I'm afraid I must forewarn you all now that this story may slow down a bit in it's updates thanks to that annoying thing called real life. But fear not, I will finish this...even if it kills me lol. Anyways, as promised, the moment you've been asking for...

Part Seven: Unexpected

The storm continued throughout the night, the downpour coming in sheets and lightning jittering across howling winds. The three luckless compatriots made it back to K.H.A.O.S in one piece, just very, very wet. After a through drying and an equally-surprising dinner of chicken parmesan a la echidna, they settled down in the main living room to ride out the storm, Shadow absently flipping through the channels of Rouge's TV.

"I cant believe we didn't find those damm bracelets… I mean come on, us! The two best damm treasure hunters in this freakin world!" Knuckles was still ranting. He never was one to accept defeat.

"Oh calm down, red. I'll put the word out with my bosses down at G.U.N tomorrow and those lil shiners will turn up in no time" added the bat, legs tossed casually in her lover's lap while he massaged her calves. Not exactly the scene the midnight loner wanted to witness.

"What time did the doctor say we could visit?" she asked Shadow, seeing he was still a bit on the tense side.

"Three, three-thirtyish. He said we may not be able to stay too long though" he answered. Hell, Shadow would make do with five seconds, just as long as he could see her eyes filled with life again.

"I really hope she's ok."

"She is. I know it" Knuckles said. "Amy may look docile, but she's got a lot of spirit. Besides, have you ever seen her go berserk with that hammer?" All three chuckled, easing the anxiety slightly.

Rouge yawned wide and stood, heading back for her bedroom. Stopping at her darker comrade, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder "Well, I think it's about time for this lady to get her beauty sleep. Will you be ok, Shads?"

"I know my way around, and didn't I tell you to stop calling me 'Shads'?"

She chuckled and disappeared around the corner, Knuckles following a few seconds later "Try not to break anything, ok?"

"What, like your pride?" Shadow retorted.

The ruby guardian laughed "Still as sharp as ever. Catch ya later…'Shads'!" Quickly, he rounded the same corner before the hedgehog could get a scruff of fur. Shadow growled, only half annoyed at that stupid nickname, and settled back down in the chair. Channel after channel went by, but nothing would sustain his mind.

"I really hope Shadow's all right. I'm worried about him. He doesn't seem like himself" Rouge's voice. He could hear them, muffled though it may have been by walls and distance

"How come he's got you so worked up? Last time I checked, isn't he normally a hard one to read?" Knuckles questioned.

"That's just it. I think Shadow really cares about Amy, and I've never seen the protective side of him. I mean, who knows what he can do…"

"So what? If he really feels that strongly about anyone, it will probably do him some good. That hedgehog has a lot of pent up emotion, and I can't think of anybody else who could handle it."

"I guess your right"

"Well, duh. Aren't I always?" Suddenly, there was a loud squeak as Shadow heard the two shuffle about furiously for a few moments. Then came some more… intimate purring, so he quickly focused on the screen in front of him. Naturally, he had come to rest on a romantic tearjerker Okay, okay! I get it… sheesh. Wonder what the weather looks like tomorrow.

It wasn't long after until the ebony hedgehog was unconscious once again, snoozing peacefully in the chair. Well, trying to anyway. After he was reminded of the significance tomorrow brought, a sudden sense of anxiousness came forth. Try as he might to detain or suppress it for a later moment, it swelled like a fountain in his brain. Letting his thoughts run wild. Too bad such a moment is not always a good thing.

There she was, Amy Rose, surrounded by carnations sharing her name and glowing color. Shadow could hear her laughter, and oh what a beautiful sound it was! The way her cheeks radiated that smile eternally locked in place was enough to crack even the hardest defenses Shadow could muster. He could hear her voice, calling to him. Demanding his presence at her side. And so he took off, as fast as he could towards that sweet innocence which was quickly claiming a rooted place inside him.

Strangely enough, he covered no ground towards his pursuit. Quite the opposite actually, the scene before him seemed to out-race him fading into the darkness of void. Try as hard as he could to run harder, to call out her name, Shadow heard only the eerie silence.

Then a voice, frigid and evil, one he had never before encountered. It emanated not from around him, but echoed from deep inside Well, wasn't that just sweet…

Shadow searched all around him for whomever stole the scene of perfection from him, however like the day's earlier pursuit, he searched and hunted to no avail.

Oh, come now hedgehog. Did you really think you would ever be free? A quick flash of light, just enough to make out a shaded silhouette. It was humanoid, what he could see. But what really stuck out to Shadow was the over-egotistical mustache branching out either side of the figure's face. A feeling of repulsiveness and disgust washed over him at this little insight.

Let's never forget who saved your pathetic little life. Who set you loose into the world to even experience these emotions. You owe me quite a debt, Shadow. And I always collect what I'm owed…

A clever retort almost escaped Shadow's tongue, but then the figure raised a grey, metallic hand and that reply was lost to horror. Inside the clutches of it's bladed fingers was a rose, just like the ones surrounding Amy. Instead of reflecting her inner joy however, this flower was stained in blood, a steady drip still falling from it's decaying petals. In a sickening last touch, the hand swiftly closed on the withering plant, neatly slicing in into several pieces. Try as he might to scream, Shadow's voice simply would not emerge from his chest. The only sound left to perceive was the maniacal laughter all around him, and the last drops of life from a destroyed innocence.

Shadow snapped awake, gasping for air and covered in a cold sweat. He had never had a nightmare of that magnitude before. Normally, his dreams had been from memories lost or recent ones under review. This one had just been unreal. It was so unnerving to him, simply trying to regain composure, that it took his brain a second to realize he wasn't the only person awake.

"Well, good morning to you too, sleepyhead. Thought you'd never join us." Knuckles replied to the outburst as he sipped his steaming mug.

"Yea, but if that's how you normally wake up, I advise separate bedrooms." Rouge added, presenting Shadow with his own piping hot cup of equally black fluid. He gratefully accepted the offering, letting the liquid fuel melt away the last strands of anxiety the dream had produced. Besides, today was supposed to be an exciting day, in a much better way.

"How long was I out?" he asked, still half-groggy.

"Quite a while. It's almost noon now. Guess you were still wore out from using so much energy. Besides, it looked like you were having a bad dream in there."

Shadow shook his head, trying not to worry his comrade any more than she apparently already was. "Nah, just a bit anxious."

"Me too Shads. Me too."

Once a quick breakfast and clean up were taken care of, the trio set off once again towards the hospital. It was a slow pace today, each step the travelers took weighed down with thought and anticipation, Shadow in particular. His mind was racing faster than his feet ever could, trying to nail down the first thing that would come out of his mouth.

Still, they reached their destination moments before the chosen hour. Behind the admissions counter, the same magenta fox was busy shuffling random papers and folders when she noticed their approach "Oh, hello Mr. Shadow. Dr Caimen is waiting for you. Fourth floor, room twenty."

"Thanks Lucy" he nodded as they passed by toward the elevator. Once the lift doors were sealed, the echidna simply couldn't resist "Friend of yours? She looks cute."

"Just someone else I had backed into a corner out of fear" Shadow replied.

"Oh. Gotcha."

The doors opened swiftly once they reached the fourth floor. Shadow's stomach was doing complete flips inside him now, his very fur had grown warmer to the touch. His hands buried inside the pockets of his coat only to keep them from flailing about in a fashion unbecoming an ultimate life-form. The rose was still there as well, radiant and beautiful, secured in his coat without anyone else's knowledge as far as he could tell.

Soon enough, the room marked twenty was before them. Casting a look over each shoulder, his comrades nodded and smiled, letting him know they were ready too. Shadow nodded back, and casually brushed the door aside.

Inside he found something even he did not anticipate. To be sure, Amy was there, nestled comfortably in bed. She looked so peaceful, so delicate in this state. It was still hard for the midnight warrior to look past how the poor flower ended up like this. Dr Caimen was at her bed side, checking the display of one of the monitors.

And then there was one last visitor, the mere presence of this one unaccounted variable dropped the ebony warrior's once stone-etched face contorted into an unparalleled confusion, mixed evenly with a touch of shock.

"Hey Shadow! Whats up?" Sonic the Hedgehog asked.

Yep, another little twist. Couldnt resist it!

Leave me your thoughts please!