Ch. 15: My Promises Are Kept

Maybe one short prayer will help the pain soothe… yeah, one prayer… or two... or three… something that can actually be answered directly… something… something honest. Be honest now and tell her that he'll be okay. He'll live. He'll be fine… tough, as he had said on his deathbed. Tell her that the bleeding will soon stop and that the bullet never did pierce near the heart. Tell her it only left critical damage but nothing more serious… Tell her he will live and see another day... another light. Tell her that he will finish the song he kept secret and give it to her for a Christmas gift…Tell her that praying will help. Just one prayer… or two… or three… and do not lie to her. She has already seen the truth flash before her very eyes. Do not have her suffer, making her gasp for more wanted air and more wanted reassurance. Don't lie, Honesty. Do not deceive… for if you do, he will go and she will cry. Cry… again… and again… 'till Christmas comes and she doesn't get a gift.

Do not lie, dear, Honesty… For if you do, you are really telling the truth…

And as we all know, the truth hurts.

Dear Honesty, my Melanie, I am sorry for hurting her.

Amy Rose sat solemn in the hospital's waiting room, watching as more and more people came in with broken arms, broken legs, or bleeding noses… crying and pleading the doctor's to do something about their condition. She watched as a small child stomped her "broken leg" and begged for a cast. She watched as people smiled, groaned, cried, or screamed in the hospital's waiting room, all waiting for some type of assurance to come to them. She watched as more and more people walked out the hospital doors without any blood on their shirts… without any swollen eyes or tears. Nothing...nothing but glowing smiles on their faces… She thought to herself, what providential people to come and walk out of the hospital without a final goodbye.

…a goodbye she did not want to think of at the moment…

She swiftly ran a hand across her bandaged forehead, scanning her palm as if ready to see a burn or a scar left from the wintriness of her skin. She silently sighed to herself as she fiddled again with her fingers, her nerves inconstant about how much time was ticking by… Again, she looked up at the hospital doors. She watched as a woman, her face giddy and cheerful, held the hand of a rather strapping male, his smile as bright as hers as they both wandered into the winter wonderland for which awaited their comfort. It was an awkward scene to her, due to that… she never saw that kind of affection. She watched the couple again in her mind as they both skipped out, silently singing and dancing among themselves on how they managed to escape the silent halls of the doctor's corridors… In the corner of the room, a silver Christmas tree glittered the vibrant colors of ruby red and fine greenery, blinking bright vanilla lights for which made Amy's eyes cringe in despair. Had not it been too close to the season, she would have never felt that burn near the darkened corner of her deranged heart.

The pink hedgehog then suddenly rolled her eyes. Such behavior was not cute at the moment. Such behavior was… not right for the moment. It wasn't real. They were faking.

Amy had called Tails and Tails had called Knuckles. She did not know how long the chain went and she no longer cared. They were rushing to the hospital at the moment, probably not concerned about Amy's known well-being. They did not know her, so she never took it as an insult, though she was saddened by the fact that they didn't recognize her. A sad fact… she had enough sad facts for a sad quiz.

But to her gullible mind, it all was based on the facts.

Amy thought about what had happened in the last five hours, and she took it all to be a dream. Things like these could not happen so quickly. She refused to believe it all, for it was only her second day in Mobius.

"Cluts," she murmured to herself.

She then winced at the re-found image of Sonic drenched in his own blood. His constant choking and gasps for air. His constant pleads…

"G-go A-amy… I-I'm f-fine…"

What a lie.

She remembered screaming and screaming upon minutes and minutes until it reached up to an hour. She remembered a man walking by with an ebony umbrella, his brightened eyes terrorized by the sight of drooling flesh. She remembered him walking up to her and staring down at the fallen blue hero. Everything went by so fast, instead of the ambulance. It had come a tad too late.

She had answered police questions as well… sitting in a dark room with no light, answering opaque inquiries such as 'what time did you arrive on the sight?' or 'what happened?'… It was all pointless, but never did they mention the body of Auron. Amy had asked where they had put it but they had convinced her that the body was not found. She asked no more but wondered, how could he possibly still be alive to escape?

He couldn't have been. Amy saw him die. She saw him slowly fade in the chokeholds of his snapped neck. He couldn't have lived. But, the possibilities…

Where did the body go?

She decided to shake off the thought. Maybe the body was taken by the police and just not mentioned. Police have a tendency to be stupid once in a while… it's a thought.

She decided to let go of the subject until further weirdness.

Amy's head hastily twisted up as soon as she heard the sounds of opening hospital doors and the stubborn voice of the familiar red echidna. She did not smile, but her face did relax. She exhaled deeply as she carried herself off the uncomfortable parry winkled sofa, her arms and legs sore with wretched agony and her muscles still numb with great shocked. She only stood, for she did not want to take another step. She only wanted to let them know that she was still there…

Still there… alive and unharmed.

"Amy!"

Flinching, Amy felt a warm pair of small arms come around her, embracing her with all their might and covering her with contented warmth. Never had she expected that. Looking at the person who had just hugged her, she was more surprised than ever for some queer reason… Maybe it was the fact that she had never felt such fondness from another person besides Sonic, or maybe she was still not used to people touching her, or hitting her…

…or maybe it was because this person was a friend?

How about all of the above?

It was rather amusing of her to look at everything as a test. A quiz; a challenge. Letters and words from the mouth made her throat dry, and her language weak in speech. Her teeth began to chatter ever so slowly, not a tingle of bitter wintry coming upon her arid fur. She had been dried and given new clothes by the police themselves. They thought it kind to give her a patient's shirt so that she would not freeze to death.

The pink hedgehog looked at the matured fox that stood before her, giving a small smile... that grown, mature minded fox that she had not gotten the chance to know in three years; the one who forgave her was here at her side. She was obliged for the seconds he was with her and for the first time in three years, she didn't feel eternally alone.

"You're alright… Thank God, I was worried…"

The fox's words made tears come to her eyes as she hugged him back, not daring to rush such an instant of time upon her shaking hands. She buried her face into his shoulder, crying softly as the younger brother ran a hand through her quills in supportive comfort. He was soaked to the bone, his coat drenched from the pitters and the patters for which beat against the distained glass outside the hospital doors. Never in her life did she find this to be the most appropriate time to cry. Never had she expected these emotions to hit her so suddenly, especially in the arms of the grown kitsune whom had not gotten a Christmas card since the anecdote of three winters ago. Dirty and disgusted, she had no choice but to let it all out… had she not run away from Sonic, he would have never been shot… and had Sonic never been shot, everyone would have been much happier over her burdened presence.

"… Amy? Is he alright? What happened?"

The kitsune spoke in soft, slow words; afraid to cause a flare on the behalf of Amy, whom he still did not know too well even after a day. He had hoped that maybe during dinner tonight he would have that chance. Unfortunately, dinner was sure to wait… and to Cosmo's dismay, be burned. He gently loosened his hold on the fragile pink hedgehog, whom still continued to cry upon his very shoulder. Her sobs became more deliberate; stronger after such terms escaped across his tongue. Gradually he could feel her hands cling to his coat, and her legs give out from under his knees. Knuckles the Echidna, who had planned to make a smart-ass comment in order to ease the tension in the waiting room, watched in dismay as both of his friends fell to the ground; one hugging the other desperately for more questions, and the other cradling for answers…

Sonic gave a vivacious tug as Tails failed to let go of the beautifully wrapped box placed between both of their palms, its ribbon of suave velvet and its wrapping of an awkward bouncing orange. He smirked as his younger brother bit his lip and held on compactly. One more tug was sure to do it…

"Oh, come on Tails! Be a fair sport!"

The kitsune raised a brow, looking at Sonic with mere confusion and a humorous gaze. Smiling, he exhaled with a loud 'ha' and changed his tone from an ice-lolly gag to a malevolence villain's luring. He held on tightly once further, digging his fingers under the bright gingered dissertation ready to be torn at any set moment given.

"No, way! It's not fair that you do this every year to me and I end up with a broken arm!"

"But Tails, I already have a broken arm!"

The kitsune gave a shortly particular sweat-drop. This had been true.

"Weeeeeell….," and, unfortunately, he was at a loss of words as well.

Sonic took advantage of such a range of thought and gave one final tug on the gift that was rightfully his. Surprised, the kitsune fell forward into Sonic's arms; blushing out of humiliation and violation as the blue hedgehog stuck out his tongue in revolting ownership. Vivid emerald twinkled once more as, suddenly, big blue gave an amused laughter that sparked Tails' fiery irritation.

"Hey! You cheated!"

Sonic smirked. He gave a short nod of the head before tearing at the box with his right hand.

"With one arm, too… geez Tails, you'd think you'd know a guy better."

Burning red with distaste, the fox in full-throttle tackled the eldest in bitter wit. Hilarity rang throughout the room as both brothers fought for what was given to be no particular reason whatsoever. Both laughed flamboyantly as one threw a punch and the other dodged in utterable awareness. On the coach, Amy almost had coughed up her hot chocolate from such a ridiculous sight. Beside her, Shadow only watched in disappointment. Serenely, he glared from one opponent to the next. Not at all did he seem pleased with the on-going violence, nor with the immaturity for which filled the room with utmost joy. He wanted to grab a Santa hat and choke himself with it. Instead, he took another content sip of his coffee. Whatever made Amy happy, he was obviously not okay with.

Then again, it was alright to see her smile.

"Idiots," he murmured to himself.

In the kitchen, the sweet scent of sugared seasons filled the air with the highest might existent. Waiting outside the doorway, Cream the Rabbit and the blackened Knucklehead called for everyone to gather into the dining room. Had the fire alarm gone off, they would have called everyone outside.

"DINNER—," the rabbit piped in joy, though she was quickly interrupted by her burning assistant whose tail was still alit on fire.

"Is…," Knuckles covered his mouth to cough. From a far distance, if was rather hard for the others to admit that he looked like Shadow's twin, "served."

Only had a few minutes passed until everyone was gathered around the table, hands entwined with one another; the spaces in-between Amy's fingers filled with both Sonic and Shadow's individual warmth pulsing through her in the greatest sensation. The tips of her hands tingled with great mirth as all heads were bowed on Tails' say. Amy could feel as her left hand trailed from and down Sonic's arm the hard cast for which entrapped the ability of movement. She opened one eye. Around his chest from under his collar, she could catch sight of the bandage wrapped to and fro his neck down and around his stomach in tight security. She closed her eyes once again. It was painful to look at, especially with the load that it was more than likely her fault…

In a short pause, she had whispered "amen" as everyone else had. All but Shadow, at the least…

"Shadow!" Rouge, who was aggravated to no end of this predicament, slapped the ebony hedgehog upside the head. In great distaste, Shadow huffed.

"Please pass the chicken."

Sonic and Amy had both left the dining room after desert to walk outside, the winter air kissing their cheeks with the heavy dose of contained atmosphere Amy needed. Both were silent as the soft flurry wrapped around their coats like blankets, making the season feel more of console than ever before. Sonic, who was silent the whole way, his cast covered from the mere bracing particles for which fell lightly from the crying sky, made no rush towards the meadow for which they were approaching... Had he been more nervous, he would have turned right back around and grabbed another serving of leftover chili dogs from a few nights ago. Amy followed, unaware of her surroundings before the great oak loomed over her very eyesight. She looked at Sonic with troubled confusion, her cheeks of a rosy red and her lips as blue as an orchid's shadow.

"S-Sonic? W-wh—"

Before she could ask, the blue hedgehog had smoothly pressed his right arm from behind her back. Had she known what was about to happen, she would have never closed her eyes beforehand...

Swiftly and deliberately a collision had occurred. She could feel in wild erection as lips of pure bliss passed over her own brittle pair of scabbed quiescence, making her heart beat a thousand beats an hour at the soft flurries for which conceded in between their icy breaths. The taste of sweet peppermint brushed over both of their tongues as one of her arms passed around Sonic's neck, her fingers feeling the soft fur conceded under his profoundly light quills over his strong neck. She flinched as Sonic little by little passed his arm from around her back to the insides of the coat. She wasn't alert of what had been in his hand, nor did she care at that very moment. The only one who showed attentive heed for that piece of paper was Sonic himself.

Eventually, the hedgehog for which stood before her broke off. Had she known what had just happened, she would have never closed her eyes…

"Merry Christmas," Sonic whispered, laughing only a little as Amy shoved her hand into her tepid coat pockets. She had been disappointed, until the sound of decaying paper reached her numbing ears. Slowly she brought out a piece on lined paper, its edges rough but its writing bear and clear. As her eyes skimmed over what had been written, she could not help but gape in awe. Slowly, a tear passed over her cheek…

"S-sonic…"

The hedgehog shrugged, his face as the same as three years ago.

"Hope you like my song."

Author's Note: Please forgive me for the long wait. Unfortunatley I've had a life for the years I've been gone. Is that such a crime; really?

Anyways, I still should apologize. I know how much you guys have enjoyed this story, so to leave it without a last chapter would be quite disappointing on my part as an author. Please enjoy it if you can. Sadly, my inspiriration for this story has withered away into horrible dust-mytes. If it sucks, please make up your own ending. I'd hate to leave you all disappointed with a piece of work not worthy enough to make you happy.

Reviews are welcomed, though do not think of it as a chore. If you wish not to review, I thank you anyways for reading. Criticism is welcomed. I am an author trying to improve, so to leave a bit of feedback would be most appreciated.

I'd like to thank you all for this wonderful trip and supporting me with this work. Kudos to you all and have a very happy holiday.

From the gingerbread herself, DarkShelby101.