Before this chapter starts, I have heard the griping and have shifted Tails and Cream into their teen years. Amy is now eighteen and Sonic is Twenty-one. I am also flipping Knuckles and Rouge's ages. Knuckles is now older than Rouge. Don't ask why, but I like it better when the man of a couple is older than the woman. Anyway, the first chapter has been edited, so take a look. I don't care how out of character everyone is, I'm not changing THAT.

Chapter two

Two Secret meetings

At the basement of Sonic's house, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails were meeting.

"One step in getting Rouge to like you," said Sonic, "is to stop being so judgmental."

"When have I been judgmental?" asked Knuckles,

"Oh, don't act like you don't know," said Tails, "whenever Rouge comes to the Island, you always boot her off, accusing her of trying to swipe your emerald."

"Well she always tries."

"That's not true," said Sonic, "I once overheard Amy talking to Rouge on the phone. She was crying because all she wanted to do was drop in for a visit. You immediately assumed that she was gonna try to take your emerald." That wasn't entirely true. She wasn't crying; she was pissed off.

"How can I trust her after her many attempts to steal the Master Emerald?"

"Knuckles," said Sonic, "relationships are built on trust, so if you want a relationship with Rouge, you have to trust her. Next time she comes on your island; don't boot her off the same second she comes. If she wants to talk, then talk with her. If she wants to have lunch, then eat with her. See where this is going?"

"So you want me to let Rouge state her case before I assume she's gonna try to take the emerald? I bet she's there now."

"I asked Shadow to have Omega watch the Emerald, and for him not to let her have it, so it's safe even IF she tries to take it."

"People can change, Knuckles," said Tails.

…

Meanwhile, at Rouge's house, Amy, Rouge, and Cream were having a meeting of their own.

"Knuckles assumes you want his emerald every time you go to his Island," said Amy, "Do you even want that emerald anymore."

"Once I did," said Rouge, "but I know how much it means to him, so I'll let him keep it."

"He needs to know that," said Cream, "so how about doing something to make his job easier?"

"Like what?" asked Rouge,

"Maybe help him install a security system," said Cream, "So if someone tries to take it, he can go there and fight them off."

"Good Idea," said Amy, "But you would need to let Knuckles know about it and maybe approve it. Men hate it when people do things behind their backs. Sonic gets so mad when I do it."

Both Knuckles and Rouge got ideas in order to build a relationship with the other, now to try them out.