Chapter nine: Promises.

As soon, as Amy returned to the party, the first thing she did was to look for Shadow, she found the dark hedgehog, he was standing in one corner of the room quietly sipping lemonade.

As if the red and black hedgehog had felt Amy's gaze on him, he slowly turned and looked at her. Those ruby eyes held a question, one that the pink hedgehog could understand easily, that question being, so are you mine, or are you his?

With a wide smile, Amy crossed the room to Shadow, she looked up at him and smiled slowly. "Sorry about that, there were some thing that Sonic, wanted to talk to me about."

"I see. May I ask, what the out come of this talk was?" The dark hedgehog asked the pink one beside him softly.

Amy blushed slightly, Shadow felt his heart sink, this was the point, were the young pink hedgehog told him that she and the blue hero were together as a couple now. "We decided to just be friends from now on."

The pink hedgehog watched an expression of surprise flicker across the face of the ruby red and ebony black hedgehog beside her and then watched as a slow, small smile spread over his features. "Oh I see, and you are okay with that?"

Amy nodded and then answered the question. "Yeah I'm fine with that, I don't love Sonic any more, I'm over him. I mean it too, I really am over Sonic for good now." There was a note of happiness in the young pink hedgehog's voice and she watched, as the small smile on Shadows face deepened into one of his rare real smiles.

The dark hedgehog looked out side and then back to his pink companion. "It's getting rather late, would you like me to walk you home?" Shadow offered, Amy kindly.

The pink hedgehog beamed a wide smile up, at the dark hedgehog beside her. "Yes, your right Shadow, it is getting late and I would like you to walk me home."

Shadow placed his glass down on a near by table, Amy quickly made her way round her friends, thanking them once more for her gifts and saying good bye.

All the eyes in the room, followed Amy as she walked back to Shadow, who held an arm out to her gallantly, the pink hedgehog, blushed slightly, but put her arm threw his and they walked out into the fading light.

Rouge and Vanilla were shearing a knowing smile, as the two left, knuckles noticed and said, as only knuckles, really can say. "What are you two smiling about?"

"Nothing Knuckles." Said vanilla softly.

Shadow and Amy had stopped on the way to her house, they were standing together watching the last of the sun set. "How lovely." Amy said wistfully.

The black and red hedgehog's eyes fell on her and he spoke gently. "Yes the sunset is nice, but you are much more beautiful."

Slowly, the pink hedgehog's eyes came up to meet the dark hedgehog's red ones, there was nothing but honesty in his eyes and Amy couldn't help but blush slightly. "Stop it Shadow, you're making my blush."

A slow smile spread across Shadows face once more. "But, you look cute, when you blush." He said simply and watched as, the young pink hedgehog blushed an even deeper shade of red.

A silence fell over them for a moment, as the blushing pink hedgehog stood, staring up into the dark hedgehog's ruby eyes, nether of them wanted to look away, in fact Amy wanted him to kiss her again and as if he had read her mind Shadow began to lean closer.

Just as his lips were about to touch hers again, the dark hedgehog spoke. "Are you sure about giving up on the Faker?"

Amy didn't answer that question with words, at least not for now, instead the young pink hedgehog, raised her hands, she put them to the back of his head, between shadows red and black quills and brought his lips to hers.

The dark hedgehog's eyes widened, even as Amy's jade green ones closed, with a small smile, Shadow put his arms round the pink hedgehog and drew her close to him. Amy leant into the kiss, the pink hedgehog didn't want to miss one moment of this, it was just so perfect, but eventually they both had to pull back for air.

After the kiss Amy was the first out of the pair to speak. "Yes Shadow, I am over Sonic, completely cured."

Slowly the dark hedgehog smiled, at the pink hedgehog before him. "That's good."

Amy could hear a thoughtful note to Shadows voice as he said that and she looked at him inquisitively. "What are you thinking about Shadow?"

"Lots of things, but mostly. . . well, . . . maybe I should. . . then again maybe I shouldn't. . ." The black and red hedgehog said rather cryptically.

Before Amy could speak, or even think, Shadow was slowly kneeling down on one knee in front of her, his head was bowed and his eyes were closed. For any one who would, have seen them at that moment, there were two silhouettes against the dyeing sun, Shadow looked like a knight before his lady, in days long gone by.

The young pink hedgehog's eyes went very wide and she could only wonder what the dark hedgehog was up to. All of those thoughts vanished from Amy's mind as the red and black hedgehog spoke. "Ever since I lost Maria . . . I have felt as if I had no purpose, no reason to live. You Amy Rose, gave me a purpose and a reason to live, once more, for that I am truly grateful. I have come to feel so much for you, so deeply, that I cannot even begin to describe it. . . I don't even want to try. . . there is one thing, I know though and that is I love you Amy rose. I would be greatly honoured if you would have me to protect you? If you would let me replace the hero you lost. . .?"

Amy stared down at the top of Shadow's head, her eyes were very wide, she knew that she should say something, do something but, what was fitting for such a heartfelt declaration? May be one of her own and an acceptance of the dark hedgehog's one.

Gently the pink hedgehog placed her hand on top, of Shadow's bowed head. "I would be happy to have you as my protector, but I would be even happier to have you as my hero, I couldn't think of any one else, that I could be more glad to have, to hold such a position in my life and in my heart."

As she said heart, Amy watched as slowly, the red and black hedgehog's ruby red eyes opened, his head came up too look at her, the pink hedgehog offered her hands to her dark hero and he took them gently in his own.

The young pink hedgehog gave Shadows hands a tug, asking his silently to stand, which the dark hedgehog did, he then looked down at Amy, she could see that there was hope in Shadow's eyes, a hope that he dared not voice.

Gently Amy reached up and stroked the side of Shadow's face. "No, one has ever done such a romantic thing for me before Shadow. Thank you, and there is something that I want to confess to you."

"Yes, what is it, that you wish to tell me?" The dark hedgehog asked her quietly.

"I fell out of love with Sonic. . . but then I fell in love all over again." Amy watched as the hope that had lit Shadow's eyes died slightly, he wasn't expecting the one she loved to be him.

Slowly, Amy continued to stroke one of Shadow's cheeks, bravely she placed one arm round the dark hedgehog's waist and watched an expression of surprise flicker across his face. "When I fell in love again, it was so incredibly deep, so fast, but so pure and true, it was the kind of love, which I had always wanted. and that I had always thought I would find with Sonic. . . But I was wrong . . so very wrong . . . I didn't find that love with Sonic. . . I found that kind of love with you. I love you Shadow the hedgehog, don't ever leave me. I want nothing more then to be the Shadow's rose. . ."

The dark hedgehog, blinked with momentary confusion, as Amy berried her head in his shoulder and then happiness spread threw him.

Silently, the dark hedgehog looked up at the sky, he thanked Maria up there in heaven, for saving him that day and told her that he was happy, before looking down once more at the pink head berried in his shoulder.

It was almost impossible for Shadow to believe that Amy loved him, just the way he loved her, the dark hedgehog had even liked what she had called herself, Shadow's rose it sounded good to him.

Then there had been the fact, that the young pink hedgehog had said that she didn't want him to leave her ever. . . wait did that mean that she . . .? Well there was only one to find out the answer to that question, Shadow decided. "Amy, you really want me to be with you always?" The dark hedgehog asked the pink hedgehog, the only answer he received was a nod of the head.

Carefully the red and black hedgehog hugged the pink one closer to him, Shadow bent his head down slightly, he nuzzled her hair for a moment and then whispered to her ear softly. "Does that mean you want to marry me?"

Shadow felt Amy go very still in his arms, the dark hedgehog momentarily wondered if he had said the wrong thing, but as the young pink hedgehog leant back in his arms and stared up into his ruby eyes, he knew it had been the right question to ask her.

Those green eyes that the red and black hedgehog loved so much, were full of joy and love, all for him and no one else. Shadow watch her face as a wide smile slowly spreading across the face of the pink hedgehog he loved and as Amy smiled at him, Shadow couldn't help but smile back at her.

In a whisper the pink hedgehog answered his question. "Yes Shadow I want to marry you. I love you, I want to be with you forever."

Shadow's smile grew, into one of his real ones. "Well then I shall have to see, to getting you a proper ring and setting a date then. . ."

Amy stared up at Shadow for a moment, completely shocked, he hadn't run away, in fact the dark hedgehog was positivity beaming and the pink hedgehog was glad.

Amy let out a small contented sigh, it looked like she had found the right one for her. "Yes, but can we make it soon . . ."

The black and red hedgehog's ruby eyes met, the young pink hedgehog's green ones. "If you would like to, then of cause we can make the wedding soon."

"Yes I would like, that very much. . ." Amy said gently and then she spoke again shyly. "My Shadow . . .?"

"Yes my Amy, what is it?" He asked her softly.

Amy bit her lip slightly, but carried on gazing up into his eyes. "Will you, kiss me again, please?"

The dark hedgehog laughed slightly, then brought his lips down to meet hers, in a soft and passionate kiss. Amy closed her eyes and leant into the kiss, Shadow deepened the kiss and smiled as Amy responded to him.

Finally the Shadow had his Rose and the Rose had her Shadow, the pink hedgehog would be the Shadow's rose from that day until the end of time.

Slowly they pulled apart from the kiss, and Shadow pulled Amy close to him, two silhouette's of embracing hedgehog's, could be seen against the setting sun, two silhouette that were so close to each other that they looked like one.

(Yay, done! Unless you really want me to do the wedding!. . . Any way happiness! I'll see you all the next time I write a fic. . . at least I hope I will!)