DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG OR ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS...m'kay?? :D Sorry for the EXTREMELY long ending. :/ Bear with me again?

Tails brought Rouge right up to the tower, the winds were calmer now and it made it easier on the X-Tornado.

"Thanks, Tails." Rouge quickly said. The day had flown past with the wind and already it was nearing evening. Sand swirled, as a warm breeze tickled past. The sun's orangish glow set a fire the grains of sand, and they glowed in the unnatural light. The dunes were set ablaze. There was a bit of an awkward silence between the kitsune and her. Tails nodded, as his body seemed to wake up suddenly, and wished her well.

"Oh, geez. It was nothing! Sorry about the…you know…heh heh…" He gave an apologetic look before his face lit up.

"Ooh, I should probably let you go and…"

"Yea, it's okay Tails." Rouge gave as soft, yet hurried smile. The kitsune's face broke into a giant grin, as he gave the bat a small salute, as the engine started up again and he sailed into the sky. The bat waved a bit longer than she should have. She couldn't help it. There was an achy feeling in her hollow stomach. Something wasn't right. She had to find Shadow fast. The bat's sharp sea-blue eyes glanced up at the large citadel. It loomed over the desert, casting a long, dark...foreboding shadow…Shadow. The bat sighed and shook her head. It was beginning to swallow up her thoughts and obsessing her. Making up her mind, Rouge flew higher and higher up the tower. She quickly took flight and began to check the windows of every room for…him. Her heart was pounding, as she struggled to keep her calmness. She was scared and that fear took control of her feelings. It was nerve-racking thinking about what could have happened…what did happen…this all was just a big mistake gone too far. Partially, it was her fault. There was a note of guilt. She was always a bit stubborn…oh, that fateful day that seemed eons away. The day at the movie theater…and the start of turmoils of troubles, a tossing sea of binds. She couldn't ignore that factor. Frowning, she continued up the tower. Her hope was that it would be a simple fly up, but…it was an Eggman tower though; it was a bit brainless to think that it'd be that quick. Her careless action would not go without a consequence. Rouge must've passed through some sort of motion detector because immediately, lasers popped up and began firing at her. The bat gasped, as one of them grazed her right wing. A sure fire aim. The shooting had caught her completely by surprise. The deer trapped in a makeshift snare…so obvious, yet very dangerous. She flew through an open window and into a room. Rouge muttered a curse, as she peeked outside again. The little laser shooters scanned the area. Rouge had seemed to disappear to them. The bat knew it would be bad if Eggman found out that someone had dodged the security and managed to get inside. Not only would it piss off Shadow more than necessary, but Eggman was smart enough to find out who it could be. She glanced at a small box and had an idea. Rouge picked up the surprisingly heavy box, and flung it out the window. The lasers thought it was their enemy again and exploded the fake target.

"Target neutralized." It bleeped before going back into its hiding place. Rouge let out a big breath. It was a relief that it actually worked. She would've thought that they would've seen the shape of the box and completely ignored it. Lucky, she supposed. The lasers were gone, but now it was going to be harder to get up the tower. Her arm shot pain into her body. Her mouth was twisted into a type of wince filled with pain. The other hand quivered, as she tried stopping the steady trickle of blood from the insignificant wound…but she decided to let it be after she realized that the only thing she was accomplishing was soiling her perfectly good white gloves. The corners of her lips pulled down, as she frowned at the bloody mess. Flapping her wings a bit, she shook herself into getting up. She mustered up all the determination and courage she could and stepped out into the hallway. There was nothing to fuel her except the haunting thought that she would be too late. As she absent-mindedly walked down the hallway, she nearly tripped over cluttered robot pieces. Inwardly, she cursed at her seemingly clumsy feet. She raised her head and realized that this was a lot…a lot of robots. It must've been done by the hedgehog; the idea clicked into the bat's mind. Yes, that was the hopeful explanation that she wished to be true. It most likely was. Tactical thinking began swarming its way into the situation. Eggman always had his fortresses designed the exact same way. Where there was a multitude of knowledge in his mind…there was also a lack of imagination and creativity. It made the situation a little brighter. Perhaps there would be an elevator or stairs nearby. Rouge stepped her way to the end of the hallway, avoiding the little bits of machinery that littered the ground. It reminded her of the time on the airship…where the dead bodies covered the floor. She imagined Shadow rolling his eyes, as she slipped around more robot parts and smiled slightly. Suddenly, her eyes caught the sparks and ripped metal at where the elevator should have been. She shook her head. What had Shadow done? Rouge peered up the elevator shaft only to be alarmed as another piece of metal just deftly missed her protruding head. The bat gasped before breathing a sigh of relief. With her heart pounding, her mind was changed to the option of the stairs. She tilted her head slightly and caught view of another hallway. There was a sign posted that had the words written on it "Stairs". She huffed a bit, blowing a stray piece of marble-white fur out of her face. If only she hadn't been stupid enough to get noticed by the lasers. Ah, but who said getting to Shadow would be easy? It would have to take a great amount of effort…and a bit of endurance. Rouge had tried to be a tough girl throughout the eventful days, but her strength was weakening. She sighed and headed towards the long hallway. There was a bit of a groan on her part. She hoped she was fit enough for the challenge. She hadn't really fought or worked out for a while. This could be rough. Running up the stairs…at least it wasn't running up stairs with giant robots chasing after you shooting all sorts of things around…or with a really mad Knuckles. She imagined the red echidna barreling towards her with fiery eyes…and somehow it was a humorous relief. Smiling unconsciously, she inhaled sharply and began her journey up the numerous amounts of steps. While she ran, she felt her legs seem to wheeze. Yep, this was a little workout for her. Maybe she should've stuck to that diet of hers…? If only she could've flown up. The wings she had were damaged brutally though. They were of no use, and there was no point in thinking about the "what ifs?" Her heart raced and her mind settled itself into a rut of balance. Her legs pumped and became numb and sore at the same time. Little panels were the only indication of what floor the bat was on. They increased slowly as she traveled up and up. Her mind began to wander, but she reminded herself that it would be a bad decision. Her thoughts would intertwine themselves around the giant, dark cloud of emotions. What a disaster that would be. It was only until she began to reach the early twenties when she aware of the fact that it was beginning to seem impossible. Her stride lessened a bit. She gave herself a tired look. Inside, she roughly snapped herself back into position. If she stopped, it would only make starting again a hell of a lot harder. She wasn't about to be sucked into an all too familiar oblivion otherwise known as her thoughts. The bat bit her lip and lengthened her strides again, keeping in time with the clicking of her shoes. She tried thinking of a song…that would get her mind a little amused and maybe give herself a motive for running. People did it all the time in the early morning…she just couldn't figure out why they ran at all. A quiet song popped up. She silently hummed the tune in her head. It was relaxing, yet slightly sad…setting a unique type of mood. She glanced upward. Losing track of the stairs and her floor, she nearly tripped. Rouge had made it to the top. Surprised at herself, she glanced all the way down the stairway. The bat had did it…she was going to make it. Rouge ran down the corridor. No longer did her legs feel they were pulling themselves through molasses. Her shoes clicked defiantly against the marble floor, as they broke the still silence that hung in the air. She skidded to a stop in front of a large door. Inside, there was smashing and screaming to be heard. He must be in there…she approached carefully. Her hand was hovered over the doorknob. Why did her hand stop? Was she afraid of what was inside? Afraid to be disappointed? …crushed? Despite the raging emotions inside, she firmly grasped the doorknob and yanked the large doors open. Dust and smoke rushed out of the enclosed room like a mob of people. The sight and smell knocked her down. It burned her eyes and she coughed, as she pulled away, covering the side of her face with her hands. The smokiness began to clear out, and Rouge could make out two figures. There was a rush of winds and an ominous feeling swallowed up the bat's thoughts. It left her blank, as she saw an enraged Knuckles and Shadow clash. As Shadow slid across the rough ground, a sound that resembled metal scratching across a chalkboard was emitted. Rouge uttered a gasp, as the scraping sound echoed in her large ears. Knuckles lumbered over to the hedgehog, straight above him. He yelled and slammed his fists down into the marble, just missing Shadow. The quick hedgehog had rolled out of the way and managed to return back on his feet. He charged into the echidna with a golden fist, this time hitting him. Knuckles winced, as Shadow hopped back, panting and utterly worn out. The echidna became sluggish and a tired look dawned on his battered façade. Rouge stood there petrified, shocked…lifeless. It was a horrible sight…she couldn't stand it. The fight had paralyzed her from moving. She shook her head hard and managed to push herself into the room. There must be something she could do to stop them. Her feet stopped short, as she saw Eggman arise. Both fighters glanced angrily towards the doctor. His glasses shined, as he pushed them further up the bridge of his long nose. He grinned and them both.

"Ooh, he didn't do what I told him to do now did he? That's too bad…" she heard him say to them both. Knuckles was huffing and panting. Knuckles' eyes widened before clamping his eyes shut at the sight of the scientist. It all fell into place like dominos after that. He whipped out a gun, pointed, Shadow glanced at the echidna, and the only thing Rouge saw left for her to do was…

"Shadow!" she screamed. There was a blur, a bang…and then silence. She saw Eggman's face first. It was twisted into some sort of confused, aghast expression. He dropped the versatile weapon, blood was smeared on his red suit. The gun the doctor had held in his final breaths clattered in the silence. Eggman slumped into his seat. All focus from him was slid onto a certain dark hedgehog. He stood there in silence…in front of the red opponent. A determined look washed over his tired face. Knuckles pulled his hands away from his face and stared in disbelief. The silver gun that had called attention to the hedgehog did prove handy…of use…of importance. His surprisingly rough voice broke the stillness of shock,

"You don't point a gun at him and get away with it…" The scientist winced in pain, as he struggled to sit up. He held the wound with one white glove and pressed a bright green button. Eggman was taken down to the first floor at rapids speeds away from the three animals. Rouge's lower lip quivered, as she struggled to say something. Shadow turned around and glanced at the two companions. Knuckles shook his head.

"But…but why?" The quiet hedgehog smiled softly and looked back at the echidna with softer eyes as well,

"Why would I let you get killed?" The tough red one felt shivers go throughout him. He began to see the pain and agony within the animal standing in front of him. How wrong he was…

"I…I'm sorry, Shadow…" he dropped to the ground in the deepest of bows. Why did he do it? That question was not asked by Shadow, but he answered the apology. The midnight black hedgehog placed a hand on Knuckles' shoulder. The echidna looked up for a split-second before shaking his head and staring at the ground. He wasn't worthy for any forgiveness. He began to shake and they both realized that he was crying…crying in utter sadness for what he had wreaked upon Shadow. There was nothing wrong with him, as he could now see. The hedgehog he had just fought, argued with, hated with all his heart…had just saved his worthless life...

"Shadow the hedgehog…you are the person I wish I could be for Rouge and…you are the…the most merciful person I've ever met." Shadow shook his head and helped Knuckles get up.

"No, Knuckles. You have just been confused…just as I was. I learn from my mistakes, and I believe that you can as well…" the echidna wiped his face with his soiled glove and nodded. Here he was…acting just like a five-year-old being told that it was okay that he had made a wrong error. The bright eyes that belonged to the echidna studied the stronghold named Shadow. They both nodded in acceptance of each other. Rouge stepped forward cautiously. All eyes were focused on the bat now. Knuckles trembled again,

"I…I'm so sorry for you too. I was just the monster I promised I would always protect you from…" Rouge walked up to the echidna and carefully put her arms around him. He glanced down in shame, as she rubbed his back,

"I know…I know…" she whispered softly. When she pulled away, he gave her a sad, childish expression. The bat's face molded into a sympathetic smile. All was forgiven and being mended in the couple of minutes after the shot. It was a juncture between two parts of the same story. After seeing Shadow become so…mature and understanding…it was inspiring. She glanced at Shadow and the sides of his mouth turned up slightly into a soft smile of approval. It grew a bit awkward with all three of them just standing there…waiting for each other. Knuckles then coughed and nervously mumbled,

"Y'know if you guys wanted alone time you could've just asked…" he had sensed the tension between the two. The female cracked a smile of relief. Shadow shook his head and sighed. The echidna shrugged and headed towards the door backwards.

"I'm just gonna…uh, go beat up Eggman some more or something…see ya." He jerked a thumb at the exit, and then he turned, racing away from the others. A quick, yet effective excuse for a person like him. The two of them were just left standing there…together. Rouge shifted her weight on the leg away from the hedgehog and held the arm on the same side. Shadow smiled at her uneasiness and lifted the weight off her,

"Should we follow him to make sure he doesn't get hurt?" She giggled and nodded silently. He pivoted to go and chase after the red one, but she stopped him. Shadow tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, I just wanted to thank you for…for everything that's happened so far in my life…and um…" Oh geez, it was becoming so cheesy and predictable. She averted her gaze away, but somehow his blood-red eyes captured a-hold of them again.

"You're welcome." He whispered while taking up her hands in his own. Rouge wavered a bit in a daze, as she dipped her head unconsciously. Shadow grinned,

"Heh, I should capture the look on your face…you're like…" he mimicked her expression with great proportions. She blinked twice, snapping her out of it, and shoved him a bit.

"I should've captured the look on your when I kissed you the first time." She folded her arms in triumph, but he just broke out into another smile.

"Eh, your kisses don't stun me anymore Miss. Femme Fatale…" he stepped over a bit and lightly brushed the side of her cheek with his lips. She blushed and played with her fingers,

"Yours still affect me…" she muttered. He gave a short laugh and dropped her hands. They swung at her sides, as she studied the ground in embarrassment.

"That okay…I guess I still must be pretty hot." He purred jokingly, and she put a hand to his face. She gave him a mock disgusted look,

"Yuck…" they both laughed for a bit. She moved a little closer to him, and he instantly put his arms around her.

"That was a bold move out there…" she whispered. How could she have taken it if he had lost his life? He pursed his lips and glanced upwards,

"Yea I guess…but it wouldn't have been good to lose Knuckles…" she nodded,

"Of course." She agreed. The hedgehog closed his eyes and felt the cool night's breeze drift into the room making it relaxing from his heated battle.

"Um…are you going to be okay? You're injured…a lot." she studied him worriedly, as the stillness of the evening was snapped. He opened his eyes again and checked himself. Shadow had forgotten how Knuckles had severely ruined him. He frowned and shrugged it off. Personally, he kind of wanted to forget it. The pain didn't bother him until he looked to see how Knuckles had hurt him. Grimacing to himself he replied,

"I should be fine, thanks." He quickly added the little acknowledgement. She glanced at him again before nodding in acceptance. He rocked her slightly back and forth, as they silently enjoyed their quiet moment together…something they had lacked in many of their encounters. Rouge raised another question,

"So, what do we do now?" Shadow responded with a deep breath and a small groan. Why was she so curious about these things right now? He let go of her with one arm and twirled her around to face him. Holding both her arms he softened his eyes and replied softly,

"Whatever you want. You could be by yourself, with me, or with him. I'm not going to make that choice for you…" she sighed and her large ears drooped at the evident truth. The bat had hoped for a different answer, but that was how it was going to be. Frowning a teensy bit, she swallowed and whispered,

THE INDENTATIONS GET WACKY HERE, JUST IGNORE IT AND KEEP READING.

"Why do I always have to make hard decisions?" Shadow gave a small smile and patted her head,

"It's 'cause us guys can't handle it and you're a tough girl…aren't you?" she rolled her eyes and settled into the dark hedgehog's hold again. It was comforting having such a powerful person surrounding her with his love and reassurance. He changed his expression back into a more thoughtful and serious look. Rouge played with his blood-massacred glove in silence thinking about what he had said and let it sink in. The charcoal-colored hedgehog had to make plenty of difficult decisions too…she shouldn't be one to complain. After all he'd been through; it was childish to whine about miniscule things as that. This was the same thought that ran through her mind multiple times when she was in situations…just compare her life to one that had more troubles. It put her life in perspective. She felt the hedgehog's chest expand, as he took in a nonchalant breath. Yes, it was a little brainless, she thought to herself again, as she felt the exhale of the breath come in time. Both of them had just pushed themselves through many of the trials and challenges that awaited them. Her eyes flitted and tried to snap themselves open to stay awake. The white bat was exhausted though and every attempt to stay awake just brought her closer to sleep. Shadow felt her nodding towards dreamland and the sides of his mouth turned up a bit.

"Maybe we should go now?" he questioned. The bat's watery blue eyes kept open this time. She nodded and yawned a little. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth and excused herself,

"Whoops…yea I guess so." Shadow smirked and grunted, as he stood up and then helped Rouge rise up. The hedgehog grabbed both arms and swiftly pulled her up. Smiling, she whipped up a little closer than expected and licked his dark black nose. He made a face before muttering something inaudible. The bat grinned and wrapped her arms around the annoyed hedgehog, pulling him into a hug. He rolled his eyes, filled with sarcasm, just as she had before and then rubbed her back with an arm. They headed toward the large door in sync with each other's steps. Their shoes made loud noises against the marble. Rouge took a light breath before attempting to fly again. Surprisingly, her body lifted up and her wings flapped. She smiled and offered her hands to Shadow. He gave an unsure and distasteful glance but accepted them. She immediately took off, swinging the surprised hedgehog down the hall. Shadow made a small grunt of surprise before enjoying his slight hovering experience. They turned the corner and zipped down the empty elevator shaft that Shadow had busted. Both felt refreshing wind in their faces. It felt like good old times when they were sent on missions together and enjoyed every moment of their little adventure. Rouge didn't slow down, as she made the sharp thrust through the elevator doorway that would lead them to Knuckles. The hedgehog quickly raised his legs and just missed the floor of the doorway that would have knocked him clean out of her grasp. He gave her a warning glance, but said nothing. They shot over the robots and hugged every curve that the corridors threw. Soon they reached an open area that seemed to act as the foyer for the mansion of a hideout. The bright russet echidna came into view beating up the scientist with a horrible laugh a multitude of times. He waved for a second before continuing his unfailing wave of hits. Shadow grunted and Rouge laughed. Knuckles gave a confused look,

"What?" he shrugged. The ebony hedgehog sighed and let go of Rouge's hands. He approached the echidna with Rouge following closely behind still in the air.

"Enough of that. We need to get home." Knuckles looked up from his intense beating session and dropped the doctor who fell over in effect. He scratched his head and let out a big breath,

"How're we gonna do that?" Rouge's eyes lit up, and she revealed the lavender-colored phone she held so dear.

"With this Knux." The bat held it up to the amethyst eyes of the echidna. Knuckles pouted at his unfortunate nickname before waving off the phone from his direct view. He nodded and glanced over at Shadow,

"Well, we have that solved. Call up Tails." Both boys nodded and watched Rouge tap in the smart kitsune's number. They all heard the ring tone loud and clear, as they waited for him to pick up. Suddenly, the young eight year old's voice was heard,

"Hello?" he droned, obviously very sleep-deprived. Relieved, the bat replied with a lighter note,

"Hi, Tails!" she happily remarked. Shadow heard Tails gasp,

"Oh, geez! Hi, Rouge! I thought you were some kind of vendor or whatever…been getting calls like that all night…but forget that! What is it?" he rambled quickly. Rouge smiled and replied,

"Um, remember how you took me to the desert?" on the other side of the line, the yellow one nodded.

"Yea."

"Well, I kind of need a ride back…with two other seats for two other people…" Tails inhaled sharply,

"Oh good, you found them! Are they okay? Should I bring medical equipment? Maybe I should…" Rouge cut him off,

"No, no Tails…it's alright. We just need a ride. Thanks for your concern and all, but we can do that later at your house or something." There was a pause before a nervous laugh was heard,

"Oh…uh, sorry. I'll be over soon." Knuckles chuckled at the kitsune's anxiety.

"That's alright, Tails. Just try to be over really quickly."

"Okay." Was the last reply on the other side of the line. Rouge hung up and stuffed the phone away.

"So, all there's left to do is wait…" Shadow murmured. They all sat down with their backs against the walls. Knuckles held his face with his left hand and sighed. Rouge glanced at the doorway,

"Maybe someone should keep watch or something." The raven black hedgehog stood up,

"I'll go." He left quickly without another word onto the rough sands of the desert. Knuckles raised an eyebrow,

"I think he's claustrophobic…" the echidna didn't finish because Rouge smacked him upside the head.

"Ow! Okay…gee, I'm sorry!" Outside, Shadow enjoyed the cool night of the desert. It didn't burn as much as the daytime…it was more subdued and showed a different side. He closed his infrared eyes and breathed in the distinct, exotic scent of the sand. It swirled around his legs with the granular bits gently scraping his fur. Once and a while, the sand would find its way into one of his wounds…only then would it burn and he would have to wipe it out quickly. As he was bent down taking out bits of sand out of his leg wounds, he studied his shadow. His elongated, dark side was stretched out by the light that poured out of the entrance to the hideaway. The sand that danced past his shadow gave a gritty effect on the ground of the mesa. His attention was then averted from the ground into the sky. The full moon took control of the rest of the nighttime blanket. Stars glittered around the main attraction and clouds framed the silvery-white orb of celestial light. He smiled and blinked a couple of times, as the sky captured his thoughts. Finally, there was time to enjoy and appreciate some things in his life. The day had gone by already and then only thing any of them accomplished was the fact that everything was settled between the three of them…and that Knuckles and himself had beat each other silly. He rethought that over. Everything was settled…that was a good thing and it did mean a lot. Changing his mind, he inwardly crossed out that idea. Settling everything was a BIG accomplishment. It seemed like the endless sea of turmoil and destruction was coming to an end…the sun was beginning to peak through the dark rain clouds of hatred. Shadow was so deep in his thoughts that it wasn't until the X-Tornado appeared to be right up in his face for him to realize that their transportation had arrived. All of his thinking had taken up a great deal of time…which was a fine thing considering the fact that he hated to be bored. He raised a hand to signal that he had acknowledged Tails' arrival, while covering his face with his other hand to keep the sand out of his face. Squinting, he turned away from the whirling mess. Tails did that same two finger salute and hopped off the plane. Rouge and Knuckles rushed outside with big grins on their faces.

"TAILS!!" the echidna shouted before preparing to give the young one a knuckle rub on the head. Tails' eyes widened, and he hid behind Shadow. The hedgehog gave a tired and disgusted look at Knuckles. Rouge smacked him on the cheek and pointed to his obvious spikes. He gave a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his head,

"Sorry…just kidding!" Tails gave a relieved look and tiredly pointed a finger to the airplane,

"Everybody get in." he replied. They all strapped themselves in with Tails in the front, then Knuckles, then Rouge, and finally followed up with Shadow. They all gave a "thumbs up" to go ahead and the kitsune carefully turned the aircraft towards home. He pushed a button and pulled a trigger that sent them on a fast lift-off. Rouge gave a small "eek" of surprise while Knuckles laughed in joy of the ride. The dry, gaunt scene below whipped past and Eggman's tower began to shrink at a fast rate. Home…they were going home…and for the first time ever, they could all relax. Things were fitting into place; puzzle pieces once lost were now recovered. Shadow glanced outside again. The quiet, gentle night cruise in the sky was calming just as it was on the ground. He wistfully wished that he could fly. Rouge was fortunate enough to be able to receive all of the wonders of the air. Sure Shadow was blessed with speed, but what good was that when he missed everything he passed by? Rouge felt the hedgehog's quiet, thinking notion behind her and turned slightly in her seat. She glanced backwards at him and quietly asked,

"Hey, are you okay?" the silent hedgehog looked up, a little surprised, and nodded,

"Yea, why?" she shrugged and bit her lip,

"Oh, uh…I don't know. You just looked so lifeless." Shadow smirked and shook his head,

"So, that's what I look like when I'm trying to think?" Knuckles shouted a hoot of laughter and the pearl-white bat gave a small smile at Shadow's mild humor.

"Sorry, then…keep on doing what you were doing." He shook once more,

"No, I can't. You woke me from my 'trance'." Rouge frowned,

"Really? …sorry again." He shrugged and leaned back into his seat.

"It doesn't matter anymore." His deep voice rumbled a bit. The bat's eyes focused on the ground. She glanced up and opened her mouth to say something else, but no words came out. Rouge quietly turned face-front again. There was silence and more tension hung in the air as it had before. Knuckles squirmed in his seat. He hated the quietness. Tails, sensing the echidna's uneasiness, spoke up,

"Uh, Sonic's alright now. He's feeling better and awaiting our arrival…he's got something for you…Shadow." The hedgehog's ears perked up at the sound of his name. The sapphire blur had something for him? This was odd. What in the world could it be? He threw a confused look out the window and replied to Tails,

"What do you mean? What'd he get me?" he saw Tails smile and shake his head in the little rearview mirror,

"Can't tell you. Sonic made it clear that it was a secret and was going to stay a secret 'till we got home. It's…uh…big though." He shut his mouth to keep from saying any more, and he returned his attention to the sky at hand. Shadow frowned and mumbled unconsciously about surprises. He realized he was leaning forward and carefully pulled back. Was it something silly or stupid? Was he actually going to enjoy this little surprise? …or was Tails just trying to break the silence…? He paused mid-thought. The aircraft was shaking and made a sharp elevation. Rouge gripped the seat handles next to her and clamped her eyes shut. The one in front hollered again. Shadow twitched. How annoying…

"Sorry…it's the mountains again." Tails apologized to the bat. She nodded dizzily.

"We've already reached them?" Shadow questioned. He never thought that the kitsune's plane would be this fast. Tails bobbed his head up and down.

"Yup." He proclaimed a little proudly. The hedgehog nodded and immediately began to see the quiet, half-asleep landscape still under the spell of night. A couple of farms were on the outskirts of their city. He could barely make out the little skyline in the distance. Down below, millions of little trees that bore all kinds of fruit, shook as the plane whizzed overhead. They were welcoming the four of them home. Fields of corn, and wheat trembled with excitement, as they dipped and rose in a playful manner in the orangish-pink sky. Wait, a pinkish sky? Shadow inwardly asked himself. Yes, morning was already approaching. The whole Eggman commotion had taken a whole day…from daybreak to the next morning. Fluffy rose-coloured clouds hugged the fiery ball of light, as it began to peek over the green hillside. He saw a rooster on a brick-red roof of a farm call out its morning song. The dusty country road that led to the city turned into crusty pavement, as they neared closer and closer. Tails, however, made a quick left turn towards more hills. Rouge gasped again and held and hand to her chest,

"Tails! No more surprises!" she yelled. The young one blushed and nodded,

"Sorry. We can't land in the middle of the city though. They don't have reservations for our landing." The bat nodded and sunk lower into her seat. Ugh, she hated the sharp turns and everything. It was like a giant roller coaster…she hated roller coasters…

"Yea, okay." She murmured.

"We're going to be landing in my garage." Tails didn't live in the city. He said that he wasn't used to a stuffy, overpopulated urban life. The kitsune preferred the wide open lands of the valley. There, he could take-off with his planes as often as he liked, and he was rarely bothered, except for the occasional Sonic visit. But besides that, he was alone and he could freely tinker with whatever he pleased whether it be new riding gear for their next encounter with the Babylon Rogues, or just sprucing up his beloved aircrafts. It was a peaceful life. His home was placed carefully on a flat land mass. It was easy to set down his take-off pads and set up what he needed. Tails' little haven was a pale yellowish-white house with a carefully constructed roof. The rough, gray shingles that made up the roof sturdily held still, as Tails descended for landing. The ears of all the passengers and the pilot popped. Rouge frowned; this was one time when she wished she didn't have big ears. Knuckles made a face and started to shove his finger in his ear in an attempt to un-pop it. Shadow didn't really mind. What was a little discomfort? It would go away with time anyways. Go away with time… His thoughts were interrupted once again, as the outer glass protection pulled back and let the people inside out. The kitsune's tails swirled and he gently dropped himself on the ground of his 'garage/workshop'. The bat did the same. The echidna, always the rough one, merely leapt of the tall height and landed safely. Inwardly, Shadow mumbled, 'Show off…' He followed with a small jump and another quiet landing unlike the noisy garnet one. Then, his sharp, crimson eyes scanned the area,

"So…where's my surprise?" It was a little awkward having to speak up his obvious thoughts, but it was needed. Tails turned around, confused for a minute, before instantly remembering.

"Oh yea; we have to travel into the city." The hedgehog groaned mentally. How long did he have to wait? Impatiently, he replied,

"Okay then, can we hurry up?" Tails nodded.

"Oh sure." He opened a small garage door and inside was a white automobile. Knuckles grinned,

"Hey kiddo! Did you forget that you're only eight? You can't drive!" Tails stuck out his tongue,

"I know that! I was going to let one of the more responsible people drive, Knux." He frowned and crossed his arms over his furry chest with the distinct white, crescent shape on the front,

"Whaddya saying? I'm not 'responsible'?" Rouge rolled her shiny eyes,

"Yea, pretty much." She answered for Tails. Shadow pushed the ignorant male, towards the vehicle,

"Ladies first." He smirked. The echidna bared his teeth for a split-second, before quickly taking it back. He was quick to forget that the one he was growling at had saved his life. The bat swiftly walked past the two others and took the driver's seat.

"I dunno about you guys, but I think I'm fit for this driving business. You guys are all up in each other's faces." Knuckles grumbled something quietly, as he slid into his seat next to Shadow in the back. Tails took 'second in command'. He whispered the directions, and she shook her head up and down.

"Easy enough…" she mumbled back to him. Her head turned around, and she flashed a grin at the two boys.

"No fighting or I'm turning the car around." She told them. The echidna huffed,

"Geez, we haven't even started going yet!" Rouge put a finger to her lips,

"Ah! No fighting. That includes verbally talking back Knuckles the echidna." He frowned and turned to stare out the window. 'Stupid girls…they think they're so special.' He muttered in his mind. Finally, the bat turned the key and the car started up. She accelerated out of the driveway slowly and set off towards the nearby, metropolitan area. Shadow's fingers intertwined themselves quietly, and he placed his hands in his lap. He was anxious, and this made him uncomfortably stiff. Tails' home seemed so close, since he could go tons of miles per hour, but the way Rouge was driving made the quiet hedgehog shaky. In a matter of minutes though, his worry was washed away. The city soon enveloped them. Nervousness was swallowed up by excitement. It had taken a little longer, by about a few minutes, than Shadow would have liked, but it was do-able. They were cruising along smoothly until Tails shrieked out,

"WAIT, TURN!!" the bat's eyes widened, and she yanked the steering wheel to the left. Knuckles and Shadow were flung onto the right side of the car, and Tails himself was squished against his window. Rouge worriedly glanced behind, wary of any police officers. When they returned to a normal speed the bat sighed a breath of relief and turned around,

"Sorry you guys. That was stupid of me." Knuckles rolled his eyes,

"And you say that you're the one who hates all the fast turns and stuff…" she gave him a warning glare, and he shut up. Her hands firmly gripped themselves onto the wheel shaking just a little bit with the sudden burst of adrenaline. Shadow pushed Knuckles off of him and sent him sliding to the other side. He dusted himself off comically just to annoy the echidna. Knuckles twitched before struggling to keep his foul mouth clamped shut. No other sudden changes were made to everyone's pleasure. Rouge carefully followed the rest of the orders. They screeched to a stop in front of some apartment just a block away from Amy, two blocks away from Sonic, and a block and a half away from Rouge. Knuckles' house was already passed near the outskirts of town. His home was the closest to Tails'. Shadow threw a confused look at Tails, but he merely just shook his head and smiled at the hedgehog. They all hopped out and watched Tails walk up the steps to the front door of the apartment. He turned around and motioned for them to follow. They all gave each other glances and stepped forward to line up behind the kitsune. Tails gave a small smile and whipped out a key. He turned the little metal thing in the keyhole of the brass doorknob and creaked the wooden door open. Tails stepped in and had everyone step in after him. He flicked on the lights and the colours of the room overwhelmed them all.

"SURPRISE!!" they heard many familiar voices shout out. Amy, the blue rival, Cream, her companion, her mother, a silver hedgehog, Blaze, Vector, the purple ninja, and the obnoxious bee all popped their heads from behind furniture. Sonic walked right up to his dark opponent and shook his hand,

"Welcome home, Shad!" the other hedgehog frowned distastefully at his shortened name before taking in the environment around him. Balloons floated about airily, streamers of all colors adorned most of the empty spaces, and a large white banner said,

"Welcome Home, Shadow the Hedgehog!" Shadow gave a perplexed look at everyone before he finally figured out everything for himself. His heart swelled and his jaw dropped a bit. Excitement coursed full and strong throughout his system. It felt like the living daylights were knocked right out of him. He stepped over to all the furniture and rubbed a gloved hand over them. Mouth still open, he turned around to face everyone and swallowed,

"Is this…? You guys…and…and…" they all cheerfully grinned. Knuckles raised an eyebrow,

"Wait! I still don't freaking get it!" Rouge whapped him on the head and shushed him. Tails pushed his way through to the front and replied,

"It was Sonic's idea…he was so upset that we couldn't do anything for you that he randomly thought up something else. He knew you lived in that cardboard box, so we took it and all the possessions in it and moved it in here. Sonic bought this home for you…he bought all the furniture and everything…" the kitsune waved a hand all around. Shadow had to study Tails twice to check if he was lying, but he wasn't… The dark hedgehog's eyes softened for the first time for everyone in a long time. His little note and money given to him by Rouge was up on a mantle. He walked over to Sonic, his bottom lip quivering invisibly. The blue hedgehog kept his sincere smile and held out his hand for a handshake. Shadow took it gratefully and firmly shook it for him and gave him a one-armed hug. No reluctance or regret…it was a true hug. Sonic's face lit up, and he grinned to everybody else.

"Did-did you all see that!? He hugged me!" they all clapped and exchanged words of congratulations to both hedgehogs. Shadow laughed happily for the first time in a while as well. He paused after the little laugh and looked down at himself. Did he just laugh? They all smiled again at each other. Everyone encircled him with love and joy. They babbled excitedly about the new home, and its new resident. Rouge stood off towards a corner of the room letting everyone embrace a new Shadow. She clapped softly for him. All along she'd seen this change, and finally, he brought it up to the surface and to face his friends with his changed outlook. They gave the dark hedgehog gifts and presents to go along with his new home, which was an added enjoyment. Some were filled with money, little trinkets, and homemade things. Shadow accepted them and placed all of the presents on a mantle above his fake fireplace. Sonic rubbed a shoe into the ground,

"Sorry that we couldn't get you a place with a real fireplace. They don't have those kinds of things here." Shadow shook his head,

"That's perfectly fine, Sonic…why would I need a fireplace anyways?" His mask of embarrassment was quickly overtaken with a sly grin,

"Oh, I dunno…you could always cuddle up with someone special in front of that fire…" Shadow closed his eyes and twitched. 'Ugh, some things never change.' He stiffly nodded and patted him lightly on the back. A roar of laughter arose from everyone in the room. There was then a small party that followed after. Amy and Cream had brought some goods they baked the night before, and everyone else had brought utensils, plates, napkins, cups, and all kinds of junky foods that they knew was bad for them. Sonic raised a cup of orange soda, contradictory to his deep blue fur, and hit a plastic fork against it,

"I'd like to declare a toast to Shadow and his new home. They both have taken some searching and looking to find them…but I'm glad we did." Shadow softened his eyes and stood up,

"I'd also like to toast to Sonic…I'm pretty sure we can all see that he can be a good friend." Knuckles piped up,

"Even though he can be really annoying at times!" they all laughed and Sonic shrugged it off as a small joke. Everyone ate, drank, and had a heck of a party. Cream chased Charmy and her beloved chao, Cheese. Tails talked to Espio about what he had accomplished. Amy and Vanilla exchanged more newfound recipes. Vector had a good joke or two with his friend Knuckles. Sonic and Shadow commented on each other and about how they were doing. The only person aside from the hubbub was the quiet bat. She just watched the whooping and the body movement of the rest of the crowd. Slowly, Rouge felt her eyes find themselves stuck on the dark hedgehog again. She thought about the question that she had proposed to him in Eggman's tower. Her answer became a bit clearer when she glanced between the two of the 'contestants'. Her thoughts were defogged even more when she felt something pressing against the palm of her hand. She opened up her tightly balled fists and saw the sparkling, aquamarine blue ring glistening light off itself. Who cared? Who was for her? Who was going to stay? Those questions quickly disappeared amongst the quick yet thoughtful judgment the bat made mentally. She straightened herself up from her slumped position against the abut of the walls. Her legs moved her body forward a bit, but people blocked her way to talk to the shady hedgehog. She glanced away, defeated and slumped back again. Rouge couldn't talk to him… All of a sudden, the blue hedgehog stated that Shadow needed time to himself and his new place, everyone agreed. He had noticed the bat's quiet demeanor, and awkward emotions. Sonic, being the goody-goody he was, decided to help her along. He pushed people out the door, as they quickly filed out and uttered good-byes to their dark friend. Sonic went out last and nudged Shadow's arm,

"I think you gotta talk to the little lady over there…" he pointed towards the bat in the corner, getting ready to leave. The other hedgehog nodded and patted Sonic's arm stiffly once again.

"Okay, thanks." The cobalt friend winked and slid out the door. He shook his head and rubbed his temples. Shadow inhaled quietly and walked over to the quiet friend. She was about to pick up her purse, but the dark hedgehog's hand reached it first. Her twinkling eyes glanced up at him, and she smiled. He picked it up and gave it to her silently. The bat played with it in her own two hands and smiled softly at him again,

"Thanks, Shadow." He nodded, a little awkwardly. There wasn't much to say was there?

"Um, so will you still be helping me at my club?" she whispered quietly. A little part of her wished that she and the dark one could just stay together away from the others…it was great that they had given him all of these things, but were they about to overtake the undeniable friendship they had? Shadow gave a surprised look,

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" he was only about two times, but since everything was settled he could get down to business. She shrugged and glanced at her white shoes.

"I don't know…I just thought you might be doing something with everyone else now that…" she was cut off. His lips were on hers, and it would've been rude to talk them off. The bat decided that what she was going to say probably didn't need to be voiced. They both closed their eyes and took in the different feelings of the other person. The female wrapped her arms around his neck, and he in turn put his arms around her waistline. Holding each other very close, they pulled their faces apart from the short, yet fervent kiss. Shadow brushed a hand across the side of her cheek and studied her face of pleasure. He studied her face with a bit of seriousness in his look. Was she insecure with him? He didn't want that. Rouge bit her lip when she noticed him staring at her. Shadow noticed her shakiness and looked away. His eyes seemed to hurt her every time he looked. They both let go and just stood there. He replied,

"No, I'm not busy. Are you?" she shook her head,

"Uh, no." he nodded and sat down on the new couch. It was amazingly comfortable. The bat took a quiet step forward and sat next to him,

"Do you mind?" she asked. He shrugged,

"It's alright." He mumbled in his deep voice. Just a couple of minutes ago, he was having a good time…with her right now…he was just so…so…so what? Was he nervous? Confused? The bat stared into her lap and then spoke up again,

"Am I bothering you?" he shook his head,

"No, I'm…relieved that you're still here." He admitted. It wasn't exactly what he had in mind to say, but it would do. She smiled, still staring at the ground. He turned towards her and asked,

"Do you want to go home?" she pursed her lips, as she thought.

"Not really. I like being here with you." She smiled again, this time at him. He gave a small smile as well.

"Is there anything you want to do?" he questioned. She paused,

"…can I hug you?" Shadow smirked and unfolded his arms. Rouge grinned and snuggled into him. He was warm and secure. Shadow began to feel more relaxed. The hedgehog liked being on comfortable and subdued terms with her. He felt whole and less confused about his life and what he was going to do now. His body shifted its position to make her more comfortable. For right now, it felt good to live in the moment. Rouge began to feel a bit drowsy next to her warm lover. She hadn't had a good sleep in a long time…and he was so nice to lean against…and…and… She didn't get to finish her thought. Her sea blue eyes closed themselves, and Shadow's breathing lulled her to sleep. The hedgehog felt her breathing slow down. He moved his head down and kissed her lightly on the top of her head. The ring he gave her caught his eye, and he looked at it. The engraving on the outside had changed…now it said "I love you too." He gave a confused and surprised glance again. Shadow glanced at Rouge's sleeping façade…she was smiling and her face was gentle. His eyes softened and he laid back again. At least now he knew that she returned his love…that was a comforting thought. He felt relieved and immediately felt sleepy. Is that what was keeping him awake for long nights? The possibility that she may not have loved him? He couldn't try to reason with himself because sleep overtook him. Now he could rest easy…they both had succumbed to slumber and lay there contently, as the sun rose up in the bright blue sky. Life toils on after the end of a story and the writer cannot write every phrase or feeling felt. There are many spats and discouragements along every life, but to balance it out, there are feelings such as love which two people felt. You can hate somebody, but still love them. You can forget about somebody, but still remember them. It can be sunny out, but it can be a time for rest. To the two lovers, there's no fine line between any two things. It's a world of oxymorons out there…

Rouge poised the pen in mid-air. Shadow had his arms around her.

"That's a good ending." He murmured. She smiled and turned around to kiss his nose.

"A good ending to a good story…"

AN: Sorry for the little author interruption there...=.=" I really didn't wanna do it, but I had to. Something happened, and I didn't really wanna go back and re-indent everything normally, so yea...sorry! . You guys have to put up with my laziness! Well, this is the end. :) Thanks for reading you guys! I'll post some more oneshots for Sonic that I have already written as well when I get the chance to. Final goodbye (for now) y'allz. :) See you later!