A/N: Yet another Living Pains off-shoot. Second and final part of the Blank Saga. That sounds cooler than anything I write deserves. This one is actually about average length for one of these off-shoots.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Living Pains: Blank 2

One year after awakening in the hospital, Shadow sat in Club Rouge, staring at the cat across the table. Neither moving an inch. Giving nor asking for any quarter. The hedgehog squinted his eyes at his opponent. The cat did the same at him. Shadow raised his hand to make his move, holding it for a moment before pulling it back. A bead of sweat dripped down the cat's forehead.

"Will you move already?!" Rouge yelled exasperated. "Knuckles looks like he's going to wet himself."

"I can't take the suspense!" The echidna said indignantly. "And I'm not going to wet myself!"

"Fine." Shadow moved his queen across the board. "Checkmate Tim." The cat studied the board carefully for a moment before knocking his king over.

"I tip my hat to you sir." The cat said with a bow. "Wanna play checkers?"

"Not right now. Rouge? Did you find anything?" He looked to the bat sitting on the bar counter.

"Not much. You never told us your last name so I couldn't as much as would've." She hopped off the bar. "I did find this though." She handed him a printout of an old newspaper. It was about a shooting near the hospital. When he read the article he dropped it to the floor.

"Maria…" He breathed. Who was she? Confusion became anger. Why can't I remember?! He slammed his fist against the table in frustration. He staggered to the door, not really hearing what the others said. There has to be someway for me to remember. There just has to! He began to run, not noticing the tears that had begun to fall. Maria…running…a gunshot. "What does it all mean?!" He shouted to the heavens. He fell to his knees. "Nothing makes sense. Just who am I?"

"Shadow?" He looked up to see a female hedgehog, her face hidden by the sun. "Are you okay?" Her voice was warm and full of concern. Comforting. Just like Maria and grandfather… He struggled to follow that chain of thought, searching for a face, a voice anything. Shadow…give people a chance to be happy.

"Rose?" He finally managed to choke out. She frowned slightly. That was her name right?

"Why do you use my last name? You never used to do that." She held her hand out for him. He took it lightly and climbed to his feet.

"I'm fine." He said curtly. Finally he realized he had run without thinking about a location. "Where are we?" He scowled at her giggle. "What."

"We're at the park silly." She frowned in thought. "Why were you crying?" He looked at her, mildly surprised.

"Was I?" He touched his cheeks, feeling the moisture. "I was remembering a few things."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She said with a pleasant smile. Shadow smirked at her, he could tell she was brimming with curiosity.

"I never talked about myself did I?" He said looking at the sky. When she didn't answer he looked at her. She was staring at something. Following her gaze he realized he was still holding her hand. "Sorry." He said quickly releasing her hand. She smiled lightly.

"Shadow the Hedgehog, are you embarrassed?"

"Wh-what?! No of course not." He said just a little too quickly. She laughed as a light blush touched his cheeks. She grabbed his hand lightly.

"Come on, Shadow! Let's watch the sunset!" She pulled him to a bench. As they sat there she began to hum a happy little tune. As he watched the sunset's colors play across her features her marveled at her existence. How could I forget someone like her? Someone so simple so…happy. Content. He again heard the familiar but unknown voice whisper his name. Maria? Why does this girl, this Rose remind me of someone I can barely remember?

"That was a beautiful sunset don't you think Shadow?" He felt something in his chest tighten when her eyes met his. Not trusting himself to speak he nodded, hiding his wonderment with a neutral expression. "Would it hurt you to show it?" She joked. If only you knew.

"It just might." He said with a small smile. He stood and held his hand out for her. "Want me to walk you home?" She took the offered hand gratefully.

"You really don't have to." She met his gaze and broke into a grin. "But if you want to." He nodded, his smile growing slightly. "I live that way." She pointed and they began to walk. "What exactly do you remember? Don't think about anything that hurts too much."

"I remember…being hugged on the beach." She stiffened at this comment. "Does that mean anything to…" He drifted off. "That was you?" A series of memories exploded in his mind. Pink arms wrapped around him as the sun drifted towards the horizon…a pale yellow hedgehog held his hand as they ran away from their pursuer…an old, grey hedgehog patted him on the shoulder as he read his schoolbooks…the yellow hedgehog and he were sitting under a tree outside the hospital…he was being hugged by the pink hedgehog again…the barrel of a gun pointed at the yellow girl again…he turned around to see a pink hedgehog backing away in surprise…a red echidna and he were boxing together…a blue hedgehog and he were racing along the freeway…he stood outside a building with a white bat…

The memories washed over him in a flood. He grabbed his head in a panic. Shadow could feel every emotion the black hedgehog had felt in his entire life all at once. The terror of being chased, horror at seeing Maria shot, the joy he felt around her, the rage and sadness he felt at her funeral, the pleasure of laughing with his friends. Friends…He thought in sudden understanding.

"That's right," he said to no one in particular, not hearing Amy's panicked questions. "I've been surrounded with the only people I have left and I've been ignoring them." A sudden smile spread upon his face.

"Shadow?" The smile was freaking her out, she wasn't used to him being that expressive. Maybe he's finally snapped. She thought horrified. He turned his joy filled gaze to her, fresh tears spilling over his face.

"Rose, I remember!" He picked her up in his arms and began running down the street. "Everything. You, Maria, grandfather, Rouge, Knuckles, Prower, even that idiot Sonic." He ran faster. "I remember my life!" He shouted to the world. He stopped running when he reached her apartment building. He leaned close to her ear so that she could hear his next words. "My name is Shadow Robotnik and I remember." He kissed her on the cheek and walked calmly back to Club Rouge.