*Rachel's POV*

The tears on Rachel's face had dried miraculously by the time twilight rolled around. This "natural strength" had stepped in to assist her in avoiding the point of complete insanity. By the time the sun set, it seemed almost like she was not drowning in despair at all.

For the first time in her entire life, the concept of boredom seemed nonexistent. She spent all day trying to figure everything out. It didn't help that Silver was involved in every one of her aching thoughts.

The thoughts were ever changing, and whizzing around so quickly that she couldn't concentrate.

She just… couldn't stop thinking about him. His voice kept playing over and over in her head. The moment when he was chasing Blaze with the monster head was stuck on replay. She occasionally touched her shoulder, trying to replicate that enriching rush that came when it was Silver's hand rather than her own.

She didn't even realize that this soon would become something deadly. Normally, the abundant possibilities were second-nature to her thoughts, but now… Silver was literally all she could think about. She didn't even pick up on the fact that a great abnormality was present in this. That this actually wasn't normal.

Silver, without knowing or wanting to, would soon take control of her.

She fell asleep rather quickly, waking up the next day with not a clue of what she had dreamt.

She couldn't bring herself to stand up. To get on her feet and take in the perfectly overcast day that awaited her.

Eventually, her mother walked by, noticing the fact that Rachel was still there.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You're usually outside with Sonic and the others!"

Her mother's suspicion only made Rachel come close to tears again.

"I'm still… tired," she replied.

"Well… alright," her mother agreed.

And so, Rachel waited patiently in her bed for night to come. She soon realized that she was in a deep depression. She laid not only in sadness, but in pain as well. Heartbreak, she realized, is an actual type of ache. Her heart was heavy, almost ready to crack from the pressure. The pressure of the mere possibility that Silver was meant to be with another.

She couldn't even think of anyone else. Not Sonic. Not Shadow. Just Silver, and usually Blaze. How they were so happy together. How when it came to destiny, them as a pair seemed terribly harmonious.

How she didn't have a chance, and probably never would.

By the time the evening came around, she was finally able to sit up, yet nothing else had changed.

She knew her heart was beginning to wilt. She felt as if little parts of it were floating away and into oblivion, one by one.

Silver… her first love… was very possibly deeply in love with someone other than her. Such a tirade of emotion had never hit her before, and she never thought it to be possible.

She soon figured out that he had to be her destined soulmate… her perfect, irreplaceable match… for her to be so devastated.

But did she have the courage to be brave? To try to consider the possibility that maybe, Blaze wasn't who he had his sights on? To attack her fears with her historically effective optimism?

No. It was gone. This grim situation was just too much.

She was tied up in her thoughts… Reality was almost completely shrouded in oblivion.

*Shadow's POV*

After Shadow's date with Rachel, his love for her was no longer something he worried about. Instead, he cherished it. Rather than a shy hedgehog, pacing around and trying to figure out how not to reveal too much to Rachel, he was a dreamy lover boy, smiling whenever he thought of her. He focused on her beauty rather than his demeanor.

A couple of days after that, however, he began to worry a little bit. He hadn't seen her around at all, and he hadn't heard much from the others. Who knew what could have happened to her?

Eventually, on a starry night, that worry took control of his feet. From right where he was standing, he suddenly threw in the towel and headed toward Rachel's cabin. Recurring thoughts of gruesome possibilities would not leave him alone, and they all became too much for him to ignore.

As soon as the cabin was within sight, however, he heard an "Oh! Shadow!" from behind him. It startled him, having him stop in his tracks and turn around.

Of all people… it was Silver. The one he believed may have been stealing Rachel's heart from his grasp.

"…Hmph," he said. "Greetings."

"I've been meaning to try and catch you, but I kept forgetting," said Silver. "That, and you're always all over the place."

"What do you need?!" asked Shadow, not realizing until a second later how frustrated he sounded.

"…Well," Silver replied. "…I told Blaze this already, but… I dunno. I spied a little on Eggman Nega the other day, seeing that he's made a new machine of some sort."

"Hmm," said Shadow, actually a little taken aback.

"It's so shiny and new," Silver continued. "I've got this bad feeling that he's planning on using it… soon. Just figured I'd make sure you were alert. Let me know if anything unusual happens."

At that, he walked away.

Well… he couldn't be all mad at Silver. If he did have a hold of Rachel's heart, he didn't know it. It just kinda dissed him that he wasn't even trying.

(The next day)

Shadow decided that after waiting a few hours, he'd try heading to Rachel's cabin again. The sun was barely peeking out over the horizon. She was probably still asleep.

After impatiently waiting said few hours, he sped in the direction of the cabin, and as he got closer and closer, he thought he could hear… despair?

Despair indeed. As Shadow approached the cabin, he saw Silver having some sort of discussion with Rachel's mother. Well, it was more that Silver was trying to comfort her. She seemed unable to speak, and her face was covered in tears.

"…Shadow!" said Silver, turning to him. "There you are!"

"What's going on?!" asked Shadow, turning to face Rachel's mother. "…W-Where's Rachel?"

"…Shadow," she sobbed. "It was really late last night… I heard her scream, then I heard the front door slam shut… She's gone!"

Silver gasped in utter shock, and Shadow cried "WHAT?!"

"I have no clue what could have happened!" she continued to cry. "I feel pretty sure that someone's gone and kidnapped her!" At that, she had another tearful breakdown.

"Don't worry," said Silver. "If that's the case, we will do absolutely anything we can to rescue her!"

Silver's optimism was both a little frustrating and a little comforting. For all he knew, Rachel could be dead… but there was always the lingering possibility that she was safe. He had to make sure the latter was true. Not only now, but always.

Author's note: Indeed. Heads up if you've made it this far: The beginning of the next chapter will be Rachel's POV of the previous night. The night when it all went down. A review would be MUCH appreciated! Thank you, and have a great day! :)