An Elemental Secret

Chapter 4

"Shadow...?" Sonic tilted his head as Knuckles and Rouge came in.

"Oh no, it's started up again..." Rouge sighed as she walked to him.

"What?" Sonic asked as Rouge laid a hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"His dreams... It's happened six times since he decided to rest..." Rouge looked down to the shaking hedgehog. "He's usually calmed down by a simple touch, but I feel like they're getting worse..."

Sonic frowned and knelled down beside Shadow. "How long has he had these... dreams...?"

Rouge looked away. "I'm not completely sure. He told me about them just a few months ago. Knuckles, have you figured out why he's having these dreams?"

"No. It still makes no sense how he even knows about any of this to dream it." Knuckles crossed his arms in thought.

Sonic stared at the quivering hedgehog with a soft frown, the rarity of this moment finally coming to him. Boy, did he hate it though. Shadow was not the one to quiver in fear; he was the one to stand tall in the face of danger. It was one of the many reasons why he admired the other. His strength was uncanny, and he knew how to use it well. This was more than unnatural. It wasn't Shadow.

Sonic sighed and gently laid a gloved hand on top of Shadow's, which was gripping the fabric of the couch. Almost immediately, Shadow relaxed, a calm expression washing over his face. Rouge and Knuckles noticed and stared almost shocked.

"I've been trying to keep him calm all day! What did you do to make him so calm?" Rouge was clearly amazed.

"Uh... I don't know... All I did was touch him..." Sonic stared at the sleeping hedgehog who was now calm and gently gripping his index finger like a shy little kid with his mom.

"Hm..." Rouge hummed in thought. "Sonic, you should take care of him for a while. I need to investigate something."

"Can't Shadow take care of himself, though?" he asked, looking back to the white furred bat.

"I don't know when he's going to wake up, and with someone after him, I'm not so sure he can protect himself...." Rouge confessed.

Sonic looked back to Shadow, not really wanting to babysit a moody hedgehog, but when he looked at Shadow's sleeping face, he felt something well up inside him that made him agree to Rouge's request. "Fine...."

Rouge smiled happily. "Thanks. I have to head out now.... Please take care of him."

Sonic smiled, giving his famous thumbs up. "Don't worry; I will."

"You better." Rouge said as she went to walk out. "C'mon Knuckie!"

Knuckles followed behind silently, leaving Sonic with the sleeping hedgehog. Rouge closed the door silently and looked to Knuckles. "What was with him?"

"I don't know...." Knuckles mumbled as they walked away from Club Rouge. "He's been acting weird since Heolstor appeared."

"I wonder why...." Rouge drifted off, mind wondering into several possibilities.

"I'm starting to think that he's hiding something from us." Rouge looked at Knuckles with a bit of surprise.

"You really think so?"

Knuckles nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, yes...."

"But, why? He'd never hide something from us, would he?"

"I'm not so sure about that anymore...." Knuckles sighed, the crisp autumn air making his breath visible in front of him.

Rouge stayed quiet as they walked, thoughts suddenly confused. If Sonic was keeping a secret from them, then it has to be something serious. Even so, he tells Tails and Knuckles everything....