Amy was nearly fifteen minutes away from arriving at her destination. Her stomach felt like it was tossing, turning, and full of knots. She anxiously wrung her hands together in her lap as she glanced out the window while the train chugged along. "Please let this all be a big misunderstanding," she prayed internally. The truth was, she was terrified of what she'd walk into when she arrived. Shadow had been so out of character recently that she had a gut-wrenching feeling that something was happening. She hoped to resolve whatever their issues were to win him back.
Amy felt her phone ring on her lap. When she glanced at the screen, she recognized the number and rolled her eyes. Amy put it up to her ear to answer. "Yes, Rob? What now?"
"No need for the tone this early in the morning, cousin," he reprimanded. "But just what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Amy shook her head in annoyance. "I thought we've been over this. I'm twenty-four years old. I'm grown, and I can make decisions by myself." She kept her voice down, not wanting the other patrons on the train to eavesdrop on her conversation.
"I understand that, but this is too fast. Shadow said you needed to stay with us until—"
"—Until it was safe again," she cut off. "I know, I know," she grumbled in irritation.
"I don't think he's going to be happy to see you show up so suddenly today," he warned.
Amy scoffed. "He'll have to deal with it. I need a serious sit-down conversation with him regarding our relationship."
She heard an audible defeated sigh on his end. "…There's no stopping you, is there?"
Amy smiled triumphantly on her end. "Nope!"
"Very well then," he said with defeat. "When do you plan to return home?"
"Once this is resolved, but more than likely tomorrow," she answered.
"At least stay in touch with us. We worry about you, you know."
Amy smiled slightly, knowing her cousin was being genuine with his statement. "I know Rob."
"Good luck, cousin."
"Thanks…" With that, she hung up her call and allowed her head to fall back against the seat's headrest.
Unbeknownst to her, two strangers watched her intently in the background. The pair had seen her hop onto the train and later realized they had recognized her elsewhere. The two Suppression members, Drago Wolf and Predator Hawk sat several seats back, keeping their distance. The train wasn't very full, as it was an early ride into the city, but at least ten people were on their cart. Thankfully, she hadn't spotted them when they got on the train. However, they had come aboard from a different entrance in the back.
"Why do you think his old lady is out here alone?" Predator questioned quietly.
Drago kept his hands propped behind his head, and his feet kicked up on the available seats before him. "Who knows," he shrugged. "I think it's weird that Shadow would allow his girl to travel without protection, though. It's practically asking for trouble," he grinned cunningly.
Predator leaned forward and rested his arms over the seat's headrest in front of him. "Are you thinking of nabbing her for Scourge or Starline?" he asked quietly.
"Starline would use her to send a message or for ransom," Drago explained. "Scourge would find some use for her, knowing him," he chuckled. "Regardless, I think both would be satisfied with this catch."
"It would put us in a pretty good light for promotion, too." Predator grinned, getting an adrenaline spike for their newest scheme. "What's the plan then?"
Drago gestured for him to huddle closer behind the seats so they could convene privately. The two huddled up behind the chairs and whispered their plan.
Meanwhile, upfront, Amy pulled out a pocket mirror from her bag and opened it to look at her appearance. She had put on light makeup to look her best for her spontaneous visit and wore something cute enough that Shadow would realize what he was missing while they were apart. She glanced at her face, admiring her appearance, but suddenly caught sight of two individuals sitting in the far back part of the train. She didn't recognize them as anyone she knew, but based on their demeanor in the back, she could feel their aura was off.
Feeling the train coming to a halt, she glanced out the window and realized they were pulling into Mercia's train station. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror before suddenly noticing that one of the shadier individuals was now standing with his back to her. She could see in the reflection that he was wearing a black leather jacket with the "Suppression Squad" title and logo on the back of his leather cut.
Amy gasped and felt her stomach sink. She was trapped on a train with Suppression Squad members. Did they recognize her by chance? Was she in danger? She snapped her mirror closed and quickly placed it in her backpack. If, by chance, they did know of her ties to the Brothers of Chaos, she may be in more danger than she had hoped for. She gathered her things and was determined to get off and away from them as quickly as possible.
Predator observed her impulsive behavior from behind while Drago retrieved their things from the overhead cabinets. The girl looked on edge and rather eager to get off the train. She had already gotten up and stood by the exit doors, waiting for them to open along with a few other train riders. Predator hissed slightly as he looked down at his left arm, suddenly feeling a strange pins and needles sensation in his arm. He made a fist, unclenched it, and re-clenched it a few times, hoping to eliminate the phenomenon. Drago handed the hawk his duffle bag. "Hey, you, okay?" he asked, noticing his reaction.
Predator glanced up at the white wolf and nodded, dismissing his concerns. "Yeah, I'm fine. My arm just fell asleep," he replied. The doors to the train finally opened, and Predator rose to his feet. Amy glanced in their direction but tensed up when her eyes locked with the hawk. "Crap, I think that girl may be onto us."
Drago nodded, and the two hurried down the aisle and approached the train doors. Amy had already hopped off the train and dodged her way through crowds of people on the platform, hoping to evade and lose the two. While Amy descended from the train station, Drago and Predator navigated the crowded platform, trying to keep up with her.
"She knows we're on her trail," the wolf huffed in frustration. It appeared the girl had good instincts.
The blue hawk tried to keep up but suddenly felt light-headed and nauseous. His vision was starting to darken from the outside inward. Predator stopped as he stared into space and tried to catch his breath. Drago felt his partner's presence looming behind him suddenly falter and halted his pursuit of the pink hedgehog. He craned his neck to look at his partner far behind him. "Pred! What gives?" The hawk did not respond as he continued staring into space but reached for his left arm, which felt like pins and needles again. His duffle bag hung over his shoulder, fell, and landed with a thud beside him. Some people on the platform standing nearby stared at the hawk, watching the white wolf stare and make a scene. "Hey! I'm talking to you," he yelled, trying to get his attention.
Further up the platform, Amy quickly ducked behind a large pillar and pressed her back against it. She needed to ensure she had lost them. Her heart was racing in her chest. She caught her breath as she crept around the side of the pillar, only to see the two Suppression Squad members were nowhere in sight. She breathed a sigh of relief, believing she had lost them, before hearing a male screaming for help in that general direction.
"Somebody, help! I need a doctor. Call 911!"
Amy began to turn in the direction of pleas for help but faltered. What if she accidentally ran into the two while trying to aid a civilian needing medical attention? Or, better or worse, what if it was a trap? The pink hedgehog felt a dilemma as she opted to turn and leave this ordeal for someone else to deal with.
She returned to her original path to leave the station but stopped when the voice turned more panicked. "Please, someone help me. My friend needs medical attention!"
Her medical professional instinct kicked in, and Amy rushed back down the platform toward the plea for help. As she got closer, she could see a small swarm of people had gathered around the person needing medical attention. She pushed through the crowd and spotted the blue hawk suppression member lying on his back, convulsing uncontrollably and foaming at the mouth. The other member, the large white wolf, stood near him, frantically looking for help amongst the crowd, desperate for assistance.
Amy began to back up. She couldn't help them. They were the enemy, after all. Besides, this was her perfect opportunity for a clean escape. "Please, somebody help my friend." Hearing his dismay pulled at her heartstrings. She couldn't escape a medical emergency despite knowing the dangers ahead. Exhaling a breath, Amy made her way closer. She hoped this act of kindness wouldn't bite her in the butt. "Out of my way! I'm a nurse and doctor in training!" she announced, pushing back through the crowd.
Drago turned to look at the individual coming to their aid. He looked startled as Amy approached Predator, still shaking and jerking uncontrollably. He was surprised she had willingly returned in their direction to help them. She swiftly removed her backpack, dropped to her knees, and turned the male bird onto his side. "Someone better be calling 911 right now," she ordered while she worked on aiding the hawk.
"I'm on the phone with them," a female bystander announced nearby.
"Good," Amy replied, carefully lifting Predator's head and delicately placing it on her backpack as a makeshift pillow for him to rest. She wanted to set something soft under his head to keep him from bashing it against the cement. She glared at the onlookers gathering and staring in awe at the medical spectacle. Some of them had their phones out and were recording the incident. Her brows furrowed in disgust at their lack of empathy and compassion. "Hey, back up!" she pointed. "If you're not planning on helping, get back!" she barked.
"Yo, chill out…" one of the onlookers with a phone mumbled.
Drago heard the comment and glared at the remaining spectators, who decided to continue watching as if this were entertainment. His fists balled up by his sides. "You heard her. Back the fuck up!" he snapped, baring his canines. Hearing his booming tone, the remaining passengers quickly moved on, leaving just Amy, the bystander on the phone, Drago, and Predator alone.
Drago sunk to his knees once the crowd was mostly dispersed as he remained by his friend. He stared at Predator with concern. "Don't get too close," Amy cautioned. "He needs his space until it passes. This is a tonic-clonic seizure."
Drago appeared terrified. "There's nothing else you can do to help him?"
Amy shook her head solemnly. "No, unfortunately, this is all you can do for them until it's over."
Drago stared at the bird, watching the foam in his mouth pour out the side and onto the concrete beneath him. His convulsions remained erratic and terrifying. "Will he be okay? He's not going to die from this, is he?"
Amy glanced at her phone to track the time. "He's going to be fine," she assured. "Most seizures only last a couple of minutes. His breathing is also normal, so there is nothing to worry about. Seeing this in person for the first time can be frightening."
"The ambulance has arrived," the bystander on the phone announced. "They're coming right now."
"Wonderful," Amy smiled optimistically. She looked down at the hawk and noticed his convulsions were starting to lessen. Eventually, it stopped altogether, and his breathing returned to normal, but he remained unconscious.
Drago looked at Amy, and she felt uncomfortable under his gaze. Were they still planning to do something to hurt her after this? Her eyes pulled away from looking at his.
"—We're here!" another voice announced.
The two turned to spot the paramedics arriving. They quickly took over the scene. Drago stepped back and watched as the paramedics attended to Predator. Amy stood and briefed the paramedics on what had occurred. After a few minutes, Predator was placed on a stretcher and taken to the ambulance to recover and be monitored. The paramedics had finished their report and briefing with Amy, so she lingered awkwardly. Seeing this as her opportunity to slip out, Amy began her exit.
"—Wait," another voice stopped her.
She paused mid-step and looked over her shoulder at the large, menacing wolf ascending towards her. She tensed up, preparing to defend herself if need be. Drago observed her body language and could tell she still viewed him as a threat. "Relax, I don't plan to do anything to you. I swear."
Amy relaxed her tense stance, believing him. "What do you want then?"
"You don't owe us anything and don't even know us. But still, you selflessly helped us back there." He offered her his sincerest smile, which was small, and bowed his head. "Thank you for helping us."
"You're welcome," she smiled uneasily.
His smile suddenly disappeared and turned into a more stoic expression. "I know you are linked with the Brothers of Chaos. You're the V.P.'s old lady," he admitted. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "My friend and I planned to capture you, but I can't follow through with it after receiving your compassion." Amy looked around nervously since they were still in an open public place. They still wouldn't dare to do anything, would they? Drago could sense she was still skittish around him. "Please, I promise. We don't plan to do anything to you."
She quirked a suspicious brow at him. "…How do I know you won't try it again some other time?"
"You're right," he agreed, seeing her logic. "I can't promise you that, especially if it's a direct order in the future. Today was no direct order. It was our sole decision."
Amy began to back up to depart. "Well, thanks for changing your mind, I guess—eh?" she stumbled for a name.
"It's Drago," he replied. "I'm the Suppression Squad's sergeant of arms."
"Oh, uh, I'm Amy Rose, their standby doctor," she stated.
"Yeah, I saw it firsthand today," he noted.
"Well, I need to get going now." She waved before running off. Drago watched the pink beauty scurry off before returning to assemble with his comrade and the paramedics.
•~•
Back at the M.C. compound, Shadow knelt on his bed, naked, as he pounded into Lien-Da for good old-fashioned morning sex. Lien, also completely nude, had her legs draped over his hips as Shadow's cock sheathed and unsheathed itself inside her core. Her luscious red locks cascaded out behind her on the bed as her body lurched back and forth from his powerful and rhythmic thrusts. So far, she and Shadow had fucked three times in thirty minutes, and now they were on the fourth fuck. They had done it missionary style, doggy style, and she had ridden him, but this position had to be her favorite. Lien's breath hitched as she felt her fourth orgasm looming. "Ah, ah!" she mewled as she climaxed. Shadow kept his stride going as her muscles tightly wrapped around his shaft. He winced, feeling her tightness before cumming himself.
"Fuck" He grunted and moaned before collapsing on top of her. He caught his breath, and Lien did the same as she relished in the post-coital bliss.
"Wow, you were fantastic," Lien panted with dreamy eyes as she stared at his ceiling.
Shadow lifted himself slightly to look at her beneath him. "Glad to hear it," he replied. "And thanks for this. I needed it."
Lien-Da smirked. "Seems like you had a lot of pent-up sexual release. You still have a lot of stamina in the bedroom."
"Yeah, I've still got it." He finally lifted himself completely and pulled himself out of her. He sat on the edge of his bed, took off the condom, and disposed of it in the trashcan.
Lien sat up and crawled from behind him on the bed. "I'm not complaining, just making an observation." She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and rested her muzzle on his right shoulder. "So, when was the last time you had sex, handsome?"
He remained stiff in her embrace as he cleaned himself off with a tissue he had grabbed from his bedside table. He could feel her bare breasts pressed against his back. "If you must know, about a month ago or so."
Lien looked surprised. "Really? Is your girlfriend that boring in the bedroom? Someone as sexy as you should be getting laid at least three times a week."
Shadow tossed the dirty tissue into the small trashcan nearby. He was starting to get irritated by her words, which only made him feel worse. "Well, things are kind of complicated right now."
"You poor thing, we'll just have to change that now that I'm here!" Shadow immediately pulled away from her embrace, confusing her further. "Hey? What's wrong, babe?"
"I think you're getting the wrong idea here."
She blinked in surprise. "Wrong idea about what? You're the one who initiated this."
"This is a casual thing. Sex only," he elaborated. "I don't want you getting any ideas of this becoming a serious thing. I wanted to fuck, and you were available—that's what sweet bottoms and escorts are for." He laid back on his mattress and tucked his arms behind his head.
"…Right," she nodded, sitting beside him.
"What time is it?" he questioned, shifting the awkward tone in the room.
Lien-Da glanced over to the alarm clock on his bedside table. "Almost 8:30."
"Perfect," he hummed. "Why don't you lay down with me," he instructed, patting the free side of the mattress available. Reluctantly, Lien followed as led and lay next to the black and red hedgehog. "We can cuddle for a bit."
She draped an arm over his chest, cuddled close to his side, and smiled. Shadow wrapped one arm around Lien's waist as she lay beside him. If it was 8:30, Amy was bound to arrive at the compound any minute now. He closed his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for her rude awakening. "It's the only way," he said to himself.
•~•
Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, Mighty, Ray, Manic, Gadget, and Knuckles ate breakfast together. The group of boys ate in silence until Knuckles glanced at the clock on the way before looking at the empty seat across from him. He couldn't help but notice his plate of food was getting cold. "Where's Shadow? Did he oversleep?" he inquired as he took a bite of his toast.
"Uh, yeah, I'm sure he is. He had a busy day yesterday," Mighty replied.
Knuckles put down his silverware. "Should I go wake him up then?"
Manic crunched into a piece of crispy bacon and chuckled. "Dude, I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Knuckles stared at the green hedgehog. "And why not?"
"Because he's currently getting laid by Lien-Da," Manic stated nonchalantly before taking another bite of his bacon.
Knuckle's eyes practically bugged out of his head. "What?!"
Even Gadget choked on his cereal from the reveal. He beat on his chest to get the food down.
Mighty turned to look at Manic. "How do you know?"
"I had to take a mondo piss this morning, and as I was passing Shadow's bedroom, I heard a girl moaning mad loud. I pressed my ear against the door and could tell it was Lien-Da in there getting her brains banged out."
"I cannot believe Shadow would do something like this to Ms. Amy," Gadget opined. "If she finds out, she'll be devastated."
"It's all my fault!" Ray finally exclaimed. "I should have said something sooner! I saw Ms. Lien arriving early this morning," he admitted. "Shadow snuck her inside and took her upstairs."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Knuckles berated.
"I-I don't know," the squirrel stammered nervously. "Shadow saw me and gave me a warning look. He pretty much said not to snitch with his look alone."
"Hey, little buddy, cool it. It's not your fault," Mighty assured.
Manic stabbed some scrambled eggs onto his fork. "That girl is nasty. She's been with practically all of us at least once or twice."
Knuckles crossed his arms defiantly and proudly. "Not me."
Manic rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever, we get it, mister goody-two-shoes. She's still a slut."
"Yo, no need for the slut-shaming, dude," Mighty corrected, shooting Manic a disappointed look.
"Sorry, man," the green hedgehog apologized.
Knuckles felt his fists tighten by his sides. "That piece of shit. I'll kill him…"
"Who's going to t-tell Amy about t-this?" Ray questioned nervously.
"No one," Manic interjected, chewing his eggs. "It's Bro-Code—Bros before hoes. We didn't see anything or hear anything," he reminded with a fork wave.
The red and black armadillo shot him a disappointed expression. "Manic, what the hell has gotten into you? This is Amy we're talking about—our friend! She deserves a little more respect than that," Mighty scolded.
"Yo, I get it, dude," he concurred. "I love Amy like my little sis, but I'm not getting involved in this couple drama. That's between the two of them," he argued. "But I mean, I gotta agree with you guys. What Shadow's doing to her is mad fucked up, but that's his decision and his mistake to make."
Mephiles walked into the kitchen, hearing all the commotion. "What's with the squabble in here?" Everyone went silent as they stared at the president. Mephiles glanced at all the boys, waiting for one of them to spill. "Well? I believe I heard my brother's name mentioned in your conversation."
"Your brother is making one of the biggest mistakes in his life. That's what the bickering is about," Knuckles piped in.
Mephiles furrowed his brows. "How exactly?"
"It's easy. Your brother hooked up with your sloppy seconds!" Manic interjected calmly.
"Why are you being so blunt today?" Mighty growled through clenched teeth.
Mephiles crossed his arms over his chest. "Shadow hooked up with Mina? How interesting…"
"No, not her. Lien-Da!" Knuckles corrected.
"Well, technically, she was his originally. If anything, I took his sloppy seconds, and then he took them back again," he corrected.
"Go up there and talk some sense into him," Knuckles commanded. "He's making a huge mistake!"
Mephiles walked to the coffee machine and grabbed a cup from the cupboard. "Why exactly do you believe this is a mistake? He's a hot-blooded male, and he has needs."
Knuckles stared at Mephiles in disgust. "Because he's cheating on Amy!"
Mephiles chuckled slightly. "Look, I know you don't engage in the common biker practice, but we don't view affairs with other females outside of a relationship as a done deal. If your old lady isn't around and you have needs, they can be fulfilled by another female," He poured himself a cup of coffee. "Amy's not around now. My brother has probably been lonely and just wanted some company," he shrugged innocently as he turned around to face them.
Knuckles was growing angrier by the second listening to Mephiles' justification. "He had plenty of chances to cheat on her out on the road and never took up the opportunity. Besides, Shadow and I have never believed in that biker practice."
Mephiles took a sip of his coffee. "Well, perhaps he finally changed his mind."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. "I'll get it," Gadget announced, rising from the table.
Mephiles turned to address the rest of the group. "Don't intervene with my brother's sexual escapades," he warned. "He's an adult and can make decisions by himself."
Gadget returned to the kitchen looking as pale as a ghost in expression. "Hey, guys…um, Amy's here."
The pink hedgehog walked in from behind the nervous red wolf, smiling and waving at the other boys, unaware of what was happening. "Hi, everyone."
"A-Amy? What are you doing back so soon?" Mighty panicked as he rose from his seat. "Not that we're mad to see you. It's just…uh."
Mephiles smirked and chuckled lowly at her return. He looked up at the ceiling above him and took another sip of coffee. "What perfect timing. Chaos, you do work in mysterious ways," he thought internally.
"—It's just that you surprised us!" Ray interjected, trying to help his brother out. He hopped out of his seat, ran over, and embraced her. "We've missed you so much!"
Amy smiled at the yellow squirrel, still clueless about what they had previously discussed. She returned his embrace. "Aw, you're sweet, Ray. I've missed you guys, too!"
Knuckles suddenly felt his nerves hit him as well. He did not want to see Amy getting hurt today. He rubbed his hands together nervously. "Amy, how long do you plan to stay? You know it's still not safe around here, right?"
"I know," she concurred with his second statement. "I only plan to be here for a day and then head back to Tech City. I just wanted to have a private, in-person conversation with Shadow about something…Speaking of which," she looked around at the group in the kitchen, noticing his absence. "Where is he?"
Ray stepped back from his embrace as his eyes darted back and forth. "Uh, I think he stepped out!"
Amy placed a hand on her hip. "But I saw his bike parked out front."
"—No, he's in the shower, I think," Gadget tried to interject, to stall for time.
Her ears lowered slightly, feeling something was off. "Um, okay...I'll wait in his room until he's done," she announced as she turned on her heel to exit the kitchen.
All the boys, excluding Manic and Mephiles, jumped to their feet and followed her out of the kitchen like a herd of sheep. "No!" they all shouted in unison. Mephiles continued to watch the spectacle as pure entertainment. This could not have been written better. He felt like he was watching a scripted drama live-in-action.
Amy's eyes went wide as the group of males surrounded her. "You can't go up there!" Gadget stated while adjusting his spectacles nervously.
"Yeah, h-his room is majorly m-messy. It's a pig's pen!" Ray exclaimed as he hopped up and down in front of her.
"Why don't you wait on the couch, and I'll bring him downstairs for you?" Knuckles offered eagerly.
She looked at each of them with suspicion. You could feel the tension in the air. "What's going on, guys?"
Mighty looked at her pleadingly with seriousness. "Ames, for your own good. Just don't go upstairs. Please," he emphasized.
Her heart hit her stomach as the mounted dread she had feared struck her. Her mouth went dry, and she turned to look at the staircase. They were trying to hide something from her. With an adrenaline spike, Amy made a mad dash for the stairs and swiftly bounded up them. Gadget and Ray tried to block or grab her, but she stayed out of their reach.
"Amy, wait up!" Knuckles shouted, trying to follow her. The group of males rushed after her up the stairs, staggering and stomping up them like a herd of cattle.
Once upstairs, she quickly rushed to Shadow's room and grabbed the doorknob. She threw the door open and felt her world slow down. Her eyes widened as she spotted Shadow beside a female red echidna under the sheets. What made the sight even worse was that Shadow was not fazed by her entrance as his door swung open. Instead, he casually smoked a cigarette with a neutral expression as he glanced in her direction, utterly unbothered by her unannounced presence. Amy continued to stare at the two, completely speechless.
Lien began to stir from her sleep and sat up, holding the sheets to her bare chest. "Oh, shit. Sorry, I must've dozed off there," she said tiredly. Her eyes cast toward Amy, and she gave a playful smirk. "Uh oh. Looks like we're busted."
Amy felt her heart shatter into pieces. She felt like she was about to throw up at the sight. She turned around and slammed the door shut before she allowed the two to see her cry. She bolted down the stairs, devastated by her findings.
Back in the bedroom, Shadow sighed and extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray by his bedside. He knew he had broken her heart, and now the consequences were also starting to hit him. Lien watched Shadow and tried to cuddle up next to him. "She seemed pissed. A little heads up that she was coming would have been nice, though," she tsked. "I thought you said she wasn't in town."
Shadow moved away from her in disgust. The guilt of his betrayal was hitting his conscience. He felt terrible about what he had done. He closed his eyes and pinched the skin between his eyes, trying to manage the feelings of guilt and heartbreak. "…Get out," he mumbled.
Lien-Da blinked in surprise at his shift in tone. "Huh…what did you say?"
"I said get out!" he snapped more aggressively, baring his fangs. This time, Lien-Da decided to obey and got out of bed to get dressed. He placed his face in his hands and heard Lien scampering around his room, grabbing her clothes off the bedroom floor before leaving his bedroom. His hands began to shake, and he felt like he was on the verge of throwing up himself. "Shit…"
•~•
Knuckles cradled Amy in his arms on the front porch staircase as she wailed uncontrollably at what she had just seen. She was practically hyperventilating from crying so hard. "Shadow…he-he," she croaked.
He stroked the back of her head with his giant gloved hand. "I know, Amy. That fucking bastard…" he seethed.
Mighty knelt next to Knuckles, who attempted to console her. "Ames, we're here," he said softly and empathetically. "What do you need from us?"
Tears were streaming down her face as she gasped and choked back sobs. "I-I don't want to be here anymore," she sobbed. "G-get me outta h-here."
"I can take her over to Rouge's place," Knuckles suggested. "I think she needs another female's perspective on this."
"Please," Amy cried. Her grip tightened on Knuckle's shoulder as she buried her face in his chest.
"All right, Knux, take her to Rouge's place," Mighty instructed. "Gadget, go with Knuckles and help tend to Amy on the way there. Then you can come back to the compound."
Gadget nodded. "Got it."
Knuckles scooped Amy into his arms and began carrying her down the rest of the stairs. Mighty followed them down, but Amy reached out and grabbed Mighty by the collar. "Muh-mighty," she whined.
Knuckles paused momentarily to allow her to speak to him. "What, sweetheart?" he asked with sincerity.
She sniffed back snot from coming down her nose. "Please come with us," she whimpered. "I-I need you." She released her grip on him.
He shot her a weak smile. "Of course, kid. I'll swing back later. First, I gotta go deal with your boy."
"You're not going t-to hurt him? Are y-you?" she heaved.
He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "I wish, but I will try to talk some sense into him for you." He used his thumb to wipe away one of the tears dripping down her cheek. "Don't worry, kid. I'm on your side, and I've got your back," he winked. She looked touched at his words. "All right, Knux, get her outta here." Knuckles nodded and carried Amy away. From upstairs, Mina had witnessed and heard everything happen from her cracked window. She looked out the window and watched the red echidna carry the girl off. Her heart broke for the unknown female. She may not have known Amy personally, but catching the love of your life cheating on you was heartbreaking enough. Frowning at the sight, she closed the window to her room.
•~•
Sitting against his bedroom door with his knees to his chest, Shadow's eyes welled up with tears as he listened to the commotion going on in the hall. Hearing Amy in so much distress pulled at his heartstrings. This had to be one of the most difficult things he had ever intentionally done to someone he loved and cherished. Hearing her wails of pain from the staircase had almost forced his body to move on its own to console, beg for forgiveness, and apologize for everything he had done to her. However, he couldn't do that if he wanted her to be free of their relationship. The tears welling up in his eyes finally fell and poured down his face. He rubbed his left arm along his nose, which started to drench with snot.
"Rose…I'm sorry."
•~•
An hour later, after recomposing himself, Shadow entered the kitchen fully dressed, acting like nothing had happened earlier. He was cool-headed as Mighty, Manic, Ray, and Gadget stared back at him disappointedly. Mephiles, on the other hand, didn't bother to acknowledge him and read the newspaper. Gadget shook his head in disapproval.
Shadow looked around the room at the group, glaring back at him. "Well, don't you all seem peachy…" he scoffed, keeping up his façade.
"Shads, what the hell is your problem?" Mighty asked, revolted with his actions.
"For fuck's sake, don't start with me," Shadow groaned, walking to the fridge, trying to ignore their judgmental glares.
"Bro, I sure hope you wrapped your dick because that girl is a cum dumpster," Manic pointed out.
"…It wasn't right," Ray added timidly. Regardless of how he felt, he was still intimidated by the black and red hedgehog.
Shadow's hand tightened around the fridge handle. "How about you all kindly fuck off and mind your damn business," he snapped.
"Shadow, can I talk to you privately?" Mighty inquired cautiously.
Shadow closed his eyes and sighed. "No, I'm not in the mood for sermons, especially from you."
Mighty frowned. "I'm not going to back down on this one. I'll give you some time, but we'll talk later once you calm down. Mighty looked to the others. "Come on, guys," he gestured.
Manic, Mighty, and Ray began to walk out of the kitchen, leaving Shadow alone with his brother sitting at the kitchen table.
Shadow glared at his older brother, waiting for some snarky comment. He had been oddly quiet this whole time. "Don't you have something to say to me?"
Mephiles coolly raised his eyes away from the paper to look at him. "Yes, in fact, I do. I'm proud of you," he spoke calmly.
Shadow looked dumbfounded by the reveal. "What?"
"You did the right thing," he confirmed. "I know you love Amy, but this environment is not right for her. She would've gotten killed if she hung around this place any further," he shrugged. "You can't be in love when you're in an M.C. You can find comfort in casual companionship but nothing else."
"Still…" he breathed. "I feel like shit for hurting her like that. I don't like this feeling…"
Mephiles stood and approached his younger brother. "I understand, brother, but that pain will improve in time for both of you," he assured. He suddenly gave him a hug, which startled Shadow. Shadow remained stiff in the embrace as his eyes drifted downcast and his ears pinned back.
•~•
Meanwhile, at Rouge's place, Amy was curled up on her bed sobbing profusely. The poor girl cried, feeling her heartache from the sight she had seen earlier. The white bat sat behind Amy on her bed and gently caressed the back of her head, stroking her quills. Knuckles sat on the bedroom floor, his back against the wall and his knees up to his chest. He was still livid at how Shadow had handled this whole thing. Even though Rouge had never gone through something to the degree of catching Knuckles cheating, she could only imagine the pain it brought. "Do you feel ready to talk yet?" Rouge asked gently.
Amy kept her face against her arms, not wanting Rouge to see how devastated her appearance was from crying. "Not really…" she mumbled.
"Look, what Shadow did was cruel and fucked up. I've never seen him act this way before. It's not like him."
Amy lifted her head from her arms slightly and sniffed. "Then why is he doing this to me, Rouge?" she croaked.
"Not even I'm sure," she admitted.
She sat upright into a sitting position and reached for a box of tissues Rouge had on her bed. "He hasn't said anything to me. He hasn't even indicated that he wanted to end our relationship."
Rouge glanced at her husband, listening to the two. "Hon, does this make any sense from your perspective?"
"Not at all. This whole thing seems so out of the blue and out of character for Shadow. He's always been extremely loyal in his past relationships despite temptations."
Rouge leaned back against her pillows. "I agree with you, hun. Something's off…"
"Shadow has confided with me about how much he loves you, Amy," Knuckles noted. "I believe Rouge may be onto something. However, even if that's the case, what was the purpose? Was he set up to do this?"
"I still don't understand." Amy put a hand on her chest. "He broke my heart."
She put a hand over her shoulder and shot her an empathic look. "I know, hon."
"I fell in love with him," she bowed her head. "He told me he'd never disrespect me this way, and he did. I don't know if I can ever face him again."
"It'll be hard," Knuckles interrupted. "But you need to be strong and talk with him to get your answers."
•~•
Mina found Shadow out in the mechanic shop working on his bike. He was working on changing a back tire when she cleared her throat to get his attention. "Ahem, it's Shadow, right?"
Shadow was already not in the mood for more people bitching or complaining, but he could already gather that Mina had something to say. "What do you want?"
"I was just wondering what all that commotion was earlier this morning. I couldn't help but hear most of it."
He looked away and grabbed another tool from his toolbox. "Sounds like you know then if you heard most of it," he dismissed coolly. "I'm sure you're clever enough to assemble the pieces."
"Was that pink hedgehog your girlfriend?" Mina inquired curiously.
"Ex-girlfriend now," he shrugged nonchalantly. "But what's it to you?"
Mina frowned, feeling guilty. "It's just…I feel so bad for her. She must be heartbroken with what you did to her this morning."
"You don't even know her," Shadow snapped. "You know, you ask many questions for a sweet bottom."
"I was just curious," she shrugged innocently. "I have a right to know what's going on around here if I'm going to live here."
"Pff, you have no right to know anything going on here. You're just a sweet bottom, and that's it," he dismissed.
She crossed her arms over her chest and furrowed her brows. "You're pretty rude and uptight, you know."
He stood up and dusted off his hands. "Yeah? Well, I'm trying to move on. You know what they say: you need someone under you to get over them. Now get lost."
Mina huffed as she turned on her heel to retreat from their conversation. "And to think I found you attractive earlier…Males are such pigs."
In the other corner of the shop, Mighty saw this as his opportunity to speak with Shadow one-on-one, regardless of whether he wanted to talk. He followed him into the waiting room area of the shop, where he found the dark hedgehog at the vending machine grabbing a soda. "Hey, Shadow," he announced from behind.
The hedgehog was in the process of bending over and grabbing his soda out of the machine. He groaned and rolled his eyes. He knew he was about to hear a lecture from the armadillo. "How many more times am I going to have to listen to you all drone on about what I did?"
"Until you finally realize what an asshole and idiot you were," he shot back courageously.
Shadow scoffed and cracked open his soda. He took a sip and began to walk away. "You don't understand my circumstances. I did what I had to do."
Mighty followed him. "Like hell, I don't!" he exclaimed. "You treated her like utter horse shit back there, and for what? I thought you loved her, man?"
Shadow placed his soda on a table, and his fists balled up by his sides. "Of course, I fucking love her!" he shouted, making Mighty wince from his intense outburst.
His expression softened on him. "Then why did you do this to her..?"
"This place is unsafe, and being tied to me only brings more threats in her direction. That attack on the bar hit too close to home. I could've…" he stopped, feeling too pained to say it aloud. "I know it didn't happen, but I refuse to risk it happening again."
"So, you'd throw away this relationship to ensure she can live a normal and peaceful life?"
Shadow nodded despondently. "Yes, because I love her too much. I'd rather her be alive and well than with me and wind up dead."
Mighty frowned as he started to understand his logic. "But why did you do her so dirty like that?"
He sunk into a seat at the table. "She was willing to fight to keep this relationship alive. You've seen her resolve. Amy would never give up on us so easily. She needed me to destroy her heart to get it through her head."
"Fuck, man...Why don't you pick up and leave this place? Take your girl and scram," Mighty suggested.
Shadow rested his arms along the table. "I established a deal between my brother and me long ago. The deal was that I helped him get everyone on board for this cartel business, and within six months, I'd be allowed to leave the club without repercussion. Knuckles would be bumped up to V.P.," he explained. "However, seeing how things are going, there's no way I'm abandoning this club with all these loose ends still in place. I can't stomach allowing everyone else to carry this burden that I helped pressure everyone into."
Mighty lowered himself into a seat across from him. "This is a lot of information you just dumped on me. It seems like you've got a lot on your plate. So, you weren't in on this cartel business in the first place?"
Shadow shook his head. "No, I never was. I was against it, but I saw an out and had tunnel vision. Getting into this business was a big fucking mistake."
"I agree," Mighty nodded slowly. "But you and Amy belong together. I know it."
Shadow nodded gravely. "I've never believed in fate or destiny," he added, "But I honestly believe Amy is my twin flame. She was put in my life for a reason. Our souls feel connected in a way I've never experienced. We've shared similar trauma and bonded over that, and I refuse to see her flame snuffed out before mine."
"Shadow, there has to be a way for us to pull out of this cartel thing…if we could just go back to selling illegal arms, Knuckles and I could handle that on our own," he wagered. "Let me help you. I want to see you both get out of this club unscathed."
Shadow rose from his seat and grabbed his soda. "It's impossible. We'd have to devise some final act of severance, but even then…Cartels have all the resources in the world to track you down."
"Give me some time, and I'll help figure out a way for all of us to get out of this deal unscathed."
Shadow let out an amused chuckle. "That's optimistic thinking, but it won't happen. Just come to accept it. We're in this for the long haul."
"That negative thinking won't get us anywhere! There has to be a way."
"It's not negative thinking—it's realistic and logical. I'm done having this conversation."
Mighty scoffed in annoyance. It was clear he wouldn't get anywhere. "Fine…"
"And one more thing," Shadow noted, causing Mighty to perk up again.
"What?"
"Don't mention this to Rose. You'll make it worse," he warned.
"You're right," he agreed. "It'll complicate things even more, so I promise I won't tell her your true intentions. However, there may be a point where you'll have to tell her the truth."
"And if that day comes, so be it."
"I'm going to find a way for the two of you to be together and get out of this hellhole, Shadow," he avowed.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but it won't ever happen, Mighty. You've seen the cycle of life in this club. It doesn't have happy endings for anyone." Mighty watched as Shadow exited the room.
•~•
A little bit later, Mighty visited Amy at Rouge's house. He entered Rouge's spare bedroom, where Amy had planted herself smack in the middle of the bed. She was practically curled up into a ball, void of any emotion at this point. She had cried herself out for most of the day and felt like there were no more tears to cry. Rouge and Mighty stood in the doorway, peering into the room. "Should I still go inside?" he asked softly.
"Yeah, she's been asking for you," Rouge whispered.
"…Ames?" the armadillo called as he cautiously approached her.
He spotted her balled-up figure in the darkened room and sat down on the edge of the bed carefully. Amy could feel the weight of him beside her. Suddenly, she felt his hand rest against her upper back. "Mighty?" she whispered slowly.
She sat up and embraced the armadillo. Mighty immediately wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, kid."
"Did you end up talking to Shadow?" she inquired as she pulled away.
He nodded hesitantly. "I did…"
AN: Oh my goodness! I am so sorry for the long delay for the next chapter. As you know, I've been busy with work and finishing my Master's degree. However, now that I'm finally on Christmas Break, I've had a chance to work on this chapter. I hope my readers continue to hang on for the ride and not ditch reading the story. I know I've got a couple of new readers who have discovered the story.
Thank you for your reviews on chapter 33 RisingZero1984, LamislaDG, CrimsonLove16, Pirilaxa, AlicetheFennecfox, and SecretbatFic! I appreciate your comments, thoughts, and predictions! Enjoy the latest chapter!
"What did he say?" she inquired eagerly, hoping to get answers.
Mighty cringed internally at her inquiry. He hated the fact that he'd have to lie to her. "He did not give me any real answers, Ames. I tried to ask him why he did this, but he didn't give me much to go off of."
Her eyes began to water again. "So, he didn't tell you why he cheated on me?"
"He only mumbled that the distance between you two caused him to lose interest," he lied.
Amy placed her face in her hands. "I knew it!" she exclaimed. "I knew the distance would hurt our relationship. I should've come back sooner."
"Kid, don't blame yourself for this," he urged.
Her ears lowered sadly as she mulled over a thought. "Despite all he's done to me today, I-I still want to make this work. Am I sick or what?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. You still see the good in Shadow."
"I want to talk to him, but not today. I'll wait a few days and try to speak to him and figure out why he did all this in the first place."
"If you need my help, I'm willing to lend a hand," Mighty suggested.
Amy gave an optimistic smile and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I appreciate that."
"Don't worry, Ames, we'll get to the bottom of this. You guys belong together…I know it."
AN: Please remember to leave a review!