(Shadow’s POV)

I stared out the window of the room Flurry had placed me in, watching snowflakes fall to the ground. “I don’t like any of this,” I muttered.

“Any of what?”

“This…this plan we’ve agreed to.” I looked back, slightly annoyed.

Rouge only laughed, laid back on the bed. “What? You don’t enjoy coming up with lies on-the-spot? If Shift had any tolerance of women, I’d handle it.”

“That’s not necessarily it,” I admitted, turning away. “Just so long as the blue baboon keeps his mouth shut, that end may as well already be tied up.”

“Then what’s bothering you?”

I turned fully to face her, and saw her examining herself in her compact mirror. “You’re incredibly vain.”

She hardly glanced my way. “I have to make sure I look good for that knucklehead. I’m off to his room next to make sure he’s at least a decent kisser.” I winced, extremely relieved that she hadn’t chosen me to be her “boyfriend”. It would have been very awkward, as far as I was concerned.

Her compact was shut with a snap. “But I digress. Tell me what’s bothering you, Shadow. Is it just the fact that we won’t be able to return home after we rescue Amy and Alley?”

Allison…I couldn’t figure out why I felt so odd around the girl. Even the first time I’d seen her, there’d been a strange reaction.

Flashback…

“Hedgehog!” I stopped, looked warily about. “Over here!” the female voice called again.

Still wary, I backtracked a bit to see a female hedgehog trapped behind glass. Her fur was a lighter shade than Amy Rose’s and she wore a slim-fitting purple dress. Over her shoulders, a black cloak was hooked by a glittering red brooch.

“Tell me,” she said, “do you know Amy Rose?”

What could this stranger want with Amy? My eyes narrowed slightly. “Why?”

“Please, it is of the utmost importance that I speak with her! If you do not know her, I implore you to release me so that I may locate her on my own. I heard the Doctor Eggman say that he planned to capture her and saw her with my own eyes not ten minutes ago. I must find her!”

It seemed she was being truthful… “Amy’s already been rescued.”

She gasped in horror, confusing me. “Then I must be freed at once! I have to pass my warning to her before she returns to her home!”

I still wasn’t quite sure what to think about her, but I rammed against the large button that would lift the glass into the ceiling. She clambered out. “All my gratitude unto you, hedgehog.”

“Shadow.”

“I beg your pardon?”

She turned her head and our eyes locked. To my complete and utter bewilderment every coherent thought drained from my mind. She had the deepest, clearest blue eyes I had ever seen. One could drown within them, I was sure. “Ah…my name. It’s Shadow.”

Her bright smile did nothing to assist my state of mind. “You may call me Alley…Shadow.” I could only nod. My mouth had gone dry. “You said Amy had already been rescued. Do you know where she is now?”

I only nodded again. I knew which direction Sonic had taken her and I knew the area we’d agreed to meet at. “Which way?” Alley inquired.

Letting out a long breath, I shook myself. This was no time to lose my focus, particularly since there was absolutely no reason to. I didn’t even know this girl! “You would never make it in time if I just told you.”

“Then how—”

Without warning, I swept her into my arms and ran, ignoring the spirals of heat the contact had sent though my body.

End Flashback…

I shook my head. “That is a part of it, yes. But the rest I haven’t quite figured out.”

“Well, when you do figure it out, you know you can tell me.” Rouge stood, stretching, and I wondered why I had never felt such an elemental attraction for her as I felt for Allison. The rogue treasure hunter was much more my type than a princess who wished to be queen.

“Leaving so soon?”

She smirked. “I have to make sure that echidna doesn’t embarrass me.”

My lips quirked slightly. “Good luck, I suppose.”

“Bye, Shadow.” She sauntered out, closing the door behind her.

After a momentary debate, I flung my green cloak over my shoulders and opened the window. After checking to see that no one was around, I leapt down the four stories and ran off to be alone with the cold and my thoughts.

(Knuckles POV)

I sat on the bed, legs crossed, hands clasped, eyes closed. Even while it was several million miles away, I still had a connection to the Master Emerald. It was just harder to bring it into focus.

It was pretty surprising to sense that it was still on Angel Island. Ever since I’d started fighting alongside Sonic, Angel Island had been attracting more and more visitors. Most of them were just curious, but the few that were more interested in stealing the Master Emerald (other than Rouge or Eggman) had caused me a whole lot of trouble.

Maybe no one even knew we’d left… It’s not like we had a lot of time to advertise we were going anywhere. Heck, I didn’t even think Eggman knew we were gone. Me and Tails…and Rouge had made sure that Eggman would have to rebuild his base before we’d left it. That also bought the Master Emerald some time on that end, and with Rouge on Freesia I didn’t have to worry about her getting it either. I’d just have to trust Chaos to guard it from anyone else until I could get back. That should only be a month or so away, so…

My eyes opened. No, who was I kidding? I was going to help two princesses escape their planet – kidnapping, basically. Returning to Mobius and Angel Island wouldn’t happen for years, if ever. This king was pretty mean.

I closed my eyes again and pressed the heels of my hands to the lids. I had traded my entire life’s purpose, the duty I was born to perform, to save a friend and a total stranger. There was something bad about that. Something very, very bad.

I heard the door open and close and uncovered my eyes. I sighed irritably when I saw who had entered. I was not in the mood to deal with her. “What do you want, Batgirl?”

“Well, aren’t we in a happy mood.” Rouge leaned back against the door. “What’s wrong?”

I folded my arms, glaring at her. “You don’t care.”

“C’mon, Knuckie,” she chided. “Until we get out of here, you get to be my boy toy. I have to care.”

I looked away in an attempt to hide the blush that had flooded my cheeks. I’d almost forgotten about being her fake boyfriend. “That doesn’t mean anything,” I muttered. “It’s fake.”

“Mmm…Maybe so, but we should really practice our acting skills, don’t you think?” My blush deepened when I felt her sit right next to me. I shifted away automatically, but she moved closer again. “How’s my Master Emerald, Knuckie?”

I blew out a breath, feeling very uncomfortable. “It’s not yours, Batgirl. Give it up.”

“I’ll bet you’re just worried since we don’t know how long we’ll be here. Am I right?” I didn’t answer; she nudged my side. “C’mon, Knucklehead, play along. Am I right?”

I slanted a look in her direction. “Yes, all right? Congratulations! Now get out of here!”

“Not yet.” To my shock, she slid into my lap, straddling me. “I still haven’t done what I came in here to do.”

She smiled and my heart skipped a beat before it sped up. Move! My mind shouted. Move back right now! But my body didn’t seem to be in the mood to listen to my brain. I could only stay very still as she slowly and deliberately leaned forward. Oh, man. Oh, man. Oh, man.

When our lips were only a breath apart, she laughed softly. “I have to make sure you know what you’re doing, after all,” she whispered and closed the distance.

Even when my each and every nerve snapped to life, I recognized the challenge and the insult in her words. I was not about to submit to her or retreat. I put a hand on her back to press her closer and angled my head to deepen the kiss.

At the change I saw her eyes darken and felt immense satisfaction…among other things. After a moment, her eyes slid closed and her fingers curled into my shoulders. At the same time, I forgot all the rules and just kissed her. All the walls and shields I normally kept up around her shattered and fell.

When we drew apart for air, her cheeks were flushed and when she opened her eyes they were blurred. I should’ve felt proud of myself but…wow. Wowie, wow, wow.

Her voice was huskier and softer than normal when she said, “I’m glad we did this now instead of in public.” I wasn’t sure if I could speak at all, so I just nodded.

She stood quickly, actually looking flustered. I’d never seen her flustered before, but the triumph I should’ve felt was once again overruled by wow. I watched compose herself. “Now that I know what to expect, the next kiss won’t be such a big deal.”

She was at the door before her words caught up with me. Wait, she knows what to expect? I’ll show her!

Within a split second, I had her back pinned against the door, our mouths fused together. As she started sliding downwards, I gripped her hips to keep her where she was.

I leaned back before I could sink too deep. “Still know what to expect?” I murmured.

She made a soft sound and managed to go out the door.

It took a good twenty minutes for me to figure out that I had won that round.