'I'm still waiting…'

A sable and crimson hedgehog walked up the sidewalk to a simple white house, walking into the small home confidently.

"Amy! Are you ready?"

A pale pink hedgehog with emerald eyes stepped out from the kitchen, a familiar blue tinged, silken white dress hung over her attractive form. He smiled at seeing her in it. This dress would forever haunt his memories, now in a good way. The elegant female approached him, slipping her arms under his quills to wrap them around his neck before she kissed him.

"You kept me waiting, but even still, it's not been as long as I've kept you."

He smirked at her humor. Now he could find it amusing. A month ago, he would have felt the familiar tinge of heartache, but no longer. The last month of Shadow's life had been the best of his existence, and his precious mate's as well.

The two emerged from their domicile together, hands interlocking like young lovers as they walked out to enjoy the sunny weather and the setting amber hued sun. They talked over their perspective days, plans, their past, and their future…

"Sonic asked me to send you greetings from himself and Rouge. I appreciate how civil he has been about all of this, but then he did get what he wanted in the end. I also spoke with Knuckles today. He has been communicating with Tikal through the Master emerald. She said someone is coming for him, and this future mate with be like him, an Echidna. He was quite grateful to find out he is not the last of his kind. I must admit, never thought I would see someone as relaxed about catching his girlfriend with another male as he was."

Amy smiled to her darker hedgehog boyfriend. "Well when I saw Knuckles after he caught Rouge and Sonic together, I wouldn't say he was very calm." Amy looked solemnly to the ground before her feet. "Can you imagine how terrible that must've been? The day after Sonic left the house when we told him about us- he runs off to go stay with Rouge only for poor Knuckles to show up for a surprise early morning visit and catch his best-friend and girlfriend in bed together. If I didn't know any better I'd think he got that cool, levelheaded charm of his back, but it's too bad he had to go through all of that to get to this point though."

Shadow's deep voice sounded so pensive as they stepped off the cement walkway to continue their journey over the naturally covered ground. "We have experienced a lot since we all matured. It's to be expected, but it would have been nice to get to this point with so much less of the dramatics, especially between the two of us."

Amy sighed in woe. "I wish I had more time with you, like forever."

A smirk grew on the black hedgehog's face. "You haven't noticed have you? Since we have been together you haven't aged much at all, unlike the others. I think it has to do with us having such… close contact." The smirk grew as he said the last two words, enjoying her expression of flirtation at hearing him.

"Oh really? Mr. Ultimate Life-form" Changing her voice to its sweeter, innocent tone. "And with all this close contact do you think we will have kids any time soon?"

"The likelihood that Rouge will be carrying Sonic's child is greater." Shadow fought down his own insecurity to keep her from hearing his own concern. "I honestly don't know if we can have offspring. Does it matter to you that much?"

Amy smiled brightly to him as she shook her head angelically in response. "No, as long as I get to marry you."

As if on cue, Shadow stopped them from walking any further and took hold of Amy's free hand, making her give him all of her attention until she began to realize where they were, looking around until she fixed her bright, verdant eyes on him with a nervous blush.

"This is our place, where we first connected, where we grew together, and most of all, where we fell in love. I waited for you for such a long time Amy Rose, and now I must ask you-" Shadow kneeled to the ground before her, pulling from his pants pocket a small satin jewelry box. "Will you marry me Amy Rose? Will you be mine, and only mine?"

His eyes eagerly took in her vision, fear and concern mixing with the nervous excitement in him, while he watched her expression of flushed shock grow into a euphoric rapture.

"Ooh, Shadow! YES! Of course I would love to marry you!" She jumped into the patiently waiting male's arms, knocking them both to the ground is her ecstatic bliss. He quickly slid the ring onto her finger before returning to their passionate display of affection, both wanting nothing more than to hurry home to continue their personal celebration, in amorous privacy.

After their moment of ecstasy calmed down Shadow helped up his newly engaged fiancé, and paused their happiness to tell her what his recently healed heart needed him to say. "I waited for you for so long Amy… and now you are finally mine. Forever."

Amy touched his cheek gingerly, her engagement ring shining brightly against their fur. "And I will always be yours Shadow, forever."

thank you to Prosha, Shade, and Sonicfan18 for their help in reviewing, and most important part, being supportive friends. thank you to those that help inspire me and encourage me every day as well with their great works

inspirational music: New Kids on the Block "Dirty Dancing", Jesse McCartney "How Do You Sleep?", Kelly Clarkson " My Life Would Suck Without You", September "Cry for You", 3Oh!3 "Don't Trust Me", and Metro Station "Seventeen Forever"

inspirational pictures: i looked at my own "I'm Lost in Love With You" on dA, and used Shadow's clubbing clothing choices i had drawn up - i'm sure there are more i cant think of off hand ^^;