Recovery

Safe?

He was too slow to catch his brother, Silver was at the door already letting his 'uncles' inside, hugging them tightly and nuzzling his face into their fur.

The blue hedgehog smiled and gently rubbed behind his 'nephew's ears, earning a soft purr. He missed the little fluff ball, they often had a ritual of going to the movies together, a day of the week they both thoroughly looked forward to, until well...

"Hey Fluff Ball! Great finally seeing ya again, we missed ya buddy." The blue hero grinned as he ruffled the young hedgehog's hair.

Knuckles wasn't quite as enthused as his blue friend. He felt so awkward and uncomfortable with the young hog nuzzling him like that, it just felt, weird.

Knuckles forced a small smile though and fought the urge to shove the teen away. He really thought he had made his peace with the fact that Silver wasn't the kid he knew anymore, he honestly thought he could now handle this 'new Silver'. The queasy feeling in his stomach and the urge to cringe away confirmed that he hadn't accepted the boy yet.

How cruel.

Shadow became tense as he watched this scene of affection. And in his head flashed the memory of his last encounter with his 'Aunts' and Uncles'.

It was the first time he had allowed everyone to see his brother. Rouge and Amy had twisted his arm to let them see Silver again, and they insisted on throwing a party for Silver, to celebrate what exactly he didn't know, but it couldn't have ended worse.

Silver was still quite timid, he would tense up whenever he was hugged or would excuse himself to have a mini panic attack.

He was hanging on, the party was almost over, people had started leaving. The only few that dwindled were Rouge, The Chaotix, Sonic and Knuckles.

Knuckles never seemed to be far from Silver's side the entire evening, which was understandable, strangely enough, the two had shared quite a bond. Silver was the only one allowed to visit Angel Island whenever he wished, and he never came back bruised and dirty, unlike the majority who tend to visit the Island.

Although things seemed fine, and the few party goers left were enjoying themselves, hell broke loose when a gut wrenching scream echoed through the house.

The guests shuddered and Shadow ran through the house to find his brother on the landing in the arms of the echidna, who stood there with a shocked expression on his face, while the sobbing teen weakly hit him in the chest. "D-don't! Don't! You...."

Quickly grabbing hold of his hysterical little brother, he held him close, quietly shushing him and whispering words of reassurance, while the poor guardian still stood, shocked and a little confused.

Shadow glared at the red echidna "What did you do to him?" he asked, his voice cracking a little.

Knuckles just stared. "I-I, just pat him on the cheek. I swear. You know I would never...."

"Yo Shadow! Earth to Shadow, whoop! Yoohoo!"

Quickly snapping out of his thoughts Shadow looked to see his blue rival waving his hands in his face. With a growl he shoved the blue nuisance back.

"Get out of my face."

"Ah, he's back."

Shadow rubbed his temples, he felt a headache forming already. "Yes. Now, please explain to me why you both have decided to toy with my patience today?"

With a grin, Sonic wrapped an arm around the older hedgehog and squeezed him lightly, a move that hacked at Shadows 'Sonic Tolerance' level.

"Well ole buddy, we came here to get ya both out. Ya know, fresh air, that stuff is good for the lungs I hear. Besides you two haven't been out since-"

"Not another word!" Shadow growled and shoved Sonic off.

"I'd like to go outside."

Both bickering hedgehogs looked to up at Silver. Sonic gave an encouraging smile, while Shadow just shook his head.

"Yeah Silv's you can totally come out-"

"No, no and no. Silver you aren't ready to go out and you know it."

While the hedgehogs bickered, Knuckles just stood in the corner, watching the two rivals fight about a choice Silver isn't allowed to make, apparently.

He watched Silver, the poor kid trying to give his two cents, and was repeatedly ignored.

Idiots.

With a sigh the guardian pushed himself in between the two hedgehogs. "Hey, hey, hey, come on, enough of this. Can't the kid give his say?"

The three looked to see a hopeful Silver standing before them, his eyes lit up when the attention was finally on him, maybe he could finally-

"No he's not going out."

Or maybe not.

That hopeful look was quickly replaced by a look of hurt. Silver gently took hold of his brothers forearm. "Please Shadow, please, I want to go out, you'll be with me, so I'll be safe, I always feels safe with my brother." He spoke softly and gently nuzzled into his brothers shoulder. Such cute words, they should have been reassuring, affectionate, flattering even, but Shadow didn't see them that way. Safe? How was he safe? He couldn't save his little brother, he couldn't find him quick enough to stop it all. He took too long to find him, he couldn't protect him.

So deep in his upsetting and self-loathing thoughts, he didn't even realise he spoke.

"I couldn't protect you."

"Big Brother?"