Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~Monday – Six Days Before Mother’s Day

Sheriff Tom Wachowski leaned against the counter as he sipped his coffee. Maddie had gone to the clinic early today, and it was his turn to tend to their three boys. A red echidna, blue hedgehog, and golden fox sat at the kitchen island, each working through today’s breakfast.

Knuckles the echidna carefully worked a spoon into a grapefruit half, being wary to not get sprayed with juice. Again. He seemed to have an easier time now that he wore finger-less sports gloves instead of his over-sized boxing mitts. They allowed him much more dexterity for day-to-day life.

Sonic the hedgehog scooped Froot Loops into his mouth, in between yawns. The boy slept deep, but his unique metabolism meant he burned a lot of calories even while asleep. He was always tired in the mornings until he shoveled in enough food to equalize the calories he had burned the night before.

Tails the fox munched on a bowl of dry mini-wheats, taking a gulp of milk every now and then to wash them down. He focused on a small box on the counter, tweaking and tightening various cogs and screws inside with his screwdriver. The kid was always tinkering with something.

The morning was quiet, save for the sounds of three tired boys eating. Maddie usually had morning duty, and started the day with smiles, head kisses, and gentle conversation to ease the boys into full wakefulness. Tom, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly a morning person, so this slow-moving silence suited him just fine.

Stifling a yawn, he glanced at the calendar next to the archway to the living room. His wife had dutifully crossed off all previous days, with the exception of the last two. This past weekend had been crazy with yard work and multiple trips to the hardware store—the beautiful spring weather had been the perfect time to tend to some much-needed household repairs and cleanup—and the new month had started yesterday. Time to flip the page.

“Tails, no tinkering at breakfast,” Tom said as he moved to change the calendar. The little fox flicked his ears backward at the reminder, tucking the small box and screwdriver into the small bag slung across him.

“Sorry, Mr. To—uh, Dad.”

The Sheriff smiled. It had taken some time for Tails to accept this as his home, and he and his wife as his parental figures. Given the kit’s history of isolation and rejection, not only by his actual parents but also his village, it was understandable. He still slipped back into the names he called them from the beginning, on occasion. But all in all, he had acclimated to home and family life fairly well.

Tom pinned the old month’s page up, and did a quick scan of the days to come. One particular entry caught his eye, and smiled.

“Well, look at at that,” he said, perking the ears of his three boys.

“What?” Sonic asked, spooning another bite of Froot Loops into his mouth. “Look at what?”

“Mother’s Day is coming up,” Tom said, turning to refill his coffee. “This will be Maddie’s first one since you guys came crashing into our lives.”

Sonic nearly choked on his cereal. “Mother’s Day? When?”

“This coming Sunday,” Tom said, taking a careful sip from his cup. “If you want to do something, you’d better start thinking.”

“What is Mother’s Day?” Knuckles asked, eyebrow cocked.

“It’s a day when families honor the mother, or mother figure, in them,” Tails said, fiddling with a dial on his Miles Electric pad. He always carried it with him to research things he didn’t understand. “Women tend to carry the emotional and mental loads in families—like remembering all the little day-to-day stuff, being supportive and caring, stuff like that—and sometimes everything they do can get overlooked.”

Tom nodded. “Right, moms can get taken for granted simply because they’re so on top of things. A lot of things. So once a year there’s a day to remind everyone to thank them and celebrate how special they are.”

Knuckles lowered his head, brow furrowed. “Hmm.”

“What’s a typical gift for Mother’s Day?” Tails asked. “I don’t know what’s expected.”

“There aren’t any rules or anything,” Tom said, shrugging. “Just something you’d think Maddie would like. It can be something you buy, or make, or do for her. It really just depends on you.”

“Are you getting her anything?” Sonic asked with a smirk.

Tom blinked. “I hadn’t thought about it. You think I should?”

“I think it’s safer to err on the side of caution.” The hedgehog cocked an eyebrow. “Unless you want a repeat of your anniversary.”

“Oof, good point.”

Sonic gulped down the last of his cereal before zipping the bowl to the sink. “Well, I’m off to do some brainstorming. You guys let me know if you need help coming up with a gift.” With that, the hedgehog turned and sped back up to his attic room.

Tails jumped down from his stool and walked his breakfast dishes to the sink. His twin tails spun to lift him high enough to place the bowl and glass inside. “I have an idea I want to work on. Do you have a welding torch I can use?”

“Ah, I think I should help you with that,” Tom said, rinsing his mug and adding it to the growing pile of dishes in the sink. He turned to the only kid left at the island. “Knux, you doing okay?”

The echidna blinked, raising his head. “What? Oh. Yes, I’m fine.” He furrowed his brow again. “Just thinking.”

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”

Knuckles nodded as Tom and Tails headed out to the garage. His breakfast forgotten, the echidna tossed the rest of his grapefruit in the trash, and headed out the back door.

~ Wednesday – Four Days Before Mother’s Day

Sonic sat at his desk, staring at a sheet of paper. He tapped his pencil absently against his temple.

The words wouldn’t come.

His face pinched, annoyance clouding his mind. He’d never not known what to say. Talking was something he was exceptionally good at. He could ramble on like there was no tomorrow, even if there was nothing to talk about. Sonic the hedgehog always had something to say.

Except, apparently, right now.

His gift for Maddie was a three step plan. Steps one and two had been easy. But step three? Not so much.

How does one filter down ‘thanks for being a model of a mother for me for years even though you had no idea I existed and not freaking out when you finally saw me and helping me try to get off this planet and taking me in after Robotnik nearly killed me AND not grounding me for life when I crashed your sister’s wedding and sticking with me when I found a fox and echidna to be my friends and sitting with me when we thought we were done for AND THEN taking in my new friends after we saved the world from a giant killer robot’ into something even remotely coherent?

Hallmark didn’t exactly have a card for that.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Maybe writing a letter was too much. She knew how he felt, right? She knew he loved her, right? Did he even need to write it down? He told her all the time. Didn’t he?

Suddenly he wasn’t so sure. He thought he did, but what if he didn’t? Did she really know how important she was to him? Has he ever really told her?

A soft sizzling sound reached his ears, and he turned toward Tails’ desk. The little kit sat hunched over, a soldering iron in his hand, and protective goggles covering his eyes. He’d been working on some new device practically non-stop since Monday morning. Tom had helped him weld something together, and now he worked on the electronic components. His twin tails swung back and forth in short, lazy arcs behind him as he worked.

Sonic kicked his foot to spin his chair around. The far corner of the attic was dark. Knuckles was not in his usual spot in the corner by the stairs. The echidna had been more stand-offish than usual this week, keeping to himself and acting, well, off. Not unfriendly, precisely, just . . . off. Distracted.

It seemed to start when they talked about Mother’s Day. Maybe Knux had some issue with his mother and the concept was troubling for him. It was a good possibility. All three of them had some family-related trauma in their past, and they each had their own way of dealing with it. He had let his brother know he was there in case the echidna needed to talk, but in the end, this was something Knux had to work through himself.

Another kick of his foot and Sonic spun back to face the blank page.

Its empty lines glared at him. Almost taunting.

He sat up and started writing.

~ Friday – Two Days Before Mother’s Day

Tails activated the switch on his new device. It lit, sputtered, then went out.

“C’mon,” he muttered to himself, flipping it over to remove the back panel. Again.

He’d run the simulations. Triple-checked the connections. It should work. But it didn’t.

The circuit board looked mostly intact. One small section was burned—a wire must have come loose and shorted out. He uttered an annoyed sigh. Now he’d have to pull everything out to quadruple-check all the connections to make sure none of the others had burned out too.

With a small grunt, Tails pushed away from his desk, rubbing his eyes. He’d been at it for hours. Days. What should have been a simple design, a contraption he’d designed three times over in his head, was proving to be quite the problematic gadget to implement in real life.

But he had to make it work. He had a home now, with people who loved and accepted him. Maddie had been the first person—besides Sonic—to welcome him into the family pretty much immediately. She was so kind, and gave the best hugs whenever he wanted one. She pulled him into her lap during movies, and would rub his ears and stroke his tails when he got tired. It was so soothing. And then she would carry him upstairs to put him to bed, placing a soft kiss on his forehead and tucking him into the big, warm comforter nice and tight.

She was his mom. The only mom he’d ever really known. He loved her.

And he would make this work for her.

Heavy bootsteps pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to see Knuckles enter the attic. The echidna’s brows were drawn down, and he looked lost in thought. A common sight over the past few days.

“Hey Knuckles,” the fox called.

Knuckles blinked, looking over at his younger brother. “Hello Tails.”

“Are you okay? You’ve been awfully distracted lately.”

The echidna didn’t answer for a long moment. Finally, he said, “I am . . . confused.”

“What about?” Tails said, turning to fully face his oldest brother. “Maybe I can help.”

Knuckles seemed to consider this, before walking toward the fox. “Do you remember your mother?”

Tails shook his head. “Not really. I’d been alone for as long as I can remember.”

“I’m sorry,” Knuckles said, his voice soft. “That must have been very hard for you.”

The fox offered a small, sad smile. “I think we all had pretty hard childhoods, for various reasons.” He paused. “Do you remember your mother?”

Knuckles lowered his head slightly, a troubled look crossing his face. “Not as well as I would like,” he said quietly. “It has been a long time. Much has happened since then.”

Tails nodded. He and Sonic had discussed Knuckles’ recent mood and behavior, and had theorized it had something to do with his mother. Now the theory was proven true.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and Knuckles looked up at him. “You must miss her.”

The echidna nodded. “This Mother’s Day has made me think of her. And I feel . . . conflicted.”

“How so?”

Knuckles wrinkled his muzzle, as though he were looking for the right words. “My mother . . . I loved her. And I miss her.”

Tails nodded. “Understandable.”

“I was alone for so long. I thought I didn’t need anyone. But now I’m here, with Sheriff Tom and Healer Maddie. And you and Sonic. And I feel like I have found a new family.”

“But that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Not being alone anymore? Being surrounded by people who care about you?”

Knuckles tilted his head. “Yes . . . but also no.” He sat, cross-legged on the floor. “It is confusing.”

Tails’ brow furrowed. “So . . . you like being here, but you don’t like it?”

“I . . .” The echidna sighed, shaking his head. “It is very confusing.”

“What emotions are you feeling exactly? Maybe that will help narrow down what’s bothering you.”

A corner of the echidna’s muzzle pulled into a snarl. “I told you, it’s confusing! I feel . . .” He beat his chest with a fist. “Tight. Here. It is unpleasant and reminds me of when Robotnik betrayed my trust.”

“Betrayed? Do you think we would betray you like that?”

“No!” The snarl was more pronounced, although Tails didn’t think it was directed at him. “The feeling is not for you or any of the others. It’s . . .” Knuckles’ eyes went wide, and his muzzle relaxed. “Me. The betrayal is mine.”

Tails studied his brother for a moment, his mind piecing together the facts. Something to do with Knuckles’ mother. He feels he’s betraying someone. He likes being in this new family, but doesn’t. A thought suddenly occurred to the little fox.

“Knuckles,” he said, his voice soft. “Do you think you’re . . . I don’t know, replacing your family with ours?”

The echidna tilted his head. “I . . . don’t know.”

“It would explain your conflicted feelings. Maybe some part of you doesn’t want to fully accept Maddie as your new mom because it worries you’re trying to replace your old one. I mean, your first one. Your biological one.”

Knuckles lowered his head, brow furrowed. “Hmm.”

“I had the same fear when I first came to live here,” a voice said from the stairs. Fox and echidna turned to see Sonic walk into the attic. He offered a small smile. “Sorry. I was coming up when I heard you guys talking. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“You experienced the same feelings of conflict?” Knuckles asked as Sonic sat next to him.

The hedgehog nodded. “You know about Longclaw. When Mom and Dad first took me in, I was uncomfortable around Maddie for a while. I didn’t want to get close. Every time I did, something seemed wrong. I felt guilty.”

“Because you felt like you were disrespecting Longclaw’s memory,” Tails said, sliding off his chair to sit on the floor with his brothers. “Replacing her.”

“Pretty much,” Sonic said, nodding. “Took me a long time to realize that wasn’t the case. I still loved Longclaw . . . but she was gone. Forcing myself to be alone, to stay closed off, wouldn’t bring her back.”

Knuckles lowered his head to think. “So you can still hold Longclaw in your heart . . . and also be close to Healer Maddie?”

Sonic offered him a kind smile. “Yep.”

“And you don’t . . . forget Longclaw?”

The hedgehog shook his head. “I’ll always have memories of her. Of how she would play with me, and fly me around the island, and scoop me up at night to sleep in the downy feathers on her chest. I always fell asleep with her heartbeat in my ear.” He smiled, his eyes shiny. Blinking quickly, he turned to Knuckles. “Those memories will always be there. Getting close to Maddie won’t replace them. You’ll just add new ones.”

The echidna lowered his head once more. “Hmm.”

“I don’t have any memories of my mother,” Tails said, a sad smile on his lips. “But if your mothers were anything like Maddie, then you guys were really lucky to have had that when you were little.”

Sonic placed a gentle hand on Tails’ shoulder. “I’m sorry your parents didn’t see how special you were, little bro,” he said, his voice soft. “And I’m sorry you had to grow up all alone. But I’m really glad you’re here now. Where you belong.”

“Yes,” Knuckles said, placing a hand on the fox’s other shoulder. “The people of your village, including your false parents, were fools to turn their backs on you. You are clever, noble, and loyal. I am honored to call you brother.”

The fox kit bit his lip, his eyes shiny. “You guys,” he said, tears spilling over his muzzle. “You’re the best big brothers a guy could ask for!”

Tails lunged forward, throwing an arm around each of this brothers for a tight hug. Sonic wrapped his arms around Tails, hugging him just as tight.

Knuckles, who normally didn’t go for hugs, hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around each of his brothers and squeezed. A smile curled his lips, as Sonic pulled one arm from around Tails and wrapped it around the echidna.

The three sat there for a long moment, squeezing each other in a tight hug. It was the first one they had all shared, and their brotherly bond felt stronger afterward.

“So,” Sonic said, as they pulled back. “Feeling any better?”

Knuckles hesitated, then offered a short nod. “Our talk was very enlightening. Thank you. I have more thoughts to work through, but you were both very helpful.”

“I’m glad,” Tails said, getting to his feet. “But I’d better get back to my device. It’s giving me some real trouble, and I don’t have much time to get it finished.”

“I’ve heard that if you’re having trouble and can’t figure out where, you should walk someone else through the process,” Sonic said, shrugging. “Sometimes the act of explaining it to someone who has no idea what you’re doing can help you narrow down where the problem is.”

Tails raised an eyebrow. “You want me to explain the inner workings of my device to you?”

Sonic smiled. “Not particularly. But if it’ll help you figure out where you’re going wrong, I’ll be your sounding board.”

The fox smiled. “Thanks, Sonic.” He sat back at his chair and turned the device toward the hedgehog. “This is your basic multi-optic motherboard with variable wavelength frequencies. The optic nodes are attached in strategic locations . . . . . .”

Tails’ voice carried on as he explained the electronic innards to Sonic. Knuckles turned, giving his a head a small shake, an amused smile curling the corner of his lips. He descended the attic stairs, just as Sonic began to regret his offer.

Chapter Text

~ Sunday – Mother’s Day

The light coming in through the bedroom window was muted, the sky gray and overcast. Rain threatened, the forecast calling for a 90% chance throughout the day.

Maddie didn’t care what the weather looked like. Today was her first Mother’s Day. And even though she had downplayed it all week, she had a hard time falling asleep last night. She felt like a kid on Christmas Eve.

The boys had been working on secret projects all week. Real hush-hush stuff. And now it was morning. She woke with a smile.

“Happy Mother’s Day,” Tom said quietly beside her. She turned toward him, and he gave her a warm smile. “I heard Sonic up a little while ago, so someone’s eager to start the day.”

She rolled over, curling into his waiting arms. “Mmm, how about we just snuggle for a little bit? You’re warm.”

He pulled her close. “Well, if you insist.”

The two lay curled in each others arms for a few moments, enjoying the silence and warmth. Until the unmistakable sound of their middle child’s rapid tapping echoed off their bedroom door. Without pause, the door opened, and a little black nose poked into the room.

“I heard voices,” Sonic said, and Tails’ laughter floated behind him. “Are you guys ready to get up or are you gonna lay in bed all day like boring grown-ups?”

“Is laying in bed all day an option?” Tom asked, re-arranging his pillow to sit up. “’Cause that sounds like a great idea.”

The door flew open then, and in the blink of an eye Sonic was in bed with them, while Tails flew overhead to land next to Maddie.

“Not an option, then,” Tom said, giving an exaggerated frown as his wife sat up. “Ah well.”

“Happy Mother’s Day!” hedgehog and fox called, snuggling up close to Maddie and hugging her from both sides. Tom took the opportunity to slide out of bed and get dressed.

“Thank you, sweeties!” she said, hugging them back. “What wonderful boys I have. But where’s--”

“He’s, uh, dealing with some stuff,” Sonic said, his voice soft. “But I think he’s getting close to working through it.”

“Oh.” Maddie glanced up and noticed a dark figure standing in the hall, just outside the open bedroom door. She smiled. “Well, he knows he can come talk to me whenever he’s ready.” The figure gave a small nod before moving off.

“Presents!” Tails said, clapping his hands. “We have presents!”

“You guys didn’t have to get me anything!”

“We know,” Sonic said, practically vibrating with excitement. “But Dad made us.”

“What??” Tom cried as he pulled his shirt over his head. “Don’t listen to that little turd. Anything they have is entirely their doing.” He smiled. “But speaking of presents, Dad goes first.”

Tom opened his night stand drawer and pulled out a small jewelry box. He slid back onto the bed and held it toward his wife as he opened the lid.

“Happy Mother’s Day, babe.”

“Oh Tom,” Maddie said, a hand pressing against her chest. Inside the box was a small pendant, about the size of a nickel, on a silver chain. The pendant showed a woman in silhouette made out of silver, cradling three gemstones in her curled arms. One red, one blue, and one amber. “It’s beautiful.”

“Ah, nice one, Donut Lord,” Sonic said, giving his dad a thumbs up. “Very nice.”

“I have my moments,” Tom said, shrugging. He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss as she pulled the necklace out of the box. “Motherhood looks good on you. And you’re great at it.”

“I have my moments,” she said, smiling. He took the necklace from her and fastened the clasp behind her. She touched the pendant, running a thumb over the three gems. “I love it. Thank you.”

Tom leaned in for a quality kiss as the boys rolled their eyes and made the age appropriate “ew gross!” sounds.

“Yeah, yeah,” Sonic said, waving a dismissive hand. “Jewelry’s nice and all, but I’ve got something you’re gonna love even more.”

“Oh really?” Tom said, casting a sideways glance at the hedgehog. “Those hands look awfully empty to me.”

Sonic held up a finger before zipping out of the room. A second later he was back, a large rectangular box in his outstretched arms.

“Gift number one,” he said, opening the lid of the box to show the confectionery delights inside. “One dozen cinnamon rolls from your favorite bakery in Green Hills, Guilty Pleasures Desserts.”

Maddie’s eyes went wide. “Are you kidding? Ohmygod, I LOVE those! I haven’t had any in forever! They always run out before we get there.”

The hedgehog smiled. “I placed an order specifically for you first thing on Monday. I ran out this morning to pick them up.”

“You’re my favorite kid right now.”

“Hey!” Tails called. “No fair!”

She tipped her head in a wink. “Don’t worry, Fluffers, it changes practically minute-by-minute.” She reached out to give the little fox a boop on his nose. He giggled, his annoyance forgotten.

“Gift number two,” Sonic said, zipping out of the room for another second. He returned with a large bouquet wrapped in a bright blue bow. “Can’t have Mother’s Day without flowers.”

“Oh, they’re beautiful!” She took them and sniffed. “You’re two for two, kiddo.”

“Ah, but I saved the best for last.” He reached back into his quills and pulled out an envelope. His demeanor changed, becoming more serious. “I . . . uh, I wrote you a letter.”

“A letter?” She reached out to take it from him, moving to sit at the end of the bed.

“Yeah, it . . . well, it’s about how I feel. About you.” He seemed to shrink slightly, becoming smaller.

“Can I read it now?”

His muzzle flashed red. “Yeah, I guess.” He glanced at Tom. “Don’t read it out loud. Please.”

“Hey Tails,” Tom said, catching the unspoken hint. “Hows about you and me get Ozzy outside before he makes a mess downstairs? We’ll be back in a few minutes, and you can give Mom your gift.”

The little fox nodded, casting a glance at Sonic. “Okay. Sounds like a plan.”

Tom grabbed the cinnamon roll box on his way out. “I’ll just take these to the kitchen.” He turned before closing the door. “Take your time. We’ll be back when you’re ready.”

Once the door had closed, Maddie looked at Sonic. “You’re sure you want me to read it now?”

The hedgehog thought for a second, biting his lip. Then he nodded.

“Okay.” She tore the envelope open and pulled out the two pages of notebook paper inside. She arched an eyebrow slightly. Normally Sonic’s handwriting could be quite accurately described as ‘chicken scratch’, but the printing on the pages was clear and neat. He must have taken his time with this.

Dear Mom,

I knew you before I met you.

I had been coming here, watching you and Dad for a long time. I watched as you renovated the house. Watched as you planted flowers and trees. Watched as you cared for the wildlife, from the deer and bunnies and squirrels, to the raccoons that dug into your trash at night. Watched as you twisted yourself into weird positions on the deck on Saturday mornings. I tried to do them too, hidden in the trees, but I don’t think hedgehog limbs are meant to bend like that.

I came here because I liked to pretend we were a family.

I was so alone, and pretending made it feel like I wasn’t.

You were kind. Even from a distance I could tell. You would smile at strangers and took care of animals and always looked for the good in everything. And your smile was so bright. It always made me feel happy. Even though it was never for me.

And now I’m here, and we are a real family.

And I know the real you.

I know how kind you are. How loving you are. How wonderful your hugs feel when you wrap your arms around me and squeeze. How amazing your kisses feel on that spot right in the middle of my forehead. How gentle your hands feel when they hold me and comfort me after a nightmare or when I’ve hurt myself—usually doing something you warned me not to.

And I know your smile. Your bright, wonderful smile that IS for me now. No matter how often I see it, directed at me, it always makes me happy. Because I can make you do that. I can make you smile. With a joke, or a silly face, or something as simple as a quick hug. It sounds a little selfish, making you happy so I can be happy, but if we’re both getting something good out of it, it can’t be all bad, right?

I know how patient and understanding you are. I know I can be a pain sometimes. I know I can cause trouble. I mean, you MET me when I was in trouble. But you stood by me. You helped me. You took care of me. You welcomed me into your home, into your life, so quickly.

You loved me.

It took me a while to fully understand it. A kind of embarrassingly long time, honestly. How could someone as wonderful as you ever love a weird alien hedgehog who had turned your life on its head? Completely and utterly wrecked the perfect little organized and predictable life you’d had before that? I had watched you for years. You loved your life. You were happy.

But, somehow, for whatever reason, you loved me. You really, really loved me.

It was scary. And wonderful. And it makes me want to cry, knowing what I’ve been missing all these years.

But I try to focus on the now. I’m here NOW. And I try to cherish each and every hug, kiss, smile, and touch from you. I want to remember them, and how they made me feel. Always.

I love you, Mom. I may not have known you—I mean, really known you—for long, in the grand scheme of things. But I think you’ve always been my mom.

I love you, so much.

Happy Mother’s Day

Love,
Sonic

Maddie read the letter twice, hand covering her mouth, tears in her eyes. She looked up, into the shiny eyes of her first, and now middle child. She carefully laid the letter beside her on the bed, and reached her arms toward her boy.

“Oh, sweetie,” she whispered, and Sonic moved into her embrace with a smile. “That was beautiful.”

“I couldn’t get out everything I wanted to say,” he said, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. “It was all mixed up in my head. There was so much. I couldn’t get it to come out.”

“It was wonderful,” she said, running a hand down his quills. “Oh my sweet boy, it was perfect.” She pulled back long enough to plant a kiss on his forehead. “Just like you.”

He laughed into her shoulder, holding her tightly. “But that changes minute-by-minute, right?”

She laughed. “Right.”

They laughed together, giving each other a tight squeeze before separating. Sonic sniffed, and swiped an arm under his nose.

“I love you,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m so happy you’re my mom.”

She smiled, wiping at the tears on his cheeks with her thumb. “I love you, sweetie. I’m happy you’re my boy.”

A soft knock on the bedroom door broke the moment, and Tom popped his head inside. “How’s it going?”

Sonic wiped his eyes quickly, before turning toward the door. “Yeah, she loved it. I mean, ‘course she did, why wouldn’t she?” The door opened fully and Tails walked in, hands tucked behind his back. “Sorry, Tails. That’s gonna be a hard act to follow.”

The little fox offered his brother a sly smile. “We’ll see about that.” He turned to Maddie. “Can I give you my present now?”

Maddie laughed. “Of course, sweetie. Lay it on me.”

Tails snickered and pulled his hands out, producing a small, flat, round disk. “Behold! The Miles Prower Interactive Holographic Mother’s Day Special!” When only silence responded, he continued. “Here, just flip the switch on the side.”

He handed it to Maddie, who did as instructed. A light blinked on, and he took it back to place on the floor. The light flickered for a second, and then another Tails blinked into existence.

“Ta da!” the original Tails said, flourishing his hands like an illusionist at a magic show. “It’s an upgraded, more portable version of the holograms from my Miles Electric pad.”

“Holy cow, that’s so cool!” Tom said, moving closer to inspect the artificial Tails. “It looks just like you.” He reached out and his hand passed over the simulation’s head. He jerked his hand back. “It feels just like you too!”

“It’s got a localized force field to approximate a physical form.” Tails turned to Maddie. “Talk to it.”

She gave him a questioning look. “But it’s a hologram.”

He nodded. “Ask it a question.”

Maddie, feeling a little silly, gave a little smile as she looked directly at the new Tails. “Are you hungry, Tails?”

The hologram turned to look directly at her. “No thanks, Mom. I’m fine.”

She jerked back slightly, looking back at the real fox. “Holy crap, how did you do that?”

He grinned. “It’s got facial recognition software, and I programmed it with my personality. This is essentially a virtual Tails. It can recognize people, hold conversations, and respond in a way I would.”

“Dude, that’s kinda creepy,” Sonic said, his brow furrowed. Then he smiled. “But really cool.”

“Tails, this is incredible,” Maddie said, smiling. “You never cease to amaze me.”

“Yeah,” the kit said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. “I . . . uh, I kinda programmed it with a message for you.” He glanced toward Sonic, who nodded with a smile.

“Say no more, little bro, I get ya,” he said, grabbing the flowers from the bed. “I’ll just put these in some water downstairs.” He took hold of Tom’s arm. “C’mon Dad. They need a minute.”

“Man, I’m missing all the good stuff,” Tom whined as the door closed behind them.

Once alone, Maddie turned to her youngest son. “You really are a brilliant little boy, you know that?”

His muzzle flushed. “Electric stuff just makes a lot of sense to me.” He turned to his hologram. “Tails, play Mother’s Day Message.”

The virtual fox nodded, and looked back toward Maddie. The image blinked for a split second, as the message began.

“Hi Mom.” The holographic fox giggled slightly, before clearing its throat. “It still feels kind of weird saying that. I’ve never had a mom before. I don’t really know what happened to mine. I’ve always been alone. I thought that was just how I was supposed to be. And because I never had a mom, I didn’t really miss it. Can’t miss what you never had, right?

“I focused a lot on my inventions. They made sense. They did what I wanted them to do. Well, most of the time. I kept myself busy, and tried to focus on the positive.”

Maddie glanced at the real Tails, who had wrapped his twin tails around himself. His muzzle still burned red.

“But,” the virtual fox said, drawing her attention back. The hologram wrapped itself up in its tails, just like its creator stood now. “There were times I felt so alone. The village didn’t understand me. They thought I was weird. A freak. And they all had families. Mothers who took care of them. Loved them no matter what. I didn’t have that. And even though I told myself this was just the way things were for me, that I was fine . . . I wasn’t. I realize that now.

“I was lonely. No gadget or machine or invention could change that. So I reached out, looking for anything that could help me feel like I wasn’t so alone. Like I wasn’t such a freak. And that’s when I found Sonic. I thought I had found someone different, like me, but way cooler. And I did. I didn’t feel alone anymore.”

The hologram looked up into Maddie’s eyes, a blush working across its face.

“And then, after all the Robotnik craziness, you opened your home to me. A little fox you barely knew at all. You were kind to me from the first moment we met, and you never made an issue about my tails, or my inventions, or my mechanical abilities. It was like you didn’t see any of that. You just saw ME.” Tears trickled down the muzzle of both fox kits. “You were kind, and gentle, and loving toward me, even though I was just some weird fox Sonic brought home. You took care of me, and treated me like family, even when we were strangers. That’s . . . No one had ever been so nice to me before.

“It was strange to be in a home like this in the beginning. It felt like you only kept me because I was Sonic’s friend. But now I feel like this . . . this is where I belong. With all of you. My real family.

“I’ve never had a mom before. I don’t know why mine didn’t want me. But if being alone for a while meant I would eventually find you, and have you be my mom instead . . . I’m glad she didn’t. Because you’re the best mom I could ever hope for.”

The virtual fox flicked its tails back behind itself, and gave her a wide smile.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you!”

The message paused for a second, before flickering and shutting down. Maddie looked up at the real fox, standing wrapped in his tails, looking at her with big blue eyes over the fluff. She smiled, and reached her arms out.

“C’mere, Fluffers,” she said, and he slowly moved toward her. “Oh, my little baby fox.”

His tails withdrew, and he reached for her, his eyes shiny. “Mom,” he whispered, tears spilling down his cheeks.

She scooped him into her arms, positioning him in her lap for a high-quality hug. “Oh, my sweet little floof. I am so happy you’re here with us.” Rapid-fire kisses, right above his eyes. He giggled. “My brilliant, sweet, darling boy!”

“My mom,” he said, hugging her tightly. “My real mom. I love you!”

“I love you too, you little fluff monster.” She kissed the top of his head and pulled back slightly. “Your hologram was amazing.”

He giggled again, muzzle turning pink. “I made it so you could have some help if you needed it. It can do some cleaning or just keep you company if you want.”

“Brilliant,” she said, kissing his head again. “I love that big, wonderful brain of yours! You’re so clever!”

“Aw,” he said, wriggling in her lap. “Mom!”

“Sounds like things are wrapping up,” Tom said, poking his head in the room. “I take it Tails’ gift was a hit?”

“Very much so,” Maddie said, giving her youngest another squeeze before he jumped down. “It was very sweet.”

“Not as sweet as those cinnamon rolls downstairs,” Sonic said, following Tom inside. He hooked a thumb toward the door. “Ready to dig in?”

Maddie opened her mouth to answer when another figure entered the room and cleared his throat. Knuckles stood near the doorway, his hands tucked behind his back.

“May I speak with you, Healer Maddie?” he asked, his voice soft. “Unless you’d like to have your rolls first.”

“No, Knuckles, we can speak now,” she said, giving her husband a little head nod. He nodded back, and started shooing the other two boys out of the room.

“C’mon guys. Let’s give them some privacy.”

“Don’t touch my cinnamon rolls!” she warned as the door closed.

“No promises!” Sonic called, and Tails laughed as they moved to the stairs.

Maddie gathered the letter and holographic device to put in her night stand drawer. Knuckles stood where he was by the door.

“Just you and me now,” she said, crawling back onto the bed. She sat cross-legged and patted the spot in front of her. “What’s on your mind?”

The echidna stood where he was for a few seconds, before moving toward the bed. He kicked off his boots, and climbed up to sit in front of her, crossing his legs like hers.

“I . . .” he started, curling and uncurling his hands into fists. A nervous habit. “I have no gift for you. I mean no disrespect.”

She smiled. “It’s fine, sweetie. What’s been bothering you this week? I feel like I’ve barely seen you.”

He dropped his head, watching his fists tense and relax. “This day, Mother’s Day, has created odd feelings within me.”

“What sort of feelings?”

He hesitated before answering, swallowing hard. “I remember my mother. How she cared for me. How I loved her.”

“I know you miss her, hon. It’s okay to feel sad she’s gone.”

He shook his head. “That’s not . . .” He furrowed his brow. “I do miss her. Very much. But that is not the odd feeling I’m talking about.”

“Oh?”

“I feel . . . as though I’m being pulled in two directions at once.”

“How so?”

Knuckles lifted his head, his violet eyes locking with her brown. “I . . . I care for you. I feel we are becoming close, very close, as I was with her. But I also feel . . .” His muzzle wrinkled as he searched for the right word. “Shame.”

“Because of your feelings?”

He shook his head. “Sheriff Tom said mothers are often taken for granted because of all they do. I fear I have been guilty of this with my mother. I feel shame because I never told her how I felt. How grateful I was for all she did.” He paused, dropping his eyes. “How much I loved her.”

Maddie cupped his face with a gentle hand, and lifted so he looked at her. “Honey, she knew. I’m sure of it.”

“But I never told her,” he said, leaning into her hand. “And now she’s gone.”

“Honey, you’ve told me about your mother and how much she loved you. I can pretty safely guarantee that she knew you loved and appreciated her. You told her. Just not in words.”

He sat silent for a moment, and she stroked his cheek and muzzle with her thumb. He closed his eyes, a small smile on his lips.

“Sonic said I can keep my mother’s memories, but also make new ones with you,” he said, his voice soft.

Maddie nodded. “He’s right. I don’t want to replace your mother, sweetie. She’ll always have a special place in your heart. As she should. I just want to make sure you feel loved and cared for, like you need. And only you get to decide how close we become. It’s completely your decision. Whatever you’re comfortable with.” She leaned close, resting her forehead against his. “But you’ll always be my special big guy.”

His fists opened one last time, his hands relaxed in his lap.

She pulled back, and offered him a kind smile. “Are you feeling better?”

The echidna thought for a moment, before nodding. “I have made a decision.”

“And what’s that?”

“I never told my mother how I felt before I lost her,” he said, straightening his back to sit taller. “That is not a mistake I will make again.”

Before Maddie even knew what was happening, Knuckles scooted closer and threw his arms around her neck. He pulled her close, resting his head in the hollow of her shoulder.

“I love you, Mother,” he said, his voice a harsh whisper. “These past months have shown me how much I had missed when I lost my tribe. My family. You are wise, kind, and compassionate, and I am honored to be welcomed into your family.”

Maddie’s heart blossomed with more love than she thought possible for this boy. This normally stoic, strong, confident boy, who now hugged her with trembling arms. Her shoulder became wet, and she realized he was crying.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close and squeezing tight.

“Knuckles, you are a wonderful addition to our family,” she said, tears rolling down her own cheeks. “Strong, honest, and such a big heart. I enjoy our chats—you hold a wisdom beyond your years. I am honored to be your mother.”

One more tight squeeze and they pulled apart. Maddie placed a kiss on his forehead, and he smiled.

“I also enjoy our talks,” he said, wiping his wet face with the heels of his hands. “And apologize I was not much company this week.”

She gave a dismissive wave. “You were dealing with a lot of big emotions. I just wish you didn’t feel like you had to deal with them all by yourself.”

“I spoke with my brothers the other night. They helped.”

“Good. I’m glad you’re opening up some. Your family loves you and we only want to help.”

He nodded, a small smile on his face. “Accepting help is hard for me. I’ve never had people I could trust so completely before. I . . . will try to ask for help more in the future. If I need it.”

She smiled, placing another kiss on his forehead. “Good. That’s a Mother’s Day gift I can get behind.”

“Happy Mother’s Day, Healer Maddie.” He wrinkled his muzzle. “Mother. Sorry.”

Maddie ran a hand down his quills. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, honey.”

He smiled. “Mother.”

“I love you, Knuckles,” she said, giving his hands a squeeze. “My strong, kind son.”

They shared another forehead touch when a light knock sounded on the door.

“Everything okay in here?” Tom said, sneaking inside. “Sonic’s organizing a mutiny to eat all your cinnamon rolls if you don’t come down soon.”

Maddie sighed, rolling her eyes. “Heaven forbid we have something sugary in this house without his grubby little fingers all over it.”

“Fear not, Mother,” Knuckles said, sliding off the bed and heading toward the door. “I shall protect your rolls of cinnamon from his fingers. There shall be no unauthorized snacking this day!”

The echidna ran downstairs, yelling something that sounded a lot like ‘unhand those rolls you conniving hedgehog!’, as Tom turned to his wife.

“Did he just call you--”

She nodded, smiling wide. “Yes!” She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh my goodness what a wonderful Mother’s Day!”

“Sounds like you had a nice morning,” he said, hugging her back. “But we’d better get downstairs before--”

Loud arguing floated up the stairs, followed by a crash.

“—that happens.”

Maddie sighed again, a smile on her lips. Caring for the Super Wachowski Brothers was anything but boring.

Later that evening, the family gathered in the living room for movie night. All five Wachowskis piled onto the couch together—Tom and Maddie in the middle, Tails lying across their laps, Sonic leaning against Tom, and Knuckles against Maddie.

As the boys grew, they could probably need a bigger couch. But for now, Maddie liked this layout just fine.

“That was terrible,” Tom said, clicking the TV off. “Just awful.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Maddie said, running her fingers through Tails’ little hair tuft on his forehead. The kit smiled, closing his eyes. “Sure it was a little slow, and the writing wasn’t great--”

“The acting stunk, too,” Sonic said, stretching. “I mean, really stunk.”

“I have endured many hardships in my life,” Knuckles added, shaking his head. “But that was a form of torture I have never seen.”

“All right!” Maddie said, a slight laugh in her voice. “It was bad. I admit it. But we’re gonna have stinkers every now and then.”

“There’s stinkers and then there’s that,” Sonic said, gesturing to the TV. “I don’t think there’s a word for what that was.”

“Okay, this horrible experience aside,” Tom said, turning to his wife. “Did you have a nice Mother’s Day?”

Maddie smiled. The boys all turned to look at her, and she looked at each one in turn. They smiled as she met their gaze.

“I had the best Mother’s Day. Ever.”

“Okay, real talk now,” Sonic said, giving her a cocked eyebrow. “Which present was your favorite and why was it mine?”

“She said mine was ‘incredible, amazing, and brilliant’,” Tails said, sitting up and counting off on his fingers. “Beat that.”

“Yeah, well she said mine was ‘beautiful and perfect’,” Sonic said, crossing his arms. “And I was too.”

“She did not!”

“Did so!”

“Mother said I hold a wisdom beyond my years,” Knuckles said, puffing out his chest and drawing their attention. “So you would do well to listen to me more often.”

“She did not say tha—wait a minute,” Sonic said, leaning forward. “What did you say?”

“I am wise, and this is why you should listen to me.”

“No,” the hedgehog said, waving a hand. “Before that. What did you call her?”

Knuckles cocked an eyebrow. “Mother?”

Sonic sat still for a second, before a smile spread across his face. Then it dropped, and he bumped Tails’ knee with the back of his hand. “Knuckles wins.”

“What?” the kit asked, turning to look at his eldest brother. “Why?”

“Because he called her ‘Mother’ for the first time today,” Sonic said, hopping down from the couch. “That beats any other gifts.”

“No fair!”

“Can I get a word in edgewise here?” Maddie said, holding her hands up. “I had a wonderful Mother’s Day, and loved every gift.” She looked pointedly at Sonic. “Every. One. They were personal to each of you, and all very special. It’s not a competition.”

Tom nodded. “That’s right. Mother’s Day isn’t a competition, and you aren’t viewed differently based on your gifts.” His lips curled in a cheeky smile. “Father’s Day, however, is about a month away. I will be ranking your favor harshly, so keep that in mind as you work on your offerings. Bribes are also acceptable, and encouraged.”

Maddie slapped his chest. “You do remember who you’re talking to, right? Is this something you really want to encourage?”

Her husband’s eyes widened. “Oh crap, you’re right.” He turned to the boys. “Forget I said any of that.”

“Too late, Dad,” Sonic said, a gleam in his eye. “The challenge has been accepted.”

“Nice job, Donut Dork,” Maddie said, her eyes narrowed. “I’ll try not to laugh too hard when this blows up in your face.”

“Oy.”

She turned to the boys. “How about one last hug for Mother’s Day before bed?”

She didn’t need to ask twice. Sonic climbed over Tom to latch onto her from the side, Tails twisted his body around to hug from the front, and Knuckles reached around her to complete the circle. She wrapped her arms around her boys and squeezed tightly.

These boys may not have come from her body, or even from her planet. But they were her world now. They were hers now. And she was theirs.

Best. Mother’s Day. Ever.