I am the one everyone fears. I am the one that kills at night. I am a murderer. I am a keeper of souls. I am the sandman. I come at night to take your dreams and turn them into nightmares. I come and take you away to a place where you will never be found. I will take all your souls all except one. That one I will never forget her and I will regret taking her life, but I had to be with her. That one I will keep close to me for all eternity. That one is my angel in death that one is my reason for sanity. That one is called Ebony. I saw her one dark and cold night in the middle of October. She was with someone by the name of Sonic. I paid no attention to him because I knew I could get rid of him with ease. I knew I had to pay no attention to her but it was hard not to drift into her sweet sent. My black and red fur would stand on end every time I would pass her in her slumber. I ignored the voice in my head that kept telling me to take her away now. But I couldn't do that not to her she disserved a long happy life, with or without me. I knew she would never die for she was an ultimate life form.

That just made it so much harder knowing she would be alive as long as I would. That would mean so much more resisting her, which was not easy to do. The one night I let myself go was the worst night in the world. I was finished with my duties and I was passing by her house. Just one quick look I told myself as I went to the window of her house. I peered inside and saw her sleeping by that blue male. I was not very fond of him from the start and seeing him sleeping comfortably beside the one I wanted drove me crazy. I had to do it I had to kill him. I appeared in the far corner of the room, hiding myself in the shadows. I had no idea what this would do to her but seeing him with her made me furious all the more. I slowly removed the black worn out hood of the cloak from my head and took a step forward. I reached into the air and out of nowhere my knife appeared. It was sharp; the voice in my head was telling me that my friend would soon drip pure red rubies. I took another step in his direction and held the knife high in the air as I said "you will drip rubies my friend, pure red rubies of hatred". As I took another step closer the window let in a small breeze and that breeze carried her sweet sent. I knew this was the right thing to do. But my soul told me that her pain would make me suffer. I didn't care I was already suffering and I wanted her badly. I took one final step and raised the knife as high as my arm would reach and then I brought it down with great force. His eyes shot open and he looked at me in fear.

He tried to speak but his life was slipping away too fast. I smiled and removed the knife. He gasped for air and tried to reach out to her but his hand stopped right before he could lay a finger on her shoulder. He took one final breath and fell into a deep slumber I knew he would never wake from again. His blood dripped from my knife and I looked at it and smiled a pure smile of satisfaction knowing he could never interfere again. His blood dripped on the bed and surrounded him. I looked at her and saw her toss in her sleep like she was having a nightmare. I had to go before she woke up and saw what I had done. I slipped back into the shadows and went outside I sat there thinking of what I had just done. Then I heard a scream, a scream of pure fear a scream of pure sadness. A scream I would never forget. I heard her cry out his name and my soul ached as if I were the one dyeing. I sat there under the tree as my quills swayed in the breeze. I sighed and got up covering my head with the hood once more. I looked back at the window and saw her holding his lifeless body in her arms. Her crimson eyes were closed and tears were pouring out of them like a waterfall of pain. She placed him back on the bed and covered his body not wanting to look at it any more. She got up so I quickly ran up into the branches of the tree.

I watched her as she walked over to the window and looked out. She whispered softly pleading that she wasn't next. She stood there wiping tears from her eyes. I sat there looking into her crimson eyes and sighed. "What have I done?" I told myself looking down. She looked at the tree like she had heard me speak so I kept as quiet as I possibly could and saw her scan through the tree looking for something. I stayed as still as I could as I looked back at her with my own crimson eyes. She looked down and then faintly she said "I fear for my friends, I fear for all, but mostly I do not fear for myself". Those words she spoke told me that she wasn't afraid to die. Even though she found that blue male dead in her bed. I watched her as she walked back into her house and picked up his body. She pulled out a chaos emerald and yelled chaos control she was then gone, letting the bright light consume her. I saw her reappear at Amy Roses house and she placed the body in front of the door. Amy had obviously loved Sonic but he didn't give love in return. So he ended up trying to get with Ebony but she saw him more as an annoying little brother. Ebony knocked quietly on the door and waited for a response. I got closer and saw a pink hedgehog come to the door.

She opened it and smiled at Ebony but once she saw her expression she looked down and screamed. I watched as this little hedgehog wrapped her arms around the one she loved and sobbed into his chest. I felt pity on her but the pain from seeing Ebony's pain made me suffer even more. I watched as Ebony said she was sorry that she could do nothing to help her and then turned and walked away. I thought it was strange that she kept a straight face telling this young girl that her love would never come back, and then just walking away like she was already dead and suffering. I watched her as she slowly walked back to her now empty house with her face down. I didn't know what to do, I didn't want to see her suffer, but I didn't want to kill her. I went back to my normal resting place and waited for night to fall once again. My house looked like a castle that was forgotten long ago. I would walk through the halls and hear the echo of my footsteps and that let me know I was alone. I opened my eyes as soon as the sun set and walked out to my balcony. I stood there and closed my eyes thinking of who my victims would be tonight. I got the usual people that wanted to die. But all of a sudden the pink female hedgehog came to mind. Apparently she couldn't go on without that blue male. I guess she wanted to be with him and I couldn't deny that wish and maybe I would go to see Ebony and make sure she was ok. I went to town and began my duties.

I went killing and then I finally reached Amy Rose's house and went in through the window she was sleeping and I could see that she had been crying a lot. I took a step forward and saw her clinging to his photo, I raised my hand and my knife appeared I gripped it in my hand and walked closer. I was right beside her and I brought the knife down with force again so she wouldn't suffer anymore. Her eyes squeezed shut and then opened slightly looking at the wall she let a tear roll down her cheek and then she closed them and stopped breathing. I removed the knife and walked away. I wouldn't dare look back at this once suffering hedgehog because I knew I had brought her peace. I went to Ebony's house and she was sitting on her bed starring at photos of her friends. I sat in the same tree I sat in yesterday and watched her as her eyes looked at all the past memories. She sighed and placed the photos back in the small box beside her and placed it on the floor. She laid down and starred at the ceiling. I didn't know what to do so I watched her fall asleep. I went into her room through the window and sat at the end of her bed. I noticed she had cleaned the bed from his blood because there was a new mattress and sheets. I sighed quietly and whispered "what have I done to you, please forgive me for doing this" I said not realizing that she heard me.

"Tell me, why you did this?" she said in a voice that could bring me to my knees. I looked back and saw she was sitting looking at me. I turned and faced her. She looked frightened by me, not realizing who I was with my hood covering my face. "Who are you?" She said trying to see in the darkness. All I could truly see was her crimson eyes. "How could you not remember?" I said with my head still down. "Shad -Shadow?" She said coming slightly closer. "Yes it is me" I removed the hood, revealing my crimson eyes. "But you died" I looked into her eyes and could see tears forming. "Yes I died but I had a punishment for killing others, I was forced to kill them and watch them suffer" I said in a quiet tone. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around me. Once her warm arms touched my skin it reminded me that I was truly dead. I hugged her back, in fear that I would kill her to have her for myself. I let go and so did she. "But why did you kill him Shadow?" She said inches away from my cold body. "I had to, I couldn't take seeing him with you" I looked down not wanting to show her I was happy he had died.

"Shadow, he wasn't with me we were becoming friends, he helped me the most when I saw your death, without him I would have gone insane" She said placing her hand on my cheek. "But what about your friends, didn't they help?" I looked up at her once again. "Yes they helped but after a while I didn't get better and I wouldn't let them help me, I wanted them to live their own lives" She got closer and sat in my lap wrapping her arms around my cold, hard chest. "I have to go" I said picking her up and placing her back on the bed. "But why must you leave?" She said looking up at me in pain. "The sun is going to rise soon and I must leave" I got up and walked to the window but she took my hand in hers. "Take me with you" I looked back at her in disproval. "No, I could never take your life from you" I took my hand back gently and headed for the window once again. "Please Shadow" She said pleading. "No, I will come to see you tomorrow" I looked back at her before I disappeared into the night once again. "Promise me you'll return" She said taking a step forward. "I promise" Those were my last words before I disappeared and went back to my castle. I stood on my balcony watching the sun come up and then I went back inside. I walked around the castle wondering what I would do tonight. The hours flew by and before I knew it the sun was setting once again. I went out to my balcony and closed my eyes, there were fewer people tonight but then right when I went to open my eyes her image came into my head.

The image of her was gruesome; she was lying in front of me with blood surrounding her body. Her eyes were closed and she looked at peace, I screamed out to her in my mind and she opened her eyes and looked up at me and softly said "I love you, Shadow". I tried to reach out to her but she laid her head back down and disappeared. I forced my eyes to open; I couldn't stand seeing her like that. There was a slight chance that she could be killed but still be with me but it was a very risky thing to do and I didn't know what to do to make sure she wouldn't leave me. I went out and did my duties which didn't take that long and then I headed for her house. She was sitting on the bed in a crimson night gown which I adored the way it fit her body so well. I knocked lightly on the window and watched her get up and walk over to let me in. I came in and sat on her bed, she closed the window and walked over and hugged me. I lifted her into my lap and she placed her head on my shoulder. "You don't know how much I've missed you" She said softly into my neck. "I know, I have missed you too" I placed my chin on the top of her head and took in her sweet sent. "What did you do once I was…..gone" I asked trying to look down into her eyes.

She looked up at me and sighed "Well I was in shock for I think a couple weeks and I wouldn't talk or eat. My friends didn't know what to do Amber and Misty tried to cheer me up on an all day shopping spree, but then Knuckles and Silver came and showed affection toward them I couldn't take it I broke down and then chaos controlled home…I couldn't take not being without you, then Sonic came and told me it was ok that you were at peace and that you would want me to be happy. We would hang out more and he was helping me to remember all the good times I had with you" She said squeezing my arm with her hand."It's ok, I'm here now" I said rubbing her back gently with my fingers. "I knew I wouldn't last through that battle I was already weak from battling a couple days before. I knew I shouldn't have fought but I couldn't let you get hurt" I laid down with her on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Why can't you stay with me now?" She lifted her head looking into my eyes. "I am dead and I have a punishment I can't run away from" I said looking back into her eyes. "I love you, Shadow" She said picking up my hand and placing it on her cheek. The image from earlier crept into my mind again and I shook in fear of what I might do to her. "What's wrong?" She asked putting my hand down and looking at me with concern in her eyes. "This is wrong we can't be together any longer" I said and then looked away not wanting to see the pain on her face. "But why, Shadow answer me, why can't we be together!?" She said raising her voice. I could hear the pain in her words and I didn't want to leave her, but I knew I had to.

"I am dead Ebony, you have a full life ahead of you and I am not going to end it in one night" I said trying to calm her. "No, this isn't fair right when I get you back you are taken away from me!?" She said pushing herself off of me and I could see the tears pouring down her cheeks. I sat up and tried to motion her to sit but she ignored me. "Please Ebony calm down" I said trying to get her to sit by me. I could see her whole body shake and then she opened her eyes and looked at me with her head down. She squeezed her eyes shut like she was in pain and then flung her arms to the side; Chaos energy flew out of her body like it was containing itself inside her until she couldn't control it any longer. I ran over to her and grabbed her arms trying to absorb some of the energy into my body so she wouldn't over power herself. She screamed looking up to the ceiling, I closed my eyes and concentrated on what I had to do. I opened them and looked at her she was weakening and quickly. I pulled her into my arms and her body went limp. I called her name but she didn't reply, I placed her on the bed and then I shook her. "Ebony, can you hear me, wake up!" I tried everything I could think of. I sat there and held her face in my hands; I thought this was a little strange because normally I would be killing people, but now I was fighting to save her life. "Ebony please, wake up!" I placed her in my lap and then stroked her cheek. I looked into her face and then saw her start to open her eyes. "Shadow…." She said in a weak voice.

"I am here" I rubbed my hand along her cheek bone and hugged her close to my cold body. "Ebony don't ever do that again, you scared me" I said looking into her eyes "I thought you never got scared" She said sarcastically. "Only when you're in danger" I said inches away from her face. I could feel her hot breath on my cold face and that calmed me down. "Shadow, do you love me?" She asked looking into my eyes. "Yes Ebony, I love you with all of my soul" I said getting lost in her eyes. "I love you too" She leaned in closer and I knew what she wanted. I leaned in closer ignoring what I was and thinking of what I wished I was. I wish I was by her, I wish I could love her, I wish I could make love to her, I wish I could be happy with her, I wished I could spend the rest of my life with her, but that all got taken away when I fell into the arms of death. I placed my arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around my neck. I could tell that our lips where inches away from each other's. I could feel her hot breath even more now. I lightly pressed my lips on hers and she pushed her lips into mine. I wrapped my arms around tighter. Not realizing what was happening. She squeezed my neck harder and I pushed her to the bed. I laid on her and enjoyed her warmth and comfort. I suddenly felt her heart start beating faster, her breathing was speeding up as well. I didn't know if that was the sound of pleasure or the sound of pain. I broke away and looked at her face, her eyes were squeezed shut and I could feel her temperature start to drop. Tears started to fall from her eyes and then she squeezed my arms. "Ebony, what's wrong?!" I said starting to panic. She didn't answer me, then she slightly opened her eyes and even though tears were falling from them she smiled. "I love you, Shadow….." She then let herself go limp and her head tilted to one side. I took her head in my hands "Ebony no, what have I done my kiss killed you, EBONY NO!!" I screamed and then took her body in my arms and hugged her hoping she would come back, and for the first time since I was young, I cried…I cried tears of pure sadness, tears of pure suffering.

The tears rolled down my cheeks and onto her pale face. I looked down at her and noticed something was wrong, she was fading away and so was everything around us. I placed her on the bed and looked around. Everything was gone and I looked back to see her but she was gone too. "Ebony, where are you!" I yelled and frantically looked for her when I heard a low voice behind me say "I saw what you did" I turned around and there stood a demon with piercing red eyes. "You, you're the one that punished me" I said looking at this creature not realizing tears where still falling from my eyes. "You where crying over the death of a normal hedgehog, why cry over her?" I could tell it was trying to get me angry and it was, "I cried over her because I loved her, She was the one I died for she was the one I did everything for" I took a step forward to make my point clear. "You loved this hedgehog, huh?" I looked at it like it was stupid for asking that because I already answered it. "Yes I love her with all my soul, If I could start my life over she would have to be there, If not I would go insane" I said and realized how much I needed her, how much I wanted her. "You have showed me the ultimate sacrifice, so I will pay you back for what you did" It said moving its hand in the air, back and forth, over the ground. Then where it had swayed its hand Ebony was there. She was on the ground so peaceful that I just wanted to run up to her but something was stopping me. "I have brought the one you love back to life, but I still have more" It glided across the black floor and came closer to me. It swayed its hand above my head and I got scared not knowing what it was doing to me.

Then I felt a jolt in my chest and the pain was excruciating. I bent over holding my chest and squeezed my eyes shut trying to ease it. "What have you done to me?" I said through clenched teeth. I fell on my knees and my chest was pounding. I could feel warmth flow threw my body and that's when I realized I was alive. I took my first breath in a long time and got up. "I will be going enjoy your fully restored life, oh and one thing you will not be in the same time period you were in before" I said raising its hand. I watched it lower its hand once more and fade away, but Ebony faded away with it. I tried to move forward but couldn't move. I looked all around me and saw that the darkness was turning to light. I closed my eyes because the light was so bright it almost blinded me. I opened my eyes and looked around me. I was in Ebony's bedroom, it looked like morning but the curtains were covering the windows so it was hard to tell. I looked over to the bed and there she lay. I walked over to her and took her in my arms and felt her warmth on my now warm body. I kissed her forehead and looked at her face. She was sleeping so peacefully, I sat there starring at her face and didn't even realize that she was waking up. "Shad- Shadow?" She said opening her eyes in shock. "Good morning" I said looking into her eyes. "Are you ok; you're supposed to be in bed" She shifted and sat up. "I'm fine, why am I supposed to be in bed?" I asked very confused "You just had a battle yesterday and you got injured, you need to rest" She slid out of my lap and grabbed my hand pulling me up off the bed. "What day is it today?" I asked very confused.

"It's July 14, why?" She said looking at me. "It's the day after the battle that killed me…" I said in a whisper. "What?" She went to go pull me toward the guest room but I wouldn't move. "Ebony, I love you" I blurted out. She let go of my hand and covered her mouth. She put her hands down and a tear rolled down here cheek "I love you too" she then ran over and hugged me. I hugged back and looked down at her face; she looked back up and kissed me on the cheek. I placed my hand on the side of her face and leaned in closer, she leaned in as well and our lips met. I then slid my hands down her body and placed them on her hips. She wrapped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. I licked her lips asking for entrance, she opened her mouth slightly and I stuck my tongue into her mouth and she moaned. I heard footsteps come up the stairs and I opened my eyes, still kissing her, and looked over at the door and there stood Silver, Misty, Knuckles, and Amber. They all stood there in shock "Someone got his strength back" Silver said looking at us with wide eyes. "I thought they were just friends" Amber said looking at Knuckles. "I guess they're more than that" Knuckles said in return.

I picked Ebony up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I was still kissing her as I walked over to the door and slammed it in their face. I could hear them start to complain so I locked the door and started to walk over to the bed and placed Ebony on it and laid on her. We separated for air and I looked into her eyes panting. She looked back at me and then pushed me over so that she was on top and then she got off. I sat up and watched her walk over to the windows; she pulled the blinds over the window so that no light could come through. She then walked over to the light switch and turned the lights off. I could faintly see her start walking toward me but I could hear her clothes hit the floor. She crawled up the bed and I knew this is what I wanted; this is what I wished for. I knew this was only the beginning of a strong relationship with the one I loved. I was finally happy knowing that things were how they should be.