Forever and Always

Shadow's blood eyes shot open when he heard cries for help. First he grew stiff when he realized those cries were getting louder. Was he losing his mind? His crimson eyes darted around Amy's room and then he heard that familiar voice.

It was Adrian. Something was wrong.

Shadow sat up from the bed and the pressure lost from him lying down was enough to wake Amy up. Her groggy eyes looked at Shadow as he stood up. "What….," she was confused.

The ultimate life form looked at her for moment and then brought his attention to the screams when they got louder. He suddenly left the room, which made Amy almost fall out of the bed rummaging for her robe in the plain darkness.

Shadow arrived at Adrian's room and he saw the boy moving about in his sheets. He yelled, "Please no! Don't let them get me!"

Suddenly a father-like attitude washed over Shadow and he walked over to Adrian's bed and shook him. "Wake up Adrian." Shadow suddenly retreated his hand when he felt his moist fur, he was sweating uncontrollably.

Adrian opened his Auburn eyes. "Mommy…"

Amy ran into the room and knelt beside her son. "It's okay sweetie I'm here."

Amy's hand rested on her son's forehead and he looked at his mom with fear written on his face. "Mom….I had that dream again…." he said in short breaths.

The black hedgehog sitting on his bed arched his eyebrow. Dream?

"It's okay Adrian I'm here now." Amy felt the heavy sweat on his head. "Go wash up in the bathroom."

Adrian pulled his covers away and walked out his room there was soon light dimming from the end of the hall showing he was in the bathroom.

Amy sighed as she sat next to Shadow. He looked at her.

"You didn't tell me he had bad dreams."

"He does, it's been going on for awhile now."

"Who is Adrian's father?"

Amy looked at him with shocked eyes and Shadow almost wished he didn't ask.

"His father….?" Amy's eyes traveled down and she fiddled with her hands. She sighed. "Sonic told you to ask me didn't he? He's been botherin' me for weeks about who it is."

Shadow snorted. "No."

Emerald eyes looked suspicious.

"Be reasonable Amy." Shadow rolled his eyes. "You think I would actually take orders from that blue miscreant."

Amy giggled for remembering that old rivalry Sonic and Shadow had between them. "No I guess you wouldn't." She placed her hand upon his arm. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Shadow nodded. "Yes, please tell me."

She bit her lip. "I don't know….."

He blinked. She didn't know? She didn't know who mated with her and put Adrian in her womb. How could she have idea? Maybe she was hiding it from him…she didn't trust him. That made Shadow furious.

He said. "How can you not know? He's Adrian's father!"

She glared at him. "Don't raise your tone at me Shadow!"

The phone rang in the hallway and as if nothing happened Amy stood up calmly and said: "I'll get it." She walked out of the hallway. Leaving Shadow in Adrian's room.

The immortal sighed. Amy was lying to him. He thought she could trust enough to tell him. He was wrong. Well he needed to find out, it just bothered him if he didn't. He looked around Adrian's room, it seemed like any ordinary little kids room. It was filled with toys neatly put in their place and toy soldier figures lay scattered on his table.

If Amy doesn't tell me who the father is, then I'll find out myself.

Shadow stood up and started to open Adrian's drawers, he knew he was invading the boy's privacy but he needed to find out who fathered him. He continued opening drawers until his eyes rested on something that made his robs dilated.

There tucked inside one of his drawers was gold bracelets, but these bracelets were different. He could feel the chaos energy departing from them. Then he looked at his golden bracelets. They were much more powerful than his. What's going on here….

Boom!

Shadow jumped up to the sudden explosion. He zoomed out of Adrian's room fearing of Adrian's and Amy's safety.

Then cold night air rushed at the end of the hallway and Shadow's eyes rested at the figure who stood there unfazed by Shadow's appearance. His cold blood eyes stared back at him, it shone with brilliance through the darkness.

Shadow glared at the newcomer. He knew those devil robotic eyes. "Metal…."

He remembered seeing the Sonic clone it was when he was helping the doctor and he noticed the robot on a heap of scrap metal. It looked so much like Sonic that Shadow almost attacked it thinking it was him. The doctor told him that was one of his failed creations. Why was he using him now?

Amy stood there with the phone still clasped in her hand, frozen from shock.

Adrian heard the noise of the hallway wall being torn and left the bathroom.

They all stared at him. Metal Sonic. He stared at them back emotionless. His blue armor illuminated in the moonlight and then his devil eyes rested on Adrian.

Adrian gasped as he watched Metal's eyes rest on him. The boy wanted to run but his foot seemed glued to the ground.

Amy noticed what Metal was staring at and she motioned for Adrian. "Adrian come over here!" she harshly whispered, even though Metal could hear her.

His robotic arm raised in the air almost like he was summoning energy. "…Give me the boy…" he said plainly.

Amy held her son close as she made a dash towards the stairs. Metal decided to chase them but Shadow blocked his view.

If Metal had eyebrows he would arch them at the way Shadow took a defensive stance against them. …So he wants to battle, then so be it.

Amy held Adrian close as the made their way down the stairs, but his mom was holding him too tight he thought he couldn't breathe, so he protested against her grip. She was confused by what he was doing that her foot twisted around when she was trying to walk down the stairs and she tumbled down.

Adrian watched in horror as he witnessed his mom falling down the stairs. "..Mommy!"

Amy finally went down the last step and she suddenly stood up, which almost shocked Adrian. Then she fell down again her right ankle throbbing in pain. She grabbed it and yelled in agony.

Adrian ran down the steps and kneeled down to face his mother. "Mom are you okay?"

Amy's face was mixed with pain and fright as she sat up gritting her teeth. She lightly pulled Adrian's shirt. "Come on honey." They scooted over to a nearby closet and Amy shut the door as they kept their mouths in the darkness and waited…..

Shadow as always attacked first and lunged at Metal barely dodged his attack, and kicked him in the back of his head making the immortal fall to the ground. Shadow gritted his teeth as his body met the ground. A sharp pain enveloped his body when he tried to move.

Wait? He was feeling pain?

It felt so alien to Shadow. He guess that he enjoyed being the ultimate so much pain wasn't a factor for him.

Shadow stood up slowly and faced Metal with both fists raised. The doctor called him a -failed creation- how can he throw him away if he was bad enough to knock down the ultimate?

Shadow was so caught up in his thoughts he almost got hit by the punch Metal threw at him. Shadow couldn't believe his actions. Trying to hit me while I'm distracted. Hmph…..weak.

The charcoal one kicked Metal's legs making him fall to the ground. Shadow smirked as he saw the robot lay there. He walked to him in slow triumphant steps. Metal's eyes looked up at the ceiling as Shadow looked down on him.

The black hedgehog slowly raised his right hover boot getting ready to slam it down on him, Metal stayed unfazed and Shadow brought it down. Just when he was Metal protected himself using both of his arms formed as an x over his chest. Shadow tried to bring his foot down more, but Metal pushed his foot aside and made Shadow stumble on the ground once more.

Metal scoffed as he slowly sat up. "…And they call you the ultimate." He brushed his shoulders. "Pathetic."

Shadow's face went blank the moment Metal said 'Pathetic'. It was bad enough he insulted him, but to make it worse he used his line against him. He clenched his fists and found new energy, for he suddenly stood up in a fighting stance.

…..If Metal had eyes, he would roll them. "This is nonsense! Just give me the boy! That's what I came for!"

Adrian came to Shadow's mind. "What do you want him for?!"

Even though Metal had the most emotionless eyes, it seemed to reach Shadow and glare at him. "…It doesn't concern you."

Shadow glared at him. "He is my concern!"

Meanwhile Amy and Adrian stayed in the closet motionless as they heard the commotion being heard upstairs.

Adrian held on to his mother for dear life, sweat ran down his forehead when he realized how scared his mother was also. "What does that robot want mommy?" he asked scared.

Amy petted her son softly and whispered into his ear. "Don't worry baby," she cooed, "just close your eyes did is just a bad dream."

Metal turned to the side as he faced Shadow. "I don't have time for this…it's time."

Shadow arched his eyebrow. Time for what?

Metal threw a ball next to Shadow's feet and before the life form knew it, it was emitting gas. It immediately clouded Shadow's view, and without him knowing Metal was making his way down the stairs.

Shadow navigated through the pit of smoke and tried to find his way by putting his hands in front of him. "Metal….where are you--"

Suddenly pain shot through him and he felt himself getting weaker. "Metal…"

He couldn't even find the energy to stand up so he fell to the ground. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. His muzzle grew pale like Sonic's and the crimson light from his eyes dimmed.

Then everything went black.

XxX

Metal made his way down the stairs and into the next hallway he knew exactly where Adrian was. He could feel his chaos pulsating it grew stronger and stronger until Metal found himself in front of a closet door.

He ripped it from its hinges with no effort and there lay Amy and Adrian screaming in unison as they saw Metal there before them. Metal outstretched his hand trying to grab Adrian, but he got a view of Amy's back as she curled herself around Adrian.

Amy's attempts made Metal frustrated. He remembered Amy all right he kidnapped her and Sonic just dropped by to save the day. Sonic…..he grimaced…..he despised that spiky, blue rat.

"What is this," Metal spat. "Protecting something that's not even--yours."

Just when Metal was about to harm Amy, Adrian went on the offensive. "Leave mommy alone!" he yelled.

Adrian glowed and Amy stood silent in amazement as Adrian formed a protected bubble around them and when Metal tried to touch it he went flying to the other side of the wall, creating a huge crack in it.

Metal stood up with fists on each side. "You will not attack your own blood!'

His sentence made Amy's eyes dilate, and when Metal was about to take another step he stopped, and held his arm. He held up his arm and looked at the black liquid trailing down his arm.

Blood?

Wait he had fur. He had a scent! Metal's now real eyes looked back at Adrian who was still wrapped around Amy's arms. He made him real….again.

His eyes trailed down. "You truly are my son."

He walked over to them again and Amy yelled in protest. He ignored her yells and with no effort at all he snatched Adrian away from her arms. Amy sobbed loudly as Adrian's hands slipped away from hers.

Adrian's auburn eyes now glistened with tears as he tried to reach for his mother. "Momma! Momma!"

Metal stopped walking when his blood red eyes scanned over a picture of Sonic the Hedgehog. Fury was mixed in his eyes when looked at the photo of the blue hedgehog smiling.

He turned to face Amy with Adrian still in his clutches. "All dreams must rot in flames."

Metal shot a chaos spear on the ceiling light above causing sparks to fly everywhere and create small flames to erupt around them.

Amy couldn't believe her eyes. No….this can't be happening.

Metal yelled chaos control and they disappeared, little did Metal know though, that when he did, she rushed to his side and grabbed his leg, making her disappear also. The blast from the chaos control made the flames sprout even more and soon Sonic's home engulfed in fire.

XxX

Sonic was walking home still feeling bad about what happened to him between him and Knuckles. Surely what he said to him can make him feel better. It just seemed so weird to him that the stoic guardian would run away like that.

Looks like everyone has a soft spot.

Sonic stopped and turned around. No, it couldn't be, it seemed like something out of a horror film. Yes it was true his house was in flames. His beautiful perfect pearl white house was stained in black ash. There was an orange glow in the first floor, and on the other floors smoke rose from the windows.

Suddenly something struck the hedgehog like his worst nightmare coming true. "Adrian!" he called out no response. "Amy!" he got no response from her also.

Then he looked back at the burning building and rushed inside, he was slowed down by the immense heat and smoke, but that didn't stop him. He held one arm close to his face.

"Adrian!"

The fames roared back at him as if saying: "Back off!" But Sonic didn't faze he wasn't going to rest until he knows they're both safe.

He checked the first floor and saw nothing but orange. Sonic walked up the stairs fire dancing alone the hallway walls. He went up there and checked the hallway where Adrian and Amy slept. That's when he saw them.

It was Shadow himself he was on the floor, knocked out. Sonic rushed to his side and shook him. "Shadow? Speak to me."

Shadow didn't say anything his eyes were closed and he seemed to be mumbling words.

The blue one kneeled to his side. "Don't worry buddy I'll getcha out."

Sonic threw Shadow over his back and stumbled a little as he walked. Shadow was heavy to carry. Sonic left the hallway but when he reached the stairs, the ceiling above the stairs fell down collapsing on it. Now the stairs were nothing but a burning hellfire.

Sonic watched in amazement. "….Crap….."

This just didn't make any sense for the blue hedgehog. Here he was his house on fire, he was carrying Shadow on his back. There was so many questions to be answered.

"Where's Amy and Adrian? Who put my house on fire?'

"Metal….he took them….I failed."

Sonic blinked. "Metal?"

He was getting nostalgia he remembered Metal back in the day when he kidnapped Amy. He thought he destroyed that bastard.

Sonic felt the heat getting more intense and he backed slowly from the flames. The staircase was destroyed. They were trapped. Sonic said to Shadow. "How about you choas control us out of here buddy?'

But Shadow didn't hear him he was in his own world mumbling words that had no relativity to the situation at hand. Sonic gulped.

It looked like this was the end for them.

Sonic closed his eyes and wished something would happen that would get them out of this mess. It seemed like it worked because the ground beneath them shook and soon the ground gave out making Sonic and Shadow fall to the first floor.

Shadow groaned on the floor motionless, as Sonic tried to sit up. He pulled Shadow on his back and the smoke got more thick he couldn't see a thing. Sonic just started to wander around and then hope….

There was light at the door, his front door. Sonic immediately ran to it and when he felt the fresh air hit his face he collapsed on the ground.

Soon hands started to reach out for him and Sonic yelled in protest.

But soon his vision cleared and those hands were those of the Station Square Fire Department, but Sonic still refused them. He pointed to Shadow who lay next to him barely breathing.