Chapter Four:

Warmth pressed through a body of fur like sun warming skin in the heat of summer. Similar to a child opening its eyes for the first time, eyelids fluttered open to the unexpected white of light. Nothing could be seen, but strangely he began to wonder if he was alive.

Shadow looked upon his body in the vastness of his white surroundings, the black contrasting dramatically. His wounds, his scars, and modernized wardrobe was gone- leaving him looking as he had when he was younger, when his closest friends and his wife were alive. He hovered in the serenity around him, until he felt his shoes graze against a hard surface. He looked down- nothing was there- but he could feel it was a surface none the less, and stood uncertain of his surroundings.

"shad-dow"

His ears flicked upon hearing his name in a faint voice. It was familiar, but he couldn't place whose voice it was. He turned his head in the direction he thought the sound emanated from, and noticed a bright light spreading out before him. He raised an arm to shield his eyes and put his other arm out before him in guard. The light hovered just before him as though it waited for him to approach it, and Shadow boldly reach out to touch it. As his gloved hand faintly connected with the radiating beams, he was suddenly enveloped in the blinding light.

He lowered his arm and slowly opened his eyes to a hazy view of colors around him. After blinking a few times, the colors cleared to reveal themselves. He was in a room, much like a parlor or a visiting area, surrounded by his friends as they looked in their prime, sitting on furniture around the room. As he looked around in shock, his eyes fell upon and remembered each name, as he searched the place from his right to his left-

Rouge and Knuckles- Cream and Tails, Sonic-

After finally looking completely to his left, he saw the last person for his eyes to see in the room, seated on a loveseat near him.

"Amy." Shadow breathed. His mouth gaped and his eyes had briefly gone wide, but as he sat they softened into an affectionate gaze as he stared at her.

She smiled sweetly to him, her eyes sparkling as though they wanted to scream how much she had missed him, and as he clasped her hands in his, her smile broadened to a grin.

"She missed you. She's waited here this whole time for you to show up." Sonic's words were heard, but Shadow's eyes did not falter from their hold on Amy Rose's face.

Amy Rose blushed and looked down in a demure manner.

"Is that true Rose?" Shadow asked, still looking to her face.

Amy looked up, still blushed in her cheeks. "Yes Shadow- I missed you and I couldn't wait for the moment I might someday see you again. I had to wait here for you in the hope that someday you would come."

Shadow felt warmth flow through his body in listening to her voice, and after smiling to her with his eyes, he finally looked around to the others, "Where are we?"

"It's not really a place- more like an entrance to what's ahead." Tails answered in a confident tone, as though it was all there was to know of the place. "Basically it appears as what would be most comfortable to the arriver."

Shadow looked to the others as they stood and gathered in the middle of the room. The bright light appeared once more- almost like a portal- and each one began to step through. Sonic waited to be last, and looked over his shoulder before he entered. "We'll be waiting for you on the other side. Don't be too long." He winked and jumped through into the brilliant white radiance.

Shadow looked back to Amy Rose and grasped her tightly to him, his eyes glazing in joy. Amy tightly pulled his body against her as hard as she could. They separated apart only enough to be able to press their lips passionately against the others.

"Oh, I missed you Rose!" Shadow forced out between the seals of their lips and the crushing hugs they gave to eachother. "I love you so much- you have no idea!"

Amy gasped out her words, as Shadow spoke his in turn. "I missed you - and I love you too! - I know! - I feel the same!"

After their fervent show of affection eased, they finally stood together holding hands, and approached the light. Amy Rose stepped ahead and released Shadows hand. She looked to him warmly and giggled as she turned back forward and undaunted, ran into the light. Shadow shook his head with a smile. "So this is how it is." he affirmed to himself. With a determined smirk, he readied himself and launched into the brilliancy to start his life anew with his Rose at his side once more.

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I wrote this is in the thought that, no matter what happens over time, or how long you are separated- or come what may- someone could love another forever.