AN: Thank you so much to Alicethefennecfox, Risingzero1984, Realshadowfan04, Syntaxical, Colabat, BlissfanAngel, Carlata Jones, Pirilaxa, and CrimsonLove16 for the reviews you left on my last chapter. I truly, from the bottom of my heart, appreciate this. This is a pretty lengthy chapter, but a good one...I was trying to work on stuff for ShadamyWeek2023 on Twitter while simultaneously working on the following three chapters for Brothers of Chaos. I have an end set in mind, but there's still plenty of drama, heartbreak, betrayal, romance, and tragedy to come. I hope you're ready for the final ride!

The following week and a half was a blur. Shadow and the others continued to be busy with work for the cartel, and Amy was back at the hospital again once Ms. Vanilla cleared her. Amy still had a few of the guys from both charters acting like her bodyguards escorting her to and from work. Shadow ordered a few of them to be stationed outside the hospital, looking for suspicious individuals who may wish to harm her. For the most part, though, the apparent "threat" had seemingly died off. Amy and Shadow didn't see much of each other during that time as both were busy with their jobs. When one or the other returned to the house, the other was already in bed or still at work for the night. They barely had conversations and kept busy with their work.

Amy started to feel like her relationship with Shadow resembled two passing ships at night. Amy had wanted to talk to Rouge about her strained relationship with Shadow but hadn't found the opportunity. Rouge had been busy arranging Locke's funeral with Knuckles and consoling each other on his sudden passing. She didn't want to burden her further. However, by that Sunday, an official funeral was being held in town. Everyone from both charters was expected to be there, which would give the perfect opportunity for Amy and Shadow to have a proper sit-down and assess their relationship.

That Sunday, Amy stood in her room and reused the same funeral outfit she had worn to Cosmo's funeral. She looked at herself in her mirror when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in," she responded.

The door cracked open, and Shadow, also in his funeral attire, peeked cautiously inside, unsure how she'd feel seeing him. He, too, had felt the strain but was uncertain how to approach their situation. He wanted to give her the space she requested but was dying to talk to her. His ears lowered slightly. "Hey…"

Amy spotted his reflection in her mirror and slowly turned to face him. "What's up?"

"I wanted to see if you were ready. Everyone is getting in the limo in five," he gestured.

Amy walked to her desk and picked up her black purse. The tension was palpable in the room. "I'll be down there shortly," she stated.

He studied her for a moment before hesitating to move on. "Right, well, I'll be downstairs waiting."

She turned her back on him. "Okay."

Shadow grabbed the door handle, preparing to leave, but stopped. He closed the door but remained inside the bedroom with her. "Amy, we need to talk."

She glanced over her shoulder. "About?" Her tone was still cold.

He sighed at her shortness with him and walked towards her. "Come on. You know exactly what I want to talk about."

Amy sat down on the edge of her bed. "Enlighten me."

She watched as Shadow began to pace before her. "We've barely spoken a word to each other all week. We haven't shared a bed and hardly have seen one another. I've given you plenty of time to think, but I want to know your thoughts. It's driving me crazy!"

Amy frowned. She could see that not knowing the state of their relationship was affecting his mental state significantly. "I want to be with you, Shadow." Her eyes drifted off solemnly. "Truly, I do. I'm just scared, is all…"

"You don't think I'm scared as well?" he challenged. "I only want you to be safe. I've been doing everything I can to keep you feeling that way, and I'll keep doing what I can until we're done working for Enerjak. Nothing bad will happen to you."

"…And you're sure you promise you'll leave with me once these six months are up?" she questioned.

Shadow reached for her hands, taking them in his. He looked into her eyes with seriousness. "I promise. Once this trial run is done, it's just you and me, princess."

Amy felt a smile tug at her lips, and her heart fluttered. She rose to her feet, leaned up, and kissed him for the first time in days." Shadow reciprocated the gesture and kissed her back. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much, Amy," he whispered while he kept his eyes closed. "I need you to know that."

She kept her arms around his neck. "I know you do. I love you too, Shadow."

•~•

A little bit later, the two charters attended the funeral. A service was held where many members spoke on behalf of Locke and shared fond memories of the echidna. Amy still felt awful for the way Locke had died. She glanced over to Rouge and Knuckles, both bawling in the corner. Knuckles had indeed had a horrible year. First, he lost Julie-Su to a senseless murder meant for him, and now he had lost his father to another murder. She didn't know what strength he was using to get himself through all these tragedies, but she had to commend him.

Once the service was over, the motorcyclists stood around the burial site, watching Locke's casket get lowered into the grave. One by one, people had a private moment at the burial site saying their last goodbyes. At one point, Amy and Shadow stood side by side, holding hands as they said their final goodbyes.

In the background, alone by a large oak tree, Espio watched Amy like a hawk. He leaned his right shoulder against the tree with his arms crossed over his chest. Mephiles approached the detective from behind. "Will you give it a break already?" he bemoaned.

Espio turned to look over his shoulder at the gloomy M.C. president. "Pardon me?"

Mephiles scoffed and stood by his side. "Don't act dumb. I know what you've been doing all week."

Espio raised one brow, puzzled by his statement. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't follow…"

Mephiles rolled his eyes. "Do you plan to stalk Ms. Rose for the rest of her life? If that's the case, you'll be quite busy."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he denied.

"Right…" he mulled. "So how do you explain why I've seen you stationed outside the hospital, our compound, and even spotted you when she's been doing errands?" he challenged. "You're essentially her second shadow."

Espio sighed. "Fine, I've been checking in on her here and there on my off time. Her life was threatened, and I'm concerned for her well-being. Is that a crime?"

Mephiles chuckled lowly. "It's funny. That threat only appeared out of the blue when I mentioned that Amy had ties to Locke's blackmail against me," he tossed out casually. "Then that same threat just suddenly vanished without anyone coming forth to claim it…Even the Suppression had no ties to it."

Espio eyed him carefully. "What are you getting at here?"

Mephiles stepped in front of the chameleon calmly but eying him dangerously. "I know it was you," he pointed accusingly.

Espio scoffed. "Why would I do that?"

"You're trying to warn her—you want to keep her on her toes."

He glanced away for a moment. "Well, should she be?"

Mephiles' eyes drifted over to the pink hedgehog for a moment. "When she holds crucial information that could take me out of power and favor with my subordinates and brother, yes."

Espio moved away from the tree and blocked Mephiles' view of the pink beauty. "You can't hurt her, Mephiles. It would destroy Shadow."

"I would never think of such a thing," he assured. "However, she needs to have a firm conversation to know the consequences of revealing such information."

"I told you Vector, and I would handle it, and we will," he reminded sharply. "You don't even know if she's read those stupid letters. For all we know, she has them but has no idea what information it holds."

"That's optimistic thinking, but I know Locke wouldn't go that route. He'd want her to hold all the cards. I know that she's aware of everything." His fists tightened by his sides.

"If that's the case, why hasn't she come out with the information when Locke said he had contingencies in place?" he reminded.

"She's just waiting for the right moment…however, this little rift she and my brother are having has stalled that next move."

Espio firmly pressed a finger into his chest. "Stay away from her, Mephiles. I'm warning you. Your brother is finally happy. Allow him to enjoy his happiness."

Mephiles watched as Espio walked towards the group of funeralgoers, disappearing into the crowd. His brows narrowed at his retreating figure.

•~•

Later that evening, the bikers returned to town to one of the bars they'd frequent to hold the after-service. The bikers gathered there to celebrate Locke's life, drink, share memories, and cheer him off to the afterlife. Shadow approached the booth where he had left Amy sitting with Rouge and Knuckles. He slid a glass of wine in her direction. "I hope red is fine."

Amy smiled sweetly up at him. "Thanks, Shadow. That's fine."

Shadow moved into the booth beside her and glanced at the other couple sitting across from them. Knuckles and Rouge both looked depleted of any happiness. "We're going to get payback for this, Knuckles," Shadow assured.

The red echidna scoffed venomously. "Sure, we will…just like we did for Julie-Su, right?"

Rouge jolted slightly, hearing her husband's sarcastic tone. "Babe…"

"Well, it's true!" he snapped. "What good is keeping up our notorious reputation if we can't back it with our actions? We never figured out who killed Julie, and we'll probably never get justice for my dad."

"I understand the pain you're feeling," Shadow consoled. "Trust me, I would know, but killing those who wronged you won't bring Locke or Julie back. You'll think it's brought peace, but it'll only be temporary."

Amy turned to look at Shadow. "Shadow, did you…" she paused, with her implied thought.

The ebony hedgehog nodded. "Yes, I took out many of the Suppression members who attacked us that day. Maria is still gone, and even after, I still suffer. None of them have come forward and ever admitted they committed the crime, and they never will. They're cowards, and they've probably forgotten by now too."

Knuckles smashed one of his giant fists down onto the side of the table. "I can't just sit here and allow injustice to follow. Someone needs to be held responsible. Otherwise, this endless cycle of injustice will continue."

"You want to wind up getting yourself killed?" Rouge berated back. Tears were pricking the corners of her eyes. "At the end of the day, this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't agreed to work with the cartel…"

Shadow and Knuckles looked around the crowded and loud bar, hoping her raised voice hadn't alerted anyone. Because the bar was so noisy with other conversations and music, it seemed they were in the clear. "Rouge," Shadow scolded quietly.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Well, it's true! You guys are idiots to be working with them. Death is only going to follow!"

Knuckles frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Babe, we talked about this. It's only for six months—not forever."

Rouge rose from her seat and scooted out of the booth. She covered her eyes with the back of her arm. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll be saying that when you're the next one we put in the ground."

Knuckles quickly hurried after her. "Rouge, babe!"

Awkwardly left alone, the two hedgehogs sat together in the booth. "…She's right, you know," Amy finally added.

"About what?" Shadow countered.

Her fingers danced along the stem of her wine glass. "I still stand by the idea that it was stupid to join this cause."

"There's nothing else we can do now. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place," he frustratedly admitted.

Suddenly Vector approached their booth. "Mind if I have a word with you real fast, Shadow?"

"Of course." Shadow squeezed himself out of the booth and followed Vector into one of the other busy rooms. Just at that moment, Espio appeared and passed the stall. He and Amy exchanged eye contact momentarily before discreetly sliding a piece of folded-up paper on the table before her and walking off. Amy looked over her shoulder at him, confused, before grabbing the paper.

She carefully opened it and read the handwritten inscription: "Meet me by the bathrooms." Amy's gut sank but obliged, got out of the booth, and followed the chameleon.

•~•

Eventually, Amy found the entrances to the bathrooms and looked at both the female and male doors to both facilities. There was also a third door. She glanced around the somewhat trafficked area where both males and females from both charters went in and out of the bathroom. She spun around, looking for Espio, but didn't see him anywhere.

Just when she was about to give up, she felt a hand clasp around her mouth and waist before dragging her backward into a darkened corner. She let out a muffled gasp but suddenly was cloaked in invisibility. The next thing she realized, she had been dragged outside by the third door she had seen near the bathrooms and was now in the back alley where the dumpsters were. The invisible hand covering her mouth released, and Espio suddenly appeared before her with visibility once he de-activated his camouflaging technique. "I'm sorry for that sudden approach, but I had no other way to keep this discreet," he apologized.

Amy backed up, and her back hit the side of the building as she stared at him apprehensively. "I was already weirded out with the note, but now I'm super creeped out."

He placed his hands up, showing no harm. "I have no intention of hurting you. I only wanted to talk to you privately about a concerning matter."

She kept her eyes locked on him and quirked a brow. "About what exactly?"

He lowered his arms and placed them in his pants pockets. "About the letters Locke gave you."

Amy froze up suddenly. "Letters? What letters are you talking about?" she rambled nervously.

He gave her a slight smirk, admiring her efforts. "It's all right, doctor. I already know everything about them. You don't have to lie to me, but you'll need to trust me going forward so I can keep you safe."

Amy crossed her arms over her chest with judgment. "And why should I trust you? You work for Mephiles. Aren't you and your partner his errand boys?"

He chuckled lowly at her comment. She wasn't exactly wrong with her observation. "That's cute, you know. Yes, I work for him, but he's put me in a difficult position regarding these letters. I wanted to talk to you one-on-one to find a solution for both of us."

Amy gulped nervously. "…So, he knows about them?"

Espio nodded gravely. "Yes, he's even read them."

"How am I involved in this, then? Locke's the one who was using it as blackmail, not me."

"I realize that, but Locke had a big mouth, and he threatened Mephiles that if anything happened to him, he had 'contingencies' in place," he explained.

"…Contingencies?" Amy repeated with puzzlement.

Espio shifted on his feet. "Locke was insinuating that he'd have a whistleblower in his place to expose the truth."

Her stomach sank. "Chaos…and he thinks that's me?"

"Unfortunately," he confirmed.

"Damn it," Amy muttered. "I never agreed to any of this with Locke. All I said was that I'd keep them safe for him."

"Sadly, Mephiles has determined that you are the whistleblower and are causing him significant distress. He's concerned that you'll eventually tell Shadow and the others everything and ruin his reputation and reign over the M.C."

Amy clasped her hands together in front of her. "I swear I won't tell a soul! I didn't want to get involved in this from the start."

"I understand that, but Mephiles doesn't, and I've been doing everything I can to keep you out of his line of targets."

She gulped nervously. "…H-he wants to hurt me?"

Espio sighed again. "It wouldn't surprise me, so I must come clean, too. I was the one who wrote up that phony threat against you," he admitted warily. "I did it so Shadow would place more protection around you. It was the only way to ensure Mephiles didn't pull a fast one."

Amy felt her heart beginning to race as things started to make sense. "This isn't funny anymore. I need to tell Shadow about this. Locke told me never to tell Shadow about these letters. But with all the trouble it's causing me, I have no choice." She headed back inside, but Espio grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Wait, please don't. Let me handle this," he begged. "It's a delicate situation."

"No!" she shouted. "Mephiles had to be the one who ordered that hit on Julie-Su. I know it!"

Espio's eyes went wide. "How do you…"

His reaction confirmed her suspicions. "I've always known he was dangerous. I wouldn't be surprised if he were somehow involved in Locke's untimely end. The number of things I've kept to myself because Shadow told me not to get involved. My life is at risk here…I can't stay silent any longer."

He kept a tight hold on her wrist. "You can't do this here and now. It's not the right time."

Amy fought with him to be free. "Let me go, Espio!" She slammed her left foot down on his right foot with her heel, forcing him to release her wrist and bellow out a scream. Amy used her free hand and shot it out towards his face in an upward position with the palm exposed and hit him directly under the nose going upward. Now free, she split his lip and ran inside to look for Shadow.

Staggering in the alleyway, Espio grimaced in pain, his lip bleeding. He quickly hurried back inside after her but ran directly into Mephiles himself. The dark president eyed the chameleon up and down with scrutiny. "You're bleeding. What happened?"

"I tripped," he lied, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Don't worry about me," he dismissed coolly.

He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to him. "Allow me to get Ms. Rose. She can patch you up."

Espio accepted the handkerchief and held it to his mouth. "No, I'll find her myself."

Mephiles eyed him with skepticism. "Come to think of it. I did see her run past a few people a few moments ago. She came from this general direction as well…"

"It's a small bar," he shrugged, trying to move past him.

Mephiles grabbed him by the upper arm as more pieces came together. "She looked visibly upset as well…" he whispered.

Espio scoffed as he eyed the panic-stricken hedgehog. "You're paranoid again."

The president narrowed his eyes at him, fearing the worst. Espio was forcibly backed back out into the alley by Mephiles. "What did you do?"

•~•

Amy anxiously looked around for Shadow in one of the four rooms. Every room she entered was packed with motorcyclists and escorts from both charters. Many of them were drunk, rowdy, and restless as they continued to drink in memory of Locke. Amy desperately looked everywhere for the dark-striped hedgehog in the darkened bar but couldn't find him anywhere. "Shadow!" she called.

A few minutes later, she saw Mephiles rounding the corner. He looked frantic as he looked amongst the crowd. His eyes scanned the crowded room until they locked with hers. Amy diverted her eye contact completely and backed up slowly. "Shit." Amy squeezed past motorcyclists and other escorts in the room, trying to find Shadow. Mephiles growled lowly and pushed his way past people to get to her.

•~•

Meanwhile, outside at the bar's available picnic tables, Mighty and Manic shared a table. "All this death recently has hit me," Manic sighed.

Mighty nodded solemnly. "I know, it feels like we've been losing people left and right these last couple of months, huh?"

"Losing Julie-Su was rough, but now with Locke…it just hits differently."

"I get it. The guy was like a father figure to all of us," Mighty added. "It's going to take time to get used to not having the old guy nagging on us two," he laughed lightly in reminiscence.

Manic bounced his left leg up and down anxiously, and Mighty noticed his changed demeanor. "…You okay there, man?"

Manic bit one of his nails as he looked down at the table. "Remember when you said I should come to you when I'm anxious for a hit?"

"Yeah?"

Manic placed his hands over his eyes and bounced his leg more. "For the past two days, I've been dying to snort a line. Today has been the worst. The craving I'm feeling right now is off the charts, man."

Mighty rose to his feet. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Manic clenched his teeth together. "I-I.." The green hedgehog stopped speaking when he saw a large semi-truck careening toward them off the highway exit at full speed. Pedestrians on the sidewalk screamed and ran out of the way as the truck headed for them. "Oh shit!"

Mighty's eyes widened in alarm. With quick thinking, he leaped over the picnic table they sat at and tackled Manic on the other side, narrowly avoiding being hit by the large vehicle. They rolled along the gravel before landing behind a large planter, shielding them somewhat. However, the two watched in horror as the truck smashed partway into the bar, destroying one-half of the building. The driver, a bluish-grey skunk, hopped out of the truck with a larger white skunk passenger and a female green tenrec wielding semi-automatic weapons.

While those not injured or somewhat injured fled the building, the two masked individuals driving the truck into the building began shooting at the motorcyclists and escorts. Screams of agony erupted as people were gunned down. Some curious people in cars on the street slowed to watch the chaos, but the gunmen aimed their weapons, taking out some random civilians to showcase their power and destruction.

The armadillo watched as a few escorts were shot down brutally in front of the entrance as they tried to flee. "Fuck…" Mighty reached into the back of his dress pants, where he had stashed a G17L for emergencies.

"Who are they?" Manic mumbled as he reached for his own Beretta in the back of his pants.

"At this point, it doesn't matter," Mighty answered, unlocking his gun's safety feature. "They're enemies, and they need to be taken out."

•~•

Meanwhile, back inside, Shadow came to after being knocked out for a minute or so. He tried to get his bearings as he rose upward. It was smoky and dark inside the bar. He saw the occasional flicker of a fluorescent light flickering above him. As he moved, he noticed a small fire in one corner of the room, debris from the ceiling, tables flipped, destroyed, and, worst of all, dead bodies. Shadow stared at a few of them, sadly noticing some were rookies from the other charter and some escorts. He staggered to his feet and winced, feeling a sharp pain in his leg. He'd have to ignore it for now because all he could worry about was Amy.

"Amy!" he called before going into a coughing fit from inhaling all the smoke overhead.

"V.P., help!" Another voice called nearby.

Shadow squinted his eyes and navigated through the darkened room, where he found Gadget under some rubble near the semi-truck that had crashed through the building. "Gadget!" he exclaimed.

He rushed over and began helping dispose of debris collecting on top of the red wolf. "Don't worry, I'll get you out of there," he assured.

Suddenly another person appeared by his side, dusty and a bit bloodied. "I'll help."

Shadow turned and noticed it was Bark. He was bleeding from his forehead but, for the most part, looked all right. "You're hurt…" Shadow noted.

"It's a minor scratch," he dismissed. The two continued lifting and disposing of the chunks of concrete off the red wolf. While they continued working, they heard multiple gunshots and screams from outside. It sounded like there was some shoot-off. "What the fuck is going on out there?" Shadow mumbled.

"Not sure, but if I had to guess, Suppression or Starline's guys," Bark surmised.

Gadget gasped, feeling relief with each boulder removed. "This didn't seem like an accident," he groaned. "If I had to guess…it's a staged attack, sir."

With the last piece of brick off the wolf, Shadow and Bark helped lift him to his feet by placing a hand under each arm. Gadget cried out in pain. "What's hurting?" Bark asked.

"My…my left arm," he winced, gesturing to it.

From the sight, it was bloody, swollen, even bruised-looking. "Shit, I think it might be broken," Shadow noted.

"Somebody, help!" another voice shouted. Shadow looked in the direction the voice was coming from before looking back at the polar bear. "Help get Gadget to safety. I'm going keep helping get people out and look for Amy."

"Right," Bark nodded before helping guide Gadget to a safer location.

Shadow weaved over and under debris and wooden beam frames, barely keeping the roof sturdy. He glanced up and noticed large cracks formed in the ceiling where it had not caved yet. It was only a matter of time before the top came down. He discovered that Knuckles and Axel were using all their strength to hold up a large piece of roofing that had collapsed into the room. Between their legs was Rouge, who had been knocked unconscious and was bleeding from her arm and forehead. The echidna spotted Shadow and looked relieved to see him. "Shadow! Thank Chaos, you're here. Grab Rouge and drag her to safety. Axel and I don't know how long we can keep this from falling."

Shadow didn't say another word and rushed over and scooped Rouge into his arms. He moved away enough for the two to quickly dash and jump out of the way as they simultaneously released their hold on the heavy roofing. It came down with a loud thud, stirring up more dust. Knuckles and Axel pushed themselves off the ground and rushed over to Shadow, still holding Rouge's limp body.

"Rouge, baby!" Knuckles exclaimed with concern.

"I can feel her heart beating, and she doesn't appear to have sustained many injuries besides a cut. She may have hit her head, though," Shadow surmised, looking her over.

Knuckles took her from Shadow and cradled her in his arms. The three males heard sirens approaching as more gunshots rang out. Knuckles sighed. "Sounds like the cops have arrived…"

Suddenly a loud crack resounded throughout the building, and everyone jumped in surprise. They looked at the ceiling as more dust and bits of crumbly debris rained down on them. "I don't think this roof has much hold left. We need to get everyone out of here before it collapses," Shadow opined with a cough.

"Let's go. Most people managed to escape already," Axel noted. "But that's what I have seen from the rooms I've checked."

"Who have you seen from our crew?" Knuckles interrogated.

"Mighty and Manic are outside with Finitevus and others in a shoot-off with the enemy. I saw Bark carrying out Gadget, and Ray was helping tend to some of the injured," he listed. "Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw Vector outside as well calling in backup."

Shadow closed his eyes. "So that leaves my brother and Amy…"

"Shit…" Knuckles whispered, realizing the severity. "I'll help you."

Shadow shook his head adamantly. "No, get Rouge out of here. I'm sure Deputy Silver is out there now with paramedics. She needs to be looked at."

The four could suddenly feel the heat getting stronger from behind them as the fire grew more prominent. "Fuck…" Shadow cursed.

Axel placed a hand on the echidna. "Take your old lady and get out of here. I'll stay behind and help Shadow find his old lady."

"Once I get Rouge to an ambulance, I'm coming back to help," the echidna pledged.

"Go through that room and take a right," Axel instructed. "There's a big hole in the wall you can get through as an exit."

•~•

Meanwhile, Amy felt her eyes flutter open as she finally came to. She groaned as she lay on some rubble. Her whole body felt sore, but most of the pain was in her shoulder. The room was rather dark and dusty, and she could see a billow of smoke up toward the ceiling. A few lights on the ceiling flickered, giving her some light. She moved her legs and felt them move normally, which was a good sign. She wasn't sure what had happened, but she knew some freak accident had occurred as the last thing she remembered. Amy tried to sit upright but cried out in agony as a sharp pain prevented her from moving.

"—Need a hand, my dear?" an eerie and familiar voice asked from the shadows. She looked around and saw a pair of reptilian eyes glowing in the dark move forward. Mephiles' complete form emerged from the darkness and smoke as he stood before her. He appeared not to be too injured. He had a big cut across his cheek and some cuts and bruises over his arms, but he seemed in good shape.

"Stay the hell away from me!" she hissed, trying to put up a brave front.

"Where's this coming from?" he tried to play off coyly with a smirk. "I'm your friend—practically family," he purred.

She grunted as she shifted slightly. "Like hell you are…"

"So, I've heard you're sticking your nose in business you have no privy to. That's not your brightest move, Ms. Rose," he tsked playfully with a headshake.

Amy shifted again, feeling another streak of pain radiate through her shoulder. "Ahh," she cried out. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

Mephiles chuckled as he crouched near her, turned on his phone's flashlight feature, and cast it over her. Amy winced from the bright light as he looked her over for injuries. "Learning about our business can get you killed." His eyes studied one part of her body before noticing a ghastly sight. "However, you may not be far from that last outcome."

She looked at him nervously. "What are you talking about?"

"Your shoulder," he gestured calmly while holding his phone as a flashlight. "It appears you landed on a rebar. It's gone straight through your shoulder blade just under the collarbone." His eyes looked down, near her legs and waist, where a puddle of blood was collecting. "You're bleeding out as well."

Her right hand reached out, and she felt the textured metal rod sticking out. Amy closed her eyes and tried to compose herself as her stomach sank. She could not allow herself to freak out because it would increase the blood flow to her heart and worsen the situation. She had no idea if it had hit an artery, but she couldn't focus on that now. Mephiles watched her grave expression and smirked. Even he could tell by her demeanor that she knew this wasn't good. "It seems luck may be on my side tonight, and I won't have to dispose of you myself."

"Even if I die tonight, Espio will expose the truth to Shadow. He was trying to protect me from you," she seethed.

Mephiles chuckled darkly and rose upright. "He'll be doing no such thing, Ms. Rose."

"He will." she challenged, glaring up at him.

"He would if he was still alive," Mephiles corrected. Amy's eyes widened, making Mephiles grin darkly. "As you know, I never allow obstacles to get too far in my way."

"You…you killed him?" she rasped. "You won't get away with this."

He crossed his arms across his chest smugly. "I'm always a few steps ahead, my dear. How do you think I've managed to be in power for so long?"

Amy suddenly started to feel lightheaded. She closed her eyes a few times as her vision began to blur. Mephiles cocked his head as he noticed her complexion growing lighter and her breathing becoming slower. His form was starting to triple and blur before her. "Would you like me to end it now, so you don't suffer?" he offered while he turned off the flashlight feature on his phone. "You're not looking too good."

"It's against the rules," she mumbled to remind him. "You're not allowed to harm females…"

He chuckled darkly. "As if the rules apply to me. It didn't stop me before."

Everything was going dark, and her head slumped to its side. She was losing consciousness from blood loss. "Go to hell…" she whispered weakly.

Mephiles pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and ruffled it into a wadded ball. He moved in closer and leaned in to smother and take her out for good. "Goodbye, Ms. Rose. I wish it could have ended differently." However, he pulled back his hand with the handkerchief when he spotted a bunch of flashlights and heard voices approaching around the corner of some debris. "Amy!" the voice called. He recognized it instantaneously as his brother's voice.

"Shit." he cursed quietly.

Mephiles looked around his surroundings and quickly played possum. He collapsed onto the ground, picked up some rubble, and laid pieces sporadically on top of him. He closed his eyes and pretended to be unconscious as well.

Shadow, Axel, and Deputy Silver, who had joined them along with some paramedics, came around the rubble only to spot the two. Their flashlights went around the room until they spotted a body. "Amy!" Shadow shouted as he leaped over a large rubble and charged toward her. Shadow arrived by her side as the paramedics shined their flashlights over her body. It was then that Shadow saw her current state. "Amy…" he croaked. He reached out to touch her but flinched, unsure and afraid to inflict more pain. "Shit, shit, shit…"

The two paramedics moved around him and began pulling out medical supplies. "Don't touch her, sir. We don't know what else may be broken or injured. Allow us to tend to her. She's in good hands," they pledged.

Silver looked grave in expression as he watched Shadow looking panicked and terrified. The paramedics that had joined began to assess her damage. Silver used his flashlight to shine around the rest of the room before he located Mephiles' passed out nearby. "Hey!" he shouted. "Your brother is over here!"

Axel walked over to help with Mephiles as Silver bent over to assess his injuries and vitals. Shadow stepped back as he watched them take care of Amy, refocused his energy, and quickly rushed over to see his brother. "Brother!" he shouted.

Axel helped lift Mephiles to an upright sitting position. "Ugh," Mephiles groaned as he placed a hand on his forehead. He pretended to be groggy and disoriented. "What happened?" he mumbled.

"Starline sent some of his guys to crash the funeral and send a message," Axel explained.

"The police were called to the scene quickly," Deputy Silver added. "We were in a shoot-off for a few minutes before they retreated. Authorities are in pursuit."

Shadow touched his brother's shoulder and quickly looked him over. "Are you okay? You don't look too badly injured."

He feigned a weak nod. "Yes, just a bump here or there, along with a cut. Did you find Ms. Rose?"

Shadow frowned before looking over his shoulder as he watched the paramedics tending to her. "…Yes."

Deputy Silver reapproached Shadow. "Get back to Amy because it looks serious. Axel and I will help get your brother out of here."

"Thank you," he nodded.

Shadow rushed back over to the paramedics tending to Amy's wounds. Mephiles looked behind him as Silver and Axel helped escort him out of the deteriorating building. Amy was knocked out right now, but he feared what she'd say to his brother if she woke up. Shadow looked at the two medical professionals. "What's going on? Is she going to be all right?"

One of the paramedics, a female grey seal, looked at him solemnly. "She's pinned to this piece of rubble with rebar. We'll have to cut at it from underneath her to free her from it. We don't want to remove her from the bar entirely for fear of bleeding. Right now, she's in critical condition."

Shadow felt his whole body freeze up as those words left her mouth. It felt like déjà vu happening all over again with Maria. He looked down at Amy. He felt like he was about to pass out himself. His eyes began to water. "Please, I-I can't lose her. I can't lose someone I love again."

"Sir," the other paramedic, a male koala bear, stated, placing a tender hand on his shoulder. "We're going to do everything in our power to save her. I promise."

"…Shadow?" Amy stated weakly, outstretching her good hand to him.

Shadow quickly crouched to her level and took her closet hand in his. He clasped both his hands around hers tenderly. "Hey, princess," he said, mustering a smile and brave face. "It's me. I was looking everywhere for you."

Amy giggled weakly as she kept her eyes closed, barely remaining conscious. "Well, you found me," she said quietly. The two paramedics prepared their electric tools in the background while Shadow had a moment with her.

He swallowed a lump in his throat and wiped at his teary eyes. "Of course. There was no chance in hell I was leaving without you."

She opened her eyes slightly and turned her head to look at him. "Did everyone else get out okay?"

Shadow nodded as he continued to hold her hand in his. "Surprisingly, all our crew got out okay," he explained. "However, I can't say the same for the others from the Southside charter."

Her breathing slowed down a bit, as well as her speech. "I guess…I'm in the worst condition on our side, huh?"

Shadow shook his head adamantly. "Don't say that. You're going to be fine. We're going to get you to a hospital."

Amy could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness again. "Well, whatever happens, you need to know that…"

Shadow blinked a few times as her head slumped to the side with her eyes closed. "Amy…?"

"It's okay. She's still alive," the seal paramedic replied. "She's frail right now. This rebar is the only thing keeping her from bleeding out. We must get her to the hospital as soon as possible."

The koala turned on the saw blade as it roared to life. "Sir, you're going to want to step back now."

•~•

Once they had freed Amy, the paramedics placed her onto a stretcher and helped navigate her out of the building. Shadow assisted them as they finally made it out of the building. Once outside, Shadow finally saw the actual destruction. A semi-truck was on fire as half crashed into the bar they had been inside. Parts of the building were in flames and ruins.

There were multiple cop patrol cars stationed around the area. They had already sectioned off certain parts with yellow tape. Firefighters were there doing their best to put out the flames. Meanwhile, other paramedics diligently tended to wounded individuals around the premises. Police officers got their reports from witnesses, and spectators formed behind the yellow tape.

Mighty and Gadget rushed over when they spotted Shadow heading into an ambulance with Amy on a stretcher. "Shads!" Manic called.

Shadow stopped momentarily as the two finally caught up. Mighty and Manic peered into the ambulance, where they spotted Amy passed out on the stretcher. "Shit," Mighty cursed under his breath. "…Is she going to be okay?"

Shadow looked like he was at a loss for words. "I-I don't know, but I need to be with her right now." Shadow climbed into the back of the ambulance and reached for one of the doors. "I'll be at Mercia Hospital with the others. Try to take care of things with the deputy here."

Mighty nodded, understanding his assignment. "The rest of us will meet up with you later."

•~•

At the hospital, it felt like an eternity. Shadow was forced to wait in the waiting room as Amy underwent surgery. The dark hedgehog paced anxiously in the waiting room, feeling on edge as he was kept in the dark. Eventually, a doctor entered the waiting room and searched the individuals waiting. "Is there a Mr. Shadow, the hedgehog, here?" he questioned.

Shadow looked up from his lap at the doctor standing in the doorway. He was a brown coyote. "That's me," Shadow announced as he rose from his seat.

The coyote extended out his hand to shake. Shadow placed his hand in his, and the two shook. "I'm Dr. Prairie," he introduced. "I was the one conducting the operation on Ms. Rose."

"Doctor, is my girlfriend going to be all right?"

Dr. Prairie gestured, indicating Shadow to follow him as they walked down one of the halls. Shadow kept up with the coyote as he led him down the hall. "Currently, she's in the I.C.U. for observation. She did well during the surgery but lost significant blood," he explained. "We're lucky we got her to the hospital as fast as we did. This could have been an entirely different outcome otherwise," he hinted gravely.

The two stopped in front of her room, where she was kept. Shadow could see through a large glass observation window where she was lying in bed with tubes and wires coming out of different body parts. She looked pale and had an oxygen mask, I.V.s, and heart monitors. Her shoulder was bandaged, and her arm was in a sling. "Is she asleep right now?" he asked.

"She's still under sedation. She may be uncomfortable when she wakes up later," the coyote explained.

"Am I allowed to go in and see her now?" Shadow questioned.

Dr. Prairie shook his head. "No, unfortunately, you won't. Visiting hours are over, I'm afraid. "However, they open tomorrow morning."

"I understand," he nodded. "Again, thank you so much for saving her life."

Dr. Prairie smiled warmly at Shadow before walking off down the hall. Shadow stood before the observation window and silently looked in on her. A few moments later, a figure walked up behind him. "…You're Mr. Shadow, correct?"

The dark hedgehog turned and spotted an older female rabbit. She had an I.D. tag on her shirt that said, "Hospital Administrator: Ms. Vanilla Rabbit."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's me."

She extended her hand, and he shook it formally. "I'm Ms. Vanilla, Amy's supervisor. I'm also close with Detective Vector," she smiled.

He nodded politely. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

The female rabbit stood beside Shadow, looking at Amy through the observatory window. "Amy only says wonderful things about you, you know," she noted, trying to keep his spirits high. "She's head over heels for you. I always hear her talking to the other residents and nurses about you."

He gave a weak smile. "Sounds like her."

"Listen, I'm going to let you go in for two minutes to see her, but that's all I can allow, I'm afraid."

His face noticeably brightened at the offer. "Thank you."

She opened the door, allowing him inside. She watched the biker enter Amy's room and stand beside her bed before walking off.

Shadow pulled up a chair inside her room and dragged it quietly beside her. He sunk into it before reaching for her left hand and holding it in his. He stared down at her, feeling his stomach churn. He couldn't help but feel responsible for her state. "Amy, I'm sorry for doing this to you…I never wanted to see anything like this happen." Amy lay there unresponsive as he stared at her. "Chaos, I hope you can forgive me for putting you through this."

Mephiles opened the door a few minutes later and popped his bandaged head in. "Brother," he spoke quietly. "A word?"

Shadow hesitantly stood, not wanting to leave Amy's side. He exited her room, glancing at her before entering the hall. "What is it?"

"Walk with me for a few minutes," he instructed calmly. The two brothers walked down the hospital halls together. "The police have filed their reports on the attack that took place," Mephiles informed. "We're cleared of any wrongdoing," he explained. "Mighty and Manic are down at the station finishing their reports. They witnessed our attackers."

"How many fatalities are there?"

"Around eight," Mephiles informed. "Many were injured. We lost Espio…"

"Shit…" Shadow breathed, hearing the news. "Did we lose any on our side?"

Mephiles shook his head. "We were lucky. However, a few of us have minor injuries."

"Did they catch the people responsible?"

Mephiles shook his head again as they walked. "They're long gone now," he replied. "Police are still patrolling the area and looking for street footage to determine their location and whereabouts."

The two turned down another hallway together. "Any idea who it was?"

"Enerjak called about twenty minutes ago before I arrived at the hospital. Based on his intel, this was a direct attack from Starline's guys—his cartel," he explained quietly.

Shadow shoved his hands into his pockets. "They're retaliating for the other day, aren't they?"

"According to Enerjak, this was another back-off warning to us."

They stopped in an alcove where there weren't any other civilians around. "…So, what's the next move at this point?"

"Enerjak has already made the next call." Mephiles looked at him with seriousness. "We're going to war, brother."

Shadow processed the info. "That means there is going to be even more bloodshed. Amy—"

"—Is someone you should not be involved with at this time," he abruptly cut off. "I agree."

Shadow frowned at his comment. "What? That's not what I was going to say."

"But it should be what you're thinking due to our circumstances. Ms. Rose could have easily died tonight," he reminded. "Is this relationship truly worth putting her life at risk?"

"I already promised that I'd protect her at all costs."

"And how has that worked out for you so far?" he challenged, making Shadow pause. "I'm telling you, from here on out. It's going to get much worse." He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I don't want to see history repeat with Ms. Rose as it did to your first love. Let her go, brother," he urged sternly.

Shadow was at a loss for words as Mephiles' comments processed through his mind. He had made some good points, but could he continue?

•~•

The following day, Shadow returned to the hospital. He sat in her hospital room with her while she slept soundly. He hadn't slept much the night before and tossed and turned all night as his mind raced. He worried about leaving Amy behind at the hospital. He wondered if Mephiles was right about calling it quits with her. Then there was the upcoming all-out war with the Suppression and their cartel. His mind was going a mile a minute with all the problems going on in his life. He placed his weary face in his hands as he sat silently, with only the sound of Amy's heart monitor beeping in the background.

Meanwhile, Mephiles walked down the hospital corridors to check on his injured charter members. He had visited Gadget, Rouge, and his next stop was Amy. The president still had his concerns when it came to the pink hedgehog. He knew the moment she awakened, she'd squeal to his younger brother about everything, and then it'd be over for him. That's why today, he had another plan in store. Over the past few weeks, he had been working on breaking up their relationship. He had seen cracks forming when introducing Lien-Da into the picture, but he now had an entirely different plan.

He arrived at her room and stood in the doorway, spotting his brother sitting patiently by her bed with his face in his hands. "Brother," he announced softly.

Shadow looked up from his hands at the doorway. "Yeah?" he replied.

"Why don't you go to the cafeteria and grab two coffees? You look like you could use the caffeine," he suggested.

Shadow glanced at Amy for a second with hesitation. "I don't want to leave her side."

"She'll be fine. I'll watch over her in your absence," he volunteered. "I could go for a coffee as well, anyway."

Shadow rose from his seat hesitantly. "Very well, text me if anything happens. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Mephiles watched as his younger brother left the room and walked down the hall. He waited for him to turn the corner at the other end before moving inside. Mephiles closed the door behind him, leaving him alone with Amy. It was time to make his move. He walked to her bed and stood where Shadow had been sitting. He looked down at her sleeping form, eying all the tubes, monitors, and wires all over her body. "You'll live from these injuries," he stated quietly. "However, that won't stop me…"

Mephiles reached into his pocket and pulled out some leather gloves. He quickly put them on before entering his leather jacket and pulling out a Ziplock bag holding a gun. Carefully, he pulled out the gun and reached for her hand closest to him. He forced her limp hand to grip the gun, placing her fingerprints all over the weapon. He knew time was of the essence, so he put the gun back inside the Ziplock bag, sealed it up once he was done, and disposed of the gloves.

He used the back of his hand to stroke her cheek tenderly. He scoffed in frustration that he was still drawn and attracted to her but realized she was still a threat. She was his double-edged sword. He stopped his caressing of her face as his brows furrowed. "Time to wake up, my dear." He kept the weapon in the see-through bag behind his back until the reveal and slapped the side of her face.

Amy cried out in startlement as her eyes fluttered open and her vision adjusted. Her hand reached up to touch her tender cheek that had been hit. She could see a figure at the side of her bed; initially, she believed it was Shadow. However, once her vision focused, she realized it was Mephiles staring at her. Startled, she gasped, tensing up in bed but hissed in pain from the sudden movement. "Ouch."

Mephiles tsked her as he heard her heart monitor begin to beep a little faster from her spiked heartbeat. "Don't get so flustered, or you'll set off the alarm," he warned. "We don't need any pesky nurses popping in now."

Amy kept her eyes locked on him, expecting him to make a move. "Why are you here?"

Mephiles moved around the side of her bed, getting closer. "I wanted to drop in a pay a visit. You are family, after all," he shrugged.

Amy quickly glanced at the large window that looked out into the hall but noticed the blinds had been shut. Mephiles saw where she was looking and grinned knowingly. "Oh, you're hoping one of the nurses will come to your aid?" he surmised by the panic-stricken look on her face. "There aren't many nurses at their station right now anyway. However, you don't have to worry. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm only here to talk."

"…What do you want then?"

Mephiles revealed the Ziplock bag with a gun from behind his back. He held it out in front of her for a moment for her to look at. "Do you happen to recognize this?"

Amy stared at the gun but shook her head, not understanding the connection. "No."

"That's a shame. This is the gun you used to kill Agent Zonic." He tucked it back safely inside the lining of his leather jacket. "Gadget destroyed any fingerprint tracing on it, but now it has your D.N.A. prints all over it again."

"What?" she gawked. "How?"

"Moments ago, while you were asleep, I forced your fingerprints onto it," he explained.

Amy gulped, suddenly feeling very nervous. "…Why do you still have that thing?"

"For situations just like this," he grinned proudly.

Amy extended her outstretched hand. "Give it to me!" she ordered.

Mephiles crossed his arms over his chest. "This is my extortion. I can't give it back, but I promise I won't use it against you if you do something for me."

"And if I don't?" she challenged.

"Then the weapon, along with directions to the location of Zonic's body, will make its way to the A.T.F.'s headquarters by an anonymous tip," he shrugged innocently.

Amy's eyes widened in alarm, and her heart skipped a beat. "You can't do that!" she croaked. "I could go to prison."

His reptilian eyes narrowed at her. "Then I'd follow my directives."

She bowed her head in defeat. "…What do you want?"

"Your silence and those letters," he replied. "If you say or indicate anything about them and everything you know about my past deeds to those in this club, my brother, or anyone else, then I release this to the A.T.F," he explained.

She felt sick to her stomach. He was holding this over her head. "Okay, okay," she rambled. "I-I won't say anything, I promise," she pledged. "I'll give you the letters when I'm released."

Mephiles smirked victoriously. "That's what I like to hear, Ms. Rose." He walked over to the door and opened it with the blinds to the window. "Now, cheer up. My baby brother will be back any moment now. He can't see you in such a sour mood, or it may raise suspicion."

Amy took a deep breath and then exhaled to compose herself. "You'll have to give me a few days to get you the letters, especially with my current position."

He nodded as he leaned against the open doorframe while peering into the hall. "I understand. Remember, no hinting anything to my little brother or anyone else," he threatened. "Trust me. I'll figure it out if you do."

Amy gulped nervously at his threat. "There's one thing I don't understand, though…"

He folded his arms across his chest as he glanced back at her. "And what's that?"

"Why aren't you trying to kill me? You almost did last night."

He chuckled to himself. "You're right, I almost did, but after some reflection, I devised a new plan."

Amy blinked a few times, baffled. "I don't understand."

His reptilian eyes bore into her jade ones. "I don't know if you realize this, but I fancy you. I have no issue killing people, but I'm trying something different now. This could easily be my undoing, but it's worth a shot," he shrugged. "I wish things could have gone differently between you and me."

She had always known that he had an infatuation with her. Amy opened her mouth to reply, but Shadow finally returned with two coffees. He handed one to Mephiles and looked pleased when he noticed Amy awake and sitting in bed. "Rose," he smiled. "How long have you been awake?"

"Only for a few minutes," Mephiles responded for her.

Shadow returned to his seat, sat with his coffee, and placed it on the small side table. He reached for her hand closest to him and kissed the top of it. "You gave me a scare there, princess. I thought I was going to lose you."

She smiled warmly at him. "I was a little nervous there myself…." Mephiles side-eyed her before slipping back into the hall and leaving the two alone. Amy felt an internal sigh of relief as he departed.

"Are you in much pain right now?" Shadow inquired.

"A little bit—it's more discomfort than anything else," she replied. "But what happened last night?"

Shadow eyed the door briefly, ensuring no one heard their conversation. "Our competition attacked us," he stated quietly. "They were trying to make a point again."

Amy's ears lowered in concern. "How many people were hurt in that attack? Is everyone in our charter okay?"

"Eight people died, mostly from Finitevus' charter," he replied sadly. "Rouge was injured and sustained a concussion, Gadget broke his arm, and then there was your injury," he listed. "We're fortunate we didn't lose more."

"Is it true Detective Espio is dead?" He nodded solemnly before another thought crossed his mind. "Wait, how do you know about that?"

Freezing up, Amy quickly scrambled for an answer. She couldn't let Shadow know that Mephiles had confessed it to her at the attack scene. "When I was in and out of consciousness in the operating room, I thought I overheard a nurse mentioning him."

"I see," he nodded. "Yes, well, apparently, he was found dead outside in the alleyway. He had been shot in close range."

"…Chaos," she breathed a shaky breath. Her one chance for additional backup was now gone. "Did they catch the people responsible?"

Shadow shook his head gravely. "No, the authorities are still on the lookout. Enerjak has his guys on high alert and has supplied us with extra bodyguards. Both charters are on lockdown. No one travels alone and only in pairs," he explained.

"What is the club going to do next?"

Shadow remained silent momentarily as he mulled over the option of sharing information. "…We're going to war."

Amy opened her mouth to comment on that matter until a surprising voice resounded in the doorway. "Cousin!"

The couple turned to look at the doorway, where they spotted Rob' O and Mari Ann. The older married couple looked exhausted from traveling all night and worried as they stared at Amy in her hospital bed. "Rob?" Amy replied, startled at their unexpected visit.

Shadow slowly rose from his seat as the two rushed to her bedside. Rob embraced Amy carefully before he looked her over once more. He noticed the bandages around her shoulder and her arm in a sling. His brows furrowed in anger as his eyes shot to the darker-striped hedgehog. "What the bloody hell happened to her?"

Mari Ann clasped her hands together pleadingly, seeing her husband's anger rise. "Rob, your anger won't help."

Shadow calmly approached the teal hedgehog and gestured to the hall. "Please, let's talk out in the hall. There's only supposed to be one of us in the room with her a time, anyway." Rob scowled, turned on his heel, and headed into the hallway. Shadow followed him, leaving Amy and Mari Ann alone together.

Walking down the hall together, Shadow and Rob found a small empty waiting room where they could talk privately. Rob crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Shadow as he waited for an explanation. "This better be good."

"We were attending a wake at a bar in town," Shadow began. "There was a terrible accident, and a truck crashed into the building. It collapsed a large portion of the building and started a fire," Shadow explained. "Amy was trapped under some rubble and sustained an injury to her shoulder blade."

Rob scoffed. "What about the fact that there were mass shooters on the scene as well? I think you left that little detail out. I heard everything on the news, and the hospital contacted me as her next of kin."

Shadow didn't bother to reply to his first comment. "Look, I understand that you're angry and concerned. I felt the same way last night, but the doctor said she would be fine and recover."

"It's your fault she was even put into this position in the first place," he pointed accusingly. "I know all about your motorcycle club," he air-quoted sarcastically.

"I don't intend to let this happen to her again," he avowed.

"You can't make that promise. Your club, whomever you're associated with, and your enemies will always threaten her livelihood. I promised Amy's parents that I would raise her like my daughter and keep her safe and on the right path. I refuse to bury her in the ground before my time comes."

Shadow absorbed his words and carefully considered his concerns. He could see that Rob deeply cared about Amy's safety as much as he did. They both loved her—perhaps they could come to a mutual understanding. "…If that's the case," he began. "Then I'm going to need you to help me with something." Rob tilted his head at him curiously.

•~•

Several minutes later, Rob returned to Amy's hospital room after his long conversation with Shadow. He stood in the entryway with Amy's hospital staff supervisor, Ms. Vanilla. Mari Ann rose from the seat next to Amy's bed. Amy blinked in surprise. "Rob…Ms. Vanilla?"

Rob looked at his wife. "We need to talk to Amy alone for a moment."

"Of course, dear," the echidna nodded. "I'll grab something to eat from the cafeteria." The two watched as Mari Ann left the room, leaving the other two alone. Rob entered the room, and Ms. Vanilla walked in behind him and closed her hospital door for more privacy.

Amy looked at the two of them with concern. "Where's Shadow?"

"Don't worry, dear. He just stepped out for a smoke break," Ms. Vanilla assured. "Your cousin and I just wanted to talk to you briefly."

"What about exactly?" she probed.

"As you know, your injury will take you out of your internship field. Your main priority should be healing," the rabbit started. "And with those shooters still at large, we think it'd be best if you were to return to Tech City for a couple of weeks to relax with your family and be out of harm's way," she advised.

"What…?" she gasped. "No, I don't want to leave. Can't I stay here and recover?"

"It's too dangerous, cousin," Rob O noted. "Come back to Tech City with Mari Ann and me where you can rest comfortably. You can bond with Jon and take your mind off all the violence entering this city."

Amy tried to move out of bed but was too weak and groaned. "Where's Shadow? I need to talk to him!"

Ms. Vanilla placed her hands up. "No, you must stay in bed. You're too fragile to be trying to move."

Amy shook her head adamantly, fighting through the pain. "I'm not going to do it. I'm not leaving Shadow!"

Suddenly, the door opened, and Shadow walked into her room. "Rose, you have to."

Amy looked surprised to see him. Had he been listening at the door the whole time? "Shadow, what's going on?"

"Your cousin and I talked it over. I want you out of Mercia while you heal. As he said, it's too dangerous to be here right now. We both care too much to see anything worse happen to you."

Her ears lowered. "But Shadow."

"—You're going," he stated firmly.

Amy looked down sadly before another thought crossed her mind. She glanced at Ms. Vanilla. "What about my residency here?"

She shot her a warm smile. "Your position here will always be available once you recover," she promised.

"This is for the best," Shadow emphasized.

AN: Please remember to leave a comment!