Me: Okay now that is it for now till tomorrow.

Glimpse: Man that is intense.

- Sondash: Return -

The gun was pointed at Sonic, who was struggling to get up. Margaret had a smug grin available on her face. She tightened her grip on the trigger and got ready to fire.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?" Dash screamed.

Margaret huffed. "I told you to stay away from that filthy boy, and now I'm going to make sure you do, permanently!"

"No!" Dash cried. "Sonic!" She started to run up to him, but stoped dead in her tracks when Margaret pointed the gun at her instead.

"You disobeyed me Dash, and for that, you must be punished!"

Sonic, even in his weakened state, used the last remaining strength he had to run and push Dash down as the gun went off. Sonic screamed in pain and blood spattered on the cold tiled flooring. At first Dash was frozen, eyes not blinking, but fixed on the astonished Sonic, who now had a bullet hole in his chest. But then, when she saw Sonic collapse to his knees, her eyes narrowed and all of the mussels in her body tensed up. She thought of every time her step mom…no, that monster was not even worthy of that title, had abused her verbally, physically, or mentally. She so wanted to hurt her then, but this…this extremely low act of evil is what made her snap. With a loud scream, she lunged at Margaret, tackling the latter to the blood splattered floor.

Dash sat on top of the fiend and punched her in the face multiple times. There were tears in her eyes as she struck the monster with all her might. Margaret blocked the blows with her hands. She tried to strike back, but missed (Margaret used punch. The attack missed! Lol). Dash squeezed her eyes shut, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Get off me!" Margaret shrieked. "MOONLIGHT! SUNSHINE!"

Dash's two step-sisters came into the room. Moonlight folded her arms across her chest angrily. Sunshine looked furious.

"Get this skank off me!" she screamed at them. They just stood there, not moving.

Sunshine scanned the room. She saw the nearly unconscious, bleeding blue haired boy laying on the floor, her little sister punching her mom, and Margaret roaring at her. She raised her eyebrows.

"Why would I help you?" Moonlight spat out. "All you ever do is yell at me and force me to be a stripper. Did it ever cross your mind that perhaps I didn't want to be a strip pole dancer? Maybe if you actually listened to me, you would know that my dream job is actually being a nutritionist!" (Me: Great dream job. Moonlight: Thanks for supporting that.)

Margaret blinked. She wasn't used to her oldest daughter back-talking her. Maybe Sunshine, but not Moonlight. Margaret furrowed her eyebrows.

"You will do as I say!" she bellowed. The irritated woman pushed Dash off her. Dash fell to the floor, getting blood all on her dress. The cyan girl crawled over to where Sonic was. Margaret stood up and walked over to her stubborn, teenaged children.

"You dare to sas me!" Margaret snarled. "I have told Dash numerous times how I feel about sas, and you DARE to disobey me?"

Moonlight just shrugged. "Torturing Dash used to be fun, until you took it too far." She jerked her head over at Sonic's limp form where Dash was holding him, crying silently. "I still think the kid's cute. It wasn't fair what you did."

"You really think I care what you think!" Margaret hollered. She was on the verge of smacking the feisty teenager.

"Well, you should!" Sunshine shot back. "We're your children!"

"As of now, you're not anymore!" She was thinking that that would get them to come to their senses. Surely threatening to disown them altogether would get them and their puny brains to understand just how much trouble they were in.

Moonlight shrugged again. "Sounds good to me," she said coolly.

Margaret's mouth dropped open. She turned to Sunshine. Certainly her younger teen would stay.

"I'm getting my stuff now," Sunshine agreed. She left the room.

"Same," Moonlight nodded.

Margaret felt like she had just been whacked by a thousand pound truck. What was with her offspring? She stood still. Ever felt like you were so mad, you didn't know how to express it and just stood in the same place for, like, an hour? That was her right now.

Dash helped Sonic up, her arm around his waist and his over her shoulder. She glared at her step-mom for the last time, for she too was leaving. Just as she was going the front door, Stacy's voice stopped her. It sounded intensely sad, not angry.

"Dash, before you leave," Margaret sighed. "I'd just like to say…"

Dash waited.

"Good luck out there, you're going to need it."

"Why?"

"Because, I still think you're too much of a baby to defend yourself."

Dash frowned. "Even after I just kicked your butt?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I've always thought you were a loser. Still do."

"Could you possibly hurry up with this? My boyfriend is bleeding." Her body tingled all over at calling Sonic her boyfriend. It had been a while since she had even thought of them as an item.

"Okay, okay. What I'm trying to say is…"

Dash sighed impatiently. What was the woman trying to do? Get Sonic to bleed to death?

"Don't tell the police."

"What?"

"You heard me. If you tell the police I abused you, I'll hunt you down."

Dash laughed as she walked out the door. "Good luck with that!" she yelled over her shoulder.

X

Tails cranked his wrench around on his newly created machine. He had been working on the Tornado for hours. The little fox turned his head to look at the photo of him and Cosmo on his desk. He sniffed. Suddenly, his wrist started beeping. It was his watch communicator thingy. The I.D. said it was Sonic. He smiled.

"Hello?" Tails greeted into the wristwatch.

"Tails!"

"Dash?"

"Yeah, it's me!"

"How did you get on Sonic's communicator?"

"Listen, I don't have much time to explain. Sonic's been shot!"

"Wait, WHAT?"

"Yeah, I need you to get down here pronto!"

"Before I do, I need to know. How did you get on Sonic's communicator? I thought you were at your house."

There was a pause. "I ran away," she finally said.

"You whaaaaaaaa...?"

"Ugh, just get down here NOW!"

"Okay, okay!"

Tails shut off the watch. He hopped into his aircraft and turned on the engine.

"Tails!" Twilight called. She was coming into the garage where he was. "What are you doing?"

"Sonic's been…uh…," he began nervously. How could he tell her he had been shot? "Um, injured. Yeah, and I need to go get him."

"Can I come?"

"Sure, I guess." Normally, Tails would have told her it was too dangerous, but lately, he had been taking a fancy towards her. She was older now, and that made him notice her more than he used to.

Twilight hopped on the back of Tail's tornando

"Ready!"

Tails nodded. "Hold on, you guys…," he muttered before taking off.

X

Dash looked around nervously. She was sitting down on the curb, Sonic on her lap. So far, Tails hadn't shown up and she was getting worried. If he took much longer, Sonic would lose all his blood and die. She quickly tore off the a part of her button up blue shirt and tied it around his chest. It instantaneously turned crimson, but didn't bleed through anymore. Dash started to cry.

"I should have done something," she sobbed. "I should have stopped her…"

The Tornado landed in front of her on the road. Dash looked up and wiped away her tears. Tails and Twilight sat in the front two seats. They both looked concerned.

Tails flew out of the driver's seat and landed directly in front of Dash. "C'mon!" he told her. "We gotta get him out of here!"

She nodded. She felt a lot more comfortable now that her friends were here.

X

Dash sat in her chair, her head in her hands. Everyone was sitting at the hospital in the waiting room. It had been a week since Sonic had been taken to the emergency room. He was a mess when he had arrived and hadn't been aloud to have any visitors. Now that they were able to see him, they all came as quickly as possible. Applejack and Knuckles with her holding his arm and resting in his shoulders. Rarity was on the couch. Tails and Twilight were both sitting next to each other in metal chairs, playing cards on the glass table in front of them. Fluttershy was sitting right to Dash, along with Pinkie Pie. Dash suggested it was either "Speed", "Garbage", or "Rummy". Those were their three favorite games. Shadow was standing near the corner, alone, with his arms folded. He was brooding as always, so everyone pretty much ignored him.

A nurse walked into the room. She had a distressed look on her face.

Dash got up. "Nurse, is he okay?" she wailed.

"I'm sorry, but you're friend is dead."

Everyone, except Shadow, gasped. Twilight started to cry into Tails' shoulder. The tears Dash had been holding in so sturdily all week came bursting forth. She covered her face and sobbed.

"Are you serious?" Dash whimpered, looking up from her hands.

"You are talking about Kenny, right?" (Omg, they killed Kenny! xD you bastards!)

"…No." Who the heck is Kenny?

"We're talking about Sonic!" Tails nearly yelled.

"Oh," the nurse groaned, "then he's fine."

Dash sighed with relief. She slumped back in her chair.

"Can we see him?" Fluttershy asked hopefully.

I don't know," the nurse smirked. "Can you?" (This is a joke my teacher pulls on me all the time. It's annoying)

"Well, yeah," Fluttershy marveled. "I'm not blind."

"Then sure," she grinned. "Of course you can." They're all idiots.

Tails got up and he headed for the door in a hurry. The nurse stopped him.

"Hold on there!" she glared. "You look a little too young to be going back there without an adult."

Tails' muzzle flashed a deep red. "Look, lady. I'm eleven! I am so old enough to see my brother."

"Brother? You don't look at all like brothers. I'll have to ask you to stay here or else I'll be forced to call security."

Tails growled at her, but sat back down.

"Are we aloud in?" Knuckles asked. "I'm twenty years old and my girl here is fifthteen."

"Sure, go ahead. The emo one can go in next."

Shadow gave her the evil eye. She shivered. Knuckles and Applejack went into the back room, leaving Dash, Tails, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Shadow unaccompanied.

X

Ten minutes later, they came back. Dash looked up sadly.

"I-is he okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Yeah, sugarhog, he's fine," Applejack answered her. "I'm surprised he's holding up so well."

"Can I see him now?" Dash begged.

The nurse shrugged. "I promised the emo guy he could go. Just wait."

Shadow glowered at her again. He walked into the back.

X

Sonic was lying in the bed, his whole chest wrapped up in white linen. He sighed weakly. Applejack and Knuckles had just left. He was, once again, all by himself. The door opened, and Sonic smiled. He hoped with all his might it was Dash. Shadow walked in and he frowned. Shadow walked up to Sonic's bed. He was looked conceited.

"So, faker," Shadow began. "Looks like you really messed up this time."

Sonic folded his arms and looked away. For a moment, he felt more like Shadow than himself. "I guess."

"You know, Dash was really worried."

Sonic dropped the act. "Really?"

"Yup, apparently she hasn't slept since you got here."

Sonic felt kind of bad. "Poor Dash…It's all my fault."

"How?" His statement confused Shadow.

"I'm the reason she's worrying! I wish there was something I could do to help her…"

Shadow was silent for a moment. Then suddenly, he smirked.

"Actually, there is a way."

Sonic looked up. "There is?"

"Yup," Shadow grinned devilishly. "You want to know?"

"Of course I do! I-I mean, sure, I guess."

"Well, you got to tell her."

"Tell her what?"

"Like you don't know," Shadow sighed coldly. "Stupid boy…"

Sonic frowned. He wasn't exactly pleased with Shadow's attitude. But he was curious of what he could do to help Dash.

"I could tell you…"

"Yeah…?"

"I could not as well." Shadow loved teasing the poor boy.

"Cut the act," Sonic snapped impatiently. "Just tell me what I need to do!"

"I already told you that."

"Okay, fine. PLEASE tell me what I need to-" Sonic stopped talking suddenly. Shadow was grinning again.

"You're kidding me."

Shadow started heading for the door. "You know what to do," he said before he exited the room, leaving Sonic with his thoughts and the heart monitors. The door slammed open again an instant later, creating a dent in the wall. Dash was standing in the doorway, tears running down her face.

Neither of them spoke for what seemed like hours. Then Dash broke the awkward silence with a really loud sob. She ran into the room and threw her arms around Sonic's neck, weeping into his shoulder.

"Hey, Dash," Sonic stuttered. "Wasup?"

Dash pulled away. She looked angry.

"Sonic ," she seethed. "How could you do this to me!" There were purple bags under her eyes and her hair was a little but messy, signs that she hadn't been sleeping lately.

"Uh…"

"I have been up day and night for a week worrying about you!" she went on. "I thought you weren't going to make it!"

"Well…I made it! So, no need to worry."

Dash started breathing heavily, like she was hyperventilating. Sonic was starting to feel worried. He was used to Dash getting mad at him, but he wasn't used to this. Then suddenly, she started to cry into his shoulder again.

"S-Sonic…I'm so-o sorry," she sobbed. "When she pointed that g-gun at your head, I-I thought you-u were going to d-d-die!"

"W-Well, I didn't, did I?"

She sniffed. "I guess not."

"Then, you shouldn't be sad."

Dash pulled back, surprised at the remark. She certainly hadn't thought he would say something like that.

"What d-do you mean?" Dash inquired fretfully. He was smiling at her, making her heart beat more quickly than it should. Sonic touched her cheek gently. She knew she was blushing, she could feel the blood rushing to her face already, and a tingling sensation filled her whole body. For a moment, she was expecting him to kiss her, but he didn't. He just stared at her softly, sending chills down her spine. Good chills. Happy chills. Panicky chills.

After what seemed like hours, he finally said, "Because I'm here for you. Always and forever."

"F-Forever?" Was this her voice? She sounded like she was more of a chipmunk than a human.

Sonic's smile widened. "Yup, and don't expect anything less," he grinned cockily, tilting his head to a goofy angle. Dash had to smile as well at this. It was nearly impossible not to.

"Hey, Blue," the stupid nurse yelled from the door. "The others want a turn, ya know!"

"MY NAME IS RAINBOW DASH, NOT BlUE!" Dash roared. There was steam coming out of her ears. Sonic decided the moment spoiler must have ticked her off. Then he realized something.

"Oh no!" he thought worriedly. "I never told her!"

You're a moron.

No, I'm not! And who are you?

I'm your conscious. SpOoKy HuH?

No, no it's not.

…You have no sense of humor.

At least mine is better than yours!

Hey, I take that to offense.

How? You're me.

Okay, okay, listen. If you want to tell her then you need to get her attention.

How?

I don't know! Figure it out, bonehead.

Sonic snorted at himself. He could be such an idiot sometimes. Dash got up. She looked ready to leave. Sonic started to panic.

"Uh, uh, Dash, wait!"

She turned around. From his view, it was like one of those moments when the girl you like turns around, her hair swishing with her body, sparkles all around the scene, a random gust of wind brewing, her eyes shining…you get the gist. But ya, this was that moment for him and it rendered him speechless. Dash lifted an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips, breaking the connection and the hypnotic instant.

"What is it, Sonic?" she asked impatiently. "The nurse will get mad if I don't give the others a chance for a visit."

"Well, I, um…ya see, I, uh…"

"Are you going to say it or what?"

"U-um…" Spit it out already!

"Hurry up!" the nurse yelled with irritation.

"Shut up!" Dash hollered back. "My future boyfriend is trying to say something important!" After a moment, she realized what she had just said and blushed furiously.

"What?"

"I said, um, best friend…yeah…," Dash sputtered a little too quickly. "I said best friend and you better not try to LIE and say I didn't!"

Sonic sweat dropped. Honestly, he found Dash's slip-up amusing.

"Sure Dash," he chuckled. "We believe you."

"You'd better!"

"Well you PLEASE get out of this room?" the nurse bellowed.

"NO," Dash hissed. "Not until Sonic tells me what he needs to tell me." She turned to Sonic. "Well?"

Sonic gulped.

Me: Alright that is it for now guys fav or review.