AN: Thank you, Pirilaxa, Guest, RisingZero1984, Guest #2, Sad Little Demon, 4lyss4d4smol, Guest #3, CrimsonLove16, Kutuhin4, Secretbatfic, and RealShadowfan04 for the reviews you left on my last chapter! I appreciate all the support and love for my story. I'm sorry it's once again taken so long to update. It's my birthday month, and I turn 33 on the 28th, so I always try to treat you guys with fun chapters on my birthday! I hope you enjoy it! Remember to leave a review.

The next morning, Amy woke up on her stomach and felt like the whole world was spinning. She groaned in pain and placed a hand lazily on her forehead as she opened her eyes. It was then she spotted a cold water bottle on her nightstand and two painkillers. Her head was killing her and pounding like crazy.

"Oh, hey, you're finally up, huh?" a familiar male voice announced.

Amy glanced over her shoulder and spotted Mighty leaning in the bedroom doorframe only in his jeans from the night before. He had a plate of scrambled eggs that he was eating while he stared at her, still naked and lying-in bed, ass up.

"Oh!" she squeaked in embarrassment. Amy moved into a sitting position and used the bedsheets to cover herself to keep her modesty in the morning. She kept one hand to her head while the other clutched the sheets.

Mighty chuckled at her embarrassed reaction. "No need to be shy now, sweetheart," he smirked playfully. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

Amy blushed slightly but continued to hold up the sheets. "Geez, how are you this chipper in the morning after all that drinking? My head is killing me."

Mighty put another bite of eggs into his mouth and chewed momentarily. "Mm, well, number one, I'm not a lightweight. And number two, I put in the prep last night to avoid the killer hangover," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Prep?" she repeated, puzzled.

Mighty nodded. "Yeah, after we hooked up, we cuddled until you fell asleep. At that point, I got up, ate a few pieces of bread, chugged a whole bottle of water, took a pain pill, and hit the sheets," he explained. "But don't worry, I made sure you had stuff ready for when you woke up," he said, gesturing to the water bottle and pills beside her. "Speaking of which, you want some eggs?" He asked, offering out his plate. "I can always scramble up a few more for you."

She shook her head, repulsed, just thinking about eating with her head throbbing. The smell alone made her want to vomit. "No thanks. Amy reached for the pills, popped them in her mouth, grabbed the water bottle, and began drinking. She swallowed the pills. "I'm surprised you're still here."

He finished swallowing another bite and raised a brow at her. "You really think I'd smash and dash you?" He placed a hand on his chest, feigning a hurt expression. "I'm a bit insulted here, kid."

She screwed the lid back onto her water bottle and shrugged. "Well, from all the stories I've heard about you with your one-night stands…"

He shook his head in defense. "Hey now, you're not one of those easy girls I take home."

Her ears dropped suddenly at the comment. "Then what type of girl am I?"

Mighty's charming smile faded as he mulled for the right words. He tilted his head as his eyes softened on her. "…You're the type of girl that needed someone they could trust to help them heal and move on," he answered honestly.

•~•

That same morning, Shadow and the rest of the crew rounded up for a job assignment. Manic exited his bedroom and yawned, stretching his arms over his head. He groaned as he placed a hand on his forehead, feeling it throbbing like crazy from the wicked hangover he was still reeling from. However, he stopped when he bumped into someone. He realized Mina had come out of Mephiles' bedroom doing the dreaded walk of shame. She was still in her outfit the night before, carrying her heels in her other hand. "Oh shit, my bad."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you in the hall when I opened the door." She scrunched up her face as she looked at his state. He didn't look well. "Are you okay? You look a little sick."

He shook his head. "I'm not feeling great. I'm still a little drunk," he said as he rubbed the skin between his eyes. "But we all have a run to do again, so that's why I'm up."

"I see; hopefully, the hangover will wear off throughout the day," she stated.

He nodded, hoping the same. "Yeah, that's wishful thinking, but I'll just power through it like always." He began to walk towards the staircase until she stopped him again.

"—Hey, Manic?"

He turned to look at her. "Huh, yeah?"

"Um, I enjoyed spending time with you last night," she noted. "I wish I could've spent a little longer with you, though...You see, Mephiles requested my presence with him."

Manic looked surprised but also felt flattered. "Oh yeah? I had a pretty good time hanging with you, too. You were a blast on the dance floor," he complimented. "But I get it. Duty calls, right?"

"Something like that," she giggled.

"As for hanging out again. Uh, I'm always up for hanging out again whenever you're available," he offered.

Her eyes beamed at the suggestion. "Oh, great!"

"Yeah," he smiled. "But I gotta get going, so I'll see you around."

"Right. Seeya!"

Manic watched as she quickly entered her bedroom. He felt that warm, fuzzy feeling again in his stomach as he replayed the conversation. Mina wanted to hang out exclusively with him. It had been a while since a girl had chased after him, and not the other way around. With that said, he began to descend the stairs to join the others and assembled by the front door.

"Are we all ready to go?" Knuckles asked, trying to count heads.

"Not really," Manic answered. "I'm still wickedly hung over…"

"Suck it up," Shadow muttered without empathy.

"The birthday boy still hasn't come downstairs," Knuckles pointed out. "Anyone know if he got back from the club last night?"

Shadow sighed in frustration. "Shit, where is that asshole?"

"Knowing him, still asleep," Gadget suggested.

Shadow sighed. "I'll get his ass up." He ran up the stairs and opened his bedroom door, finding it empty. The bed hadn't even been slept in. He looked confused. "The hell…"

He returned down the steps, looking at the rest of the boys. "No one saw Mighty come home last night?" Everyone shook their heads.

"From what I heard, he and Amy were the last two at the club," Ray shrugged innocently. "So, who knows."

The pink hedgehog flashed through Shadow's mind. His heart skipped a beat as another thought crossed his mind. Would Amy go that far with Mighty, or was he just being paranoid? The vice president hurried over to Gadget. "Track Mighty's phone for me. Now," he ordered sternly.

Gadget scrambled to get his device out because of Shadow's demanding tone. He pulled out his smartphone and began typing away. "O-oh, of course, V.P."

Manic yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "I don't know what the big deal is. The dude probably hooked up with some babe at the club, went back to her place, and lost track of time," he surmised. "It was his birthday yesterday, after all. He'll show up soon."

"Found him!" Gadget announced.

Shadow stepped closer. "What's his location?"

The red wolf gulped nervously and pulled back his phone, hiding the screen so Shadow wouldn't see it. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea, sir."

Shadow narrowed his eyes at the wolf. "And why is that?"

Gadget adjusted his glasses nervously. "Well, it's just…uh," he stammered nervously.

Shadow swiftly swiped the phone from Gadget's hand and glanced at the screen to get the location. His eyes studied the screen before a giant scowl crossed his muzzle.

Mephiles noticed his brother's daring reaction and piqued a brow. "Brother, is everything alright?"

Shadow ignored his brother's question and dropped Gadget's phone. Everyone watched as he quickly stormed out of the room, grabbed his keys, and slammed the front door behind him.

"What the fuck is his problem?" Knuckles glared.

Mephiles calmly walked over to the window and watched his brother hurrying out of the compound on his motorcycle. "Something upset him."

Manic sauntered over to where Shadow had dropped Gadget's phone and picked it up for him. "For real, dude. What crawled up his ass this morning?" He glanced down at the lit screen that held the address of Mighty's current location. "5111 Desert Rose Drive," he mumbled. "Hey, isn't that—" his eyes widened in horror as the realization sunk in. "Fuck…"

Everyone looked at each other as the pieces came together. Knuckles led the charge out of the living room. "We need to catch up to him before he commits a murder."

Mephiles shook his head in pity as he followed the rest out. "What a bloody fool," he pitied.

•~•

A bit later, Amy came out of the shower feeling refreshed and clean. The medicine had finally kicked in and cleared away her awful headache. "Ah, much better," she sighed in her towel.

Mighty was now fully dressed in last night's clothing as he lounged on her couch with his arms tucked behind his head. "Glad to hear it, kid."

Once she dried off, she dressed in a grey cami and grey sweatpants in her bedroom. She put on socks and slippers before taking the towel off her head and shaking out her damp quills. "You don't have work today?" she questioned as she exited her room.

"Not sure, but my phone is dead, and you don't have a charger. Hell, they can manage without me for a little while," he shrugged. "I'll head back in an hour or so. I want to make sure you're good here first."

Amy smiled sweetly at him as she put her quills up in a high ponytail. "You're sweet, but I'm fine. Honest."

He stood from his lying position. "All right, if you say so."

Amy looked up at him as he stood before her. "Again, thank you for…last night," she worded carefully. "I-I didn't realize how much I needed that," she said shyly.

"Don't sweat it. I had a great time with you last night, too," he admitted. "And it was some incredible birthday sex. Don't ever let anyone make you feel inferior about being sexy," he pointed out. "You've got fantastic sex appeal, babe."

Amy held her hands to her face, giddy at his compliment as a soft blush kissed her cheeks. He truly knew how to make a girl swoon. "I finally understand how all these girls feel after leaving your bedroom now."

Mighty shoved his hands coolly into his pockets, showing off his charming boyish grin. "This ain't fluff, Ames. It's the truth. Shadow is an idiot for what he did. He doesn't realize what a great girl he lost."

Her ears lowered apprehensively as a thought crossed her mind. "Before you go though, what happened between us…I don't want to make it weird. I want to stay friends with you if that's okay."

"Of course. We hooked up and had fun, but from here going forward, we're back to being friends, okay?" He said, offering out his hand to her to shake.

Amy nodded, stuck her hand in his, and the two shook. "Right, friends," she confirmed.

Their handshake ended, and Mighty leaned forward and gave her a soft peck on the lips before turning toward the door. "Oh, and don't worry. I'll keep this little secret just between you and me. No one needs to know."

"I appreciate that," she nodded.

The armadillo opened the front door and was startled when he saw Shadow standing outside, towering over him. Mighty's charming expression turned to instant fear. "Oh, boy…" Mighty stumbled backward, raising his arms out in front of him defensively. Amy gasped at the sight of her ex-boyfriend's unannounced visit. Mighty already knew what the ebony hedgehog was thinking. "Whoa, Shadow, man, listen-"

Shadow's eyes were enraged as he looked past the armadillo and spotted Amy in the background, looking petrified, confirming his suspicion. His red eyes focused back on Mighty again as his fists clenched by his sides, practically shaking. "—You slept with her, didn't you?! You fucking traitor…"

"Stop it!" Amy yelled, seeing him march into her apartment uninvited. She rushed over to Shadow, pressed her hands against his chest, and shoved him back. The ebony hedgehog barely staggered a bit from her attempted shove. "Stay away from him, Shadow!" she shouted.

"Don't get in between two males when a brawl is about to erupt, Rose," Shadow snapped.

"Like hell, I'm going to let that happen!" she yelled.

Mighty placed a hand on Amy's left shoulder from behind. He admired her trying to protect him, but he didn't want to see her accidentally take a hit meant for him or vice versa. "He's right, kid," he agreed. He gently moved her to the side, so she was no longer in between them. "I don't want you getting hurt."

She looked taken aback. "But Mighty…"

Mighty kept in a defensive position as he focused on his superior. There was a good six feet between them. "Look, it was mutual, Shads," he argued calmly. "We're all adults here."

Shadow pounded his right fist into his left hand. "Yeah, mutual, my ass." He stormed towards him with quick speed.

Seeing Shadow barreling towards him, Mighty shoved Amy back further, worried she might get caught in the crosshairs. Amy tumbled backward onto her carpeted floor just as she saw Shadow's fist contact with Mighty's face. The armadillo fell back, hitting the carpet floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey!" Amy shouted, terrified. She got to her feet, rushed towards them, and stood protectively before Mighty just as Shadow was about to take another swing. "Get the hell away from him!" she screamed, keeping her arms outstretched, wide.

"Amy!" Mighty shouted, worried for her safety.

Shadow quickly stopped his swing from hitting Amy, who had her eyes shut, preparing for impact. "Rose…" he breathed shakily, realizing what he almost had done. "What did I just warn you about?"

The rest of the M.C. had finally caught up with the vice president. The boys herded upstairs from all the commotion, hoping they weren't too late. Manic was the first to get upstairs, shocked to see the sight. "Uh, oh…" The three now had a small audience outside the apartment doorway.

Shadow stood his ground. With fists clenched by his side, he practically burned a hole through Amy to get Mighty. "Get out of my way, Rose," he ordered sternly.

"Shadow, you're not allowed to get upset with what we did. Now get out of my apartment!" she ordered. Mighty held his bloody jaw as he stood behind her, observing Shadow for his next move.

Shadow growled in frustration at her stubbornness. "You leave me no choice then…" Shadow tried to lunge around Amy to reach Mighty. The armadillo quickly got into a fighting stance, but Knuckles and Manic quickly intervened in time and grabbed the vice president. They used all their strength to restrain him as they held his arms and upper body.

"Get the fuck off me!" Shadow screamed while he thrashed in their possession. The two boys carried the heated hedgehog out of the room and down the stairs to prevent the fight. Some of the other tenants in the building peeked outside their front door from all the noise, eying the group of motorcyclists nervously.

"I'm so sorry," Gadget panted as he ascended the stairs and into Amy's apartment. "I tried stopping him, I swear," he apologized.

She shot the red wolf a weak smile. "Thanks for trying, Gadget." He reached into his jacket and pulled out his inhaler, taking a hit. Then he closed their apartment door, giving them privacy again.

Amy turned to Mighty to check on his injuries. With everyone gone, she knelt at his level to assess his damage. Her hands cupped his face delicately. "Mighty…are you okay?"

He wiped blood dripping from his lip on the back of his glove. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've taken worse hits before," he laughed uneasily. "But shit, you gave me a heart attack back there, sweetheart. Don't ever get in between two guys when they're fighting. You could've been seriously hurt."

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't want him to hurt you because of me," she tried to justify.

"I realize that, but when it comes to guys fighting, we just see red. You're lucky Shadow stopped himself in time. That takes a lot of self-awareness and control when you're pissed off," he gently scolded.

Amy frowned, feeling this was her fault. "I'm sorry that this led to this…" she apologized. "I understand if you regret sleeping with me now."

"Ames, I don't regret anything. You're right, though. He has no reason to be angry. After all, he did the same thing to you," he countered. "And you're single now. You can do whatever the hell you want."

She nodded, agreeing with him. "You're right…"

•~•

At that same time, downstairs, the boys had released their hold on their vice president as he paced angrily back and forth in the complex's parking lot. Mephiles leaned against his parked bike as he watched his brooding younger brother. "You need to calm down, brother. There should be no reason you are this worked up about what you walked in on," he reprimanded.

Shadow stopped pacing and glared in his brother's direction before turning his anger on the multi-tiered mailboxes behind him. He pounded his right fist into the side of the metal containers a few times, forming a significant dent. Gadget, Knuckles, and Manic again flocked in and detained him from further damaging the apartment property.

"Hey, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Knuckles berated. The group of males kept their iron grip on Shadow to keep him still. Shadow huffed and puffed as he came down from his ire.

"Dude, your hand…" Manic breathed, looking at the state of it. Shadow's hand was bleeding and scraped up severely.

"Now look at what you've done," he groaned. "You need that hand, you idiot!" Mephiles scoffed and shook his head. "The doctor's pussy has softened you. Don't let her seduction win."

Shadow's ruby eyes locked in on his older brother as those words left his mouth. The boys felt Shadow try to lunge in his brother's direction, but they all kept their hold on him. "If you keep referring to her with that derogatory slander, your face will look much worse than those mailboxes," he threatened, baring his canines. "So shut your fucking mouth!" he barked.

Mephiles narrowed his eyes at his brother's threat. "I dare you to try it. I'll put you in your goddamn place!"

"Please, stop it, sir!" Gadget begged. "Both of you!"

Suddenly, a police car arrived at the apartment complex, and Deputy Silver stepped out. He put his black shades on top of his head as he approached the apartment complex that some tenants had complained about. As he approached the building, he couldn't help but notice the familiar motorcycle bikes parked in the parking lot. "Chaos…"

He eventually spotted most of them standing by the curb outside the complex, restraining the distraught and still rather heated Shadow. It appeared the other members were trying to give him words of affirmation, but they weren't getting through to him as he glared at the road, tuning them out. Silver noticed Shadow's right hand, which appeared injured. His knuckles were bleeding, swollen, bruised, and scraped up badly. He sighed. "Why am I not surprised this call was about you guys? These calls are always involving you and your M.C.," he tsked.

Shadow eyed the officer venomously as he continued to fume on the sidelines. "I'm not in the mood for your little digs, deputy."

Silver crossed his arms across his chest as he stared at the ebony-striped hedgehog. "What's got you in such a sour mood, huh?"

"Oh, no biggie," Manic said dismissively with a hand wave. "He only figured out that Mighty was sleeping with his ex-girlfriend."

Silver's eyes widened in surprise. "So, that's what the disturbance complaint was about? Do you guys mind releasing him for me?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea, officer?" Knuckles inquired. "You did see that mailbox back there, didn't you?"

"I did, but Shadow has calmed down enough now, right?" Shadow nodded reluctantly. "Okay, will you all let him go and give him space?" Silver reached for a gadget on his hip and rested his hand on it. "And Shadow, I will not hesitate to tase you if you can't control yourself," he warned.

The ebony hedgehog huffed. "Fine…"

Simultaneously, the boys released their hold on the vice president and backed off. However, they all eyed him carefully, waiting to have to pounce on him again. The officer oversaw Shadow to determine if he needed to be further detained. After several seconds of observation, Silver whipped out a notepad from his back pocket. "Now then, where is Dr. Rose now?" he asked.

"She's upstairs inside her apartment with Mighty still," Gadget replied.

"I see," Silver nodded. "And what exactly happened today, Shadow?"

"I went to her apartment once I realized the two were intimate. When she opened the door, I stormed inside and attacked Mighty inside the apartment," Shadow mumbled as his eyes drifted away with shame. It was all starting to sink in.

Silver jotted down the account. "Was anyone severely injured?"

"I punched Mighty once," Shadow admitted. "That's about it."

"Uh, huh. And why is your hand so messed up?" Silver interrogated.

Shadow shook his head. "No, this happened afterward…When I left her apartment, I punched one of the complex's mailboxes." Shadow looked over in the direction where he had done the damage to the property. Silver's eyes followed his line of vision, where he noticed the severely damaged mailboxes. It had a massive dent smashed into the side of it.

"Did you attack or hurt Dr. Rose?" he questioned.

Shadow bristled at the idea. "No. I could never physically hurt her. I wouldn't be able to live with myself," he answered.

Silver shook his head in pity. "You should get that hand looked at, Shadow. Do you want me to call in some paramedics to tend to it? By the looks of it, it could be broken."

"No, I'll be fine," he replied.

The deputy finished writing down notes and stared at him. "Very well, but now I must talk to Dr. Rose and Mighty. Since I'm on my own, you'll have to come with me and stay outside the door so I can keep an eye on you. If you give me any problems, I will not hesitate to arrest you. Do you understand?" he asked sternly.

Shadow nodded in compliance. "I understand, officer."

Silver turned to look at the other bikers. "As for the rest of you, you can go home. Get off the property. Most complaints were about sketchy-looking bikers lingering outside the apartment complex anyway."

"Right, well, let's get moving then, boys," Mephiles announced. "We have work to do anyway." The rest of the M.C. followed their president by mounting their bikes and exiting the parking lot together in a herd.

In the distance, a pair of binoculars lowered, revealing Jeffrey St. Croix as he stood on another apartment rooftop next to Sleuth Dog in the distance. "Do not initiate breech. Over," the skunk stated into a walkie he brought to his mouth. "Target is still under lock and key, over."

Another voice crackled over the walkie. "Should we pull back or wait it out? Over?"

"Pull out," Jeffrey announced. "Looks like the Brothers will be here for a while. Over."

"Copy. Understood. Over and out."

Meanwhile, Silver gestured for Shadow to stand up and follow him upstairs. Once on the second floor, Silver knocked on Amy's apartment door and pointed at the ground next to her door, where he wanted him to sit for the time being. Shadow obliged with no hesitation and sat down on the floor. He looked dismal in expression and out of it as he was lost in his thoughts, slumped up against the wall.

The door hesitantly opened as Amy peeked her head behind the crack. "Deputy, what are you doing here?"

"Sorry to intrude, doctor, but some tenants called in a possible domestic disturbance. I came here to file a report and see to it," he explained. "May I come inside?"

She nodded. "Of course," she said, opening the door wider and allowing him inside.

However, once Silver was inside, he remained in the entryway to interview Amy and Mighty while watching Shadow outside the hall. Silver noticed Mighty sitting on the couch with a makeshift icepack held to his face. He turned to look at Amy. "I have to keep this door open so I can watch Shadow. He's sitting right outside the door," he explained.

Amy crossed her arms over her chest. "I see…"

"However, are you okay, Dr. Rose?" Silver asked with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine. I wasn't injured in any of this," she answered.

"Is it true that Shadow barged inside your apartment and attacked Mighty?" he inquired.

She nodded reluctantly. "Yes, he did, but the other boys stopped him before it became more violent than necessary."

Deputy Silver glanced over in Mighty's direction. "I heard that Shadow assaulted you," the police officer noted. "Would you like to press charges against Shadow?"

Mighty shook his head. "He did attack me, but no, I won't be pressing charges. This is something that can be handled behind closed doors with a basic conversation," he elaborated.

"And what about you, Dr. Rose? Would you like to press any charges for invading your property or perhaps filing another restraining order?" Silver inquired.

Amy shook her head. "No, not today."

"Very well," Silver nodded, writing that down for his report. "This may be entirely inappropriate, but is there any chance you could look at Shadow's hand? He injured it punching something downstairs," he explained. "He's refusing medical treatment from the paramedics. However, if you don't feel comfortable, I completely understand as well."

She mulled it over for a minute. "I'll look at it, but I don't want Mighty and him in the same room."

"I'll go hang out in your bedroom while you look at his hand," Mighty volunteered. The armadillo stood up and walked into Amy's bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"I'll supervise in the meantime," Silver added as he stuck his head outside her apartment. "Shadow, come inside," he instructed.

The vice president, M.C., stood up, strolled inside the apartment, and closed her front door behind him. "Sit on the couch, Shadow, and no funny business." The dark hedgehog followed his orders and sat on the couch.

Amy knelt on the ground next to him as she opened her first aid kit again, which she had used on Mighty. "Let me see your hand, Shadow."

He lifted his right hand, and she gently took it in her left hand as she examined it. He winced slightly as her fingertips pressed on certain joints of his knuckles and fingertips. "They're tender, aren't they?"

"Yes…" he agreed softly.

"Just looking at it, it's possible you may have fractured or broken a few bones in your hand. Her fingers lingered on his pinkie finger, and she pressed down on the upper part of the finger, making him hiss in pain.

"Fuck!" he hollered.

"You've probably broken the metacarpal bone in your hand. The swelling and bruising are a dead giveaway, but an X-ray will determine that," she explained. "In the meantime, I can wrap it for you."

Shadow watched as she tenderly addressed him, wrapping his hand with some bare gauze. There was an uncomfortable tension in the room as Amy kept her focus on professional medical attention and nothing else. "Rose, I…I'm sorry I reacted that way earlier," he apologized uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to scare you and hadn't realized I'd react this way."

Her eyes drifted from wrapping his hand, and she glanced at his face. "You mean you didn't realize you still have such strong feelings for me," she corrected. "Isn't that what you meant to say?" Silver couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation, finding it rather intriguing.

"No," he lied. "That's not what I meant at all."

She smirked and shook her head. "That's funny because you keep acting like you've moved on from me, but your reaction today said otherwise," she noted. "You reacted in a way that would make someone think we were still together."

Shadow's brows furrowed. "No, I reacted like somebody would who walked into a betrayal. M.C. members are not allowed to have relationships with ex-partners of other members. Mighty went against that rule last night."

The pink female finished bandaging and tied it off, making him wince slightly from the unexpected tightness. Amy rose to her feet. "Honestly, I could care less about your M.C. rules. I saw someone I wanted last night and made it happen. I'd happily do it again." Shadow looked stunned and hurt at her words, leaving him speechless. At that moment, she felt satisfied by seeing his expression. Her jade eyes glanced over to Silver. "We're done here, officer. Please make sure Shadow sees a doctor at the hospital for proper assessment of his injury."

"Of course, Dr. Rose," Silver nodded. He made a head gesture, indicating that Shadow should follow him. "Let's go, Shadow."

Shadow followed Deputy Silver out of the apartment and glanced back at Amy once more before the officer shut her door. Her bedroom door creaked open, and Mighty popped his head out. "Are they gone?" he inquired.

"Yeah, they left," she confirmed.

"How bad was it then?"

"He messed up his hand pretty good. I'm guessing you heard some of our conversation?" she surmised.

He nodded. "Yeah, I could hear most of it. He's still in love with you."

"I know…and now he knows the pain I felt when I walked in on him."

Mighty approached the distraught-looking female. "You sure you don't want me to stick around for a bit longer, Ames?"

She shook her head adamantly. "No, I need some alone time to decompress and think. I'll text or call you later, alright?"

"Okay then. I'll get going." He walked towards her front door. "I'll deal with Shadow once he gets home."

"Good luck, and be careful," she replied. He nodded, opened her front door, and closed it behind him. Once he was gone, the pink hedgehog wandered over to her phone and picked it up. She flicked through her contact list before stumbling across a blocked contact, "Rob O' Hedge." She clicked the unblock button and then dialed.

•~•

A few hours had gone by, and it was later that afternoon. Mighty stood in the living room back home and stared outside at the vice president on the front porch. Shadow had only recently returned from the hospital, as requested. Manic came up from behind the armadillo to see what he was looking at. "Dude…" he sighed, catching his attention. "What were you thinking last night?"

Mighty scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Geez, not you too…"

The green hedgehog crossed his arms over his chest. "You, out of all people, should've known that Amy is out of bounds, my dude."

"Yeah, I know, but things just happened naturally. I followed my heart last night," he shrugged.

"Followed your heart?" Manic repeated with doubt. His eyes looked him up and down suspiciously. "More like followed your-"

"—Manic!" he exclaimed, knowing what he was about to say. "I've always liked Amy. She's a cute girl—not to mention incredibly sweet."

"Didn't you once say you only saw Amy as your kid sister?" he reminded. "Because I don't think brothers are supposed to do those things with their sisters…"

Mighty shook his head in annoyance. "Will you drop it already? You're not helping the situation."

"Have you spoken to Shadow yet?" Manic segued.

Mighty parted the curtains more at the windows. "Not yet. I'm trying to build up the courage to do it."

Manic patted him on the back. "Whew, well, good luck, buddy. Shadow's still pretty pissed off about the whole thing."

"I guess I should just get it over with instead of stalling, huh?"

"Mhm," Manic nodded.

Mighty started walking towards the front door. "Alright, wish me luck." He opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch of the compound. Mighty approached the ebony hedgehog, whose back was turned, and he puffed angrily away on his cigarette. He couldn't help but notice Shadow's newly cast hand after he had returned from the hospital. "Hey, uh, can we talk, man?" Mighty asked apprehensively. Shadow said nothing as he continued to keep his back turned on him. "So, how's your hand doing?"

"Broken and fractured in two spots," Shadow replied.

"That sucks." Sighing, Mighty continued. "Anyway, I understand you're mad, but I want to explain myself."

Shadow finally turned to confront him as he flicked the remainder of his cigarette into the dirt. "Oh, I'm eager to hear this," he said sarcastically. He leaned his back against the post and crossed his arms over his chest, giving him a malicious glare.

"Last night—What happened between Amy and I just kind of happened," he shrugged. "It wasn't planned, okay? We were feeling the same vibe, and things escalated quickly," he explained.

"I don't believe that it just happened. I know you, Mighty; you're a player," he started. "You hook up with girls left and right when you can. You seduced her, didn't you?" he accused. "You knew she was vulnerable from the breakup and took advantage of that," he pointed.

Mighty looked at him, aggravated and stunned at the accusation. "I did no such thing. Yeah, I'm a player," he concurred. "But I treat the girls in our club with respect. Last night, Amy came to me wanting to forget about you!" he pointed. "She was looking for love anywhere she could find it. You're lucky she hooked up with me instead of some other creep, scumbag out on the street looking to pick up girls."

Shadow felt his countenance falter for a moment. He knew Amy was upset, but the fact that she would willingly sleep with another guy so quickly to get over him made him regret his actions. Mighty saw he was getting through to him from his silent response. "You've been treating her like shit for weeks by trying to push her away. Blame yourself for pushing her straight into my arms," he countered. Shadow remained quiet as he allowed that to process. Mighty began to turn to head back indoors but stopped just outside the door. "She's still in love with you, you know, and you are too," he added. "Why don't you apologize and get back with the kid? You two were great together."

He looked away sadly. "You know I can't…"

He groaned in frustration. "Dude, yes, you can! You thought breaking up with her would keep her safe—Out of harm's way. What you don't realize is that you're losing a great gal. She knows what she's signed up for and told you she'd stick it out."

"She doesn't see how much she's putting her life at stake to be with me. Love is blinding her better judgment."

"I could easily argue that your love for her is doing the same thing to you," Mighty countered. Shadow opened his mouth for a rebuttal but was once again speechless. The armadillo could see he got the hedgehog thinking. "Just think about it, man." With that, he walked back inside, leaving Shadow to ponder his words.

•~•

Later that evening, Mighty returned to Amy's apartment after his conversation with Shadow. The two sat on the couch together, and Amy held a pillow to her chest as she looked at him on the other end of the sofa. "So, what did he say?"

Mighty sighed. "Well, he thinks I seduced you last night."

She rolled her eyes slightly. "What a joke, that's not even how it went…"

Mighty rested his face on his hand. "Yeah, pretty much my thoughts as well."

"Did he at least apologize for hitting you?" she questioned.

Mighty let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "No."

"That's a shame," she sighed. "He owes you one."

Mighty glanced at her, noticing her weary expression before he caught sight of a suitcase tucked away in the back of the living room. "Hey, what's that?" he pointed.

Amy turned to look at what he was pointing at and realized it was her suitcase. "Oh, that's the stuff I packed for when I return to Tech City," she stated calmly. "These past weeks have been draining on me mentally, emotionally, and physically," she announced.

Mighty felt his stomach sink. "…You're not planning on returning permanently, are you?"

There was a pause as Amy considered how to answer the question. "Well, right now, I'll only be there for a few days as a visit," she replied. "I wanted to clear my head a bit and talk to my cousin Rob about a few things before I make my final decision."

The armadillo frowned at her response. His mind began to head to the worst outcome. "What are you thinking, Ames?"

Her ears lowered solemnly, and her eyes watered slightly. "As much as I want to fight for this relationship…I'm tired," she revealed. "Maybe Shadow is right. Maybe I need to move on…"

"Ames…" Mighty breathed.

"It's for the best. Let me talk to him, and I'll decide then," she explained.

He nodded slowly. "Alright, but can I do anything else to help?"

She pondered on it for a moment. "How about dropping me off at the train station tonight?" she suggested.

"Sure, when are you leaving anyway?"

"Tonight," she replied.

•~•

An hour later, as promised, Mighty dropped Amy off at the train station. The two walked side by side to the boarding section. "Text me when you arrive, okay?" the armadillo reminded.

"I will," she smiled.

They approached the boarding section of the train. "I'll see you in a week, kid. Take care and stay safe." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

Amy blushed at the sweet gesture before embracing him suddenly. Mighty returned a blush himself. "Thank you for everything you've done, Mighty. You've been a great help."

"I'm glad to hear that," he grinned awkwardly.

"Now boarding!" the conductor called.

"You better get going, kid," Mighty urged.

"You're right. See you, Mighty. Take care and stay out of trouble!" she waved as she boarded the train.

He waved to her as she boarded. "Of course, I know better," he chuckled. "That goes for you too, though."

In the background, two figures boarded the train: Jeffrey St. Croix and Sleuth Dog, who were near the other end so Mighty wouldn't spot them. Standing by some pillars, Jeffrey couldn't help but stare at his old co-worker, who had turned enemy, saunter off down the platform. He found his and Amy's interaction to be odd since he knew Amy happened to be Shadow's old lady. "Keep moving," Sleuth commanded to the distracted skunk.

"Sorry," he said as he followed after the canine.

Once onboard, they went to the train cart where their target was. They spotted Amy placing her suitcase in the overhead bin before finding her seat. They sat several seats back and kept their hoods up to shroud their identity in case she were to look back.

Jeffrey quickly dialed a number on his flip phone and placed it to his ear. "We have eyes on the target."

"Good, what's the final location?" the other voice on the other end asked.

"She's heading to Tech City," Jeffrey replied.

"Copy, we'll have Rough and Tumble stationed there and ready to assist if needed."

"Got it." With that, he hung up.

•~•

Time: 10 PM Tech City

Eventually, Amy arrived in Tech City. She hopped off the train with her rolling suitcase in hand. As she walked, she remembered Mighty wanted her to text him when she arrived so he knew she got there safely. She used her one hand to shoot him a text message.

"Just arrived in Tech City."

In a few moments, she received a text message with a thumbs-up emoji. " I'm Glad to hear that, kid. Stay safe!"

Walking down the train docking station, she spotted her older teal cousin. He stood amongst the crowd waiting to pick up their loved ones. Amy continued walking in his direction, and his eyes eventually locked on her. Her eyes widened as he began to rush in her direction. She stopped in her tracks when Rob embraced her. Amy was startled at his strong embrace, but for some reason, it nearly brought tears to her eyes. It was oddly comforting, paternal, and familiar. It reminded her of when he'd embraced her as a little girl. She returned the embrace, blinking away the tears that dared to fall from the nostalgia. "Rob…"

Rob squeezed her tighter in his embrace, relieved she was reunited with him. "Cousin, I was worried I'd never see you again," he admitted. He pulled away from his hug and held her at the shoulders as he stepped back to look her over. "I haven't stopped worrying about you since you returned to Mercia. I'm sorry for all the phone calls and texts. I was just worried about you."

She looked up at him. "I understand your concern, but I'm an adult. I needed to do this."

Rob reached over and took her rolling suitcase. "I realize that now," he nodded. "But now you're back with your family."

"It's just to discuss some stuff with you and to clear my head a bit," she added. "Don't get too carried away."

He chuckled slightly. "Fair enough, let's get home then. Shall we?" Amy nodded, and the two started walking out of the train station together. However, Jeffrey and Sleuth followed them out of the train station unbeknownst to them.

The two hedgehogs entered the parking lot together. They continued walking towards Rob's car, parked in the lot's far corner, oblivious they were being followed. "Jon will be so excited to see you, Amy. He's been asking about you."

"Aww, that's cute," Amy smiled.

Rob clicked the button on his car keys, popping the hood to his car. As he began to load her suitcase into the back of his car, a grey van pulled up next to his car and parked. Amy didn't find anything suspicious and walked around the other side of Rob's car to sit in the passenger seat.

Just as Amy reached for the handle of the car door, the van's sliding door opened, and two large white furry arms wrapped around her upper half in a bear hug. "Gotcha!"

"Hey!" Amy immediately went into defense mode. She bent her knees forward and threw her head back, smashing the back of her head into her assailant's face. The white skunk felt blood gush from his nose from the impact and released his grip slightly enough to allow her wiggle room for escape. She backed him up, smashing his back up against the side of the van. "Let go of me!" she screamed.

Hearing all the commotion, Rob came from around the back of the car and spotted Amy backing away from her assailant, who was now crumbled up on the floor. "What's going on over here?"

"This…this guy just tried to grab me," she explained, trying to catch her breath. Her adrenaline was through the roof.

"Get behind me," he instructed, taking a defensive position. "I'm calling the cops."

"So, you're going to make this more difficult than necessary, huh?" another male voice announced from around the other side of the van. This time, it was a blue-greyish skunk, smaller in demeanor but still menacing. He twirled two karambits in both hands dangerously as he approached the two.

Rob held his cell phone in hand, keeping his eyes locked on the two. Meanwhile, Amy stayed closely behind her older cousin, eying the two nervously. "What the hell do you want?" her cousin demanded.

"Hand over the girl, and no one gets hurt," the larger white skunk stated as he rose to his feet, dusting himself off.

"That's it, I'm calling the police. His hand began to dial the number until a hand came from behind him and snatched his cell phone out of his hand. "What the?" He spun around only to see a black and white skunk holding his phone.

"You think we'd really let you call in reinforcements?" Jeffrey tsked.

His eyes drifted over, and he spotted Amy re-captured and restrained by a large brown canine. He held her suspended in mid-air with one arm, and his other hand muffled her mouth. "Amy! Let her go!"

Rob began to charge towards the large dog but stopped in his tracks as he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his lower back. The blue-greyish skunk had run up and stabbed him with his karambit. Amy's eyes widened in horror as she watched her cousin crumble to the ground in a heap as the blood began to collect around his body. She began to thrash around in her kidnapper's arms, wanting to spring to action and tend to his wounds.

The blue-greyish skunk raised his weapon, ready to throw the finishing blow. "Should I finish the old guy off?"

"No, enough, Rough," Jeffrey stated. "We've got the girl, let's move."

Rob raised one arm in Amy's direction as they carried her off and hopped into their getaway van. "Cousin…" he croaked weakly. The van reversed out of the parking spot and sped off quickly, leaving other departing train goers shocked and confused. Eventually, some of the guests in the parking lot spotted Rob's body lying in the parking lot and rushed over to tend to him.

"Sir, are you okay?" one spectator asked as they kneeled to his level and called 911.

"My…my cousin, she was just kidnapped," he said weakly. "Please, you need to send help."

"Oh my," they said with concern. "I'm calling the 911 now, sir. But you could use some help yourself," they noted, looking at his blood loss. Rob felt his vision blurring and everything starting to go dark. Finally, he lost consciousness.

AN: Please leave a review!