Phantom

Paranoid

***

But it didn't get better

Sonic stood alone in the town, watching as builders worked to restore their home.

Home

Tails walked over, making his brother jump.
"Ha, got me there bro!" He laughed, Tails asking him if he was coming back to celebrate the war being over.

"Y-yeah, sure. Right behind you." He followed him back, thinking about Infinite again.

But even though he was gone, on the walk back, he saw familiar shadows, his eyes darting to and fro, trying to hide from himself the fact that he was terrified something would snatch him from the dark.

"Sonic? You ok?" The cub stop, watching him walk slowly.
"Hm? Oh yeah, me? It's cool," he slipped a little.

"Oh, your legs!" Tails remembered as he caught him, "Don't worry, I'm going to carry you the rest of the way!"

"Thanks bro.." he trailed off, Tails looking concerned.

***

As fun as the celebration of the war's end was, Sonic found himself starring out onto the balcony, staring off into the night sky.

It had been so long since he had seen his old friends the stars

"Hey Blue," Rouge came up behind him, draping a blanket around his shoulders.
"You remember our promise, right? You've saved the world, now rest. You deserve it."

Sonic sighed, nodding as he shoved from the cold. It was late October, he had been informed by Tails. He shook of the thought again

I was there on my birthday.

"What's on your mind?" Rouge asked gently.
"I-I dunno Rouge. That was a lot. I don't know if I'm ever going to be the same again."

"You won't," the bat turned him around to face her, "And as hard as it is, you're going to have to accept that it's a part of you." She caught a tear streaming down his cheek.

"I know that, Rouge. Cause I've always known how this story goes. It was only a matter of time." He watched as clouds covered the stars, and it started to rain.

"But still, I'm scared. I don't know where to go next. I've always been care-free, not worrying about where life goes. Getting hurt was always just part of the fun."

"Life. Just does that. We grow, we change," Sonic didn't think he'd ever heard sassy, sarcastic Rouge every speak with such wisdom, "But we'll be there, wherever life kicks you next."

"You won't be forgotten again." The two turned their heads to find Tails stood there, a guilty look on his face. "I promise that I'll never let Eggman come near you again"

Sonic laughed, "You know that's not going to work," he chuckled even more, "Eggman's our number one enemy, I'm sure we'll bump into him again,"

***

Bump into him again they did. Especially since there were still rogue Eggman robots, that Sonic insisted on helping to get rid off.

Tails was worried, as was Rouge. He was just hurting himself even more.
So they devised a plan.

"You promise me you'll let yourself heal this time," Rouge waved as Tails and Sonic was about to board the plane to Station Square.

"Of course," Sonic nodded.

"And Tails, take care of him, please." The bat asked the fox, who also nodded, but the hedgehog just laughed.

"Me? Needing looking after? Nuh-uh." And as the two went to disappear down the tunnel, Sonic turned his head back.

"And, Rouge, one last thing," he sighed, "Thank you, for everything. If it wasn't for you, I would probably be in space dead right now," he laughed nervously.

"No problem," she smirked sassily, "Get well soon," she added as the two left, watching the plane ascend to skies.

He was safe at last
Or was that really it?

The End

The Adventure continues in:
A Sonic Christmas Carol