I am enjoying this one so far and I believe everyone else is as well. I plan on making this a long chapter, not sure if it will happen however. Here's hoping!

Waiting, to Sonic, was like trying to keep a dog from barking; it just doesn't work out. He had been pacing ever since Amy had left to find the others which has been about 2 hours ago. He began thinking about that. Wasn't it a little ridiculous that she had been gone that long...? Then the door opened and when he looked up he saw a nurse holding it open for another nurse who was rolling his mother in.

They never once paid any mind to him but quietly hooked his mother up to her few machines and scurried out, apparently too busy to answer any of his questions or even greet him in any way.

Utterly confused by their display of behavior, Sonic cautiously made his way over to his mother. Observing her, he noticed that she was pale and looked tired but happy. Dragging a chair over as quietly as possible, he settled down and took her hand carefully placed it into his own. It gave him a form of comfort by holding her hand and it made him content. Leaning forward onto the bed, he sighed and found himself regretting all of the times he had failed to visit his mother.

Doctors will tell you that if you speak to a person while they are unconscious that they may or may not hear you. The optimistic would like to say the said person hears everything you say and that that is what wakes them up. The less optimistic might say you are doing nothing and that a person wakes up on their own time. Sonic had learned long ago that he was the optimistic type, he always believed that no matter how out of it a person may be that if they heard a dear one's voice that they'd awaken.

"I always gave you an excuse as to why I couldn't visit," he admitted sadly, "but I realize now that I was too lazy to come out here and see you." He sniffled, his emotions already hitting him. "We'd known that you had this disease for awhile but I think in my mind that I was just too scared to come to terms that you would leave me earlier than I wanted you to. You've always been the biggest part of my life but I neglected to show you that and I'm sorry." Looking down, ashamed, Sonic continued, "Dad told me right before he died that he wanted me to look after you and make sure you were okay and I know now that I failed him... I told him I would but what have I done to keep that word?" He glanced up at the ceiling and sighed heavily, "Sometimes I wonder if he is looking down here and smacking his head against a door because of how bad I have been about looking after you."

He stopped momentarily to try and get a handle on his emotions that were welling up. "I have been a bad son. I said I loved you over the phone but I wonder now if I was ever paying enough attention to what I was saying to mean it or not." Sonic paused again to look at his mother's peaceful face, she truly looked as if she was listening and quite well. "Right now I have no idea how you are, the nurses who brought you back in didn't say a word to me, makes me wonder if they even knew I was sitting there. I can only hope that they give you medicine for the pain and I can only hope you're being honest about the pain because I know you have a tendency to hide just how much you hurt." He squeezed her hand, "You probably are thinking how pointless all of this is, me blubbering to you about how sorry I am for having missed your life. I can't make up that lost time but I hope you'll forgive me and let me have all the time I can with you in the remainder of your days." At this point, his emotions overwhelmed him and he just let his tears tumble down his cheeks silently. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to force it to a stop and then he felt something.

Someone's hand was on his head and rubbing it gently.

Lifting his head up, he saw his mother's beautiful cobalt eyes gazing at him lovingly. His ears perked slightly and his jaw hung open, "Mom..."

She smiled under her oxygen mask, it was weary but just like he had remembered. Her soft quills framed her face but instead of looking fluffy and light, they looked worn and limp. Her hand slid down to his cheek where she wiped a tear away, her eyes ever on her son. Her eyelids began drooping and she smiled one more time before going back into unconsciousness.

It was enough, he had gotten his sign that she was as ok as she could be and that was enough for now. Sonic breathed a sigh of relief and slumped on the bed, his hand still grasping his mother's. At least now he could rest somewhat peacefully.

~With the Others~

Amy glared pointedly at Silver. She had been been since she had found them an hour ago and now they were all waiting for the train to arrive to take them to Lankin.

Silver was squirming under her stare and was not looking at her, it was too scary. "Look I already said we tried, ok," he exclaimed.

Amy's glare was joined by a tapping foot, it wasn't helping. "I could be sitting quietly with Sonic waiting for his mother right now but instead I'm in a cold, stinky train station." If her voice had been a smacking hand, Silver would be black and blue by now.

Silver let his head hang, he had already apologized a billion times. He could only hope that things got better once they were in Lankin, or in her case back in Lankin. He sighed, this was going to be a long 2 hours.

~Back with Sonic~

Sonic moaned out in mild pain at his body's stiffness, leaning over a bed and sleeping wasn't on his top ten list. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked at his mother who was still sleeping peacefully. He smiled lightly and glanced at the clock, noticing they had been asleep for about an hour and a half. Sonic shook his head slightly and stood, every bone in his back popping.

A knock at the door made him jump but he told whoever it was to come in.

A small nurse came in, a rabbit. Her fur was a pale brown color and her long ears came to her waist. "Sorry to intrude," she said softly, mindful of Lillian, "I didn't know anyone would be in here."

Sonic waved it off, "It's fine, you have stuff you need to do. I understand that."

She gave him a small smile and went to the bed with her clipboard, jotting a few numbers down. "I'm her designated nurse, Olivia," she said dutifully. "I'm the one that gets the readings for her machines and makes sure she is in the best health... well that she can be."

Sonic looked down, it still pained him to know these were his last days with his mother. "Yeah..." he muttered.

Olivia glanced at him solemnly, "Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

He shook his head, "It's fine it is just the truth..."

Olivia stayed a few seconds more and then said something about checking on other patients. Upon leaving the room she said, "Endings are the start of beginnings."

Plopping back in the chair, he studied his mother, her face was as ever bright and happy looking but it had a weariness he had never seen before about it which worried him. Reaching out, he gently rubbed her rosy cheek, his eyebrows knitted together. A small smile came to his lips despite the mood of the room and he realized that even if these were the last days he would get with his mother; he still got to have her around for a long time. Getting up, he kissed her forehead softly and lingered for a moment. Mentally deciding to clear his mind, he quietly left the room. He had made the mistake of not being around long enough and knew he could change it all in these last days. Looking at her through the window, Sonic smiled brightly and headed to the giftshop to find something for his beloved mother. He would change it all.

YES! This chapter is actually kind of longish! I tell you what when I listen to the right music, I can write for hours. The Finding Nemo Main Theme helped me write that last paragraph. I had to replay it about 5 times but it helped. More soon enough, I'm liking this story myself. Sorry for errors!