 'I didn't notice that Knuckles had such emotions…I…I should treat him better or I could lose him as a friend…no...He's not a friend…he's more than that…….'