CHAPTER 14
(Third Person)
Almost a month had gone by, and Shadow was still unconscious. The doctors were astounded, saying he should have been out of the hospital weeks ago. Pinkie still visited him every day, but she was beginning to lose hope. Nurse Redheart tried her best to reassure her and egg her on, but she could only do that for so long.
"Pinkie, don't worry... He'll wake up. I promise." Redheart put her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder.
"I know you promise... But WHEN? I just want him back... I miss him. I know I've only been on one date with him, but he's still so important to me..." She hung her head, and her hair, now deflated, along with her coat, darkened even further. She was almost grey.
"Pinkie, I have to go deal with some other patients. Just... Don't give up, OK?" Pinkie dejectedly nodded, and Redheart walked away.
"I know I shouldn't give up... But how long will I have to wait?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(First Person)
"So... How many places have you been run out of ever since I went?" Fix nudged my side.
"I think three. I don't really remember. I've been in Ponyville for a while. Everypony here is so nice..." I frowned a bit. "Maybe I shouldn't be here."
"Why not? Everypony out there may SEEM nice, but they'll just stab you in the back as soon as you let your guard down, just like everypony else you've ever met." He gave me a sharp smack on the back. Then, something in my mind clicked.
"Yeah... Including YOU!" I stood up, and glared at him. "You tried to kill me just to take some drugs from me! What the hay am I doing?! You're not my friend, you're just another junkie!"
Fix stood up, and just started laughing. "Wow. It sure took you a while to remember that! You're an idiot, you know that Shadow? You were never too bright. You don't even have your Cutie Mark." He grinned smugly.
"At least I don't have a needle on my flank." His face contorted into a scowl. "You know what else? You aren't even Fix. You're just some figment of my imagination. I think it's because I feel guilty that I killed Fix... Like I should. And even though I don't deserve Pinks, I have her, and she would never cheat on me. I don't even know how you convinced me of that! Then again, you're probably just a manifest of all my self doubt and anger and stuff like that. So you know what? I say forget you! I'm waking up!" Suddenly, a familiar scene began to replay right in front of me. Fake Fix pulled a knife out of his pocket, and made a mad dash for me. I closed my eyes to ready myself for the blow...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I opened my eyes, I half expected to see Fake Fix digging out my insides. Instead, I saw a white ceiling. I was in the hospital due to my little run in with the Manticore. I felt very stiff, as if I hadn't moved for a really long time. I stretched out, and let out a satisfied groan as I felt all of my joints pop. I rolled out of the bed, and looked around the room. Pinks was asleep in a chair next to my bed, and she looked like she'd been through a lot of stress. I tapped her on the side. "Hey, Pinks, wake up." She began to stir, and she stretched, yawned, and rubbed her eyes. She looked at me, and blinked a few times, her face showing no emotion whatsoever. "Hey." She flew out of her chair and pinned me to the ground in the most sincere hug she'd ever given me.
"YOU'RE AWAKE! IT'S ALMOST BEEN A MONTH! OH THANK GOODNESS! I thought you were never gonna wake up..." I squeezed her tighter, never wanting to let go.
"I'd never just leave you like that. I'm sorry..." I was trying my best to keep my composure, but I was failing. I felt tears starting to well up in my eyes. "I... I was actually thinking of not waking up." Pinks shoved me away and glared at me.
"Why would you do that? I..." She looked away from me, and I couldn't really blame her.
"Because... I'm just an emotional train wreck. I still feel guilty for killing my 'friend.' I still can't look at myself and not want to smash the mirror, and I still have all sorts of problems trusting ponies. I actually thought you'd just left me behind and just picked up another stallion... But I was wrong, obviously. I'm sorry for doubting you... So sorry..." At that point, I lost it. I started crying, and I couldn't stop. Pinks gave me another hug, and rubbed the back of my head.
"Shhh... It's alright... I forgive you... You didn't do anything wrong..." She rubbed her head against mine, and I slowly started to feel better, but the tears kept coming for a good ten minutes. We just sat there, Pinks trying to comfort me while I bawled my eyes out from the guilt. Eventually she leaned back and stared right into my eyes. "Shadow?"
"Yeah Pinks?"
"Are you gonna be alright?" She sounded dead serious.
"In all honesty Pinks, I don't know... I think I should start getting therapy. It'd probably help. A lot." She smiled at me, and I smiled back.
"I'm glad you want to get help... I just hope nothing like this happens again. Waiting around in a hospital isn't fun at all." I tried to suppress my laugh, but Pinks started giggling, and I just let it out. We stood up and headed out of the hospital after I signed myself out. We didn't say anything on the walk back to Sugarcube Corner for a little while, until Pinks started walking a little closer to me. Our sides were almost touching.
"Shadow?"
I looked at her, and her eyes were really wide, and her cheeks were red. "Yeah?"
"Do you... Love me?" I ended up as red as she was.
"... Yeah. I do."
She grinned, and right there in the middle of town, we shared our first kiss.