Wade Whipple walked into Green Hills Middle School and over to the office. "I need to pick up Sonic Wachowski...for...for his parents…" he said swallowing, obviously upset.

The secretary frowned and looked up Sonic. "Well...you are listed as an emergency contact…" Her eyes then went wide. "Tom…?"

"It...it'll be on the news tonight but there was an armed robbery and the suspect ran into...a...a barn…" he said clenching his hands. "He got shot…"

The principal came out after hearing the story. "Call for him Nancy." He looked at Wade worriedly. "How is he?"

"He's in the hospital now. Maddie's on her way there n-now...she asked me to pick up Sonic."

"He's a survivor Wade. This won't keep him down for long."

A few minutes later Sonic arrived and the moment he looked at Wade he stiffened and his ears went flat! "Wade?"

Wade knelt down and put his hands on his shoulders. "We have to go to the hospital. It's Tom…"

Sonic whimpered in a way that made all three adults' hearts break. "Wh-what happened?!"

"Go get your things. I'll explain on the way," Wade said.

It took less than two seconds for Sonic to zip to his locker, grab his bookbag, lunchbox, jacket and zip right back.

When they got to the car Wade explained what had happened. They had been contacted by the store owner. They had seen the suspect while on their way to the scene and gave chase before pushing him off the road. THe suspect then got out and ran into a nearby barn and the two small town cops had approached the door with their guns drawn and ready for a fight. The suspect had hidden behind a hay bale and aimed his gun at them before firing and hitting Tom in the shoulder. Tom had grabbed his shoulder for a split second before aiming with his other hand and firing...getting the suspect in the leg before finally collapsing. Wade had cuffed the suspect just as backup came from a state trooper.

Sonic looked at him, finally noticing the blood on the cuffs of his sleeves. HIs eyes filled. "H-how is he?"

Wade drew in a breath. "He was awake for awhile but passed out when the ambulance got there. He'll be ok Sonic. He's a survivor...a fighter…"

Sonic merely nodded as he wiped his eyes.

They arrived at the hospital and found Maddie in the waiting room. Sonic ran over to her and she scooped him up, tears already streaking her lovely face.

Maddie sat down and cradled him in her lap, rocking him and stroking his quills. Wade sat beside them with his head in his hands.

They sat in silence for what seemed like forever before a doctor came out. "Family for Thomas Wachowski?"

"I'm his wife!" Maddie said as she jumped up with Sonic in her arms. They looked at the doctor in fear. "How is he?"

"We were able to locate the bullet and pull it out," the doctor said showing them a ziplock bag with a bullet in it. "We're giving him a blood right now to replenish what he lost." He smiled gently. "He will be fine."

"Really?" Sonic asked quietly.

"Yes...we need to keep him here for a few days and he'll be off duty for several weeks. Then he can go on light duty."

Wade went over. "I'll take the evidence." He put a hand on Maddie's shoulder. "I leave our Sheriff in your capable hands."

The doctor led Maddie and Sonic to Tom's room where he was fast asleep with his arm in a sling. He looked pale and he was attached to a lot of machines monitoring his vitals.

Maddie lay Sonic next to her husband before kissing his forehead. She watched as the hedgehog nestled into Tom's good side and looked up at him.

Maddie pulled up a chair and sat down putting one hand on Sonic's shoulder and her other one on her husband's cheek.

It was now time to play a game nobody ever wanted to play in a hospital.

The waiting game.