Boomer's Crisis

by WEKM

Chapter 17 Breakfast; With A Side Of, Well, That Was Quick

Chapter 17 Breakfast; With A Side Of, Well, That Was Quick

Koi's shriek brought Pepper charging into the kitchen ready to do battle. But she was stopped dead in her tracks just after she'd entered, at Koi's laughter. Laughter at whatever story Boomer was telling her as he cooked pancakes. He continued, "Seriously, she looked like a drowned rat. Now that I'm not smack in the middle of a panic attack, I have to admit, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen."

Boomer trotted over and kissed Pepper on the cheek, as she stood utterly confused. "Good morning. Just when I think you can't get any more beautiful, you charge in here with a warrior scowl and bed hair."

Pepper's hoof went to her mane in panic, and she charged out of the room every bit as fast as she came in.

Boomer smiled happily as he went back to the stove. He noticed one of Koi's ears cocked in the direction of Pepper's room as she quietly chuckled. He asked, "Is she always so protective of you?"

Koi smiled back, "Oh yes. We look after each other really. You rather unsettled her there. She's not used to someone thinking she's pretty. Right now she's frantically muttering about how you could possibly think she's beautiful when she just jumped out of bed. And, now she's freaking out that you just saw her in her nightgown. Now, I have a question for you. What are your intentions regarding her?"

He transferred the last of the pancakes to the serving platter and brought them to the table as he thought it over. "I don't want to hurt her any more than I already have. But I don't know if I can be any reliable part of her life. I'm more than a little damaged. I can't inflict that on her."

Koi took several bites of her pancakes as she studied him. It was odd having a blind pony staring at you like they could see right through to your soul. For a long time she just kept taking bites and looking at him. At last that ear that had been tracking Pepper began to pivot back. When it lined up with the doorway to the breakfast nook, Koi began speaking, still looking square at Boomer, as Pepper walked in, her mane and tail now in her standard work braids. "He cooks, has manners, a heart bigger than a mountain, and he cares deeply for you. If you don't snatch him up, I'm going to."

Pepper stumbled, nearly falling on her face, and Boomer was choking, having inhaled a bite of his pancake. Koi just continued eating, although her smile was much wider.

Pepper patted Boomer on the back and handed him a glass of water. "You kill him, and neither of us will get that chance." She growled at Koi.

Koi's grin just continued to grow with each bite she took. "Excellent breakfast by the way. Do I get to stay as you tell him how you ended up sleeping in his old bed, or are you going to kick me out?"

Pepper flushed even brighter, "Koi!" She yelled, but composed herself quickly, "As if kicking you out of the room would do any good. Is there anything in this house you don't hear?"

"Nope."

Finally able to breath again, Boomer stepped between the two fillies. "I assume that was my cue to start asking questions. And I guess Koi's suggestion is a good place to start. How did you end up living here?"

Pepper sat down at the table. "Not just yet. Koi is right, this is too good a breakfast to waste, so I'm going to eat first. After that, I'll tell you all about it."

Boomer thought of something he could deal with right then. He focused on his sister and thought, "I'm sorry I got so upset with you last night. Please join us, if you can."

He felt Giggles kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear, "I'm sorry too."

Koi jumped back from the table, horn lowered and pointed at Giggles. "Who are you? And how did you get in here?" She demanded.

Pepper rushed to Koi's side, "It's okay. It's just Boomer's sister. She's a ghost, that's why you didn't hear her come in."

Koi straightened up, her eyebrows visible high above her dark glasses. "You're haunted by your sister? How have you lived with that all these years?"

Boomer looked away, his head hanging a bit. But Giggles plowed right over any tender feelings he might have. "Oh no. I'm a much more recent addition to his life. Only four days now, but I'm already turning everything over on him. I'm trying to straighten out his screwed up life, and Pepper here is a big part of my plan."

Pepper and Boomer both just stared at her, but Koi shifted from shock to amusement, "Really now. Want any help with those plans?"

Giggles laughed, "I'm guessing you're responsible for the lovely gardens out back? I've spent most of the morning exploring them while I waited for my brother to talk to me after I bungled things so badly last night. Why don't we go on back out there, and you can tell me how someone blind manages to create something so beautiful. That will give these two a chance to decide to start kissing again. I can't say for certain with Pepper, but that's all that's been on my brother's mind all morning."

Boomer was blushing so hot, he thought for sure his mane was going to burst into flames. Koi and his sister walked out the back door laughing. It was a real effort to force himself to look over at Pepper. She was grinning at him

"You told me your sister hears everything going on in your head. Are you gonna try and tell me she was lying just now?" Her look all but dared him to try denying it. Did he want to?

He looked away, "I can't hurt you again." He whispered.

She all but screamed at him, "Then stop turning away from me! Stop teasing me, hovering out on the edges. If you don't want to hurt me, step up and just accept that none of us knows how anything is going to turn out, but the effort itself is worth the risk. I've waited too long. Now that I've caught a glimpse of who is in that shadow, I want all of him. If you can't give me that, then by all means, walk away. But if you do, just keep walking. I'd rather have that one big hurt of you leaving, than the hundreds of knives over and over from you hiding out on the edges."

Boomer looked back at her, stunned. "I'm, I'm sorry. I have been so long nursing my guilt, it's hard to let go. You're right though. I have been afraid to be happy. But, I don't want to be afraid any more. I, I want to try; to give us a chance. And if I start backsliding, by all means, feel free to smack me."

Pepper's grin was back, "Excellent. Now, I'm going to finish my breakfast, and I want you to think on what you'd like to say to, or possibly do with me." Boomer's blush came back full strength.

Despite Pepper taking her time eating, breakfast time seemed to just evaporate. He couldn't believe he was about to be so bold, but, this was new Boomer, right? "Before we get back to kissing, and no, my sister wasn't lying, tell me how you came to live here." He cringed, praying he wasn't too forward.

Pepper came around the table and kissed his cheek. "I'd love to. If for no other reason than to make sure I have your undistracted attention when we do get to the kissing."

Boomer sighed, "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

Pepper smiled as she headed out into the living room. "Nope, but you can give it your best shot to try and live up to it, after I tell you how Boomer House came to be."

Once in the living room, Pepper took a seat and got comfortable, indicating for Boomer to do the same. She studied him for a second before beginning, "You wanted to hide your involvement in my recovery. Maybe you should have paid more attention. My parents were in the hospital room when you came in. They told me what you said and did. When I woke up, dad told me, "That boy was as broken up over your getting hurt as if it had been himself. You could do a lot worse than having some pony like that looking out for you." Which was amazing, as he usually doesn't care for any pony who isn't a pegasus."

Boomer blinked, "They were there?"

She nodded and continued, "You impressed enough ponies there at the hospital that, when the time for me to be moved out of the hospital, yet I was still going to need care, they decided to create an outpatient care center. Many put enough pressure on Filthy Rich, that he donated your home to house it. Koi was brought in to help with physical therapy and mental well-being. After I was recovered, I was asked to stay on and help as well. We've helped a lot of ponies return to their lives after horrible things have befallen them, and you're to thank for part of it all. So, you see, great things have come out of something bad, because of you."

Boomer thought about all of that. He looked over at her, "It really does make you think about everything differently, doesn't it. My sister's death was what enabled me to defeat the Nightmare Realm, and destroy their gate. Your injury led to many others getting help they might not have otherwise. Pinkie Pie's visits and mayhem in my shop, gave me the clues needed to get us out of the Nightmare Realm's clutches this time. Which also helped free many spirits from ours and countless other worlds. That also gave me a chance to make amends with my sister..." He paused, looking towards the back yard. He spoke aloud, but also pushed the thought, "I know what your favor is, and I would have gladly done it regardless. Well, at least I would now. A week ago, I don't think I could have. Thank you for helping me heal."

Koi and Giggles' ghost entered the living room. She walked over and kissed her brother's forehead, "Like I said, it's too important. I wouldn't have let you say no."

He smiled up at her, although with a bit of sadness in his eyes, "Yes. Yes it is." He looked back over at Pepper, "There are a few things to take care of first, but soon, I'm taking Giggles to see our parents. If you would, I'd like you to come along."

Pepper looked back at him, more than a little surprised, "Really?"

Boomer smiled, "I figure, it's only fair they get to meet the pony I plan to marry."

The whole room went dead silent. He got up from his chair, went over and kneeled down in front of hers. Taking her front hoof in both of his, he looked up into her wide eyes, "I know I'm damaged, and I have a long ways to go to be whole. But I've already given up too much time to being afraid of what might be, of dwelling on what wasn't. I can't walk away from you. You are everything good in my life, and you make me want to be better than I am. I don't have much to offer you. But, all that I have, all that I am, I give to you freely. Say you'll be my wife, and I will move heaven and earth to make you happy."

Behind him, from the hallway that led to the back yard came a very distinct bubbly voice, "Oh! That was just beautiful."

Almost afraid of what he would see, Boomer turned his head. Sure enough, in the hall behind Koi, was not only Pinkie Pie, who he had heard, but the other pony he could feel, Princess Luna was right behind Pinkie, grinning. He nearly swallowed his tongue.

Pepper gently took his chin, and turned him back to meet her joy filled, tear rimmed eyes, "Yes. With all of my heart, yes."

He leaned in and kissed her, letting his tears flow freely as well.

After they separated; managing to compose themselves a bit, he heard Koi say to Giggles, "Ha! Pay up."

Boomer looked to Giggles. He was surprised to see that a ghost could actually blush. She looked a tad sheepish as she said, "Uh, Boomer, could I borrow five bits?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Do I dare ask why?"

Giggles hemmed and hawed, before Koi broke in, "We bet on when you would ask her. I said, less than a week. Her ghostlyness here said, at least a month. Pinkie Pie claimed you would need at least six months of practice being her honorary uncle before you would be ready. The Princess however, abstained. She said something about joining in not being fair, but of course it sounded a lot more flowery. Honestly, your boldness surprised all of us."

Princess Luna spoke up, "It surpriseth me not. My Knight Champion is quick to act once a decision hath been made. I felt that in him we we didst first meet. In truth, didst I feel that a momentous decision was about to be made, and journied along with his recent companion to see what aid and support I could lend. It appears that all that is needed is for me to extend ye my heartfelt congratulations."