/So. I'm not dead. But I am terribly terribly sorry for the horribly long wait. Life caught up with me and sadly lost interest in Sonic fandom. But in a spark of nostalgia and fond memories and love of Hope and stuff I decided to update this one last time. Its been a long time since I last wrote Sonic or fiction in general so my style is different and I don't use first person any longer. Sorry if its a bit difficult but that's just how I roll now. Hope you guys enjoy and maybe I'll keep it up.

There was a peace that had settled into the air as spring took its turn for the year and Hope couldn't help but feel light. Bright blue skies, cool crisp breezes and everything changing to vibrant greens seemed to flood the area. She tried to spend more time outdoors, getting a little sun was good for her or so Rouge said. There was a skip in the blonde mechanic's step as she went about her work and usual routine. Why wouldn't there be? She had a niche within the heart of G.U.N. ,teammates who cared about her and a place where she was useful. And she knew deep down somewhere…Snively did care. Even if he couldn't show it.

Missions went on without its hitches and bumps, equipment maintenanced and upgraded all by the fourteen year old genius who let her brilliance show to keep her friends safe in the little ways she could. She liked the peace and security she had. She liked the teasing wink from Rouge, the bright complements that came from the mecha that was Omega and the quiet barely revealing guardian Shadow had became for her. So when she was called down to a meeting room and stepped inside did a sick feeling settle in her stomach.

The finality of the click of the door shutting echoed in her ears as she looked to the terse faces of Rouge and Commander Tower. Swallowing hard she kept a brave face and continued walking in as she tried to keep a light tone. Several things raced through her mind of things that could've gone wrong. Which was a lot and by the look on their faces something was wrong.

"You called for me, Commander?" Came the voice that more worried than she had wanted it to sound. The ivory bat only scowled lightly at the elder man, lips twitching agitatedly with her hands resting on curvacious hips then trained her gaze on the little one before them as she spoke.

"Yeah, sweetheart. Does the name Elaine Kintobor ring a bell?" A beat passed as the question hung in the air and she didn't know how to respond. A Kintobor?

"-Um. No. Not really. Everyone in my family is either dead or-or robotizised…or Snively." Worried blues flickered between the two as she stood there confused and lost by the questions presented.

"Why?"

"An unidentified aircraft crash landed several hours ago-" Commander Tower began to explain, but was cut off before he could continue.

"-Is that where you sent Omega?" Everything had been hectic hours earlier. She didn't know why specifically but something had happened. Something was always happening, but she did think it was odd that Omega was being rushed out.

"Yes. We weren't sure of its origin nor would they respond to our communications as it entered the atmosphere." He rumbled out before looking out towards the window set across the room then back to her. "Once it crash landed we sent out soldiers to investigate. It wasn't long that the capsule opened and-"

"Your cousin stepped out. Gave all those boys a heart attack thinking they were going to expect some alien." The bat snorted out to the annoyance of the higher up, but he let her continue with her explanation.

"My...cousin?"

"Ah-huh. She looks like you and from the look on Shadow's face she looks like-" Rouge began at first, but then stopped as she came to the end of her sentence. The name didn't need to be said. The tragedy. Hope was two years old at the time when the war of the Overlanders ended and her family parted ways from Maria and their grandfather. She could barely remember her with vague glimpses of blonde hair like her own and bright blue eyes.

The teenager looked away as the memories flashed briefly before a quiet 'Oh' sounded and a smile appeared on her lips. "El? Elaine? Ellie?"

A look of relief passed over the features of the adults when she realized who it was. If she hadn't then there was a risk Eggman might be trying to trick them with an android of a family member. He still might be.

"I remember her now. She was my oldest cousin. My Dad mentioned he had a younger brother, but he and his wife died in the war. But he had a daughter and she lived with us and with Maria for a while." She recounted as her fingers lightly tapped at her chin before reaching up to tug at her hair. She remembered them separating. She remembered Maria leaving. Both of them left at the same time.

"I don't remember what happened to her after we left. I know now that Maria went with Grandfather Gerald, but...I don't remember about Elaine. I was too little." Pale pink lips frowned at the lack of memory before she looked to them hopefully.

"Can I see her?"

"Describe her." Came the curt cold response of the commander earning a slight flinch from the youngest.

"Excuse me?" A tired sigh could be heard from the elder man as he shook his head and said what they had feared.

"I just want to make sure she's actually who she says she is. There's a chance that-"

"Eggman and Snively are tricking us again. Tricking me." Hope finished as the brief look of happiness at a family member darted away again.

"Or Shadow." Rouge finished coming around to her to lightly pat her shoulder. "She shares a resemblance because they're related which could trigger certain things."

"Yeah." She replied back weakly before continuing. "She had um...light brown hair. Kinda penny-ish in sunlight. And blue eyes I think. I don't remember how tall and it won't mean much cause I was two."

"That sounds about right." Rouge commented looking to Tower. "So can I take her or not?"

Abraham Tower only looked at the teenager before nodding solemnly and waving them off without another word. He didn't seem pleased. And for all intensive purposes he had a right to it. Kintobor. Robotnik. One and the same. And they usually brought trouble. Hope seemed to be the exception and they were thankful for that.

"Miss Kintobor?" The name calling stopped her from bolting out the door and dragging Rouge with her.

"Yes, Commander?"

"Do not reveal anything of your work here at G.U.N to her-"

"But-"

"That's an order, Miss Kintobor. We don't have much as of verification of her origins. We're not even sure she is whom she says. Do not disclose information on our technology, weapons nor missions. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Carry on."