Winter had come round again. Snow had only just started falling however the temperatures were already below zero.

A crimson and ebony hedgehog walked the streets of the white town of Spagonia. Snow had piled up on dead street lamps. He sneezed and squeezed his arms tighter to his torso. He looked at the many deserted buildings. A part of town no one wanted to see, it held too many bad memories of what had happened. Shadow the hedgehog stopped and slid down the wall of a crumbling house. He placed his hands on his eyes.

he took them off his face and used them to pull his legs to his chest… he ached for warmth. Any warmth either it be a thin blanket or scarf or even the thinnest jacket… but he'd much rather prefer the warmth and softness of Sonic's body.

Last winter a major battle broke out here in Spagonia between Sonic and Eggman.
it all finally ended after houses had fallen and the city had been deserted and Eggman crushed Sonic in his robot's fist.
And all Shadow could do… was watch.
Eggman used so much force to crush Sonic he could hear the blue hedgehog's rib cage cracking.

He threw his broken body into a pile of rubble… and it was over.

Shadow looked down at the old splatters of blood. No longer was the blood a striking crimson but a sickening brown.
Shadow stood up and carried on walking down the street.

No one bothered coming back here after what had happened; even when it rained it would only ever rain on the side of Spagonia that had life.
No one bothered looking for Sonic's remains… they thought there wouldn't be any.

He looked at the crumbling side walk where the robot's foot had once stepped.
Ebony turned into an abnormally long alley. He bowed his head… he missed the blue blur.
in fact… he loved him.

Shadow stopped at the sight of a figure sitting in the corner of the alley.
"Hey," he spoke, "What are you doing here, this area is out of bounds."
the figure never spoke or turned it just sat there. It was covered in tattered old blankets and random items of clothing along with a thick layer of snow.
"Hey." Shadow said more stern this time.
The figure curled up tighter. Shadow saw something… who or whatever it was, was crying.
Ebony walked up to the figure slowly. He stopped… he saw royal blue and peach fur stained with old blood.
it clicked in Shadow's brain. "Sonic?"
He never looked up, all he did was curl up tighter in the torn blankets.
Shadow crouched down, "Sonic is that you?"
Sonic turned his face away from his old 'friend'.

"Sonic?" Shadow placed a hand on Sonic's.
Sonic gasped and jerked away, wishing he hadn't. he wrapped his arms around his torso crying out in agony.
ebony sat next to the hedgehog. "Sonic what's wrong?"
Azure removed his arms to reveal nasty gashes and his broken ribs.
Shadow moved his hand out to touch the bloody chest of the other.
"Shadow…" Sonic whispered.
Shadow smiled. "I missed you."
Sonic never laughed, he couldn't.
"I got so bored, it's not nice running by my self." Shadow chuckled.
Sonic looked down at the blankets that covered his legs.
"I'm sorry." He took in a small shallow breath.
Shadow looked at him, "no need to apologise I'm sure you wouldn't want to race me any way~"
"No I'm sorry, I cant race you any more."
shadow looked at him wide eyed. "what?"
Sonic removed the blanket bursting out into tears.
he had lost his left leg.
"Sonic…" Shadow looked at his sobbing friend.
Ebony extended his arms outward pulling sonic into a hug.

Sonic buried his face into the fur of Shadow's chest. Shadow brushed the snow off his quills.
"that's why you never came back to us."
Sonic looked up, "No one cares about me anymore. I'm nothing. No one remembers me anymore. No one loves me. I'm lost Shadow."

Shadow looked at Sonic's tear stained face, "I can take you back home, I'm sure every one will be over joyed to see you alive."
Sonic looked at him, emerald eyes filled with disappointment, "no, I cant go back. I belong here now, with the old junk everyone forgot about. I wont go back!" he gripped onto the frayed and worn out blanket, "No one cares about me any more, Shadow. I'm just like this part of Spagonia, lost, forgotten, DEAD!" he choked back a sob, collapsing into Shadow's arms.
"I'm nothing…" Sonic gripped onto Shadow's sides,
"why am I still alive?" He looked ebony in the eyes, "Cause I don't want to live any more."
Shadow frowned, "Sonic…" he stroked the azure hedgehog's back, "It'll be okay~"
Sonic shoved Shadow away furiously, "No it wont!" he screamed out, tears splashing down his face.

the night became quiet. The snow was falling heavier now, so were Sonic's tears.
"Why don't you want your friends to see you again?" He sighed, "Amy's been crying her heart out ever since they thought you died."
Shadow's ear flicked back and forth from the sound of Sonic's mumbling, 'no…'

Shadow sighed, "Sonic…" Azure's ears fell submissive.
"I said no." he whispered taking in a breath of air as a fresh set of tears trickled down his pale cheeks.
Shadow frowned with defeat although he wasn't ready to give up on the blue blur and leave him on the 'dark' side of Spagonia.
"Sonic, why not?" Shadow gently placed a hand on the hedgehog's shoulder.
"Shadow, look at me! I look like a FREAK! Half my leg is gone, my quills look like I'm…" he stopped, "I am homeless."
Crimson streaked arms cradled the other lovingly. "sonic…" Azure looked up to Shadow, "Some one does care about you."
Emerald eyes widened in disbelief, "Who?"
Shadow smiled, lightly blushing, "me." He whispered into Sonic's ear.
Royal blue quills were scratched by ebony, gloveless hands. "I love you Sonic." He smiled moving his hands to Sonic's face, rubbing his cheek lightly. "I don't care how you look."
Azure stifled a laugh, "I love you too, Shads."

"Sonic, do you now want to come back?" Shadow hugged Sonic closer, Ignoring the falling snow.
"I…. don't know." Sonic sighed, frustrated.
Shadow picked azure up.
"Shad~"
"Shh… I'll take you back to my place, the others don't have to see you yet." Shadow cooed into Sonic's ear.
"Fine." Sonic wrapped his leg around Shadow's waist and put his arms around his neck.
Ebony carefully carried the beaten body of the hero back to the "Living" side of Spagonia.
The unbearable cold made the journey unwelcoming as the two walked through the, now knee deep, snow.
"Sonic?" Shadow whispered, out of breath. Ebony got no answer, the blue blur had fallen asleep.
Shadow smiled. Street lamps lit the way, showing they had entered the living side of town.
Shadow's house was the closest to the border of the two parts of town.

He kicked the door open, the fireplace still burning the wood he had set out earlier that day. He quickly set Sonic down on the mat in front of the fire. Grabbing a pillow and blanket from the cupboard he ran back to the sleeping hedgehog.
"Sonic…" Shadow sighed.
"shads… it hurts…" Sonic groaned.
"what hurts?"
Sonic moved his hand over his thorax, "My chest."
Shadow moved his hand up and down Azure's chest, "I can feel the cracks in your ribs," he placed his index finger on a splintered rib sticking out the fur, "Maybe we should take you to the hospital." Shadow looked at Sonic's heavy eyelids.
"I don't know…" Sonic mumbled, sleep conquering his mind.
Shadow smiled, Sonic was so silly sometimes.
"Shads~" Sonic yawned and stretched his arms out to Shadow.
Ebony picked him up, sitting him on his lap and hugging him.
"Thank you…" Sonic closed his heavy eyes.

morning came quickly and as usual Shadow beat the sun.
he looked at Sonic, who had fallen asleep in his arms, still in his dreams.

I placed my hand and started to stroke behind his right ear.
'hnn' he moaned and pushed his head into my hand. I smiled and brought him closer to my chest.