//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Dreams and Nightmares // Story: The Trixie Treatment. // by DerpyDitzyDerpyDo //------------------------------// AJ was woken by the sound of shuffling sheets and sniffling. She lay for a moment in silence, trying to put together what she was listening to. It must have been just after midnight. What was that sound? The blankets shifted, the floorboards creaked and the door to the bedroom swung open. Applejack relaxed. Trixie was going to the bathroom. She waited to hear the magician make her way down the hall. The sound never came. Nothing but silence. Applejack lifted her head to see Trixie standing in the open doorway, stock-still, staring into the darkness. "Sugarcube? Are you okay?" Trixie flinched visibly. She didn't turn around. "S-s-sorry... um... Trixie didn't mean to wake you. She's just going to the toilet," her voice was shaking. There was a long pause. Trixie remained motionless. "You know the way, right? It's jus' down the hall," said Applejack, rolling over and sitting up in bed. Trixie still didn't turn to face her, "Trixie... has forgotten the way." "Jus' down the hall. All the way to the end." Trixie turned her head and looked at AJ over her shoulder. Even in the gloom Applejack could see that her cheeks were wet with tears. "Trixie has f-f-forgotten the way to the bathroom. Maybe you could escort her?" she asked pathetically, blinking back tears. "Aw, heck!" Applejack hurriedly kicked off the blankets, leapt out of bed and trotted over to Trixie, "Another bad dream?" "Sniff... not afraid of the dark. Trixie's the most powerful unicorn... sniff... in Equestria. She's not afraid of the dark. She just forgot the way," she looked fragile, more vulnerable than any other time the two had been together. Applejack knew full well what this situation demanded. Apple Bloom had gone through a period of nightmares and night terrors when she was younger, shortly after their parents had passed. What this pony needed right now was the light of a candle, some milk and a hug. Steps one and two would be easy. But physical intimacy with Trixie was something that put a strain on Applejack's heart. As much as she didn't want to feel like she was taking advantage of the frightened mare her willpower was already taxed to breaking point as it was. She swallowed her reservations, picked up a match off the corner table and struck it. As she touched it to the wick of the candle and the flame caught; the room was illuminated in a soft orange glow. The trembling unicorn still stood in the doorway of the bedroom making a futile effort to hide the fact that she had been crying. She'd reclaimed her cape from the chair it had been left on and was using it as a kind of makeshift security blanket. She blew her nose messily on the slightly ragged wizard cloak. No dang it! No! Applejack, you will keep your comfortin' pure and platonic! You are NOT, Ah repeat, NOT to take advantage of her when she's like this. Trixie's glistening eyes met AJ's. Her nose was red and her lip wobbling. Come on! That jus' ain't playin' fair! "Applejack?" Keep it together, now... aw, who am I even kidding? AJ damn near knocked the wind clean out of Trixie. She flung her arms around the mares slender shoulders and squeezed as hard as she could. Trixie was buried face first in Applejack's straw coloured mane. "Geh! Too tight..." Trixie was silenced by a tender kiss on her cheek. "Now don't you be worryin' yer pretty little head. There ain't nothin' to be scared of while I'm here with you," AJ couldn't help but nuzzle the helpless unicorn. "Applejack?" the earth pony in question was too lost in the moment. Smothering Trixies cheek and ears with kisses, "Applejack?" Trixie's lips were defenceless. Did she dare? "Applejack!" "Huh? Whut?" AJ was still lost in the daze of the moment. "Trixie really does need to go to the bathroom." ~~~ A few minutes later the two had returned and were snugly tucked back in bed together. Applejack had been mentally kicking herself in the head during their brief midnight walk together for her momentary lapse. Usually she had so much more self control then this. Suddenly, her hair stood on end as she felt Trixie's breath suddenly on the back of her neck. "Applejack? Are you asleep?" Trixie placed a hoof on the larger ponies side, tugging cautiously in an effort to get AJ to turn and face her. "Yer really playin' with fire here, sugarcube," Applejack said nervously. Trixie did not seem to understand in the least, "Are you angry at Trixie?" "No, that ain't exactly what Ah mean. Ah ain't mad at ya at all. If anything Ah'm mad at mahself. What's worryin' you?" AJ took a deep breath and rolled over, finding herself nose to nose with Trixie. "There's something that Trixie has been meaning to say to you... but whenever she tries her... she gets in her own way. Trixie knows that despite being... Great and Powerful she's not exactly an easy pony to get along with but..." Applejack squeezed her eyes closed. Is this what Ah think it is? Ah kissed her on the face! Is she finally pickin' up on what Ah think about her? Please. Oh, please. "Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for everything. Trixie thought that she could make up for the stupid things she did but now she's even deeper in your debt. You didn't have to let Trixie into your home, or properly introduce her to your friends, or feed her, or comfort her. But you did," Trixie looked like she was on the brink of crying again but she pressed on, "Trixie was at the end of the line. Stuck with nowhere to turn and... sniff... Trixie said that she had lots of friends but that was a lie. Trixie always lies. Sniff..." Trixie wriggled closer and pressed her head against AJ's chest. "The nightmares frighten Trixie. They're always the same. Whispers and voices. Saying cruel things. Telling Trixie to reclaim the amulet. Often her nose bleeds after she wakes up from the nightmares. Trixie is scared. Sometimes she hears the voices even when she's awake," she whispered. "Listen to me, sugarcube. Yer safe here with me, okay? Ah told you that already. Jus' stick close to me. Tomorrow we'll go see Twilight about this first thing in the morning. We'll sort this all out. Ah promise you Ah won't rest easy till you can as well. Jus' don't..." Applejack slowly ran out of words. She planted a soft kiss on Trixie's forehead. As she got settled Applejack started beating herself up inside her head once more. Fresh worries, new fears and reasons for hesitation. What in the hay is wrong with you? This gal has got real problems and here you were getting all gooey thinkin' she was gonna confess to you! Ah really got to get some help for her. Ah gotta stop thinkin' all selfish like. But Ah'll be damned if she doesn't smell fantastic. No, consarn it! No! Yer not allowed to breath through yer nostrils, ya hear me? Her hair is so soft though. She's so small in my arms. Somehow Ah get the feelin' Ah'm not gonna be able to get much sleep tonight.