Chris gently guided Shadow through the foliage, being careful not to injure the hedgehog further. He wanted to ask what happened, where he was all this time, but he swallowed his questions. Shadow needed help, not confrontation.
Chris' parents eyes widened when they noticed him walking towards them. They ran up to him, smiling in relief, but they stopped short when they saw the black and red hedgehog with him.
Lindsay cleared her throat, giving her son a look, "Christopher Thorndyke, you know that Sonic has to leave in order to stabilize Earth." Chris gave her a look right back.
Why is she starting to become a parent now? He held his tongue and answered her.
"Mom, this isn't Sonic. I swear he left already. This is Shadow." His father gasped in astonishment.
"The one that saved the Earth a few months ago?! But I thought he was…"
Chris nodded, "I thought so too. But he needs help…and has no where else to go."
The hedgehog in question held tighter to Chris' sleeve, using all of his willpower to focus on the adults. Nelson looked at the two of them and sighed. He wordlessly gestured them to the car.
Chris looked back down at Shadow, gently coaxing him into the car. "Come on Shadow. It's okay, I promise."
Soft blue eyes filled with parental gentleness gazed at him. A gentle hand held out to him. A caring girls' voice calling to him.
"Come on Shadow. It's okay, I promise."
Shadow sighed, slowly allowing Chris to settle him into the car.
…
Shadow awoke harshly, letting out a grunt. Chris held his hands out, blue eyes a mix of surprise and concern. "We're here, Shadow. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Shadow stared at the boy for a few seconds before nodding.
Both boy and hedgehog trudged toward the house, the both of them not paying attention to Tanaka, Ella, or Chucks' astonished expressions as an alive Shadow walked past them.
Chuck turned toward his son, "Is that-?"
Nelson nodded, "A long lost hedgehog who saved the world back from the dead? Yes."