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Four year old Sonic woke up to the smell of smoke. He knew that wasn't a good sign, thanks to the fire safety lessons he learned in preschool.

He jumped out of bed and ran to the door. He stretched his right hand to touch the door knob so, if it was safe to open it, he could quickly get out to help his foster family.

Sonic yelped and jerked his hand away. His hand was burning as if he jammed it straight into the fire. He ran for the window.

Pain surged from his hand to his shoulder as he pushed the window open.

He stumbled out of the window and landed on his foster mom's flower garden.

He wanted to lay there and cry, but his family needed help.

He got to his feet and raced to the neighbor’s house. Well, they called the family that lived about ten minutes down the road neighbors anyway.

Sonic beat on the door with his left hand. “Help me! Please open up!”

A teenage Mobian Walrus boy opened the door. “Sonic?”

Sonic exhaled loudly. “My house is on fire, Rotor.” He cried.

Rotor led Sonic into his family's little home and called the fire department.

Sonic paced around. “I gotta help them.” He said, getting ready to run.

Rotor grabbed Sonic's arm. “No, let the fire department handle it. They're trained to do search and rescue.”

Sonic cried softly as Rotor spoke to the 911 operator.

Rotor happened to notice Sonic's burned hand as he spoke to the fire department. “The kid has a badly burned hand. I can take him to the hospital.” He said. He nodded as he listened to the operator. “Yes, Ma'am, I'll take him right away.”

Rotor hung up the phone. “You'll have to go to the hospital to have your hand treated.”

Sonic shook his head. “No, my family needs me.”

“The fire department will help them.” Rotor said. “We'll drive by and see if they're at your house, okay?”

Sonic nodded.

Rotor carried Sonic outside and got themselves into his car before heading to the hospital.

Sonic gasped as he saw his house completely burned down. The fire department was out in front of it, inspecting the damage.

“It looks like you narrowly survived the fire, Sonic.” Rotor said.

Sonic cried the entire way to the hospital.
*
Sonic sat on an exam table in the emergency room of the local hospital.

Rotor was staying with Sonic until the latter's caseworker arrived. At the moment, he was calling his parents to tell them what had happened.

Sonic finally stopped crying, but he was still sniffling.

He had just found out his foster parents died in the fire.

The fire had nearly consumed the house when he got out. He was lucky to have survived.

Sonic heard the curtain pull back and saw a purple hedgehog nurse standing there as if she was frozen in place.

“Hey, little guy.” The nurse said softly. “I’m… Aleena. What's your name?”

Sonic exhaled slowly before telling her his name.

“Do you mind if I take a look at your hand?” Aleena asked.

Sonic showed it to her.

Aleena knelt down in front of him and looked at his hand. “That's definitely a second degree burn.”

“My foster family died.” Sonic whimpered. “I tried to save them.”

“You did your best.” Aleena replied. “I heard you were very brave.”

“I wanted them to adopt me.” Sonic said, wiping his eyes with his left hand. “I don't have a family or a home anymore.”

Aleena got up and sat beside Sonic. “I'm so sorry.”

“I wish my real mom and dad could take me back.” Sonic said. “But I guess they didn't love me.”

Aleena sighed. “Sonic? Wanna hear a story?”

“Yeah.” Sonic replied.

“I knew this girl, she had three babies.” Aleena said. “She loved them so much, but she couldn't take care of them. The babies’ dad didn't want to help take care of them at all.”

“He’s a jerk.” Sonic replied.

“That’s what everybody else said too.” Aleena said. “Anyway, she just wanted the babies to be safe and have someone to take good care of them, so she sent them away. It broke her heart to do it. She can't get them back and has to wait until they grow up so she can contact them or they can contact her.”

“You think something like that happened to my mom?” Sonic asked.

“Maybe.” Aleena replied.

“Then I'll look for her when I grow up.” Sonic said, smiling.

Aleena smiled weakly. “I bet she'd love that.”

Sonic looked up to see a man, who was shaped almost like an egg, standing near the table and flipping through a chart.

“This is Dr. Robotnik, Sonic.” Aleena said. “He's one of the best in the state.”

“I would've thought his name was ‘Eggman’.” Sonic thought.

“Well, Sonic, the good news is that you won't need any skin grafts or surgery for your hand.” Dr. Robotnik said.

“That's good.” Sonic mumbled.

“Okay.” Robotnik said, sitting down. “Now, let's get this cleaned up so you can be on your way.”

Sonic looked at Aleena. “Can you stay with me? Please?”

“Of course.” Aleena said.
*

Sonic walked to the car with his social worker, Miss Bunnie Rabbot, who was a rabbit with a bionic arm and legs that she had gotten after a bad car wreck.

Miss Bunnie was kind enough to take him to his foster parents’ funeral.

Sonic kinda wished Miss Bunnie would adopt him, but she had already adopted her nieces and nephews some time ago.

Miss Bunnie let Sonic into the car. “There you go.”

“Thanks, Miss Rabbot.” Sonic said, buckling his seatbelt.

Miss Bunnie stood by the door. “Oh, my stars. I told you that you can call me Miss Bunnie. You don't have to be so formal with me, Sugar-hog.”

“Right; I'm sorry, Miss Bunnie.” Sonic said.

Miss Bunnie closed the door and went over to the driver's side. She climbed in and buckled her seatbelt.

Sonic tugged at his tie. “Can I take off this stupid suit now?”

“When we get to your new foster home.” Miss Bunnie said, starting the car. “I think you'll like it.”

“As long as they're cool and can make chili dogs, I'm fine with them.” Sonic replied.

Miss Bunnie giggled. “Oh, I'll miss you when you're adopted, Sugar-hog.”

“You can visit.” Sonic said. “If they'll let you.”

“Thanks, Sonic.” Miss Bunnie replied. “We'll see.”

Several minutes later, Miss Bunnie and Sonic arrived at a little blue cottage.

A hedgehog couple were sitting out on the porch. They got up and met Miss Bunnie and Sonic in the middle of the walkway.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hedgehog, this is Sonic.” Miss Bunnie said. “He's a very sweet little boy, but he'll keep you on your toes. He's the fastest little hoglet I've ever seen.”

Sonic grinned. “I'm sure I'm the fastest thing alive.”

“I'm sure you are.” The male said.

The female glanced back at the house. “Oh, I better get lunch started,” She said. “I bet you're hungry, Sonic. The agency said you love chili dogs, so-”

Sonic raced into the house.

He changed his clothes in the bathroom, then sat at the kitchen table before Miss Bunnie and the hedgehogs came inside.

Miss Bunnie came over and knelt down beside Sonic. “Well, you know to call me if you need something, right?”

“Yes, Miss Bunnie.” Sonic replied. “I have your number in my backpack.”

“Be good and take care of your hand, okay?” Miss Bunnie asked.

“I will.” Sonic replied. He hugged Miss Bunnie. “Bye, Miss Bunnie.”

“Bye, Sugar-hog.” Miss Bunnie said.

The female hedgehog showed Miss Bunnie out.

The male hedgehog sat down across from Sonic. “Now, I'm Chuck and that is my wife, Rachel.” He said. “You don't have to call us Mom or Dad if you don't want to or if you're not comfortable with that.”

“Can I call you aunt and uncle?” Sonic asked. “I like that better than Mr. or Mrs.”

“That'll be fine, Sonny boy.” Uncle Chuck said, ruffling Sonic's head spines. “You don't mind if I call you that, do you?”

Sonic laughed. “I like it.”

Rachel finally came back into the room. “Now, would you like to help me with lunch or would you like to have a look around?”

“I'll help, Aunt Rachel.” Sonic said.

Rachel smiled and patted Sonic on the back. “We'll give you a tour of the house right after lunch.”
*
Five year old Sonic ran into Aunt Rachel and Uncle Chuck’s room.

Aunt Rachel brushed out her navy blue head spines while Uncle Chuck put on his tie.

“No running in the house.” Aunt Rachel said.

“Sorry.” Sonic replied. “Can we go to the park?”

“Not today.” Uncle Chuck said. “We-”

Sonic groaned. “Ah, why can't we go to the park today?”

“We have to go to the courthouse.” Uncle Chuck said. “We’re adopting you today, remember?”

Sonic grinned. “Oh, yeah. Can we get chili dogs afterward?”

“I'll make chili dogs for you.” Rachel said. “We can go out for ice cream.”

Sonic leaped up. “Yes!”

Rachel laughed. “Alright, then let's get this over with so we can have ice cream as an official family.”
*
Seven year old Sonic pulled an old pair of brown leather gloves out of one of Rachel and Chuck's dresser drawers and slid them on.

“Maybe no one will see my scar now.” Sonic mumbled.

Rachel walked into the room. “Well, I'm glad you were able to find those, but what are you doing in our room?”

“The kids at school are making fun of my hand.” Sonic said. “Well, Sally doesn't, but the others do.”

Rachel nodded. “Do you really want gloves?”

Sonic looked at the gloves. “Yeah, I do, but not this color.”

“I'll find you something.” Rachel said. “Go do your chores and no running in the house please.”

“Yes, Aunt Rachel.” Sonic replied. He started to walk away, but stopped. “Oh, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting you adopted me, aunt- uh, Mom.”

“You don't have to call me Mom if you're not comfortable with it.” Rachel said.

As soon as Sonic finished his chores, Uncle Chuck came in with the groceries.

“I'll put these up.” Aunt Rachel said. “Show Sonic his present.”

“You got me a present?” Sonic asked. He paced around since he wasn't allowed to run in the house. “Where is it? Can I have them now?”

Uncle Chuck handed Sonic a pair of little gray fingerless gloves. “These will fit your hands better and won't irritate your skin.”

Sonic slid them on and looked at them. “Thanks, Uncle Chuck.” He said, smiling. “They fit great.”
*
Ten year old Sonic looked at the stagnant pond water.

Sally, a Mobian chipmunk and his best friend, shook her head. “Sonic, neither of us can see your gloves.” Sally said. “I'm sure Uncle Chuck will buy you more.”

The other kids pointed and laughed at Sonic.

“He's too chicken to get his stupid gloves.” A Mobian armadillo boy said.

“It won't hurt your ugly scar, porcupine.” A mobian tenrec boy jeered.

“I'm a hedgehog.” Sonic insisted. “I’m not chicken and I'll prove it.”

Sally reached for Sonic. “Sonic, no.”

Sonic dove into the pond and immediately realized it was a bad idea.

He couldn't swim and his foot and arm got caught on some kind of plant. He splashed around and tried to make his way back to land.

He got tangled in the plants, pulling him further down into the murky water. He tried to call for help, but got a mouthful of water instead.

“S- Sally!” Sonic coughed.

The other kids laughed.

“Uncle Chuck!” Sally screamed at the top of her lungs. She jumped onto a nearby rock and hopped her way over to Sonic on a few other rocks and an old log.

Sonic weakly reached for her.

Sally jumped into the water and pulled Sonic out of the plants. “Don't panic, Sonic. You'll be okay.”

Sonic feebly helped Sally paddle to shore where Uncle Chuck was waiting on them.

Sonic coughed up water as soon as he made it to shore.

Sally's dad ran over. “Bean? Are you okay?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Sally said.

Sonic hugged Sally. “Thanks, Sal, I thought I was gonna die.”

“You're welcome, Sonic.” Sally replied.

“Thank you, Sally.” Uncle Chuck said. “Come on, Sonny boy, let's take you to the doctor.”

Sonic grimaced.

“It's just to make sure you're okay.” Uncle Chuck said, picking up Sonic. “I'll buy you a chili dog when we're done.”

Sonic perked up a little. “Then let's go.”
*
Seventeen year old Sonic couldn't leave his seat after the graveside funeral service for his beloved aunt Rachel, who passed away from cancer.

Sally hugged Sonic.

Sonic sighed. “I lost two moms. I don't even know if my birth Mom's still out there.”

Sally rubbed Sonic's shoulder. “Sonic, you have another year and you can contact her,” She said. “We can do an ancestry report. I'll help you pay for it.”

“Ah, I can't ask you to pay for that.” Sonic replied.

“Daddy and I would love to.” Sally said. “Uncle Chuck even said he'd chip in. We all discussed this yesterday. We wanted to surprise you, but I don't think they'll mind that I told you given the circumstances.”

Sonic gave her a weak grin. “Thanks, Sal.” He replied. “Let's do it.”