Well, lookey lookey at who's awake... and not a moment too soon. Bout time, right?

Part Nine: Collision

The computer screen came alive with pictures, readings, and speeding text. Chirping loudly for attention, a small mechanical figure approached the calamity of excitement. It silently stood there, studying the displays and paying no heed to the outside world. Even with the clomping footsteps of its master approaching.

"Report!" the taller being demanded.

"Sir, specified energy readings confirmed at coordinates two-zero-seven by one-one-six" it relayed.

"Show me." And in an instant, the map was shifted to display the aforementioned location. "Hmmm, Downtown Metro Hospital…how interesting." Hiding in a hospital Shadow? How unbecoming of you. Didn't I teach you better than that?

"Status of Epsilon?"

The screen shifted again to another room, bustling with activity "Epsilon reported as ninety percent completed. Modification of power amplifiers on schedule."

"Excellent!" the larger figure hooted. "We're almost ready."

It felt so wonderful again to be held again by his touch, Amy Rose simply could not put it into words. She had been so detached, simply ready to accept the sweet embrace of death that night. It felt like there really was no one left in her reach or reason.

Then he had come, smashing through her front door and radiating the strength of life back into her thoughts. In an echo, she had heard his voice abound with confusion and concern. She wanted to push him away as well, for who would believe that Shadow would've done anything but mock her.

But he didn't.

Shadow did quite the opposite, the one thing her former blue crush always seemed to do so well. The midnight hedgehog scooped her up in his arms and took off into the night. Even against the howling wind and the confused pedestrians, she could hear his voice, pleading for her to stay with him. She could feel his heart beating inside him, its own energy trying to force her own to keep going. Never, in all her years of chasing after the cobalt speedster, had she ever felt anything like it. And as her the darkness drug her down beneath the depths of consciousness, her eyes traced to his face, so full of emotion and all the warmth she had missed for so long. Amy wanted to thank him, to wrap her arms around his neck and not stain his fur in a new shade of crimson. But now, had she blown that chance away too?

Shadow…I'm so sorry…

The feeling of time and connection had been lost for what seemed to be eternity. But then, she could sense it again. Energy, warmth and life. It was like being born anew. Yet there was more to it than even that much. She could sense him. Like the hanging shade before the dawn, it was like he was everywhere around her. And it felt so warm, so comforting, Amy wanted to trap that sensation forever. It spread throughout her broken body, energizing everything from her quills to her toes. Slowly, her mind surfaced from the abyss and back into reality. Around her, she could hear voices, like echoes of lost time.

"…You need someone who can settle down with you and always be in the one spot you need them in, Ames. And that just isn't me. But that doesn't mean we cant still hang out, you know?" Was that…Sonic's voice? Why was he there?

"…so worried about you, please be okay Amy…" Poor Cream. She sounds so broken up. I hope Tails is watching after her.

"…stay strong…for all of us" Rouge? There was an unexpected guest. Maybe Knuckles is here too. Haven't seen them in a while.

And then, there he was. Shadow the Hedgehog, but not the cold, defensive and solitary warrior Amy had seen before. His voice was low, yet soothing to her ears. And then there were the words themselves. Simple connections of vocabulary, yet she had struggled for so long to hear them from the lips of the blue blur. She had tried to beg, to bribe, cling to his arm and every slick thought. Even entrust to him that highest level of purity and innocence. Only to be downright betrayed by her youthful heart.

After that, her soul had taken on the same blackened color of the hedgehog that now held her hand, asking her for the one thing Amy had been searching for. That little four letter word she had tried to purge from her system that dreadful night. And now, here it was again, in a crimson-striped form. If nothing else, Amy had to know the truth.

She felt him begin to leave her side, yet still refusing to let go. Amy poured all that newfound charge into her grip. I'm right here. Shadow, don't go yet! Don't let go!

It worked. As her jade eyes once again fluttered open into the day, she was greeted by a dumfounded ebony hedgehog, his own ruby orbs shining. It was something Shadow thought he would never see again.

"Sh..sha…Shadow?" she squeaked out, throat parched from not being used.

He closed the distance between them quickly, kneeling at her side like the dark knight he had played two evenings ago. "I'm here Amy. I'm right here with you. And I'm not going anywhere."

That was all she needed to hear, as suddenly her arms were locked around the ebony savior's neck with a classic vice grip. No more words were necessary, her tears of joy did all the conversing for both of them. Shadow held his flower in an equal pose, balancing furiously between delicacy and passion. He settled for the latter and pulled Amy right into him, eyes closed in silent worship.

Outside, the reaction wasn't quite as one-sided. Rouge was in an equal state of happiness, face buried Knuckles' chest. The echidna himself, while being ecstatic that Rose was awake again, he couldn't help but raise his brow in wonder. How the heck did he do that?! Wasn't she close to death not too long ago?

Then there was Dr. Caimen, still completely baffled by what he had just witnessed. "There's just no way to explain this. It's impossible to simply infuse life itself, isn't it?" With curiosity besting his logic, he went hastily to a nearby supply room and grabbed something resembling a tragic accident between a flashlight and a radio antenna. Tracing back his steps to room twenty. It made a buzzing sound with each stomp, but the moment it waved in the direction of the embracing hedgehogs, the buzzed increased almost a wail.

Catching the attention of huntresses' super sensitive ears. "Whats up, doc? It looks like a Geiger-counter."

"Something like that. It's built to monitor most any known energy and radiation levels, which I'm afraid your darker friend in there is giving off in abundance."

"Radiation? What does that mean?" Knuckles asked.

Caimen sighed "I'm not sure yet, but I won't rest until I know."

Their words were lost on the two inside the room wrapped up in each other. "How is this possible, Rose? You were so close to being…"

Amy silenced him with a finger "It was thanks to you, Shadow. Without your strength, I wouldn't have the reason to fight back like I did. It was like, I could feel you calling out to me."

Shadow flashed his patented smirk "I guess I really am persuasive after all. What do you think Doctor? When will she be ready to leave?"

Dr. Caimen was shocked to hear his name, being so deep in thought over this new discovery "Well, since I really can't explain yet how this is possible, I would ask that the patient remain here for observation overnight. Beyond that, if everything checks out, I won't have a problem releasing her."

Amy sighed a light sigh "Okay, but can he stay with me?"

"Of course." The wolf replied. Because for all I know right now, he's the only thing keeping you alive.

Finally, the side of Shadow so long shielded by cold and pain...aint it sweet?!

You know where to leave your love (or hate, but Im hoping to avoid that)