CHAPTER 6
After our little reunion, Dashie and I were confronted by everypony else, who were all looking at me with guilty faces.
"Wait, THEY feel bad? I'm the guy who did all this stuff! Ugh..."
"Listen... We just wanted to come and say we were sorry... I mean... If that's OK..." Fluttershy looked at my neck, and her eyes shrank. "EEP!"
"Shy, just calm down, I'm fine... I just... Made a really bad choice." Yeah, no kidding.
"Well, I'm glad to see you're OK... We felt so guilty for getting mad at you... We're sorry..." Twilight hung her head in shame.
"You're sorry? Girls... I'M sorry! I'm the one who decided to off himself... I shouldn't have even let the thought cross my mind..." I felt myself getting teary-eyed, so I looked away.
"What'dya mean Yer sorry? We're th' ones who drove Ya t' to that..."
"Well, if anypony is to blame, it's everypony but you and Fluttershy, AJ. I never came to see you guys. But that's not the point. The point is, I tried to take the cowards way out, and that... That's just not right. I shouldn't have done what I did, and I regret it, but hey, I'm alive and kicking, so you girls have nothing to do but be proud of yourselves for saving me..."
They all beamed at me, then Rarity gave me a once-over, and gave me a slightly irked look. "Darling, you can't expect me to just let you walk around looking..." She sniffed the air around me and scrunched up her face. "And smelling like that, can you?"
"Well, let's see, I haven't had anyplace to stay asides from back alleyways for the past few weeks, and I've been drinking heavily and throwing up all over myself. What did you expect me to smell like, roses and tulips?"
"Awww, don't be like that! Come on! Let's turn that frownzie upside downzie!" She shoved her hooves onto my face and started trying to shift it around. I gently pushed her away.
"Thanks, Pinkie... Listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have something I need to do... Actually, AJ, would you come with me? I need to talk to you too."
Her face became the same color as her apples. "Umm... Alright. Let's go... Ah'll seeya later everypony."
We headed out of the hospital, and everypony went their separate ways, each with their own things to do.
"So... What is it Ya' wanted t' talk t' me 'bout?"
"I heard what you said to me in the hospital."
She blushed again, and looked away. "Y-Ya' heard that?"
"Yeah. I'm not weirded out or anything, I just wanna know why." I tipped my hat a bit to keep the sun out of my eyes.
"Well, Yer' a hard worker, Yer' real nice, considerate, and Ya always keep 'n open mind t' everything. Not t' mention Ya've helped mah family out a bit, 'specially Mac. And Ya've kept Apple Bloom outta trouble once er' twice." She gave me a small smile. I rubbed my chin, thinking about all of this for a moment or so.
"Huh... She's right... Well, I guess I'd best not press the matter."
"Alright. Well, AJ, I won't let this get in the way of our friendship, as long as things don't get weird." I cocked a slightly accusing eyebrow at her.
"No problem. Like Ah' said, Ah' know Yer' married, so Ah' won't try anything. Ah' am the Element o' Honesty after all."
I chuckled, and got ready to take off. I hadn't used my sneakers much since I got them back, and I needed to talk to Scoots anyways. "Alrighty then, seeya later AJ!"
She waved as I flew off towards Dashie's- my house.
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When I landed, I just walked inside, knowing the door wouldn't be locked. I always wondered why we had a door... We could just fly in through the windows.
"Hey... Scoots? You here?" I was semi-yelling for her. I was worried she would be freaked out by my barging in.
She rounded the corner, and just stared in disbelief when she saw me. "You're... Alive?"
I just grinned at her. "You think I'll go out that easily...?" Then, I dropped the act, and went into full on serious mode. "I'm sorry for all the grief I've caused you guys... I never meant to leave. I had no say in the matter..."
"I know... Mom told me all about it. I'm sorry... Dad."
I felt myself tear up. "Did you just call me..."
She started tearing up too, and just slowly nodded.
"Scoots..."
"Dad..."
She jumped at me, and knocked me over into a hug, crying. I was bawling my eyes out. I had my daughter back... Nothing could have ruined that moment.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry I w-was so m-mad at you... I-I didn't th-think you w-w-would do that..." She buried her face into my shoulder, and I just stroked the back of her mane.
"I kn-know Scoots... I-I'm sorry I t-tried to take the c-c-cowards way out... It w-wasn't right, I know it w-w-wasn't..." I held her as if my life depended on it, rocking back and forth on the ground. I couldn't believe that I had my life back. It felt so... Right.
"So... I see you two have made up." Dashie rounded the corner, giving me and Scoots a warm look.
I wiped my eyes my nose off on my jacket sleeve. I took the time to throw my hat on the couch and shake my hair out. "Yeah... It feels great for everything to be back to normal... Hey, I know it's a bit soon... But d'ya think I could start... Staying here again?"
She just smiled, and kissed me on the cheek. "Sure, why not." She closed her eyes and smiled, slightly tilting her head. It was like something out of a cartoon.
"So, what do you two think of dinner?" Dashie was heading towards the kitchen. I'd missed her cooking so much...
"YES PLEASE!" I threw my arms up for emphasis, getting a chuckle from both of them.
"Good, because I'm making veggie stir fry."
"That sounds like something AJ would make..." I chuckled at my southern cooking joke.
"Why would you say that?" Dashie gave me a confused look.
"Oh, no reason... You wouldn't understand." I waved my arm dismissively, and she raised her eyebrow even further, until she just smiled and shook her head. I sat down on the couch, and just smiled.
"I'm home..."