Shadow never thought he'd come to this, Sonic had told him on their last encounter —don't let pain change who you are. Still, It was difficult for him. When you come lost into a world that treats you like a monster, without family or friends, and that same world takes away the only good thing you have —Maria— it's difficult to leave it all behind.

When he opened his eyes to the fact that no, Maria wouldn't have wanted him to destruct the earth she cared so much about, he had made a 360° turn in his decission and helped Eggman destroy the spaceship with the laser. It exploded, and everyone thought he had died alognside Eggman —Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Tom, Maddie. But the truth was that the explosion had sent him crashing in some point in the mountains, you found him there.

Since that moment he had been living with you and your family, who didn't seem that weirded out about having an alien red and black hedgehog living with them. You reminded him a lot of Maria, so sweet and gentle, with so much hope in him —so patient and young. That made his long forgotten protective instincts spark back to life.

So, the first time he saw you faint right infront of him after standing up too fast he felt his heart drop —all the grief and dread he felt with Maria's death washing over him like a tidal wave. When he was made aware by your parents that you had low iron and that was normal —how could that be normal!?!— he felt himself slipping back into the Shadow he was before Maria's loss.

He didn't notice, or maybe he did, but he was slowly turning into some kind of service dog.

You were both sat on the couch, watching TV, with your parents at work. You were about to get up to grab something, and out of the corner of his eye he caught onto the slight wobblyness in your knees. His gloved hands immediately went to your knees, keeping you seated. "Your iron is too low" he spoke, low and firm as always. "you need to stay seated, or you'll faint" he added.