"Do I sound like I'm joking?" Knuckles said into his phone. After some silence, he spoke again. "It's alright. Let me know how it goes. See you around."

"Who was that?" Tails asked as he walked into the room just as Knuckles hung up.

"Eh, don't worry about it. What're you up to?"

"Amy said she was coming over soon and I was gonna ask you to go on a run or something."

Knuckles blinked. "Alright, straight to the point, I see."

Tails shrugged. "I'm just being honest."

"The last time she was here alone with you, you passed out."

"Completely different circumstances."

The echidna smirked. "You gonna kiss her?"

The kitsune flinched. "Wha- I- No! I haven't even told her how I feel yet!"

Knuckles leaned in, smirking even more. "Do you want to?"

"Shut up."

"Do you ever think about kissing her?"

"Shut up!"

"Do you ever wonder how soft her lips are as you pretend to make out with he-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

The echidna burst into laughter. "You're too easy bro, you're just too easy!"

"Ugh," Tails groaned. "Please dude, can you just get out of the house for a while? I'd really appreciate it."

"Of course man, I was just messing with you. I gotta get back in the swing of my exercise and diet stuff anyways."

"That's true. I didn't want to say anything since you were going through a lot, but you've started to let yourself go."

"Damn right I have! I weighed myself yesterday, turns out I've gained thirty pounds! I gotta work all that off, pronto!"

Tails pointed to the front door with enthusiasm. "Best way to start is exercise!"

Knuckles rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, yeah I'll get going," he replied as he headed for the front door. "You need anything while I'm out?"

"No. Wait! Yes! Can you pick up some milk? We're almost out of it."

"Sure thing. See you around, bro!"

"Later!"

As the echidna walked out the door, the kitsune went straight to work fixing up the place. The last thing he wanted was for Amy to think he didn't know how to take care of himself, even if that was somewhat the case. He was in the middle of cleaning the counters when he heard his doorbell ring. "Shoot," he thought. "She's early!" Tails quickly finished wiping off the counter and ran to the door. He straightened up his shirt and ran his hands through his bangs to make sure they were okay, then finally answered the door.

"Hi!" he said.

Amy looked up at him from her phone and smiled. "Hey, you!" she said happily. "Is Knuckles there too?"

"Nah, he went on a run. It's just us!"

"Oh, ok!" Amy tried her best to hide her blush at the thought of the two of them alone together entering her brain.

Tails looked down at her side. "Those are some heavy bags," he noticed. "Need some help carrying them in?"

"Oh, no thanks! I got it. Although, what's in here is part of why I came over!" A cheeky grin crossed the hedgehog's face as she marched inside.

"You're all cheery today," Tails noticed. "Why's that?"

"Because…" Amy replied as she reached into one of the bags. "…I got the prototypes!"

Before Tails could ask, she pulled out a leather pilot bomber jacket from her bag- the same one she had him help her design. The kitsune's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "No way," he muttered.

"Yes way!" Amy said excitedly. She held up one of the bags and passed it to him. "The rest is in here! Go ahead, try it on!"

Tails eagerly grabbed the jacket and bag from her and ran to the bathroom. "Don't need to tell me twice!" he yelled as he ran.

Amy smiled warmly at his excitement, her heart beating in her chest. She was worried how he'd react to it, but this initial excitement from him eased her fears just a little bit. She sat down in a chair at the kitchen table, waiting eagerly for how he'd look in the outfit she designed. Her heart beat a bit faster as she anticipated him returning into the room. So lost in thoughts was she that she failed to realize he had returned.

"Yo!" Tails said with a smile, causing her to look up back at him. "What do you think?"

Amy looked over in the direction of his voice. His pants' cuffs were now tightly packed into the pilot's boots she has designed. Over his plain white T-shirt rested a bomber-style jacket and an orange scarf with two white tips around his neck, matching his tails. He wore a classic pilot's hat with a slit for the bangs to poke through. A grin cross his face as he pulled the goggles down over his eyes. "Ready for take off!" he said dramatically. Flinging his arms out to his sides, he began to run around in circles yelling, "Nyooom!" as if to imitate a plane. While doing so, Amy caught glimpses of the design on the back of the jacket- the original Tornado, taking off into the sunset.

Amy burst out laughing as he came to a stop. "What was that?!" She exclaimed in between laughs.

Tails shrugged. "I don't know, I thought you'd find it funny, so I just did it."

The pink hedgehog shook her head and smiled. "Well, you were right, I suppose. You look great in that, by the way! How does it feel?"

"Oh man, it feels awesome! I've always wanted an old-school pilot outfit, I just never really got around to actually getting one."

"Well, I'm glad you like it! That means a lot to me."

"I love the Tornado design on the back of this jacket, and these boots are super comfortable. Definitely going to be wearing these all the time." He smiled at her. "Looks like your hard work has paid off."

Amy fiddled with her hair a bit. "You mean our hard work, right? You had a hand in getting that made."

Tails looked away, blushing slightly. "Nah, all I did was suggest you add some boots. You were able to nail down the rest just fine without my help."

"Well, you still provided the measurements and your choice of materials, didn't you?"

"Well, I guess," Tails replied as he pulled the goggles back up onto his head. "I still think you did most of the work, though."

"Learn to take a compliment," she said as she punched him on the arm playfully.

"No promises," he replied with a smile.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, smiling and enjoying each other's company. Neither of them really knew what to say for a moment. After a thought crossed her mind, Amy broke the silence. "Does the Tornado II still work?" she asked.

Tails blinked. "What?" he replied, a bit confused.

"The Tornado II, does it still work?"

"Well…" The kitsune scratched the back of his neck as he thought about it. "Maybe? It's been grounded for years… I haven't flown it since the III and IV were built. Just over ten years now…"

"Wanna see if it still works, then?"

Tails was taken aback. "You mean… you wanna take a ride in that old bi-plane?"

Amy nodded. "Yeah, for old time's sake. Besides, you got the proper outfit for driving it now." She winked at him playfully.

Tails looked away, blushing slightly. "Well… I'll probably have to tune it up a little. Truth be told, it's grounded for a reason. I got the parts to fix it up, but…" He shrugged. "I guess I figured no one really cared for it anymore. Or at least, they wouldn't until I sold it to a museum."

"You funny," Amy huffed, "of course we care about that thing. At least, I do. I had lots of fun in that thing."

"Really? Then… wanna help me get that bird in the air again?"

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "I would love to."

"Shadow, wait!" Rouge said with desperation in her voice.

"I don't need to hear your excuses," Shadow hissed. "You told me you two were already split. You weren't. Now you're trying to get back with him while we're together?!"

"I wouldn't do that to you, you know that!"

"No, I don't think I do. What other lies have you been telling me, hmm?"

The hedgehog sat down on the couch of their shared Station Square apartment. Just half an hour ago, he had completed an hour-long phone call with Knuckles, who had brought him up to speed on everything that had happened. "Was this relationship ever serious to you?" he muttered, his usually cold and callous tone replaced now with one of regret and sorrow.

"Of course it was," Rouge replied as she sat next to him. "Look. I know I've messed up real bad, but I promise I can make it up to you."

He looked up to meet her eyes. "How? How could you possibly make up for this?"

"I… I…" She looked away from him, unable to maintain eye contact. "I don't know."

Shadow simply nodded and looked down towards the floor. "I thought so."

The two sat in silence for a moment, neither sure of what to say. Finally, Shadow spoke up again. "When Omega went M.I.A. two years back, I tried my best to find him. I knew he shouldn't have gone on that mission alone, but he insisted. When I couldn't find him, I was devastated. So I turned to you." He smiled warmly at the memory. "You helped me out big time. That's when I started to realize how I felt about you, I think. But you and Knuckles were a thing, and I knew better." He shook his head, his smile fading. "Even now, after finding out you lied about breaking up with him, after learning you still want him more than me, after everything- here I am, allowing you to see me weak."

"Shadow…" Rouge started.

"You're a good friend, Rouge," Shadow said before she could finish. "Not much more than that, I feel. Just a good friend."

Rouge nodded slightly, processing his words. "I understand."

"I think you should move out," Shadow said calmly. "In a month, I'd prefer if you didn't live here."

"Shadow, please…" Rouge pleaded.

"Don't make this any harder for me, please. I need some time away from you for a while."

"…Ok."

"Thanks for understanding."

As if there was anything more she could do. She couldn't exactly put up a fight. After all, this was all just the consequences of her actions, and she knew it.

"Rouge, you are such an idiot," she thought to herself.

Without a word, Shadow got up and put on his jacket before heading out, likely for a motorcycle ride, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

"How's the fuel going?" Tails asked from the cockpit of the Tornado II. After around three hours of work, they were finally ready to give it a test.

"Almost done!" Amy replied. This was far from the first time she'd helped refuel the bi-plane, though after so long of not doing it she did need a refresher. She quickly got the hang of it, however. After a short while, she finished the refueling and closed the tank lid. "All done now!" she yelled, giving a thumbs-up to the pilot.

Tails nodded in response, before turning his attention to the dashboard in front of him. "Alright, girl," he whispered. "Just like old times. You got this." He started up the engine, his body tending up a little.

A loud mechanical sound came from the plane. Slowly, the rotor began to spin. Soon it was spinning nonstop, the wind cussing the kitsune's scarf to begin floating in the air. Tails' eyes lit up with wonder. He threw his arms up in the air in excitement. "WOO-HOO!" he cheered. "It works! She's not grounded anymore!"

Amy began jumping and clapping with joy. "Alright! We did it!"

Tails looked down at her. "What are you doing on the ground?!" He motioned with his arms to get in. "We're taking off soon, silly!"

"O-oh!" She looked up at him with surprise. "R-right!"

Amy climbed in the back seat and Tails drove the plane out of the hangar and on to the runway. "This is your captain speaking!" he yelled over the wind in a dramatic tone. "We're preparing for take off, please keep yourself buckled and prepare for lots of wind!"

Amy giggled at him. "I'm all buckled!"

"Good! Now then…" He pulled the goggles down over his eyes, grinning intensely. "Let's hope this old bird doesn't explode on us!"

"Yeah! …Wait, what?"

Without replying, Tails pressed on the gas, speeding up the plane down the runway. He pulled on the flight stick and the old bi-plane began to lift off the ground and into the air. After gaining enough altitude, they had finally reached cruising heights. Tails let out a hearty laughter. "WOO-HOO! Oh man, I forgot how much fun this is!" he laughed.

"What was that thing you said earlier about the plane exploding?!" Amy asked with concern.

"Oh, nothing, don't worry about it! Hey, watch this!"

Without warning, Tails shifted the altitude again, only this time they seemed to be heading straight up. Soon enough, the plane was upside down and Amy was screaming. Finally, the plane returned to flying normally. "Yeah, baby!" Tails screamed with excitement as Amy caught her breath. "Miles can still do a barrel roll!"

"That was a barrel roll?" Amy asked. "I thought that was when you went to the side!"

"No, no, common misconception! That's an aileron roll! Here, I can do that too!"

Her eyes widened. "No no no, I don't need a demonstration!"

"Too late, the maneuvers have already started!"

Sure enough, the plane began to tilt to its side. As the plan rolled in the air, Amy screamed once again. When they stabilized again, Amy began hitting his back angrily. "No more stunts, ya daredevil!" she yelled.

Tails laughed. "Ok, ok! No more stunts, now quit hitting me!" He shook his head. "Man, you're no fun!"

The two of them sat in silence, enjoying the wind in their face and the beautiful views from up in the sky. From the ground, a certain red echidna walked down a path in Mystic Ruins on his way home from a trip to the store. A soft buzzing steadily growing louder drew his attention to the sky. For the first time in over ten years, he saw the Tornado II flying high in the sky. A warm smile crossed his face. "Well, I'll be damned," Knuckles said to himself with a slight chuckle in his voice. "Something tells me love is quite literally in the air tonight."

In the sky, Tails and Amy continued to admire the scenery as they passed the ruins of an old temple, the lighting hitting just right in the setting sun. "Woah," Amy breathed. "I'd forgotten about sights like this…"

"You can't appreciate scenery properly in a jet!" Tails replied. "Or a glorified war bird, for that matter! Every plane's got its benefits, and the views from a biplane are one that good ol' mark II has in spare!"

"I'll say!" She giggled with excitement. "I forgot about how much fun this can be."

Soon, the two of them reached a cliff side with a large clearing. Tails went in for a landing. Despite initial concerns, they managed to land the plane just fine. As soon as the plane powered down, the two of them got out and walked to the edge of the cliff. From there, they could see the entirety of Mystic Ruins. "Sheesh," Tails breathed. "I've been here how long and I've missed out on this view the whole time? That's criminal."

"It's amazing what you'll see when you step outside every once in a while," Amy joked. She took a seat at the edge of the cliff, her feet dangling over the edge.

The kitsune shrugged. "Well, I guess I can't argue with that," he replied as he took a seat next to her.

The two stared out at the open air and the setting sun covering the ruined, overgrown structures and the tall, unkempt blades of grass. "Thanks," Tails said finally.

"For?" the hedgehog replied.

"Today, I guess. All of it. The outfit, helping me get the old plane up and running… just hanging out with me in general, I guess."

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close. "Don't mention it, bestie."

He smiled at her and hugged back. "I will mention it, you deserve the praise."

After breaking off the hug, they sat back and watched the sun set some more. "Hey, Tails?" Amy asked. "Do you, umm… nevermind."

"Hey, we're besties, right?" the kitsune replied with a smile as he leaned in to get a good look at her face. "You can ask me anything."

"Ok…" She gulped a little. "Do you, umm… do you like anyone? Like… romantically?"

Tails froze up, then began to blush. He looked away. "Is it that obvious?"

Amy quickly shook her hand and waved her hands frantically. "Ah! No, no, no! I was just curious!" A sigh escaped her lips. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry…"

"No, no, it's alright."

Tails let out a sigh and looked at the setting sun. "Truth is… I have had a crush on someone for a good while now. It's just… I don't know."

Amy tilted her head. "Is it… someone we know?"

"Uhhhh…" The kitsune scratched the back of his head, blushing profusely. "N-no… she's uh… yeah, she's super into like, planes… and… stuff. You wouldn't know her."

"You don't have to tell me who she is if you don't want to, Miles," she giggled. "Don't try and lie, you're so bad at it."

"Alright…" he sighed.

"So… why haven't you told her how you feel yet?"

The kitsune stared down at the sea of grass and broken pillars below. "No. Everyone has been telling me to do that, but… they don't exactly tell you how to say it, you know? What words are the best to use in combination to form a sentence that explains to someone how you feel about them."

Amy leaned in and hugged her best friend, causing him to blush slightly. "Not everything is a big science problem, dummy," she giggled. "I swear, sometimes you're way too smart for your own good."

He scratched at his nose, avoiding her eye contact. "Well, you're certainly not the only person to tell me that."

"And I won't be the last." She moved over to look him in the eyes. "Look Miles, I know what it's like to tell your feelings. It's normal to be nervous, or shy, or worry about the 'what if's,' but it's alright. After all, the worst she can say is 'no.'"

"Actually, the worst she can say is 'eww.'"

The pink hedgehog grabbed Tails' cheeks and moved her head close, smiling widely. "Miles, bestie, if any vile bitch says 'eww' to you after you confess to them, I'll smash them with my hammer." She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his. In a low, cheerful whisper, she continued, "And I won't stop until all of Station Square hears her begging for mercy."

Tails gulped. He felt… warm. He was almost certainly blushing. Instinctively, he crossed his legs. "Y-You scare me sometimes, Amy," he said meekly.

"But I don't exactly mind being scared by you," he thought.

Amy let go of him and smiled, giving him some space. "Anyone who treats you like that doesn't deserve you," she said simply. "You're way too good for anyone like that."

"You're right. I just hope when I muster the courage… I just hope she likes me back is all."

"Any girl would be lucky to have a sweet, charming guy like you." She grabbed his hand and stared into his eyes. "I mean that."

Tails looked at her for a moment, then smiled. "Thanks Amy. That means a lot to me."

"No problem," she replied as she rested her head on his shoulder and stared out at the setting Sun alongside him once more.

"Just do your best, Rose," she thought. "If she says no, good for you. If she says yes… it won't be your first heartbreak anyways. You're strong. You'll handle it."

The two of them stared out at the view before them, enjoying each other's company more than either of them realized.

"Is now a good time to mention that I have no idea if that thing has enough fuel in it to get us back to the hangar?" Tails said after a few minutes of silence.

Author's Note: Really hope you enjoyed this one, I certainly did. Buckle up- this is the falling action section of the story. If we reach 50 chapters, I'll be genuinely surprised. The story is coming to an end soon- thanks so much for all of your support on this silly side-project of mine. I really appreciate it. :)

As always, R&R. See you next chapter.