It was a beautiful spring day on Angel Island. The Sun was shining, the birds were chirping, Knuckles The Echidna couldn't ask for anything more. After all he did have to guard the Master Emerald twenty-four hours a day, why not let it be a little enjoyable? He was just settling down for an afternoon nap when he heard an ear piercing scream. It was coming from below the temple. Knuckles got up and ran to see what was going on. Three scruffy looking hedgehogs were pushing around a pink hedgehog. The pink one happened to be Amy Rose. "Come on babe, all I want is a little love." A black and yellow hedgehog cooed slyly and grabbed Amy around the waist.

"Leave her alone!" Knuckles yelled and punched the hedgehog in the face.

"Knuckles?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Well, well, well if it isn't our good friend Knuckie." One of the other two thugs said. "Why are you protecting our girl? We were just about to have a little fun with her."

"No way," Amy said from behind Knuckles.

"Leave this island, now! Or else I'll knock you out and throw you off!" Knuckles said menacingly.

"Fine, fine, you can have her. We'll leave. See you later babe." The brown one winked and grabbed his unconscious partner. The three ran out of sight.

After they were gone Knuckles turned to the shaking girl, "are you okay Amy?" He asked her with an unusual softness in his eyes.

"Yeah I think so." She said and looked away. "Why was Knuckles treating me like this? He's never nice to me." She thought.

Knuckles was wondering the same thing. "Why does my heart race every time I see her?" He thought.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence Amy finally said, "well…I should be going now…" And started to leave the island.

"Wait!" Knuckles called out, "it's almost dark. It'd be safer if you just stayed here."

Amy pondered this for a moment wondering if he was for real. "All right. But where am I going to stay?"

"Come with me." Knuckles replied. Amy followed him doubtfully.

On the way there Knuckles was at total war with himself. With each step he took a new revelation hit him like a ton of bricks. "Why did he say she could stay with him? Since when did he care about her safety? Why did he save her in the first place?" He stopped walking, a look of newfound horror spread across his face. "Was he being…nice?"

"Knuckles?" Amy asked and put her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Knuckles flinched away from her touch. It felt so warm, his mental bickering ceased. "Y-yeah I'm fine." He muttered and started walking again. The rest of the journey was in silence. Which was fine for the two, they wouldn't know what to say anyways.

Ten minutes later they reached the Master Emerald. There was a bed beside it made of pine needles. A small blanket was folded neatly on top of it. "Um." Knuckles said uncomfortably, "you can sleep here tonight. I'll take you back to your house tomorrow morning."

Amy looked at the pine needle bed. "It would have to do," she thought and laid down. It wasn't very comfy but she was so tired she quickly fell asleep.

Knuckles sat on the temple steps watching the sleeping girl. She looked so peaceful, he outline illuminated in the moonlight. When she wasn't talking about Sonic she was a lot of fun to be around. "Maybe we could hang out more often." Knuckles thought. He'd like to get to know here more. Maybe tomorrow he'd ask her if she was interested.

The echidna was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard a lout chattering. He looked over, it was Amy. She was shivering in her sleep. Knuckles realized she didn't have the blanket on her so she must be cold. He quietly got up and walked over to her. He grabbed the blanket, unfolded it, and laid it on top of her. After a few moments her teeth stopped chattering and she was silent again. Knuckles sat down beside her. He put his hand behind his head and tried to fall asleep. When sleep finally came there was something different about Knuckles, a smile appeared on his face for the first time in years. J