Blue lidded eyes squeezed tighter as light from an adjacent window began to penetrate the darkness, and Sonic twisted his head away to shield his vision with his head. However once he had already began to awaken, Sonic was unable to continue his slumber. Instinctively he moved again to try and find an even more comfortable position. One that would perhaps allow him to fall back asleep, but as he squirmed he found his way blocked by… something. He mumbled incoherently while his closed eyes drew further together.

'What is this? A pillow?'

He squirmed again against the object, and his dazed mind felt a flash of annoyance!

His eyes flashed open and he shot up into sitting position.

"What is this thing-?….?"

Sonic's fury disappeared immediately. Instead he found himself only able to stare in shock and amazement… that is until the reality struck him like an axe!

"!SHADOW?"

Sonic arched back in surprise and just as he realized he was off balance, and the black hedgehog next to him woke up, he tumbled off the of the bed and onto the floor.

"Sonic?" Shadow leaned over to look at the blue blur sprawled out on the floor, twitching from the pain of falling on his back. The black hedgehog smirked and leaned on his arm.

"You know, you have an interesting way of saying good morning."

Sonic jumped to his feet in an instant.

"Oh shut up! That isn't the issue here! You tell me Shadow, WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING HERE! And-and waking up in bed with you!"

Shadow gave a him a bored look. He was too tired for all this yelling.

"I would say the obvious but that might just make you angrier…

Although~" He smirked playfully, sitting up, and pulled the blue hedgehog's arm.

Sonic had only just been able to catch himself from falling completely over on top of the older hedgehog. Instead he was forced to meet Shadow's gaze.

"You're really adorable when you're angry Soniku."

Sonic was pulled forward into a kiss as Shadow folded his legs around Sonic's waist and entwined their hands together. Sonic blushed at the compromising position but was unable to pull away. He squirmed uncomfortably against his boyfriend and buried his face in Shadow's chest fur after a few minutes in defeat.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He grumbled.

"What? I can't hear you?"

Shadow's smirking mouth found a blue ear to nibble on as Sonic's voice muffled.

"Stop just playing with me!" Sonic pouted. "Blue hedgehogs have feelings too. That and they're very prone to heart attacks." He added grumpily reflecting over the shock of how he'd woken up.

"I know, and so do black hedgehogs" Shadow smirked and rolled over, forcing Sonic on his back in his previous position.

"Shadow! Stop it!" Sonic blushed and squirmed under him, curling up a little protectively.

"Hmph… too soon huh?" Shadow loosened his hold and nuzzled Sonic as he laid on his side sleepily.

Despite the surprise from when Sonic had first woken up, he was actually getting into a better mood now that he was realizing that what had happened last night hadn't just been another one of his hormone-induced dreams. His shock had more or less come from surprise at finding himself sharing a bed with ANYONE, but now the shock was being replaced by excitement.

Sonic looked down at the black head on his side and he poked at one of Shadow's earlobes. Although he wasn't in the mood for hanky-panky at the moment, he wanted to do something.

"Neh? You're still tired Shadow?"

Lazily Shadow nodded against Sonic, and settled down to use the blue one as a pillow.

"Hmph. And how am I supposed to be entertained if you're asleep?"

Shadow mumbled incoherently, sleep already taking over his mind. But Sonic on the other hand was completely unable to go back to sleep now.

He scooted over off the bed and laughed as Shadow rustled uncomfortably and reached out, finally grapping a pillow to hug before settling down, before Sonic jumped out of bed to stroll on over to the shower. He whistled down the hallway and even in the shower he was so overcome by a new and unexpected feeling of joy associated with such a pleasurable night.

He'd let Shadow sleep some more; Sonic was feeling to high-spirited to just hang around the house. Now he needed to get to running!

He turned off the water and did a quick dry with a towel: he'd leave his quills to air dry while he was out. It took all of Sonic's self control to remain quiet and keep his hands to himself as he went back to the bedroom for his shoes; Shadow just looked so vulnerable with his sleepiness, and if he weren't so nice he would have taken this opportunity to blast the unsuspecting hedgehog with as many pranks as he could muster in one blow.

'Ah well' he thought happily 'I can always just do that to Knuckles.'

He snickered quietly as he sat on the edge of the bed and got his sneakers on, but as he was about to jump up and get out he felt a furry arm hook him by the stomach and pull him on his back.

"Where you goin'?" Shadow mumbled sleepily. That was the only time one would ever hear the dark hedgehog using colloquialism of any type: when he was too tired to see anything more than a foot away!

"Just goin' out for a run. Might stop at home too actually" Sonic replied putting his finger to his mouth in concentration as he thought.

"Oh, that's nice~" The black hedgehog murmured releasing Sonic from his loose grasp and letting out a snore as he fell back asleep.

Sonic shook his head at his 'lazy' teacher and in a small bout of affection he reached out and placed his hand on Shadow's head, scratching it lightly before jumping up and tip-toeing out, to close the door behind him softly.

As he walked out towards the living room Sonic felt suddenly embarrassed as he walked over scattered articles of clothing on the floor. He picked them up on his way out. It was weird actually wanting to clean up after himself. A few more fights with the washing machine later and Sonic was out the door, and in the lobby just in time to see a familiar classmate.

"Hey Silver!"

The shiny gray hedgehog turned but didn't respond quite as friendly as the blue one did.

"Good morning Sonic." He said dejectedly. After his embarrassing mistake last night, Silver had dreaded having to go this paper route. He'd been sure exactly what that stupid powdery drug had done last night. It had caused his completely genius plan to backfire in his face! He'd seen Sonic drink the damned stuff, and obviously Sonic wasn't just coming out of Shadow's house from a short day-time visit. But keeping a brave face, Silver at least did his best not to look angry in front of his care-free rival.

"Cool party last night wasn't it?"

"It was okay. But I heard from my aunt that you got sick or something. Is everything alright?"

"Yea, it's cool! Not sure what that was about though… but in the end everything was okay."

"That's good then. Goodbye."

Silver marched past Sonic, bumping the other hedgehog in the shoulder, and leaving Sonic to look after him in confusion.

"What's HIS problem?" Sonic mumbled but before he could give the grumpy other hog much more thought, the door to Shadow's apartment opened. Shadow poked his head out from behind the door, still rubbing at his eyelids.

"Oy, Sonic!"

"Hmm?"

"Get me some food while you're out will yuh?"

"What? Get it yourself you lazy git!"

"But I wanna go back to bed." The older hedgehog yawned and crossed his arms as he leaned against the door. "And you don't want me to die of hunger do you?"

"Bah! Fine then!

Lazy old man; he can get out of bed to tell me to get him something, but can't make his own food."

Sonic mumbled all the way down to the elevator, pouting while he waited for the doors to close and glaring at the obsidian lover who was waving to him with something of a grin.

"Thank you~ Sonic"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Now THAT'S more like it!" Sonic said as he stretched and breathed in the cool city air before taking off in a flash of blue down the streets of Westopolis.

"Hmmm, I should go check on Tail's and Knuckles, they might be worried~" He said grinning as he veered to the left and then the right at hypersonic speeds causing a minor disturbance for the people passing by on the sidewalks.

He skidded to a halt in front of his apartment and let himself through to the kitchen.

"Hey'a Tails!" Sonic called to the young kitzune as he plopped down on a stool near the counter.

"Good morning Sonic, you seem cheerful for someone who got sick at a party. How are you feeling?"

"Eh~, I'm fine."

"That's good, I was actually worried about you for a minute. Anyway, do you want some breakfast?"

"Nah, I'll be going out in a bit so I'll pass."

"Fine~… nobody likes my pancakes."

Sonic grinned as he left the kitzune to mumble about his rejected cooking, and as he got up the stairs and passed by the partly opened door of Knuckles he froze.

"I have an idea~"

Grinning he turned to Knuckle's door and slowly poked his head in the room.

Knuckles was sprawled out his bed fast asleep and snoring very loudly. Sonic moved his foot in, trying to avoid the array of miscellaneous items, and he tiptoed over to Knuckle's bedside.

The unaware echidna rolled over slightly, momentarily giving the hedgehog a heart attack, but as Knuckles settled down Sonic's mischievous grin returned. He reached over to Knuckle's bedside table and picked up a small glass of water.

"Wakey, wakey Knucklehead~"

In a splash of water and a roar of anger, Knuckles was woken up and suddenly two big flashes of blue and red were rampaging around the apartment.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, HEDGEHOG!"

"Nya! You can't catch me!"

"COME BACK HERE!"

"No thank you~"

Smash, went one of the vases

"YOU JERK!"

"That was YOUR fault, BAKA!"

"STOP RUNNING BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE BREAKS!"

"Nope!"

Tail's sighed and felt his sweat drop.

"SONIC! KNUCKLES! CUT IT OUT!"

Sonic and Knuckles, who'd somehow rolled their way into the kitchen doorway now paused and looked up at the annoyed fox.

"He started it!" Knuckles said, holding Sonic's hands away from his dreads.

"I didn't start anything! It was just a joke that you took too seriously."

"Gah! How in the world is throwing water on me when I'm sleeping, a joke!"

"It sounded pretty funny to me~"

"JERK!"

'Sigh…'

Tail's looked back to his breakfast, giving up on trying to tame the other two, and sarcastically considered moving out.

"Anyway, just make sure whatever mess you make is cleaned up by the time Cream get here."

"Oh crap! That reminds me!" Knuckles jumped off the ground and ran upstairs, shouting something intelligible.

"Hmm? What's his problem?" Sonic asked turning to Tail's from where he sat on the ground.

"Umm… by the sound of it I THINK he's getting ready for his date."

"WHAT~! KNUCKLES on a DATE? When did THIS happen!"

"Oh, about a few hours after you were taken home by Shadow."

"Hmph! I'm starting to think you guys PLANNED that JUST so you could flirt with your girlfriends~!" Sonic spat his tongue out childishly but Tail's sent a grin back instead.

"And what about YOU Mr. Sonic, I bet you were having lots of fun while Shadow was taking care of you."

Shocked the blue hedgehog tried to come up with a come back but instead he was reduced to opening and closing his mouth like a fish while his face heated up.

Tails laughed as he noticed Sonic's blush, nearly falling out of his stool just as Knuckles came back in, wearing jeans, a black dress shirt and a tie.

"What's goin on?"

"Hmph. Tail's is bulling me again." Sonic grumbled, but he perked up in the next minute as the echidna tried to fix his tie.

"Ohh~ I see how it is Knuckles~ getting all dolled up for a certain someone?"

Knuckle's face reddened and he turned to look to the door.

"Shut up hedgehog! And it's not only me: Tail's is going to!"

'"KNUCKLES~!"

"Eh~? I thought you and Cream were going to be hangin' out here."

Sonic raised a brow suspiciously at the younger boy. Even though he couldn't be one to talk… especially after last night, he was a bit protective of the innocence Tail's had just barely been able to keep.

Tails waved a hand rapidly, his face resembling a tomato.

"It's not like that Sonic! We're just going to the mall~!"

"Yeah mother duck; and I'll be keeping an eye on him."

"No you won't! You'll be too busy looking at Rouge's ample bosom!"

"Please, Sonic! I'll behave! I promise!"

Sonic sighed as Tail's gave him the cute puppy eyed look that the blue hedgehog always ended up falling for. He shrugged.

"Fine~, I can't control what you do anyway. Just make sure you don't start acting like Knuckles here, okay buddy?"

"Yes! Thank you Sonic! I won't!"

Tail's rushed Sonic into a hug before running upstairs himself to get ready.

"Hmph."

Knuckles raised a brow even as he glared down at the tie on his neck.

"What are you worrying for? Tails can handle himself you know."

"I know. But that's the problem." Sonic shrugged and helped himself to a sausage on a plate, and getting his hand swatted away as her tried to pull on one of Knuckle's dreadlock.

"Well, nobody can stay young forever. Not even you Sonic. Which leads me to another question," Knuckles brought his face closer and lowered his voice so Tail's wouldn't overhear upstairs.

"So, what happened after last night?"

Sonic shrugged, although he felt his face heat up, and he looked at his sausage interestingly.

"Nothing, I was just taken care of."

"Hmm… somehow I doubt that. You're too… 'glowy' this morning."

Sonic cracked a grin

"'Glowy Knuckles?"

"Shut up! I heard it on some stupid romance movie the other day. Either way you're acting a bit more bubbly than normal.

Anyway, you didn't deny it!

So, did it happen? Eh? Eh?"

Knuckles elbowed the hedgehog teasingly earning a raspberry.

"Heh heh! So I was right! Isn't that sweet.

Anyway, how does this stupid tie look?"

Sonic grinned finally. That was one thing to appreciate about Knuckles. He could intrude into your personal life without making one self conscious about it when he wasn't trying to tease you.. And he only ever intruded if it were something serious. Or if he were teasing you.

"I think you look right pretty Knuckles! Now all you need is a matching skirt!"

"Hmph! You got jokes. ANYWAY, what are you going to be doing today? We haven't seen Eggman for a bit, so you know he'll be around soon."

"I'll just be running errands or whatever. And if Eggman shows up, I'll be the first one there."

"Hmph, sure you will. Because you're NEVER late for these things." he rolled his eyes. "And so, you're not hanging out with the boyfriend?"

"Uhh~ I don't know… he was sorta …sleepy today…" Sonic said scratching the back of his head and feeling his sweat drop.

Knuckles looked at him for a moment but then sighed as he turned away.

"I don't think I want to know. Tails, are you ready yet? They'll be here soon!"

"I'm coming!"

The fox crashed down the stairs enthusiastically and was ready, standing at the door peeking behind the curtain like a little curious child, just in time to yell 'They're here' despite the only other people in the house been a few feet away.

As he opened the door Cream smiled sweetly and greeted her friends as Rouge was busy putting on her lip stick.

"Hi Tail's, Knuckles."

Sonic grinne from the kitchen feeling a bit ignored.

"Hey Cream's babe! What's happ'nin?"

"Hi Sonic! I'm sorry~! I didn't see you there!"

"Yeah, well, I don't blame you. I told Knuckles to cut his damn hair already, but does he listen? No!"

"Shut up Sonic. Shouldn't you be running around someplace?"

"Fine, since you want to leave me all alone… abandoned… doomed to a world with only a toaster to talk to!" Sonic walked over to the kitchen and picked up the toaster to cuddle dramatically.

"I really feel bad for the toaster." Knuckles stated to the bat next to him

"Hmph! Aren't you the nice kind and caring one. I hope Rouge makes you go to the pet store again. We all know how the puppies get to you."

"Ohh! That's a good idea! Lets go Knuckles~!"

"Waahh?"

Suddenly the four others were off leaving Sonic to close the door behind himself as he stepped out the door and smiled in their direction before running off into the opposite.

Globe trotting was a specialty of the blue hedgehog.

More than a specialty really, it was a hobby, if not an obsession.

He skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust and whistled at the view. A large field stretched out for miles.

"Ah, fresh air!"

He jumped back on the grass with a laugh.

"I almost forgot about it… being in that stuffy classroom."

He took a deep breath through his nose, taking in the sweet smell of grass and flowers and nature.

"This is the life." He said, looking to the big blue sky with it's few fluffy clouds. He'd always wondered how it would feel if the clouds were solid enough to walk on, but unfortunately they weren't as he'd learned from his helicopter-sky-dive adventure. They were just big clumps of water.

"Bleh!" He made a face at the horrible memory.

He jumped back up from the ground and grinned for the last time at the beautiful field. Then he was off again running at such a high speed he wasn't sure where he would stop.

When he put on the brakes he found himself outside an unfamiliar fancy café.

"Hmmm… Now where am I?"

He looked to the left and saw people chatting excitedly around an plate of snails. He looked to the right and saw children playing under a red and white stripped awning .

"… Eto…eto… AH I GOT IT!"

He grinned suddenly as he looked was up in the air and finally noticed the great big pointy Eifel tower over head.

"Hmph…. One would think I would have seen that earlier" Sonic mumbled.

He turned to glance over at a pair sitting in front of the restaurant, preparing to eat a couple of the snails on their plate. He almost lost yesterday's lunch.

"Nah, I think I'll just stick with good old Americana."

In a flash he was bounding across the France-based country and as soon as he'd stopped again he was hit by a sudden blast of cold air.

"Ah! What the heck?"

All he could around him was a barren frozen wasteland. Not exactly his cup of tea.

This time he turned to the exact opposite of where he came, taking a sharp left to another place unknown.

It was unsurprising that for the week after this, whole groups of citizens would be talking about the mysterious blue-UFO phenomena.

After almost an hour of running around the globe, Sonic finally found a food that would satisfy his craving. A food that had always proven to hit that right spot when it came to appetite.

Chinese take out.

He walked into the Asian decorated store and waved to the man behind the counter who was taking an order in broken English.

"Kung pow Chinese food! Yuh oradeah please?"

Sonic plopped down at one of the booths being the only person in the store, and as he waited he looked around at all the lanterns and fans and calendars. Behind the counter in the kitchen, strange but wonderful smells were teasing his nose, and his stomach was growing after only a minute of waiting.

His finger sped up it's tapping on the table while the other arm went around his growing stomach. How long did it take to just order a wonton noodle soup?

He sighed, and leaned back in the booth His finger relaxing as he tried to forget the rumbling in his stomach.

But then the rumbling in his stomach was replace by a rumbling all around him.

It shook the walls and the tables. Chairs began wobbling violently until they feel over. The cooks in the back help onto the counters for dear life, careful to avoid the bubbling pots of boiling water.

"What the heck?"

Even as the ground was shaking the blue hero stood , bracing himself for the movement of the ground, and holding on to the tables as he walked, he headed towards the door to check out what all the commotion was about. He saw people running in the street and his concern deepened, until a large metal cylinder crashed not two feet in front of the door.

The shiny metal leg left Sonic in no doubt what the trouble was.

He grinned and braced himself again before he went flying out the window, breaking the glass with his spinball and landing in the middle of the street right behind the giant robot that was terrorizing the city.

Eggman was at it again.

"HAHAHHAHA! YES! RUN YOU MOBIANS! RUN AWAY FROM YOUR SOON TO BE MASTER!"

A large speaker system that acted as the robots ears shot the mad Doctor's yells far and wide.

Bocoe wobbled as he tried to keep his balance in the head of the giant robot.

"I think the Doctor needs to take a chill pill".

"Yea! He's having almost too much fun with this plan!."

"BAKA! BAKA! HE'S GOING TO KILL US! BAKA!"

Decoe feel with a crash to the ground and continued to jump and shake, his eyes rattling around in his metal head and Bokkun went flying through the air.

"SHUT UP! You aluminum pests! The Great Genius Dr. Eggman is in the process of CONQUERING!"

"More like destroying" Decoe mumbled as a loose socket wrench hit him in the head, leaving a bad dent."

"HOHOHOHOHOHO Oh-?"

The Doctor's laughter was cut short as an unknown flying object crashed through his windshield and crashed into the head of an already injured Decoe.

Sonic grinned apologetically and scratched at the back of his head as a second brick tossed up and down in his hand.

"Sorry Decoe! Didn't mean to hit anyone!"

"SONIC!" Eggman shouted angrily through the windshield, leaning halfway out at his shook his fist at the blue savior. "How DARE you destroy my windshield! Such vandalism was uncalled for!"

"Yeah! And throwing bricks around s dangerous!"

"BAKA! What kind of hero are you! BAKA!"

Sonic felt his sweat drop and he tried hard to ignore the pulsating vein in his temple.

"I said sorry…" He mumbled. "Anyway, what are you up to Eggman!"

A grin smeared over the doctors face, and the sunlight reflected over his glasses obnoxiously.

"Well, if you must know Sonic, I a plan to take of the world with my NEWEST ROBOT! Not even YOU will be able to stand up to it's immense power! ALL WILL QUAKE IN FEAR OF THE GREAT AND HIS AWSOME ROBOT OF DOOM!"

"Wait, You mean the robot who's window I just smashed?"

"Umm… NO! Of course not! I mean a different robot!" Eggman turned to whisper to Bocoe "We DO have another robot don't we?"

"No sir! The other one was being finished when we left the base! It's still not ready yet!"

"What's that Eggman? No new robot for me to fight?"

Eggman jumped up with a start both from shock and fear as he found himself almost nose to nose with Sonic.

"SONIC! HOW'D YOU GET UP HERE!"

"Umm~ I jumped?"

"Oh. EITHER WAY!"

With a push of a button Sonic found himself grasped by the large metal hand of the robot. He was lifted in the air only feet away from the control center"

"THIS ROBOT WILL BE YOUR END! ANY LAST WORDS BEFORE YOU ARE CRUSHED TO DEATH?"

"Yes!"

With a boom and a cloud of smoke the robot's arm disappeared and as a big ball of blue Sonic spun into the robot's stomach, and bounced to the top of it's head before bouncing and coming back down violently, and burrowing straight down through the head of the robot and out below.

"Get and new Robot!"

KABLOOM! The robot exploded into a million tiny pieces, engulfing the empty block in a cloud of smoke. And out of the cloud of smoke popped the four troublemakers flying in Eggman's person flying chair.

"I"LL GET YOU NEXT TIME SONIC! MARK MY WORDS!"

In a flash Eggman and his three robots were speeding away in the little hover craft, leaving Sonic to shake his head at them. He looked around at the mess of a street, taking in the dents in the sidewalks and road. And he felt his sweat drop again as people began to come out and inspect the damage as well.

"I better get out of here.." He muttered, having already experienced once before the wrath that the citizens of Westopolis tended to show once they realized that in the process of saving them, he had the tendency to destroy their property.

Quietly he turned and flashed into the Chinese take out place, noting the wide-eyed faces of the chefs.

"Is it too late to get some food?" He asked apologetically.

Five outstretched bags of chicken, pork, noodles, and a container of soup was his answer.

Okay, maybe the citizens weren't all that bad. Sometimes it was good to be a super hero.

Sonic whistled as he stepped off the elevator, his arms wrapped around a big bag of take out.

He marked through the hall to the door of his lover's apartment, but just as he was putting the key in the door he heard muffled voices from inside.

One he noted as Shadow's, but the other deeper voice was one he had never heard of before.

He raised a brow. Shadow hadn't mentioned anything about company earlier…

He unlocked the door, sliding his key out of the front lock, and putting it in the back lock to close it again.

"I'm home!"

From the kitchen table Sonic could see Shadow, all dressed, lean back in his chair to nod in his direction before turning back to someone else that Sonic could not see around the corner of the hallway.

"Who, pray tell, would that be?" The deeper voice said.

Sonic shivered, unexpectedly at the voice. There was something… creepy about it. But the creepiness did not end as Sonic rounded the corner either, as when Sonic finally got to see the unexpected guest he was shocked to see an exact clone of Shadow staring back at him.

Or at least from the first glance he was an exact clone.

After a moment Sonic noted the difference. This other hedgehog had the red stripes in his quills, but their edges were jagged and pointy, unlike Shadow's smoother ones, the skin was also a considerable shade darker than his preferred look a like. His eyes were also an orange color, the pupils slanted like a snake. But the main thing that set him apart was the strange and creepy aura. The dark hedgehog sneered, and a shiver of fear went down Sonic's back.

In an attempt to brush off his discomfort, Sonic leaned over to Shadow, who was glaring at the wall now ignoring the presence of the dark hedgehog.

"Hey shadow? Who's the new guy?" He muttered behind his hand, glancing at Shadow's twin skeptically.

For a moment Sonic thought Shadow's obvious anger at the other hedgehog would keep him from answering, but to his surprise when his dark furred lover turned to reply it was as if the anger had never been there.

"This Black Doom-"

"His father." Sneered the other hedgehog, his eyes narrowing evilly at his supposed offspring, and again Shadow's glare returned one hundred fold at Black Doom.

Despite the initial surprise, the reply ad definitely answered his questions at to why this new guy looked so much like shadow. However, it still also opened up new questions.

One that would have to wait, as Black Doom was now eyeing him with a mildly malicious curiosity and amusement.

"And this from what I hear is your esteemed mate. Sonic I presume?"

"Uh.. Yeah.."

'How the heck did he know THAT?'

Shadow glared at Doom heatedly.

"Spying on me still I see."

"Well of course, as a parent it IS my responsibility to look after you~"

As if you prove his statement Black Doom snapped into the air and his sneered deepened. For a second Sonic thought there was something in Doom's brain that had just disconnected, but the thought was easily erased from his head as something big and pointy flew through the air past his head and stopped hovering next to Black Doom. It looked like a huge mutant starfish: it's purple tentacles flopping like worms , and it's one eye swiveling around in it's socket grossly.

"Anyway. We have discussed what we needed to already. I shall take my leave for now so you can get back to…" Doom smirked and nodded his head in Sonic's direction. He then stood and strolled over to the front hall before turning back to meet Shadow's suspicious gaze.

"I'm sure that you shall change you mind by the next time we meet. Come Black Eye."

The squid followed after it's master and the door shut with a loud click.

"The hell I will." Shadow mumbled darkly after the hedgehog.

There was a long silence as Shadow glared after the place Black Doom had disappeared from. Sonic was just about to ask if he was alright, but Shadow cut him off.

"Sigh. I apologize Sonic" He said as he rubbed his forehead with his finger and thumb.

"I didn't mean for you to be caught up in my… family affairs."

"Nah~, it's alright. Now how about we help ourselves to some nice Chinese food! That should make you feel better!"

Somehow Shadow had to smirk. Sonic was nothing more than a walking stomach. He leaned his elbow on the table and watched as Sonic made a show of getting a full plate of Chow Mien and orange chicken. For the rest of the night Shadow's mind was put on a roller coaster of thinking about his father but then being distracted by the extremely fun and affectionate Sonic. Not that he could complain.

"So Shadow?"

"Hmm?"

Shadow looked down from the TV to the hedgehog who's head was on his lap. The two of them were peacefully watching a movie on Shadow's couch when Sonic asked the question.

"Did you WANT to talk earlier? You know, about your dad and stuff?"

Shadow paused in the stroking of Sonic's ear. From shock maybe as his eyes widened fractionally. Sonic saw the gesture and decide he should probably change the subject.

"Umm you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, we could watch the movie I guess." With wide worried eyes he turned his head to the TV set again, and shadow sighed, continuing with his petting as he glanced sadly to the side.

"No, it's okay Sonic. That just came out randomly I suppose…"

"Are you sure? I can live if it really bothers you."

Shadow grinned lightly at Sonic. He worried too much about him... He cared too much.

Maybe that was why he felt Sonic deserved to know even just a little about his background.

"I'm fine Sonic. It's just my family issues are rather complicated." He scratched his head. "After all, I will never see Black Doom as my real father figure. Biologically, maybe I will consider hearing it. But in truth the only father I'll ever truly recognize would be Professor Gerald Robotnick."

Sonic's head nearly flew off his living pillow at the name.

"Wait! Robotnick as in related to EGGMAN type of Robotnick?"

Shadow smirked just a little.

"That might have been part of why I haven't mentioned it. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnick is in fact the Professor's grandson. However the Professor never actually mentioned Ivo when I was growing up, and I assure you I never affiliated myself with Eggman."

"Wow. Who knew… so, wait. If Eggman was your dad's grandson, wouldn't that make you his uncle?"

"Ugh! That's horrible!" Shadow exclaimed, actually wincing. "'Uncle Shadow? That makes me sound so old!"

"You priss! We're over here talking about your family and all you think about is how old you sound?"

"Hmph! I never comment on YOUR priorities, do I?"

"Nya! Whatever! That doesn't take away from the fact you're so girly! Hah~ maybe I'M the one who should be seme here~"

He gave Shadow a very wicked smirk, meeting Shadow's eyes as the black hedgehog took on an unimpressed expression.

Sonic still continued to grin.

Shadow grabbed Sonic's wrists suddenly and effortlessly had Sonic laying on his back under him, trapped between the couch and the black hedgehog.

"Do I really need to remind you who is the dominant one here?"

Sonic gulped at Shadow's un-changing blank and cold face. He felt his sweat drop.

"Uh… no! that won't be necessary!"

Finally Shadow smirked, but it was a smirk that only made Sonic panic more.

"Are you sure~? I thought that you really liked it last time~"

Shadow leaned foreword and met his lips to Sonic's always exposed neck.

"No! Hey! Stop it Shadow! Stop it! That tickles!"

The onyx hedgehog came back up again snickering in amusement.

"As long as you know what's what Sonic." He released the squirming blue blur and sat back up, letting Sonic catch his breath from laughing.

"Jerk." Sonic spat at him grumpily.

"But you love me anyway~"

"Hmph!"

"Ah~ Coffee~."

Shadow leaned back in his comfortable rolling chair with a mug in one hand and a pile of his classes Research papers in the other. It was his lunch break.

He was just about to take another sip of his life blood when, as was becoming normal in his life, he was distracted by Amy as she came by the door with a message.

"Hey Shads! The Dean wants a word with you."

"What? Now?"

"Well, I would suspect now would be good. If you want to keep your job."

Shadow pouted mournfully at the nice hot bittersweet liquid as he sadly got up and poured it into the water fountain of his class room. He tried his best not cry.

Knock, Knock.

"Come in."

With a sigh Shadow slowly opened the door to his boss's office. As he walked in he was met by the back of a large office chair behind a big wooden desk.

"Sit down Mr. Shadow."

A robotic hand waved him closure as the dean gestured towards a smaller seat in front of his desk. Shadow sat down carefully and raised a brow. The room was darker than it usually was for meetings.

"Mr. Shadow…" The voice started off dramatically "Something has recently been brought to my attention. Something of great importance…"

"… Yes?"

Shadow frowned at the back of the chair. Something serious must have happened, but what? He didn't think he'd done anything… he looked up and was nearly shocked out of his seat as the chair flipped around, stopping on a dime and the boos was now on his feet staring down the black and red hedgehog in something close to panic!

"WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT YOU AND MY SON WERE DATING!"

The dramatic aura that had filled the air now went dead as Shadow, in surprise and confusing, started back at the blue hedgehog behind the desk.

"…What?"

Jules the hedgehog sighed and scratched at the small mass of brown hair that stuck out of his forehead and covered his left eye.

"Hmph. You killed the whole 'Godfather' thing I had going there."

Shadow just continued to stare.

"Anyway that isn't the point. What I want to know is why was I not informed of the relationship that you are in with Sonic?"

It dawned on Shadow then. The blue fur, his bosses exclamation, Sonic's name. It all fit together.

"Are you saying that Sonic the hedgehog is your son Sir?"

"Why yes. Our little pride and joy and all that."

Jules said distractedly as he played with his tie.

"Oh. I was.. Unaware of this actually."

But this now opened another question. Why hadn't Sonic himself said anything to EITHER of them.

"Really? Why not?"

"I just didn't know. He never said anything to me, and apparently not to you either…"

Jules sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Why was his son hiding things for him? He was TRYING to be a good parent… after all those years of not being able to… But Sonic still continued to distance himself from his mother and father. He'd moved out and he never spoke to them unless they called first.

Jules's face went blank and Shadow felt as if the air was not mixed with another feeling of the Dean. Jules sat down now and folded his hands in front of his face.

"Well. I suppose you are free o go then. I just wanted to make sure things were alright I suppose… Anyway, I'll spare you the whole 'protective father' speech for now…"

"Umm. Oh… kay then…"

Shadow walked over to the door and opened it, looking over his shoulder one last time at the blue hedgehog before walking out.

'That was weird' He though as he stopped outside the door. But now he had another thing to worry about. A vein throbbed in his temple and he clenched his fists angrily as something built itself up .

"SONIC!"

Inside the cafeteria Sonic heard his names called very very loudly, and he was about to make a break for it. But he was too late as a very familiar black hedgehog stormed into the cafeteria grabbed Sonic by the arm and the two of them disappeared before anybody else at Sonic's table could comment.

"Sonic is in trouble again I guess?" Rouge asked.

"What else is new." Knuckles said as he took another bite of his sandwich.