CHAPTER 6

A week later, everyone grew distant from each other because of what had happened. They all had mixed feelings about the grim situation. They felt depressed, angry, and guilty.

It was mid in the afternoon when Rouge was visiting Tonya at her house. Tonya's house always seemed busy because Ker and Tikal had stayed with her.

Espio, Tonya, Tikal, and Rouge were all sitting in the living room. They were all talking about what had happened since the horrific event took place at the Chaotix.

Rouge was sitting on a sofa across from Espio, Tonya, and Tikal who were sitting on another sofa. "So", she began. "How have you guys been?"

Tonya sighed heavily and couldn't bring herself to mention all the things that had went on during the week, "It's been a long week."

Tikal made a small nod as she agreed with her.

"How's your week been going?" Espio had asked Rouge.

Rouge shook her head slowly, "Hell", she simply answered.

"Sounds on point", Espio had started to regret asking the question. Now that he thought about it, he supposed everyone was feeling that kind of way.

"How is everyone?" Rouge asked, "I mean…have you heard from anyone?"

The purple cat shrugged her shoulders, "We haven't heard much of anything from anyone. Everyone is just kinda spread out right now."

Rouge figured that everyone was so depressed and still in shock, they had no idea what to do. "…I see."

"What about Shadow? Is he doing all right?" Tikal asked hesitantly.

"Define 'all right'", Espio spoke in a bitter tone.

"…I mean…he's not…trying to blow his brains out or nothing is he?" Tikal could remember how Shadow had tried to kill himself in front of the destroyed Chaotix building.

Rouge slightly shook her head, "I've been staying with him ever since the incident. His injuries are slowly healing and he had that one episode that day of the incident but since then he's been doing okay. Zero suicide attempts."

Espio arched an eyebrow as he found it hard to believe her. "You sure? Shadow does have the tendency to um…overreact."

Rouge bit her lip as she remembered that he had started to drink a lot more, "He's been picking up on his drinking because he's been so stressed out, but since then he hasn't cried and isn't talking much. He's been in and out of the police station all week trying to get information together. I just think he's super exhausted."

"Yeah", Tonya could relate that being in a police station for hours and hours would seem extremely tiresome. "And I bet Margaret was there too."

Espio had made an uneasy look when Tonya mentioned Vector's wife. Margaret and Shadow had never gotten along and Espio knew Margaret was angry with what had happened to Vector. Shadow would be the only person she would blame.

Rouge clenched her fists angrily. "Damn Margaret! She makes me so mad! She's been giving Shadow so much Hell about everything!"

"What has she been saying?" Tikal asked.

Rouge sighed heavily before she began to explain what had went on between Shadow and Margaret during the week. "Before Shadow had left the police station a couple days ago, Margaret came up to him and said all these awful things to him. She told him that it was his fault the agency is gone and it was his fault that Vector died."

"…Did Shadow knock her the fuck out?" Espio asked.

She slowly shook her head, "No he just walked away and ignored her."

The purple chameleon crossed his arms angrily as he became infuriated that Margaret was blaming Shadow for everything that had happened. "He should've fucking punched her."

"I mean Shadow already feels like crap and Margaret's just making everything worse for him and everybody", Rouge spoke.

Tonya sadly looked down to the floor as Charmy came to her mind. "And poor Charmy. God knows what kind of crazy shit she's filling his head with."

"Charmy?" Espio didn't believe that Charmy would actually take Margaret's side. Charmy adored and respected Shadow. Charmy was always on good terms with him. "No, he could never turn against Shadow like that."

"All I know is Charmy's devastated", Tikal spoke.

"After all, Vector was like a father to him." Tonya knew Charmy had grew up without ever knowing his real parents before they got mysteriously murdered. She placed herself in his shoes and it seemed like he lost the closest person he had as a father.

"So", Espio began. "Vector's funeral is tomorrow."

Rouge made a small nod, "Yeah."

"…Is Shadow going?" Tonya asked.

Rouge spoke in a hesitant voice, "…I…I don't know."

"He should go", a voice spoke.

Everyone turned and saw Ker who had walked downstairs while he held a white mug in his hands. The mug was filled with hot chocolate. The demon stepped into the living room and joined the rest of the group. "We all need to be together…for Vector."

Espio, Tonya, and Tikal nodded as they agreed with him.

Rouge looked down to the floor and bit her lip, "He just never mentioned a thing about it. I just hope he feels the same way."

It was late that afternoon when Rouge had arrived back to Shadow's house after meeting and catching up with everyone. When she entered into the kitchen, she saw Shadow shutting the refrigerator door and spotted him holding a beer bottle in his hand. She rolled her eyes in annoyance at the sight and didn't seem surprised that he was drinking.

"You're back already?" He asked while opening the beer bottle.

She made a small nod, "Yeah."

"How is everyone?" He asked before he started to take a sip from the bottle.

She could tell by the way he was talking, he was already drunk. "You would know if you were there and not here getting drunk all day."

"I had a long day okay?"

Rouge saw him walking into the living room and followed him into the room. She saw more empty beer bottles practically covering the small table that was setting in front of the sofa he had sat on.

"I was down at the station again and ran into that fucking cunt again."

Rouge had assumed he was talking about Margaret. "What did she say to you?"

He slightly shook his head, "The same shit since this whole fucking thing started."

Rouge figured he was still upset over what Margaret had kept saying to him. "Shad, it's not true okay?"

"Yeah". he spoke in a bitter tone. "I know. It's not my fault. Don't worry. I'm not gonna fucking kill myself so stop trying to baby me."

She wasn't surprised that he was beginning to get hostile with her. He was drinking after all. She tried to remain calm even though his attitude had struck a nerve inside of her. "I'm just making sure you're okay."

"I'm fine", he snapped.

She crossed her arms as she became more and more irritated with his behavior. "You're drunk", she spoke in a low voice that was so low, it only allowed him to hear some murmuring coming from her.

"What?"

She decided to change the subject before he began to get even more agitated and would cause the two to start pointlessly arguing. "Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?"

Shadow had paused for a moment until he finally spoke, "…No."

This was a problem. Everyone was going to be at the funeral and of all people Shadow wasn't planning on going? She felt like he had to go. She wanted him to be there for the rest of the team. "Shadow, you need to go."

He took another sip from the beer bottle. "Why should I?"

"Everyone would like to see you. They're all worried."

He took his eyes away from her, "No one is concerned with me. They hate me."

She shook her head, "No they don't…" She was then cut off when Shadow spoke again.

He turned to her in anger, "You don't get it do you?"

She paused and decided to let Shadow talk.

"You all think it's not my fault that we lost everything but you're wrong! Margaret is right about me!"

She figured that he was still upset over the things Margaret had said to him, "Shadow…"

"The agency is in ruins and Vector is dead because I fell weak! I failed everyone because I let Kiba take control! I could've taken him out right then but I didn't because Vector didn't believe I was a cold blooded killer! He saw the humanist in me! He…he had faith in me…" He sadly looked down at the floor as tears swelled in his eyes.

"…You know what? Screw what everyone else thinks, Shadow. You know you tried to do the right thing and you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. You did what you had to because yes…Vector looked at you in a different light." Afterwards, she heard nothing but silence from the hedgehog. "I'm not saying you have to come to the funeral, but you shouldn't go for your friends. Go to show respect for Vector."

Without Shadow taking his eyes away from the floor, he heard her footsteps walk into the kitchen and then heard the door open and close.

In The Next Chapter…

Shadow: Vector's done so much for us. The best we can do is be there for him one last time…

Sarah: It's okay to feel this way.

Shadow: What can I say to him? What can I say to anybody?

Tonya: What's going to happen? To us? The Chaotix?

Rouge: Shadow, talk to them!

Shadow:…