The door to Shadow's hospital room slid shut behind Sonic with a soft hiss, the sound fading into the sterile hum of machinery. Sonic exhaled sharply as he leaned back against the wall of the corridor, running a hand through his quills. His usual cocky grin was gone, replaced by a quiet frown. Shadow was alive—barely—but Sonic couldn't shake the unease twisting in his gut. Something wasn't right, and it wasn't just the bullets or Shadow's uncharacteristic vulnerability.

He pushed off the wall, shoving his hands behind his head in a mock display of relaxation as he strolled down the hallway. Truthfully, he was worried. Not just about Shadow, but about everything. The attack, the precision of the gunmen, Blaze's safety—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite fit together. And Sonic hated puzzles.

As he rounded the corner into the waiting room, his sharp green eyes immediately landed on the princess herself. She was seated in one of the stiff, uncomfortable chairs, her posture rigid, hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her violet fur was smudged with soot, a few stray patches singed from the chaos of the ambush. But it wasn't her injuries that caught Sonic's attention—it was the way her golden eyes stared blankly at the floor, clouded with guilt and worry.

Blaze stood as soon as she saw him, her tail flicking nervously. "How is he?" she asked, her voice steady but soft, betraying the tension she was trying so hard to hide.

Sonic shrugged, his casual demeanor intentionally exaggerated. "Barely able to sit up, but y'know Shadow—he's already planning his great escape. Guy's stubborn as ever."

Blaze's ears twitched, her brow furrowing. "He shouldn't be moving yet. Not in his condition."

"Yeah, no kidding," Sonic muttered, his grin returning faintly. "I told him to chill, but you know how well that usually works out." He stretched, letting his arms fall back to his sides. "Honestly, I was thinking of finding a nurse to up his morphine or something. Knock him out so he can actually rest."

Blaze tilted her head, considering it for a moment. "That might not be the worst idea," she admitted, though her tone was distracted.

For a brief moment, silence settled between them. Sonic shoved his hands into his gloves, his eyes flicking toward Blaze, curious but unsure if he should say what was on his mind. Finally, Blaze broke the quiet.

"I… want to see him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her golden eyes lifted to meet his, and Sonic saw the conflict swirling within them. "But…" She hesitated, her gaze dropping again. "I don't know if I should."

Sonic blinked, tilting his head. "What do you mean? Of course, you should. He'd probably pretend to hate it, but deep down, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Shadow's bad at the whole 'gratitude' thing, but he's not made of stone."

Blaze didn't answer right away. Her hands tightened around each other, her claws digging into her palms. "I feel… responsible," she finally admitted, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "For what happened. For his injuries. If I had been… faster, or stronger, maybe I could've—"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up," Sonic interrupted, stepping closer to her. "This wasn't your fault, Blaze. No way. Those guys came out of nowhere. They were after you, yeah, but Shadow didn't get hurt because you did something wrong. He got hurt because he was trying to protect you. That's what he does."

Blaze shook her head, her tail curling tightly around her legs. "But I didn't ask for his protection," she said, her voice sharper now, tinged with frustration. "I didn't need it. I could've handled them myself."

"Could you, though?" Sonic asked, his tone unusually serious. Blaze looked up, startled by the bluntness in his voice. "I mean, you're amazing, Blaze. You're one of the toughest people I know. But those guys… they weren't normal. You saw it. They were prepared for us. For him. This wasn't just some random attack."

Blaze's eyes widened slightly, realization dawning behind the guilt. "You think… they knew about Shadow's regeneration? That they planned for it?"

Sonic nodded grimly. "They didn't just hit him. They hit him right. Chest, lungs, heart—all places where even he can't bounce back as fast. And those bullets… they didn't feel like the usual kind. Something's up, and I'm betting it's bigger than just a hit on you."

Blaze's lips pressed into a thin line as she absorbed his words. The weight of the situation settled over her shoulders, but it didn't lighten the guilt gnawing at her from within. "Even so," she said quietly, "he wouldn't be in that bed if it weren't for me."

Sonic sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I get it. You feel bad. But beating yourself up over it isn't gonna help him—or you. Shadow doesn't do what he does because he has to. He does it because he wants to. Because he cares about all of us. Even if he'd never admit it."

Blaze hesitated, her claws flexing against her palms. Finally, she nodded, though her expression remained uncertain. "I'll try," she said, her voice barely audible.

"That's all anyone can ask," Sonic replied, his grin returning in full force. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a nurse to hunt down. Shadow's gonna hate me for this, but hey, it's for his own good."

Blaze managed a small smile as she watched Sonic jog off down the hallway, his usual carefree energy returning. She turned back toward the corridor leading to Shadow's room, her heart pounding in her chest. Doubts still lingered in her mind, but Sonic was right. She couldn't let them hold her back. Shadow had risked everything for her. The least she could do was face him.

Taking a deep breath, Blaze stepped forward.

—-

The steady hum of the medical equipment filled the silence in Shadow's room, punctuated only by the faint beeping of the monitors tracking his vitals. The Ultimate Lifeform lay stiffly in his bed, his crimson eyes fixed on the sterile ceiling. His body still felt foreign to him, sluggish and weak—a bitter reminder of the attack that had left him here.

The sound of the door sliding open drew his attention. His eyes flicked toward the figure stepping inside: Blaze the cat.

She hesitated in the doorway, her golden eyes meeting his briefly before darting away. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers twisting slightly, and though her posture was composed, Shadow immediately noticed the tension in her movements.

"What do you want?" Shadow's voice was cold, clipped, and sharp enough to cut. He didn't have the patience for visitors, least of all someone who might be connected to why he was lying here.

Blaze stepped forward, her tail flicking lightly behind her. "I wanted to see how you were doing," she said, her voice calm but carefully measured. "And… to thank you."

Shadow scoffed, his crimson eyes narrowing. "I don't need your gratitude."

Blaze's ears twitched back slightly, but she didn't back down. "Perhaps not, but you have it regardless," she replied firmly. "You didn't have to shield me during the attack, but you did. And now, because of that, you're here." She hesitated, her voice softening. "Injured worse than I've ever seen."

"I didn't do it for you," Shadow snapped, his gaze hard as steel. "I did it because it was my mission. You were the priority. That's all."

Blaze's tail flicked again, betraying her unease. "Be that as it may," she said quietly, "you still took a risk you didn't have to. And now, you're paying the price for it." She hesitated, her golden eyes glimmering with faint concern. "You need to stay here and recover, Shadow. If you try to leave before you're ready—"

"I don't need your advice," Shadow interrupted, his voice cutting her off like a blade. "I'm not staying here a second longer than I have to."

Blaze's brow furrowed, and her fingers tightened slightly in front of her. "You'll only make things worse for yourself," she said, her tone firmer now but still tinged with concern. "Even you aren't invincible, Shadow. Not this time."

Shadow's expression darkened, his teeth gritting as he glared at her. "I don't need you to remind me of that," he growled. "I know my limits better than anyone. And I know when something doesn't add up."

Blaze tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes flickering with the memory of what Sonic had mentioned.

Shadow exhaled slowly, his hands tightening into fists on the blanket. "Those gunmen… they weren't ordinary. They knew exactly where to hit me—my weak points. My regeneration doesn't fail unless I'm hit in very specific places, with precision. Five bullets put me in this bed. It would've only taken one to kill you."

Blaze's tail froze mid-sway, her golden eyes widening slightly.

"They weren't just trying to stop you," Shadow continued, his voice low and biting. "They were trying to eliminate you. Whoever sent them knew exactly what they were doing. And for someone to go that far…" His gaze bore into her, cold and piercing. "You must have made some serious enemies."

Blaze stiffened, her composure wavering for a split second. Her tail twitched nervously, and she glanced away. "I…" She trailed off, her voice faltering for the first time.

Shadow's eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"

Blaze straightened, forcing herself to meet his gaze again, though she couldn't quite hide the flicker of unease in her expression. "I'll tell you everything," she said finally, her voice steadier now but quieter. "When you're out of here."

Shadow's jaw tightened, and his suspicion deepened, but he didn't push further. "You'd better," he said, his crimson eyes burning with intensity. "Because when I'm back on my feet, I'm going to find out the truth—whether you tell me or not."

Blaze hesitated, her claws flexing slightly at her sides. For a moment, the silence between them was heavy, and her hesitation lingered like a crack in her otherwise composed demeanor.

Finally, she nodded, though her voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke. "Understood."

She turned toward the door, her steps quick and deliberate, but Shadow didn't miss the tension in her shoulders or the way her tail flicked uneasily behind her.

Shadow allowed himself a faint, humorless smirk. Blaze was hiding something—he was sure of it. And when he was back on his feet, he was going to uncover exactly what it was.

Whoever her enemies were, they wouldn't just be her problem for long.

—-

The door slid shut behind Blaze as flames flickered briefly along her fingertips - a telltale sign of her fraying control. She pressed her back against the cold hospital wall, her claws leaving thin scorches in her palms.

"Five bullets put me in this bed. It would've only taken one to kill you."

Shadow's words burned worse than her own flames. He was right. Of course he was right. Her enemies hadn't just been skilled - they'd been prepared. And now Shadow lay in that bed, his legendary healing factor compromised, because of her mistakes. Because of the enemies she had made.

Her tail lashed violently. The Ultimate Lifeform had taken those bullets meant for her, and how was she repaying him? By conspiring to drug him into compliance.

When she spotted the nurse approaching, something ugly twisted in Blaze's chest. Her voice came out harder than intended. "Double the morphine dosage."

The nurse hesitated. "Your Highness, he's already-"

"Do it!" The words tasted like ash in her mouth. Self-loathing clawed at her throat as the nurse nodded and hurried away.

Blaze's fist slammed into the wall, leaving a scorched dent. She was no better than their enemies - using Shadow's vulnerabilities against him, keeping him weak and confused when he needed his wits most. But the alternative...

"I'm sorry," she whispered, though Shadow couldn't hear. "But I won't let you die for my mistakes. This…can't happen again."

She stalked away, her shoulders rigid with self-directed fury, flames still dancing at her fingertips. The truth would have to wait - assuming Shadow would ever forgive her enough to hear it.