ARAAT2: Eclipse - Part 1

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A Rose And A Thorn 2: Eclipse

Co-Written by Harley Quinn hyenaholic and Froggy22651

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Froggy: To even begin to understand A Rose And A Thorn 2: Eclipse, you need to read A Rose And A Thorn. So if you haven’t, go and read it. Like, now. Then review it. And please read the Epilogue. I know it sounds like a waste of time, but it won’t take long.

Harley: Now, Shadow, Amy, Sonic, Rouge, GUN, Eggman, blah, blah, blah, do not belong to Froggy or me. They belong to Sega. Very much so. Eclipse however, belongs to Froggy and me. You have to ask both of us before you can use him. And one of us will probably say no. If not both of us. And Mirage gets her cameo in this fanfic. She belongs to me. And if you ask if you can use her, there’s a 90% chance I’ll say no.

This is NOT a nice fanfic. It says ‘Torture’ in the summary for a damn good reason. There's also self-harm, drugs, rape and severe hallucinations. It is NC-17 not so much because of the descriptions, but because of the images they present in your mind. If you had problems reading my fanfic UB2, or enjoy using the phrase ‘You are sick’ in reviews, stop reading NOW.

Froggy: We didn’t get off on writing this fanfic, and we don’t expect you to get off on reading it. And now, for those of you still reading, I will say in advance, “We told you so”.

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Chapter One: Five Months Later…

Amy and Shadow were walking arm in arm along Emerald Beach. It was five months after Shadow had gotten out of hospital, and many interesting and unusual things had happened to Amy in that time. Things like developing a craving for lemon juice and garlic, becoming joint owner of the Flora, No Fauna flower shop, throwing up in the morning, afternoon and evening, suffering from severe back pains, doing pregnancy exercises, and swelling up like a balloon, or more accurately, a pregnant woman. And right now, she was watching the sun set rather beautifully with him.

Shadow was looking out at the setting sun too, the orange light glinting in his crimson eyes. It was beautiful, but to him, not nearly as beautiful as Amy, despite her protests otherwise. Being with her had been quite the adventure full of surprises, and he was sure that he wanted that adventure to last for a long, long time... This is what he was thinking about as he looked out across the ocean, the tiny, circular object he had concealed in his glove feeling ten times heavier than it really was. He wanted to ask her a very important question, knew that he would have to eventually, but was having trouble gathering up the courage to do so.

"It's been such a lovely day," Amy sighed as she effectively waddled along beside him, "You know something? I'd like to go back to the beginning of today and start all over again."

I wouldn't mind that, either... thought Shadow. Of course, his reason was completely different from hers. He felt a drop of sweat trickle down his neck. He hadn't been this nervous even when he’d been saving the world from an out-of-control space colony. He didn't let it show, though, smiling and hugging her close, "I would like that, too."

Amy shifted slightly, "I don't know what it is," she smiled, sitting down on the sand carefully. Her back was hurting again, quite badly, "Is it the sunset, or the beach, or you? Something just makes this place seem... right."

"Maybe all three," Shadow suggested as he sat down next to her, "It does seem right, somehow... all of it. Hmm. Have we only been together for six months? It has felt so much longer..."

"True," Amy admitted, and kissed him on the cheek. Memories of six months ago, her rape at the hands of her ex-hero Sonic the Hedgehog, and Shadow’s narrow escape from death, still hurt if she let herself think about them, but with Shadow by her side, protecting her, loving her, understanding her, and the new life growing inside her, promising her a future with the hedgehog she loved, it was no longer an ever-present pain, merely a certain numbness when she thought of Sonic. She wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive him, but she knew that he had never forgiven himself, and that made it a little easier to bear.

Her hand went to the large lump on her belly, as it so often did, "It won't be long now," she smiled, "And then we'll be a real family. Looking forward to it, Shadow?" she asked him, knowing the answer.

"More than anything," he said with a smile before returning the kiss. His hand stroked her quills gently, as her fingers brushed against his cheek. It lasted a long time, and ended with Amy lying back on the sand, and Shadow lying half on top of her, looking into her eyes, thinking over his words. He did want this, but there was one other thing he wanted even more. Asking for it was the problem. He again felt the small metal object in his glove, a golden ring which he’d had Tails make especially for this occasion, and then sworn the kit to secrecy. What if she said no? What if she said yes?

"Yes, I-" Amy hesitated. Something was happening in her belly, "Um... Shadow..." she said quietly.

"Yes, Amy?" he asked, nuzzling her neck gently, trying to gather up his courage. He’d been trying to do so for the last couple of weeks, in fact.

Amy relaxed again as the feeling went away, "Are you trying to say something-" She stopped. There it was again, no denying it this time. Water was trickling down her thighs.

Shadow swallowed. Sometimes she knew him a little too well. Well, there was no running from it any more... time to go for it. He sat up, "Actually... yes, I am..."

"Oh my..." Amy said quietly. She didn't seem to be listening, but was staring down at the sand between her legs. Shadow didn't seem to notice, but embarked upon his carefully prepared speech.

"I have loved you from the moment I met you, Amy Rose. I have since we first spoke on ARK, although I didn't know it at the time – because I didn’t know love." He paused to take a breath and reached into his glove, pulling out the diamond ring, feeling it between his fingers, “You have been my guide and conscience when I needed one the most. The happiest times of my life have been spent with you..."

Amy gasped, clutching her middle, "Oh dear... Shadow..."

Shadow closed his eyes, feeling his heart pounding desperately inside his chest. She had probably already figured out what he was going to ask her, "You fulfil me, Amy Rose. You have given me the purpose I have always been seeking. I know what I wish to do with my life; I wish to spend it with you..."

"Shadow!" Amy looked up at him, her eyes wide, "I... I think..."

That didn't sound right. Suddenly, Shadow felt the chill of fear run through him. Was she not ready for this? Did she think this was too soon? He turned towards her, eyes wide and afraid, "Amy, I know this seems early, and I know this is asking a lot of you, but please just hear me out..."

"There isn't any time!" Amy felt the body within her shift again, "I... I think the baby's coming! Now!"

Shadow's train of thought came to a full stop, "Uh... You what?!" The baby was coming? The baby was coming! Shadow's eyes widened and his mind raced to find an appropriate response and course of action. Finally, after several long seconds of deep thought, the trap-like mind of the Ultimate Lifeform came up with a brilliant plan, "We need to get you to the hospital!"

Amy tried to sit up, but with a good eighteen inches of stomach in the way it was no easy task. Shadow pulled her to her feet, "Oh dear," she said again.

Shadow scooped 80 lbs of pregnant hedgehog up into his arms as carefully as he could, no mean feat, "Hang on, Amy!" he told her, and took off skating on his jet shoes. He couldn’t go as fast as usual, because he was trying to give her a smooth ride. Technically it was still faster than any car or ambulance, but to Shadow, that simply wasn’t good enough, Oh, where is the hospital again? Think, Shadow! Oh yes, now I remember! Good, good... keep moving. Wait... do I still have the ring? Shit! Oh wait, there it is... Dammit, stay focused!

Amy gasped as her back gave a violent twinge, "Oh dear," she managed again, trying to breath normally, like the clinic had told her.

Shadow was getting impatient; he wanted to be at the hospital NOW. He began drawing in ambient chaos energy, and even as he did so, he could feel the life within her stirring in response. When enough energy had been gathered, Shadow shouted, "Chaos Control!" Tearing through the fabric of space-time, the three of them disappeared from the city streets and emerged again in front of the hospital. Shadow rushed through the doors, Amy in his arms, "I need a doctor! Amy's going into labour!"

"Oh dear," a breathless Amy said again as he put her down carefully. That was her first taste of genuine Chaos Control, and she felt as if half of her body had been left behind. Oh dear, now it was catching up…

She almost collapsed, but Shadow caught her just in time, and a nurse walked her over to a trolley, "Shadow!" she called out to him as they started to wheel her away, “I want Shadow with me!”

“He is the father, right?” asked a nurse.

“YES!” Amy and Shadow shouted at her.

“Why is it so damn early!” Shadow snapped at a doctor, “It isn’t due for another two weeks!”

“Calm down, Mister Lifeform,” the doctor told him, “Two weeks is nothing to worry about. Your baby will be perfectly capable of survival outside of the womb by now. Why, we have babies in here two months premature, and they are perfectly healthy.”

Shadow looked over at Amy, “Yes, but-“

“Breathe deeply, Mister Lifeform,” the doctor said calmly, “Your baby and your… um… girlfriend, will both be just fine. Your panicking won’t help her at all.”

Shadow could hear the midwife talking to a breathless Amy, “Breathe deeply, Miss Blossom," she told the pink hedgehog, “Your boyfriend will be just fine. Your panicking won’t help him at all.”

"You really should have phoned the hospital before you brought her in, you know," the doctor commented to Shadow.

Shadow gave the doctor a withering glare before he turned and followed after Amy, “It’s a little late for that now,” he said, catching Amy up with ease.

Amy snatched at his hand desperately, "Oh Shadow this is wonderful!" she managed, just before another contraction hit, and she cried out in pain even as they entered the delivery room. The doctors and the midwife changed her into a hospital gown quite quickly and lay her down on the bed. Shadow suddenly felt very much like an extra leg.

“Breathe deeply, Miss Blossom,” the midwife told her again, “Try to relax. Would you like medication to help with the pain? We may not be able to administer it later.”

“N-no… thank you,” Amy panted, still clutching Shadow’s hand, “I… I’d rather not…”

Wonderful? It didn't look that way from where Shadow was standing. It looked like total misery, and that scared him. He already knew that giving birth was a painful process and he had tried to prepare himself for that ahead of time, but actually witnessing it seemed to shove away all rational thought concerning it. Shadow squeezed her hand nervously, "I'm here, Amy. It's going to be alright..." He was partially saying that to himself.

Amy was panting, but at the moment she didn't look too bad. The first stage of labour wasn't too painful, "What... shall we call it?" she asked Shadow.

Shadow thought about that, and it thankfully kept his mind off Amy’s upcoming pain. What should they call the baby? He wasn't so good at naming things or people, but he could try. No common names seemed to fit... again feeling the life growing within her, he could feel himself in the child. Maybe something close to his own name?

"Something special..." Amy panted, and then grimaced with the pain of another contraction.

Something special... something rare... Shadow searched his mind for a rare thing or events that were associated with shadows in some way... He remembered some conversation he had with Maria about a strange event called an eclipse, in which the moon blocked out the sun, casting a part of the Earth into darkness. The ultimate shadow, "What about... Eclipse?"

Amy looked up, "Eclipse... light behind the darkness... that's good..."

"I do my best," he said with a reassuring smile.

~~~

Ten Hours Later…

Yes, ten hours. Amy’s labour had stopped at one point, and she’d had to walk around a little to get it going again. She’d gone to the bathroom twice. Then labour had started up again and things had become… noisy. Things had been complicated, but there hadn’t been any complications. And then… then something really weird had happened. Shadow couldn’t explain it, but he knew when somebody nearby was using Chaos Control – or trying, at least. Amy had screamed a lot then, nearly passing out.

She was screaming a lot now too.

“Just use Chaos… Control to… get it out!” she shouted at Shadow.

“No!” said Shadow and the midwife at the same time.

Amy started crying noisily, “Where’s that rotten medication?” she wailed.

“I’m afraid it’s too late now, Miss Blossom. You’re fully dilated and ready to push,” the midwife told her, “Just try to relax between contractions.”

Amy screamed at her, and the world in general.

Shadow winced in sympathy, taking a hold of her hand and giving it a squeeze. He wished he could take the pain away or... or... something! She was miserable and in pain, and he had no idea how to make it better. He wasn't scared anymore. He was terrified.

Amy just kept screaming. Occasionally she'd get enough breath to voice a swearword or two. The midwife glanced over at Shadow. He looked terrified - just like every other prospective father present at the birth. He probably thought he was doing nothing, but she'd seen enough births to know that it was helping Amy a lot for him to just be there, "Push!" she commanded Amy again.

Seeing her in such agony, Shadow rethought her idea about simply using Chaos Control to get the baby out. It certainly would be a first in medical history... However, using it to transport himself was one thing. Using it to teleport something else was a bit more difficult. Using it to teleport something out of another person's body... well, he had never tried that before, and he didn't trust his level of control without the Emerald to hand. If he messed up and teleported more than just the baby, it sure would end her suffering. Permanently. No... It was a bad idea. Better to let nature take its inevitable, if painful course. He just squeezed her hand and did his best to comfort her, "You're doing great, Amy!"

"Dammit Shadow!" Amy managed, before screaming again, "Just get the damn thing OUT!" she shouted, at nobody in particular.

"If you'd like to stand aside, Mister Lifeform," the midwife told him.

Shadow reluctantly let go of Amy's hands and stood to the side, letting the midwife do her job. He certainly wasn't about to argue with her.

"Okay Miss Blossom, calm down, I can see the head's coming," the midwife told the screaming, crying female hedgehog, "Just a few more good pushes..." Amy's face was going purple with effort as she strained.

Shadow stood to the side, eyes wide, watching intently, holding his breath. He tried to say something comforting, but nothing would come out.

The next few minutes or so were very complicated, especially from Shadow’s point of view, but there was an odd, moist sound, and suddenly the midwife was holding something very small. It was screaming vigorously.

Amy was crying all over again, "I want it, I want it!" she wailed, reaching out for it.

"Congratulations, Mister Lifeform and Miss Blossom, it's a healthy baby boy," the midwife told them.

Shadow felt dizzy all of a sudden. As he fell backwards, his vision growing dark, he realized that he might have held his breath too long. He passed out and hit the floor with a thump, going from vertical to horizontal in one clean sweep.

About five minutes later, Shadow came round again. Someone had put him in a chair, and Amy was still in the bed, looking very tired, very happy, and a whole lot thinner. She was cradling something small and dark in her arms.

Shadow blinked and pushed himself slowly to his feet, shaking off his dizziness. He looked down at the little bundle of fur in Amy's arms... dark grey fur, with purple stripes in his quills, and his mother's emerald green eyes. It was his son, Eclipse. A wide smile split his face as he walked over to Amy's side, kneeling down, nuzzling her, and looking at their child in amazement.

Amy looked up at Shadow and smiled, her eyes full of tears of relief, "Isn't he perfect?" she whispered.

"Yes... he is..." he whispered back, his heart beating faster in his chest as he and his son locked gazes for the first time. Eclipse started to blur as Shadow's eyes filled with tears. He quickly wiped them away and sighed in relief and happiness. He leaned over Amy and kissed her briefly, "We did it, Amy..."

Eclipse's spines were shifting naturally, hardening, kinking up - they now had an unnerving similarity to his father's quills. He shifted a little in his mother’s arms, nuzzling up to her, "Yes. We did it. Now we're a real family," Amy said. Still cradling Eclipse, she offered him carefully to Shadow, "Would you like to hold him?"

Shadow swallowed and nodded, looking at the baby, "Yes..."

"Here, sit next to me," Amy suggested, and passed Eclipse to him as he did so.

Shadow carefully took Eclipse, cradling him in his arms. The baby seemed content in his arms, as if he knew Shadow was his father. He could certainly see himself in how the child looked up at him calmly, confidently. But he could also see Amy's kindness in those eyes... he was sure the child would become a mix of the best of them, "He's beautiful..."

"Yes," Amy said. She leant over and hugged Shadow tiredly, stroking Eclipse's quills. She just wanted to jump around and tell the world that she was a mother now, even though she didn’t really have the energy. Today ranked quite highly on her list of the most wonderful days of her life, and a vast number of them now involved Shadow in some way.

Shadow once again felt the ring safe inside his glove as Amy hugged him. In the rush of getting her to the hospital and watching Amy in labour, he had forgotten about it and his plans for the day... but he figured that the question he wanted to ask her could wait. She was tired and had probably had enough excitement for one day. Besides, at that moment, he could not be any more content.

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Harley: YAY! It’s a boy! Say how happy you are for Shadow and Amy! Come on! Read and Review!

Froggy: YAY! Shadow’s planning to propose! But will we give him the chance, or will we kill him off first? Or maybe Amy? Or Eclipse?

Harley: YAY! You have no idea what’s happening next!