It was raining again.

Tails watched out the window. It always depressed him when it rained. Although he was only 17-years-old. He still had a certain naive way of looking at the world, still believing in the long dead conecpt of hope. Looking out the window of his workshop home in the Mystic Ruins, Tails (born Miles Prowler) watched the grey clouds that took residence in the sky, watching them distort and contort within each other.

Cream, who had just moved in with him, saw the young two tailed fox in his current state.

Tails senses this and looked at the young rabbit and smiled.

"What's up?" he asked.

The rabbit smiled and replied simply "I know something's up. What's wrong?"

The smile on Tails' face drifted away like dust from a corpse. He returned his vision to the sky beyond his window.

"I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"Shadow."

Cream sighed and sat down next to her boyfriend. "Don't feel bad. There's nothing anyone could've done. Besides, you're not the only feeling the pain. I'm sure Mister Shadow is in a better place."

The fox put his arms around her, who in return, rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been a few years since the passing of the Ultimate Life-Form. Amy was raising her and Shadow's child on her own ever since, who wouldn't of existed if it wasn't for Tails.

"Have you talked with Amy?"

Cream shook her head.

"Oh."

"I'm sure she's doing fine."

"Maybe..."

...A Few Days Later...

"Hey, daddy!"

Knuckles awoke slowly. His eyes met a young white echidna with red stripes. She had her father's knuckle-bound hands and her mother's elegant wings.

"Hey, Tikal." he grumbled, although it was in a happier tone.

Stirring from her slumber, Rouge was the next to wake up, the first thing meeting her eyes was her husband lifting up their daughter, who was laughing her little heart away. Rouge chuckled at the sight, arising from the bed to go get some coffee.

"So, what does little Tikal wanna do today?" asked Knuckles in a warm, playful tone.

"Daddy, I saw a strange man in some of your pictures!"

"Oh?" the older echidna inquired.

Tikal, from her father's lap, pointed to the dresser, which on top of it, displayed some pictures. There were his wedding pictures, pictures of his friends, and pictures of the Master Emerald for when they took Tikal to the temple for the first time.

"Where do you see a strange man?" asked Knuckles with a grin.

"There! He looks like Uncle Sonic!" replied the younger echidna.

Rouge stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly.

Knuckles looked at her with a face that screamed uncertainty.

The bat knew what he was thinking, and nodded.

Tikal's father turned to her and said quietly answered, "That's your Uncle Shadow."

"Who's that?"

"He was friends with your Uncle Sonic. He was married to Auntie Amy."

"Where did he go?"

Knuckles took a deep breath.

"He... he went away."

"Where, daddy?"

Another breath.

"To meet with the Master Emerald."

Rouge poked her head around the corner and peered into the doorway.

"Why did he go away?" asked Tikal.

"Because he went to meet an old friend." said Rouge.

Knuckles looked at his wife, impressed by her sudden display of improvisation skills.

"Oh, ok." said Tikal, who after saying those words, jumped out of her father's lap and began heading for the door. "C'mon, daddy! You promised to teach me how to fly today!" She soon had made it out the front door, laughing and dancing in the summer light.

"Nice save, dear." said Knuckles.

"It's the truth. You know it." replied Rouge.

"I bet those two are chatting it up right now."

"I bet they are."

...Elsewhere...

"Babe, I'm home!"

Sonic blasted through the doorway, speeding straight into the kitchen. Sally didn't have time to say 'hello' for her lips were occupied with kissing her husband's.

The blue hedgehog pulled away and grinned.

"Hello to you too!" cried Sally, laughing.

"How he's doing?" asked Sonic.

They both looked down upon Sally's bulging stomach. She was three months pregnant, and the couple were going out of their minds, unable to conatin their excitement about becoming parents.

"He's quite the kicker." laughed Sally.

Sonic placed his gloved hand on her stomach. Not long after doing so, there was a strong kick.

"Ho ho! He's gonna be just like his old man, I bet." said Sonic, grinning.

"Hahahaha, I'm sure." answered Sally.

"Hey, I ran into Amy today."

"Oh yeah? How she doing?"

Sonic took a deep breath. "She staying strong... but..."

"But what?" asked his wife, her expression showing obvious concern.

"It's obvious she's still hurting." replied the blue blur, hanging his head.

"Oh, baby." whispered Sally, giving him a big hug. "She's made it this far. I understand, she's hurting and everything, but she can't hang on to him forever."

"Oh, believe me, she can." replied Sonic, whispering also.

Sally moved back a bit and placed a kiss on Sonic's lips.

After she pulled away, he smiled.

"I'm think she's found a way to keep his memory alive."

"Oh, yeah?" asked Sally.

"Their daughter."

...Meanwhile...

"Mommy?"

Amy Rose looked up from her photo album. She watched as a tiny, adorable black hedgehog with pink stripes stepped out from the blanket of shadows and into the light of the dining room.

"Hey, sweetie. What's wrong?"

"I had a dream."

"Oh, come here." said Amy, holding out her arms.

The young hedgehog ran over to her and jumped into her embrace.

"What was in your dream?" asked the pink hedgehog.

"I saw daddy."

Amy's eyes felt watery at that exact moment.

"What was daddy doing?"

"He looked at me, and took my hand, and we walked around, talking about you and Uncle Sonic and Auntie Sally, Uncle Knuckles and Auntie Rouge and Tikal, and how I felt about starting school, and stuff like that." said the offspring, her voice high, but clear and pretty enough to bring tears to one's eyes.

"And then what?" asked Amy, suddenly intrigued.

"He said that he had to go away and to send you a message."

"And what is that message?"

The young girl looked into her mother's eyes. Her left eye was emerald-green, like her mother, and her right, blood crimson, like her late father.

"He says that he loves you."

Amy felt the waterworks coming on.

"Oh, why did he have to leave us?" she weeped.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"What was daddy like?"

"Well," Amy began, "your daddy was a very brave and handsome hedgehog. He wasn't born like normal people. He came from a special family. One day, he ran away from home, and got into a lot of trouble. But then, he met your Uncle Sonic, and that's how he met me. And then, we started going out, and then we got married. But sadly, he passed away. And then, six months later, you were born."

The young hedgehog said nothing, for she had fallen alseep in her mother's arms.

Amy smiled.

"Good night, my dear. Say hi to Shadow for me."

. . .

"She's beautiful."

"Thank you."

"You must be very proud."

"Yes, I am. Thank you for giving me the ability to visit her in her dreams."

"Of, course. I'm sorry you had to leave before she was born."

"It's ok. I'm at peace with it."

"Heh."

"What?"

"You, the Ultimate Life Form, falling in love."

"Yeah, never thought that would happen."

"I did."

"Huh?"

"I knew you had some grasp on emotions. And it was only a matter of time until they awakened deep within you."

"You really thought so?"

"Yes, I did."

"Wow. You're not jealous of Amy are you? I'm just wondering-"

"No, of course not. You two make the perfect couple."

"Thank you."

"Oh, and Shadow?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for naming her after me."

"You're welcome, Maria."

A Note From The Author

I felt I had to continue what I started, back in my last story, 'This Is Good-bye, Amy Rose.' Something told me I had to finish. Anywho, please read and review.

-Fifteen Himself