"You find anything yet?"

"Yeah. It's just like the hypothesis. Pour enough UV rays on top of them and they can't do a thing about it."

"What about those who haven't turned yet?"

"Agitates them, if I had to guess. I can't say too much about it at this point."

Sonic nodded and looked out at the burning buildings.

"We've got about six hours," Tails said. "Shadow sent me mail. He says they want to drop a tactial nuke."

"Why not strategic?"

"Too much collateral, they said."

An incredulous grunt. "Well fuck me…too much collateral, they said. Right, safety first." Sonic walked away.

"Where you going?"

"Just pacing a bit. I'm not going far."

He walked casually around the headless bodies before he saw something in the distance.

Or were those…

"Tails," he called out firmly. "They're here."

The fox picked up his laptop and flew over to the edge of the square. They both watched as the two approached, wearing weary smiles.

"Been a while," Amy said.

"Yeah."

"You okay?" she asked.

"As okay as I could be."

"Yeah. That's only fair." She walked by him, looking into his eyes a moment before passing. She hugged the younger fox tightly.

"It was like you said."

Rouge spoke, looking at Sonic. He turned an eye towards her.

"Was it?"

"Yeah. It was."

"Did you tell her?"

"Yeah. I did."

His eye turned away from her, focusing on the flames in the distance again.

"I don't hate you," Amy called out.

"…" He toed the ground and looked downwards for a moment.

"I love you more than ever. And her, too. You were hoping for that much, weren't you?"

"I might have been."

"There's no distance that's-"

"This time is different."

"Sonic…"

"This time is different, Amy."

"Can't we overcome this, too?"

"Not together," he said solemnly.

"Did you regret it?" she asked as she let go of Tails. She looked to Rouge, then back to Sonic. "Did you hate it?"

"No. To both questions." He turned and looked into her eyes. "I'm not trying to push you away. But I can't-"

"It doesn't matter whether you can or not. You entrusted me with that, didn't you? I can-"

He drew his blade and pointed it at her.

"I won't let you follow me."

She smiled, that same sweet smile from yesteryear.

"I didn't expect you to, Sonic."

He stood still, the blade still in her face.

"I didn't expect you to let anyone experience the same things you have. I don't know what this is inside of me. This…darkness. This thing that's split us both apart, me and Rouge. But I know that because of it…we could reach each other. Touch each other's souls."

"I'm beyond your reach," he said coldly. "Tails."

"Yeah."

He sheathed his sword and walked past Amy.

"Let's get started. We might be able to glean something from you two," Tails said.

He saw Amy looking at Sonic as he walked off. The clouds in the sky were thinning slowly.

"He chose this, you know."

"Did he?"

"Yeah. Because he trusted you."

"Why me?" she asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it anyways.

"He loves you."

She felt the words sink into her heart slowly.

"What's his aim?" Rouge asked Tails. "What's he planning to do?"

"We've got less than six hours before they drop a nuclear weapon on Station Square. He wants to settle this on his own terms before then."

"His own terms?" she asked.

"We've figured out that they're monitoring the area for life forms. He wants to send a message…preserve the lives of those that might be alive, and the city. Just erasing everything means no accountability."

"That sounds like the military," Rouge said with a wry smile.

"He doesn't want it to end here."

"That sounds like him," she said. "That sounds just like him."

"Yeah. He's…he's not going back to the way he was."

"What about you?" Amy asked. Tails gave her the boyish smile she remembered.

"Business as usual."

She nodded and smiled back.

"Let's get started, then."

"Is it done?"

"Affirmative."

Sonic looked out at the barren streets, hand on the grip of his sword.

"Any contact with Shadow?"

"Negative. Radar jamming is still in effect."

"Trying to erase us, then. That's fine with me," Sonic said.

"I have a query."

"Go ahead."

"What is your purpose in continuing your liberation of the infected?"

"Fuck the world. That's why."

"Affirmative. Response noted and stored for later use."

"Tails said UV rays might help. You go on and get those areas exposed to the sun. Keep your distance. I'll do the rest as soon as you make the call."

"Acknowledged. Sonic."

"Yeah."

"I request an update on Rouge's condition."

"She's fine. All of her, this time."

"And the infection?"

"Tails doesn't know if there's a cure, but from what he's looked at, there's a surefire way to make it inert. It'll just take a bit of time."

"I see."

Sonic nodded and went back to the others, patting Omega on one of his bulky arms.

"Rest easy, champ. She's safe now."

Omega lumbered off in the opposite direction.

Amy found herself in the presence of the masked one again.

Standing in the distance behind her was Sonic, his back turned. She started through the darkness towards him, but the masked girl touched her shoulder.

She breathed that muffled breath and shook her head.

"Do you also think…he's too far?"

She breathed out. No response.

"I want to reach him. I know I can."

The feral child started to mumble from beside them both. The masked one breathed angrily and held Amy close.

"You shut up. I don't need you. You have no place here any longer."

She mumbled and curled into a ball. The darkness crawled over her and she disappeared, leaving the sword behind. The masked one picked it up and presented it to Amy.

"This is-oof…"

It was entirely too heavy.

"Burdens?"

The masked one breathed out and tilted her head to one side.

"You don't understand either."

Amy handed the sword back and nodded.

The world was instantly replaced.

Afternoon.

"How long do we have again?" Rouge asked.

"Four hours. It's fine."

"You sound confident."

"It's better than the alternative. Can you wake up Amy? I want her to see these results, too."

Footsteps sounded, and Amy felt a warm hand behind her ear. She smiled and purred softly at the gentle touch.

"You seem awake."

"Mm…yeah."

"You okay?"

"I think I am now, yeah. For real this time."

"Still think we're gonna die?"

"I don't know anymore. It's…scarier than before. That I don't know. I could go on understanding that I was gonna burn out, but now everything's uncertain."

"It happens," Rouge said nonchalantly.

"Does it?"

"I have a lot of stories about that sort of thing."

"Rouge?"

"Yeah?"

"How was it?"

She looked at Amy with understanding.

"It felt nice. I mean, it wasn't my first…with…well, you know."

"You do know we're even, right?"

"Hm?"

Amy smiled. "That time, you took it from him too. Just like you did from me. We're con-"

"Do not."

"What?"

"That's really fucking creepy, Amy. Seriously," Rouge said as she pulled her up from the bench.

"What? It's like the red string of fate or something."

"Piss off with that."

"I thought you turned over a new leaf," Amy said with a playful pout.

The clouds were retreating from the afternoon sky. The two looked up.

It was bright and warm.

"Rouge?"

"Yeah."

"How is it?"

"…I feel more afraid of disappearing. Now, more than ever."

"Me too."

They looked at each other and smiled.