A/N: Someone asked for part 2 and I wasn't going to do one, but I got to thinking and this came to mind. I may even do a third part (about Knuckles), but I am undecided as of right now. We'll have to see. Please provide constructive criticism if you feel it's needed – just let me know what you think about this one. I don't think I've ever written anything quite like this!

-1-

Amy felt the stare burning a hole in her back. She tried not to let it bother her; gritting her teeth she pulled on the wrench more fiercely. The burning continued undaunted, and Amy felt a bead of sweat roll down her temple as she flexed her muscles to their limit in an attempt to ignore the calculating eyes watching her every movement for a slip-up, any indication to what she was thinking. Releasing a woosh of breath as the screw became loose; Amy closed her jade eyes tiredly and came to a decision. It was better to have the awkward conversation then to have to work like this all afternoon.

"What." She asked pertly, turning around and catching Tails' enquiring stare. Flushing the two tailed fox turned back to his blueprints, only to realize that he was holding them upside down. Hoping against all hope that his roommate wouldn't notice, he pretended to not have heard her question. Hands on her hips Amy Rose smirked at the kitsune's discomfort. 'Serves him right for being a creep' she thought smugly.

"That's upside down Tails. Now, why were you staring at me?" Muzzle still heavily coloured, he attempted to meet her eyes with an innocent look, which unfortunately did not succeed as Amy snorted in laughter. Her coveralls were open and tied around her waist with a white tank top underneath: even with air conditioning Tails' shop was more like a sauna. Tails was dressed similarly: at 18 he'd grown out after he had shot up, resulting in a broad shouldered, proportioned young man. He was no longer the awkward, freakish youngster he had been and Amy appreciated the change. As good friend as he was, Amy certainly wasn't blind to her roommate's good looks – and neither were most of Station Square's young women. Unfortunately for them Tails was particularly oblivious to the attention he garnered resulting in heavy teasing from Knuckles and Sonic and plenty of awkward situations for the kitsune.

"Did you really kiss Knuckles?" he blurted out before he could come to his senses and stop himself. Amy stopped tapping her foot and stared, eyes narrowed at Tails who fidgeted under her gaze. Shrugging she turned back to the Tornado.

"So what if I did? Does it change anything?" Tails pondered her question thoughtfully. He supposed it didn't really, in the end. Sonic could never return the feelings the pink hedgehog had once held for him: the blue blur was too involved in himself and in saving Mobius, and Amy wasn't selfish enough to ask him to give up being a hero or his travelling, spontaneous ways. Tails was happy for her if she decided to move on, even if moving on to Knuckles (of all people) wasn't what he had in mind for her. The kitsune shrugged, even though Amy couldn't see him.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," he admitted frankly. Amy nodded absently, figuring the conversation was over.

"But…"as he trailed off Amy tensed and turned to face her friend, leaning against the Tornado.

"But what Tails?" he looked at her, significantly less awkward because he felt that he held a logical point and could now effectively discuss the situation with Amy.

"Well, I mean, you loved Sonic but he was too devoted to his fast-paced hero life. Isn't Knuckles equally devoted to his solitary guardian life? Don't you have to ask yourself if you mean more to him then the Emerald?" Amy's brow furrowed and a dark look flitted across her face.

"Who says I'm in love with Knuckles?" she demanded heatedly. Tails recoiled slightly, but held his ground.

"Well, I just assumed…" Amy cut in off.

"Well you assumed wrong Tails. I'm not in love with Knuckles," she stated firmly.

"No offense Amy, but it's not really like you to go around kissing random friends," Tails said, raising an eyebrow. Amy frowned back in annoyance.

"Kissing doesn't always mean something Tails!"

"With you it does," he said calmly before shrugging and turning back to his blueprints. The pink hedgehog huffed in annoyance before placing the wrench on the table.

"Whatever, I'm going to shower," Tails just hummed a response, already absorbed in his planning.

Amy stormed through the hallways to the bathroom, grumbling under her breath.

-2-

Walking through Station Square Amy lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the intense sunlight. Even though she had her very large, very round sunglasses on, the sun was still very intense. She was wearing a pair of black flip flops, jean shorts and a red tank top – it was too hot to wear anything else. She suddenly spotted a yellow and orange spot ahead of her and grinned, running through the crowd (pushing really, if the angry looks other people were sending her was any indication).

"Cream!" she shouted, waving her hand frantically. The small rabbit turned around, smile lighting up her face when she spotted her friend. She stepped off to the side of the sidewalk and smoothed down her yellow and orange flower-patterned sundress, waiting patiently. Amy finally reached her and the two friends hugged enthusiastically before continuing to walk slowly down the street.

"So, what's new with you?" Amy inquired, listening intently as Cream relayed stories about how Vector had brought roses for Vanilla and a sunflower for Cream and about the kids at her school and how they thought she was so cool for being friends (and an un-official member) of the Sonic team.

"What about you?" the cream coloured rabbit asked in her quiet manner. Amy shook her head and shrugged one shoulder.

"Nada – my life is the same as it always is. Fix the Tornado, save Tails and Sonic, fix the Tornado again, do modifications in the Tornado, kick some Buttnik butt and then fix the Tornado again." Both girls laughed as they came to a stop at the corner of Cream's street.

"And how's Mr. Knuckles?" the sweet rabbit inquired innocently. Alarm bells went off in Amy's head but she kept her voice neutral and smiled.

"Oh you know how he is. He's probably off somewhere, perfectly content being a grouch!" Cream just nodded, a small smile playing around her lips.

"Are you living up on Angel Island with him now? Or do you still live with Tails – you do so much work on the Tornado it would make sense for you to stay there but at the same time it must be hard being so far apart from Mr. Knuckles." Silence reigned between the two young women, Cream looking at her friend expectantly and Amy, mouth agape staring at her.

"What?" Amy finally spluttered. "Where did you get that idea?! Why on Mobius would I live on Angel Island?!" Cream visibly recoiled, making Amy feel only slightly guilty about sounding so hostile.

"Well…I heard you kissed him." Cream said tentatively. Amy's face grew red.

"Where did you hear that?!"

"Vector told my mother and I about it…so you didn't kiss him?" Cream seemed legitimately confused – Vector had seemed so sure and it wasn't like him to gossip.

"Well, I didn't say I didn't kiss him…." Amy trailed off, slightly uncomfortable.

"So you did then?" Cream asked still slightly confused.

"Well yes, I guess I did, but that doesn't mean I want to live with him or anything. I'm not in love with him! For heaven's sake I told him that I wasn't in love with him! I'm allowed to kiss people and for it not to mean anything!" Amy sounded perturbed, but Cream frowned slightly at her older friend.

"A kiss always means something Amy," she said, sounding much older then she was. Amy frowned, suddenly irritated with her younger friend.

"It doesn't always mean something Cream – besides how many boys have you kissed?" Cream flushed but shook her head.

"No one – because I know that kisses mean something and I am waiting for it to be with someone special. If you kissed Mr. Knuckles, it's because you think there's something special about him," to Amy, that sounded more like an accusation.

"If by special you mean he's like Oscar the Grouch, then yeah, I suppose I think he's pretty special" she responded sarcastically. Cream shook her head again.

"Whatever you say Amy," she said with a shrug before waving goodbye and continuing down the street, where she could see her Mother and Vector waiting at the end of the driveway for her. Seriously irritated now, Amy rolled her eyes and stormed away from the corner, not even waiting to see if Cream made it to her Mother safely.

"Whatever, I'm going to shop."

-3-

Amy flipped through the racks in the store irritably, not really registering the clothing that she was looking at. 'Stupid Tails, stupid Cream…What do they know?' she thought to herself as she stopped at a red, high-waisted pencil skirt. As she contemplated the skirt she heard someone stop beside her in the aisle, flipping through the clothing next to her.

"Pretty skirt Pinky – if you like that sort of thing that is," mentally groaning Amy turned, skirt in hand, to face the voluptuous bat standing casually next to her.

"Rouge." She bit out in irritation. Rouge just inclined her head, before turning her eyes back to the racks of clothing. The bat was wearing a pair of tight black jeans, knee high leather boots and a purple tube top.

"So what's new with you?" Rouge asked casually after a few minutes of silence. Amy slammed the skirt back onto the rack, earning her a few stares from her fellow shoppers.

"Why don't you just come right out and say it Rouge – you and everyone else can interfere with my life today!" Rouge just smirked, raising one eyebrow.

"I have nothing to say Rose – except way to go," the bat purred out suggestively. Amy felt the colour rising to her face and groaned, placing a hand over her face.

"It's not like that!" Amy pleaded. Rouge just rolled her eyes, smirk still lingering on her face.

"Sure – we're just going to "pretend" you don't have some sort of hot, steamy, sexual tension with our resident mystery boy guardian. And we'll pretend he isn't tall, broad and handsome with his brooding tendencies. That's a whole lot of restrained emotion – I'll bet he just let's loose in the-"

"ROUGE!" Amy interrupted, practically wailing, face beet red. Rouge just smirked and shrugged, turning back to the clothes.

"Whatever you want darling," she drawled.

"We just kissed once – just once! And it was just a kiss – just one little measley, tiny, steamy kiss!" There was a pause between the two women as Amy considered what she had just said and Rouge's smirk deepened.

"Told you it was steamy" the bat purred, lifting a black mini off the rack. Amy slapped her own face with her hand.

"YOU put that in my mind – it was NOT steamy – I take that back!!"

"You can't take back your subconscious Rosey – Freudian slip much?" Amy growled in frustration. "You know what they say: "Her kisses left something to be desired – the rest of her." At this Rouge winked at the younger girl.

"I'm leaving." Amy dead-panned before turning on her heel and storming from the store. Rouge just laughed throatily before picking up the red skirt Amy had been holding up.

"Hmmm…maybe if I could bring the hemline up…"she considered, holding it against herself.

-4-

Storming around Station Square, Amy glowered at anyone who got in her way. People scurried to get around and away from the obviously furious pink hedgehog. Suddenly Amy felt a wall of wind slam into her back, but knowing better, she continued undaunted.

"What up Ames?" Sonic asked casually, having slowed his steps to walk beside her.

"What up?! What UP?! I'll tell you "what up" Sonic Hedgehog!" Amy whirled on the blue blur, causing him to take a cautious step back. "I kissed Knuckles! I kissed him and it was just a kiss and a kiss doesn't mean anything: it doesn't mean I love him, it doesn't mean I think there's something special about him, it certainly doesn't mean I want to do the nasty with him!" Sonic just stared, green eyes wide in shock. "So you can ask me anything you want because I will tell you – it meant nothing!"

"Okay, okay Amy! Jeez!" Sonic held his hands out in front of him in defence and Amy relaxed only slightly. "I wasn't going to say anything like that anyways – I kind of figured it meant nothing," Amy looked at Sonic blankly.

"You did?" she asked cautiously. Sonic nodded, blue quills bouncing messily.

"Well yeah – I mean you and Knuckles? Come on Ames: even I know better than that!" at this Sonic threw back his head, laughing loudly. Amy started to get a sick feeling in her stomach but smiled tensely anyways.

"I know – right?" she questioned, suddenly aware how frail her voice sounded. Sonic just continued to laugh like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

"I mean Knuckles isn't fast right?"

"Right…" Amy agreed quietly, still staring at Sonic.

"And he's got that emerald to take care of all the time, right?" Amy just nodded wordlessly.

"And he's grouchy and mean and he likes to be alone, right?" Amy felt her heart sink into her stomach a little, and didn't even bother nodding. Everyone knew that about Knuckles – so why was she feeling a little bit hurt?

"Basically what I'm getting at here Ames – in case you couldn't tell – Knuckles isn't me and I know how much you were hung up on me," Amy stopped trying to sort out her sinking heart and stared at Sonic, wide-eyed in disbelief.

"Wait – what?"

"Kissing Knuckles was obviously your way of trying to get over me. I understand – I mean I know we're friends and I didn't want to hurt you but: I break a lot of hearts Amy." Sonic said it with such seriousness that Amy couldn't do anything but stare for a minute. Suddenly, a vein at her temple started throbbing. Sonic, taking her silence as agreement continued.

"We'll always be friends Amy, but I can't return your feelings so I'm sorry. But you don't have to feel like you have to go to Knuckles to mask your emotions. I understand." By this point, the vein in Amy's temple was throbbing. People walking near to them gave them wide berth, and not because they were some of their famed heroes: Amy looked ready for the kill.

"Sonic." Amy said curtly, closing her eyes. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder, smiling softly.

"Yes Amy?"

"I'm giving you three seconds to run as far and as fast as you can. Then I will hunt you down, beat you to the ground, make mincemeat of your body and feed you to the fish. Do you understand me?" Sonic gaped at his once-groupie.

"What?" he questioned, as if he couldn't understand what had just happened.

"One." Amy counted, drawing her trusty Piko Piko hammer. Sonic took a step back in surprise, looking wide-eyed at the other hedgehog.

"You can't really be serious!" he exclaimed. Amy opened her eyes and stared him down.

"Two." Panicking Sonic took one look at the competent hands that held the hammer and turned on his heel, taking off with a sonic boom, running faster then he ever had before.

"Three." At that Amy took off running after the blur, murder written on her face.

-5-

Knuckles hummed contentedly, stretching out on the steps of the Temple, turning his face upside down to watch the slowly spinning emerald above him. The sun warmed his body and shined off the emerald. It was a good day for the echidna. He closed his eyes and prepared for his regular afternoon nap when he heard something coming through the trees.

Amethyst eyes snapped open, and Knuckles cocked his head to the side attempting to hear what was there. Upon hearing the sounds coming closer and closer, Knuckles tensed, ready to spring up at any moment. Suddenly, a pink hedgehog burst through the trees. Upon recognizing Amy, Knuckles relaxed and smirked, sitting up on the steps.

"Miss me dollface?" Knuckles questioned teasingly. What he didn't expect was for a furious Amy to face him: jade eyes hard, fists clenched she marched over to him with some sort of purpose. She stomped right over to him, stopping in front of him and Knuckles stood to meet her.

"YOU kissed ME" she said forcefully, jabbing a finger in his chest. Raising an eyebrow Knuckles shrugged.

"Yeah so? You wanted me." Amy narrowed her eyes at the echidna and took a step closer so that they were nearly chest to chest.

"I didn't want you. You kissed me, I kissed back because a kiss is only a kiss. It doesn't mean anything." Knuckles stared down at Amy and shrugged slightly.

"Okay, so it's only a kiss. It didn't mean anything."

"So I could kiss you again, and it still wouldn't mean anything." Knuckles was pretty sure he stopped breathing. Suddenly the small space between them seemed to be very small and her perfume was overwhelming.

"Er-right." He agreed, somewhat hesitantly. Suddenly Amy's lips were pressed against his fervently, quickly. Before he had time to register what was happening, she had pulled away to look at him.

"See – I'm not in love with you." She stated, matter-of-factly.

"Right." Knuckles agreed, somewhat stunned. Just as suddenly, her hands became tangled somewhere in his dreadlocks, lips seeking his. He responded by pulling her closer, two hands pulling her hips towards him. All of a sudden Amy pulled away, both of them breathing hard.

"And see- I don't think there's something special about you."

"Right." He nodded, head spinning slightly. Suddenly Amy was attached to his lips again and she propelled herself forward so forcefully that Knuckles fell backwards, one hand around Amy's waist to keep her steady and the other falling behind them to catch the stairs. The result was Amy pretty much straddling him on the steps of the Temple. The thought that this may be sacrilegious briefly flitted across the back of his mind, but he pushed it away and focused his concentration on Amy. And then she was gone again. Breathing heavily, she didn't speak for a second but Knuckles noticed she didn't move either.

"See-" she paused to draw a breath. "I don't want to do the nasty with you." Knuckles just nodded, far too concerned with figuring out what sort of lip gloss Amy wore to concentrate on what she was saying. For a fourth time she swooped in, pressing her lips to his. When they parted for the fourth time, Knuckles found his hand up the back of Amy's shirt, her hands bracing herself on his chest.

"And I am not in love with Sonic" her voice was breathy, sort of husky and her talking was beginning to drive him insane. Growling, he grabbed her thighs pulling her closer to him. They were sitting muzzle to muzzle on the steps, heavy breathing fanning out across each others faces.

"You better not be in love with Sonic. You better kiss me because you want to, not because you're trying to get over that moron." He ordered huskily. He could feel her trembling slightly underneath his hands, but she met his gaze defiantly.

"If I kiss you Knuckles, it's because I choose to, not because of what everyone else is saying."

"Good."

"And this kissing thing, it stays between us. You better not be going around kissing everyone who chooses to kiss you." Knuckles eyed her slightly.

"Fine."

"Alright." Silence reigned between them, neither moving a muscle.

"Anything else?" Knuckles inquired, eyebrow raised. Amy moved closer to him so that their lips were brushing.

"One thing. When we're done here, you're going to help me find and murder Sonic Hedgehog." Knuckles smirked, and shrugged slightly.

"Yeah, okay."

And the rest of the sunny afternoon was spent in perfect contentedness as Sonic the Hedgehog ran for his life.