Chapter 23: Shadow's Return

*Somewhere in the Beach*

The seagulls flew over the sky and the sound of the ocean crashed against the shore. It was so calm that you could almost hear the waves rolling against the rocks on the beach as Sonic was walking through the beach. He wore a white suit and bare feet. The blue hedgehog sighed as he looked at the ocean waving gently with the sun glistening on the sea. It felt really nice to be able to enjoy the warm breeze and sunshine without any worries.

However, there was one thing he had been depressed about: his lover was gone. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't stop thinking about Shadow. Sonic didn't want to admit it, but he was still very hurt by his death. Sonic's face became saddened at the thought of him.

Sonic felt a presence by his side, he turned around to see someone who stood there in the distance. It was an onyx hedgehog wearing a white suit with bare feet. Sonic's face lit in surprise that his lover was alive. It was Shadow. He was smiling gently at Sonic with a kind look on his face.

Sonic smiled and walked to Shadow and met his crimson-red eyes with his own cerulean blue ones. He couldn't believe his lover was alive. He felt the happiness inside him swelling up like a balloon. His heart was beating really fast for some reason as if everything in his life was worth it. He just couldn't understand why Shadow had left like that. Why did he leave to the other side of the world just to tell him goodbye?

"Hello, Sonic," said Shadow.

"Shadow... I've missed you," said Sonic. "So much…"

He hugged his lover tightly, embracing him tightly, making sure to memorize every single detail of his lover. He wanted to savor this moment forever. He had been waiting to see his lover for so long and he had no idea when they would meet again.

"It's good to be back, Sonic. Even after what happened… we should never have separated." He said. "You know that, right?"

Sonic smiled softly as tears filled his eyes. He knew they were meant to be together forever. They both knew it since the beginning and they both knew that they were meant to be.

"Yes, I know," answered Sonic. "But I can't help feeling sad and hurt. You left me behind… I"—Sonic's voice broke— "I don't understand."

Shadow caressed his partner's cheek, trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry, Sonic. I know you will feel upset about it, but we're going to go stay together now."

Sonic looked up at Shadow, "We?" he asked.

"Yes. We need to be together. We belong together. I promise I'll always be by your side. Always." said Shadow.

"Shadow..." whispered Sonic.

"Sonic..." whispered Shadow.

And they were about to kiss, but suddenly, something went wrong. Shadow noticed his hand started to disintegrate and the sand around his hand started to crumble away. Shadow was surprised to see this and panicked, "Aaah!" screamed Shadow.

Sonic began to freak out. He realized that something bad was happening. "Shadow?! What is happening?!" cried Sonic.

"I don't know!" he cried. His body began to slowly disintegrate. "Sonic, help me!" shouted Shadow.

Sonic was horrified. He watched as his beloved lover died before him. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as his body disintegrated into nothingness. It wasn't real. It didn't feel real. Everything was too sudden. It made Sonic panic.

"Help me!" cried Shadow as his body fully dissolved into pieces and he disappeared into thin air.

Sonic ran to save his lover, but it was too late. He fell to the sand, clutching onto Shadow as if he would disappear once again, and then his mind shut down and he fainted from sadness and shock. He was completely numb, unable to move or even think properly. He grabbed nothing but sand around his fingers as he started to panic. He didn't know what was happening to him. He felt like he was about to faint and lose consciousness. Everything felt like it was spinning around him. He needed to get control of himself but there was no way to do it. It was impossible. He was completely helpless as he sat there crying on the sandy ground.

"No! No, no, no, no! Not again! Not again!" Sonic cried. "Shadow! Shadow!" he screamed frantically as he grabbed handfuls of sand and he tried desperately to hold on to his lover, but it was futile.

Sonic bolted out of his nightmare violently as he felt the cold sweat covering him. He looked around and saw nothing but darkness. He quickly realized where he was and that it was not a dream. It was a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. He couldn't believe it. There was no way it was true. But it was and there was no escape. It had happened.

After he calmed down, it was a bad dream. Sonic sighed as he ran his hand on his quill, and glanced over the digital clock which read 4:17 A.M. He was exhausted and emotionally drained. He didn't know how to handle what happened in the dream. He had a lot of questions. Was it because he failed to save Shadow? Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he save him? He felt so sad and alone. He wished he could make things better for Shadow, but he just couldn't. All he could do was wish that Shadow was alive. Maybe he'd come back someday. Maybe he'd finally be able to get rid of those nightmares. Maybe someday he'll get some closure and peace of mind.

"Oh, Christ. I feel like shit," Sonic mumbled to himself as he lay on his pillow. He stayed in bed for a few seconds and then he got up and went to the bathroom to take a leak. He turned on the light and his eyes hurt from the brightness of the bathroom lights. He turned the knob to dim the light and the light automatically changed to dark as a result.

He lifted the toilet seat, peed in the toilet bowl, and flushed it. He washed his hands with soap and water. He dried his hands with a towel and went back to bed.

*Somewhere in the Lab*

In the darkness, a tube filled with water was connected to a monitor screen with some information displayed on it. At the bottom of the glass was a green liquid that glowed faintly in the darkness. It was an onyx hedgehog inside that capsule, wearing an oxygen mask that covered half of his face, a Holter monitor attached to his chest, and an IV needle inserted in his arm. He was unconscious. The monitor showed his vital signs. A small green line indicated that he was alive, but not responding yet. His eyes remained closed. His heartbeat was weak and slow. His breaths were shallow. He was in severe critical condition. It was Shadow the Hedgehog. He was alive.

The scientists gathered at the monitor, staring at the green line.

"What do you think caused this?" asked Dr. Kusac, who was standing beside Dr. Rochell, the head scientist for the lab.

"No clue. Maybe a malfunction of the experiment?" suggested Dr. Wilson, an older man with a thick mustache.

"He must have used his power when his energy ran low or when he lost track of time and it caused his health to drop drastically. He looks unhealthy." Said Dr. Kusac.

"Well then, it doesn't matter what happened exactly," replied Dr. Rochell as she put her glasses back on. "Eggman tried to destroy the Earth, but his plan failed."

"Agreed, we'll just have to continue testing this experiment to see what else he has stored inside him. He has so many potential abilities so this might be our last chance," replied Dr. Wilson.

Inside the capsule, Shadow was dreaming. It was a very strange dream. It was the first one that Gerald Robotnik created in the Colony Space Ark where he met a human girl named Maria. They played together, talked, ate, and slept together. She was very special to him. They talked about people who lived on Earth, their feelings, and their dreams.

In the next dream, the Space Ark was under attack, and Shadow and Maria were being chased by G.U.N. military forces. Shadow tried to stop them, but Maria entrapped Shadow in the pod trying to break free. The soldier shot Maria in the spine and she died. Shadow cried out in despair and grief.

Inside the tube, Shadow's eyes twitched slightly as he continued to dream. This time the monitor screen showed a line indicating his vital signs. Slowly but surely, the line started to increase and Shadow started to stir a bit in his sleep.

In another dream, Shadow was freed by Eggman and took revenge on them for what he did to Maria. In the final dream, Shadow and Sonic fought against the Final Hazard preventing the destruction of the Earth. After the monster was defeated, Shadow used too much power and passed out due to exhaustion. He was sent falling from the sky. Sonic came running to catch him, but it was too late and Shadow landed somewhere on the Earth.

Back to reality, Shadow bolted his eyes open, and the glass started to break all around him. As it cracked, the shards of glass flew across the lab and the water spilled everywhere on the floor. The alarm was blaring and all the machines were starting to work again. Shadow took off the oxygen mask and gasped for air, looking around confused. He wanted to know where he was. How did he get there? Did he remember anything? What was the dream? He could remember the last thing he remembered clearly, but after that, everything was blank.

Suddenly, someone walked towards him and he looked up at him, it was a tall man in his 50s or 60s. He had white hair, wore glasses, and was dressed very nicely.

"You are awake now. Good. Welcome back to the land of the living," said the old man. "My name is Professor Charles Kusac. You are safe and sound now. Welcome back, Mr. Hedgehog."

"Where am I?" asked Shadow.

"You're in the laboratory, in the G.U.N. It has been three weeks since you've awakened from your coma," said Professor Kusac as he smiled. "Now, Mr. Hedgehog, let's discuss why you were out of control and almost killed yourself," said Professor Kusac calmly.

Shadow tensed up as he stared at him, wondering what was going on. It took him quite a while to realize it was probably just a dream. However, it scared him nonetheless. How could he possibly forget something so important?

Professor Kusac noticed this, and he chuckled softly, "It seems that you don't remember-"

"No," Shadow said firmly, "I do remember. I remember Maria died. I remember working with Eggman and trying to destroy the earth and kill countless lives. I remember everything except why I'm here now. What am I doing here?"

"Do you want to know?" asked Professor Kusac curiously. Shadow nodded his head slowly.

"After you stopped the destruction of the earth, your body became unstable. Your energy levels dropped rapidly. You collapsed and fell asleep in a fetal position right there on the ground," explained Professor Kusac. "But then, shortly after you began to fall asleep, you suddenly woke up and immediately activated your powers. From your reaction, we learned that it was due to the sudden release of your power. We found out that it was because you saved the world."

"I saved the world?" Shadow questioned in disbelief.

"Yes, it was thanks to your efforts. The life of thousands of millions of people was given back. Many will remember the name Shadow," said Professor Kusac.

'That's right. Sonic and I fought the Final Hazard and saved the planet,' thought Shadow, 'but that was only the start.'

"You are also very lucky to have survived and recovered from your injuries, considering what happened," said Professor Kusac. "You have suffered heavy internal damage. And that isn't all. There are several scars left behind."

Shadow frowned. "Scar tissue?"

"We don't know what they were from yet, but based on your reactions and physical condition, we believe you were tortured during that time," explained Professor Kusac. "They look painful and are extremely deep."

Shadow looked down and touched his chest gingerly. "Is there any way to remove these marks?"

"Unfortunately, no. But we can heal them," answered Professor Kusac. "As you know, your body has been modified into an extremely powerful weapon. We can use it to restore your health and improve your strength."

Just then the door opened, and the commander walked into the lab followed by two armed guards. He was tall, muscular, and had white hair that reached below his shoulders. His green eye being left and his brown eye being right. He was dressed in a black military uniform. One of the guards held a gun in hand and the other was holding an automatic rifle. The other guard stood close to the Commander.

Professor Kusac was pleased to meet him as he greeted him, "Welcome back, sir. Have you completed your mission?"

"Yes, I did. I need to ask you some questions regarding the experiments done on Shadow the Hedgehog," replied the Commander.

"I shall answer everything that you want to know, sir," said Professor Kusac. "This is Mr. Shadow, the most remarkable creation ever made."

"Thank you," replied the Commander as he moved closer to Shadow examining his surroundings carefully.

"How are you feeling now?" asked the Commander.

"A little better. My energy level is normal," said Shadow.

"Well, that's good news," said the Commander as he turned to address the rest of the room. "Now I need to ask you some questions, Mr. Shadow. Can you tell me how you managed to survive after you defeated the FInal Hazard?" he asked.

"I remember everything. When Sonic asked my help in destroying the Final Hazard to prevent the destruction of the planet, I activated my power to save everyone," answered Shadow.

"Interesting," said the Commander. "Sonic was your friend, wasn't he? At least you didn't lose your memory completely."

"Sonic... where is he? How long was I gone?" asked Shadow.

"You've been gone for 3 weeks, and as for Sonic, well, he's still depressed. He's lost someone dear to him and I think it hurts him every day," explained the Commander. "He's been having nightmares about you. He's worried about you."

Shadow lowered his gaze. So Sonic felt guilty about what happened and he blamed himself. That would explain everything; everything that had happened. It would explain why he had a hard time remembering things. He felt horrible knowing that he was responsible for leaving him like that. Was Sonic trying to save him before falling to his death?

"Tell me, what is your relationship with Sonic?" asked the Commander.

"I first met him in the city and we started fighting until the cops arrived, and then he appeared in the forest and started fighting again. I could tell his fighting skills were superior to mine," Shadow replied, "So I kissed him."

The Commander and the guards looked at each other with incredulous expressions. Professor Kusac just shook his head and sighed.

"Why did you kiss him?" asked the Commander.

"Because I loved him," whispered Shadow quietly. "I love him more than anything else in the entire world and he loves me too."

"Well, Shadow, if you love each other, then why did you end the fight before it started?" asked the Commander.

"I was afraid he might reject me, that he'll regret the decision later. But the moment he told me that he loved me too, I knew that he meant it. He said that he couldn't live without me and that he never wanted anyone else," explained Shadow.

"And what did you do?" asked the Commander.

"I sacrificed myself fighting that creature," answered Shadow. "Sonic was forced to watch me die."

"You did the right thing, but it doesn't seem like you regret it," said the Commander. "What made you change your mind?"

"I don't even know anymore," answered Shadow. "I guess everything happened so fast. Everything changed so quickly. I mean, you can't imagine what it was like seeing the world burn. Then all of a sudden I realized how much I really care about Sonic and I just kind of gave up on resisting."

Shadow looked at the Commander, "I love Sonic, and I want us to be together forever. I wish you could take me to him," he pleaded.

"We will see," promised the Commander. He looked at Professor Kusac who looked back at him, "Take him to his room. Get him some food and make sure he gets plenty of sleep."

Professor Kusac nodded and guided Shadow to his room, the Commander turned to the guards and ordered them to follow him and stay outside the room. Once Shadow's door shut, he sat down in one of the chairs. He ran his fingers through his short gray hair and sighed heavily.

"Well, it looks like you're getting tired. There's food over there on a table and you should be able to get some decent rest now," said Professor Kusac.

"Thank you, Professor," said Shadow.

Prof. Kusac left the room and closed the door. Then he went to the table and got a tray. He placed the tray on top of the table. It was a bowl of soup, bread, and a bottle of milk. He began to eat his food in silence when he noticed one of his inhibitor rings was missing. He must have used too much energy to obliterate the creature, and as he passed out falling down to the Earth one of his rings came out of his wrist. And Sonic grabbed the ring.

Sonic... He had his ring while Shadow was dead.

'He had my ring since I was gone,' Shadow thought as he looked outside the window, watching the clouds roll across the sky, the flock of birds flying through the air, and the grass swaying gently with the breeze.

'Once I recover, I will see you again' Shadow thought.