Chapter 15: Dawn of a New Day
He stared at her as she lay sleeping on the bed, almost unblinking as he watched her chest rise and fall with steady breaths. He had gotten no sleep through the night, not wanting to leave Cherish in the darkness when she awoke. Bright had come to try and make him leave, but one look into his eyes stopped her, and she left him be. Needle would not leave Cherish’s side again. She started to whimper a little in her sleep. Needle ached with the need to try and comfort her, but he knew it would only make it worse. She was shaking off the last vestiges of his cursed world, casting away the memories after she relived them one last time in her dreams.
So there he sat, regret aching through him as she shivered from her dreams. I wish I had never refused to feed. If I hadn’t she would have never been taken to his world. It was I who put her through all of this. Needle sat there, tears beginning to flow from his eyes as he remembered the first time he saw her, a terrified pony in an unknown place who was about to die. He remembered how kind she was, taking him in after he saved her and nursed him back to health. He remembered the dreams he had about her, and the pain that came with them. He wished to never see those nightmares again.
Cherish rolled in her sleep, saying his name again and again. Her dreams must be filled with me, even if they are nightmares. She loves me more than I deserve. Needle felt his heart ache in pain as she said his name again and again, anguish laced in her recital. Needle sat in the now-dark room. It was the time before the dawn, the point of time where neither the sun nor moon was in the sky. The pure-darkness enveloped the room. A green fire was lit and bent down towards the bed.
“I love you Cherish, more than I have loved anything before. No mere words can describe how I feel towards you. I have lived in a world of hate and despair, but you showed me the way out. It is because of you that I can finally begin to live. I love you.”
The sun began to finally rise over the horizon, its rays sweeping across the land and ridding the world of the Night’s darkness. The light swept into the room, washing over the two shapes in the room. The light reflected in Cherish’s eyes as she opened them.
“Needle Wings, you came for me after I should have been dead. I was in that world for so long, but you still came. I would have been gone in the first day if I didn't have you to think about. You kept me sane in the times that should have crushed me. Needle Wings, I love you too.”
The sun was their witness of their love, seemingly shining brighter for their first true day together.
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Allright, bit of Author's note time. Special thanks to everypony who favorited this story! I managed to get on the feature box thanks to you all! It makes me feel really good that I was able to finish this story off with a ton of ponies reading it! However, all good things must end (Except the love Needle and Cherish share of course) and good things include this story. Thank you all SO much for reading this! Also, I'm going to be writing an epilogue later, so don't stop following it yet!