Album 1: Shadow of a Rose

Tears Don't Fall

Darkness. Heavy breathing. The sound of his shoes clashing against metal. Louder footsteps chasing him. The girls frail hand in his. Everything was familiar yet distant. He knew where he was going although he didn't know the way. A room with emegency escape pods. Being pushed into a pod. The girl says it will be okay. He calls her name. The door opens. A soldier. He aims his gun. The girl lies in a pool of her own blood. The all too familiar shame and numbness overcoming him.

Shadow woke up in a cold sweat, something he'd gotten used to, he hated sleeping. It was always the same horrible dream haunted him any time he'd close his eyes. He got out of bed rubbing his eyes then checked the clock, 3 am, he got two hours in this time. Lucky for him sleep wasn't entirely necessary, he could go weeks even months without sleeping, one of the perks to being the ultimate lifeform.

The dark hedgehog left his room and was met with the soft sound of sobbing down the hallway. He cautiously walked down the hall into the living room, if he was lucky he could sneak past whoever it was and avoid his only weakness, the only thing on this planet the ultimate lifeform feared.

Social interaction.

It didn't matter who it was, Shadow felt uneasy forcing himself to talk to anyone when he had nothing to say even Rouge, whom was technically his best friend had issues with his lack of participation in conversations. The hedgehog clung to the corners of the living room blending in with the darker shadows and successfully passed the light that came from the opening to the kitchen where the young girl sat at the table with a tub of ice-cream.

Shadow actually froze once he realized who it was, the only person he actually wanted to talk to, to thank her again and again for helping him find himself on more than one occasion. The pink hedgehog's head hung low as she cried into her palms, what could make her cry, he thought to himself as the image of the always cheerful and optimistic girl that reminded him of his true memories shifted into the now dark and almost painful scene before him.

He almost reached out to her but from the darkness it would be nearly impossible for anyone to see him. "I'm so sorry," she said loud enough to be heard and started wiping her tears away confusing the darker hedgehog, "I didn't think anyone else would be awake." She could see him? The girl pushed the tub away and made a beeline to the sink where she rinsed her face before looking at him with a less than confident smile, "What are you doing up Shadow? Cause if it's for the cookie dough ice-cream there's maybe enough for one bite."

"Amy," was all he could think to say before he realized he was still in darkness, he stepped into the light then joined her in the kitchen. He looked in the tub and like the girl had said, there was enough for only a single scoop, Shadow shrugged it off then used the spoon she had been using to finish the tub off, "I'm sorry if I had surprised you. Do the others know you're up?"

"They've been asleep for hours," she said then softly chuckled, "sleeping hasn't exactly been easy for me this past month and I didn't want to wake them just because I was feeling emotional," she bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying again.

"I can understand that." Shadow threw the ice-cream tub in the trash then took the spoon to the sink, but before he let it go, "Are you okay?" It came out without his consent, his entire body was put into a standstill as his mind panicked over what had just happened.

Why did he ask her? She didn't want to share private information with him? What if she cries again? What would he do? It'd be his fault.

"If I'm being honest I don't think so," She said with a sigh, "I wouldn't be surprised if Rouge told you what happened but I've been 'not my best' for a while now." Rouge hadn't told him, he'd remembered the bat mentioned she'd been away for some time and then she'd be having girl's nights occasionally here at their house, but never anything about Amy going through trouble. "Y'know for a guy with some questions you've been avoiding mine," Shadow was hoping she wouldn't notice, "if you want this to be about me I don't entirely mind, but at least tell me why you're up so I don't assume you just want to pity me because you heard me crying."