Past Secrets

Chapter 27 - Triumph

Shadow's POV 11:30pm

"It's for you Shadow. I bought it as a cheer you up gift. I wanted to make you feel better after what happened today in class."

"Do you want to come in and take a seat Amy?"

"I'd Love to Shadow."

"So Amy, if you don't mind me asking; what are you doing here? Won't Sonic be mad if he finds out you're here and that you bought me a present?"

"No, not anymore. I broke up with Sonic."

"Why?"

"I'm sick and tired of being treated like shit all the time Shadow; and just being with him made me feel stupid, worthless, it's like when I was with him I was nothing to anyone."

"Amy your not stupid, or worthless, and you mean a lot to everyone. Especially me."

"Awww, thanks Shad."

"Who did that to you Amy?"

"Ohh the marks, it's nothing Shadow really."

"Did that blue piece of shit hit you Amy!"

"Shadow don't worry it's ok."

"No Amy, it's not ok."

"Shadow, I left Sonic for that very reason, that's why I'm here."

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to know if you would be my boyfriend?"

"I…..I'd…I'd love to be your boyfriend Amy."

"Amy…" I stopped once our lips meet.

"Shad?"

"What is it my beautiful rose?"

"I love you Shadow the hedgehog."

End of flashback

"Shadow!" I heard a voice scream.

I was barely alive and I could feel it. I didn't lift my head to see who it was, I was just in too much pain. I should be dead right now I just know it. But I wouldn't let that happen to me, not right now. I promised Dark I would live for him and I still no matter what; will not ever leave Amy's side. I love her and I promised myself and her that we would be together again once this is over.

I sat back against the front tire of the destroyed transport truck with blood slowly oozing

down my body. For what I can conclude; I've been shot around five times and the pain was just too much. I know now that if I am to survive this encounter it will take a lot more then a simple med kit.

"Shadow!" The voice screamed again and I heard the person running at me. I began to drift back into the afterlife as this figure reached my body.

The man grabbed my chest and applied pressure to wounds as he screamed my name.

I slowly faded away into darkness once again.

Dark's POV

"Shadow!"

I held my brothers chest as I screamed for him to awaken. My voice did nothing to bring him back to me. He may have been dead as I ran to him a second ago.

"No! I'm not losing you! Not now!" I yelled as I took his body away form the tire and laid it down on the ground.

I put my hands to his chest and began CPR.

"One. Two. Three. Ahhh…" I quickly opened my brother's mouth and breathed into his

lungs, then did it again.

"One. Two. Three. Ahhh…" I put all the effort I had into reviving him but nothing seemed to work.

I put my hand on the side of his neck and felt for a pulse. I couldn't feel one. Shadow's blood began to spill onto my fur as I held his wounds tightly.

"Shadow!" I screamed again.

I tried CPR once again.

"One. Two. Three. Ahhh…" I was getting the same results. Not even a movement out of his cold body.

I've work so hard in finding you Shadow and I will not accept the fact that you could be dead.

"No, no, no, no, no! Come on Shadow, please for the love of god please wake up! I love you Shadow! Please don't do this to me! I don't know what to do without you!" I screamed at my brother's growing cold body.

I looked into my brothers closed eyes. His face had no expression as he lied there. He was

the only thing in this world I had left. I slowly lowered my head and connected my forehead to his. I began to cry and drip my tears of sadness across his face. As I mourned for him, Paul came up behind me slowly and rested his hand on my shoulder. I didn't react; I just continued to cry on my brother's face.

"Dark, I'm so sorry." Said Paul very sincerely.

I didn't respond. All I could do was to continue crying.

Paul knelt down beside me and slowly wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"We can't stay here any longer Dark. We have to go." Said Paul as he slowly detached me from Shadow's still body.

I couldn't just turn away from him. He's my brother and I will stay by his side until the end, even if it means I fade with him in the process.

Paul tried to take me away and I refused to budge.

"I know it's hard, trust me I'm upset too. But we can't do anything for him. He's gone." Said Paul.

"How can you say that? You're a medic. Can't you do anything for him?" I shouted.

Paul had sympathy in his eyes and began to look Shadow's body over. As he was examining him, he put his hand on the side of his neck and felt for a pulse. After a few seconds of useless feeling he lifted his head and looked back at me. Just to give me a swing of his head in disapproval.

I continued to cry heavily as Paul stood up and comforted me.

"I'm sorry Dark, but his wounds are too severe. He's gone." Said Paul while taking my shoulder.

I began to fill with anger. I slowly lifted my head and focused my attention on the dead

Eggman. I quickly stood up and began to approach the body. When I was close enough I

began to kick him heavily with everything I had. I kicked him in the stomach a few times

and I gave him the hardest kick I could attempt right in his face. I was going to kick him

again but for some reason Paul wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back away from his body.

"Dark stop! That's enough! Their both dead and gone! Theirs no reason to hurt yourself over this!" Shouted Paul.

"He's my brother and that's the fat piece of shit that ended his life! Shadow had so much to live for and he was only sixteen. Eggman killed him and has ruined our future together. We were family and we were going to be able to do great things once this was over. Shadow promised me he would reach us alive and he said once this was over we would make up all that we have lost because of Eggman. Paul, you don't understand! I have no idea what to do without him! I love him! He's all that I had left and now I have nothing!" I shouted at Paul.

Paul let me go and I tried my best to calm myself but I was just too angry and upset. I could feel my old form coming back. I had to keep calm or else it would take over.

As I tried to control myself; Amber came into the building to only find the two dead bodies in front of her. I don't mean Shadow and Eggman. I mean Shadow and me.

"Oh my god." Said Amber carefully.

I looked at her with tears still in my eyes as she approached us.

"Shadow." Said Amber as she knelt down next to him.

Amber put her hand on his cold face and then on his chest. Shadow wasn't bleeding anymore.

His body shut down. Amber then looked at Eggman's body and then at me.

"At least he accomplished his mission." Said Amber.

"When Shadow sets a goal, he always gets it done. No matter how hard or dangerous it is." I said while cracking a soft smile.

Amber then looked back at Shadow and let a tear hit his nose.

My eyes widened when I saw his nose move.

"Shadow…." I waited for a response.

Shadow's POV

I could feel the sympathy. The hope. The faith. I could feel my brother's despair without me. I could feel even Amy's despair without me. I could feel all the love people had for me and all the faith people had in me. I will not die. I will not let death claim me this early. I will live and I will survive.

I felt a drop of water hit my nose and when it began to run down; I wiggled my nose.

"Shadow…." I heard my brother's soft voice.

I slowly opened my eyes to find Amber, Paul, and Dark next to me. Amber had her hands on my chest as Paul held my brother by the shoulders. When I fully opened my eyes, I began to smile.

"I hate to be a burden but, can I get some help over here." I said in a cheerful voice.

Amber turned her head and stared into my eyes.

"Sha…Shadow." Said Amber softly.

I then looked at my one and only brother who by the look of things, has been crying.

"Why are you crying Brother? I thought you'd be happy to see me alive." I said while attempting to move myself against the tire again.

"Shadow!" Dark screamed out in happiness.

Paul instantly let go of Dark and as soon as he did; Dark came right to my side and hugged me against the truck.

I hugged back in pain because he was squeezing me so hard it felt like if he tried any harder he would make the bullets that were in me pop out by force.

Dark stopped hugging me and rested his hands on my shoulders while looking into my eyes. Dark then began to cry, but this time they were not tears of sadness, they were tears of happiness.

He couldn't speak. All he could do was embrace me, and I'll admit. That's all I could do to

him.

Dark pulled away and shouted.

"Don't you ever fucking flat line on me again!" You hear me?

I smiled and began to chuckle.

"It's not like I planned on dying." I said while still chuckling a bit.

Dark smiled then looked at my wounds which began to bleed again. Dark then put his hands on my chest and held down the blood. Paul came rushing over with what was left of his only med kit.

"What happened to the rest of the med kit Paul?" I asked in pain.

"Ahhh…. Well. Forget about it. We need to save you." Replied Paul.

"But that's not going to be able to save me." I said while clutching my arm.

Paul hesitated then looked at Amber who was examining Eggman's dead body.

"Amber what are you doing?" Shouted Paul.

Amber went into Eggman's jacket and pulled out his yellow chaos emerald. Then came rushing over to me and Dark. She quickly stuck out her hand towards my brother.

"Dark theirs only one way we can save Shadow and to do it, I need to have your emerald." Said Amber.

Dark hesitated and I know why. That emerald is the only thing me and him have left of Maria. It was our lucky charm from her; before she died.

"Dark please; if you want him to live, you have to give me it!" Shouted Amber.

Dark looked at me and I nodded. Dark nodded back and went into his back pocket. He pulled out his purple emerald and handed it to Amber.

"I need yours too Shadow." Said Amber.

I nodded again and slowly reached into my jacket. After fighting the pain of moving; I pulled out my red emerald and gave it to her.

Amber put the three emeralds around me and began to call for their help.

"Oh mighty chaos emeralds. Please heed our call."

The emeralds began to glow and spin slowly. Amber stuck out her hands for Dark and Paul to take. They connected hands and then went for mine. I held their hands tightly and waited for it to continue.

"Please; we need your help. Our friend is gravely fighting for his young life. He is an

innocent soul of good will and faith. He has too much to live for in his life. He has friends

and family who want him to carry on in the pursuits of his own goals. But to do that, he

needs not to die, but live. Please mighty emeralds save his life. Do it for him. Do it for us." Amber stopped her chant and waited for the emeralds' response. Nothing was happening until Dark interrupted.

"Please Maria! Save my brothers life. We love you."

The gem's power shot into my body in three different lights because of their color. The power felt great and I swear I felt Maria reach out and touch my soul, but the power suddenly felt dark in a way. The bullets moved up in my body and the blood completely stopped. It felt like everything was perfect. My chest began to close up tightly and so did the other wounds on my arm and the one on my leg. The gems stopped and fell on their sides. Dark put his hand on my shoulder. I stared into his eyes.

"Are you ok?" Asked Dark.

I stood up without any pain and hugged him close.

"More then ok." I replied while letting myself cry on his shoulder.

Dark smiled and held my head tightly with one hand as he too cried on my shoulder.

I let go of him about a minute later then approached Amber and Paul.

I instantly grabbed both of them and hugged them both tightly.

"I will never forget this." I said softly.

"You're welcome, Shadow. I'm just glad to see you alive." Replied Paul.

"Yes Shadow. We are both happy you're alive." Added Amber.

I smiled and let go of them then made my way back to my brother who still was smiling in joy.

"Let's go watch this place burn in hell." I said with faith in my tone.

Dark smiled then picked up both our emeralds and handed me mine.

"For Maria." Said Dark with confidence.

I smiled and put the emerald back in my jacket. I then looked back at dark and shouted.

"For Maria!"

Dark smiled again and toke my shoulder and we began to exit the base.

Overpass 11:59pm

We found our bikes untouched from where we first left them. We approached them and Dark hung his duffle on the side and got on his, while I got on mine. Amber and Paul stood on our sides and waited for the explosion. I stuck out my hand towards Amber and said with a smile.

"Come on; lets go get a front row seat and watch."

Amber smiled and took my hand as I helped her on the bike.

Dark looked at Paul who stared at the bike.

"Come on Paul hop on, I don't bite." Said Dark in a joking tone.

Paul smiled and got on the bike. As soon as everyone was set, we departed to the top of the cliff and positioned ourselves on the edge. Dark took out the detonator and looked at me.

"Are you ready to end this brother?" Asked Dark.

"We have waited our whole lives to end this." I replied.

Dark smiled and with the detonator reach for my hand. I looked at him.

"It seems right that we both end this together." Said Dark while opening his hand.

I took his hand and we both grabbed the detonator and began to count down.

"Three…"

"Two…"

"One…"

We both squeezed on the detonator and turned our heads to see the base brighten into flames below the sky.

We smiled as the base crumbled into dust. The explosion was huge. It came into our area; spraying us with its heat.

I looked into Dark's eyes and we both knew it was over. We avenged her. We ended our

pasts. We can now live our lives the way we want to. No killing, no revenge, no hate. I

swear when I get back home me and dark our going to have a nice long chat about what to

do next with ourselves. I can't wait to see Amy. When I get the chance, I will tell her how I feel about her, about us. Then the last problem that me and Dark will have to deal with is explaining this all to my friends. I hope they'll understand.

Dark nodded and we turned our bikes around and began to drive home with Amber and Paul on our backs. I looked at my watch and it was 12:00pm.