Dear Chaos, please be alright. I hurry along behind a rushed gurney, having refused to be carried. My hearts are pounding, head buzzing with adrenaline, exhaustion, and terror. I am drenched in Shadow's blood, which serves as a constant reminder of the situation, and every nerve in my body is on fire.

Please don't die, I think frantically, unable to fully wrap my head around the fact that Shadow's injured, that Shadow's dying. I cannot believe just how scared that makes me, after everything he has done, but I feel like the world is listing dangerously beneath my feet all the same. I have to fight back tears for the second time today, and it is all I can do not to lose myself in the panic of the moment.

The nurses and I sprint by random groups of soldiers, who gape at me and make startled exclamations. I give them no attention, completely focused on the unconscious hedgehog on the bed in front of me. Sometimes, the nurses have to shout to make way, and it is all I can do not to add my voice to the urgent din, but I know I might not be able to hold myself together if I let even a sound escape.

Instead, I fretfully make a list of all the injuries I noticed, wanting to be ready to answer whatever they need to know to treat him. I try to form a description of the various weapons, too, although I do not know how important it is to know what type of gun did the damage.

The few minutes it takes to get from the entrance to the medical wing feel like hours, and I nearly weep in relief when we finally arrive. I am too busy controlling my breathing to let myself, though, and, when the main doctor asks his first question, I nearly talk over him trying to answer it.

"How was he injure--?"

"Bullets! He has a Chaos inhibitor on," I clamour, trying not to shout at him.

"Where was he shot?"

"Mostly legs. Possibly elsewhere, I don't know." I clamp my mouth shut to stop the panicked ramble from coming out. The doctor nods, hurrying away to the room that Shadow was just wheeled into. I take a step forward to follow, stop myself, and stand there, completely unsure what to do.

Was that it? I think dumbly, shaking slightly. Can't I tell them more? Give him blood? Something? That can't be all I can do! I feel my breaths starting to gasp, and I consciously restrain them again. However, before I can entirely regain control, a nurse appears behind me, clipboard in his hand. Without warning, he clips a Chaos controlling bracelet on my arm, and I stagger slightly as my powers leave me, nearly blacking out with the change.

"Come with me, alright? I have some questions for you," he says calmly when I scrub the spots out of my vision, gesturing to a door, and I instantly decide that I hate forced tranquility in emergency situations. Two sentences, and it is all I can do not to claw his face off.

I suppose that is why he put the bracelet on first.

I glare daggers at him, hands flexing with anger, but I shove down the emotion and make my legs follow him, for Shadow's sake.

"I want you to tell me exactly what happened," he says in a similarly tranquil tone, and I feel my patience all but snap. Taking a forced deep breath, I explain through gritted teeth how Shadow was attacked and what weapons I saw, as well as how long it took to get here. The man takes notes throughout, nodding noncommittally from time to time, and I find my loathing for him growing considerably.

You are the epitome of what I hate, I think, teeth bared as I finish relaying the story. You are uncaring, removed, judging, and--

"The doctors will do everything they can, and they'll tell you if there's a way you can assist. For now, you can stay in the waiting room. The door is over there, to the left." The man's words surprise me, and I feel my dislike of him lifting ever so slightly.

Only slightly, though. I glare at his back as he exits the room, nearly flying to my feet with all of the built-up tension in my muscles.

He could not have been a decent person earlier? I grumble internally, but, as I shuffle to the aforementioned door, I find myself wishing he was still here to make me angry. Without the distracting emotion, my worry and exhaustion have no buffers preventing them from drowning me.

He is going to be okay, I tell myself, but the words mean nothing. I sit down in a chair, staring at the floor. The freshly polished metal reflects a blurry image of my face back at me, and I look into my own eyes, trying to decipher the emotions behind them.

I can hardly believe this is happening. Tears start streaming silently down my ivory cheeks, and I let them, feeling utterly destroyed. It all feels so surreal, and I feel so helpless.

I take a measured breath, but the tears keep flowing. I wipe them away, and I feel my self-pity begin to morph into anger. Anger at Shadow, for being my largest source of emotional turmoil. Anger at myself, for being so foolish that I did not notice how I actually felt around him. And...anger, just in general. Anger that my last living relative's life is now in danger for no valid reason that I can see. Anger that the universe saw fit to put me through this again.

Dammit, I swear, indulging my frustration in the word. I should have been paying more attention. I should have alerted someone that Shadow was going off on his own. I should not have ignored him like I did... I bring my clenched left hand down on my knee, purposely slowing myself so no damage is done. I feel like I should have been faster, like I should have reacted sooner, but I cast these thoughts aside.

Really, I was lucky they even let me go after him. Ayers by no means had to do that--I hope she does not get in trouble for it. She shouldn't, if these humans are half as fair as they act; I do not think Shadow would have had any chance, had I not shown up in time.

I take a deep breath, bent forwards in my seat and glancing, concerned, at the door down the hallway that hides my half-brother from my view. I would not have believed, had I been told several days past, the amount of stress and anguish I would feel over someone I would have said I utterly despised not long ago. Yet, here I am, completely distraught and furious with myself for allowing harm to come to someone I swear I hold little affection for.

Is this normal, to feel this way? To be thrown into a state of despair after harm comes to another? I drop my gaze back to the floor, shaking my head to clear the thought. Oh, it does not matter. I do not want to concern myself over more things. I sigh, rubbing my hands over my eyes.

No, the real cause for my anguish is the complete shock of reality. What if Shadow had died right there? Since he did not, I presume his healing factor will preserve his immortality, but he was grievously injured. What if I had not reached him in time? He would be gone, at least in mind, should his body have been restarted, and I would have completely lost my chance to make amends with the one of the only people here who cares anything about me...

The door to the waiting room abruptly opens, shocking me out of my thoughts and into a rigid posture, and I stare at the man coming through it. His face is vaguely familiar, and my doubts of acquaintance are vanquished when he speaks his voice.

"It's getting late for you to be up," he says sternly, and I blink, trying to remember who he is. "I mean, you shouldn't be here anyways, but you definitely shouldn't be awake right now."

"What time is it?" I inquire, trying to find the memory of Agatha teaching me how to read a clock and focus on him at the same time.

"Currently, it's one thirty, going on two."

"In the morning?" I cannot imagine I have been here for longer than 2 or 3 hours, and I assume he would use military time if it was somehow the afternoon, but I check anyways, to be sure I am understanding the Mobian concept of time correctly.

"Yes." I pause, peering more closely at this human's rusty red hair and ocean blue eyes.

"Then, why are you here?" I ask, legitimately curious. I know for a fact that humans have delicate bodies, ones that require sleep to function, and, as a species, they are diurnal.

"I was part of the Commander's emergency discussion meeting, thanks to Shadow nearly getting himself kidnapped. We only let out a few minutes ago."

"Oh." I feel tiredness washing over me, whether from learning the time or from simply not registering it before, I do not know. Even with my curiosity picked, I am more than ready to go to bed, but the man does not seem eager to let the conversation fall.

"Hey, now. Don't you be going to sleep on me, not after I went through all that trouble to find out where you were. I've still got to talk to you."

"What could you possibly want?" I grouse slightly, wanting to lay down on the floor right here and succumb to the darkness creeping over my exhausted mind.

"I want to know more about you and Shadow." I almost scoff at the mention of such a vague, uninteresting proposition, holding back the sound so as not to be rude to a man I may or may not know.

"That can wait."

"No, it can't." I startle back to full awareness as the man lays a firm hand on my shoulder and squeezes painfully. If I had my powers, I would strike him for such an aggressive move, but I am far too exhausted and weak to do anything more than glower. "I also want you to know about me. Tell me, do you remember who I am?" I swallow at the sudden change in tone, feeling oddly perturbed by his gaze.

"If I remember correctly," I begin cautiously, very aware now of the fact he could hurt me if he so desires, "you were one of the humans aboard the New Black Comet. As I recall, you seemed to be the leader." It is guesswork, built off of my vague notions and his demeanor, but he nods, satisfied.

"That's right. Captain Andrews, of Spider Troupe. I have some bones to pick with you and Shadow, but I'll leave those for now. I want to know why exactly you're here, waiting, when you could be asleep in a semi-decent bed. As I recall, you're not too fond of Shadow, but you rescued him yesterday, and now you're waiting for him like a concerned lover!" I bristle, angered by my actions being compared to those of a mate's.

"I have no such relationship with Shadow. I am only here because I have..." I trail off, not entirely sure how to put my anger, frustration, and grief into words.

"You're feeling guilty, right?" I start, caught a little off guard by his perceptiveness. This human may not seem it at first, but he is definitely intelligent. Which, I suppose, makes sense, since he is a captain of his kind.

"Even if I am, there are many things I could feel guilty about."

"Then, you better tell me which things you're hung up on," the captain counters, still trapping me in his oddly intimidating gaze. It is the rare human that unsettles me, but I believe I know why, now. In this human's eyes, I see a dark practicality wrestling with an even darker hatred, one I am sure is aimed at Shadow and I. The sheer coldness strikes me, and I wonder if I had indirectly caused the death of one or more of his comrades.

"...alright..." I respond, edging away from him as he steps a little closer. I doubt he will assault me beyond the shoulder grip, but the pain of it still throbs, and it makes me cautious of this human. After all, I will get much higher penalties than him if I retaliate, even in self-defense.

"Don't lie to me. Sometimes, it can even be helpful to tell others about a problem." The sudden mood change startles me again, and I wonder if he is trying to lead me into trusting him. His grayish blue eyes bore into mine, and he sighs, abruptly sinking to the ground and sitting. "I can tell you're scared of me, even if only slightly. Not going to say I don't relish in it a bit, but I came here to try and temper my feelings, not to enflame them. Go on, talk. I won't touch you again." I stare at him, not sure I understand this man at all. He waits for me to speak, though, and I do, feeling more awake, if only from caution.

"I am feeling distraught," I begin, neither sure how to have a conversation about emotions after all my time suppressing them nor sure that I want to talk at all to this confusingly hostile human. The man nods, gesturing for me to continue. He seems oddly supportive, and I guess he must be trying hard to overcome his own emotions. "It was a shock of reality, having Shadow almost killed. Suddenly, I felt all of my own guilt, before almost unnoticeable, crashing down on me. What if he had been killed before we ever settled our differences? How would it feel, to have my only living relative either an amnesiac or in a tomb? Regardless of our history, he is my only family, and I felt the sudden burden of that knowledge.

"He or I can be ended any instant. It is a humbling thought, and I feel a sudden sense of urgency in my feelings about him. I cannot leave these ends undone, for fear of death. They would haunt me, and I am likewise sure that they would haunt him. Once he recovers, I am going to do everything in my power to fix our rift."

"Not going to say I can't relate to that personally," murmurs the man. "As someone who lives and works in the military, death is a constant presence. I've lost friends and comrades, ones I still had unfinished business with. It's a dogging feeling, one no person should experience...

"But, on that note, you can't just rush into delicate emotional situations because you're afraid of death all the time. In the simplest words possible, you shouldn't apologize unless you feel like apologizing. Same with forgiveness. If you tell someone they're forgiven when you don't mean it, you're only obliging yourself to something that will bring you more pain, often when they haven't earned that right yet.

"Look, I think I understand how you feel about Shadow, or so far as I can. And, you shouldn't go in there and forgive him immediately. It devalues your own emotions and the, well, people you lost. By all means, go in there and tell him you're ready to start working out your differences, but don't let him off the hook because he almost died. If you do, your feelings will come off as only superficial."

For a moment, I pause just to let this new information sink in, agreeing with what Captain Andrews has said.

"Those are some good words. I will remember them," I reply, and he nods. I am about to ask him about why he despises me so much, feeling I deserve an answer after giving him one and searching for the right words to do so, when an exhausted nurse shuffles out of Shadow's room.

"Shadow has entered a stable condition," he says, and I feel a wash of relief flood me. I had been near sure he would pull through, but nothing is quite like being told by a medical professional, even one who has not a tenth of my knowledge of the hybrid.

"Thank goodness..." I breathe, relaxing into my chair. Andrews nods besides me, having stood up and relocated to a chair when the nurse came in.

"He's likely going to have some scarring and such, but we can't be sure with his healing," the nurse continues, and I pay rapt attention. "The worst injuries were on his legs, but we've stitched them very carefully back into a whole, and we expect he'll regain complete use and feeling in them. His healing ability is beyond words."

"Keh. With mine, you can see the skin knit back together!" I exclaim, spurred into playfulness by the good news.

"I wouldn't be surprised," the nurse replies, humoring me. "I'll return to the room now, but feel free to knock and ask some questions now that Shadow needs only a bit more care." He turns and slips through the door, and I take a deep breath, this time not shakily. A few minutes pass where I bask in exhausted relief, and, then, Andrews surprises me by speaking in the silence.

"Do you want to know why I have such a strong aversion to Shadow and the Black Arms?" He asks, and I nod startledly, having forgotten my question in light of the news about Shadow's recovery. I study the man as he prepares his words, appreciating that he seems to be aiming for tactfulness.

"Back when Black Doom appeared on Earth, the military was in a panic. G.U.N. wasn't prepared for it, having been wrapped up in taking care of other crises like the aftermath of the ARK's destruction of the moon and Metal Sonic's ascension--we can thank Shadow for the former event. Your species caught the world off guard, and my Special Ops team was one of the first in the field.

"People died that day. Civilians, soldiers--heck, aliens, too. I lost some good people in that attack, and others from their wounds later. Their names wouldn't mean anything to you, but they were Jamie, Daryl, Perry, Russell, and Samuel. Brave fighters, all of them. I'll remember them for the rest of my life. And they wouldn't have died if it wasn't for Shadow and the rest of his kind. They were human, mortal, and they crumpled to the ground like every person on this planet who's come before them.

"I know Shadow is an ally of G.U.N. now, a great resource for this planet, but he's also one of its greatest potential enemies. I always had a bit of a prejudice against Mobians, but Shadow was easy to hate. Always cold, acting like he couldn't care less as my team prepared for yet another mission where we would risk our lives. Wearing that damn scowl all of the time, sometimes donning an even worse smirk.

"I suppose it isn't fair to hate Shadow for what he is. But, the world isn't fair, and I'm not about to start playing nice now. I just can't bring myself to not hate him."

"I can completely understand that," I supply, feeling a sense of self-satisfied irony that even members of this planet take issue with my relative. "It has taken me a long while to cool my own fires where Shadow is concerned. Instead of hating him for what he is, though, I always found issue in that he ignores his bloodline, his essential body. He walks around, being what he is not, which is infuriating to the extreme."

"I might have given him a second chance at being a decent guy if he wasn't colder than stone and harder in the head," Andrews growls. "That hedgehog makes me want to kick him sometimes. Always running off, being arrogant and selfish when he knows darn well just how dangerous it is for the rest of us. Would it kill him to be a little less cocky?"

"Yes," I say, not entirely joking. "If he could not back up his claims, then he might not be so cocksure, but he manages it enough to maintain his ego."

"You were like that, too, but it seems to have tempered. Maybe you can knock that into Shadow for me, eh?" Andrews asks, and I get the impression that he's actually being serious.

"Well, one can hardly be arrogant when he is stuck in delicate negotiations and powerless, now can he? Shadow could certainly use a dose of humility outside of his outer walls. Get him alone, and he is plenty introspective and willing to learn from his mistakes, but he does not seem to have learned how to be that way with anyone he does not know exceedingly well. It does result in a rather infuriating personality for him."

"At least we can agree on that," the human captain muses, and I shrug.

"I would agree with anything for a solid ten hours of sleep right now," I say, immediately dropping into a yawn. I try to ignore the man's repulsed face as my jaw opens entirely, revealing my green inner flesh and enormous, yellow fangs, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Have you ever even heard of a toothbrush?" He asks, still looking disgusted, and I give him a flat look.

"Yes. It is the natural color of my teeth, alright? Leave them alone..." I mutter, slouching. I wonder if I should sleep right here... It would certainly be more enjoyable than the remnants of this conversation.

"Yeah, well, human teeth are naturally yellow, too, but ours don't look that bad," continues the human, and I stifle a groan.

I just want to lie down with wonderful, soft pillows and a fluffy blanket. How much I would relish in such warm comfort... I fantasize about the texture, the softness on my skin. What I would not give for that right now...

"Eclipse?" I nearly hit the ceiling at the familiar voice of Professor Ayers, mind whirling at how she got in here without me noticing. Did I actually fall asleep for a moment there? "You really need to head off to bed, okay? Come on." She hauls me onto my feet, and I rub my eyes in a vain attempt to be awake.

"When did you get here?" I ask groggily, brain somewhere back on the chair. She smiles at me, looking quite exhausted herself, and motions to the door.

"A few seconds ago. Was Captain Andrews in here with you?"

"Yes," I yawn, swaying slightly. She steadies me and tugs on my arm.

"He's not known for his tolerance. I hope he didn't trouble you."

"Not much..." I reply, now stumbling towards the door on numb legs. My entire backside is asleep... My tail, too. Reaching behind me, I grope until I find it, picking it up so it will not drag on the floor. Ayers steers me out into the hallway, where a contingent of guards awaits, and I walk behind her in a daze, ignoring through sheer tiredness the shocked stares of the people we pass. I assume she knows what she is doing, leading me through the main building, along with the rest of the soldiers in formation around me. In this fashion, we work our way down through the building, though I notice with some detachment that we are not arriving on the normal sublevel.

She steers me into a room on a new floor, lifting my limp body onto a higher cot than I am used to.

"Get some sleep, alright? The Commander wants to see you at seven, so you don't have long." I groan at the short time frame, letting her drag a blanket over me. It barely takes my head falling on the pillow for me to be out like a light, catching every bit of rest I can before morning.

Author's Note: I'm sorry I missed the update day yesterday, but the dialogue in this chapter was pretty awful. It's now much better and far less confusing, which is good. xD I hope you liked it! Character dynamics are changing for the better. Look forward to next week, when we see Shadow's reaction to this turn of events.