Amy was easily startled, Shadow realized without much forethought. He hadn't meant to sneak up on her. Really, she needed a bell on the door if she was going to jump and scream bloody murder every time a customer greeted her with a pleasant hello.

Her hand clutched at her chest dramatically as she heaved in a deep breath. Her cheeks were rosy either from embarrassment or lack of oxygen. "Shadow," she breathed, "don't scare me like that!"

Said hedgehog titled his head to the side. "Had I meant to scare you, you would have known. Not my fault you are too caught up in your daydreams to notice when customers come in. Could get you into trouble one day."

At the mention of trouble, the color emptied from Amy's cheeks. Her eyes darted toward the door and her gaze made her way around the shop, as if checking for any suspicious activity. That was suspicious in itself. He tucked that little piece of information in the back of his mind for later contemplation.

Amy barked out a small laugh after making her sweep of the room. "Yeah, I suppose so. Guess it's a good thing I'm friends with two cops."

"Two?"

"Yeah," she said with a genuine smile that touched the corners of her eyes, "Sonic and you!"

"Tch." Shadow crossed his arms, glancing out the window. "Talked to Sally, I see? Ex cop, actually. Get your facts right, Ms. Rose."

"Once a cop, always a cop," she said in a sickly-sweet voice. It went up an octave, like she was singing. Or taunting him. "Yes, Sally informed me that you were once a cop, but Sonic did as well. Said you both became detectives around the same time."

A guttural noise vibrated in the back of his throat. "That faker only became a detective to piss me off. Thinks it's all fun and games. Who can solve more crimes. Who can rescue more people. Who can rise up the corporate latter faster. It's a competition to him."

"Ehh?" Amy leaned forward on the counter, cheek in the palm of her hand. "Sonic made it sound like you were friends."

"As I stated before," he said with a grunt, "get your facts straight. I am not a detective anymore, and Sonic is no friend of mine."

"But I'm your friend, right?" she asked. "You never corrected me on that fact."

This girl was going to give him a migraine. He sighed, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "If you have to ask, the answer is no."

A frown pulled at the corner of her lips. "Then what brings you to my store, Shadow?" She paused before a giant smile full of mirth overpowered her sulking fit. "Why, Shadow, are you blushing?"

Shadow's glare would intimidate most people. He was beginning to realize Amy was not most people because his glare only made her smile wider. "I don't blush," he all but hissed.

"Must be here for Sally then," she teased as she danced her way around the counter. "Came to get apology flowers?"

"I don't need to apologize," he said with indignation. "If anything, she needs to apologize to me."

"The way I heard it," Amy said, "you haven't been to her coffee shop in over a week. She's worried and upset. Her favorite customer has been standing her up."

Shadow stood there silently, once again looking out of her window and into that of the coffee shop where his favorite barista worked. He watched her taking orders, a jubilant smile on her face. Yeah, she seems to really miss me, he thought irritably, but knew she had to wear a smile for all customers. Part of him knew he was being a bit childish. It was a normal reaction that she had. No one ever knew what to say. No one could comfort him. So why did it sting so much this time?

"I guess I'll take some stupid flowers," he said as if it were an afterthought. "You know, to decorate her shop with."

"Excellent!" Amy clapped her hands together and wasted no time running around the shop like a frantic lunatic. "We could do an arrangement of hydrangeas and roses! Hydrangeas signify gratitude and other heartfelt emotions. Or maybe peony…that signifies bashfulness, which you certainly are with Sally, and compassion…even sometimes shame, like how you ignored her for a week…."

Shadow tuned the rambling hedgehog out. He didn't give a damn about flower meanings. He leaned on the counter, staring at the spot behind her chair. He dimly realized the walls had been painted a different color. He wondered how many coats of paint it took to cover her blood stains. His chest throbbed in pain. If he squinted hard enough, he could still see Maria beaming behind the counter, eyes crinkled with laughter. If he looked too long he would watch those same eyes fade away as she sputtered out his name with her last breath.

"Shadow."

Except the voice was not hers. He blinked, seeing concerned green instead of blue. "My apologies," he said in a low voice.

"Daydreaming? You know, that's going to get you into trouble one day."

He snorted before he could contain his emotions. "Clever."

She walked around the counter, obstructing his view of the newly painted walls. "Here. I think she will love them." She placed a vase full of flowers in front of him. He recognized a few, like the roses and hydrangeas, but couldn't name the rest. They were a mixture of blues, whites, and greens. He wondered what Sally's favorite color was. Was it blue like Maria's?

"Thank you," he murmured, ears back with sudden embarrassment. He fiddled with his wallet, taking out the payment that flashed on the register.

"You're quite welcome, Shadow," she said. "Don't be a stranger. Though I'm sure I'll be seeing you in the coffee shop soon. I have a date soon with Sonic!" she gushed, cheeks red at the thought.

"Doesn't he cancel every week?" he asked bluntly as he put his wallet away.

"The life of a cop is very busy," she said as she waved away the notion. "He's a busy man, saving the world and all."

"Tch."

Awkwardness tugged at his body, making his toes tap in anticipation as he waited in line. He felt like a damn high schooler on the way to pick up a date, holding the vase of flowers and all. Not that he was asking Sally out on a date. Not like he liked her that way. These were just to decorate her shop with. He just missed the coffee, is all.

The mobian in front of him walked away. Shadow moseyed up to the counter, setting the vase down on the counter with a resounding "thump". He hadn't meant to set it down that hard. Were his palms always this sweaty?

"Well if it isn't Mr. Serious," Sally said with an eyebrow arched. "Trying to break the vase before anyone can appreciate the beauty of the flowers?"

"They're not for you," he declared. "They're for your shop. You know. Because you decorate them with Amy's flowers."

She stared at him with steely eyes as she pursed her lips in thought. She placed her hands on her cocked hips. "So, you brought these over from Amy's."

"That is correct."

"And they're from Amy."

"Well… I paid for them."

"But Amy gives me flowers for free, like I give her coffee for free. So why did you pay for them?"

"Because…well. Shit."

Shadow felt heat creep up his neck and settle into his cheeks. His ears were back as he tugged on his collar. Laughter erupted from the small chipmunk in front of him. If anything, this only made his face burn more. "Stop laughing. It's not funny."

She wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye as she tried to suppress her giggles. "That's very sweet of you, Shadow. Thank you for bringing them to me from Amy." She winked and then giggled some more. Her shoulders relaxed as she delicately touched a flower, eyes now liquid with warmth.

"Yeah, whatever," he said, scowling. "Just give me my usual already, will you? I haven't had coffee in a week."

She beamed up at him. "One tall black coffee with two spoonfuls of sugar for Mr. Serious coming right up!"

Shadow immediately made his way to his normal seat, wishing he could bang his head on the wall. Talk about being mortified. He couldn't even give flowers to a girl without her laughing at him. He snuck a glance at the chipmunk, who was humming cheerfully as she made him his coffee. The sound was pleasant to his ears.

Maybe it wasn't just the coffee he had missed this last week after all.

I know this chapter is shorter than the last, and I apologize for that, but I wanted to get something uploaded and the ending seemed like a good spot to stop. I have already started working on the next chapter! Hopefully Sonic will make an appearance, and we will see some of Sally's poetry :) No promises as to when I'll update as life is busy.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed :) Feedback is welcome!