Me: Okay I'm going to do the Football chapter of this story after this.

Unknown: I can't believe you did that to me -_-

Me: Shut up.

- Sondash: Return -

Sonic gulped for the tenth time. He was sweating like a pig, he was so scared. Dash waited for his answer impatiently. She was wondering when he was going to answer. The grouchy nurse growled angrily as she leaned against the door, murmuring something about getting a pistol.

"Sonic," Dash sighed. "Please just tell me what you need to say. You've been sitting there motionless for ten minutes."

"I have?" He didn't even recognize his own voice.

"Yes, you have," she declared boldly. "And I think, if you don't speak up soon, I'm going to get kicked out of this room."

"You got that right," the nurse obliged, checking out her nails impatiently.

"Will you at least let us talk in peace?" Dash begged her. The nurse emitted a loud, sarcastic groan, but left, closing the door behind her.

"And don't let the door hit ya on the way out…," Sonic muttered. Dash glared furiously at him and he shot his hands up in surrender.

"Are you going to talk or am I going to have to strangle it out of ya!" Dash threatened. Whatever he was going to say had better not be anything less than a proposal, or she was going to kick his sorry butt for all the suspense.

"Okay, okay! You see Dash," Sonic began nervously, "I-I wanted to tell you why I…why I…why I've always been so…well…distant, ya know, racing with ya in the past." Dang, the poor boy was nervous as heck, telling her this. He was opening up, and they both knew it. His eyes betrayed him, showing reluctance and anxiety. Sonic clamped his eyes shut, trying to block out everything they were revealing.

"Sonic…" Dash's hands flew to her mouth. FINALLY, after all these years of wondering why he raced with her, why he kept his distance…She was going to discover the answer to the impossibly complex question she would ask herself each and every night. Why does he run from me? Why doesn't he just stay by me and tell me how I know he feels?

"Well, you see Dash," he gulped. "It's not that I don't LIKE you…In fact, I kind of like you a lot…more than I should…"

"Go on…," she encouraged.

"But, the reason I never stopped to be with you, "Sonic forced himself to say. He was struggling to get the right words out, "was because I was worried you were going to get hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Sonic explained. "You know that if my enemies knew how important you are to me, you'd be their prime target."

She scoffed. "I can understand that." The cyan girl didn't continue when he shot her a dark glare. She cleared her throat.

"So, you're saying you maybe would have gone out with me all those years ago if you hadn't had so many rivals?" Dash wondered.

"W-well, I…um…Maybe…"

She smiled dreamily. "Maybe…I'll take maybe…there's hope in maybe…"

Hope. Such a small, yet powerful word it was. He had hoped all his life that he would gain the courage to ask Dash out, or at least tell her the truth about himself. Now, this very moment, he was so close he could almost feel the good times they could have shared all their lives. It was so close…so near…so distant… But he was almost there.

"Yeah, there is…," he sighed gradually.

Dash seemed to be in her own little world for a moment, twirling around with her hands clasped together like a ten year old girl and not a fifteen year old freshman. She giggled to herself as she spun around, light on her feet, like she was a born dancer. Sonic smirked at her as she twirled. For the first time in three years, he was seeing the same Dash he had adored with all his heart as a kid. The same Dash who would hug him so tight, he would be unable to breathe until she let go. The same Dash who would cry day and night when he was on his mission's and would always wait with anticipation until he returned. The same Dash who had promised him so many years ago, "I won't EVER stop loving you, my Sonikku! You and I are meant for each other, and we should NEVER be separated. I won't EVER date anyone else, and I won't EVER love you less than I do right now." Every time he thought of that, he would smile. Suddenly, she stopped spinning and giggling. She looked at Sonic with questioning eyes.

"Sonic, what does this mean?" she asked curiously.

Sonic was taken aback. "What does what mean?"

"Well," Dash continued, "you said you MIGHT have taken me out on a date…and you also have been acting really weird around me ever since we were reunited, so…"

"So…?" Sonic wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"So… Does this mean," Dash gasped, smiling wider and wider by the second, "you LIKE me?"

Sonic knew he had to escape this as soon as possible, for if his face burned any more; his muzzle would turn to ash. "U-um, sure, Dash! I thought you already knew that."

"No, no, I mean, do you REALLY like me, as in 'LOVE' like."

"Um…" Gotta escape…gotta escape…gotta escape…

"Aww, c'mon, Sonikku," Dash flirted. It had been three years since she had last gotten totally up close and personal and she had forgotten how nice it was. She wasn't about to stop now, so she went on, saying, "You're blushing so much, you look like Knuckles. That makes loving me so O. B. V. I. O. U. S."

"What?"

"Obvious! Ya know, I can totally tell."

"You can t-tell what?"

"That you LOVE me, duh!"

"Um, uh…"

Dash huffed. "Oh, c'mon, Sonic," she snarled impatiently. "Just say it. I mean, it's not like I've been waiting, like, TEN YEARS for you to confess!"

"Um, actually it's been like—"

"Does it really matter?" Dash wailed. "All I'm saying is, please Sonic…Please just tell me what I want to hear…and not just because you have to."

Sonic gulped. She was making this harder than it had to be, mostly for him.

"Dash, please don't get upset…," he begged her. He detected the faint sight of a tear in her eye, and her really hated seeing her cry. "It's just, you're not exactly making this easy for me." She didn't respond, just wiped her eye with her palm and motioned for him to continue, He obliged and went on, "Listen, Dashie, I'm sorry it took me so long to say this, I really, really am…But for this whole time, I just…I guess I…I wasn't ready, okay? Five years ago, I didn't even know what…um, love was. I take that back. I knew what love was, I just didn't understand it, or know how to handle it. So, that's why I would avoid you back then. It wasn't until I was fifteen that I started to get the whole liking process, and became afraid of it. I was worried that something would happen to you, and I knew, or a least I thought, that if I kept my distance, and acted like I didn't like you, Eggman wouldn't make you his main target." He forced himself to laugh a little at that, hoping to see her smile. She did. "I guess that didn't work did it? But on top of all that, I was too shy to really get close to you. All those death hugs and racing conversations…I kind of, uh, kind of enjoyed them…well, some of them." Dash giggled a little bit, but then cursed herself for it when he glared at her.

"May I continue?" Sonic responded. She nodded sheepishly.

"But anyway, I really, really, really did like all those nice things you used to talk to me about. But then…you left…and…and…"

"And…?"

"And it…it killed me…"

Dash's eyes widened. She could feel remorse filling up inside her. Poor Sonic, she hadn't realized how much he had suffered from her absence.

"It…it killed you? B-but…"

"Dash, I don't think you know this, but it was HORRIBLE after your step-mother dragged you away. I couldn't live with myself…I-it was unbearable to know that you were gone…"

Flashback!

"Okay, now just put those inferior reactors over there, Sonic."

"Are you sure this is safe, Tails?"

Tails laughed. "Of course it…is…" he struggled with the last word. "Hand me that wrench."

"What's the magic word?"

Tails glared at the blue haired boy so violently, Sonic swore it did everything except audibly hiss. But, as usually, Sonic was too stubborn to give up that easily.

"What's the magic word, lil bro?" he repeated.

"Fine, I'll get it myself," Tails scowled. He snatched the wrench out of Sonic's gloved hand, leaving his big brother in shock.

"Well, aren't you in a perky mood today," Sonic laughed to himself, using sarcasm in his humor.

Tails sighed. He set the wrench down on his desk and placed his hand on the Tornado, which was sitting beside them with the engine open. The remorseful boy spread his hand across the airplane slowly, rubbing it over the name. "Sonic", it read in big white letters, surrounded by red and the picture of two yellow tails.

"I'm sorry, Sonic," Tails replied sorrowful. "I just really want to finish this before tonight."

"What's tonight?"

"Well…tonight happens to be the Mobian Dance…and I want…I want to…I want to ask…"

"Yes?" Sonic pestered. This was getting good. He knew about the dance. It wasn't very common, and only happened once every five years. Last time, Sonic had wanted to ask Dash, but instead, he had just skipped out all together. Dash hadn't ended up going with anyone either, proving them both miserable. If Tails was going…maybe he should—

"I was going to ask Twilight!" Tails burst out, interrupting Sonic's fantasy. The boy's cheeks flushed a bright pink.

"Aww," Sonic laughed. "Tails, you should! You two are meant for each other."

Tails peeked at his plant, sitting in the window. It had grown at least ten inches since that awful day when the Metarex had attacked, but he knew he had to move on, and Twilight was the one. He nodded his head and said, "You're right, I should."

Sonic turned away. He didn't want his little brother to know he was turning green with envy. Everyone was moving on. Knuckles had already asked Applejack out to the event, and now Tails? Sure, Shadow was still a brooding emo, but Tails? Maybe it was time for him to grow up too. That's it, it was settled. Sonic lifted his chin, turned back to Tails with confidence reflecting in his eyes, and with an obvious blush on his muzzle, shouted, "I'M GOING TO ASK—"

"YOU GUYS!" Fluttershy screamed. She ran in with a piece of paper floating behind her, firmly grasped in her hand. "DASH'S GONE!"

"WAIT, WHAT?" Tails and Sonic both cried out at the same time.

"It's true!" Fluttershy sobbed. "I just went over to her house to talk to her about…something…and then,no one was there, and so I went inside, and I found this note on her bed!"

Sonic snatched the paper out of her grasp and held it up, reading it aloud. "Dear friends, I am sorry to tell you this, but I'm leaving home and never coming back. D-Don't think I'm running away, because I'm not! It's just, I…My father (of whom I hadn't known was still alive) remarried and my step-mother…well…we're moving, let's just put it that way, okay? Moving far, far away, and she said we're never coming back. Don't ask why, and don't come to visit. It's really none of your business. I'm going to miss you all, but I'll miss Sonic most of all. I love you, Sonikku, and even though my new step-mom has forbidden our friendship, I know we'll be together again someday.

Signed,

Rainbow Dash.

"OMG this is horrible! Dash's gone forever and…Sonic, are you okay?" Tails asked. "You look really distraught, and you were shouting something and then—"

"It's nothing, Tails…," Sonic sighed, his face hidden from view. "Just forget it, okay?"

End of Flashback!

Dash's hands were to her mouth, her tears water-falling from her eyes and staining her gloves. "Sonic, I'm so sorry," she whispered. Dash wrapped her arms around him once more, pulling him close to her as he sat on that cursed hospital bed, his knees up to his chest. Of course, she had had no idea what that whole flashback was because it was in his brain, but she knew he must have suffered from it. If only she had known how much she meant to him…

"Doesn't matter now," Sonic shook his head. His mask was back up, just like it had always been three years ago. The only flaw against it was his eyes, which revealed most of his emotions. Dash searched his face for the slightest hint of what he was thinking or feeling. Pain, angst, anxiety, concern…anger…?No…not anger…

Love... Sonic turned away from her, begging that she wouldn't see right through him. Dash was good at that kind of stuff. She had always been able to tell exactly what he was feeling just by looking at him. Sometimes, he liked that feature, and it would prove useful, especially when he needed her there. Other times, he despised the fact that he couldn't hide anything from her and would hope she wouldn't come looking for him. This was mostly when he was beaten down and didn't want her to know.

"Sonic," Dash forced out through her sobs, "it does matter. YOU matter. Please don't think you don't."

"Why would it matter…?"

"Because I…you matter to me, Sonic, and that's all that counts, right?"

"...I guess…" C'mon, is getting you nowhere. Do what you practiced. Just spit it out already!

"Sonic…please…"

Sonic took a deep breath. If he was going to finally get the girl of his dreams, he would have to be more assertive. Telling her…it was harder than he had ever anticipated.

Before Sonic could say a thing, Dash grabbed his pale arms and pulled him close to her. "Sonic, listen to me, I need you to know that no matter what has happened over these past three years, I still love you more than you could ever even begin to imagine. Please, don't start thinking that you don't matter to me."

Half of Sonic wanted to pull away from her grasp and hide his face. Being this close to her was making him seriously uncomfortable. However, the other half wanted to stay right there, close to her. Her silky rainbow hair smelled nice…Had she showered before coming…just for him? He flushed at the thought of Dash taking a shower, especially if it was for him.

Dash went on. "Sonic, I have tried and tried and TRIED to show you how much I adore you, but you have never really told me you loved me back. That's all I ever wanted, you know. I just...I needed you."

"I-I know, Dash…I know…I'm...I'm so sorry. I just hope ya can forgive me when I say this…"

Dash looked up, loosening her grip and backing away slightly. "Say what?"

"That I…I…"

"You…you…," Dash encouraged; hoping to help him with whatever it was he was trying to say. Unfortunately, it wasn't making it any easier for him.

Realizing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Sonic decided that the best way to get her to understand was to show her how he felt. So, since she was already near, Sonic wrapped his arms around her waist, and as quickly as he could – with the reddest muzzle Dash had ever witnessed -, pulled her close, and on top of the bed with him, pressing his lips against hers. Poor hedgehog was trembling, he was so NERVOUS…but bless his heart; he went for it anyway. Dash was surprised at first, taken aback by his unexpected move, but after a moment, relaxed and kissed back, closing her eyes slowly. It was so deep…so passionate…it was everything she had ever wanted. Sonic moved his hands to her lower back and pulled her closer to him while she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to enjoy the moment more than they already were. Eventually though, they ran out of breath and had to pull apart. Panting, the two looked into each others eyes, not sure what to say.

Sonic spoke up first. "I-I…I love you, Dash," he stuttered.

Dash was silent for a heart beat. She was still having trouble processing her mind, which had completely turned to mush, along with her legs, and her arms, and pretty much every other part of her body. Then, after her brain started to function again, she grasped what he had said. A tiny smile appeared on her face, and then it grew and grew until it was so big, it couldn't possibly get any bigger. Her arms – which were no longer numb from pleasure – encircled Sonic's neck once more, embracing him tight, but not so tight, he would go through pain.

"Oh, Sonic." she sobbed into his shoulder. "You d-don't know how happy I am. I love you so much."

Sonic laughed anxiously, holding her tiny waist. "Right back atcha, Dashie."

Dash was so happy. Her dreams had finally come true! The ecstatic sky blue girl was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her cheeks. Once she had finally cried enough, she asked, "Sonic, does this mean we're together now?"

Sonic just shrugged. "I-If ya want to be," he chuckled apprehensively. "I mean…no one's forcing you to—"

"OF COURSE I WANT TO! Mercy, I've only been begging for this moment since I was eight!"

"Then consider us an item."

Dash screamed with complete bliss. She hopped off her spot on the bed and started twirling all around the room. "This is my best day in my life!" she shrieked. "I must tell everyone!" Dash scrambled out of the hospital room at a speed Sonic didn't know she possessed. "That's love for ya," he muttered under his breath, a smirk available on his face.

Dash raced back into the waiting room where everyone else was. Twilight and Tails had finished their card game and were now busy with a thumb war. Applejack and Knuckles apparently had left a while ago due to boredom, along with Shadow. A couple new people were there now, sitting in metal chairs. One was a green boy with a scar on his stomach, one was a girl in a really baggie blue hoodie that covered her head and a tiny blue mini skirt, and the last was an old cat with short gray hair, cradling an adorable newborn baby in her arms. The green boy raised one eyebrow at Dash's excited expression.

"TWILIGHT, TWILIGHT, TWILLLLIGHT!" Dash bellowed elatedly, jumping up and down with excitement.

Twilight looked up from her battle, the distraction causing her to lose by Tails covering her thumb, and therefore, winning the war. "Yes, Dash?"

"You'll will never believe this!"

"What?"

"Me and Sonic had our first kiss and we are together!" she said.

"Really?" Twilight gasped, sitting up slightly in her chair. "Oh, I'm so happy for you, Dash!"

"I knew the big lug would come around eventually," Tails grinned.

Dash giggled rapidly, clasping her hands together.

The green boy looked from Dash to Twilight. "I don't know what's going on here…," he mumbled, "but the cyan girl's pretty hot. Wanna dump you're new boyfriend and go have some fun with me?"

Dash looked disgusted. "Gross, no. I'm permenantly taken, so back off man."

"Hey, aren't I hot too?" Twilight demanded, feeling jealous.

"Nah, you're boobs are too small," the boy laughed evilly. "What, can't you fit in a bra? Here." He tossed a band-aid at her and it landed in her lap. "You should be able to fit into that."

Twilight flushed angrily. She looked at the band-aid like she could burn it with her eyes.

"Shut up, Scourge," the weird boy scowled.

"What?" Scourge shrugged. "I'm just having a little fun, Fiona, gosh."

"I don't think you're boob-less, Twilight!" Tails smiled at her, unaware of the perverted-ness of that sentence.

"Uh, thanks, I guess?"

Scourge snorted, followed by a smothered giggle from Fiona.

Dash frowned at the rude couple. They were ruining her moment. She grabbed Twilight's hand and pulled her out the door, Tails trotting close behind them. Twilight, in a confused daze, asked, "Where are you taking me, Dash?"

"We're getting out of this heck whole!" she clarified. "The walls are too white. It's way life-less for a place that's supposed to restore your life, and not end it."

"But…but what about Sonic?" Twilight cried. "Tails and I still haven't visited—"

"We're going home and going to do something really special for him!"

"Like what?"

"Oh, wait, I know. We should plan a coming home surprise party, just for him." she gasped. "Oh, Sonic's going to be SO happy."

"You're throwing a surprise party?" Tails grinned. "YAY, Pinkie loves parties and so do I!"

"I know, right?"

"I'm so excited!"

"I need to tell my mother!"

"We must invite everyone"

Dash sweat dropped as the two went back and forth, eagerly ranting on and on about what they were going to do. But, at the same time, she wanted to do the same.

"Sonic's going to be discharged tomorrow," Dash said, "so we'd better get started!"

"YEAH, YAY, HOORAY, LET'S DO IT!" Tails and Twilight cried happily.

Dash turned away, smiling blissfully. She was still sort of in a romantic daze from Sonic's confession. To her, it seemed she had to repay him in some way, and a party was just the thing. Now it was just a matter of time, and then she would make him the happiest girl in the world.

Rainbow Dash: You wonder why I'm so mushy in this is because I found love in my heart, Sonic is the one who started it all since we've met, so yeah I'm that happy and will be joining football after the party with him as Wide Receiver.

Me: Alright that about does so I will be uploading the football chapter.