Chapter 12

Hi, dear reader! I hope you are doing well. I hope I posted this new chapter sooner than you expected, and that you didn't have to wait long. I know I am making you wait and I'm sorry! I have some free time in the days and weeks ahead, so I hope to write more chapters and post them quicker, if the Lord wills.

I really want to finish this fan fiction, so even if it takes me a long time to update it, please don't be discouraged. Remember, I always have you in mind as I write :D

I love you all!

Sonic stepped into Amy's ward. It was now close to bedtime and he didn't want to startle her in case she was getting ready for bed. While he was making his way over to the hospital, he had been trying to think of what he would say to her once he saw her. He knew he wanted to apologize, and so he felt that would be the best thing to do first and trusted that, perhaps, everything else would follow afterward.

But what would he say? How would he explain his actions? And even if he did manage to explain himself to her, what would she say in return - would she understand? What if the distance he had been keeping from her for the past week caused the painfully familiar rift to reappear between them? It was made wide enough by his own folly when he didn't see her at all for a month, but although he had paid her short visits this time at least, he still had his doubts.

What if she hesitated to allow him to get close to her again? She had forgiven him once, but would she do it again?

If she doesn't, it would be all my fault…

Sonic sighed. Indeed, he knew it would be his fault if that happened. He had avoided her for an entire month when she needed him, and now here he was wanting to spend proper time with her again after keeping his distance for a full week - simply because he was afraid of falling in love with someone who wouldn't love him back, thus proving that he thought more of himself than of her and her needs. He wondered what would happen if Amy went through that pain again when neither he nor Shadow were around, or anyone else.

Sonic realized he couldn't risk staying away from her for futile reasons such as wondering what her feelings were toward him. He knew what mattered most was her safety; her healing. Whether or not she chose to forgive him a second time was up to her, but he knew he wanted to apologize nevertheless.

And after that? What if she doesn't want to talk to me anymore…?

Sonic felt that familiar ache in his heart - an ache that was caused by the possibility of Amy slipping away from him, becoming distant and foreign. Amy Rose - the girl whom he was now falling in love with more and more - would he ever get to call her his own?

But how could he, if all he did was avoid her rather than spend time with her? Sonic longed for her presence just then and wanted to talk to her, feeling surprised yet again at this desire when all he had ever wanted in the past was to stay away from her. He knew his feelings toward his pink friend were honest and sincere, so he didn't want to shy away from expressing them to her, especially now that he had put it out in the open.

Since Tails and Knuckles both knew, the blue hero felt it wouldn't be easy to keep it a secret from Amy for long - what with Knuckles' constant teasing and Tails' excitement. Sonic chuckled softly at the thought and shook his head. He was so thankful he had them - his best friends - friends with whom he could be himself, be vulnerable and open. They were friends he could trust and always count on.

Back at Resistance HQ, Sonic had felt overjoyed when they cheered him and supported him when he finally told them what he felt toward Amy. He had been expecting it, but when it actually happened, it made his heart soar and it further motivated him to pursue the female whom he loved, for he knew his two friends would stick by him no matter what happened, and that brought him comfort.

If Amy chose not to return his feelings for her, he would learn to be content and cheer her on as her best and closest friend. Yes, he would do that - even if it broke his heart. But that was who Sonic was - he was always ready to sacrifice for his friends, not just his life, but possibly in this case, even his heart.

Sonic, therefore, put on a confident smile as he turned to look at her in the ward once he walked in. He then couldn't help but sigh in relief at the sight of Amy fast asleep in bed. At the same time, however, he felt slightly disappointed too. He wanted to get the hard conversation over with quickly but now knew he had to wait. But he straightened up at the thought that he might be able to speak to her more easily in the morning once she was awake. He decided he would use the time he had now to prepare himself.

As Sonic approached her bed, he noticed faint signs of fatigue on her face and wondered if something had gone wrong earlier that night. Concerned, he gently sat down on the chair beside her bed.

As it was quite late in the night, the blue hedgehog didn't come across any nurses who cared for Amy from whom he could gather any details of anything that might have taken place, so he hoped she would be alright once she awoke so he could ask her. He didn't want to wake her from her sleep, so he made as little noise as he could. He even silenced his communicator so Amy wouldn't stir or wake up in case anyone called him, but he decided to keep an eye on it in case Tails or Knuckles needed him.

The blue hero then turned to glance at the open window and smiled in contentment as a cool, refreshing breeze blew in. The night was quiet and peaceful, and most of Emerald City was asleep. The clear sky above allowed him to see a few bright stars that shone - displaying their quiet beauty to those who noticed them. Sonic breathed in the fresh air with content for he knew it would be good for Amy, so he was thankful for it. He was also thankful that ever since she arrived at the hospital, the weather had been pleasant.

At that very moment, however, he felt like going on a run. Years of running and chasing badniks has made the speedster crave for the wind rushing past as he ran; he always did. It truly was a feeling he loved and something he loved to share.

Share?

Sonic turned his gaze toward Amy Rose. His eyes softened at the sight of her delicate, sleeping frame as a smile crept on his lips. He didn't realize how much he missed seeing her until then, and although he had stopped by twice that week briefly with Tails, he didn't stay long enough to have a conversation with her. He had looked for a reason to leave as quickly as he had come, knowing that one proper glance at his lovely pink friend would remind him of his feelings for her when he had been trying to forget them.

But he now realized he didn't want to forget; he wanted to hold them close to his heart. Chuckling, the handsome Mobian hero leaned onto her bed and watched her sleeping peacefully, finding her gentle breathing reassuring.

How and why he started developing feelings for her was still a mystery. He wanted to know why, but he knew he had been seeing her differently ever since she started maturing. He no longer felt the need to run away from her like he once used to, feel frustrated at her, or even ask Tails to distract her for him. He felt he could stay by her side comfortably for longer than five minutes without worrying about her; and the longer he stayed, the more he got to know her, and the more he drew closer…

Why didn't I ever notice her before?

Sonic realized, especially during the restoration period, how Amy was not as tiresome as he had thought she was. He started noticing things about her that he had never seen before: her charm, her lovely compassionate nature, her innocence, and her strength. Sonic even began to adore her smile, her laugh, and her graceful feminine gestures. He was also proud of her strength and fearless attitude when faced with danger of any kind - traits that were particularly evident when she had vowed to fight the negative chaos energy within her and not be weakened by it. He had admired her when she said that, and he couldn't deny having felt his heart tug with warm affection. He smiled. She was, in many ways, very special.

I think you two would look great together!

Sonic's face flushed with embarrassment at the memory of his young two-tailed best friend saying that. He was thankful Amy was asleep so she wouldn't have to see his muzzle turning a rosy pink. He couldn't help feeling glad at Tails' remark, but he shook his head sadly.

I shouldn't think that way. We might never end up being together. Although…

Sonic didn't finish the thought as he looked at Amy once again. He let out a sigh. He wanted to be with her but was happy to let that desire go if she didn't want it.

Whatever you want, Ames.

With a deep sigh, the blue hero sat back against his chair and yawned. He felt his eyes grow heavy with sleep and tried to keep himself awake for a little longer. He watched Amy and smiled, thankful that she was safe. He would always look after her. He wasn't going to stay away from her anymore, no matter what happened.

And a few minutes later, Sonic was asleep.

-xxx-

It was now close to midnight and a crescent moon shone dimly through dark clouds that sailed slowly past it. Except for a few night owls and birds, the city and forests were mostly quiet.

A few miles away from Emerald City, inside a cave surrounded by a thick forest, a female cat was busy narrating her scheme to free a dangerous prisoner. She was surrounded by some of her closest and trusted allies as she narrated her plan to their listening ears while ignoring their widened eyes and troubled expressions.

They had been listening to her plan for nearly twenty minutes, and it was complete with dates, times, procedures, tools, and various other details that went into the ill-purposed expedition. Although the plan seemed to have been well concocted at a glance, she seemed to have missed out on some vital facts and potential dangers that could cost their making it through alive - this was what caused her allies to worry.

Although they have been able to avoid Sonic and his large-knuckled friend so far and even trap them in their nets, her listeners were beginning to realize that when it came to large-scale plans such as freeing a prisoner, she was much too hasty and excited. They had hoped it would be a well-thought-out scheme as they had been looking forward to it excitedly for many months, but after tonight, they felt that was unlikely to happen.

A few of them were brave enough to convey it through their expressions, hoping she would read them and stop to ask them what the matter was; whereas some either looked away or cast nervous glances at one another. They knew better than to interrupt her so they decided to wait until she was finished.

Whether or not their female leader noticed their uneasiness is uncertain. But even if she did, she knew she was going to go through with her plan no matter what they did to try and convince her otherwise. Besides, she was running out of time. She had thought about her plan for many days and nights without consulting anyone - and she felt certain that her plan was fool-proof and well thought out. She could almost hear the Doctor commending her and smiled secretly in delight. She was much too excited to even think about the dangers that lay within her scheme that for the first time, her allies felt doubtful about her leadership.

When she had finally narrated her plan and stopped, she expected them to clap and cheer, saying how brilliant she was. Instead, she was met with disappointment much to her confusion.

'But chief,' a stout, white-furred cat responded, trying to phrase his sentence as respectfully as he could, for he and his comrades knew how short-tempered their female boss was. One wrong word was enough to get her angry. 'I beg your pardon but you seem to have forgotten about the risks involved in your plan, It-it seems to be very dangerous.' Despite his attempt, he paled when he caught the sharp glare that came his way.

'Do you think I am weak, Koki? Are you meaning to say that you doubt my capabilities…and T's?' She directed her glance at an intimidating tall, muscular cat who stood guard quietly by the cave's entrance with his arms folded, facing them. He didn't have any expression of worry or doubt on his face but only stared intently at the female cat before shifting his gaze to the others. The cats shuddered and turned back to look at their chief, some shifting uncomfortably where they sat while refusing to look at anyone.

'Well, Koki?'

'N-no, chief. I do not doubt either of you.' he stammered without looking at her.

That ended any further questioning from anyone else despite their concerns and hesitations. They had learned long ago from when they first joined that anything they stated as an opinion was unlikely to be considered at all. If there ever was an extremely rare occasion when something they said was considered, it was taken to be a huge achievement on their part. Nevertheless, they always kept their expectations low.

'Good. We start our preparations tomorrow before sunrise. For now, get some rest. All of you.'

They all got up on their feet and shuffled to their makeshift beds made of straw where they each lay down with heavy hearts. The female cat lay down on her straw mat without glancing at anyone. She shut her eyes with a small smile on her lips as she looked forward to the next day when she could finally start working out her plan. She knew she needed to put things into action sooner rather than later, and so it had to begin. Time was running out, what with them being chased by Sonic and his angry red friend, Knuckles. She was tired of running away from them and wanted to get things over with.

After all, she thought, what was there to wait for? They had the seven powerful Chaos emeralds in their grasp. All they had to do was get them to the Doctor who would then use them to escape and reestablish his quest to defeat Sonic and his friends, and after that, conquer Mobius.

Taking a deep breath, she smiled with evil delight and soon fell asleep, dreaming of a day when she would be standing beside the Doctor as his treasured assistant instead of those two lousy robots.

Only T - the big tall cat - stood awake. He watched the others sleep, although he could tell most of them were still awake. They all had their backs toward him, unwilling to face him as they either slept or lay awake. He watched some shift uncomfortably on their beds.

Although he was on his boss' side, he was the only one who sensed the uneasiness of his comrades when she narrated her plan to them. He had noticed them coughing uneasily and glancing at their neighbors with fear and doubt. He had seen a few of them wipe away the sweat appearing on their foreheads. He had seen one of them partly raise his hand to interrupt her but then quickly put it down at the fierce whisper from his neighbor. He knew he had to keep an eye on them now and watch their every move.

Tough as he seemed, he oftentimes aligned differently to his boss, but then there were occasions when he didn't. Every time he agreed with her, however, he was the most faithful among them all by carrying out her orders without a moment's hesitation. He was, in many ways, her grim and silent partner.

But this was one of those rare occasions when he aligned differently to her. Just like his comrades, he was surprised by her plan. He didn't visibly express his confusion like the others, but he had thoughts against her that caused him to stiffen his gestures where he normally would have grunted in agreement.

She was hiding something. He felt it; he knew it. He could tell her plan wasn't complete although she made it seem that way. He wondered what it was that caused her to keep secrets when they had come so far after going through all the trouble of getting the Chaos emeralds.

Frustrated, he turned and eyed the wooden box kept in one corner that contained the seven powerful emeralds which they were still unable to use despite several attempts. He wondered what her plan was with them, and whatever it was, he had to be prepared; he had to be cautious.

With one last glance across the room, he turned his back to them all and stood guard at the door of the tiny cave where they were spending their night.

He was skilled at staying awake at night, and so he did.

-xxx-

Amy opened her eyes when she felt a warm beam of sunlight fall on her face. She groaned and stretched her arms with a relaxed sigh. The memories of last night came flooding to her mind just then and she remained still for a moment, trying to feel any pain in her stomach. When she found none, she relaxed, smiled, and whispered a prayer of thanks. She couldn't remember anything else from last night after feeling the warm surge of positive Chaos energy inside her. The last thing she could remember was falling and being held up by two strong hands. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

Shadow must have brought me here last night…

She then turned onto her back and upon doing so, she let out a startled gasp when she found a familiar figure leaning on the side of her bed and sleeping soundly with his head resting on his arms. Amy stared at Sonic for a brief moment wonderingly, for she hadn't expected to find him there like that, especially after not seeing him enough that week. She was starting to feel content with their relationship going back to the way it had always been since they first met, although it broke her heart as the developments from the week before had filled her with hope. But here he was again, and here he stayed.

I wonder when he stopped by last night? And I wonder what brought him here…

Smiling, Amy sat up softly and brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them. She tried to move as quietly as she could to not wake him. She then watched him silently for a while, listening to his soft snores and feeling her heart grow warm at the sight of his sleeping figure. She was surprised that she felt his absence so much more this time than she did the previous month when she hardly saw him at all.

The pink rose wondered why, and she thought that it could have been due to the few special moments they had shared recently. She blushed at the memory of his hand holding hers, of him falling asleep on her shoulder while he held her, and of the many times she found him smiling at her with loving eyes. She was never used to Sonic treating her that way, and she wondered again what was going through his heart.

Could it be…?

Amy blushed. No, she thought, it can't be.

She had accepted long ago that Sonic would never fall in love with her, and even though the realization had broken her heart countless times, she had learned to be content. It had been far more difficult when she was younger for back then, all she had ever wanted was to be with him, so settling with that possibility was, she had thought, impossible.

But as the years flew by, the more she started to accept his choices. She realized he had far more things that mattered to him than being in a relationship with her. When Amy understood that, she slowly stopped pursuing him and instead, cherished the moments simply spent near him - moments that oftentimes made her heart long for something she knew would never happen.

But then she slowly started to move on from those longings, too, and instead, started being grateful for the friendship they still shared. That was when Amy started to feel content. Sonic confessing his feelings to her had always simply been a dream - a fond dream that made her heart swell like the slow rising of a sweet musical note, but just as quickly plummet down with sadness.

Would it ever be true...?

Despite that, even though it has been many years, Amy knew she still had feelings for the famous blue hero even today. She knew she could never stay mad at him for long no matter how many times he ignored her. Unless either of them found someone else to fall in love with, Amy doubted if her feelings for Sonic would ever fade.

But then how else could she explain his recent displays of affection toward her? Amy knew he cared for her just as he did their other friends, but his actions toward her the previous week proved to be something more than just friendly.

Amy was hesitant to think that her hero might be taking a liking to her. As much as the thought brought sweet delight to her heart, she knew she would feel sad if it wasn't the case. She even wondered if Sonic showed his affection out of pity and if he would go back to his old ways as soon as she got better. She realized that could be a possibility, but even then…

Amy took a deep breath and shook her head. She knew that if Sonic had anything he wanted to say to her, he would say it eventually. She decided it would be better not to think about it too much, lest she felt disappointed afterward. She made up her mind to talk about her thoughts with Vanilla and hear what she had to say. Until then, she would be patient.

As the pink rose turned to look at Sonic again, she wondered when he had dropped by the previous night to see her. She felt touched that he chose to stay rather than leave, although she would have wanted him to sleep comfortably in his bed. She had felt slightly disappointed when it had not been Sonic last night on the terrace for she had been longing to see him, but she was later glad because she finally got to thank Shadow for what he did for her. Amy wanted to ask her hero how he had been, and what made him stay by her side overnight. She decided she would wait until he awoke.

It was then that Amy realized that he would be seeing her morning self for the first time, so she suddenly became conscious of her appearance. She lifted her hands to smoothen her disheveled quills, sensitive to what he might think when he awoke and saw her. She wished there was a mirror next to her, and wondered if she should ask Vanilla for one the next time she saw her. She knew she had to leave it as it was until she got to her washroom where she could freshen up. She kept a comb there which she could use to comb through her quills, and could use the mirror there too.

And so after casting a quick shy glance at Sonic, she carefully began to get off the bed. But just then, she heard him shift and she froze.

'Mmm…what time is it?' Sonic asked groggily.

Amy winced and looked at him. She quickly glanced at the wall clock and answered: 'Um, it's nearly eight o'clock.'

Sonic then awoke fully at the sound of her voice, feeling startled and nearly falling out of the chair. 'Whoa!' He looked at her with surprise as he regained his footing. 'Amy?'

He saw her looking back at him with wide eyes, and then shyly, she turned away from him. He had forgotten why he was there up till that point, and then it dawned on him - he was there to apologize - the thought of which suddenly filled him with dread. Was he ready? What would she say in return?

Sonic wondered if the reason why Amy looked away from him was because she was upset at him, and it brought back painful memories of when he had seen her in her apartment a week ago. She had been indifferent toward him back then which was much deserved. And now…

Sighing, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to her. In vain he tried to think of all the various apologies he had thought of last night, but they simply refused to come back to his mind. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Sonic felt strange. He had never felt this way before. He looked away from her too, feeling baffled and embarrassed.

Amy grew more shy by the minute and knew she had to get away quickly to freshen up and comb through her quills before she could embarrass herself any longer. She lifted her covers and got off the bed.

'I-I'll be back in a moment.' She stammered, and with that, she quickly made her way to the washroom without looking back at him.

About ten minutes later, Amy returned, feeling more fresh. To her surprise, Sonic had already made her bed, fluffed up her pillow, and leaned it against the wall to rest her back against while she sat. He had even opened the window wider to let more sunlight into the ward so that the entire room was now bathed in its warmth and glow. A soothing, warm breeze blew in from the window which comforted her and she could hear the sound of cheerful birds chirping outside. Sonic turned to her and smiled her favorite smile.

'Morning, Ames. Slept well?'

Amy blushed and nodded as she made her way to the bed. 'I did. What about you, Sonic?' She looked at him as he sat back down on the chair next to her. He grinned.

'It wasn't bad.'

There was a pause and the two of them looked away as if searching for what to say or ask next. Sonic was grateful for the ten minutes he got while Amy was in the restroom for it gave him some time to calm down and think about what he wanted to say to her. And so he took a deep breath and turned to look at her.

Amy looked surprised by the seriousness in his eyes, but her heart went out to him when she saw some sadness in them.

'Amy, I…I'm sorry.' he said in a soft voice. 'Again.' Sonic looked away after he said that and lowered his ears.

Amy leaned forward. 'Sonic?' She asked. 'What happened?'

The blue hero turned his emerald green eyes at her and met her steady gaze. He saw concern in them; he sighed. 'I think you already know, Amy. I've been avoiding you these days, haven't I?'

Amy leaned back as she contemplated what he just said. It was true, he had been avoiding her. She didn't know why, but she thought he was simply choosing to keep his distance from her like he usually did — like the Sonic she was used to; the Sonic she has always known. She wasn't expecting him to apologize at all, so this came as a surprise to her. She didn't know what to say at first but then smiled kindly.

'Don't worry, Sonic. I know you have important things to do. I don't want to keep you from anything that matters to you.'

You matter to me, Amy. Sonic almost said it out loud, but he stopped. He gazed into her sincere eyes and shook his head. 'No. I already ignored you for an entire month and look what happened. I was going back to being that way again. I can't let that happen.'

Amy sensed he still felt guilty over his absence the previous month, but as much as she tried, she couldn't make him feel at ease about it. She cared about what he felt and it ached her heart to know that he was hurting deep inside. But what could she do? All she could do was say reassuring words that she hoped wouldn't be empty. Amy knew what Sonic needed was a deeper healing. She prayed it would happen someday.

Amy then responded gently, 'But you're here now; you're already doing what you can to not make that happen again, Sonic. I appreciate that.' She smiled at him with tenderness.

Sonic blushed lightly. Once again, he felt something was different about her. She seemed more…stronger emotionally, and he was surprised she wasn't upset at him. Ever since he had set foot in her flat, she had been kind, and he marveled at how patient and strong she appeared to be in the midst of what she was going through. He had never known anyone to be this way and all the warmth and love she had been showing made him feel like he didn't deserve it. Yet at the same time, he felt so grateful.

Wait…Sonic thought all of a sudden. Love…?

The handsome Mobian hedgehog looked into his lovely pink friend's eyes. He had always known that she loved him, but just as he had been reasoning with Knuckles and Tails last night, he wasn't too sure if she still felt the same way. Tails had told him that she did, and although it delighted him, he didn't want to make any assumptions. After all, she never exhibited her feelings for him openly like she used to, so it wasn't clear. He sensed that she was kind and loving toward all of their other friends, not just toward him.

Sonic nodded. 'Thanks, Amy. It's also that…something could happen, you know? What if you go through that pain again when I'm not around?'

Amy giggled. 'That's alright. I have my communicator which Tails brought from my flat. He told me I can call whenever I need help so you'll know. I also have Shadow.'

Sonic's heart dropped against his will when he heard that last part. 'Shadow?' he asked in a voice barely above a whisper. He then quickly straightened up and studied her. He remembered seeing fatigue on her face the previous night just then. She looked so well when he saw her after waking that he had forgotten about it. He suddenly became concerned and curious.

'Did something happen to you last night?'

His doubts were confirmed when Amy sighed and glanced away. She never liked talking about the pain she felt as she dreaded the thought of it returning. She thought she felt a faint throb somewhere around her stomach and she wrapped her arms around it. She wanted to be honest with her hero even though she didn't want him to worry about her too much. Yet - she looked at him - he was doing all he could to help her. She was so thankful for him.

The pink rose then took a deep breath and told him what happened. She mentioned how she had wanted to get some fresh air last night and had gone up to the terrace, that she was surprised to find Shadow there, about their brief conversation, and how she had suddenly felt her pain rise so quickly.

'It's strange.' Amy continued further. 'I can't remember anything that happened after that. All I felt was extreme pain, but just as quickly, I felt so warm…' She sighed as a look of sadness flashed across her face. 'Tails told me how Shadow felt that night after he helped me. I didn't want him to feel that way again and so I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen...'

Amy suddenly looked up as her eyes filled with worry. 'Oh, Sonic, do you think he felt weak again after helping me last night? No one else was there. It was just the two of us. What if something happened to him?'

Sonic had been listening silently, feeling a weight fall upon his heart. He didn't know what to think or say about it all, but he seemed to know the answer to her question.

'No.' he replied, forcing a smile. 'I'm sure nothing bad happened to him, Amy. He wouldn't have been able to bring you back here otherwise. He's strong, you know?'

He even tucked you in bed. Sonic thought miserably, recalling how comfortable she appeared to be last night as she slept.

Amy nodded sadly. 'I know, but there is only so much he can do. He is just like us in many ways after all.'

Sonic didn't respond. He felt distracted. A question was nagging his mind and he wished Shadow was there in the ward at that moment so he could ask him and be at ease:

What was Shadow doing here last night anyway? Did he…come to see Amy?

Deep inside, Sonic was so grateful that his ebony counterpart had been there when Amy was in pain. He didn't want to think of what would have happened had he not been there. Would Amy have tried to contact Tails via her communicator? Would she have been able to?

Dear Amy…

Sonic was sincerely thankful for Shadow's gift, but what happened last night only made him doubt his own capabilities again. He felt frustrated as Tails' words from many nights ago come back to his mind:

If it had been you, Sonic, would you have made it?

If it had been him last night, could he have saved her? Could he have helped the female whom he loved? Shadow could, and he did.

As much as Sonic didn't want it, he felt that sharp pang of jealousy again. He knew that if he pushed past his limits, something terrible was likely to happen. He felt annoyed that Shadow was able to do so easily something he couldn't do, but he didn't allow those feelings to engulf his heart as he knew he had to be grateful.

But Sonic knew he could do it too if he tried. He was never someone who considered the risks involved in saving his friends - he always did what he knew was the right thing to do. And he knew that if Tails hadn't been there to stop him that night, he would have tried to save Amy. The blue hero knew he would do anything to save his friends - especially if it happened to be someone whom he so dearly loved.

'Sonic?'

Amy's gentle voice cut through his thoughts and he looked at her. She was gazing at him with concern. He smiled sadly. 'I'm so glad he was there for you, Amy. I'm sorry I wasn't there, too.'

Amy looked surprised again. She had never known Sonic to be this way before, so it made her worry for him. 'Please don't say that.' She soothed reassuringly, giving him a hopeful smile. 'What matters now is that you're here, Sonic, and that means so much to me. I'm so thankful Shadow was there last night, but he is never there as often as you are.'

Her words smote his conscience again. It was true that he was there for her more than Shadow ever was, but he had hardly been living up to that lately. Did he truly care? He knew he did; he knew he loved her.

'Well, it looks like Shadow can do for you what I can't. He can save you.' As Sonic said those words, he felt his heart break.

'Sonic -'

'I don't know if I ever can do it like he did.' He cut in. 'I know I don't have the same strength as Shadow but…' He looked at her emerald green eyes staring back at him with anticipation, and he was once again struck by how beautiful she looked. He knew then that he wouldn't stop at anything to save her. 'I won't give up. I promised I'd do everything I can to heal you, Amy, and I won't stop until I do.'

He paused when he saw the sudden look of pain that appeared on her face. Tears were welling up in her eyes. 'Don't, Sonic. Please don't try to do anything that could be dangerous.'

Sonic stared at her. He wasn't expecting to see her cry. He never liked seeing anyone cry. 'Amy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I -' He stopped and lifted a hand to comfort her, but hesitated.

'I don't want to lose you, Sonic…' she said as she wiped away a tear. 'Tails told me what you tried to do that first night. It doesn't matter if Shadow is stronger. Please don't try to match up to him. I don't want anything happening to you.'

If Sonic hadn't been thinking about matching up to Shadow, and if he hadn't been troubled by jealousy, he would have felt the innocent love behind those words that was specially meant for him. It would have been the sign he was looking for — the sign that told him she still loved him.

But he didn't notice it. Instead, he asked her carefully, 'But what if Shadow isn't around next time? I know you can call Tails but it will take him a while to get here with the fake Chaos Emerald. If I'm the only one around, I can't just watch and wait while you go through something like that. Besides,' Sonic chuckled. 'You know I don't like waiting.'

Amy nodded. When she looked up at him, her heart swelled when she saw him smiling kindly at her. She blushed and thought she saw warm affection in his eyes. She wiped away another tear that trickled down her muzzle.

'And hey, I can't let Shadow grab the spotlight all the time. I want to help you, too. I care about you, Amy.'

Amy felt her heart skip a beat when she heard those words. She looked at him with wonder and surprise. Did her hero mean what he just said? She had always longed to hear something like that from him. She did indeed know he cared about her well-being, but to hear it expressed out loud brought about a deeper meaning - a more beautiful one that tugged at her heart and caused a spring of hope to bubble up within her.

But just as quickly, she felt that sadness seep through her heart again. She couldn't bear anything happening to the only one whom she has ever loved. His desire to help her touched her and made her thank the Maker for it. Yet Amy didn't want to lose him.

'But, Sonic - '

The handsome blue speedster quickly placed a gloved finger on his lips. 'Shh, no buts, Ames. I'll be alright; I promise.' He chuckled and let his eyes stay on hers, the smile still on his lips. Amy blushed a bright pink and lowered her eyes. She felt her heart race and wanted to hide under the blanket.

Lord, what's happening?

She then heard him stand up and lifted her eyes to look at him again. He stretched. 'I should get going. Knuckles and I are going to search Prison Island today. It's the only other place where we think they could be hiding. I don't want him going off again without me.'

Amy nodded and didn't say anything. She felt his gaze fall on her again. There was a short silence between them both, but then she heard him speak.

'Smile, Amy.'

The words touched her somewhere deep and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. She felt it was about to break.

'I'll be back before you know it. Remember: just call if you need help.' He winked at her, smiling his dashing smile before turning and zooming out from the ward in a blue streak.

It was all she could take. Once he was gone, Amy finally let the tears flow. She cried for a long time - weeping tears of love and sorrow for her handsome hero. And with those tears arose fresh feelings of love; a renewed love - a kind of love that was pure, honest, and beautiful.

I love you, Sonic. Please come back to me safely.

xxx-

While Sonic and Amy were still conversing in the ward, Rouge sat on her knees on top of the Master Emerald, inspecting a small, rectangular box that was carefully sealed shut. It was only last night when the scientist, Andrii, had given it to her, warning her to handle it with care and not let it fall into the wrong hands. Despite his kindness, she had sensed some distrust in his voice, but she simply rolled her eyes at the time and took it, thanking him stiffly.

Rouge was still surprised that she had been allowed to use the top-secret item that belonged to G.U.N. She had prepared herself to hear a refusal but was, instead, met by intrigue on their part.

Rouge recalled how keen the Commander and the scientists were when she explained what was wrong with Amy. And after an hour's worth of discussion, to her surprise, she was told yes. She wondered what moved the Commander's mind to have said yes to her. But then she knew that her long-standing with G.U.N. was, in the end, what must have aided her in getting what she asked for.

Despite that, Rouge couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. She never fully trusted the Commander, nor did she agree with him in everything. Yet, she knew he wasn't a bad guy, and she hoped this project he had been overseeing would heal Amy. But she was still not sure if she made the right decision. Somewhere deep inside, she felt anxious enough that she contemplated giving it back to G.U.N., but she then shook her head. If it was dangerous, Andrii would have said so. She knew she had to try.

Rouge knew the box contained something G.U.N. had been working on for a long time. She remembered hearing the Commander mention it briefly at a meeting several years ago, and she had been curious about it ever since. Little by little, she started gathering information from the various scientists at G.U.N. and over time, although no one told her exactly what it was much to her annoyance, she found out that the project was something related to Chaos power - something meant for good and not for evil. The former jewel huntress had then shrugged it off, leaving the scientists to it as she felt it no longer warranted her attention — that is until Amy Rose got infected.

The moment Rouge heard what was inside Amy, she instantly recalled the project. She wondered if it was something that could be used to cure the pink hedgehog. The scientists did say it was meant to be used for good, didn't they?

What if that project has healing power?

Rouge, however, had brushed the thought aside, knowing she would never be allowed to have something as important as that — whatever it was. She felt silly to have even considered asking for it.

But after the events of the last few days, she knew she had to do something. Rouge knew she couldn't just watch Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails struggle while Amy suffered when she knew there was something that could possibly help them all. Knuckles had told her that he and Sonic weren't getting anywhere in finding those cats and that Amy was growing weaker as each day passed.

Rouge wrestled with the decision for some days, thankful that Knuckles wasn't around to see her looking so frustrated. As much as she dreaded asking the Commander, she knew she would feel guilty later on if something bad happened to Amy.

How could she remain silent? How could she simply pretend to not know anything about the project? Was it not worth taking the risk? Her instincts told her it would help, but she was unsure.

And then one fine day, Rouge remembered Sonic — the worry etched on his face that night when Shadow had temporarily healed Amy. It had touched her for she had never seen anyone care as deeply before. She could only imagine what Big Blue was going through in the midst of all this.

Rouge had then closed her eyes, thinking back on the day when Shadow was supposed to have died after the Space Colony ARK incident. It had hurt her so much that Sonic comforted her, even giving her the ebony hedgehog's inhibitor ring for a memory. She had clutched it so tight, grateful for the blue hero's presence by her side at the time.

When she opened her eyes, she felt sad. It troubled her to picture what Sonic would have to go through if they didn't manage to save Amy…would anyone be able to comfort Blue as easily as he did her all those years ago? She knew how much Sonic cared for his friends.

It was then that Rouge made up her mind: she knew she had to try asking the Commander; she knew she had to take the risk. Rouge was never someone who could stay silent as she watched another suffer when she knew she could do something to help. Besides, would Sonic ever forgive her if he found out? What would Knuckles even say?

Taking a deep shaky breath, Rouge gingerly placed a hand on the box and brushed her fingers against its seal, hesitating.

What if they didn't handle it well? What if it refused to work? She had promised Andrii and the Commander that she would return it safely once its use was over. But she wasn't so sure how to use it to begin with.

I'm sure the boys would know.

But what if even Sonic and Shadow couldn't control the power contained within the box? What if something terrible happened and she had to face the disapproval of Andrii? He had warned her after all, so she couldn't blame him. She dreaded what the Commander would even think. She remembered the many times she had gone against the Commander's orders back when he wanted her to hurt Shadow. Despite all that, he still agreed to work with her, and now, even trusted her with something as important as this.

Rouge let out a deep sigh. She knew she shouldn't let her fears and doubts get the better of her. After all, she wasn't doing this alone. She had Sonic and her other friends; she had Knuckles.

Taking another deep breath, she opened the box, steeling her nerves for what she was about to see.

There, lying carefully placed on a soft velvet cushion and shimmering in the light of the early morning sun, was the most beautiful gemstone she had ever seen.

I finished chapter 12! If you made it this far, thank you so much for staying with me; thank you also for being patient as well. I know I take a lot of time to upload chapters. It makes me sad and I try to do what I can speed up, although it is not so easy sometimes...

But I care about you, dear reader and friend.

And I want to finish writing this story. I'll do my best! If you've read this chapter, I'd love to know what you think in the reviews for your comments always serve as an encouragement for me :D

Until next time, take care!