A/N: Okay... I wrote a VecVan oneshot... Not the most common couple to write about, eh? Well, I wanted a break from my KnuxRouge story.

While I was at the beach, I was hit by two things...inspiration and really bad sunburn. Now that the pain has cleared up, it's time to start working on the story! Woot!

Disclaimer: I do not own (-mumbles list of SEGA characters in story-). They are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team...and if you're reading Sonic stories, YOU KNOW THAT:P

One Chance

"Here we are!"

Vector the Crocodile pranced merrily off of the aged wooden boardwalk and onto the sandy shore that stretched before the trio like a glittering plain. Under his left arm, the segments of an inexpensive beach umbrella clinked together to match his gait. Behind him, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee exchanged glances before following in the deep footprints of the gleeful crocodile.

When he found a spot to his liking, Vector set down the upper portion of the umbrella in the soft sand and drove the flimsy white rod into the grainy earth with all of his might. Taking a few steps back to admire the wobbling pole that now marked the territory of the Chaotix Detective Agency, he grinned as Espio finally managed to trod up to the spot, having grown weary from the trek through the sand. The chameleon's topaz eyes shifted from his teammate to the umbrella post, and he frowned and crossed his arms.

"Be careful that you don't break it..." he remarked, and the crocodile laughed and bent down to grasp the upper portion of the umbrella, sliding his hand under the fabric to open it. Before he could even begin to accomplish this, the exuberant bee zoomed past his eyes and landed on top of the umbrella post.

Throwing his arms up into the air, the bee cried, "Where's the ice cream truck? Can I have some money in case it comes? Pleeease?"

Vector groaned and opened the burgundy umbrella, turning his glance to Espio. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he was not willing to part with any of his "hard-earned" profits.

"Have you got any money for 'im, Esp?"

Espio glared at the avaricious crocodile for a moment and nodded before pulling a few wrinkled slips of paper from what seemed to be thin air and handing them to the young bee. Charmy grinned and began to hover, poring over the bills in his hand as he listened attentively for the jingle of an ice cream truck. Before long, the cheerful tune of a childhood anthem wafted across the beach, and Charmy squealed in delight before speeding off at a velocity that would have even given Sonic a run for his money. Espio watched the retreating form of the bee with concealed amusement before spreading the maroon blanket that he had brought along under the umbrella and leaning back against the soft wool. He closed his eyes and brought his arms behind his head.

"I'm gonna go take a look at the water," Vector informed him as he turned his back to the reclining figure. Espio did not respond, but the crocodile knew that he had heard and acknowledged his words.

As he maneuvered through the sea of vividly-colored umbrellas and bronzing flesh, he smiled and hummed a lively tune quietly to himself, drawing in the clear sky above. Above him, the vast field of azure expanded to the corners of the horizon without a wisp of a cloud to be seen. The glaring sun, however, was like a growing wildfire on this beryl expanse. Its golden flames seemed to rain from the sky and incinerate those who dared to stand beneath it. Even so, Vector was much too absorbed in his own joyful thoughts to feel much discomfort from the blaze.

After another repetitive year of his "grueling" detective work, the apex of the summer had finally arrived. For months, Vector had stared in contemplation at the calendar, counting each day with his finger while they waited around idly for another mission. Each month passed by very slowly, and anticipation had begun to grow to the point where it was suffocating (to the team's boss, at least). Finally, the date had arrived, and Vector had grabbed his already-packed belongings and his two companions without hesitation as he prepared for his favorite part of the year: vacation.

This year, the team had returned to Vector's favorite beach. The crowded shoreline was about fifty miles north of Station Square, but constant traffic jams and a terrible parking system at the destination made it a two-hour trip. Despite the clutter and chaos, the trip was well worth the initial effort. The beach was pristine, the water was beautiful...and, most importantly, everything was inexpensive.

As he finished humming his tune, he arrived before the sparkling ocean and gazed at it in awe. The water was glassy and clear, and gentle layers of foam were rolling toward the shore. In the distance, silhouettes of dolphins flipped and danced against the sky. A few children were wading in the aquamarine water as their parents stood on the damp sand, grinning at the display. For a moment, Vector wondered why none of the children dared to venture farther out into the ocean, but this question was answered with a quick glance at the vacant lifeguard seat. High tide had apparently arrived only a short while beforehand, and the reptilian detective figured that the children had been asked to stay where they would not be at the mercy of the undertow.

The crocodile smiled widely as he approached the water. He was quite adept at swimming, and the vacation would simply not be complete until he had enjoyed the ocean. Walking through the crowd of children, Vector rubbed his hands together and dived under an advancing wave, remaining underwater as he swam gracefully through the crystal water. When he finally surfaced, he sighed with content and glanced over the shore, noticing that he had come quite far in comparison to the other children. A few were pointing at him and talking amongst themselves, so he decided to come a bit closer in case they began to get ideas. He would not be the cause of any dire accidents. Thus, he plunged beneath the waves once more and swam a few meters in the opposite direction, effortlessly weathering the battle between the waves and undercurrent.

Vector broke the surface to hear a couple of all-too-familiar voices chatting nearby. They were both female, but he could not pinpoint the direction that the sounds were coming from.

"Please be careful, and don't go too far out!" a pleasant, mature voice pleaded. "I'll be sitting right here on the beach...right here...so I can keep an eye on you."

"I'll be careful!" a high-pitched voice replied with a giggle. A chao began to shout indistinctly, and the creature laughed again. "Of course you can come, Cheese!"

Cheese? A chill ran down Vector's spine as his heart flipped. Could it be...?

His eyes met with a young rabbit as she ran quickly through the sand. She wore a one-piece bathing suit of red fabric with a large white daisy printed on the front, and her fur was a very light shade of brown.

It's Cream! He thought, panicking as he lifted his eyes to the sandy expanse beyond her. There, standing by a red and white-striped umbrella, was the rabbit that he adored. Her light brown figure was tall and slim, and her long ears fell gracefully onto her back as she watched her daughter frolic. The rabbit's lovely face was fixed with a gentle smile that Vector cherished with every fiber of his being. Like her daughter, she had chosen to wear a one-piece bathing suit, but hers was ebony.

Without thinking, Vector dunked his head underwater and crossed his arms, thinking. If Vanilla was at the beach, perhaps he could turn this small vacation into so much more. Turning to face away from the shore, the crocodile swam out a few meters and surfaced with a sigh. Even though she was right there on the beach, Vector had no idea what he could do to impress the woman of his dreams.

If only I had one chance, he thought as he gazed back at the slim hare, to show her that I can be a sensitive, caring guy...

Cheese squealed excitedly as he caught the ball that Cream had thrown, narrowly dodging a tumbling wave. Cream clapped and the chao returned to her, grinning sweetly.

One chance...to show Vanilla and Cream that they can depend upon me.

Vector watched the young rabbit sadly as she hopped over a small wave, giggling. He began to trudge in her direction, becoming wary that the undertow had grown quite forceful. Whether Vanilla acknowledged his actions or not, the crocodile knew that he would be taking a major step in the right direction if he spoke to Cream.

"H-hey, Cream!" he called out, smiling nervously. The tiny rabbit and her chao turned and spotted him as he rushed over to them. "A-are you enj-joying the b-beach?"

Cream grinned and Vector's heart melted. The child's smile was identical to her mother's.

"It's wonderful! Cheese and I are having a lot of fun!" she squeaked gleefully, and Cheese squealed.

"That's great to hear! Are you and your mother here on vacation?"

Cream giggled and nodded. "We come here every year. Momma loves this beach! How about you, Mister Vector?"

"I'm here for the Chaotix Detective Agency's annual vacation!" the crocodile proclaimed proudly, chancing a glance at Vanilla. She was watching him quietly, but her smile seemed even more angelic. Vector blushed and smiled widely, hoping that the rabbit noticed how sweet he was being with her daughter. "I'm also having a wonderful time!"

The small rabbit's eyes brightened as she saw his change in expression. Vector, however, had his eyes set on the precious jewel that stood watching them both.

"Have fun at the beach today, Cream! Don't go too far out, okay?" the crocodile laughed as he began to retreat to the shore.

The rabbit smiled and replied, "I won't! Have a nice time, Mister Vector!"

Vector offered Cream one last wave and waded through the sand...and right up to Vanilla. The attractive hare gazed at him with her auburn eyes as she beamed invitingly. The love-struck crocodile's heart was pounding and he was desperately trying to hide his blush, but the rabbit's heavenly expression seemed to ease his anxiety as he returned her gaze.

"It's nice to see you, Vector," Vanilla greeted warmly, and heat rushed to Vector's face.

"It's nice t-to see you, t-too..." he stuttered in response, and Vanilla laughed. Once again, Vector's heart began to do cartwheels. Vanilla had the laugh of an angel...

"How have you been?" she asked gently, watching Cream as she played fetch with her chao.

"Um...Not bad! The detective business is going pretty well...but this vacation is such a nice break from that cramped office of ours!"

Vanilla turned to Vector again and nodded. "I can imagine! Cream, Cheese, and I are on vacation as well. It's nice to get out of the house and around people, you know?"

With a smile, Vector turned to the sapphire ocean. Not as beautiful as my Vanilla...not nearly.

"Of course," he responded, and the pair watched the ocean together for a few moments. "Cream really is an angel, isn't she?"

Surprised, Vanilla stared at the crocodile that stood beside her.

"It's because she has such a sweet mother," he continued, not realizing what had just slipped out of his mouth. After a hiatus, Vector mentally slapped his forehead and blushed crimson. Terrified to see her reaction, he turned to Vanilla...

"Vector..." she whispered, gazing into his scarlet eyes. Her charming smile returned and Vector immediately felt at ease. "That was a very kind thing to say...Thank you."

The crocodile grinned. "It's only the truth!"

Following this remark, Vanilla stared at Vector as if in the midst of an epiphany for an instant. However, a loud scream pierced through the air like an arrow, shattering the moment.

"CREAM!" Vanilla yelled instantly, spinning around to see that her daughter was nowhere to be seen in the water. "Cream, where are you?"

"Cream! Cheese!" Vector bellowed as he sprinted through the sand, searching the ocean frantically. "Hang on, Vector is coming!"

As the water lapped around his ankles, Vector spotted the rabbit flailing about a great distance from the shore. She could not fight the undercurrent and was quickly being pulled out to sea. Her ears were laden with water and could not flap quickly enough to escape the ocean's wrath. Cheese flew above her, trying futilely to keep its best friend above the water, but she was slowly sinking beyond the chao's control.

"Just hold on!" Vector repeated as he dove into the ocean and swam hastily to the drowning rabbit. As he glided through the waves in desperation, cries from the shore became blurs of sound. Above all the chaos, though, he was sure that he heard someone call his name.

"Chao! Chao!" Cheese exclaimed as the crocodile drew near, and Cream managed to remain above water long enough to see the form speeding toward her. As her limbs grew numb from fighting the waves, a warm arm enveloped her body and pulled her close.

Vector paused once he was sure that he had a firm hold on Cream. The trip back was bound to be much more complicated with the rabbit in tow, not to mention that they were considerably farther out than before.

"Cream, listen to me," Vector began, and the rabbit gazed up at him. "I need you to put your arms around my neck and hold on tight, okay?"

Cream nodded and did as she was told, and Vector moved her onto his back.

"No matter what, don't let go of me!"

Using his powerful limbs, Vector began to swim masterfully back to shore. Luckily, Cream was not very heavy, so he was still able to swim at a fairly decent speed. When waves arrived and threatened to crash down upon them, Vector used them to boost his speed as he neared the once-distant shore.

"Cream! Cheese! Vector!" Vanilla cried with concern, and the crocodile quickened his pace. He refused to let Cream or Vanilla down despite the fact that his arms and legs were growing weary.

At that moment, a thought hit him.

Vanilla is concerned about me?

The trio reached their destination moments later only to be mobbed by a mass of worried faces. Vanilla made her way through the crowd and pulled Cream off of Vector's back. The traumatized rabbit hung onto her mother and began to cry, and Vanilla stroked her daughter's ears affectionately as she murmured calming words. Cheese also tried its best to console her in a similar manner. Vector stood nearby, listening as the observers babbled about the "poor girl" and the "brave soul who rescued her." Although he normally would have been filled with pride from such acclaim, his thoughts were focused solely on the now-horrified Cream.

"Will she be all right?" he asked, approaching Vanilla. She looked up at him with tears forming in her eyes. It broke his heart to see her this sad and worried.

"Vec...Vector..." she began, choking as she repressed sobs. "She will...she will be fine...because..."

As she stood before him, Vanilla began to sob uncontrollably. Unsure of what to do, Vector ran up to her and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders, holding her tightly to his body. The hare turned to him and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder as the crying continued.

The pair remained close together for a few minutes, oblivious to the onlookers surrounding them, before Vanilla lifted her head and rested her chin on the crocodile's muscular shoulder.

"Cream will be all right because you saved her, Vector...If you hadn't been here for us, she wouldn't be–"

"Ssh," Vector replied, rubbing her back, "all three of you are okay, and that's what matters."

Vector loosened his grip on Vanilla and she backed away, placing her hand on Cream's shoulder and escorting her back to their beach umbrella. Vector followed tentatively, uncertain of whether he was welcome after such a startling event. Cream was seated on the soft red blanket, and Vanilla sat down gingerly beside her. Deciding that they were best left alone, Vector turned and began to head back to where Espio and Charmy were surely waiting.

"Please stay."

The crocodile turned to face the two rabbits, not believing that Vanilla had just said this.

"I...Cream may feel better if you stay here with us."

Vector smiled and stepped over to them, taking a seat next to Vanilla. They remained there for hours, comforting Cream and regarding the sparkling sea. Before long, the sun had begun to sink behind the clouds and the sky resembled a brilliant oil painting of golden, blue, and pink hues.

Hugging Cream tightly, Vanilla turned to Vector and stood up. Basked in the amber light of the sky, she had the appearance of a true angel.

"Cream and I should go home soon...May I have a word with you first?" she asked pleasantly, a rather serious expression on her face. Vector nodded and stood up, and they walked down to the water's edge together.

Feeling rather awkward yet strangely content, Vector turned to face his love. She seemed hypnotized by the rhythm of the tumbling waves.

"Vector..." she whispered gently, and she turned to face him. "I know that you probably think it's weird that I'm dragging it out at a time like this...but I really can't thank you enough for all that you've done for me and my daughter today. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Cream..."

Vanilla glanced at the sand below her feet, frowning with sorrow.

"She's all I have...ever since her father..."

She bit her lip, averting her eyes entirely. Vector beamed kindly and placed his left hand on her shoulder.

"That's not true, Vanilla."

The rabbit lifted her eyes and met Vector's gaze.

"You have me, too! Don't forget!" he laughed, and Vanilla's somber expression transformed into a bright smile. Taking a step towards him, the rabbit wrapped her slender arms around his torso and hugged him once more, this time out of joy. The crocodile, on the other hand, blushed and returned the embrace.

"You're right, Vector. I have you too."

Vector tightened his hold on Vanilla and looked down at her elegant body. Only hours earlier, he would have done anything to get close to her, and now she was right where he had longed for her to be. Nothing - no person, gift, or paycheck - had ever placed him in such a state of bliss.

Though unwilling to let go, Vector knew that Vanilla had to return to Cream. He pulled away, taking a step backwards, when Vanilla made a move that he would have never expected. Stepping forward, she pulled the crocodile's body toward hers and kissed him on the cheek, nearly knocking him over in her passion.

"Van–!" Vector started, but ceased immediately when he realized what was happening to him. He embraced her firmly and nuzzled her cheek until the kiss had ended, at which point she leaned back and stared at Vector dreamily.

As the couple continued to embrace, Espio sped toward the ocean in search of his boss.

Where could he be? The chameleon thought with frustration as he scanned the shoreline only to locate Vector...hugging a very attractive rabbit. Espio blinked a few times and watched the two for a moment while Charmy caught up to his speedy partner.

"Espio! Did you find Vector?" the bee yelled, and Espio immediately dashed over to him and grabbed him, heading back to the Chaotix umbrella. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"He'll be along shortly..." Espio muttered, nearly out of breath. He did not want Charmy to be exposed to Vector's budding relationship.

"Why? What's he doing?" the bee asked as if thirsty for gossip.

Espio merely shrugged and answered, "He's with an old friend."