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Description
Miles away in the forest, Shadow lay tangled amongst a pile of clothing as he gazed up at the shattered remains of the half-shadowed moon. It had been a few hours since he had awoken, spent watching the thousands of stars above twinkle into sight. He hardly noticed the bumps and ridges of the ground and cloth beneath him, though in a small corner of his mind he knew that his back was going to be rather sore when he finally decided to move. Even so, that wasn’t the reason why he had yet to do so.

No, the main reason was the little pink hedgegirl sleeping soundly on top of him, her forehead nuzzled against his neck, her hand wrapped delicately around his opposite shoulder. Her breathing was slow and even, gently ruffling the patch of fur on his chest. His own bare hand was curled around her lower back, his fingers slightly splayed along the curve of her spine, while his other cushioned his own head.

Shadow was having trouble describing just what he was feeling at that moment. The raging inferno that had immolated his heart just a few hours before had burned down to a warm nest of coals, and a pleasant exhaustion still gripped his body. Truthfully, he wouldn’t have moved from where he was even if he had wanted to. Which, for reasons that still puzzled him, he most certainly didn’t.

He felt Amy stir slightly against him, and he tensed, but she merely murmured unintelligible words and did her best to nuzzle closer to him. He smiled as he looked down at her peaceful face, a real, genuine smile, something that he hadn’t really done since his days living on the ARK. No, no matter how troubled he was by this situation, there was no way in hell he was moving.

Which still raises the question, how the hell did I get here in the first place? he wondered as he returned his gaze to the star-filled field above him. How is she able to create these feelings in me? I’ve never felt like this, not even when I was with Maria. His cheeks reddened as he thought about what they had done, but still he smiled. I’ve never been so relaxed. I’ve never been so content. Can I even say........that I’m happy? No, more than that, if I’m being honest. But what can be more than that?

A quiet moan wiped the smile from his face, and he looked down. Amy’s eyes cracked open slightly, and a soft smile crossed her lips. Abruptly, her eyes snapped fully open, and she tensed. Slowly, her emerald gaze drifted upwards, until it met with Shadow’s crimson one.

“Uh......hi.” Her voice was quiet and shy, uncertainty written across her face.

“Hi.” Shadow kept his voice low, already feeling the coals in his chest flaring.

Looking down, Amy swallowed nervously. “Are we.....”

“Yes.”

“So we.....”

“Yes.”

Her cheeks flushing a deep red, Amy looked off to the side. “Right.......just, just making sure that I’m not dreaming.”

Shadow raised an eyebrow. “You’ve.....dreamed about this?”

He nearly smiled again as Amy blushed even more furiously. “Uh, well........um......maybe?” Her voice was timid and embarrassed, like a child caught doing something bad. Shadow simply found it endearing, though he wasn’t sure just what to do to alleviate her concerns.

A whirlwind of emotions roiled in Amy’s mind. On the one hand, she could hardly believe everything that had happened, even though the memory of it was clear and bright. She had never expected her first time to happen like it had, least of all with Shadow. It was like some animal had possessed her.

And yet......Lying there as she was with him, Amy had never felt so safe or happy. The one-armed embrace she was wrapped in was both strong, warm and gentle, like a secret hiding place promising safety. When she laid her head down, she could hear the steady thump of his heart, powerful and reassuring in its consistency. In his gaze, she could see the strength and determination that characterized him.

Lying there with him, Amy felt like all was right with the world, and she smiled.

When Shadow saw the peaceful and contented expression on her face, a regretful pang ran through his heart, coalescing into self-directed fury. This......was not a good idea. Now she will think that we have a chance, when there is none. I shouldn’t have done this, I shouldn’t have lost control. Dammit, this is going to be bad.

A beeping sound made itself heard from somewhere beneath him, and with a regretful sigh he shifted to reach for the source. Amy pushed herself up into a kneeling position, and Shadow’s muzzle reddened slightly he got a full look at her naked body. Yes, this was a really bad idea. He glanced aside and gulped as she embarrassedly crossed an arm over her chest, then grabbed his jacket from where it had slipped off of her. “Here.”

Gratefully pulling the jacket on, Amy could feel her cheeks burning hotly. Why am I embarrassed? I mean, I’m pretty sure we’re way past that now. She tried not to look, but couldn’t help sneaking a peek as Shadow fiddled with his comm-unit. He really is good looking. But still....... “What is it?”

Frowning, Shadow read the message display. “It seems the President has made his decision. Team Dark is to report to G.U.N Headquarters immediately.”

Amy paused at the name as she reached for her dress. “Team Dark? Isn’t that you, Rouge and Omega?”

Nodding, Shadow grabbed his cargo pants and pulled them on, buckling his belt. “Yes, although Omega has been off on his own for some time, hunting down Dr. Robotnik’s robots, while Rouge and I usually operate separately or together. General Tower must not be taking any chances if he is calling for all three of us.”

Sliding her shoulder straps into place, Amy looked around for her headband. “Crap, I must have left it up on the cliff.” she muttered. Two flashes of light caught her attention, and she looked in surprise to find Shadow standing beside her, her headband in his hand. “Oh! Thanks.” Frowning, she passed him his jacket. “Is it because of that weird machine that attacked us?”

Shrugging the jacket into place, Shadow bent down and retrieved their gloves. Noticed a faint trace of Rose’s scent on the leather, he felt his heart both quicken and calm. “Yes. It also easily blasted its way into G.U.N Headquarters a month and a half ago.”

Amy stared at him in shock. She still remembered sneaking into Prison Island to break out Sonic, the day that she had first met Shadow. It hadn’t been easy back then, and she could only imagine how much more fortified their Headquarters would be. “Was anybody hurt?” she asked as she accepted her gloves and ring bangles.

Shaking his head, Shadow took a breath as he loosened his Inhibitor Rings, relocking them over top of his gloves. Every time he did that, he could feel the brief pulse of Chaos Energy surge through him, a reminder of just how much power was at his disposal. “There were many injuries, it was not subtle in going after what it wanted. No deaths, however. I believe that we might be looking at another Gamma situation.”

Frowning in confusion, Amy remembered way back before she had met Shadow, when Eggman had tried to use the water god Chaos in another one of his plans. Gamma was from the same robot line as Omega. He helped us after he rebelled against Eggman. “Why? What does this robot have to do with Gamma? Wait, how do you even know about Gamma?”

Turning his gaze skyward, Shadow studied the field of stars above him. “Omega told me about his brother, one of the reasons why he was locked up. I also studied Gamma’s file after the Neo Metal incident.” He grimaced as he remembered the mechanical monster that Metal Sonic had transformed himself into in a bid to usurp his creator and conquer the world. “Dr. Robotnik seems to have a talent at creating artificial intelligences, perhaps too good. Gamma, Omega, and Metal Sonic all gained self-awareness and independence from their programming, Metal Sonic on two separate occasions. Based on what I have seen, both in our fight and from video of the G.U.N attack, that this robot may be heading in the same direction as Gamma.”

Thinking, Amy puzzled over his words, rubbing her shoulder in memory of her one-time kidnapper. “What makes you think that?”

“Because it hasn’t killed anyone.” Taking a breath, he turned and faced her. “In the two encounters I know of, Dr. Robotnik’s newest weapon has always acted non-lethally. It could have easily taken us out from long range. Instead, it engaged us directly, and didn’t even use any of the weapons that it must have had at its disposal. In the G.U.N attack, the few agents that attempted to engage it directly were incapacitated, not even suffering serious injury. If it was just an ordinary machine, it wouldn’t bother taking such care.” Shadow’s expression grew somber, folding his arms over his chest as he spoke, his voice low. “However, there is one suspicion that I have that concerns me.”

Taking a step forward, Amy hesitantly touched his arm. “What is it?” she asked, her worry clearly evident.

Shadow searched her gaze for a moment. “I don’t have much to prove it, but based on what I have seen, and what my instinct is telling me, I’m fairly certain that this machine is a robotic copy of me, in the same vein as Metal Sonic.”

A chill ran through Amy’s blood, and swallowed. “You mean, like a Metal Shadow?” One wasn’t enough? He had to go make a second one?

Nodding, Shadow turned and gazed towards the waterfall, his thoughts turning dire. “It is possible. This machine seems to have abilities beyond what Metal Sonic was capable of. Robotnik also knows that I am in possession of a Chaos Emerald, so it would make sense that he would design a robot specifically to defeat me. The android clones he had created years ago were nowhere near sufficient.”

Amy looked at him in worry. She was well aware of the danger that Metal Sonic represented, especially given that since the second EX World Gran Prix, it had disappeared without a trace. She didn’t want to think about what sort of danger two such robots could pose, especially if this new one could match Shadow. “That’s.......kind of scary.”

Nodding, Shadow mulled over the thought. “We will see. If this robotic copy is heading the same direction as Gamma did, it could turn to our advantage. If I am mistaken, then nothing has changed. Either way, I have a mission to complete, and I will allow nothing to stop me.” Sighing, he turned and offered his hand to Amy. “We should go back. I need to report in, and you could use some sleep.”

Smiling, Amy gratefully slipped her hand into his, then stepped closer and wrapped her free arm around his back, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.” Closing her eyes, she sighed as she nuzzled her forehead into his neck, already dreading the moment when she would have to let go. Why did I go and do this? How did I let this happen? He’s Shadow, he can’t.......we can’t.....

Shadow hesitated for a moment, then embraced her with his free arm, holding her slim body against his own. He knew that it wasn’t a good idea, but with the memory of a few hours before still fresh in his mind, and the feeling of sheer peace and happiness that holding her brought him, he couldn’t quite bring himself to care.

Fishing the Chaos Emerald out of its pouch, he closed his eyes settled his cheek against Amy’s spines. Focusing on the memory of her bedroom, he drew on the Emerald’s energies and warped them through space.

Opening her eyes, Amy took in the sight of the pink sheets on her bed over Shadow’s shoulder. For a long moment, they just stood there, holding each other. Amy didn’t want to pull away, away from the safety and comfort that Shadow’s embrace promised her, but she knew that she had to, and not just because he had to leave.

Finally, she felt his sigh in her ear, and she pulled away. His expression, for once readable, was one of sadness, almost a mirror image of her own. “I have to go.”

Nodding, Amy stared at the floor. “I know.” Her hand was still clasped in his, the sole remaining contact between them, and she desperately tried to memorize the feel of that contact. “I just........I just need to know, Shadow.” Raising her eyes, she gazed at him with desperate hope. “Am I going to see you again?”

It was a loaded question, and they both knew it. In his mind, Shadow knew what she was really asking, and if he knew her like he thought he did, then she already knew the answer. He did as well, and like her, he wished more than anything that it was different. A faint shake of his head was all that it took to bring tears to her eyes. “I can’t, Rose. You know why I can’t. I will outlive you, and everyone else by many lifetimes. I shouldn’t have lost control like I did.”

Pain and despair flooded her heart, and Amy fought hard not to cry. She knew it was a losing battle, but she had grown too much to let herself break now. “I......I know. But........I’m not sorry that we did it. I’m........I’m........I’m glad it was you, Shadow.”

Nodding, Shadow looked off to the side. Looking at her, at the pain he was causing her, was making this more difficult than he wanted it to be. “I..........I’m glad as well, Rose. If it helps.........I will not forget this. I will never forget this.”

Sniffing, Amy nodded, managing a tear filled smile. “I won’t either, Shadow.” Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and turned him to face her. “Thank you.” Taking a step forward, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently against his, trying to savour the feel and taste. An answering pressure made her heart flutter, and she slowly pulled away.

Shadow watched her sadly as she stepped back, then took a breath and fixed his face in a neutral expression. Closing his eyes to block out the sight of her, lest his resolve crack, he once again teleported away.

In the space behind him, Amy finally broke down and cried.

Description
Miles away in the forest, Shadow lay tangled amongst a pile of clothing as he gazed up at the shattered remains of the half-shadowed moon. It had been a few hours since he had awoken, spent watching the thousands of stars above twinkle into sight. He hardly noticed the bumps and ridges of the ground and cloth beneath him, though in a small corner of his mind he knew that his back was going to be rather sore when he finally decided to move. Even so, that wasn’t the reason why he had yet to do so.

No, the main reason was the little pink hedgegirl sleeping soundly on top of him, her forehead nuzzled against his neck, her hand wrapped delicately around his opposite shoulder. Her breathing was slow and even, gently ruffling the patch of fur on his chest. His own bare hand was curled around her lower back, his fingers slightly splayed along the curve of her spine, while his other cushioned his own head.

Shadow was having trouble describing just what he was feeling at that moment. The raging inferno that had immolated his heart just a few hours before had burned down to a warm nest of coals, and a pleasant exhaustion still gripped his body. Truthfully, he wouldn’t have moved from where he was even if he had wanted to. Which, for reasons that still puzzled him, he most certainly didn’t.

He felt Amy stir slightly against him, and he tensed, but she merely murmured unintelligible words and did her best to nuzzle closer to him. He smiled as he looked down at her peaceful face, a real, genuine smile, something that he hadn’t really done since his days living on the ARK. No, no matter how troubled he was by this situation, there was no way in hell he was moving.

Which still raises the question, how the hell did I get here in the first place? he wondered as he returned his gaze to the star-filled field above him. How is she able to create these feelings in me? I’ve never felt like this, not even when I was with Maria. His cheeks reddened as he thought about what they had done, but still he smiled. I’ve never been so relaxed. I’ve never been so content. Can I even say........that I’m happy? No, more than that, if I’m being honest. But what can be more than that?

A quiet moan wiped the smile from his face, and he looked down. Amy’s eyes cracked open slightly, and a soft smile crossed her lips. Abruptly, her eyes snapped fully open, and she tensed. Slowly, her emerald gaze drifted upwards, until it met with Shadow’s crimson one.

“Uh......hi.” Her voice was quiet and shy, uncertainty written across her face.

“Hi.” Shadow kept his voice low, already feeling the coals in his chest flaring.

Looking down, Amy swallowed nervously. “Are we.....”

“Yes.”

“So we.....”

“Yes.”

Her cheeks flushing a deep red, Amy looked off to the side. “Right.......just, just making sure that I’m not dreaming.”

Shadow raised an eyebrow. “You’ve.....dreamed about this?”

He nearly smiled again as Amy blushed even more furiously. “Uh, well........um......maybe?” Her voice was timid and embarrassed, like a child caught doing something bad. Shadow simply found it endearing, though he wasn’t sure just what to do to alleviate her concerns.

A whirlwind of emotions roiled in Amy’s mind. On the one hand, she could hardly believe everything that had happened, even though the memory of it was clear and bright. She had never expected her first time to happen like it had, least of all with Shadow. It was like some animal had possessed her.

And yet......Lying there as she was with him, Amy had never felt so safe or happy. The one-armed embrace she was wrapped in was both strong, warm and gentle, like a secret hiding place promising safety. When she laid her head down, she could hear the steady thump of his heart, powerful and reassuring in its consistency. In his gaze, she could see the strength and determination that characterized him.

Lying there with him, Amy felt like all was right with the world, and she smiled.

When Shadow saw the peaceful and contented expression on her face, a regretful pang ran through his heart, coalescing into self-directed fury. This......was not a good idea. Now she will think that we have a chance, when there is none. I shouldn’t have done this, I shouldn’t have lost control. Dammit, this is going to be bad.

A beeping sound made itself heard from somewhere beneath him, and with a regretful sigh he shifted to reach for the source. Amy pushed herself up into a kneeling position, and Shadow’s muzzle reddened slightly he got a full look at her naked body. Yes, this was a really bad idea. He glanced aside and gulped as she embarrassedly crossed an arm over her chest, then grabbed his jacket from where it had slipped off of her. “Here.”

Gratefully pulling the jacket on, Amy could feel her cheeks burning hotly. Why am I embarrassed? I mean, I’m pretty sure we’re way past that now. She tried not to look, but couldn’t help sneaking a peek as Shadow fiddled with his comm-unit. He really is good looking. But still....... “What is it?”

Frowning, Shadow read the message display. “It seems the President has made his decision. Team Dark is to report to G.U.N Headquarters immediately.”

Amy paused at the name as she reached for her dress. “Team Dark? Isn’t that you, Rouge and Omega?”

Nodding, Shadow grabbed his cargo pants and pulled them on, buckling his belt. “Yes, although Omega has been off on his own for some time, hunting down Dr. Robotnik’s robots, while Rouge and I usually operate separately or together. General Tower must not be taking any chances if he is calling for all three of us.”

Sliding her shoulder straps into place, Amy looked around for her headband. “Crap, I must have left it up on the cliff.” she muttered. Two flashes of light caught her attention, and she looked in surprise to find Shadow standing beside her, her headband in his hand. “Oh! Thanks.” Frowning, she passed him his jacket. “Is it because of that weird machine that attacked us?”

Shrugging the jacket into place, Shadow bent down and retrieved their gloves. Noticed a faint trace of Rose’s scent on the leather, he felt his heart both quicken and calm. “Yes. It also easily blasted its way into G.U.N Headquarters a month and a half ago.”

Amy stared at him in shock. She still remembered sneaking into Prison Island to break out Sonic, the day that she had first met Shadow. It hadn’t been easy back then, and she could only imagine how much more fortified their Headquarters would be. “Was anybody hurt?” she asked as she accepted her gloves and ring bangles.

Shaking his head, Shadow took a breath as he loosened his Inhibitor Rings, relocking them over top of his gloves. Every time he did that, he could feel the brief pulse of Chaos Energy surge through him, a reminder of just how much power was at his disposal. “There were many injuries, it was not subtle in going after what it wanted. No deaths, however. I believe that we might be looking at another Gamma situation.”

Frowning in confusion, Amy remembered way back before she had met Shadow, when Eggman had tried to use the water god Chaos in another one of his plans. Gamma was from the same robot line as Omega. He helped us after he rebelled against Eggman. “Why? What does this robot have to do with Gamma? Wait, how do you even know about Gamma?”

Turning his gaze skyward, Shadow studied the field of stars above him. “Omega told me about his brother, one of the reasons why he was locked up. I also studied Gamma’s file after the Neo Metal incident.” He grimaced as he remembered the mechanical monster that Metal Sonic had transformed himself into in a bid to usurp his creator and conquer the world. “Dr. Robotnik seems to have a talent at creating artificial intelligences, perhaps too good. Gamma, Omega, and Metal Sonic all gained self-awareness and independence from their programming, Metal Sonic on two separate occasions. Based on what I have seen, both in our fight and from video of the G.U.N attack, that this robot may be heading in the same direction as Gamma.”

Thinking, Amy puzzled over his words, rubbing her shoulder in memory of her one-time kidnapper. “What makes you think that?”

“Because it hasn’t killed anyone.” Taking a breath, he turned and faced her. “In the two encounters I know of, Dr. Robotnik’s newest weapon has always acted non-lethally. It could have easily taken us out from long range. Instead, it engaged us directly, and didn’t even use any of the weapons that it must have had at its disposal. In the G.U.N attack, the few agents that attempted to engage it directly were incapacitated, not even suffering serious injury. If it was just an ordinary machine, it wouldn’t bother taking such care.” Shadow’s expression grew somber, folding his arms over his chest as he spoke, his voice low. “However, there is one suspicion that I have that concerns me.”

Taking a step forward, Amy hesitantly touched his arm. “What is it?” she asked, her worry clearly evident.

Shadow searched her gaze for a moment. “I don’t have much to prove it, but based on what I have seen, and what my instinct is telling me, I’m fairly certain that this machine is a robotic copy of me, in the same vein as Metal Sonic.”

A chill ran through Amy’s blood, and swallowed. “You mean, like a Metal Shadow?” One wasn’t enough? He had to go make a second one?

Nodding, Shadow turned and gazed towards the waterfall, his thoughts turning dire. “It is possible. This machine seems to have abilities beyond what Metal Sonic was capable of. Robotnik also knows that I am in possession of a Chaos Emerald, so it would make sense that he would design a robot specifically to defeat me. The android clones he had created years ago were nowhere near sufficient.”

Amy looked at him in worry. She was well aware of the danger that Metal Sonic represented, especially given that since the second EX World Gran Prix, it had disappeared without a trace. She didn’t want to think about what sort of danger two such robots could pose, especially if this new one could match Shadow. “That’s.......kind of scary.”

Nodding, Shadow mulled over the thought. “We will see. If this robotic copy is heading the same direction as Gamma did, it could turn to our advantage. If I am mistaken, then nothing has changed. Either way, I have a mission to complete, and I will allow nothing to stop me.” Sighing, he turned and offered his hand to Amy. “We should go back. I need to report in, and you could use some sleep.”

Smiling, Amy gratefully slipped her hand into his, then stepped closer and wrapped her free arm around his back, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.” Closing her eyes, she sighed as she nuzzled her forehead into his neck, already dreading the moment when she would have to let go. Why did I go and do this? How did I let this happen? He’s Shadow, he can’t.......we can’t.....

Shadow hesitated for a moment, then embraced her with his free arm, holding her slim body against his own. He knew that it wasn’t a good idea, but with the memory of a few hours before still fresh in his mind, and the feeling of sheer peace and happiness that holding her brought him, he couldn’t quite bring himself to care.

Fishing the Chaos Emerald out of its pouch, he closed his eyes settled his cheek against Amy’s spines. Focusing on the memory of her bedroom, he drew on the Emerald’s energies and warped them through space.

Opening her eyes, Amy took in the sight of the pink sheets on her bed over Shadow’s shoulder. For a long moment, they just stood there, holding each other. Amy didn’t want to pull away, away from the safety and comfort that Shadow’s embrace promised her, but she knew that she had to, and not just because he had to leave.

Finally, she felt his sigh in her ear, and she pulled away. His expression, for once readable, was one of sadness, almost a mirror image of her own. “I have to go.”

Nodding, Amy stared at the floor. “I know.” Her hand was still clasped in his, the sole remaining contact between them, and she desperately tried to memorize the feel of that contact. “I just........I just need to know, Shadow.” Raising her eyes, she gazed at him with desperate hope. “Am I going to see you again?”

It was a loaded question, and they both knew it. In his mind, Shadow knew what she was really asking, and if he knew her like he thought he did, then she already knew the answer. He did as well, and like her, he wished more than anything that it was different. A faint shake of his head was all that it took to bring tears to her eyes. “I can’t, Rose. You know why I can’t. I will outlive you, and everyone else by many lifetimes. I shouldn’t have lost control like I did.”

Pain and despair flooded her heart, and Amy fought hard not to cry. She knew it was a losing battle, but she had grown too much to let herself break now. “I......I know. But........I’m not sorry that we did it. I’m........I’m........I’m glad it was you, Shadow.”

Nodding, Shadow looked off to the side. Looking at her, at the pain he was causing her, was making this more difficult than he wanted it to be. “I..........I’m glad as well, Rose. If it helps.........I will not forget this. I will never forget this.”

Sniffing, Amy nodded, managing a tear filled smile. “I won’t either, Shadow.” Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and turned him to face her. “Thank you.” Taking a step forward, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently against his, trying to savour the feel and taste. An answering pressure made her heart flutter, and she slowly pulled away.

Shadow watched her sadly as she stepped back, then took a breath and fixed his face in a neutral expression. Closing his eyes to block out the sight of her, lest his resolve crack, he once again teleported away.

In the space behind him, Amy finally broke down and cried.