A/N:hmm well, we are now on chapter fifteen. That's how long Child's Play was. Goodness this is going to be a long story. We have fifty-one reviews, at least we do when I'm writing this. That's pretty confusing 0.o… so I will move along. Child's play has fifty-eight reviews, which means that we need seven more to tie with it… and eight to beat it. I completely blame chapter eleven. Darn that chapter eleven :\. Enjoy chapter fifteen :D!

--LA

I'm too lazy to write another of these right now. Wanna fight about it?! I didn't think so.

Although the world was black, the pink hedgehog could feel warm hands covering her eyes as she felt her way through the hall way.

"Can't I just close my eyes?" Amy asked anxiously, ineffectively trying to wiggle her head out of the makeshift blindfold. There came a giggle from below.

"No, Amy!" Cream squealed, tightening her hold over Amy's eyes. "It's important that you don't see your surprise yet!"

Amy crossed her arms, but chuckled in defeat.

"Alright… but I can't wait much longer, Cream." She said in amusement. She was puzzled at what surprise was coming her way… and what the occasion was; it wasn't her birthday for months, it was the middle of April and Easter had passed… no holidays nearby… Amy was stumped.

Suddenly, the blinded hedgehog marched straight into something hard, and felt little Cream walk into her, squashing her into what felt like a wall.

"Oh, Mr. Knuckles!" Cream cried, helping Amy off of the wall and removing her hands. Amy blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the light and realize that they were now in Vanilla and Cream's cozy, warm kitchen. At the far side of the room, Knuckles sat on a stool beside the counter, his eyes wide and guilty, his mouth bulging, hands frosted nearly as much as the cake its self. Before him on the counter, a cake which must have been once-glorious now had a large chunk taken out of it. Cream looked partly heartbroken, and yet mildly amused. She glanced apologetically at Amy.

"I'm sorry." She said, as Knuckles hurriedly swallowed his mouthful. Amy laughed.

"Don't be sorry, Cream." She said in amusement, and turned to Knuckles with an eyebrow raised. "I'm sure Knuckles would be happy to explain."

The echidna smiled nervously, glancing back and forth between the two waiting females, and wiped some pink frosting from his lips.

"Vanilla said I could help myself to anything in the kitchen."

"Well," Cream laughed, hands on her hips, a jokingly stern look on her face, "Were you too concerned about what was inside of it to read the writing on top?"

Knuckles turned, if possible, ever redder. It occurred to Amy at that moment just how old and mature her little friend was getting.

"I was hungry." He grumbled. "I came to get you, Amy. Tails was looking for you."

"Wanted me?" She repeated in surprise. She would have questioned him more, but years of close friendship told her that little Cream desperately wanted to finish explaining the reason for her now partly eaten cake.

"What was your cake for, Cream?" Amy asked kindly, ignoring Knuckles as he began to explain.

"Well it was for you." She said quietly, blushing. "It was the recipe you gave me last week when I came to visit."

Amy beamed at her.

"You did it?" she asked in amazement. "It took me three tries before I got it right."

"Yes." Cream said, her face turning ever pinker. "Mother wanted to help me… but I didn't let her, because I think she's been sick. She hasn't been acting like herself lately."

Amy and Knuckles gave her a quizzical look

"She was fine when she let me inside." Knuckles said, his head cocked.

"Well," Cream explained, "It's really strange. She'll be normal sometimes, but get all quiet the next. I made her take a nap and I gave her some chicken soup."

Amy chuckled, but felt concerned for Vanilla.

"That was thoughtful of you."

Cream smiled.

"It's what she does for me when I get sick."

Knuckles crossed his arms and cleared his throat loudly.

"Well she's out of bed now… she let me inside." He said, sounding impatient. "And I've got to go. Amy, go see Tails. See you guys."

Cream smiled at him and waved.

"See you." Amy said with a yawn. She turned back to Cream as the echidna left the room. "What did the cake say before Knuckles got into it?"

"It said 'thanks for being a great friend Amy'." She said happily, beaming.

"That's so sweet, Cream." Amy said softly, pulling the little rabbit into a huge hug. The two girls squeezed each other for a moment, then broke apart. "I'm sure it still tastes good, though."

"Ooh!" Cream squealed, hopping to grab plates. "You want some?"

"Yes, please." Amy replied with a wink. Cream bounced back, beaming, and sliced two pieces of fluffy cake onto them. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Cream giggled, grabbing a pair of forks and handing one to her guest.

The two girls ate the delicious desert in relative silence, except for a few "mmm"'s from Amy. When their plates sat empty before them, Amy slouched back in her chair.

"That was really great, Cream." She said, rubbing her full stomach. "Much better than when I made it."

Cream shook her head and scrunched up her nose.

"No." She said, dabbing her mouth with a little paper napkin. "I tried yours. It was much moister than mine."

Amy frowned and shook her head.

"You're too hard on yourself." She said dismissively. "Remember, it took me three tries before I got it right."

Cream smiled gratefully at the older girl, and collected both of their plates.

"Thank you, Amy." She said, placing the plates in the sink.

"No problem." The hedgehog replied quietly, watching as the little rabbit rinsed the two plates. It occurred to Amy that Cream really was not so little anymore. She was seven years old - almost half of Amy's thirteen years – but she was so mature, so grown-up; she had certainly proved herself to be equal, if not superior, to Amy at cooking; and her personality had really began to show. No longer was she her old silent, polite, adorably childish self. Little quirks had emerged… Amy had even noticed them in the conversation with Knuckles moments later.

'Were you too concerned about what was inside of it to read the writing on top?' the once shy, quiet Cream had said. There was sarcasm in her voice. Sarcasm had very seldom been found there before, simply because composed little Cream didn't know how to use it.

"Amy?" Cream asked, tapping the pensive hedgehog's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." chuckled Amy, smiling at her worried friend. "I'm fine."

"Good." Cream said happily, flouncing back onto the chair. "You were starting to look a bit like mother for a second there."

"Don't worry." Amy said with a smile "I'm just fine. But I should go… Knuckles said that Tails wanted me."

"Okay." Cream said cheerfully, clasping her hands in her lap. "I wonder what he wanted you for."

"Yeah," Amy said thoughtfully, getting to her feet, "me too."

The two traumatized toddlers stood together, quaking slightly. Both were sobbing terribly, but the grown woman standing beside them only stood, stony faced, makeup smudged down her cheeks.

Different thoughts passed through all of their troubled heads, though all three were cornered in similar situations.

The tall squirrel, though her face was virtually expressionless, had a war of emotions waging inside of her. The first thing which had crossed her mind upon seeing the smoldering hotel was the shock and horror that practically all of her and Felix's possessions had most definitely been reduced to ashes, despite the valiant effort which had been made by the several dozen fire-fighters who had arrived at the scene.

Unfortunately, the blaze had been so immensely extreme that the top half of the building had been completely annihilated by the massive flames, and stories six and up had been dubbed unstable. There was no retrieving anything.

She also couldn't get poor Leah out of her head. Poor Leah, who seemed to be plagued by fire. It was heartbreaking to see the misery on the small child's dark eyes.

Leah, naturally, was devastated. She had not spoken a work for hours, only huddled sobbing with Felix. Everything was gone. The wound of losing her home had, up until that day, mostly healed over. Unfortunately, this new blow had ripped open the scab. She was emotionally shredded to pieces. Her parents were gone. They were dead. Dead. It still had not completely sunk into her stunned mind.

Felix had suffered a loss, also. He suspected that, somewhere amongst the rubble, a little fried octopus would be sitting, crispy and burnt. Or perhaps Lucy was simply ash. Maybe she had been blown far away, hopefully to the sea or somewhere warm. He remembered how she had always loved perching herself beside the little tank heater.

Leah gave a particularly loud sob beside him. He felt suddenly guilty. Sure, he had lost a pet. She had just lost both of her parents.

"Leah," He whispered, though his voice was cracked from lack of use, and took her face in his hands, "it's going to be okay."

A/N::)! Well… better than last time, I think . Certainly got written faster. And… I don't want to put too much pressure on you guys… buuutttt… we need eight reviews to beat Child's Play. Pretty please? It would make me EVER SO HAPPY! C'mon guys… I know more than eight people read this. Can't you just do it? Is it that hard? Please?... watch me get thirty reviews now 'cause I'm that convincing B-)!

--LA