*Sonic's POV*
"You're late!" Amy shouted at me as she used her hammer to smash a badnik.

"Better late than never." I shrugged as I covered her back, spin dashing a robot and bouncing to break another and another. "Tails, where are you, Buddy?" I called over the communicator. "Need a hand here!"

"Sonic!" I turned to see a much bigger badnik coming my way. Rouge grabbed my hands as she flew above me and dragged me away from the situation as Tails came in with the tornado and started shooting at them, causing them to explode.

"Hey, thanks, Rouge." I chuckled.

It had been a month now since Rouge and Shadow had taken over G.U.N. while I saw Rouge often, I tried to stay away from Shadow as much as I could, trying to respect his decision of not giving me another chance. My heart still ached to be with him again, but I was trying to accept everything. Enough for us to at least be friends in the future.

Had he forgiven me yet? He had. After another painful talk with him a week after my visit to his house. He decided to forgive me and try to keep things professional for the sake of our jobs. However, I found it better if I simply just stayed away from him. It hurt less. Amy and Knuckles were now aware of my little secret. They were mad at me first, but both decided to forgive me. It was less of a chaos with them two.

"Stop acting so reckless, Hedgehog." Shadow rolled his eyes as Rouge dropped me beside him.

"That's not fun, is it?" I grinned and immediately dashed off. It was strange being around him again. Trying to act as if nothing had ever happened between us. "Knuckles! Coming your way!" I shouted as I dashed to him and jumped, just in time for Knuckles to punch me into two of the bigger badniks, causing them to fall and shatter.

"T-That was a good punch." I laughed weakly as I got back up and rubbed my side where I had received the hit. I was covered in dirt and a few scratches.

"I am tired of you always ruining my plans! But don't worry, Sonic. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Maybe I can't go after you." Eggman said as he got closer to me on his eggmobile. I stood ready to fight. "Or your family, but I can definitely go after your defenseless ex-girlfriend." I pinned my ears down as Eggman laughed loudly, my hands clenching tightly. "I'll see you soon, Sonic!" I watched as he left, I was left speechless.

"Sonic! Sonic, what happened? What did he say?" Amy shouted as she ran to me. Everyone gathered around me, including Tails, who jumped out of the tornado after parking it.

I snapped my head to Tails, trying to remain calm, but I was worried. I needed to go to the castle. What if he hurt Sally?

"Blue, are you okay?" Rouge asked concerned.

"No. We have to go." I grabbed Tails' hand, speaking sternly. My foot was tapping the floor uncontrollably as I tried to figure out what I could do. "Now." I started dragging him to the tornado. "I need you to meet me at the castle and gather my family, tell them its an emergency." I said in a rush, then looked back at the others.

"Is he going for your family?" Knuckles spoke. Rouge and Shadow stayed behind but were paying attention to the conversation. Shadow had his arms crossed and a blank expression, as if he didn't care what was going on.

"Sonic, what's going on?" Tails asked, clearly worried, his ears lowered.

"He's going to go after Sally. I need to go get her before Eggman does."

"Shouldn't we go with you and help?" Amy asked what Rouge was about to.

"No. This is a family matter. I can handle this." I shook my head and bit my tongue, hoping there was something I could do.

A lot of things had happened since Shadow and I broke up. My siblings and I had to be at G.U.N. a few days a week to monitor what was going on, as well as help and organize some stuff around the kingdom with our mother. Tails had been able to create a serum to get rid of Dark completely, no more losing control and hurting others as well as draining my energy like crazy. Eggman found out of this change and tried to go after my family, but I paid him yet another visit and managed to force him into never getting near my family again. Thanks to one of Tails new inventions.

I placed a cuff on Eggmans arm to make him suffer if he ever got near my family or the castle. Was there a way to change it so Eggman couldn't go after Sally either? The answer was no. Tails would have to remove the cuff to work on it, and it had taken me too long to even get it on him in the first place.

The only thing I could do now was take Sally to the castle, so she was safe until we figured out what to do. That's exactly what I did. While Tails went to the castle to gather my family, I went to get Sally. I didn't warn her of anything.

"Sonic? What are you ? Put me down!" She gasped and held onto me tightly as I picked her up and dashed off to my family. Finally , I put her down when we were there. "What -" She stopped and looked around. "What's going on?" She asked, worried.

*Tails' POV*
"An arranged marriage?" Sonic and Sally both shouted in shock.

"That will be the only way her father will let her leave her kingdom. She's safer here. It's just so she can stay safe." Chuck said to them.

They both looked at each other, then back at Chuck and shook their heads. I could just imagine what they were thinking. Even though they used to date, the idea of getting married to keep Sally safe seemed to repulse the two of them. I understand Sonic. He was still hung up on Shadow, but Sally? She'd rather risk her life than marry Sonic to not get attacked?

"Do I really have to marry her?" Sonic asked Aleena, his voice shaking with nerves.

"Unless you can stop Eggman from attacking her, it's the best choice you have, dear." Aleena said with a sigh. She knew Sonic was still hurting and that he would do anything for his friends. We all knew that. That was why we already knew Sonic was going to end up married to Sally.

"Sonic?" Sally looked at Sonic, worry in her eyes. "You don't - I can protect myself."

"I'm sure you can, Sal. But they're right. You need to stay here for a while until we are able to stop Eggman." Sonic sighed. "It's best if we just go along with it."

Sally remained quiet for a while longer, glancing at me, and the rest of the family then slowly nodded. She knew Sonic well. She knew Sonic would do anything for her even though he was still hurting from a heartbreak.

"Fine."