A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the story. Sorry the chapters are so short. ^^;

Chapter 11

"So you must really really like her now right?" Knuckles red fur bristled deeply when he heard Lilly's question. She was riding on his back as he glided, he demanded that he carry her at least until Rouge's wing was no longer tender.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Knuckles said in a harsh whisper as if he didn't want Rouge to hear. The white bat flew a good couple yards away.

Lilly looked rather questioning. "You don't know?" She smiled. "Well I just can't help myself for one thing." She was almost beaming with happiness. "Every time you tell me no, but then you turn around and do something nice for her."

"What are you talking about?" Knuckles said with irritation as he looked forward trying not to lose his temper.

"Well after you saved her and made her all better you said no, but then you deiced to come with us. So I figured you must really like her if you want to stay by her side so much."

"You're reading too much into this." A sweat drop formed on his brow. "I'm here because Rouge can't possibly take care of you and herself alone. You both need me. Not just her." He noticed a silence, "hum?" He looked over his shoulder at her and his mouth gaped at her. She was smiling even brighter than before. She looked as if he had just confirmed everything and she no longer had any doubt in her mind. "What's with that face?" He demanded.

"I'm just happy." She said cutely.

Knuckles was about to make another snappy remark when Rouge flew up beside them. "How's it going? Are you sure you don't want me to carry her for a while?" Rouge asked.

"Don't tempt me." Knuckles said through slightly gritted teeth as he thought of his previous conversation.

Rouge noticed his expression and smiled a bit. "So Lilly what have you been saying to get his face so red? Must have been pretty interesting."

Lilly opened her mouth to speak but Knuckles butted in. "None of your business. It's a secret between Lilly and me." He said shifting his eyes to the left.

Rouge just smiled. "That bad huh?" She nudge the red a echidna slightly as she changed the subject. "Well have you ever traveled this far from Angel Island?"

"Not really. I don't do much traveling." He seemed more at ease now with the new conversation.

"I thought as much." Rouge cringed suddenly feeling a twinge in her injured wing.

"Rouge?" Knuckles looked at her. "I told you it was too soon to be flying on it." He said sternly.

"Ah but if I had listened you wouldn't get to say 'I told you so' and we all know how much love to say 'I told you so'" She tried to smile.

Knuckles scanned the horizon. They had been approaching some mountains for a while now. He was sure there would be a town some where a long the root they had been following. "Ah there." He motioned down to a very small town a couple miles ahead. "Can you make it there?" He asked looking at her wing.

"Of course. Let's go." She said flying forward. Knuckles could tell she was in a hurry. He could guess that if they didn't make it there fast her wing might give out on her. He grunted as he pressed on wondering if Rouge really got some kind of satisfaction from always testing him like that.

"Knuckles we have to be very careful and keep a low profile while we're here." Rouge was looking around the corner of a building. "I don't know if the goons have made it this far, but it wouldn't hurt to play it safe."

"I know that." Knuckles said with a huff. "I'm no idiot."

"Could of fooled me." Rouge smiled.

"Why you-"

"Shh." Rouge had her finger over her mouth. "Come lets go, and try not to look so flustered." She smiled again walking out with Lilly at her side. Knuckles soon followed.

"This place is pretty small." Rouge noticed that the place looked rather old fashioned.

"Hopefully I can restock on some bandage material. You bleed like there's no tomorrow." Knuckles muttered so as Lilly didn't hear him. Rouge only gave him a sultry look.

"Can we go in there? Please?" Lilly was suddenly excited. "Oh please please please." Rouge looked over to see Lilly staring at a candy shop. She simply smiled softly and nodded and allowed Lilly to lead the way.

Knuckles was following behind them when suddenly he stopped hearing a hacking noise. He turned around to see what it was. It took a moment but he finally found that the repetitive sound was that of an axe against wood. He saw an older looking gray cat hacking away at a tree not too far from the back of a shop. Knuckles was about to continue forward when he saw the tree began to lean. Surely the cat would get out of the way. The tree began to tip. "Stupid old guy." Knuckles ran as fast he could as the tree began to fall right over. The old cat screeched in fear as the tree slammed to the ground. Knuckles had only just been able to roll the fellow out of the way of the tree. "What's with you! That tree could have easily of crushed you, you old fool." Knuckles barked more with fear than with anger.

"Eh sorry about that young fella." The gray tom smiled. "I'm not as young as I use to be and my hearing isn't all that great either." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"And what are you doing anyways?" Knuckles asked as he helped the cat up.

"Need more wood for the mill. I run it you see and well recently most of the help has been moving out."

"I can't see how anyone would allow such an elder to do these kinds of tasks." Knuckles looked at the tree. "Where's the mill?"

"Hum?" The cat looked questioningly.

"The mill, where is it?" Knuckles repeated a little louder.

"Oh, it's the last building on the end down there." He pointed to the end of the row of buildings they were standing by. Knuckles walked over to the tree and with ease lifted it from the ground. "Okay lets go." The old gray cat didn't question the help only followed along beside Knuckles beaming with gratefulness.

Rouge was certain the town was old fashion when she entered the candy shop. There were all kinds of old style candy and other sweets. She even noticed several jars of penny candy. "Look, look." Lilly was pointing to one of the jars Rouge had spotted. "This is a really good kind of candy, and it's my favorite color."

"You're little darling has good taste." Rouge looked over the counter to see an old dapple she-cat smiling at her. "I'm Anna."

"Nice to meet you." Rouge smiled and bowed her head slightly with respect. "This place sure is cute. I love the old fashion style."

"Thank you deary, we're old fashion folk ourselves you could say." The old lady's smile was very sincere.

"How much is this?" Lilly beeped in holding up a piece of red candy.

"That's penny candy sweetheart." Anna smiled. "It's a penny a piece."

"Wow!" Lilly beamed. "I can get this myself!" She pulled three pennies from her pocket and put them on the counter. "I'll take three."

Rouge smiled with amusement. "Big spender today aren't you."

"What about you miss?" Anna looked at Rouge. "Don't you have a sweet tooth as well?"

"Oh I-" Suddenly Rouge was cut off as Anna moved quickly from behind the counter toward the front door. Rouge turned to see her approaching Knuckles and some old tom cat.

"Marley you look like you've over done it again!" Anna was fretting as she looked over the male cat.

"Oh noting of the sort Anna old girl." He grinned in a silly fashion.

"What do you mean nothing of the sort?" Knuckles demanded. "You almost got yourself crushed by that tree!"

"What!" Anna seemed even more upset.

"You know you young whippersnapper you're gonna make it so I can't even get out of the house if'n you don't learn to shut your trap." He sighed as Anna checked him over thoroughly.

"Knuckles?" Rouge approached him with Lilly at her side.

The old gray tom cat looked at the two as they stood by Knuckles and then he gave a great big smile. "Ah so you do have a lady I see." He looked at Lilly. "And a little one too." he looked back at Knuckles. "No wonder you need some money. You got a family to provide for."

Rouge blinked confused and looked from the cat to Knuckles who was suddenly bristled all over and his face as red as his fur. "Oh so this must be your husband." Anna chimed in looking from Knuckles to Rouge. "He's quite strapping."

Rouge suddenly found herself blushing as she looked at Knuckles who only shifted his eyes upward as if unable to look her right in the eye at the moment. "Don't you be worrying now miss." Marley had put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close into Knuckles. "I'll be needing some help with the lumber and this young buck here has offered me his strength. He'll be paid well."

"Oh this is wonderful." Anna smiled. "Marley don't they remind you of us when we were young? Head over heels in love." She sighed sweetly. "Oh to be young and in love."

Rouge's eyes shifted to Knuckles who was looking in the opposite direction. "You two will be needing a place to stay I shouldn't wonder." Marley looked over at Anna. "Since he's working for me, why don't we let these two love birds take the space over the store and that little one there can have Taylor's old room." He smiled.

"Oh that's a wonderful idea." She took Rouge's hand. "Don't you worry. I our home is connected to the store right here." she lead Rouge over to another door on the left side of the store. "We have a child's bedroom just to the left as you enter. It use to be my little granddaughter's bedroom. It's more than perfect for your little sweetheart, and you can check on her any time you like. I know what it's like with your baby. I couldn't leave mine alone either so just feel free to check on her whenever you like."

Rouge only nodded. It had all happened so fast that she barely had time to think as Anna nudged her off toward Knuckles and then the two were being heard up a staircase by Marley. "Ah here we go." Marley had opened the door and lead them inside a small room. The walls were painted very light shade of lavender. It was furnished with chestier drawers , a big mirror, a bed, and a pitcher of water and a bowl sitting on a table by the door. "It has a great view." He pointed to the one window. "And I know it's small but I'm sure you two won't mind that." He grinned and moved toward the door. "We start work bright and early tomorrow boy, so don't stay up playing all night." He winked before closing the door and walking back downstairs.