Later that night, Mac found that he couldn't fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was Fluttershy's limp body lying on the ground. He was anxious to see her, to be by her side. The feeling was so powerful that it provoked Macintosh to leave his room and tiptoe around the Apple household. He looked in on his sleeping sisters and his grandmother before quietly leaving the house.
An hour had passed before he arrived at the hospital. The red pony walked up to the front door and peered inside.
One nurse was sitting at the reception desk shuffling through papers and chewing on bubblegum. Mac sighed. The hospital would not be open for another couple hours. Big Mac had just leaned against the brick wall of the hospital when a night guard came from around the building.
"Hey, big fella." The grey pony spoke to Mac. " The name's Badge, Tony Badge. Might I ask yours?"
"Big Macintosh."
" Well, I can see why they call you big. Sorry, Mac, Imma have to ask ya to leave. The doctors don't exactly appreciate night visitors."
" I apologize, Mr. Badge. It's just...."
Big Mac looked away from the guard as tears welled in his eyes.
"It's a mare isn't it?"
Mac looked up. " How-"
" I've seen it a million times, and let me tell you Macintosh, love is a like a restless foal. You can play ball with it once or twice, but then it never wants to stop. You know what I mean?"
"Im not dense or anything, but no, no I don't understand." The apple pony replied. " Love is not like a foal. With love, if its true, you won't want to stop. And this love....I don't want to quit on it."
The guard looked at Mac and sighed. " Y'know what I'm going to do, just for you, Mac?"
Macintosh shook his head no.
"Imma let you in and take you up to your mare friend, but I need you to be silent. Hush, hush. You got that?"
Macintosh nodded eagerly.
"Alrighty, then."
The guard lifted his keys with his magic and unlocked the door of the hospital, quietly he motioned Macintosh inside.
The apple pony stepped into the reception room and the nurse looked up, with a reasurring nod from the guard she shrugged and went along with her own business.
"What's your mare's name?" The guard whispered to Big Mac.
"Fluttershy." Macintosh whispered back.
"Lucky for you, I was on duty when she came in. Her room is just down this hallway, please follow me."
The unicorn led Mac down to a door marked 1354.
"Now, I'm going to warn you. She looked pretty roughed up when they wheeled her in. So prepare yourself."
Big Macintosh nodded slowly and the guard eased open the door with his magic. Macintosh silently entered the room, it was a single room which were mostly reserved for more severe cases. Mac silently wished to Celestia that Fluttershy would pull through. A soft click ripped him from his thoughts as Tony Badge closed the door and left, presumably back to his duties.
Macintosh, with one last glance at the door, turned and stepped towards Fluttershy's bed.
He sat next to the bed, his large figure casting a shadow from the dim lamp that had been angled at his love's sleeping form.
His eyes looked at her face, absorbing the picture. Her cheeks were pale and scratched. Her head had been wrapped and the few pink locks that escaped from the bandages had draped themselves over her closed eyes. Though smudged and scratched, her face looked so peaceful, so relaxed. Big Mac pet her cheek lovingly with his hoof, careful not to disturb the gauze covered scar.
"Fluttershy," Macintosh whispered. "You remember the lullaby you sang to Applebloom and her friends? Of course you do, darlin'. Would you like to hear it?" Mac asked Fluttershy, who didn't stir.
"Hush, now, quiet now. It time to lay your sleepy head."
Mac stopped to blink away a few tears.
"Hush, now, quiet now," he wiped a stray one away.
"Its time to go to bed."