Shadow, over time, became very distant from the Sonic Heroes. Still, the more distant he became, the kinder, it seemed. Amy looked forward to his visits all the time, as her predicament grew ever worse with time.

Amy rubbed her arms, wincing when she touched her bruises. Sonic eventually did want Amy to be his, and for a moment everything was perfect.

And then that moment ended. Sonic became violent and verbally-and eventually physically-abusive. She was a prisoner in her own home, so long as Sonic was there.

"Amy!" Sonic called.

Amy shivered. "Yes?"

Sonic entered the room with her calender in his hand. "Why does it say girls' night tonight here? I never gave you permission to go out tonight."

Amy cowered back slightly. "Well...not directly, mind you, but...I told you...about...it..." She trailed off as his look turned to pure hatred. Throwing the calender down, he smacked her face, leaving her eyes stinging with tears.

"You disgust me." He said after he landed two solid punches in her stomach. Finished for now, he meandered out of the room, leaving Amy sobbing on the floor.

"Now who does that bastard think he is?" A dark voice growled from behind her. A tall black hedgehog walked over towards the girl and lifted her chin. "Are you alright?"

To his surprise, Amy looked shocked that he asked. "Well, yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

He chuckled softly. "Rose, he...he hit you." Amy shook her head.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm used to it, I mean. It's not so bad." Amy forced a smile. Purple lips quivered slightly. Both of her eyes, bruised black, contradicted her words.

"You aren't fine, Amy."

"Yes I am."

"Amy, you aren't."

"Why should you care?" Amy shoved him and stood. "My business is my business, Shadow."

He snorted. "There's no need to get bitchy about it."

"Don't be an asshole."

"What's he doing here?" Sonic said angrily from the doorway.

Amy looked down at her feet. "He was just leaving."

"Yeah...I was...leaving." Shadow stood, took one long look at the battered girl, and slipped back out the window. As soon as he was gone, he heard the sound of somone being hit, a scream, some whimpering, and an angry voice yelling, "Shut up, whore!"

Shadow was sick to his stomach. He knew she and Sonic were having problems, but he never thought...that the little Faker would stoop so...so very low! He resolved that he would feel tha satisfaction of crunching Sonic's neck beneath his foot. No matter what the cost. Because in Shadow's eyes, harming a helpless little girl was unforgivable.