Chapter 21

Sonic stared at the mess table in cold despair the next morning. Tails seemed to understand that he was in a mood and didn't bother him, but Knuckles - of course - did not. Knuckles spent all morning giving Sonic the side-eye and talking loudly about how they were going to get caught and killed in more and more grotesque ways.

Sonic didn't hear much of Knuckles' attempts to get a rise out of him anyway. His mind was somewhere else entirely. He oscillated between gripping at the ring on his neck and gripping at the small bottle of assassin's venom in his pocket as his mind wandered back to Amy's room again and again.

"Ahh, there's my favorite trio of thieves!" Scourge threw his arms roughly around Sonic and Tails, jolting Sonic back to the table. Sonic wrinkled his nose. The man reeked of rust and old whiskey. "You boys are about to make history," Scourge cackled. "This camp is going to stick it to the whole monarchy!"

None of them bothered to dignify Scourge's morbid enthusiasm with a response.

"Caught you at a bad time, huh?" he clicked his tongue with disapproval and stood, looming over them. "No need to be so sour about it - the bitch has it coming anyway."

Sonic fought hard to stay seated. Tails shot him a warning look.

"Well fellas, good luck tonight and remember - if you don't come back with the Princess," Scourge pulled Tails close to him, pressed his arm across the kit's throat, and growled, "it would do you better not to come back at all."

He shoved Tails away and shouted, "Tonight's the night!" to the other thieves. A vindictive cry went up around the fire. In a single instant, the atmosphere in the camp turned prickly and volatile.

Sonic's stomach heaved. He felt sick the rest of the day, and he kept thinking about the night before with Amy. It should have been a comforting memory - them in her room, together. It at least sent a hot shiver down his spine, but mostly it just made him angry. At himself, at Scourge and the camp - at everything. Sonic resolved to do the job right, and he resolved to do it fast. She would be in, she would be out. And then, he'd do everything in his earthly power - trade away every last piece of himself if he had to - to make it up to her.

Last chance…

He promised himself it wouldn't be.

"Holy shit," Amy breathed, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Holy shit is right, girl!" Rouge clapped, her sultry voice loud and triumphant.

Amy didn't often think that she was beautiful, necessarily - she simply didn't think about her own appearance that much at all. But even she had to admit that Rouge had managed to make her look positively dazzling.

The garment was a deep red like wine. Long sleeves fell off her shoulders and exposed her collarbones, puffing out in large, elegant drapes and then gathering again tight at her wrists. The bodice was embroidered and corded in gold, and there was a skirt attached at her waist that fell heavily to the floor. From behind, a party-goer might be fooled into thinking that the Princess wore a traditional - if not overly lavish - gown. But a view from the front revealed that the skirt was open, exposing matching jewel-toned trousers that tucked into dainty, lace-up heeled boots. Rouge had even managed a soft curl in Amy's pinned-up quills, and makeup that gave her a tempting, effortless pout.

"Oh, Miss Amy," Cream sighed as she entered the room, her hands clasped on her cheeks. "You're the most beautiful woman in the whole world!"

Radiant as she may have been, even the familiar comfort of trousers couldn't save Amy from her dread. Soon, the sun would set and she'd be stuck standing next to her father, greeting hoards of eager suitors. There were only two things in the entire world keeping Amy standing upright under the weight of her own pretty, perfect reflection. The first was the thought of getting to see Shadow again soon. The other was the memory of Sonic pulling their bodies flush to each other the night before.

She smiled and walked over to her vanity to pluck the blue forget-me-not pin from its place of honor nestled in a small, velvet pillow.

If only Sonic could only see her all done-up like this, she thought. Maybe he'd come visit her after the ball. And maybe she'd stay in her finery, just in case he did…

She affixed the brooch affectionately to the top of her bodice where it sat just below her collarbone, bright and beautiful like a badge of honor.

"Something sentimental?" Rouge asked, glancing at the pin with a knowing look.

"Just… to keep someone close," Amy said. She blushed, delicately touching the silk petals of the pin. It would be her own special way to tell the world who her heart really belonged to, and it would keep Sonic's spirit close to her throughout the night - just in case she found herself in need of a little extra strength.

Amy turned and beckoned Cream over for the finishing touch. Amy curtsied deeply to her lady-in-waiting, also dressed up in her finery as a ball attendant, and the young girl pinned a circular, golden crown on Amy's head. The spires of the crown stood like a halo, and cast radiant light around the room. Amy looked like a Queen unlike anything the world had ever seen before.

"Well I'll be damned," Rouge said with a mischievous grin. "If I were a dashing thief and I got a load of you right now, I think I just might have to steal you away from this party tonight, you look like such a treasure."

Amy whirled around to look at the woman, agape. "How'd you know about…"

"Blaze told me all about your charming little thief," Rouge said with a playful waggle of her brow. "Girl talk. Don't worry, I won't tell. I'm a romantic deep, deep down, honey. I would never get in the way of your steamy affair!"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'steamy affair'," Amy protested.

"Suuure it isn't. Now c'mon, darling," Rouge said, laughing and looping her arm into Amy's. "Let's go meet your pretty boy knight when he arrives."

Shadow stood solemnly at the center of the garden as the sun set around him. He had arrived back from the mission earlier in the day but taken the afternoon to make himself presentable to royalty and finer society. Now, waiting patiently for his ward to arrive, he spared a glance around the area for anything odd or out of place.

He tsked in annoyance.

There was a spot on his decorative armor - a tiny smudge of dirt on one of his shoulder plates. He scowled, mood ruined. This was why he always did it himself.

"Shadow!" Amy called. She rounded the corner and broke into a run the moment she saw him, arms open wide.

Shadow turned to her - he looked annoyed. Amy laughed aloud at his familiar expression and embraced him, breathless, awash in the golden sunset. Relief crashed down on her as he allowed her the rare space to hold him. Now, she didn't have to go through the night alone - not entirely. Having him back felt like having her confidence back. He was the one person who seemed to always, unconditionally believe in her. The one person she never had to kneel before.

Shadow barely betrayed a smile as he pulled out of her arms, but she kept hold of his hands as they stepped away to look each other over.

"Well, don't you look nice," Amy said. "But… you missed a spot." She pointed teasingly to the dirt on his shoulder plate, and Shadow scowled.

"Ladies - Princesses - should not be running or hugging men unsupervised," he scolded. "Nor should they be wearing pants."

"Just tell me you missed me, jerk," she smiled.

The corners of Shadow's lips turned up. He let go of her and bowed a deep, reverential bow.

"You look simply magnificent, your highness," Shadow said. He, himself, looked pretty dashing in his decorative armor - handsome and sharp. The plate was lighter and more ornate than his usual, more functional suit, and he carried no helmet. His sword had been replaced with an ornamental saber in the colors of the Rose Kingdom.

"I missed you, too," Amy said. She took the knight's face in her hands and shook him gently. He tore himself away from her almost immediately, but Amy stayed close. "There's so much to catch up on!" she said. "How was Babylon? And your journey? Did you like my letters? Did you have any good duels while you were away?"

"We'll have time for talk later, your highness - for now we should get you to your father's side," Shadow said, falling almost too easily back into his usual calculated distance with her.

Amy pouted.

"Come on, let me stall with you for just a bit!" she begged. "You just got here, you owe me at least one tale from your time in Babylon!"

Shadow resisted the itch to rub at the dirt on his armor and instead offered her his elbow. "Stalling is for people who are afraid - for people who are uncertain of an outcome and therefore have need to delay it. There is no need for you to stall."

"Feels like there is, actually," Amy said. She lifted her hand, but didn't take his arm.

"Your majesty," Shadow said, his voice still just as cold and even as ever. "I'll be right behind you the whole night, I swear to you on my honor. You need only signal and I'll be there to…"

"Rescue the Princess?" Amy said, sticking her tongue out at him and crossing her eyes.

"If that is what the Princess desires," Shadow said, unamused as usual, "then yes."

Amy looped her hand into his arm, her mother's ruby ring gleaming gently on her finger. Shadow took a step forward as if to lead them back inside, but found he was stuck.

Amy had dug her heels in. She didn't budge even an inch.

"I'm not… ready," she said quietly. Amy looked up at her oldest friend, truly afraid. "I know it's childish and dumb, and you can tell me that I'm being a coward all you like… But I just don't want to do it," she confessed.

Shadow hesitated. Comfort was something he usually avoided having to give, but tonight - back in his home and back with her - there was something warm that bloomed deep in his chest. Watching over Amy was the thing he knew how to do best in the world. He knew this woman and her life as well as he knew his own. Though highly improper and against his very nature, Shadow realized that he knew inherently and exactly how to comfort Amy. And, even stranger, he wanted to. Tonight - on this night that he knew would be hard for her - he allowed himself, for once, not only to protect the Princess, but to comfort his friend.

"You will do wonderfully, Amy," he said. He placed his hand over hers, still tucked in his elbow, and leaned in to give them an approximation of privacy. "Even I can see looking at you now - in two months, you are… different. I have always known you to be an undeniable force, but everyone in that room will know it tonight, too. There is no man here who can hurt you - not under my watch. You deserve to show them who you are. Show them you are… their future Queen."

Shadow took her hand and raised it to his lips gently. Amy blinked hard and nodded, doing her best to let his words sink deep into her skin and harden over her heart like armor.

"I'm so glad you're back," Amy said quietly, and she meant it.

Shadow tugged her forward, only one step at first. And then just like that, they were walking toward the party.

"It will be over soon enough," he assured her.

Amy smiled weakly. "You know, you've changed, too. I'm shocked you haven't said more about the pants."

Shadow straightened himself up - brief warmth completely gone. He walked with the cold precision of a professional, staring dead ahead.

"You are mistaken to think I didn't expect something like this from you," he said, his voice low. "Of all the irrevocably, life-threateningly stupid things you could have done while I was away, pants seem blessedly innocuous. I take my small victories where I can get them."

Amy winced. Right. She had secrets. So very many secrets. She was even wearing a pin for and from the man she loved; lying to Shadow boldly and unapologetically - right under his nose. As they entered the ballroom, the familiar self-hatred she had begun to feel reached a boil.

The party was the picture of splendor. The standing candelabras were draped in ivy, the flower arrangements were spotted with wildflowers and greenery, the lighting was warm, and the orchestra plucked out lilting melodies that were so entrancing they managed to settle Amy's nerves just a bit.

Amy had transformed the room into a place that felt enchanted and incandescent - a perfect little slice of the Kingdom, reminiscent of her glen lit up by stars. There was nothing gauche or pretentious about the decor, nothing too much or out of place. Amy had planned her own self the most thoughtful, most spectacular sentencing she could ever dream of.

She felt angry. This party; all the attendees - they didn't deserve her best. But Amy didn't know how to give anything but exactly that, in everything she did. She loved how beautiful it all looked sincerely, and she hated that it was she who had made it so just as much.

The King turned from admiring the room to greet her, immediately and visibly disappointed.

"Father," Amy said, standing tall. "Doesn't this party look wonderful?" she asked innocently.

The King sputtered at her in disbelief. "Amelia, this is not proper attire for a royal ball," he said.

Amy clutched tight to Shadow's arm. Shadow stared straight forward; just another suit of armor among many lining the room.

"And why not?" she asked. "The dressmaker you hired said this style is couture - of a new era. It's a statement! Something to help me stand out for… the suitors. Something to tell them exactly what kind of Queen they'll be getting."

The King narrowed his eyes.

"I suppose," he said, "if it's what the dressmaker said."

"I'm here, Father, aren't I?" Amy said with a sigh, turning to gesture widely at the room. "I've planned your perfect party, I'll be engaged soon enough to the man you approve. I've given you everything you've asked of me. So I'll wear what I want, just for tonight. That is all I ask of you."

"Amelia... whatever you may think, I am not completely heartless," the King said. "You're my daughter, for the love of Gaia. I don't like to see you so miserable all the time. But you must understand - this is how it has to be. That is all it is. If you could just… understand that, then this would all be so much easier for you."

"So you've said, father," Amy said. "So you've said."

She took her place by the King's side without another word, her rage fueling her silence. Shadow stayed behind them both, hand on the hilt of his saber. He nodded to her as she looked back at him one last time.

Then the doors opened with theatrical grandeur, the orchestra struck up, and the herald proudly announced the first arrival.

Amy took a deep breath. This was it. The single greatest test of strength she would ever have to face had begun.

The ambush on the roads went smoothly and easily. Sonic felt no guilt leaving the Archduke of the Court of Marble and his men dazed and tied to a tree - it was just one less angry, entitled Lord that Amy would have to dance with that night.

Sonic pulled the Archduke's clothes on piece by uncomfortable piece. There was just so much of it: a cavalier shirt with billowing sleeves, a deep blue tunic and leather belt, pants and long socks and frills, frills, frills.

The ruff at his neck was no bandana, and the matching navy cloak slung over one of his shoulders was heavy and hot. But at least the man's cavalier hat would keep any party-goers from getting too good a look at him. And the boots fit Sonic perfectly, much to his disgust. It felt too easy. The shoes were a reminder that the powers that be were bored and cruel, and his life was truly nothing but a toy to be played with for entertainment.

Inside the castle gates, they slipped into the courtyard to hide while the sun went down. They watched party-goers parade up the stairs in their heavy finery in terse, unimpressed silence. When finally it was dark enough, Tails and Knuckles discarded their stolen coachmen hats and coats and made their way into the castle through a cellar. Sonic watched them go warily, hopeful that he would see them again soon. He hid alone in the courtyard until nighttime fully set in, watching Amy's window in case she happened to go out on her balcony.

He got nothing. Of course the shoes fit perfectly, but her room stayed dark.

He rubbed his eyes and sighed in frustration. He was such a fucking idiot, and this night would be miserable. But he knew he really only had himself to blame for that.

As he pulled his hat low and finally entered the castle, he was in complete shock and awe. The room smelled verdant and spicy, like cardamom and pine. The light glittered on the walls in crystal refractions. The music floated around him like the backing of a dream. And there, in the back of the room standing before the throne -

"The guest of honor - Princess Amelia Rose of the Rose Kingdom!" the herald cried.

She was a divine being. Too beautiful for him to look at, too tempting for him to look away. She was like something from a prophecy or myth. The delight of his heart, and the harbinger of his downfall.

Sonic could only stare helplessly from far, far away, completely paralyzed under the beam of her radiance.

The room burst into enthusiastic applause. Amy smiled at the enormous crowd and bowed deeply to them all. A few people next to Sonic murmured about how completely ridiculous the Princess was behaving. Pants aside, apparently she was supposed to curtsy. Sonic smiled - just like the Amy he knew to have a bit of fun when she could.

The orchestra began to play a slow and indulgent waltz, and suitors swarmed Amy instantly.

She peered down at all the men holding out their hands. This first batch, she knew, were the desperate ones. They smelled strongly of expensive colognes; their smiles were strained and eager. They didn't want her status, they needed it.

Amy glanced up from the sea of offered hands to see the more well-off men standing in the back of the ballroom, sipping drinks and flirting with the wait staff. They would come to her later, expecting her to swoon as soon as they offered a dance. Perhaps, Amy thought, it would be best if her potential husband came from this first group of men - the ones eager to please. She took the first hand she found and let herself be led out onto the floor to dance.

Sonic watched from the sidelines of the ballroom as Amy danced her first dance, and then her next, and then her next. He was astounded by her stamina - her ability to smile through the bullshit was inspiring and unexpected. It put him off, seeing her look and act so Princessly. He hated to see her spirit so restrained. Once or twice he almost couldn't help himself and nearly jumped in early to steal her away from some of the more handsy suitors. But Amy handled herself beautifully. Sonic smiled as she stepped purposefully on a few deserving toes and quickly separated from dance partners who she clearly found boring.

He felt guilty. He was appeased watching it all. Imagine if she had to actually get engaged to one of these men, he thought. He really was doing her a favor, in a way.

Eventually Sonic found Tails by the entremet table dressed in an ornate, golden outfit, standing with his arms behind his back.

"Looking good out there?" Sonic asked, and Tails sighed out his anxiety.

"Nothing too hard for us to get through, far as I can see," Tails whispered. "There's a few guards by the courtyard doors that might cause some trouble, since that's our exit strategy, but it's nothing a little distraction can't handle." Tails flashed a homemade gadget from in his pocket and Sonic nodded.

"I'll signal you both when the countdown is on," Sonic said. "Go straight back to camp after setting off the distraction, and I'll meet you there with Amy. Both of you start working on Scourge as best you can until I get there."

Tails didn't acknowledge him. He stared contemplatively through the dense crowd at Amy. "Strange, isn't it," he said, "to see her like this."

"Very," Sonic said. He turned to watch her dance.

"But the party is nice," Tails said. "It's all very… her. If the occasion weren't so grim, I'd think the night might be… kind of fun."

Sonic nodded. Tails was right, he supposed. If everyone else in the room was gone, and it were only he and Amy... If he was here and if he was someone with a capital 's'; if he had nothing to do, no agenda but to woo a Princess, well… Maybe tonight would have been the kind of night where people fell in love.

Sonic found Knuckles leaning against a wall in a corner. He wore the same getup as Tails, but he didn't even pretend to be trying to blend in with the staff. Instead he was - Sonic thought he was dreaming for a moment - chatting with a woman.

The brassy bat leaned over Knuckles with one arm against the wall, a power move if ever Sonic had seen one. She was incredibly auspicious, the only other woman in the room wearing pants like Amy. Sonic's eyes bugged as he watched Knuckles chuckle and rub the back of his neck gingerly. She leant forward and shoved his shoulder with a laugh.

Sonic halted in his tracks just to watch them, stunned. Oh boy, was he going to hold this over Knuckles' head when they spoke next. But for the time being, Sonic let them be. He had fraternized with a noblewoman every night for the last several months. He owed it to Knuckles to let him have his turn.

Sonic floated among the nobility like a speck of dust - nobody questioned his presence, no one cared to interact with him. It was almost hilarious how easy it was to slip into the background of fine society. Though, he supposed, fading away - to them - was like death itself. He was probably the only person in the room who didn't want to stand out. Once, a few women giggled at him as he walked by. He just bowed politely and moved on. He had no appetite for flirting.

He rejoined the onlookers to watch Amy. More party-goers had joined the dance, and Amy was still at the center dancing with partners that changed as easily as trends. Though she had no idea he was there, the longer he watched her the more everyone and everything else melted away except for the two of them.

Suddenly, Amy nodded behind her, signaling to someone in the crowd that she needed a rest. Some older bird was reaching for her hand, but it was swiftly captured by a knight, who effortlessly took over the dance from her previous partner. Sonic scowled, and so did every other suitor who had been waiting.

Now there were three people in the room, much to his annoyance. There was himself, there was Amy, and there was this unwelcome knight. Shadow, he had to presume.

Shadow pulled Amy into his arms easily. His expression was so severe that not a single other suitor dared approach them as they finished out the remainder of the dance together.

Amy smiled up at him, glad to be in the arms of a friend. "You going to talk to me or…?"

Shadow didn't even spare her a glance. "It would be scandalous to speak so familiarly with the Princess in front of a crowd," he said in a whisper so stern it sounded like a growl.

"Well then, I'll do the talking," Amy said. Shadow tightened his grip around her, letting her put her weight on him to ease the ache in her feet.

"Not so loud," Shadow said. He lifted her off the ground by her waist and set her down gently, careful of her skirt.

"I've been thinking a lot about… the Kingdom recently. And about how hard I'll have to fight to win the right to lead it," Amy said, pausing as they separated to waltz with the other guests in a tight circle. She smiled at him, teasing, when they came back together. "I have to win the Tournament now, Shadow - and I'm sorry, but since you're so stubborn about competing this year, I think you know that means I'm going to have to kick your a-"

"Hush," Shadow scolded under his breath. They circled each other one final time, and he finally took his eyes off of the room to look at her. As the song finished, Shadow spun Amy into his arms and straight into an expert dip. She laughed as her head fell back, and Sonic could feel his heart ache watching them from afar. They looked like a proper pair - like they went together. They looked of the same world. And he… he was a fraud.

Shadow bowed deeply to Amy as everyone applauded.

"I… have something to tell you about the Tournament. But not here," Shadow said in the cover of the applause. Though the orchestra continued on, and a few men moved forward as if to pull Amy into another dance, Shadow took her arm in his and swiftly led her off of the floor.

As the knight and the Princess exited the room, Sonic watched them go with a sinking feeling. The first step of the plan was upon him. It was time for him to seal his fate; make another choice that he could never take back.

Sonic looked for Knuckles and Tails as he grabbed two glasses of champagne off a passing tray. Knuckles was nowhere to be found, much to Sonic's amusement, but he signaled to Tails that phase one of the evening was officially being enacted. Tails nodded sadly, and the energy Sonic had regained from seeing Amy began to seep out of him slowly; terribly.

Sonic found Shadow and Amy sitting on a bench in the garden. He crouched silently behind a sculpted topiary, and set to work emptying the cursed vial from Espio into one of the glasses of champagne. His ears pricked as he strained to listen in on their quiet conversation.

"I'm happy to hear your mission was a success," Amy said. "Sitting around for two months just… occupying a place sounds so boring to me. I'd be itching for action or entertainment - anything!"

"Time passes, and one minute feels much like the next," Shadow replied. "But, you will show me tomorrow what you worked on while I was gone?"

"Certainly!" Amy laughed. She flexed her feet and pulled her crown off carefully. "You'll be so impressed. Though, I don't want to give away all my secrets. These days, I really feel like the only person I could possibly lose the tournament to is… you."

There was a beat of silence. Sonic stopped his work to listen, curious.

He heard the scraping of armor and his heartbeat picked up. He chanced a glance around the topiary.

To his horror, Shadow was on a knee in front of Amy. Sonic turned away with a hand over his mouth to stifle his indignant gasp. What did the bastard think he was doing?

"I've been thinking all night…" Shadow began. "When I wrote that letter to you, I felt serious at the time that I would compete in the Tournament. But… seeing you carry yourself so proudly tonight I…" Shadow placed a fist over his heart in a solemn promise. Amy's heart stopped.

"You will not have to prove yourself against me at the tournament," Shadow said. "You have proven yourself in droves to me - last year since we started training, but even before then. For as long as I have known you, I have known that you would one day not only be my Queen, but the sole ruler of this land. I will not enter the tournament as your enemy, Amy. I will enter the tournament as your second. And it will be the honor of my lifetime."

Sonic clenched a fist in the dark, his hand still over his mouth, and seethed. That was his position. He didn't deserve to feel annoyed at the knight - he knew that. Shadow had protected her tirelessly, and that was more than what Sonic was here to do. But still, bitterness pricked at him like acid in his stomach.

"Oh, Shadow," Amy said.

She pressed her hands to her chest, and her fingers brushed against the silk forget-me-not. She looked adoringly at her longtime friend. For a second, Amy thought about saying yes - maybe asking Sonic to support her from the stands. Having Shadow as her second was a good idea. It was probably even the smarter, more politically apt choice. But she knew she couldn't accept his offer. Her heart wanted only one man to stand behind her on the day of the Tournament. Her breath quickened as she took Shadow's hand from his chest. She made up her mind - she'd have to tell him.

"Shadow, I -"

There was a loud crash from somewhere deep in the garden. She and Shadow both jumped to attention at the sound, rattled out of their moment.

"Stay here," Shadow commanded, and strode off with frightening speed.

Amy exhaled, deep and loud, and sat back onto the stone bench.

"Well, that guy seems like an absolute bore," Sonic said. He stepped out from behind the brush, champagne in hand.

Amy gasped and whirled around, eyes alighting when she saw him.

"Sonic! You - you're - how -"

"How do I look this incredible? I know, I'm speechless myself." He grinned and leaned forward, winking at her from under his hat.

Amy rushed to him without another word and threw her arms around him.

"You know we… just saw each other last night," Sonic said softly. But he blushed. He was so relieved to hear in her voice how happy she was to see him. To be the one wrapped up in her overly enthusiastic embrace.

"I was so worried about you," Amy said, holding him close. "Are you - I mean - Sonic, I'm so sorry if last night you weren't -"

She stopped short, like she had only just realized that he was actually there - in the castle, at her ball. She pushed him away from her in a panic. "Sonic," she said seriously, "what are you doing here? This is… I'm glad to see you, but this is just reckless. You should… go. You could even… wait for me, in my room, if you wanted?"

"You want me to?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Go, I mean?"

"No, no... Of course I don't." Amy waved that silly idea away. "But this is a royal ball filled with guards and Shadow -"

"Shadow isn't nearly enough reason to keep me from coming to wish you a happy birthday, Ames," he said, working overtime to keep his voice light and easy.

Sonic took a deep breath - the most painful breath he had ever taken - and held the venomous glass of champagne out to her.

It's just one night, he reminded himself. And she won't have to get engaged.

"So... happy birthday," he said. He forced a smile.

"You know, you're actually the first person today to tell me that," Amy said, and took the offered drink.

Sonic raised his glass. His arm felt like lead.

"Well then, a toast to you," he said. "To the birthday girl."

Amy smiled and raised her glass, and they toasted her amiably, taking deep swigs of champagne.

In the instant her glass touched her lips, Sonic severed himself from his heart for the last time. He had just stabbed everything they had built together through with a knife. The process of bleeding out together would be nothing but messy, slow agony. He had no use for his heart anymore. He hated it.

"I needed that," Amy said, her cheeks flush from the alcohol.

"That bad out there, huh?" Sonic asked, taking her glass back. "I could always get you another."

Amy shook her head. "I need to keep my wits about me if I'm going to make it through the night, but thank you." She sat down and looked up at him.

"Sonic," Amy said, afraid to scare him off again, "I want to make sure that, about last night - you're -"

"I'm fine," Sonic said, reaching up to pull at his bandana. It, of course, wasn't there, and he fidgeted uncomfortably. "Really Amy, I just got - it's… hard to explain. And we have time tonight - save me a dance in, say, an hour?" he asked.

"Oh, you have plans for the next hour?" Amy said. She felt bittersweet looking at him, so handsomely done up. At least he seemed alright - back to his usual tricks and charm. But she didn't want him to be just 'alright.' She didn't want his usual charm.

"Of course," Sonic said. "I get a chance to cause some trouble at a fancy party, and you think I came here just for you?"

"Yes," Amy said. "In fact I know, with absolute certainty, that you came here just for me."

She was right. He had. And even if he didn't have to be here to kidnap her and break her heart - he probably still would have come to see her anyway. And then…

This was the only way it could've gone for him, he suddenly realized. If he had come to see her and be with her on this horrible night, surely he still would have had to take her away from this terrible place and all these terrible people. He would have had to take her to their glen, or to his home, or anywhere at all that was away from here to live out the next month in peace together. He was a thief, after all. To steal was all he knew.

Sonic set the champagne glasses down and offered her his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up off the bench. As she stood, her toe clipped the cobblestone and she stumbled forward. She gasped as she fell into Sonic's chest. Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around her waist, and his other hand flew to steady his hat as he took a step back to absorb their momentum.

"Watch yourself," Sonic said with a quiet laugh. She captivated him. She looked at him like she wanted to take him into the shadows and never return to the party. Like she would go away with him if only he would ask. The brim of his hat dipped low as he met her gaze and leaned into her.

"What's this?" he asked with a satisfied smirk. He pulled the petals of the silk pin through his fingers, his hand dancing over her collarbone.

"Oh, nothing," Amy teased. "Just something to help me remember what - who this is all for. A reminder of what I could and will have if I just… keep fighting for it."

"Have I…" Sonic tried to snap himself out of it, but they were too close to each other for him to remember where he was. "Have I mentioned yet how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Actually," Amy said, with a tempting smile, "you didn't."

"Sincerest apologies, my Lady. Allow me to rectify that," Sonic murmured. His hand moved up, his fingers brushed the side of her neck. "You're… gorgeous." The words came out of his mouth like a growl, deep and uncontrollable. He saw her swallow hard and couldn't decide whether to kiss her or to weep - maybe he'd just have to do both.

The clanging of armor woke them from their trance, and in an instant Sonic was free of her and walking briskly back into the party.

Amy heaved an enormous sigh and tried to will the heat out of her body as he left her alone. An hour… a dance. The wait would be agonizing.

"Your highness," said Shadow, "are you alright? Shall we return to the party?"

"Yes," Amy practically squeaked. She went quietly back into the ballroom on his arm. Suddenly, the night didn't seem quite so unbearably horrible to her.

Sonic found a secluded spot by a pillar and closed his eyes, leaning on his forearm like he might vomit. He heaved a dry, shallow sob, his breathing fully out of his control.

There was nothing he could do now, he reasoned with himself. It was done. He should be able to let it go. And hadn't he just thrown his heart away? It shouldn't still feel like this. It shouldn't still feel this hard.

He stayed there for a long while, doubled over and heaving like a drunkard, begging quietly that Chaos or Gaia or whoever out there was listening would strike him down right where he stood so it really would be done, once and for all.

In a cruel act of divine comeuppance, he was granted no such mercy.