(Rachel's POV)

Keep up with what you're doing...

Don't forget where you're going...

Whatever you do...

Don't screw this up.

Whatever you do,

Don't trip, fall, or stumble.

And don't you dare look back.

Just keep looking straight.

One small mishap,

and it's all over for you.

My mind was in such a scrambled disarray. It was as if all my worries were being mashed together and churned inside a blender. I was running along with my soon-to-be savior, Rouge the Bat. This wasn't up to me anymore. It was in her hands now. She was my only way out of here.

This is it.

This is your escape.

After months of captivity,

You're about to be free.

Don't look back.

Not for one second...

Don't even think about it.

"Rouge..." I finally breathed out apprehensively. "I really hope you know where you're going,"

She panted quietly in front of me as we both sprinted down the hallways together, her steps and mine clicking in and out of sync.

"Now's not the time to doubt me. Have faith, kid," she said in a jumble, struggling to keep her voice up with the pace of her feet. "I know we barely know each other, but if there's anything you should know about me it's that I always have a plan. Believe me, I thought this through before I managed to get to you. Now all we have to do is carry that plan out. It won't be easy, but it is doable."

After she finished, I found myself pumping my arms back and forth a little more roughly at my sides. For some reason, her saying all this made me realize how real this all was, and that there really was no turning back. It willed me to go faster. But again my worries swelled and made my speed slightly falter.

"But what if we get lost? We might make one wrong turn and end up trapped somewhere. We can't afford to let something like that happen!"

"Trust me on this," she responded diligently. "I may have never been here before, but that doesn't mean I don't know my way around. Past experience really pays off in the long run."

I furrowed my eyes at the back of her head. "What...do you mean...by that?" I asked between gasps, quickly changing the subject to get my mind off the soreness that was starting to bend down my calves and abdomen.

Rouge looked back at me through the corner of her eye before answering. "Well, I never expected you to know this because this is your first time being in something constructed by Eggy. But if the situation were otherwise, you'd notice his hideouts aren't that hard to figure out. His evil lairs, or bases, or airships, or whatever the heck they are...they always have the same interior layout. Always. In fact, I almost have every hallway here memorized. The only difference is these seem to never end," she said tiredly. "But no worries. I got this all in the bag. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to learn their way around and out of here."

Again, I found myself frowning. She knew her way around here and hadn't even been here an hour. While I'd been stuck here for months and wandering aimlessly became almost a constant thing. She was dead wrong. Learning one's way around here was NOT easy. I had never figured out my own way around here on this stupid giant Egg Carrier.

That mostly had to do with me being more involved in cautiously watching out for Shadow as opposed to drawing a damn map of the place. Either way I didn't desire to learn this place by heart. And hopefully, I wouldn't have to after this.

As more time passed the adrenaline finally sank in, seemingly for both of us. Rouge and I gradually picked up our speed. The wind whipped past my eardrums, blowing my hair behind my shoulders. This was probably the fastest I'd ever run in my life. As long as I kept my head up, the spark of pain remained dull.

Yet somehow, it still didn't feel like I was giving it my all. I knew being fast was not only necessary...it was crucial if we wanted to get out of this place.

My head then wandered back to its previous hysteria. But now, instead of thinking about how close to impossible this escape attempt was, I started predicting the outcome of what would happen if we really were caught.

Oh gosh, this is dangerous. This is really, and I mean really dangerous.

Shadow's bound to notice we're gone sooner or later. And he's not going to just let us leave.

He'll come after us.

No, he'll come after me.

"I mean it, I'll be right back."

Shadow's voice reverberated around in my head, replaying itself over and over. I bit my lip fearfully.

Just imagining what that hedgehog would do if he caught us escaping made my blood run cold. In fact, It almost made me stop right there on the spot. My hopes of getting out of here were already deteriorating.

I had to ask myself...was there really any point in attempting this? I mean, granted Rouge is a G.U.N. spy and she's trained to handle situations like this with ease. But I, on the other hand, I'm still a sad, pathetic case when it comes to bravery. I only show it when I'm on the brink of going completely delusional, or if my anger has reached its boiling point. But now, I wasn't crazy or mad. I was just flat out scared for my life.

But I didn't stop. I couldn't.

I kept on going. Just as I had thought many times over, there was no turning back now. I wanted to be home more than anything. And if we made it out of here, that's exactly where I would be headed.

Screw outer space. It's not even worth it anymore. I wanna go back to Earth!

Rouge wasn't running at my side. I let her go ahead so she could lead the way while I treaded behind, not really sure where she was going to begin with. She never bothered telling me.

There was a random, yet relative question buzzing around in my head. As we turned a corner, I figured the silence had gone on long enough and found the right moment to bring it up.

"Uhm, Rouge? You're...a bat, aren't you?" I asked.

When I said the question out loud, no matter how I tried to edit it, it still sounded incredibly stupid. I was aiming to make a point though.

She shot me another look over her shoulder, but this time it was plastered with sarcasm.

"Uh-huh. Well spotted, Sherlock. I suppose your first biggest breakthrough was realizing Shadow isn't a harmless little kitten?" she mocked hastily.

"I was just wondering, you know since you do have wings, how come you're not flying?" I asked. "Like is there really any point in running for you? I would think that it's...er...easier for you to fly. It probably doesn't require as much energy," I said, noting her continuous panting.

Rouge didn't look back to answer this time, and simply stared straight ahead. "Well yes. You're right, it is easier. But the problem with that is I'm also faster when I fly, rather than when I'm on my feet. I can't help it. The wind kind of takes me however fast it wants me to go. I'm only able to control my flight pattern in the air, not my speed. If I chose to fly right now, you'd probably be left behind. And seeing that the whole point of my mission is to get you outta this place, it would be foolish to take chances with something like that."

I slowed my breathing down a little, feeling a sting of frustration. "Okay if you haven't noticed, I don't care about taking chances at this point! I'll keep up with you, Rouge! I'll do whatever it takes! We don't have any time to lose. If we're caught by Shadow...he'll...oh God he'll kill us both!"

Rouge sighed. "I like how the first person you imagine catching us is Shadow. Really now. And I don't think Shadow would necessarily kill us...maybe torture us, maim us, or lock us up somewhere dark without food or water as punishment..."

"Rouge! Now's not the time for jokes! I know if anyone catches us, it will be him! He's fast, he can warp, and he's stronger than both of us combined-"

"Okay okay!" she said, waving her hand back towards me. "I get what you're saying! I know you're scared out of your wits, but sheesh. Just another typical, bossy teenager you are."

She unfolded her wings and jumped up in the air. The webbings adjusted slightly, and within seconds she was gliding above my head, a slight rushing sound following her from behind. After she was airborne, the distance between us slowly started to expand. I quickly picked up the tempo in my step so I wouldn't lose her.

Rouge turned around to look at me. She could tell by the gnarled look on my face that I was really pushing myself.

"Don't give up now, Rachel! We're almost there okay?"

I picked my head up to meet her eyes, nodding to show I understood, and also to assure her that I was going to be fine. Yeah, I may have been tired and sore, and the pain was worsening with every step. But being able to get out of here would soon make up for all that.

Although, I really wish I knew where we were going.

Does this mean Rouge have a spaceship or something? I can't think of any other way she could've gotten herself out here. You don't just take a leisurely stroll from Earth, traveling through the universe like it's nothing. You need means of transportation.

But one thing was certain...I would find out all in a matter of time. Soon Shadow, Eggman, Bokkun, those robots I met, and everything else having to do with this place would be far behind me. Home was still a long way from here, but I could wait a little longer. Just as long as I got there.

Yes. As long as I was away from here…the wait would be much easier.

(Shadow's POV)

That ignorant...

irritating...

annoying broad!

Who the hell does that bat think she is? Who gave her the authority to order me around? I'm Shadow the Hedgehog! I have half a mind to go back there and remind her who really has the power here!

I groaned and rubbed my temples, feeling an ache form at the back of my cranium.

But what good would that do. She hasn't given me much of a reason to get mad...yet.

All in a moment's time.

I couldn't help being so angry about this. It wasn't the fact that Rouge was here, it was the fact that she AND Rachel were here at the same time. The last thing the Egg Carrier needed was more estrogen. I had one female already driving me up the wall, I certainly did not need another. But if I had to choose, I would want Rouge gone before anyone else.

In fact if it were up to me, Rouge would've been out the door before she even had the chance to grace me with her presence, and a friendly 'Hi, Mr. Sunshine, long time no see.'

I dropped my arms back to my sides, revisiting the memory of when I first discovered her casually waltzing around the halls. I remembered our confrontation... in which she took immense joy in harassing me.

"Wow, Shadow," she said softly, circling me as her eyes lifted and dropped. "You don't look half bad for a sixty-something year old hedgehog. I guess it's true, men really do ripen with age. You little elderly devil you."

I twisted my face inwards with disgust.

Forget it.

I want her out of here. Now.

"Shadow?" I heard a shrill voice call, shattering the silence.

At first, I thought the speaker was behind me and halted, nearly turning around to face them. But before I could start twisting my body, I looked up and came face to face with Bokkun's luminescent yellow eyes.

I instantly inched away from him with a dragging frown. But before I could retaliate, he suddenly bombarded me with a bunch of questions.

"Jeez, where the heck have you been!" he exclaimed. "How come no one could find you? Were you with Rachel? You were with Rachel weren't you. Tell me you weren't with Rachel. Why were you with Rachel!"

For some reason, my stomach did four rhythmic turn-overs, each after the sound of Rachel's name. Maybe because it was a reminder that right now, Rachel Tower, my hos-...I mean our hostage, was alone with a fugitive slash ex-spy. I needed to find Dr. Eggman and see what is was that he needed to tell me, so I could go back and keelhaul the bat out of there.

I swear, if it wasn't a conflict that graced me, it was a person I disliked.

"Get out of my way," I prompted, shoving him out of the way with my elbow and walking off. "I don't have time for you right now. Dr. Eggman needs to see me, and I won't keep him waiting. So leave me alone; don't pester me with your stupid questions."

Surprisingly, Bokkun didn't try to stop me. I could feel his presence dying off.

"Wha-...Wait...How did you know Dr. Eggman-"

"What did I just say," I hissed, ignoring him whilst continuing onward. As soon as I heard the query in his voice, I dismissed him out of annoyance.

After I was alone again, I made my way down several more halls until I came across the maintenance and robotics room, to find that the door was already slid open. Inside, Dr. Eggman was looming over one of his projects on a metallic lab table. It was a bronze heap of conjoined metal pieces along with other chunks of carbonite, resembling a half-finished machine of some sort. The Doctor wasn't tinkering with it, or holding onto any tools or utensils. Instead, he was massaging his chin while eyeing it, analyzing all its details.

I took a few steps into the room. Eggman heard the clanking of my shoes and turned away from his experiment, his eyes glistening with astonishment behind the darkened lenses.

"...Well what a pleasant surprise," he said, straightening his posture and stepping away from the table. "You're just the hedgehog I needed to talk to, Shadow. Impeccable timing, I must say."

I nodded once. "Right. So what do you want?"

He nodded in response and smiled gently, which threw me off a bit. Normally, the Doctor wore this face-splitting grin, especially when he had some form of trickery up his sleeve. I'd never seen him look this calm, or sane for that matter.

"Oh, nothing of too much importance. I just thought I'd let you know we're approaching the Storm Galaxy, and soon we'll be in orbit. That galaxy happens to be the one where there are two Chaos Emeralds being kept. Yes, you heard me correctly. Two."

I raised a brow and chuckled. "Storm Galaxy, huh. Sounds pretty inviting if you ask me."

Eggman just shrugged. "Well, I don't know about you but I think the name suits it rather well. The galaxy looked like a giant whirlwind on radar, similar to a hurricane. So I wasn't sure what else to call it."

I looked at him curiously. "You mean to say you named this galaxy yourself?"

He smiled again, mindlessly panning his eyes back over to his formless invention. "Indeed I did. The label for it came up as nothing more than a series of asterisks and question marks, which is a bit odd. To my understanding, there is only one planet in this galaxy, which is un-named as well. It has no inhabitants whatsoever, not a single living organism in existence. But that's probably due to the state of the environment there. From what I've discovered, the weather conditions there are not made to support life."

I nodded. "Okay. But it's not enough to kill me before I can even step on ground...right? Because then that could be a problem."

Dr. Eggman suddenly looked uneasy as he side-stepped back to the lab table, roaming his gloved fingers all over his invention while tightening the bolts and screws. "I...uhm...well...I'm sure you'll be alright. You'll just need to hurry and find the Emeralds before your body succumbs to hypothermia...or whatever it is about the harsh weather that's deadly. It shouldn't be hard to track them down seeing as the Emeralds are together, and the reaction of their energy is creating a beam in the sky that you can see even from a long distance. It's actually quite convenient."

I smirked. So I wouldn't need Rouge's assistance for this after all. Now she had no real reason to stay.

But something rushed back to me unpremeditatedly. I looked down at my hand, balling it into a loose fist. My eyes sealed for a moment.

"...Dr. Eggman...after we've uncovered these last two Chaos Emeralds, we'll be going back to Earth...correct?" I said, re-opening them.

A sudden glint flashed through Dr. Eggman's eyes, but it was too brief for me to decode.

"Yes. We'll go back to Earth for the last Emerald."

I released a breath through my nose that I hadn't even realized I was holding. Dr. Eggman heard it and raised his head up.

"Shadow," he said placidly. "Don't go huffin' and puffin'. You know...this was your idea. You have no reason to complain."

I escalated my eyes in his direction. "I know..." I said quietly.

He squinted at me carefully.

"In my plan, we weren't going to bring any humans with us, and then take them back to hold for ransom. That's far too complicated, even for my standards."

I then dropped my eyes away from his. "I-I know." I repeated.

"In fact, this whole plan was a bit unorthodox. It's almost as if we made it harder for ourselves, and for the captive."

"I know."

"This shouldn't have been dragged out the way it was. It isn't a game you know. We made a deal, and that deal was meant to be taken seriously."

"Yes, I know."

"I understand that you might...maybe...er...have a thin attachment...to Rachel Tower. But I'm afraid we're going to have to sever that bond. The sooner the better. After all, there's no point in caring for someone whom you're never going to see again-"

"I said I know!"

Eggman froze at my sudden outburst.

I scowled back at him angrily. Right now, the only thing I desired was for him to stop talking; to drop the subject; to move back to talking about the Chaos Emeralds. That would've been stupendous. I didn't want him to talk about Rachel. Not now.

Dr. Eggman just glared back at me puzzled, stirred in with what looked like disappointment. After he overcame the startle, he shook his head.

"Shadow...what's going on."

The tone of his voice made me aware of my indiscretion. I realized then, by only saying those four words...I might have revealed too much.

"...It's nothing..." I answered quietly.

The Doctor wasn't convinced.

"It sure doesn't sound like nothing."

He stepped closer to me. "You know, I really don't understand, Shadow. I really, honestly, don't get it. I thought you and Rachel despised each other. But at the same time...there seems to be this instinct in you that makes you constantly want to protect her. I mean...protective is the only word I can think of. It truly perplexes me that you seem to have all these feelings harnessed, and not even you have noticed them."

He then cocked an eyebrow. "Or have you...and you just haven't admitted it to yourself yet."

I glared back at him with resentment, but even though my expression was physically acting against everything he was accusing me of, I knew deep down...it was all true.

Had I noticed it before? Maybe. Maybe I considered it for one small second, that deep down I did care more about Rachel than I gave credit for. Maybe it happened when we first met, after I found those men advancing on her...when something inside me flared at the sight of her under attack. Maybe it was when I found her on the subway train and realized I'd feel...I don't know...better, if I knew it was her I was kidnapping, rather than her father. Then, no outside forces could ever harm her.

Maybe it happened when she told me her name before breaking down into tears. Maybe it happened when I heard her singing in her room. Maybe it happened when I saved her from Tragaria, the way we were descending through the spiritless city, just me and her clinging to nothing at all except the will to survive. Maybe...maybe it happened when I attacked her, or when I woke up and found her tending to my punctured wound.

I don't know when...I tried to remember when all this happened. I couldn't. I refreshed my memories over and over, but it didn't click.

I hated not knowing.

What had she done to me? Why did she make me care at all for her? It's unlike me. It's not natural.

But there was one thing I did know.

Sure, I might have considered caring about her. But it was only for one second. No, I did listen to these inner messages. No, I did not show her kindness. And no, she did not deserve kindness from me. I closed her off. I didn't let her in. She hated me. I didn't hate her the same way I thought I had, but what difference did it make? None. Not a one. We weren't meant to like each other. We were meant to be enemies. And I didn't care. I don't care.

Rather than answering the Doctor, who was still standing there impatiently waiting for my response, I turned on my heel to exit the room and head back to B-12. I couldn't stand being in the same room as him anymore. And despite being at war with myself, Rachel's room was the only place I wanted to be right now. Without Rouge, and just with her.

"And just where do you think you're going now?" he asked me.

I didn't look back at him and kept pacing my way out.

"I'm going back to B-12," I said, not really seeing a point in hiding it any longer. "The last thing I want is to leave Rachel alone with Rouge for too long. That conniving bat will interfere one way or another if I don't return soon."

But just as I was clear out of the room, Dr. Eggman spoke again. This time, his tone held more confusion than it had previously.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

My feet stopped side by side and I turned back to look into the room. Eggman's brow was furrowed, his mouth turned down inquisitively.

I just looked at him. "I said I'm going to go talk with Rachel and I don't want to leave her alone with Rouge-"

But then, the words crumbled inside my throat. My mouth fell open and my eyes distended with disbelief. I was frozen in place.

I could see it on his face. Dr. Eggman didn't know Rouge was here. He clearly didn't know what I was talking about...because him knowing about her arrival was never true.

It was a lie.

Rouge lied to me. She had never talked to him.

She snuck in here.

She...she wasn't retired as an agent, was she. That was a lie too. In fact, she might have been here on duty. It came to me all at once.

She was here to collect Rachel, and then escape with her...

Everything came together.

I didn't want to admit to my error. I didn't want to admit that I'd had the wool pulled over my eyes, and made the horrible mistake of trusting Rouge to go anywhere near Rachel. But most of all, I refused to comprehend that something like this would...or was happening right now. They were probably looking for a way out right now. And my mind just wouldn't accept it.

Then, the question in my eyes dispersed and full-on rage took over. I could feel my blood fuming, my heart racing, the energy inside me sizzling with anger. Dr. Eggman was still completely dumbfounded.

"Shadow-...what-"

But I didn't even let him finish.

I turned again, and this time I didn't look back at him to explain. I sped off down the empty hallway, my teeth scraping against each other.

No. Not on my watch. This is not going to happen. I won't let it happen. Not in a million years.

I better be wrong. My instincts better be a lie. Rachel and Rouge better still be in that room, just as I left them.

And if they aren't...

My mind went blank. I saw nothing but red.

(Rachel's POV)

Rouge laced her fingers around the ducts of the air vent in the ceiling and gave the whole thing a sharp tug. After a few seconds of the strained attempt, she let out a loud breath and loosened her grip, running her eyes back over the vent with distaste.

"Open, you stupid air vent! Don't get stubborn with me!" she said through her teeth as she gave the vent another pull, but to avail.

I looked up at her from the ground, my feet bouncing restlessly in place. My neck craned up as I tried to focus in on the corners of the outlet.

"Maybe it's bolted in...?" I said doubtfully, already knowing in my heart that Rouge wouldn't be idiotic enough to try to force open a vent if it was nailed shut by screws.

Rouge growled under her breath. "No, it's not bolted in! This is the vent I came out of earlier! I don't understand why it won't open now. I made sure it was secure when I put it back, but I didn't use super glue on the blasted thing!" she simmered, twitching her violet wings as they started to lose their hold on the air.

I dropped my head down and nervously looked left and right, feeling as though someone was about to jump out and attack us. But there was no one around. The halls were completely deserted. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

Nothing was helping my uneasiness. If anything, it only intensified the more I tried to resolve it. The suspense was unbearable. I lifted my eyes back to Rouge, whimpering without intending to.

"Rouge, I don't mean to rush you...but please hurry up!" I yelled. "Once Shadow finds out we're gone, that's it! It'll be the end of this! He'll use Chaos Control to find us, and then we're done for!"

But just as I finished saying this, there was a loud pop, followed by the scratching sounds of metals rubbing against each other. Rouge's wings gave out and she dropped to the ground next to me, holding the uprooted vent in her hand.

Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction and rose up to the rectangular opening above our heads. "Naturally," she said, her tone now more blissful than before.

Before I could respond, Rouge stepped behind me and slipped her hands beneath my underarms. She clamped down and instantly heaved me off the floor in the middle of flight, leaving my body to dangle uncomfortably in the air.

"Woah wait, you're making me go in first?" I protested. "But I don't know where we're supposed to go!"

Rouge sighed. "Calm down. It's gonna be okay. I'll tell you where to go as we move along. I'd rather stay behind you so I can keep an eye on you and make sure you're safe. You know, 'cause at this rate anything can happen."

She stealthily lifted me up so that half my head was inside the vent system. My eyes flickered upward and took in the narrow surroundings. The passage was a long, solid corridor, filled with merged jumbles of gray and black colors. The only light came from the thin beams that shot upwards from the circular gaps of corresponding screws in other vents.

I didn't have time to complain about how I was barely able to see anything. This was my passage to freedom, so none of its flaws mattered to me. I picked my left arm up and shoved it through the tight space, then did the same thing with the other. Rouge gradually released me so I could climb the rest of the way up myself, picking up my ankles to give me a small boost. Almost immediately, I was all the way inside the circuit.

The space was cramped, and the only way I could move was by crawling on my hands and knees. My body was too long for me to turn around. All I could do was look over my shoulder through the edge of my eye.

I turned my head back just in time to see Rouge effortlessly scramble through the opening. Once she was inside with me, she slammed her hands against the bottom and let out another breath. I then could make out a smirk curling over her darkened features.

"See, and you didn't think you could trust me," she said through soft pants.

I sighed and smiled back at her. "...I guess you're right. I'm sorry. Thank you, Rouge. Really, I can't tell you how grateful I am. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for this."

She shrugged. "Eh, leave the paying to my boss. I'm just doing my job."

Her friendliness evaporated and determination took its place.

"Okay, that's enough sappiness. Let's get back to escaping."

She bobbed her head to the side as if to look past me. "Now listen carefully. The way out is really simple. The first vent I entered through came from outside the Carrier on the space deck. You don't need to worry about the issue of having oxygen. The deck is pressurized and concealed with a glass cover. We're going to need to find a space suit for you so we can get outside and reach my little spaceship. It's fastened to the side of the Carrier, down a few floors from here. We'll have to hop off the deck and land on the bottom level, which isn't that difficult seeing as there's no gravity to mess up our aim."

I nodded once. "A-Alright..." I said.

She continued. "And then after that, all you have to do is go forwa-"

But then, something jerked Rouge back. Her eyes dilated before she let out a stunned yelp, clawing at the metal underneath her.

I gasped, turning my head around a bit more. "...Rouge?"

Her eyes quivered in place, but then, after she appeared to comprehend what was happening, she took on a sickened scowl.

I rotated my head around even more, to the point that it was stressing the muscles in my neck.

"What's wrong?"

I could feel flames dousing at my heart. What was happening could not be good.

Please tell me it's nothing. Please tell me she just tripped and everything's okay.

But then Rouge's body jerked backwards again, this time farther than before. I watched her in confusion, but then my mouth dropped open and terror ensued.

There was someone underneath us, pulling her back.

She looked back up at me helplessly, biting her lip. 'Go' she mouthed.

It took a moment for me to process the silent message. But once it sank in, I shook my head in objection. There was no way I would leave her behind. Not only because she was the only one who knew the route out of here, but also because it wasn't right to leave her, while I made a break for it. It was my fault she was here. And without her, escape was practically rendered impossible.

When she saw I wasn't budging, she let out an outraged cry, raking her fingers across the cubicle as she was yanked back through the opening.

"Go!" she shrieked before slipping through. "Go!"

Once she was pulled out completely, I felt my eyes well up with angry tears.

No. This isn't happening. This...isn't happening! I can't do this without her!

I almost turned around to go back and look, and see who it was that had grabbed her. But deep down I strongly preferred not to know. Besides, I couldn't turn my body around anyway. All I could do was go forward, and hopefully I would stumble across the way that Rouge came in from. It was the only way out of here.

But right now, I could hardly remember anything she just told me. I hissed a swear under my breath.

Despite my ebbing hope, I shook my tears away and crawled forward, hearing Rouge grunts of pain fading beneath the vent.

(Shadow's POV)

With a swift movement, I slammed Rouge against the wall, my hand knotting around her throat. I picked her off the ground and held her suspended in the air. She cried out before her oxygen was cut off altogether. Her eyelids squeezed together as she put up a fierce struggle against my grasp.

"Let go of me!" she gagged, kicking her legs back and forth without actually managing to hit me. "Knock it off, Shadow!"

Instead of responding to her demands, my eyes drifted back towards the ceiling where the air vent had once been. It was empty. There was a rectangular hole just big enough for a person to fit through. I had no doubt in my mind that Rachel was up there somewhere...crawling over several rooms and halls...long gone by now.

I traced my vision back to Rouge, pulling her towards me slightly before smashing her into the wall again. I glared daggers at her, feeling my heart drum with fresh malice.

"Where is she," I asked her darkly. My question sounded more like sufficient threat...and in a way it was.

Rouge choked faintly, one eye slightly ajar.

"I don't know..." she said with genuine honesty.

"But...wherever she is...leave...her...be..."

I raised my opposite arm, my energy accelerating.

"Don't play games with me. Tell me now, Rouge. If you value your life, tell me where she is...and where she's going."

Rouge was turning purple. She wrapped her hands around my arm, eyeing my readied hand with fear.

"Come on, Shadow... She just wants to go home... everyone wants her to go home. You can come back for the last Emerald if you insist...but please...let Rachel go home..."

She then put up her last fight, which mainly consisted of aimless spasms and the occasional snarl. But then, her limbs dropped lifelessly. She had lost consciousness from the lack of oxygen.

I slowly disengaged my grip and let her crumple to the floor, dropping my hand back to my side.

Rouge had already been working my last nerve. But I never intended for this to happen. I never meant for it to turn this extreme.

She was the one who brought this on herself.

I turned around, giving the desolate air vent one last look. I could've jumped up there and looked for her myself, but that would take ages, and Chaos Control would definitely take me up there, but the little space would prevent me from restraining her.

Instead, I figured there was an easier way. I overheard the last sentences of Rouge's plan. I'd been standing beneath her the entire time, waiting for the right moment to attack. She said something about the air vent she originally entered through to get into the ship. It was somewhere on the deck.

All I had to do was find where she first made her entry on the Egg Carrier, and the rest would fall into place.

(Rachel's POV)

I was wracking with tearless sobs. My hands were growing weaker as they dragged my body weight across the narrow air unit.

What have I gotten myself into. I knew I couldn't do this...I'm hopelessly lost...I don't know left from right...

I stopped halfway between two cubicles and gritted my teeth, trying to restrain the tears in my eyes. I needed to stop with all this crying. After all, it wouldn't do me anything to help me.

Before all of this, back at home, it was extremely rare for me to cry. But now it was as if I was always on edge. Every little thing set me off.

I slowly started to crawl forward again. I'd been at this for Lord knows how long. My pants had raveled up a little so that the skin on my knees was exposed. They were starting to bruise and ache, and even my hands were going numb from climbing across the cold metal for so long.

I didn't know where to go, or what indication to search for that might lead me in the right direction. I was playing it all by ear, and I hated every second of it.

I can't do this. That's all there is to it.

But then, I weakly pounded a fist against the metal shaft, careful not to make too much noise. Oh stop it! Get a hold of yourself, Rachel!

Sulking and whining wasn't going to make this any easier. Whether I escaped, or was recaptured, that all depended solely on me. I just needed to try a little harder. Freedom was the only thing I yearned for at this point. For sixteen years I took it for granted. It was something I'd been born into, and it had always been my unalienable right. But now that I had been robbed of it, I'd give anything to have even the smallest taste of my independence again.

I kept on crawling. My body was getting sore from being in a crouched position for such a long period of time. My back was beginning to convulse in a fruitless effort to gain more comfort.

A few gleams of light shot past my face as I prepared to pass by another vent.

"I don't know, I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with Shadow either."

I gasped. My movements ceased and I instantly grew tense all over. At first, I just stared blankly ahead, my jaw somewhat dropped. I wanted to believe the gruff voice I just heard was a figment of my imagination, conjured up from paranoia. But I shoved the denial aside, finally finding the courage to look down between the ducts of the vent I was looming over. Down below, I could make out a cage-like view of Dr. Eggman's shiny bald head.

"He's acting rather strange, if you ask me," Eggman continued. His words were directed towards Decoe, Bocoe, and even Bokkun, who were standing a few feet away from him, forming a triangle. The all held the same animated expressions as they watched their master pace back and forth, and once around a lab table with some strange lumpy metal piled on top of it.

"I know what you're talking about and I'm just as confused as you are, Doctor. Maybe it's a hedgehog thing," Bokkun said, folding his arms. "Like...I know Shadow's over sixty years old, but he's still figuratively young, right? He could just be having young person angst."

Decoe glanced at him. "But I thought mood swings were more of a teenager thing."

Bocoe shuddered. "I thought they were a female thing."

Dr. Eggman pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned in agitation.

Bokkun gasped. "Wait a minute. Teenager...girl...hmm...you don't think any of this has to do with Rachel, do you, sir?" he asked him.

The doctor withdrew his hand and brushed it across his stubby chin. "Actually, that's exactly what I believe is causing all this. Not that it makes any logical sense to me."

My heart skipped a beat. I leaned a little closer so that my hair was nearly hanging through the gaps, trying to control my breathing so they wouldn't hear me.

Dr. Eggman sighed. "I've never seen this side of Shadow before. The way he acts towards humans has always been the same. Same resentment, same hostility. Same attitude. But when I do so much as mention Rachel, something about him changes. I feel as though they have a strange chemistry transmitting between them. And in a way, I think Shadow even...admires her."

Bocoe scoffed. "Pfft, yeah right! Of course, not that I'm questioning you, Doctor. Don't get me wrong, Rachel can be very kind and genuine. But that's just the kind of thing that contrasts with Shadow's personality. He would never admire someone with those type of qualities. Those two can't stand the sight of each other. What about her could possibly break through Shadow's hard shell?"

Decoe huffed at his robotic partner. "I completely disagree with you, Bocoe. How is it possible for Rachel to be too nice for Shadow? Wasn't Maria supposedly super sweet too? And her and Shadow were best friends! So your analysis is whack."

"You confounded idiots!" Eggman boomed, silencing Decoe. "That isn't what I meant! I was talking about a...different kind of admiration."

At first, the trio of Eggman cronies exchanged confused glances. Even I didn't fully understand what Eggman had meant by that. But then, Bokkun gasped loudly.

"Doctor...are you saying what I think you're saying? You think that Shadow...has...has..."

His voice fell to a whisper.

"...feelings...for Rachel?"

At first, the room dropped into icy silence. Dr. Eggman was glaring at Bokkun, as if he really agreed with his minion's assumption, but saying it out loud was prohibited...like it was some sort of taboo. Decoe and Bocoe turned and glimpsed at each other. I was above them kneeling over the shaft, my eyes wide open.

But then, Decoe, Bocoe and Bokkun all burst into a fit of laughter.

"Ahaha! Oh man, that is rich!" Decoe chortled through his hollow giggles.

Dr. Eggman growled at their behavior.

Bocoe's howls died down to consistent chuckling. "Hah, yeah. Good one Doctor. Shadow...hah...liking Rachel! Haha! It reminds me of that one story that mentions the lion that fell for the lamb!"

Decoe doubled over next to him. "No no, even better! The hedgehog that fell for the human!"

They all cackled again.

But I was not laughing. I was still watching them all, shuddering inwardly with my mouth pressed into a thin line. I wanted to drop down there right now and beat them all senseless for even suggesting that something like could be true. They found it hilarious, while I found it frightening...and wrong. What else did they say when they thought I wasn't listening?

Dr. Eggman shook his head. "You're all fools. Go ahead and laugh. But keep in mind, there's always the slim possibility that maybe-"

"Shadow would need a ladder to reach his new girlfriend?" Bokkun roared in laughter.

Decoe and Bocoe snickered. "No way, the word Shadow and girlfriend don't even belong in the same sentence."

"The three of you need to shut up!" Eggman snapped. "If you haven't noticed, this is a serious matter. Have your fun now, but you wouldn't be laughing at all if Shadow was in the room, now would you!"

The laughter went dead in an instant. An awkward silence drifted about as the three slowly looked behind them cautiously.

Dr. Eggman sighed. "It isn't funny, you guys. It really isn't."

I furrowed my eyebrows in agreement. Good. At least he understands!

"Maybe it's strange, and unheard of, not to mention completely out of Shadow's regular character to show affection towards another living person if you don't count Maria. But you never know...it might have happened. Rachel's been here for a long time after all. She's been here for a long time around Shadow. Who knows, maybe there's something about their relationship that we don't know. Maybe they're different when it's just them and no one else is around. Maybe they get along."

I rolled my eyes. If only that were true.

"He may even be having second thoughts about returning her altogether. I'm not sure what he plans on doing if she were to stay. So if he acts on these feelings, that's a definite problem. We need to make sure that has no chance of happening. After we get the next Chaos Emeralds, we are heading back to Earth. That's all there is to it."

Bokkun twiddled his thumbs. "Uh, Doctor? What do you mean 'if he acts on these feelings'?"

Dr. Eggman opened his mouth to speak.

Clink

He suddenly stopped right there. They all paused and looked up.

I gasped and dropped my eyes down to my chest. The azure heart on my necklace had hit the ducts in the air vent. It was a small sound, yet loud enough to grab everyone's attention. I drew backwards in fear.

Decoe, Bocoe, Bokkun, and Dr. Eggman were all staring at the air vent now.

"What was that." the Doctor said stiffly.

I remained perfectly still, fearing that if I tried to creep past them now, they'd spot my moving shadow. I sank against the opposite wall in the shaft and held my breath, my heart hammering loudly.

But before I knew it, Bokkun was hovering up to the air vent.

"I think it came from up there," he said.

I bit down on my lip, clamping my hands farther onto the metal beneath me, as if the whole thing was about to collapse. Bokkun appeared on the other side of the shaft, peering up through it with his squinted eyes.

I had half a mind to extend my fingers out and jab him in the eyes to temporarily blind him, and then get away. But then, his yellow irises focused in on me and popped wide open, his blue tongue evident in his gaping mouth. I gawked back at him.

Don't tell me he sees me...

Bokkun looked like he was about to start hyperventilating.

"Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH! Someone's in there!" he yelled, not daring to tear his eyes off me.

"I can see them! I can even hear their heartbeat! Someone's inside the air unit!"

Without thinking twice, I crawled forward noisily and scampered away from him. I could feel Bokkun's eyes following me. He screamed again.

"AAAHHH! It's moving! It's getting away!"

I just kept going. I ignored his outcries and the sound of Dr. Eggman and his robots stirring in panic down below. My knees felt like they were about to cave in. My hair fell around my face and I quickly shook it away.

I ran into a sharp, ninety-degree angle turn that directed me to the right, and quickly rotated my body so I could follow it. After what felt like miles of crawling, I came across another fork, this one going left. I swerved past it and continued going straight.

No dead ends. Please no dead ends.

Then I hit the cross roads. Two corridors. One ran left. The other, right. I froze on my hands and knees, looking back and forth at them. I used the motionless seconds as time to take a breather and give my burning lungs a rest. After some serious evaluating, I finally crawled through the left passage.

I had no gut instinct that told me it was the right way...or that it would lead me to where I wanted to go. But something in my heart told me that going in that direction would make more of a difference for me, rather than if I chose right. I squirmed through the endless path, seeing nothing but cascading darkness in front of me.

But then, as if heaven had answered my most desperate of prayers, I saw a small pinprick of light growing at the center of my vision. I diminished my crawling, gaping at the light as it enlarged the closer I got. I felt the ecstasy and excitement welling up inside me. A grin tugged at the edges of my lips.

Light...oh sweet, glorious light!

I'd seen plenty of light up here. But this one wasn't just a thin gleam or square glow that was filtered by ducts. It looked full, bright, and extremely promising.

By the time the light was the size of a waffle, I would've shrieked with happiness if I had the energy.

This is the way Rouge came in! I actually found it!

The hope flooded back in an endless swell. I moved faster and faster, feeling the charm around my neck flop around against my collarbone.

And then, the light was right there in front of me.

An empty air vent.

I squealed in joy.

The opening was placed sideways on the wall, rather than underneath me. It led to the floor of an upper level. So there wouldn't need to be any jumping or climbing down, or taking the risk of breaking a bone. Rouge had left the opening uncovered, and I could see that mounting through it would be a breeze.

Once I reached the sharp edges, I poked my head through and lifted it up to take in my surroundings.

There was a large glass dome that shielded me away from the star-splattered skies in this dank, black voided section of the universe. The ground was constructed out of pattern-less tile. There were long, desolate poles jutting up from the floor all around me, each slightly spaced apart. At the tip of them were spherical blue orbs that blinked and hummed like light bulbs. The whole area was dimmed down so that the orbs were able to tint me a dark cobalt color. I placed my hands on either side of me and slowly pulled the rest of my body through the opening until I was entirely out. I lay there on my stomach for a moment, taking it all in with pure gratitude before picking myself back up and standing straight. My knees wobbled and buckled in the process.

So this was the space deck. This is what Rouge was talking about.

I twirled around to look at the other bits and pieces of scenery. It comprised mostly of a large, bulky red and gray exterior that led to the inside of the ship somewhere through the camouflaged doors. There were stamps of what looked like animated versions of Eggman's smiling head and emphasized mustache. The ground stretched out far enough so that I couldn't actually see where it ended. But from what I could see at my spot, there were no other said spaceships around here. So what exactly was I supposed to do now?

There was a quiet whooshing behind me, and for a moment I felt the ground move. I took a few steps back, holding my hands out to maintain my balance. Even though I didn't know what to do from this point, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with relief. I never imagined I would actually make it this far. I let a confident smile form, thanking God for getting me here.

Maybe instead of standing out here in the open, I should find some place to hide while I come up with another plan.

I turned around to face the other direction. My eyes ascended up, but I paused and froze in place. My heart leaped into my throat. My face contorted with panic...I was too stunned to scream.

Shadow stood there before me, his head dropped down, with his eyes raised upwards as he wore a sinister glare. He was tossing a red Chaos Emerald up and down in his palm, his other hand pressed against his hip, as if he was waiting for me to react.

"Going somewhere?" he asked me slowly, drawing out his words as if for pure means of psychologically torturing me.

I jumped back, finally finding the breath within me to let out a thick gasp.

Shadow frowned maliciously, mirroring my steps as he drew nearer. He caught the Emerald in his hand and held it there. Its scarlet aura cast mishapen shadows all over his face. His blood-red eyes burned with hatred.

"You're rather brave, Rachel Tower...finding the nerve to try and escape me...but you should've known it would never happen."

I clenched my teeth. "S-Stay back!" I warned. "Don't come near me, or else!"

He lifted an eyebrow, still walking in my direction. "Or else what? You can't get away from me now. You're in the middle of space. You've got no one on your side. The only person who was willing to help you is lying unconscious somewhere in the Carrier. Everyone else is too far away to do anything for your aid. It's just you and me."

I continued to reverse my footsteps.

"Stop...please just stop..." I quietly pleaded.

His frown hardened. "Begging won't help you now."

Suddenly, all the frenzy of feelings inside me sank down to my ankles, and seemingly turned them to stone. I stopped dead in my tracks, fighting the instinct to shake so that I wouldn't look as afraid as I really was.

"Just stay away from me, Shadow..."

He kept right on walking.

"You can't stop me."

I twisted my face in anger, sucking in a huge amount of pressurized air through my nose.

"But you...you promised you wouldn't hurt me..." I whispered timidly, deciding to remind the hedgehog of the promise he made to me not too long ago.

All at once, Shadow stopped right there. His evil snarl softened slightly and he studied me harder.

At first, I felt a small sliver of confidence. From what I could tell, the hedgehog was seemingly reconsidering whatever brutal awakening he had planned for me. Maybe there was a chance we could reconcile.

As selfish as it sounded, I didn't want this to ruin any amendment we had come close to making. And maybe Shadow would feel the same way, if he could really see how terrified I was right now.

But just as I started to relax, Shadow's face advanced into piercing rage. He threw his Chaos Emerald away as it rolled off to the side, and lunged forward, tackling me to the ground.

"Aah!" I screamed. My back slid across the floor after the impact. I felt the lightheadedness overpower me, and just as it started to clear, a weight mashed on top of me and rendered me immobile.

I looked up and was met with Shadow's crimson red eyes. He emitted a low, dark growl, crouching over me like a tiger does before it devours a deer. I squealed angrily and tried to pry him off me, but his hands clasped down over my wrists, pinning me down. He moved his legs to either side of me so that I was completely trapped underneath him. That stimulating, electric sensation was mercilessly seeping through me from all over.

I felt my face turn scorching hot as I scrambled to move away from him. "Get off me!" I shouted, squirming in discomfort. "Get off!"

Shadow didn't peel his eyes off me. I could feel him watching me through my peripheral vision. I turned my head sharper to the side.

"Look at me," he ordered in that same evil, sadistic manner.

I didn't budge. This wasn't the first time he'd asked me to do this. The last time he did, he forced me to face him. But this time, his hands were occupied with my wrists so I actually had a choice.

He growled again. "I said look at me!"

My tears started to build up again. The electricity was still soaking through me, making me feel cold. I kept my face turned away and stared out at the stars.

I was so close...

I was so close...

Shadow suddenly tightened his grasp.

"Dammit, Rachel! Look at me, right now!"

That was it. That last bondage that was gripping onto my sanity for dear life finally snapped. Hearing that hedgehog yell in my ear made my mind blister with anger. All I wanted was to go home. Was that so wrong? Was I supposed to want to be here? I was so incredibly far from my family, from my friends...from my species altogether. This monster...this monster that was kneeling over me...he did it. He was the one that made my life a living hell.

I whipped my head around to face him, my eyes shining with tears.

"What!"

Shadow responded with slamming his mouth against my own.

My eyes glazed over, my mind went totally bare. My pounding heart felt like it had suddenly turned to solid ice. Every muscle in me went completely limp.

Shadow was still straddling me, his chest grinding against mine. The feeling in his lips was like static energy, in a strange, liquid-like form. It encased my mouth and flowed down my chin, then down my neck, past the heart of Maria's necklace in soft prickles.

I tried to register all this. I tried to move, to fight back, to scream in protest. But all my senses were dead. The only thing I could do was feel. Feel Shadow enveloping me, dominating me, showing something that danced between hate and passion.

I couldn't figure it out. All I could wonder was...how.

As the seconds dragged by, I waited for my strength to flourish, so I could push this guy off me and end all of this right now. But no matter how badly I wanted to, I couldn't move. My breath stuck to the inside of my throat. Everything suddenly felt surreal, like it wasn't happening. Like it was all a dream.

Finally, I sensed my heartbeat returning. My heart and Shadow's heart were hitting against each other like ricocheting mallets. I didn't even know this guy had a heart.

Why was he doing this to me.

Why me.

Of all people in the world for this to happen to...it had to be me.

I felt like I could die right there...from all the shock and depression rocketing through me in an endless escapade. The only thing keeping me alive was the electrical sensation from Shadow's touch scattering about.

What would my family say...what would my Grandpa say if he saw us right now...doing this. Witnessing Shadow hit his ultimate low.

But the images of him and the rest of the people I loved finally made the tears drip down the sides of my face.

Instead of being home with them, I was here in outer space...with an evil, monstrous artificial Life-form, who went from abusing me, hating me, loathing me, tolerating me, to hating me again, and then kissing me against my will.

Absolutely nothing made sense anymore.

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(A/N): Computer trouble as always. But hey, this long chapter sort of makes up for the delay, right?

Yep, after twenty two long, beauteous chapters, the romance finally kicked in. Or, more like happened out of nowhere. I really hope it caught you all off guard...I was trying to pull the WOW factor. Or maybe you saw it coming a mile away. Eh, whatever Trevor.

This is where the fanfic gets a little...eh...not for everyone. Some people don't support this kind of pairing and I understand that. But it's not like this story is rated M. It isn't going to turn into something grotesque. I want this story to be remembered for something other than its level of sexuality, as opposed to other stories on here where that's the only thing the plotline circulates around.

I originally planned to make this into two chapters, but figured cutting it off at another cliffhanger would be like a slap in the face for the readers. It would definitely piss ME off. The ending here can be considered a cliffhanger in some way, but at least you were able to conclude some stuff.

I can honestly say I've read all the reviews and every single one made me smile. I love getting people's feedback, even if it hardly says anything at all.

I guess you can say the story is almost done. I can't tell you how many chapters are left because I haven't organized the pending ideas separately. But this story definitely won't go up to 46 chapters. So let's just say it's about three quarters done.

My thoughts as I wrote this...? 'Hell yes finally!' Haha I've been dying to get somewhere with Shadow and Rachel since chapter one but didn't want to rush into it. I guess I took too long with it at the same time. Sorry bout that?

Anyways, I love you guys. Review, PM, favorite, alert, all that good stuff, See you guys later :)