Worlds Apart - a Shadow the Hedgehog x Reader story

Losing Him

Y/N staggered back to Shadow, dripping with gore. She slumped by his side, unsure of whether she wanted to be a killer or not. The music faded.

"Now can I... say what I was... going to tell you?"
"Go ahead. We're all here."

"Sonic... Silver... Once I felt like... I was alone in the world, but now... Now I have a family... Four brothers, three sisters... And you two are the closest."
"Please Shadow... Don't leave us like this," Sonic and Silver both took Shadow's outstretched hand.

"Um... I think you forgot me," Y/N slid hers into the cluster.
"Then there's... you, Y/N... I never thought... there would be anyone... who would... care so much... as to sacrifice themselves... for me... I never expected anyone... to care at all."
"Shadow, please, you're making this harder for the rest of us," Knuckles was crying.

"No. Let him say it," Rouge leaned against him.

"But when I... first met you... when you were still human, I... didn't stop thinking about you... even when I was... fighting against all the emotions."
Tears flooded down Y/N's face, "Neither did, even when I was battling death."
"Just because you're here... I... I'm just... so happy... that we're together... I just... There's nowhere I'd... rather be than here..."
She plunged her head into his bloodstained arms, "I can't lose you again."
"I know... Just that... you're the only thing that... kept me from... giving up... on everything..."

Shadow's chest shuddered each time he breathed in. He didn't have much longer to live. Y/N looked down at her hands, stained red with his blood. Realisation dawned on her. So that's how her broken arm had healed so fast!
"Hang on, I think I know what to do," she whispered, pressing one hand over the deep wound in her chest. Shadow grunted and squeezed her hand. A sudden tingling feeling ran down her arm, through her fingers and into him. She knew she didn't have long to do this, so she pushed harder. Her fire had healed her, so why shouldn't it be able to heal others? Shadow let out a gasp of pain before he spoke his last words.

"I...love... you..."
Sorrow washed over Y/N like a tsunami," No, I'm not losing you, not after all this time!"
"Shadow! Wake up!" Sonic cried out, tears soaking his face.

"Bro, please! Come back!" Silver shook Shadow's limp body.

"Guys. There's nothing we can do," Tails gently put one hand on each of their shoulders.

"There's got to be something!" Silver yelled.

Blaze and Rouge gathered around Y/N, embracing her in a group hug. Her tears flowed freely, combining with the blood on the floor. Shadow was gone and she hadn't been able to save him.

"We've done all we can. Let's just take him home with us and try and recover there," Amy softly hugged Sonic, his head against her chest.

"I agree."

"Me too."
"It would be a good way of letting him go."
"Oh, if only we had the Chaos Emeralds. Then we could bring him back to life like you guys did to me ten years ago."
"I know Sonic. But we don't so we can't."
Y/N stayed silent, muted by her misery. All this time, all this pain, only to be given more.