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

Chapter 12

"So 'darling'." Rouge set down on the bed looking up at Knuckles with a smile. "Wanna tell me how we suddenly became married and have a child all in the span of about twenty minutes?"

Knuckles folded his arms. "Hey this is none of my doing." He said looking to the side. "We need some cash. So I was talking about helping the old guy out and he kept asking why I wanted the job so bad and I just never answered him. I guess when you and Lilly approached me he just assumed that...well you, were my...and Lilly was my..." He tried not to blush. "And I couldn't deny it, he might not help if he knew the real circumstances."

"Ah Knuckles." Rouge leaned forward wrapping her arms around his waist. "You'd marry me just to help me out."

"Hey stop that!" He said trying to pull her off. "I'm not marrying anyone!"

"That's right." Rouge looked up at him still latched around his waist. "You're already married to me." She grinned.

"I am not!" He barked trying to pull her off again.

"Shhh, you don't want Marley and Anna to hear you." Rouge smiled standing so her arms were around his torso. "You might get fired."

"We'll it'd be all your fault then." He growled with a blush.

"Ah don't tell me you want to devoice me already!" She whimpered cutely.

"Like I'd marry you in the first place!" He said with a low irritated growl.

"Oh but you already did remember." She said with a sly smile. "You wouldn't deny your wife would you?" She hugged him and nuzzled her cheek against his.

Knuckles entire body bristled and he felt so hot it was as if steam were coming out his ears. "Now cut that out!" He took her by the shoulders. "This going to be hard enough without your jokes." he said more seriously.

The two were interrupted by a voice calling to them from the bottom of the staircase. "Time for dinner you two." It was Anna calling them.

Knuckles brushed past Rouge obviously ready escaped the situation. Rouge followed behind feeling satisfied with her teasing. They had followed Anna into the small home connected to the candy shop. She had a table set for five in the kitchen. "Hope we didn't interrupt anything to serious." Marley grinned at Knuckles who only looked sideways and suppressed a blush.

"Not at all." Rouge answered with a smile as she set down. Knuckles looked at her for a moment and then he came to the realization that she was much more capable of leading this charade than he was. He wasn't use to lying or making up stories, but even so it felt unnerving to think of what kind picture Rouge would paint for the two old cats if she were left to make up the story on her own.

They each began to serve themselves and Rouge served Lilly who was sitting between herself and Anna. They shared small talk throughout most of the meal and when they were finished Lilly had dismissed herself to go play with the toys in her room. "So I'm dying to know," Anna looked at Rouge with bliss, "How did you two come to be together." She was looking at Rouge and Knuckles.

Knuckles blushed, but Rouge smiled. "To be honest it was really a surprise." She pretend to look as if she were remembering old times. "For the longest time I never knew he cared about me so much." She looked at Knuckles with amusing eyes. "I'd even say I thought he felt the opposite."

"Ohh how cute." Anna gushed a bit as she looked at Knuckles who only continued to eat the dessert in front of him. "If that's so then what attracted you to him?"

Rouge stared at Knuckles lovingly and made a sweet blush. "He's so strong and handsome, how could I resist such a face." She said as she leaned against his arm. She could feel Knuckles body burning with embarrassment and his expression didn't help either. He looked down at her with eyes that seemed to burn with annoyance. "Even when he's cruel to me I can't help but adore him." She said softly as she nuzzled into his chest.

Marley looked at the clock on the wall. "Now Anna that's enough questions for one night." He took the she-cat in one arm. "These youngsters have an early rise ahead of them, and I'm sure they have a few other things to take care of before sleeping." He grinned at Knuckles. "Now you two get on." He said motion for them to head out.

Knuckles got up at once and Rouge just did manage not to fall as he lifted so abruptly. After their goodnights Rouge followed Knuckles upstairs. She closed the door behind them and when she turned around she only smiled as she watched a blushing echidna pull back the covers of the bed. "You can have this since you're injured." He sat down on the floor leaning against the wall and closed his eyes. Rouge wanted to argue with him, but she felt that he had been through enough torture that evening without being argued with over something so unimportant. She simply nodded and climbed and began taking off her jacket.

Knuckles eyes opened as he felt warm sunlight pouring onto his fur. He saw the rays flowing in through the window. The sun had only just risen it seemed. He sleepily look over to the bed and his eyes widened with surprise when he realized it was empty. He got up running his hands over his dreads and then began to make his way downstairs. The air was filled with the mingling scents of breakfast food. He saw that the door to Anna and Marley's home was open so he entered. He saw Marley sitting at the table drinking some coffee, as he came closer he looked into the kitchen was surprise to see Rouge helping Anna make breakfast.

"About time you were up." Marley commented as he drank.

"Morning Knuckles." Rouge was walking toward him. She sat down a stack of warm pancakes on the table. "Better hurry. Marley's already had his and he'll be leaving soon." She smiled.

Knuckles felt taken aback by the atmosphere. Rouge didn't have that air about her that said she was joking or trying to make him feel embarrassed. Her aurora seemed to be completely different. "Thanks." He sat down hand woofed down the food as Marley was getting up.

"Shame you slept in. Perhaps next time you'll get to enjoy them. Your gal's actually a very good cook." He smiled.

Knuckles followed the old gray tom out to a wooded area close by the mill. "We're gonna need to chop down at least a couple dozen." The gray cat was looking the trees up and down. "Depending on the growth though we may not need that many." The trees were huge, much bigger than the one Knuckles had saved Marley from. Even Knuckles would have a difficult time taking down one of these without a good number of blows from his powerful punches.

"Not a problem." the red echidna popped his knuckles. "Just tell me what to do and I'll see it gets done."

"Ho ho you think I'm just gonna stand around all morning barking orders?" Marley purred. "I may be old but I'm not useless." he picked up his axe.

"But you're an old man you shouldn't be doing this." Knuckles protested.

"Oh it keeps me young." He retorted smoothly as he began hacking at a tree.

Knuckles only sighed and realized there was no use arguing and if he wanted to keep his job he'd better stop questioning his employer. He began hacking way at trees himself only he used his fists instead of an axe. He had easily knocked down five trees by noon. He looked to see Marley still hacking way at the same tree. He felt sweat running down his brow as he approached the old tom. He was about to insist that he finish it off when he heard a voice from behind. "Hey how's it going?" Rouge was carrying a tray with two glass filled with what looked to be lemonade and pitcher sat on the tray as well.

"Perfect timing sweetheart." Marley said in what sound almost like a fatherly tone. "I could use a drink." He put his axe down and walked over to Rouge. He took a glass and drink it all in one gulp. "Boy you better get over here and have some of this before I drink it all myself." Knuckles had just been looking at Rouge for the moment. She seemed so different. He hadn't noticed before but she had a caring look on her face. She was smiling at Marley and himself.

He quickly approached and took a glass and drank. "It's good." He said looking up at Rouge.

"I hope you're both hungry." Knuckles heard Anna's voice. The she-cat was just arriving with Lilly.

"Very." Marley approached taking up a sandwich.

Rouge picked up the other and brought it to Knuckles who was now sitting on a stump drinking his glass of lemonade. "Here it's really good." She smiled offering him the sandwich. He took it from her and took a bite. It was very good like she said. He suddenly felt something else. Rouge was whipping the sweat from his face with the damp cloth. "I don't want you to overheat." She smiled. Knuckles didn't notice, but he was blushing. "Keep working hard okay." She turned and walked back to Anna.

"Women sure are something aren't they." Knuckles jumped slightly he hadn't noticed that Marley had sat down beside him until just then. "I know a good woman when I see one, and it looks like you got yourself a real good woman there." Knuckles was watching Rouge as she was talking to Anna as Lilly hugged her leg. He felt his heart beating as he watched her insist that she carry both empty trays. "So what do you see in her?" Marley suddenly asked.

Knuckles looked at the gray cat suddenly feeling caught off guard. "Huh..." He couldn't quite think.

"Why do you love her?" He seem to ask it so calmly as if it were question that always came up in casual conversation.

Knuckles felt like his throat was dry and his words were stuck in it as well as he tried to think. What should he say? Would Marley know if he was lying? What if he couldn't think of anything? He looked up again and his eyes were once more on the bat. It was as if it all came to him on a whim. "She's caring and she's passionate about the things she loves. She likes to play a lot and she always knows how to get under my skin." He felt as if the words had come to him far too easily. Was it really this simple to make up a lie?

Marley's laugh was quite and a bit hushed. "Nice to see you love her more for than just her beauty."

Knuckles blushed at the mention of Rouge's looks. "Of course what else would I notice her for?" He almost blurted out.

"You might as well be gay if you don't appreciate her beauty as well." Marley said as drank down the rest of his lemonade.

"I appreciate it!" Knuckles growled irritably now. "Humph, what did you first notice about your wife then?" He demanded feeling as if his answer hadn't satisfied the old cat.

"Her melons." He answered simply.

"What!" Knuckles fell off the stump. He couldn't imagine such a lecherous answer coming from the old guy.

"Yeah I remember when I first met her. They were so nice and round." He smiled in reminiscing. "But you know that was only the bait." He smiled honestly now. "It might have been her bust that attracted me, but it was her personality and character that made me stick around." Knuckles was still in awe at his first answer but the old fella's explanation had made sense to him. Even if a woman was more beautiful than one could imagine it was all a waste if she was ugly and barren on the inside.

"Lilly where have you been?" Rouge asked as she and Anna cleaned dishes.

"I was with Knuckles." She smiled.

Rouge looked over her shoulder. "Eavesdropping were you?" Rouge smiled.

"Maybe just a little." Lilly pinched her fingers together.

"Hear anything interesting?" Anna chimed with curiosity.

"Um well I heard why dad loves mom." She smiled.

Rouge suddenly stopped in her work. She turned slightly to look at Lilly who was beaming. "Oh oh what did he say?" Anna was the first to demand the story. Rouge was frozen where she stood.

"He said that she's caring and passionate about love and she's playful and really knows how to get under his skin." She smiled.

"Oh he's a romantic isn't he." Anna patted Lilly on the head. "Hear anything interesting about me?"

"Marley likes you for your melons." She blinked as she remembered. "Do you grow good melons?" She asked. "He said they are big and round."

Rouge suddenly came out of the day dream she had been in and looked at Anna who looked back up at her. The two simply burst out laughing. "Oh yes sweetheart I use to have the best melons in town when I was young. That old fool couldn't resist." She blushed.

The rest of the day seem to past pretty quickly with all the work that was done. Knuckles and Marley had come back tired and worked. They had ate their dinner like they hadn't eaten all day. When he was finished Knuckles went upstairs and sat in the same spot as the night before. He felt so tired. He was in thought as he sat there. He came out of it when he heard the door opening. Rouge had stayed downstairs to help with the dinner dishes and was just now arriving. He looked at her and again felt a different air about her. She was looking at him with some unknown expression. In fact he couldn't read it at all as she didn't wear a smile or frown and her eyes seemed soft as they rested on him.

"You should sleep." He said motioning to the bed. When she moved she came to him instead. He blinked as she went to her knees beside him and wrapped her arms around him. He blushed. "Rouge?"

"You've worked much harder than me." She didn't look up at him. "I won't let you sleep on the floor again."

"But you're the one with an injured wing." He argued.

"Please." She looked up at him. "We'll share it." She said softly.

Knuckles blushed deeply. "But I don't-"

"Please Knuckles." She said in an voice that was entirely gentle.

"Okay." Rouge's eyes opened a little more when she heard his answer. She hadn't expected to hear him conform so easily. She felt him lift and gently help her up as well. He pulled back the covers and motioned for her to get in. She took off her jacket and shoes and climbed in laying on one side. She blushed as she watched him pull off his own shoes and climb in beside her. He lay there on his side not facing her. She smiled knowing how hard it must be to have agreed to such a request.

She thought she might say more to him but suddenly she realized that he was already a sleep. She moved a little closer to him and ran her fingers through his dreads. "Why do I suddenly wish all the lies we keep telling were true?"