He didn’t remember leaving the hospital, just stepping into the cold air. His parents' wings draped over his back for warmth.
He sat in the back seat of the car, huddled up in the corner as small as he could get. His father and Thunder Hoof sat up in the front of the car and his mother sat in the back with him, they had given him a new jacket and it was pulled tight around him.
They had asked if he wanted to stop anywhere but he’d declined. He didn’t want anything, he just needed to be home.
On the seat between them lay a bag from the pharmacy, the doctors had sent him home with antidepressants and painkillers. His mother had said something about it but he hadn’t heard it.
They had ridden in near silence since leaving the hospital, he had been held there for another two days after waking up. Two days confined to a room, two days of being scrutinized, two days without Haki. How was he going to face him after this?
His mothers voice broke the silence. “Gale, we’re here. Are you gonna be good to walk or do you need help?”
Looking up he realized the car had stopped and they were all looking at him. He resisted the urge to shrink away even further and instead opened the car door and shakily stepped out. “I can do it myself.”
The others followed suit and his mother grabbed the bag on the way out. two figures waited by the front door, Call Sign and Elektrum, and a third figure ran towards him, Haki.
Oh Celestia, what was he going to say, this was Haki.
The stallion who had given him flowers, and who he had only given pain.
“Haki I-” but he was cut off by Haki’s lips against his and the zebra’s legs around him.
The kiss felt like it lasted an hour and was all too short as Haki drew back and pulled him into a tight hug. “Welcome home Gale.”
Elektrum rushed over and grabbed onto his fore leg and held on tight. “I missed you Gale, everyone missed you so much they’ve been crying.”
“I… I’m so sorry.” He wept into Haki’s shoulder.
“It’s okay Gale, it’s okay. You’re home,” Haki whispered.
“Yeah. Now that you’re home they’ll all be happy again”
Call Sign exchanged words with the parents and Thunder before he called over to the trio. “Come on you three let’s get inside, it’s cold out here and there’s a hot meal waiting inside.”
Reluctantly Haki and Elektrum let him go. He tried to stand up and walk but after two steps he stumbled and had to be caught by Haki.
“Here, let me help.” Haki pressed up against Gale’s side. “Lean on me and go slow.”
Elektrum ran on ahead and the two stallions made their way indoors with slow, measured steps. They shut the door behind them and shook off their jackets before proceeding to the dining room.
The four families settled down to dinner. Dishes were passed around and food was served but he just sat there and stared at his plate. Haki poked his side
“Aren’t you gonna eat?.”
“Not hungry.”
“Gale…”
He sighed, picked up his fork, and poked at the food. They had prepared his favorite spiced carrots but it all tasted bland. He still forced himself to eat, if only to avoid upsetting Haki.
The meal was finished and dishes pushed to the side, Elektrum had run off with her parents while Haki still sat next to him. Around the table sat his parents, Sign, and Thunder.
“So, Gale,” his father started, “I know you probably don’t want to talk about this much but there are at least a few things that we need to go over now.”
He shrank in his seat and looked down at his front hooves, unable to meet anyone’s eyes. He heard a chair shift across the floor as Haki laid a hoof on his own.
His father fidgeted with his wings. “I guess the first thing is, we’re sorry. Clearly we missed something we should have seen. We all thought you were getting better after… that.” The stallion looked down at his own hooves. “We failed you, and we’re going to do better.”
“Second thing is school,” his mother continued, “Do you think you’ll be able to go tomorrow? We all understand if you’re not ready yet, but we think it will be easier the sooner you do.”
He looked up at his parents, who were both looking back at him with surprisingly fragile smiles. Was he ready? four days was so long, everyone was probably talking about him. What were they going to say to him?
A kiss from Haki shook the pegasus from his thoughts. “I’ll be with you Gale, you’ll be safe.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay.”
His father let his wings settle back at his sides. “Then starting tomorrow you and Haki won’t be taking the bus, Thunder or Sign will be dropping you off and picking you up.”
“That just leaves one more thing for tonight” Call sign levitated a carton out of the freezer and 6 bowls from the cabinet. “We did some rearranging, Haki is going to be sharing a room with you.” He passed out the bowls of ice cream around the table. “That way there’s someone on hoof if you need help getting around or something goes wrong.”
The four adults and Haki all dug into their bowls, but Gale sat and stared at his for a minute. It was pistachio, his favorite. They had clearly gone all out for him, and he still didn’t feel like eating.
Haki looked up from his bowl at the pegasus. “Gale, you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He grabbed the spoon in a wing and scooped up some of the ice cream. He could barely taste it.
He walked out of the dining room with Haki, behind them the adults conversed in low tones but he couldn’t make out any of the words. Haki was pressed up against his side for support as they turned down the hallway to his room, now their room.
“Storm Front’s been asking after you. She’ll be happy to see you back at school.” Haki paused for a moment. “Please don’t be angry at her for telling, she was so scared.”
“I’m not angry.” He tried to keep walking without Haki but stumbled and nearly fell again until Haki caught him with a hoof. “I promise.” He didn’t feel angry, He didn’t feel anything.
Haki gave him a nuzzle when they reached the door and opened it for him. As they passed through the doorway he looked around the familiar but now strange room. The zebra gently nudged him towards his bed. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”
Carefully, and without a word, he crawled under the covers and Haki slid in behind him and turned off the lights. He could feel the zebra’s comforting warmth against his back and strong legs wrapped around his barrel. He was home now.
The last thing he remembered that night was a whispered “I love you,” in his ear.