*~~~~Ch 23~~~*

As Sonic, Shadow, and Star get closer to Arizona, something upsetting happens along the way.

"Shadow, we need to rest," Star said to him tiredly.
"You're right…Sonic?"
"What?"
"Let's go find a hotel or something, we're tired."
"Yeah, I'm pretty tired too, let's go."

They found a hotel nearby and settled in for a while. Each ordered one room, Sonic was getting hungry and asked one of the hotel employees to bring up some food.

"Right away sir." Said one of them.

A couple minutes later, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!"
"Here you are," said a familiar female voice.
"Thank…You?" Sonic said a bit suspiciously.
"Would you like something else?" Said the voice with a hint of urgency.
"No thank you."
"Ok."
"Wait….Sally?"
"Who-Who is Sally?" She said stunned.
"Don't play dumb with me, you know you're Sally."
"I-I really don't know what you're talking about." She said nervously.
"Come with me. We need to talk." Sonic said angrily as he grabbed her arm and got out of the hotel without being noticed.

Shadow was outside with Star sitting on a table eating. It was dark and night. The air was humid. He sighed while Star yawned. Both were alone in the whole place.

"So…..What now?" Star said bored.
"Um, I don't know." Shadow bored too.
"Shadow…I'm so sorry."
"What?"
"I should of said Keith was my brother. I really didn't know Amy was one of his victims….I mean girlfriends!"
"It wasn't your fault."
"But I feel hopeless….I feel like it was my fault."
"No, it isn't." Shadow said sympathetically.
"But I-"
"No…"
"You love her."
"I don't…Not anymore…."
"Why?!"
"Because she doesn't love me. She never did."
"Then why was she pregnant?"
"that was a mistake. We were not meant to be….I was blind. I wanted to be loved so much that I let myself go."
"Then who do you love?"
Shadow looked at her. She was pretty with her blue highlights and blue eyes. He blushed, luckily she didn't notice since it was night.
"So?" Star asked curiously
"I….Don't…Know?"
Star backed off and looked away clearly thinking of something. Shadow wanted so badly to kiss her, but shyness got the best of him, so he gave up. Star turned around and said,
"I hope…I hope you will love someone who is kind and patient. Someone who will…Who will pay a lot of attention to you."
Shadow smiled and got closer to her, he reached for her face, his hand hesitated, but Star led his hand to her cheek. It gently touched her forehead to her lips. Just when they were about to kiss, something interrupted them.

"Sonic!"
"Sally! Don't lie to me! I know you're Sally! Stop trying to hide your face!"
"No!"

Shadow and Star quickly ran to the spot where Sonic and Sally were.

"What's going on?" Shadow asked.
"I found Sally." Sonic said sourly.
"Oh God. Sally? What the hell are you doing here?"
"I-I.." Sally started.
"C'mon! Speak up!" Sonic yelled.
"Calm down and give her a chance." Shadow said to him
"Ever since I- I killed Amy's baby," Sally's voice cracked, "I felt really bad and I knew I couldn't stand the hatred that people were going to give me so I ran away."
"That's not the only reason." Star said.
"Who are you" Sally asked.
"I'm Keith's little sister."
Sally gasped, "What do you mean by not the only reason?"
"You dated Keith while you were married with Sonic." Star said.
"How?"
"I figured it out." Sonic said unhappily.
"But you don't understand! I felt alone and-"
"So that gave you the reason to kill Amy's baby?!" Sonic yelled harshly, " Amy too could of died! You didn't think about that did you? You only thought about yourself like the selfish little brat you were!"
"Sonic! Calm down! Sally understood. Look." Shadow said calmly.

Sonic looked and saw Sally on her knees crying and sobbing. He shook his head and sighed. He was never this mad. He closed his eyes and walked away leaving Sally to cope by herself. Star and Shadow also left. Sally hugged herself and ran into the nearest bathroom. She locked the door, washed her face , and looked in the mirror. She was still crying.

"Oh Sonic. If you only understood."

Sally stayed in the bathroom for the rest of the night.

"I have to go somewhere." Keith said distracted.
"Again? I think you're cheating on me." Amy said crossing her arms on the bed. She was close to killing herself, but she managed.
"Uh, yeah!" Keith said almost laughing.
"You little bastard."
"Well, I mean c'mon. You won't make me happy. You make me do this."
As Keith was leaving, he said, "Oh yeah, pack up, we're leaving in two days." Keith shut the door behind him. Amy's eyes widened and tears were forming.

"Oh Sonic….I love you." Amy sobbed and started packing her stuff.