Very short future-fic, somewhat inspired by Jimmy Eat World's, "Hear You Me." Sonic X universe, though it'd probably fit elsewhere as well.

Sonic the Hedgehog and related elements copyright SEGA; used without permission, no intent to sell.

What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends,
on sleepless roads the sleepless go,
May angels lead you in.

And if you were with me tonight,
I'd sing to you just one more time;
A song for a heart so big,
god wouldn't let it live.
May angels lead you in.

~"Hear You Me," Jimmy Eat World

"It's funny how fast life comes at you, y'know?"

"That's even funnier coming from you."

"Heh, yeah. But it seems like no matter how hard you try, you can never seem to catch up with it. There's always something else; something new to tackle."

"Well, yeah, but isn't that what keeps it interesting?"

Sonic smiled, glancing at his two-tailed friend next to him. "I suppose."

"You getting tired of it?" Tails asked after a moment of contemplating silence.

"Maybe. I don't know. It's not as thrilling anymore."

"Same old routine, different day?"

"Pretty much." Sonic scratched behind one of his ears, causing his quills to shake a bit from the movement. As if in tandem a gust of wind blew and rustled his quills some more.

Tails smiled, though it held a sad undertone. "It'd been nice if things could've been different."

"Yeah."

"But this is nice too."

Sonics eyes dimmed, his brow furrowing into a frown for only a second. He covered it quickly by smirking. "It's a bit odd, don't you think?"

Tails shrugged. "It's harmless, isn't it?"

"Ames thinks it's time it stopped."

Tails laughed a little, his namesakes twitching. "She's gotten prude in her old age."

Sonic's smile brightened at the jab and he shifted in his seated position upon the grassy knoll. Laughter in the distance distracted him briefly and he looked back to see where it had originated from.

Tails followed his gaze from his seat next to the blue hedgehog. "Do you want to?"

Sonic looked back at the fox. "Want to what?"

Tails glanced down at the grass, away from the piercing green eyes of his friend. "For it to stop."

Sonic's mouth opened to speak almost immediately, but nothing came out. He paused, closed his mouth and cleared his throat. Eventually his gaze drifted down as well.

"I'm ... not sure."

"Dad!"

The call startled both the hedgehog and fox, the former looking back to where the noise came from. Whoever had called was still out of sight, the rolling meadowlands of Mystic Ruins blocking any glimpse of the caller.

"It's been so long," Sonic commented, glancing back at Tails. Tails smiled back.

"Yeah, but look at what you have now," he replied, his smile growing as he looked past Sonic.

"Yo, Dad, you in there?" A little hedgehog came up behind Sonic, waving his hand in front of the older hedgehog's face. "I was calling you."

Sonic grinned and grabbed the waving hand, pulling his son into his arms for a well-deserved noogie.

"Agh! Stop it!" the younger hedgehog protested, trying to pull free of his dad's iron-clad grip.

Sonic finally let go, letting the little hedgehog harrumph indignantly as he straightened out his quills.

"What's up, Miles?"

The hedgehog, Miles, rolled his eyes. "Nothing. I just find it odd that the fastest thing alive is sitting like a couch potato on top of this hill, staring at nothing." His brow furrowed as he looked beyond Sonic. "Is that a grave?"

Sonic turned and followed his son's gaze to the small headstone Sonic sat in front of. It had no writing on it, but was polished smooth with the outline of a plane engraved on its broad side.

"More like a memorial."

Miles looked at his dad, back at the memorial, and frowned. "Okay. You done staring at it? 'Cause mom's getting ready to, and I quote, 'roast your hide if you don't get a move on.' She's not liking all the bugs."

Sonic laughed, shaking his head in exasperation. "We've only been here an hour." Miles gave him a poignant look, however, and Sonic put his hands up in mock defense. "All right, all right, tell her I'll be down in five."

Miles sighed. "Okay, but if she gives me a ration of—"

Sonic glared at his son, stopping his sentence midway.

"—uh, never mind." Miles rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I'll see you in five."

Before Sonic could respond, Miles made a beeline down the hill, kicking up quite a bit of dust in the process. Sonic smiled smugly at his son's quick departure. He looked back to where Tails had been seated but was surprised to see it empty.

"Tails?"

"Over here, Sonic."

He turned and saw the young fox hiding behind the large trunk of the oak tree that they had been sitting under. Sonic frowned at him.

"It's okay if he sees you, you know."

Tails shrugged shyly. "I don't think that's how it works."

Sonic looked back down the hill, where his son had run, and back to the shiny stone under the oak tree. Tails stood behind the memorial, looking down at it. He glanced up at Sonic.

"Time to go for you?"

Sonic nodded.

Tails sighed, sitting down next to the polished stone. He absently traced the outline of the plane etched in its surface. "Maybe it is time for this to stop."

Sonic closed his eyes momentarily, fighting the lump in his throat. "Tails, you being here is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day. Maybe that's wrong, or selfish, I don't know." Sonic rubbed the bridge of his snout tiredly. "But I'll be back. I promise."

Tails smiled, standing up and brushing the bits of grass and dirt off his legs. "I know." He looked past Sonic again, staring off into the distance. "I can't believe you gave him my name."

Sonic laughed, a real laugh that he hadn't experienced in a long time. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about that. Amy was insistent on it, even after I told her you hated it."

Tails shrugged. "Better than naming him Tails, right? He doesn't really have the appendages for it."

Sonic's smile faltered. "There can only be one Tails, that's for sure."

Both were silent a moment, letting the rustling of leaves and grass fill the void of conversation. A sonic boom echoed in the distance and Tails took a step back, toward the oak tree.

Sonic brought his hand up as if to stop Tails, but didn't move toward the fox. "Promise you'll be here next time?"

Tails took another step toward and around the oak tree. He paused and looked back at Sonic. "Sonic, I'm here when you want me to be here. Always. You know that."

Sonic's hand fell back to his side. "...Because it isn't real."

Tails smiled and looked up, toward the setting sun. "It's as real as you want it to be." As the wind began to pick up Tails disappeared behind the tree. "Bye, Sonic."

Sonic swallowed hard, fighting the twisting emotions he felt every time this happened. "Bye," he whispered.

"Dad?"

The newcomer's voice startled Sonic and he whirled around to see Miles standing behind him.

Miles looked nervous and he once again looked toward the grave marker and oak tree, obviously searching for something or someone.

"What's up, keed?"

"Who ... who were you talking to?"

Sonic glanced back at the tree and where Tails had been standing. He sighed, turned around and walked toward his son. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he led his son away from the clearing and down the hill.

"Just an old friend," Sonic finally answered, his eyes distant.

Miles took a peek back at the area as they descended the grassy knoll. "The ... the dead one?"

Sonic didn't answer for a moment. Finally he said, "Miles, as long as they're up here," and he tapped his head for emphasis, "they're never dead. Not really."

Miles looked up at his father and quirked an eyebrow. "Is that what Mom means when she says you come here to talk to your past?"

Sonic smirked. "Is that what she says now?"

Miles didn't respond and the two walked in silence for a bit.

"…Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't wish things could've been different ... do you?"

Sonic stopped their walk and turned to face his son, placing both of his hands on Miles' shoulders. "I'm only gonna say this once, 'kay?"

Miles nodded, eyes wide.

"You and your mom are the best things that ever happened to me. My friend sacrificed himself to save Amy, and for that I am eternally grateful to him. Because of him you're here. I'd have it no other way. Understand?"

Miles swallowed and nodded again.

Sonic took a shaky breath and turned back around, re-instigating their walk through the meadowlands.

Miles bit his lip, looking to the ground as they walked. "I wish I could have met him."

Sonic smiled and ruffled the top of Miles' head. "Me too, buddy." He glanced back up at the top of the hill, which was now far off in the distance. As if on command a small silhouette appeared, two shadows of tails distinguishable against the orange glow of the sunset.

He'd always be there, Sonic knew. Tails wasn't a ghost haunting the world and unable to move on. Tails wasn't like that. He was far from this place, hopefully doing everything a kid could only dream of getting away with.

It would make up for a life cut so short.

The silhouette on top of the hill waved, and Sonic casted one last smile that way before focusing his attention on the path ahead. No, the figure on top of that hill wasn't Tails' apparition.

It was definitely Tails, but only the Tails Sonic remembered and loved: the young little fox with a knack for machines, an idolization towards the blue hedgehog he wished he could've changed, and a heart too big for its own good.

But it was still Tails to him, no matter how he came to be or why he was here. It'd been so many years and he still was the same young, vibrant two-tailed hero Sonic could never forget.

Wouldn't forget.

Yeah, he'd be back.