Alright, let's get this wrapped up!

(FFN Reviews)

SuperSentai199: At least he's safe now!

TheGameNguyener: I think you've found the right place then! It's a thing I like sometimes as well. Expect to see some more in other stories.

SharpDragonKlaw: He should be pretty happy, especially after what happened last chapter.

Test of Time

Support of Others

Tails slowly started to recover and stabilize after being freed from Eggman's hold. He started to get some of his strength back with a day of rest and was at least now aware of his surroundings. While still rather weak, he was just as enthusiastic as usual.

Sonic and Sally were talking outside of his room, they had discussed taking care of the fox, with some convincing, Sonic had agreed to the proposal. Now they just had to see if Tails was alright with it.

"How about you tell him," Sonic began. "He seems to be more attached to you."

"Alright, you need to stay here though. I'll see if he's awake."

She opened the door and stepped into Tails' small infirmary room, the fox smiled at her appearance. "Hey Sally, how you doing?"

"I'm fine, you feeling any better?"

"A bit, still a little tired though."

"That's good, at least you're feeling better."

They didn't talk for a second, Sally decided to break it to him.

"Tails, me and Sonic have been talking and, we were wondering if you wanted to stay with us?"

"Like, permanently?"

"Yeah, you'd live with us. There isn't much else we could do, and I think we've both enjoyed these past few days."

"Well, I…" The fox seemed to run the proposal over for a minute, "I, think that would be nice."

"I need you to be sure Tails."

"I'm sure, I want to stay with you guys!"

Sally smiled at his excitement. "Awesome!"

The kitsune sat up and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you! Does that mean I call you mom and dad now?"

"I wouldn't, you still had your parents, I don't want to take away from that."

"Alright."

They sat in a hug for a bit before eventually Tails relaxed, freeing the two of them. Sonic entered the room from out in the hall. "Hey Tails. Sally break you the news?"

"Yes, I just want to say thank you!"

"You're welcome bud."

-X-

A day or two later, Tails was considered well enough to leave, Sonic and Sally were asked to keep an eye on him to see if any of his symptoms came back. They agreed and took Tails back to their place. They figured they'd get him his own room once he got over his night terrors, until then, he would sleep in Sonic's room.

A few of the kitsune's possessions were brought over, most of the things his parents owned would be withheld until he was older. They allowed him his father's tools, which Sonic decided would stay in the garage.

The fox still seemed slightly upset whenever the topic of his parents came up, this was expected. He wouldn't be over their deaths overnight. Sonic decided that the fox would need some form of intervention to help him through it. He and Sally were rather protective of the kit, they didn't want to get Tails any more hurt than he already was.

"I wonder how he's going to handle seeing Eggman," Sonic thought aloud. "Maybe we could try and keep him away from that until he's a bit older."

"Sounds good, I think that'd be a little much for him right now."

"Where's Tails at by the way?"

"He's going through his dad's stuff. So probably in the garage."

Sonic stood up and walked back to the garage, Tails was sitting on the floor, he had pulled out practically everything that he had been given and had covered the floor with assorted tools.

"Hey Tails!" Sonic spoke, walking up to the kit. "What are you thinking about?"

The kitsune took a second to respond. "It's just, I miss my parents, my real ones that is."

"It's alright, that's normal."

"I don't want to be normal though, I want to be me…"

"Tails, you're not just going to forget about them. Look, you see that locket." Sonic responded, pointing to Tails' chest. "Your parents gave you that so you wouldn't forget them, I know they wouldn't want you to."

"I guess you have a point. I'm just going to miss talking to them."

"Well, I think I have an idea that might help with that."

"What?"

"How about we could go visit where they're buried, does that sound ok?"

"Yeah…"

Sonic pulled Tails up to his feet and they stepped back out into main room, Sonic informed Sally and the three set off, they quickly arrived and Tails sat himself by the pair of stones. Sonic and Sally gave him some time to himself, they could vaguely hear him talking from where they were at.

"You really think this will help?" Sally asked.

"I hope so Sal, I've got no better ideas. Maybe letting him just pretend they're still here for a bit will let him put it to rest."

The fox in the distance laid down fully against the grass.

"I hope you're right," Sally replied. "Otherwise we might just be making it worse. I'll go sit by him, maybe he wants company."

"I wouldn't, he just needs his time."

"Sonic, that's not how these things work, it'll make him feel even more alone. I'll be right back."

Sally approached the fix, who hadn't noticed her presence yet. His speech came more into focus. "I'll hold onto it, promise."

When he stopped talking for a second, she stepped up to where he was and sat down next to him. He rested his head on Sally's shoulder.

"Sal, he started. I still want to thank you for talking care of me."

"It's nothing Tails."

He didn't respond for a moment. "Sally?" He eventually began. "How did you and Sonic meet?"

"We met a long time ago, we were just both trying to help people who were threatened by Eggman."

She continued her story, it was something to take his mind off the recent events.

-X-

"You like helping people! This is just that but better!"

"The killer robots are a bit much! Can't we just go back to normal things like volunteering?"

"This is so much better though!"

She tuned out her inter argument to focus on the task at hand. Taking a swing at a robot plated in red armor with her staff, sending it flying into another.

"You were aiming for that right?"

"I'll say I was."

She continued forward, looking for anybody who still needed to clear the area. Eventually she came across a blue hedgehog, he wore a short brown scarf and while and red shoes.

"Hey, it's not safe to be here! You need to get out of here!" Sally commanded.

The hedgehog turned to face her, confused at her request. "I could say the same for you!"

"Oh please, I've fought these guys before, they're not so tough."

Instantly, the hedgehog was next to her, "Look, I don't need any help, I happy you're a fan, but I don't need a sidekick right now."

"How did you-"

"They don't call me Sonic for nothing." He replied, shrugging as he stepped away from her.

"Look, I'm not your sidekick, I don't know what you're doin-"

The hedgehog vanished, cutting her off mid sentence. She searched around for him in a fit of rage, before continuing on her search for other civilians.

-X-

She ran into him a few days later during another attack. She jumped down from the low balcony and readjusted her medical pack.

"You again!?" He yelled. "Would you stop following me!"

"What are you even doing here? What are you trying to accomplish?"

"I'm just here to trash some robots, how about you?"

"Trying to evacuate everyone in the area."

"I think I've got it, just get yourself t-"

Their discussion was interrupted by the appearance of a group of robots, Sonic instantly charged them. Sally quickly followed and started taking swings at them.

Sonic stopped his onslaught, "You know, you're not bad!" He stuck another robot, slicing it into pieces. "What's your name?"

"Sally, you're not bad yourself."

As they continued Sally noticed a robot trying to line up a shot with Sonic, not being able to reach it in time, she threw her staff at it, impaling it directly in the chest, Sonic immediately struck it in the chest. He retrieved the staff and handed back to her.

"I had it under control." He commented.

"Sure you did," Sally replied, rolling her eyes as she did.

He smiled back and they finished off the squadron. After they had finished, Sally noticed that Sonic had been shot on the arm, the blast leaving a large injured area.

"Stay still," She commanded, opening up her medical kit.

"It's fine."

"It's not fine, that looks pretty serious." She responded pulling out a bottle of water and opening it. "This could sting a bit."

The hedgehog winced as the wound was cleaned with water and disinfectant. A bandage was tightly wrapped around it, preventing additional bleeding.

Sonic was slightly amazed at just how neat the injury now looked. A crisp white bandage sitting around his arm. "Thanks…"

"It's all I can do here." Sally replied, replacing her medical pack.

"It's great, best I've seen in a while." Sonic replied, stretching his arm back out.

"It's not smart to be out here without medical help."

"I haven't need them for a while, you just happened to be here when I did."

"I'll take that as a thank you."

The hedgehog dashed back off and Sally was left with even more questions then before.

-X-

They met each other again later, Sonic still had the bandage wrapped around his arm, Sally approached him and he noticed her presence.

"We've got to stop meeting like this."

"I don't mind it," She replied, taking a seat down on a piece of rubble. "How's the arm?"

"Great, still looks nasty but I can't feel any difference, don't know what you did."

"Use prop-"

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a cat like mech, Sally prepared her weaponry.

"You need to get out of here!" Sonic yelled. She tightened her grip on her staff.

"Hello my meddlesome friend! I see you've brought your love interest along with you!" A voice spoke from the mech.

"She's not my love interest, leave her alone!"

"Don't deny it Sonic, in fact, I think I'll use this to my advantage!"

Several claws extended and tried to grab at Sally, who swatted at the appendages with her staff.

"She's a fighter!" The voice continued.

Sonic charged the mech, attacking at its exterior. "Leave her alone Eggman!"

He attempted to slice through its armor, only to ricochet off.

"This armor is impenetrable! You'll never get in!"

Sonic ran over to Sally and started assisting in fighting off the claws.

"I heard what he said." Sally began, "You're going to need my help."

Sonic sighed, "Alright, doesn't mean I'm going to like it."

Sally smiled and finished off the claws. "There's got to be somewhere we could get in, look for external areas that aren't armored as much."

Sonic dodged several attacks from the mech as he looked over its surface. He eventually located what appeared to be a breach in the armor. He returned to Sally. "I've found an opening, but it's an air shaft, there's not anything else I know of."

"It's as good of a shot as any, let's go."

Sonic distracted as Sally clambered atop the robot, she removed the air vent and dropped down, breaking through the vent sealing the other side with a loud crash.

A man sat in a chair across from him, whom deployed a shield to prevent her from reaching him.

"You're resourceful," He began. "Unfortunately for you, I have a way out of here!" He activated a system from within his mech and the entrance she had come in sealed behind her before the scientist ejected from the craft. A countdown appeared on the monitor, she attacked the walls and objects around her, not being able to escape from the confides of the mech. She heard a loud crash above her and heard Sonic's voice. "Sal, the vent's sealed!"

"I'm well aware of that, try to get it open, hurry!"

After a couple tense seconds of attacks from both sides, part of it collapsed and they broke through, Sonic pulled her up and they ascended to the top of the mech.

"We have to get out of here!" Sally yelled.

Not wasting any time, Sonic picked up Sally and ran off, much to the chipmunk's surprise.

"Now we're even," Sonic responded.

"Alright, thanks for the save back there."

"No problem, where do you live?" Sonic asked.

"Not really anywhere, been living wherever I can I guess…"

"Do you want to stay at my place? I still kind of owe you."

"That'd be great, if you have the room that is..."

"I've got plenty of space! Do you have anything you need to get?"

"Not really, I've basically got all my stuff with me."

"Well let's get going then!"

-X-

"That's how we met, pretty neat huh?"

"Yeah! You fought Eggman? That's so cool!" Tails replied.

"When you get older, maybe you'll get a shot."

"That'd be awesome!"

"You ready to head back?"

"I think so."

"Cool, I'll grab Sonic."

The three returned to the house, as close to family as one could get.

That's the end everyone! It was really enjoyable to write this, and I'd like to thank everybody who read and reviewed this story as we went! I absolutely loved writing this! Please let me know your final thoughts! Thank you everyone, this is Leodragon678 signing off!