This is my finest hour. My crowning glory is this fiction. And for the those people who read it regularly...thank you.

Starlight sighed. She could have sworn this guard was simply trying to make her life miserable. She had come down the stairs to the dungeon to try and sneak Amy some extra food.

"Let me through!"

"No one's allowed to see the prisoners."

"Not even the ex-sherrif's daughter?"

"Not even." She scowled, prepared to scratch the man's eyes out. Suddenly a deep chuckle came from behind. she turned and the guard took a stiff pose. Knuckles was standing behind them.

"Let her pass." The guard nodded and unlocked the door. Starlight sighed and entered quickly to try and lose the echidna. He followed.

"I'm sorry about your servant. I know women can grow attached to things like that-" She stopped and gave him such a look he shifted his gaze away.

"What I'm saying is, I wish Shadow wouldn't hang her." Starlight sighed.

"So there is some goodness in you." They reached the bottom of the steps and continued forwards.

"I'm not a cold blooded killer, as much as those outlaws would like you to think." A tear pushed past her defences. Knuckles stopped her and wiped it off.

"I will be alright. I promise. I will do everything I can, until there is not a breath left in me to make you happy." He was trying to console her. Her eyes widened. She had never seen such compassion from him before.

"T-Thank you." He nodded. Despite herself she blushed, pulling away. Before he could reproach a sob broke the newborn silence.

"Star?" The woman turned, quick as lightning to see her servant sitting in the middle of a little cell. To her left and right were two men, each reaching desperately through the bars to grab her. She was barely safe from them dead center. Star hurried over and opened the door, embracing her servant. Knuckles came over and whipped the men trying to molest Amy.

"I'm so glad to see you're alright!" Star said, pulling out of the hug. Amy nodded.

"For now at least." Star sighed, pushing Amy's head down to her bosom to whisper something. Envious Knuckles, although watching intently, stepped back a few inches to give them privacy. Women were allowed to have their little secrets.

Echo was up before the sun. He stood outside of the Hollow wondering. How was he going to take down the sherrif? How was he going to fight the taxes? How was he going to keep Starlight? He sighed. It was best not to worry about her until here after: when he will not be preoccupied with other things. Soon he heard the door open. Heavy footsteps followed and he was joined by Vector.

"Hey boss."

"Hey Vector."

"What are you thinking about?"

"That Starlight girl I told you about."

"I used to have a wife you know." Vector sighed, closing his eyes. Echo looked at him curiously.

"What was it like?" Echo's eyes widened with curiosity. Vector smirked.

"Sex? It was-"

"No not that. Being married, period."

"It wasn't always great, but it had some great parts. Sex for instance-" Echo stopped him there.

"I think I'd like to be surprised." Vector smirked.

"Good for you." He sensed his own intrusion and decided to sneak back inside the hollow. Echo sighed and sat down, now thoroughly alone.

"Starlight...I will marry you. I will." he whispered. Soon his own emotions grew to strong and he had to hide his head between his arms.

"Knuckles! Stop!" Starlight moaned, walking further down the corridor. He chuckled in response.

"I don't want too." She stopped and turned to him on her heel.

"I mean it." He kissed her forehead as a response. Was he taking lessons from Echo?

"Are you drunk?" She asked him. He laughed.

"If I'm drunk you know what with." She forced back a smile and turn quickly, now almost running away from him. Her mission was clear: Go to the Hollow and wait for Echo to arrive as he always does. Oh, in all the world she know that's the one place I can find him. Even if she would have to wait all day. And Amy will be hanged tomorrow! She quickened her pace, now running. She needed to find a horse. Echo will know what to do. He always does. Knuckles laughed, running to keep up.

"You can't escape my love!"

"Ah!" She screamed, covering my ears. Those words...it was like a physical blow to her head. They hurt her! She stumbled but pressed on, covering her ears against his cries. Soon she was at the stable and threw the stable master a gold florin. He smiled, allowing her to grab the fastest Arabic horse he had. As she raced away she could hear Knuckles arguing with the man, probably over price. She hadn't the strength to laugh. She could barely cry as she rode as fast as she could towards the forest.

Once She'd passed the threshold she could hear him yell to me from behind,

"Starlight! It's dangerous in the forest! Let me accompany you!" She turned left, finding a small stream. She took off her shoes and shouted,

"Come and find me!" in a tone so sweet and loving she gagged immediately afterwards. She jumped into the stream so he lost my scent and dashed as fast as she could to a mound of dirt. The river had eroded out a small beach and then a cavern under this oak. This dirt was held together by the roots of the tree. She quieted her breathing and laid still. Knuckles walked along the coast until he came very close to her so she could see his legs from inside of her hole. In his deep burly voice he shouted.

"I'll find you my lovely!" It boomed in poor Starlight's ears. He then ran off. She stayed there, frightened until several minutes after she could no longer hear his heavy footfalls. Then she climbed out and looked around. The sun went behind some clouds and it might rain. The hollow had good shelter from the rain since she and Echo had fastened old blankets to the canopy. She smiled, remembering when she was young. She remembered when she was young and in love. It was so wonderful, being in his arms, hearing him whisper his secret professions of love her and her alone. All those secret words they shared; the promises. Suddenly it hurt again. Starlight ached to feel his embrace on her again. She wanted to let herself know he wasn't an illusion or gone forever. She needed to know he was still there.

She set out on a forest trek at a quick pace. Soon she found herself on the old familiar road. She smiled, now bouncing down it like she used to. Soon she came to a place where the ground was lower. She ran up to where the trees grew close together standing over two projecting rocks. As soon as she was up, she stopped though, seeing him sitting there with his head in his hands.

"Echo!" She shouted. He jolted up, seeing her there.

"Star!" They dove into each others' arms and shared a deep kiss. Starlight felt like she was in heaven, feeling his arms wrap around her waist as she desperately clung to him. Suddenly she pulled back, feeling dazed and dirty. How could she feel anything while Amy wasted away in a prison cell?

"Echo...my maid." She looked at him.

"We went out last night. We wanted to be like you and fight the sheriff and the prince. So we took the peasants in town some food and money. But a soldier saw us and tried to rape me." Echo instantly tightened his grip. I put a finger over his lips to stop him from cursing the would be rapist. There were more important issues to be death with.

"Amy shot him with my crossbow and was caught. Now she'll hang tomorrow morning unless you stop it. Please." Her tears would be held back not longer. She broke down in his arms and cried.

"She's my best friend! She helped me through the time you were gone. She-"

"Shh." He whispered. Even in her panicked state she was able to fall suddenly silent at his voice.

"I'll take care of it. Don't worry." That was all it took to sooth her soul. He had that gift, he could assure her of anything with a few kind words. He could probably convince me that the sky was purple in less that a minute!

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too." He responded. She lifted her head and starred at him for a moment. Then she pushed him down. She pressed her lips against his hard, and he kissed her back. Suddenly she opened her mouth and let him slide his tongue in. He lifted his arms and rubbed her back as she stroked his chest. They were going to get married, but they couldn't risk a ring. She wanted to have something real to seal their relationship. She lifted herself up and began to undo her dress. Echo's eyes widened and his smile shifted a bit. Suddenly a voice rang out.

"Echo!" The door to the hollow opened and Tails stepped through the threshold. Starlight's eyes widened as she quickly got off of him.

"You let people in our hollow." Echo got up and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"It's alright Star." She starred at him blankly.

"No one's allowed in my hollow!" Tails sensed he'd intruded and stepped back inside. Echo gripped her harder.

"Star listen!" She tore away from him.

"How could you! It's not fair! It's my hollow! Mine! No one else can go there! It's just for us! Me and you! It's our special place!" Suddenly she was hysterical. Echo panicked visibly for a moment. It took him a few moments after Starlight began to cry uncontrollably to regain his wits. Once he had he grabbed her and pushed her down onto the ground.

"Starlight!" He shouted. "We had no where else to go!" She just starred blankly at him through her tears for a moment. Then she nodded.

"I know..." She said sadly. "Now what?" He smiled.

"I take my men..and we go save Amy." He whispered, holding her close now. She snuggled against him.

"Can I help?" Echo smirked.

"Of course. Come inside." He stood up with her in his arms. Then he walked her to the hollow's entrance. Before they were quite there some thoguht made her stop short. Echo wondered why she stopped. She smiled at him.

"May I donate to the cause?" She asked coyly. Echo felt relieved at first, then simply proud.

"Of course. He brought her inside.

Knuckles groaned. It was close to nightfall and he hadn't yet found Starlight. He was begining to get worried. This was not good. Suddenly he saw a little figure of a woman walking towards him. He ran forwards to see it was Starlight walking down the path. He hurried to her and hugged her.

"Starlight! Never do that again!" He scolded her. She didn't look at him. He felt suddenly panicked.

"Starlight! What's wrong?" He now noticed the state of her. Her clothes were dirty and slightly torn. The necklace she was wearing was gone now. Yet for some reason she had a delerious smile on her face.

"I'm fine Knuckles." She said distantly. He looked about her again.

"You've been robbed!"

"If you say so Knuckles." She was too happy to give into him. Echo was safe, Amy was safe in his care, and she was definately going to get married; somehow. Knuckles couldn't understand any of this if she told him.

"The forest isn't safe anymore. Damned outlaws; I should have known. Don't worry my darling. At least you weren't hurt." He took her hand and kissed her cheek. She was too lost in thought to care.

Please review. And I know there was some fluff here but the next chapter is going to make up for it. ;)