I am so sorry that I have not updated for a year now. It took me a while to get the right encouragement to get down to writing this. But I am glad I waited because this chapter turned out better than it would have if I had written it a year ago.

Thank you so much for waiting, and I hope you find this worth waiting for. Please read and review!

The Little Planet. He could still remember the tiny beautiful world that passed over the crystal clear Never Lake. He could still remember how Eggman had made the Little Planet his newest fortress, forcing Sonic to speed through to race a robot called Metal Sonic in order to save Amy Rose for the very first time. The lake, the mountains, the flowers, the sky, Sonic knew they would all reflect the girl he missed.

It would make sense, going back to that place that held such an important memory of the two of them together.

Sonic's heart burned. It seemed the entire world was against Sonic finding the murderer. His head rang and back throbbed after the heavy impacts of his latest fight. Shadow he expected this from, no matter the circumstances. But Knuckles…. As temperamental as he was, him yelling, "You traitor!" and proceeding to attempt to pummel his old friend to death was not normal.

The image of Tails's young face, looking frightened and hopeless, fur wet with tears, burned painfully in Sonic's mind worst of all. What was going on? Suddenly, everyone he trusted and cared about were giving their best efforts to see him killed. Sonic only longed to find the letters Amy left behind, and G.U.N. couldn't know about that, nor was it any reason to kill him.

His mind reeled. It hurt, struggling not to lose focus from his mission to find those letters. Luckily, his legs dragged him along and his feet knew exactly where to go. He remembered the fun he had enjoyed coming to this place the last time. The only other time he had ever been there, actually. Running across the rocky terrain, reaching out hands to preform crazy acrobatics to stop himself from smashing his face into a sharp boulder; it had been the ride of a life time. Breathtaking.

Sonic emerged from the last thick forest and into a huge clearing. To most anyone, it had to be the most beautiful place in the world. Lush green grass waved gently in the calm wind and intermixed yellow flowers lazily glowed with the warmth of the sun. In comparison to the wide open field, the lake at the center of the clearing was very small. The water inside was crystal clear and only four feet deep, which left a clear view straight to the flat bottom. Around it stood giant rock structures that could only be described as looking like sandy-colored stalagmites. In the distance towered beautiful gold mountains. However, Sonic's awe lacked any real joy.

It looked too different from when he had been there with Amy.

Eggman messing with the Little Planet had left patches of grass missing and rocky structures dangerously crumbling. At that time, Sonic had felt the absolute thrill of the danger, the adventure, as well as the joy that came along with all of it. Now, he simply missed what this place had meant to Amy and him together.

Sonic slowed to a halt beside the beautiful lake. Staring at it, the turmoil and chaos rampaging inside him that had tormented him since that day in Amy's apartment faded into a dim burn. Instead, his entire body ached with grief. His heart dropped in his chest and beat slower than it ever had before. His arms hung at his sides, void of all feeling. He remembered leaping down from the Little Planet, a much younger Amy Rose in his arms. Her face, though slightly green from Sonic's immense speed, nonetheless lit up with a smile when Sonic met her eyes. Sonic's eyes burned at the memory. He felt Amy's body close to his chest and safe in his arms. What he wouldn't give to live that moment one more time….

Although his body wilted with grief and memories, Sonic forced himself to remember why he was there: Amy's note, hidden at a marked boulder. Sonic turned away from the lake and glanced around. Plenty of boulders rested at the bottom of each stalagmite-rock, and Sonic dashed around checking each one for some semblance of a marking. But nothing stood out. Sonic's heart felt heavy as he stared up at the sky, a desperate prayer begging for God's help burning in his heart. As his eyes fell down the stalagmites, they registered a shape on top of one of the shorter, thicker spires. A boulder out of reach from any common traveller. Was that it?

Amy knew Sonic well enough to know he could get up there with ease. Little doubt of this being the right boulder remained in Sonic's mind, and he sped up the spire of rock in seconds. He stood on the level summit of the rock, and his eyes scanned the single boulder resting there. At Sonic's eye level was a heart engraved clumsily into the boulder. Sonic's hands clutched at the stone as if it were a life preserver. Here waited another letter from the only girl he cared about enough to keep that concern and love secret. And somehow, she must have known he cared if she had left these notes for him. Sonic's heart pounded at the thought as he pulled the boulder back. Beneath the mass was a piece of paper folded into a tiny square. Sonic grabbed it between his numb fingers and hastily unfolded it. Not sure he was ready for the letter that would bring Sonic and Amy's friendship full circle in this place that they had first met, Sonic forced his eyes down to read her words. At the first sentence, his stomach dropped:

SONIC! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!

This is my final letter, and I'm sorry. I now know I will die tomorrow, but there's nothing that can be done for me now. Now there's someone else who needs saving.

I thought by taking down all the pictures in my apartment I would protect you all from the murderer because he wouldn't be able to find out who my friends were. He already sounded like you, Sonic, and I was scared about him finding out more about me. But he did, and I can't stop him. Sonic, I found the hit list. And there's a name other than mine on the list. TAILS! TAILS IS NEXT! You have to save him, Sonic! YOU HAVE TO!

He doesn't know about the murderer so he won't see it coming. I can't tell him in time. He's off on another adventure with you and by the time he gets back, I'll be dead.

On top of that, I think I may have found the killer's base. It's north of here in the Labyrinth District. The hit list is there and so is the killer. But saving Tails is the most important thing, and I know you know that.

Sonic, I know I never told you what was going to happen to me until these notes. With the notes I knew the killer couldn't find out I was telling you. I know you're wondering why you couldn't save me and why you had to wait until after I was gone to fight. To be honest, I was scared to tell you, Sonic. I left the notes, not sure if I was going to tell you how to find them. This thing isn't Eggman, and I was scared this monster would kill you without question if you found out about him. When I wrote that letter and packed that box in my apartment yesterday, I knew I could get rid of it if I decided it was too dangerous for you. But now that Tails is next….

If I could see you in time, I'm still not sure if I'd tell you everything. The notes are so much safer, and you may never find the box in my apartment so that would make you even safer. I love you, Sonic, and I could never let myself be the reason you died.

But now Tails is involved and me not telling you means he'll die too, and I'll be the reason he did. You have to save him. I'm brave enough to die now but not brave enough to let someone else die. I think that's the same way you are. YOU HAVE TO SAVE TAILS.

My next stop is the bank where this killer will…kill me. I will never see you again. But I can still at least remember how you saved me here at Never Lake. Even though you can't save me this time, you still have to be the hero, okay? And Sonic, know I will always love you.

-Amy Rose

Sonic couldn't do anything for a few moments but stare at the letter. Tails was next…Tails was next…TAILS WAS NEXT!

Out of nowhere, a heavy body collided with Sonic. Caught off balance, Sonic tumbled over the edge and gravity pulled him down toward the ground. NO! he mentally screamed, his grip on Amy's final letter tightening and crumpling the paper.

Sonic spun around in mid-air to see Shadow falling after him. Before Sonic expected, his back hit the ground and the black hedgehog dropped down on him. Shadow quickly placed his arms and legs down on Sonic's limbs, holding him firmly to the ground. The impact forced Sonic's energy to abandon him, leaving him with a horrible dull pain resonating through his body. Suddenly Knuckles was holding him down as well, and Sonic knew there was absolutely no hope of escaping. Still, Sonic struggled anyway, forcing his body to stretch and flail in any way possible. Knuckles tightened his grip on Sonic's arms. "It's time you answer for what you did to her!" Knuckles growled.

"What did I do?" Sonic said desperately. "Knuckles, get off! There are more important things at stake than whatever you're talking about!"

G.U.N. surrounded them as Sonic struggled. Knuckles and Shadow forced Sonic to his feet, holding him tight and pushing his hands behind him. A muscular looking soldier in a black uniform stepped forward and moved so close to Sonic that he could smell the man's thick cologne. The soldier tightened cold metal handcuffs around both Sonic's wrists and ankles. "You are under arrest, Sonic the Hedgehog, for the murder of Amy Rose."

Sonic's heart froze, and his mind jolted with shock. He felt like he was going to throw up. And all his emotions, every pain he felt for Amy since she had died, rose in him, forcing him on in a desperate shout. "WHAT? What are you—I'd never kill Amy! NEVER!"

No one paid attention to Sonic's cries as Shadow and Knuckles dragged him toward an armored vehicle. Sonic felt his eyes burning, his heart heavy and hurting. He looked around desperately for any chance of escape.

His eyes landed on Tails's tired, shocked face.

"NO! Don't—you're going to let it happen! The killer's not done! He's after Tails next—TAILS IS NEXT!"

Tails's face paled even further, but no one else seemed to care at all about what Sonic was saying. Sonic's stomach dropped as his feet were dragged through dancing yellow flowers that were oblivious to the direness of the situation. How…how could things end this way? If no one would believe him, Tails would die.

And no one would believe him. Shadow and Knuckles threw Sonic into the vehicle and slammed the door behind him. Sonic was left alone in silent darkness in the caged-end of the vehicle. Sonic collapsed against a wall, and the vehicle began to move beneath him. Icy metal touched his skin, sending chills up his spine. He still felt the crumpled paper of Amy's last letter in his hand.

Sonic's heart fell…fell so far, so fast…and he felt like the bullets that had once impacted Amy's body had lodged themselves in his heart.