For how Long will the Red Rose Grow

Epilogue

A FEW MONTHS LATER...

Sonic gazed out the window at the gently falling snow, an impatient grin crossing his face. The months waiting for the sky's first snowfall were well worth it. The city in the distance was alight with cheer, preparing for the upcoming holiday season. The horror of the past was nothing but a distant memory to him, now. He'll be here soon, Sonic thought, tapping his foot impatiently on the wooden floor of the living room. It shouldn't be much longer now.

He rapped his fingers on the windowsill, emerald eyes scanning the snowed over pathway up to the front door. He had been banned from Tails's back room, since the fox was wrapping presents in the back. Sonic had nothing else to distract him from the horror of waiting for onyx and ruby quills to cut the alabaster landscape. His breath against the frigid window fogged the glass, making staring out it incredibly hard. Sonic groaned and moved into the kitchen to stare out that one next.

Being in the kitchen gave him an idea. He and Tails had recently baked up a batch of chocolate chip and sugar cookies to replace the snickerdoodles they had scarfed the morning after they'd made them. What good were fresh cookies without milk? As Sonic crossed the tile to the fridge and pulled open the door, another brilliant thought crossed his mind. Shadow would be coming in from the cold. He would certainly appreciate some piping hot cocoa with his cookies, right?

Sonic grabbed the heavy cream and milk from the fridge, then found the hot cocoa mix and fished it out of the cabinet. He read the instructions on the canister, getting a pot off the pot rack Tails had mounted over the stove a few days ago. He set it over the stove, pouring the appropriate amount of milk and cream into liquid measuring cups and dumping them in the pot. He set the heat to medium, grabbing a rubber spatula to stir.

He carefully monitored the milk as it heated, recalling an event last Christmas when he'd forgotten about a boiling pot of milk and it bubbled all over the kitchen. He chuckled softly at the memory, recalling that, despite the fact they didn't have any hot chocolate, it was still the best Christmas party he'd ever had. This year, he decided, they would have hot cocoa. He would make more that afternoon, right before the upcoming party. But this pot was for him, Tails, and Shadow. No one else.

Sonic added the mix to the milk when it was sufficiently heated. He stirred and mixed carefully, turning down the heat a little so the milk wouldn't bubble over like last year. He hummed a soft song, smiling down at the milk as it slowly melded with the cocoa mix. He let it simmer on the stove as he fetched three mugs from the dishwasher and the whipped cream from the fridge. He grabbed the marshmallows from the bottom cabinet, sprinkling a few into the bottoms of the mugs. He switched off the stove when he was sure it was ready, grabbing the measuring cup the heavy cream and milk had been in to serve.

He scooped out almost a full cup and filled the mugs one cup each. he still had more in the pot he knew would be for refills. He topped one off with a tower of whipped cream and a few more mini marshmallows, walking it back to the hangar door. He knocked against the oak with his free hand. "Tails!" He called, singsong. "I've got some cocoa for you!"

While there was no verbal response, Sonic heard the fox stand and run across the floor to the door. A grin split his lips as Tails opened it, just a crack, and poked his arm through to recieve. "Thank you!" He giggled as he was passed the mug.

"You're welcome, lil' buddy." Sonic chuckled. "Are you almost done in there?"

Tails's arm disappeared back through the door, but it remained cracked for them to talk. "Almost." He paused and took an audible sip of his cocoa. "Are you done already?"

"I only had yours to wrap," Sonic chuckled, "you're wrapping the rest."

"And you had that gift for Shadow to wrap," Tails reminded him.