//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8 
// Story: Critical Mass 
// by SC_Orion 
//------------------------------//

Twilight jolted awake. Her eyes shot open, and the heart rate monitor's beeping sped up. A dark room greeted her. She swallowed as she stared up at the ceiling. Despite the darkness, she immediately recognized it. A part of her wanted to frown or growl at the mocking white ceiling staring back down at her, she wanted to lash out at the all too familiar sight, but she was too numb for that. She was tired, and she felt cold. The warm blankets enveloping her helped, but she still felt bitterly cold, a memory of what had been. She was tired, and the soft bed below her back was bliss compared to what she had laid on for the past week, but it still felt wrong. She couldn't feel Rainbow beside her.


The heart rate monitor quickly slowed back to a normal rate, and its the steady beeping was the only sound that broke the silent stillness of the room, aside from the occasional echo of hooves clopping on the tiled floor of the hallway. Her eyelids felt heavy. Her body ached all over. She was exhausted, and she felt numb and sluggish, the adrenaline which spurred her on having dissipated.


She blinked, then looked down at the white blankets covering her body. Even as she looked down where her chest was, her gaze was drawn to her right side. She could feel it, and it felt wrong. The numbness dominating her body and mind almost felt like it was emanating from her barren side. She could see her wing was gone even with the blankets around her. It was noticeable, and it felt unfamiliar. Her side was no longer protected by her soft feathers. A part of her was gone. Her side felt cold, but at the same time, her injury felt unbearably warm. She could feel a bandage wrapped around her body, and the bandage was wrapped under her other wing, leaving it free to move.


She breathed calmly, still in shock. Slowly, almost unnoticeably, her eyes drifted away from her side and toward the window. Soft white light flooded the room from the moon, but it wasn't enough to completely illuminate the room. Outside of the path of the light through the window, she could barely see, although she could make out chairs and the walls.


She didn't see or hear anypony else around. She was alone, and the feeling of loneliness sank into her heart and chest. She felt hollow, even after being rescued from Queen Chrysalis, there was nopony there for her. Not Celestia, not Luna, not one of her friends, nor her student, and neither was Rainbow Dash there. The room was silent and empty, and the loneliness stung like a betrayal. Even her mind was silent, too tired and too occupied with what happened to say anything.


She swallowed, then licked her lips. Her mouth was dry, and her lips were rough. She forced the memory of her dry lips away, then she slowly brought her eyes back to rest on the blankets covering her body. She slowly pulled a forehoof out from the blanket, then laid it down on top of the blanket and laid her forehoof over her chest. She brought her other forehoof out from the blankets and placed it on her chest beside her other forehoof, then she lifted her head up. For a split second, her vision shifted, as if the room had been turned around her by thirty degrees, almost like something Discord would do, but by the time she noticed it, it had returned to normal.


She looked around her bed, then she took a deep breath. She slid her forehooves down, then pushed herself back, pushing her neck and then withers up onto the pillow before she leaned up and pushed herself up into a sitting position. As the blankets fell off of her body, she shivered from their warmth being lost to the cold, unforgiving hospital air. She closed her eyes, then calmly took a breath. She opened her eyes, then slowly brought her gaze back to her right side.


Her side was bandaged and flat. It was plainly evident that the bandage was only covering her body, and that there was nothing underneath the wrap. The white bandage showed no signs of her still bleeding, but her coat was still bloodied and grimy from her lack of bathing. She blinked several times and swung her head back around. She looked straight ahead at the wall for a moment, then her head slumped and her eyes shifted to stare down at the blankets.


Her left side was warm and cozy, while her right side felt icy. She gradually lifted her head back up and looked over at her left side. Her left wing remained intact and in pristine condition, other than disarrayed feathers and needing to be cleaned and preened. Her chest throbbed. She swallowed and found herself forcing back a knot in her throat she hadn't noticed. She slowly extended her wing out to its full extent, then she looked back at her other side. She could still feel her muscles intact, at the ready to obey her command to flare out her missing wing. She moved them, and her world lit up in pain.


She slouched forward and clenched her eyes shut as the hot pain rolled through her side and washed over her body. She bared her teeth from the agony, and tears rolled down her eyes. As quickly as the pain came, it passed, but her side continued to throb beneath the oppressively tight bandage. She lifted a shaky forehoof to her eyes and wiped away her tears. Her lips remained open, even as her mouth stayed closed. She looked back to her left and gazed out the windows at the starry night sky.


Eventually, her physical pain faded as she stared out at the sky, but the memory remained, as did a ghost of the pain which continued to haunt her body. She looked back down at the blankets at her hooves and her eyes darted about as they took in the blandness of the white fabric, although she didn't commit any of it to memory, as her mind was too preoccupied.


The sound of hoofsteps walking through the hallway drew her attention to the door. Her ears perked up as she listened to the sound and she looked over toward the door. The door was hidden by part of the wall, but she still watched and listened intently, waiting for something, hoping for somepony to visit her and relieve her solitude. The hoofsteps grew in volume, then reached a peak before they started to fade and grow distant. Eventually, the hoofsteps finally disappeared, as did the brief comforting hope that somepony would come for her.


Her ears folded back and her muzzle slowly dropped downward. Her eyes glazed over as they slowly slid back to their prior focus of blankly staring at the bed sheets. The condemning loneliness permeated her whole body, and as the seconds passed, she felt more and more numb and distant. She felt empty. She was broken. She felt useless. 'Nopony is here because I'm not worth it...' It was the first coherent thought she had since she woke up. Her legs wobbled, and her body shuddered as she inhaled, brought on by the pain of the thought.


She clenched her eyes shut and collapsed forward on the bed, too weak to sit up. She pressed her muzzle into the blankets, then slid her head back and pressed her forehead into the bed, hoping it would somehow ease her pain or take her mind off of things. Instead, it only served to remind her about her missing horn.


She didn't cry, she didn't have it in her, she was too empty and hollow from everything that had happened to her for tears.


A soft, calm sound of hooves touching the floor from her left broke the silence. "Twilight?" Rainbow's soft, weary voice broke the stillness of the air.


Twilight's breath caught in her throat at the sound of the voice. She shook a little where she laid, and a faint ray of hope shined through the dark emptiness inside her. She felt fear when the sound didn't immediately repeat itself, worrying that she had just imagined it. Her heart ached and it felt like it was being twisted inside her chest. She shuddered and forced herself to move her muzzle forward. She reluctantly opened an eye and looked toward the sound of the voice.


"Hey, Twilight..." Rainbow said softly. She was standing near a couch positioned against the wall with the window, situated in the corner. A crumpled up blanket was piled up towards the end of the couch closest to the window.


Twilight felt the emptiness fade as joy slowly started to fill the hollowness left inside her body and mind by her fears and feelings of uselessness, but it was slow, and the feelings of being useless fought against it. She slowly lifted her head up and stared at Rainbow, taking in her body and expression, as if it had been somepony she hadn't seen in decades.


Rainbow smiled a small, gentle smile, but behind it, there was fear and concern. Her eyes were still as bright and vibrant as ever, or perhaps even more so, but they still looked off, because they were filled with worry. Her mane was dry but messy, much messier than normal, with some strands splayed out, and some sticking straight up, a result of her being asleep and flying in a storm. Her coat shined with its normal bright, welcoming sheen, and her wings were as pristine as usual.


To Twilight, she looked like the most beautiful pony in the world, yet she still didn't believe Rainbow was actually there, and she still didn't smile. She continued to stare at Rainbow, still struggling with what happened.


Rainbow's smile faded to be replaced with a blank line. She shifted her weight, then took a deep breath and slowly crossed the room. She walked over to the bed, then sat down on her haunches and placed her forehooves on the bed. Twilight stared at her, almost like she didn't recognize her.


After several seconds, Twilight's eyes turned down to look at Rainbow's forehooves. Slowly, she slid a forehoof over to Rainbow. She hesitated as she neared her forehoof, then she licked her lips before finally edging her hoof closer and with the slightest touch, brushed her forehoof against Rainbow's forehoof, afraid she wasn't actually there. When she felt Rainbow's forehoof, she looked up at her and swallowed. She flashed Rainbow a weak half smile, which quickly faded. She turned her head back toward the wall in front of the bed and she stared down at the bed. Her muzzle slowly fell downward.


Rainbow wrapped her forehooves around Twilight's hoof. "Hey... it's... it's okay, alright?" she coaxed. She squeezed Twilight's hoof in an attempt to reassure her. Twilight only inhaled deeply before exhaling. Rainbow's heart ached in pain from seeing Twilight like that. She slowly stood up, then pulled herself up onto the bed.


Twilight glanced over at Rainbow as she felt the bed shift from Rainbow's weight, then she looked over at her friend as she climbed up beside her, then sat down. Twilight swallowed and slowly turned away from her.


"Twilight, please... just... relax..." Rainbow said in a soft voice. She hesitantly extended her right wing and looked it over, then she looked at Twilight's body. She looked over the bandage and Twilight's wing, then she carefully laid her wing around Twilight's back and wrapped it around her side above where her wing would have been. She felt Twilight tense up beneath her wing as she embraced her, and she swallowed back a knot in her throat. She took a deep breath, then gently pulled Twilight toward her.


At first, Twilight resisted Rainbow's coaxing, but then she glanced over at her. The pain in Rainbow's eyes was enough to make her stop resisting, and she let Rainbow pull her against her side while she stared at Rainbow. Her eyes started to burn, and she blinked several times. As soon as she felt Rainbow's shoulder against hers, she relaxed and leaned into her. "I-I'm sorry... Rainbow..." she whimpered.


Rainbow frowned, then quickly shifted her weight and turned to face Twilight. She lifted her forelegs and wrapped them around Twilight's withers, then she slid a forehoof up to her mane and started gently brushing the edge of her forehoof into her friend's mane to comfort her. Despite how coarse Twilight felt from being unclean, Rainbow welcomed feeling Twilight's body against her after being kept apart for so long. "It's... not your fault, Twilight... you know that..." she said quietly. She gently coaxed Twilight's head against her chest, then she laid her head atop her and nuzzled her mane. Months ago, holding Twilight like this and trying to comfort her was a foreign idea to her, but now, it felt right and necessary, it was her duty, and she welcomed it.


Twilight turned her body toward Rainbow and pressed her forehead into her, then cautiously wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow's body and held her. "I... I-I... I..." She didn't know where to start. She opened her eyes and cried into Rainbow's chest. She sniffled and her body shuddered, shaking uncontrollably with each breath she took in. Her breathing was unsteady, despite Rainbow holding her and brushing her mane.


"Shh... it's okay, just... let it out..." Rainbow coaxed. She squeezed Twilight and held her closer. She unfurled her left wing, then laid it around Twilight's body, carefully avoiding the bandage on her side. She slid her right wing up to Twilight's shoulder, then slowly slid her wing down across Twilight's side, brushing her feathers against Twilight's coat. She relished feeling Twilight's coat against her feathers, and both of them took comfort in it. Feeling the heat and wetness from Twilight's tears, however, brought her to tears. She closed her eyes and nuzzled Twilight again. She continued to stroke her mane and hold her close, refusing to let her go and refusing to let anything come in between them.


Eventually, Twilight recovered enough for her breathing to calm. She slowly slid her forehooves over Rainbow's sides, feeling her friend's soft, inviting coat. She wanted nothing more than to bury herself in Rainbow's body and never leave, but she couldn't do that. It wasn't fair for Rainbow, and it was demanding too much from the pony who was already giving her so much. Her ears folded back in shame, and she shifted her head, causing Rainbow to lift her head off of hers, then she pulled her head back and looked away from Rainbow.


Rainbow calmly brought a forehoof up to Twilight's muzzle and gently brushed her hoof alongside her, then gently coaxed Twilight back into facing her. Twilight immediately stared down at Rainbow's chest to avoid eye contact. Rainbow smiled down at Twilight, then leaned down and slowly slid her muzzle across Twilight's muzzle, then she slid back and continued brushing their muzzles together in a tender, affectionate nuzzle. After the first few strokes, Twilight tilted her head into Rainbow's nuzzle and returned it. After they broke, Rainbow brushed away Twilight's mane, then leaned in and gently placed her warm, wet lips on Twilight's forehead, right where her horn would have been.


Twilight's heart fluttered as she felt Rainbow's warm lips on her forehead, and the beeping of the heart rate monitor noticeably picked up. She blushed a little but made no move to get away from Rainbow. The kiss lingered for several seconds before Rainbow pulled away, although both of them could still feel the phantom sensation of the other. Twilight instinctually lowered her head away from Rainbow, and even in the faint, soft moonlight, the faint crimson blush upon her cheeks was plainly evident.


Rainbow grinned. "That's better," she said.


Twilight smiled faintly and sighed, then leaned over to Rainbow and laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder. She nuzzled against her, then buried her nose in Rainbow's mane and inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes, then calmly exhaled, blowing air out into Rainbow's mane. She held onto Rainbow tighter. "I... thank you, Rainbow... for... coming to get me, and... for keeping me safe and... bringing me home... And... thank you for being here, and... staying with me and..." she trailed off and resumed nuzzling Rainbow to show her thanks and affection to the pegasus.


Rainbow laid her head against Twilight's and held her there. She sat there calmly, feeling Twilight's heartbeat and her breathing as she tried to comfort her friend and help her to relax. 'We need to talk... but... not now...' She grimaced a little and nuzzled the back of Twilight's neck in gentle, slow strokes.


Twilight held Rainbow tighter, and she swallowed. "I-I don't deserve you... y-you deserve somepony better than me, Rainbow..."


Rainbow reaffirmed her grip on Twilight, holding her tighter and closer. "Don't," she said firmly.


Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. After several seconds of trying, she relented and closed her mouth.


"Twilight, I want to be with you, not anypony else..." Rainbow said gently. "You're my best friend... I'm sorry that I said no when you asked me the first time... I've only regretted it since then..." she trailed off glumly, hurt by the reminder of her mistakes.


"Rainbow... I... I can't walk, and... I... I can't fly..." Twilight said at length in a small, quiet voice.


"Twilight, please... it... it'll be okay. You'll be fine, I promise... I'll be there for you," Rainbow replied. "You're alive and safe, and th-that's what m-matters to me," she said softly, her voice crackling from pain.


Twilight felt guilty and closed her eyes as Rainbow's voice crackled. 'This is all my fault... she's hurting because of me, and... it's all my fault...' She slowly shifted her weight and pulled away from Rainbow, only for the pegasus to stop her from leaving. 'I've only hurt you and everypony else since... I'm such a burden, and... now I'm even more of a burden because I can't fly and I don't have my wing...' Her expression fell further and further with each passing second, but she maintained an outward appearance of calm.


Before her mind could add more to the thought, there was a quick knock on the door. Both of them turned toward the door as it opened. A single pony walked inside, and the door closed behind him. Doctor Manner walked around and looked at the two of them. He smiled faintly, but there was still a grimace to his smile. "Princess," he said calmly.


Twilight glanced over at Rainbow, then shifted her weight away from her. Rainbow reluctantly released her after a few seconds. The thought lingered in her mind as Rainbow pulled away, and her heart ached to feel Rainbow's coat against her and to feel Rainbow's embrace holding her. She bit her lip and glanced longingly at Rainbow for a second, then she looked back at Doctor Manner, hoping neither of them caught it. "Doctor," she acknowledged quietly.


He calmly, slowly walked over to the bed. "I was just coming to check on you. I didn't expect you to be awake," he said calmly. "Are you doing okay?" he asked.


Twilight's lips twisted into a grimace for a brief moment, then it faded back to neutrality. "I'm... fine..." she said at length. "It..." she trailed off and looked back at her barren side. "It... hurts a little..." she admitted. She gradually turned back to face him.


"If you need, we can increase the dose of painkillers you're on," Doctor Manner replied.


Twilight grimaced and shook her head. "It's... it's fine, as long as I don't... try to..." she trailed off quietly.


Upon hearing the distress in Twilight's voice, Rainbow quickly scooted back over to Twilight and laid a wing around her side comfortingly. Twilight glanced over at her idly and looked at her absently before looking back at Doctor Manner. "You... should get some rest," he said. "I... Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Prince Armor, and your friends are all waiting in one of the waiting rooms..." he said. "They will want to see you in the morning, I'm sure... Princess Celestia... insisted... that Rainbow Dash stay with you..." he trailed off. "I... don't mind it. I know you two are close... just... please be careful. The bleeding had stopped by the time you got here, but it wouldn't be good for you to start bleeding again..." he trailed off.


"Is it okay if I sleep with her?" Rainbow asked. She shifted her weight, a little uncomfortable about her question and admitting that she wanted to sleep with Twilight to somepony she didn't know that well. "I uh... I was sleeping on the couch because I didn't want to accidentally hurt her..." she trailed off.


Doctor Manner turned to Rainbow. "That's up to the princess," he replied. "It should be fine, just be careful." Rainbow looked over at Twilight and smiled a soft, warm smile. "Is there anything you need, Princess? Anything I can get you?" he asked gently.


Twilight took a deep breath and looked down at the bed. She lightly clenched her jaw and yawned. "I don't know..." she said quietly, her voice barely audible. "I don't want to stay here if I don't have to..." she trailed off.


Doctor Manner grimaced and shifted his weight. "Princess," he said warily, "without your wing... you can't balance well enough to walk... if..." he trailed off and looked at Rainbow. "If Rainbow Dash, Starlight Glimmer, or Spike is there to help you, then... maybe we can see about releasing you before you start rehabilitation."


Twilight clenched her jaw tighter and grimaced. She slowly looked across the room in distress. "Is that even going to work..?"


"With time, and... if you put the effort into it, then yes, it will work, Twilight," Doctor Manner replied. "It won't be easy, but..." he trailed off and took a deep breath. "And, on that note, there is some good news. Our scans did show that a lot of your magic was starting to gather in your side. On top of that, despite the damage done by the radiation, and... your apparent starvation..." he trailed off and grimaced.


Rainbow slowly looked at Twilight, as if trying to get her to say it wasn't true. Twilight remained silent, and Rainbow felt anxiety well up inside her chest once more. She swallowed and licked her now dry lips.


"Your side is healing quite nicely. And there's no sign of infection, at least right now. I can't be sure, at least not this early, but I think that your wing is going to grow back," Doctor Manner said optimistically.


Twilight stared at him in silence. After a few seconds, she looked down at the bed again. 'My wing might grow back...' She was happy about that, but at the same time, she still felt empty and hollow, despite Rainbow being there with her.


"Is there anything else I could do for you?" Doctor Manner asked.


Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head. "Something to eat, please..." she said calmly. She closed her eyes for a second, and then shifted her weight. "And... I haven't had a bath in a while..." she said quietly.


Doctor Manner grimaced and nodded slowly. "I'll have a nurse come and bring you some food and help you bathe," he said.


Twilight grimaced and shifted her wing at her side. She winced as her right side throbbed in pain from her attempt to shift her non-existent wing. She fought through the pain and unsurely bobbed her head back and forth, idly looking across the room.


Rainbow shifted her weight and grimaced. "Um..." she glanced at Twilight and then Doctor Manner. Both of them looked at her, Doctor Manner with curiosity, and Twilight with unsureness. She inhaled and then exhaled. "I can help her, instead of a nurse..." she offered. She shifted her weight again and watched Twilight, who blinked a few times before looking back around at Doctor Manner.


"I... would prefer that..." Twilight said calmly.


Doctor Manner pursed his lips, then reluctantly nodded. "Okay... Just be careful, and try not to get her side wet," he said cautiously.


Rainbow nodded timidly.


Doctor Manner took a breath and then looked between them. "You can remove the bandage in order to clean underneath it, and there should be a sponge that you can use..." he trailed off and shifted his weight. He smiled a forced smile. "Well... is there anything else I can get for you, Princess?" he asked.


Twilight slowly shook her head. "No..." she answered.


Doctor Manner nodded. "Then I will leave you to it," he said. "I'll be back to check on you again in the morning," he stated. He slowly turned around, then walked out of the room. He closed the door behind him, leaving the two in solitude.


Twilight watched him leave, then glanced at Rainbow and turned to face her.


Rainbow smiled nervously. "Hey... I promised I'd help you, alright?" she said. "And... we did this before..." she added. "Let me help you..." she said softly.


Twilight slowly looked down at the bed. "I can't even... do this myself..." she muttered. She took a deep breath. "You're going to have to help me get there..." she said warily.


"I can carry you if you want," Rainbow offered.


Twilight slowly shook her head. "No..." she said at length, drawing the word out as long as possible. She slowly scooted around to the edge of the bed, then she turned around and slid her hind legs off the bed. She wobbled a little and found her weight shifting to the left. She leaned to the right and spread her hind legs apart to brace herself to stop herself from falling over. She grimaced. Even with her hooves further apart than normal, she still felt off balance.


Rainbow quickly hopped down and hastily trotted around to the other side. She stood to Twilight's left and helped her step down onto the floor. "You okay?" she asked.


Twilight remained silent and stood there, wobbling. She lifted a leg to turn, and almost immediately lost her balance.


Rainbow quickly stepped over to Twilight and pushed against her side to prevent her from toppling over. "Easy there..." she cautioned.


Twilight stared intently at the floor, then sat down on her haunches in silence. She took a deep breath, then swallowed. She hesitantly looked up at Rainbow.


Without saying anything, Rainbow stepped around and sat down in front of her. Twilight hesitantly lifted a foreleg and placed it around Rainbow's shoulder, then repeated the action with her other foreleg. She pulled herself against Rainbow's back, then wrapped her hind legs around her abdomen and held onto her.


Rainbow slowly stood up, then calmly walked toward the bathroom. As much as she welcomed Twilight's weight, it felt wrong because of how light she felt compared to what she was used to. Even if she was only a few pounds lighter, it was noticeable to her. 'Chrysalis staved you... it was only a week, but... still...' The thought haunted her mind as she stepped into the bathroom. She looked around, then flipped on the lights and closed the door. The lighting was bright like in the hallways, and the whole room was well lit. She squinted from the brightness for a few seconds before her eyes adjusted. She swiftly locked the door, then glanced around. The bathroom reminded her of a bathroom that a hotel would have. It was simple, clean, and whitewashed like the rest of the hospital.


She made her way over to the shower and grimaced. "Looks like it's a shower, not a bath," she commented warily.


"That's fine... I'm not staying like this until I get released..." Twilight reluctantly muttered.


Rainbow walked around beside the shower, then sat down on her haunches. Twilight let go, then Rainbow scooted forward, turned to face the shower, and stood up. Twilight sat there on her haunches, staring at the tiled floor. Rainbow turned on the faucet, and the showerhead surged to life. Water shot out and splashed against the shower floor. Rainbow sat there for a few seconds, then stuck her forehoof under the spray of water to check the temperature. It was nice and warm, but not scalding hot. She waited several seconds to make sure that the temperature didn't rise any further, then she turned back to Twilight.


The alicorn continued to stare blankly at the floor, almost lifelessly. Her expression was hollow and her eyes were dull. Rainbow's chest felt tight and empty from seeing her friend hurting so much. Rainbow wanted to cry, seeing how vulnerable and weak Twilight looked. It was wrong, and it hurt. Twilight was strong, but now she didn't look like she believed that. Her heart felt weak, but she fought through it and swallowed back a knot in her throat. She stood up and walked over to the sink, then dried her forehoof off.


She calmly walked back over to Twilight, then sat down beside her, on her right side. She looked over the bandage, looking for the place where she could start to unwrap it. After several seconds, Twilight glanced over at her. The alicorn reluctantly lifted her right foreleg up, then sat up straighter.


Rainbow met Twilight's gaze and her heart throbbed. She offered Twilight a gentle smile in an attempt to cheer her up, but Twilight continued to look at her emptily. It was enough to make her smile fade. She broke eye contact, then leaned in and found the seam. She quickly extended a wing, then carefully brought it over to Twilight and started to unwrap the bandage.


Twilight sat there calmly. She took a deep breath, then stared straight down at the floor intently as Rainbow continued unwrapping the bandage. With every pass, the pressure on her side decreased until it felt like nothing was there, but her side continued to feel sore. Eventually, she swallowed as she felt the last wrap taken off, then she looked at Rainbow.


Rainbow gently placed her hooves on the gauze covering her side, then carefully removed it. She tried not to stare at the gash on Twilight's side, but it was hard. She stared.


Twilight watched Rainbow stare at her torn side. Twilight hung her head in defeat, and all her strength felt like it faded away. Her body throbbed, but her side didn't hurt. She felt weak, like a newborn foal, and she felt insignificantly small. And Rainbow could see her weakness. There was nothing left to prevent Rainbow from seeing how weak, vulnerable, and broken Twilight was. Twilight clenched her eyes shut and cried.


Rainbow sat there in silence. She absently folded the bandage and gauze neatly. She looked over Twilight's broken body and watched as she shivered. She swallowed and tore her gaze away from her. She silently stood up, then walked over to the sink and placed the wrap down before returning to Twilight. Without saying a word, she sat down in front of Twilight, then pulled her into a protective embrace. She gently laid her right wing against the back of Twilight's head and pulled her into her chest, then she slid her wing down and wrapped it around Twilight's wing. She placed her forehooves around Twilight's withers and squeezed her reassuringly, then she gently laid her other wing around Twilight's back, carefully avoiding her injury.


Twilight didn't fight back, she couldn't if she wanted to. She sat there, crying silently into Rainbow's coat as her friend embraced her. 'She's... still here even though I'm... such a burden...' She sat there, shaking and crying into Rainbow's chest, unable to recompose herself for several minutes. The entire time, Rainbow held her patiently in a loving embrace, refusing to leave the broken alicorn to fend for herself. Eventually, Twilight's cries weakened before fading. Several minutes passed in silence before Twilight finally leaned away from Rainbow.


Rainbow reluctantly let her go, but she stayed close to her. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice heavy, soft, and quiet.


Twilight grimaced, then slowly stood up, remaining silent. Her legs wobbled, and like before, as she stood up, her weight and body all started leaning to the left.


Rainbow quickly intervened and caught Twilight before she could fall over. She held her up and quickly scooted around to Twilight's left side, then stood up. Rainbow was the only thing preventing Twilight from falling over, and both of them knew it. Twilight stared blankly at the floor, though her gaze was drawn over to Rainbow as she laid a wing around her. "Twilight, please, talk to me..." she said softly.


Twilight bit her lip and glanced at Rainbow. "I... I'm not... fine..." she said timidly.


"Do you want to talk about it?" Rainbow asked cautiously.


"No..." Twilight answered at length.


"Well... um... maybe the shower will make you feel better?" Rainbow asked.


Twilight nodded a slow, timid nod. "Maybe..." she said quietly.


"Well... let's get you cleaned up. You're probably tired and hungry." Rainbow stood up, then coaxed her forward and eased her into the shower. She ignored the water hitting her as she coaxed Twilight around so that her right side was away from her and she was facing the shower head. She held Twilight close to comfort and protect her, and she felt Twilight tense up momentarily as the warm water hit her muzzle, but after a second, she relaxed and closed her eyes. She carefully positioned Twilight so that her head was under the stream of water. Twilight slowly sat down on her haunches.


Rainbow calmly inhaled, then stepped out of the shower and walked over to the sink. The cold air made her shiver as it sapped the warmth from her wet mane and coat. She opened up the cabinet and looked around, then found a sponge sealed inside a plastic bag, along with a bottle of soap. She quickly pulled it out, then tore it open, then opened the bottle of shampoo. She walked back over to Twilight, then stepped into the shower and sat down facing her. Some colder water splashed the back of her head, but she ignored it. Twilight's head was hung, and she stared at her forehooves. Water flowed through her wet mane before falling to the floor, and her wet mane clung to her neck but also clumped up into a mass which hung in the air as water rushed over her head. Twilight looked weak, completely vulnerable, unable to take care of herself, and helpless, but yet Rainbow loved her, and Twilight was beautiful to her, regardless of how weak or helpless she looked.


Rainbow looked over Twilight with a loving expression, then looked at her forehead. Her bangs covered her forehead. She smiled gently, then lifted a forehoof and brushed her bangs back. She leaned in and placed her lips on Twilight's forehead. She slid her forehoof back around Twilight's head and gently held her there, putting as much love and compassion as she could into her gentle kiss, trying to show Twilight that it would be okay. She paid no mind to the warm water now hitting the back of her mane as she held Twilight there. Twilight glanced up at her but said nothing, nor did she smile. After several seconds, Rainbow pulled back. The lack of a smile on Twilight's lips broke her smile. She sighed quietly in defeat, then poured shampoo in Twilight's mane. 'Twilight... please...' she pleaded in her mind. She stepped around to Twilight's left side, then she sat down on her haunches and started working the soap into her with her forehooves.


Twilight sat there calmly as Rainbow worked the soap into her mane, then into her coat. Rainbow was gentle with her hooves, careful not to hurt her, and careful not to get any soap or water on her side. Twilight relaxed and slumped forward more as Rainbow continued washing her mane. After a while, Rainbow coaxed her head forward into the stream of water, then gently ran her forehooves through her mane to wash it out. Twilight closed her eyes and smiled weakly, letting herself relax in the warmth and enjoy the moment, along with her mane feeling clean and fresh again.


Rainbow poured soap out onto the wet sponge, then gently brushed it over Twilight's back and body. She thoroughly lathered her left side up and gently cleaned off her wings. She remained quiet as she worked, not wanting or needing to say anything. 'Twilight, I hate that you're so... I hate that you're so badly hurt, but... I don't mind doing this for you...' She sighed quietly, then went around behind Twilight. "Hey, uh... can... you scoot over?" she asked.


Twilight reluctantly leaned left, then scooted over. She instinctually flared her wing as she started to fall, and she tensed up, expecting to hit the hard floor. Rainbow quickly wrapped her forelegs around her and steadied her. "I've got you... I won't let you fall," Rainbow promised with a concerned smile. Twilight glanced over at her and nodded, but remained quiet.


Twilight tensed up, then relaxed as she felt the sponge against her right shoulder. She watched Rainbow's hoof close as she worked the sponge over her body, and she shifted her weight a few times. Once Rainbow worked her way down closer to her injury, however, she went completely still and tensed up. Rainbow slowed and pulled the sponge away, then looked at Twilight.


"You okay?" Rainbow asked quietly.


Twilight nodded timidly. "Yes..." she answered. She swallowed and flashed Rainbow a weak smile and held it. "I trust you, Rainbow Dash," she said softly, her eyes glistening.


Rainbow swallowed and nodded unsurely. She placed the sponge back against Twilight's body, then gently rubbed it into her side, massaging the sponge into her friend's body and working the soap into her coat. She was gentle but firm with short strokes, then she just barely touched her coat with the sponge, making sure not to pull on her skin any as she worked the soap into her coat around the gash. Eventually, she passed by it and resumed vigorously scrubbing Twilight's coat, working the blood and grime out of her fur.


Rainbow coaxed Twilight forward, then started rinsing her off with water, wetting the sponge down and brushing it across her back, while also using a forehoof to speed up the process. She gently brushed the soap away from her right side, just barely running the sponge over her.


Twilight closed her eyes and slumped forward while Rainbow ran the warm sponge over her body. The warmth from the water rushing over her head and Rainbow's gentle touch helped to comfort and relax her. Her coat no longer felt sticky and coarse to her, and she welcomed the renewed freshness which relieved her of some of the stress she had been under for the past week. But even as she relaxed, she still felt dull, lifeless, weak, and empty. Rainbow's hoof brushing across her back helped, but it only did so much, and the contact always felt so short lived.


Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably as she turned her gaze to Twilight's tail. She licked her lips and ruffled her wings, then she poured shampoo out onto her tail. She timidly reached down with her forehoof and lifted Twilight's tail up, then ran her forehoof through it in long strokes to work the soap into her. "Um... stand up?" Rainbow said timidly.


Twilight clenched her jaw and stared straight down at her hooves, unblinkingly. If her mane had been long enough, it would have covered her face like Fluttershy's mane did, and she would have hidden her face behind her mane because of her embarrassment. She closed her eyes, then reluctantly pushed herself up into a standing position. She took a deep breath, then hesitantly spread her hind legs apart to brace herself so she could stand without falling over. Her heart pounded, and she blushed. She bit her lip and kept silent.


Rainbow hurried to finish cleaning Twilight's tail, then she poured more soap onto the sponge and started cleaning up Twilight's legs and flanks. Twilight shifted her weight and fidgeted on her hooves, making Rainbow hastily pulled the sponge back. "Sorry..."


Twilight swallowed and licked her lips. "It's fine," she said hastily. "It's not like you haven't done this before..." she muttered.


Rainbow stared at Twilight for a couple of seconds, then resumed brushing the sponge against Twilight's inner thighs. Eventually, she finished her work. "Okay... done..." she said quietly. She hastily pulled back from Twilight and looked over her left side.


Twilight quickly sat down. Rainbow hastily rinsed the sponge out, then slid around in front of Twilight. Rainbow hesitated as she stared at Twilight. She looked completely defeated and broken. Helpless, and vulnerable. Her heart ached. She smiled at Twilight hopefully. "Hey... it's okay... I'm not going to leave you..." she said.


Twilight's jaw muscles tensed and relaxed several times, and eventually, she bobbed her head and stared blankly ahead while her eyes shifted from left to right, then back to the left. After a few seconds, her expression shattered, and she slumped down. She closed her eyes and hung her head limply. "Ra-Rainbow..." she choked out.


Rainbow quickly wrapped her forelegs around her and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Hey, it's okay, I'm here for you..." she said softly.


Twilight grunted, then whimpered. She lifted her forehooves up, then placed them on Rainbow's chest, and she pushed herself back from her. Rainbow was still stronger than her and refused to let her go, but she did move back a little from her. Rainbow swallowed in fear. "T-Twilight?" she asked pleadingly.


Twilight's lip quivered as she looked at Rainbow. "R-Rainbow, I... I don't have my horn, and it's not going to grow back for... for years! I... I don't have my wing, s-so I can't fly, and... I... I-I can't even walk! I can't do anything! I can't take c-care of myself! I used m-my magic f-for everything! An-and then once I could u-use my r-right wing t-to take care of my-myself, I-I lost it! I-I'm just a burden t-to you! Y-you sh-shouldn't b-be with m-me, it-it's not f-fair to you. I-I can't do anything for you, an-and all I am is a bur-burden to y-you all!"


Rainbow swallowed and her lip shook uncontrollably. Her ears folded back. "T-Twi, p-please don't... d-don't say that... y-you're not a burden! Don't you know h-how much that hurts when you s-say that?"


Twilight closed her eyes and hung her head, desperately avoiding Rainbow's gaze. "Y-yes I am," she retorted. "A-all I do is hur-hurt you..." She let out a choked sob. "I-I don't... want t-that..." she whimpered.


Rainbow firmly pulled Twilight back against her, and she nuzzled into her wet mane. "Is... is that why you... wanted me to land and... leave you?" she asked in a low, timid, afraid voice. Twilight tensed up. It was all the answer she needed. Rainbow felt her body go limp. "Twilight..." she whispered softly. "It... it hurts to see you like this," she whispered, her voice crackling from pain. "But... if I didn't, then... then I-I'd know you were bottling it up, and... that would hurt more!" She held Twilight tighter. "You're my best friend... I can't just... l-leave you... N-not like this. I want you to be happy."


Twilight whimpered, then her body heaved with a silent sob. "Y-you sh-should... j-just... g-go back to b-being a W-Wonderbolt... I'm... just g-getting in th-the way..." she whimpered softly, then cried out in pain and squeezed Rainbow's body, not wanting to let go of her. She pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest as hard as she could, desperate for her friend, and she held her with as much strength as she could.


Rainbow grunted from Twilight's strength, and momentarily, her lip lifted up. She returned the embrace, but held Twilight gently, not wanting to hurt her as she sobbed into her coat. "No, I'm not doing that... I... already decided that I was going to quit the Wonderbolts..." she said softly.


Twilight pulled back and recoiled as if struck. She breathed quickly and stared at Rainbow through tear-filled eyes, looking at her, almost as if betrayed. "W-what? W-why! It's y-your dream!" she retorted. Her lips shook more, and her mouth opened and closed. After several seconds, fear and pain overwhelmingly filled her eyes, and a pained, primal whimper escaped her muzzle. "B-because of m-me..." she whispered. "I-I t-took your-your dream fr-from y-you..." she choked out.


"No!" Rainbow retorted firmly. She swallowed a painful knot in her throat, then she squeezed Twilight and laid her head on Twilight. "I... It was my dream, I wanted to be a Wonderbolt, but... I was one. I achieved it, and... n-now I want to be with you, Twilight... P-please... d-don't cry..." she whimpered. "You're my best friend! I want to be with you more than the Wonderbolts! I don't care if you can't fly... you're more important to me than that. What kind of friend would I be if I left you just to fly?"


Twilight's body shivered continuously. After several seconds, she shifted her head under Rainbow. Rainbow lifted her head up and looked down at Twilight, who tentatively pulled back from her. She still looked defeated and broken, and she looked like she was hurting herself. Rainbow couldn't stand it. She slid a forehoof up to Twilight's muzzle, then lifted it up to face her. She quickly leaned down to Twilight and met her muzzle with a kiss, pressing her warm, soft lips into Twilight's cooler, moist, and rough lips. She tensed up and her heart stammered in shock when she realized what she was doing, and a tidal wave of fear and anxiety cascaded over her body. She felt jittery, she needed to move. She wanted to pull back and break the kiss, but at the same time, she felt drawn to stay there. She forced through the doubt and stayed there, kissing Twilight.  After a second, she closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss as her doubts melted away.


Twilight froze in fear. She didn't breathe, and she sat there in fearful silence, afraid to move. Rainbow pressed into her lips and tenderly rubbed against her, then took her lower lip in between her lips and rubbed against her. Rainbow tilted her head and continued the kiss. She could feel Rainbow's hot breath caressing her muzzle, and it sent shivers down her spine.


After several seconds, Rainbow pulled back. Her eyes remained closed, and she felt completely at peace. She slowly opened her eyes and grinned happily. She looked down at Twilight, and her grin disappeared. The alicorn she was holding shook and looked up at her fearfully. Twilight shied back from her but made no attempt to escape. Rainbow's eyes burned. "T-Twi..?" she pleaded.


Twilight blinked several times, then looked away from Rainbow. "I-I'm s-sorry..." she whimpered fearfully.


"Why..?" Rainbow asked softly, her voice disbelieving.


Twilight shivered more and clenched her eyes shut. "I-I kissed you! I-I'm s-sorry, I-I shouldn't h-have d-done that!" she said in panicked fear.


Rainbow squinted down at Twilight and her brow furrowed. Her chest ached and fear quickly surged to life at the edges of her mind, testingly besieging her thoughts. She bit and nibbled on her lower lip. "Twi..." she said softly.


Twilight's shivering slowly stopped, and she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly as if she wasn't sure what was happening. Rainbow watched her with baited breath, her heart feeling like it was sinking beneath icy waves, and the coldness felt like it permeated her whole body, emanating from her chest. Eventually, Twilight looked up at her. Her eyes were soft and curious. They weren't hollow or fearful, although they were nervous and timid. "You..." she said softly. She looked over Rainbow's lips for several seconds, her eyes shifting from left to right. She blinked, then looked straight ahead at Rainbow's neck, and her eyes looked off the side.


Over a few seconds, a smile pulled on Rainbow's lips, pulling them upward. Twilight looked back up at her, then hesitantly, tentatively, leaned forward a short distance. Twilight hesitated and shivered. She gradually leaned in a little more, then paused again. Both of them could feel each other's breath against their muzzles.


Rainbow slowly leaned back down and gently embraced Twilight's lips with her own lips. She sighed softly, feeling Twilight's lips against her own sensitive lips. She watched Twilight's eyes slowly close in bliss, and she both saw and felt Twilight relax in her embrace. She pulled Twilight closer to herself and closed her own eyes as she rubbed her lips against Twilight's lips. Twilight sighed calmly and leaned into Rainbow. She tentatively parted her lips, then hesitantly slid her tongue forward, but kept it inside her mouth. She reluctantly brushed her tongue against Twilight's lips, and she felt Twilight's jaw relax a little, but it didn't part, and her body shivered while her wing bristled.


After several seconds, they parted. Twilight's eyes lingered shut, and her mouth parted slightly as Rainbow leaned back. Rainbow grinned down at the now silent alicorn, waiting for her to recover. Twilight's chest rose and fell calmly, and after several seconds, she opened her eyes and looked over Rainbow's expression. She smiled bashfully and bowed her head, then laid her head against Rainbow's chest. "I love you, Rainbow Dash..." Twilight whispered.


Rainbow ran her wings over Twilight's water-slicked body, gently stroking her friend and sliding her soft, slick feathers through Twilight soaked, soft fur. "I love you too, Twi..." she replied. She laid her head on top of Twilight's, then affectionately nuzzled her. Twilight returned the nuzzle, gently rubbing her muzzle into Rainbow's chest. Twilight inhaled deeply and then sighed softly. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked.


Twilight sat there silently in Rainbow's embrace. "I... don't know..." she answered. "I... I feel better now, but..." she trailed off and sighed heavily. "I... I still think that you're giving up too much for me, Rainbow..."


Rainbow frowned. "Oh, come on, Twi... You're my best friend, and I love you... there's nopony I would rather be with. I promised you I would help you, and I'm gonna help you and take care of you. Alright? You'll get better eventually. I promise," she said gently. "You just need to relax. Whenever you worry, that's when you're hurting the most. You're not useless, and you're not a burden on anypony. Stop telling yourself that, because it's not true. So what if you don't have your horn or if you can't fly or walk? Friends are supposed to be there for each other, in good times, and especially in the bad times. I'd be a pretty terrible friend if I wasn't here for you now, Twilight..." she trailed off and rubbed her chin into the back of Twilight's mane.


Twilight took a deep breath, then calmly exhaled. She closed her eyes and slid her muzzle down and pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for... giving me a chance, Rainbow..." she whispered.


"Well, you can start by stop being so unhappy all the time and worrying so much. Seriously, Twi... you need to relax," Rainbow replied. "You overthink everything too much, you should think with your heart more."


Twilight's lips flashed into a smile and she snorted. The smile quickly faded and she sighed longingly. "It's... not that easy, Rainbow... I've... I've been through a lot. I can't just... recover from this overnight. A kiss... it... doesn't fix it... It's... going to take me a while before I'm... okay," she said timidly.


"It helps though, right?" Rainbow asked softly, smirking.


Twilight tentatively nodded, thinking back to feeling Rainbow's lips on hers. "It... helps, yes," she said softly. She shifted her weight. "Rainbow, thank you for being here for me... I... I don't know what I would do if you weren't."


"Hey, I'll always be here for you. You're my best friend, and I'm not going to just leave you like this..." Rainbow replied softly. She lifted her head off of Twilight, then looked down at her with a gentle smile. Twilight slowly pulled back from her and then lifted her head back up to her normal height. Rainbow smiled sheepishly as she looked up at Twilight, and Twilight halfway smirked. "Hey, why don't we finish up here, then we can go see if your food's here yet. After that, we can just... lay and talk if you want."


Twilight grimaced and tilted her head away from Rainbow. "I... don't want to talk about it, Rainbow," she said calmly.


"Then we can just lay there and cuddle," Rainbow suggested hopefully.


Twilight nodded slowly. "I... would like that," she replied.


Rainbow flashed Twilight a warm smile, then she let go of Twilight. She folded her wings back to her side, then scooted away from her. "Um, think you can... lean back against the wall or something so I can clean the rest of your body?" she asked sheepishly.


Twilight glanced back behind herself, then she grimaced. She nodded, then repositioned herself and shifted her weight and leaned back. She carefully laid down on her back, then drew her tail up in between her legs. Rainbow smiled awkwardly, then stepped around and poured shampoo out onto Twilight's chest, stomach and abdomen.


Rainbow gently placed both her forehooves on Twilight's body, then started working the shampoo into Twilight's soaked coat. She ran her forehooves in circles over Twilight's body and smiled as she felt Twilight's fur slide against her forehooves. Twilight closed her eyes and tried to let herself relax as Rainbow continued rubbing the soap into her body.


Eventually, Rainbow finished, then took the sponge and rinsed it out and brushed it over Twilight's coat, washing the soap suds out of her body. When she finished, she helped Twilight back up, then double checked to make sure she got everything.


Rainbow turned off the water, then hopped out of the shower. The cold hospital air sapped the warmth from her soaked coat, and the warm water on her quickly cooled, then dripped down from her body and pooled on the floor. She walked forward a couple steps towards the towels, then winced. "I... um... I'm going to be helping you with this for a while, aren't I..?" she asked timidly, looking back at Twilight with a grimace.


Twilight shared Rainbow's grimace and nodded timidly. "I... guess I should get used to this, then..." she muttered.


Rainbow turned around and walked back over to the shower, then she sat down on the haunches. "I won't hurt you..."


Twilight winced. "I... know that, and I trust you, it's just... I'm not comfortable with it."


Rainbow shifted her weight and ruffled her wings. "Uh, yeah..." she said hastily. She hopped back up, then grabbed two towels and walked back over to Twilight. She coaxed Twilight up, then helped her step out of the shower. Twilight wobbled, despite only taking a couple of steps before sitting down on her haunches. Rainbow quickly unfolded one towel and started drying off Twilight's body thoroughly. She carefully avoided Twilight's injured side. Twilight halfway stood up for Rainbow to dry her tail, then after Rainbow finished, she put the towel down on the floor for Twilight to sit on.


Rainbow quickly dried herself off, then she sat down in front of Twilight. Twilight hesitantly leaned onto Rainbow, then wrapped her forehooves around her neck and straddled Rainbow's body with her hind legs. She wrapped her hind legs around Rainbow's abdomen and held onto her friend.


Rainbow slowly stood up, then walked over to the door. She unlocked it, then opened it and walked back out into the main room, carrying Twilight. She sat down beside the bed, then helped Twilight up onto it. As Twilight sat down on her haunches, she glided back into the bathroom and took the bandage and gauze back out to Twilight. She landed on the bed, then gently placed the gauze on Twilight's side.


Twilight tensed up and took a deep breath. She stared at the wall while Rainbow wrapped the bandage back around her body, securing the gauze in place. When Rainbow finished, she gently stroked Twilight's shoulder with her forehoof. "You doing okay?"


"At the moment, yes," Twilight answered calmly. "I'm hungry, and I'm kind of tired now... It... it just feels wrong..." she said quietly. She looked over at Rainbow, then stared back at her barren side. "It's... just... it's gone... my wing is... just gone..." she said quietly. "It... hurts... my side hurts, and..." she trailed off and looked back ahead.


Rainbow silently scooted closer to Twilight, then laid her left wing around her. She cautiously looked in between them to make sure she didn't accidentally press against Twilight's side. Twilight tentatively leaned against Rainbow, laying her shoulder against her friend. "What am I supposed to do now?" Twilight asked in a weak, almost inaudible whisper.


Rainbow's ears pinned back. She looked over at Twilight and bit her lip, then laid her head against her. "I... don't know..." she admitted. "But... your wing's gonna grow back, you heard what Doctor Manner said."


Twilight's expression blanked. "He said he thought it would. There's no proof that it will," she quickly replied.


Rainbow frowned. "Come on, Twilight... don't think like that. He said your magic was... um..."


"Coalescing at my side?" Twilight asked idly. "Well, my magic had been coalescing where my horn had been, and nothing's happened." She looked down at the bed. "It... it's still torturous. My magic feels stronger than before I lost my horn. I'm not sure if it actually is or if it's just because I haven't used my magic for... for so long..." she trailed off and her body heaved with one single dejected sob. "And... I'm going to be like this for years... decades... maybe even centuries... if I live that long..."


"Hey, you're an alicorn. You recovered from something that would kill a normal pony several times over. I think you're gonna be fine and that your wing will grow back," Rainbow said lightly. She wrapped a foreleg around Twilight's shoulder, then she nuzzled her muzzle and gently placed her lips on Twilight's cheek. She stayed like that for a few seconds, then she nudged below Twilight's eye with her nose to wipe away a tear. She smiled softly as Twilight looked at her pleadingly. "Why don't we lay down and cuddle until food arrives... I'll wake you up when it gets here if you fall asleep," she said softly.


Twiligth timidly nodded and closed her eyes. "W-will you s-stay with me, please? I-I can't wake up without you being beside me... N-not again..." she whimpered.


"Hey, I promise..." Rainbow said warmly. She coaxed Twilight back and helped her lay down. Twilight rolled over onto her left side, facing away from Rainbow.


Rainbow laid down behind her and slid a forehoof under Twilight's neck and pulled her close, then wrapped her other forehoof around her shoulders and pinned her forehooves to her body. Twilight smiled and snuggled back against Rainbow, nestling into her soft, warm coat and pressing herself up against her friend's inviting body. Rainbow quickly slid her left hind leg under Twilight and then laid her right leg over her flank. She pinned Twilight's legs to her abdomen and held her close.


Twilight nestled back into the crook of Rainbow's neck and closed her eyes. "Rainbow... I love you..." she whispered.


"I love you too, Twi..." Rainbow whispered softly into Twilight's ear, making her friend's heart flutter. She leaned in and kissed Twilight's mane, then tucked Twilight's head back in against her neck. She pressed her head down and held Twilight's head in place with her muzzle, then she gently extended a wing and brushed it over Twilight's side, avoiding the bandage. Twilight sighed contently and shifted in Rainbow's embrace. After a few minutes, she drifted back off to sleep, taking solace in Rainbow's protective embrace.





Twilight stared at Luna. The alicorn had cuts all over her chest and neck, and a few on her muzzle. There were a few tufts of fur missing from her body, but they were few and far between, and they were starting to grow back. Her wings were folded neatly at her side, but a few feathers looked to be missing, and some were disarrayed. However, even in the state she was in, she still stood regally, although she was calm and somber. She wore a small, strained smile, and her eyes were filled with concern.


Princess Celestia sat on her haunches beside Luna at the left side of Twilight's hospital bed. She wore a bright, joyful smile, and a few tears were noticeable in the corners of her eyes. They were both tears of joy and tears of pain. She was visibly relieved that Twilight was back, but her coat still looked dull and lackluster. Her gaze had glanced at the white bandage covering Twilight's side more than once. Twilight, for her part, tried to ignore it every time.


Shining Armor sat to the right of Princess Celestia, his lips pulled up into a smile, though his jaw was clenched and his muscles were shown.


Rainbow Dash calmly laid behind Twilight, trying to fight off and hide her discomfort, spurred on by laying beside Twilight and holding her while Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Twilight's brother were watching. She fidgeted and shifted her weight, making her body rub up against Twilight's back. She held Twilight's forehooves against her chest with her left forehoof, and she gently ran her right forehoof over Twilight's shoulder and side, idly running her hoof through Twilight's soft coat in an effort to comfort her. She had her right wing laid over Twilight's side, a little lower than her wing would have been, although she still covered part of the bandage protectively. She had Twilight's hind legs pinned against her abdomen with her hind legs, and she wasn't about to let Twilight go. She rested her head on the pillow, with Twilight's head back against her neck and up against her muzzle.


Even as Luna continued speaking, Twilight didn't really listen. She heard it, but she didn't commit anything except for the important bits to memory. "...used the Mirror Pool to create copies of her most loyal drones. Discord has since volunteered to... dispose of the pool. As for the copies, King Thorax will decide what to do with them. He hasn't had time to get around to it yet. He is going to assimilate the hive into his own and abandon the network of tunnels, taking all of the drones and eggs back with him. Not all of them were so Loyal to Chrysalis. A lot of the ones who weren't copies were only loyal out of fear. Even some of the copies were only loyal because they were afraid of what Chrysalis would do to them, since they were disposable," Luna explained leisurely.


Luna grimaced and glanced at Celestia. Celestia tore her gaze away from Twilight for a moment and bit her lip, then she looked back at Twilight. The young alicorn laid there passively, having said only a few sentences that morning, and never once meeting their gazes. Even when she spoke, it was always a quiet, heavy voice, lacking her normal curiosity and cheerfulness. It hurt everypony there to hear her and see her like that.


Luna turned back to Twilight. "Your parents, along with Cadance and Flurry Heart are on their way," she said calmly.


Twilight's eyes shifted from Luna's chest to her head, then they focused. She blinked and her eyes darted about for a moment, studying Luna's features before she went back to staring at Luna's chest. She swallowed and then licked her lips. "What... did you do to Chrysalis?" she asked quietly.


Luna shifted her weight and pursed her lips. "She... will no longer be a threat to anypony..." she said tentatively. She slowly leaned to the left, away from Celestia and Shining Armor. She looked away from Twilight and stared ahead at the wall. "Let us simply say that... she has been dealt with..." she added. Her eyes narrowed. "Permanently," she said a bit more forcefully.


Celestia sat up straighter and took a deep breath. "Your friends are waiting for us to finish. After that, they will come in to see you..." she said. Twilight glanced at her and looked at her quizzically. "I... believe we are done here, Twilight... if you need anything, please... don't hesitate to ask. We will be more than happy to help you with anything you need, or if you just want somepony to talk to... I will always make time for you, Twilight," she said softly, smiling gently.


Luna nodded in agreement. "You are family, Twilight," she added in a gentle, soft voice, smiling a warm, optimistic smile.


Twilight tentatively nodded. "I... want to go home," she said calmly. "I don't like it here."


Celestia hesitated, then slowly nodded. "I'll... talk to the doctors and see what they say," she replied. "Since you're healing quickly and we used our magic to accelerate it, you shouldn't need to stay here much longer..." she trailed off quietly. She shifted her weight, then slowly stood up. She nibbled on her lower lip, then looked at Luna. After a moment, she leaned over to Twilight and slowly placed her muzzle against Twilight's neck, then she slowly nuzzled her. She tried to avoid Rainbow, but because the two were so close, she still brushed against Rainbow's neck despite her best efforts, and Rainbow looked almost bewildered by it. "I am so, so sorry that this happened, Twilight... this is all my fault..." she said quietly, her voice weak. She reluctantly pulled back and watched Twilight, her legs shivering and her eyes glistening faintly.


Twilight's expression softened and she swallowed. She looked from Celestia to Luna, never once looking up at their faces. "Celestia... this isn't your fault... you... couldn't have prevented this... you did the best you could have..." she said quietly.


"We did not protect you as we said we would, Twilight. This is my fault," Luna replied solemnly. "I did not stop Chrysalis from hurting you, and Chrysalis took your wing," she said in a heavy, guilty voice. She slowly bobbed her head about, then hesitantly glanced at Celestia and met her gaze. "The blame rests squarely on my shoulders..." Celestia's lips twitched downward for a second, then her lips returned to normal.


"I don't blame either of you," Twilight stated. "Chrysalis tricked both of you and Thorax. You couldn't have known..." she trailed off.


"And yet, once more, you were hurt because of our failures, Twilight," Celestia whispered. She swallowed and hung her head limply, her mane and tail nearly ceased flowing.


Twilight slowly averted her gaze from both of them and stared down at her own body.


After a few seconds, Celestia lifted her head back up. She watched Twilight, then she looked at Rainbow. Rainbow glanced at her before looking back at Twilight.


Luna calmly turned to leave. Celestia sighed and hesitantly followed, shuffling after her sister. Twilight glanced up and watched both of them head toward the door until they disappeared from sight. She stared at where she last saw them until she heard the door open, then close after they departed. Twilight blinked, then stared out the window.


"You doing okay, sis?" Shining asked softly.


Twilight swallowed and licked her lips. "I... don't know..." she replied. "It doesn't hurt... I... I just feel... kind of numb. It... it doesn't feel real..." she trailed off. "I know my wing is gone... but... the muscles are still there, and there's just... nothing to move. It... feels wrong."


Rainbow grimaced and shifted her weight, pushing herself further up onto the pillow a little. She lifted her head up and looked down at Twilight. "Hey, maybe if you... um... ate more meat, it'd grow back quicker?" she asked timidly.


Twilight glanced up at her. Her lips slowly pulled into a grimace, then she pressed herself further back into Rainbow's embrace. She shivered.


Rainbow slid her left wing up a little. She carefully brushed her wing over Twilight's bandaged side, then she wrapped her wing around her body just above the bandage. Twilight pulled her muzzle down against her neck and she stared down at her body. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes. Her chest calmly rose and fell with her rhythmic breathing. Rainbow frowned for a moment, then relaxed as Twilight's muscles went limp. "She's asleep..." she said quietly. She tore her gaze away from Twilight and looked at her brother.


Shining Armor took a deep breath, then slowly, silently breathed out. "Must be the medicine she's on."


Rainbow idly nodded, then laid her head back down.  She continued brushing Twilight's body with her forehoof and she laid her head on Twilight's head. "Maybe it's because she's been through a lot..." she said in a low tone, not wanting it to carry beyond either of them. "She... woke up several times last night from nightmares..." she said gravely. Shining Armor grimaced and swallowed. Rainbow gently squeezed Twilight and stared down at the alicorn. She looked over her own legs and Twilight's legs and took in how she held her. Her wing covered Twilight's lower chest. She timidly slid her wing down over Twilight's bandage, covering it from sight with her wing and embracing her, not wanting to hurt her, but wanting to comfort her. Twilight remained sleeping peacefully. Unseen by Rainbow, Twilight's lips curled up into a gentle smile.


Shining Armor smiled a little, the sight of his sister smiling reminding him of his filly smiling when she was asleep in Cadance's embrace. He turned his gaze to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus ignored him and continued to watch Twilight. He could see that she was calm, yet concerned. She was content to lay there, holding Twilight, but she was worried about her. The expression was a familiar sight, and his eyes glossed over as he watched and let his mind wander back to his wife.


The door clicked open, and several sets of hooves came on inside. Shining Armor looked toward the door and looked over the five mares who walked inside. He glanced at Spike, who sat on Starlight's withers and smiled. Spike halfway smiled back at him, but it was strained.


Rainbow Dash tensed up a little as she heard the door open. Her heart pounded, and she cast a nervous glance at the heart rate monitor. She begrudgingly lifted her head up away from Twilight, then looked back toward the door, waiting for somepony to walk into her field of view. After a few seconds, Rarity stepped forward. Rarity paused and stood there for a moment, meeting Rainbow's gaze. Neither of them said anything as they stared at the other. Both of their gazes were solemn. After the moment passed, Rarity swallowed and looked at Twilight. Her eyes trailed over Twilight's sleeping form, and her eyes lingered on Rainbow's wing covering Twilight's bandaged side. Despite Rainbow's attempts to block the bandage from view, the white was visible in between her feathers. Rarity silently stared at Twilight's flat side. She stood there for several more seconds before she pulled her gaze away from Twilight's side and shuffled into the hospital room.


Applejack trailed in behind Rarity, wearing a grimace, which softened as she saw Rainbow. Her lips turned back down further than before as she looked at Twilight. Her eyes shifted from anger to emptiness, then to solemn acceptance, though her jaw was clenched firmly. Her hooves slid across the floor as she walked around into the room. Shining Armor scooted over as Rarity and Applejack sat down beside him.


Pinkie Pie was smiling a gentle, happy smile, but her cheeks were dampened by tears, and her eyes were wide and sorrowful.  Rainbow wasn't sure if they were tears of pain or joy. Her mane was straight, which made Rainbow stare at her and instinctively hold Twilight tighter. Pinkie Pie carried herself into the room with a slow, calm walk which contrasted with her normal eagerness.


Fluttershy froze as she saw Twilight's weak, limp body laying in the bed beside Rainbow Dash. She didn't breathe, and she didn't blink. Her eyes didn't even move. She looked like her heart was going to give out. Slowly, her legs started to shake, then her entire body shivered. She closed her eyes and hung her head, then quietly sniffled.


Starlight Glimmer slowly walked up to Fluttershy and placed a forehoof around her withers. Fluttershy sniffled again, then leaned into Starlight and buried her head in her shoulder. Starlight held her and watched her for a moment, then slowly looked over at Rainbow Dash, then Twilight. Spike gently rubbed his claw over Fluttershy's side. The pegasus shook a little, but after some coaxing from Starlight, they managed to walk around to the bed and sit down beside everypony.


Rainbow stared at her friends and shifted her weight, finding herself unable to get comfortable now that all of them were there, watching her and Twilight, seeing her hold Twilight's body comfortingly against her own. She continued to fidget as the silence filling the room lingered beyond its welcome. And yet, at the same time, while she was uncomfortable, she felt a sense of calm warmth, situated in her chest, while she held Twilight close. It made it more bearable. It also helped that nopony said anything about the fact that she was holding Twilight while she slept.


"How is she doing?" Starlight asked quietly, finally breaking the silence.


Rainbow shifted her weight once more. "She's been better," she said in quietly. She looked away from her friends and watched Twilight sleep. She tentatively resumed stroking Twilight's body with her forehoof. She nervously glanced back at her friends, then took a deep breath. She shifted her legs and forelegs, then held Twilight closer to her. She looked back at Twilight and watched how her friend's coat parted from her hoof stroking her body, leaving a slight indent in her fur which lingered with each brush. "She's not said much since she woke up this morning," she added in a hushed tone.


Seconds passed in silence, and the seconds faded into minutes. The heart rate monitor's steady beeping and Fluttershy's weak sniffles were the only sounds which broke the stillness. Eventually, Fluttershy's sniffling calmed. She hesitantly leaned away from Starlight's shoulder, then rubbed her eyes dry with the backs her forehooves.


"The doctor said her wing might grow back," Rainbow commented. "I hope it does," she said quietly. She looked at her wing covering Twilight's side. "Flying... maybe it doesn't mean as much to her since she was born a unicorn, but still, flying is a part of her since she's an alicorn." She frowned and her ears pinned back against her head. She swallowed and took a deep breath, and her body shook as she inhaled.


"It'll be okay, Dashie..." Pinkie said softly. She swallowed and licked her lips. "It's just going to take time, that's all... Twilight will be better and back to normal soon."


Rainbow slowly looked over at Pinkie and watched her. Several seconds passed, then she tentatively nodded. "I hope you're right, Pinkie. I hope she gets better. I don't like seeing her this way, it hurts..."





Twilight grunted as she awoke to the sound of the door opening. She inhaled and blinked a few times, then smiled as she took in the feeling of warmth surrounding and enveloping her back and body. She nestled back into the warmth and closed her eyes, almost forgetting why she awoke in the first place, were it not for the hoofsteps approaching her.


"Twi?" Rainbow's voice called in a soft tone. "I think the doctor's here to see you."


Twilight groaned a little, then begrudgingly opened her eyes. She inhaled deeply and scrutinized her body. It took her a few seconds to place the blue, fluffy wing holding her, but once she did, she smiled a little more. She tentatively shifted her forelegs and then her hind legs to find that Rainbow was holding her limbs tightly to her body. She sighed contently, content to lay there and enjoy Rainbow's warmth while feeling her heartbeat and steady breathing. She shifted her weight back into Rainbow and relaxed, feeling Rainbow's coat sliding against her own. After a few seconds, the smile faded as she glimpsed the white bandage around her side. She stared at Rainbow's wing for a moment longer, wishing it had been a dream, but knowing it wasn't. It was plain as day that Rainbow's wing wasn't hiding her own wing.


"Twilight?" Rainbow asked softly.


Twilight blinked, then swallowed. She tentatively lifted her muzzle up, then glanced back at Rainbow. The pegasus was looking down at her with a soft, concerned smile. After a moment, she turned her gaze to see who had just walked into the room.


Doctor Manner had a solemn smile across his lips and levitated a clipboard in his magic. He scrutinized the second page while he held the first page up with his magic. After a moment, he finished and turned to Twilight. He offered her a genuine, kind smile while he set the clipboard down on the bed. "Good afternoon, Princess," he greeted. "I just about thought you were going to sleep through the whole day," he said lightheartedly.


Twilight grimaced. "I really am never going to fix my sleep schedule at this rate..." she muttered.


"Hey, it'll be okay, Twi... after you're out of here, we'll fix that," Rainbow said softly.


Twilight looked back at Rainbow and gave her a soft, small half smile, then she looked back at Doctor Manner.


"I'm here to check on you and change your bandages," Doctor Manner commented.


"Oh, uh... do you need me to move?" Rainbow asked tentatively, hesitantly shifting her weight away from Twilight.


Twilight's ears folded back. "Please stay..." she whispered pleadingly.


Rainbow grimaced and lingered there, but looked at Doctor Manner.


Doctor Manner walked around to the other side of the bed. "Sorry, but I need you to sit up for this, Princess. I can't really access your sides while you're laying down."


Twilight sighed. Rainbow let up on her grip and unwrapped herself from Twilight, then scooted back a bit. Twilight slowly slid her forehooves around, then pushed herself up into a sitting position, drawing it out as long as possible without drawing any comments from either pony. She slumped down as she sat on her haunches, and for a moment, she wobbled as she sat there and instinctually flared her left wing. Rainbow quickly sat up and placed her forehooves on Twilight's shoulders to help steady her. Twilight clenched her jaw and glanced back at Rainbow before turning her gaze downward and staring at the tiled floor intently, refusing to look up.


Doctor Manner took the bandage in his magic, then gradually unwrapped it. He carefully removed each layer and bunched it up. Once he removed the final layer, he levitated the gauze off and stepped around to scrutinize Twilight's side. Twilight pointedly looked away from her injured side. Doctor Manner gently placed his forehoof on Twilight's side just above the gash and he squinted. The edges of the wound had already healed, with soft pink skin covering the outsides, while the deeper portion was still reddened and looked sore. Her coat had yet to regrow, but it was progress. "You're healing quicker than I expected," he commented optimistically. "I don't think you'll need a bandage for more than a week at this rate..." he mused.


Twilight hesitantly tilted her head back forward, then tentatively tilted further to the right. She glanced back at her side and stared. After a few seconds, she looked away.


Rainbow gently rubbed Twilight's shoulders with her hooves, eliciting Twilight into leaning her head left and against one of her hooves as she massaged Twilight's body. "Hey, it's okay, Twilight."


Twilight slowly opened her mouth wide and closed her eyes as she yawned. She held her mouth wide open for a moment before closing it and she slumped forward a little more.


Doctor Manner frowned and rubbed his chin with his forehoof. "The medicine shouldn't be making you this drowsy."


Twilight forced herself to sit up straighter. "I didn't sleep well last night, and prior to that, I had not slept in several days," she replied in a small, calm voice. "And I haven't eaten much since..." she trailed off, eyes darting back and forth across the plain floor, "I've been back," she added tentatively. She sighed quietly and her ears fell back against her head once more. "And it doesn't help that I'm in a hospital," she commented leisurely, her lips curled into a scowl.


Rainbow winced and shifted her weight, then scooted closer to Twilight and straddled her, then held her against her body. Twilight's tight muscles slowly relaxed and she leaned back into Rainbow a little. Rainbow leaned forward, then nuzzled into the back of Twilight's mane. She inhaled calmly, then exhaled. She placed a gentle kiss on Twilight, then she leaned back and laid her head down on top of Twilight's head.


Doctor Manner walked over to the other side of the bed, then levitated out a plastic package. He tore it open and walked back over to the bed in front of Twilight and unwrapped the fresh bandage. Rainbow slowly released Twilight and scooted back, her gaze lingering on Twilight's side. Doctor Manner placed a pad of gauze on Twilight's side, then started wrapping the bandage around her body. Twilight timidly extended her left wing so that he could wrap it underneath of her wing. He took several seconds to wrap the bandage around her body, and every second passed in silence as the bandage held Twilight's side tighter and tighter. After he finished, he levitated his clipboard back over and scrutinized it. "I know you don't like being here, Princess... but you really should stay at least a few more days until your side has healed up more and we're sure that you're not going to get infected..." he trailed off and frowned. "You never did say how she took your wing," he said carefully.


Twilight remained silent, shifted her weight, and fluffed her one wing. The beeping of the heart rate monitor noticeable picked up. Doctor Manner glanced over at it and took a deep breath. He sighed inaudibly and grimaced.


"I want to go home..." Twilight said weakly. She looked up at Doctor Manner with wide, glistening eyes.


Doctor Manner watched Twilight for a moment, then slowly, reluctantly nodded. "I'll have you released, but please, take it easy, rest, make sure you're eating and drinking enough, and please keep up on your medicine. I will want to see you in a few days, and after that, I will want to resume our weekly checkups." Twilight grimaced but nodded. "And of course, you'll need to start on physical therapy."


Rainbow perked up a little. "Uh, I don't suppose I could handle the physical therapy part, could I?" she asked, squinting.


Doctor Manner pursed his lips. "I recommend her seeing a professional, especially since she lost a wing and can't walk, but you can try to help her on your own. I would actually advise you try doing that. It should speed up her recovery."


Rainbow nodded. "Alright. I can handle that."


"Don't push her too hard, Rainbow Dash," he warned sternly. "She may not have any injured legs, but she lost a wing and can't balance properly. It's not going to be easy for her. I don't want her getting hurt."


Rainbow nodded soberly. "I... don't want her to get hurt either," she said quietly. "I'm not going to push her too hard, I promise," she affirmed.


Doctor Manner looked between the two of them for several seconds, grimacing."Well... I'll go ahead and get you checked out and I'll be back with a wheelchair for you." Twilight absently nodded. Doctor Manner waited for a moment, then turned and walked to the door, leaving the two mares alone.


As the door clicked closed, Twilight leaned forward further, putting more distance between herself and Rainbow. Rainbow's ears pinned back and she scooted around to Twilight's left side. She calmly laid her wing around Twilight's back and wrapped it around her side. Without any coaxing, Twilight leaned into Rainbow's body, then laid her head on her shoulder. The alicorn silently stared out of the window while Rainbow held her. Rainbow said nothing while she held Twilight, but she did gently rub her wing up and down over Twilight's body in slow, long strokes. Twilight returned the affection with a timid nuzzle, rubbing her muzzle against Rainbow's neck and jaw.


After several minutes, the door clicked open again and Doctor Manner returned, rolling in a wheelchair. Twilight's body tensed up and she slowly leaned away from Rainbow and rigidly sat up straight. Rainbow looked at Twilight, then she hopped off the bed and walked around to Doctor Manner. She took the wheelchair around and positioned it in front of Twilight.


Twilight clenched her jaw and regarded it warily. She stared at it for several seconds without blinking. Eventually, she blinked, then glanced up at Rainbow and watched her expressionlessly. Doctor Manner walked around to Twilight's left side, then gradually helped Twilight down from the bed. The alicorn wobbled as she stood on the floor, and she winced as she instinctually flared her left wing, which nearly caused her to topple over. She clenched her jaw harder as she struggled to fold her wing back. After several seconds, and help from both Doctor Manner and Rainbow, she managed to sit down in the wheelchair. She fluffed her sole wing and looked down at the floor, not wanting to see anything else.


"Hey, I'll carry you back to the castle, alright? That way we can avoid everypony?" Rainbow asked. Twilight barely nodded in acknowledgment and said nothing. Rainbow's ears folded back halfway and her chest throbbed. She swallowed and calmly inhaled, then exhaled. She looked over at Doctor Manner, who quickly detached a small patch from Twilight's right foreleg, causing the heart rate monitor to grow silent. Rainbow tentatively stood up on her hind legs and took the wheelchair by the handles with her forehooves, then swiveled around and started toward the door. Doctor Manner calmly followed behind them.


The trip through the hospital's hallways was quiet for both of them, and very few ponies acknowledged their presence as they made their way down to the lobby. They encountered nurses and doctors, most of whom pointedly ignored them, but a couple of them stared at her and clenched their jaws. Twilight never once looked up from her hooves, and her muzzle remained pointed down the entire time. Before they were halfway to the lobby, she clenched her eyes and let out a choked sob, making her body heave. Rainbow slowed and stopped, watching Twilight with concern, but Twilight hastily recomposed herself and lifted her muzzle back up. Twilight stared straight ahead, jaw clenched. After a few seconds, Twilight tilted her head to the left and glanced back at Rainbow. She quickly broke eye contact and looked ahead again.


Rainbow stood there, staring at Twilight for several more seconds before she slowly started walking again. Eventually, they made it to the lobby, then outside. The early evening sun shone down on them, and a gentle breeze blew by, carrying with it a bit of a chill. Twilight shivered a little as the wind buffeted her bandage protected side, and she shifted her side away from the wind in an effort to protect herself. Rainbow came to a stop, then walked around in front of the wheelchair and sat down on her haunches. Doctor Manner walked around to Twilight's left side, then helped her up. Twilight's legs wobbled, and as she took a step forward, her legs gave out and she collapsed right onto Rainbow's back.


Rainbow bit her lip and hastily turned her head back to look at Twilight. Twilight calmly recomposed herself, then repositioned herself and straddled Rainbow, then wrapped her legs and forelegs around her. Rainbow tentatively stood up, then turned around to face Doctor Manner. "Be careful," he warned. "And don't drop her. If she has to come back for any broken bones because you dropped her..." he trailed off.


"She won't drop me," Twilight replied quietly. She glanced up from the ground and looked at Doctor Manner.


Doctor Manner shifted his weight and nodded. "I'll have an appointment schedule mailed to you," he replied. He shifted his weight again, then glanced around and swallowed. "Well... take care, Princess," he said softly. He offered them a weak smile, then took the wheelchair in his magic and rolled it back while he made his way back into the hospital.


Rainbow turned back around and spread her wings out. Twilight pressed her head into Rainbow's shoulder and gripped her tighter. Rainbow leaned away from Twilight and turned her head to the right to look at her. Twilight had her eyes closed. "You doing okay?" Rainbow asked, her voice cracking.


"Take me home, please," Twilight whispered in a small voice.


Rainbow grimaced and nodded. She glanced around, then leisurely flapped her wings. She hovered over the ground for a moment, then she started a gentle ascent into the sky. She flew up higher into the sky until their only company was fluffy white clouds. Rainbow headed straight for Twilight's castle and occasionally glanced back at Twilight. Twilight remained silent as she clung to Rainbow.


Eventually, Rainbow started a graceful, slow descent. She landed gently and immediately walked out of the landing, heading towards the castle doors. She glanced around, noting the absence of Royal Guards and everypony in general. She pushed open the door with a forehoof, then calmly walked inside. She closed the door behind her, then swallowed. She looked around, halfway expecting Pinkie Pie to be throwing a surprise party.


The castle's lobby was silent, and the atmosphere felt heavy and oppressive.


Rainbow calmly beat her wings again and hovered in the air, holding herself up off the floor. She slowly flew toward the kitchen. The cold blues, violets, and greens of the crystals making up the hallways of Twilight's castle felt unwelcoming, but they almost felt sympathetic to Twilight's condition. Rainbow found her gaze lingering on the crystalline pillars as she flew passed them.


Eventually, she arrived at her destination and landed. Twilight remained impassive, despite their destination. Rainbow lifted her left wing up and gently brushed it against Twilight's wing. "Hey, are you hungry?" she asked softly.


For a moment, Twilight didn't react, then she subtly nodded her head, just barely moving it up and down.


Rainbow walked into the kitchen and looked around, trying to find Spike, but the dragon was nowhere to be found. She grimaced. "Hey, uh, why don't I take you to your bedroom and help you into bed, then I can go find Spike to make you... or us, something. How's that sound?" she asked.


"Please don't leave me..." Twilight replied in a hushed tone, gripping Rainbow's body tighter, refusing to let go.


"Okay," Rainbow replied softly. "I won't leave you, I promise..." she trailed off and swept her head around, glancing over the kitchen to check for Spike again. She grimaced, then turned her gaze back to Twilight. "Uh, any idea where Spike would be?"


"Check the Library," Twilight replied quietly.


Rainbow stood there for a moment and nodded absently. She slowly walked back out of the kitchen, then flew through the hallways. Twilight's grip gradually lightened but still held firm, and she seemed to relax and drift off to sleep. She continued flying slowly to let Twilight sleep undisturbed until she arrived at the Library. 'Twilight... please get better... I can't stand seeing you like this...' She timidly pushed open the door and looked around. Two heads turned to face her, and both Spike and Starlight smiled hopefully, though they faded a little as they saw Twilight resting peacefully on Rainbow's back. Rainbow shuffled into the room. "Hey," she greeted quietly, not wanting to awaken her sleeping alicorn.


Starlight placed a pale pink bookmark which had her cutie mark on it in her book, then set it down on the table beside the couch. She hopped off the couch and walked over to meet Rainbow. Starlight looked at Rainbow quizzically. "Shouldn't she still be in the hospital?"


"She wanted to come home," Rainbow replied soberly. Starlight stared intently at Rainbow. "Hey, we got her checked out and everything. Doctor Manner okayed it," she said defensively, looking away from Starlight and ruffling her wings. Starlight slowly nodded and ceased staring at Rainbow. Rainbow leaned to the right and looked over at Spike, who slowly approached them. "Hey, uh, Spike? Do you think you could fix me and Twilight something to eat?" she asked.


"Sure thing," Spike replied. "Um... what do you want?"


"Um... something light for myself," Rainbow replied, "And..." she trailed off and grimaced. She looked over at all the books lining the bookshelves and shifted her weight from side to side. "Could you fix Twilight some... uh... you know..." she trailed off.


Spike quickly nodded. "Yeah, I can do that," he answered calmly. He slowly shuffled forward, then stopped. He tapped his claws together unsurely. "Um, do you want me to take it to Twilight's bedroom, or bring it here?"


"Take it to Twilight's bedroom. I think she'd prefer it be there, and I think we're going to be heading there shortly," Rainbow answered. Spike nodded, then hurried off to the kitchen.


"Are you doing okay, Rainbow?" Starlight asked calmly. She grimaced and watched Twilight. "I know it's not easy for her, but this can't be easy on you either."


Rainbow slowly bobbed her head back and forth. She swept her gaze across the library, then hesitantly nodded. "I'll be fine. Twilight's safe, and that's what matters to me," she said firmly. "It's hard to see her like this, but I'll help her get better."


Starlight nodded. After a few seconds, she stepped over to Rainbow, then wrapped a foreleg around her neck. She tried to avoid Twilight, but in the end, she wrapped her foreleg around both of them and hugged them. Rainbow gradually leaned in and accepted the hug. After a short time, they parted. "I won't keep you any longer than necessary, and Twilight looks tired."


Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, she's been sleeping off and on all day," she replied.


Starlight grimaced and nodded. The unicorn reluctantly turned around and walked back to the couch. "It would be so much easier if there was just a spell to fix all of this," she sighed.


Rainbow grimaced. "Couldn't you just go back in time and stop all this from happening?" she asked at length.


Starlight visibly winced and shifted her weight. "Rainbow... that..." she trailed off, sighing and looking down at her hooves. "It would be wrong to do that. Maybe it would fix everything, but... I don't think Twilight would want that since you two are together because of what happened. And I'd rather not go down that road again..."


Rainbow blinked, then slowly looked down at the floor and nodded. "I... guess that's kind of true..." she said quietly. She swallowed and looked back up. She watched Starlight for a few seconds, then she turned around and made her way out of the library. After the door closed behind her, she stood there in silence for a few minutes. 'We're only together because of what happened?' she asked herself. 'Would I have given you a chance if this hadn't happened? If you hadn't been hospitalized?'


She felt a hole in her chest, and her ears folded back. She lifted her wings and beat them, but her heart wasn't in it and she didn't lift off the ground at all. She sighed quietly and glanced back at her right wing, then she stole a glance at the bandage covering Twilight's side. She shook her head, then started down the hallways to find Twilight's room.


The silence and dull monotone of her journey gave her plenty of time to think, and she found her thoughts consumed by the alicorn she loved, the same alicorn who was asleep on her back. She smiled a little as she thought more about carrying Twilight to her bedroom on her back while Twilight slept. Something about it just felt right and made her feel better. By the time she reached Twilight's bedroom, the atmosphere didn't feel nearly as overbearing as before.


She hesitated as she reached for the door. 'The last time we were here together was when I left, and the last time you were in here alone, Chrysalis ponynapped you...'


She lowered her forehoof back to the floor. Several seconds passed, and not a single thought went through her mind. Eventually, she lifted her forehoof back up and pushed open the door. She strode into the room and surveyed Twilight's bedroom, half afraid of what she would see, and wanting to make sure it was safe.


The room was empty and lit by the gentle sunlight streaming in through the windows. Nopony else was around except for the two of them. It was quiet, calm, and peaceful. No signs of what had happened remained. Rainbow smiled and walked on into Twilight's bedroom. She quietly closed the door behind her but didn't lock it. She licked her lips and flapped her wings, then flew over to the bed. She landed, then slowly laid down on her stomach. She used her forehooves to nudge Twilight's forehooves off of her. Twilight, though she was still asleep, fought against Rainbow's efforts to remove her grip, but in the end, Rainbow won.


Rainbow leaned to the right and gradually nudged Twilight to her left side, then she carefully laid Twilight down on the bed. She smiled as she watched Twilight shift, stretch, curl up, then nuzzle into her pillow. She sat up on her haunches, then laid a forehoof on Twilight's shoulder and gently stroked her side. Her eyes burned, and her throat felt tight. She lifted her forehoof up to Twilight's mane, then slid the edge of her hoof through her mane, gently stroking her and brushing her hoof through her mane, causing her indigo hairs to part. She closed her eyes, then leaned down and placed her lips on Twilight's forehead. She slid her forehoof around Twilight's neck and held her while she kissed her.


Eventually, she pulled back. She scooted around, then hopped off the bed.


A quiet, weak whimpering sound came from the bed. Rainbow's chest throbbed in pain. She quickly hopped back up onto the bed, then laid down facing Twilight. She quickly wrapped her legs around Twilight's body and pulled her into her protective embrace. She laid her left wing over Twilight's right side, then wrapped it around her back. Twilight scooted up against her and pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest. Rainbow slid a forehoof up to Twilight's neck, then held her there and slid her head down to Twilight's head and held her there securely. "I'm here, Twi... it's okay..." she whispered.


Rainbow squeezed Twilight and firmly held her close against her body. She took comfort in feeling Twilight's coat against her and stroking her mane, and she calmly watched Twilight's body rise and fall with each breath she took. It was peaceful, and she felt content and happy to lay there holding Twilight. She found herself smiling.


Eventually, the serenity of the moment was broken by a knock on the door. Rainbow hesitantly lifted her head up and looked toward the door. Spike tentatively opened the door and peeked inside. Rainbow flashed him a smile and nodded, and Spike quickly closed the door behind him after entering. He walked over to the bed, carrying a large platter in one claw. "She still sleeping?" he asked as he set the platter down on the bed.


Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I'll make sure she eats when she wakes up," she answered.


"Okay," Spike replied. "I fixed you a daisy sandwich. I hope that's okay. Twilight really likes those..."


Rainbow nodded and flashed Spike a warm smile. "Yeah, that's fine Spike. Thanks."


"No problem," Spike replied. He fidgeted idly for a few seconds. He looked down at the crystalline floor unsurely, then hesitantly looked up and glanced at Rainbow. "When she wakes up, could you tell her that I'd like to spend some time with her? I... we haven't really done much of anything together in a really long time... Ever since she lost her horn... She hasn't really just... spent time with me. She's been with you. I-I don't mean to say that you're keeping Twilight all to yourself or anything! But... I miss her too."


Rainbow smiled apologetically. "Hey, Spike, it's okay. I'll let her know that you miss her. I'll make sure she spends some time with you, too, okay?"


Spike timidly nodded, then swallowed. "Thanks, Rainbow... You've been good for her. I hope you know how much you mean to her..."


Rainbow nodded, then looked down at Twilight. "Yeah, I just hope she knows how much she means to me..." she replied. Her smile grew strained.


"Rainbow, it might not mean a lot coming from me, but... I think of you and the rest of the girls as her family," Spike said tentatively. "And... I think Twilight thinks of all of you that way too. You're really special to her, though. And you make her happy. I'm glad that you're her for her, Rainbow Dash." Spike remained there for a moment before he headed toward the door.


Rainbow watched Spike leave, then looked back down at Twilight. "Hey, sleepy, food's here," she said.


Twilight groaned softly and tensed up, then snuggled deeper into her embrace. Rainbow's lips lifted further. She leaned down and gently nuzzled Twilight's cheek with her nose. "C'mon, Twi... you need to eat your meat if you want to be a strong alicorn..." she cooed.


Twilight groaned a long, queit groan. "Rainbow..." she sighed. She laid there contently for a moment, then she pressed her nose against Rainbow's chest and inhaled. She closed her eyes as she relaxed to Rainbow's scent, then she opened her eyes and slowly exhaled. She lifted her lips and gradually scooted her head back. She glanced up at Rainbow as a yawn overtook her body, and she lazily closed her eyes again.


Rainbow gave Twilight a little squeeze, then released her. She scooted back from Twilight and sat up, then slid her forehooves down to Twilight to help her sit up. Twilight groaned and still laid limply, not wanting to stand up, thus forcing Rainbow to have to lift Twilight's limp body up to force her into a sitting position. Twilight finally sat up on her haunches, then quickly jabbed Rainbow's side with a forehoof.


Rainbow squinted at Twilight but smiled as Twilight smiled tiredly at her. Rainbow turned around and slid the platter over, then lifted the lid off with a wing. She sat the lid down on the bed and looked over the two plates. Steam rose up from Twilight's meat and Rainbow felt the warmth roll over her face. She leaned back and shifted her weight uncomfortably. She glanced over at Twilight. Twilight looked at the meat idly, but after a few seconds, she started sniffing the air intently and leaned toward the plate. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then she licked her lips in anticipation. When Twilight opened her eyes, they had taken on an almost predatory gleam to them as she stared unblinkingly at the meat. Rainbow looked around, then timidly grabbed a fork and knife in her wings. She shivered as she placed the fork over the fish, then pressed it down into the golden brown slab of meat.


Rainbow felt uncomfortable as she felt the fork slide into the cooked salmon. She put it aside as she caught Twilight looking at her in anticipation. She brought the knife around, then pressed it against the meat and slid the knife through it, cutting it with ease and making the flaky meat peel. She felt bewildered at how the meat easily tore off. She timidly lifted the fork up and extended it out to Twilight.


Twilight hastily leaned forward, opened her mouth, then took the chunk of fish in her muzzle, closed her mouth, then pulled back. She closed her eyes and moaned as she vigorously chewed the meat. For the first time all day, Twilight actually seemed alive, and Rainbow's heart fluttered with joy.


Rainbow quickly cut off another chunk and held it out for Twilight, who hastily took it and barely chewed it before swallowing. "Might want to slow down?" Rainbow suggested. "I don't want you to get sick or anything."


Twilight looked away from Rainbow bashfully. "Sorry... I'm just really hungry, and this tastes... um... amazing," she said timidly.


Rainbow tentatively cut off another section of fish and held it out for Twilight. The young alicorn greedily took it into her mouth and chewed it up quickly, then swallowed. Eventually, Twilight finished eating the meat, and she licked her lips vigorously. Rainbow shifted her weight and turned her attention to her sandwich. She ate in silence, and Twilight sat beside her. When she finished, she hopped off the bed and took the lid and put it back on the platter. "Want me to take this to the kitchen?" she asked.


Twilight hastily shook her head. "No, just... leave it by the door," she said hastily.


Rainbow watched Twilight, then nodded. She walked over to the door, then set the platter down on the floor and turned back around. She watched Twilight, then flared out her wings and flew to the bed. She landed on the bed facing Twilight, then wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck and hugged her. "I'm so glad that you're safe, Twilight... I was so worried when Celestia told me that... Chrysalis had you."


Twilight looked down at Rainbow's chest and slowly slid her forehooves up Rainbow's body, then she slid them around Rainbow's back and returned her hug. She timidly extended her one wing and wrapped it around Rainbow's body. She licked her lips, then closed her eyes and laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder.


Rainbow lovingly wrapped her wings around Twilight, then she leaned to her right and gradually caused both of them to fall over. Twilight didn't even tense up as she fell onto her left side. As soon as they hit the bed, Twilight snuggled up as close to Rainbow's body as she could, and she rubbed her muzzle up and down Rainbow's neck.


Rainbow pulled Twilight's body against hers with her hind legs and pressed them close together. "So... you just want to lay like this for a while?" she asked softly.


Twilight stopped nuzzling Rainbow and she nodded slowly. After she finished nodding, she resumed brushing her muzzle along Rainbow's neck in affectionate brushes.


Rainbow smiled as she felt Twilight continue to rub against her. She sighed contently. "You want me to cover us up with the blankets?" she asked.


"No, this is fine," Twilight replied. "I don't want to have to move from this spot for that," she said quietly.


Rainbow gently nuzzled Twilight's mane. "That's fine... I have you, so I think we'll be warm enough tonight." She pulled Twilight closer against herself and closed her eyes.


Twilight slid her head back, then pressed her forehead up against Rainbow's neck and tucked her muzzle in between their bodies. She watched Rainbow's coat and scrutinized her soft fur, smiling. She took a deep breath, then sighed and closed her eyes. "Promise that you won't leave me..?" she asked softly.


"Twilight, I promise that I won't ever leave you," Rainbow replied gently. She reaffirmed her grip on Twilight, making sure that nothing was in between them, and holding Twilight's body against hers. "I don't care how bad things are, I'm not gonna leave you, Twi. I wouldn't leave you for the world."


Twilight smiled happily, and her heart fluttered from Rainbow's promised. Her eyes burned and a few tears slid down her cheeks. "I love you, Rainbow..." she whispered softly. She opened her eyes and her smile faded a little.


"I love you too, Twilight," Rainbow whispered sweetly. "Never forget that," she said firmly.


Twilight's lips curled up again. She closed her eyes and relaxed, feeling Rainbow's warmth and softness surrounding her. She felt safe, protected, and loved. Her right side didn't feel quite so cold with Rainbow's wing enveloping her and holding her. It was still noticeable, but it didn't dominate her thoughts since her thoughts were dominated by Rainbow. She tried to relax and stop thinking, focusing just on Rainbow. In the back of her mind, her fear, worry, and despondency lingered, but it was held at bay by Rainbow. It was just enough that she didn't feel completely useless. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy. She knew it from experience, adapting to her losing her horn had been hard. This would be hard, if not harder, but yet, she could rest peacefully, at least for the moment, protected and comforted in Rainbow's embrace.


Twilight pressed her forehead into Rainbow and nestled into her embrace. 'Rainbow will be there to help me... she won't abandon me...'