AU: Everyone thought that Amy and Shadow had met each other for the first time on the A.R.K along side Sonic and the others. To their own surprise, that wasn't the first time they had met... they actually met more than 50 years ago in the A.R.K.

He looked at her, wondering how was he able to feel so comfortable around her. He watched her from afar, smiling as she made coffee for her clients.  He sat down and enjoyed the sound of the rain crashing against the concrete.

It has been a while.

Although Shadow had no memory of his past, a girl named Maria always crossed his mind.
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50 years ago, on the A.R.K, a small Shadow ran through the corridors of the space ship as a tiny Maria followed him.

"I'll catch you Shadow!" Maria told him as she got close to him. She noticed that he stopped mid-track, his eyes looking at someone else from a distance.

Maria smiled teasing Shadow, "Stop being so shy, go talk to her!" Maria encouraged him.

" I can't", Shadow said in a whisper, trying to talk as low as possible so she wouldn't notice him looking at her.

"If you don't do it, I'll do it for you!" Maria then pushed Shadow out of the corner he was watching her.

On that instant, Maria screamed on top of her lungs, "HEY! HE LIKES YOU!"
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"Shadow?"

Shadow's thought was interrupted as he saw Amy in front of him.

"I didn't expect to see you here at my cafe," Amy said. "I hope you enjoy it."

Shadow took a second to respond to her. "It is quite good."

Amy hesitated to ask but did it anyway. "Is it ok if I seat with you?"

Shadow was taken back by her request but nodded in approval. It was strange for her as well. She didn't know much about Shadow, nor cared about his past. However, she found herself enjoying his company.

"I know its a bit strange but for some strange reason, I've always enjoyed your company," Amy said as she watched the rainfall. "It may be because we both don't remember our past...I find it a bit comforting knowing that there's someone like me."

"You...don't know about your past either?" Shadow was baffled. Actually, now that he thinks about it, he didn't know much about Amy. He never took the time to talk to her, although the pink one always intrigued him.

"I don't... I just remember waking up in a forest...I was lost but to my luck, Sonic found me a day later." Amy said as she took a sip of her coffee. "He cared for me and I followed him everywhere...and after that everything is history."

"You never looked for answers?"

"My past doesn't define me and besides, why look for the past when I have the future right in front of me?" Amy looked around at her cafe, proud of her progress.

Shadow was taken back and a few seconds passed in complete silence and Amy decided to speak a bit more. "So why are you here Shadow? I don't really see you."

"To be honest, I don't even know myself... I just felt like...I needed  to see you today."
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"Shadow, you need to tell her now! She's leaving to earth in an hour and you may not see her in a long time!"

Maria took off her oxygen mask, and even though she was weak from all treatments she was going through, she still encourages Shadow to go to her.

"No, it's alright, she really wanted to see you and she told me before that she won't forgive me if I left your side."  Shadow held Maria's hand, Shadow knew perfectly well that Maria was in a delicate state. Any moment, Maria's health could deteriorate and they were so afraid that just from one moment to the other they could find her lifeless.

"Shadow...I just don't want you to regret it later." Maria said almost whispering.

"Don't worry, once we go to earth I will tell her...I promise."

Shadow held that promise deep in his heart. Really wishing that they will meet soon.
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"...Today is my birthday actually." Amy smiled a bit awkward.

"Your birthday?"

"Well, I don't know exactly when my birthday is but a few years ago today Sonic found me in the woods." Amy took a moment to re-image her first encounter with the blue one.

"Today was the first time I woke up on earth."

Amy stopped drinking from her coffee as soon as she heard Shadow said those words.

"What a strange... coincidence."
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"I am sorry to say that the capsule that was departing from A.R.K. to earth yesterday encountered technical difficulties that led to the destruction of the entire capsule. No survivors were counted."

Shadow wasn't able to hear anything after that. His world crumbled as he kept the pain inside. Maria didn't know, she will wouldn't be able to take it if she knew that she was dead.

Even now for Shadow, he didn't believe it.  He refused to believe it.

He promised Maria that he was going to tell her. He promised himself that he was going to tell her.

HE PROMISED-

BAM! BAM!

Shadow began to run to look for Maria, G.U.N's agents had infiltrated the A.R.K. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her, he promised her he was going to take care of Maria.

and he was planning to keep it.
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"I am a failure."

Shadow's words caught Amy off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"It's nothing...I should get going." Shadow had to admit that he was embarrassed that he let himself say that in front of her.

He stood up from his chair as it made an uncomfortable sound.

He walked away fast, wanting to be alone.

He went outside and he felt his body adjust to the coldness. His eyes focused on the snow and how it beautifully sparkled as it fell down the dark night.

One view he wishes he could share with Maria...with her.

That shadow that was somehow in his memories... a warm shadow that he felt close too. He always felt like he was looking for something...but what? The one thing he was looking for all this time but couldn't find.

That shadow that he wish he at least remember the face of.

"Shadow, wait!"

He recognized that voice, he turned around to find Amy without breath, chasing after him. He didn't realize that he walked so far away from her shop.

"I don't think you are a failure."

Shadow turned his body completely around, facing the pink hedgehog in disbelief.

"I think you are the most special being on earth...in the universe! You are really strong! and not because you saved the earth but because you put your past away and became someone new..." Amy took a deep breath, taking the courage she needed.

"Shadow, I believe in you!"
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"I am a failure... You will be the one to change the world Shadow!" She smiled gladly at him. Watching the earth from Space Colony A.R.K.

"I don't think you are a failure... without you, I wouldn't be here... You are the reason why I am alive...you are so important. I don't think..." Shadow made a pause and looked down at his feet. "I don't think I can meet everyone's expectation."

"No, you can't" She held Shadow's hand as she blushed lightly at the black hedgehog. "You won't meet their expectation...you will exceed them! Shadow, I believe in you!"
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A few seconds passed where they didn't say anything. Amy was trembling as she had forgotten to put it on when she ran to caught Shadow.

Shadow took off his jacket and placed it on Amy's shoulders. He just nodded at her and walked away.

Amy just stood there, smelling the intense cologne that came from his jacket. That's all she needed, she knew that Shadow wasn't one of the words but his actions spoke for him.

She smiled as she saw Shadow disappeared into the darkness, knowing well she will see him again.

Shadow walked slowly, overwhelm at this own thoughts. For a second, he felt complete. Like he had found the thing he was looking for all of this time.

He didn't know the feeling but was content at having it. He will see her again, just to make sure that his thoughts weren't confusing him.

He was getting his hopes up, and he didn't care anymore.  That shadow that was warm and was always with him supporting him. One of the reasons for him to be, the reason he was still there.  The thing he was looking for all of this time...

It was her.