"So Sonic just took off with Shadow and Knuckles?"

"Yes! And they just disappeared off the face of the world!"

"And Knuckles just went along with it?"

"We aren't really sure. I've checked Angel Island, and he wasn't there. I wonder if something's wrong...."

"Of course something's wrong, Tails! Sonic's missing!"

"Calm down, Amy. We don't know the full story."

"Don't worry, kids; The Chaotix Detective Agency is on the case! And because you're good friends of mine, we'll do it for free!"

"Vector, I don't think that'll help our financ- mmph!"

"We'll do it!"

____________________________

[Sonic's POV]

"So that guy you turned into at the hospital was your dad?" Knuckles blinked at me, confusion clear in his eyes.

I nodded, rubbing the back of my head nervously. "Apparently...."

"And you're other dad is still somewhere out there?"

"As far as I know, yes."

Knuckles took a second to process everything before sighing deeply. "Your life is all kinds of messed up."

"Yep." I casually leaned back in my chair.

"So what are you gonna do?" He asked me. I simply shrugged; I hadn't thought about it. I wanted to find Gray, but with everything else that's happened....

"There's nothing I can really do, Knux."

"You mean you just found out about what actually happened to your parents, and you aren't going to go look for him?"

"Believe me, I'd love to see him and answer all these questions that Dark can't, but there's all this other stuff going on." I held Shadow's hand with a small frown.

"This is the chance of a lifetime, Sonic!" I looked up at Knuckles, and I noticed some kind of longing in his eyes. "If I was able to see my family again, I'd take it!"

It was like a slap in the face after that sentence. After all, Knuckles' entire culture was dead, and has been dead for a long time. "Knuckles, I-"

"I'll keep watch over Shadow." he smiled almost sadly to me. "You go find your dad."

I bit my lip, not sure of what to do. Staring into Knuckles' eyes, though, I found myself sighing and nodding. I stood up, gently kissing Shadow's forehead, and walking out. I stopped at the door, looking back at Knuckles. "Thanks Knux."

"It's no problem." Knuckles smiled to me, and I found myself smiling back before running out of Eggman's base. At first, I didn't actually know where to go, but my feet somehow knew where I needed to be because I soon found myself on South Island, standing in front of a house from my childhood.

Uncle Chuck's place.

I stood there for a bit, frozen. I hadn't seen Uncle Chuck since I left to fight Eggman for the first time all of those years ago. I felt guilty, of course, that I never visited, but with all of the stuff that has happened since I met Eggman, there was nothing I could do.

'What are ya waiting for!?' Dark asked excitedly. 'Knock!'

'I don't know, Dark....' I thought. 'Maybe this is a bad idea....'

'No ideas are bad ideas!' Dark smiled. 'Come on, kid, you hardly ever have second thoughts!'

I took a deep breath, knowing he was right, before knocking on the door. I heard a bit of movement behind the door before it opened, revealing my uncle Chuck. I put on a nervous smile as he blinked.

"Sonic? Is that really you?" I nodded and was immediately hugged. Uncle Chuck smiled happily, seemingly overjoyed by my appearance. "Hey there, Sonny-boy! You've grown so much!"

I hugged him back, and that just made me realize how much I've missed him. "Hey, Uncle Chuck. Eh, sorry that I haven't visited in, uh, years...."

"Oh, that's fine, Sonny-boy, I know all of this hero work must be busy." Uncle Chuck smiled to me and invited me in.

I soon found myself sitting on the couch and catching up with him. After a bit, he smiled sadly.

"The news stations are all saying you've went insane.... I never believed them, though, and you seem perfectly fine now."

I looked down, sighing. "They don't actually know what's going on is all, Uncle Chuck. I guess I do see why everyone's saying that, though...."

"The entire world has been searching for you."

"I guess I wouldn't expect any less when a world renowned hero suddenly runs away with his coma induced friend and his other friend." I chucked humorlessly.

"What happened, Sonic?"

And so I told him everything about what happened to Shadow and I and how I felt about him and how he feels about me. I even explained why Knuckles was dragged into it.

"Where are you hiding then?"

I smiled lightly. "I kinda have to keep that secret. No offense, Uncle Chuck."

"Alright." He chuckled. "So why did you come visit?"

"I know it's been a while, and I feel really bad for not showing up sooner...." I bit my lip, looking down. "But, uh... I was wondering if you could tell me about my parents...."

I could almost feel Uncle Chuck freeze up. "You've never wanted to know about them before, Sonny-boy. Why now?"

"Please, Uncle Chuck. I have to know." I looked to him with begging eyes.

He looked away. "I promised Gray I wouldn't..." He sighed. "But I guess I can't keep this from you if you really want to know...."

He told me the story that I dreamed, only adding a bit, like how he and Dark were the only ones who accepted Gray, and how he had met Dark before the incident.

"When you were born, Gray gave you to me, too heartbroken to raise you. I haven't been able to talk to him much...."

"Do.... Do you know where he's living?"

"Last I heard, he was living in a house built over the remains of the house Dark was in." Uncle Chuck told me. "But that was years ago."

"Do you think it'd be okay if I visited him?"

He chuckled. "I can't stop you from going. I'm sure he's proud of you."

'I know I am....' Dark said quietly, but I definitely picked it up.

I smiled and hugged Uncle Chuck. "I promise I'll visit you more often. And maybe some day, after everything's settled,you could meet Shadow."

"That would be great." He smiled to me as we walked to the door.

"I'll see you later, Uncle Chuck."

"Goodbye, Sonny-boy."

And with that, I was off to the house in my dream.

__________________________

'Is this the place?' I questioned to Dark.

'Yeah, this is the place.' He replied. 'Feels like it was just yesterday I was being burned down.'

'I know how you feel.' Exe said.

I shakily walked up to the door, my hand unsteadily knocking on the door. It was about a minute before the door opened and my eyes locked with emerald greens, the owner tensing up.

'Gray....' Dark breathed out.

"Um, hi." I said awkwardly. "Y-You're Gray, aren't you?"

The red hedgehog before me stood frozen, his eyes not leaving mine. I could see his eyes water as he finally spoke with a shaky breath.

"Sonic...."