Author Notes: Hello This story is mainly for the readers of "Flirting Shadows".If you have not read it, please go to my Author Profile and check it out. This is a collection of short stories and events that take place after Flirting Shadows.

Shadow and other related characters are © SEGA

Sara and baby Maria are © me.

AN Update: Eheh, I have a much more linear set of ideas now... so it's no longer going to be a few 'random shorts'! XD

Starlight filtered through the curtain to Shadow and Sara's room. She'd drifted off to sleep some time ago, but Shadow remained awake, his gaze on her the whole time. Every night, he watched her body rise and fall in time with her slowed nightly breathing. She was still beautiful to him.

Every move that she made was of interest…if she rolled over slightly, if she moaned, if she called his name. He listened and watched, sure he should have been asleep, but he couldn't seem to look away. "Nnnn..." He nuzzled against her cheek lightly an wrapped his arms around her more securely.

It was quiet nights like these that made him reflective. It was peaceful, too peaceful. When he thought about where he came from, and where he'd been headed...he felt so out of place. I don't deserve this…. he thought inwardly. The warm body felt great; the smell of her hair felt great. The soft bed he was on felt great. It was more than he could ask for.

"Waaaaaaaaa!!"

Shadow's attention was suddenly snapped away to the crying in the room next to them. Sara shifted in his arms, and he soon felt her hand gently stroking his chest fur. "...Shadow? Could you see what Maria wants?" she said lazily, still half asleep and yawning. He nodded, though she hadn't even opened her eyes. A kiss to her forehead and he slipped off the bed.

Maybe his life wasn't so perfect. The crying sound increased tenfold as he opened the door to the nursery. He winced. "Hey..." he said in a soft tone and walked toward the bed. "Hey...don't cry." His voice was as soft and warm as it could be, so very tender, one would hardly believe it belonged to Shadow the hedgehog.

He stood up on a toy chest to reach into the crib to retrieve the crying baby within. He didn't care much to travel between Mobius and Earth, so half the room's furnishings were made for human children. He'd preferred to make modifications to the items himself, resulting in a sore thumb from a hammer miss, and Sara insisting he go to Mobius for at least some of the items. The crib was not one of them.

"Shh... What's your problem anyway?" He cradled the midnight blue and reddish-brown hedgehog to him. She continued to whine for a few minutes before settling down to a whimper. "Come on...I don't speak cry-baby." He sighed. Taking in a deep breath, he found the source of her discomfort. "Crap…."

After the "Night Drama" was cleaned up, Shadow headed back to the bedroom. He slipped in under the sheets, hoping not to disturb her. "..Nnn...Maria okay?" she sounded quietly.

A smile crossed his face. "Yeah." He kissed her forehead again. "Go to sleep."

"Mnn...no." She yawned and lay her head against his fluffy chest.

"Ehh..?"

"She's gonna start crying in a few minutes." She yawned once more, and put an arm around Shadow.

Sure enough, only a few minutes passed, and the wailing started up again. "How do you do that?" Shadow asked, ready to hop out of bed.

"Mmmnnn…. I'm a mother. It's my turn." Sara pushed him back down against the bed and slipped off the edge. Her form was silhouetted against the moon, drawing a smile from Shadow's lips. He was really starting to enjoy his life. "You get some sleep."

Sara managed to get the crying under control in half the time that Shadow did. He listened and waited for her footsteps to head back to their room, but they didn't. Maybe he was being impatient; she hadn't been gone long, but he slid out of bed and followed her.

Standing at the door to the baby's room, he swung it open with a slight creaking noise. His face blushed as he observed his mate nursing their baby. "Oh uh...sorry…." He looked away quickly, to Sara's laughter.

"What?" She smiled. "Not like you haven't seen me before."

"Yes but..." Shadow paused and took another glance at her. "I don't hang on you like that."

Sara laughed a bit, and Maria's left hand slapped against her chest as if to say 'Hold still!' "Mmm…I'm sorry, baby." Her free hand stroked the child's head. Her fine little quills were starting to grow out, but they were still very soft. "I'll be in bed soon, you don't have to wait up for me."

Shadow frowned a little. "I'd like you to come to bed with me."

"Maria's hungry, though," Sara said in an almost cooing tone, looking on her little baby with pride.

He wanted to say something, but she was just being honest. Would he wait for her here or in bed? He didn't want to be separated from her…. Was he jealous? "Nn...do what you want." He shrugged and headed back to bed.

Sara had the luxury of pregnancy leave from work; Shadow did not. Sara had refused his early morning affections, complaining that he would be late for work again. After having a plate of pancakes forced on him and a quick kiss goodbye that didn't really satisfy him, Shadow headed off to work.

He arrived at Enviroreach Labs just on time and clocked in for the day. The company gathered information on local animal populations, cave environments, etc. What they did with the research after that, Shadow hadn't the foggiest. It did give him a chance to run, though, which he liked. They were sending him to the canyon where he'd had his first date with Sara, which distinctly brightened his day.

Enviroreach had hired him as a surveyor. With his size and agility, he was able to travel farther and get into harder to reach places than other researchers. Not that it was a glamour job; his duties included more than taking pictures or writing notes on moss growth. He was also responsible for cataloging and tagging certain animals. Birds were his least favorite, and some of the messiest.

Sometimes he wished he'd stayed employed at Vinnie's Pizza. Granted, Tony's strong personality annoyed him, but some things were a bit less complicated. Still, the job carried more money and better opportunities for him.

Shadow returned home late in the day and ready for a shower. "Sara?" he called, but got no answer. Maria was quiet too. His ears strained, and he heard the water going in the bathroom. Great. Sara had a habit of staying in the shower too long. Not to be deterred, though, he decided that if she wasn't coming out any time soon, there was no reason he shouldn't go in.

He slipped into the bathroom quietly, the sound of running water easily masking any noises he made. It had been a while since they'd taken a shower together, not since before Sara was pregnant with Maria. He mused that they might have made her in the shower one night.

"Hnn hnn hnnn..." Sara was humming a tune. He paused a moment, thinking he might have gotten her attention too early.

Shedding his shoes and socks, he then removed his gloves while he listened. It was one of her favorite DDR tunes, Butterfly. Underneath one of his gloves was a black friendship bracelet flecked with red and sky blue. It was a little dingy, but he smiled at that. It was his wedding ring in a way. He didn't take it off as he pulled the curtain back slightly and let himself in.

Not appreciating his stalker-like method of entry, Sara couldn't help but shriek when his arms wrapped around her. Shadow's startled cry, however, was more pain induced...it's a bad thing to sneak up on a hedgehog. "Uuuaahh! Shadow?!"

"GAH!" Shadow winced as she lost her balance and fell into him, and he slid down into the tub.

"What do you think you're doing?!" She quickly turned to him, sliding a bit on the porcelain surface. "Ohh Shadow..." Her outrage quickly changed to concern as blood marred his white tuft of fur.

"Nnng…. Just wanted a shower...damn shower hog." He tried to laugh but she wasn't smiling. "Since when are you the serious one?"

"Since my quills stabbed you like that!" She grabbed a nearby bottle of shampoo and quickly set about cleaning him up. He may have been hoping for a little fun first, but Shadow managed to relax even with her scolding him. Maybe things weren't perfect. He could live with that.