"You don't know what its like… DO YOU SONIC?" Shadow yelled angrily.
Sonic held his ground.
"To lose everything that is dear to you!" Shadow pointed out to Sonic.
"Shadow!" Sonic shouts.
"Kyuh!" Shadow shouts in pain, as he drops to his knees. The back of his head, a tranquilizer lodged into it.
"Benigo!" Tails shouts.
Benigo shot the tranquilizer to Shadow's head; and then shot another to Shadow's arm.
Shadow gritted his teeth in anger, he pulled one out of his arm. "Damn you…" Shadow faints.

It starts to rain.

"That bastard" Sonic said. Sonic turned around to Tails. "You ok Tails?"
"Yeah.. I don't know about Knuckles though.." Tails held Knuckles.
Knuckles struggled to get up "..That was MY fight Sonic.. I could have handled it…"
"I'm sure Mr. Shadow didn't mean it.. Rouge was his friend. If I ever lost cheese.. I'd… I'd.." Cream started to show tears in her eyes at the thought of losing her dear friend cheese. She hugged Cheese tight.
They looked down a little.
"Sorry.. but I thought he was going to harm our hero." Benigo answered the unasked question.
"Eh no sweat," Sonic said cocky.
"We have to get Rouge back you guys.." Tails said.
They all look at him.
"Hey! What about me!!" Amy shouted from inside the box imprisonment.

'Some vacation, first I get forced into a mission! Then old Eggy decides to attack us! Then I almost get blown to pieces! And now this! Talk about bad luck! And my neck is killing me!' Rouge thought annoyed. 'And its raining!!'

Rouge called up her previous caller "I'm out, So what are my directions?"
The agent responded after a short pause. "Take a right, and head north. You're right on course"
"Ok"

Rouge finally gets back to the ship. The rain left her completely soaked. No one was on the upper deck any longer. Two hours had already passed since the big fight.

--in the infirmary—

Amy put a cold washcloth on Knuckles forehead. She usually was annoyed with the echidna, but this time she was a little more sympathetic. Sure she wanted to yell at him for being so stupid, like she usually does, but he looked so beat up.
"How's he doing, Amy?" Cream asked as she walked in.
"I think he's doing a little better." Amy said sweetly.
"That's good" Cream smiled. She then had a sad face. "I wonder how Shadow is…" she said.
Rouge walked down the halls looking for well.. anyone. She came across the light to the infirmary, and hid behind its door. She listened to Cream and Amy's conversation.
"I don't know.." Amy said "After what Knuckles said.. After Rouge disappeared, Shadow.. he completely lost it." Amy looked down. "Knuckles really needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut." She added. Of course we know Amy wasn't a perfect example of keeping her mouth shut either.
'Shadow…' Rouge thought.
"Where did Benigo take him?" Cream asked.
"I think he took him back to Shadow's room."
'Bingo!' Rouge said to herself with a smile. She then took off and flew down the hall, on her way to Shadow's room.

Rouge put her ear to the door. She hears nothing. She puts her hand on the doorknob and twists it slowly. She enters. Rouge looks around the room, trying to see if Shadow was there. And there he was, on his bed.
Rouge flew over to him, and sat down on the nightstand, watching him sleep.

She got onto the bed and tapped him on the shoulder.

"…Rouge.." He said, in his sleep.
'..Is he…dreaming about me?' Rouge asked herself surprised.
"………Rouge.. Don't go…!" He shouted as he clenched his sheets in his fists.
Rouge's eyes widened.
Shadow clenched his sheets harder and harder, shutting his eyes tighter and tighter.
'Shadow…' Rouge felt so sorry for him.
Shadow gritted his teeth.
"Shadow!" Rouge started shaking him. "Hey Hey Wake up!"
Shadow gave no response, just kept digging his hands into the bed.
Rouge shook him harder "Shadow!"
Shadow tore the sheets with his hands as he clenched them into his fists.
"Shadow…" Rouge's face was so sad for him. She moved Shadow from his side and put him on his back.
Shadow was growling in his sleep.
Rouge leaned in close to Shadow's face, holding him down with her hands on his arms.
Shadow continued to growl, with his eyes shut tight.
Rouge leaned in further and put her soft lips to his.
Shadow's fists released the covers slowly as he felt her lips against his. He was no longer tense. He lifted his eyelids leisurely.
Rouge was kissing him on the lips.
Shadow at first was stunned but was overtaken by the good of the moment. It was unreal, she was alive, and not only that, but kissing him. His friend, that he held so dear to him, was…. ok..
Shadow returned the kiss as Rouge's lips still touched his.
There didn't need to be words.
Shadow moved his hand to Rouge's cheek; and Rouge moved her hand behind Shadow's neck. The kiss was now passionate.
Rouge broke away from the kiss for a second, knowing she had to say at least something to explain this behavior..
She slid her hand onto his chest fur and down to his lower stomach. She stepped off the bed and backed up to the door.
Shadow wondered what she was doing.
Rouge locked the door and stood against it "You know Shadow… I now know why I've been wanting to do that for so long…."
Shadow listened.
"The way… you've always been strong.. you've ignored my flirtatious manner…. You've shown me what no one else has… You never give into it… You know what you want… …Your so tough…." Rouge paused. Very seductively.. she then whispered.. "….It turns me on!"
Shadow's eyes widened.
Rouge ran and jumped for Shadow in the bed, giggling as she wrapped her arms around him. Shadow put his arms around her wet body, going on top of her.
Rouge pulled him close and put her lips back to his. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and played with his tongue. She rolled on top of him, as he and her were still entwined in the kiss.
Rouge stopped. She looked down at Shadow with a smirk. "It seems something just popped up…."