Rated: Fiction T (Teen) (PG-13) - English - Romance/Drama - Sonic & Amy


Chapter Four – Secret Roses


The hospital room was completely silent. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of an EKG machine beeping steadily. The room was dim and the window's curtains were closed to prevent any light from seeping in and disturbing the room's sound sleeper. The room wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the patient comfortable.

The small room's large oak wood door suddenly swung open as a young nurse entered the room. She was a creamy white hedgehog with aqua green eyes. She had three thick, puffy bangs that hung low just above her eyes and had wavy short quills which bunched up in soft curls. Her back quills were long and sharp, pointing upwards creating an illusion of a fairy's wings. She wore traditional light blue hospital scrubs with white cuffs on the sleeves and collar with a matching light blue cap on her head.

The young nurse looked around the room and quickly locked her gaze on the sleeping form in the hospital bed. Her heart sank a bit at the sight. The little hedgehog laid still in his dreamless slumber, breathing softly. She's seen and experienced a lot of things in her young career that most people would not be able to stomach easily, yet a sight such as this, she still could not get used to. How could anyone do such a thing to a child? He's so small and helpless...

She quietly walked across the mint green floor over to the sleeping child. She pushed the beige privacy curtains that hung by his bed out of the way and began looking him over. His head was completely wrapped in soft, white, cotton bandages along with his right arm. He suffered from a mild concussion, a sprained wrist, and multiple bruising all over his face and body. She bit her lower lip as she examined him, preparing to change his dressings for clean ones.

There was still no change and it disheartened her greatly. Three days had passed since he had arrived at this hospital a complete mess and even though his wounds will heal in time she worried about how he will handle everything once he comes out of the state he's currently in. He has been in a coma for the past three days and she was starting to worry he wouldn't snap out of it.

She set up a metal tray on the counter with fresh gauze, clean cotton dressings, a small scissor, and medical tape. As she was about to unwrap his old dressings to exchange them with clean new ones another nurse entered the room.

"Oh Sophie there you are..." She said relieved. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I'm sorry Cathy...am I needed?" She asked slightly anxious.

"No, nothing like that." She assured her. "I was just wondering if you'd like to get some coffee is all."

Cathy was a golden yellow hedgehog with soft ocean blue eyes. Her quills curled wildly upwards in a tangled, disorderly fashion. Her bangs split, curving in opposite directions and hung loosely over her eyes. Three thick strands of hair directly beneath her ears, curled around the cheeks of her face and she wore an identical scrubs uniform to Sophie's.

Sophie managed a weary smile. "No thanks...I think I'm gonna stay here for a while longer. Besides, I was just about to change his dressings." Cathy turned her attention to the little boy sleeping in the hospital bed.

"You've really grown attached to him haven't you?" She said while walking up to the side of the bed.

"How could I not? The poor thing..." She looked back down at the child sadly. "He's been through so much..."

"Ya'know...the story's all over the news..." Cathy stated sadly, meeting Sophie's gaze. "When he wakes up how are we supposed to explain the situation to him?"

"We don't. As simple as that." Sophie stated firmly.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is...he's been through enough. How can you possibly explain to a five year old what happened? As it is...we have no idea what he witnessed that day or what mental state he will be in when he wakes up."

"I see your point...but what if he asks? What am I supposed to say...?"

"For now...the only thing you could do is just make up an excuse or quickly change the subject. I plan on telling him the truth before he leaves here...but for now...I want to concentrate on making him healthy and well."

Cathy couldn't help but smile. "You'll make a great mother someday." She laughed. Sophie's cheeks flushed.

"I'm too young to be a mother right now...besides...I'm always here...I don't have time for any of that right now."

"That's what you say now...but watch someday...we can look back at this conversation and laugh when you have three or five kids by your side." Cathy laughed as Sophie's face turned a bright crimson color.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted, however, as they noticed small movements in the bed. Both nurses gasped lightly and stared at each other for a moment before looking down at the little hedgehog in the hospital bed.

Sonic felt himself slowly stirring. His eyes felt heavy and his lips were extremely dry. He found it difficult when he tried to open his eyes or even move his head slightly.

"Mmm..." He mumbled softly. The sound of voices suddenly filled his sensitive ears. As he began to become more alert he could hear the sound of a machine beeping steadily.

"He's finally waking up..." He heard a woman's voice say. The voice belonged to Sophie. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus. At first all he could see were blurry images all around him and two strange figures standing beside him. He closed his eyes again as he tried to collect himself. He felt so disoriented and his head was spinning. He gave himself a few seconds before attempting to open his eyes a second time. As his vision became more clear he attempted to look around and figure out his surroundings.

"M-mommy...?" He mumbled hoarsely as he tried to move.

"Shh...it's okay...everything is alright now." He heard Sophie say.

The first thing he noticed as he looked around was the fact that he was in a strange room he had never seen before. He realized he was laying in a small bed with white sheets that felt rather thin yet soft. Then he noticed the two nurses standing beside him watching him with concern. He began to feel frightened as his confusion only got worse.

"W-where am I?" He murmured, feeling uneasy. He tried to sit himself up but felt two gentle hands on his shoulders.

"Take it easy...you're safe now." The other nurse, Cathy said to him. She gently pushed him back down on the bed.

"You need to rest sweety." She said soothingly. He obliged even though he felt apprehensive. His head was spinning and he felt like his stomach was doing somersaults. His whole body was aching and he couldn't understand why he felt so stiff. It was hurting just to breath, his chest felt so heavy and his head was aching, especially the back of his head. That's when he noticed something was wrapped tightly around his head.

Feeling confused and apprehensive, he slowly lifted his arm to investigate but suddenly regretted it. Wincing in slight pain and discomfort he looked down at his arm seeing it wrapped in cotton bandages. Even his arm ached and it hurt to try moving it. As he tried moving his fingers he noticed how constrictive their movements were. With his other small hand he reached up to his forehead and touched the soft fabric cautiously; his tiny fingers traced the soft bandages slowly and gently as if afraid of doing something wrong.

"W-what's going on?" He asked nervously. "W-where's my mommy...?" Cathy bit her lower lip and took a quick glance at Sophie with pleading eyes, begging her to say something.

"You're in the hospital sweety...everything is alright. Please don't be scared." Sophie informed him. He looked at the two nurses standing beside his bed with worried, confused eyes.

Sophie turned her attention off of the little hedgehog and looked over at Cathy. "Cathy...can you do me a favor...and please inform doctor Reynolds that he's finally awake."

Cathy gave a slight nod. "Alright...I'll be right back." She answered as she swiftly left the room.

Sophie turned her attention back to the small child laying in the bed. She needed to calm him down somehow and assure him that he's safe now. Sonic lay silently in the bed nervously as he tried to comprehend what was going on. He couldn't remember how he got here or when. The last thing he remembered was when his father had pulled him out of the car and began beating him.

He remembered his fathers threats and remembered being thrown to the ground. He could even recall vaguely hearing voices, although he couldn't make out what was being said. After that though, he couldn't remember anything at all. As memories of the events from that day began to plague his mind he began twiddling his fingers nervously. He felt himself beginning to shake slightly and his hands started to feel clammy.

He was suddenly distracted from his thoughts as he watched the nurse pull the curtains from the windows revealing a beautiful sunny day outside. The room lit up almost instantly as the sun's bright rays shined in. Sophie smiled as she admired how much more inviting and comfortable the room had become.

"Much better...don't you agree?" She turned from the window to look at the little hedgehog who silently watched her. He simply nodded weakly and turned his head to stare at the ceiling. She walked back over to his bedside and grabbed a strange looking remote with various buttons on it. He watched with curiosity as she pressed one button. His bed began moving upwards, forcing him into a sitting position.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him. He simply shrugged, avoiding her gaze. She sighed sadly as she walked back to the counter to retrieve the metal tray she had set up earlier. She grabbed the scissor and walked back over to the small child. Immediately feeling nervous, he edged himself further away from her, closing his eyes, and shaking lightly. She frowned, he was so frightened it broke her heart.

"I'm not going to hurt you...I just need to take your bandages off." She grabbed a piece of the bandage on his head first and began to cut. He flinched as he heard the sound of the scissors snip at pieces of cloth.

"See?" She said as he opened one eye and saw a piece of fabric in her hand. He relaxed and opened both eyes as he allowed her to remove the rest of his head bandages.

"Not so bad right?" She said playfully as he shook his head in agreement. She grabbed his right arm and cut the bandage off. He watched her intently.

She grabbed the gauze and fresh clean dressings from the tray and began wrapping them around his head and wrist skillfully. When she finished she smiled at him and she could have sworn she saw the corners of his mouth curve upwards slightly even if it were just for mere seconds.

"Am I...gonna be alright?" He suddenly asked in a soft whisper. She looked at him curiously for a moment. She felt satisfied she was able to get him to calm down at least and he was now making conversation.

She smiled. "You're going to be just fine honey...within a week you'll be able to take those bandages off and you'll be as good as new."

He let out a sigh of relief and for the first time since he had been brought here she saw him smile slightly.

"My name is Sophie." She suddenly announced. "What's your name?"

He was quiet for a moment before responding. "Sonic..." He whispered softly, she smiled brightly.

"Well isn't that a cool name...it's very unique." He smiled from her compliment.

"You really think so?" He asked, his voice gaining it's strength. She nodded. "Yeah I do."

"So let me ask you again...how are you feeling?" She asked suddenly.

"I feel really thirsty." He admitted. His throat felt extremely dry and it hurt a little to talk. She nodded in understanding. "Don't worry...I'll get you some water after the doctor sees you."

"Are you feeling hungry?" He sat and thought about it for a moment until his stomach growled fiercely, answering the question for him. He blushed from embarrassment. She giggled softly and smiled. "I'll take that as a yes. I don't blame you for feeling hungry...you've been asleep for a good while."

"What would you like to eat? Any suggestions? We have a large menu for you to choose from." He put his hand up to his chin and thought for a moment. A small smile appeared across his little face.

"Do ya guys have any chili dogs? They're my favorite."

She smiled at him, feeling so happy that she managed to cheer him up and also distract him from thinking about the tragic events that had transpired days prior.

"I'll see what I can do." She laughed softly. His eyes lit up with hope. "Really?" She nodded.

"We also have ice cream. I'll make sure to give you some after you have some lunch today." His eyes grew wide and he couldn't control the excited smile that etched across his face.

Before another word could be spoken Cathy and doctor Robert Reynolds entered the room. Sonic's smile began to fade as he glanced up at the male wolf doctor.

"I'm glad to finally see you awake young man." He said with a welcoming smile. "You had quite a nasty bump on the head."

The gray and white wolf walked over to the little hedgehog to begin examining him and his injuries.

"I just checked his head wound doctor and changed his dressings. Everything seems to be healing well."

He smiled enthusiastically at Sophie. "I would only assume the best from one of my top nurses." She blushed from the compliment while Cathy could only smirk. She couldn't wait to tease Sophie about this one later.

Doctor Reynolds turned his attention back to his young patient and right when he was about to touch him for further inspection and evaluation the little hedgehog flinched nervously out of sheer reflex and moved away. Robert knew immediately why the child acted in this fearful manner. He didn't need to watch the news to know this child's case. It was never easy when he had to deal with child abuse cases. He was surprised the child didn't simply rip out the IV from his left arm and jump out of the bed to hide in a nearby corner after what he's gone through.

"It's alright young man...I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to see if your injuries are healing right."

"O-okay..." Sonic managed to squeak nervously. Sophie and Cathy exchanged sympathetic looks. Sonic tried his best to relax and slowly moved himself towards the doctor again.

"That's a good boy...How about this...I'll let you know everything I plan to do before I do it and if you feel uncomfortable you can give me a small tap on the arm. How does that sound?" He asked the little boy calmly.

Sonic nodded slowly. "That sounds fair."

The doctor smiled playfully at him. "Great!" He exclaimed. "Now...I just want to examine your head injury real quick to see if it hurts anywhere is that alright with you?" Sonic nodded. "Alrighty then...let's see here..."

Doctor Reynolds began touching his head in various places that were wrapped around in the bandages. "Does it hurt here?" He asked as he touched certain areas. Sonic shook his head. "No." He then touched the back of his head where he had the extensive injury in question. "How about here?" He asked and Sonic immediately winced slightly in pain.

"Ah...thought so..." The doctor replied knowingly. "Don't worry little man, you're gonna feel a little sore and sensitive there for a little while...but it's healing just fine. Once the wound fully heals you'll be completely back to normal...good as new!" Sonic sighed in relief and relaxed as he began to feel a little more comfortable now.

"Alright Sonic...I need to check out your arm now...is that okay with you?" Robert asked patiently, again Sonic nodded granting the doctor permission. Doctor Reynolds gently grabbed Sonic's right arm and began slowly bending it in several natural positions. He made sure to take this slow because he knew that the child's arm had been severely sprained. Sonic closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the slight pain and discomfort he was now feeling. Unable to bare anymore, he tapped the doctor's arm lightly.

"It...hurts..." He murmured, his eyes still closed. Robert immediately stopped and began rubbing the little boys back for comfort.

"I know it does son...but I had to make sure it was healing right. I'm all done now...so you can relax."

Sonic opened his eyes and looked up at the doctor. Doctor Reynolds stood up and pulled a stethoscope out of his lab coat.

"Do you know what this device is?" He asked the little hedgehog. Sonic shook his head. "I use this so I can listen to your heartbeat. Would you like to see?" Sonic nodded with intrigue. Robert handed Sonic the stethoscope and held up the disk shaped resonator. "Put the earpieces on." He instructed. Sonic did as he was told and eagerly put the earpieces in each ear.

"Alright...now...I'm going to put this resonator against my chest and you should be able to hear my heart beating." As doctor Reynolds applied the resonator piece to his chest Sonic listened eagerly for the awaiting sounds. Sonic smiled as he heard the beats. "Hey! I can hear it!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"See! Pretty cool huh?" Robert chuckled.

"Yeah!" Sonic said as he removed the earpieces. Doctor Reynolds took back the stethoscope and quickly disinfected it. "Think you could let me listen to your's now?" The doctor asked playfully. The point of his approach was to make the child as comfortable as possible.

"Alright." Robert smiled as he placed the earpieces in his ears and leaned closer towards the small boy.

"The resonator may be a little cold." He warned before he placed it against Sonic's chest. Sonic gasped lightly as he felt the cold touch against his fur. Robert listened to Sonic's steady heartbeat and told Sonic to breath in and out. He then placed the resonator against his back asking him to take deep breaths. Pulling away, Robert smiled.

"You have a mighty strong heart beating in there." Sonic smiled.

"Really? It's strong?" He asked, doctor Reynolds nodded.

Robert walked back towards the waiting nurses. "I just want you to quickly take his blood pressure and then he should be all set for now." He informed them. They both nodded.

He turned around to face the little boy one last time. "Don't worry little man, you're perfectly healthy. Your wounds are healing just as I expected them to and you should be back to normal within a week." He smiled at the little hedgehog one last time before exiting the room.

Sonic merely watched as Cathy walked up to him and began wrapping a device around his arm. He felt a bit apprehensive all of a sudden. "I-is this g-gonna hurt?" He asked her feeling worried.

She shook her head. "Not at all. You may feel a little uncomfortable though." Sonic frowned.

"While your taking his blood pressure, I'm going to go to the cafeteria to make him some lunch." Sophie stated as she prepared to leave.

"Alright." Cathy said as she began pressing the valve to tighten the cuff wrapped around Sonic's arm.

"By the time Cathy finishes taking your blood pressure, I'll have your lunch ready for you." She smiled and winked at him before leaving the room.

Sonic smiled wearily. He was relieved at the thought of finally having something to eat and drink. His stomach was killing him now and his throat felt so dry he had to strain himself just to speak. He looked up at the nurse named Cathy as she continued taking his blood pressure. She smiled softly at him without speaking a word, concentrating on what she was doing. He couldn't wait until everyone would be done picking and poking at him. This past half hour had taken its toll on him and he already felt tired enough to take a nap. One question remained in the back of his mind though, where was his mother?


Sonic sat happily eating his lunch and chugging down his bottle of cold water. To his delight, they did indeed have chili dogs which he was now devouring without hesitation. The nurses had turned on a medium sized television set which hung on the wall on the opposite end of the room. Sonic felt more at ease now with a full belly and his thirst quenched as he sat watching the cartoon playing on the television screen.

He was still very much confused to say the least, but at least he felt safe now. He wondered how much longer he would have to wait until he could see his mother again. "I bet mommy's worried about me..." He thought to himself. The doctor did say he would be feeling better in a week, perhaps then he'll be reunited with his mother and go home. Home...the thought unnerved him. His thoughts wandered back onto his father.

All afternoon since he had woken up his mind kept drifting back to what had happened and of his father. He tried to ignore his thoughts, distracting himself with food and cartoons but the thoughts kept returning. Where was his father? Did he know where he was? Was he angry? Was mommy okay? What's gonna happen now? Those questions continued to play throughout his mind all day. He was afraid. He didn't want to see his father ever again. He knew his father almost killed him that day and if he ever saw him again he wouldn't hesitate to finish the job.

Suddenly his food churned in his stomach and he felt a bit nauseous. He regretted everything he did that day. The drawing he made and telling his mother and his principal his secret. If he had just kept his mouth shut none of this would have ever of happened. He worried about his mother and hoped his father didn't hurt her. It would be all his fault and he could never forgive himself. He frowned, hanging his head low dejectedly. He felt ashamed of himself.

Feeling depressed, he sighed and wiped his hands on his napkins and pushed the empty tray that once held his lunch away from him. He found himself no longer paying attention to the cartoon on the screen as he laid his head back on the bed. His eyes wandered around the room as he sat in deep thought. He looked out the room's windows as he began to daydream. He missed his mother terribly and couldn't wait to see her again. He wanted to apologize for everything, for all the trouble he had caused her. He wanted to tell her he loved her.

Where were they going to live now? Where were they going to go? He wondered as he pulled the sheets over himself. The room was freezing and he felt himself beginning to shiver. If his mother and he had to move would that mean having to go to a new school too? His thoughts unconsciously drifted straight to the little girl he had seen a few days ago. If he left...then he really wouldn't see her again. "I wonder where she is?" He thought to himself sheepishly. Maybe she was going to his school now. He smiled slightly as he daydreamed of playing with her on the playground or eating lunch with her in the cafeteria.

He wondered what her likes and dislikes were. Was she afraid of bugs? Did she like to color? Did she like games like "Hide and Seek" or "Tag"? He remembered the little teddy bear she was holding when he first saw her. He wondered if she took him everywhere she went and if he was her best friend. Then he suddenly remembered something. "Charlie..." He murmured sadly. He needed his buddy there with him at that moment. He needed to hug him tightly and to be assured everything would be okay. He felt his eyes starting to water. It was bad enough not being able to see his mommy but to not have Charlie by his side made the loneliness he felt even worse. Charlie was his only friend besides his mother and his security blanket. That stuffed chao was extremely important to him.

He groaned sadly as he looked away from the window and around the room. He was beginning to feel a little tired but didn't want to fall asleep. He looked at the counter on the other side of his bed and observed all the strange medical devices that sat idly on it. He saw a sink, a container that held tongue depressers, strange instruments, q-tips, a tissue box, and a container filled with gauze. The counter had a lot of drawers, most likely filled with other strange instruments he had no idea what their use would be for. Then something caught his eye, sitting on the edge of the counter by the oak wood door sat a clear glass vase filled with three red roses.

He found that kind of odd. They seemed so out of place sitting there amongst medical devices and instruments. "Where did those come from?" He wondered, curiously. "Maybe they're from mommy..." He thought, his spirits lifting slightly. Could that mean she was nearby? Could she be here at the hospital? He suddenly felt compelled to try and sneak out of bed to go look but knew he couldn't. Before he could ponder on the mystery roses further, Sophie entered the room. She smiled at him when she noticed the empty tray and water bottle.

"Feeling better?" She asked happily as she walked up to him.

He nodded. "Yeah much better." He forced a smile.

Noticing right away, she cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Rubbing his right arm, he looked down at the sheets that covered him. "I just miss my mommy..." He admitted sadly. Sophie frowned. She knew it would be difficult to keep his mind off of everything and especially off of his mother.

"Don't worry...Everything is gonna be alright." She whispered, rubbing his back supportingly.

"When am I gonna see her again?" He asked, looking up at her. She bit her lip. She really did not want to lie to him...but how can she answer this question truthfully.

"Soon..." She replied lamely. He sighed sadly and she felt a tug at her heart strings.

"Okay..." He said in a low voice, looking back down. She decided it was time to change the subject.

"So are you comfortable? Do you need anything?"

"I'm a little cold." He said while pulling the sheets closer to himself.

"I can bring you an extra blanket...but first you need your medicine."

"Medicine?" He thought with dread.

"What? But why?" He asked. The last thing he wanted was to take yucky medicine right now.

"Because you need it to help you get better." She chuckled while walking to the counter.

"But...but everyone told me I was okay...that I would get better." He stated, trying to talk her out of giving him anything.

She held in a giggle. "You are going to get better...but you need to rest. This will just help you sleep that's all."

"I don't wanna go to sleep." He argued, crossing his arms.

Ignoring him, she continued preparing the needle at the counter. She made sure he couldn't see it so he wouldn't freak out but she knew the moment she held it out in front of him to administer it, it'd all be in vain anyway.

"I want you to close your eyes...and count to ten for me. Can you do that?" She asked him suddenly.

He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Why?" He asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

"We're gonna play a game." She informed him with a fake smile.

"Like Hide and Seek?" He asked.

"Mmm...something like that..." She said turning around, her back firmly against the counter to block his view.

"Okay...close your eyes now and start counting." She commanded. He looked at her with a hint of suspicion at first but saw no reason why he shouldn't trust her. At least she seemed to of forgotten all about giving him the medicine now. Feeling a little anxious, he slowly closed his eyes. She checked to make sure he wasn't peaking and when she noticed he wasn't she turned back around.

"Start counting now..." She stated as she grabbed the needle.

"Okay." He said.

"One...Two...Three..." She walked slowly up to his left arm where the IV was attached, but to her dismay he had his arm bent and laying in a position where she couldn't access the IV. She mentally cursed herself knowing she would have to grab his arm and turn it slightly in order to give him the shot.

"Four...Five...Six..." She slowly and gently grasped his wrist and began turning it. "Seven...Eight..." He was beginning to feel apprehensive the moment he felt the nurse turning his arm. He opened one eye and peaked and immediately jerked away from her when he saw the needle.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" He shouted, edging himself further away from her to the other end of the bed. She frowned, knowing her job just got more difficult.

"Please sweety...it's okay...it's not gonna hurt." She tried soothing him.

He looked at her with panic in his eyes. "YES IT IS!" He shouted.

"No it won't! I promise it won't." She tried reasoning with him.

"IT WILL!" He shouted, wiggling away from her in the bed frantically. "Y-you tricked me!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but you need to take this." She said grabbing his left arm.

"No! No please!" He begged, still squirming. His eyes began to water as he fought back tears and he began to breath heavily.

"Please stay still." She demanded softly. "I don't want to accidentally stick you in the wrong place."

He quit fidgeting and looked at her with pleading, teary eyes. "Please don't..." He pleaded as he began to sob softly. She gently held his arm out so it was straight and held it firmly in place. He tried to hold back his sobs as tears began rolling down his soft cheeks.

"Shh..." She soothed as she edged the needle closer. He closed his eyes nervously as he awaited the pain. When a couple of seconds had passed and he still felt nothing, he opened his eyes in confusion. He saw the needle was inside the strange plastic IV attached to his arm.

"See...I told you it wasn't going to hurt." She assured him. "I'm all done already. That wasn't so bad right?" She felt terrible for making him cry and get all worked up. She ran a hand through his quills in a nurturing manner. He sniffed, his breathing becoming more relaxed and soft. He was already feeling drowsy and was fighting to keep his eyes from drooping. The medicine had already begun taking its affect on him.

Sophie walked back to the counter and quickly disposed of the needle and cleaned up the work area. She grabbed the box of Kleenex tissues that sat on the counter and walked back to the almost dosing hedgehog. He looked up at her with half lidded, heavy eyes, wanting to say something but found himself unable to do so. She grabbed some tissues and began gently wiping his little cheeks and eyes.

"I'm sorry for tricking you." She said apologetically. She caressed his one cheek with her hand affectionately. Sonic closed his eyes, unable to fight the urge to sleep any longer.

"Have a nice nap little one." She said getting up. She pressed a button on the controller for his bed making the bed move down into a sleeping position. Walking back to the counter, Sophie disposed of the used tissues and placed the tissue box back on the counter. She closed the curtains on the windows to prevent the sunsets rays from brightening the room and possibly disturbing his slumber. Sophie turned off the television and quickly left the room to get him an extra blanket. After returning and tucking him in she hit the switch on the lights to darken the room. Sophie took one last glance at the little hedgehog now sleeping soundly and smiled before exiting the room.


Cathy had been tending to patients all afternoon and was now taking care of Mr. Cooper. The middle aged raccoon had suffered several injuries from a car accident almost two weeks ago. The stubborn man wanted nothing more than to go home but due to his injuries he would have to be patient and stay put in his hospital bed until he was well enough to be released.

It was early evening now around six o'clock at night and she was in the middle of cleaning up his room and preparing to serve him his dinner. Mr. Cooper sat in his bed watching the evening news while he waited feeling slightly impatient and edgy.

"I'm starving woman...how much longer do I have to wait?" He asked irritably. She stopped what she was doing to glare at him.

"I'll make you wait even longer if you don't curb your attitude. Show a little respect will ya." She replied saucily.

"I'm tired of being treated like a child...I want to get the hell out of this shit hole..." He declared in agitation.

She huffed. "You should be happy you even made it here in one piece and that people are taking care of you." He crossed his arms and grumbled, mumbling incoherent words under his breath.

She returned to what she was doing when he finally got quiet. Mr. Cooper turned the volume up on the television in frustration.

"Now returning back to our latest story. This story is truly a tragic one in the small town of Charleston just West of Station Square." Said one of the news anchors.

"It was a quiet Friday afternoon in this small suburban neighborhood when a true tragedy had taken place." Said a female anchor standing around in the neighborhood in question facing the camera.

"Just outside this home around early evening a shooting had taken place when a man decided to shoot his wife and son." Said the anchor while standing in front of a two story home.

Cathy turned her attention to the television completely horrified knowing exactly what story they were talking about. Thoughts of the little boy she had only taken care of a few hours ago emerged in her mind. Mr. Cooper looked at the television set in complete disgust.

"What the hell is this world coming to..." He announced in contempt.

"Wait...wait...shh!" Cathy said, giving the television her undivided attention. Mr. Cooper sneered at her.

"The man allegedly attempted to shoot his son but instead shot his wife for reasons we are still investigating." The woman said as she walked along the driveway where the incident had taken place. The entire area was filled with police officers, cadaver dogs, and yellow 'do not cross' tape.

"The child managed to survive with minimal injuries and is currently being treated at Station Square Memorial Hospital but the mother was pronounced 'dead' at the scene. The man in question has never been found." The anchor announced while walking around the scene of the crime.

"That's awful..." Mr. Cooper breathed. Cathy was speechless as she continued to listen, her hand on her chest.

A picture of Jules appeared on the television screen. "Jules Maurice Hedgehog is wanted for the murder of Bernadette Louise Hedgehog and the attempted murder of Sonic Xavier Hedgehog. If you have any information on where his whereabouts may be please call 1-416-653-8924."

The screen switched back to the news room where a male anchor continued discussing the case. "We have recently received new information claiming there has been a history of child abuse in the house hold." He said while looking at some paperwork on his desk.

"Apparently the mother had gone to the child's school earlier that day and had discussed this matter with the principal whom refuses to give us any information on the matter. We are still not quite sure whether the wife participated in the abuse along with the husband or not."

Cathy huffed. "All that boy has been asking about all day was to see his mother. The sadness and longing in that boys face...it's obvious his mother loved him very much." She said to no one in particular.

"The poor kid..." Mr. Cooper said sympathetically. Cathy couldn't help but be surprised in his change in demeanor.

Several photographs of Jules, Bernadette, and Sonic appeared on the screen. Some were family group photo's while others were of them alone. A photo of Bernadette smiling while bottle feeding Sonic when he was just a baby, another of Jules and Bernadette together hugging and smiling happily at one another, Sonic around age three opening gifts under a Christmas tree, and a group picture of the three of them all together.

Cathy was on the verge of tears now as she looked at the various photos. "What the hell happened here...They looked like a normal, happy family. I just don't understand." She thought to herself.

The news went back to the female anchor who was now interviewing several neighbors that lived near the Hedgehog family. "I could hear the shots going off. It was absolutely terrifying!" One of them said. "I was actually able to hear the man screaming...but I could not make out any words that were said." Another neighbor explained.

"Did you know the Hedgehog family on a more personal level? Did you ever see or talk to them? If so what were they like?" The anchor asked one of the neighbors who happened to live right next to where the Hedgehog family had lived.

"Um..." The man said scratching the back of his head trying to find words. "Where to start..." He thought for a moment before answering.

"Well...Bernadette...she was a wonderful woman. She was always willing to help anyone out in need no matter what the circumstances were. She just had a big heart and I'll tell you all this right now, she loved her son very much. He was all she spoke about when she went out anywhere...She was so proud of him."

"What of the husband and the son?" The woman pressed for more information.

"I rarely saw Jules...he was a very quiet and aloof man. He never really left the house when he was home...and rarely spoke to anyone. He seemed cold and distant and at times...I used to wonder about that man. But Bernadette would talk nonstop about her husband; she would always praise him and say how wonderful he was. She truly loved him and never showed any signs to make me think otherwise..."

"And the son?" The woman asked, eager for more information.

"Sonic...he was always such a good boy. I would often see him walking home from school. He was quite the hyperactive, adventurous child. A typical five year old, but well mannered. That child loved his mother very much. It was definitely safe to say he was a momma's boy." The man gave out a sad chuckle at some of the memories.

"Have you ever heard any disturbances in the home to make you think something was wrong?" She asked him, pushing the microphone close to his face. He felt a bit flustered but tried to answer to the best of his ability. To be honest this whole situation disturbed him greatly and he was feeling at a loss himself.

"No...I never heard anything..." He stated honestly. "Everything seemed completely normal...I never would've guessed there was something amiss."

"Would you of ever imagined something like this happening?" She asked. "No." He said blunt and to the point.

"Thank you for sharing this information with us." She said quickly before turning back to the camera as if unaffected by the stories tragic events.

The screen went back to the male anchor in the news room who continued to discuss the case. "Bernadette was a young mother at just the age of twenty-five when her life had been taken away. The son, Sonic is only a five year old. A true tragedy." The man said shaking his head slightly in disgust.

"It's been years since any serious crimes had taken place in Charleston. It's usually known for its quiet, peaceful, and crime free escape from the outskirts of the city." The picture of Jules appeared on the screen again.

"Jules Maurice Hedgehog, a twenty-nine year old is on the run for the murder of his wife and attempted murder of his son. Again, if anyone has any information please call 1-416-653-8924." The anchor then changed to the next latest story to discuss for the evening.

Cathy stood frozen in place utterly speechless. She had completely forgotten Mr. Cooper had been in the room and even what she was supposed to be doing.

"Poor kid...It doesn't help he looks so much like his old man either...That's gonna haunt him years down the road." Mr. Cooper said aloud suddenly, startling Cathy out of her dazed state.

She turned around and faced the raccoon who looked at the television screen with a sympathetic and disgusted expression.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, clearly what he said could have a double meaning.

"Think about it...The kid's gonna grow up eventually am I right? He's gonna have a difficult time dealing with all of this and the fact he has to look at himself in a mirror every morning and be reminded of who he resembles is only gonna make him feel more hatred."

Cathy looked at Mr. Cooper sullen, she felt so bad for Sonic. He really was a sweet kid, he didn't deserve any of this. Mr. Cooper met Cathy's gaze and smirked.

"Hey...cheer up would'ya...I like my women with some fire in em." He said jokingly. She couldn't help but smirk back at him.

"Watch it you or you might not get your dinner tonight." She said jokingly while giving his leg cast a soft tap.

"H-hey! Watch the leg woman!" He said in an annoyed tone while crossing his arms but his smirk and playful eyes were still apparent in his expression. She smiled back at him. He wasn't all that bad after all.


It was around twelve o'clock at night and the hallways of the hospital had become scarce and silent. The hallway lights were dimmed and most of the patients were already in bed and fast asleep. Sonic lay in his bed still sound asleep from the medication he had been given earlier. The faint sound of small footsteps echoed by his hospital room door. The oak wood door opened slowly and quietly as the intruder stood at the threshold, afraid of waking him. She shyly took a step inside, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Taking a deep breath, the little girl walked over to the side of his bed and quietly admired him. "He looks so cute and peaceful when he's asleep..." She thought to herself dreamily, her cheeks heating up. She noticed he was shivering and his blankets had fallen off of him some. Standing on her tippy toes she leaned over and pulled the blankets back over him. She smiled when she noticed him immediately relaxing and his shivering subsiding.

"He's not used to the cold hospital air." She thought to herself. It didn't even phase her anymore. Then again, she did receive extra blankets from the nurses. She observed his injuries and frowned sadly. "I wonder what happened to him..." She thought as her mind began to wander off on several different possibilities. She listened to him breathing softly and smiled again, blushing. "I think he's gonna be okay..." She assured herself. Her face burning from the heat on her cheeks, she found herself slowly grasping his hand in hers.

She held his hand gently, afraid of waking him. She smiled sheepishly as she found herself admiring his hands warmth. For someone who was so cold, his body was extremely warm. She intertwined her fingers with his trying to give him inner strength and support to pull through. Deep down, she was afraid he wouldn't. She didn't know why but she felt a strong connection to this boy. She couldn't understand it, they hadn't even met each other. "I wonder what his name is?" She found herself thinking.

She remembered that day she had gone with Ms. Reeves to her new school. She felt so scared and alone. She didn't know anybody and she had never gone to a school before so she had no idea what to expect. Thank goodness Franklin was with her. That teddy bear was her closest and most dearest friend. She actually felt a bit sad that day after seeing a lot of the children getting picked up by their parents. When she found herself feeling more scared and lonely than she had ever felt though...that's when...she saw him...

She watched him sleep, looking at the many bruises and scratches that covered his face and arms. She gave his hand a small supportive squeeze. He had been standing behind a tree watching her while Ms. Reeves and the school principal were talking about her starting her classes. Within an instant all her fears...her sadness, and loneliness disappeared in the blink of an eye upon seeing his face. He made her feel happy and she couldn't understand why. They hadn't even spoken a word to each other. Then he waved at her and smiled and she couldn't help but smile and wave back.

She really wanted to talk to him that day. But right after they got to wave to each other, Ms. Reeves told her it was time to leave. Even when she sat in the car she kept looking back out the window to try and see him again. As they drove away from the school instead of feeling afraid of going she felt...excited and happy. She felt this way because she knew he would be there. She couldn't help herself but daydream about becoming his friend and playing with him. She was told she would start school on Monday and so she waited excitedly for the day. She hoped she would have the same class with him then she wouldn't feel so alone and scared.

She sighed sadly. She never did get to go to school. She had gotten sick again and missed her first day. Now she had to wait until she got better before she could go. She never felt so sad and disappointed for missing out on something before. Then one evening while laying in bed, she heard the sounds of the nurses and doctors rushing with a stretcher. It sounded serious and though she shouldn't be nosy, curiosity got the better of her. His room was only across the hall from hers. She would never have expected to meet up with the boy she couldn't stop thinking about the past couple of days here at the hospital.

Instead of feeling excited though, she felt scared. He had gotten badly hurt and she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. So she decided to help him the best way she could. Every night since he had arrived at the hospital she had been sneaking out of her room to see him. This of course, was nothing new for her in any way. She had a nightly duty that the nurses didn't know about and she hoped to keep it that way.

She held his hand for a while as she watched him. She partially wished he'd wake up so she could talk to him. She sighed, realizing it was time for her to go and slowly pulled her hand away from his. She gently pulled out the red rose she had placed in her pants pajama pocket and held it out, admiring it. "I hope you like the roses." She whispered to him softly. She laid the red rose down next to him on the bed. Ever since he had arrived at the hospital she had visited him each night giving him a single red rose.

She hoped it would help give him the strength to pull through and get better. Her cheeks began to flush as she leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. "I hope you get better soon." She whispered into his ear. With her job done for the evening, she walked quietly back towards the door. She turned to look at him one last time, smiling shyly before leaving.

After quietly shutting his door she started to speed walk her way back towards her own room.

"Miss Amy Rose! What do you think you're doing out of bed at this hour?" Amy flinched at the voice, she had been caught. She turned around slowly to face Ms. Cathy. She was the nurse that usually took care of her.

"I-I...umm..." She stuttered, trying to find an excuse but was coming up empty.

"Well?" Cathy pressed for an answer.

"I...was thirsty...I'm sorry." She said in a low voice.

Cathy shook her head slightly. "That was the worst excuse you ever threw at me Amy." She thought to herself.

Cathy walked up to the now melancholy girl who was looking shamefully down at her pink slippers.

"Come on...It's time to go back to bed." She ushered Amy forward back towards her room.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered sadly, her eyes starting to water.

"I'm not mad at you Amy but you know better than to be out at this hour."

"I know..." She whined.

"You know you can't leave your bed." Cathy stated firmly.

"But I'm feeling much better now!" Amy said defiantly. Cathy placed her hand on Amy's forehead.

"For now perhaps...but you still have a slight fever."

Amy frowned. "It's not that bad this time..." She pouted.

"Get your butt back into that bed missy!" Cathy said playfully as she pointed towards the bed in the room. Amy giggled and climbed back into her bed. Cathy tucked her in and smiled at her.

"So, what was the real reason you were out of bed?" Amy blushed.

"H-how did you know...?" Cathy's grin grew wider.

"Because you're a terrible liar miss Rose." She said, tickling Amy.

Amy giggled and squirmed around, trying to get away. "No!" She laughed. "I can't take it!" She grabbed Cathy's hands and tried prying them away from her sides as she continued to laugh uncontrollably. Cathy suddenly stopped, smiling at the little girl. She had grown very attached to this little one. Ever since Amy was very small she had taken care of her. Amy panted trying to catch her breath but returned the smile.

"So...are you gonna tell me or do I have to tickle you some more?" She joked.

Amy looked up at Cathy, her expression turning more serious and she found her cheeks getting hot when thoughts of the little boy returned to her.

"If I tell you...do you promise not to be mad?" She asked nervously.

Cathy looked at her perplexed. "I promise."

Amy took a deep breath. "I wanted to make sure that little boy was okay."

Cathy couldn't fight the smile that etched across her face. This was too cute. She had her suspicions already that it might have been Amy that had been visiting him. Ever since Sonic had arrived, each morning she and Sophie would go into his room and find red roses laying next to him in the bed. She found it to be rather sweet so she took the roses and put them in a vase for him.

"He's gonna be just fine Amy." She assured her.

Amy let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so happy." She exclaimed, hugging her blankets.

"Now tell me...Where did you get all those roses?" Cathy asked her slyly. Amy gulped and pulled the blankets up close to her face.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." She fained innocence.

"Amy..."

Amy looked down at her blankets. "From...the gift shop downstairs...B-but I had permission! Honest!"

"Alright! Alright...I believe you...but it makes me wonder now how many more times you've snucked outta bed." Cathy stated playfully.

Amy let out a nervous laugh, avoiding eye contact. Cathy ruffled up her quills and smiled at her.

"You need to go to sleep now." She informed the little girl seriously.

Amy simply nodded. "Okay."

Cathy placed her hand on Amy's forehead once more and her smile dimmed. "Your fever's getting worse now. This is why you need to stay in bed and rest."

"I'm fine Ms. Cathy...I promise." Amy whispered, clutching her stuffed teddy bear Franklin. She was beginning to feel weak but she didn't want Ms. Cathy to worry.

"You're gonna need your medicine now." Cathy said getting up. "I'll be right back...You better be in that bed when I come back." She said half jokingly.

Amy nodded weakly. "I will..." She whispered.

Amy closed her eyes as the nurse left her room. She was relieved that she didn't get in trouble but felt even more relieved to know that that little boy was going to be alright. She hugged her teddy bear tightly as her breathing began to get heavy. Her fever was picking up again at a fast rate. It was all worth it though, being able to see him again. She smiled wearily as her thoughts drifted back to him before she fell into unconsciousness.


Sonic opened his eyes groggily and looked around the room slowly. The windows curtains had been pulled back allowing the sun's morning rays to shine brightly inside and illuminating the room. He yawned loudly and stretched as he sat himself up. It took him a moment to remember what had happened to him yesterday. He had been tricked into taking a shot. He frowned slightly at the memory. At least he didn't feel anything and he hated to admit it but he felt loads better today.

He pulled the sheets down off of himself and stretched his little legs. It felt good to give his legs some air. He was tired of laying in bed and wanted to get up. He was never one for sitting still for very long and he had been laying in bed for days. If it wasn't for the strange plastic IV in his left arm he would have been up and out of bed by now, no doubt getting in trouble for exploring the halls of the hospital.

He sighed as he looked around already feeling bored. Maybe he could watch some cartoons. He looked down at the mattress and began looking around for that strange looking remote the nurses kept pressing buttons on. He gasped as he pulled his sheets down to reveal a single red rose next to his pillow. He picked it up gently, examining it carefully with curiosity. "Where did this come from?" He thought to himself feeling confused.

He sat quietly for a few minutes staring at the rose trying to find an answer. "I don't remember seeing this here yesterday." He thought, while scratching his head. His eyes lit up for a moment when he thought of another possible explanation. "Maybe mommy was here...and she gave me this while I was asleep." He hoped. He looked back at the counter where the vase stood with the three red roses in it. Could those roses be by the same person? Could it really be from his mother? He desperately wanted to find out.

"What if mommy's still here somewhere...? I wanna see her!" He looked at the oak wood door and then back to the IV attached to his arm. He wanted to leave the room to find her. If she was still here somewhere he wanted to be with her. This was the longest amount of time he's ever been away from his mother before and he couldn't stand it. He began fiddling around with the IV in his arm, trying to find a way to remove it. It hurt when he tugged at it and he felt afraid to go any further. Sighing in defeat, he sat and crossed his arms in frustration. "Now what am I gonna do?"

The oak wood door opened revealing Cathy who greeted him with a bright smile.

"Good morning Sonic. Did you sleep well?" She asked him cheerily.

He nodded. "Yeah...I did...but can I get outta bed now?" He asked a bit impatiently.

"I'm tired of bed...I wanna get up!" He exclaimed, arm's still crossed.

She chuckled lightly as she walked up to him. "I'm sorry but you're not getting up. You still need your bed rest."

He groaned. "Aw come on..." He pleaded. "It's so boring..."

She laughed, shaking her head slightly. She knew all about his short attention span.

"How about this...I can put the TV on and you can watch some cartoons and movies. Would you like that?" She asked.

His irritated expression softened and he smiled slightly, nodding. "Yeah, but I still wanna get up." He said while stretching his legs again.

"You will...just not right now." She stated while she grabbed the remote and pressed the button to make his bed move up into a sitting position then turning on the television.

He sighed in exasperation. This was pure torture not being able to move. He wanted to run around and play.

"I'll bring up some board games and toys to entertain you for a while after I get your breakfast ready." She said while watching him. "I'm sure Sophie will love to play with you later when she comes to change your dressings."

"Really?" He asked with hope in his eyes. He really wanted to play and do something fun.

She nodded with a smile. "Oh yes, Sophie loves to play games...and we have a whole bunch of em."

"Yes!" He shouted excitedly, uncrossing his arms. "I bet I can win!" He declared, with a cocky smile.

She smiled and shook her head. "You're somethin' else ya know that?" He merely grinned.

Her eyes then fell on the red rose he still held in his hand. She smiled knowingly as her thoughts wandered back to last night and the little pink hedgehog.

"Here...let me put that in some water." She said, holding her hand out.

He remembered the rose he was holding and reluctantly handed it to her. She walked back to the counter and placed it in the vase with the other three.

"Where are they coming from?" He suddenly asked. "I mean...who's giving them to me?" He looked up at the nurse hoping she'd tell him it was his mother and that she would visit him later that day.

The nurse smiled mischievously as she looked at the roses in the vase and back at the curious hedgehog.

"It seems...you have a secret admirer." She said between small giggles.

"Admirer?" He questioned in confusion. "Who?"

"It's a secret dear...I can't tell ya." She said with a large smile.

"Yes you can!" He exclaimed. "I promise not to tell anybody!" He was very curious now. If it wasn't his mother than who? An admirer? What is that? Who can it possibly be? He was truly baffled.

"Nope, I'm not saying a word." She teased.

"Aw...please?" He begged.

She shook her head. "No means no. Now what would you like for breakfast?" She chuckled while changing the subject. He sighed in defeat but smirked at her. If she wouldn't tell him who it was then he'll just have to find out on his own.


High heels clicked loudly on the hospital floor as a woman dressed in a business suit walked quickly through the hallways. She wasted no time in heading towards her destination. The hospital room door was open and she could hear the sounds of the television blazing into the hallway. "Perfect." She stood at the threshold to see a little blue hedgehog fully engrossed in what he was watching.

She knocked on the side of the doorway to grasp his attention. "Ahem." The little boy stopped watching and turned to look at her. She plastered on a fake smile and walked into the room. "Hello Sonic." She said as she pulled up a chair next to his bedside. He looked at her puzzled and unsure of what to say.

"No need to worry. I just want to talk to you." She stated, reading his expression.

When he just stared at her not saying anything she pressed to continue the conversation. "My name's Emily...and I work with children to help them get through difficult times in their lives."

He just nodded, frowning. He didn't really like where this was going. He didn't want to talk about anything. He learned from his mistake. The whole reason he was here and separated from his mother was because he opened his mouth and let out his secret. Never again.

Ignoring his obvious discomfort and the awkwardness of the situation she pressed on. "So how are you feeling Sonic? Are the nurses taking good care of you?"

He nodded. "Yeah...I'm fine." He replied quietly, feeling a little frustrated.

"Do you know why you are here?" She pressed. He looked at her with agitation clear on his small features.

"Yeah." He replied irritably. "Because of daddy..."

"Can you tell me about it?" She continued to push him for more answers.

"No." He said bluntly.

"Why not?" She asked. She'll get him to talk whether he liked it or not. She had no ambition on leaving empty handed.

"I don't wanna talk about it." He said angrily, crossing his arms.

"Now Sonic...it's not good to bottle up your emotions. You need to express how you feel and what's bothering you." She stated factually.

"I don't need to do anything." He said defiantly.

He felt a little guilty acting in this way but he really had no desire to talk about that horrible day or his father. He had been trying so hard to block it out of his mind. He kept looking forward to seeing his mommy and getting out of this place.

"You need help darling...let me help you."

"I don't need any help! I'm just fine!" He shouted angrily.

It was silent in the room for a couple of minutes. Sonic refused to look at this stranger who continued to pester him for answers. He hoped she would get the hint that he didn't want to talk and she would leave.

"Tell me about your father." She asked suddenly, changing direction in the conversation.

Sonic gripped his sheets tightly, feeling a variety of emotions: Fear, sadness, anxiety, uneasiness, anger.

"No." He stated firmly.

"I would really like to learn more about him...but I need your help."

"I don't wanna talk about daddy..." He felt tears threatening his eyes now.

"Why not? Don't you love your daddy?"

His vision began to blur as large, hot tears filled his eyes, threatening to fall down his cheeks at any moment. Why was this woman doing this to him? Can't she see she's hurting him? That he didn't want to talk about this? Why can't she just leave him alone. As much as he feared his father, as much as his father had hurt him physically and emotionally, he couldn't bring himself to fully hate him.

Deep down he still had love for his father and wished they could have a loving father son relationship like all the other boys at his school. It hurt him greatly that he didn't and couldn't have that. He wanted his father to love him more than anything. He would always ask himself what was wrong with him? What was he doing wrong to make his father hate him so much?

"Leave me alone..." Sonic mumbled sadly, vigorously wiping at his teary eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." She stated rather heartlessly, unaffected by his tears and sudden sadness.

Sonic stared ahead at the television screen not really paying attention. His heart was now aching as this woman continued to poke at his weak points.

"If you won't tell me about your father...tell me about your mother. What's she like?" Sonic looked at her incredulously.

"I'm not gonna tell you anything. No matter how much you ask me." He told her coldly, completely fed up with her now.

She scoffed at his rudeness and attitude. "I don't think you realize the situation you're now in young man."

"I don't care!"

"I think you will when you find yourself with new living arrangements."

He refused to look at her, gripping his sheets tightly. He wasn't quite sure what she meant by that.

"I don't care where my mommy and I live...as long as we're together." He said firmly.

"And what would you do if you didn't have your mommy?" She asked him coldly.

He looked at her completely horrified. "W-what...?" He stammered, his heart wretched with fear and anxiety.

She smiled viciously at him. "Ah...that got your attention...but if you want some answers out of me...I need answers out of you."

He shook his head in disbelief. "She's lying...don't listen to her." He told himself, giving himself some encouragement. He felt his tears brimming his eyes once again and he put forth a lot of effort to keep them at bay but to no avail. He started shaking fiercely and his tears began pouring down his muzzle.

"No..." He whispered, shaking his head in utter disbelief. He refused to listen to this heartless woman. "Y-you're a liar! He shouted, venting his anger. "I-I don't b-believe y-you!" He said, his voice gaining strength, his eyes filled with anger and worry. The woman only laughed softly at him.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Sophie asked as she entered the room. She looked at Emily with fire in her eyes. She was furious.

"Who let you in here?" She asked, walking over to the woman. Emily stood up from her chair ignoring the sobbing hedgehog next to her.

"Nobody...I let myself in." She stated boldly.

"You have no permission to be here...you need to leave...right now!" Sophie seethed while pointing towards the doorway.

"I still have questions to ask this child...questions in need of answering."

"I don't think so...you need to get out. Now!" Sophie yelled.

Emily scoffed. "I don't take orders from anyone let alone a measly nurse such as yourself."

Sophie clenched her fists and tried to control her anger. She looked back to Sonic seeing him sobbing, fear filled in his eyes.

"What the hell did you do to him?"

"I just simply asked him questions that's all."

"If you have any questions...you can ask me, leave him out of it."

"Only he can answer these questions."

Sophie felt an urge to slap this woman. She was insufferable.

"Sonic doesn't need to hear this...let's just discuss this outside." Sophie managed, trying to be civil. Emily silently agreed following Sophie out the door. The moment Sophie shut the door and made sure they were out of ear shot she vented her anger.

"What the hell do you think your doing? Who gave you the right to walk inside his room and start pumping him for answers?"

Doctors, nurses, and patients around the hallway got quiet as they eavesdropped and stared at the fighting feline and hedgehog.

"I'm a Psychologist. I specialize in evaluating troubled children. That boy needs help. He's been through a tragic experience and needs to talk about it."

"What you're doing is not helping him, it's making everything worse!" Sophie yelled. "Did you see the look on that kid's face?" She pointed towards his hospital room door.

"Listen, he's the only witness we have to the murder and we need answers in order to find the man responsible. The police can't waste time waiting for him to feel like talking about it."

"He may have been involved in what happened that day, but I can tell you now he does not know what happened to his mother. Ever since he came out of a coma he's been asking for his mother and anticipating on seeing her soon." Sophie announced venomously.

Emily huffed in indifference. "We still need his story. He could tell us exactly what went on that day from his perspective."

"You will leave that boy alone. I will not let you play around with his head."

Emily narrowed her eyes. "We'll just see about that." She turned around in a huff and walked away.

Sophie stood watching her leave in silence. Once the the woman was out of sight she immediately ran back to Sonic's room. As she entered the room, she saw Sonic sobbing uncontrollably, hugging his blankets in dire need of warmth and comfort. Sophie ran over to his bedside.

"Sonic!" She shouted with worry, trying to get his attention. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes.

"S-s-she s-said..." He trailed off as fresh tears fell down his cheeks.

"Forget what she said." Sophie said soothingly. Sonic shook his head. "S-she said m-mommy..." He didn't get to finish his sentence as Sophie pulled him into a strong, nurturing embrace. She hugged him tightly as he cried into her shoulder, hugging her back in desperate need of comfort.

"Shh..." Sophie soothed. "Everything is alright." Sonic's sobs softened a bit as she rocked him back and forth in her arms. She felt her own heart breaking at the sight of him so distressed and sullen. What kind of Psychologist intentionally makes someone feel this way? How can she sit there and pump a helpless five year old for answers, answers he, himself did not know.

"I promise not to let that woman come near you again." She whispered. Sonic choked back his remaining sobs as he closed his eyes, his shaking subsiding. She stayed like this, hugging him tightly for a couple of minutes before finally pulling away. She laid him back down on his bed and wiped his eyes and cheeks with clean tissues.

"Please cheer up." She begged him. "We had such a nice day today didn't we? We played a lot of games." Sonic smiled weakly from the memories. "Yeah...and I won most of em..." He quipped.

She smiled brightly as she ruffled up his quills. "Only because I'm rusty." She joked. He smiled.

"Are you feeling better now?" She asked him. He nodded. "Yeah..." He sniffed.

She tickled his tummy lightly and he giggled. "Good."

"I want you to rest now okay...?" He nodded wearily. "Okay." He whispered softly.

Sophie tucked him in and turned off the television. "I want you to forget what that woman said. Do you understand me?" She asked. He nodded. "What she said was wrong and she had no right to say it to you."

She turned off the lights but kept the room door open for him. She watched as Sonic slowly closed his eyes and snuggled into the blankets before leaving. She needed to talk to Cathy about this and now she had to pay extra attention to make sure that woman didn't come back.


Another day had passed by and Sonic was laying in bed pretending to be asleep. It was around eleven o'clock at night as he lay there, eagerly waiting for something to happen. He had received another rose that morning and he was determined to find out who this secret admirer was. He was beginning to feel impatient and felt a little drowsy. He hoped whoever this secret admirer was would come soon.

Just when he was about to give up and fall asleep, he heard the sound of footsteps by his room door. He quickly pulled the covers over himself more, wiggled himself in a more comfortable position and closed his eyes. He heard the door opening slowly and had to resist the urge to open his eyes and see who it was. He had to wait a little longer before he could catch the mystery person in the act.

The unknown person stepped quietly inside and walked slowly up to his bedside. He could sense their presence right next to him now. Suddenly, he felt their hand on his and he could no longer hold back his curiosity. He sat up quickly and opened his eyes, ready to meet his secret admirer.

"Caught ya!" He exclaimed proudly.

The little pink hedgehog let out a small yelp in surprise and immediately turned to bolt for the door. Before she could, however, Sonic grabbed her wrist.

"Hey! Wait!" He said, gently pulling her back to him.

"I didn't mean to scare y-" He found himself dumbfounded and unable to finish his sentence as she turned around and faced him. His eyes grew wide when he realized who his secret admirer was and he couldn't prevent his cheeks from heating up.

"I-it's...you..." He whispered breathlessly.

She looked at him with a hint of confusion.

"I-I mean..." He trailed off, finding it difficult to speak. He rubbed the back of his head nervously with his free hand and tried to suppress his deepening blush.

She urged herself to say something to him. This entire time she had been visiting him she wished she could speak to him. Now that she had the chance she found herself lost for words. Her cheeks were burning and she felt her heart pounding in her chest.

The room became painfully quiet as the two little hedgehogs tried composing themselves.

"So...um...what's your name?" Sonic asked shyly.

"A-Amy Rose..." She replied quietly. He smiled sheepishly at her.

All this time he had wanted to talk to her and hear her voice, now he finally had the opportunity to. He even got to finally learn her name.

"I'm Sonic the Hedgehog." He said, gaining more confidence. She smiled shyly at him.

He looked down at his hand and realized he was still holding her wrist. Embarrassed, he let go and clasped his hands together in his lap.

"So...uh...what're ya doin'?" He asked her bashfully.

Her cheeks flushed and she looked down at the floor. "I...I wanted to make sure you were okay..." She said in a low voice.

His cheeks began to heat up again. "Oh..."

She pulled out the red rose that laid hidden in her pajama pocket. "H-here...this is for you..." She said bashfully, handing him the rose.

He smiled at her. "Thanks. It's really nice." He complimented. She smiled at him.

"You don't need to worry about me ya know...I'm feeling much better now." He stated confidently, holding both hands behind his head.

"I'm so glad." She said with a breath of relief.

He eyed her curiously. "How did you know I was here anyway?" He asked.

"Oh...um..." She looked around nervously. "Well...I saw you...when you first came here...your room is only across the hall from mine."

"She's staying at the hospital too?" He thought to himself in wonder.

"Why are you here?" He asked.

"I live here sometimes..." She said quietly.

Now he was really confused. Before he could question her further on the subject she spoke again.

"How come you're here? What happened?" She asked him with concern, worry in her beautiful jade green eyes.

He avoided her eyes. He didn't want her to know the truth.

"It's no big deal really...I just had a little accident that's all." He lied.

She nodded sadly but then smiled. "But you're alright now." She said cheerfully.

He nodded and smiled. "Yeah."

They looked at each other, emerald meeting jade as their eyes locked on one another.

"Do you always sneak out at night?" He asked her playfully with a smile.

She blushed. "W-well...not always...just when I wanna help someone out."

"So it's not just me you visit?" He asked, feeling a bit disappointed.

She sat next to him on the bed and smiled shyly. "If I tell you something do you promise to keep it a secret?" She asked him.

He smiled. "I promise."

"Pinky promise?" She asked, holding out her hand. He chuckled, linking his pinky finger with hers.

"I pinky promise." He said. She smiled and giggled softly as they completed the gesture.

"Alright...I sneak out sometimes so I can give people some hope."

"Hope?" He looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"When people wake up and see the roses...it makes them feel happy and it helps them get better. The roses give them hope that they will get well soon." She smiled at him.

He merely stared at her speechless, in shock from her explanation. After a couple of moments of silence she spoke again.

"The roses helped you too..." She whispered shyly.

He smiled brightly at her. "Yeah...they really did." She blushed.

"That's really nice of you Amy...what you're doing...I mean." He whispered bashfully, looking away from her. He felt his cheeks burning again. Why did she make him feel so funny inside? Aside from the weird feelings, he really enjoyed her company.

She smiled sheepishly. "You really think so?" She asked him.

"Yeah." His emerald orbs reunited with her jade ones as their gazes locked on one another.

"You can't tell anyone though. It's our secret." She stated. "If the nurses find out...I'll get in trouble. I'm not allowed to leave my bed." She said.

"Don't worry...we made a pinky promise remember?" He chuckled. She giggled and nodded.

"I have to go back to bed now." She said, suddenly getting up.

He frowned. "W-wait!" He stuttered.

She looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Can ya come back tomorrow?" He asked her.

She smiled sheepishly and nodded.

He smiled happily, already excited.

They looked at each other intently, neither uttering a single word. Before he realized what had happened, she had run up to him and quickly embraced him in a strong, affectionate hug. He blushed furiously, unsure of how to react. "U-uh..." He muttered weakly as he felt her squeeze him tightly. He returned the hug just as affectionately albeit feeling immensely shy and embarrassed.

She pulled away blushing uncontrollably. "I'm so happy you're okay now." She whispered shyly.

Before he could respond, she got up and headed back towards the door. She looked back at him and smiled.

"Goodnight Sonic, see you tomorrow." She whispered.

He smiled back at her. "Goodnight Amy."

They both gave each other a small wave goodbye as she opened the door and left the room. He sighed contentedly as he lay back down on his bed pulling the sheets back over himself. He couldn't control the little grin that kept appearing over his small muzzle. He couldn't wait to see Amy again tomorrow, he already began thinking of different things for them to do. He lay there staring up at the ceiling daydreaming of what games they could play together and what conversations they could have.

He felt so happy at that moment. He finally made a new friend and she happened to be really nice. He didn't care that his only friend at the moment happened to be a girl, knowing the boys at school would surely tease him for that. He was still surprised to of met her here at the hospital though. He was beginning to think he would never see her again. He sighed happily again as he made himself comfortable in the blankets and closed his eyes with a smile still spread across his face.


The next evening Amy returned just as she promised and the two little hedgehogs were in the middle of a competitive game of "Rock Paper Scissors". They had been up for a while, sitting on his bed, playing various board games the nurses had brought up to keep him entertained throughout the day.

"It's your turn...and it better be good." Amy teased, trying to suppress her giggles.

Sonic smirked at her. "Just you wait and see." He challenged cockily.

"Ready?" He asked. She nodded.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors! Shoot!" They both chanted together as they shook their hands preparing to unveil the element of their choice.

Sonic held his fist out having chosen rock while Amy held her hand out flat choosing paper.

"Paper beats rock." She said triumphantly with a smile. She placed her flat hand on top of his fist.

He furrowed his brow. "You gotta be cheating." He whined.

She shook her head in protest. "No!" She giggled. "You're just not that good at this game." She teased.

He scowled at her but laughed. "Yeah...well...I beat you at most of the board games."

She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

They both stared at each other then burst out into laughter.

"You wanna play Connect Four?" He asked her after their laughter had quieted down.

"Okay."

Sonic grabbed the box and opened it, taking out all the pieces. Amy helped him set up the stand and divided the different colored checkered pieces.

"What color do you wanna be?" She asked him.

"I'll be...red." He said.

"Alright." She handed him the red checkers and pushed her own into a small pile.

"You go first." He suggested with a smile. "You're gonna need the head start." He teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him again. "Fine, but when I win you'll regret going so easy on me."

She placed her piece in the desired slot of her choice. He chuckled lightly as he grabbed his own piece and placed it in the same slot above hers.

They continued stacking their pieces in different slots, teasing each other and laughing.

"Nurse Sophie told me I'll be leaving soon." He mentioned out of the blue. "She said I'm almost all better now." He said, adding another piece to a slot.

Amy smiled at him sadly. She didn't want him to go. She was afraid she wouldn't get to see him again.

"I can't wait!" He exclaimed. "It's so boring sitting in bed all day."

She added another piece, preventing him from winning. He smirked at her.

"I bet my mommy's excited too. I know she misses me." He said, while blocking her from a possible win.

He looked up at her when he noticed how quiet she had gotten all of a sudden. She tried to force a smile but he saw right thought it.

"Hey...What's wrong?" He asked her in concern.

"N-nothing..." She stuttered, while trying to plan her next move.

"It doesn't look like nothing." He stated, looking into her moistened jade eyes.

She looked down at her lap, clasping her hands together and frowned.

"Did I...do something wrong?" He asked confused, starting to worry.

She shook her head. "No. I just...I don't want you to leave." She whispered, looking back up to meet his gaze.

He looked at her a bit taken aback. "Why not?" He asked.

"Because I'm afraid I won't get to see you again." She admitted, her cheeks blushing a cherry red.

"Oh." He said flabbergasted. He felt his own cheeks beginning to heat up.

He smiled at her sheepishly. "Don't worry...we'll still see each other." He said confidently.

"We will?" She asked, her voice hopeful.

"Yeah! You're going to my school now aren't ya?" He stated with a grin.

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah."

"We can play on the playground and eat lunch together." He said excitedly, his grin growing.

"That sounds fun." She said, her smile also growing.

Feeling better she resumed the game, adding another piece to a slot. He smiled at her, grabbing another red checker and thinking of where he should place it.

"Ya know..." He said slowly, his cheeks flushing. "My mommy told me you could come over to play." He said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Really?" She asked excitedly.

He nodded sheepishly. "I know my mommy will really like you." He stated, his cheeks a bright scarlet.

Amy couldn't stop the large smile that spread across her face. Her heart felt warm like it was fluttering inside her chest. Sonic made her feel so happy and special. She would love to meet his mother. She never got to know her own mommy. The closest she's ever gotten to having a mother was Ms. Cathy and sometimes Ms. Reeves.

Sonic placed his red checkered piece into another slot and smiled slyly at Amy. "Connect four! I win!" He shouted triumphantly while his finger traced the perfect row of red checkers. She crossed her arms and made a face at him.

"Aw, don't be mad Amy..." He teased. She smiled mischievously and began tickling his sides. He fell over on the bed knocking the game along with its pieces onto the floor with a thud.

He laughed uncontrollably. "A-Amy! S-stop it!" He giggled.

She shook her head. "Not-uh!" She said between her own giggles.

"O-oh yeah...two can p-play at t-this game." He said between laughs, squirming to escape.

He grabbed her sides gently and began to tickle her back. She started to laugh, her tickles she was giving him fading away as she tried to pry his hands away from her sides. She fell over laughing as he sat up and tickled her back playfully. The tables had suddenly turned.

"Ha! How do you like it!" He teased.

She wiggled around trying to get away from him. Her eyes began to water as she continued to giggle helplessly.

"N-No more!" She begged. "I-I give up." She said through her laughter.

He smiled victoriously as he stopped his tickle attack. "Looks like I just won again!" He proclaimed proudly.

She poked his tummy playfully and he chuckled. The two little hedgehogs took a moment to catch their breaths and compose themselves. Amy looked around at the mess they had accidentally created through their playtime together.

"We better clean this up before we get caught." She stated, sliding off the bed.

"You're right." He agreed.

They picked up cards, checkers, pawns, and other pieces that went to several different games and began to organize them. They placed the boards in their correct boxes along with the matching pieces that associated them. Lastly, the Connect Four game that had fallen onto the floor along with its pieces was all that remained.

Amy picked up the stand and placed it on the bed as she gathered up the pieces. As Sonic was about to grab the stand to put it in the box Amy had gone to do the same. He found himself accidentally placing his hand on top of hers. The two little hedgehogs both blushed and withdrew their hands quickly.

"Sorry." They both said in unison. Their cheeks both flushed even more.

Sonic let out a nervous laugh as he grabbed the remaining pieces and placed them in the box. Amy took the games and put them back on the floor by the bed before sighing in relief.

"Now they'll never know." She whispered with a giggle. He smiled.

Exhaustion suddenly taking over her, Amy laid down on the bed beside him. He smiled sheepishly, feeling his cheeks getting hot again. She smiled wearily at him. "I just wanna rest for a little while...before I head back to my room." She whispered softly.

He nodded. "Okay." He whispered. He grabbed the blankets and pulled them over himself and her as he made himself comfortable. They both laid on their sides facing one another, emerald and jade orbs locked in an intense gaze. "Gosh she's pretty..." He found himself unconsciously thinking.

They stayed like this for a while. Amy had closed her eyes and Sonic found himself battling to keep himself from closing his own.

"Sonic...?" She whispered softly to him.

"Yeah?" He asked, opening his heavy eyes.

"We'll always be friends...won't we?" She asked.

He smiled tiredly. "Of course we will..." He whispered.

"Do you promise?" She opened her heavy eyes to look at him.

"I pinky promise." He chuckled softly. She smiled wearily.

He lifted up his hand and held out his pinky finger for her to take. She did the same and moved her hand to his. They both smiled at each other, never taking their eyes off the other while they linked their pinky fingers to seal their promise.


It was around two thirty in the morning and to say Cathy felt exhausted would be an understatement. She had just finished chugging down a cup of hot coffee and was doing her rounds, checking on the sleeping patients on that ward. She yawned tiredly as she headed towards a certain pink hedgehog's room. She had to periodically check on her at all times in case her illness picked up again.

She walked down the quiet hallway reaching her destination. She let out a gasp in sheer horror as she entered the little hedgehog's room only to see an empty bed with unmade sheets.

"Amy?" She called out in a whisper, looking around the room nervously. "Amy, where are you?"

When she realized the little girl was no where to be found within the room she began to panic. She left the room in a rush and began checking around the hallway.

"Amy..." She sighed in frustration. She just knew it. Amy was sneaking out a lot more than she had let on. This wasn't good. Why can't that girl understand she needs to stay in bed.

Worried, she began to search throughout the floor for the missing child, checking patient's rooms, the hallways, and even the restrooms. "Oh, where could she be?" She thought, panic stricken.

She then found herself remembering the events of the other night when she had caught Amy out of bed. With her last hope of finding Amy before having a panic attack, Cathy headed towards Sonic's room. She quickly reached the little boy's room and opened the door quietly, ready to gently scold a certain pink hedgehog for sneaking out of bed.

She stopped herself short as she entered the room and looked towards the bed. The two little hedgehog's in question were sleeping soundingly next to one another, their pinky fingers still linked together. She felt her heart warm up at the adorable sight. It appears Sonic figured out who his secret admirer was after all. Had it been any other doctor or nurse to walk in on them, they both would have had a good talking to. Even Sophie would have scolded the two of them. She could be such a prude sometimes.

"I suppose I could let the two of you off the hook this one time." She thought to herself with a smirk.

She quietly walked over to the edge of the bed and gently pulled the blankets down. Leaning down, she gently picked up the sleeping girl, holding her bridal style and pulled the blankets back over Sonic.

"Mmm..." Amy mumbled softly in her slumber.

Cathy quietly left the room and slowly walked Amy back to her bedroom. She tucked the little hedgehog in the bed she's supposed to stay in, kissed her cheek, and smiled at her. She found the whole relationship between the two little ones endearing. She wouldn't be surprised in the least if the two of them fell in love as they grew older. She placed a hand on Amy's forehead and was relieved to find no fever. Knowing all was well, she headed back towards the bedroom door.

"Sweet dreams little miss Rose." She whispered before quietly exiting the room.


Sonic waited impatiently for Amy's arrival. She was running awfully late tonight. He let out a sigh as his eyes stayed glued to the door. "What if she got in trouble?" He thought to himself, beginning to worry. He remembered falling asleep after making his promise to her and when he woke up the next morning she wasn't there. "She probably left while I was sleeping." He tried assuring himself.

Time seemed to be passing painfully slow as he continued to wait. "What if something bad happened to her?" He thought uneasily. Unable to stand it any longer, he slide himself out of bed. He was happy to finally have the IV removed from his arm this morning. Sophie had told him he'll be released from the hospital tomorrow morning. He couldn't wait to be reunited with his mother, but he really wanted to see Amy again one more time before he left.

He wobbled at first, almost tumbling over as he took his first couple of steps. He held one hand against the counter for support as he steadied himself. He hadn't left his bed in a week and his legs felt like jelly. "She said her room was across the hall from mine." He reminded himself as he slowly opened the door. He looked around the deserted hallway cautiously before stepping out of the room.

He looked around the hallway curiously as he sped walked, trying to find her room. It was times like these where he wished he knew how to read better, as he passed by different rooms, each having a chart by the door with the patients name and information written on it. He passed by a room that caught his eye and stopped. He peaked through the open doorway to make sure no nurses or doctors were inside.

When he knew the coast was clear, he walked in cautiously. He looked around the room in a bit of awe. It almost looked like a little girls bedroom rather than a regular hospital room such as his. He saw multiple stuffed animals laying around in a corner, some bedroom furniture, and pink curtains over the windows. The bed also had thick, pink blankets and frilly pillow cases.

This had to be her room. She did say she lived at the hospital sometimes. He still wondered about that. How can somebody live here? Where did her parents sleep? His mind swam with different unanswered questions. He sighed in disappointment as he sat on the bed. It was nicely made, showing no evidence of anyone having laid in it. "Amy didn't say anything about leaving..." He thought, feeling confused. It was as if she simply disappeared into thin air.

He sniffed the air in the room. He could smell the scent of strawberries mixed with the scent of the hospital's unnaturally sterile air. It was her sweet smell. This was definitely her room. There was no doubt about it in his mind. He found himself laying across her bed, arms crossed behind his head, staring up at the ceiling in deep thought. "Where could she be?" He wondered.

He laid there for a couple of minutes before getting up. He sighed, hanging his head low dejectedly as he left her room. He walked stealthily back to his own room, distracted by his racing thoughts. He sat back in his bed feeling sullen. He wanted to see Amy again before he left. He wanted to introduce her to his mother tomorrow when she came to take him home. "Where did she go? Why didn't she say anything to me?" He thought sadly.

inserted by FC2 system