Chapter Text
It had been six months since the earth was almost destroyed by a mad scientist, which was not an unusual occurrence for the Wachowski family. Since then, Tom had healed except for a slight pain in his shoulder and the boys seemed to be emotionally and physically recovered for the most part. They had spent the time enjoying each other's company to the fullest—camping trips every weekend, movie nights in, family cuddles in bed… This was the first weekend that they wouldn’t be all together. Tom had taken Ozzy and the boys to visit his parents for the weekend. It had taken some persistence, but Maddie finally convinced them that she should stay at home to do some house-sitting and have some me-time, she explained. Being a mom was taxing and Tom thankfully understood.
Friday afternoon, when the boys, Tom, and Ozzy packed into the van after many goodbye hugs and kisses, Maddie quickly retreated into the house. As the van left the driveway, she turned every light out and pulled every curtain shut. She stationed herself on the living room couch, peering out the window right at the front porch.
Maddie ignored how strange she felt waiting in the dark silently staring out into what appeared to be nothing at all. But she had to do this, she resolved. She had to know.
Six months ago Shadow the Hedgehog died. Maddie hadn’t known much about this other hedgehog besides his allegiance to the Robotniks and his assault on Tom, so she was a little hesitant when Sonic insisted on having a symbolic funeral for him. Her son, almost to tears, explained Shadow’s history, his friend Maria, his change of heart, and his eventual sacrifice to save Earth. Maddie realized, much like her own sons, that Shadow was a kid who hurt a lot. But unlike her boys, he had no proper guidance, no place to call home, and no one to love him unconditionally. They held the funeral in their background and Sonic performed the eulogy, even though he only learned about the word ten minutes before. Maddie was proud of her sons’ empathy and maturity—even Knuckles refrained from punching anything unnecessarily.
Five months ago gifts began showing up on their doorstep. Tom noticed the first time when he was leaving for work in the morning. It was a vase of flowers. No return address. The family spent the rest of the day puzzling over the gift until Tails suggested that it could be from GUN, which they all agreed could be entirely possible—the United States government wasn’t known for their amazing gift-giving and they did save the world from probable annihilation. Then one week later a box of chocolates. No return address. Maddie silently noted that they were locally made. They were eaten within the first five minutes. Every single Friday night for the last five months the Wachowskis were given candied nuts, more flowers, some rather nice tea towels, and one time a bottle of Merlot, which Tom hid before the boys could see.
Maddie seemed to be the only one suspicious about these gifts. It seemed excessive to her, even for GUN, and any of her or Tom’s friends would have included a return address or any note. Tom was busy recovering and getting back to full-time sheriff of Green Hills and her boys seemed so caught up in the day-to-day excitement that they didn’t seem to notice the strangeness of it all. So, Maddie didn’t feel it necessary to bother with it, but she still couldn’t shake that something strange was happening.
It was only a week ago that her suspicions were confirmed. While getting water at around two in the morning she noticed a flash of red light on the front porch. She almost dropped her glass running to the door to reveal…nobody. Only an assortment of snacks neatly assembled in a box. Maddie sighed and picked up the box; she didn’t want the raccoons getting to it before the boys had a chance. Though she hadn’t figured out who this mystery gifter was, she decided whoever it was could not have simply been a family friend or government body. They were far too elusive. But little did this mystery person know, that Maddie never backed down from a good challenge.
So there she was sitting alone in the dark waiting for someone or something to place a nice bouquet or a fresh box of chocolates near the front door. It was getting late and this had been the least thrilling stakeout mission she had ever done. She rubbed her temples and looked at the clock. One in the morning. God, she’s been staring at nothing for hours.
Then a flash of red light erupted from outside. Shocking herself out of her stupor, Maddie squinted into the darkness. There stood a drenched hedgehog cradling a box. The rain had made his red streaks almost blend in with the rest of his black quills and fur, but there was no mistaking it. Shadow. She tried to level her breath, her heart was beating in her throat. Shadow slowly made his way up to the porch, looking pensive. This was her chance. Maddie shot up from the couch and flung the front door open only quick enough to see a flash of red light and a box clatter to the ground.
Shadow was alive. And he lived in Green Hills and was secretly giving her family gifts? Maddie shook her head. There was no time to reason out the situation when Shadow could still be nearby. She stepped out onto the porch and called out into the night, “Shadow?” He could be anywhere by now. Still, she tried again, “Thank you for the, uh,” she looked down at the box of convenience store snacks now scattered across her porch. “Thank you for the gifts, Shadow! Hello?” Nothing but the sound of rain pattering on the steps and the wind rustling through branches.
Maddie sighed and pulled her cardigan around her tighter. If she’s learned anything from her three boys—especially Sonic—is that sometimes you have to meet them halfway. So she stood in front of her open door looking up her gravel driveway and into the forest that surrounds her house. She’s already dealt with one stubborn hedgehog and she can do it again.
A full half an hour later Maddie was ready to collect up the gift, call her plan a bust, and actually have a me-time weekend when a black and red hedgehog materialized ten feet from her porch. Shadow’s head was dipped low, his brows furrowed, and had what looked like to be a permanent frown on his face. He was clenching and unclenching his fists but he didn’t look angry, but instead…embarrassed.
Mom Mode kicked in. “Isn’t it a little too rainy for this tonight?” Maddie called, hopefully, loud enough for him to hear. “Why don’t you come inside?” She gestured into the house.
“I didn’t think anyone was home,” he admitted gruffly and so quietly she almost couldn’t hear him over the whistling of the wind.
“Come inside,” Maddie offered again, trying to keep a steady smile. She shifted to the side to let him in.
Even in the distance, she could see his brows furrowing, his eyes darting from the forest to the porch. Maddie held her breath. He’s sort of like a stray cat, she mused, any sudden movement would spook him to teleporting away again. She’ll be patient. Being patient has always been her best quality. It got her through vet school. It helped her raise her three crazy amazing boys. It helped her heal alongside her husband.
Finally, Shadow looked up with determined eyes and began making his way to the front door. His shoes fell heavily on each step. When he moved into the light in front of Maddie and began picking up the scattered box of treats she could see how worse for wear he really looked. The rain had soaked through his quills and fur, making him shiver despite his stoic demeanor. He looked cold and wet…and sad. He looked too much like Sonic when she first saw him at Rachel’s house and it made her want to scoop him up into her arms and hold him until he felt warm and safe again. Better not, she thought, still, she smiled at the idea.
Instead, she just took the box from his hands and handed him a towel, which he accepted cautiously. She looked down at his metal-lined shoes and thought about the newly-furnished floors: “Shoes off.”
Leaving his shoes at the door and carefully drying his quills, Shadow followed Maddie into the kitchen, his eyes darting from wall to wall. Maddie saw him stop briefly at the family photos in the living room. She bit her lip when he paused on the one with her, Tom, and all of the boys at one of Sonic’s baseball games. Maybe picking up stray alien children was becoming a habit, but how could she not? He had nowhere else to go.
She set the box on the island for now; she’ll have to ask Shadow eventually where he’s getting all of these gifts, she can’t imagine he has any money. But that’s for later. For now, she flicks on the overhead light in the kitchen and rests her elbows on the island looking at the mostly-dry flattened-eared hedgehog standing towel in hand in front of her. After a few years with Sonic, she picked up on some of his more physical quirks. Ears folded back means fear. Ears folded forward mean anxiety. A twitchy nose could be anything from impatience to irritation. Despite Shadow standing almost completely still, she felt like she could read him like a book.
Maddie drummed her hands rhythmically on the counter and then spun around to open the fridge, hoping to lighten the mood a little and ease him up a bit. Shadow stayed stock-still but his eyes followed her to the refrigerator. Her eyes combed through the selection—homemade chili, grapes, sodas, Tom’s old birthday cake—then turned back to the hedgehog, “What can I get for you?”
“I am fine.” He said shortly.
Maddie followed his eyes to the bag of coffee beans by the espresso machine. She never let Sonic drink coffee because he would be nonstop bouncing off the walls. But Shadow’s different. She began to casually make her way to the coffee machine. “Are you sure? ‘Cause I was just going to fix myself up something…”
He cleared his throat, his muzzle a little pink. “Just coffee, please. Thank you.”
“Decaf?”
He nodded and she set the machine to work. She gestured for him to take a seat at the table and he did.
“Milk? Sugar?”
He shook his head. She handed him a mug and he took a sip.
She made herself a mug with cream and sugar and took a seat at the table. Shadow had barely said a full sentence since she caught him outside. He wasn’t being difficult, she resolved, he’s probably just nervous. Now that she solved the mystery of the gift-giver, she has time on her hands to solve the mystery of Shadow…without scaring him away. Maddie smiled at him, hoping to look approachable and warm, “Well, thank you for all of the gifts, Shadow. They were very thoughtful.”
Shadow immediately tensed up and looked away. “It’s the least I could do for what I have done.” He was gripping the ceramic mug so hard she thought it would break.
“You’ve done more than enough,” Maddie reassured. “But, I’m not so sure Tom or Sonic knows that it was you who sent the gifts.”
“I hope they enjoyed them nonetheless.”
Maddie raised her eyebrows, a grin still on her lips. “I’m sure they would enjoy them more if they knew it was from you.”
“I should leave,” Shadow announced, standing up, his chair scraping noisily on the floor. “I’ve overstayed my welcome. Thank you for the coffee.”
Maddie abandoned her mug to follow him into the living room. She felt an anxious bubble form in her chest, she couldn’t just leave him like this. “You can’t go out there, it’s still raining!”
“I have a shelter,” he grumbled, still hastily making his way towards his shoes near the door.
“Where?” She asked. Shadow finally paused, turning to look quizzically at her. “If you tell me, I’ll feel much better about letting you go out in that weather.”
He sighed, glancing down at the floor. “It’s a cave in the woods. It’s furnished…poorly. Someone has lived there previously. It’s dry, I’ll be fine.”
Maddie burst out laughing, despite herself. Shadow looked downright shocked at her response. “Oh, Shadow, that was Sonic’s old cave.”
“What?” His eyes met hers in shock.
“Sonic hasn’t always lived with us,” Maddie explained. “He came to earth when he was very little and lived in secret in that cave for ten years. No one knew he existed. Well, except for this one guy—Crazy Carl—who called him the Blue Devil.” Shadow snorted humorously at that. Maddie smiled back at him. “No one believed Crazy Carl if you can believe that. It turned out that Sonic really was out there using his super speed all over town. But he was lonely. Sometimes… sometimes he would watch Tom and me and pretend we were a family, him and us. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to pretend anymore. And he doesn’t ever have to go to that cave anymore and neither do you.” She walked past him towards the stairs. “Come on, you’re a guest. You can stay in our guest room.”
Shadow followed her upstairs wordlessly. “But Tom—”
“He’s not coming back until Monday. He’s out with the boys for the whole weekend. It’s just me and you, kiddo.”
“I don’t need to sleep,” he insisted. “I’m the Ultimate Lifeform.”
Maddie had no response to that. What does that mean? How could he believe that? Everyone needs sleep. Despite this, he followed her to the guest room.
“My room is right down the hall if you need me,” Maddie says softly, turning off the hall light. “Goodnight, Shadow.”
Shadow looks like he wants to say more, looking between Maddie and the guest bed. Instead, he steps into the room and right before the door is closed she hears a soft, “Goodnight, Mrs. Wachowski.”