Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow the Hedgehog, Amy Rose or any Sonic Team related characters. No surprises there X3 I own my three Shadow plushies though! -Huggles them tightly- I own Kayleigh though.

A/N: I'd like to thank ShadowAmyPunk, Elys, Sonicfan18 and Little Fortune Cookie. You guys are the best! X3 ShadAmy

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The Hitch-hiker

A sigh fell from faintly painted lips as blue eyes travelled to the other occupant of her car. He had not spoken a word since he had taken a seat beside her! She didn't even know what possessed her to pick up the hitch-hiker in the first place, it was a warm evening, the sun was barely setting over the horizon, so he could have easily found somewhere else to go or somewhere to stay. Sparing a glance at him, she sighed again - she knew the reason: He was gorgeous! Setting her eyes back on the road, she switched her lights on and set her hand back on the steering wheel, finding the courage to break the awkward silence

"Where are you headed?" she finally spoke, not removing her eyes from the road, but she could feel his gaze burning into her

"As far as I want," he responded after awhile. His voice was so deep and sexual, it sent sensual shivers down her spine, making her long feline tail sway in delight. If he not been so handsome, that attitude of his would have been the end of line in her car! She would have thrown him out of the moving vehicle!

"My name is Kayleigh by the way," in looking over and seeing his bored gaze, she blushed "Thought it would be polite to introduce myself since we're going to be in here for awhile..."

"Charmed..." he sneered, keeping his name to himself. Her brown furred ears lowered at his lack of etiquette. Grumbling, she flipped her bangs from her vision and gripped the wheel, her claws digging into the leather. His attitude stinks!

A few miles of awkward silence passed and the brown cat fidgeted as she reached for the volume controls for the radio - she was sick of the tense atmosphere in the small space between them. Ignoring his intense gaze, she smiled at the melody that drifted through her speakers, well she was enjoying it until her car's engine cut-out. Panicking, Kayleigh managed to pull over to the verge of the road without doing any damage. Turning the key in the ignition a few times she growled when it only made sounds of resistance.

"Oh, that's just fan-fucking-tastic," she hissed unhappily, her claws deepening in the plush covered plastic of the door. Briefly looking at the fuel gauge, she growled at seeing it was half empty. There was no reason for it to just die like that!! "At least I have light and music," she muttered, unclasping her seatbelt. However, her passenger did not seem phased by the unexpected complication in their journey and his emotionless expression made her worry. "Are you okay?" she attempted conversation with him again.

"Fine"

"Good," she growled to him rudely, she had had enough of his attitude - no matter how attractive he was no one should be that rude! She caught his eyes and a blush shot over her face at seeing how close he was to her

"Do you want me to check the engine?" he asked, his hand resting on the door handle from his position.

"Oh!" the female exclaimed, a smile appearing on her lips. "If you would, please!" Watching him smirk and step out of the vehicle, she pulled the lever to pop the hood. From her vantage point she admired the way his muscles moved under his fur as he lifted the metal obstruction and she sighed happily. Relaxing back, Kayleigh ran her fingers over the wooden detailing on the door, looking at his body through the gap at the bottom of her windshield. As she leant forwards to get an un-noticed closer look, her headlights went out and the tune from her radio died away, leaving her in complete, silent darkness. Squeaking in fear, she rolled down her window

"Hey?" she called, to the mysterious hitch-hiker "Are you okay?" Waiting for a few moments, she slowly stepped out of her vehicle and cautiously made her way to the front. Her eyes widened and her ears dropped back against her head when she found no one there. Desperately looking around for him in fright - but in seeing no sign of him, she hurriedly began pulling at the stand that was keeping the hood up. A small whimper fell from her throat as it jammed against the safety ledge on the slot,the sound of terror getting worse as she worried over where her missing passenger had gone. As she pulled back again, a gloved hand shot over her shoulder and a relieved sigh came from the feline at seeing the help being offered. As she was about to voice her thanks, she felt his other hand on the back of her head and then forced it forwards, smashing her nose against the engine. A horrified scream of pain emitted through her blood soaked lips as she struggled.

"Wh-what are you do-doing?" she asked, but her only response was him repeating the process, but this time against the the boiling components of the vehicle. Yanking back on the stand in his grip, it ripped loose, falling with a clatter and as the hood began to fall, he caught it in one hand to keep it elevated; while he pulled her head back to let her neck rest across the latch to lock it down. Kayleigh struggled against his abnormally powerful grip, but as she felt the greasy mechanism put pressure on her throat, she burst into tears "Why are yo-you doing th-this?!" she cried out painfully, her voice being distorted by the strain on her windpipe. The hitch-hiker merely smirked as he dropped the bonnet, the sickening sound of the latch tearing into her neck, the small crack of the bones breaking and the sound of desperate, blood constrained breathing filled the desolate surroundings. The murderous hitch-hiker watched as the thick red liquid trickle down the metalwork and license plate to pool on the ground below her convulsing body. Small bubbles escaped the gaping wound in her skin and fur as crimson blood dripped onto the engine from her parted lips. Chuckling at his handiwork, his eyes closed as his body began to turn transparent and as he vanished, the sounds of the engine re-starting and the hushed vocals on the radio filled the eerie night air.

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Driving along, a pink feminine hand reached forwards to push her favourite CD into her in-car stereo, skipping to track three, a smile washed over her lips. Amy happily sang along to the sweet lyrics, her window down and her sunglasses covering her joyous emerald eyes. She enjoyed these care-free moments in her tranquil life and although driving required a lot of concentration, she considered the experience to be one of those moments. She could go where she pleased and that was one of the main reasons behind getting her driving license. She was quite happy to leave her friends and ex-boyfriend behind and she was so thankful that they understood and supported her - Even giving her fuel money! Looking at the time carried on driving down the highway, following the speed limit. Life is good.

Smiling as she pulled into a gas station, she stepped from her vehicle to begin filling her car with fuel. Lifting her sunglasses, she looked around until her eyes came across a huge, dark gray storm cloud.

"Rain's on it's way," a male voice interrupted her thoughts, making her jump "Should be quite a down-pour since we've had none in awhile"

"Oh," she muttered, turning her head to look at him "Thank you for letting me know"

"It's a pleasure! It can get dangerous around these parts when it's really wet," he nodded in a 'farewell' gesture and walked into the diner attatched to the station. Lowering her ears, the pink female wondered if he was talking about those gruesome murders that had been reported... But they were miles away from her current location and nothing had happened for awhile now. Shaking her head, she concentrated back on the numbers whizzing by as the cost of her petrol increased.

After paying for her fuel, Amy slipped back into her car and drove back onto the main road, her sunglasses still perched on her forehead. As she turned onto a long stretch of tarmac, the heavens opened. Blinking, she leant forwards to see the sky through the protective glass and giggled; the old man at the diner was right! Flicking her windscreen wipers on, she hummed softly to herself and her green orbs caught sight of a lone figure on the verge, their thumb sticking out into the road. Lightening flashed overhead and she saw the red gleam of his eyes during the light. Biting her bottom lip, she passed his drenched form - looking in her rear-view mirror, she had a change of heart and slammed her foot on the brake. Selecting reverse, she moved backwards to come to a stop next to him

"Hey!" she called to him, opening the window so he could hear her and when those cerise eyes looked over to her, she blushed "Um... Hop in?" Amy watched as her car door opened, the light shining on a handsome ebony and crimson hedgehog as he took a seat beside her "Uh, I don't usually pick up hitch-hikers, but I couldn't leave you in the rain, it'll be dark in about ten minutes... So I'll drop you at a motel, okay?"

"That will be adequate," he responded, reaching around to click his seatbelt on.

"Off we go then... Uh, can I ask for your name?"

"Shadow," he replied, lifting his foot and placing it on the dashboard to get comfortable

"Nice to be driving you somewhere Shadow! I'm Amy," she smiled in her little joke, but in seeing his attention elsewhere, she blushed and set off again. As she carried on with her journey, she noticed her passenger had fallen asleep, in seeing he was still damp, Amy turned the heater on and directed the blower towards the onyx male, helping to dry his fur before he caught a cold. Leaning back in her chair, she squinted out of the windshield to look at the road sign that was steadily approaching. Smiling, she took the next exit, a sigh falling from her lips. Good thing the motel isn't that far away now, this rain is getting unbearable!

A few seconds later, the engine began spluttering and her accelerator pedal jammed. A loud frightened sound fell from the rose female as she gently turned the wheel and slammed her foot on the brake. The car skidded on the asphalt before coming to a 'textbook' halt at the roadside, she hit her head against the centre of the steering wheel, making the horn blare through the silence. Jumping up, she looked to her passenger, only to find his enchanting red eyes staring at her

"Sorry," she squeaked "I didn't mean to wake you... My car just up and died on me!" she whimpered, collapsing back against her seat "It's never done that before"

"Do you wish for me to take a look at the engine for you?" he paused to smirk "So you can feel safe?"

"NO!" she shouted, grabbing his arm; her emerald eyes wide with terror "You can't leave me!" The ebony male looked at the hands on his arm before his gaze lifted to greet her face

"Why?" he finally asked, looking through the window to distance himself

"You haven't heard?!" Amy exclaimed, her pink furred ears lowering as she looked around in worry "You see Shadow, people have been getting murdered on quiet country roads... Like this one!" she paused to regain her scared breath "They've been finding women dead next to or under the hood of their cars! I don't think you or I want to end up like them!" Her tone was so desperate, it made him release the grip he had on the door handle

"Acceptable reasoning," he mumbled, leaning back in his seat. The rose hedgehog smiled in relief and gratitude

"Thank you," she sighed out happily - not wanting to voice the real reason that she didn't want to be left on her own. As she was about to release his red streaked arm, her vehicles electrics failed and they were both sent into deafening silence and darkness.

Jumping up at the second sudden malfunction of her vehicle, Amy crawled across onto her passengers lap in fear about what was happening - she didn't care who he was, or that they had only just been recently acquainted; she wanted and needed comfort! As she went to hide in the crook of his neck, a deep and malicious chuckle arose from the back of her car. Gazing over the seat, she saw him sat on the sleek leather, smirking devilishly at her. Lifting his index finger, he beckoned her to him, his eyelids lowering in his act of seductive jeering

"Do you know why they haven't caught him?" he asked, reaching his hand through the headrest to play with her quills, the car simultaneously locking itself to prevent her escape "They can't catch someone who is already dead!" A scream finally made it's way from her terrified throat as his black furred body moved through the seat "Though I must say, none of the females before have been as attractive as you..." he loomed over her alluringly, his hands briefly cupping her face before he pressed his lips to hers, stopping the small whimpers escaping from her frightened form. Moving his hands from her chin, one of them hovered over her ample bosom, whilst the other forced itself under her backside, giving it a taunting squeeze. As soon as he felt her body jerk away from his hand, he slipped his other hand against her breast, pushing his transparent fingers through her chest and grasped her heart. Fidgeting in his tight grip, her hands desperately tried to remove him from her body to get the painful pressure from her most vital organ. Crimson eyes observed her hands as they flew through his translucent form as he kept his fingers clamped around the struggling muscle. Watching as she gasped for breath, he witnessed the life drain away from her bright jade eyes and he soon felt the main veins and arteries burst from the strain. Her body went limp in his arms and he replaced her back into the drivers position. Closing his eyes, he spoke two words and when he re-opened his eyes, he was staring at the small vehicle. Turning, he began walking away, his body gradually disappearing and his ear perked as the lights came on and the radio pulsed it's musical delights to the dead driver. The engine roared to life, his ears turning slightly towards the sound as he had almost completely vanished. When only part of his body and head was still visible on the mortal plains, he turned his head to look at the car of his most recent victim - he shook his head with a sigh

"Damned shame..." he uttered, his red eyes disappearing into the night.