Sonic sat alone in that room for hours, every moment of which he became more hopeless and more angry. Amy's letters scraped Sonic's skin inside his glove. Every time he felt the touch of paper, his heart fell a little farther. He could only wonder if Tails was safe, and it terrified him that Tails, for all he knew, might already be dead.

Even with his nerves running high to breaking point, he drifted off. Nightmares of holding a gun to Amy's head as blood slowly stained his fur jolted him awake within seconds. His body and mind exhausted with anxiety running through him like the blood in his veins made it difficult to do so much as breathe. He had no idea how much time had passed. Minutes, hours, it was all the same in the stale air of that room.

So when he heard the clang of the interrogation room's door opening, he visibly jumped from the abrupt stimuli. Standing in the doorway was Tails, looking hesitant as if he wasn't entirely certain what he was doing. "Tails!" Sonic exclaimed. His voice cracked after so much time without use.

Tails didn't so much as smile. His eyes widened as if in shock of Sonic's ability to speak. Sonic's heart ached. He hated that Tails looked so scared of him.

Tails slowly closed the door behind him and approached the folding chair on the opposite side of the table. He sat there in silence for a long time, not meeting Sonic's eye. Sonic didn't attempt to break the silence, fearing that it would drive Tails only farther away. So he let Tails take his time. Finally, Tails said in a small voice, "Tell me this, Sonic: if you're innocent, why did you run?"

Sonic's heart froze, having not expected that question. The question was so certain, like Tails expected Sonic to be guilty. Sonic, of course, knew the answer, but was it right to tell Tails? All this time, it hadn't been right to tell anyone, lest they face the same fate as Amy. "It's…complicated," Sonic replied.

"I'm smart," Tails said stubbornly, narrowing his eyes. "And there's no one else around but me. What could be so bad that you couldn't tell me, Sonic?"

Was that the truth? Was there really no one listening? If no one else was listening, maybe Tails should know. It wasn't like it could hurt. The murderer only killed those who knew about him, but Tails was already on the list. And it simply hurt to look at Tails's angry eyes. Sonic took a deep breath. "Because Amy asked me to."

"Amy's dead, Sonic," Tails said, his voice cracking. His eyes glimmered through a film of tears.

"I'm not crazy," Sonic said quickly. "When we went to Amy's apartment, there was a letter addressed to me. She knew a murderer was after her, and she asked me to find him." As Sonic said it, he realized the memory felt like it was from another lifetime. He might even go so far as to say it wasn't his life, but something he read in a book. Except Amy's handwriting in that letter burned into his brain and made it real.

"But why would she know and not say anything?" Tails asked.

"Because anyone that knows about the killer is put on his list," Sonic explained. "That's why he killed Amy; she heard a murder in-progress and ran in to help. But he played with her and gave her clues to who he might be. She followed the clues the killer left her and left behind notes for me so I could follow them and learn what she knew. That's why I left; I followed her notes."

But that answer did not seem to satisfy Tails. If anything, he looked more concerned. "What?" Sonic asked in desperation. "I'll tell you anything you want to know if it'll convince you."

Tails shoulders slumped, and he no longer dared to look at Sonic. "Sonic, even if you just went after Amy's notes, you can't deny that you've kind of lost it. I mean…you attacked Shadow without stopping for a second to listen. You growled at the General. And…have you looked in a mirror? You look…wild and like you haven't slept in months. I'm scared of what you've become, Sonic."

Sonic narrowed his eyes. "I'm trying to catch a killer."

"I don't care!" Tails cried. Sonic's eyes widened, but Tails wasn't done. "What happened to you? I don't know you anymore. You're not…Sonic. Sonic wouldn't kill Amy, but would you?"

Words failed Sonic. He opened and closed his mouth but nothing came out. What was he supposed to say? Sonic doubted there was anything he could say to convince Tails at this point. "Amy wanted me to do this," Sonic said desperately.

"She asked Sonic to do this, not you!" Tails shouted.

Sonic's breath cut off, and all he could do was stare at Tails. What could he have done that would turn Tails against him so completely? He wasn't a monster, he was still Sonic. And yet, Tails's eyes glistened with tears. "I know it's been hard for you since Amy died," Tails said tearfully. "And I know that you've got to deal with it in your own way. But you left and we needed you. We were worried, and it looks like for good reason. We lost her…but then we lost you."

Sonic averted his eyes. "I didn't mean to leave you," he said softly. "I just had to go."

"Sometimes running doesn't help anything!" Tails snapped tearfully.

Sonic squeezed his eyes shut. He had no reply. He had to say something that would convince Tails of his innocence. But he realized Tails didn't care about Sonic being guilty or innocent. At this point, Tails didn't even care about Amy's death. Because as far as Tails was concerned, he had lost his best friend. Sonic swallowed hard and opened his eyes. Just as Tails barely recognized him, Sonic barely recognized his little brother. He missed the gleaming smile that was the most joyful thing in the world, the eyes so eager for approval drinking in every move his hero made. But now, he watched Sonic with tearful, worried eyes.

Sonic's heart weighed heavily in his chest in a way he just couldn't bear. But right now, he couldn't think about his own mourning for Amy like Tails wanted. That would have to wait for later. "Tails," he said in a low voice, "I can't fix this, but I can try to fight for her like she asked me to. Please, Tails, I can stop the killer and save you, but not from here."

Tails narrowed his eyes, but then the suspicion faded, leaving behind a face far too young. He looked so much more than sad. He looked away, his eyes a deep blue and glimmering in the dim lights. His limbs hung heavily and his entire body slumped. "You didn't answer my question," Tails said eventually. "Why did you run?"

How could there possibly be another way to answer that question? What was it Tails wanted to hear? He left because he wanted to find the killer. He hadn't told anyone because he didn't want to endanger any life but his own. He ran…because it was what he did. He was Sonic the Hedgehog. Running was as simple and essential as breathing. So why wasn't it enough of an answer for Tails? "What do you want me to say?" Sonic begged. "I left to stop a killer and I ran to do it fast, but that obviously backfired." He pulled against his restraints to demonstrate.

"It won't bring her back, Sonic," Tails whispered.

The comment caught Sonic off guard. His blood ran cold, and for a moment he couldn't do so much as breathe. Of course Amy couldn't come back. Even in his world things that died tended to stay that way. Sonic gritted his teeth, struggling to hold back the tears pooling in his eyes. He couldn't think about that now. The letters inside his glove, her smile in his head, she was far too much alive with him for him to be considering how gone she was. Sonic knew she was dead, of course he knew. But he also knew she had been murdered. He couldn't just leave that monster to kill so many others.

But, Sonic realized with a jolt, I can't save her.

"I know," Sonic said finally. "I just…I can't leave it that way. She's…gone. Amy's gone, I know. And I can't save her, but she never asked me to. She asked me to stop her murderer before he could kill anyone else. And….that includes you now. I can't let that happen." Sonic closed his eyes. A world with neither Amy nor Tails…surely such a thing couldn't be possible. With a heavy sigh, Sonic opened his eyes and looked at his kid brother. He was far too young to be coping with the death of a friend equally young, much less die himself. Still just a kid, he shouldn't even have to know what death was. "Tails, please help me end this," Sonic finished in a whisper and he closed his eyes again. He didn't dare say what he was thinking aloud. Please help me end this so I can mourn her.

Sonic felt a hand clasp over his own and looked up to see his brother staring at him with sympathetic eyes. "You didn't kill her, did you?" he said, his voice breaking.

"I would sooner have turned the gun on myself," Sonic said, his voice surprisingly steady.

Tails tightened his grip, and his eyes reflected only further confusion. "Then how could a witness have seen you there?" he asked, barely daring to whisper.

Sonic shook his head. "I don't know," he insisted. "I wasn't there. You remember that day, don't you? We were in the mountains almost all day, and then we came back and I went running. Just Green Hill, nothing even near the city. I got the call about Amy as soon as I got home." Sonic sighed heavily, but it came out more like a growl. "I don't get why someone would say I was there; are they trying to set me up?"

"I don't know," Tails said softly. "I don't even know what to believe anymore. Nothing makes sense. Nothing…fits."

Sonic's heart ached painfully. He wished he could run. It could be anywhere for any length of time. But sitting trapped in an interrogation room was not allowing him to think, not allowing him to just end this and move on. On top of that, no one believed a word he said. "How doesn't it fit? I wasn't there, and I'm not a killer. It doesn't matter what anyone else says because that's not me."

"Isn't it?" Tails said suddenly, and Sonic visibly winced. How had they gotten back to this point? Tails was desperate for the hedgehog sitting before him not to be Sonic. "Because since you left, like I said, it was like you weren't Sonic anymore. Everything you did was warped and twisted. You were in some sort of messed up…frenzy or something. Even now, you look different…wild."

"Of course I do," Sonic said sharply. "Amy's dead; of course I'm messed up. I'm this way because someone killed her; I didn't kill her because I'm messed up. I'm still me, I'm just—" He broke off and looked away. He couldn't bear to finish.

And suddenly, something seemed to break in Tails. He released a sob and threw his arms around Sonic's neck, clutching him desperately. His tears wet Sonic's fur quickly. For a few moments, Tails abrupt action shocked Sonic so that he couldn't react. "Tails," he whispered, any other words failing him. He wished he could reach out and push Tails gently away, hold him out at arms length and tell him everything would be okay. But with his restraints, he couldn't do exactly what he wanted. This time, he had to find the perfect words; they were all he had. "Tails," Sonic whispered tiredly, "I'm sorry things have to be this way, that I can't be here for you, that I'm…different. But I have to find the killer before he finds you. I can't let you die too. I might not be able to save her, but I can save you. Just not from here."

Tails pulled away, wiping his arm across his face. He nodded shakily. "Okay…okay," he said tearfully. "I…I believe you. You've never lied to me before, and…it doesn't matter how much you've changed; you're…you're still my big brother." Tails narrowed his eyes, pushing himself back to his feet. When he spoke again, his voice was far stronger. "Sonic, you're my big brother, and you could never kill anybody. I'll find a way to get you out of here. I promise. We won't let that guy kill anybody else."

Tails attempted a smirk, but it ended up more like a grimace. He turned and headed toward the door. "Tails," Sonic said suddenly.

Tails turned back to him. "What?"

Sonic didn't even bother trying to force a smile; it wasn't worth the effort, and he knew Tails would never fall for it. Not with things being the way they were. Tails saw through Sonic's strength, and he knew it. No reason to even pretend anymore. All he said was, "Thanks."

Tails nodded curtly and without another word, left Sonic alone. Only this time, Sonic had a fighting fire burning inside him once again, albeit a painful one. This war wasn't over, but Sonic wished it was. For the first time ever, Sonic wished he didn't have to fight anymore.

This chapter was a frightening undertaking for me and was edited thoroughly, but I'm extremely happy with how it turned out. I wanted to get this updated before I left for college, and I'm glad I did so that you can enjoy it! Please review so that I can know to update again soon. :)