The Light In The Shadow (Sonadow) (Book One - Complete!)

Chapter 5

Little did the three know that someone was listening into their thoughts. A certain bat was having the same struggles to succumb to sleep, her mind just kept going back to the dreaded day Shadow had disappeared and now he was back with his dreaded attitude. They tried so hard for him to drop it to begin with, it took months but eventually they saw a change in the ultimate lifeform. It seemed that whatever happened to Shadow brought back his defences. 

Soon morning came and everyone was woken up by a bell going off. Blaze the cat was not a morning person, which Rouge soon learned when she heard the Princess curse as she came into the shared accommodation with Amy, Cream, Cheese and Rouge. 

Team Sonic and Silver were standing around the kitchen waiting on the girls to hurry up. Knuckles was the only one missing since he went to go check on the chaotix and Omega. 

A squeal of delight from the outside had Tails curious, so he sneaked away from the group and left the lodge. His feet soon made up their mind on which way to go, the fox was unaware of the prying sets of eyes watching him as he heard another squeal. 

Quickening his pace, Tails soon found the source of the noise. Shadows' daughter was running around the garden of the cottage being chased by Nic while Shadow sat on the porch watching next to: Knuckles?. Tails stopped at the gate smiling. 

"The gate does open" a cheeky voice rang out. Tails jumped out of his thoughts to see Nic holding the gate open while Shade looked at him with curious eyes behind Nics leg. Once Tails was in, he took a breath and there was no turning back now. He watched Shadow move into a standing position gesturing for him to come forward. However, that was all it took for tears to slip down the yellow fox face. Without thinking, Tails slammed into the black and red hedgehog's chest. Shadow grunted ignoring his pained chest without freezing he wrapped his arms around the fox, rubbing his back softly to help calm the sobbing fox. 

"We missed you, you know" Knuckles spoke softly from the left of Shadow. When the ebony hedgehog didn't say anything, he continued, "When you disappeared it was like a stab to the chest, my heart felt empty. God knows what Sonic was feeling but I knew something was missing. I didn't realise how much of an impact you made on the group. Shadow you’re the heart of the group even if you don't know it. Everyone goes to you for help whether you want to help them or not. I've got to say I missed my obnoxious best-friend a little" Shadow raised an eyebrow in the echidnas direction. "Okay a lot, geeze. Take a chill pill. Anyway what I'm trying to say is I missed you and I looked for you as much as I could. But I did give up until you sent that vision. I'm sorry Shadow I gave up on you". Knuckles looked down in shame, angry at himself for giving up so easily. 

The ultimate lifeform made a face taking in all the information, he expected apologies but not to this extent. Those who say Knuckles is dumb needs to get their heads screwed on straight. Carefully, Shadow shifted the now sleeping fox, poor thing who had cried himself to sleep, to his other side. Ignoring the pain in his ribs, Shadow lifted his arm and pulled Knuckles into a side hug. Not expecting protests because they had done this plenty of times.

After a few moments, both the fox and echidna had pulled away from the dark hedgehog who grunted in pain when a small body slammed into his chest. A sharp pain went through his head before it disappeared. "Daddy?" Shadow looked down at his daughter, nodding. Knuckles and Tails watched as the hoglet got up and pulled out some shoes from Nic. The two realised the shoes looked oddly like a certain speedsters. 

"I'm a…be-at..u daddy!" Shadow nodded in Nics direction who tapped his watch saying, "If you're not back in Ten minutes, I will send Night Owl after you. He will probably murder me for waking him but it will be worth it". It was intended to be a joke which Shadow got but confused his fellow mobians. Knuckles watched Shadow kick his rocket shoes on before he signalled Shade to go.