Silver the Hedgehog paced nervously. He wasn't one to usually panic, but in this situation…

Yeah. It was panic time.

"What in the world am I going to do?" he muttered. His grey fur was becoming more and more damp by the minute.

Suddenly, he stopped himself, taking in a deep breath. "Okay…let's take it one step at a time, Silver," he told himself. He closed his yellow eyes. "It's Valentine's Day; the first Valentine's Day that I'm going to be spending with her…" his voice trailed off as panic gripped him again. "And I don't even have a gift for her!"

Silver's hands flew to his head as he groaned.

"For who?"

The grey hedgehog nearly jumped out of his fur when he heard the voice. It wasn't the voice itself that had surprised him; it was the fact that he knew the bearer of the voice. It was the exact person who he didn't have a gift for!

"Blaze…uh…" he turned around, trying to act casual.

The violet cat stood there, at the entrance of the small cave he was in. She didn't give him a chance to say anything more, as she inquired, "What are you doing in this place, Silver?"

"I was…" he tried to think of an excuse. "…uh…trying to find you!"

Blaze didn't buy it. She walked towards him in her confident yet casual manner. "Trying to find me?" she repeated. "You know I don't like crowded areas."

Silver felt a sweatdrop, but he kept it hidden. "I was thinking you might surprise me."

Blaze turned around to look him in the eye. Gold met gold as she said, "I guess I can give you that one."

Silver felt relieved, but watched to see what the feline would do next. She simply started walking again, this time around him. Her eyes were fixed on the walls of the cavern as she said, "But still…you know what today is…"

Suddenly, she stopped and turned to face him. "Don't you?"

Silver was caught off guard, and took a step back. "O-of course I do!"

Blaze turned away, her arms crossed over her chest. "It's Valentine's Day…" she muttered. "My least favorite day of the whole year…"

This caught Silver even more off guard. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"You don't like Valentine's Day?" he repeated.

"That's an understatement," she said, her back still facing him. "I HATE Valentine's Day."

Silence filled the cave.

Finally, Silver asked, "Why?"

Blaze shook her head, closing her eyes. "You're still so naïve…"

The grey hedgehog furrowed his eyebrows. When the violet cat heard that her friend was saying nothing, she finally informed, "Valentine's Day was…that day."

At that, she raised her gloved hand to release a flame above it. Silver understood.

"That was the day people began teasing you—"

"—and teasing me ever since," Blaze hissed, vanquishing the flame as she closed her hand. "Every year they would send me gifts, taunting me about my flames. It was as if Valentine's Day had changed into the day of torture."

Silence. Blaze closed her eyes, not allowing her rapidly beating heart get the best of her. To speak the truth, she was nervous. Silver was the only one who hadn't teased her about her flames, and now, with this new Valentine's Day…were things going to change?

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see the grey hedgehog there. As their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat. For whatever reason she couldn't tell, those beautiful yellow eyes always made her nerves go crazy. She kept it hidden very well, though, like she always had.

"Well…let's make this Valentine's Day one that you'll remember," with that, he took her hand, and led her out of the cave and into the city at a running pace.

"Uh…Silver! Where are we going?" Blaze called.

Silver hesitated, but finally said, "I don't know!"

The cat felt uneasy. Silver sensed her fear, and looked behind him. He smiled comfortingly, a trick that he had seen Sonic use when he had seen the blue hedgehog. It worked. Blaze seemed to relax, and allowed him to take her wherever he wished.

The only thing was: where DID he wish to go?

Silver's eyes scanned the city. All the buildings looked nothing like it had before; not like it had when Iblis was still in existence. When Silver had returned to his time, he found Blaze was alive and well. In fact, everything looked like Iblis and Mephiles never were. But right now, he wanted to find a place that was quiet and romantic…

Wait a minute! Silver shook his head. Romantic? What am I thinking? I don't like Blaze anymore than a friend…do I?

And it was these exact thoughts that distracted our favorite grey hedgehog as he ran around aimlessly. Meanwhile, Blaze was beginning to get tired from all the jogging. She began to pant heavily, but kept her complaints to herself…at least, for a while. Finally, she yelled, "Silver!"

The hedgehog's head snapped up. "What?"

"Are we going to stop? You're wearing me out!"

Silver sweatdropped, and slowed down. Once they came to a halt, Blaze leaned over to put her hands on her knees and regain her breath.

"Sorry, Blaze…I got distracted," he apologized.

The cat straightened herself, still taking deep breaths. "You are so naïve."

Silver sighed irritably. He opened his mouth to say a retort, but Blaze quickly put her index finger over it. Silver furrowed his eyebrows, and was about to talk again, when his friend whispered, "Look…"

The grey hedgehog slowly turned around, and soon found himself gaping in awe. There, not too far in front of them, was a chao garden full of lush, green grass. A spring was in the middle of it, and palm trees full of chao fruit decorated the interior.

This was a peaceful, romantic place…

Silver looked around him, trying to figure out just where he had led them to. When he looked behind him, he found the city standing high and tall oblique to them. He turned back to see that the chao garden they were in was in a valley between two mountains.

His ear twitched when he heard Blaze call, "Silver! Come here!"

The grey hedgehog turned and ran towards his friend, who was standing on the bank of the spring. When he came to a halt beside her, she merely pointed at the many chao playing in the water.

Silver couldn't help but smile. Their faces were filled with pure joy as they splashed around, and shouted "Chao, chao!" every once in a while.

"Look at them, Silver," Blaze murmured.

The grey hedgehog turned to his friend, confused. In return, the cat looked towards him.

"Don't they look like some people we know?" it was evident she was trying not to smile.

Silver looked back, and then noticed what she was talking about. There, in the water, was a Tails chao splashing around with a Cream chao. An Amy chao was trying to pull a Sonic chao in without much success, and a Knuckles chao was having a water fight with a Rouge chao. A Shadow chao was sitting on the bank, whilst a Tikal chao sat next to him, trying to start a conversation.

The grey hedgehog nodded, letting out a short laugh, "They act like them, too."

Blaze smiled, but wondered if there was a Silver chao and a chao of her. Suddenly, she heard a riot of angry chao calls to her left. And as she turned, she got her answer.

A bunch of hero and dark chaos were crowding around a small Blaze chao, yelling at it and laughing. The chao was crying and shaking in response.

A bunch of flashbacks ripped through Blaze's mind. She reached a hand for her forehead to sooth the pictures that were attacking her. Her eyes reopened as she looked back at the poor Blaze chao being taunted. She knew how the chao felt, but just as she was about to step in, a little grey chao stood in front of the Blaze chao. It was a Silver chao.

"Chao, chao, chao, chao, chao!" the little one shouted.

"Chao!" one of the dark chao yelled back.

"Chao, chao, chao!" the Silver chao responded.

"Chao, chao…" and one by one, the hero chao began to walk away, ashamed.

The dark chao, seeing their comrades leave, began to go as well, until finally, the crowd had dissipated.

The Silver chao turned to the chao behind him, and asked, "Chao, chao, chao?"

The Blaze chao didn't verbally respond. Instead, she leaped up and hugged the Silver chao, still crying.

Blaze let her arms fall to her sides as she stared at the two chao. How they had reminded her of when Silver had stood up for her… She looked behind her to see the grey hedgehog holding a chao fruit and yelling at a hero chao below him.

"What do you mean you don't want this one?" he exclaimed. He sighed as the chao pointed at another fruit up in the palm tree.

"Fine…" he raised his hand as he used telekinesis to pluck the chao fruit off. He made it float down to the hero chao, but the chao simply stuck up its nose.

"Chao, chao!" it yelled.

"WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT?" he shouted. "Make up your mind!"

The chao glared at him, and stuck its arm arrogantly at another fruit in the tree. Silver growled.

Blaze then turned back to see that the two chao were sitting on the bank now, talking to each other. She watched as they exchanged 'chaos'…until suddenly, the Blaze chao kissed the Silver chao on the cheek. The grey hedgehog chao blushed, his feet kicking the water slightly. Blaze smiled and turned back to the real hedgehog behind her, who finally was able to give the hero chao which fruit it wanted.

Silver then walked over to a fallen tree log and plopped down, sighing. Blaze sat down beside him.

"Some are just the most stubborn little things, aren't they?" she asked.

Silver nodded. "You have no idea."

Silence lasted between the two, until Blaze said, "I like this place."

Silver looked at the violet cat beside him. "Really?"

She nodded. "It's peaceful, and so full of joy."

"….just like how Valentine's Day should be," Silver informed.

Blaze looked at the grey hedgehog. "What are you saying?"

"Actually, it was something I said. I told you that this Valentine's Day should be one that you will remember…" the silver hedgehog looked deep into her eyes. "…you will remember it, won't you?"

"Well…" Blaze broke the gaze (heh, that rhymes…sorry, continuing…). "Nothing has really happened yet that I'll remember forever."

Suddenly, the violet cat felt a hand reach behind her head to pull her into a kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise when their lips locked, but slowly, they closed, enjoying the moment.

When their lips parted, Silver smiled, his hand still on the back of Blaze's head. "What about now?"

The cat smiled. "I guess I can give you that one."

Silver smiled in return, but it soon faded when he realized how dark it was. He looked up at the sky, and saw the many stars twinkling happily above them.

"Silver…look," Blaze whispered for the second time that day.

The grey hedgehog looked back down. All the chao in the garden had gathered around them.

"What are they doing?" he asked.

His question was answered when the little chao opened their mouths and began singing a quiet lullaby.

Their song filled the air, and seemed to warm Silver and Blaze's hearts. If you were there, you would've felt like someone had lit a gentle fire in your soul that spread from the inside out.

Blaze smiled, and rested her head on Silver's shoulder. "Now I will truly remember this day…"

The grey hedgehog found himself blushing slightly. I guess I do love Blaze more than a friend… he thought. A smile spread on his face as he wrapped an arm around her.

Silence lasted between them; the only thing you could hear was the chao singing.

Finally, Blaze said, "Silver?"

"What?"

"…thank you. For everything."

Silver looked down, but then returned his gaze to the purple cat beside him. "You're welcome."

Blaze closed her eyes, as a familiar sound came from her closed mouth: a purr.

Silver smiled and looked up into the night sky again. The stars seemed to dance to the slow and sweet rhythm chao's song…

He then looked down again at the cat leaning on him, and noticed she had fallen asleep. Gently, he whispered, "Happy Valentine's Day."

With that, Silver picked her up in his arms, and walked out of the circle of singing chao. He walked out of the chao garden and into the city, taking with him precious memories that would last forever.

THE END

Silver and Blaze do not belong to me, they belong to SEGA. Chao belong to them as well.