I'M ALIVE
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*knock knock*

“Mind if I come in? I brought cookies.” Melinda peeked inside MIles room where he sat in front of his computer scrolling through video files.

“I don’t mind.” MIles turned his chair and smiled.

“Took them out of the package myself,” she grinned, “that counts as something, right?”

“As long as nothing burst into flames, we’re good.” Miles laughed.

“Very funny,” she sat the plate down on his desk and watched him grab one, “working on something?”

“I finally recovered the video from that bug.” Miles said.

“Cool, anything good?”

“Well, it got this one of us in the funeral home.” Miles clicked a thumbnail and footage of him and Melinda sitting and laughing in the casket filled the screen.

“Can you get some shots for the album from that one?” Melinda asked.
“If you listen close, you can hear Daniel’s hand hitting his forehead,” Miles laughed.

“Poor guy.” Melinda placed a hand on his chair and leaned over closer to see the screen as Miles cycled through clips, “There’s the gas station, open that one so I can if I looked cool swatting it.”

The clip opened and and Miles fast forwarded to the point his mom approached the back hall. Melinda watched intently as the recording of herself turned and glared at the camera before making a quick movement that sent it is spiraling around the room. Once the image stopped spinning the bug directed itself at Miles, who was concentrating on the coolers full of soda.

Melinda squinted at the screen as a dark pink, male hedgehog caught her eye in the background. Semi-long quills tightly pulled back, dark overcoat, dark gloves, coffee in his hand. He seemed out of place loitering around in a gas station. The fact she knew he couldn't've been immortal eased her mind some, but it still struck her as odd to see someone that stood out so much.

“Something wrong, mom?” Miles asked.

“Nah, just forgot how cute you are when you’re concentrating,” Melinda teased.

“Mom!” Miles jokingly exclaimed.

“Sorry, mom moment.” Melinda laughed, “anything else interesting?”

“The bug has some really old data, looks like Eggman isn’t very through clearing them out and It was an old one he had on me before.”

Miles scrolled back to the oldest video, a thumbnail showing Sonic and him at what looked like a crime scene.

“Is this when it happened?” Melinda asked “The wreck, I mean.”

“Yeah,” Miles bit into a cookie, “uh, don’t worry. It doesn’t bother me now because everything worked out.”

“Good, I was about to ask,” Melinda leaned over and placed her hand on the back of his chair, “Think it would be okay if we watched it, so I can maybe see how things went for you guys?”

“Sure, I guess it might also help completely work through it,” Miles clicked the video and it opened to him and Sonic.

Melinda’s eyes drifted to the officers and medics littering the background as the two boys talked on the screen. Her ears stayed fixed on their conversation despite her wandering eyes and she smiled at Sonic’s promises to help the kit. Just as a female paramedic approached she caught herself staring at a familiar figure talking to one of the police officers.

The same pink hedgehog from the station, could it just be a confidence?

She snapped out of her daze as the bug followed them inside the ambulance. Miles didn’t react, having closed his eyes before he climbed inside but she noticed Sonic wince as he looked up at the gurney that held her currently lifeless body. She had to admit it sent a chill down her spine to actually look at her own battered corpse.

“Something wrong, mom?” Miles asked

“I was just wondering if this what a ghost would feel like looking back at it’s own body,” Melinda said.

“I guess is kind of creepy. If there’s such a thing as a soul I imagine yours generally stays there until you wake-up, so you never seen what happens afterwards. Almost like being in a deep sleep.” Miles said.
“I mean, it’s not like I’ve never seen one of us like this before. I was even there when Kai came back for the first time and he wasn’t the first immortal I’ve seen reborn. Then there’s the numerous times afterwards” she shivered, “it’s still weird seeing myself, though.”

“You want me to stop it?” Miles asked.

“No, I’m fine,” she smiled and picked up a cookie.

“Just making sure.” Miles smiled up at her and took one as well.

A smile crept across her face as she looked back at the screen, which showed Sonic hugging Miles and assuring him he wouldn’t be alone.

“He may be awkward and sometimes not know how to show it, but he does care about you a lot.” Melinda said.

“I know, we’re kind of like brothers now after everything we’ve been through. Like the mess with Shadow and The Space Colony Ark” Miles said.

“I was scared out of my mind until everyone made it back okay.” Melinda said.

“I think you hugged me and whimpered for like an hour once we were alone,” Miles giggled.

“Sorry, I got emotional,” Melinda chuckled.

“I was happy to see you, to, so I didn’t mind.” Miles smiled before looking back at the screen and Sonic’s worried expression, “I think Sonic was hurting to, when he thought you were gone.”

“I’ve never seen him looking that uncomfortable before,’ Melinda said, “I wonder that has anything to do with how violently he reacted when he thought I was some kind of double, aside from being worried you were in danger.”

“Maybe, but he didn’t act as weird as Knuckles did,” Miles started to giggle, “do you think he really thought you were a ghost?”

“Like I said before: he probably thought I was some ancient spirit there to ream him over losing The Master Emerald so much,” Melinda said.

“Not to mention it getting broken, twice.” Miles said.

“A part of me hopes it happens again, Tikal seemed like a nice girl.” Melinda said, “must suck being all cooped up in there.”

Melinda looked back the screen in time to see Sonic approaching the wreckage. She noted the painful cringe on his face as he got a good look at it right before the camera spun around to view the bloody mess. He really must have gotten close to her and got hit hard when he thought she gone.

“Amy is about to show up, brace yourself,” Miles said.

“Oh God, that poor girl.” Melinda almost whispered.

The scene continued and the camera remained trained on Miles as he carefully pulled a familiar trenchcoat from the backseat and smiled, holding it close.

“It’s okay if you were worried about me,” Melinda said, “it had to be stressful with all the public drama breaking loose.”

“It still smelled like your perfume.” Miles blushed, “So it was like having you there again for a minute.”

“With everything that coat has been through, I think it’s sort of a security blanket for both of us.” Melinda chuckled, “For me it’s how I hide my sword in a time when they’ve fallen out of favor for self-defense, and for you it must be almost like a part of me since I’ve worn it your whole life”

“Yeah, everyone used to ask about it on occasion because it’s so out of place now for most people, especially that bright color,” Miles looked up her, “Sonic asked me once if you were a detective and Cream thought maybe you were a PI like Vector when she first saw you in it.”

“I guess I’ll have to retire it to the closet and get a new one now that I’m going undercover, maybe something in blue?” Melinda pondered her options for a moment before a shrill voice brought her attention back to the screen.

Amy was running up to them and Melinda once again caught a glimpse of pain on Sonic’s face, as well as Amy’s when it was explained it was really her in the Ambulance. Miles flinched as Amy pulled him into a bear hug and held on for dear life before Sonic coaxed her to give the kit space.

She had to wonder about how close everyone must of gotten to her for their reactions to unfold this. There was no doubt she considered Tails’ friends her friends as well, but it never occurred to her how strongly they may reciprocate those feelings.

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me,” Amy said

“Deep down, that girl cares about everyone a lot more than she lets on, doesn’t she?” Melinda asked.

“She kept asking if I was okay the entire way there when I took her to the workshop for you to tell her the truth. It was kind of weird because she’s never acted so... that,” Miles stopped for a minute, his face betraying thought as if couldn’t find the word “nurturing towards anyone but Cream before”

“There more to that girl than fangirl obsession and righteous fury,’ Melinda said, “Like the way she almost lost in once she knew it was really me.”

“I’ve seen her emotional before, but never anything that genuine.” Miles said.

“Poor girl. I’m glad her and everyone else have been so understanding but I feel like I still have a long way to go making up for all those hours spent mourning me.”

“You’ve already done a lot, and I know Sonic thinks it’s cool, so at least he doesn’t mind.” Miles said.

“It almost feels like fate that he came into our lives,” Melinda smiled at the footage of the two boys walking down the sidewalk in near silence, Sonic’s arm protectively around Miles’ shoulders, “I get you see you so happy now instead hurting and lonely”

“I wasn’t completely alone, I had you and Uncle Kai,” Miles said.

“You should drop in to see him some time, I think he feels like he doesn’t see you enough anymore,” Melinda said.

“Maybe on the way home from my workshop sometime” Miles smiled “He’s also welcome to stop in at the workshop when I’m up there, I never really have showed him around.”

“maybe I should, to, “ Melinda ruffled the fur on his head, “We haven’t been in a shop together in months and I miss the smell of grease, gas, and oil”

“Maybe you can get a new car and we can tune it up together,” Miles said.

“Sounds like fun,” Melinda said.

“Hey, mom?” Miles asked

“What, honey?”

“I’m glad the secret is out so you can be more like one of the gang, now.” Miles looked up her, “maybe even find a way to fight Eggman with us”

“Me to, I’m glad there’s one less wall between me and everyone.” Melinda smiled and ruffled his head fur, “and I’d love to play hero sometime.”

“I love you, mom”

“Love you, to, kiddo.”