You Are Not Alone by Mavis Staples.
~~~

"Tails?"

He snorted awake, shaking his head to discard the post-it note clinging to his face. He blearily blinked before hurriedly straightening, cracking an awkward smile at Cream's curious face.

"Oh! Cream! Hi."

"Have you been up all night?"

The fox scanned his workshop, wincing at the snoring Cliff not too far away. "I wouldn't say all night."

The bunny picked up a cyan ring from the inventor's desk. "When Miss Rouge asked for help, I don't think this is what she meant."

"I thought they could help find out what was going on."

"I don't doubt that." Cream smiled, setting the ring down to pick up a fallen baby blue blanket, tucking it on Tails' shoulders again.

"But I think Mister Silver or Miss Blaze would've been helpful."

Tails couldn't help shrink against the fluffy material. Had Sonic...?

"They were sleeping."

"You should've been too. You can ask them today. There's no rush."

If only that were true. Eggman had a Chaos Emerald and they still hadn't figured out what he was up to. Not that they've spent time estimating his next move. Which concerned him more. On top of that, Breezie had an upcoming auction with a Chaos Emerald, Silver's and Blaze's portal was becoming more and more unstable with each passing day and Sonic was-

Cream rested her hand over his. "There's time. Besides, you're the smartest guy I know!" She beamed. "With some help, you'll figure this out!"

Tails sweat-dropped and scratched his red cheek. "Shucks, I-."

"In the meantime, I'll be at your side. With flower crowns and cookies!"

"Ha! I'm counting on it!"

A buzz hummed on Tails' Comlink and he whirled for examination. When his face screwed up, Cream leaned closer in curiosity.

"Is that-?"

"Yeah."

"But how is it there?"

"Only one way to find out."

———

When Tails swung his workshop door open, Cream and Cliff peering out from behind, he waved his Comlink as Sticks stirred awake from Amy's shoulder, Rouge and Knuckles dropped their light argument and the others turned attentively.

"We got one!"

"Another?" Silver inquired.

"With Breezie's auction next week, it is good for us to find the others before then." Blaze noted.

"Exactly! And we're off to a great start already!"

"Well, where's it say, Little Buddy?" Sonic asked, tucked onto the windowsill with Cheese.

Tails examined his device. "It's confusing, and I'm not sure how, but apparently one of the Chaos Emeralds is on Angel Island."

Knuckles straightened. "What? Are you sure?"

"He hasn't been wrong so far." Shadow reasoned.

"I know. But how? I've lived there all my life and never had an incline for it."

"The Chaos Emeralds have been hiding for centuries." Cliff reminded. "If they don't want to be found, they won't be. It makes the fact Eggman managed to anyway all the more chilling."

"What's he even up to with them anyway?" Amy pondered.

"We've seen what he can do without them, then with one. I don't like the idea of his thoughts being turned into power." Rouge frowned.

"He's had a head-start. Just because we might have more Chaos Emeralds than him doesn't mean we should get comfortable." Shadow stressed.

"It is imperative the Angel Island Emerald is found." Omega countered.

"We'll take care of it." Amy assured, pointing her thumb at herself then Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.

Rouge grinned. "As for Eggman, I know the perfect three to call to investigate."

———

It couldn't be possible, could it? For the past month, in a culmination of things, he'd been beating himself up for letting that happen. But if his rival really could do something like this...well, that changed everything.

"Mobius to Sonic?"

"Huh?" He turned to the grinning echidna beside him, who's jesting face faltered at pale green eyes.

That was another thing. Ever since Christmas Island, ever since that, he and Knuckles had seemed...different. He came up short on what he was meant to do and Knuckles saw it all. He'd been disproving then and Sonic was sure he hadn't changed his stance now.

"Fun trip to Angel Island, okay?" Knuckles smiled (huh), and elbowed him.

Sonic tried a smirk. "Speak for yourself Knucklehead. I bring all the vibes!"

A red brow quirked upwards. "Oh yeah?" The Guardian gestured to Amy Rose in the Tornado's passenger seat.

"What gives with bringing the Chaos Emeralds then?"

"Hey, I compromised and let her hold 'em, didn't I?"

"How generous of you."

They fell into silence and Sonic found himself picking at the skin surrounding his claws, but he wasn't the only one. Knuckles hopped between his best friends hands and forever greying eyes before shaking himself out of it.

"I've been getting visits from someone." He blurted, but it got Sonic to stop.

"Oh yeah? Who? Mighty'n Ray?"

"They've called to check in, but no. It's...complicated."

Sonic snickered. "After all we've been through Knucks, with this Time Travel business too, try me."

The echidna shifted, admiring the passing clouds. "For over a month, I've been visited by Tikal."

Pale green eyes widened. "The Guardian sometime before you? How?"

"Through Chaos Energy. Mostly the Master Emerald but now it's gotten to the point that she'll warp reality into her time to reach me- at Echidna Tribe locations and with Chaos Emeralds around."

"Woah. Impressive. You worried?"

"Apprehensive. She's worried. Chaos too."

"Why?"

Purple eyes dragged to meet their best friend. "You."

Sonic stiffened and he observed Amy and Tails converse. The clouds pointed and silenced and warned.

"Me?"

"Worried about you. Tikal's been giving me warnings, actually. I just didn't...know how to approach it. You aren't exactly easy to bring these things up with, ya know."

He cringed. "Sorry. I don't-."

"Coming to you for advice is different. When it's about you though? You're worse than Shadow." Knuckles gave the other a nudge.

"Just wanna make sure my best friend's okay."

Sonic shrugged. "Think I'm in need of a break s'all, pal."

"Quicker we get these emeralds, the sooner that holiday can come, huh?"

"You get it."

"Ha!" Noticing a low posture and sagged blue shoulders, Knuckles frowned.

"I hope Silver's paranoia about you isn't getting to you. You know we trust you, right?"

That was part of the problem. Was that trust deserved?

"Never a doubt in my mind, Knucks. 'Sides I have the confidence to trust myself anyway."

Knuckles' eyes rolled. "Yeah yeah don't I know it. I'm glad, though. Last thing we need is you doubting yourself!"

"Ha. Right."

He cringed. Amy was always better at this. "Only 'cause, at the end of it all, we look to you. We count on you and hopefully you count on us just the same. You deserve more than that self-doubt."

Sonic blinked and turned to the other. "I think...that was nice. Weird, coming from you."

"Har har. I mean it, True Blue."

"I'll remember it, Rad Red."

The two shared a grin and a laugh before Sonic lightly shoved Knuckles away. "You mind if I throw a question out there?"

"That was kinda the whole point."

"Right. Well. Remember Christmas Island? Doctor Harris?"

Knuckles' mood evidently soured and he hummed. "Seeing her like that is hard to forget."

Sonic squirmed, chipping away at his skin once more. "Yeah I...well, I think there's a way we can save her."

"Really?"

"Shadow told me what he did at Gun, Knucks."

"Oh. But that wasn't nearly as bad as Harris' condition. N-not that I'm trying to take it away from Rosie."

"True. But he thinks if he has all seven Chaos Emeralds, it could work. Worth a shot, right?" And he hissed, cutting too deep beside his claw and drawing a little blood.

Knuckles was quick to tear some bandages from his dreadlocks and, although not very necessary, dab at the already drying wound.

"I don't...." He shook his head. Was this common? Were there...other ways?

Sonic quickly pulled his hand back, eyes rolling amidst the scolds and laughs. "Relax. Nervous habit."

"Never seen it before."

"Fiddling with the 'ol ears wasn't enough. Anyway, what do you think? Could it work?"

Knuckles hesitated before nodding. "It's worth a shot."

Sonic threw his fists into the air. "Yes! Oh man, it's been eating away at me for ages and now-!"

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Could you do it?"

The Blue Blur laughed, eyes in humoured disbelief. "I ain't a Chaos User, Knucks."

"Are we sure? You've pulled pretty miraculous stunts before."

"I call it classic luck."

And yet he stood at his side, over his shoulder and proud. Always lurking but never quite touching. Yet, at least. With every Chaos Emerald he seemed to gain more colour and form and-

Was it because of the Chaos Emeralds...?

Was he...?

Is that why he demanded and belittled and fought?

Sonic shook his head, thickly swallowing. No. He just needed to pull himself together a bit more. He had this under control.

"Sonic?" Knuckles asked, pulling the other from his darkening mind.

"Let's stick to finding the Chaos Emeralds and saving Doctor Harris."

"But-."

"You two!" Tails called from the pilots seat. "Ready yourselves- we've reached Angel Island!"

———

Relax. He wasn't something to be concerned about. She'd be fine. Expect a little pushback, like always, but nothing more would occur. Tails gave an assuring nod as he touched the grass anyway and Amy felt more inclined to do so. But when Sonic's hand reached up to her, gentle smile and all, her nerves slipped away and she swallowed her blush- accepting his gesture (ignoring Tails and Knuckles snicker ahead).

When he was sure she was safely on the ground, he let her go- surprised at her running after him and hooking her arm around his. She giggled before she could stop but tried her hardest to cover it with coughs (his humoured eyes didn't waver all the same).

"You know, despite the dangers ahead, I'm pretty excited! It's been a while since us four have gone out like this!"

Sonic, heart thundering, watched the other two ahead- Knuckles playfully whacking his hat against Tails' chest. "You and me both. We-."

"You kept it."

Her voice was soft. Surprised. Her eyes wider and with a wonderful glisten. Sonic shook his head to focus on what she stared at. It was his wrist, where their hands intertwined, or more so the sea-shell bracelet that wrapped itself around there.

"Oh shucks." He squeezed his scruff, eyes looking up.

Amy bit her bottom lip and hopped. "You kept it!"

"I-it's not that big a deal-!"

With a squeal, her years of inhibitions and corrections forgotten, she flung herself onto him and gave one of her famed squeezes. Surprisingly, he didn't push back. In fact he seemed happy to accept it. It made her heart flutter all the more.

"Oh Sonic, you're so sweet! Do you really like it that much?"

"Without it I doubt I would've gotten out of all the tight squeezes in my life." He wagged a finger.

Amy would've flailed, but she caught herself and forced herself to let him go. With a shy, slightly embarrassed, giggle, she smoothed her dress and shifted the brown backpack. A silly little good luck charm, from so many years ago, and he remembered? If she was so annoying to him why would he keep that?

When Knuckles gave a jesting whistle, Sonic's quills bristled and with a red face he charged after the snickering echidna. Tails laughed after them before bringing out his Comlink, giving Amy a muttered greeting when she met his side.

"That wasn't what I thought you were gonna talk about."

Amy nervously grinned. "It wasn't. Sorry. Just...when I saw it I couldn't-."

"There's time." The fox smiled.

"I still have to control myself better."

A golden-orange brow quirked upwards. "Who said anything about control? Having a personality won't kill anyone, Amy, and if it does well...you don't need to be around them anyway."

"But I-." The hedgehog shook her head, dropping the topic when the other two boys neared.

"Where's it say the emerald is, Buddy?" Sonic asked.

"We're definitely at the right spot." Emerging from the trees, they embarked onto a meadow with Chao Gardens, such creatures present, and a spectacular stone shrine in the centre.

Atop, the Master Emerald glistened and called. Harsh cold slithered down Sonic's back and the surrounding woods swayed. The brilliant jewel almost seemed scolding, untrusting and pointed blame at him. He even seemed unnerved and lacked the courage to hiss and plant doubt, merely watching at a tense distance. The Chao huddled together and whimpered, some even holding onto each other, as they observed from afar- terror in their large eyes.

"It's so...warm, huh?"

Sonic jumped and turned to Amy at his side. His heart gave a strange skip and his hands grew clammy. It was frustrating really. It was getting worse, too. Whenever he was around her, the air would still and the breeze would seize. Maybe he was coming down with something (lack of food and sleep would do that, he supposed). Either way, it was something he'd bring up to Tails later.

"Warm?"

"Yeah." Amy turned to him and Sonic almost choked. Chaos, he desperately needed to pull himself together. Not even Sally could make him freeze with just a look.

"You feel it too?" He asked.

Amy's eyes widened. "I had a creeping suspicion you felt something. Least I know I'm not crazy."

"Ha! Ha. Never are, Ames." He blinked and scratched his scruff.

"A-Anyway, does it- I'm just throwin' it out there but- does it ever feel cold to you?"

"In the summer, I guess. The Master Emerald just seems to know what I need somehow."

"Like Knuckles said."

"You?"

"Huh?"

"Is it cold?"

Sonic watched his hands. "Always."

Amy thickly swallowed and watched pale green eyes (were his...pupils stretching?). She hesitated before leaping and grasping his hands in her own, eyes pleading.

"I gave a Tarot Card Reading recently. B-before I came up with Cliff."

"Amy-."

"Listen, please! I know you don't believe in it, but I do! It brought us together and-." She shook her flustered head.

"They warned me not just about Mobius, but about you too! You've been pulling yourself away lately and it has me worried. You don't have to tell me everything that's going on but...but I need to know you're okay."

Eyes wide, Sonic's heart had never felt so warm and he found himself cupping Amy's cheek. "I'm okay. Promise. I just...."

He frowned and ears dipped at the yells and screams. They tried to silence him. Belittle and control and shatter. To him, he screamed. To others, he howled.

Amy heard him plea.

"You know, me and Knuckles think Shadow gave me these for a reason." She waved her wrists, shaking her golden bands.

"Maybe for the same reason as to why the Chaos Emeralds have been having some sort of impact on you."

"Guys!" They turned, Sonic's hand falling, and met Tails waving above the trees.

They hurried to near, Amy finding herself in a bridal carry, and the fox landed upon them reaching each other- standing at Knuckles' side.

"Everything okay?" Sonic inquired.

"We think we've tracked the Chaos Emerald down." The red Guardian informed.

Amy hopped out the Blue Blur's hold. "Oh?"

Knuckles pointed over his shoulder at a tremendous line of snowy-tipped mountains. "The Hidden Caves."