*Shadow's POV*
"How's Sonic doing? Did you leave him at the cabin? I thought you'd end up staying with him until it was time to go?" Rouge asked as we sat at the edge of the lake, looking at the water to make sure Cream was okay.

"Hes fine. I needed to come check on Cream." I said, but I couldn't stop thinking of what I had just done.

"Are you okay?" I looked up to see the echidna sitting down beside Rouge. "You don't look so well."

"I'm fine." I rolled my eyes and looked back at Cream.

"Hey, looks like Sonic is doing okay too." My ear flickered, and I glanced back then quickly looked forward again.

What I did earlier...

It was just because I was glad he was okay. Because in the moment, I was glad nothing happened to him, and I was able to save him. I saved him. That's what it was.

He was starting to get too close to me.

"Rouge. I need to talk." I said, standing up, then started walking away.

Rouge didn't waste a second and used her wings to pick herself back up, then flew in my direction. I walked closer to the trees and waited for her to reach me.

"I need to stay away from him." I told Rouge, she raised a brow at me. "Just listen, Bat." I growled since I knew that look already.

"Explain." She rested back on a tree and looked at her nails. "I need details before I decide to help you or not. Did he do something to you?"

"Not necessarily." I crossed my arms. "I just need him away from me. And Cream."

"You're getting attached? Is that it?" She smiled and walked closer to me. "Why are you trying to get away from him? You two can become friends."

"I don't want to be his friend." I growled lowly.

"Well, well, I didn't know you swung that way. I mean, I can see you and Blue together. You'd make such a cute couple, actually." She kept on smiling at me. Suddenly, Vanillas words were back on my mind, and I felt like strangling Rouge.

But I can't.

"That's not what I said. I just don't need someone around all the time bothering me." I rolled my eyes.

"You mean like me?" Rouges tone changed. She looked almost hurt. I stayed quiet, unsure of what to say now, but I knew better than to stay quiet as well. I tried to say something, but nothing seemed right. "Fine. I'll take care of it." She sighed and walked away.

"Rouge. I didn't mean it like that." I pinched the bridge of my nose. She may always be around me, and maybe I hated having her around at first, but even I knew I couldn't screw up my friendship with her. She was... too important to me. But I'd never get caught saying that out loud.

"I know, Hun." Her smile returned, but this time it was smaller, sincere, with a hint of sadness. "I just wish you'd let your walls down with someone else." She pointed in direction where Faker was. "He seems to have cracked one, and you're already trying to fix it without giving him a chance. Open up, he's not as bad as you think."

"I can't." I shook my head but kept looking where Sonic was. He was talking to the fox. He was smiling, and he looked happy. "I can't."

"Do you really want me to keep him away from you?" She lowered her hand. "Be honest."

"Yes." I said a bit too quickly. He had to. He had to stay away from me.

Maria died because of me. Eggman had been running test runs on his robots on me that day. I wasn't fast enough to get her out of there. It had been my fault. Rouge had been caught once in the middle of everything. When I got taken in by Vanilla. I hated Vanilla so much at first, only hated her because I was trying to protect her. And then I met Cream. Rouge had been hurt trying to get me out of my living situation, Eggman broke her wing, and she couldn't fly for weeks.

I was constantly afraid that Vanilla would get hurt when Eggman realized he needed me again. Constantly afraid that Cream will get caught in the middle of it all, too. I couldn't bring one more person into this mess. I couldn't.

"Shadow, you -" I growled louder, clenching my fists and finally snapping.

"I said yes!" I shouted. My heart was beating rapidly, and my breathing became heavy.

"Fine." Rouge nodded. "But not today." She flew away.

*Rouge's POV*
When it started to get dark, we all started to pack our stuff. We had all spent the day swimming, telling stories of how some of us met, passing the ball, enjoying the snacks both Cream and Lucy brought over, and just simply messing around. Exams were around the corner for us, so we all really deserved this hang out.

"Is that everyone?" I asked Knuckles as I waved bye to our friends, Tails leaving with the triplets this time. Knuckles and I remained at the lake, waiting for Cream to finish getting ready. Shadow had taken her to the cabin.

"Looks like it." Knuckles nodded. "Is everything okay between you and Shadow? You looked mad earlier."

"Not mad. Just... annoyed." I shook my head and looked at Knuckles, then up at the sky enjoying the sunset.

"What happened?" He asked, wrapping an arm around me now that no one was around.

"Shadow just being stubborn again. He's becoming friends with Blue, and he doesn't like it. He wants me to keep Blue away from him. He doesn't want to be his friend." I explained.

"Are you seriously going to listen?" He asked, and I scoffed.

"No. But I need to find a way for Shadow to realize he cares about Blue." I smiled, Shadow and Cream walking into view already. "Ready to go, guys?"

******
2 extra chapters as promised. Enjoy!
I think next chapter ends in a cliffhanger lol so that's fun for tomorrow 😄