"What are you scared of?"

"Everything, Shad, everything… This energy is probably killing me slowly and if the energy doesn't kill me, than my own stupidity will. And before that can happen, I'm going to devastate my parents and their wallets are going to burn from all the hospital bills! And and and…" I started to breathe in a choppy manor as I began to cry "And then there's Mephiles, and god knows who else has come over to this realm… I'm scared of the unknown…"

I could feel the tension in the air from his side of the car and I looked over to see him focusing on the road but with an expression that read only a few things I could actually decipher.

Anger, discomfort, a small hint of fear and something else I couldn't quite figure out.

"Allie-"He started with a heavy sigh "Stop crying…"

"I'm sorry I just-"

"Don't apologize." He let out a loud breath "Look- half of that you don't need to be scared of… Mephiles can't touch you as long as Sonic, his annoyances, or I are around. That I guarantee…" He contemplated something "… And don't worry about the hospital bills… those I can take care of."

"How can you-"

"I just can..."

His voice then turned into a small chuckle "And I can bet that I will kill you before your own stupidity can."

This caused a small light hearted laugh to escape my throat. What he had said made me laugh as well as the thought that the ultimate life-form, of all beings, was giving me a pep-talk.

"To be honest…" I hummed, pressing my palms against my knees "Sonic doesn't make me feel safe. He's too careless for me. He acts as if any situation, serious or not, is a game, and my life on the line is not something I like to gamble with."

"You have a confusing mind." He spoke flatly "I almost kill you on multiple occasions yet you still trust me to save you more than the obvious hero."

I nodded "It doesn't have to make sense to you."

He scoffed "Either way- don't worry about half of it. It's taken care of."

"Thanks." I said with a small smile and turned to face the window "That means a lot."

The ride was silent until we pulled into the driveway.

I could feel a tension hit the air before Shadow opened his mouth.

"You broke up with that boy because of me. Why?"

Well.

That was forward.

"Sonic told you, didn't he?"

He paused for a moment "That's not important."

I let out a sigh "I didn't want him to get hurt or more involved in any of this shit that's been happening." I turned to face Shadow, who was still holding the steering wheel and looking rather dead in expression at the gages on the dash display.

"It was my fault that he became involved with our fight."

"He became involved when he shot at me." His voice was cold "That kid's aim was horrific. Who knows what he would have hit on accident." His hands tightened around the cover on the wheel, the creases in his gloves more prominent.

"You mean who he could of hit." I poked at him verbally.

"… Yes…" his eye's drifted over in my direction partially "Yes, he could have shot someone that couldn't have taken the bullet like someone such as myself. The idiot could have killed somebody."

His reaction was more conformation to the idea that he felt the need to protect me. He obviously rejected this idea and had the inner moral battle which most likely leads to how easily angered I tend to make him.

He probably asks himself why in the hell should he protect someone so useless and idiotic then proceeds to take out his frustration on the cause of his inner issues- which in this case is probably me.

Hurray for psych class with providing me the skills to psycho-analyze my companion.

"Why do you protect me?"

"Because you can't defend yourself."

"That hasn't stopped you before."

"That was different."

"No it's not."

"Don't argue with me."

"Don't be vague with me."

"Fine." He snapped his head in my direction his expression was just softer that a glare but it was obviously irritation "I didn't want him to shoot and kill you. Because if a stupid human that can't aim was the death of you over a demon that was at least similar to my level of difficulty would be rather embarrassing. Not to mention it would put all those times I had already saved you down the drain. And that alone is a frustrating thought."

He closed his eyes as he let out a breath then peered back over to me. "Why are you smiling?"

I continued to just smile calmly "Am I not allowed to smile?"

"I never said anything of the sort. But I would like to know why you went from halfway depressed to smiling."

I didn't answer and just got out of the car, only to stumble a bit and grab the mirror on the door.

My legs had turned to Jell-O and I limply leaned against the door to my bronco.

I noticed a small gloved hand extend out of the corner of my eye. Shadow had quickly and silently gotten over to me.

"Thanks..." I took his hand and he pulled me over so that my weight was on the top of his head. He walked me inside and let me lean against the kitchen counter.

"You should eat something."

"Not really hungry. Just threw up." I grumbled.

"Allow me to rephrase that- you need to eat something."

I just mumbled to myself as I grabbed the necessities for cereal.

I ended up eating two and half bowls of honey nut cheerios, and then received a small chuckle from the ebony hedgehog. "Not hungry?"

"Ok I was a lot hungry." I dumped my bowl, able to walk properly again. I grabbed an apple and bit into it.

"Thanks for... Helping me... Again..." I nervously rubbed the back of my neck.

He just grunted in return.

I heard the front door open and a familiar pair of voices argued their way in.

"Look just let me talk to her, Ames!" Jason Griffith's- er- Sonic's voice echoed down the hallway. I looked over to see Shadow had disappeared.

"Hey!" Sonic greeted cheerfully.

What in the hell-

"Uhm- hi?" I set down my apple, not hiding my confusion. Did we not just have a conflict less than twelve hours ago?

"So... I just wanted to personally apologize for-" Sonic's grin dropped as he was cut off by a snarl.

"What the hell are you doing here, faker." Oh, there's Mr. Sunshine.

"Where were you?" I interrupted.

"Getting Luci out of the garage." He spoke flatly, and then I noticed he was holding my tuxedo munchkin cat. He put her on the floor and she meandered over to the other mobians in my kitchen.

Sonic cleared his throat and Amy picked up the small cat.

"I'm apologizing for-" he pulled Amy over, who was obviously unhappy about being in my house.

And the feeling was mutual.

"-Our behavior."

I held up my hand and took a guess at where he was getting to "You need a place to stay." I hummed with a cocked eyebrow and took a noisy bite into my apple that I had picked back up. Amy set down my cat and the tuxedo rolled on the floor, purring like an idiot.

"Well... Yea..." Sonic scratched at his forehead, slightly embarrassed about needing a place to stay.

Again.

I thought about it for a moment, and then walked over to the fuming hedgehog that was Shadow. "A word." I opened the door and pointed accordingly. With a harsh pivot he strode into the garage and I followed after. "No! Stay! Sit!" I yelled at Luci and she sat, purring with a stupid smile-like expression. I shut the door and turned to see Shadow close to snapping. "I'm letting him stay."

"Over my corpse!" he growled.

"Look I'm not asking you guys to bunk up. Not even stay in the same room."

He let out a small huff and actually listened to me, he was glaring but I knew he was paying attention.

"What about your parents?"

"I'll figure that out later."

"So how do you plan this sleeping arrangement exactly?" he was starting to calm down.

"Well Sonic and Amy can have the guest room and..." I let out a sigh "You can stay in my room or something... Of course this means you stay on the floor!" I quickly added.

He crossed his arms "Fine."

Wait.

"That's it? You're not going to argue with me?"

"No. Now before I change my mind..." He flicked his hand at me.

I walked back into the kitchen to see Sonic and Amy just standing there talking quietly to one another.

"Alright you can stay." I hummed.

Shadow had yet to come out of the garage.

"Wait did you kick Shadow out again?" Sonic asked right as the ultimate life form walked in the room.

"Nope." Shadow growled lowly.

"Lucky break, pal!" Sonic grinned

"Don't call me pal." Shadow snarled and angrily strode over to Sonic.

"What's the matter, buddy?" now the blue hedgehog was testing the waters.

I jumped between them.

"UNDER ONE CONDITION-" I announced and Shadow shoved away my hand he had walked into with his forehead.

"And what's that?" all three hedgehogs asked.

"You two have to put up with eat other enough to not cause a racket and break my house." I looked to either hog.

"Puh." Shadow scoffed and balled his fists tighter "As long as you keep your distance faker."

Amy seemed confused by how easily Shadow had caved.

"And you guys cannot be seen by my parents." I added quickly.

"No problem I'm gone most of the time anyway." Sonic shrugged.

"I know..." I snarled.

Amy nodded in agreement, she was surprisingly quiet.

"Wonderful. Now that we're all in happy-get-along-and-don't-break-Allie's-stuff land, I have to pick up my parents later and need to clean."

With a laugh Sonic dashed out the way he came.

Free-loader.

Amy looked over to Shadow and I "So who is sleeping where?"

I looked down to watch Shadow start to pick up dishes, then back to Amy

"You and Sonic get the guest room. Fortunately for you there's only one bed."

She grinned at this information but her curiosity bit her again when her eyes fell on Shadow.

I grabbed the broom from the laundry room.

"Wait where is Shadow staying?"

"My room." I swept calmly.

I felt a tension hit the air.

I looked up to see Amy suppressing a small smile and she let out a giggle.

"He's s-sleeping on the floor." I defended myself and blushed.

"Uh-huh, sure..." she took the broom from me and I went to doing laundry.

After a few minutes we had finished what we were doing and Amy dashed off to find Sonic.

I flopped onto the couch "What am I gonna do, shad?"

He shrugged "How should I know...? And don't call me that..."

"You're supposed to give me some killer advice."

I eyed the clock and jumped to my feet "Alright get in the car." He headed for the front door and I shook my head, grabbing the keys off the counter for my mom's BMW.

I grinned "Tonight we get to roll in style."

He let out a bemused scoff and reached for the keys.

I held them away "Nuh-uh. I'm driving."

The ride down the hill my town was perched on was a fun one, I cruised way too far over the speed limit, taking advantage of the cop-less and traffic free highway. We entered 167 and Shadow opened the door, his shoes igniting. He jumped out, the door shutting behind him.

He drifted back behind the car but was quick to speed past. He was out of sight in an instant, a recognizing booming break to the sound barrier pounding through the open windows.

A few seconds later a more muted boom sounded in the distance, then shadow flashed to be back in the car.

I jumped from the sudden reappearance.

"There aren't any cops for a couple miles."

"Well that's convenient…" I grinned and put the gas pedal to the floor, the car accelerating with a small jolt.

The speedometer climbing higher and higher, the road outside beginning to blur.

I looked down to see we passed 100 miles per hour and grinned as the needle started to get closer to 120 then 140 before I brought it to rest at 165 mph.

I let out a laugh of entertainment from the rush I was getting.

Shadow just grinned and shook his head.

Hey guys!

sorry for the wait and mostly boring chapter, alot of talking and dialog in this one.

i wanted to make this one longer but it kinda felt like it was just droning on...

Allie picks up her parents next chapter! that should speed things back up!

haha see what i did there? "Speed" things up?

haha as in- ya-know...

nevermind...

anyway! Question for the Chapter:

If you where in Allie's position would you let Sonic and Amy stay?

Would you make them leave?

Maybe be really mean and tell everyone to leave?

Let me know!

~FurrReal