ARAAT5: Resurrection

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A Rose And A Thorn 5: Resurrection

Co-Written by Harley Quinn hyenaholic and Froggy22651

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Harley: So that spoilt brat Paris Hilton was let out of prison on a trumped up ‘medical condition’. Which I say was either faked psychological bull or withdrawal. And now she’s back again. What’s up, bitch? Don’t you like it in prison? Then maybe you shouldn’t have violated your fucking PROBATION.

Froggy: On a note that has anything in the slightest to do with this fanfic, this is another discussion chapter. Also with some gayness, but no sex. Honest.

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Chapter Twelve: Keep It Gay

As Sonic promised, he told Midnight that Mirage was awake and wanted to see him, and Midnight didn't need to be told twice. As soon as Tails was finished with him, the blue echidna made his way through the hospital to her, Knuckles and Tails close behind. He half-expected his son to wait until later to visit Mirage when he was not around, but this was not the case. Tails' visit wasn't surprising; it seemed that he and the guardian had become inseparable. Knocking quietly on the door, Midnight stepped inside, "Mirage?"

Mirage looked up from her bed, one leg still in a cast. She looked pale and bored, but when she saw who it was, she brightened up fast, "Midnight!" she said, "Knuckles! I... I remembered... when I woke up. Pretty much everything. The important stuff, anyway."

Midnight smiled and sighed in relief upon hearing this. He had feared that his lover would never recover her memories. Thankfully, it seemed that GUN was incompetent when it came to completely erasing the past, "That's great,” he said, standing beside her bed and kneeling down to gently nuzzle her.

Knuckles still kept his distance and asked uncomfortably, "How are you feeling... mom."

"Not so good, Knuckles," Mirage sighed, "I guess I will be out of your great heroic Master Emerald rescue mission, but maybe that is a good thing. Lying here gave me time to think... I realised... that I have a lot to explain to you both, and you should sit down."

The two echidnas glanced at each other silently before pulling up seats close to Mirage's bed, each one wondering what it could be that the hedgecat needed to explain. There still was tension between them, but it was dulled by a greater focus on her.

"First, I would like to say that I do not have the same kind of soul as you guys," Mirage told them, "I know it is true because I remember reading it way back on ARK. If either of you wants to disagree you can leave now and I will not bring the matter up again, but then again you will not know anything else either." She waited.

Knuckles looked at her strangely, tilting his head to the side like he didn't quite understand. Midnight, on the other hand, rolled his eye, "Right. Like a bunch of scientists could possibly measure the qualities of a living soul. Half of those people didn't have any of their own."

"You want to leave then, Midnight?" Mirage asked him.

Glancing sharply back at her, he uttered a strong, "No." Still staring silently and unmoving, he waited for her to continue.

Mirage continued, "Midnight, it is true. I forgot you. You died, and I had to get on with my life. I am not mortal, I could not just think, 'We will be together again someday'. So I forgot you. It was necessary. It had to be done. The people who do the things that have to be done are rarely rewarded."

Midnight looked away from her, his metal hand clinching and unclenching. Emotion seethed under the surface, but he refused to let it out.

Knuckles, the questioning look still there, asked, "Why couldn't you just... live with the truth?"

"I could not live with it the first time," Mirage said simply, "Time travel is a screwy thing. Who knows how many times I met you and forgot you and tried to change it all? You should just be glad that this time I do remember. I am."

"Eventually,” Knuckles replied, crossing his arms over his chest, his violet eyes locked on hers. Having only just learned her true identity, the fact that she was his mother did nothing to effect how he treated her. Knuckles was… Knuckles; blunt, temperamental, stubborn, and lacking tact. "So when you had a memory too painful, you just shut it off like a light switch and forgot about us. No offence, but that's a really cowardly way out."

"I did not forget you, Knuckles," Mirage said, "I did not block your memory out."

Knuckles snorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh great, so you knew and you still left me in the dark on that island. Yeah, that makes me feel a lot better, mother. And it doesn't change that you forgot metalhead here because it 'hurt too much'."

Mirage shook her head, "It was not like that at all," she said, "You are my son, Knuckles. And I would have done anything to have a normal life with you and your father. Anything. I do not know exactly when I realised that I could not keep you, but it was before GUN took you away from me. It was even before you were conceived," she added, "Your destiny was so much greater than to be a mere experiment on ARK."

"Yeah, the destiny of a living guard robot,” replied Knuckles bitterly, "Why didn't you come with me, huh? Why did you send me here alone? I know you could have!”

Mirage opened her mouth to explain.

“Just forget it, Mom,” growled the red echidna, getting to his feet and walking towards the door, "I'm not going to listen to your excuses."

"Knuckles, please, it is long and complicated and freaky, but I do love you!" Mirage tried to sit up.

Knuckles didn't listen, too angry to care. The echidna slammed the door behind him. Tails followed the echidna out quickly, and closed the door more quietly.

Midnight sighed, "That could have gone better."

Mirage looked down, ready to cry, except she couldn’t, "This is why I did not tell him about being his mother. I knew I would lose him. I thought it would be better for him to believe he had a great civilisation behind his destiny, rather than just one stupid woman."

"He's still confused and angry,” said Midnight, looking at her again, "He'll calm down in time, once he's had time to think about it."

"Maybe if I had gone with him it would have been better," Mirage sighed, "But I was so sure that I could save Maria... I used the Time Stones for the worst possible reasons - personal ones," she finished.

"Perhaps there is no good reason to use them,” he suggested, "Messing with time for any reason is an attempt at defying the natural order to impose your own views on it." The blue echidna looked down at the floor again. "There's still something that bothers me, though..."

"What?" Mirage asked him.

“Why?" he asked, returning his gaze to Mirage, "Be honest. Why did you forget me?"

Great, it just gets worse and worse, Mirage thought. She scratched her head, "The honest truth? You might not like it."

"I'm sure I won't,” Midnight admitted, "But then, there's a lot in life I don't like."

"When you died, it hurt real bad," Mirage sighed, "Worse than anything. I got to thinking, what is the point of this crippling emotional pain? It gave me no strength or happiness, no reason to live... So I forgot you. The good times and the bad. Every word you said. The smell and the feel and the taste of you. I forgot you because there was no productive reason to remember you."

"So you forgot me because... you had no reason to remember?" said Midnight coldly, "You're right. I don't like it. In fact, it’s far worse than I thought. What about remembering me for the sake that it... it was part of your life!"

"I knew you would never understand," Mirage said, "I love and accept you, but that is not enough for you, is it? You need me to remember every detail and live in a never-ending agony like you. For the rest of my life, and gods alone know how long that will be!"

"What? No!" Midnight denied, jolting back as if he had been struck. Softer, he added, "No. I don't want you to suffer, Mirage. That's the last thing I would want. I would like to remembered, yes, but if you get right down to it... your happiness matters more to me."

Mirage lay back, "We all have our ways of dealing with loss, Midnight," she said quietly, "And you know what I think of yours. I thought you were dead. What would it matter then to you, or anybody else for that matter, if I forgot?"

It hurt to think it, but he did it anyway, and he knew the answer. "It wouldn't matter,” he said in a strained voice, "And it’s not like I would be remembered long anyway. We all are forgotten in time, just dust and air." Swallowing and looking down, he said softly, "I guess that's my problem, eh? I try to hold onto that dust, but the tighter I squeeze, the more I lose. Thing is, I can't forget, even if I wanted to. And if I could, I would refuse to, at least with you, because you defined me, Mirage. You made me who I am."

Mirage touched his cheek, "I do not know if it will make you feel better or worse, but I did not even remember that I had forgotten anything. You were a vague dream, and your death was a nightmare that faded with the morning sun. But now I do remember... You have no idea how happy I am that you are alive..."

"As happy as I am to know you're alive,” he murmured, pressing his cheek into her hand, "I won't leave you again. I just wish I could be the person I used to be for you-"

Mirage smiled, stroking his cheek lightly, "Give me a kiss," she prompted him.

She didn't need to tell him again. Leaning forward, he pulled the feline into a slow, deep kiss, filled with longing and relief. She loved him. She didn’t care about the metal parts. She hadn’t when she didn’t remember… he remembered her words back at the club… she hadn’t when she’d forgotten… he remembered her kisses at the hotel… and she didn’t care now. Because she loved him.

Mirage smiled into the kiss. Perhaps it would have been better to forget, so they could start again with the same amazing fire... but the knowledge that she loved him anyway, no matter what had happened, was intoxicating. She enjoyed every moment of feeling Midnight's warm lips against hers again.

They stayed that way for a long moment, their lips locked passionately, their arms wrapped around each other. Slowly, Midnight ended it, his face close to hers, his fingers stroking her cheeks.

"I cannot wait until my leg is better," Mirage said, "The only thing that could make this moment any better would be for Knuckles to understand that I did not have a choice."

"He will. Just give him time,” he whispered, "He'll cool down. I did."

Mirage nodded. Generally she’d agree with him, but right now… her headache was really killing her.

~~~

Knuckles stormed down the hallway of the hospital, patients and doctors wisely getting out of the red echidna's way, afraid of becoming the targets of his obvious anger. He didn't see or care about, only seeing a tunnel of red and the faces of his so-called parents. He had no direction, no destination. He just wanted to move.

"Knuckles! Knuckles, wait up!" Tails ran after him. He'd ducked out of the room just after Knuckles had left, "Wait!" the kitsune caught up with him.

The voice of his friend cut through the red haze, and he reluctantly obeyed, coming to a stop. Breathing hard, forcing his glare to be less severe, he said, "They abandoned me, Tails."

"Well, they kinda did," Tails admitted, "But they thought they were doing it for the best. All parents do what they think is best for their kids. Even when they're wrong."

"Yeah, I'm sure a lot of abusive parents though they were doing their kids a favour by beating them, but that doesn't make them right!" Knuckles shook his head, dreadlocks swaying. "I thought they were dead, Tails. I thought for my whole life that something terrible had happened to them and that I was the last. But they abandoned me!"

Tails flinched at Knuckles' first statement, but continued, "They didn't have a lot of choice. It was GUN or the uncertainties of Earth. Your mum didn't abandon you. She gave you up."

"I know,” Knuckles replied with a sigh, looking away, "But did she look for me when she was back on Earth? Did my father? No. She ignored me and my dad went on a killing spree. Some parents."

"At least your parents care NOW!" Tails said, almost losing his temper, "You have parents who care! Why can't you see how lucky you are? What you've always wanted your whole life was to know where you came from - and now you do know! What wrong? Can't you handle the truth?"

Knuckles stepped back, surprised by his friend's passionate reaction. He may have been a little slow, but he could easily tell that he had touched a nerve. "No, but I was expecting something better than being some... freak accident science experiment with a couple of crazies for parents."

Tails looked hurt at that last comment, "You can't choose the cards you're dealt, Knuckles. But you can choose how to play them. Your dad is the nephew of old Chief Pachacamac, and your mum is an immortal Ultimate, capable of killing Shadow. What more do you want?"

Knuckles ran his gloved hand through his dreads, searching for the answer to that question. "I don't know..." he admitted.

"You have parents who love you, Knuckles," Tails said, "That's more than I had. You always wanted a family, and now you have it. So don't throw it away, okay?"

Sighing, his shoulders slumping, the echidna quietly spoke, "Okay." Looking up again into the young fox's eyes, he realized that he knew nothing about Tails' own family, "You've never said anything about your parents,” he noted.

Tails looked down, "No, I... I haven't..." he said.

Taking a step closer, Knuckles asked, "What happened?"

"I don't remember much about them," Tails sat down, "Well, I was born with two tails, you know? My parents didn't like that. I don't think they'd have liked me much anyway though. My dad... he was always going on about how I wasn't good enough, and I just wanted him to be proud of me... and my mum drank a lot…"

That trend seemed to continue through the kit's life, always trying to live up to someone else. Sonic and all his other friends. Knuckles sat down beside him, listening intently.

"He hit me sometimes," Tails said thoughtfully, "Until the people came and took me away when I was four. And I got passed around a load of foster homes and different schools and bullies and stuff... I was always trying to run away, back home."

Knuckles swallowed and nodded in understanding. Tails had a childhood just as rough and lonely as his own. Different, yes, but no less difficult. The young fox just wanted a home and family that cared for him, and he could find neither.

"Then I met Sonic when I was eight," Tails smiled, "I know it sounds strange, but he was like a rock, compared to the fosters. And he had never known his parents either."

"No..." Knuckles said softly, a smile spreading on his face. The echidna reached over and rested a hand on Tails' shoulders. "I understand very well. With you, it was Sonic. With me, it was the Master Emerald and my duty. They were the solid, unchanging things in our lives. Something we could cling to."

Tails looked up at Knuckles, "So please Knuckles, don't throw away the thing I wanted most in the world. Sure, your parents are nuts. Your mom has an inferiority complex as big as the ARK and your dad is an arrogant bastard... but they're still your parents, and you should give them a chance. Please? For me?" his eyes became large and pleading.

There simply was no way he could resist a look like that. Only the strongest and most cynical of minds could. Smiling and leaning in to rest his forehead against Tails', he whispered, "I will. I promise."

Tails realised suddenly how close he was to Knuckles. He hadn't dared to ever tell him, but he'd always thought the bulky red echidna was very attractive. He was terrified of admitting his feelings, not knowing how Knuckles would react. He'd told the echidna that he wasn't sure which way he swung, but that was a lie. He'd never found girls attractive. He liked boys, plain and simple. He'd just never been with one.

As this thought passed through the young fox's mind, Knuckles wrapped his arms around his smaller orange friend, pulling him into a warm hug. Such a thing was very rare for the otherwise solitary and aloof echidna who made a point of hiding feelings that weren't anger or some variation on it. "Thank you, Tails,” he said

Tails smiled into the hug, closing his eyes briefly and wrapping his arms around Knuckles, resting his head on the echidna's shoulder. After a few seconds he realised that he should say something, "Uh, yeah, anytime." He pulled away, looking Knuckles in the eye, "That's what... friends are for, right?" he asked, sounding uncertain.

"Of course,” the echidna replied with a smile, but tilted his head curiously to the side, noticing something off about Tails, "Something wrong?"

"I was just thinking..." Tails said shyly. He blushed. The main problem with Knuckles was that the red echidna wouldn't get a hint if you carved it on a large rock and dropped it on his head, "Well, I was thinking..."

"What were you thinking?" asked the concerned echidna, not catching any unsaid hints sent his way.

"Well, you know how I told you I wasn't sure about my... what I wanted in the way of girls... or boys..." Tails swallowed, "Well, I... uh... changed my mind."

After a moment, Knuckles fully remembered a conversation some time ago about Tails' sexual uncertainty and raised his head again. "Oh, what did you decide?"

"I... kinda decided... I never been attracted to girls," Tails said, "I mean, I know when they're pretty, but I never thought of them as being... something I wanted. The thought of going with them is just… weird… It was always... males. It just took me a while to realise that."
"Oh." That was all he said. No sudden criticisms or anything like that, just ‘oh’. Blinking, he uttered it again, "Oh. ...That's cool."

Tails scratched the back of his head, "You're cool with that, right, Knux? I mean, I don't make you feel uncomfortable... right?"

"No, of course not,” answered the echidna, his smile returning, "That's cool. I'm glad you figured it out. What did it for you, anyway?"

"Well..." Tails squirmed a lot, "It was spending all that time with you... I guess."

"Me?" Judging from his expression, the echidna didn't quite understand the implications of that, although he knew it was something important.

"Well... I always felt..." Tails blushed, "Like you needed looking after. What with being... all alone. And you... well, you... you're interested and... and..." the fox blushed heavily.

"I don't need looking after,” the echidna said, practically a reflex. Upon further thinking, he added, "Well... I mean, I don't mind... I DO like the company..."

"I like YOUR company," Tails said. He blushed again, "I mean... really like it..."

"Wait..." The fox's words had finally begun to pierce the fog of Knuckles' mind. "You don't mean..." Pointing to himself, eyes wide, he got the picture, "ME?"

Tails looked down, "That's the problem," he said, "And you're not... I mean... aw, man..." he looked unhappy, "And now I creep you out and we can't even be friends any more and... I'm really sorry, I just...” the little fox looked ready to cry.

Knuckles blinked, feeling oddly detached from himself, as if he were on the outside of his body looking in. It was a weird sensation, knowing that his friend in fact was attracted to him in a way which was generally disapproved of. Not that he cared what most people thought, but still... Things were brought back in focus as he saw the sad, despairing look of Tails, hunkered down and tearing up. "Wait, nonono..." the echidna said, stepping closer and putting his hands on the fox's shoulders. "It’s alright. I'm not creeped out...I mean, it is a little odd, but... no, that's not what I mean..." Privately, he cursed his inability to come up with the right words.

Tails looked up again, wiping his eyes quickly, "I mean, you're not... my way... I mean... I can't just assume..." he swallowed, "What DO you mean?"

Of course he had to ask the question Knuckles couldn't answer. What did he mean? Well, despite the strangeness of it all, Knuckles did feel flattered by the fox's adoration for him. Truthfully, the only other person to express that kind of interest in him was Rouge, and she was hot and he had at various times wondered about her and him, but deep down he suspected that was just manipulation.

Tails wouldn't do that, though. Tails was honest and kind and always there for him... Knuckles didn't want to hurt him; he was his one true friend, the one who made it easier to get through the day. Yet, he knew it would hurt to reject him... Wait. Why reject him? Asides from the obvious taboos, he had no idea how he leaned in this instance. It wasn't like he had many opportunities for experimenting on his island. The only way to find out would be to try. Knuckles felt dizzy trying to come up with the words. He wasn't so good at communicating with them. He was better expressing himself physically. And so, at a whim, thought taking a backseat, he expressed himself in that way. Taking the fox's face in his hands, Knuckles kissed him. It was rough, clumsy, the kiss of someone new to the act, but a kiss nonetheless.

Tails squeaked in shock. When he'd bared his soul to the echidna - mostly accidentally - he had expected contempt, rejection, fear... anything and everything but this. For a long moment he just kissed the echidna, knowing full well that it could be the last chance he'd ever get. It was scary too - the whole thing was very overwhelming, but it was, when it came to it, what he'd wanted for such a long time. So he savoured the moment, for as long as it would last.

It wasn't what Knuckles expected, either. Taking in the sensations, the echidna realized that he was enjoying it. Yes, he enjoyed kissing Tails, another male. That feeling of unreality came back again, but he ignored it, trying to focus on the kiss, on the feel of holding Tails' trembling body against his, of their lips meeting, the warmth and security. Oh, he had his fantasies, of course, his quiet desires for this kind of contact and companionship. He just never saw it with his younger friend. He wondered what the others would... aw, hell with them and their thoughts. He liked it, so he was going to continue with it for however long it would last. They were close friends as it was; most of the work was already done. Slowly, he ended the kiss, drawing a shuddering breath and glancing down into Tails' eyes.

Tails was breathing quickly, his eyes wide, "I thought..." he started, "Oh, I love you, Knuckles!" he cried out, and hugged his friend.

Knuckles hugged tightly back and closed his eyes, feeling his own heart beating hard in his chest, Tails' words were making him feel warm inside. Nervously, he said, "I... I love you too, Tails..." The words weren't easy to say, but as he did so, he realised that he meant them.

After a while, Tails looked up, smiling and embarrassed, "Knuckles... I hate to spoil this moment," he said, "But you've still got to talk to your mum and dad. Get their sides of the story, you know?"

Oh yeah. His parents. Caught up in the moment, he had completely forgotten about them. "I will,” he promised, "I just need to do some thinking first, get everything sorted out."

Tails nodded understandingly, "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

Knuckles smiled. That question was an easy one. "Just do what you always do,” he said, stroking the fox's cheek.

Tails grinned and blushed again, "You mean like, think for you?" he asked.

"What? Hey!" Knuckles looked surprised, but soon after grinned. He couldn't honestly deny it... "I meant just... keeping me company, you know?"

Tails nodded, "I'll do that too then," he said, smiling, and on an impulse, leant forward and kissed Knuckles on the cheek.

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Harley: Ain’t that ever so cute and gay without actual gay sex... AWWWWW...