One Week and One Day Later.

Florence drove his car with his foot on the gas- late! The boss wasn't going to like this- even after explaining to him the last week that his son had gone missing and that his family was barely hanging together, the boss offered to take some of the workload off. Only one day when Florence could barely keep his eyes open he let him take the day off.

Ooof... Florence winced and held his head up. He forgot his coffee back at home- like his son, Venice, he needed coffee to start him up in the morning. Oh, okay... Don't see any big coffee shops this side of town... Seeing a nice-looking hole-in-the-wall, the mink-hog pulled into the parking lot and inside the shop. A chime went off and someone in the kitchen called out, "Just a minute- be right with you!"

Florence strolled past the steel furniture that reminded him of old films of locomotives and bowler hats, and up to the counter. He admired the industrial decor and theme of the shop, with the chalk and bulletin boards bolted into the wall with discolored nuts and bolts, the metal sheeting on the walls...

"Welcome to the Steam Shop. Can I help you?"

Florence was about to answer the Mobian but paused as he met eyes with the person. The hedgehog before him looked young, but had eyes that seemed much older. Black furred, and tan skinned, with a charming smile.

Florence knew that smile, and tried to hide that from the barista. "Oh, um, yes," he recovered. "Uh, black coffee, please."

"Huh," the hedgehog hummed, leaning to one side. "Any kind of black coffee?"

"I'm flexible," he replied, his boss's voice was grumbling and tapping his watch at the back of his head. "I'm, kind of running late."

Shrugging, the hedgehog skated off. leaving Florence's eyes to wander around the shop. He fell on a picture of a black haired pale gray hedgehog smiling like a shy girl taking her prom photo in a frame behind the counter. Engraved in a plate below it was the following.

"Selene

"'Lennie'

"2174 - 2192"

And under that, a piece of paper attached, an eulogy of sorts, but this one sounded a lot like a love letter. The lines that stood out to Florence were:

"I hope you experienced the good side of life, for once... Though short lived..."

"I'm so sorry you didn't get to see anything more..."

"You live on in my heart, and I can see your light in your son. He's beautiful, just like you. I promise that he'll be taken care of, Lennie...

"Your life was a snowflake in my hands, Selene... A fragile, beautiful, unique thing. I'm glad... I caught you before you fell.

"Sayonara, Selene..."

Florence finished reading the letter as he heard the black hedgehog coming back. He backed away from the picture back to the counter before the hedgehog entered the room with a cup of coffee.

"I hope you like surprises," the hedgehog added, holding the drink out to Florence. As the mink-hog took the cup, their hands brushed against each other, and they said goodbye.

As he walked into work, Florence took a sip of the coffee the hedgehog had giving him. It was strong, per black coffee standards, but... it was pleasantly sweet, too. The taste reminded Florence of watching the snow fall on a clear night from the comfort of a comfy chair next to a crackling fireplace, and watching two tiny hedgehogs with their faces pressed up to the glass, drawing on their condensed eager breath. One of them turned to give Florence a big, awestruck smile. His birthday was tomorrow.

A loud party horn blasted Silver's eardrum. "Happy Fifteenth!" Venice announced.

"All right, all right!" the birthday boy hissed. "For the umph-million time, Venice, yes, thank you,"

"Let 'im open his presents in peace, bud!" Florence jested, jabbing his eldest. "Not like Silver's jumped on you when it was your birthday."

"Sure he did," Vienna giggled. "He was just... five."

"Aw- wow! This must've cost a fortune!"

The excitement of examining the gift was put on hold as a knock came at the door. Silver put the item back into the tissue paper-lined box and stood up to answer it, since the rest of his family was busy whispering about who was supposed to come, and how Vienna didn't invite anyone and Venice had one ear on the door and one on his parents.

The unexpected guest was just a wrapped present; sort of thrown together; the bow was red, the wrapping paper was purple and flowery- He picked it up and inspected the tag.

"To Silver

"From Aunt Haku, Uncle Metal

"& Dad"

"Who is it, Silver?" his dad called. As Florence finished his sentence a white flake landed on the package next to Silver's thumb. Looking up, the hedgehog studied the spaced out clouds, with the glowing moon and twinkling stars in the blank spaces between the gray masses.

A small cold snowflake shot up his nose, making him sneeze. He rubbed his nose to warm it back up as he looked down both ends of the quiet, still street. Christmas lights added warmth to the otherwise empty neighborhood. Silver tilted his head a little as Dad called him back inside, and the hedgehog shut the door behind him.

"Who was it, sport?" Florence started, but went silent as Silver opened the present in his hands with a hollow expression. Lifting the lid off the box, four smiling faces greeted him, two of which gave his heart a jump.

In the dark wooden frame, from right to left, Haku, Metal Sonic, Shadow and Selene, were smiling, arms across each other's shoulders. If Silver hadn't seen this girl from the photos on Mrs. Phoenicia's mantlepiece, he would never have guessed they were one in the same. Here, she looked much happier than her mother had made her out to be...

Vienna grabbed Florence's arm, holding her breath. The mink-hog put a hand over hers and gave it a squeeze as Venice watched his brother's face.

Silver was frozen, with the hairs on his mane standing up. His heart had wedged itself into his throat, and he felt the pain of it bubbling into his eyes at the pressure. He picked up the card next to the picture- What did- did Shadow want to-

"Happy Birthday Kiddo!"

"Stop by for a drink some time- on the house, of course!

"Hugs (and kisses)

"The Coffee House Crew"

Silver felt his cheeks warm from being outside in the chill and he let out a small smile.

"Silver?"

"I'm okay," he manage, suddenly noticing the tear on his cheek. He quickly wiped it away. "Uhm... thank you for all the gifts... um... I'm heading to bed, now."

Florence locked his gaze with his adopted son, searching for... "You sure?" he asked, as if Silver was getting on a ship with an unknown destination.

Silver paused, then nodded. "I'm... I'm all right Dad... I- I just need to... um..."

Florence ran his hand through his son's hair, smiling back at him. "It's okay," he assured. "I know it's... weird... but... it's okay."

"Yeah."

"Goodnight, Silver. Happy Birthday," Mom said.

"Goodnight, bud."

"Goodnight, Mom and Dad."

PHOOOO!

"Goodnight, Venice," Silver laughed, heading into his room. After shutting the door, Silver sat the box and himself on the bed. He sat the card down, then the frame-

There was another card in the box, under the frame. He carefully picked it up as if it was going to disintegrate in his hands.

"From Dad."

Open...

"Silver.

"I'm sorry I had to give you up the way I did... You could have been picked up by anyone at all. I had to cover my tracks to keep you safe. Call it luck, but you were picked up by the right people. I'm glad you have a real family, with people who care about you.

"I know I don't remember much... but, if anything, no matter what, you are your own person. Remember that for me, all right?

"You may not see me for a while if you visit the Steam soon, but come visit us, or Metal and Haku. They took care of you way before I ever did.

"Your mother said that you have the sun in your eyes. I can see that now.

"Wishing you the best of life

"Shadow."

Silver put everything in the box and tucked it away in the closet, before climbing into his warm bed, in his room, where he belonged.