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

Chapter 13

Knuckles felt rather warm as he started to wake. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, but he could see a few weak rays casting a shadow into the room. As he became more conscious he realized that he was in the bed and not on the floor. Suddenly he looked down slightly and saw Rouge curled up into him her face resting in his chest. What worried him even more was that his own arms were wrapped around her body holding her closely. He could also feel their legs tangled together under the sheets. He blushed like crazy. He felt her body move as she rubbed her face into his fur and her legs pressed against his. Certainly this was taking the charade a little bit too far? He let his eyes fall on her again. She looked so peaceful that he couldn't bring himself to wake her. At least that was what he told himself. Surely he didn't want to stay like this? It was suppose to feel terrible right? Being so close to your enemy, having to hold them like this. But why did his enemy have to be so beautiful? He tried to push the confusing feelings away, but he found himself only pulling Rouge closer.

"Knuckles..." He blushed hearing her say his name like that. He answer but he realized that she wasn't awake, but talking in her sleep. That made him blush even deeper because it meant she was dreaming about him. "K-Knuckles..." She said again. He looked down at her lips as she said his name. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he liked it when she said his name that way. "Oh Knuckles...not like that..." She sighed as she pressed against him.

Knuckles face turned red. "Wh-What are you dreaming about?" He questioned out loud as he looked down at her.

"K-Knuckles...don't touch me like that..." She blushed as her legs wrapped around Knuckles.

"H-Hey, you're the one doing the touching." Knuckles felt her pressing up closer as she arched her back. "I'm not touching you like that!" he said in a harsh whisper as she put her lips against his neck.

"Ah Knuckles." She kissed closer up to his face.

"Rouge you can't-" He blushed trying to pull away from her slightly.

"Knuckles please." She moaned in his ear.

Finally Knuckles couldn't take it. He rolled over so he was pinning her down. He breathed out with relief as realized that she wasn't struggling against his grip, of course it hit him that maybe this was what she wanted in her dreams. He blushed again and then suddenly it happened.

"Knuckles?" Rouge's eyes were open. She blinked looking at the position Knuckles was in.

The echidna's pride was shot. He jumped back off of her leaning against the door as if he couldn't think of an answer. "It wasn't what you think." He huffed. "Y-You were...it wasn't me...you..." he blushed remembering what had happened.

Rouge smiled and stretched. "Calm down." She leaned forward looking at him. "We're married remember?" She grinned. "You can do whatever you want with me."

Knuckles cheeks were an even deeper shade of scarlet. "It was a misunderstanding." He folded his arms. "Why would I do those kind of things with you?" He demanded. turning so he was facing the door.

"Because that's what married couples do right?" She was standing behind him resting her head on his shoulder.

"We aren't married." he said turning around to face her once more.

"Knuckles..." She looked up at him. "You are an amazing liar." She tried not to let her emotions seep through. She felt so strange. She didn't want to say that, but she had anyway and now she felt like she couldn't stop herself. Had the things she heard from Lilly only been a lie that Knuckles had made up? Or were the things he had said been honest?

"What are you talking about?" He blinked.

"Am I really caring and passionate? Do I really get under your skin?" She blushed as she moved closer to him.

Knuckles body felt as stiff as a tree trunk. Where had she heard that? Had Marley told her? Or maybe she had over heard him say it? He felt a sweat drop form on his brow as she tried to think. "Hey you two are late!" Knuckles suddenly heard Marley's voice calling him. He quickly made his way out the door and down the stairs. "What's the rush now?" Marley blinked.

"Sorry I didn't mean to be late in the first place. Now I'm just trying to make it up." Knuckles answered as he followed the old tom out to the mill.

Rouge was left standing in the room with a terrible feeling. He wouldn't even answer her. He had simply ran away. She began putting on her boots and gloves as she did she noticed drops of water hitting the top of her hand. She touched her face and felt it was wet. She was crying. "Why these tears?" She said softly.

Rouge whipped her face as she went over to the table in the room. She took the pitcher of water and poured it into the bowl. She gently splashed the water on her face. "What's wrong with me..." She watched as the water in the bowl settled and her reflection appeared. But wait that wasn't her. This reflection belong to someone else. It was Nova again.

"Rouge what are you doing?" Nova demanded. "You are wasting precious time! Every moment the stone is growing closer to falling into an evil grasp and you do nothing!"

"What can I do!" Rouge slammed her hand on the table. "I'm worthless at this point! I don't know what you think I can do to stop all this from happening! I've got other things to take care of too you know." She said as she tried to calm down.

"If that stone falls into an evil hand there will be nothing you can do to protect that little one." Nova looked serious. "Nor for the male that follows." Rouge's eyes shifted back to the water. Nova was talking about Knuckles and Lilly. "If you do nothing you are sentencing them to death. Along with all the other innocent lives the stone will take."

Rouge looked at her ungloved right arm. Her mark was glowing. If this was the only way to protect them then so be it. "What do you want me to do?" Rouge asked.

"The stone is going to be moved." The water changed from Nova's reflection to that of a city. Nova was showing Rouge where the stone was being held. "It will soon be out in the open. An easier target. You must take this opportunity to take it into your possession."

"Alright." Rouge nodded. "I'll do it." She said with little feeling as she watched the water ripple and Nova disappeared and all that looked back at Rouge was her own sad reflection.

The day seemed to past by painfully slow for Rouge. She hadn't left the house at all. She had insisted that Anna take lunch to the boys while she prepared things for dinner and then at dinner she had said she wasn't hungry and had cleaned the candy shop while the others ate. She had avoided Knuckles all day and as evening fell she made her way to Lilly's room. She cracked open the door and saw Lilly getting under the covers. "Ready to go to sleep?" Rouge asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Um yeah I think so." She smiled up at Rouge. "I would like it if you would...um..." She looked at Rouge with a smile.

"Okay." Rouge knew what Lilly wanted. she knelt down on her knees beside the bed.

Knuckles had seen Rouge enter Lilly's room. He felt suspicious because she had avoided him all day. So he moved to the door and cracked it open slightly. He could see Rouge knelt down by Lilly's side.

"You are my sunshine.

My only sunshine.

you make me happy,

when skies are gray.

Knuckles felt his heart grow tight. Why had he been unable to answer Rouge when she had confronted him that morning? Was what he had said to Marley coming true? Had it never been a lie in the first place?

You'll never know dear,

how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away."

"John, you're the best man for this job." Daniels was standing in huge warehouse of sorts. "you have the training and you know the target better than anyone else in this organization."

"Sir, it would be an honor." he couldn't see what was being worked on but the sound of clanging and construction could be heard. "Will it be finished in time sir?"

"I have R. N. D. working on it around the clock." Daniels assured. "It will be completed on time."