The next two weeks went by like a dream, Applebucking was more fun than it looked. AJ and I had a competition going on to see who could make more apples fall off with one kick. After Big Macintosh came back it was as if everything was perfect, the whole family was back together and everypony was smiling and happy. One day AJ decided to invite her friends over for a family picnic.
Rainbow Dash and AJ engaged in friendly competition, although at times I had to break it up. Pinkie Pie played with Apple Bloom. Rarity and Fluttershy were off in their own conversation. I looked out into the horizon and let out my breath, it all seemed so peaceful in this world. Twilight hadn't come, she told Applejack that she was really behind on her studies, I sort of felt bad for holding her back so much. I saw something flying over the horizon towards the farm, I watched it for a while and still couldn't make out the shape.
Pinkie noticed it too, her tail started twitching.
"Twitcha, twitch! Twitcha, twitch!" she said.
Everypony scrambled to find something to hide under, in my confusion Owliscious came and landed on my back.
"Who!" he cooed.
"Oh, it's just Owlicious." Rainbow Dash said.
They all seemed relieved and came out of hiding. I looked at the little barn owl, it nodded at me.
"Uh, sorry to end the party early girls but uh..." I paused, "I should probably return Owlicious to Twilight." I walked off, they seemed confused but I ignored it and trotted on.
Twilight had said she would send Owlicious only if she really needed me. I walked the distance to the library and knocked softly.
The door flung open, Twilights mane was a mess.
"Oh, good your here!" she pulled me inside, "I've been up for weeks, I think I've found out how to send you home."
"Home?" I said, suddenly remembering... this isn't my home.
"Yes, while your in the other relm there is a slight spell I can preform to switch you and the real Buck." she proclaimed proudly.
"Oh..." I said a little glum, "great!" I didn't sound convincing.
"Is everything all right?" she asked, "This is what you wanted isn't it?"
I thought about Buck, this was his family after all, the more time I spent here the more time I took away from him.
"Yes," I told her, "alright let's do this."
I layed down on the couch once more, Twilight pressed her horn to my forehead. I felt drowsy and fell asleep almost immediately. I was once more in the white room, there was Buck waiting for me again.
"Hay there stranger." he greeted me.
"Ready for this?" I asked. He nodded.
A purple flash appeared and Twilight apperated in front of the both of us.
"Ready?" she asked us.
Her horn glowed brightly, it expanded and suddenly burst through the room in a blinding flash. I closed my eyes to the sudden flash of even more white colour.
I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling again. Did it work? I heard beeping, slow steady.
"Doctor, doctor he's coming to." I heard a voice say.
I looked over to see a human face looking at me.
"Hello James, your back with us now how do you feel?"
What kind of question was that, I felt like shit. I was nautious drowsy, groggy, I had a terrible migrane. But I was back in my world.
"I feel great!" I told her.
"Good." she said.
The doctor came over to me, it felt good to see another human face.
"Hello James, you were out for quite a while. Longer than usual anastesia to wear off." he told me, "Now during the surgury we did encounter minor complications-" I didn't let him finnish I threw the covers off.
I looked down and laughed, I wiggled my toes.
"Yes, we saved them in time. There was a blood clot but we were able to save your legs." he told me.
"What about my wife is she here?" I asked.
"Well just look right next to you." he said.
I looked over and saw Caroline looking at me with a smile on her face. A small four inch scar ran across her forehead.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I told her wrapping her in a warm loving embrace.
I broke the hug and looked at her, she didn't say anything, she just smiled.
"Honey? Is everything all right?" I asked starting to get worried, that's when I saw the tears in her eyes.
"The bullet that hit her grazed a portion of her brain that held the speech center," the doctor said, "with some treatment we may be able to restore some of her ability to talk."
I looked at her, the tears were flowing. "At least your alive." I said wrapping her in another hug.
She let out her sobs, apparently that wasn't taken away. At least she could let out her emotions.
"We also have this for you." The doctor said handing me a rather large, heavy for it's size envalope.
I looked at the address, it was from home base.
I ripped it open and saw a laptop, not any laptop it was rooks laptop. I laughed and looked at Caroline, "They sent me Rooks laptop.
I opened it up and immediately saw base camp, a few of the men in my squad packing up ammo and guns.
"Hey guys Candy Apples awake!" I heard Tank call in his booming voice.
They all surrounded the camera.
"Hey Candy Apple guess what?" Tech, he was our engineer said, "WAR' FRIGGEN OVER MAN! WE'RE ALL COMIN' HOME!" they all cheered.
Rook came onto the screen, "I will have to have my laptop back though you know that John." he told me.
"Ya ok, Rook I'll give it back." I told him.
"Actually I'm not Rook anymore," he said, "after you passed out I went comando and took out the enemy firing squad by tossing seven grenades at once." he said.
I laughed, "So what are they calling you over there now?" I asked.
"HEY GUYS, CANDY APPLE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT YOU CALL ME!" he called to the otheres cheering in the back.
"BOOMER!" they all called in unison, I laughed at the new nickname.
We pulled out in front of the house in my good old Ford. I got out, our kids and my mom were waiting for us. My little girs ran to hug me.
"I missed you daddy." Madyline said.
"I missed you too baby." I told her lifting her up and spinning her around then setting her on the ground and planting a big kiss on her cheek.
I looked at Steffanie who opened her arms for a hug. I hugged her hard, "You didn't think I wasn't coming back did you?" I told her.
I had already had a talk with my kids on the phone, they had already heard about what had happened to their mother. I walked over to my son who was once again leaning against the garage cross armed.
I stood in front of him and put my hands in my jean pockets. He lunged at me and wrapped his arms around me.
"It's good to have you back dad." I hugged him back.
"It's good to finally be back, son." I told him.
We all went inside, Madyline took over the living room telivision as the others went up to their rooms. I saw a familiar face on the TV that made me stop.
"... it's good to see you again dad." Applejack said.
Right there on the television was Buck. "It's good to be back kidoes." he said, he winked at the screen and the episode ended.
"Awww, I missed the ending!" Madyline complained.
I laughed as I thought about it, Buck was back with his family now and I was back with mine. I would never forget the time I spent there, how it taught me that every moment is precious. No matter how small it was, I would always... remember.