Tails placed the mail on the living room sofa as he'd done all his life, when he got back. He wasn't panting like he normally did, his long time in the military had built him above what he used to do. He could smell pancake batter and sausages. It normally would lure him into the kitchen, but now he hesitated.
He wanted to eat, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep it down. He decided there was no harm in trying, and stepped into the kitchen anyway.
"Good morning." Rosemary said cheerfully as she quickly flipped the sausages over.
"Morning Mom." he kissed her on the cheek and took his seat at the table.
"So you decided to eat after all?" Amadeus smiled as he took a sip of his coffee. Tails simply shrugged.
"Hey Dad, would it be alright if I borrowed the truck?" he asked, looking at him.
"Sure, where're you going?"
"I wanted to go see Cosmo after breakfast." he said.
"Oh!" Rosemary said, looking at him, "Tell her hi, for me."
"I will." he smiled at her.
The green lady slowly approached the door. Ever since her father found her at his front door, no one knew what she was. But the town had long since gotten used to, and accepted her. She was dressed in her waitress's uniform as she pushed open the front door of the diner. Her short green hair was tied back into two pony tails.
"TAIS!" Cosmo surprised him when she stepped out of the door. Before he could say anything, she had nearly tackled him in a tight hug.
"Hi Cosmo." he replied softly. "I missed you too." he said as she stepped back, but didn't let him go.
"Look at you! You're built. Even more than before!" she spoke happily, looking him up and down. She slid her hands down and felt his rock hard abs. Suddenly Tails gasped and grabbed her wrists, pulling them away. "I'm sorry! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just…some cuts haven't healed." he said, forcing his eyes back open as the sting faded.
"Let me see, maybe I can patch it up."
"No, I'll be fine." he insisted, looking into her eyes. "How have you been?" he asked, trying to get away from the subject.
"Worried about you, of course. I haven't been able to see your parents in several weeks and I was beginning to worry when they didn't come to the diner anymore." she replied. His expression remained neutral as she spoke. "Are you okay?" she asked, reaching and grabbing his hands in hers.
"I told you I'm fine. Has anyone else asked about me?" he looked back at the diner.
The eatery had been a popular hangout before he'd left. Cosmo had worked there since junior high school and was the place of their first date when Tails finally got the courage to ask her out. When he looked at her again, her expression was puzzled as she thought.
"Well, not exactly." she admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, my boss and coworkers have been asking, but I think it was only because I was starting to worry since I couldn't see your parents."
"Why couldn't you? Is something happening?"
She looked at him. "No, I just moved out of my parents and into an apartment. I've been working double shifts to help make the rest of the down payment."
"How much more do you owe? I'm supposed to get my paycheck in a few days." he said.
"Oh, I paid the rest off yesterday. I was actually about to head to your house to check on Rosemary."
"That's good…" he said, emotion still devoid in his voice.
"I could always use a roommate, you know." she smiled up at him, trying to at least get a blush from him. He paused for a moment before shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, Cosmo, Mom was so hurt when I was gone, I don't think I should leave her for a little while." he said.
"Oh…alright."
"How about we get something to eat?" Tails suggested.
"Sure, we're serving chicken sandwiches now." Cosmo said.
Tails and Cosmo sat in a booth in the corner. They had just ordered and Tails had met half the staff as they greeted his return. Big Cat was standing on a stool as he slowly changed the light bulb just a few booths down from them. Cosmo was leaning on him, and he held his arm around her as they waited for their food.
"Tails, are you sure you're alright? You're not saying anything." Cosmo pointed out.
"I'm fine, just…a little tired." he replied.
"Alright." she leaned up and scooted over to check her purse which she'd left on the edge of the seat.
"Whoops!" Big dropped the bad bulb. Cosmo jumped when the loud POP came from the light bulb. She looked around and realized Tails had dove under the table.
"Tails?" she asked, leaning down and looking at him as he covered his head. "What're you doing?"
He looked up, and seemed to come to his senses and got back up. "Nothing. Just checking the…table." he grabbed and tried to wobble the table, which didn't move. Cosmo stared at him for a moment.
"Well if it isn't the twin tailed freak." they both cringed when they heard the voice. Cosmo looked over, but Tails just stared straight ahead as Mighty Armadillo approached. The large, strong armadillo was dressed in his letterman jacket, and blue jeans. Tails hated his guts. He knew the scum had dodged the draft by faking a bad stomach virus and shattered leg. Ever since he'd gotten the letter from his mother telling him from Cosmo, he honestly wanted to strangle him, but he didn't care enough to even bother with him.
"Leave us alone Mighty." Cosmo said as he stopped by their table.
"Oh come on, Green, I'm only joking." he said, smiling at Tails. "Ain't I Taily." he ruffled his hair, but Tails still didn't move. "Oh, did I hurt your feelings? Oh, wait, now I remember, you're in the army now, aren't you?"
"That's enough Mighty!" Big said. "Order something, or get out."
Mighty smiled and walked away to his own booth. Tails took a deep breath, and leaned back. Just then, the waitress brought their burgers and fries. Tails had only ordered a small order of fries, and he wasn't sure if he could keep that down. Since he'd already upchucked his mother's breakfast halfway down the road on the way here.
The couple ate their food quietly, and shortly afterward got the check.
"I'll take care of it." Tails said before Cosmo could get it. He took the receipt and got up. He stepped up to the register where their waitress was waiting. Just as he reach for his wallet, the waitress looked up.
"Mighty don't!" she said.
Tails felt a hand on his shoulder. Just as he turned, he saw Mighty holding up a glass of water. He splashed him with water. Before he knew it, instinct took over, and a blind fury overwhelmed him.
The fox grabbed the armadillo by his arm and head, and slammed it into the counter. Before he could recover, Tails had him in a headlock. He was violently choking him as he stepped backwards to keep him from regaining his balance. As his grip tightened it was obvious he was trying to go lethal.
Tails had the wolf officer by the neck now. All he had to do was kill him quietly, and take his uniform. It would only take one quick twist!
"TAILS!" a scream and a hard slap to the face brought him to his senses. He realized what he was doing, and let him go. When Mighty hit the floor, he panicked, and ran behind the counter. Tails was panting as he looked around. The entire diner was standing, and staring at him. Two men were holding him, having tried to tear him away, and Cosmo stood in front of him. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, looking as though she was about to break down.
He felt as though they were all staring at an animal. A frenzied creature that had just tried to kill someone. But the memory of what had happened was beginning to burn at him now. He held his head as it began to hurt. He quickly pulled himself free, and stepped out.
He was walking as fast as he could without actually running, toward his truck.
"Tails!" he heard Cosmo, but he didn't stop, "Tails, wait!" he heard her call again. "What's wrong?" she asked.
He stopped at his truck and tried to open it, but jerked his hand away when he found that it was locked. He found himself shaking violently. He growled as he found he couldn't even reach into his pocket to grab his keys. He howled as he stepped to the back, and slammed his fists on the tailgate. He stood, panting heavily. He could still feel Cosmo behind him, but she wouldn't approach him.
"I'm sorry Cosmo." he finally said, barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry." He slowly turned around, and she was startled to see tears in his eyes. She slowly approached him. She kissed him and held him in her arms.
"I love you." she said, squeezing him tight as she could, though she knew she wasn't nearly as physically strong as he was. He slowly embraced her and let his tears flow.
"I'm dangerous to be around, Cosmo. I don't want you to get hurt." he said.
"You won't hurt me, Tails," she said, leaning her head on his chest, as she felt him lean on her, "I know you won't."
The couple sat on the back of his truck's tailgate. In front of them, a large lake shined in the bright light. All around, except the road that led to it, was surrounded by a thick forest. This was the place they had their first kiss. Tails had found the lake one day when he had run away from bullies like Mighty.
It had once been his favorite place to go, and he and his dad had once gone fishing in it. When he was comfortable with her, he finally showed it to her.
Unlike they had always done, it was Tails resting his head on Cosmo's lap as she held him, gently petting his head. His coat was unbuttoned and hanging out. He held her hand in his as he looked up at her.
"Can I tell you something?" he asked, breaking the long, warm silence between them.
"Sure," she smiled at him.
"When I was hit. My DI's had told me that my first objective was too take cover and try to stop the bleeding. But, all I could think about the entire time I was out, was you." he said. "I'd passed out, and dreamed. All I could remember was your face."
She looked at him. "What happened?" she finally asked. Tails paused in thought for a long time before answering.
"We were sent to destroy an artillery emplacement…"
Tails slowly moved just behind his sergeant. He dragged his belly along the frozen mud. His rifle was now sporting a scope attachment, and longer magazines than normal. In his pockets he only carried his knife, several spare magazines, his side arm on his belt. His heavy helmet was tightly strapped to his head, and his trench coat was still dirty and buttoned closed over his uniform.
Their pace was grueling, but he knew what would happen if they were spotted. Every now and then, the sergeant would stop for nearly fifteen minutes at a time. He wasn't sure what he was seeing, since Tails could barely see over the trench wall. He was surprised when he realized they'd be crawling through a very small trench line. He could tell it had once been intended to be a tunnel, but the roof had long since collapsed, exposing anyone inside who stood up too much.
The two soldiers were not alone. Two others, including Sonic, were behind them. The mission was supposed to go smoothly, go in plant bombs, and get out. But Knuckles had told him nothing ever went as planned during war. Thusly, he was prepared for anything.
"Two echoes sierra." he heard his sergeant whisper. It was code for two enemies spotted. "Silent weapons." he added. Tails then put his rifle over his shoulder, and drew his sidearm, which was fitted with a suppressor.
Tails saw the end of the tunnel come into view. He stopped again. There was a tense silence. Tails couldn't hear anything. He knew something was wrong. Warzones, even during a cease fire were never this quiet. Suddenly, they heard yelling, and gunfire.
Tails spun around and saw several wolves standing on either side of the tunnel. He was too terrified to aim, he just held his pistol up and fired.
"Fall back!" he heard. Tails looked up as Knuckles was standing, crouched as he fired down the tunnel toward the end. He could see several wolves trying to get in and aim, but it was too crowded, and the sergeant capped anyone that he could get a clear shot to. Tails looked around, and saw that the wolves on the side were now gone, and looked back. Sonic and the others had already turned tail.
The fox stood, but unknowingly too far. He looked over his shoulder to check on the Sarge. Suddenly, it felt like a hot iron had been pressed to his temple, and he fell as several more shots hit him in the chest. As he slowly felt the blackness take over, the last thing he saw and felt was Knuckles looking down at him.
"I didn't die, though. A doctor told me the bullets had miraculously missed everything. It was the shock of being hit that knocked me out. The bleeding fooled Knuckles into thinking I was dead so he quickly took my tags when they ceased fire and began to regroup." Tails said, looking into space as Cosmo listened. "When I woke up. I wished I had died…"
"No!" Cosmo suddenly cut him off. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Tails, I…you went through so much."
"Not as much as I put you through," he said, sitting up, unable to look at her, "I know you worried." he then pushed himself back and sat beside her. "All that kept me going was you." he said again.
She didn't speak, but just looked at him. He looked down at his leg.
"I was captured. Taken to one of their little prisons a mile up a mountain. Or at least that's what they told me. I honestly had no idea where I was. I woke up in a cell, all patched up. But I quickly learned it was only because they wanted to question me."
"About what?"
"Information. The soldiers had looted my person before I was transported, and took my coat. They didn't know my rank, and figured I knew something, I guess." he said. Once again, he found himself not telling the whole story, as he had for his father the previous day.
Suddenly, the ugly memories forced themselves forward. He tried to force them away, but he couldn't help it. He gasped and found himself holding his head and panting.
"Tails?" Cosmo asked, fear in her voice.
"They tortured me." he said, unable to hold it in anymore. "For weeks. I was tortured." he said again. Cosmo was shocked as she heard him talk.
"Tails…I'm so sorry."
His voice was shaking, and so was he as he curled up, and held his legs. His tails wrapped around him as he closed his eyes. "They drowned me so much. I can't even stand to take a bath anymore. They froze me nearly to death, and poured hot water on me. Then she…she cut me."
Cosmo was horrified. It took a long time before she could bring herself to touch him, but then she slowly reached up, and wrapped her arms around him, and leaned over him. He began to cry as he felt her warmth. She felt good. A great comfort in his cold world.
Suddenly, there he was again. Lying on the cold stone floor just as the guard had tossed him in, and slammed the door shut.
He screamed as the pain from his chest burned. The blinding pain made him shake as he tried to breathe. His shirt was covered in blood, and it felt like fire as he pulled his shirt up. He screamed again, when he finally managed to pull his shirt off, and looked down.
She had cut him with a thin, short razor blade, putting countless lines down his chest and stomach. Then she had stopped the bleeding before sending him away again. He lay there for a long time, breathing slowly, since even that hurt.
He cried as he finally started to calm down. It wasn't the pain hurting him now, but the absence. The absence of his first love. It was all he could do to imagine her face, remember her voice in his head. It was the only comfort he could think of. It was all he could think of.
Cosmo began to sing as she gently rocked him back and forth. Tails had lost control now, and was crying uncontrollably. She sang a gentle song she had sung to him before he had left. Since then, she had never sang it again, until now. It helped. Tails slowly began to calm down. She sang it again as she rested her head on his.
She couldn't remember the title of it, but she knew the lyrics by heart. And when it slowly ended again, Tails had completely stopped crying, and was leaning on her. And, for the first time since he'd left, she heard him say, "I love you."