a/n: I thought about it. I wasn't about to go there for the sake of it. Sticking to what I know. Thanks for your thoughts. I hope the shared stage has been good to you, too.

"Hey, there's this guy I know subletting in Berlin. It's near a swanky club."

"Oh, okay. Are you heading there?"

"Nah. He's a weirdo. I think he had the master bedroom set up for bondage play or something."

Amy frowned and opened the fridge, looking for a fresh tomato. She smiled as she found one, closing the door and turning towards her sink.

All that was needed as they walked in earlier was to toss out the pot on the stove that had boiled right down to nothing. Rouge casually threw it out the window despite Amy's protests.

She lifted the lid of the replacement pot and stuck a wooden spoon inside to taste. She nibbled and smiled with satisfaction before turning down the heat. With a twirl, she went back to the cutting board and set the tomato onto it.

"What is that anyways?" Rouge asked from the nearby table.

"Just a bit of sauce," Amy said. She drizzled oil into a hot pan and then dropped a piece of beef after it, earning a loud and sustained sizzle.

"Was that what you were cooking before?"

"Mm-hm. Just before we had that marathon of a day."

Rouge sipped from the hot pink mug of mint tea in front of her, lovingly and carefully prepared.

"You wanna move in?"

"Bit sudden, no?" Amy replied without a missed beat.

"Yeah, you could say so. I mean, it would have to be after the heat died down and we got back from traveling...but I was just thinking about it."

"Shadow and Omega stay with you, right?" Amy asked as she turned the meat over.

"Yeah, one more than the other. Omega's a real sweetie, but some company of the organic nature would be nice. I mean, I'll also take advantage of you from time to time."

"That might be too honest of you," Amy said as she chopped up the tomato.

"I'm only being proactive and answering questions," Rouge said with a shrug.

"Let's say I agree to this. What's the arrangement?"

"You sit around and be cute. I can handle the finances."

"Terribly one-sided."

"I'm an aspiring mistress. Sue me," Rouge said with a smile.

"Do you honestly want me to move in?"

"Yeah. And it's just a want, that's all. I like you a lot now."

"You mentioned Milan. How many stops is that in?"

"Depends if we hit Tel Aviv first."

"I want to."

"Then it's three stops in."

She turned to look at Rouge. "I'll let you know when we get to Milan," she said sincerely.

"Fine by me."

Amy nodded and turned back around, reaching for a carrot. Rouge stared out at the depressions left in the carpet by the bodies from earlier. Again the window was used to dispose of them, many already liquefied or turning into dust as they were moved. A few minutes of disgusted squeals and moans later, and the job was done. Amy's apartment was mostly back to normal.

"You want more tea?"

"Fuck, stop that," Rouge said as she drained the last of it from the mug. "That's creepy."

"Red string of fate, told you."

Rouge grumbled and held out her mug. Amy poured from her porcelain teapot until the liquid reached the top.

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

"Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Who was that woman?"

"I wish I knew," she said as she leaned against the counter. "I'll never see her again."

"Did she tell you that?"

"She said she hoped that we never met again."

"Well, that place is gone anyways. It seems like it, anyways," Rouge said. Amy reached back and picked up a particular knife. The handle was scratched and chipped, worn from all kinds of abuse. The blade however, was still razor sharp. She cut into the skin on her arm lightly, warm red blood trickling down.

"It's probably the case," Amy said. Rouge watched her place the knife in the sink.

"What are you thinking?"

"A lot of things." She turned over the piece of beef again. "Silly things. Unimportant things. I'm thinking we should have died, but we didn't. How'd we get where we are now?"

"Took a bit of luck."

"I told him it was enough. And I forgot to slap him."

"It's fine. I forgot too. And he's stubborn."

Amy watched the slow trickle of blood.

"He is. He always was." She raised her head. "It's almost ready. Think you can hold out a bit?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Rouge sipped from her mug again. "Take your time."

"Alright."

"I talked with Shadow while you were asleep. He said the best route out of town is 76 North. Take the long way around to the airport. I'll have to find us something with four wheel drive."

"Sounds fair."

"Can you move your legs?"

Sonic easily flexed his battered legs. Tails nodded.

"That's good. The results came in."

"What is it?"

"Your blood is testing positive for an abnormal strain. It can't survive outside of your body at all."

"What's it gonna do to me?"

"Nothing from what I can see. It might even die off if you spend enough time in the sun. I can't really say much."

"..."

"Probably the ending you wanted, I guess."

"Can't say I'm not satisfied," Sonic said gruffly. "It's done."

"Sheesh."

"What?"

"It's just a new translation of the same script with you. You know that, right?"

"Tch."

"I'm gonna head out for a bit. You okay, Omega?"

"Affirmative."

"Alright. I'm gonna get us something heavy duty." Tails closed his laptop and left it on the bench beside Sonic. The area was now clear of bodies. The white blood had disappeared along with them.

Sonic leaned back on the bench, eyes half opened. He tapped his heel on the ground absentmindedly as the sky began to darken. It partitioned itself into gradients of blue.

"He's right, you know."

The woman in black appeared, smiling with her ruby red lips. Her pink hair messily arranged and mask held behind her back. He could see her eyes for the first time, a bright and distinct jade colour.

"I thought I knew who you were."

"Do you?"

"One brought from the future to pay penance to the past. No...that was that bullshit line you fed her."

"A harsh critic, aren't we?"

"I should tell you to piss off," he said.

"You could."

"But I won't. You know why."

She grinned. "For all eternity?"

"I'll carry it. Yes, for all eternity."

"Do you hate me?"

"Fuck yes, I do."

"But you treasure me."

"Yeah. I do. I always will."

"I told her that we'll never meet again. I hoped for it."

"Did you mean that?" he asked.

"I did. She's a sweet girl."

"She's a woman now."

"Will you go to her?"

"I'm not ready," he said. "Might never be ready. She shouldn't waste her youth waiting. I'm a horrible grand prize."

"You think she cares?"

"No. And that just makes it worse."

A pause.

"I should be dead," she said.

"Yeah."

"Your song was really good."

"Song?"

"Of miracles."

"I have a lot of those. Entire albums. Ask anyone."

"Sing another to me?"

"Soon enough," he said. She nodded, a smile on her face.

He looked up.

"Tails."

The world was instantly replaced.

"Yeah, Sonic?"

"...I should be dead, buddy."

Tails looked at his brother for a moment before casually shrugging.

Sonic blinked. He stood up slowly and leaned on the fox for support. Omega followed them.

A consumer model Humvee waited for them nearby.