//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: From One Doctor To The Next 
// Story: A New Family 
// by dragonpony111 
//------------------------------//

Upon re-opening the door Derpy just stood there awkwardly for a few moments; with Dr. Whooves doing the same. After an unknown amount of time passed she gathered her thoughts together to say:

"I'm so-sorry, you seem l-like a very nice st-stallion, but I can't r-risk getting hurt ag-again. Even more so t-that I have my li-little Dinky to look af-after."

Derpy then allowed the stallion inside, and Dinky bounced up and down with joy as she hoped to have some of those muffins the new pony brought. Dr. Whooves noticed so he took a muffin from the bouquet; giving it to the excited filly who then bolted off back to her room. Derpy and the Doctor sat down on the comfy couch; then she explained her whole past with Ponet in regards to what he did to her, and why she is hesitant about trusting other stallions in that way again. Dr. Whooves was more than understanding, and assured Derpy he would never do that to her. The Doctor promised that Derpy's eyes or stutter would in no way affect how he felt for her, and found it quite appalling it was the opposite for other ponies.

"W-Well, okay then, b-but we only just met a co-couple of weeks ago, l-let's take things sl-slowly."

"That's fine by me Derpy. Then I shall see you tomorrow morning as I wait for my mail. I bid you farewell."

After taking a bow the Doctor graciously left the pegasus' home and closed the door behind him. A few moments later Derpy was shocked by the ear piercing wail of her daughter crying "Mommy" as it traveled the air. She ran into Dinky's room to see a half eaten muffin on the floor and Dinky rolling around in her bed; intensely crying in pain as she held both of her eyes closed and covered with her hooves. Derpy wanted to yell out but managed to keep this thought to herself:

"Oh no! Please Celestia don't let my little Dinky have my eyes, Please!"

She then ran over to her bawling filly and scooped her up into a comforting embrace.

"There th-there Dinky. Mommy is h-here now."

"But Mommy!! WUAAAHHH!! My eye it!! WUAAAHHH!! Hurts!!"

"I-I know Dinky."

A shaking and frightened Dinky looked up at her mom as she uncovered and opened her left eye; while the filly still left her right one covered by her hoof. It nearly tore Derpy to pieces having to hold her daughter as she cried intensely in pain, and being unable to help her. Dinky's expression was both scared and hopeful her mother could do something. This reminded Derpy of when she was DInky's age, and how she dealt with it. One of her eyes would be extremely painful when her condition acted up as she was settling into it, and the eye would go Derp for about an hour afterwards. She also remembered her parents gave her an eye patch to wear; which helped with the nauseating feeling from her eyes acting up, and the pain from having split vision. Though when Derpy hit her teenage mare years the fits of pain stopped altogether and her eyes were permanently Derped. The distraught mare just cradled Dinky tightly for the remainder of the fit, and when it ended she consoled her daughter:

"Its o-okay Dinky, it's over f-for now. Hold yo-your eye closed still a-as I go get you so-something for it."

Derpy then quickly galloped off to her room and rummaged through her old childhood trunk until she found that eye patch. When she returned to Dinky's room she affixed it on to Dinky's head and said:

"Th-There you go, Muffin. Just k-keep that on for n-now."

The old cotton eye patch instantly caused Dinky to fidget and attempt to mess with it as it was annoyingly itchy. The filly almost took it off when Derpy scolded her:

"N-No Dinky! You m-must leave it on!"

"But Mommy! It itches, I want it off!"

"But muffin, i-it will help k-keep the pain away. Y-you want that r-right?"

"Yes Mommy, thank you."

"N-Now get ready for bed D-Dinky. No school f-for you tomorrow, y-you are going to the d-doctor. "

"Oh... Okay mommy."

Dinky then walked off to go take her bath as her mother cleaned the muffin and crumbs off the floor. After that Derpy went to her bed to read the latest issue of Muffin Monthly, and after some time Dinky walked in sniffling almost crying and interrupted her.

"Mommy?"

"Y-Yes Dinky?"

"I looked at in the mirror, I have your eyes, if they stay like that will you still love me?"

"Why o-of course Dinky, you a-are my littlest muffin, a-and I will always l-love and be there f-for you."

Dinky perked up some from her mom's caring words and trotted over to give her a hug. She then looked up at her and said:

"Mommy, can I sleep with you tonight? Just in case my eyes hurt again?"

Derpy wiped the tears off of Dinky's face as she stroked her mane:

"S-Sure Dinky, I'll b-be right here t-to help you."

Dinky jumped up onto the bed with joy and quickly ran underneath the blanket; to resurface snuggled up next to Derpy.

:"Goodnight Mommy. I love you." *drawn out yawn*

Dinky then drifted off to sleep.

"I love y-you too Muffin."

Derpy gave Dinky a goodnight kiss, set the magazine on the nightstand, and turned off the lamp. She better settled into bed and wrapped her legs around Dinky. She had to readjust several times as Dinky would turn in her sleep and her horn would poke Derpy; the main reason she didn't let Dinky sleep with her anymore.

Dinky woke up with the sensation of being gently pushed around, and couldn't see much of anything. She could feel canvas walls which told her she must be in her mother's saddlebag. Dinky quickly shuffled around to poke her head out of the bag, and had to squint as her eye adjusted to the bright sunlight. Derpy noticed her daughter waking up and said:

"Good mo-morning Dinky."

"Where are we going mommy?"

"T-To the Doctor's o-office. We need to g-get there early."

"Okay mommy, but I'm hungry. Can we stop to eat?"

"Yes Muffin."

After about half an hour of walking Derpy stopped at a snack cart on the side of the road and bought Dinky a foal's meal that contained a sippy cup of cider, a small bunch of hayfries, and a daffodil sandwich.

"That'll be six bits ma'am."

"H-Here you go."

Derpy reached into her other saddlebag and picked up a small bag of bits with her mouth, and shook out six bits onto the cart. Dinky had already readjusted herself so that she sat up with her front legs hanging over the bag. Derpy hoofed the bag to Dinky who quickly snatched it. The filly began gobbling the hayfries first as they were her favorite. After finishing the last bite of her sandwich Dinky belted out a satisfying burp and fell back asleep in the saddlebag; suckling her now empty sippy cup.