Tick... tock.

Tick... tock.

Tick...

The alarm clock coupled with the muffled tones of a distant radio were the only things perceivable. The other noises of a warm summer's day were washed out by a fog of shock and confusion. Heaving shuddered breath Amy brought her knees to her chin, fighting back tears as she stared at the wall from her spot on the floor. She was fighting a losing battle…

With bright green eyes she looked up to the window; the bright light that had once comforted her now only looked cold an imposing, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered to look down to her feet.

Her mind was in turmoil.

She stood up as the need to distract herself turned into a need to move around. In her current state of mind, her usually cheerful room felt cold and desolate. The comfortable sheets in reds and whites, the rug under her toes as she walked towards the door, and worse still; the happy picture frame that she had to avoid looking at as she left her former sanctuary.

It was making her claustrophobic.

Silently she walked down the hall, that distant radio blaring even through the walls. At this point she knew that if she were to start reminiscing, she would only miss him even more…

She went to her kitchen and looked around for something to do. That's what she knew she needed; to stay busy and not think about it. Just don't think about it, and eventually the pain will go away.

She went over to the sink and began to wash the dishes, ignoring the painful pressure on her heart that was causing tears to build up in her dark green eyes.

She wouldn't cry….

She wouldn't think about it….

She stared fixedly at the dishes in her hand as hazy memories flooded her mind, and immediately she stopped herself, letting go of the dish and turning on the spot to the living room to plant herself in a stuffed recliner.

TV would take her mind off things….

She clicked the remote and changed the TV to any random channel that looked most interesting and she frowned determinedly as she glared holes into the screen. She would not break. She wouldn't be defeated like this.

After all, wasn't she used to getting her heart broken?

First time had been Sonic; but she knew she couldn't blame him. It wasn't his fault not wanting the same things that she'd longed for as a child. It was just her shock that was bringing the pain up again. Just when she'd thought she had accepted it.

But… now… this time...

He hadn't even given her a reason….

Maybe that was the part that was eating her inside. It had happened so suddenly; so completely out of nowhere…

Hadn't it?

She looked back and realized, that he HAD been acting… strangely for last few days…

Maybe it hadn't been so sudden; maybe this result had been hanging over her head this whole time. And she hadn't even noticed…

She gave a sad laugh. She'd never been one to notice things like that. She could usual notice when someone was down. She used to be able to read behind the masks of her peers.

After all, she knew the same feelings that all the others did, even when she was smiling.

But she had never been able to recognize a persons feelings when….

They were someone she loved.

She looked to the ceiling as it hit her, and the tears began to flow down her cheeks, one by miserable one.

She loved him…

And she couldn't understand.

Why had he left in the first place? Why now? Why after all that time?

They had been together for more than two years; and throughout that whole time, they had never had a real problem before. They bickered constantly, yes, but they both knew it was a game. Giving in to each other's stupid ideas, because boy did he have many from time to time, would be too foolish.

But it hadn't been because they were truly angry. They could argue for an entire day, but by the end of the night they would always find each other to make up. Because, she hated going to bed angry. Especially when it was someone as important to her as he was.

But they hadn't even been fighting at the time.

Everything had been perfect….

"Perfect for me anyway." She thought miserably.

She'd never thought of separating from him. Even when she was most irritated, her thoughts would be how she would forgive him, not that it would be the end.

She'd been happy; in her own little utopia…

So, what was he feeling during that time?

Had it all been a lie? He always told her, in his own subtle ways that he loved her.

Even after he'd first began to act strange; sitting off and staring into space, tinkering with some gadget or other from GUN, when that concentration had been broken he would be quick to come to her. His "I Love You"s would come in nuzzles to her forehead, in one-armed hugs around her waist, and, if he was feeling bold enough, kisses or pounces or a bridal hold when she wasn't expecting it.

But if he loved her, why had he left?

And why had he left without explanation?

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and glanced, towards the table to her right. Slowly… silently… she walked over and picked it up.

God, why did she have so many pictures...

As she started at the heart-shaped frame she could feel her own cracking, splintering, shattering...

Breaking off into a million small pieces that she could not fix.

"…Shadow…"

Her eyes blurred and the tears fell…

"….why….?"

His words from earlier came back with a vision of his face. Guarded and Serious.

"Amy? I need to leave."

"….Why….?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why….?!"

"Goodbye Rose."

"WHY DAMMIT!"

Amy shut her eyes and in a sudden burst of anger she threw the picture away from her, sending it crashing into the opposite wall. It fell to the floor in several shards, broken just like the beating symbol inside her chest.

She panted and glared at it, her eyes widening as she stared at the broken heart.

And the tears came back full force.

Slowly she sank to her knees on the floor, staring straight ahead. Sobbing as the world came crashing down around her.