*Shadow's POV *
Sonic nodded and slowly got back up, I did so as well as I let go of him. He decided to go in and look around but I waited outside to give him time to process everything.

I rested back on a tree as I kept my arms crossed until I heard something near by. I glanced around and saw Metal walking in my direction. He looked around as if to find Sonic.

"Are you like his pet now or something?" I asked Metal making him walk to me and shake his head. It was weird seeing him be nice.

"I am in debt to him. He saved me." I raised a brow. I guess he wasn't wrong about Sonic saving him but he had been following him like a lost puppy and it was starting to annoy me.

"Shadow." I turned to look at Sonic just before I was about to say something to Metal. Faker was being protective over Metal as well and didn't want me to hurt him.

"Are you done?" I said instead if talking to Metal. Faker nodded as he walked to us but he stopped in front of Metal.

"You're in no debt to me, Metal. I'm sorry I didn't rescue you sooner but I meant it when I said you were freed, you're able to do anything, not follow anyone around. Go, explore, do what you want. You're able to contact me whenever. I'll be here." He smiled at Metal while he processed what Faker just told him.

"Thank you." Metal nodded at him and pat his head.

It even made me want to laugh, I never thought I'd see the day.

Sonic nodded at him then watched Metal leave. I watched as he left as well then turned around to look at Faker again, tears streaming down his muzzle again.

"Shadow." He said then looked at me. "I can't be here anymore." His voice broke. I was about to reach for him to take us back to my place but he took a few steps back, away from me. "I can't look at them the same. I can't look at YOU the same." He continued.

I remembered what happened, what I did, me pulling the trigger and it going through his skull, killing him instantly. I hadn't been able to forget it. Was that why?

"I'm sorry." I apologized, it was something I had started to say a lot. "I didn't want to." I looked down at my hands, I no longer had a pistol around me anymore, it brought back to many memories. "I didn't want to shoot."

Sonic shook his head and gave me a small smile but kept his distance. "I forced you to do that. I am sorry I forced you to do that." He apologized back as he took even more steps back while I tried to get closer. "I mean that I can't see you all the same after what I did. I hurt everyone, I need to leave." He cleaned his tears.

*Sonic's POV *
I cleaned my tears as I kept the distance between Shadow and I. Seeing my old home this way just made me realize how much I messed up. Maybe they had been right before at trying to keep me away. I wasn't ready to see this yet.

"I need to leave." I repeated. "Be alone." I immediately started running, I didn't have a plan, I knew everywhere I went that people will try to hurt me.

I had friends who I know would probably forgive me, and help me but I didn't want that. Somehow I think I will feel better if they wouldn't forgive me. If they stopped trying to be so nice to me, to go around me, to stop being too careful.

I kept running and running, not looking back as tears continued streaming down. What was I thinking? I had nowhere to go, and if anyone found me, they'd just try to torture me.

I was really alone already. I would be forever.

"Sonic!" I gasped as Shadow suddenly appeared in front of me, we quickly collided and fell to the ground, rolling down a a bumpy hill covered in rocks.

It should have hurt, I should have felt more pain than I did but Shadow had wrapped his arms around me, one around my head to protect me as he took all the hits, all the pain. He didn't let go even when we finally stopped rolling, he was on top of me, his head on top of mine, as he groaned in pain.

I tried to push him away but before I could even try, I stopped as soon as I saw all the cuts and the bruises he had gotten from the fall while I just felt sore.

"Let go." I said but he growled. "Let. Go!" I shouted. He did what I asked as we both got up. I was about to leave running but he grabbed my arm roughly. "Hey!"

"Shut up!" He snapped. "You're not going anywhere! Chaos, Hedgehog! You were there! You saw me when all I wanted was to be alone and you kept pushing!" He started shouting at me. "You knew it was better not to deal with the sadness and pain by yourself so every day you bothered me, everyday you tried to annoy me and I understand why you did it. You kept me out of my own head even though I caused you pain too. You made me hate you when all you were doing was help me!" He pulled me closer and hugged me tightly then started talking in my ear. "This is life, this is what you get, being alone won't get you anywhere but cause you even more pain."

I started crying, I couldn't move without hurting Shadow so I just remained still, my arms to my sides.

"This is a hug, hedgehog, you hugged me every time you saw me." He kept talking in my ear. "When you hug someone its when you care about them and you want them to know that. So you cannot leave, you understand?" He sounded mad and hurt but honest at his words.

Shadow pulled away as he looked at me, I stayed in place, in disbelief.