Shadow awoke with a start and sat up quickly, confused about his surroundings and nauseated. He looked around the room frantically, trying to remember where he was. It hit him suddenly and he calmed down a bit, laying back down. There was a warm presence beside him. Shadow turned his head and a small smile crept on his face. Sonic slept soundly, curling up to him in his sleep. Shadow softly stroked Sonic's face. His mind wandered to the suture, wondering where they were headed. Only Tails and Omega knew and were given strict orders to keep it that way. Shadow would just have to wait patiently, something he was rather good at.

Sonic stirred and opened one eyes sleepily. When he saw Shadow, he sat up abruptly, confusion and grogginess in his emerald eyes, "What are you?" He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, "I guess we fell asleep like that," He mumbled.

Shadow nodded and ran a finger through Sonic's quills when Sonic jumped. Shadow pulled back, afraid he had hurt Sonic, but Sonic's hands went straight to his stomach and he stared at it with wide eyes.

"Are you hurt?" Shadow asked quickly.

Sonic shook his head, "It moved!"

This took Shadow by surprise. The fetus hadn't moved before, although, Sonic had been pregnant for over a week. According to the nurses at G.U.N. a hedgehog's pregnancy lasts about 31 days. He didn't know what to do.

Sonic smiled softly and took Shadow's hand, placing it on his stomach. Shadow felt a strange movement and tensed from surprise, his eyes as wide as saucers. The feeling was so strange! As if Sonic's hard stomach wasn't enough. Now it was moving!

A knock on the door startled both of them, "You hedgehog's awake?" Called Rouge's voice from the other side.

Shadow rested his forehead against Sonic's before replying, "Yeah, we'll be out in a moment." He traced Sonic's cheek with a finger as he looked into the other's eyes. Sonic smiled slightly and closed his eyes with a sigh. Shadow closed the distance with a quick kiss that startled Sonic. He then got off the bed and helped the other up.

The two exited the room to the eerily quiet jet. Tails and Omega were in the pilot area, Amy and Rouge were quietly conversing quietly at the table. Knuckles was punching the air and Silver was suspending himself with his telekinesis. Sonic decided to check on Tails, leaving Shadow with the rest of the group. Shadow wasn't sure what he was going to do in the meantime, but a tap on his shoulder decided for him.

"Shadow, can I talk to you a moment?" Amy asked with uncertainty in her voice. Shadow nodded and followed her to an empty room in the plane. Shadow guessed by the soft lavender wafting through the air that it was the room Rouge used. Amy twisted her hands together, worry and pain in her green eyes. She looked up at Shadow and her eyes brimmed over with tears, "Is it killing him?"

It took Shadow only a millisecond to understand what she meant. He frowned and crossed his arms, "What did they tell you Amy?"

She glared and balled her fists, "It doesn't matter what they told me I don't believe them! It's unnatural and can't be good for Sonic!"

Shadow leaned against the wall, letting Amy freak out all she wanted. When he was satisfied that she was finished, he spoke, "It's not killing him. In fact, the fetus seems to be cooperating fairly well with Sonic's body. The only time we should worry is the delivery," He said it plainly and without emotion, as if he didn't care, as if he wasn't worrying just as much about Sonic, even more, than Amy. It was just his nature to hold everything in. Only Sonic had broken through that.

Amy nodded, her eyes downcast in sadness, "I can tell you care about Sonic Shadow. You're secretly friends. Well, it's not exactly secret on his end, but you've done a lot for him and I'm grateful for it," She paused a moment and glared intently at Shadow, "Is it even a hedgehog? The scientist was crazy, who knows what it could have been!"

Shadow's careful facade dropped a bit, but he composed himself quickly, "G.U.N. did enough tests to tell. It's a normal, hedgehog baby."

"Do you really trust what G.U.N. says?"

Shadow wanted to end the conversation so badly he nearly groaned, "Yes I do. I read a top secret file," And I know it's mine.

Relief flooded her pink face and she nodded, "Alright! I'll talk to Sonic about his decision on keeping it. If he will, I'll help him!" Before Shadow could even react, she left the room. Shadow groaned out loud and let his head fall back. This was going to be harder than they originally thought. Shadow will need to have a talk with Sonic.

"Amy cornered me," Sonic said at the end of the day. They were in their shared room. Shadow was removing his hover skates while Sonic sat on the bed. Shadow rolled his eyes, this'll be good.

Sonic sneered, "She asked me if she could help raise our- the baby," He quickly covered up. It bothered Shadow, but he didn't comment on it, "I wasn't sure what to say."

"What did you say?" Shadow asked, sitting beside Sonic.

Sonic closed his eyes and sighed, "Don't worry, I didn't tell her about you. I just said I'll need more time to absorb everything. I know Amy cares about me, but I really don't think about her more than a friend and her attachment can get annoying."

Shadow smiled. Sonic had never admitted to being annoyed with Amy before. He always took it with a good-natured Smile and a polite reply. Shadow asked him what changed when Sonic tensed, playing with the bed covers.

"I don't want her chasing me forever. It's not fair to her for me to let her think there's a future for us when I never wanted that."

Shadow wrapped an arm around Sonic's shoulders in comfort, rubbing his arm's slowly. Sonic looked up at Shadow with agony in his eyes that frightened Shadow. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh, "But I'm afraid to tell her what I do want."

Shadow understood and kissed Sonic's forehead, "You don't have to tell anyone about me until you're ready. There's a lot going on as it is."

Sonic pulled back with a determined glare, "No! I'm not going to sit back and act like I'm ashamed of this!" He froze as if he'd said too much and looked away. Shadow felt cheated. How can Sonic leave him hanging like that?

He didn't say anything, however and pulled Sonic to him and drew up the covers, closing his eyes as Sonic snuggled closer to him.