A/N: Special thanks to Kira-writer, ABCSonicKirbyWarriors, Sissel Torikki, ShinyShiny9 and RobinsonSiblings for your reviews as well as to icys and kunoichi814 for faving.

I would like to apologise for this story being 'dead' as long as it was. A lot happened and when I finally had time again, I realised that some bits of my story that were planned didn't add up anymore. So I had to rewrite all my planning. But this story will never die until it finishes and the story marked as complete. Thanks for those of you that stuck with me so far.

Chapter 9

Shadow and Rouge jumped up, shocked at Silver's sudden outburst. Shadow immediately drew chaos energy into his palm and Rouge shifted into a defensive position, raising her arms.

Silver's eyes widened and his expression turned to one of surprise, "I-I'm so sorry!" he stammered, jumping off of his chair and quickly fetching a cloth from one of the kitchen drawers. Feverently he began wiping up the mess of milk and bran flakes, golden eyes darkened with unease.

Rouge relaxed and lowered her arms but didn't sit down, unsure what to think of the child's emotional lash out.

Shadow moved over to Silver, his movements fluid and filled with purpose, before he firmly pulled him away, "Silver, what was that?"

Silver's gaze hadn't moved from the broken bowl and he squirmed, still trying to clean it up, "I didn't mean to! I-I just..." he trailed off, growing more agitated.

"Just what? What is it about that name?" Shadow pulled him roughly into the lounge, Rouge cautiously following at his heels, "Who is Iblis?"

There was a sharp piercing pain in his brain and Silver grabbed at his head, shutting his eyes from the sudden surge of agony. Huge pits of infernos for eyes bored into him and the smell of brimstone and thick smoke assaulted his senses. A roar, strong and threatening shook his mind as the pain sharpened. "N-no! Stop! STOP!" Silver screamed, desperately trying to escape Shadow's hold on his arm. He didn't remember Iblis… He didn't want to remember Iblis… he couldn't remember Iblis…

Shadow tightened his grip, frowning as his instincts warred with one another. He knew he had to find out who Iblis was since the name was somehow connected to the diases which were undoubtedly connected to the prowlers who were a definite threat. On the other hand, Silver's reaction, his state of pure panic, worried Shadow to the very core.

"Calm down, Silver!" Rouge yelled, breaking her partner out of his thoughts, "Shadow, don't just stand there do something!"

Shadow jerked back then looked at Silver again who had begun to whine in a mix of pain and confusion, his small body trembling and breathing erratically.

It wasn't even a choice anymore.

Shadow loosened his grip on Silver just long enough to circle around him so he was now face to face with the panic-stricken mobian. His back now to Rouge and unable to see her reactions anymore, the dark hedgehog lifted the child up and held him against his chest firmly, saying without words that Silver would not be able to slip away. "Silver." He said, his voice hard and clipped and even.

Silver screamed and squirmed in his grip, "Not Iblis!" he could barely breathe anymore and his mind was going haywire as thoughts crashed into and mixed around one another.

Shadow saw a few objects around them begin to glow with a light blue aura, a black vase flying off and hitting the wall with a loud smashing sound. The lilies it once held crushed among the debris.

He reached up and stroked Silver's quills, softening his voice as he rested his head on his small charge's, "Silver…" he said again, his voice now like a still lake, deep, calm and soothing, "Forget Iblis. You're safe with me."

Silver burrowed his head into the older hedgehog's chest, whimpering and shaking even worse than before, "I-It hur-ur-urts…" the panicked child moaned.

Shadow kept slowly stroking the long, white quills, but didn't say another word. He watched as Rouge came back into view, having cautiously circled around the pair. She looked at the objects as they slowly descended back down, their glow fading as the boy's breathing became more and more even.

Rouge folded her arms and regarded Silver with slight disappointment, her blue-green eyes showing the sadness she wouldn't say at viewing the scene, "… well I guess asking isn't the best way to go right now." She sighed.

She glanced over at Shadow and he nodded almost imperceptibly. He knew what she meant in that single look: eventually Silver would have to face it and reveal what Iblis was… just not right now.

Shadow shifted Silver in his arms, still firmly keeping him close, "Right. Luckily we have another lead." He stated, his mind turning back to the lavender cat in the vision.

"As much as I hate to admit it." Shadow continued, noting how still Silver was now even as he continued to stroke his quills, "The faker is my best bet."

The bat nodded, "Yes, Sonic is more likely to know than Knuckles considering his nomadic habits." She smiled playfully, "Too bad he doesn't have a phone."

Shadow cursed under his breath and paused when he noticed Silver's ear twitch, "Don't repeat that." He warned before turning his attention back to Rouge, "… that means I have to actually go looking for him."

His partner in GUN shrugged, "Unfortunately it is our only lead. That means we have little to no choice in the matter." She paused, placing a hand on her chin thoughtfully, "… though I don't think it would help to have GUN chasing Sonic again so let's just keep this to ourselves." She smiled assuredly.

Shadow smiled in turn, grateful that he could always count on Rouge, "That'd be best. You can always-"

"Check GUN's records for the cat?" Rouge smiled brighter, "I'm way ahead of you." She began to walk towards the door.

"You're leaving?" Shadow blinked, "Isn't there more you need to ask for GUN?"

Rouge held up a hand and waved it dismissively, "Not really… Take care of Silver, Shadow." She let herself out, the door closing quietly behind her.

Shadow really wished he was better with children or that they were more practical. Getting Silver to calm down had been the easy part and now the young hedgehog had fallen into a quiet, solemn mood, distancing himself from the GUN agent. He didn't want to admit it but suddenly having distance between them hurt especially when his gaze met Silver's and was met with pain… and guilt.

There was absolutely no reason for the little one to feel any sort of guilt and even less of a reason to suddenly try his best to be alone in a small apartment that wasn't even his. Besides they had somewhere to go.

Shadow sat next to Silver who had been lying against the armrest slightly curled, "… I never liked that bowl anyway."

Silver remained oppressively quiet, the attempt at a joke falling so flat Shadow decided to forget he had ever tried to utilise humour. He had never been one for jokes but he was told that children liked funny carefree people. Unfortunately he was not among their number.

"Want some hot chocolate?" Shadow offered, almost wishing he had those tiny marshmallows to tempt him with.

"…no." Silver's voice wavered despite how short his sentence was and he didn't turn, keeping his back facing Shadow.

That's when Shadow realised… Silver was sulking.

The dark hedgehog scowled and he sighed in annoyance, "Silver, cut it out." His tone firm and unyielding, "You're acting completely immature… even for your age." He reached over and pulled Silver by his shoulder, forcing him to face him.

And to his shock, Silver flinched.

Crimson eyes widened as the small hedgie spoke again, his golden gaze dropping low, "I'm sorry." His voice was small and quiet, sounding as insecure as Silver looked at that moment.

Shadow's resolve steadied, however, as he realised that Silver wasn't going to say any more, "Explain, Silver. I already told you that I don't give a- that I don't care about the bowl." It went without saying that somehow the marked hedgehog had inadvertently done it even if Rouge hadn't known exactly how.

Silver's ears flattened against his quills and he bit his lip, "Well I… I couldn't… remember." His voice steadied and he chanced looking up, worry and guilt still clear in his eyes, "And I can tell that it's really important."

Shadow sighed, in the back of his mind thinking of how ridiculous the child was being, "Silver, you may find this hard to believe, but that isn't your fault."

"But-" Silver began to protest, seemingly completely willing to try to take all the blame.

Shadow ignored him, "It's clear that the memory isn't lost to you."

"How do you know?" Silver looked just as worried as ever, "What if I can never remember it?"

"You will." Shadow assured, "I know what it feels like to lose a memory. Sometimes it comes only in brief scenes and sometimes it's not there at all… for me my brain had to heal before I could remember. For you, maybe your brain needs to adjust."

"It… it doesn't sound the same." The child murmured, "It's there but… it hurts to remember. But not only like yours."

Shadow raised an eyebrow, watching him figure out the words to describe it.

"It doesn't hurt only like a memory… when I tried to remember it. When you kept saying 'Iblis', 'Iblis', 'Iblis'..." Silver trembled but his position had become open to Shadow once again, "It felt like my brain began to tear apart."

Shadow closed his eyes in thought. It was true, it didn't sound like amnesia and in hindsight that much was obvious. Silver was too young for him to have amnesia that would be so potent or noticeable. And the way he described it sounded like what the ebony hedgehog imagined a supressed memory was like; like the brain was fighting back against a memory so traumatising that it had to be forgotten to keep Silver normal. But then that didn't sound completely right either and he couldn't just choice one option because it was easier.

So, going against his logic, Shadow took a shot in the dark, "When did this start?"

Silver's face shifted into one of confusion, "When did what start? You mean when I first remembered the name … that name." he didn't dare say it more.

Shadow shook his head, "No. Yesterday when you touched the gem, you had that vision. Of a destroyed city and Blaze."

Silver still looked confused for a moment before it faded into an expression of realisation, "Oh that… well I don't really remember it all that well…" he blushed.

The older hedgehog put a hand on Silver's head in a soft pat, "That's okay; I meant was that your first vision?"

Silver smiled, "Um, well no. I had one before that when I found the first gem and the clo…" he trailed off then his eyes widened, "Oh no! The clock!" he jumped up and looked around, looking for any signs of the silver, handless clock that usually hung around his neck.

Shadow sighed but was internally relieved that Silver was acting more like himself, "You didn't put it on this morning… And for that matter you haven't put on your shoes or gloves."

Silver stopped and blushed, his muzzle reddening with embarrassment, "Oh right."

Shadow allowed a thin smile to form on his lips, "It's next to the bed, but before you go get changed, let me finish what I was saying. If you got the first memory when you picked up the first gem, then your brain needs time to adjust because those memories aren't yours."

Silver nodded and smiled, "I guess you're right." He didn't tell Shadow that the first memory wasn't a memory at all but a vision of the future, of when they met, because it was the same principle. The first stone gave him his own memory of the future while the second gem gave him the memory of someone… although whether it was past or future he wasn't certain. He really hoped it was the past though because if it were the future…

"Silver, stop day-dreaming and get changed; that includes brushing your teeth. We're going out." Shadow interrupted, getting up from the couch himself, "We're going to see another friend of mine."

A/N: Wow, this was rewritten 15 times just to get it right… which is absolutely no excuse for how late it is. I'm sorry. Life sucks but you all deserve better. I will try to be better for you who have taken the time out of your busy schedules to read this.

Please read and review. Any critiques are welcome while flames will be used to give me light throughout all the loadshedding I've been getting.

An additional question for those who are interested: should I put this story up on Deviantart too or just keep it strictly ?

And for all those who read this, thank you for taking the time.