List: Zeldaskeeper, GalexiatheChao, SilverDawn2010, Darkspine Sonic759, and Therapy Angel!

Thanks guys! I happened to have a lot of time on my hands today, so I decided to update this and "fix" another one of my stories. Aren't you all lucky? xD Anyway, thanks again, and onwards, march!

Chapter twenty-four

Instinct

She knew she should've remembered her Dad's cell phone number.

At least in the paper form. With the numbers written down, scrunched up in her jeans pocket. That would've been a good move. But of course, she'd forgotten the phone number on paper in her other jeans pocket.

With a sigh, the teenager shifted her weight as she looked at the vacant parking lot of her high school. This totally stunk. She had been told that her mother would be able to pick her up today, like usual, last night. But then this morning had hit and her mother had said no, actually, she would be busy picking up Violet and Dash from school (the only two she could pick up without going out of her way), and then would be busy driving her half-sister, Jamie, to the airport for "business matters", as Jamie called it. This, to Kyler, was ironic, because based off of what she knew of her family's history, she would think that Jamie would never have chosen a job that required her to have to travel and not always be with her family. But, she was Howard's daughter.

Again, Kyler sighed. She had no way home until 6:30 that night. Usually, she'd be home at 4:00, not 6:30. The morning had been too hectic-trying to get everyone out the door for school on time- for Amy to think through where Kyler fit in with everyone's pick-up time. No one had thought of the one high schooler of the family, and how she'd get home when the local bus down the street actually cost money compared to the elementary school buses that would take her other four siblings home without paying a nickel. And since Kyler hadn't thought through the schedule herself that morning, when she had been half asleep, she hadn't thought of bringing one dollar for the bus she had never had to ride before, because her mother or aunt or even grandmother had always been there to pick her up.

But not this time.

The day had gone slowly for Sonic. Extremely slowly.

He hated days like this. Days when he got paid by Tails to stare out the window and watch the autumn leaves gently fall to the ground, without him to mess up the leave's flight pattern. It irked him, watching the squirrels have fun storing for the winter while he stayed inside getting oil stuck in his quills. There were definitely days when he wondered why he worked at Tails' workshop. And today was one of those days.

Suddenly, the hedgehog felt more than an urge to run, but to run to Kyler's high school. He couldn't describe the anxiety for his oldest daughter, and he never would be able to, but as he sat in a chair by the window, his fingers twitching on the desk, he couldn't stop himself from turning to Tails, who wasn't sitting too far away.

"Hey, buddy," he started, his legs already warming up as he stood from his chair. "Mind if I go check up on Kyler? I got a bad feeling something's not right…" His hands flapped at his sides. Upon looking up from some paper work, Tails blinked.

"You sure it's not an excuse to leave?" he teased his older brother, and Sonic quickly shook his head. Tails blinked again, pondering. He hadn't seen Sonic with that particular look since…well, for a long time. But he knew deep down what it meant, for when he had seen it as a child, it always had meant trouble. Sonic had always been good at knowing when trouble was coming. Tails used to tease the cobalt hedgehog back on Earth, and when Chris had offered Sonic a cell phone for emergencies, Tails had surprised even himself when he had told the human that Sonic didn't need one. He had a sixth sense, practically.

And so, as Tails brought himself back to the present, he found himself nodding. Maybe Sonic, like usual, was right. Maybe Kyler was in danger, or just needed some help with something. Sonic grinned.

"Thanks, bud," he said, relived. "I don't think it's much, an' I'll be back 'fore closin'." And before the kitsune could respond, Sonic was off.

A minute later, the blue hedgehog reached his daughter's school, and when he saw the light blue hedgehog safe and sound, waiting impatiently by the school doors, alone, he couldn't help but grin as he rushed up to her.

"Hey, stranger," he quipped as he came to a stop in front of her, the wind rushing to a halt with him. He smirked. "Whatcha doing out here still? Mom not pick ya up?" He noted her grin of relief as she spoke.

"No, she had to pick up Vi and Dash, than take Aunt Jamie to the airport. She won't be here 'till 6:30." Sonic nodded, understanding.

"Well, ya wanna go home now?" he offered, and the girl's smile increased as she nodded vigorously. Before his daughter could protest, the cobalt hedgehog had her in his arms, and he was off with the wind.

When they reached their home a minute later, Sonic set the girl down on the doorstep, winking.

"There," he said. "You're home. No need to thank me." Kyler laughed as her father bowed.

"How'd you know I needed to get home anyway?" the girl asked. Sonic shrugged, a smirk on his face as he revved up, preparing for the journey back to work for another hour and a half.

"Instinct," he called as he ran off. "Total instinct."