Chaos Born

Tying Up The Ends

Rouge was admitted to a comfortable room moments after they arrived at the nearest hospital on the Emerald Coast for immediate attention and the others found themselves waiting around outside for confirmation that the rest of their team had made it off the island safely. 

That was when Tails arrived with his own precious cargo needing to be checked over.

It was the first time they had seen Sonic since his abduction and, naturally, they wanted to see if he was okay, each one flitting around him like a worker ant trying to tend to the needs of a very spaced out 'queen'. It meant, of course, that there was no hiding the neck wound from them.

Knuckles went about pacing the length of the waiting room for news on Rouge but he kept his eyes and ears on the reunion happening at the door.

With Amy and Tails flanking him, Sonic had put on a brave face, kept his left side hidden and had instantly tried to smile and grin and make jokes and act like his usual self, squeezing Espio's hand, high-fiving Silver, fist-bumping Charmy and nodding respectfully to Shadow amidst the babble of questions being asked. But it only took a hug from one of them, or an enthusiastic pat on the shoulder for Sonic to squeak and shy away, revealing everything. 

To say that it shocked the Allies was a bit of an understatement and shock gave way to anger and rage and distress. But if they knew anything about Sonic, they were aware that he'd hate any fuss given to it - so they kept their mouths shut and their tempers in check. 

They waited until he'd sheepishly apologised and had been ferreted away by nurses before they turned to one another and vented their boiling emotions. Big and Blaze allowed their ears to twist against their heads and their tails to whip from side to side, Charmy's wings buzzed in an unusually low pitch and Espio's skin began to darken. Shade turned away, Omega went quiet, Sticks zoned out entirely and quiet, seething hisses could be heard escaping between the teeth of Vector's jaw. Cream had a buried her face into Cheese, of whom she kept a tight hold in the knowledge that Chao were sensitive to Sonic's energy and would want to go to him. Marine had her head down and her fists clenched while Silver and Shadow had silently watched Tails and Amy move towards the receptionist's desk before their backs began to tense with spikes as they breathed heavily through their noses.

But, again, they reminded themselves that Sonic would hate a fuss being made. So nothing was said out loud. 

Tails, Amy and Knuckles were allowed to go and 'distract' Sonic while his wound was treated. It was confirmed by the doctors that, yes, the burn would scar and would leave a slightly visible mark but, they assured, it would only be noticeable up close.

- - - - -

Much later, when Sonic was given permission to get up and walk around the hospital, Knuckles was allowed to see his wife upon the discovery that their unborn baby was perfectly fine and no apparent damage had occurred. He sat beside her when she was visited by Shadow and Omega. By this time, everyone had calmed down about what had transpired.

"You are okay?" Omega asked cordially, trying not to bump into anything as he stood in the middle of the room.

"I'm fine, thank you," Rouge smiled at him, holding her husband's hand and leaning her head back against the pillow.

"Good," Shadow murmured, smiling a little himself. "I can reassure the Commander that you're not in any danger then."

"He can wait for a moment, surely," Knuckles said, lifting a drink for Rouge to sip.

"Ah, you've met the Commander, Knuckles," Rouge replied. "He frets. If he weren't human, I would swear he was a bird of some kind - he ruffles up feathers he doesn't even have."