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When Sonic pulled Amy aside after the battle and said “Let’s talk, alone”, the Resistance command room wasn’t exactly the location she had in mind.
But whatever he wanted to say, it was important, and he wanted to make it “official”. The old Amy would’ve freaked out at the notion. The new Amy though? She just wanted to hear him out. He was safe, and the empire that had allegedly tortured him for six months was a smoldering ruin. That was enough.
“Got anything to make sure we’re not interrupted?” Sonic’s voice as he paced up and down the command consoles broke her train of thought. The place he stopped at ensured it never returned.
“Maybe this button…?”
“DON’T TOUCH THAT!”, Amy screamed, her arm reflexively darting forwards.
“What, is it the self-destruct switch or something?”
“No, the emergency lockdown”, she answered… and then an idea came to mind, and she tried her hardest to hold back an impish smile.
“You’re standing on the self-destruct switch.”
In an instant, Sonic spin-dashed up the wall. His momentum carried him all the way across the ceiling towards her, before he dropped to find her collapsed in a giggle fit.
And to her relief, he joined her.
“Tails told me about the emergency lockdown”, he confessed in the moments he could still breathe. “But I didn’t expect your next move to be THAT.” He snickered. “Well played, Deputy Commander Rose.”
“Oh you JERK!” Amy yelled, gently elbowing him. What she really meant was: “I needed that.”
They both did.
“Okay. Step 1, defuse tension”, Sonic thought as he mentally patted himself on the back.
What was Step 2, again? Oh right. The actual conversation. Aaaaaand the tension was back. Why was this always harder than saving the world? Of course, she made it look easy, which was really cool and-focus.
“So is there really a self-destruct switch?”
Darn it, THAT was what he led with?
“That’s for Tails to know and you to hopefully never find out.”
Tails! There was the springboard he needed.
“So, uhh… thanks for looking out for him. Y’know, while I was out.”
The air in the room chilled instantly.
“How did you…?”
“I guessed.” Sonic’s expression almost turned pained for a moment, only to be replaced by relief, then gratitude. “I’m so glad I was right.”
“He…”
Amy’s memories of hugging a sobbing fox 6 months ago came flooding back. “I was right there! I was RIGHT THERE and I LET IT HAPPEN!!”
“He took your disappearance pretty hard.”
“I… can imagine.”
This. This is why it was so hard. Come on, don’t depress her, bring back the smile you missed so mu– focus. You’re back now, the war’s over, everything’s fine. Because…
“I like to think you helped. Actually, I’m sure you did. And that’s why I wanted to talk. The others tell me you practically held things together while I was… well y’know. And not just the planning. I mean, leading that raid on the Green Hill Prison Camp?”
Amy began to blush at the mention. So he HAD heard. More memories flooded back, of meeting a crying child while on patrol, hearing his parents had been taken, and instantly knowing what she had to do.
“Eheheh… I just, uh, asked myself ‘What would Sonic do?’ and-”
“No.”
That single, resolute rebuttal took her off-guard.
“Don’t kid yourself. That was all you, Ames.”
When had he started calling her that? Some time after Lost Hex? Whenever it was, it was recent, and it was… nice. Nicknames mean he trusts you, she always told those who met him. Why had he taken so long to do that for her?
Little did she know, that was the reason Sonic wanted to talk tonight. And seeing her smiling like that, that was springboard number two. Okay, deep breath…
“And that’s kind of the point, because you’re… wait, let me start over. When I was stuck in that cell for 6 months, I had a lot of thoughts. And a… not insignificant number… of those thoughts… were about you.”
He has Amy’s attention, curiosity and… wishful thinking.
“I wish I could let you know I’m okay.”
Amy held back a tear.
“On a scale of scrap metal to atomized, what’ll happen to Egghead’s fleet when you get here?”
Amy grinned and snickered.
“But most of all…”
He took in her face as she just… listened. After a pause:
“None of this would’ve happened if you’d been there with me.”
Amy… wait, what?
“I just can’t believe how”, he dashed to the side wall and emphasized his next word with a kick, “STUPID I was. I charged into a fight like that with only Tails for backup, and I had him waste his time scanning! Everyone tells me the same thing: ‘Infinite was too strong’. But that’s just an excuse. Me and Knuckles, we could’ve taken him. Me and Shadow? Even better. (Don’ttellhimIsaidthat) But YOU-”
His rant was interrupted by Amy gasping and, inadvertently, raising her hand to her heart. But he continued.
“You never would’ve let them take me. We’d have fought them back, kept each-other safe, this war never would’ve happened, and this WORLD wouldn’t be wrecked right now. But no, I was a coward and I didn’t call you.”
“Sonic, stop! You are the LEAST cowardly person I’ve EVER known and-”
“You’re wrong! I am and I have been ever since the Ark!”
For what felt like a minute, the only sound was heavy breathing. And then silence.
He hadn’t planned to let that slip out.
But then again, since when did he plan for anything?
“That time on the Ark, when Eggman had that gun to you and I didn’t see his trap coming… I NEVER wanted to feel like that again. It’s why I used to run from you.”
Well, one of the reasons he used to run. The other part, he was still figuring out, but whatever it was, he wasn’t ready for that talk yet. One terrifying discussion at a time.
He looked over at Amy. For once, he couldn’t get a read on exactly what she was feeling, but she was still silent, still listening. Hopefully that was enough.
“But then it hit me. That didn’t happen because you came with me. It happened because I left you behind.”
“Sonic, no. I was the one who let my guard down, I was inexperienced and stupid and-”
“I’m not just talking about that. It’s a PATTERN, Amy! Lost Hex. I leave you behind, you get the life sucked out of you. Infinite. I leave you behind, I get clobbered and locked up for 6 months.”
“Sonic, I’m sorry. If I’d known you felt this way…”
“Don’t apologize, because I’m not finished.”
Once again, silence.
“Metal Overlord. You find me. We all beat him with the ‘super power of teamwork’. Eggman tries to harness the Master Emerald. You find me. We team up and kick so much butt. And it’s been true from the start! Northstar Islands. You come with me. You stop a confused, frightened girl from making some very bad choices, and we’re down one enemy and up one friend without a fight. It’s-”
“A pattern.” Amy smiled, her eyes welling up with tears.
Which made it even harder for Sonic to focus and get the next part out. Okay, push on, just one more to go. It’s only the most important part. No pressure.
“Ames. There’s something I need to tell you. Something I’ve known for a long time, but I’ve been too afraid to admit.”
She muffled a squeak as she very forcefully shoved Old Amy back into the depths of her subconscious.
“Amy… you…
Are the fourth member of Team Sonic. Always have been.”
At this, her anticipation broke and gave way to a small giggle.
“Hey, c’mon Ames, I’m serious here!”
“I know you are. It’s just… you didn’t need to get worked up over something so obvious.”
“But it hasn’t been obvious, that’s the problem! Look, from now on, whenever me and the boys head out to save the world, I want you there with us. You’re one of us. And we’re stronger with you.”
The ‘we’ was important. He wasn’t ready to say “I’m stronger with you”. Yet. Why ‘yet’? No. Don’t go there.
After taking a moment to compose herself, and notice by his face and (inadvertently) outstretched arm that he was expecting an answer, Amy gave hers:
“That’s… exactly the confession I was hoping for.” He tilted his head. “Don’t give me that look, I really mean it! And… I accept.”
Although, she thought to herself as her heart sank, there were a few caveats.
“But... the Resistance is going to be busy soon. You just said it, the world got wrecked, and word is Knuckles plans on stepping down as leader. So how about this? When you need me, and you WILL-”
“I know.”
“I’ll find you. Wherever you are. I’m good at that.” She winked at that last part. Old Amy wasn’t entirely gone.
“Don’t I know it!”, he replied, before adding his own vow: “And I when YOU need me, I promise I’ll do the same. Unless it’s paperwork.”
“Don’t I know it.”
The two paused for a moment and locked eyes, each wondering how to end this…
By some miracle they wordlessly settled on a handshake.
“Teammates?”
“Teammates.”