Numb
The steady beep of the cardiograph let Applejack know that Rainbow was still holding on as she sat silently at the bedside of her fallen friend. She just passively held her friend's hand wishing that she could have done something more, but it was a miracle that Dash had survived the crash at all that day. The emergency response team was on top of the incident within mere seconds, and had found the pilot gravely injured but holding on. Her uniform being flame retardant lined had saved her from a majority of the burns, and the safety cushioning that had somehow been forcibly activated also minimized her injuries.
She had suffered multiple broken ribs, a fractured knuckle, a broken arm, a sprained ankle, and a damaged collarbone. Not to mention the major burns on her lower legs, and some minor burns on her hands, face, arms, and chest. To have escaped such a fall with less than a body cast seemed to be impossible, but here Dash laid in defiance of that belief. The doctor seemed to have given a new level to the despair of the situation only moments before.
"She's suffered from a major concussive force trauma, and has slipped into a comatose state that we aren't sure when or if she will pull out of..."
Applejack stroked Dash's hand gently, "Doc doesn't know what he's talkin' 'bout. She'll be outta this lickety split."
Deep down she didn't know if she herself believed that, but she had to hope it was possible. Lest she would have to face the fear of her never coming back again, never speaking to her ever again. She lamented in the plain cream coloured room that had already bore witness to a get well bouquet Pinkie had managed to put together in mere seconds, as if by magic. It was nice to sit here in the room alone with Dash, and she found herself tracing the lines of her friend's face with her eyes.
Wh-What in tarnation? Am I admirin' her look while she sleeps?
She began to feel a slight bit awkward towards the thought in her mind, but the heat she felt in her cheeks suggested it was a possibility. She shook her head to clear the thought, and instead just wondered what Dash might be dreaming about right at that moment. Maybe she was dreaming about flying high in the sky like a bird, absolutely free from the worries of the world below her.
------------------------------------------
Two Months Later...
Dash groaned as she blinked her eyes open slowly adjusting to the soft morning light filtering into her room from her bedside wall. She began to notice that this was not her bedroom, nor her bed, nor her home. A beeping sound began to grow in repetition to her side as her eyes opened wide in fear. Looking to her side slowly she saw monitors, chords, IV's, and a plethora of other medical looking equipment.
A-Am I in a hospital?
Then it came back to her in a flash. Voices screamed to her, pulling the emergency cord to no avail, and the fear that surged through her as she plummeted toward the ground. She almost resigned herself to death before she saw Applejack's face in her mind smiling, and it caused her to remember the other fail safe's equipped on the jet for situations just like this. She had realized quickly that she could deploy the emergency shock absorbing cushioning, but it was the hardest thing to get to without the proper equipment. Not having a second to spare she located the encased button and began trying to break into it.
With all the turbulence of the falling jet it was impossible to get a strong grip, and so she sacrificed her hand balling it up into a clenched fist and punching with all her might. Once, twice, thrice, and then the fourth hit broke the barrier as well as her knuckle. She didn't care a bit with the adrenaline in her veins, and she slammed the button just seconds before the crash. Her head still slammed into the front panel that had all of her electronic gauges and radars. She felt blood dripping from her forehead, an intense heat near her legs, and the world spinning around her as it went black moments later.
"It's really quite a shocker isn't it?" a strong tom-boyish voice brought her back to reality.
Dash sat up slowly and looked across the room to see Captain Spitfire sitting in a chair next to the door calmly reading a magazine.
"M-Mam!" Dash uttered with a scratchy and hoarse voice.
"Surviving your first crash is never an easy experience Dash." she continued solemnly setting the magazine aside.
Dash felt like a sheepish recruit before her idol and mentor, unable to respond she simply nodded. Yet she felt a curious question working its way to the surface slowly. In her time training with the Wonderbolt, she had never once known her to be an affectionate person. Spitfire had always seemed so cold and distant.
"Captain, why?" was the only thing that managed to come out when she gave her feelings a voice.
She chuckled, "Well I guess you would be curious as to why I'd be here when I've never done much to show you the care necessary."
Spitfire's demeanor shifted at that moment, regret began to shadow every feature on her body. It seemed as if she had been carrying one heavy secret, and the consequences of it had taken their toll on her. Even her imposing leather jacket didn't do much to build up the aura of the deflating leader.
"Everything that you've gone through at the academy has been my fault, and I'm not referring to the top notch training. No, what I'm referring to is the worst crime a leader can commit...and that crime is betrayal." Dash listened intently, even with the voices of Fleetfoot echoing in her mind. "I was the one who set Fleetfoot and Misty Fly on you."
Dash felt her eyes widen and jaw drop in shock at this revelation, but she remained silent knowing there was more to it than that.
"At first, I felt that your cocky arrogant attitude needed to be put in check...like you needed to be reminded of your place." Spitfire slouched over in her chair and looked at the ground in shame. "And as they laid into you and your attitude shifted you made such great progress; even graduating at almost the top of the class. They were supposed to only lightly rough you up till you graduated...but I now see how blind I've been."
"You're serious..." Dash felt a rage build in her that needed to be let out before she burst. "Since you didn't directly control this situation I'll have you know that they beat me to a pulp almost nightly, tormenting me whenever the fancy hit them! They've only gotten more and more brutal as time has gone on, even going after every new recruit in our dorms! And all of this is a consequence of you trying to manipulate me with fight--"
A realization dawned on her in that moment. If Spitfire knew about this then what about her place on the Wonderbolts? Was she going to be fired now that Spitfire had admitted to knowledge about this whole thing? Spitfire was looking up intently into her eyes she noticed as if willing her to finish the statement. That wasn't her choice words though.
"Why didn't you step in and stop it Spitfire?"
She blinked rapidly in surprise at the change in subject before replying, "Well, at this point they are going outside my orders...so I need proof that they are provoking or engaging in assaults on other team members in order to give them the boot. As of current though I have no substantial proof, even with the wounds you've suffered they could still rebuke them. I'm so sorry for failing you so terribly Dash."
"Proof, proof?" She exclaimed. "Are you kidding me? Was my bruised and beaten face not enough? What about the time I was in the infirmary with broken ribs huh?"
"You never reported it as anything but your own fault Dash!" the fiery eyed woman retorted. "You say anything otherwise and a jury would call you a liar! What can I do when you cornered yourself?"
The rainbow haired girl was taken aback and seriously thought about things before calmly asking,"Well what kind of proof would you need to get them at this point Ma'am?"
"Well video, pictures, or audio recordings would do the trick, but you know those things are forbidden in the dorm rooms and every room they have assaulted you in I presume." Spitfire seemed defeated by the storm she created.
Dash knew that this had to be solved for her and Spitfire's sake. She had resolved herself to an idea that may hurt, but would get them what they needed to fire Fleetfoot and Misty Fly legally. It was reckless and would probably get her fired too...unless...
"I'm pretty sure I've got a plan that can fix this whole problem, but it will require you to use your reputation to shield me this once." the rainbow haired woman looked at Spitfire seriously. "Can I trust you to have my back on this one Captain?"
"If it will make up in the slightest for my mistake, then you can count on all of my support cadet!" Spitfire vowed.
"It will have to wait a while though, seeing as I'm still in the hospital healing."
The two then laughed heartily as if they had never been distant, as if they had always been friends. Dash heard a sound from beside the bed, and looking over she saw Applejack laying on the couch sleeping soundly. She had been there the entire time, and it touched her heart to know she cared so much. She could feel her cheeks heat up as Spitfire excused herself from the room wishing her one last get well soon.
Is there really any hope of us being together?
The one thought crossed her mind and then went on its way again. Truthfully, not knowing the answer scared her to death, but knowing the answer could kill her just as well. She just had to keep going forward, maybe she would be happy at the end of this.
Happiness is always a possibility, but how long will it last?
------------------------------------------
A few days later...
"Come on Apples you can't just spend all of your time here!" Caramel sounded off gruffly.
"Don't chu call me that, and after what happened t'ween us y'all can't expect me ta jus' act like nothin' happened!" Applejack was riled by Caramel's insensitive approach to where they were.
They both stood in Dash's hospital bedroom, and he had the audacity to try to drag her out of her friend's room for himself! Not to mention he still hadn't done a damn thing to apologize to her for his behavior from two months ago. Well he had tried, but always made things worse with his attitude.
"Ah think you should leave C. This ain't the place for this conversation."
"I won't Apples, you know as well as I do this fight between us is tearing me apart inside." the man returned with emotional conviction in his voice.
The utter hurt in his voice caught the farmer totally off guard. He sounded like he was about to emotionally break down here and now over just the thought of being parted from her. It touched her heart deep down, and her logical reasoning slowly melted away. She was willing to look past things depending on his next answers.
"Will y'all promise me a few things then?" Applejack negotiated.
"Anything!" Caramel practically wailed.
"Work on yer drinkin' habbits, as well as that vicious temper of yers and that's a start." Applejack declared crossing her arms. "Next, y'all need ta start listenin' ta me when ah tell you to let me handle things, or to stop yerself from talkin'. Sometimes ah have a reason for saying things to hun."
The two began slowly walking towards one another sheepishly.
"I know you have your reasons." Caramel said sweetly. "Sometimes I just get too caught up in my emotions."
"Ah know shug, but can ya work on that fer me?" she said entwining their hands.
"If it means having you, I'll try my best." he answered pulling her close.
------------------------------------------
Rainbow Dash heard raised voices in her lucid sleeping state, and though she was worried she wished they would go away and let her sleep. She slowly became more aware of her consciousness coming back to her which meant waking up. She also noticed the voices had changed in tone, it sounded much more affectionate now. A voice in the back of her mind screamed at her, but she didn't know what it wanted. It sounded like it had said, "Applejack." but she couldn't be sure. She groaned as she sat up opening her eyes.
She now knew what the scream was trying to warn her of, and in that moment she felt her very core shatter into a million pieces. Applejack and Caramel were kissing at the foot of her bed. It was over, every little hope and prayer she had was broken. What did she expect though, it wasn't like Applejack would ever notice her over Caramel. Deep inside Dash felt her heart grow cold and dark, it hurt so much. All she could do was let it all fall away into nothingness as she became utterly Numb.
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Nice job on this chapter. And in a future chapter, Rainbow should tell Spitfire that there was a witness to the beating that she took, to get Fleetfoot and Misty fly off of her back. That witness was Wingspan.
5649321 Thank you so much for the approval
5649547 It's no problem. Just giving my support.
Ooooooohhhhhh..... Well, that happened... You also need an editor. I would volunteer if I didn't already have an onslaught of stuff to take care of. There are several missing commas along with a few spelling errors, but otherwise it's pretty solid.
5649780 look who I found...
5650391 Yea, how about that. I agree with Devs, there are a few commas missing, right before some of the names.
5650389 But despite that it was readable and overall understandable yes? I just barely took over project...Sonic will edit as her schedule allows...though a second editor would be nice. Though when I write what you see is what comes out...
Can't help just letting it flow...if I didn't the tale would NEVER be told 
5650480 Wait you guys know each other?
5651850 Yea, we've become friends over the months.
5651855 Explains that pretty quick
5651850 yes to both of those.
5652071
5651905 Eeyup
And well done, as well for writing it so similar to the other chapters! Keeps up the flow and sort of illusion that there was no change, heh :3 YOU KNOW WHERE I AM IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND SHIT! Same goes to the readers as well, if any of you have questions about the switch or the story, i'm sure Kainey boy or I could offer up our answers :)
5651905 Hey, Dynasty, if you need a second editor, I could probably try my hand at it if you want.
5654205 When you get a chance edit this one and next one maybe, it looks like I've already gained the story a new dislike!
I am glad you approve of formatting so far though, gonna start next chapter today in fact. Who knows if I'll stay on track with your notes at all!
Although there are certain things that differ between us...I do breaks when perspectives shift usually xD Glad I kept myself together though. And yeah seriously, I'll take any questions or comments from you or the readers definitely!
5654902 I will keep that in mind Kai.
Let me see Sonic's editing skills first...then I'll let cha know. Thank you for the offer! 
5656998 Aight then. And tell Sonic I hope she's in good health.
5656998 I shall do that for you, good sir! Hey, don't count the negatives! That is like- THE WORST thing you could do! Don't focus on likes and dislikes and all that jazz! Just enjoy writing the story! Don't do it for the likes!
Haha well if you feel like drifting away from the notes, that's fine! (Just make sure you stick to the VERY IMPORTANT PART THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT OMG WINKWINKNUDGENUDGESPOILER)
5658570 Stop being the spoiler alert patrol!
I'm still counting the negatives mentally, it is going to happen regardless 
Hmm since my work schedule let me off early for going in early today...maybe its time to write a little?
this is an awesome chapter, wish Caramel would do one after what he did to AJ
but anywho i can't wait to read more from you keep up the awesome work 
5923897 I will do the best that I can with the story...but my main concern is getting through with This Bright Blazing Future first! Then I'll come back to this one as I can for you guys and gals reading it.
5932538 awesome hope so, the stories you do are actually pretty cool
5932614
Aww thank you for that compliment!
5947982 it's no problem there
6136853 Sorry to say I haven't had enough time(Or correct drive) to conceptualize the next chapter...
I'm so sorry to everyone on that.
6141729 Don't worry this IS on my list of finishing though so...even if it takes a little time, I will finish it.
Now I’m sad..... there’s no more..?
when you upload the next chapter?