The view form the Lapiz building, as they called it, held many eyes captive all anno round with it's wonderful visualizzazioni of the village. The view outside was especially great because of the snow silently falling and the glimmer of Natale lights showering the white ground with color.

Not that Rouge had anytime to think about that. She was hard at work at one of the empty cubicles, tossing paperwork one da one in separate piles while the bags under her eyes grew heavy. She just wanted to sleep, just one minuto of resting her eyes. Instead she shifted her gaze at her papers again and sighed.

It wasn't her fault for working this late. She wasn't procrastinating, like her looks and actions suggested, because she decided to do something else instead of the work that was dato to her. Some of her fellow workers had decided their vacation was più important than their jobs and they had decided to take off and leave the project for someone else to do. Of course, these people will get pay cuts, but the project still had to get done. Unfortunately, her and five other people were the ones who were stuck doing it.

"Rouge, I have some più papers for you." Rica, a magenta hedgehog, said. She dropped the stack and ran to make some copies. Rica was new and always tried to help out the best she could. The problem was, she was entirely new so she never even worked a coffee machine before. She felt bad she wasn't of much use so she came in to help anyway she could.

Luckily, All Rouge had to do now was to put the papers into stacks and ready for submission. After all, she spent three hours getting the papers typed up. She wanted to try to make it home. She looked at the clock on the bacheca and groaned. It said, 9:45 on it. Rouge didn't know when Knuckles would arrive, if at all, but she wanted to get home as fast as she could anyway.

She started sognare ad occhi aperti about how nice it would be to be in his arms and stay there until morning. How his dreadlocks would feel so nice as they touched her face when she leaned her head on his shoulder. It would be heaven.

"Rouge!" Rica cried, running into the room. "I think I broke the copy machine!"

Rouge sighed heavily, 'A sweet girl, but totally helpless.'

----

"Hello, this is Rouge the Bat. I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now but please leave a message and I'll get back to te as soon as possible."

The red echidna growled and hung up the phone. "Where could she be on Natale Eve?" He asked himself. Finding that he wasn't getting an answer, he decided to go to Rouge's house and see if she was there. He wouldn't be surprised if she was there, and just not wanting to pick up the phone.

He felt his stomach turn as he walked to Rouge's house. Yes, he had chosen her. The little brown bag he carried crackled as his grip tightened. At first, he was really happy she hadn't picked up the phone. He was dreading this so much. "I bet Rouge will be mad at me when I mostra up. She'll probably say, 'What took te so long' o 'you mean te actually thought of choosing her?'" If he really thought that, then why did he choose her to present his present to? No, he didn't believe what he just muttered. He only thought that because she often yells at him with that those kinds of words.

At first, he was going to choose Amber. Her present was great. It was a punching bag with extra durability so that it could withstand his punches. He remembered when he had talked with Amber, seated together in a comfy sofa. They had so much in common. He realized afterwards why he went with Amber in the first place. He was mad at Rouge. Rouge had called him names all the time, and he thought it didn't bother him. After that last time she called him a 'knucklehead' his conscience couldn't take it. He left her, even though the girl he left with was the one who hurt her.

Later on, when he was da himself, he remembered something he had chosen not to. The look on her face. Rouge looked like her insides were going to burst when he walked away with Amber. If it wasn't for her ego, she probably would have cried right there.

Rouge's present made him laugh.

==

"Hey, Knux. Open Rouge's present." Tails said, grabbing the red and green wrapped box out of the package.

"All right, all right." Knuckles sighed. He quickly stripped the wrapping paper off the box and opened the top. Inside was a clear pouch with white snowballs on it. The pouch was filled to the brim with cookies.

"You hungry Knux?" Sonic teased, "You might want to take a good look at those cookies."

He did. The biscotti, cookie were burnt on the bottoms and a little brown on the sides. Knuckles laughed, "It looks like I found another weakness that Rouge has-cooking!" After few laughs the four of them settled down.

"Are te going to eat them?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know," Knux said, "I'm scared that they'll taste as bad as they look."

"She worked hard on them I'm sure. te might as well." Shadow said.

"Geesh Shadow, you're so pure-minded. If someone gave te poop as a present you'd probably eat it!" Sonic remarked.

Knuckles laughed, but he knew Shadow was right.
==
Knuckles reached into his giacca pocket and pulled out the pouch. He still hasn't tried it. Knuckles reached Rouge's house and knocked on the door. No answer. He tried again. Still no sound. Then he noticed a scrap of paper attached to the door.

At Lapiz Building doing work-for anyone who is looking for me. Rouge.

--

"This one goes here, that one goes there." Rouge detto out loud. She was halfway through the final pile and it was now 10:30. Rouge sent Rica to look for anyone else working in the building so that the copy machine might get fixed. Yes, Rica did break it. "Don't ask me how but she did." Rouge muttered to herself.

She peered out the window and saw that many of the people had gone home. Besides major shopping procrastinators, everyone else was home right now. A group of people walked da the building holding birra and shouting loudly; they were obviously drunk. How she wished she were out there, on her way home too.

Rica came running in shouting, "Rouge! I found someone who fixed the copy machine. Now I can finish making those copies!"

"I'll go do it." Rouge said, groggily. "Stay here and staple together those five piles over there." She walked down the hallway without another word and started to set the pages in.

After finishing her stapling work, Rica went down to the lounge on the bottom floor to thank the man who had fixed the copy machine. When she reached there, she thanked the kindly old walrus and watched him leave. A red echidna walked in after him, looking out of breath and very tired. "Excuse me." Knuckles breathed. "Do te know where I can find Rouge the Bat?"

Rica, remembering her training, said, "I'm sorry sir but Rouge is very busy finishing a project."

"Oh," He replied, sadly. He lifted up his brown bag and handed it to her. "Could te at least give her this? It's a present."

"Sure," Rica replied, turning on her heel, "I'll deliver this right away." With that, she disappeared into an elevator.

Knuckles sighed and kicked at the ground as he slowly made his way out the door. He was really hoping that at the end of this wild oca chase he would get to see her. Once outside, he leaned against the bacheca and pulled out the pouch again. Carefully, he pulled out one of the burnt biscotti, cookie and stared at it. He remembered Shadow saying that she did work hard on it and that he should try it. He didn't need Shadow telling him that! He knew. Knuckles bit off a piece of the cookie and braced himself for the horrid taste that he thought would come. Instead, it tasted as good as any other cookie. It was sweet and soft and all together pretty good except for when he chewed the burnt pieces. "I guess te can't judge everything da appearance."

--

"There we are." Rouge said, smiling. She picked up the stack of copied papers and brought it over to her desk. She just plopped down in her sede, sedile when Rica came running in holding a brown bag.

"Rouge! Rouge!" She called, "I got a present for you!"

"Really?" Rouge said, tiredly leaning her head on her hand. "Who's it from?"

"There was this guy who came into the lobby and asked for you. He looked like he ran a marathon. Anyway, I detto te were busy and he told me to give te this." Rica said.

"That's great." Rouge murmured, not really paying attention because drowsiness started to take over. It took her a few minuti but then it finally got through to her. Suddenly she Lost all her tiredness as flew up from her chair and grabbed Rica da the collar. "Who was he? What did he look like?"

"... he didn't say what his name was but," Rica mumbled, startled da Rouge's outburst, "He was a red echidna."

Rouge grabbed the bag and ran for the elevator as fast as she could, yelling, "I'll be right back!" She stepped in the elevator and pressed for floor one. As she waited, she opened the brown paper bag. Inside was a plushie of didn't look so good. Its arm was hanging da a loose thread and it's eyes were buttons; probably because Knuckles Lost the original eyes. There were heavy stitches sewn all over its body and looked like Frankenstein. Rouge was almost going to laugh at the horrid little thing when she looked at it. But, Knux made it himself. It was a homemade gift.

Suddenly she looked at it warmly and hugged it to her chest. She thought, "I guess Knuckles and I can't make very good gifts, appearance wise, but I can see how hard he worked on it and I Amore it." Rouge also wondered if Knuckles hurt himself while trying to make the plushie- she'd have to check that out.

As the elevator came to a stop, Rouge stuffed the plushie into the bag and ran out of the lobby. If he did in fact leave, she could never catch up to him da foot. Once the cold wind greeted her body she beat her wings and took to the air.

She spotted Knuckles a few blocks away walking slowly in front of a dollar store. She silently landed behind and called softly, "Knuckles."

Knuckles turned around and was surprised to see Rouge standing before him. He took a deep breath as his cuore drummed in his ears and he tried to calm himself. "So, I take it te got my gift? It's pretty cheesy I know but."

"No," Rouge stopped him, "I Amore it. te must have worked really hard."

"You're just saying that." Knuckles sighed, running his hand through his dreadlocks. Rouge grabbed his hand and quickly took off his glove. Just as she suspected, he had band-aids all over his fingers. It was probably where he poked himself with a needle. When Knuckles saw the look of concern on her face, he pulled his hand away and growled, "Hey! That's none of your business. They're just scratches anyway-no big deal."

"What ever te say, Big Shot." Rouge shrugged. "So, did te eat my present?" She noticed that Knuckles was staring down at his shoes; an obvious sign that the answer was a 'no.' Amber's gift must have been really stingy for him to choose her. "I see." Rouge said, sadly, "I guess I'll be on my way now."

"What?" Knuckles asked, looking up from his shoes. He was looking at them because he was embarrassed to tell her that he did eat one; not because he didn't. "I did eat some."

"Well I don't believe you, Knuckles!" Rouge snorted.

"Fine!" Knuckles growled, "I'll prove it!" Knuckles grabbed Rouge da the shoulders and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Rouge was shocked and stunned but she did Amore this new feeling welling inside her. She brought her hands to the sides of his face and gently caressed his head. Knux opened his mouth so she could enter and then she knew what he was trying to mostra her. As her tongue glided along his mouth she could taste the cookie dough and Cioccolato chip that were still stuck to his teeth.

After a minuto o two, they pulled away, both breathing hard. "You didn't brush your teeth?" She asked, slyly.

"Ah, no way!" Knuckles said, sticking out his tongue, "I just had one a few minuti ago."

Rouge couldn't help but laugh. He always took things so seriously but that was what she loved about him. She hugged him and felt just like she did when she was sognare ad occhi aperti only it was better since it was actually happening. "I'm so glad te chose me." Rouge murmured into his dreadlocks, "I Amore you."

Knuckles held her tight and replied, "I Amore te too." He smiled as he breathed in her vanilla perfume. He knew that he loved her so much no matter what. He realized that he was able to endure her nicknames for him and the arguments they had because of it.

"I'm sorry to break up this perfect moment but I have to get back to the building," Rouge sighed, letting go of him. "Rica can't manage without me."

"Don't worry, I'll walk you," Knuckles said, taking her hand. It stung a bit when he took her hand because of his cuts, but the feeling of her gloved hand touching his was enough to cancella out the pain.

They reached the building in a few minutes. It didn't take them too long since they were filled with the warm energy they were feeling for each other.

"I'll wait in the lobby for you," Knuckles said, as they reached the elevator. He slowly let go of her hand and let it drop to his side.

"Don't worry, I won't take too long." Rouge said, "Then we can spend Natale Eve at my house." The elevator opened in front of them and Rouge stepped in-but not before giving Knuckles a veloce, swift kiss. She winked as the doors closed over her.

Knuckles smiled to himself and took a sede, sedile in one of the soft chairs, his hand never leaving the spot she just touched.

--

"I saw the whole thing!" Rica detto smugly, "From the time te walked in the door again."

"And how did te do that?" Rouge asked.

"I'm fast so when I saw te approach I stood on the emergency steps." Rica sighed, "So that's what Amore can make te do."

"?"

"It makes te energetic when you're tired, happy when te were cranky before. It fills te with an unimaginable feeling that makes te feel whole." Rica whispered to herself.

"Yeah, something like that," Rouge retorted, shuffling some papers.

"I haven't experienced Amore yet." Rica said, all pouty.

"Don't be in any rush," Rouge said, "You have to find the perfect man."

"And did you? Was that him for sure?" Rica asked, looking at the window.

"Indeed it is."