Don't own anything., except plot and Elizabeth. Also, like Second Chance, this is Shadow/Maria brother/sister relationship.

Maria sat down in the hospital bed in her grandfather's private hospital, her grief still feeling painfully raw inside her heart. Her new friend, Chris Thorndyke, had sacrificed himself for her. Her tears fell silently down her face as she remembered her friend. His eyes were squeezed tight in pain, his teeth were clenched, and blood was pouring down the side of his mouth.

But there was more blood that that. Chris had been shot in the chest; a stream of blood had been falling down his chest and had surrounded him when he was on the ground. He had used his last remaining strength to send her and Shadow to the planet she always dreamed of going…and now he was gone.

A nurse went into the room, holding a clipboard. "The medication is working nicely, Miss. Robotnik. Shadow and your sister are in the waiting area. Shall I bring them in?" Maria nodded.

Familiar steps walked in the room, and she sniffled loudly. Shadow had walked in, head bowed, remembering Chris as well. A young, petite brunette walked behind the hedgehog. She went toward her sister, wrapping her arms around her. "Shadow told me about your new friend. I'm so sorry…"

Maria cried silently, holding onto her sister like a lifeline. "He was my age, Elizabeth. It's not fair…" Elizabeth stroked her sister's hair. "It'll be okay, Marie. I'm sure he's in a better place right now." Shadow clenched his fist. "He'll never be forgotten, Maria. He was really brave." Maria nodded jerkily, though she still continued to cry. "He was aiming at me…" If anyone heard her words, they ignored them. Maria felt comforting hands on her back, but she sobbed.

It just wasn't fair…

…..

Maria helped her older sister with her wedding veil. She couldn't believe Elizabeth, her sister, was getting married. It wasn't surprising; Elizabeth and this boy were in love ever since her first year in college. He and Shadow got along just fine too, which was a huge relief. She smiled softly at her older sister's tearful smile.

"I've never been so nervous…or this happy, Maria. It's like a dream come true." Maria nodded, "It's like a dream for me to be here and be with and for you for your wedding. But what bothers me about this whole thing is he doesn't know who Chris is. You would think he knew someone who had the same last name." Elizabeth heard Maria's voice take a saddened tone and she sighed.

"Maria, please, not today. It's been eight years. Please try to be happy for once." Shadow knocked on the door. "It's almost time, ladies. Are you almost done?" Elizabeth nodded, "Almost Shadow." Maria looked at the golden locket that held a picture of herself, Shadow, and Chris. It was one of the most treasured things she had. Now, she could look at and remember Chris everyday.

Elizabeth lifted her sister's chin, "You ready?" Maria smiled, "I'm supposed to say that to you." Elizabeth took her sister's hand. "Let's go."

Maria held onto the locket for the rest of the ceremony, but paid attention to the finale of the wedding.

"I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Thorndyke."

….

A baby's cry echoed through the hospital room. Maria looked at Shadow who gazed back at her with concern. Was Elizabeth okay?

A nurse walked over to the pair, "It's a little boy. They're ready for you to come in." Maria let out a shaky, relieved smile. Her sister had a son. Slowly, the twenty-seven year old walked in, looking at her sister in concern. Chuck smiled kindly, "You can move closer if you want." Maria nodded and walked forward, Shadow coming behind her. His face was filled with curiosity; he never saw a human baby before.

A tiny bundle covered with a soft, downy blanket was in Elizabeth's arms. A baby boy with tufts of pale, brown hair was sleeping peacefully. Elizabeth looked at Maria with a smile. "Do you want to hold him, Maria?" The blonde nodded, holding her arms out. Elizabeth gently set her baby boy in her arms. The baby opened bright, brown-violet eyes up at her.

Shadow looked closer at the baby, who looked up at him with wide eyes. The baby gurgled and held an arm out for Shadow. Shadow touched the small hand with his gloved one and gasped softly when he felt the baby gripping onto his finger with a death-grip. He chuckled lightly and looked up at Maria, who smiled at him with amusement.

"What's his name?" Elizabeth smiled, "We named him Nelson."

…

"I'm going to ask Lindsay to marry me." Elizabeth and Chuck looked at their son in amazement and pride. Maria smiled a bit at her nineteen-year-old nephew. "Have you asked her parents' permission?" Nelson rolled his eyes, "Of course I did, Aunt Maria. You think I would steal the bride away without asking permission first?"

Chuck winked at his son, "Then it's not really a steal isn't it?" He laughed loudly while everyone stared at him blankly.

"…No one else thought that was funny?" Nelson shook his head in exasperation and ran up the stairs. Shadow walked through the door after his usual run. "What did I miss?"

…

Maria held Chuck's hand in support and encouragement while holding onto a nervous Shadow. Lindsay had gone into labor during lunch and Shadow had immediately scooped her up and carried her to the hospital. Seeing the woman's face pale and scared was a new experience for Maria. She never saw her sister going into labor.

Her sister…

Two years ago, her sister had died of a car accident. Chuck was devastated. They were all worried, trying to encourage Chuck to live. The time he started smiling again was when he heard he was going to be a grandfather.

A nurse walked toward the trio, "It's a little boy. You can come in."

Shadow looked up at Maria as they walked to the hospital room, "I just experienced a deja-vu." Maria chuckled as she followed her brother-in-law in the room. Lindsay was sweating and panting, but her emerald-green eyes were filled with happiness. Nelson smiled.

"We decided to name him Chris. After your friend, Aunt Maria." Maria placed a hand on her heart, happy tears filling her eyes. "T-thank you…" Shadow smiled and nodded as well, then his eyes met the baby's and he gasped in shock.

Baby blue eyes that looked so hauntingly familiar gazed up at him. He had light, brown tufts of hair on his head and he smiled peacefully. Looking up at the black and red hedgehog, Chris reached his hand out and grabbed the hedgehog's nose.

Shadow gently removed the hand away from his nose, huffing irritably. He scowled when he heard the humans laughing. "It's not funny…" Shadow looked back at the baby, shaking his head at the totally absurd thought that shot through his head a moment ago.

Just because he looked like him, doesn't mean it is him. It happened fifty years ago. Still, Shadow's mind began to fill with a sense of forlorn.

….

"Auntie Maria!" The young five year old ran into his aunt's outstretched arms, whose face held an expression of shock. Her great-nephew was the spitting image of her friend from fifty years ago! She couldn't believe she never saw it before! The spiky, brown hair, the crystal blue eyes…All of it matched perfectly.

She cradled the boy in her arms, clenching her eyes shut, praying that she was wrong. Shadow watched the boy, his eyes glazing over in sadness and denial. His 'nephew' couldn't be the boy that gave his life for him and Maria…could he? Yet he couldn't deny that Chris was looking so much like their friend.

"I miss my mommy and daddy, Auntie Maria! They didn't come to my birthday!" Chuck went through the door at that moment, gave a look of salutations to Maria and Shadow, and turned to his grandson. "But they gave you some great toys, didn't they?" Maria reluctantly loosened her hold so Chris could answer his grandfather.

"…It's just not the same, Grandpa!" Chris turned back to Maria, sobbing into her neck. "I miss them…" Maria gently shushed the boy, rubbing his back soothingly. The sobs slowly turned into deep, shaky breaths. The boy was now peacefully asleep.

"Shadow, take Chris to his bedroom, will you?" Maria placed the human boy in Shadow's arms, watching the hedgehog take the boy gently up to his room. Maria turned to Chuck, a somewhat angry look on her face.

"He's right. It's not the same when his mother and father are there with him." Chuck sighed, "I've tried giving hints to the children, but they don't listen. They need to do their jobs though, Maria." Maria sighed, casting a concerned look up the stairs.

"It's not fair…"

….

Shadow tucked the child in gently, sweeping the boy's bangs out of his face. He walked to the door, only to stop when he heard Chris' voice.

"Unca Shadow..?" Shadow turned slowly, giving the boy a fake smile. He couldn't look at the boy's face without his heart being filled with sadness. "Yes, Chris?"

"What's wrong with Auntie Maria? It seems like I make her sad every time she sees me. I don't mean to hurt her feelings." The sniffles broke the hedgehog's heart and he walked back to the child, wrapping his arms around him. "It has nothing to do with you, Chris. Trust me." The child looked up at the hedgehog, teary-eyed, "Y-you sure..?"

Shadow nodded, wiping the tears from Chris' eyes. The child laughed at the action, then smiled up at the hedgehog. "Now, get some sleep. Your aunt and I are going to take you somewhere tomorrow." Chris widened his eyes.

"What is it? What is it?" Shadow rolled his eyes, laying the child back down. "You'll have to find out tomorrow." Chris groaned.

"I hate it when you do that…" Shadow chuckled and ruffled the boy's messy hair. "See you in the morning, kid." Chris groaned loudly, "Fine…" The moment Shadow closed the boy's room, he silently cried. Tears fell down his cheeks as he finally saw the truth.

Somehow…someway…his 'nephew' was going to end up in the past to die. He wished he knew when it was going to happen…maybe he could prevent it. But there was no use hoping. He was going to die.

Maria looked up from her book, hearing Shadow walk through the room. Her face turned to concern when she saw tears leaving her friend's eyes. "What's wrong..?" Shadow looked at her silently.

"I…I think he's…" Those words that Shadow uttered were the words that broke Maria's heart. She sobbed into her lap. She got up from the bed and ran to her nephew's bedroom, Shadow close behind her.

Chris was sleeping on his side, one arm wrapped around his teddy bear, another arm on his stomach. The silver moonlight fell onto the young boy gently, illuminating his features in a pale glow. Maria curled into her nephew, gently running a pale hand through his spiky brown hair. Chris smiled softly in his sleep, moving into the hand. Shadow got on the boy's other side, looking at the boy tearfully.

Maria and Shadow stayed that way for the rest of the night.

…

Maria packed her clothes, getting ready to get going to Station Square for her nephew's birthday. He had recently turned thirteen, and she couldn't wait to see him.

A nearby ring echoed through the living room. Slowly she walked to the phone, answering with a soft "Hello?"

Lindsay's voice rang through the phone. She sounded like she had been crying. Maria listened intently to her niece-in-law.

Shadow heard a loud gasp in the living room and ran over to Maria. Her hand covered her eyes as sobs escaped her. "Th-Thank you, Lindsay. We'll come over right away." The woman hung the phone up and continued to sob.

"Maria..? What is it?" Maria turned to her friend, tears that she had shed from so many years ago running down her face. "It's Chris…it happened." Shadow felt his heart stop and he held onto Maria's shoulder for balance as well as comfort. "Is he..?"

Maria sniffled and smiled shakily, "H-He's going to be alright."