Shadow's p.o.v.

I awoke to the sun shining through the window and groaned as I stretched my muscles. I looked around the base and my eyes went wide as I saw that I was the only one in here. 'He says I can't leave but go's and leaves me alone!?' I sighed then stood up and jumped down to the bottom and looked out the exit. 'I wonder if he'll mind if I go looking for him?' I froze in place as I was only a step away from going outside. 'Maurice must be in a lot of shock if he is willing to go outside. Especially when he told me that he doesn't like it.' I sighed then walked outside and squinted my eyes as the sun blinded me. 'If I was Maurice, where would I be?' Once my eyes adjusted, I activated my boosters and took off in my search to find him. I slowed down and soon saw brown fur up ahead and hid behind a bush, so I couldn't be spotted. He jumped up to a tree and laid down and I tried to see what the matter was when, I heard someone come near me. I turned around in time to come face to face with the commander.

"Project Shadow, what a surprise seeing you here." I growled at the name and crossed my arms over my chest.

"What are you doing here Commander?" we both looked up at the tree as Maurice made a pained yell and clutched his head but slummed on the branch further.

"Him." I looked at him and gave a confused expression and chuckled in response. "You like my Weapon, don't you?" my eyes widened and I took a step back away but not so much to be spotted by the hedgehog watching the others walking away.

"You created him!?"

"To stop you." I growled but stopped as Maurice jumped to the ground looking confused. When I turned back to him, I gave a death glare.

"I knew I should've never have trusted G.U.N to begin with." I wrapped my words in venom and took another step back but unfortunately, made the bush shake and Maurice's ears perked up and looked at in our direction.

"Soon Project, very soon." I took a step forward but made a second bush move and I froze in place as I heard Maurice's growl.

"Come out! I know your there!" I looked where the Commander was but he already vanished and I turned back around to see Maurice making his way to me. I activated my boosters and got away faster then you could say 'Chaos' and made it back to the base.

"Soon? What does he mean by that? He can't mean that he's taking Maurice away and going to use him against me? Could he?" I didn't realize I was mumbling until I felt a tap on my shoulder and jumped. I turned around to see Maurice's not so happy face staring straight at me. "Maurice!? Where were you!? I was so worried!" he looked shocked by my questions and I shook my head, taking his hand and pulled him inside. "I was starting to think that G.U.N. had found you and taken you away." 'If G.U.N got to you first...' I was interrupted from my thoughts as I heard him huff and talk.

"If your scared, then maybe you can answer a question." I turned to him but didn't want to let go of his hand, in case G.U.N tried any funny stuff.

"I'm not scared, just worried. And what are you talking about?" I asked as he huffed, pulled his hand away and put them on his hips. I felt something inside of me pang just at his small action but ignored it.

"Explain." I looked at him confused 'Explain, explain what?' I sighed out of frustration and paranoia that G.U.N was still out there but I didn't know if he took the message the same way as I intended.

"Your not making any sense." he huffed but then looked away from me

"Neither are you." I felt that pang again but moved so our faces were barely touching.

"I was worried about you and you don't care?" I said in a slow voice and he growled at me.

"I do care..." I interrupted before he could talk

"Then..."

"MAYBE IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN MY EXISTENCE THEN MAYBE YOU WOULD KNOW WHY EVERYTHING IS SO CONFUSING!" I took a step back from his outburst and I was speechless. "I don't know why you would even care for something like me." I saw his eyes shining and he looked down. I felt something well up inside of me and I put my hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him only for him to shrug it off and walk into the base. When I walked inside, I saw him curled up and turned with his back to me. I sighed and went back to my side of the level and we stayed in silence for the rest of the day. The group came back empty-handed and now it was the middle of the night and he still wouldn't make a single attempt to let me talk to him. 'What's gotten into him? I was just worried over how I woke up and he wasn't there.' I sighed then looked out the entrance again and then back at the the brown hedgehog.

"Maurice, can you at least look at me?" he huffed but turned his back more to me. I sighed again and went up to him. I hesitated to lift my hand up but once I did, I placed it on his quills and he started to growl at me. I took my hand away and sat back on my side and sighed. "Can you at least talk to me? I don't know what I did wrong." he huffed and shifted but made no move to look at me. I groaned at what I was going to do but pushed my pride down. "PLEASE! Can you please look at me, talk to me, Anything!?" I almost yelled and I got an angry side-glance. "I'll beg some more." he huffed then turned around so he was facing me but still curled up. 'That's a start. At least he's looking at me.' I sighed then stood up and walked to his side again and sat down beside him. He intensified his glare but I didn't back down. 'It's now or never...' I wrapped my arms around him but didn't let up at all. Not even when he started to thrash and growl louder. "Please Maurice, just hear me out. I was just looking out for you and I honestly don't know what caused you to get angry at me nor do I want you angry at all." his attempts slowed down but he still made a low growl. "I care about you Maurice." he stopped and gave me a questioning face.

"What do you mean?" now it was my turn to look at him confused as I let him sit up. "You said care but you wanted to get rid of me before." I shook my head then leaned against the wall.

"Maurice..." I tried to find the right words to say as I still had his attention. "I did want to get rid of you before but now, I don't want you to leave." I looked at his still confused face and sighed as I rubbed my face with one of my hands. I placed my hands in my lap and looked down.

"But..."

"It's hard to explain but you made me feel happy. I didn't think I would get to feel this way again ever since Maria died but I feel like I want to protect you." I heard a chuckle and looked at his smiling face.

"I wanted to protect you just like I did for Ivo. I guess you could say I care as well." I chuckled and he laid down and curled up. "We could protect each other." I smiled and looked at the ceiling

"Yeah... we could." I looked back down and smirked as Maurice's eyes were closed and I saw the rhythmic breathing. I chuckled and laid down beside him and stroked his quills. He made a light purring and I closed my eyes as I let the sound of his beating heart lure me to sleep.