"How does it feel Sonic, to know that you're about to die, because you were too scared, too selfish to help me..."

The hedgehog groaned, trying to keep his eyes open. The pain was a throbbing nightmare, and he wondered how he'd get out of this alive. If that was even an option now.

"How does it feel to know you led me down this path? You terrified me, made me want to be stronger for the day this finally happened, made me prepare myself. The people I killed... It got easier to take their powers you know, just thinking that I could be killed was enough for me to kill. How does that make you feel?"

The (a/t) was floating over him now, her hands were glowing red, one held at his chest. She really was going to kill him, right here and now. The hedgehog tried to move, to think of anything. What could he say in this sort of situation?

"I-I'm..." He grit his teeth painfully, trying to at least sit up, "I'm... Sorry..."

(Y/N) stared down at him, her eyes looked almost blank of emotion.

"What?"

"I'm sorry..." He grunted out, before laying his head back, "I'm sorry... I'm... Sorry..."

Slowly, the (a/t) lowered her hands. She watched as he closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. He didn't say anything else, instead he seemed to relax. Did he pass out? Was he waiting for the final blow?

"You're... Sorry?" She asked, lowering down next to him. His ear twitched and he moved his head slightly,

"I'm... Sorry..."

"For what?"

"I'm sorry for..." He paused for a moment, trying to swallow, "Being such a... Coward..."

"And why are you a coward...?" The glow from her hands faded as she watched him, however her stare was still hard, cutting into him.

The hedgehog let out a sigh, before opening his own emerald eyes and looking up at her. The stare seemed to make him flinch and his ears laid back. She was mad at him, and she had every right to be. He had abandoned her when she needed him most.

"I... Ran..." He stated, "When you were... In trouble... If I had stuck around... Maybe things... Would be different."

"Oh really? How so?"

"You'd have... A friend..."

The words stung the (a/t), and she let out a growl. Her hands lit up again and she floated above him,

"You're right, I wouldn't be the pathetic loner I was back then."

"And you wouldn't be evil now..." He stared up at her. Finally, he was able to push himself up, although he knew ribs were broken, "You'd be with us, fighting Eggman... You'd be... With me..."

She scoffed, "You make it sound so cliché. We may have parted ways at some point."

"Yes... But you would have... Support either way..."

"Yeah well I didn't, did I?"

"No..." He lowered his head, was he ashamed?

Good, he should be. This mess was all because of him.

"I understand..." He started to push to his feet, "I understand why you would be afraid... We always beat the bad guys right? We always run them into the... Ground..."

"Yes."

"Well it looks like... I was the bad guy for once..." Sonic stated, now on his feet and turning his emerald gaze to her (e/c) eyes, he gave a weak chuckle, "You beat me into the ground after all..."

The (a/t) was frowning, but her offensive structure seemed to faulter, and her gaze softened, "I guess so..."

"And... I understand if... You want to kill me." Sonic continued, "But please keep in mind... I have a little brother you took hostage, and he's only young... I don't want to leave him behind... I don't want to leave anyone behind... Not anymore."

"What do you mean...?" (Y/N) raised a brow.

"Join us... The Freedom Fighters, the good guys. We can train you, we can help you... Forgive me for my ignorance... I want to make it up to you..."

He let out a sigh, holding his side with one arm, the other too limp to move, "I... I wished I knew more... When we were younger... If I knew you didn't want this... If I accepted it wasn't your choice to have that ability... I wish I was better..."

The (a/t) watched him. He was so pathetic, so afraid, he didn't want to die so he was trying to gain her sympathy.

And it was working.

She lowered to the ground, standing in front of the battered hedgehog. Of course the sympathy would work, because she had been in his shoes before, terrified of death, doing anything to keep herself alive.

"You're willing to team up with me...?" She asked, tilting her head, "Even though I got my powers through the death of others?"

"Yeah, I know I can't change the past... And I know what I've done is unacceptable but I want to make up for it the best I can. Do you... Do you want to be friends again?"

Sonic rubbed his side, flinching a little as he lowered his head. He was being serious. He wanted to amend their past. Tears started to fill the (a/t)'s eyes and she took a step back,

"I..."

"I can talk to the others, I can explain everything. They'll warm up to you eventually." He went on, "Just stay away from Shadow, he's very stubborn."

"Sonic..."

"Sonic!" The yellow fox flew down to them, holding a metal pole in his hands. He swung it at the (a/t), but she dodged, jumping back, "You stay away from my brother!"

"Tails!" The blue hedgehog smiled, pulling the twin-tailed fox into a one-armed hug, "Hey hey, I'm alright. The fighting's over."

"She's going to kill you." Tails growled, still gripping the pole tightly. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, "I won't let her!"

"Buddy." Sonic gripped his arm, maybe a little too tightly as the fox flinched; his large ears laid back as he looked back at the blue hero, "It's alright, we've sorted out our differences."

"B-But... Look at what she did to you..."

The hedgehog gave a little smirk, "Honestly? I deserved it..."

"What...?"

"It's a long story." He pat the twin-tailed kitsune on the head, "I can explain it later, but the fighting is over. You can put that down."

Tails turned his attention to the metal rod in his hand, before letting it clatter to the ground and hugging Sonic tightly. The hedgehog kept patting his head, before looking at the (a/t) standing in front of them.

He smiled more and held out a hand, but (Y/N) didn't move. Tears had started running down her cheeks and she took another step back. How could she ask them to forgive her for what she did?

Looking around, the (a/t) took in the destruction, the mess of a city. Buildings had crumbled and the roads were covered in mess, cars smoked, and the sky was dark. There was no one in sight, since everyone had been evacuated. Because of her.

"(Y/N), it's okay." Sonic gently set Tails aside, stepping towards the (a/t), "You were terrified, desperate even. We can fix this. You can fix this."

"I..." She held her hands to her chest, "Sonic..."

"It's okay, I know you won't do anymore damage." He stepped closer, slowly grabbing one of her hands in his good one, "I know you won't hurt anyone else."

"Your arm..."

"Don't change the subject."

"I don't... I can't..."

"You can, and I'll help you. Please let me help you now."

The Mobian let out a sob, before wrapping her arms around the hedgehog tightly. He flinched as pain shot through him, but still pat her back as she cried on his shoulder.

"There you go... Now let's get you home okay?"

"Okay..."

The blue blur nodded, before glancing back at Tails,

"Everything alright buddy?"

The fox hesitated, but walked over and offered a nod, "I'd like to study your ability if that's alright, I've never heard of anyone that can take another's power, well, ever."

(Y/N) also nodded slowly, before looking at Sonic, "Alright but we should get you some help..."

"Heh, I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, I'll be fine." He gave her the thumbs up, before turning around, "We'll all be fine now, right?"

"Right." The (a/t) gave a small giggle, and they all headed out of the city.

Over the next few weeks, (Y/N) worked her best with helping fix up her mess. The city was nearly ready for people to live in again, and most of Sonic's friends had come around since the attack. Obviously, the (a/t) made sure to stay away from Shadow, and she made a good note of not interacting with Amy as well. Boy was that hedgehog a jealous one.

But the others had soon warmed up to the (a/t), especially after Sonic explained everything. They had wanted her out until they realised that ditching her was what started the mess. She made good friends with Tails and Knuckles, the two seeming to understand her the most out of the others.

But her first and foremost friend was Sonic, and it always will be.

The two were currently flipping over a car in the city, or trying to considering Sonic's broken arm. They managed to flip it and it gave a loud thud as it landed back on it's wheels.

"Hey Sonic..." The girl wiped her forehead, before facing the blue hedgehog.

"Yeah?" Sonic's ears perked, his emerald eyes glancing over.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Heh, no problem." He gave her a thumbs up.

"No really, I mean it." She walked over and hugged him, "You've changed my life again, and it's better now."

"Well of course it is." He gave her a pat on the head, resting his muzzle in her hair, "That's because I'm in it."