A/N: Hello, everyone. Its been a hot minute since I've updated this. Lately, I've been focused on my Kindness is Healing story and writing up chapters for other stories. Juggling multiple projects is a little stressful, but keeps me from getting bored instead of working on only one.

I finally got around to finishing up this chapter. It would probably be a while until I update again as I don't have the other chapters written up yet. Hopefully I will chapter three before the end of the year.

Anyway, enough of that. Enjoy the read. :)


The day was going smoothly by Margaret's standards.

Typically, morning chores comprised feeding her hens and Molly, checking the fence line, cleaning the goat pen and chicken coop. She would then collect the eggs while Bear occupied the hens to keep them from running off, while Thor scouts the premises for any animal intruders. Bear is also the designated watchdog for Molly while Margaret milks. Once her early morning chores are complete, Margaret makes breakfast for herself. This was her schedule for six years now. For the last year and a half, though, she has been doing it alone. She had someone else with her to sort of help with the small chores.

Unfortunately, they are no longer around. The lack of their presence always saddened Margaret.

Now that she rescued Dr. Robotnik, she has someone to fill the void. Margaret would have preferred someone else, but his tolerable presence will do. Of course, she had to adjust her schedule a little. She would do her early morning livestock check like normal before he woke, before making breakfast.

She had made her way to check up on him, expecting him to still be asleep. Margaret was pleased to see the doctor awake. If only for a few minutes. He was groggy and cranky, a combination she knows too well. Despite the ounce of satisfaction, his insistence on using the bathroom without her help annoyed Margaret. Even when she tried to, he brushed her off. So, she gave him independence to hike himself to the facility. She was astonished he could make it.

When she felt he would be alright on his own to return, Margaret headed downstairs to make breakfast. She was thankful for not hearing a thud coming from upstairs unlike last time.

Ten minutes was a whirlwind as she prepared hers and the doctor's meal, before sitting down with him and ate together. She didn't know why. Maybe Margaret wanted some sort of company instead of sitting in her dining room alone like every other time. The Doctor seemed put off by her presence and made a rude comment but didn't run her off. He just put up with her as they ate in a strange silence until he started asking questions about the food for the first time. He never inquired before. Probably because for the last week they have been eating their meals separately. Why she chose today to eat with him is a mystery to her. When Margaret explained everything was fresh from the eggs to the sourdough bread, she thought he was going to complain. It surprised her when he appeared more impressed than anything. It was really a compliment since she felt herself grinning and felt her own ego being brushed.

After the pleasantly tolerable meal with the doctor, Margaret proceeded to do house chores.

It was an hour into her chores when she saw the vehicles coming in before Thor alerted her. Once she realized they were government cars, Margaret had to act fast. She doesn't know why they're coming to her doorstep, but she had to hide the crazy evil man. Getting the confused doctor in the hidden nook wasn't that hard, since she practically dragged him there out of sheer panic. He may have been a little reluctant, but he followed her without a big fuss.

She was halfway down the stairs when the knocking stopped abruptly. Margaret figured they gave up and were about to leave. That was far from what they had in mind. Despite the dogs being at the front door, it swung open wide and in came armed agents with their guns pointing in any direction.

"Hey," she shouts, anger morphing her features.

The agents came in like a S.W.A.T. team. They flanked their partner's side and entered different parts of her home, shouting, "Clear!"

As agents came pouring in, the leader stepped through and assessed the home.

"And just who the bloody hell are you?" Her Irish accent adding a touch of fiery defiance to her words.

When someone acknowledged him, the tall man stepped forward, presenting himself.

"I'm Commander Walters of the Guardian Units of Nations, ma'am."

"Margaret Caiside. Now, what the fuck are you doing in my home?"

"Um, my apologies for the intrusion, ma'am. We knocked, but uh, nobody answered."

"Well, you're certainly one can short of a six-pack, now aren't 'ye? Now, what the hell do you want?"

Commander Walters blinks at the expression, unsure of what that meant. He ignores it, though, to his current objective.

"We are investigating the surrounding area for the whereabouts of the crazy ass doctor surviving the crash. Would you, by chance, have seen Dr. Robotnik come through here?"

Margaret's head titled sideways. Her hair sweeping over her shoulders, and exposing her neck. She stared at the Commander, feigning surprise.

"How is that even possible?" She questioned. "When did you realize he was alive?"

"I have an answer for that," a tiny, girly-like voice says from behind the Commander.

She looks towards the doorway, where a tawny creature with two tails enters, along with the Blurry Menace, Sonic, and another in red with large white knuckles.

"Hello, miss. Miles Prower. You can call me Tails," Tails introduced himself.

"Hello," she drawled as her brows crinkled.

"Hi, Miss Caiside," Sonic beamed as he sauntered to the kitchen.

Her piercing blues lands on Sonic, watching him approach her fridge.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here? And get away from my kitchen!"

With all the chaos, Thor comes through the back doggy door by the kitchen and sees Sonic. He growls at him while Bear approached with his tail wagging. Jade didn't care since she scampered off when the armed agents piled into the home and hunkered in the laundry room, whining.

"I'm hungry. What you got to eat?" He asks as he opened the refrigerator.

Sonic studies the inside, noting several things out of the ordinary to him. There is a box of liquid antibiotic next to a carton of baking soda and powder. There are several cans of club soda, which he knows Margaret doesn't drink that stuff, and a case of coke in there as well. The bottle of liquor, Jägermeister, to be exact, and a six-pack of Guinness also surprised him. There is also a canister of cinnamon sticks labeled "for lattes."

Hmm, since when does she drink lattes? And what's with the alcohol? Sonic thought to himself.

He catalogs his findings silently while still raiding her fridge.

"Nothing for you. Now, get away from my fridge!"

"But I'm hungry here," he complained as he moved to a cabinet.

"You should have thought about that before we came here with the Fox, Hedgehog," the red creature says, who stood next to Margaret.

She glances down at them. Her features softened when the creature gazes at her.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?"

They smiled warmly at her, offering a hand.

"I'm Knuckles the Echidna, sworn to protect…."

"I don't need a speech, sweetie. Your name is all I need."

Knuckles blinked at the strange term but said nothing, yet still waited for Margaret to shake hands.

Margaret eyed Knuckles for a second before stooping to accept the gesture.

Her small hand dwarfed his when they made contact. Knuckles, knowing his own strength, was surprisingly gentle with her, unlike the other humans. He didn't want to hurt the kind woman. When Knuckles released her hand, he turned to investigate her house with furrowed brows and gloved knuckles out, ready to strike.

"Now where is Robotnik?" he asked.

Margaret eyed him briefly and was about to answer the small creature when she heard a crash.

She snaps her head in the crashes direction to find agents forcing their way into her basement slash clinic.

"Mac soith. What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? You can't just bulldoze through a locked room!"

Margaret quickly rushed behind them and was going to holler at them when her eyes landed on the broken lock and busted door jamb. She gasps as she fingered the lock and the splintered door frame.

"Was zum Teufel eigentlich! This is going to cost me three hundred dollars to fix!"

She follows the agents to stand in the middle of the room while they dispersed in different directions. One of them is in front of the freezing compartments for corpses to be autopsied, and was opening the door.

"There's nothing in there for you to find! Those are for corpses anyway, you dumbass, so I hope you enjoy the smell."

They instantly backed away, and thrown the door closed while gagging.

"Jesus, lady, why the hell would you have something like that?"

"Duh, it came with the house. I was just smart enough to leave them alone, especially when they haven't been used in a hundred years or more."

She hears rattling not several feet from her to discover another agent is trying to get into her office desk. Margaret stood rigid and lightly paled. She has Dr. Robotnik's x-ray scans in there, along with several notes about his condition. The last thing she needed was for the agent to reveal the contents and announce it to the commander. Not only that, Margaret would be caught in a lie and would have no choice but to admit and confirm their suspicions.

She can't have that!

"Get away from my desk, you freaking bloodhound," she snarls.

The agent glances over their shoulder at her.

"You use this?"

She stares at him dumbly and without missing a beat says, "No, the phantom of the house does, you dipshit. Now step away from my office. Commander, please remove your agents from my clinic!"

The commander quickly came down the steps to assess the situation, yet also noticed Margaret's hostility escalating. He mumbles something under his breath then directed his attention to the surrounding agents.

"Agents, please investigate elsewhere. That violates privacy."

Margaret stares at him with eyes slightly widened in amusement, yet irritated.

"Seriously? And you think having them storm my house isn't?"

"I apologized for the intrusion."

"Yeah, after the fact. Plus, I didn't give you permission to search my home. Now, tell me what the hell this is all about?"

"I have informed you that Dr. Robotnik survived the crash and we are investigating his whereabouts."

"Again, how is that even possible? What evidence do you have that he has and feel the need to ransack my home?"

The commander opened his mouth to respond, but someone else answered for him.

"Um, Commander Walters, if I may," Tails interrupted, then glances up at Margaret and gently smiles. "My apologies for the intrusion ma'am, I can explain everything upstairs."

The cute fox clambers up the steps and motions for Margaret to follow.

"Come on. It's more cozy up here, anyway. You have a beautiful home," Tails says while hopping up the steps.

She stares at the Kitsune for a moment, smiling softly then glances at the Commander.

"Please have your agents out of my clinic," she replies, then followed Tails.

From behind her, she heard his cell phone ring, who quickly took the call.

"Hello? Commander Walters, speaking," he answered, then gone quiet.

As she came up to the landing, Margaret can hear Sonic rummaging in her kitchen still while Knuckles continuously told him to cease his hunt for food.

She heaved a heavy sigh, then glances over her rounded shoulder at the kitchen. Margaret sees Sonic on the countertop, rustling around at the cabinets. He sifted through bags of potato chips that have apparently gone bad since Sonic is removing them and kindly placing them on the counter.

"Whew, all of your potato chips have expired, Miss Caiside! I can throw them out for you or feed them to the chickens."

Margaret softly groans while massaging her temples in a circular motion.

"Bloody menace," she groans to herself. "My hens can't eat them because they can be toxic. Just throw them out."

"On it!"

Sonic happily cleans up the pile of potato chip bags, tossing them into the trash bin with lightning-fast speed.

"Done and done," he says while brushing his hands off. "Your cabinets are pretty scarce now. You need to go grocery shopping."

"I did the other day. I just don't shop for you, Sonic. Now get off my countertop!"

Sonic pouts, but obeys. He jumps from the countertop to the floor, then starts for her pantry when Knuckles snatches him.

"Enough, Hedgehog. Show some respect towards the master of the house."

Margaret glances down at Knuckles and smiles, showing off deep dimples.

"Ich mag dich. Thank you, Knuckles."

Knuckles visibly straightens, his tiny chest inflating as a grin surfaced. Sonic, however, deflates but concedes defeat for his hunt for a snack. He stares at Margaret briefly with a sad frown before making his way to the island, climbing on the bar stool to sit.

"I'm still hungry, though," he says upon settling, his gaze landing on a fruit bowl on the smooth granite countertop.

Margaret huffed loudly then approaches the island, snatching an apple, then gone to the sink to wash.

Upon completion, she hands the red delicious to Sonic, who stared curiously at her.

"If you must eat, then snack on something a little healthier. Just save the core when you're done."

"For Molly, right?" He questions as he took the fruit from her and took a bite with a satisfied grin.

"Of course. Would you like anything, sweetie?" Margaret directed towards Knuckles.

He grins from the enduring term before replying. "If you have any delicious grapes, I would gladly accept."

"Yeah, I have some. It's my first bushel from the grapevine, and should be ripe enough."

She plucks a bunch from the fruit bowl and washed them off before giving it to him.

"Thank you kindly, gracious host."

Margaret fondly smiles at Knuckles.

"Tá, ich mag dich," she says, then turned her attention to Tails.

"Would you like anything, Tails?"

"I'm fine, ma'am, thank you, though. Come over here and I'll show you my latest invention. It will explain how we figured out Dr. Robotnik survived, and why we're here."

He pulled out what appeared to be a flat device, which then opened like a book, expanding. It lit up a green grid, showing the terrain and objects Margaret couldn't decipher.

She approached the table where Tails sat, looking down at the device with fascination.

"Suimiúil," she breathed with a grin, her gaze scanning the terrain.

"What is all of this?" Margaret questioned as she pointed and circled an area full of solid objects.

"What is left of Dr. Robotnik's machine," Tails answered. "This entire area is the crash site. I scanned the area with this to get a topography of the region within a mile radius."

"Very intriguing. I suppose this large cluster here is the forest."

"Yep. Now, watch this."

He presses a button that turns the two-dimensional blueprint into an interactive three-dimensional map. Margaret can clearly see the remains of what was Dr. Robotnik's machine now, along with the trees.

"Wirklich faszinierend."

She went to touch, but withdrew.

"Oh, my apologies. May I?"

Tails beams at her fascination with his invention, and wanting to explore it herself.

"You may."

Margaret smiles like a child entering a candy store, touching the map with a single finger.

"You truly have a marvelous mind, Tails. This is brilliant."

Tails grins as his two tails perked straight up, and wagged slightly.

"Why, thank you, ma'am."

"Please, call me Maggie, Tails." She kindly corrected the fox.

"How come I don't get to call you by name, Miss Caiside?" Sonic asked, his eyes dulling at the sight of her and Tails getting friendly.

"When you learn to respect me and my property, you little_." Margaret paused when she noticed something on the three-dimensional model.

She zoomed in a little to get a better look. Her brows lowered slightly when she realized what Margaret was looking at. It appeared to be a depression from something being dragged.

"That looks like something was dragging along the ground."

Margaret navigated the map like a professional, as if she had done something similar before.

Tails watched her curiously as she piloted her way along the ground to a sheet of rounded metal. He then became a little suspicious when her gaze flickered slightly with recognition.

"From the curvature, this must be a breastplate."

"Um, how would you know?"

"Well, I saw the lunatic's machine from where I was. I mean, it is not hard to miss a giant walking robot. Or whatever it was."

"Yeah, um," Tails replied with uncertainty.

"And of course, it's big enough to hide a body."

Tails gulps as she followed the half-dragging, half-walking prints in the ground to the tree line.

Margaret stared at the digital image of the trees, realization glazing over her.

"So, this thing," she points at the device. "Is how you figured out the lunatic survived?"

"Yes, ma'am. I mean, Maggie. The trail stopped at the tree line. After I was given permission, I swept the forest to expand the map. Dr. Robotnik basically dragged himself away from the crash site into the forest. He stopped about a mile out."

Margaret had to bite back the comment she wanted to make. She understood now why Dr. Robotnik's leg was injured the way it was. He traversed on a severely broken leg just to escape. It was no wonder he had slept on and off for a week. Dr. Robotnik overexerted himself to the point of sheer exhaustion. She felt a pang in her stomach at a new realization. He was all alone. No one to help him. The crazy ass narcissistic doctor would have died that night if she and Jade hadn't found him.

She then became nervous. Did Tails' device pick up on her cart? If this thing in her hand can detect someone dragging themselves, then it will pick up on that as well.

Scheiße, she cursed to herself.

Margaret cleared her throat, then followed Robotnik's footprints further into the forest. She found the spot where Margaret found him. Thankfully, Jade's paw prints weren't discovered. Except she can barely see the divots of her cart. Margaret doesn't even see her footprints, which she is grateful for. It is a couple of weeks old trail, anyway. Other animals could have run across that path.

"He stopped there," Tails started as he pointed at the spot. "His footprints disappeared after that."

Margaret internally sighed in relief, thankful that Tails didn't detect her cart, her footprints or Jade's. They won't suspect her at all.

"However, I found traces of his blood on the ground and leading away from where he rested."

Hurensohn, Margaret wanted to scream.

"My topographic map can't pick up bodily fluids. We followed the blood trail_."

Tails was cut off when the commander stomped up the basement stairs, and headed towards them.

"Certainly, I'll ask. Thank you for the information," he said, then hung up.

Margaret quickly stood from the couch, regarding the commander.

She is inwardly panicking about Tails finding a blood trail, which only meant it led to the road. The possibility of them discovering it going across the road and onto her property freaked her out. Margaret carefully glances up at the door where Robotnik is hiding, silently considering her options.

Margaret won't willingly give up the doctor if they figured out she has him under her protection. She would rather shove a knife into her throat. It will take her to a place where Margaret hopes she will be. A place among the stars, and with the light of her world. Except, her suicidal act would leave Robotnik vulnerable. He won't be able to defend himself with the condition he's in.

She could build onto the lie further and lead the dumbass commander to the stove and knock him unconscious. It's about that time for her to burn deadfall. She can always mask the smell of burning flesh with lavender. Of course, she would have to do this when there were no armed agents here. The only other option is to mislead them. She knows someone who can take the fall for the doctor's disappearance. If they are still around, that is.

She steadily heaved a sigh, and gaze flicking to the commander. Her gaze hardened and jaw squared.

"Are you done here, Commander? I have chores to finish."

"Almost. I received some information from a colleague in another department concerning an ongoing case. They mentioned you by name."

"Why would they?"

"You have a direct connection to a fugitive they have been searching for a year now. Does the name Alastor Cage sound familiar to you, Miss Caiside?"

Both Sonic and Tails, even Knuckles, eyed the Commander curiously before turning their attention on Margaret. They quickly noticed how rigid she became and the death glare she shot at the man who mentioned this Alastor Cage dude.

Tails wanted to say something but refrained himself. Although Sonic was not afraid to question.

"Who is Alastor Cage? Sounds like someone you would have as an enemy in a Vin Diesel movie. The name is cool and intimidating." Sonic added.

Margaret rolls her eyes.

"Cage is someone I wish I've never known," she growled at him. "What of him, Commander?"

Noting the hostility in her voice, he was blunt about the subject.

"Agents have been looking for him for a year now with no success. The guy is a ghost. Do you have any information you can provide us to help catch him?"

"What is he wanted for?" She asked, her voice held a clip and icy.

"Aggravated assault and battery, DUI, and a few other serious charges."

"What other serious charges?"

The Commander paused, biting at his lower lip before proceeding.

"Homicide, ma'am."

Margaret went poker faced, but felt a stabbing pain in her chest.

"He killed someone?"

"More like people. A uh, family, to be exact. He was an agent of ours. God rest their souls."

Margaret swallows tightly, heaving a sigh through her flared nostrils and ran a hand through her curly hair.

"Scheiße," she breathed. "An mac soith sin. I don't know where the arschloch went. The last time I saw the waste of skin was a year ago."

"Wait. You saw him last year?"

"Tá."

"Pardon?"

"Tá, is yes in Irish, Commander. I'm of Irish-German descent. I mingle both dialects in my speech."

"Oh, um, good to know. Um, did Cage say anything to you when you saw him last?"

"Nein. He just showed up here unexpectedly and was a chaotic mess. I assume now it was from after the murders. He wanted a place to crash for the night before leaving at first light. I wouldn't let him, of course, considering our … history. When I refused to let him stay, he left in an angry fuss … and pissed drunk."

"If you don't mind me asking, but what is your relationship with Cage?"

"He was," she emphasized, "my eejit boyfriend. I dumped his narcissistic arse when the fucker became abusive."

Tails flinched from the vulgar word.

"A-abusive?"

"Yep, all around abusive. The second he laid his hands on me, I kicked him out of my home and out of my life. I did date someone else after him, but the bloody coward disappeared on me not long after I gave birth to my daughter. It's for the better, I guess. I don't fare well with most males."

The commander coughed and shifted in his spot.

"Oh, where is your daughter now? In school, I presume."

She didn't answer him straight away. Margaret tried her best not to show any emotion from the question or the assumption he made.

"She's … in town," she answered vaguely.

"Would she know anything about Cage?"

Margaret sniffed distastefully.

"She wouldn't know anything about that man, Commander. Now drop it. We both know you're not here to locate my worthless ex, but to find the lunatic doctor. I told you earlier, I haven't seen him. Now, leave."

"Um, are you sure you haven't seen him, Maggie?" Tails asked her timidly.

"Yes, I'm sure," she returned with a glare.

"Well, um, we found traces of his blood_."

"Did you sweep my property without my consent, you little mutt?"

"I'm a fox."

"The fox is in the canine family. Now, did you look around my property without asking me?"

"No, honest. I only stopped at the edge of the road, Maggie. I wouldn't venture onto the property to further my search without your approval. And your cooperation, of course. Considering you are in a bad mood, I won't press my luck in asking."

Margaret stares at Tails with a frown, but provides him a respectful nod.

"Danke."

"However, this is a government case, Miss Caiside," the Commander says with authority.

Both Sonic and Tails shook their heads in disbelief. Knuckles just stood there munching on the grapes Margaret gave him to eat.

"Rather it's a government or local case, you don't have a probable cause to search my home or property. You're conducting a search under the pretense a fugitive has taken refuge here, which he hasn't. You should have informed me of your investigation beforehand instead of storming in like you did. That is a code violation of my privacy. Besides, if he had stumbled upon my lawn, my dogs would have alerted me of an intruder."

"Yeah, Thor there in particular. He's an excellent watch slash guard dog," Sonic comments as he points out the window where Thor is keeping an eye out for Molly the Goat. "Even the goat Molly would sound the alarm. She's easily spooked."

"Of course, you would know since you come around here unexpectedly like the maniac that you are."

"What? I enjoy playing with Bear. He's fun, and basically the size of a horse for me."

"He's a working dog, you little menace."

"You know, I'm really starting to not like your attitude towards me," Sonic says, hurt clear in his voice.

"Maybe if you treat my privacy and property with respect, you would receive a different welcoming."

Sonic visibly flinches from the scathing glare she shot his way, even frowns.

"Are we done here?"

The commander huffs, then motions for the agents in the house to fallback. One by one, the armed agents left the house in a grumble. One of them looked up at the second floor, and at the bedroom where Robotnik was hiding.

"What about that room, ma'am?"

"Which one?"

They motion towards it.

"The room at the end of the hallway. The door is closed."

"It's closed for a reason and locked."

"Why is it locked, Miss Caiside? Are you hiding something in there?" Commander Walters asks.

He glances at the agent and motioned them to search. They start forward to follow their order, only to stop from Margaret's voice.

"You will not go near that door. Do you understand me? I already didn't like any of you searching my basement and clinic. To be clear, I'm not hiding anything. It's locked because it was my daughter's room. No one is allowed in there, except for me."

The commander eyes Margaret strangely, as if deciphering a code.

"You lock your daughter in her room?" He questioned cautiously.

"Of course not! Just the things that she no longer uses."

"Meaning what exactly?"

"Meaning she doesn't live here anymore," she responded tightly.

He looks at her again with furrowed brows.

"So, your daughter is…," the commander started, only to be interrupted.

"No longer around," Sonic butted, while staring apologetically at Margaret.

The commander blinks. He glances at Sonic, who remained to stare at the woman, then back at her. He then realized what that meant. With an uncomfortable cough to clear his throat, Walters clasped his hands in front of him and gave a slight bow.

"My deepest apologies, ma'am," he replied softly.

Margaret didn't look his way, just stared off somewhere else as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

"Please leave," she says, her voice cracking.

Commander Walters frowns sadly, then motions the remaining agents out of the living room. He followed behind them, stopping at Margaret's side.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, Miss Caiside. No child should be taken away from their mother so early."

Margaret gives him a curt, sad nod, blinking tears back and biting at her lower lip.

"Again, my apologies for the intrusion."

She watches him exit the living room to her front door, glancing at the door briefly before hurrying along.

Tails glances at Margaret, his brilliant blues glistening with sadness. He wanted to provide her words of comfort, but wasn't sure what to say other than 'I'm sorry for your loss'. Eventually, Tails reached out and placed a soothing hand on her arm.

Margaret flinched slightly from his touch, but relaxed when Tails lightly rubbed her arm.

"Despite the circumstances, it was a pleasure meeting you, Maggie. And um, I am sorry about your daughter."

"Vielen Dank. And it was a pleasure meeting you, Tails."

"Um, what was that first part? Vielen what?"

"Vielen Dank," she pronounces for him to learn. "It's German for thank you or thank you very much. Danke shön, is also acceptable. Danke is another form, but translates as thanks."

"Oh, gotcha. Well, vielen dank, Maggie."

"Sehr gut."

Tails just smiles, glad that he directed Margaret's attention to something else other than her deceased daughter.

"Sehr gut," he repeats with ease, and chuckles.

"Very good."

"Maybe I should learn German. It's sounds pretty cool, and it's fun to learn a new language. If you ever need anything, Maggie."

Tails pauses, then reaches into his pack bag and pulls out a small device, handing it to her. She graciously accepts it despite her confusion.

"Here. It's a communication device. You just press that green button there to speak through the speaker there."

Margaret follows his finger as he pointed at the top corner button, then the mesh speaker.

"Oh, sort of like a walkie talkie."

"In a way, yes."

"Gotcha. What's this one for?"

She gestures at the red one below the green.

"That one is in case of emergencies. It will only send a distress signal. Me, along with Sonic and Knuckles, will hear rapid beeping and red flashes from mine. We will be here lickety-split if you were ever in trouble."

"I will keep that in my mind if trouble ever shows up, which is doubtful. Hardly anything happens back here except for maybe the occasional mountain lion."

"Which is why I'm giving it to you. You live so far out, it probably takes emergency personnel ten to twenty minutes to get here."

Margaret nodded.

"That they do. Thank you, Tails."

He provides her a kind smile and wave, then scampers out of the house while motioning for Sonic and Knuckles to follow. The Echidna was quick to follow instruction. He had set the grape branches on the counter, uncertain where Margaret's trash can would be, then came to her side. He places his large white knuckles together, as if mimicking giving grace or prayer, and smiles fondly at the woman.

"Thank you, gracious host, for the grapes. They were delicious."

Margaret mirrors his smile, tilting her head slightly that made her tight curls to sweep over her shoulder.

"I'm glad you liked them. And it was a pleasure meeting you, Knuckles."

The Echidna soon scampers after Tails, smiling proudly.

Once Knuckles came to Tails' side, Tails noticed Sonic wasn't moving. He was staring apologetically at Margaret while shuffling his feet. Even his hands are clasped together behind him.

"Hey, Sonic, are you coming?"

Sonic heaves a sigh as he remained to stare at Margaret, a look of unease and resolve in his gaze.

"In a minute," he says. "I want to say something to Miss Caiside first."

"Do you think that is a good idea? I mean, she_."

"I know, and it's okay, Tails. I promise I won't push her buttons further. This shouldn't take long."

Tails bit at his lower lip, glancing from Sonic to Margaret. She didn't seem too happy that Sonic was staying behind for whatever reason, but it's important to him. He has to respect his friend's wish and give them a moment of privacy.

"Okay. We'll be waiting at the Humvees," he says with a thumb pointing outside.

Sonic watched Tails and Knuckles head out, both looking perplexed yet worried for him. He provides them a reassuring, yet small smile before they disappeared from view.

Once he knew they were out of sight and out of earshot, Sonic regards Margaret again. He frowns deeply at the sight of her pinched expression and the anger in her gaze.

This is not going to be easy, he says to himself.

He heaves a heavy sigh from his small chest, chalks up his courage and determination.

"What do you want, Hedgehog?" Margaret asked in a controlled tone.

"First, I want to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For telling them about your daughter. I know it wasn't my place_."

"Then you shouldn't have said anything."

"I know, I could have," he starts while wringing his hands. "It's just … it probably would have been harder for you to say it loud than tell a lie. So, I'm sorry that I said anything. I should have kept it to myself."

Margaret stares down at him, her gaze softening some from his reasoning and motivation. She was hurt that Sonic told everyone that her little girl was no longer around. Although she knew he regretted saying anything when Sonic held her gaze. He is right, though. It would have been hard for Margaret to admit to the Commander that her daughter was deceased. Telling a lie would be her lying to herself about what became of her little star. She misses her deeply … and wishes that the accident never happened.

She let out a steady sigh from her lungs, gulping tightly from distant memories of happier times.

"Thank you, Sonic. I appreciate the apology and accept it."

Sonic smiled softly, but regret still lingered in his gaze.

"You're welcome, Miss Caiside. And um, I'm so_."

He was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from the doorway, followed by a polite knock.

Sonic, along with Margaret, glance over at the front door to see the commander. He stood there awkwardly, and with a small nervous frown on his lips.

"Pardon me for the interruption, but uh, I wanted to give you something, Miss Caiside."

Margaret stares at him with arms folded in front of her.

"Like what?"

Sonic silently groaned, tempted to shake his head at what was coming.

Oh boy, this is going to end badly, he thought to himself.

The Commander stood in the doorway, hesitating in entering.

"Uh, may I come in?"

Margaret doesn't verballing invite him in, but gives him a slow, curious nod.

He quickly enters Margaret's home again, shuffling awkwardly across the floor to come stand in front of her. He sighed pensively, as if preparing himself for a tongue lashing like Margaret had done earlier. The Commander hesitated before handing Margaret an envelope.

Her brows wrinkled at it.

"What is this?"

"This is uh…," he trails off, unsure how to put it. "An apology for our intrusion."

Sonic glances up at the Commander, shooting him a pleading look.

Curious, Margaret thumbs the envelope open and reaches inside. Her brows wrinkled when her eyes landed on a check and an Applebee's gift card. Her eyes widened when she saw the amount of money the Commander gave her.

"Mo Dhia, das ist viel Geld. What is this for?"

"That should cover the damage we have done to your basement door, Miss Caiside. I, uh, also noticed minor damage on your front door. Whatever is left over can be used however you wish."

Margaret hands the check to him.

"I'm sorry. I appreciate the gesture, but I can't accept this. It's too much."

"Yes, you can, and you will. My agents carelessly damaged your home, and we should pay for the expenses because of it. It should not come out of your pocket. So, please, take it. And you are right, Miss Caiside. I should have informed you thusly of our objective and asked for your permission to search your home here instead of intruding."

Margaret, bewildered still at the generous amount of money, accepts the check. It's more than enough to fix the basement door, and whatever the minor damage they done to her front door. Whatever is left could cover groceries for a month or two, and maybe even some new clothes. She can picture herself in a vintage brown polka dotted dress like Vivian's in Pretty Woman, except with short sleeves. She would need to search for one. It would be a little treat for herself.

The fifty-dollar gift card to Applebee's is pretty convenient. Margaret has been cooking a lot lately and could spoil herself by having dinner out. Except she wouldn't want to exclude Dr. Robotnik. She would feel bad leaving him alone with nothing to eat. Well, Margaret could make him something and leave him to do some errands. But that would be a lie. She can always have him wear a disguise and take him out for dinner. Of course, it would have to depend on his behavior.

After thinking about him in that moment between her and the Commander, Margaret wanted to glance over her shoulder at the bedroom door. She needs to check on him pretty soon to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep standing up. She doesn't doubt he would tumble over and cause a ruckus. Sonic and the Commander would question her of what would cause the noise … and the sounds of shouts and groans.

That would certainly go well. Especially since she has lied to the government about seeing the crazy whack-a-doodle and is hiding him.

"Danke Schön, Commander Walters. I appreciate the funding for the repairs."

"You're welcome, Miss Caiside. Enjoy the rest of your day. And um, hope you enjoy your Applebee's meal."

Margaret's lips twitched, wanting to scowl, but held it back. She nods to him in thanks as he stepped back and exited the foyer, leaving her alone with Sonic once more.

Sonic watched the Commander leave, then turned his gaze back on Margaret.

"I better get going, too. Again, I'm sorry about earlier."

"Thank you, Sonic. Were you about to say something else before the numbskull interrupted?"

He bit at his lower lip, unsure if he should say anything now or wait another day. Although Sonic believes he has overstayed his welcome. He'll apologize for all the other times he came here unannounced and disrespected Margaret's space another time.

"Nah, it can wait another time. It's not that important. Plus, I think you are getting tired of seeing me. Have a good day, Miss Caiside, and tell Bear I said hi."

Sonic waves as he started for the door, frowning slightly from Margaret, rolling her eyes and groaning.

"Just leave, you little menace," she says, but there was no bitterness in her tone, only mild annoyance.

He wanted to chuckle but refrained himself. Sonic quickly rushed out the door and over to Tails and Knuckles, who waited for him at one of the Humvees. He does, however, stop to glance over his shoulder at the house, eyeing Margaret curiously. Sonic remembered the items he saw in her refrigerator, confused, yet wondered what they were for. He also noticed Margaret staring up at the second floor when Commander Walters returned from the downstairs clinic. It seemed rather odd to him. Sonic wonders if Tails noticed Margaret's behavior. Probably not since his friend was getting friendly with the recluse woman.

Sonic then had to ask himself, is Margaret hiding something? And if she is, what is it? He plans to find out … somehow.


It has been much longer than Dr. Robotnik had wanted. It felt like he has been cramped in this cubbyhole for hours on end. However, it's only been thirty minutes. He struggled to remain upright despite the throbbing pain in his leg. His one decent arm is becoming tired and sore from holding onto the doorframe. He can feel it trembling, and the sweat pouring down his back. His moistened forehead is pressed on the woodgrain to at least rest on something.

Must … stay … put, he kept telling himself.

Dr. Robotnik does not want to give himself away while Margaret is doing who knows what to divert the unwanted visitors. If he so much as makes one slight adjustment to ease his discomfort, he will faceplant into the wood. With his unfortunate luck, the door will pop open from his weight and crash to the floor like an ironing board. He can just imagine the visual, and what kind of noise he will make. He would no doubt shout from the surprise, even though he knows it's bound to happen. Dr. Robotnik can just imagine the moans and groans coming from him, and a possible cough from landing on his stomach. The wind will be knocked out of him. He will most likely be cursing out loud for her and the intruders to hear.

Except, the thought of Margaret being caught in a lie gnawed in his mind. She's sticking her neck out for him. Why she is has remained a mystery to him. He may not understand her motives, but he must keep her safe for whatever reason. He can feel his chest tightening at the sudden, sickening thought of her being placed under arrest and treated like a criminal. She doesn't deserve that.

The thought of him being dragged out of here also plagued his mind. Or is it his heart? He can feel it thumping wildly like a stallion racing away from its captures. The doctor feels like that stallion, except he is trapped and contemplating his escape.

He closed his eyes, squeezing them tightly as he fought against the fatigue. His forehead rested against the grain, grinding his teeth.

Fight it, he says to himself.

His ears finally picked up the sound of footsteps. They sounded heavy and are rushing. He felt a bubble of panic well in his chest when they started towards the bedroom. The sound of keys hastily jingling erupted in his eardrums, followed by the door swinging open.

Oh shitake, he grumbled.

He inhaled sharply, holding his breath to keep whoever entered the room to not hear him. Except, his worst fear overtook his brain. The door started moving.

Shit! No!

His eyes screwed tighter, and his arm shook crazily to keep himself from falling forward. However, the moment the door popped open, his strength gave out. Dr. Robotnik lets out a yelp … and falls forward. A surprised shout filled his ears in that second. He thought it was him. Instead, it was the person who discovered his hiding spot. He collides against their body. They caught him, but lose their footing from his weight and fall backwards.

They grunt from the impact, including him. A sharp zing zipped up his arm, along with a throbbing, pulsating ache in his leg.

"Argh, ugh … ow-ouch," Dr. Robotnik cried out, whimpering from a searing pain in his chest now. "Fuck."

His arms laid out beside him, laying atop the person without a care.

"That … hurt," he groaned.

"Well, imagine how I feel with your heavy ass on top of me! Now, get off!"

Dr. Robotnik instantly recognized the voice as Margaret's.

"Oh," he sighs, "it's just you."

"Of course it's just me. Who else would I be? And did you hear me, Robotnik? Get off!"

He just groans, sagging against Margaret's frame. Dr. Robotnik knew from eyeing her shapely, hourglass figure, she would be fit and sinewy. Laying against her like he is just confirms his speculation. Her muscles are taut and stomach rigid, yet soft. He doesn't doubt the woman has a faint six-pack underneath her dark, multi-colored floral blouse. Margaret's jean-clad legs are toned and are … driven … apart?

Dr. Robotnik felt a little click in his brain registering the … position he was in. He may have tumbled out of the cramped space, but Margaret caught him around his shoulders. The velocity of his fall and the way he landed placed him and Margaret in a … somewhat compromising position. Her well-manicured fingernails dug into his taut, clothed shoulders, and is pushing him up.

He lifts his head slightly and glances at Margaret. They locked gazes for a split second. Dr. Robotnik felt a different electric jolt run down his spine and gulped tightly from a tingly feeling in his belly. Margaret blinked quickly, shallowly gasping before shoving him off.

"Get off!"

He is shoved harshly onto his side, gasping sharply, and lets out a bird-like squawk.

"The hell," he says in a groan, watching Margaret stand to her feet.

Margaret says nothing. She quickly dusts herself off, adjusted her blouse then started towards the bedroom door.

"Caiside!" He calls for her.

Margaret still doesn't regard him. Instead, she mumbles under breath in mixed Irish and German.

"Hey!"

She stops at the door frame, glancing back at him with a frown on her lips and the conflict in her eyes. He wondered why. The thought of asking crossed his mind, but figured he better not open that can of worms.

"Aren't you going to help me up?" He asks.

Margaret stares at him for a long moment, and in a silence Dr. Robotnik didn't like.

Eventually she blinks, causing a faint tear to stream down her cheek and presses her lips. She gazes at the spot between Dr. Robotnik's eyes and nose. Her mouth opens only to close, shaking her head. Margaret swiftly turns on her heel, leaving Dr. Robotnik to stare after her.

"Hey! Hey! Come back here!"

Dr. Robotnik groans, shifting in his spot to make himself more comfortable. He wondered what that was all about. He had never seen her act like that before. Well, it's not like he has known her for long. How would he know how Margaret acts? For the last several days, he has only seen the sarcastic, distant and blunt side of his caregiver. The fact she shed a single tear meant there was more to her than what meets the eye.