-few days later-

Mephiles tried to feed the hoglet by a bottle again but it only caused the tiny thing to fuss.

"Why do you insist on sucking on my fingers then a bottle?" Mephiles wondered, dipping his finger in the milk before giving it to the hoglet to suck on. "You are such a difficult little thing."

Sonic's ears twitched a bit and he put his tiny paws on the older hedgehog's finger, seeming quite content.

"Fascinating you are not scared in the least, other than naturally scared due to being so mistreated." Mephiles mused, gently stroking the hoglets quills. "Most people are terrified of me and rather keep me locked away for experimental purposes, and I guess you had the same fate. You are quite lucky I found you when I did."

Sonic's tiny soft claws dug into his finger slightly and he pulled his head away a bit before pressing his cheek up against the side of his claw and rubbed up and down a little like he was trying to comfort him.

"It sure is a wonder as to how you can understand me while you are still an infant." Mephiles mumbled, staring at the hoglet who was going back to sucking on his claw again. "And why you enjoy sucking on my claw."

Once the hoglet finished Mephiles picked him up and put him over his shoulder where he patted the tiny things back causing it to burp.

Sonic clawed at his shoulder trying to get away but he was too weak to really do much so he was stuck in the mercy of the adult.

"Sorry Sonic but you are not going anywhere." Mephiles growled, pulling the hoglet away and laying him down on his lap.

Sonic tried again to get away but paused for a minute and tensed.

Mephiles stared at him for a moment dreading what was to come, and sure enough the hoglet did his business in the diaper Mephiles was thankful he had put on.

"Well I guess I have the next ten minutes cut out for me." Mephiles muttered, picking the hoglet up and setting it on the floor where he took another diaper and proceeded to change the dirty one. "Babies are disgusting."

Sonic squirmed a bit making a noise that sounded like giggling.

"Yeah nice to know you have a sense of humor." Mephiles smirked, watching the hoglet who was now nibbling on his own hand.

After the diaper was changed he picked the hoglet back up and held him close to his chest where Sonic clung to his chest fur, he then got up and laid the hoglet down on the bed to see his reaction.

Sonic squeaked and squirmed sniffing the air to try and locate the adult who stood nearby watching him in vague interest, the hoglet whimpered and struggled to move but he didn't have much strength to get to where he needed so with tears flowing down his cheeks he started to cry.

Mephiles watched the hoglet for a minute but noticed it's color was shifting a bit, it's color changed from blue to black only to return back to blue, realizing something was wrong he put a hand on the hoglets head and felt it's mind but he paused finding the problem.

'Don't leave me! Please don't leave!' Sonic's mind practically screamed, making Mephiles frown at how desperate the hoglet sounded.

Ears now flattened against his head Mephiles picked the hoglet up by the scruff and turned around before sitting down on the bed and bringing Sonic close to his chest where his tiny hands gripped his fluffy chest fur in desperation.

"I'm not going to leave you young one." Mephiles told the sobbing hoglet. "You are safe."

Sonic trembled a bit but understanding what was said he slowly relaxed in the older hedgehog's arms.

Mephiles then put a hand on the hoglet's head again and felt it's mind to find the response.

'I hope it's true.' Sonic's mind whispered, going along with the whimpers the hoglet made.

Mephiles let out a slight sigh and gently stroked the hoglets quills giving it some comfort as it slowly drifted off to sleep.

"I won't leave you, you are mine now and I won't let anything get you." Mephiles promised, his eyes flaring in anger towards the ones who caused this hoglet so much pain. "And I will kill anyone who dares to take you away."

-next day-

Mephiles watched the news in vague interest for they were just talking about boring things as usual.

Suddenly a knock sounded at the door drawing his attention away from the report of some gang on a thieving spree, ears twitching back he glanced at the hoglet snuggled in his chest fur with a sigh he slowly got up a hand supporting the tiny thing as he walked to the door that he opened to reveal a pink hedgehog with light green eyes and quills that hung down to just above her shoulders.

"Good morning sir." The pink hedgehog smiled sweetly, almost causing him to gag.

"Shh," Mephiles hushed, glancing down at Sonic who shifted a bit in his sleep.

The pink hedgehog took notice of the tiny hoglet and she put a hand to her mouth seemingly correcting herself. "I'm sorry I didn't know."

"What do you want?" Mephiles growled slightly, looking back at the pink hedgehog who shook her head slightly.

"Oh um.. I just came to remind you your payments are due this evening." The pink hedgehog answered.

"Payments." Mephiles scoffed, clearly irritated. "It's all anyone cares about these days, money."

"Well seeing you are busy with a child I could talk with the manager, maybe he could push it off for another day." The pink hedgehog suggested.

"Thanks but I don't need any help." Mephiles retorted.

"Oh but it wouldn't be any trouble." She assured him. "He is quite understanding."

Suddenly Sonic awoke with a start and tensed up as he dug his tiny claws into the adult hedgehog's fur, starting to cry.

"Well looks like my child needs my attention so if you excuse me I need to go." Mephiles snarled slightly, holding the hoglet close.

"Alright.. bye." She waved slightly before leaving.

Mephiles then closed the door and looked down at the crying hoglet.

"What is wrong?" Mephiles asked, bringing the hoglet back to the bed where he sat down and gently stroked the tender blue quills. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Sonic quivered and clung a bit tighter and that was enough of an answer for it was quite clear he did have a nightmare.

"Alright, just calm down." Mephiles sighed, putting a hand on the hoglets head and finding the nightmare that was mostly full of destructive noises and people shouting and screaming but all the ruckus caused a great disturbance in the hoglet so he pulled it from Sonic's memory where he destroyed it so it was never to be remembered ever again. "There, now it is gone."

Sonic then slowly relaxed and went limp in Mephiles' arms as he fell fast asleep.

Mephiles smiled slightly and put a hand behind the hoglet keeping him steady as he slept soundly against his chest.

"Hmm, my child." Mephiles thought over those words making his smile widen. "I guess I am your father now."