I haven't updated all weekend, but I have an update now. My update rate is going to be more like this or slower as time goes on. I don't really know for sure.

I hope you like my fanfiction and continue to read. Please review when you're done with the update!

Sonic's sleep drowned in nightmares.

Maybe deciding to get some sleep was a bad idea. He crashed on the couch at home and was out within seconds. But every image that played in his head frightened him. His nightmares all ended with Amy's dead body on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood.

The last one finally woke him up. He stood in the bank surrounded by many other people. No one noticed Sonic, and he wondered if he was a ghost here. Then Amy walked in. She held her small deposit book tightly. She seemed sort of nervous being alone in such a big building. She was only twelve after all. But she still dazzled Sonic. She was so full of life, still a little kid, but one who knew how to be an adult. She was aware of the world but sill naïve. Sonic felt obligated to go over and protect her.

But he didn't get the chance.

A cloaked figure walked through the doors. Sonic noticed the figure, but it seemed no one else did. When Sonic tried to move, Sonic realized his feet were glued to the floor. When he tried to cry out a warning, no sound came. The cloaked figure raised his arm, his hand holding a shiny gun. Sonic watched, as if in slow motion, as the figure's finger pulled the trigger. Then again. And again. And again. And again.

The bullets slid through Amy like butter. She froze, her jaw dropped. Blood flowed freely from her wounds. Sonic heard screams in the background, but all he focused on was Amy's breathing. It sounded harsh, uneven, shallow, and panicked. She fell to her knees, then on her side. Sonic watched as blood spilled to the ground and the light faded from Amy's eyes.

Sonic turned to look at the cloaked figure, ready to demand answers even though he had no use of his vocal cords. The figure slowly turned so he faced Sonic. Shock and fear flooded through Sonic's body. The figure could see him? The figure lifted his arms and pulled down his hood. A smirk was on his face.

It was Sonic.

Sonic woke up screaming. He cut off when he realized where he was. Dark walls surrounded him in a place that once felt like home. He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up. The room had grown dark as he slept through the day and was now bathed in a dim gray light. Sonic stared up at the ceiling, gray because of the light. In anger and frustration, he pounded his fist against the couch.

And then he jumped three feet into the air when he heard a knock at his door. Sonic sighed heavily. Who would be here so late? He trudged over to the door and pulled it open. To his surprise, Cream stood outside accompanied by her floating chao friend Cheese. "Hello, Mr. Sonic!" she greeted.

Sonic blinked, still surprised. "Cream, did you come here all by yourself?"

Cream shook her head. "No; Cheese came with me."

"Chao!" Cheese said happily.

Sonic couldn't help but smile. "Come on in, Cream."

Cream walked happily through the front door, followed by Cheese. Sonic asked, "Does your mom know you're here?"

"Yes."

"Uh…Cream? Isn't it sort of late for you to be out?"

Cream looked out the window. "It wasn't that dark when I left. But then it got dark very fast."

"Ch-chao," Cheese agreed.

Sonic sat down on the couch and gestured for Cream to sit. She took a seat on the couch next to Sonic. "So, Cream, why did you come over to visit me?" Sonic said, still confused about why Cream was here.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay, Mr. Sonic," she told him. "You must miss Amy."

The pang hit much deeper when Cream said it. With her innocence, she saw things much kinder. She saw Eggman as a bad man, not as some insane genius with a desire to conquer the world. "Yeah…I do miss Amy. But things will be okay," Sonic assured.

"Are you sad?"

Sonic didn't want to worry Cream, but he didn't want to lie to her either. "Well…yeah. Of course I'm sad. But Amy's okay now. No one can ever hurt her again."

"Mr. Sonic?"

"What is it, Cream?"

Cream was silent a moment. Then she asked softly, "What happens to people when they die?"

Sonic froze, surprised by the question. He should have expected Cream to ask it sooner or later, but it still came as a surprise. How could he explain something so complicated to someone so young? "Well…" Sonic began, "when people die, several things can happen. Um…for Amy…she was a pretty good person. She was nice and she did what was right…so she went to Heaven."

Cream coked her head to the side. "What's Heaven like?"

Sonic sighed. "I don't really know since I've never been there. But I know it's the best place ever."

"Are there flowers?"

"Uh…" Sonic had no idea. It wasn't like he had a picture. But maybe it did have flowers. It made sense to him. "Yeah, Cream. Lots of flowers."

Cream asked, "Do you think Amy's happy there?"

Sonic nodded. "I'm sure of it, Cream."

"But you're not there. She probably misses you too."

Sonic wondered about that too, if Amy missed him at all. "She's still happy though. I don't always need to be there. Plus, she's looking down on us right now. She can see me whenever she wants."

"Oh." Cream looked up as if that would enable her to see Amy. Then she turned and smiled at Sonic. "I bet she is happy!"

Sonic nodded then looked out the window. The sky was nearly black now. "I'd better take you home, Cream."

"Okay," Cream said, bouncing off the couch.

Sonic picked her up. "Get a good hold on Cheese. You're going home at sonic-speed."

Cheese flew into Cream's arms, and Cream hugged him tightly. "We're ready, Mr. Sonic."

Sonic pulled open the front door. "All right then. Let's go."

And he bolted. He tried to go slower than usual for Cream's sake. Cheese cheered excitedly in Cream's arms, and Sonic smiled. Innocence made everything so simple for them. They saw the world simply. Sonic wished he saw like that. But at the very least, he wanted to protect their innocence.

Cream's house wasn't far from his home, and Sonic reached it in about a minute. The dimmest light still glowed in the sky. He placed Cream on the ground. "You good?"

Cream nodded. Cheese cheered again. Sonic turned around, ready to bolt off again. "Mr. Sonic?" Cream said softly.

Sonic turned around. "What is it, Cream?"

Cream smiled at him. "Don't worry. Amy's happy now."

Sonic nodded. "I know, Cream."

And then he was gone like the wind.