In case you missed it in Chapter 11, this is the HAPPY ENDING to the story. If you would like the SAD ENDING, please go back to Chapters 12 and 13.

Chapter 14: A Miracle and a Familiar Face

Shadow grew progressively weaker and sensed the end of his life creeping up on him steadily. He felt it in his whole body, and try as he might, he just could not prepare himself for what was happening. He would have never admitted it to anyone, but he was afraid for the first time in his life. A terrible sense of dread gripped his very soul. Was this how normal creatures and people felt in their last moments?

"I wish you were here, Maria. I didn't know it would be like this. I was wrong - I don't want to be alone..."

A mighty cramp shot through his chest that left him gasping for air and made him feel frightfully ill. His heart pounded and he cried a little, terrified of what was happening to him. In spite of a full moon lighting up his bedroom, everything around him grew darker. He tried to resist, but he couldn't stop his body from shutting down.

When he felt as though his last moment was upon him, the room filled with a dazzling blue light. Shadow squinted to try and see through the light to try to find the source when he saw a human figure manifest in the room with him and approach him. His spectral company appeared to be not quite solid, nor transparent. Shadow wasn't sure if he was really seeing a ghost of if he was only dreaming. The peculiar apparition walked to his bedside and startled him, as he didn't know who or what it was or if it meant him any harm, and he closed his eyes, fearing what would come next. Rather, his odd guest held his hands and stroked his face with a feather-light touch. Once it had gotten closer to him, he was able to see more clearly with his fading vision that the eyes looking back at him were those of his dearest friend.

"Maria? Is it really you?"

"Yes, Shadow. It's really me."

"I can't believe you're here! I never thought I'd see you again!"

"It's so good to see you again, Shadow."

"But how are you here?"

Maria didn't say anything. She simply held his hand.

"You're here because I'm going to die, aren't you?"

"You are walking along the edge of life and death right now because of your injuries, and I've come to find out if your time on Mobius is truly over. If so, then you will be able to come back with me."

"I can?" He held her hands and pleaded. "I want to go with you! I've waited so long. Please, I don't want to be without you any longer."

"Slow down. Let me hold your hands for a little bit and see." She held Shadow's hands for a long time and felt the energy within his body, or what remained of it. She looked into his soul, his heart and his memories, especially those of his most recent past with the Freedom Fighters.

"Shadow... I think you should stay here."

"What? But why? Don't you want us to be together again?"

"Of course I want to be with you. But your friends need you here. Whether or not you realize it, many of the people in this village really care about you. They will be devastated if your physical life comes to an end. Let me show you."

Maria waved her hand before the two of them and showed Shadow visions of the Freedom Fighters in real time. None of them could sleep knowing they had seen Shadow for the final time hours earlier. Bunnie was sitting on the edge of her bed and crying into her hands.

"Ah shoulda been nicer to him, he didn't do nothin' to deserve how I treated him. And we woulda lost Sally and Sonic if he didn't do what he did. Darn that Robotnik and his Swatbots! Ah'm shoah gonna miss that l'il sweetheart."

Next, she showed Rotor, who wasn't quite as upset, but still found himself consumed with guilt. "He couldn't have been as bad as I was making him out to be if he saved both Sonic and Sally. I never got the chance to apologize to him. I should have treated him better. He seemed all right."

She waved her hands again to show Sonic and Sally together, comforting one another. Sally was very distraught. "It's my fault. I should never have made him a Freedom Fighter. I should have set him away after he helped you. He wouldn't have gotten hurt if I didn't. He's going to die because of me." Sally sobbed into Sonic's chest.

Sonic was just as upset, but was trying to be strong for Sally and comfort her. He held her close. "Sal, there is no way you could have known this would happen. He chose to protect you. I'm sure he knew he could get hurt doin' that."

Sally asked, "Should we go and stay with him? He might be afraid to be alone right now."

"He asked to be alone. Said he had thinkin' to do. I really wanted to stay with him, but I wanted to respect his wishes."

Shadow's eyes brimmed with tears seeing so many of his new friends were upset over him.

"I didn't think this would affect them all so much. How can they care this much about me when they've only known me a little while?"

Maria smiled. "It seems you have made quite an impression on your new friends. I am so proud of you, especially for saving two of them. Your blue friend is taking your condition the hardest and he would be most heartbroken over losing you."

He looked at Maria. "But... I want to be with you again. I care about them all, but you mean more to me."

"I'm sorry, but we can't be together quite yet."

Shadow's head fell in despair and his ears drooped over his head.

Maria held his face with both hands. "I promise you, we will be together again one day, Shadow the Hedgehog. It's just not the right time now."

"I can't stand the thought of waiting longer to be with you again. Please, I'm ready to go. Take me with you. Please, let us be together again." He cried, clutching her hands.

She tried to comfort him. "Please don't cry."

She lifted his chin to look in his eyes and brushed his tears away.

"Can you stay? For me? Be strong on Mobius, be with your new friends, be more than just a weapon or an experiment. Live some of the life I never got the chance to live because I died so young. Then, one day, it will truly be time for you to come home. Can you do that for me?"

Shadow sniffled. "I will. For you, Maria."

She kissed him on the head and hugged him. "Thank you, Shadow. I love you. You go and live a good life with your friends."

"But my injuries are fatal. I heard the princess' computer say my heart was punctured."

Maria placed her hand on Shadow's chest and he felt a sensation of warmth fill his whole body. The aching and heaviness in his chest lifted, and he felt like he could breathe once more.

"This will help you. Now you must rest so you can get better." She then got up and walked toward the other side of the room from where she had entered, then turned back and smiled at Shadow one more time before she disappeared.

Shadow wept and reached out for her as she faded from view. "I love you, Maria."

"Goodbye, Shadow. Be good."

Shadow managed to get himself out of bed and scrambled to the corner of the room where Maria had been standing moments ago before fading away. He reached for her when she wasn't there anymore – all that remained was a dark, lonely room and the glow of the moon coming through the window. He sank to his knees and cried, realizing she was gone.

"NO! Please come back! I can't lose you a second time! Don't go! Maria, please! Not again!"

He sobbed hard into his hands and clutched his head, eventually crying himself to sleep on the floor.

Author's Notes: I mentioned this in the other ending, but Shadow's experience with Maria's spirit is something that has been observed by those who work around the dying a lot, such as hospice workers or nurses. It is known as "visioning" when someone nearing the end of their life may start to see their dead loved ones visiting them and speaking to them. For humans, it could be hallucinating due to the dehydration that often accompanies impending death, or it could be real spiritual visitation. It's hard to say. But in Shadow's case, it was real.

Please proceed to Chapter 15 for the second part of the happy ending!