J and AJ, Learning to live again
Preview
(Lucky’s Tavern)
Jack listened to the sounds of the Jukebox in the corner. He looked at the unfinished hard cider in front of him and shook his head. It didn’t help any. He had hoped that drinking it would at least dull the memories. That he wouldn’t have to think about what happened; that he wouldn’t have to live with what happened, but instead every memory was there. He could still see David standing next to Twilight. The ceremony, the wedding day, and both of them excited to walk into the rest of their lives together.
It was gone now. There was no getting it back.
“Jack?” a questioning voice asked.
He looked behind him to see Applejack. She was just barely starting to show evidence of being pregnant. He almost chuckled at the words of Granny Smith. She wanted them to be married before the baby came.
“Hi Sweetheart,” he said.
“Yer not drunk?” she asked.
“I wanted to be, but it doesn’t work,” he replied.
She watched him put his head into his real and artificial hoof. She walked toward him and touched his shoulder.
“Sugarcube, this isn’t yer fault,” she said.
He shook his head.
“It is. I should have made them listen better. Two more cannons, just two more, would have been more than enough to stop that son of a bitch,” he said as he held his head in his hooves, “Two more would have done so much… Two more would have saved David… Just two more.”
She pulled him into a hug and felt him return it. She could feel him fighting to control his emotions. She had never really seen him cry yet, and to be honest she wasn’t sure she wanted to see it. Jack had proven himself to be so strong a thousand times over. The idea of something hurting him so bad that he would cry just hurt too much.
“It wouldn’t have mattered. Jack, ya can’t blame this on yerself. Ya did everything ya could to protect everypony. There are hundreds of foals and mares alive today that wouldn’t be if ya hadn’t been there,” she said.
“But… Applejack he was like a brother… He might as well of been my brother. We grew up together, hung out together… We even went to school and shared a dorm room together. He’s gone, and Twilight… she’s so lost. I can’t even stand to look her in the eyes because I know I failed her, and I failed David…” he said.
She pulled back a little and lifted his chin with her hoof.
“Sugarcube, this is not yer fault. It never will be yer fault. This was all Sombra’s doing, and right now that… that… Ah can’t say what he is if I wanna be ladylike. But ya know there was nothing else ya could’ve done,” she said.