Chapter Title: The Unknown Truth

AN: Another even longer chapter, another gift for the wait. Trigger Warning ahead. Beware for the real angst begins here.

Chapter 9

As a little girl, Amy's most fond memories were mostly spent outside, running through the meadows and fields as her father farmed the land. She enjoyed playing with bugs, picking flowers, watching the clouds, and then after she'd have a warm dinner with her father at the table where they'd joke and laugh.

Sometimes he would even tell her stories of her mother. She had died during the pink hedgehog's birth but Amy didn't feel sad. Her father had provided her with so much love and care that she didn't know anything else but that.

Then on a peculiar day, she recalled how during one of her ventures, she met a strange boy crying by the nearby river. Apparently his mother had died. She held him then, singing to him the lullaby her father would often sing to her in an attempt to show him love.

After that the boy would often return to play with her, or rather, he would follow her around no matter what shenanigans she did. Her father seemed to like him too as he encouraged the boy to call him father as well. And just like that, Amy's father had become the boy's father as well. Soon enough, at the end of her days, there were now three warm plates at dinner and more joyous times surrounded her.

Unfortunately, those days were all so short lived…

The following year her own father fell ill and everything changed in an instant. The pressures of marriage engulfed her as many families came to present their sons. She was so terrified and she could see that terror reflected in her fathers eyes as well. Women would even begin to mock her, telling her to act like an adult. To act like a woman.

She was so confused.

She barely understood the meaning of marriage or what becoming a woman even meant. As a young girl, Amy was utterly terrified.

Every night she cried for her ailing father and how her world was suddenly changing quicker than she could adapt but that boy was always there by her side. He helped with the farming now that her father couldn't and he seemed to look at her with the same care her father did.

His eyes didn't make her feel dirty nor judged.

In fact, the boy vowed to protect her.

That's when the thought crossed her mind: If I were to marry this boy then it should be okay.

And just like that they married and then she became bound to this house but that wasn't so bad. With her father still around, Amy would tend to him and read him books. Things weren't like before but she was content. Some things were difficult though. Her father had spoiled her too much. It had taken her quite some time to learn how to cook and clean. Luckily, she had the help of Vanilla during that time.

Sure, sometimes she burned the food or broke some things when she was cleaning but no one ever complained. The boy never made her feel bad, never forced her to do anything she didn't like, he was kind to her, he took care of her, and that boy remained by her side through it all. He was even there with her, holding her hand, when her father took his final breath and when they set his ashes free.

He held her as she cried many nights, reassuring her that everything would be okay. It wasn't okay for a while but the boy helped her have faith. It was very easy to fall for that boy. Even though most of the time she didn't know what he was thinking, she knew he cared for her deeply and Amy wanted to make him happy too.

"Isn't it time you two had a baby?" A woman from town had told her.

A baby?

The thought had never crossed her mind. Would a baby make that boy happy?

Back then, Amy didn't understand what that meant either and when she had told the boy she wanted to have one, the boy turned crimson red just like the color of his eyes. She had never seen him so flustered and she didn't understand what was so strange.

It wasn't until that night that the boy tried to make a baby with her that she comprehended what that meant. Amy ended up running out of the room in terror and he waited for her to unlock herself from the bathroom as he apologized profusely. Then he promised that he would never force her to do something she didn't want.

That's when she opened the door, her eyes observing the bashful crimson eyes of the boy with utmost trust and she felt that feeling slowly begin to grow over the years into something more. With her body much more matured, Amy began to understand what it meant to love a man.

The need to have him look at her with desire awakened within her and she did ridiculous things to try and earn his attention such as dropping her towel or wearing makeup and wearing the latest trends but even still that did not work. The boy, no, the now man, would always be a gentleman and would respectfully look away.

It took a while for them to share each other's body warmth. It occurred when Amy began to talk again about wanting a child. She recalled how he had lectured her on not to feel pressure from the people in town but was left dumbfounded when she made it clear to him that she desired his touch. That she would love to see a crimson eyed boy or girl running around their home.

Then he would smile, surprising her for his smiles were rare, and he would argue that he would rather see them green like hers.

They were so blissful then, like true newlyweds, that was until they found out that, that was a futile hope. At first, after they heard the news, Amy didn't know how to hide her disappointment and it was hard for him to look her in the eye. They had already bought toys, baby clothes, and prepared a room.

After some years, she encouraged him to get treatment even though the chances were minimal. That was her biggest regret. He began to feel pain and the man didn't eat for a few days, he would get mad easily, and he became withdrawn no matter how much Amy attempted to comfort him. So much so that Amy never brought up the idea of trying for a baby again.

.•*• •*•.

Now in the present, Amy pressed her hand to her forehead in annoyance. "Damnit. Is this all my fault?" Amy groaned.

Amy wondered if perhaps this was all happening because she did not know how to act like a proper wife back then. Had she pressured him too much?

None of it made sense.

Amy thought that they had accepted not having children years ago. Why the hell was Shadow so adamant about having one now and with another man? Did it really not bother him as much as it bothered her that she would have to lay with another man? This should have been infuriating him.

It made her blood boil that it didn't.

They had made a vow, and while Amy might have not understood what it meant back then, it meant that they belonged to one another. Only one another. How could he dare share her? No. How could he be so willing?

"Maybe this really is all my fault…" She groaned.

"No. It's mine. I shouldn't have bothered you with books." A deep voice echoed behind her. It was none other than a certain cobalt hedgehog, standing on the stairs leading to the attic with a lowered ears and a slight frown.

"Ah, Sonic!" Amy grinned nervously, her cheeks pink, forgetting that he had been waiting there for her to show him some new books. "Sorry. That was just me in deep thought. Don't worry about it. Also the books are right over here."

She probably looked like a fool.

Mopping and cursing at nothing in particular but she couldn't help herself.

It had been so long since she had came up here.

Memories had flooded in an instant when she saw the dusty cluttered box which contained the old toys and picture books that Shadow had previously bought. It had been so long ago that she had almost forgotten about them. It was strange seeing them now but now even those books could serve a purpose since Sonic seemed to find those easy to read.

Amy blew the dust off the box. "Right over here." She told him, opening it up.

Sonic offered her an uneasy smile.

Her cheeks remained pink at the sight of his handsome smile and she turned away, fumbling with her quills. No matter how hard she tried to pretend that nothing had happened between them, Amy's body didn't help, it was more conscious of him. Whenever he was around, she was like a scared cat, her fur would stand and she would fumble over her words.

However, Sonic didn't seem to have the same problem. Quite the opposite really: he seemed more mature. It was almost as if he was trying to impress her by mimicking the walk and talk of a Normal. Amy wasn't sure how to describe it but it made her feel strange.

Even still, she was thankful to have him around. She assumed she missed his companionship. It would be a lie if Amy said she did not enjoy the time she spent with Sonic before their circumstances changed.

He made her feel less lonely.

She watched him crouch down and inspect the books as she leaned against a table in the room. He fumbled with a few, his eyes full of wonder as they stared in astonishment at the different colors of the pages. It made her smile heartily. She never imagined something so simple could make him so excited.

"What about this one Miss Amy?" He eagerly waved his chosen favorite at her, his tail wagging behind him.

Amy couldn't help but giggle. She couldn't believe this was the same man who had her flustered a moment ago.

She paused, covering her crimson cheeks again.

Actually, there was nothing innocent about him. He was a completely different person in bed. She shook the dirty thoughts away as Sonic watched her with pure blinking eyes, waiting for her to answer him but that's when she realized something.

Sonic had stopped calling her Madame Robotnik. Since when? Wait. Did that even matter? Ah. Of course it did. No one had called her by her first name in a very long time. Not since the death of her father and it felt nice to hear it again.

Amy gripped the edge of the table. "You can just call me Amy if you'd like." She offered, somehow nervously.

Amy hoped this wasn't crossing the line.

Sonic was Feral so he didn't need to follow the rules of Normals so it didn't matter if he didn't call her formally.

"Right," Sonic grinned, his sharp fangs showing slightly, a clear distinction between Ferals and Normals, whose fangs were shorter and more dull, but oddly enough, Amy wasn't scared. In fact, she found them somewhat… cute. "How do you say this word?" He told her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Which one?" Amy pushed herself off the table and sat beside him on the floor.

Sonic pointed at it with a tilted head. "This one."

Amy pushed a loose strand behind her ear, tilting her head closer to the page to see. This made for a closer proximity as she leaned, unknowingly, against him slightly. Sonic stiffened as he got a smell of her quills in the process.

Her pheromones are strong, a gravelly voice cooed within his mind.

"Oh, this one is pronounced like an 'f' in the beginning. It's 'phenomenon' and it means something like a miracle." Amy explained but Sonic wasn't listening anymore.

His eyes flickered and elliptical pupils appeared but then they were gone in an instant as Sonic followed her scent and leaned into her. It was then that Amy felt his hands touch her quills curiously and Sonic sniffed the quills closely to her neck.

"You smell good." Sonic smirked, shutting his eyes as he enjoyed her sweet scent. "Like cherries."

The touch of his breath against her neck sent a chill down her body and Amy recalled the way he had touched her before… No! She needed to relax. Sonic had always been unaware of personal space. He probably meant no harm and she had to start behaving herself. She had a husband after all.

Amy took a deep breath to get herself under control.

"Your quills are so soft." He added as he continued running his fingers through them.

Amy's face reddened even more as Sonic continued his caresses. "Thank you, Sonic." She muttered, unsure if she should make him stop.

Fortunately, Sonic pulled away, turning his full attention to his book. She gave a sigh of relief but a part of her actually liked how it felt, having him play with her quills. Oblivious to her was Sonic's flushed cheeks and stiff fur.

It seemed he was having the same battle in his mind.

Amy then turned her attention to the book Sonic held. It had many drawings of colorful gardens. It peaked her attention too once Sonic turned the page and the next flowers shown were of roses of different colors.

"Those look like the ones Shadow and you gave me." Amy smiled as she made the comparison. "I used to think roses like that didn't exist."

"Did you like them?" He asked rather nervously.

"Very much! Thank you for getting me the blue one. Shadow also got me green ones and I have them in my room because they're so lovely." Amy said, her eyes sparkling. Her excitement made him smile. "I didn't realize roses came in such unique colors. I've always only seen them red so I was surprised."

"There's many beautiful wonders in the world." Sonic fumbled with the pages. "Maybe someday I can show you a field of them."

Amy's eyes lit up with amazement, making his heart flutter. "Really? I would love that!"

Sonic wasn't sure why he told her that.

Something like that would be miles away.

There was no way a Normal would be willing to go that far.

"Perhaps, Mister Robotnik would enjoy it too." Sonic muttered to change topics but he noted the furrow of her brow at the mention of Shadow. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Whatever it is that's bothering you?" Sonic said, setting the book down and focusing his full attention on her. "When I mentioned Mister Robotnik you seemed sad."

Amy felt so transparent in his eyes.

It was as if he could see right through her if she lied.

"We had an argument yesterday." She finally admitted, feeling better getting it off her chest. "He wants us to bed again..."

Sonic's ears perked and a blush formed on his cheeks. He had been trying so hard not to think about that night. Every night he found himself remembering about it. He held his breath as he forced himself to only focus on the contents of the book in front of him. Amy was talking about something serious.

Even so, Sonic could not understand why Shadow was so willing.

Last time it had already been so difficult for Sonic to hold back and he wasn't sure if he could again.

"I… I didn't get pregnant." Amy continued nervously.

Her words disappointed him somehow.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't say that. You apologize too much!" Amy waved him off. "You were perfect!" Her cheeks flushed again. "I mean that… It's just that it's not that easy getting pregnant. At least, that's how it is for some women trying to become mothers."

Sonic's eyes searched her face closely.

He knew something deeper was bothering her.

"Are you okay with this?"

Amy gave a sigh. "I do want to become a mother but the circumstances..." she gave him a bittersweet smile. "It's not because I have any issue with you… I just find it strange to be…" It was cute how she stumbled over her words.

Sonic smiled. "It's okay. I understand. You don't need to explain anything to me. Ferals are very sensitive about who they mate with too. It's rather sacred. Even though I accepted this role, I will respect what you want."

Amy came to the realization then that she had been arguing with Shadow all this time but she had never considered Sonic's feelings in all this at all. She had been treating Sonic the same way she was complaining Shadow was treating her.

Guilt filled her. "But this isn't fair to you. You said mating is sacred for Ferals so you should be doing this with a woman that you love." Amy's eyes fell sadly. "It's already unfortunate that you had to do it with me once."

The cobalt hedgehog watched her crestfallen expression.

"Without you, I would be dead." He told her. This was true considering she had healed him but it somehow sounded like a confession of love and Amy could not stop her heart from thumping. "I told you I was honored that you had accepted me. You are special to me in your own way." Sonic turned to her, a boyish smile on his lips.

Amy wanted to ask him what that meant but she was momentarily lost in his emerald green eyes. They were so bright and full of life. If they had a child… would their eyes hold the same light as his?

Amy bit her lip, turning her head. "Wouldn't you prefer to do this with a mate? I'm sure there must have been a feral woman who you must have wanted."

Sonic shook his head, his other hand placing itself above hers. "Had I chosen I mate before then I would not have been alive now." He told her in an attempt to reassure her, running his thumb across her knuckles, unknowingly, making Amy feel drawn to his touch.

"What do you mean?" Amy sounded breathless, looking at their hands.

Sonic's hands paused.

"A feral is bound to their mate for a lifetime," Sonic said, looking deeply into Amy's eyes as they met with his.

Amy felt spellbound.

His eyes looked fierce yet they seemed to hold back something even more intense than that. Amy almost felt like prey to a wild animal but instead of fear she felt a thrill. Her core tightened and her eyes darted towards the male's lips.

Would his lips taste as sweet as his words?

That was a bad thought.

Amy shut her eyes, pulling away from Sonic's touch.

"I'm sorry, Sonic." She stood, wiping dust off her dress. "I need to finish cleaning so I'll leave these to you."

"Oh, alright…" Sonic seemed saddened by her words but he didn't want to pressure her to stay. He was just thankful that she wasn't avoiding him again so he couldn't complain. After all, she made him feel at ease.

.•*• •*•.

Shadow sat in the clinician's room, looking at one of family paintings while he waited for Doctor Quack to come to the room. He still felt the after effects of alcohol. His throat felt dry, parched, and his head was pulsating in pain.

The pain was the least of his concerns. His thoughts were on his wife whose hurt expression he could not get out of his head. He had not spoken to her since the night before. Amy had locked herself in the guest room and refused to open the door.

Everything was a mess.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Shadow." Doctor Quack walked into the room with a smile. "Here. This should help with the pain." He said, handing Shadow a bottle of pills and a cup of water.

"Thank you." Shadow muttered, absentmindedly.

He swallowed the pill, already knowing the correct dose, and drank every drop of the water. Slight annoyance made him sigh. He didn't need to turn to Doctor Quack to know that the doctor was staring at him.

Shadow wiped the water from his lips with the back of his hand. "Whatever you have to say, just say it." He said blankly.

"How are you feeling?" Worry was laced in his voice.

"Fine."

"You look horrible." The Doctor told him, looking at how tired Shadow's eyes looked.

"I just didn't sleep well." Shadow admitted. "The pain kept me up." He then lied.

"We both know this is the least of your concerns." The doctor's voice was firm. "Have you told your wife?"

"Ha…" Shadow frowned. "How is that any of your concern? Can I leave now? I have a lot of work to do today and me being here is just wasting time."

Doctor Quack was momentarily shocked.

Shadow had never answered in that manner. It was clear that something was wrong. As the doctor took note, he frowned. "You must tell your wife, Shadow." This must have been the twelfth, no, sixteenth time that Shadow had heard this from the Doctor Quack. "The more you wait, the worse it will be for the both of you."

"Worse?" Shadow smirked bitterly.

"Shadow." The Doctor was exasperated. "This is serious. You're overexerting yourself at the farm. It won't be long until you won't be able to hide your symptoms anymore."

"I'm fine." He spat.

"For how much longer?"

Shadow glared at the Doctor in an attempt to make him stop the conversation but the doctor did not budge. He mirrored Shadow's own glare back at him. Shadow chuckled darkly. Placing a hand on his forehead as he rubbed it in deep thought. "How can I tell my wife that I have the same disease that took my mother's life away?"

Doctor Quack was silent.

"She has the right to know."

"She thinks I'm coming here because of my other problem." Shadow was referring to his infertility.

It wasn't a surprise that Amy didn't know about Shadows disease because the ebony hedgehog hid it so well. No one knew this secret. Only Shadow and Doctor Quack. Moreover, it compelled Doctor Quack how Shadow seemed physically in good health for this long. However, Doctor Quack could see that exhaustion hid behind those crimson eyes.

Shadow was like a Greek sculpture.

Mighty and strong but with a hard push his body would come crumbling down.

With a sigh, Doctor Quack gave Shadow a hard stare. "I think it's best you bring your wife in and we can discuss the process of end of life."

Shadow recalled the terror he first felt when he heard.

Now the words didn't even stir him up.

"Everything will be okay, Shadow." The Doctor reassured him. "Madame Robotnik will be fine."

Madame Robotnik.

Amy Rose.

Now that was the only person who could stir up his soul.

"Don't lie to me. I was raised by a single mother, Doctor Quack and I know how brutal this damn world can be to a woman." Shadow shut his eyes with disdain as he recalled his mother.

His mother, Maria, had been assaulted as a young girl by an unknown man while she played in the fields with some other children. From his mothers suffering, Shadow had been born. For that she was cast aside, labeled a used whore and shamed for having a child out of wedlock.

It was the most ignorant thing.

"I understand your frustrations, Shadow, but pretending that everything is fine won't make the problem disappear."

"I know that."

"Then?"

Dejected, Shadow felt his headache worsen. "We are still trying for a child."

"Shadow, you are infertile."

The doctor's words stung him.

"There's still a possibility." Shadow said hopelessly. "I want to at least give her something to hope for before I'm gone. I shouldn't have to burden her and for the time I still have left with her, she deserves to live it normally." Shadow's eyes were glossy. "I need to try."

The Doctor found it gut wrenching to witness such despair in such a young man.

He had watched Shadow grow over the years from his many visits with his mother, Maria, who came for checkups. Back then Shadow was just a little boy pretending to be an adult. There was a fire in his eyes as he clung to her, as if he would tear down whatever dared harm her.

Always on edge.

And now here he was… taking her place.

"Excuse me." Shadow said, getting up from his chair. "I need to go home to my wife

To Doctor Quack, Shadow appeared lost. He wanted to help Shadow but even he knew there was little he could do. And so Doctor Quack gave a sigh, bid Shadow farewell, and watched him leave with a sorrowful expression.

"Good luck, my boy." Doctor Quack whispered.

.•*• •*•.

Swirls of blue and green.

These were the colors of the roses that had been gifted to her and they still bloomed beautifully. Their uniqueness peaked her interest and fascinated her greatly. Amy admired them as she took in their beautiful aroma before setting them back into the vase that was placed on her dresser.

How strange.

They were the same colors as Sonic.

Sonic.

That Feral man.

A soft smile formed her lips.

She was special to him—whatever that meant—and it made her feel content.

Amy ran her fingers through her quills, reminiscing how it felt when Sonic did the same. He had always been very delicate with her. The way he looked at her with such tender affection and that beautiful smile of his. Just then, she turned to the mirror in her bedroom and, for the first time in many years, she really looked at herself.

All the saw was a meek woman but what did Sonic see?

Blushed, she undid the back laces of her dress and let it slip to the floor.

She stood exposed in nothing but her bra and panties.

To her, she saw nothing special Sonic found her beautiful.

Goosebumps trickled down her spine, back up again and over her shoulders as she began to touch her breasts. Her fingers crept under the band of her cotton panties and trailed a path along the crevice of her folds. Thoughts went dark, and she focused on nothing but her hand. The touch. The sensation of skin against skin.

Was this how Sonic had touched her?

She recalled the way he looked at her and held her in her arms. It was so strange. She never imagined she could feel so good. Fingers pressed harder, quicker, and her mind hurtled forward, clinging to images flashing unbidden. Sonic's body pressed against hers. Her body arched, groin pressing against her desperate finger, as she flicked harder. His voice, low and dark echoed. I want you. She imagined him telling her.

Amy's eyes snapped open in horror.

.•*• •*•.

Soaking in the cold water, Amy's teeth clattered as she gripped the sides of the bathtub. This was her punishment for behaving so indecently. She was not supposed to crave the touch of another man and not just any man but a Feral. She was crazy. Amy was certain of it. It was so utterly wrong.

She had to behave herself as a woman with dignity. To be more specific: as a married woman. Never again. She continued to mentally lecture herself, not hearing the bathroom door opening behind her.

Strong arms suddenly wrapped around her chest.

"Ah!" Amy squealed in surprise until she turned her head and saw the top of her husband's head from the corner of her eye. "Shadow?"

Shadow held her from behind, his head hidden in her shoulder.

"Rose," his deep voice tickled her neck. "My actions were inexcusable. I should never have spoken to you that manner. I'm sorry."

Amy's relaxed. "I'm sorry for slapping you."

"You should apologize for not slapping harder."

Amy giggled softly, holding his arms closer to her body.

Everything felt peaceful then.

Amy slumped deeper into the cold bath water and it somehow calmed her. The tension of earlier gone, her heart now relaxed in her husband's arms. It was rare for him to hold her so when he did, it felt like she was under a spell. And there was something sweet about Shadow not caring that his clothes were getting wet.

He was normally unusually picky about having things clean and in order.

This meant that this topic held high importance to her husband and Amy knew she could not avoid the discussion. Amy also wanted to know Shadow's feelings. She too was very frustrated and confused on why he instead so much that they should have a child in these circumstances.

"Do you really want to be a Father that badly?" Amy asked, her expression hard as she looked up at the ceiling.

"I do."

It was not a lie.

From the moment that Shadow fell in love with Amy, he had already imagined their future. He wanted to have a child that resembled his wife's beauty to bring more joy to their life.

This damn was too cursed.

"That doesn't mean I would force you to do something you didn't agree with for my own selfish desire. You're more important to me than that." Shadow shut his tired eyes. "I'm the one with the problem and you've been nothing but patient with me. You deserve better than me."

Would things have been better that way? If Shadow had not courted her, she might have found a much better man that wouldn't have given her all these troubles. She would have been a mother by now and she would still smile like she used to before but because of him…

Shadow felt like a plague.

He always made false promises to protect those he cared for most but it always ended in heartbreak. Why did he think that things would be different with his Rose? It was the same with his mother. Had he never been born, she might have lived a normal life as well. Now here he was again, ruining another woman's life.

It was possible that once he died Amy could still remarry after his death to a good man. It was not common considering that older brides, especially those who had been married before, were considered used goods. However, with how beautiful and lovely his Rose was, any man would probably want to court her.

The real issue is that Amy would have no backing from a family. No. The only family was Rosy and Scourge. That would mean that Scourge would become the new patriarch and he would be the one to decide who she would marry but Shadow doubted the green hedgehog would allow that to happen, especially because her new husband could dispute over the ownership of the farm.

Scourge had always craved his Rose.

It was actually quite possible that Scourge would probably try to take her in as a second wife. If that happened then what would happen to her? Scourge was known for being a cruel husband. He would frequent brothels regularly and there were even rumors of domestic abuse.

Shadow's chest tightened at the thought of his wife being taken by that bastard. He felt angry. Angry at everything. Angry at the damn laws for being so unfair and angry at himself for not being able to do a thing, and for putting Amy in such a situation. Was there really nothing he could do?

Dark thoughts clouded his mind. What if they didn't have to depart?

They could have an unforgettable date in the meadow like before, then they could have a lovely dinner, he could make love to her and, finally, he could add both pain and sleeping pills to their midnight tea. Amy would never know and they could die in their sleep blissfully. There was no need for anyone to suffer this way.

"Shadow!" Amy's voice startled him from his thoughts as his wife called his name. For a moment he went blank.

Amy had a terrified expression.

"You're crying…" She said, touching his cheeks.

"Ah," He touched his cheeks. Indeed he was. "I apologize."

The ebony hedgehog's stoic expression began to shatter as he held his face in terror. How could he dare think of doing such a thing? To kill his Rose… The thought startled his body. He could never do such a thing.

He was really going insane.

"Honey," Amy painfully looked at Shadow. "Please talk to me."

He had always been by her side but yet he always felt so far. Always out of her reach. He was such a stubborn man but even so she loved him and she would do anything to make him happy.

"Don't cry, my love. I'm here." She pulled him to her chest, playing with his quills. "Everything will be okay. I promise that I will make you a father. I'm sorry for not realizing how much this means to you."

"You can't." Shadow shook his head. "No, not if you don't want to."

"I want this. You're not forcing me." She reassured him, kissing the top of his head with a tender smile. "Our family is small. It's been just you and me for a very long time but even so I've loved every second I've spent with you and now we have a chance to have our little family grow even more and share that love we hold. I can already imagine it. A little one running around the farm calling you 'daddy' would be lovely." She giggled. "I know what an excellent father you will become."

Shadow was silent.

There were so many things he wanted to tell her but he couldn't speak. His words were stuck in his throat. Shadow pulled away to admire her beauty and the sight of her teary face. She was smiling, trust resided in those sparking green eyes but there was also sadness.

Sadness he knew reflected from his eyes as well. Sadness they will both wear until the day they die. Sadness they will never discuss.

Neither said a word.

Instead, Shadow wiped her tears and gathered his wife in his arms, cold water drops tickling to the floor and he carried her to bed. With such attentive care, he dried her as best as he could, Amy watching him with profound devotion. Then they laid in bed, covered themselves with their blankets and they pulled each other into a tight embrace.

AN: School starts on Monday so I won't be updating as often as I did these last few chapters. That could change depending on reviews though because you guys are my motivation! (The next chapter is mostly complete but again publishing depends on how many review). I love hearing what you all have to say, predictions, thoughts, shipping, etc. and it makes me want to write more to see new reactions!

So much so that I updated this sooner than expected and I've actually written the next 4 chapters (kind of?). They're all drafts and need editing and more material added here and there but everything is planned. Also, I apologize if my quality of writing has gone down. I no longer have time to read over before publishing due to being a full time student but if it becomes a problem let me know and I can try spacing and shortening chapters to provide better quality.

But thank you all for reading and please let me know what you think about this chapter or the story so far! (ᵔᵕᵔ)