TAILS APARTMENT
9:21 PM

The door to the foxes apartment opened, the two tailed fox stepping through the threshold into his small apartment. There wasn't much of his apartment worth noticing, it was only a one bedroom, two roomer with one or two windows, a bathroom that had plumbing problems, and lousy light fixtures. However, it was secure at least under the foxes current meager payroll.

He walked slowly over to the counter and set down his keys, stripping off his shirt then walking to the bathroom where he washed his face. Tails pulled his cell phone from his pocket and sat down on the bedside, rolling it in his hands before looking over at a picture of him and Cosmo.

"Cosmo…I need your help. I'm lost…I know we've been friends for so long and we had feelings for one another. But…I-I…I'm so confused. I want to move on from us and start over. I just don't know if I can."

He sat there with his cell phone and put it on the bed, laying back on the bed and looking up at the ceiling.

Tails…

Tails sat up and looked around for the source of the voice. "Co-cosmo?"

Don't be upset…I am here.

He looked around and saw a glowing figure before him, a young girl with a green and white flower dress. She had gorgeous emerald eyes and her glowing presence illuminated the room. The fox sat there and looked at her with mesmerized eyes.

I have seen the pain you have been through Tails. But please...don't worry about the past. A true man of honor will not mourn his mistakes but learn from them. This point, that's a logical path to follow.

"But...I...I don't know if I can...you mean so much to me I don't know if I'll ever find any other woman to love..."

You will. I promise you. Just know I will always cherish our friendship and you will always have a special place within my heart...

He dried the tears in his eyes and reached out for her. "C-Cos...cosmo...please don't go..."

She walked over slowly and put her hand on Tail's cheek, smiling lightly and then backing away as the illmunation faded. Tails sat there, confused and lost in his thoughts. Moving on was the right thing to do but his emotions had a hard time letting him leave his mistakes and past behind. He though of all his friends, family, Fiona Fox, and Rouge. He sighed sadly and looked over at a small journal on the bedside table. Just as he was reaching for it, he paused and felt the phone vibrating on the bed.

"..Should I?" he said to himself. He looked at it and suddenly felt his head start to hurt with each vibration. When it stopped, he gripped his head and almost fell off the bed. "Owww!" He sat up and looked at the phone.

"What...what the hell was that?" Confused and uncertain, he sighed and climbed onto the bed putting his cell phone on the bedside table. Seconds after closing his eyes, he shifted uneasily and took his phone, dialing Fiona's number.

"Hello?" she said, picking up and answering.

"Hey it's me, Tails."

"Oh hey Tails!" she said excitedley. "This is unexpected, I thought you wouldn't call me."

"That would be rude. It's a gentlefox's duty to always return the lady's calls."

He could hear her giggle on the other side. "Nice to know I have a gentlefox for a friend."

They laughed and exchanged pleasant conversation for an hour. Tails shared his love of invention of flying as well as most of his past. Fiona shared her love of music, surfing, and wrestling. She was the ultimate tomboy and Tails knew he was falling for her. The only problem though was admitting this crush so early on in the relationship. His only regret was being hurt knowing she showed none of the feelings he had for her.

"So uhhh Fiona? Can I ask something?" he inquired.

"Shoot, hun."

"Would uhh...you like to come over to my place? I could use some extra company."

"Who? Lil ol' me?" She giggled. "Ohh sure! I'll be over in a bit." She hung up.

Tails rushed to the bathroom and quickly put on some Tag Body Spray then cleaned his hair and got into some clean clothes. Maybe having a new woman of interest in his love was just the cure he needed to move on.

ONE HOUR AGO...
SHADOW'S APARTMENT

Night had fallen on Metropolis as a sexy bat girl floated down from the sky to the balcony of Shadow's apartment. Her high heels clicked softly and her jean jacket rustled in the cool evening breeze. She wore tight leatehr pants to show off her slender ass and a body hugging tanktop that showed her toned flat stomach. Stepping through the threshold, she slowly made her way to the bathroom and removed most of her makeup before leaving and putting her purse down on the counter.

"You're late." said a dark voice.

Rouge turned around and the lights turned on, showing a black hedgehog sitting in the chair with hsi arms crossed over hsi chest and a sinister, intimidating look on his face.

"S-Shadow...ummm...what are you...?"

He stood up and looked at her, a menacing glare in his eyes. "I waited two hours for you. Where were you?"

"I was...at Sonic-"

"Sonic was out with his friends."

"Ummm...Knuck-"

The hedgehog showed a sign of irritation. "Knuckles is on his honeymoon with Julie-Su. My patience is growing thin, Rouge."

She gulped. "Ok ok...I was wtih Amy...we were at the mall togethor and she got a call from Blaze...she left and I lost track of the time...please Shadow don't be angry at me."

He chuckled lightly, the batgirl's confusion increased. "That's rather funny. If I heard from Silver correctly...he said you were at his place for the day. Amy was with Sonic and so was Blaze."

Rouge's eyes widened. "Are you saying I cheated on you?!"

"Damn right I am!" he yelled.

She slammed her hand on the table. "Why do you ALWAYS need to know where I am? You make me feel like you send your buddies just to spy on me and report every goddamn thing I do!"

He paused. "Rouge...I just don't want anyone to try and mess with you."

The batgirl's eyes narrowed and she walked forward. "What, you don't think I can handle myself? I can very well, thank you! You're so overprotectvie of me that I can't even breathe when I'm around any of my guy friends!"

Shadow had to admit, she struck some good points. "Look, I love you allright? You're MY girl, no one elses." He walked to her and stroked her waist, sliding off her jacket slightly. "Come on baby...I know you love me."

She responded by slapping his hand off, growling lightly. "Don't touch me...and don't talk to me like I'm one of your fuck buddies!"

Shadow had enough, he glared and slapped his "lover" straight across the face knocking her down. "YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO TELLS ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO! I'LL DO WHATEVER I DAMN WELL PLEASE WITH YOU!"

There was a faint ruffling sound as a pink hedgehog came out with her bra unclipped and hanging off and panties soaking wet. "Mmm...you were amazing baby."

"You were too." he smirked and slid hsi tongue into her mouth, rubbign her ass RIGHT IN FRONT OF ROUGE.

She stared eyes widened and mouth curled in disgust. "YOU LITTLE WHORE!" She exclaimed and stood up, feeling her cheek.

"Don't talk to MY Rose like that, bitch." snarled Shadow. "Consider yourself dumped. Now get the fuck out of my apartment NOW!"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she sobbed, running out of the apartment with her purse she ran out into the freezing cold rain, ignoring the pain and crying hard before she reached her apartment sooner then expected and threw herself into her room, crying tears onto the bed. She hated him, how he had treated her and how her love for him had been so unceremoniously discarded in front of her heartbroken eyes. She dried her tears and reached for her cell phone, cycling through the numbers until she got to Tails. She dialed his number and waited, only to recieve the answering machine. Upset and hurt, she threw her phone against the wall and cried herself to sleep.