List: Koollolly, GalexiatheChao, SilverDawn2010, SonamyRules159, IHeartSonAmy, GodsSonicGirl, Sonic5521, Darkspine Sonic759, Therapy Angel, and, Zeldaskeeper!

Whoa! I get the feeling from you reviewers that the last chapter was a good one, haha. Thank you all so much for your kind words, regarding that.

So. A long time ago, Therapy Angel asked if I could maybe do a chapter about the whole family going out or something, and/or Sonic and the boys causing ruckus at a movie theatre…I kind of combined the two ideas with this record long chapter, only the boys didn't really cause ruckus…heh. Oh well. Hope you like it Therapy Angel! Onwards, march!

Chapter twenty-six

The Date Night

Amy hadn't been this excited for a long time. It had been months since she and Sonic had had a night to themselves. With seven kids, it was understandable.

But tonight they could finally have a night completely alone. Cream would be coming over in fifteen minutes to whisk away the children, while she and Sonic planned to go out to eat at Amy's favorite restaurant, watch a movie that kids couldn't be caught seeing, and then…

Well, the rest was obvious. Amy giggled to herself as she put her best set of earrings on, energy rushing through her veins. This was just so exciting! Her and Sonic, on a dream date…and no kids crying, screaming…

"Ahem." Amy instantly recognized Sonic clearing his throat behind her, and she glanced into the mirror she sat beside, catching Sonic's awed expression as he gazed upon her. "You look…great," Sonic stuttered, and Amy giggled again. Without turning she handed him a priceless necklace, and he took it without question, clipping it around her neck.

"You look good too, Sonic," she replied, making Sonic laugh.

"I don't look any different than usual," he answered. "You know you couldn't catch me dead wearin' a suit." The blue hedgehog shivered at the thought.

"I've seen you in a suit before," Amy started, but before she could continue Sonic's lips were on hers.

"No you haven't," Sonic remarked as he pulled away gently, and Amy decided to let it go at that, feeling too light headed to disagree anyway. "Ready ta go?"

"Uh-huh." Amy checked herself once more in the mirror before standing, her light blue dress swaying at her hills. Sonic's grin expanded.

"Cream said she'd be here in ten minutes, right?" Sonic confirmed, getting antsy to leave, and Amy merely nodded as she walked out the door of their bedroom.

A sudden gust ran down the hall as Amy exited, and the pink hedgehog sighed, glad she wouldn't have to put up with the kids, at least for tonight. Sure, she loved the kids to pieces, but breaks were needed periodically.

"Dash, don't you be giving Aunt Cream that kind of trouble tonight!" Amy called down the hall as the boy stopped in front of the staircase leading to the main floor. "You understand me, young man?" The blue hedgehog huffed, blowing unwanted bangs away to reveal a mischievous grin.

"O' course, Mom!" the boy cried as he rushed down the stairs. Sighing, Amy turned to Sonic, who chuckled softly.

"They'll be fine," Sonic assured her, taking her hand in his as they headed downstairs themselves. "Dash loves Cream too much ta make her too mad."

"And I thought he loved me too," Amy replied sarcastically, making Sonic laugh once more as he pulled her close to himself.

"Ya can know I-"

Sonic was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the telephone ringing, and the couple simultaneously turned to the sound as Kyler automatically picked it up.

"Hello?" the young girl started. "Oh, hi Aunt Cream." Amy blinked in surprise, wondering why the rabbit was calling, when Kyler handed her the phone.

"She wants to talk to you," the girl explained, and Amy took the phone, confused.

"Hey Cream." A cough from the other line startled the pink hedgehog.

"Hi, Amy." Cream's voice was hoarse. "Listen, I'm really sorry, but…" A fit of coughing. "Amy, you know the stomach flu's going around, don't you? Well, I have it, and I don't think it would be a good idea if I babysat the children tonight…"

'Get right to the point, why don't you?' Amy thought to herself.

"Oh, well, um…" Amy, still stunned, turned to Sonic, who looked just as surprised as she. "Well, that's alright, Cream. Um…we'll do it another time. An', we hope you'll get better…"

"I'm really sorry, Amy…"

"It's not your fault you got sick," Amy replied, forcing herself to stay calm even though inside a whirl of emotions was starting to form. "Really, don't worry about it. Thanks for calling, Cream." Before the rabbit could even respond, Amy had the phone back in the receiver, and she started at the phone for a minute, as if she expected Cream to call back and say that she'd been joking and that she really wasn't sick and she could still watch the kids.

A hand was on her shoulder then, but Amy hardly felt it as she slowly withdrew into herself. This wasn't supposed to happen. It was supposed to just be her and Sonic.

"Tails isn't available?" Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Or Mom, or Vanilla?" She turned to Sonic then, tears forming.

'This wasn't supposed to happen…'

Sonic shook his head, sighing, and he glanced at Kyler who still stood in the room, looking confused.

"Ya mean Aunt Cream won't be watching us tonight?" the child asked, and Amy nodded, trying not to break down as she lowered her coat and herself onto the couch, sighing.

"No," she whispered. "Aunt Cream is sick. She won't be able to babysit you kids tonight."

"So you're not goin' out?" Violet asked as she walked into the room, blinking in surprise.

"No, no, we still are," Sonic suddenly piped up, looking towards Amy who gasped in surprise. "We'll just…bring ya kids along." Any hope that had been in Amy's eyes disappeared at Sonic's sentence, but she kept herself together.

"Really?" Violet squealed. "Oh, that sounds like so much fun! Do we get to dress up too?"

"Yes," Amy answered, telling herself that this would just have to do. "Yes, you may all dress up. Now go tell the others, and we'll be leaving soon, alright?" She forced a fake smile onto her lips as she watched the two girls giggle their way upstairs. Turning to Sonic, she smiled at him sadly, not letting him see how disappointed she really was.

"We'll make up for it another time," Sonic assured her, taking her hand again, and squeezing it gently. Unbeknownst to Amy, he was also forcing himself to not look too disappointed. "Immediately once Cream gets better. We'll go out, just you an' me." Amy nodded, not looking up at him.

"Okay," she said. "Okay."

"But I wanted to see Auntie Cream!" Rose cried for the millionth time as they pulled up into the restaurant's parking lot.

"She's sick, Rose," Kyler answered, gritting her teeth, tired of her whiney sister already. "She's sick, but we're going out with Mom and Dad and we're going to still have fun."

"That's right," Sonic agreed as he turned the air-car's engine off. "Now, before any of us get out, ya guys need to know that you need to be good tonight."

"Like how we were gonna be with Aunt Cream?" Nick asked innocently.

"Uh…yeah," Sonic answered. He'd never been good at lecturing the kids. "Just be good, an' don't make too much noise."

"Can we run?" Flash asked, and Kyler groaned.

"No, you can't run in this restaurant, Flash and Dash," Amy replied, emphasizing both of the trouble-maker's names. "This restaurant doesn't have a play-place like McDonalds." The two speedsters huffed, crossing their arms in remorse, looking like twins.

"Aw, come on!" Sonic quipped, opening the door. "Let's all try and have fun tonight, alright? We're all here together as a family. What more could we want?"

"Freedom," Dash mumbled, making Flash snicker, and Amy sent them a glare as Sonic rushed to her side of the car, opening her door. Just because the kids were with them, Sonic figured, didn't mean he couldn't make her night a little better by opening her door. Amy smiled sadly up at him, then opened the door for the kids, and those not in car seats or booster seats rushed out.

"Cwan we cowwer 'ere?" Samantha asked politely, her small hand finding its way into Amy's.

"Of course, honey," Amy replied, smiling down at the toddler as the family headed towards the front door. "They have crayons here and you can color on the children's menu all you'd like."

"Yay!" the toddler cried, skipping the rest of the way to the front doors, forcing Amy to do the same. She stopped suddenly when she saw the crowd of people, and Amy let in a sharp intake of breath.

"Sonic…" she breathed. "Our reservation was for two."

"Well, they're just gonna have to let us in, huh?" Sonic didn't even pause in step as he opened the door. "After you." Amy sighed wearily, walking in slowly after the excited children, listening to their astonished gasps.

"Whoa!" Violet said excitedly, looking in all directions. "This place is like…whoa!"

"Too fancy if ya ask me," Dash muttered, leaning against a nearby wall.

"I think it's pretty," Rose stepped in. "Look at that plant over there, Mommy! What is it?"

"Not sure, honey," Amy replied, biting her lip as she led herself and Samantha up to the reservation stand.

"Why hello," the lady behind the stand said, sounding amused as she glanced at the children. "How may I help you?"

"We have a reservation under Sonic the Hedgehog," Sonic replied as he walked up beside his wife, scratching the back of his neck nervously. The lady, finding their name, blinked in surprise.

"Um…" she started awkwardly, "you're under for two people." Sonic cleared his throat, glancing around nervously for a second.

"We know," he stated. "Um…there was a change of plans at the last minute."

"Oh." The lady behind the stand looked mildly amused. "Well, sir, I'm sorry but we're very busy tonight, in case you can't tell. And we can't make room for…how many was it?"

"Nine," Amy murmured, looking away as she tried locating all the children again so they could go as soon as possible.

"Ah, well, nine. You can't just walk in here with a reservation for two, and expect us to allow nine to sit. No, that won't work." Sonic tapped his fingers impatiently on the stand, sighing.

"How long's the waiting list?"

"About an hour, hour and a half," the lady replied. "You could've called earlier and made a reservation for nine-"

"We didn't know we'd need it until five minutes ago," Sonic cut in, impatient. "We'll leave ya back to your orderly night. Thanks." Without another word, Sonic turned, his eyes searching for seven familiar faces. "Kids, c'mon, we gotta go somewhere else."

"Awww…" Violet said sadly, looking down.

"And I was just getting used to it," Kyler sarcastically added, following the rest out the doors.

"Cwan we cowwer a' the ofver rest-e-aunt?" Samantha asked.

"I don't know, honey," Amy responded, looking at Sonic sadly. "I don't know where we're going."

"You'll see." Sonic winked at Amy, trying to lighten up her mood. "We'll go to a place were ya can still draw, alright Sam?"

"Yay!"

"Take two," Kyler whispered to Violet as they got in their seats, and the two girls laughed. They both knew this would be a chaotic night.

By the time the family arrived at the second restaurant, Dash was complaining about being bored, Rose kept saying she had to go to the bathroom, and Samantha wouldn't quit talking about how excited she was about coloring at the next location. It was enough to give anyone a headache, Amy figured, as did Kyler secretly, as the girl banged her head up against the car window.

"Kyler, stop that," Amy scolded wearily. "You're going to give yourself a concussion."

"Oh, and Rose hasn't with her hammer," the girl remarked, but she stopped anyway, covering her ears with her hands.

"You're so dramatic," Dash sighed, bouncing uncontrollably in his seat. "Are we there yet?"

"Yep," Sonic replied, parking the car. "Just got here."

"Good, I'm starving!" Flash cried excitedly as Amy opened the doors for the second time that night. She caught Sonic's gaze for a second, finding comfort in his eyes full of pity, and she smiled.

"Cowwer!" Samantha sang happily, again skipping up the restaurants' steps. "Cowwer, cowwer, I wovet t' cowwer!"

"Samantha, please calm down," Amy reprimanded, taking the toddler's hand. "And Rose, come on, I thought you had to go to the bathroom!" The mother turned to see the child not even attempting to move as a blue streak blocked her off from the path.

"Flash won't quit running in front of me!" she cried, huffing as she crossed her arms.

"Flash, c'mon!" Sonic called, as he opened the front door for the rest of the children. Obliging, Flash instantly rushed over, and Rose huffed once more before quickly following after her brother.

"This place isn't as fancy," was Violet's first remark, as she surveyed the lobby, blinking up at the chandelier-less ceiling.

"Yes," Sonic answered as he walked up to the stand with the two oldest following behind. "But it doesn't have as long a wait most likely, and it's more in our range anyway."

"What's that mean?" Violet asked Kyler.

"It's less expensive." The violet one nodded.

"That would explain the absent chandeliers," she said thoughtfully, and Sonic blinked.

"Where'd you hear that word?" he questioned.

"What word?"

"Sir?" The lady raccoon behind the stand turned to Sonic, smiling gently at the costumer. "May I help you?" Waving off his daughter's question, Sonic inquired,

"How long's the wait?"

"There isn't one right now," the lady replied back politely, and Sonic allowed himself a sigh of relief.

"Good," he said. "Good, good. Got room for nine?" The lady raised an eyebrow as she looked in her book, but she nodded.

"Right this way please," she instructed as she picked up a handful of adult and children menus. "How many kid menus will you need?"

"Six," Kyler replied before Sonic had the chance. "Mom says I don't need to have a kid's menu anymore."

Sonic blinked in surprise.

"Seven just in case," he told the raccoon, and she handed him an extra as she placed the menus on the circle shaped booth, side by side. As if on cue, the rest of the children suddenly came pouring into the room, chatting loudly as they did so and disrupting the others around them.

"Cowwer!"

"Samantha, please," Amy said as she tried quieting down the others.

"Can I sit by Kyler?" Nick asked politely.

"No, I'm sitting by her!" Violet snapped.

"There's two spots," Kyler replied back in an intelligent yet bored tone. "Two spots and two people asking to sit by me. Hmm…"
"I'm sitting by Dash," Flash remarked, sitting by his brother who was already looking at the menu hungrily.

"Do they have popcorn here?" the older of the two speedsters asked, and Sonic merely shrugged as he set Samantha down next to Amy. Turning, he wasn't surprised to see Nick on Amy's other side, and then he realized that Amy was, like usual, separated from him.

He sighed, wishing things hadn't turned out this way as he sat down next to Flash and Rose.

"Alright, now everyone quiet down," Sonic ordered as he picked up his menu. "This restaurant is not one for a lot of kids, so we have to act grown-up like."

"But we're not grown-ups…" Rose sounded confused.

"Mommy?" Samantha asked, as she tugged on her mother's sleeve. "Mommy? Why do I on'y hav two cra-ans?"

"That's how they give out crayons," Amy replied, glancing at the menu before her.

"Bwut-"

"Hey, now look what you can make with blue and red!" Sonic cut in with fake enthusiasm, getting up from his seat and picking up Samantha's red crayon. "Ya can draw something like a flower!" He drew a sloppy example.

"Bwut fowers are not-"

"It's your imagination," Rose interrupted, as she looked up from her own drawing of a flower. "The flower can look however you want."

"Bwut-"

"Here, Sam, have my green crayon," Nick offered as he rolled the crayon over towards her direction.

"How nice of you!" Amy beamed at her son. "Thank your brother, Samantha."

"Twank ew."

"But before you color, you should probably decide what you want to eat tonight," Sonic explained to the toddler gently. "What sounds good?"

"Steak," Samantha answered quickly, and Sonic blinked.

"Erm…they don't have steak on the kids menu."

"Steak."

"You've never even had steak before!" Kyler lectured. "How do you know you like it?"

"I wan' steak." She looked up from her drawing. "Please?"

Sonic looked at loss for words, and he turned to Amy.

"How about some chicken nuggets instead?" Amy asked, almost pleadingly.

"Is tha' anoother word for steak?"

"It's…like steak," Amy replied cautiously. "They're both meat."

"Okay." The child went back to her drawing, and Amy sighed in relief.

"Mom, you said I could order off the adult menu now, right?" Kyler didn't allow a peaceful silence for long. "Right, Mom? You said so when I turned ten last month."

"Are you sure you can eat that much?" Amy asked carefully, trying to remember if she had promised Kyler such a thing.

"Uh-huh. Dad says I have a hollow leg you know."

"Well…for a ten year old, sure. But you're no where close to being an adult."

"You could get the mac and cheese like me, Kyler," Violet supposed, pointing to the picture on the child's menu. "You and I have always liked that." Kyler wrinkled her nose.

"Sure," she started, "but that's for kids. Dad says I'm mature for my age."

"Maturity has nothing to do with how big your stomach is," Nick thoughtfully said, as if he had recited it from a book (or a parent's mind). Violet high-fived him from across the table, and Kyler frowned.

"Please?" she asked again, giving the puppy look. "They have to-go boxes. And I'll order something real small."

"Oh for crying out loud…" Dash huffed, and he closed his menu. "I'm getting the chicken fingers. Don't make it so complicated, Ky."

"I'm not!" she retorted angrily. "I'm just asking-"

"Go ahead, Kyler," Sonic replied. "Don't get more than you can eat, alright?"

The girl was too busy giggling evilly to hear him, and Sonic shook his head, smirking slightly. Turning back to his menu, he quickly decided on the closest thing to a chili dog, which happened to be a hamburger.

"It's a shame they don't have chili dogs at fancy places," he said wistfully, glancing over at Amy, and she smiled, laughing softly.

"Oh please," she remarked. "It's a good thing they don't."

"Oh?" A change in Sonic's eyes made Amy suddenly forget that they were with their seven children in a restaurant that wasn't her favorite…

"Mama! Look!"

And then she was brought back into the real world.

By the time the meal was finally, finally over, Amy was ready to collapse and hit the hay, as she put it.

"But that doesn't make any sense," Nick said as they walked out of the restaurant, sounding not at all tired. "Hitting the hay? You and Daddy don't sleep on hay!"

"But, I thought we were gonna watch a movie before heading back home…" Violet stated quietly, sounding not at all pleased with the idea of going home now, at only eight o'clock.

"We should probably all be going home now so we can go to bed," Sonic replied gently, reaching out his other hand not in Amy's. Violet took it uncertainly, sighing sadly.

"But I really wanted to see a movie…"

"I did too, Vi," Dash put in, sounding miserable himself, his head down. "I wanted to see the action movie!"

"What action movie?" Rose asked.

"They were gonna watch an action movie called…oh, what was it?"

"Well, we can't now, guys," Sonic cut in. "Besides, that movie ain't for kids in the slightest."

"I thought we could watch something like…I don't know," Nick said, wanting his part in the conversation. "Funny, cool…"

"Their movie was gonna be like that," Dash explained, as he and the rest of the family finally reached the car. "Oh, please Dad? Can't we go watch something? They're plenty of little kid baby movies out these days, right?"

"They're not baby movies!" Violet screeched.

"Please?"

"Yeah, Dad, please?" the rest cried, almost all at the same time. Biting his lip, Sonic turned to Amy, knowing that it all came down to her in the end.

"Well…I suppose," she replied, reluctantly. "But after the movie, it's straight to bed for all of you, you hear?"

But none of them did hear. They were all too busy bickering over which movie they should convince their parents to let them watch.

The movie theater was extremely crowded by the time the nine of them arrived ten minutes later, most of the people adults going to the opening of the new action movie…that Amy and Sonic were going to watch. Sonic watched the large multitude swarm through the one door leading into the movie, and he stared at it longingly, hungrily, making Rose giggle as she caught her father's expression.

"Can I have a snack, Mom?" Violet suddenly asked as they tried deciding on a movie they could all watch. "Can I?"

"You just had supper," was Amy's quick reply.

"But ya can't go to a movie theater and not get popcorn!" Dash cried, realizing that his favorite food might actually be within his grasp. "Please, oh please, oh please? I promise I won't run in the house for a week!"

"And you always end up breaking your promises, don't you?" Amy was completely unfazed. Turning to his father, Dash looked at him pleadingly.

"Come on, Dad," he practically begged. "This is popcorn we're talking about. Think of it as a chili dog. Wouldn't you be begging for one?"

"They have chili dogs here, in case you didn't notice," Sonic replied. "Now, which movie do you want to see? You and Nick are the only one's who have already voted, so hurry it up."

"So it's a no?"

Sonic turned to Dash, looking bored with the conversation.

"Dash…" Sighing, he got down to the child's level. "You know I love chili dogs. But you also know I love your mother, and she wouldn't want me to have a chili dog, especially right after we ate supper."

"But that's you-"

"And I know that whether you'll admit it or not, you love your Mom too, and if she said no, she said no." Dash growled, turning away from his father.

"Why do you always take her side?"

"'Cause it's a husband's job…Sometimes." Sonic ruffled the boy's spines playfully. "Now, c'mon sport, don't be so glum." He stood back up again. "What do ya want to see?"

"The movie with the most action," Dash answered, not too caring at the moment. Suddenly, he brightened, turning to his father, holding back a smirk. "Yeah. Which ever has the most action." Sonic raised an eyebrow, not liking the way Dash had the look of "I'm-planning-on-disobeying-and-you-won't-know-when-or-how" written all over his face.

Five minutes later, the nine of them had arranged themselves in the theater, which was mostly empty. ("Probably because so many parents are watching that new movie," Sonic thought to himself bitterly, eyes lowered). Just as they sat down, the lights began to dim.

"Ssh, it's starting!" Violet cried in an excitement whisper. She bounced lightly in her seat, smiling up at her mother whom she sat by. Amy blinked in surprise. She hadn't noticed if her kids were happy tonight, not really. She'd been too busy daydreaming about what would've happened to notice. And yet, here was Violet, excitement dancing through her veins, and Amy found herself smiling, glad that her daughter's smile, which had always been bright, was so contagious.

"Thanks for takin' us out to eat and a movie," the girl whispered as the ads started, and Amy suddenly felt the familiar beginning of tears. She blinked, turning away but taking her daughter's hand, squeezing it.

"You're welcome, sweetie," she whispered.

"Hey, Mom?" Shifting on to the next child, Amy turned to the sound of Flash's confused voice, smiling at the boy.

"Yes?"

"Where's Dash? I wanted to sit by him, but he's not here…" Amy blinked in surprise and looked at Dash's empty seat. She groaned, putting a hand up to her forehead. And just when her night was getting less stressful…

"So, that's all I ask," Dash concluded, smiling pitifully up at the old lady before him. "The small size would work. Or the medium level. Actually, I would love the biggest bag of popcorn you could buy. But I'm okay with the small bag, if that'll work for you."

"Um…" the old lady, who happened to be a ginger cat, bit her lip, not knowing how to answer this young boy. "Where are your parents?"

"They're watching the movie with my brothers and sisters," he replied, nonchalantly. "They won't notice I'm gone for a few minutes."

"Won't they be upset that you left without asking?"

"Yeah." For knowing he'd get in trouble, the boy seemed way too calm to the cat.

"Why wouldn't they buy you popcorn themselves?"

"We just ate, and Dad says Mom said no, so he wouldn't get me any." Dash sighed, looking down. "But, popcorn's my favorite food. And I would be so happy if you'd buy me some. Please?"

"Listen, young man," the cat began, and Dash's shoulders sagged a little, his smile faltering. "If your parents said no, then I can't help you. I'm sorry."

"But the small bag's only two dollars-!"

"Dash, Paul, Hedgehog!" Immediately, Dash's ears were against his head, and he turned slightly to his father's stern voice. "Dash, what on Mobius are you doing?"

'Busted…'

Two minutes later, Amy was relieved to see Dash in tow behind Sonic, looking upset or not, and she nodded at Sonic as he walked into the aisle; a silent thank you. He nodded back, smiling at her half-heartedly as he sat down in his seat next to the trouble maker. The blue hedgehog rolled his eyes.

'He's just like me…'

Turning to the boy, he chuckled, shaking his head from side to side.

By the time the movie ended an hour and a half later, Dash had gotten over his bitterness, and, of course, was still wide awake, chattering up a storm on the way home in the car and still talking by the time they got home.

"That was a great movie," he started as he rushed into the house, grinning.

"I second that!" Violet replied back. "And I loved the romance parts…" Nick rolled her eyes.

"I thought the storyline was a bit lacking…" he ventured.

"Hey, it's a kid's movie," Kyler cut in. "The lower the rating, the less creativity the creators generally have." Nick shrugged, understanding that sort of logic just barely.

Smiling at her kid's comments, Amy turned to Sonic and smiled at him happily for the first time since Cream had called saying that she couldn't babysit the kids.

"Sounds like they had a fun night," she whispered, for Samantha was asleep in Sonic's arms. Amy reached out a hand, caressing her daughter's small cheek lovingly.

"Yeah." He looked up at Amy then, also smiling. "An' it wasn't too bad for us either, was it?" He gazed into her eyes then, looking for her own thoughts within, and he was encouraged by her brightening smile.

"No, it really wasn't that bad." She allowed her eyes to linger with Sonic's another second, and then she rotated around, facing the children in the living room, still chatting about the movie.

"Guess what time it is?" she sung playfully, chuckling at the kids' synchronized protests.

"But I'm not tired!" Violet giggled. "Ya can't make me go ta bed." Sonic raised a playful eyebrow.

"Oh really?" A touch on his arm made Sonic look back at Amy.

"Let me put Samantha to bed, and I'll join ya with the others in a minute." Sonic nodded, and he carefully handed the sleeping child to Amy, who heading to the girl's room. Once there, she gently put the toddler down on her bed, tucking her in lovingly, kissing her forehead in the end.

Taking a step back, she gazed at the child in front of her, recalling the night in precise detail, starting with her excitement, ending with that exact moment in time, where the only sound she could hear was the hum of Samantha's rotating tropical fish nightlight. Her fingers traced Samantha's kitten-dotted bed sheets absently as she gazed at the dim room, taking in her daughter's stuffed animals sitting patiently on the shelves and her small set of books in the corner.

"I thought you were gonna come help me." A man's voice. Her husband's puzzled yet amused voice. She turned to him, grinning sheepishly.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I guess I was just transfixed."

"In what?" he walked up beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know…tonight's just been so…emotional. You know? I just kind of felt like…I wasn't here. Like I was just a spectator."

"I get that feeling a lot," Sonic admitted. "Especially when I look at our family. When I see what we've created together. Ten years ago, I never would've imagined a night like tonight would be possible." He chuckled, staring down at Samantha's sleeping form. "I never would've imagined that I would end up being tired and yet…happy, after such a night. Particularly a night like tonight where it was just supposed to be us."

"We can still have a night to ourselves," Amy suddenly suggested. "We have movies that we could handle watching again, and the kids are all in bed now so as long as we don't make too much popcorn to lure Dash out of dreamland…" She bit her lip, embracing the silence. And then a soft reply:

"Yes." Sonic turned to his wife, grinning, beaming actually, and he leaned down and kissed her gently, loving the way her knees just seemed to give out the instant their lips touched. Steadying her, he pulled away. "I think we could find some kind of movie we'd both enjoy." Amy gazed up at him, also glowing, and she wrapped her arms around him as he leaned down a second time, wanting to never leave his presence, wanting him to hold her till eternity's end.

Samantha grinned as she watched the scene before her. Her parents may have thought she was asleep, but she'd only been half way there. The moment her father had put his arms around her, she'd woken, slowly, reluctantly, and by the time her mother had tucked her in, the only reason her eyes were closed was because she wanted her mother to think she really was asleep.

And because of this, she got to see her parents make-out right in front of her. It was extremely, extremely hard, for her to not squeal.

Again, thanks for the idea Therapy Angel! Hope I lived up to your idea. It was fun writing, and even a bit difficult. Thanks again, and thanks for reading, peeps!

~Ksonic~