Here's what I promised - the new chapter, which also happens to be the last one for this little story of mine. I'd like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, favorited my works. I just want to let you know that I truly appreciate your opinions.

Now, regarding the question of whether or not I have a sequel planned for this story, it's sadly no. I haven't written anything else yet, nor have I had enough time to let my mind wander. Maybe I can post a few drabbles every now and then, but no promises there.

Anyway, thanks for putting up with my rant. Now, on to the story. (You may want to lie down and make yourselves comfortable, for this is also the longest chapter of the entire tale, and by extension, to date.)

Chapter 25:
Recovery

Much to everyone's delight and relief, Sonic's hospital stay only lasted two days before he was deemed physically healthy enough to leave. After all, Sonic, despite the pitifully battered state in which he had returned, had only sustained some burn marks and multiple bruises, all of which were fairly common in his line of work as an adventurer plus freelance hero. Truth to be told, his injuries had only seemed serious in appearance due to the excessive amount of blood coating most of his upper body – the blood that, unbeknownst to everyone except for the hedgehog, belonged to someone else.

During the two days when Sonic was forced to remain in bed, Tails had been a constant presence, always making a point to stay near Sonic to make sure everything was comfortable for his bedridden best friend. The hedgehog, on the other hand, had been very adamant in avoiding looking directly into the worried fox's eyes – an act that had unintentionally yet adversely affected the kid's feelings as the days dragged on.

'Did I hurt him?', 'Did I do something wrong?', 'Is he feeling uncomfortable somewhere?', 'Why is he acting so afraid around me?', and many more similarly negative thoughts along that line had been relentlessly plaguing the clueless and confused caregiver for days on end - ever since getting Sonic back from whatever dimension he had been transported to.

Tails, as clearly noticed and even remarked upon by Knuckles and Amy whenever the two could find the time to come by for a quick visit, was physically and mentally drained. The poor soul actually looked like he had not had a good shuteye for a long time with his disheveled and unkempt appearance. His fur was utterly messy, his eyes were bloodshot and he even had heavy bags under his eyes from stress and lack of sleep combined. Sonic, due to his persistence, failed to notice such obvious signs.

"Hey Tails, What are you planning on stuffing those bags with? The Chaos Emeralds at your lab?" the fox remembered hearing Knuckles make the lame comment approximately twelve hours ago in a futile attempt to lift the fox's spirit up. The anxious guardian's remark, as to be expected, had been met with deliberate ignorance.

Letting out a tired sigh, Tails quietly inserted the coin he was holding into the vending machine nearby and selected a coffee. At this point, he could not care less about whether or not the beverage was good for his health or not. He only had one goal in mind, and that was to stay awake by any means necessary.

It was, after all, the day Sonic was due to leave the hospital, and, like the helpful and kind soul he was, the fox was absolutely insistent on being the one to personally escort his best friend back to their shared abode in the Mystic Ruins.

After getting his coffee, Tails then made his way back to Sonic's room, just in time to see the doctor walking out.

"Good morning, doctor," he said politely, "How's Sonic doing?"

"The patient's condition is fine. His body has made a remarkably quick and smooth recovery over a short period of time. I must admit, I'm rather surprised by how quickly his wounds healed."

"Yeah, when you come into contact with the Chaos Emeralds as often as he does, you get to experience a plethora of side effects, most of them positive, thankfully..." Tails replied with a relived chuckle. "Is he done in here yet?"

"He is. But I must tell you that while his body is fully healed, he still needs plenty of rest and puts his mind at ease. Under no circumstances should he be exposed to anything that may prove mentally challenging, which basically covers everything he normally does."

"Thank you, doctor" Tails said again with another appreciative smile, "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for him."

After seeing the doctor off, Tails knocked on the door and announced his presence.

"Sonic, can I come in?"

"…Come in" came the hesitant and muffed reply that served as another painful stab to the fox's heart from the other side of the door. 'Apparently, whatever mistake I have made with Sonic hasn't been fixed yet…' Tails thought helplessly as another sigh found its way out of the kid's mouth.

Quickly wiping the dejected look off his face, Tails opened the door and walked inside. Immediately, his eyes fell on the form of the only blue being inside the white space.

"Glad to see you up and about again, Sonic" Tails commented, also amazed by Sonic's speedy recovery.

"Yeah…Good to be up again…" the hedgehog replied, throwing him a sideway glance before turning his head to look at the peaceful scenery outside the window, with houses everywhere in sight and happy people walking around contently and minding their own business.

"Shall we go now?" said Tails, pulling the dreaming hedgehog's mind back to the room.

"…Yeah…" Sonic replied softly, and Tails found himself one again mentally sighing at his best friend's uncharacteristic monosyllabic response. Forcing the smiley mask to stay fixed on his face, Tails then opened the door and walked Sonic to the entrance and out of the hospital.

"Hold on a sec…" said the fox as he held one finger up to emphasize his point. Turning from his best friend, he entered a few commands into his wristwatch, "Our ride will be here soon enough."

True to his words, his Cyclone, in its car mode, pulled over only seconds later.

"Get in," said the inventor, gesturing toward the ride with a smile on his face, "I installed a new seat a while back, it should make you comfortable enough for the ride home."

"…It's okay, I can run back real quick…" Sonic began, but was instantly stopped when the fox grabbed his hand and led him towards the car, "You need to rest, doctor's order. So you're going to get in the Cyclone and let me fly you back. That's final!"

Sonic sighed through his nose and reluctantly complied to his friend's wish. The duo began their journey home by road for the first half and by air for the second half.

…

They arrived back at their humble dwelling deep within the treacherous terrains of the Mystic Ruins only minutes later. Once the Cyclone had been put away safely inside the hanger, Tails immediately went to the living room, where he had sent Sonic to upon arrival, and instantly got greeted by the sight of Sonic sitting solemnly on the coach, his unfocused eyes staring off into the empty space ahead.

In fact, Sonic did not seem to even acknowledge the fact that Tails was currently in the room as him at the moment. The frustrated frown on the fox's face was once again replaced by a forced smile as he sat down next to his friend.

The slight shuffling of the coach knocked Sonic out of his dreaming state and back to reality with a start.

Turning his head sideway, Sonic locked eyes with his best friend, whose eyes thinly concealed the dread and nauseating sensation that had been building up inside him for many days.

"Hey Sonic," the fox began, still persistently clinging onto his positive facade, "Do you need something to drink? How about I fix up a nice steaming hot chilidog for the both of us, how does that sound?"

"...Nah, I'm fine…" Sonic replied after a few seconds of silence, quietly taking in the absolutely miserable expression behind the perfect mask Tails was wearing for the first time ever since getting home, "You should get some rest, little buddy. You look like you are about to collapse any moment now."

"…I suppose there's no hiding anything from you, huh," replied the younger one with a sheepish smile, for he had no strength left to downplay his exhaustion. It was then that his fatigue had at last caught up with the child and before he realized it, an involuntary yawn forced its way out of Tails' mouth. "Are you absolutely sure you don't need anything?" he felt the need to ask again, worried still about his best friend's well-being over his own.

"I'm fine, bro. I've been sleeping long enough. You, on the other hand, should get a nap now. You look like you desperately need one."

"Well…" Tails replied as his tired eyelids began to grow extremely heavy, his mind overloaded by only the desire to sleep. Unconsciously, Tails began to sway a little before he felt a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. "If you're sure you don't…"

"I'm certain, Tails. Just get some rest. I'll be fine" Sonic quietly confirmed, squeezing the child's shoulder.

In his blurry vision, Tails could have sworn he had spotted a shimmering coating over the hedgehog's normally brilliant emerald eyes, but after a blink, it was gone. Attributing it to his tiredness, Tails did not bother questioning Sonic.

The kid was overcome by exhaustion shortly afterward and promptly fell into a blissful slumber. His limp body was then gently guided toward the hedgehog, and his head finally came to rest on the hedgehog's lap. Soft snores were consistently heard seconds later.

Stroking the sleeping child's head with trembling fingers, Sonic gazed upon Tails with a variety of mixed emotions running through his head. Amongst the more positive ones, determination took dominance in his mind as he solemnly vowed never to fail Tails ever again, no matter what.

"I will never allow anyone to hurt you again, Tails. I swear it...I swear it..." he whispered in the kid's ear, unintentionally letting a few stray teardrops escape his eyes before wiping them away. "I swear it…"

And from that day on, Sonic would, in his every waking moment, stick to the fox's side no matter where the cub was, constantly and relentlessly haunting the younger genius with his presence. Little did he know, his overprotective antics would only serve to produce an opposite effect, which he would soon learn once Tails had had just about enough.

…

Three days later…

"Have you seen Tails anywhere? Please tell me you have…" Sonic asked frantically, nearly lunging forward to grab Knuckles' shoulders and shaking the information right out of the disgruntled guardian, who seemed to be in a worse mood than ever now that his nap had come to an abrupt end.

Letting out a very frustrated snarl, the echidna rubbed his throbbing temple tiredly and sat up in front of the Master Emerald, "For the..., actually, I've lost count already. No. I. Haven't. Seen. Tails. All. Day! So quit bugging me and get off my island."

"Where can he be?" Sonic, having tuned out right after Knuckles said 'No', muttered with a concerned frown on his face, pacing up and down the stairway leading up the Master Emerald altar in an almost hysteric manner.

"Have you tried his house?" asked Knuckles with a tired sigh.

"You think I haven't thought of that!" the hedgehog shot back, "I've practically turned the entire thing upside down, but he's not there."

"Figuratively speaking, right?" Knuckles asked, a little concerned for the state of his younger friend's dwelling. After a while, however, he decided he did not want to know the answer, "What about his other labs?"

"Already done."

"Amy's house?"

"Already asked."

"Mrs. Vanilla's?" the hedgehog simply shook his head.

"Communicator?"

"Not picking up."

"…He's avoiding you."

"You think!" Sonic snapped uncharacteristically, hands clenched into fists as he increased his pacing, much to Knuckles' distaste.

"Do you know why, though?" asked the echidna, approaching his rival and sitting him down. In reply, Sonic only offered a shake of his head, expression downcast and eyes fixed on the ground below.

"…No, I don't…" the hedgehog said sadly, and it was nothing but the truth. Sonic had absolutely no idea what was making Tails avoid him like he was some sort of plague. In his mind, he had done nothing wrong to warrant such a cold treatment from his best buddy. All he had been doing over the last couple of days was trying his best to make sure Tails was safe from…everything. Ever since getting out of his sick bed, Sonic had been treating the young fox like a fragile porcelain doll. In his protectiveness, Sonic saw threats everywhere his eyes could see – everywhere except, of course, within.

Letting out another repressed sigh, Knuckles gathered his thoughts briefly before turning to address his distraught friend. The two of them might get on one another's nerves at times, but deep down, they cared about one another - not that they would willingly admit it. Thus, seeing Sonic consumed by worry admittedly spooked the guardian more than he actually let on.

"Alright, that does it," the echidna began, "We need to talk."

"I have no time to waste" Sonic retorted, "I need to make sure Tails is alright. It's not safe out there. What if he…" he continued rambling before being cut off by a strong hand grabbing his shoulder tightly.

"What is wrong with you?" Knuckles shouted at Sonic, for his patience had finally decided taken a much-needed vacation already, "You've been acting really strange since you got back from Chaos-knows-where, and to make matters worse, you've been constantly haunting Tails to the point of chasing the kid out of his own home."

"I didn't…"

"Don't even try to deny it, spiky," Knuckles cut in, jabbing one finger at Sonic's chest in a threatening fashion, "You practically chased the kid away and you know it as well as I do. If you want proof, fine. Yesterday, Tails only cut his hand while working on the Tornado, and you flipped like it was the end of the world already. And don't even get me started on the day before that. All I'm saying is that you're smothering the kid for unknown reasons and he's had just about enough of your crazy antics, and quite frankly, so have I."

At that point, Sonic grew strangely silent, quickly turning away from his friend and looking at his hands with a faraway look in his dull eyes.

"...I just…I just want to make sure he's safe…" said the hedgehog in a whisper felt with so many heartfelt emotions that Knuckles could not believe. The hedgehog's hands slightly trembled as he stood. 'I don't want to fail him again' he added in his head as he desperately tried to block out the gruesome memories regarding the other world.

"What's wrong, Sonic?" Knuckles asked softly, tone much gentler than anyone would have thought possible coming from the last guardian, "I mean what's really wrong? Because if you have something that's bothering you so badly, and everyone knows you do, you know you can just let it out. Amy and surely Tails will be there to listen."

"What about you?"

"Not exactly one for sentimental drama. The best advice I can come up with: Deal with it."

"Right…It's…" Sonic began after a moment of tense silence. From Knuckles' point of view, Sonic looked like he was waging an epic internal war within himself, "It's…" he said again before shaking his head in a defeated manner, much to Knuckles' frustration.

"It's nothing important…" Sonic muttered, standing up and walking away, "I'd better go look for him."

The speedster then jumped off Angel Island, which was conveniently hovering next to the high mountains near Chun-nan. Before Knuckles could even call out, he was already out of sight.

"That went well…" muttered the annoyed echidna as he got back to the altar, teeth grinding and fists clenched, and plopped down next to his Master Emerald. Concluding that there was nothing he could do, Knuckles lied down again and forced his eyes shut.

…

In the meantime, in Central City...

"My, fancy seeing you here, cutie," Rouge said in a teasing tone, much to Tails' dismay the moment he walked into the bat's privately owned club, ignoring the 'Closed' sign outside, "Is the little boy finally becoming a man, finally interested in learning about 'that side' of things?" she leaned closer and cupped Tails' face mischievously.

"And what side is that? The netherworld?" Tails replied after he swatted Rouge's hands away, though he could not help but blush at the bat's joke. In response, Rouge chuckled good-naturedly.

"Your reactions are always amusing to watch, hon. Well, all jokes aside, though, I may be a thief, but I at least try to run a legitimate business here. So if you're looking to drown your sorrow, I suggest you go to Twinkle Park, kiddo."

"I'm not here to gamble," Tails replied with a frown on his face. He was most definitely not in a good mood, and Rouge was most certainly not helping. Even though the two were on a friendly speaking terms with one another, Tails could never get used to the other's tendency to exhibit flirtatious antics towards acquaintances and strangers alike. Rouge, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy making him feel uncomfortable whenever possible.

"Then do tell, what are you here for?" asked Rouge, one brow raised questioningly, pouring her guest a glass of lemonade.

"I just need to a place to hide and think for a while, if that's okay with you."

"From big blue again?" the bat asked rhetorically with an amused grin, which Tails in return could only nod in confirmation as he graciously accepted the offered drink and took a sip.

"How do you know?"

"Honey, I'm versatile. I have my sources," the jewel thief replied smugly.

"In other words, Knuckles" Tails concluded, much to the bat's surprise and amusement. Instead of confirming or denying the claim, she simply smiled and pointed one thumb at the door that had the sign 'Staff Only' hung outside.

"Since I'm feeling generous today, I'll allow it. You can stay in the back for a while" Rouge said, "I'm opening up in an hour, and I'd rather not have the authorities breathe down my neck for allowing a minor in my casino. Lawsuits and bad reputation aren't exactly good for my public image."

"A little too late for that…" Tails muttered, earning himself a rather intimidating glare from the normally playful and carefree bat. Immediately, Tails quickly thanked her and made himself scarce.

"Phew, that was a stupid move" Tails chastised himself for accidently letting that comment slip.

"I would say" sounded a low voice behind the fox, which consequently enticed a squeaky yelp out of the spooked genius and caused him to twist his head around.

"I know you are a spy that upholds secrecy and stealth and all, but do you have to do that when there's no enemy around to scare to death?" Tails asked as he placed one hand on his chest, looking at Shadow who was lounging nearby.

"Hiding from Faker, I see" Shadow simply said, not even bothering to enter a would-be lengthy exchange with the fox.

"Great, is there anyone who doesn't know?" Tails deadpanned, "Is this on the front page or something? Wait, don't bother!" Tails added the last part hurriedly when Shadow made a move to retrieve a newspaper conveniently lying nearby.

"Have you found out what's wrong with that idiot yet?" the dark hedgehog asked, his tone void of emotions as usual, but Tails was outwardly surprised that Shadow was actually asking about his arch-rival's well-being.

"Well, no" he replied, "I've tried to ask him many times, but he always found an excuse to dodge the question…And over the last few days, he's been interfering in my personal affairs far too much for my liking."

At that point, all of his pent-up frustration decided to surface all at once. Before he knew it, words continued to flow out of his lips uncontrollably.

"The other day, when I went out for groceries, he insisted on coming with me even though I told him he needed to rest. When I was in the toilet, he camped outside for who-knows-what purpose. Worse still, when I got my finger cut by a piece of metal when fixing the Tornado, he acted like I was about to bleed to death or something. I mean, I'm used to doing all of those stuff on my own before, and I've been doing fine for years. So I don't understand why he's acting like I'm a helpless child all of the sudden!"

Panting heavily after his sudden outburst, Tails then felt his face heating up as a blush began to form. In an instant, Tails turned away from Shadow, who was simply staring at the ashamed child with a neutral expression on his face per usual.

"I…I'm sorry, Shadow," the kid stammered, smacking his cheeks to rid them of the blush, "I don't know what came over me."

"Apparently, G.U.N and Amy are not the only ones to mix the two of us up" Shadow finally said after a short moment of silence, and as a result, Tails only shrank into himself even further, embarrassed by his out-of-place childish tantrum. After another muttered apology, Tails let out a sigh and looked at nothing in particular, his mind seemingly wandering to some far off place.

"I don't know what to do anymore" he admitted and pressed one hand against his eyes, "I know Sonic's suffering from his experience regarding the other world he was sent to, but he won't tell me anything…How can I help him recover if all he does is block me out?"

Shadow then heard a sniffle coming from the child, and a few seconds later, the hedgehog spotted a trail of tears travelling down Tails' cheek.

"One thing for sure" Shadow began after waiting for the fox to calm down somewhat, "Whatever happened on the other side must have involved you."

"Me?" Tails asked, confused, "Why me?" Shadow only shot the fox a look that seemed to convey, 'Aren't you supposed to be a genius?'

"I have no solid evidence to found my reasoning on, but the way Faker's been looking and acting around you these days, it's obvious to me that something traumatic happened. And you are most likely at the epicenter of it, or at least, your alternate version from that world."

"I suppose…" Tails whispered, "And you know this…how?"

"...Just speaking from experience" Shadow replied nonchalantly, crossing his arms and leaning back against the sofa.

"I see…Well, so what you're saying is that if I'm - my other worldly self is the one responsible for his crazy behavior, then I suppose I must be the one to fix it then."

"That would be a good start."

"Speaking from experience again?" Tails asked as he could not help but tease Shadow just a little bit, even though that act could be classified as tempting fate. However, on the inside he was truly thankful that the stoic agent was willing to offer him some kind of comfort in his predicament.

"Don't push your luck, Tails" Shadow warned and shot the fox a very intimidating look, one that was enough to cause him to gulp and flinch visibly.

"Anyway, thanks Shadow. I should get going now. I just need to get this over and done fast and get my best friend back."

Not waiting for the hedgehog to reply, Tails bolted out of the door, nearly crashing into Rouge who was on her way in as a result. Mumbling a quick apology, the fox then disappeared out of the club, as fast as he had appeared.

"So," Rouge started, shooting her teammate a very curious look, "Did you get any info out of him?"

"No, but I can pretty much guess what happened to Faker while he was gone" replied the hedgehog, "His eyes especially speak volumes on their own…"

"Really? Can you tell me a chapter from those volumes then?"

"No."

"Oh come on, just the prologue is fine."

"You're being extra annoying today."

"And you're acting really grumpy."

"Don't you have a club to run?" Shadow said with an annoyed expression on his face, which only made Rouge want to tease him even more.

"Alright, I yield this time" she said with a mischievous look, "But I must say I'm impressed, Shads. Never took you for someone who can provide comfort and advice. You're all 'Mr. Moody' on the outside but on the inside, you're a 'Mr. Mushy'."

"Don't push it…" the hedgehog replied, voice low and threatening.

"Alright, alright, I'll get off your back for now. But really, can't you tell me anything?" she pressed in one last attempt.

"The answer is still no" Shadow said with finality, face showing signs of an incoming anger.

"Okay, okay, geez, you're acting like someone died or something" said Rouge with a huff before she closed the door and went outside to get her business ready for the day.

Once the bat was out of sight and earshot, the lone hedgehog leaned forward and took up a pensive look on his face. Clasping both hands together and resting his chin on them, the Ultimate Lifeform closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander back to the past.

"You have no idea, Rouge," he muttered to himself as the image of his rival popped into his mind, eyes shining with an unfathomable amount of anguish and regret. Then Sonic's image was swept away by the image of his past self and his memories of the days he had solemnly vowed to let go, "…Maria…"

…

Right after getting off from Angel Island, Sonic continued his blind search, quickly making for all the places he could pull up from his memory that he and Tails had ever been to. He had been searching for his allegedly missing friend for almost half a day already, and still, there was absolutely no trace of the fox anywhere.

"Where are you, Tails?" whispered the distraught speedster as he rested his legs for a while in Station Square. His body was still, but his mind continued to race with countless questions and scenarios running through it. Millions of 'What ifs' popped into his head regarding the fox's safety, gnawing Sonic from the inside out and nearly driving him to the point of another case of mental breakdown.

At that moment, Sonic only needed one thing – his best friend safe and within sight.

"Oh, where can he be?" he muttered to himself, raking his brain for answers, "Maybe I should…no, I must find him and make sure he's safe…I can't...not again..."

Suddenly, a familiar beeping sound coming from his communicator reached his ears, indicating an incoming message. Surprised out of his trance, the hedgehog pressed on the icon and a message appeared. His eyes grew wide to the size of saucers when he looked at the content, which read: "Meet me home. Now! We need to talk. – Tails"

In a flash of blue, he was gone, making a beeline towards the fox's lab in the Mystic Ruins at top speed.

A few minutes later, the door to Tails' lab was nearly broken from its hinges when Sonic finally made his presence known. Wide frantic eyes immediately roaming wildly around the room before spotting the fox sitting at his sofa. Sonic let out a sigh of relief and quickly approached his friend.

"Tails!" he shouted with relief, though some trace of anger could be heard if one had listened closely, "Where the heck have you been all day? I've been looking…"

"Sonic," Tails cut in immediately, "We need to talk."

"…Sure, buddy…what about?" asked Sonic, head tiled curiously to one side and eyes narrowed in confusion. At Tails' prompt, the hedgehog then sat down next to his friend.

"About you," the fox replied with a frown, "Or more specifically, about your behavior lately. You've been acting really, really strange around me as of late and you've been practically stalking my every movement for the last couple of days, and I want to know why."

"There's nothing strange with me looking out for my buddy, is there?" Sonic replied, feeling a bit defensive that his best friend had associated his good intention with something as nasty as stalking.

"No, there's nothing wrong with that," Tails replied with a soft, patient voice, though his frown was still present, "but what you're doing is not what I would call 'looking out for me'. What you're doing is being paranoid and, I dare say, obsessive with my safety."

At this, Sonic could only look away, avoiding meeting Tails' concerned eyes. Knowing that he had hit the nail on the head, the fox continued, albeit with extreme caution.

"Lately, you've been acting all sacred and worried around me, like I'm about to disappear the moment you can't see me or something like that. And truth to be told, as much as I enjoy spending some real quality time with you - something I never seem to get enough of - it's really getting on my nerves. Fast, I may add! Obviously, something is eating away at you from the inside, and it will continue to slowly destroy you if you don't let me help at once while I still can."

"I don't need help, I'm fine!" Sonic suddenly said, his voice raised, much to Tails' surprise and shock. Realizing what he had done, the speedster then lowered his volume and turned away again in shame. "I'm fine, I'm just worried about you, that's all."

Sonic then felt a hand on his own. The sudden contact invoked an involuntary flinch as the gentle touch reminded him so very much of the last gesture the other Tails had displayed right before drawing his last breath. 'Tails is alive, Tails is alive…' the mantra that had for days etched itself into Sonic's mind began to replay itself like a broken record, offering the hedgehog what little comfort it could.

And in truth, it was not much, even though the evidence was right in front of him and staring at him straight in the eyes.

Such irony…

Sonic himself would have outwardly laughed at his irrationality if his mind had not been so far gone, consumed and constantly plagued with the haunting images of his latest ordeal and so near the brink of being torn to shreds by the sheer guilt towards his inability to protect his best friend from death's cold embrace.

Therefore, instead of laughing like he would have when normal, he nearly burst into tears, but somehow, if only to satisfy his ever so persistent pride, Sonic managed to keep the dam closed and voice even as he turned back to Tails after the fox had squeezed his hand ever so slightly yet again.

"Sonic," Tails spoke again, at this point desperately pleading his friend to open up to him. Sonic, in his anguish, failed to notice that his withdrawn and overprotective behavior was putting a very heavy strain on Tails' mental state also, and the fox himself was dangerously near his breaking point. After getting no response from the hedgehog, Tails decided to throw down his trump card, "Does your problem…involve me?"

In an instant, Sonic went from cobalt blue to sickly pale, further confirming Shadow's theory. Noticing the jittery attitude, Tails decided to carefully tread.

"If it's about me, then don't you think I have the right to know?" the genius reasoned, "Please talk to me. How can I help if you won't allow me to?" Tails continued after a brief pause, both hands now firmly grabbing Sonic's shoulders and effectively forcing the hedgehog to look directly into his eyes.

At the sight of those sky-blue orbs coated by a glimmering sheen of restrained tears, Sonic's heart almost melted, and he was really tempted to spill everything then and there. Unfortunately, his clouded and fearful mind ordered just the opposite, and he did it out of fear for Tails' mental state upon discovery of his death as well as the hedgehog's helplessness to prevent such a thing from ever taking place.

'I don't want him to hate me for being a failure...' Sonic thought bitterly.

Taking a sharp breath and breaking eye contact once more, Sonic mechanically replied with the words that Tails had grown to detest with a passion as of late, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not" Tails raised his voice a bit, feeling frustration taking over reasons, "You're not fine. You're anything but fine. Why won't you tell me anything?" now his concern was mixed with an incoming anger, which threatened to result in a very unpredictable outcome.

"Because there's nothing to say" retorted Sonic, eyes narrowed and shoulders tense.

"Oh Chaos help us. Stop being so stubborn Sonic!" Tails snapped uncharacteristically, lips quivering and voice reaching a higher octave, "Even a blind person can see that you're not okay. I'm your friend, your oldest friend, so I have the right to share your worries and problems. Why can't you talk to me? Don't you trust me at all?"

"Of course I trust you…" Sonic began only to get interrupted.

"Then why won't you tell me anything? You're instead lying straight to my face!" Tails pressed, resorting to the final tactic to get Sonic to talk – pressure.

"Because it's none of your business!" Sonic shouted back, struggling out of the fox's hold. Tails, however, refused to budge, much to his dismay. "I told you, I'm fine! It's my problem, I'll deal with it."

'At least he now admits there is a problem!' Tails thought bitterly.

"Yeah?" Tails shot back with a challenging tone to his words, "If you're so 'fine', then prove it. Look me straight in the eyes and say it."

Silence greeted Tails as Sonic seemed to be frozen in time. Seizing his chance, Tails quickly added, "Go on! Look into my eyes and say you're fine!"

It was then that something finally snapped in Sonic.

Unexpectedly, the hedgehog whipped his head around and did as requested. He glared at Tails straight in the eyes and spoke loudly and clearly, "I. Am. Fine! Happy?" To add more strength into his words, the hedgehog leaned forward a little bit, making sure that Tails would finally take the hint and back off.

It was his responsibility to bear after all, and Sonic vowed to keep it that way. Tails did not need to know. He only needed to comply.

After those words had left Sonic's lips, a thick veil of foreboding silence descended upon the two friends as they continued to exchange glares, neither willing to back down. The apprehensive staring contest went on for a while longer before it was decided by an unexpected and anguished sniffle coming from the younger contestant.

Sonic, to put it mildly, almost went into shock when he saw unrestrained tears flowing out from Tails' moist orbs, running unchecked down his face and finally landing on his shivering lap. Having been shocked into silence by the pitiful sight before him, the hedgehog could only sit motionlessly and watch as his friend's little body quaked visibly with every sob that came out of his throat.

When at last his control over his nerves had returned, Sonic hesitantly held out one hand towards his distraught best friend, but he was stopped before his appendage could touch its target by a muffed voice comparable to a passing breeze amidst the deafening city noises.

"Why won't you tell me…Why won't you trust me?" Sonic heard Tails mutter, and admittedly, the pained whisper stabbed him in the heart with every escaped syllable. "Am I…Am I not worthy of it? Is that right? Is it because you don't trust me enough to let me help?" Tails continued, eyes downcast and his head low. His patience was long gone, replaced by frustration and helplessness.

"No, Tails…I trust you…really, I do…more than…" Sonic found himself stammering and found his iron resolve to keep his experience on the other world a secret beginning to crumble.

"Liar!" Tails shouted at the top of his lungs, the volume used powerful enough to force Sonic to recoil as if physically struck. "You say you're looking out for me, yet you're hurting me even worse than anything we've encountered with your blatant lies and denials. You say you trust me, yet you refuse to let me help. You say I'm your 'buddy', yet you've been treating me like a helpless child who can't do anything right without you constantly hovering around! Tell me then, is your faith in me that fragile? Am I that unreliable?"

"No, that's not…Tails, stop it…" Sonic tried to reason, but now that the floodgate in the sensitive kid's heart had been opened, Tails' emotions continued to gush forth with no restraint.

"All this time you've been telling how much you believe in me…was that all a big fat lie to trick me into believing that I'm good enough to be around you?" the fox ranted on, not paying attention to Sonic's frantic body language.

"No, of course not!" the hedgehog said with so much conviction, yet all of it fell on deaf ears, "Tails, of course I believe in you, but…but…it's complicated. You wouldn't understand..." he added, only to realize too late that he had accidently added gasoline into a raging fire.

"Oh so now you think I won't be able to at least try to comprehend what you went through? Now you think I'm stupid, too?"

"No, darn it Tails!" Sonic shot back, feeling anger rising like lava up an active volcano, "Stop twisting my words. I don't think you're stupid and I never did; you're far from that. It's just that…you're too young to know. Like I said, it's complicated."

"No, it's not!" Tails yelled again, teardrops falling everywhere and damping his fur even further, "From where I sit, it's plain simple. You have a problem you can't handle, and clearly, as your supposed 'best friend', I'm not qualified to help or find help for you."

"Now you're just being ridiculous, Tails!" Sonic snapped.

"Certainly takes one to know one, don't you think?" Tails retorted.

"Argh, why can't you just let this go?" Sonic let out a very frustrated grunt, dragging his hand down his face, "I said I'm fine, and I am. Why can't you just back off and drop the subject?" He mentally swore that he would explode if Tails so much as pressed one more wrong button. The words that came next, however, were ones he never quite expected.

"Because you're the closest thing I have to a real family, and I don't want to lose it!" the fox yelled with despair audible in every word, his voice loudly echoing throughout the humble house and mercilessly assaulting Sonic's sensitive ears. The hedgehog stopped arguing immediately after that and any comeback he had prepared in his head vanished without a trace as the weight of Tails' desperate admission sank in.

The yelling died instantly, and silence took reign once more. The only sound that could be heard at that moment in time came from the constant sobs and hiccups from the young fox, who continued to cry even harder, twin tails limp and glued to the sofa and his eyes completely hidden from view.

Sonic was, honestly, at a complete loss for words. The hedgehog could only stare at his sobbing friend with wide eyes, feeling something wet and moist pushing its way out yet barely trying to keep it back.

"You're the first one to ever accept me for who I truly am…" Tails continued, his voice now reverted back to the bone-chilling whisper that Sonic dreaded, "I don't…I just don't want to see you get eaten alive by whatever you're hiding…I only want my brother and best friend back…Is that too much to ask? I only want Sonic back…I don't want to go back to those days of my past anymore...I'd rather die than...than..." he stopped there, allowing his tears to finish the unsaid verse.

Again, his pleading was met with silence on the hedgehog's part.

"Please…come back…Don't leave me…Let me in…Please…" Tails continued to mutter with all of his heart-felt emotions, fresh tears now oozing out unchecked on top of the old ones.

The last utterance was filled with so much sorrow and wistfulness that it finally brought down the resolve that Sonic had erected, tearing the oath of secrecy the hedgehog had vowed to shreds. An epic internal struggle was waged, and alas, Sonic let out a defeated sigh.

"…Yes it does…" Sonic muttered quietly, and Tails would have missed it if it had not been for his sharp hearing.

"Excuse me?" Tails asked, bewildered by the strange and no-context response.

"…You asked me if my problem involved you…and it does…" Sonic clarified, and in an instant, a tiny ray of hope shone in Tails' clouded eyes. Wiping away his tears and forcing his nerves to calm down, Tails leaned closer and placed one hand on Sonic's trembling fist.

"And?" the fox prompted gently. At last his patience had come back to take control of his mind once more. Seeing the hesitant look in his brother's eyes, Tails gently gave Sonic's hand a weak squeeze.

"…Promise you won't…you know…get mad, okay?" Sonic said apprehensively, not meeting Tails' eyes.

"I promise!" Tails replied instantly without stopping for a second to think.

"I…I killed you…" came the hedgehog's reply, which was inaudible even to sharp-eared fox.

"Excuse me?"

"I killed you" Sonic repeated, barely audible. Immediately afterward, he turned away, avoiding eye contact once more. Suddenly, two gloved hands cupped his cheeks and slowly guided his head back to the position where his eyes would come into direct contact with Tails'.

To the hedgehog's surprise, there was no disappointment or anything negative in those sapphire eyes aside from confusion, which made Sonic feel somewhat relieved.

"Please elaborate…" Tails asked with great patience in his tone, and hesitantly, Sonic complied.

The hedgehog then began to recount the hellish waking nightmare he had been subject to after defeating Eggman's machine. He went on and on, retelling every little detail regarding the horrible future that he had been to with meticulous precision. Tails, on the other hand, simply listened without interrupting. He sat still and listened to Sonic with undivided attention.

Then at last came the part that Sonic dreaded remembering – The death of the other Tails.

"We were celebrating…" Sonic spoke with a trembling voice, pausing every now and then to recollect himself, "Suddenly, Zavok escaped his restraints and tried to impale me in the back with his horn…Tails…the other you, I mean, intervened and pushed me out of the way. He got mortally wounded as a result and..."

He had to stop right then and there, for he could not possibly go on anymore. The passing of the alternate Tails was still fresh in his mind, and while he knew that the Tails that had saved him at the cost of his own life and his Tails were two different beings, he considered both his best friends and, as his Tails had put it so endearingly, family.

Knowing that Sonic was overwhelmed with grief and misplaced guilt, Tails nodded in understanding and pulled the hedgehog into a hug. Unable to keep the tears at bay any longer, Sonic immediately allowed them to flow freely when he felt two gentle hands rubbing his back comfortably and the fox's voice whispering soft words of reassurance in his ear.

"It's okay…it's over…You can let it all out…" Tails said, hands rhythmically patting the older one's back.

"I…I killed him…" Sonic wrapped his own hands around the fox's body and held him tightly for all he was worth and refused to let go, fearing that doing so would make his Tails disappear as well.

"No, you most certainly didn't" Tails assured his distraught brother while trying his best not to burst into another bout tears himself, "My other self made that call, and it was a truly noble call. He sacrificed himself for your sake – a decision that I would have made if I had been in that position myself."

"...I wasn't fast enough…If I had been…" Sonic weakly attempted to protest, tightening the hug even more, if only to anchor himself to reality and away from insanity.

"Sonic," Tails whispered while letting out a sad chuckle, "You can outrun light itself and I'll still have your back always. We're partners, friends, family…and I'll always have your back just as you'll always look after mine. So don't blame yourself for my other self's decision, okay..."

Not hearing any response from Sonic, Tails took a leap of faith and continued, "Did he…Did the other Tails pass away with a smile on his face?"

"…Yeah. How do you know?"

"I know myself pretty well" the kid replied, making Sonic chuckle in genuine humor for the first time in days. "Just as I know a certain stubborn, idiotic, speed-crazed blue hedgehog, who always seems to have a penchant for stirring unnecessary turmoil everywhere his feet touch."

The fox suddenly let out a gasp when Sonic suddenly attacked him with a playful bearhug, "That's for being mean" he heard the hedgehog whisper after a breathless chuckle. In retaliation, Tails simply smirked and copied the gesture, forcing a gasp out of his brother as well, "That's for being a jerk" the fox said.

"…Touché!"

The two then broke away, with Sonic now wearing a ghost of a smile on his face. Tails, relieved that at last he could have his best friend back, laid one hand on Sonic's shoulder and spoke in a serious tone.

"Look Sonic, I know what I'm about to say probably sounds sordid and disrespectful to the deceased…but I'm glad my alternate self made that decision. Thanks to that very decision, you're still here with us, and like I've been saying, you don't have to feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault in the first place. The other Tails did what he had to do, and I'm proud of him for it. But you need to get this etched into that brain of yours - It's not your fault and it has never been your fault in the first place. My alternate self assured you of that fact the moment he smiled during his final moments...Also, like the saying goes, 'there's no use crying over spilt milk. The past is behind us already, so it's best that we let bygones be bygones and keep moving onward with our lives."

"...Thanks, bud…" Sonic whispered, his smile a few millimeters wider than before, much to Tails' delight. "I'm blessed to have you and everyone as my friends."

"Then the feeling is mutual, though where you and Knuckles stand is still pretty much debatable. Oh yeah, speaking of Knuckles…"

Tails suddenly flicked Sonic's forehead, causing the surprised hedgehog to flinch and move back, face scrunched up in slight pain and confusion, "What was that for?" he asked with mock annoyance.

"Knuckles said hello," was Tails' obvious, matter-of-factly reply.

"Really? Does Amy want to send her regards also?" the blue blur asked, looking like his former self again with his playful smirk and readiness for a good banter, much to Tails' joy.

"Well, as a matter of fact, she does. Hold on a sec…It's in here somewhere…ah ha!" the fox then reached for his namesakes and pulled out a small hammer he normally used on his gadgets. He then raised it up in the air, a brilliant smile now apparent and contrasting greatly with his tearstained face. Before the small object could be brought down, however, Sonic put his hands out in surrender.

"Woah woah buddy, I get it. Greetings accepted, put that away, please."

Tails playfully complied and glanced at the clock nearby, "Hmm, it's already two after noon, do you want to grab a bite?"

"You know me too well, kiddo" Sonic replied, patting his empty belly loudly for emphasis, causing Tails to giggle again.

"Alright, I know a good restaurant in Spagonia. They serve top-quality chilidogs and overall are a fine fine-dining experience. I've been going there with Professor Pickle for ages."

"Then what are we waiting around for?" asked Sonic rhetorically, feeling much better now that he had put his mind at ease and free of all troubles weighing it down. While he knew that the memory and the grief would always remain, they were much more tolerable thanks to his best friend's comfort. Thus, with a smile, he shot up from the couch and said excitedly, "Let's go!"

"Alright, bouncy ball, let me get the Tornado ready and then…"

"Nah, race ya!"

Before Tails could even stand up, he felt a strong gust of wind that pushed him against his couch. The gust was accompanied by a flash of blue, and after that, Sonic was gone – swift as the wind itself. Shaking his head fondly as a new smile swept across his face, Tails let out a humorous chuckle and bolted towards the door and out of his workshop in an instant.

"Sonic! Wait for me!" the young fox shouted with a bright smile comparable to the sun itself as he began to twirl his namesakes together and flew after his flighty, cheating hedgehog of a best friend.

…

In the meantime, at another place faraway, a certain pink hedgehog was standing atop a hill overlooking the reconstructed city below. Her long quills were greeted by the wonderful breeze of the morning wind and swayed gently in the cool air of the new day. The hedgehog then let out a lady-like chuckle as she inhaled deeply, greedily sucking in and enjoying the clean and fresh air that Mother Nature so graciously offered to her heart's content.

Her eyes were shut tight as she felt the wind blowing gently against her where she stood, lost in happy thoughts of a distant past. After a moment of silence, she opened her lush green eyes and turned to look at the two tombstones nearby, one of which had been there for a rather long time but still in top condition while the other was newly built.

"Morning, guys" the grown woman said as she kneeled down, sweeping away the lingering drops of water from the previous day's downpour with her gloved hand in an affectionate manner.

"Sorry I'm late today. Things have been so hectic lately, and I've hardly had some time to myself. Well, it's a good thing I suppose - keeping busy I mean. Just so you know, everything is going great, and everyone is doing fine" she continued with a fond smile upon her features, "Cities are being rebuilt everywhere, schools and playgrounds are being built for the sake of future generations at a rapid pace. Also, the heads of different states have already reestablished trading associations with one another, and threats of violence have reached an all-time low after the war. In short, everything is perfect - like a dream come true."

The female hedgehog stopped for a moment and looked at the two silent tombs with an unreadable expression on her face, "A dream that you envisioned and helped realize, you know...Both of you..."

Silence reigned again and that moment of silence continued to drag on, until it was finally broken by a new voice behind her.

"There you are!" said a gruff voice coming from a red echidna in a black suit, a shade covering his eyes, "I can't believe you would just take off without informing anyone of your whereabouts like that."

"Oh, come one, Knux" she said with a playful smile and turned around to regard her chief bodyguard, "Nothing is going to happen to me anytime soon. And if one in a million chance something did happen, you know I could easily handle myself without difficulty."

"Ahem, with all due respect, President Rose" said another voice coming from a dark hedgehog nearby, who was also dressed in a black suit, "You're going be late if you don't return immediately. Your ride's already waiting for you at the foot of the mountain."

"Yes, I know, you don't have to keep reminding me" the woman sighed, "Having Cream and Zik chew me out was bad enough the last time, now you, too? Unbelievable! And by the way, how many times have I told you to call me 'Amy', not 'Madame President' or 'President Rose', Shadow?"

"Simple formality, something I believe you should uphold" replied the dark hedgehog before he turned away, "The meeting to negotiate the Peace Treaty with the princess of the House of Acorn starts in an hour, and it involves the welfare of an entire nation just to remind you. So if you don't show up on time for this conference and cause me to work overtime again, I'll have the Doctor put you in house arrest for three months."

With his piece said, Shadow disappeared in a flash of light.

"He takes his new job as the Director of G.U.N. way too seriously, even when there's nobody around" Amy chuckled in delight.

"It's always all business with that guy," agreed Knuckles with a smirk of his own. "Alright, enough time wasted already, your scary secretary is going to have my hide for real this time if you don't show up within the next ten minutes, sharp."

"Cream is taking her job seriously as well, huh…"

"Yeah, and she still has the whip…Nasty little thing…"

"Okay, just give me a moment here" Amy said briefly before turning back to the pristine tombs. She then heard the sounds of footsteps approaching her, and a few seconds later, Knuckles' voice pierced through the silence once more.

"Have you decided on a name for the kid yet?" asked the echidna, looking solemnly at the stone objects as well.

"…Yeah…" she sighed fondly and read aloud the words inscribed onto one of the tombs' surface with absolute pride in her voice, "Miles 'Tails' Prower – honorary Agent of Liberty – Rank: honorary Archlord – Codename..."

"...'Michael'…Fitting indeed..." Knuckles commented, his smirk never leaving his face, "Alright, it's time to head back now. We have plenty of time to hang around later when this mess is solved."

"Sure. See you boys later" Amy whispered before leaving the former Mystic Ruins with Knuckles.

While walking, another gust of wind gently blew through her hair, causing her to look up towards the clear blue sky above. With a mysterious smile gracing her lips, Amy chuckled and whispered something under her breath before resuming her journey downhill.

"What do you think is going on with Sonic right now?" asked the echidna out of the blue as he looked at the sky above.

"I'm sure he'll be fine…" came the instant reply of the female hedgehog, who continued to smile in content during the entire trip back to the city, "After all, he is the one and only Sonic the hedgehog."

…

"No fair, Sonic" Tails said, panting breathlessly as he hunched over, both hands on his knees, to catch his breath, "You totally cheated."

"Nuh-uh, that's where you're wrong, buddy," Sonic replied teasingly, "I did say 'race ya' before taking off. It's not my fault you're so out of shape."

"Whatever…" Tails retorted with a very childish pout, much to the hedgehog's amusement. "Well, anyway, here we are" Tails added, gesturing towards a rather huge restaurant ahead.

"Looks fancy," Sonic admitted, whistling in admiration, "Are you sure you can afford the food here, bud?"

"Sure I'm sure, let me just get…my…wallet…" Tails searched his appendages, but to his dismay, he could not find the particular item he was looking for. "Oh no, I left it at home" his eyes widened at this realization. After all, he had practically travelled halfway around the world to get to his destination, only to learn that he had forgotten to bring money with him.

"Oh well, maybe you can use the hammer and knock the waiter senseless when he comes to deliver the bill" said Sonic while trying in vain to stifle a laugh at the humorous expression his little buddy now had.

"It's all your fault," Tails accused, "If you had just waited for me to get the Tornado, I wouldn't have forgotten it at home."

"Well, like you said a while ago, little buddy, and I quote: 'there's no use crying over spilt milk, blah, blah, move onward with our lives, blah...'"

"Excuse me, I don't talk like that!" Tails said in mock anger at his best friend's impression of him. Despite what Tails said, he could hardly stop the chuckle that escaped his mouth.

"Yeah, that's how you sound to me, kiddo. Alright, since you didn't bring your money with you, and I clearly don't have any cent on me, the only way to solve this problem is to get back home and retrieve your misplaced wallet."

"But we just got here," Tails said, noticing a very sly grin forming on Sonic's face, "Don't you even think about…" Tails began, only to get cut off by a rather loud and enthusiastic voice of the cobalt speed demon, "Race ya!"

After a boom and a very strong gust of wind, Sonic was, as expected, gone again.

"Not again" Tails muttered in exasperation, but a tiny amused smile could be seen stretching across his face a few seconds later. After all, it was a huge load off his shoulder to actually see Sonic acting like his former self again. Twin bushy tails then twisting together once more, and after another boom, the fox was gone, becoming a yellow blur that headed towards the same direction as the preceding blue one.

"Sonic, wait for me!" the volume of the fox's shout could be heard miles away, which was then followed by a hearty and content laughter of a certain blue hedgehog ahead, both sounds carried by the wayward winds throughout the distant lands. At long last, the long and tiring journey was over, and a much-needed break was in order for everyone everywhere.

THE END