(Yay! Chapter 18! Thanks for all of the reviews. This chapter may be a bit weird; I was drinking some bitter tea while writing it. That's what I get. Anyways, still iffy on the Sonamy coupling. Hmmmm, who should be the person that fights Drake…………. I'll think of that later. For now, it's story time!)

"We need to find a way out of here, and fast." said Tails. "Drake will finish us off as soon as he has more people to feed off of."

"We can't. Cream and I have tried everything. We can't spring ourselves out." said Rouge.

"Can't you just dig your way out?" asked Tails.

"Sure, but we encounter water, and it's too far from the surface., we'll suffocate before we hit air." answered Rouge.

"That, I can help you with." said Tails.

He reached into one of his invisible pockets and pulled out Knuckle's air necklace.

"Rouge, I want you to dig a hole. Cream, you are going to use the air necklace to swim back to shore and warn the others." said Tails.

"But why me?" asked Cream. "Rouge could go."

"You are smaller, you could escape notice easier. Besides, if Drake gets us before you get back, Rouge will just be immortal, you'd be dead if Rouge went instead." answered Tails.

"But what about you?" asked Cream.

Tails didn't answer.

"Tails?"

"Just go Cream, thee isn't any time."

Rouge quickly dug a hole leading into the water. Cream put on the air necklace. She glanced at Tails one more time before she dove into the water.

Tails leaned against the cave wall and fell to the ground. Rouge walked up to him with her arms crossed.

"So, what do we do until Cream gets back?" asked Rouge.

"We wait, and we pray. Wait, and pray."

Cream was swimming breaststroke through the cold water. She was trying to get to shore as quick as she could. Nervously, she remembered what Knuckles said about there being a dead body or two at the bottom of the lake. She shivered and tried her best to focus on what was ahead instead of what was below her.

As Cream swam along, she noticed sunlight breaking through the water up ahead, she must've been coming to the front of the cave.

Cream looked down out of curiosity and saw the shadow of a body at the lake bottom.

She screamed and swam away as fast as she could. If she didn't hurry, that would be Tails down there.

Cream ran into a few fish as she swam along and swore she saw a carp twice her size at the bottom of the lake.

As she went on, Cream began to see the lake bottom more clearly now, and the murky waters began to clear up.

She now enjoyed swimming through the water seeing as how it became warmer from being reachable by the sun's rays.

After about an hour of swimming, Cream broke water and took of the air necklace to breath the cool, fresh air. She slowly waded to the shore and touched the warm sand. She ran along, not bothering to dry herself off or stop to feel the sun's warmth.

She made it to the castle and ran through the twisting corridors until she reached the ballroom and burst through the doors.

She ran in and yelled "You guys have to come, quick!"

Everybody stared at her for a second until Amy ran up to her yelling "Cream!"

"Cream, what happened? How did you get those stitches?" asked Amy.

"There's no time to explain, Rouge and Tails are trapped in a cell at Drake's secret cove. They need our help or Rouge is gonna be a vampire and Tails is gonna be dead!"

"Damn it, of all times to break my leg!" cursed Sonic.

"I'll stay with Sonic." said Amy.

"I'll go." said Star-la.

"I will too if it means saving Tails and Rouge." said Susie.

"Hmph, I'll tear that vampire bat to pieces." said Shadow cracking his knuckles.

"Oh no you don't, I'll take care of Drake." said Knuckles pushing Shadow aside.

"Hurry!" said Cream running out the door. She was quickly followed by Shadow, Star-la, Knuckles, and Susie.

When they made it to the lake, Cream ran towards the boathouse, but Shadow grabbed her by the collar.

"That'll take too long, We can just skim the water." said Shadow.

"What do you mean?" asked Cream.

"Just follow my instructions." said Shadow.

Everyone looked around, then nodded.

"Ok, Cream, you'll grab my arms and fly into the air while keeping me on ground. Susie, you grab Star-la by her feet and lift her into the air. Knucklehead will be hung upside down by Star-la. Knucklehead, keep hold of Cream. I don't care how."

Cream shot a look of warning at Knuckles who took a step back.

Everyone followed Shadow's instructions.

"Ok, ready? Here we go." said Shadow.

Shadow ran at full speed towards the lake. Cream prepared for the splash of the water, but it didn't come. Shadow was running so fast, he was skimming the water. The air rushed past Cream's face making it hard to keep her eyes open. Knuckle's hold on her hips was loosening slightly. She hoped they wouldn't break apart, or it would just be Shadow and her.

In about 10 minutes, they covered the distance that took Cream about an hour to swim.

Everybody dropped to land (except Shadow) and stared at the cove for a second.

"What are you staring for, we need to save Rouge and Tails!" said Cream.

They all ran into the cove and ran towards the jail cell.

Tails ran up to the bars and said "Cream, you made it!"

"Tails, how do we get you out of here?" asked Cream.

"I'll take care of that." said Knuckles.

Knuckles lunged towards the jail cell and smashed a hole in the bars.

"You know, Knuckles, you could have just unlocked the door." said Tails pointing at the keys hung on the wall.

"Oh yeah…." replied Knuckles.

Tails and Rouge climbed out of the jail cell. The noise of slow clapping echoed through the cave as Drake walked towards the group.

"Bravo I must say. I congratulate you on escaping my cage, but I'm sorry to say that I'll have to kill you now." said Drake in his usual silky voice.

"I'm sorry to say that I'll have to kill you first." said Knuckles holding his fist in front of him, ready to fight.

Drake cocked an eyebrow and said "Well, maybe I won't kill you. You'd make a nice pet for me and Rouge."

"Your remains will make nice Christmas tree ornaments!" said Knuckles lunging at Drake.

Drake lunged at Knuckles also and the two began to fight.

"Cream, Star-la, Susie, I need you guys to look around for a stake, it's the only thing that can kill him." said Tails.

"A stake?" asked Cream.

"A block of pointy wood. Just go." said Tails.

They nodded and ran off.

"What about me?" asked Rouge.

"I don't know, I'm making this up as I go!" said Tails trying to think.

Knuckles and Drake were still fighting, and Drake seemed to be taking the offensive. For every punch, jab, or kick that Knuckles threw at him, he would swiftly step aside or gracefully block it.

Rouge crossed her arms. "Showoff." she huffed.

Tails was leaning against the wall of the cave thinking. Vampires could only be killed by a stake through the heart , right? Well then that meant that Knuckles would get pummeled if those three wouldn't hurry with that stake. The entire castle has probably been cleared out of stakes so Lucius and Veronica won't accept death. So that means……

"We won't be able to kill Drake." said Tails out loud.

"What?" asked Rouge.

"The island has most likely been cleared out of stakes so that Lucius and Veronica won't accept death. They probably don't even use real wooden table legs."

"Couldn't they just use a tree branch or something?" asked Rouge.

"They probably don't use real trees either. They are all dead. There is probably no such thing as wood in this castle." said Tails.

"Would they really spend so much money on fake wood?" asked Rouge.

"No, but Drake would." said Tails.

"I don't get it though, why go through all that just so he could feed of blood?" asked Rouge.

"Some of us vampires just get desperate, that's all." came Drake's silky voice.

Knuckles was lying on the floor of the cove covered with cuts and scratches.

"You will soon know what5 it's like Rouge, you'll be experiencing it." said Drake as he walked up to Rouge and grabbed her arm.

"Paws off loser." said Rouge attempting to break away from his grasp.

"You can't escape Rouge, I'm stronger than you. You can't defeat me." he laughed making his way to Rouge's neck.

"Well I can."

Drake yelled in pain as a wooden stake plunged through his back. Warm blood oozed from the wound and Drake began to cough up blood.

Knuckles stood up from behind Drake and laughed.

"It was nice knowing you." said Knuckles.

"Knuckles, where did you get that stake?" asked Tails.

"Turns out Drake throws these things at the bottom of the lake. I found it and decided to hide it up here so I could sneak up on him one of these days."

Just then, Susie, Star-la, and Cream appeared.

Cream fainted at the sight of so much blood. Star-la winced and Susie turned slightly green.

"What happened?" asked Star-la.

"I'll explain in the ballroom, let's go." said Tails walking towards Cream and picking her up.

"So then what happened?" asked Sonic.

"Knuckles plunged the stake into Drake's back and hit his heart." said Tails.

"So…Drake is dead now?" asked Sonic.

"Looks like it." said Knuckles.

"But, I don't get it. What'll happen to Lucius and Veronica? Will you kill them too?" asked Amy.

"No, from what I can tell, they don't want to live like this anymore, so…" the words left Tails' mouth.

"Man, I should've been there." said Sonic.

"Well, that's what you get for breaking your leg." said Shadow.

"Once I get out of this cast, you are going down!" said Sonic.

"That's what you think." he replied with a smirk.

"Well, I'm just glad that we are leaving tomorrow." said Cream.

"Tomorrow?" asked Amy. "What about the ball?"

"I overheard Lucius and Veronica saying that it was best if we left early.

"But I finally got Sonic to go out with me!"

Tails and Knuckles burst out laughing. Sonic was literally fuming. Cream, Star-la, and Susie were all giggling. Shadow cocked an eyebrow and had a triumphant smile on his face.

"It's not funny you guys." said Sonic.

"I'm sorry Sonic" said Tails wiping a tear from his cheek. "I couldn't help it."

"I'm sure you could." said Knuckles.

"You sure you guys want to leave early?" asked Tails. "You could stay a day longer."

"Nah, after all that's gone on here, I think we'll leave early." said Star-la.

"Anyways, we need to get to…um, where we were going." said Susie.

"Where WERE you guys going?' asked Knuckles.

"Like I said before, that's for us to know and you to find out." said Star-la.

"Well, see you guys. It's been great." said Sonic.

Star-la and Susie waved goodbye as they walked to the forest path and disappeared into the darkness.

You know, we can still have that party tonight, Amy" said Tails as they walked back to the ballroom.

"Why me." said Sonic hitting himself on the forehead.

"Yeah, we could tell stories and everything." said Cream.

"I think, I've heard enough stories for one vacation." said Tails.

That night, everybody was partying. Tails had managed to get some music playing and Amy and Cream were showing everybody dance moves.

Shadow was sitting in the corner (as usual) rolling his eyes.

"You are pathetic." he said.

"Come on, Shadow. Join the party. Let loose for a while." said Sonic.

"I'd rather chew my leg off." he replied.

"Then start chewing." called Knuckles.

Cream started to giggle a bit. She walked towards the other side of the room and accidentally tripped. Tails caught her in a romantic pose and they just stood there for a second.

Once he snapped out of it, Tails helped Cream to her feet and blushed.

"Uhhh,…" he began.

Cream kissed him on the cheek and skipped off. Tails was frozen to the spot.

"Hey, Tails! Anybody in there?" asked Sonic waving his hand in front of Tails' face.

"What?" asked Tails breaking out of the trance.

"Rabbit got your tongue?" asked Sonic.

"Huh?"

"Never mind." said Sonic.

Amy walked up to Sonic.

"Hi!"

"Bye!" said Sonic limping away.

"Come on Sonic, you said yes before." she said fluttering her eyelashes.

Sonic grumbled.

Amy leaned up against him and closed her eyes.

Tails and Knuckles looked at each other and laughed.

The next day, as everybody boarded the plane, Tails looked back at the forest. Autumn was still there, and the sight of her skeleton still fresh in his mind. He guessed that now she could be peaceful.

"Tails?" asked Cream.

"What?"

"The plane is going to take off soon, we have to get on." said Cream.

"Oh, yeah. Let's go." said Tails.

They went up the stairs and got on the plane. Tails stared out the window and noticed Lucius and Veronica waving goodbye.

The next day, everybody got off of the plane and left the airport.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye, for now." said Sonic.

"Yeah well, see you." said Shadow before speeding off.

"Bye everybody!" said Amy. Amy hugged Sonic and walked away.

"Sonics getting all mushy on us." said Knuckles.

"Can it Knuckles." said Sonic.

"Looks like it's time for me to go too." said Rouge. She winked at Knuckles before walking away.

Cream hugged Tails and said "I think I have to go too, my mom probably misses me."

Cream ran off.

"Well guys, let's head home."

(THE END! Wow, I ended this story so horribly, don't worry though, I plan on writing another crappy story that you can berate me about. It's been fun, BYE! (Skips away)