I'm slammed with an identity that can no longer say a word; mute with responsibility.
Signs
Sonic snapped out of his trance by Tails, softly shaking him until he returned to full awareness.
"Sonic, it's getting late." Tails signed, "I'm headed to bed, do you need anything?"
"Nope, if you want to head to bed then feel free."
Tails went to head back up the stairs, before turning back to Sonic.
"Hey Sonic, is something bothering you? You've seemed really distant lately."
"No, Tails, I'm alright, still just getting used to life without Eggman."
Tails' head tilted slightly to the side, almost to ask, "Are you sure?"
"Tails, I'm serious, I'm alright."
Tails looked over at him for a moment before continuing up the stairs.
"Night Sonic," He signed down from the top.
"Night Tails."
Tails walked into his room and shut the door, Sonic however, continued to lay in the living room. Tails was right, it was getting late, and he did feel kind of tired. Eventually, Sonic accepted the dark embrace of sleep.
-X-
Sonic quickly rushed out of the base, heading for the hospital. The young fox cradled in his arms was slowly having the life drained from him.
"Miles, if you can hear me, don't stop fighting!"
The horrifically injured young fox didn't respond.
Sonic rushed into the hospital at record speed, "Somebody please help me!"
Doctors were quickly called out and placed the fox on a gurney Miles was quickly looked over and the steadily bleeding wound in his chest was bandaged. Sonic was left in the waiting room, worried about his surrogate bother's fate...
A few hours had passed, and Sonic still had no news about Tails, he was starting to seriously worry himself.
"Sonic, calm down..." Amy, who had arrived soon after hearing what had happened, commented as the blue speedster in question paced up and down the hallway.
"How are you not freaking out right now?! Tails could be dying for crying out loud!"
"Sonic... Tails is a tough kid, he'll pull though."
Sonic still didn't sit down, he continued to pace up and down the hallway. His mind thinking about the worst possible scenarios.
"Sonic?" An unfamiliar voice spoke.
Sonic looked up from his pacing at a nurse, she had come from around the corner.
"Miles' condition is now considered stable enough to have visitors."
"So, you're saying we can see him?" Sonic asked.
"Yes, however, he is still unconscious, he suffered some head trauma during the blast you told us about, we're still unsure about his current state."
Sonic took in everything she was saying with a certain sense of dread.
"Let's go see him then..."
Sonic, and Amy both followed her down the hall from where she had come. Eventually they stopped at a room closer to the end of the hall.
"I'm going to warn you," The nurse stated. "It's not pretty..."
The three of them stepped inside the room and Amy audibly gasped.
"Sonic, even from what you told me, I didn't think it would be this bad..."
Tails lay unconscious on his hospital bed; a respirator had been placed over his mouth like a muzzle. What of his fur they could see without his hospital gown was charred black, stitches were visible across his chest. Despite the respirator, Tails' breathing still sounded shallow, the heart monitor in the room occasionally beeped, adding an overall sense of dread to the room.
Sonic walked over to the side of Miles' bed and gently grasped the kit's hand.
"He was one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen," The nurse added. "Every time we thought he wouldn't come back, he would I've rarely seen people get revived more than once."
"How many times did you have to revive him?" Sonic asked.
"Three, I'm actually kind of amazed he survived."
Sonic continued to stare at Miles in silence.
Amy decided to add to the conversation, "What are those stitches on his chest from?"
"Shrapnel, the nurse replied. "They proved, difficult to remove, due to the sheer amount."
"And, the respirator?"
The nurse paused for a moment before responding, "His windpipe was, damaged by the blast, he is going to be going through a second surgery soon to attempt to correct it permanently.
Sonic appeared completely devastated, the image of Tails laying in a hospital bed, teetering on the edge of life and death would forever be burned into his nightmares and thoughts.
"I'll leave you for a moment..." The nurse spoke before walking out of the room.
Sonic and Amy at in silence for a moment before Amy spoke.
"Sonic, I'm so sorry... I know what Tails meant to you and I can't imagine what's going through your head right now, just know we're all here for you."
"Thanks Amy," Sonic whispered. "I just wish I could have done something..."
Tears started to well up in Sonic's eyes, it was the first time Amy had seen Sonic cry.
"Miles, I'm so sorry."
Tails' hand felt almost lifeless in Sonic's, and for a moment, the only sounds in the room was the constant beeping from the heart monitor, and the sound of the respirator allowing air in and out.
"I'll-," Amy began. "I'll let you have some time with him..."
Amy stepped out of the room, leaving Sonic alone with Miles.
Sonic sat there for hours, blaming himself for everything that had happened.
Eventually he was pulled out of his thoughts by the door opening, the nurse from earlier had returned.
"Sonic, if you want to stay the night there are pillows in the cabinet."
"Thanks..."
Sonic walked over to the cabinet, grabbed a pillow and blanket and laid out on the couch by Tails, allowing his mind to wander late into the night...
Thanks to everyone for your support last two chapters, stay tuned until next time.