Chapter 21

"I-I'm okay," Amy stuttered, slowly pushing herself into a sitting position. Sonic moved behind her and braced her against himself. She rubbed her temples, her head pounding.

"Amy?" Tails asked, shining a penlight in her eyes. She waved him off.

"I'm all right, Tails. I just need… just a second," she breathed, leaning forward on her hands and knees, shoulder blades sticking out slightly.

"You idiot," Blaze cried, flying at her and kneeling down in front of her. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Blaze, Iblis was going to kill you," Silver chided, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Still! Christ, Amy, now it's going to kill you?" Blaze continued, eyes narrowed.

"Not for a very long time," Amy exhaled, flipping back over so that she could see her friend. Blaze's eyes were slowly but surely turning back to their signature gold. "Come on, Blaze, you really think I was going to just sit here and let you die?"

"Well, maybe you should have!" Blaze shouted, tears forming in her eyes.

"Blaze, don't," Silver murmured, hugging her from behind tightly. She collapsed into him, and he pressed his face into her neck.

"Amy, I really should do a quick physical on you," Tails started, but she shook her head at him.

"I'm okay, Tails. The pain's already starting to fade," Amy promised.

A scream cut into the distance.

"Sticks," Tails murmured, paling.

Amy's eyes widened, and she went to push herself up, but she quickly lost her balance and fells backwards. Sonic caught her and gently lowered her back to the ground.

"You aren't going anywhere," he instructed.

"I'm going," Tails insisted. "I'll call Knuckles on the way."

"Wait," Blaze called after him, her eyes lit up with fury. The kitsune turned. "It's Mephiles."

Tails, with an expression of horror, turned to Sonic for confirmation. He nodded. "Shit," Tails muttered.

"With Iblis…resealed, he's weaker," Blaze informed him. "Take advantage of it."

"Not a problem," Tails growled, whirling and running off.

Sonic glanced over to Silver. "I gotta talk to Amy. Maybe you could take Blaze out for some air? It might be good for her," he murmured so that the women couldn't hear.

Silver nodded his assent and made his way back over to Blaze.

"Let's go for a quick walk," he suggested. Blaze followed him out the door, lacing her fingers in his and grasping his hand tightly.

Sonic and Amy were the last two left in the shack.

"How are you feeling?" Sonic asked, sitting in front of her. His green eyes shone with concern, and he had a little dimple in the center of his forehead. Amy found herself half-smiling at the sight.

"Okay," she replied. "A little… off, but I guess that's to be expected."

"I'm not going to lie, Amy, I still sort of want to kill you for doing this," he sighed.

"Eh, do what you've gotta do," she joked. He gently shoved her shoulder and gave her a friendly smile. She grew serious. "But honestly, Sonic, I don't regret it. I'm sorry if you do."

He studied her face. "I didn't say that. I know you did the right thing. I'm just being selfish, I suppose."

"Selfish?"

"I sort of want you all to myself for the rest of my life, so you'll forgive me if I'm pissed that Iblis complicates that," he grinned crookedly.

"The rest of your life?" she questioned, arching an eyebrow. "That's a long time."

"I know," Sonic nodded.

"I have a life somewhere else now."

"I know that, too."

"I still don't know if I trust you."

"That's a given."

"And…" Amy breathed in. "This is a lot for me. With all that's happened today."

"Then don't worry about it," he assured her, kissing her forehead. "Worry about it when you're ready. But at least this way, you know."

"Yeah," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I know."

"One," Sticks yelled, crouched and ready to spring.

"Two…" Shadow continued.

"THREE!" Rouge screamed, hollering like a banshee. The three flew at Mephiles from three different sides, enclosing him in a triangle. Mephiles' eyes widened as he felt Iblis being transferred from one person to the other. He didn't have time to defend, just as he realized he was suddenly vulnerable to their attack.

Rouge notched an arrow, firing it directly into his chest, followed by four more. He groaned with pain, not pulling them out this time. Blood began to pour out, black as space, and Mephiles glared daggers at her, starting to spring for her, but Shadow landed a massive blow to the back of his head, and he stumbled.

That loss of balance, that one second, was enough for Sticks to strike.

She yelled, bringing her fighting stick in front of her and thrusting it as hard as she could directly into Mephiles' forehead. It went clean through, a fatal strike.

He screamed, a sound so deep and terrible that they all covered their ears. Sticks watched as he began to dissolve, into small blue and black crystals first, then into grains of sand, which returned to their rightful place on the ocean floor.

As soon as the last bit of sand settled, Sticks collapsed onto her knees, breathing heavily and clutching her right arm tightly to her chest to try and stem the pain from her broken collarbone. Rouge fell beside her, on her stomach, her left wing torn completely through and bleeding badly, and Shadow was the last to make his way back to the sandbar, panting from exhaustion and injury. Too many of his bones were broken for him to count.

"Wow," they heard from behind them, and they all whirled around (or, in Sticks' case, turned slowly to avoid excruciating pain) to see Knuckles and Tails standing there. Knuckles had a smirk on his face. "We were on our way to help you guys out, but clearly we aren't needed here."

"Thank God," Rouge sighed, passing out immediately. Knuckles ran to her, inspecting the tear in her wing and wrapping it up quickly but expertly with the tape he normally kept around his hands. Not the most sanitary, but better than nothing.

"Tails, I'm bringing her up to the workshop," Knuckles indicated, starting in that direction.

Tails nodded. "Do you need me?"

Knuckles shook his head in response. "I think I've got her," he assured, taking off.

Tails went to Shadow next, looking him over. "Geez, Shadow, you're in a million pieces."

"I'm fine," the dark hedgehog winced. "They're already starting to heal. You forget I'm not a loser mortal like the rest of you."

Pointedly, Tails glanced over at Sticks.

Shadow rolled his eyes. "For the love of Mobius, go kiss her already. You don't have all day."

"How did you- you know what? I don't care," Tails finished, before turning his attention to Sticks and examining her collarbone where it was broken, the same place he had kissed just a few nights ago.

She hissed through her teeth in pain, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Sorry," he whispered. His gentle fingers felt like butterflies making their way over her skin. "I'm going to take you up to the workshop and get this wrapped up really tight, okay? You won't even notice it when I'm done." He had tears in his eyes, so grateful that she hadn't been hurt worse.

"Before you do, didn't you hear what Shadow said?" she grinned, still grimacing slightly. "For the love of Mobius, kiss me already!"

He broke into happy laughter before leaning in and gently but passionately locking his lips with hers. She grabbed his collar with her good arm and pulled him in tighter before letting him go.

"Now please fix my collarbone before I die," she begged. He laughed again, easily scooping her up and starting back towards the workshop. He turned back slightly. "Shadow, are you com-"

The dark hedgehog was gone.

Tails shook his head. He'd be back next week. In the meantime, he had a collarbone to mend. And a badger to kiss.