"I dunno what's gonna happen, Ames. I'm not the people's champ anymore and Eggman's dealt with for the most part."

Sonic and I talk over breakfast, mostly about what the future held for us both. I've noticed how he's been over the past few days. He feels closed in and wants to run, badly.

"Will you start running again, Sonic? That's how you usually spent your time."

"I don't know if I want to…"

I stare at him. "There has to be a reason for that. Won't you tell me?"

"It's…not so complicated. I feel like running, really bad. But I know that if I start, I won't be able to stop for a long time. I'll ignore everything else once I get into it, you know? It doesn't seem like the right time."

"Is that all it is?"

"Yeah. There's nothing more to worry about other than that."

I nod in response, going back to my breakfast. His thoughts made sense in context. It had been a very long time since he could run around freely, and a lot of stress must have built up inside of him because of that. Running the great distances he did would lift a burden off of his shoulders…but once he got so involved in the process, he could disappear for days or weeks, even months on end. Once he was gone, he would be gone a long time. Effectively, he's asking me a simple question.

Am I prepared for that consequence?

"I've got some things to deliver. You coming?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "I'll hang out here."

I sigh and leave the table reluctantly. Sonic didn't like going out much these days, even though his status was pretty much back to normal. He felt that since his heroic persona had been killed already, there was no point to the familiarity and celebrity that he was surrounded with. To him, it was all plastic and fake.

After washing up our plates, he stalks into the living room and lies back on the sofa. As much as I want to join him, these errands need doing. I blow him a kiss as I leave for the morning.

I return about two hours later, and find Sonic in the same place as before. The only indication that he got up at all is the empty glass of water on the table near the sofa, sitting on a round coaster. As he lies down, one of his legs is tapping the carpet periodically, the other on top of the cushions.

There's a distant look in his eyes as he stares upwards, not noticing my presence until I hover over him.

"Hey."

"Hey," I greet back. I get him to raise his body up for a moment, allowing me to sit on the sofa for once. He rests his head in my lap, and I put my hands gently through his quills, trying to comfort him.

"Sonic," I ask, "I never figured out the reason for the jumpsuit."

"Neutralizing effect."

"Hm…explain it to me?"

He shifts himself to get comfortable. "Nothing complicated," he starts off as usual, "just a matter of perspective. I used to be one of those hero-type guys, getting a positive vibe with the people that I interacted with. When the whole prison deal happened, I got this jumpsuit, and that made me a bad guy. But really, none of that means a lick to me in the end."

"Mm…" He's trying to answer the question, just in a way I can understand fully.

"Ames, who am I, I mean normally without the fancy get-up?"

"Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Normally, what do you associate that with?"

"Heroics, and good deeds. Things like that," I say honestly.

"What about me in this outfit?"

"It would be linked with the sort of bad side…a villainous type of thing, I guess."

"Take away all of that association. What's left?"

"You," I say while stroking his ears.

"Right. I'm Sonic, the all-around good guy. I'm also Sonic, the ex-convict. When they both meet up, it's just me. I don't have any bindings to heroics or villainy, never really did. It was because I did the right thing in the eyes of the majority that I became a 'hero'. But if it wasn't something so popular, something considered 'good'…I'd be the bad guy."

"You'd still be the same either way. You'd follow your heart and do whatever you thought was right. I think that's what you're saying."

"Yeah, it is. But…" He takes a hold of my hand for a moment. "Once I start going in that direction, not conforming to anyone's rules at a snap, I'll start to drift further and further away from you guys."

"Yes, I know."

"You do?" he asks, surprised.

"What you said before you left stuck with me, Sonic. I'm your rose, right?"

"Yeah, you are."

"The wind always comes back to the rose, no matter what. It travels far and wide, across oceans and mountains and plains. But it always, always blows gently when it returns to a certain place…"

I smile and squeeze his hand tightly. "We both know what it's coming to. Your happiness is my happiness."

He closes his eyes, sighing. "Amy…I don't know if I should…"

"I've waited five years for you, and I was ready to wait a lifetime. This isn't a bad thing."

"I'm gonna end up skipping out on everyone else, and you…you shouldn't have to wait so long again, Amy. I mean…"

I make him get up, telling him that we're going on a walk to the Emerald Coast. He grudgingly obeys and puts on his sneakers.

We walk the beaches of Emerald Coast, taking in the fresh air that rolled in along with the waves. Sonic tells me that he's learned to swim, at least somewhat. I didn't think that a prison would have a pool, but he did say earlier that they had everything there. Well, if it was helping him overcome that fear of water, I felt my taxes were well spent in this regard.

I notice him staring absentmindedly into the distance…

"Sonic."

He looks at me, unsure of himself.

"What's up?"

I let go of his hand and turn him towards the outer reaches of Station Square, on the edge of the beach. He shakes his head.

"I can't."

I know that he feels guilty about even considering the idea of running, but…I can't let him sabotage himself. I wrap my arms around him and whisper gently.

"For me, Sonic…please, start running. You have to find yourself again, okay? This is your way."

"If I do that, I might not come back, Ames. I can't…I can't do that to you."

"Then…I'll send you on your way. Sonic…"

"Don't do it…"

"I'll be right here waiting for you, Sonic."

"Amy, don't," he pleads. I move myself closer to him.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, okay? I'll be right here…I'll always be right here. I'm your precious rose."

"And I'm…I'm the…" He chokes up, trying to get the words out. "I'm the wind, never ceasing to blow…"

"I know," I say soothingly. "You'll come back to me, even if only for a moment."

He kisses me, and we stay suspended in each other's arms for what seems like forever. He doesn't want to let go and neither do I, but we both know that it has to end sometime…

As our lips part, I feel a breeze shoot past me. And a whisper in the wind…

I love you, Amy Rose. I love you more than anything. I always will…

His words sink into my spirit, warming me completely. He's gone again, but he's still mine…he's still free to come back to me as he desires.

He will run, and I will wait here for him. I send a final message into the wind, and smile as I walk home, the sand crunching underneath my feet. It will reach him when it needs to.

As for myself…well, I've got a lot of things to take care of.

Why? Well, it's obvious, isn't it?

Sonic's going to be back, any moment now.

a/n: That's the end of it. Thank you all for reading (and giving encouraging reviews), and I hope you've enjoyed this little story I've put together. It's all leading to something else...might be soon, might not be. I had a good time writing this, and while it could be fun to make it longer, I feel like this is where it should stop for now.

So, this is Part 1 of the Jailhouse Rock series, completed at last. However, any requests for other stories and the like are welcome. Again, thank you all for reading.