Okay! So, this story is written for and dedicated to 01sonamy01, who came in second place in my contest with her story The Truth, If You Dare. :D Good story, good idea, so I hope that you'll like your prize! I tried to put in everything ya asked, so here you go. And I hope you other readers like it too! :D

The plot and general storyline belong to 01sonamy01, I just provided the writing and filled in the details. And of course, Sonic and Amy belong to Sega. (Get 'em together, will ya guys? Nah, that's my job, I guess. XD)

...xxx...

Warmth

...xxx...

Now that Eggman had finally found a new, more restrictive residence and the only thing he'd be taking over any time soon would be his own corner of a jail cell, Sonic and his crazy friends decided to take a little trip in celebration. After much arguing but little consternation, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Cosmo, and Cream had decided to rent a a large, multi room mansion in the mountains to enjoy all the snow centric festivals and activities. Why, the government had even decided to pay for it all as a reward for helping to defeat Eggman. So yes, a nice, relaxing, fun-filled vacation in the snow covered mountains would be just what the doctor ordered for these heroes.

And for the most part, Amy had had fun: learning to snowboard, skiing down the slopes, sledding, picking random snow ball fights, building ridiculous snowmen, drinking hot cocoa in the mansion in front of the fire, hanging with her friends... it had been a real blast. Except for one thing.

Of course, it was always that same old one thing for Amy wasn't it? It was always that one thing that she wanted above all else, that always seemed to slip from her grasp. Why even now, on a vacation that had been meant to bring everyone together... he had insisted on spending it off by himself for the most part, going off snowboarding on the more dangerous parts of the mountain, and just off doing Sonic things. Whatever those were. He'd never been too eager to explain them.

Sighing into her pillow as she mentally went back over the day's activities, Amy turned over onto her other side, readjusting her pixieish frame that was still sore from all the activities that day. But while she should be tired, should be able to catch at least forty winks... Amy found sleep escaping her.

It was strange... today had really been no different from any other day: Sonic had been typical erratic, introverted, reclusive, withdrawn Sonic. And yet... this time, it was different. Maybe it was the fact that their whole group of friends had come out here just to bond and be together, and Amy had imagined her and Sonic cuddling in front of a fire, making snow angels together... and yet every time she'd gotten even close enough to ask him to do something...

Ugh.

It wasn't just straight out rejection - it was more just nonchalant, casual, carefree... apathy. Sonic was just utterly oblivious to what he did to her. He just didn't have a clue how much it hurt Amy every time he casually said "Nah," and just ran off to do his own thing. It tore her heart... and usually Amy didn't let anyone know how much it hurt her. Because she knew that one day, one day, Sonic would come around and admit that he really did love her.

But now... now, even as the girl hedgehog cuddled underneath the thick, warm layer of blankets, and the gentle hum of the heater served as her only lullaby, she still felt nothing by the icy fingers of cold gripping every inch of her body. Cold... as if the frigid air outside had found some way to penetrate every emotional or physical layer she'd put up, and take a rather unwelcome residence in her heart. Cold.

And alone.

Tossing onto her other side, trying to get into a more uncomfortable position, Amy once again squeezed her eyes shut and tried to empty her brain from the worries and the frozen pain that perpetually stole her thoughts. But no... she just couldn't let go. She couldn't lose herself into the sweet refuge of her dreams, where Sonic never left her, always held her, always... loved her. She just couldn't escape there right now, no matter how much she wanted to.

Really, if she wanted anything, besides Sonic of course, it'd be home. Home... where it was warm, sunny, familiar, comfortable, optimistic. Home. Where the heart was. At least, for this hedgehog's heart, along with residing in Sonic's erratic and careless hands. But home, right now, held it's own appeal. This getaway had not turned into anything but a cool, nonchalant rejection.

Amy turned once again onto her other side, this time letting out a small, painful moan. It was too much, right now. But why was it too much? Why... it really was nothing new that Sonic had left them all... but how he was so freaking oblivious about the whole thing, and about how she was feeling. That was the real kicker. How much clearer could Amy be about her own feelings? She'd told him strongly, and multiple times, and yet... it was like he simply didn't care. Or did he?

It was too confusing... too hazy, too misty. Too many thoughts plagued Amy's mind... and she just wanted out at this point. And there really was no point of laying in bed if you can't sleep.

Being extra quiet so not to wake up her friends who were in another room, Amy wiggled out from under her comforter, placing her red-socked feet on the floor. She turned on the lamp beside her bed, hoping that no one would be awake at this hour to see that she was also up.

Looking around her spare room, Amy realized that up here, alone, in the middle of the night, she could do nothing but think. Amy simply had to get her thoughts down right now, had to get them out of her head, so they would quit bugging her. She would have to write a letter, to Sonic, saying how she felt. Still... up here in her simply furnished room, she had no stationary. Amy would have to go downstairs to look for some.

Her large wooden door opened easily enough, but with a slight creak, though a quick glance down both ends of the dark hallway revealed that no one else was awake right now. Good.

Amy tiptoed down the hallway, heading for the stairs to take her down to the large living room. If she'd remembered correctly, there was a desk down there, and surely it held some paper. The mansion at night was dark and silent, giving off a creepy atmosphere, and Amy shivered, suddenly missing her warm bed. She really was only clad in her fuzzy pj's. But she couldn't go back up there now that she'd already decided to do this.

Slipping into the large leather seat, it didn't take Amy all that long to find find some paper and a pen. Blue ink, she thought wryly. How fitting.

After settling down and collecting her scattered thoughts for a minute, Amy started scrawling down her musings, not caring about her handwriting or grammar:

...xxx...

Dear Sonic,

Oh, my Sonic... are you really this clueless about me? I don't know. I don't know how you're feeling at all, about anything. You're just such a mystery to me, Sonic. I just don't understand you. And the worst thing is, you don't even know what you're doing to me. I ask you to do something together, with me... and you reject me every time. Do you know how much that hurts, Sonic? I don't know if you know this, but it hurts to have some one you care about just ignore you. And really... every time you said no to me today, my heart sank. But I didn't let it show, because part of me hoped that one day you would come around and say yes. But lately I've been wondering if you even care about me at all, Sonic. I mean, this was supposed to be a group trip, but you spent it by yourself, going off and being alone... I've missed you, okay? All I wanted was for us to just hang out just once, but you couldn't even give me that. And Sonic... I need to know how you feel about me. I'm tired of you and your apathy. I'm tired of not knowing how you feel, when I feel so much for you. Is this too much to ask?

...xxx...

Pausing to collect her thoughts, Amy let out a sigh and reread what she'd just written. I don't know how much good this will do, she thought wistfully. He may not even read it. But what else can I do right now?

She was about to put the pen back down on the paper and continue when a creak from the stairway caught her ear. Panicking, Amy immediately looked for a place to hide the letter. Crap... she must not have been quiet enough going through the hallway. But who had that good of hearing? Cream? Yes, but the rabbit slept like a log. Who had that much alertness, and was a light sleeper?

"Amy?"

Oh gah not him!

"Hey, what're ya doing up?"

His still-groggy voice was louder now, and when Amy turned she was greeted with a yawning Sonic standing not even a foot away, looking dreamy in more ways than one.

"I could ask you the same thing," Amy snapped more harshly than she meant, but she was mad that'd he'd invaded on her at a time like this.

Letting out a light chuckle that tore at Amy's nerves (he really thought everything was funny, didn't he?), Sonic lifted a finger to wipe the sleep out of the corner of his eyes.

"I just heard a noise and wanted ta make sure nothin' was attackin'." He shrugged, but his kelly green eyes drifted over to her desk, and upon seeing what was on it, his gaze lost all of its tiredness and gained curiosity. "But you - writin' something? At this hour?" Sonic extended his neck for a better look, and his eyes widened at seeing the name on the first line.

"Hey-"

He made a quick lunge for the letter but luckily for Amy, she was closer and ripped it from his grasp before he could snatch it. Still, Sonic managed to grab the corner of it, the pressure threatening to tear the whole thing in half.

"Let go!" Amy demanded and held fast, not caring who she woke up at this point.

Sonic yanked back. "Hey, I just wanna-"

RIP!

Amy narrowed her eyes, feeling the liquid pressure behind them increase, foreshadowing tears.

"OH, you always win!" she hissed at him before throwing her half of the ripped letter at his face. Amy turned on her heel to run out of the warm mansion and into the snowy cold, the temperature matching her heart.

Sonic was left with a quick decision - run after Amy or read the letter. It was a good thing he was a fast reader, as curiosity was killing the hedgehog. He only had to scan the first few lines to feel a deep guilt enter his heart, and then he was off like the wind after the obviously distressed girl.

Amy had only managed to get a few feet out of the mansion before her path was blocked by her crush. Amy blinked at him, his expression confusing her.

Though it was the dead of night, the porch light illuminated both hedgehogs to the other; he guilty and shocked, she troubled and distressed. Amy still couldn't see Sonic all that well because of the light flurries that were floating around them, coming to rest on their quills and noses and creating little water droplets when coming in contact with warm but still cooling fur. Still, even through the snowy veil, Amy could see Sonic, and his handsome features tore at her heart. Why had he chased her down, anyway?

I don't care anymore... really... I... I'm such a fool for him!

Turning to try and escape him, Amy furrowed her brow as she saw, once again, Sonic standing right in her way, matching her every move before she'd even thought of it. Ugh... he was just so fast.

You know how when you need or want something, you can never find it... but when you don't want it, it's always in your face? Yeah, that's exactly how Amy was feeling, right now, about Sonic.

The girl found herself shivering as more and more snow accumulated on her body, as she really wasn't dressed to be out at night, in the now, with Sonic insisting on being in her way and not letting her leave, there was nowhere for her to go.

Sonic's expression slowly softened as she looked at him, a light, gentle smile playing at his smooth lips. He looked so caring, so... remorseful.. but still. He was a bit too late, wasn't he? Typical.

Amy frowned at him, and spat, "Oh, Sonic just leave me alone! When have you ever cared before Sonic? About me, about anything? When have you ever cared about anything besides yourself, and running? When? Just admit it, Sonic... you don't care about me, okay? Just say it!" Her words may have been vehement and fiery, but they revealed just how cold her heart had become.

"Amy..." Sonic said, looking over her ripped letter that dangled in his hand once again. "I didn't know..."

The girl desperately wanted to yell 'Don't play dumb with me!' at him, but her hand was suddenly encased by warmth. And her will, her ability, and some of her anger dissipated by the way he gently clasped her hand, and how his fingers so perfectly fit around hers. How was he so warm all the time? It sure contrasted greatly with the frigid atmosphere and the snowflakes dancing around the two hedgehogs, freezing them and sticking to their eyelashes. Amy squeezed her eyes shut, but her emotions weren't boiling anymore, but still threatening to become too much. Would this be merely another trick? Another broken dream?

Amy... Sonic is holding your hand. Enjoy it!

Sonic said her name again, this time more softly, but still Amy didn't look at him; she just couldn't. She'd had enough with his casual rejection.

"Amy..." Sonic could only stare, could only feel a deep guilt in his chest. Had he really been hurting her all this time? All those times he'd left her... why, he'd never even had a second thought about them. Sonic had just carried on as he usually did.

"I... didn't know that I was doing this to you," he admitted honestly.

Here we go with the oblivious thing...

"Really," Sonic continued. "I just.. I didn't really think about what I was doing. I'm sorry..."

Sonic's voice trailed off, and Amy allowed her eyes to open and caress his face, her heart warming just a little at his sincerity and remorse. Did he really, honestly feel bad? Or was he just saying this? But what did that mean? Was it just pity, or was it more? Right now, his eyes were trained on the ground, which was quickly accumulating snow. He obviously was losing his will, and feeling uncomfortable.

The porch light revealed a raspberry hue brushed across his tan muzzle, but with the veil of snow Amy couldn't make out if it was a blush or just from the cold. Just when a shiver reminded Amy of her discomfort, she noticed that two of Sonic's fingers had intertwined with hers, and she still felt his warmth as she looked down.

Suddenly, his grip tightened, and when Amy traced his tan arms up to his shoulders and face, she saw he'd steeled his expression, as if he'd strengthened his resolve. To say... what? What was he going to say? Amy sure knew how to dream, but...

His mouth opened, but the only thing that came out was a gust of air, the warm particles disippating in the more frigid sky. It further reminded Amy that Sonic really was warm... could that mean that he actually did have a heart, and that it beat for her? If only she could share in some of that warmth, and not have to be left in the cold...

Oh Sonic, will you say something and stop staring? Amy mentally begged him.

As if on cue, Sonic breathed again. "Sorry Amy... I... I say that too much, heh,... I guess I'm just not good with stuff like this... but..." he paused and sighed. "I gotta tell ya somethin'."

Amy's heart clenched at these words, but she couldn't stop herself from dreaming, hoping... please, Sonic, tell me you love me and mean it...

"Amy, I... I didn't know I was hurtin' ya so badly. Really it's just... I didn't really think that by rejecting you all this time, it would hurt you. I know it sounds dumb but... in case ya haven't noticed, I don't really think too much." He smiled a little, trying to reassure her, but paused to find the words. Why was this so hard?

"This was just completely and totally my bad. I just never really considered your feelings before. But the truth is... I do care about you, Amy. A lot. More than I should, maybe."

Whoa, what? Did Sonic just say he cared about me? More red came to his cheeks, and Amy was now quite sure that he was blushing. She couldn't help but smile as her heart warmed.

"I do," Sonic said quickly, as if reading her mind and finding there the obvious doubt. "And I've been meaning to tell you this ...but I'm not very good at this mushy stuff. I just kept putting it off and telling myself that I'd get to it one day.. but it never really came. Why, I even told myself, maybe on this trip, I'll tell her, but somewhere I lost my nerve and I ended up avoiding all of you. Yeah... big mistake on my part huh?"

He paused again, and the two of them were left with the arctic silence, but something in Amy's heart was stirring. Did he really mean all of this?

"I guess... what I'm trying to say is..." Sonic paused, but Amy saw his eyes studying hers, looking for something... "I..." a free, gloved hand came to rest on his chest as he smiled.

Amy had to speak up. "Do you really... care for me, Sonic? Do you mean you have feelings for me? Is that it?" she quietly prompted, almost afraid of his answer. Would he now go back to the same old introverted, shy Sonic who would claim ignorance, or worse, say he was only kidding?

But, to her delight, Sonic just grinned, and said, "Yeah... I guess that's it, Ames."

Oh my. "Really?" she squeaked, her heart about to burst as she squeezed his hand.

Sonic laughed at her response, but his free hand had moved to the back of his head in a bashful pose. "Yeah... I really do like you. I'm not sure what it means, but... ever since we met, you've always been... different to me. I mean, yeah, I had friends, but you were a girl. A pretty girl." A chortle escaped his lips as he saw her eyes light up. "And you gave me all sorts a weird feelings. Stuff I didn't really know how to deal with. Feelings that just made me so happy, so... alive. So thrilling. And lately, you've just been popping into my head and...usually I don't stick with anything for too long, but you... you were just so persistent and you were just in my thoughts... and I told myself why don't ya let 'er know... and, well, I'm just not that good at confessions and feelings and stuff, but Amy," he paused again, this time his voice taking on a more serious tone as he studied her gleaming eyes, "I never would've thought that my waiting, my distance would make ya so heartbroken. Never thought that would've make ya wanna pack up and leave, Ames. So... I guess, I'm here to say, I'm sorry. Could ya forgive me for being such a jerk to ya? Could you accept my apology and my very late confession?"

For a minute, she could just stare at him in blissful awe, taking in every one of his features though the dancing snowflakes: his hand that was now completely intertwined with hers, his muzzle that held both a deep blush and a winning smile, and his eyes... those green orbs that were full of such sincerity and love that Amy couldn't stand to not hold him any longer. What Sonic had just said, had just confessed... it had been so... such a dream come true for her. By this point the dichotomy of a cold body and a warm heart was getting to be too much for Amy to handle.

Without waiting a second longer, Amy squealed and launched herself at Sonic, letting her arms wrap around his chest and pulling him closer, never wanting to let him go. She heard him chuckle again, as if he'd been expecting this exact reaction out of her, and his own arms found their way around her back.

Not sure of what to say, Amy just nuzzled into his shoulder, still amazed how he could still be so warm, as it was snowing even larger flakes now. But as Amy cuddled up closer to him, she hardly noticed the flakes; all she was aware of was Sonic, his warmth emanating from a quickly beating heart, and the softness of his damp fur. No, Amy didn't want to say anything, lest she ruin the moment somehow.

"So I guess that means you forgive me, huh?" Sonic asked amusedly, finding that he really did like the feel of her in his arms.

"Of course I do!" she finally managed to say, still nuzzling into his chest. "Oh... I'm just so happy you really do like me!"

Sonic smiled as he stuck his nose into her quills. "Well, Ames, maybe you can forgive me, but... I dunno if I can forgive myself. I just feel like I've been such a selfish jerk, ignoring you like this..."

Amy pulled back so that she could look at him, letting their noses touch. "Oh, you're not perfect, I know that. But I love you just the same."

The girl saw Sonic's eyes light up at this statement, and she was instantly glad that she could make him happy.

"Thanks, Amy," he said, and she felt his breath tingle her lips. "I love you just the same, too."

Amy didn't even have time to even smile at this response as her lips were suddenly being molded and shaped for her courtesy of Sonic. Not that she was complaining. With this kiss, this overflow of love, Amy felt all of her coldness, her fear, her sadness, just melt away into pure joy. She hardly even noticed the snowflakes gently finding repose on her body; she was just blissfully aware of Sonic's sweet, tender lips kissing hers.

His strong arms pulled Amy up closer against his body, letting their curves mold together perfectly as he continued to kiss her. And Amy just let herself go, fly through the air in perfect bliss. For now, she felt truly warm, truly home, and truly loved.

After a little bit, Amy reluctantly pulled from Sonic's sweet lips, a smile playing at her own as she studied his silly grin.

"Hey, we better go in before we both turn into icicles," Sonic joked as he ran his fingers through her quills.

"Mmm, you're right," Amy said, but didn't hesitate to give Sonic another quick peck on his blushing cheek.

So the two hedgehogs went back inside to prepare a midnight snack of hot chocolate and brownies, but both of them were feeling much warmer already, just by being together.

...xxx...

Yes, another one of my winter in July fics. :D

For those of you who are about to say that I didn't develop Sonic's character enough, then I will say that it was on purpose. I deliberately decided to do this from Amy's POV, so that you learn and experience things as she does. Normally if I'd write something like this I'd include both POV's but I decided to stick with Amy's. It was more unique that way, I think.

Hope you enjoyed it, 01sonamy01! You said a long romantic speech, so I hope I delivered! ;D