//------------------------------//
// A hidden truth 
// Story: A Dash of Twilight 
// by 21latenighter 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow awoke a few hours later in a bed.  She slowly opened her eyes and looked around at her new surroundings.  A firm pillow lay beneath her head, making her uncomfortable.  She was wrapped up in an old quilt that smelled badly like must and dirt.  The bed itself was hard, but had a softness that could only be matched by wood.

She brought a hoof slowly to her forehead to feel the extent of her injury, but found it dressed and wrapped.

"Yer a lucky one Dash, if yer head wadn't so thick, you'd done cracked it in half," Applejack said as she opened the door and seen the Pegasus awake.

"AJ..." Rainbow began, looking to the pony now beside her, holding an ice pack in her teeth, "thank, thank you.."

"Aww shucks, it wadn't nothin Rainbow, just what friends do," AJ said as she placed the ice pack on Dash's head and then picked up a first aid kit she had brought in with her.  

She opened the small box and brought out a pair of scissors to cut the bandages off of Rainbow's head.

"Now hold still Dash, this'll only take a second," AJ said through her teeth as she cut through the gauze.

After the gauze was cut, she raised Dash's head up and finished removing the gauze.  Rainbow's wound had healed great, as only a small cut remained where a nasty gash had been on her hairline.  AJ redressed the wound as quickly as she had removed it.

"There we are sugar cube, another day or so and you should be able to take that bandage off," AJ said as she threw away the old bandage and closed the first aid kit.

"Hey AJ, could we talk for a bit?" Rainbow asked as AJ returned from the other room where she had taken the first aid.

"I guess, what's on yer mind?"

"Well, it's about Twilight..."

"Ya think this would be better with Rarity?" AJ asked.

"I dunno, I think Rarity would just try to dress me up for it or something and you, well.. we kinda get each other ya know.."

"Well I guess, what's up then?"

"I-I don't know how to say it, but, I always freeze in front of her when I want to tell her ya know."

"Well I kinda know where yer coming from there partner, but I moved on.." AJ said quietly, and her eyes darted across the room, as if searching to see if they were alone.

"What do ya mean?" Rainbow said, sitting up slowly to keep the massive headache at bay.

"Well alright Dash.." AJ said before leaning in close, "but you gotta promise not to tell any pony...any pony..." she whispered.

"Sure AJ, now what is it?" Dash asked as she perked her ears up and gave the orange earth pony her full attention.

"Well.." she started as if telling a grand story, "years ago, I kinda had a thing goin on... well, fer Rarity.." AJ said, waiting for Rainbow to bust up laughing, but the Pegasus only sat still and listened intently.

"I know, it sounds stupid, a big ole farm pony like me and a prissy city mare like her, but I dunno, it just felt.. right."

"What happened?" Dash asked.

"The day I was gonna tell her, I just got this feeling, like I was scared or something... so instead of talking to her about it, I just pushed it to the back of ma mind.  I can't say I didn't regret it, but I got past it.." she finished as her orange cheeks began to turn the faintest shade of pink.

"That's kinda how I've been feelin about Twi, but I can't even get the guts to talk to her, I just chicken out and run..." Rainbow said, embarrassed.

"Well, Granny always tells me that when the time's right, you'll know just what to say."

"If you could tell Rarity now, would you?" Dash asked, changing the subject slightly.

"Well.." AJ said as she thought about it for a second, "yea, yea I guess I would."

"Thanks AJ, I really needed this.." Rainbow said as she laid back down into the bed and covered up for the night.

"Anytime Dash, anytime.." AJ said before getting up to leave room.  "You get a good nights sleep and I'll see you tomorrow.." she said before walking out of the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes as she let sleep take her and she began to dream of the day she would tell Twilight about her feelings.