[SHADOW]

After fifteen minutes had passed a loud beeping sound could be heard coming from the timer on Knuckles' communicator. I was relieved. No matter what I said I couldn't seem to make completely Tails understand how I felt, and I could feel myself losing my patience with him.

"Tails I'm sorry. You getting hurt is the last of my desires, especially after being hurt myself so many times. But I can't and I won't let Sonic go. You'll just have to accept it." I said my final sentence to Tails and stood up to walk back over to where Knuckles was waiting with the hat. Tails huffed in response but stood up and followed me.

We all sat back in our circle. Every person had a different expression on their face ranging from confused to happy to sad to angry. Knuckles held out the hat to me. I reached in, pulled out a piece of paper and read it.

"Sonic"

My stomach flipped in anticipation. I couldn't wait to spend more time talking with my new lover. I shot Tails a quick glare before standing up and nodding at Sonic. He jumped up and we walked together over to the big mushroom he and Cream were sitting under just before. We sat down opposite each other crossed legged.

Sonic spoke first. "So how'd things with Tails go?"

"Not too well," I sighed. "He's pretty hung up on you. I tried talking him out of it but he wasn't having any of it."

"Well I guess it's not really something you can talk someone out of." Sonic sighed and his forehead furrowed into a frown.

"I guess not," I replied.

"What else did you guys talk about?"

"Well, I also told him that I wasn't letting you go and I think I'm falling in love with you."

Damn Knuckles and his magic dust, I can't keep anything a secret right now!!

Sonic's face softened and his eyes widened as he looked at me blushing.

"Y-you are?" he stuttered in disbelief.

"Yeah. Oh chaos, I never thought I'd be saying that to someone again."

"M-me too," he stuttered. "Shadow, I think I'm falling in love with you too."

I melted into the ground. A feeling that I never thought I'd get to experience again. Someone loves me.

I leaned over and kissed him on the lips. We sat back and smiled at each other.

"I can't get enough of that smile Shads," Sonic said.

My smile widened. I couldn't help myself. I was happy. But there were still things on my mind.

"I need to talk to you about something Sonic," I said.

"What's that?"

I bit my bottom lip and wondered how to word exactly what I wanted to say.

"At my place, after the err, my suicide incident, when we were sitting in a circle with Knuckles and Rouge?"

"Yeah? What about it?" said Sonic.

"So when I looked into your eyes I had this crazy vision. My whole reality started shifting. We literally merged in into one and I got to see a complete crossover between you and I."

"What do you mean 'crossover?'"

"Well first I was looking at you. Then you merged into me. I was out of my body and sitting opposite myself for a moment. But then the image of me merged into you, and back to me again. It kept happening. And the best part was the exact point where this image was half me and half you."

Sonic leant back, his eyes wide in amazement. "Eh?! That's crazy! How did that happed?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel like it means something."

"Well maybe, yeah. To be honest Shads I've had similar feelings when I've been around you too. Almost like when we hold each other we are one, ya know, like complete."

My cheeks flushed. I was enjoying the feeling of being close to someone again.

"In fact," Sonic continued, "I had this crazy dream... Something was chasing me. And it was really hard to run away. When it finally caught up with me I realised that it was you. And then... And then I was about to tell you something, but then I got amnesia and forgot what it was!"

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"I had that dream too!" I cried. "I was searching for you everywhere trying to catch up with you, but you kept running away from me. When I finally did find you, you said 'Shadow, there's something I need to tell you' and then you ran away again!"

"So w-we were in the same dream?! How can that be?"

I watched Sonic's face turn pale. There isn't much that scares him but I could tell that this was spooking him.

"Think Sonic, what could it be that you need to tell me?"

"I dunno!" he cried. "It was just a dream wasn't it?"

I wasn't so sure.

[AMY]

It was my turn to pick a name. I reached into the hat nervously, grabbed a piece of paper and read it.

"Tails"

I looked over at Tails and smiled. He looked upset and angry. This isn't like him at all!

"C'mon buddy!" I said and grabbed his hand, standing up and pulling him over to a quiet spot around one side Knuckles' cave.

We sat down next to each other with out backs up against the cold stone wall.

"What's wrong Tails? You look awful!"

"Thanks a lot Amy," he said. "I feel awful. It's Sonic and Shadow."

"What about them?" I said.

"They're in love."

"PPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTT WHAAATT?!!!" I screamed. "What do you mean they're in love?!"

"I know right," Tails said scornfully.

"I knew I saw a love bite on that blue hedgehog's neck the other day!! But why? How long has this been going on for?!"

"I don't know," Tails suddenly burst into tears.

"Hey hey Tails, don't cry! Why are you so upset about it?"

"Well," he said sobbing, "I love Sonic too."

Say what now?! This was a strange turn of events! I didn't know how to feel about it. 

Really Tails?

I sat there for a moment watching Tails cry. I couldn't deny I saw myself in him, crying for the lack of love from someone else. At that moment something inside of me snapped. I didn't want to be that person any more. I was sick of being sad because of that hedgehog. I realised I was constantly giving my power away to someone else by letting them control my emotions.

"You know what Tails, I'm done. I need to get over him. I want to move on."

Tails stopped crying and looked up at me with puffy eyes.

"Really? You think that's even possible?" he said.

"Of course! And you can too!"

I leaned over and hugged him. Tears pricked in my eyes and I let out a few silent cries. I felt like my heart was being torn in half but I knew I had to take my power back.

We sat there hugging for a few minutes before Tails pulled away and spoke.

"So how about you burning down Rouge's apartment hey?" he laughed, trying to brighten the mood.

"Oh geez Tails!" I cried. "How am I ever going to fix this?! I realise what a mistake I made and I never want to lose myself like that again!!"

"Hey well on the plus side," he said with a smile, "whoever you end up with will know that you'll burn down a house for them!"

We laughed about it together for a while. It felt good to poke humour at myself with someone who wasn't judging me. I looked at Tails' kind face and realised I'd never noticed how handsome he had grown up.

"You know Amy we should hang out more," he said finally, blushing slightly.

"I'd love that Tails," I smiled back at him. And with that I leant over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

[CREAM]

The next name that I pulled out of the hat was Knuckles.

"Knuckles"

"Come with me Cream," he smiled. "I know a nice spot we can talk."

Knuckles walked me over to a beautiful spot in his garden, full of unique and interesting plants that I'd never seen before.

"Wow! This is incredible Knuckles! I didn't know you loved gardening so much!" I said.

"Yeah, heh," he replied, looking around. "This is my secret garden and these are all my medicinal and healing plants. Each one has its own special purpose."

He spent a few minutes showing me around and pointing our certain plants and telling me what he used them for. We then sat down next to the biggest cactus I'd ever seen in my life.

"It's huge!" I said. "What on earth is a cactus doing all the way out here in Mushroom Hill?"

"I know, it's crazy," he said. "I have no idea how it got here, but it's very special. I moved here just so I could guard it."

I looked at the magnificent green giant and was overcome with a sensation of being very safe and protected.

"So what's been going on with you Cream?" Knuckles said after a while. "And where's Cheese? I've noticed he's not with you as much any more."

"Oh Cheese is doing well! He's much more independent these days. He actually found a mate, an orange chao named Nova, she lives with us too!" I said happily, knowing that Cheese and Nova would be keeping each other company while I was away.

"How adorable," said Knuckles. "Anything else going on with you?"

"Well," I said, feeling the effects of the magic dust in full swing, and not able to hold back what was on my mind, "I've had a crush on Tails for a while now, but today I found out he likes someone else."

"Is that so," Knuckles said. "Well sometimes that's life, I'm afraid. You can't help who you fall in love with unfortunately."

I sighed and nodded. I understood, but it really hurt.

"There's not much else you can do really apart from give it time, be a good friend to him and hope he'll come around. Or you decide to move on."

"I only want the best for him, whatever happens," I said truthfully.

"You're a sweetheart Cream. Don't worry there are plenty of people to fall in love with in this world. Sometimes you heart may get broken but there's nothing that time doesn't fix. Each day will get easier, I promise."

"Thanks Knuckles," I said, hoping he was right.

"And remember, the most important thing is to love yourself first. If you don't treat yourself with respect then you can't expect others to do the same."

I knew he was right. I knew I had to be strong and look after myself a bit better.

If I become the best person I can possibly be, I'll surely attract someone who values me!

[ROUGE]

Everyone had pulled names and gone off in pairs to chat. Me and Blaze were left alone together so we stayed in the spot where we were.

"You and me Blazey!" I said giving her face a friendly squeeze.

She smiled at me and adjusted her position on the floor so that she was facing me.

"What an interesting afternoon this is huh!" I said. I had to admit, aside from the impending doom about to engulf our planet, I was having a lot of fun. "It's so nice to be together as a crew again!"

"It sure is Rouge," Blaze agreed.

"Rouge," she said suddenly.

"Yes hun?"

"There's been something on my mind and I can't hold it back any longer!" she said blushing.

"Well, spill girl! I'm all ears," I replied.

"I know we're friends and stuff, but you're the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. You're kind, understanding and accepting of everyone. You're amazing. Also you know I like to paint, well I love to paint you!"

"Oh sweetheart I think you're beautiful too, inside and out!" I said, my heart swelling. "I'd love to see those paintings sometime!"

Blaze smiled sweetly. I liked the affect this magic dust was having on her, she was usually so serene and secretive. I was having the time of my life at this meeting!

"There's something else," she said suddenly. "You really need to talk to Amy. You're not going to like what she has to say but promise me one thing, you won't go too hard on her? It was really all my fault..."

As her voice trailed of I felt a knot in my stomach.

What could this be about...?

Suddenly the loud bleeping of the timer rang outaround us to signal the end of this round.