What Changes May Come

by Bluegrass Brooke

Healing

Author's Note:

So after the intensity of the last chapter, I decided to take a lighter approach with this one. Lots of cuteness and progression with the pair, though they've got a ways to go yet. As always I love to read your comments. I hope you enjoy.

"Howdy Cheese." Applejack, Big Mac, and Applebloom walked into the sunlit hospital room. Cheese was lying in the corner by the window, reading a heavy book on construction. He looked up at the disturbance and smiled.

He gave a big yawn as he stood and walked over to them. "Hey guys. Thanks for coming." He eyed he basket of baked goods Applebloom was toting proudly, and the concerned smiles of Applejack and Big Mac. "She's still asleep."

Applejack glanced towards the hospital bed, curtains drawn. "That's okay. We just wanted ta let her know we're thinkin' 'bout her."

Pinkie certainly had an impact on the ponies of Ponyville. Ever since word got out of her injury, ponies had been streaming to the hospital room to drop off presents, cards, and get well wishes. The Apples had come every day for the whole week Pinkie had been hospitalized.

"How is she?" Applebloom looked expectantly up at Cheese, red tail swishing nervously.

"Better." Cheese sighed and looked over to the bed. "She's in a lot of pain, but the doctors say she'll be ready to leave the day after tomorrow."

"An yerself?" Applejack eyed the exhausted stallion with a raised eyebrow. His drooped tail and red eyes reflected his lack of sleep.

"I'm hanging in there. She still panics if I'm not by her side. The doctors say it's all the medicine making her delirious." Yawning again, he turned to Big Mac. "Thanks for letting Harvey know the situation."

"Eeeup." Big Mac put a hoof on Cheese's back. "Ya need anythin'?"

Cheese chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll be all right. Though I wouldn't say no to a muffin or two." Applebloom trotted over to him and offered a muffin to the stallion, then placed the basket on the large stack of gifts nestled by the bed stand.

"It's a might strange though." Applejack frowned with concentration, eyes darting from Cheese to the bed. "Why's she so bent on havin' you around? She's known us fer a lot longer than you."

Cheese flushed, remembering Pinkie's confession. So they noticed too. I ought to tell her, but it's Pinkie's choice as much as it's mine. As casually as he could, he shrugged. "No idea. Maybe 'cause we're both party ponies?"

Applejack's eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Right." She motioned for her siblings to follow her. "We'll be back real soon. Let Pinkie know we stopped by."

"Okay. I will." He watched as they left the room. Taking the muffin, he returned to his corner. Get better soon Pinkie.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Ughh. My side hurts! Pinkie blinked awake and started with surprise. She was lying in a hospital bed, IV's running to her legs and curtains drawn and open just a slit. From the moonlight streaming onto the sheets, it must be very late. Oh no. How long have I been out? With some effort, she managed to lift her hoof and reached unsuccessfully for the curtain. Urg, it feels so heavy! "Hello? Anypony there?"

No answer came, and she fell back against the pillow. Now what? It was so boring just resting by herself. Trying to go back to sleep seemed silly. I've been sleeping for so long! She gasped, mind racing. What if I've been asleep for years, and I've woken up in the future? Do they have ice cream in the future? Oooh I wonder if there are cyborg ponies? Her mind kept going off the track until she heard a door open. "Hello?"

Pinkie heard familiar hoof beats, and the curtain was drawn open. There in the moonlight stood Cheese, a muffin in his mouth and a construction manual in his hoof. He smiled brightly at her and set them down by the bedside table. "Pinkie? Thank Celestia you're awake."

"Oh Cheesie. How long have I been asleep? Days, weeks, months, years? Don't worry I can handle the truth. The robots have taken over haven't they?" She tried to sit up, but fell back to the bed.

Cheese rolled his emerald eyes at the mare. "Calm down Pinkie. You've only been out of it for a week." He carefully adjusted Pinkie's blankets and sighed. "You woke up a few times, but you probably don't remember."

"I have?" She closed her eyes, trying to recall the last few days. The last thing I remember was… Cheese's story once again flooded into her mind, and she cringed. For some reason, she found herself feeling very scared. "Say Cheesie, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm okay. Just a few scratches." Cheese had backed off to an unusually respectful distance, well out of reach of her touch.

Did I say something? "Say Cheese, why are you standing so far away?"

He flushed and chuckled. "Well, you may not remember, but every time you woke up, you went a little crazy."

Pinkie flushed a little herself. "Crazy?"

"Yeah. Well, the medicine was making you delirious. That's what the doctors said. You were rather obsessed with getting up."

She nodded knowingly. "That makes sense. Hospitals are no fun."

"You'd start to panic every time I wasn't around. The doctors couldn't get you to lie still unless I was right next to you." Cheese pawed nervously at the ground. "So, they asked me to stay in the hospital until you came to your senses."

"What?" Pinkie's blue eyes shone with surprise. She flushed even deeper now.

"It's no big deal." Cheese strode up to her, and leaned in close. "I promised I'd stay by you didn't I?"

Pinkie vaguely remembered asking Cheese to do that, but couldn't remember the specifics. Come to think of it, was I dreaming most of it? She gulped, remembering her confession in the hole. Did I dream that up too? "Say Cheese? What happened that night?"

"You don't remember." Cheese's face broke into a hurt expression that made Pinkie's heart ache.

"I do." She flinched at the thought of his story. "But it's kinda foggy after you told me about your past."

"Oh." So she doesn't remember that part? Should I tell her? No use hiding it from her anyway. He made his voice as gentle as he could. "You told me you loved me."

Pinkie's pink face was now entirely red. She smiled at the exhausted stallion. "He he. I do though."

Cheese gave a low, soft chuckle and rested his head against hers. "I do too."

She was too dumbstruck to speak as Cheese straightened up. "Guess I'll run for the doctor. He said to let him know if there's any change."

"Don't…don't go." Pinkie reached a hoof out to Cheese. "Please, not yet."

Cheese frowned at the mare. "Pinkie, you've got to get treated." I can't win, can I? "Fine, just for a little longer though. Okay?"

Cheese sighed, and pulled up a chair to the bedside. He took out his book, and began to read intently in the dim light. Pinkie watched in fascination. I never knew he was so interested in books. She giggled. "You're going to hurt your eyes reading in the dark silly."

"It'll be fine." Cheese flipped to the next page, eyes darting from line to line.

"Hmmm." Pinkie eyed the muffin hungrily. "Say, you don't have any more of those muffins do you?"

"Huh? Yeah." He stood up, walked to a corner of the room. Pinkie gasped. She had been so distracted by Cheese, she hadn't noticed the massive pile of presents stacked in the corner by the window. He came back, holding a basket of muffins in his mouth. "Here ya go. Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Mac dropped them off today."

"Oooh." Pinkie's eyes danced with excitement. The cakes were great with cupcakes, but nopony could beat the Apple family's muffins. She picked out a large apple cinnamon one and dove in. "So good!"

Cheese started on his own muffin. "Yeah they are. I didn't know they could bake so well."

Pinkie's mouth was stuffed with apple muffin goodness. "Uh huh." She swallowed, and grinned at Cheese. "Their muffins won the bake off for the picnic you know."

"They did?"

"Yup a doodles Cheesie." She grinned at the stallion, eyes flashing with joy. It felt so good to talk with him again. But still, he seemed distracted. "Everything okay Cheesie?"

"Yeah. I'm just tired." He yawned, and winked at her. "Somepony was making me worry."

Pinkie did not buy his casual attitude for a second. "You're not just tired. Is this about what you told me in the hole?"

Cheese flinched, and Pinkie knew she hit the nail on the head. He had turned his head away from her, avoiding her gaze. "Sorry. I'm really trying Pinkie, I am." Looking out at the peaceful night, he sighed. "I told Twilight I was going to turn myself around, and learn to control myself better. But I can't just change in a day."

Pinkie giggled and waved Cheese closer. Skeptically, he lowered his head to hers. "What's so funny?"

"Cheesie, you're so silly." She leaned in and nuzzled him on the muzzle.

He shot back flushing violently. "What? What’s that for?"

"You don't have to change in a day silly. Give it time, you'll learn how." Her face turned more serious, and her blue eyes stared piercingly into his own. "Though I'd be really, really sad if you hurt Twilight like that again."

Cheese gulped and lowered his head. "I understand."

Pinkie giggled once more. "I know you can do it Cheesie." A sharp pain radiated down her side, and she flinched. "Maybe you should get the doctor now?"

"Yeah." He made to move then paused, leaning in closer to Pinkie and nuzzled her cheek. "Thank's Pinkie."

Pinkie watched the stallion walk out of the hospital room. If she were not hurt, she would have leapt for joy. He loves me back!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

So boring! Pinkie rolled on her large bed in her room, frustrated with herself and the world. She had been trapped in her room since her release from the hospital. Three days of rest had nearly driven her into insanity. She was far too active a pony to laze about all day. But the Cakes had taken the doctor's orders seriously, and banned her from entering the kitchen or leaving the house.

Pinkie's normally tidy room was in a state of abject disarray; papers strewn hither and yon, streamers draped across the bed, confetti littering the floor, and paint cans stacked against the wall. Despite the apparent chaos, Pinkie had used her time wisely and planned out all of the parities and events for the next two months. Now, nothing was left to do but wait. Wait to feel better, wait for her friends to visit, and wait for Cheese.

A knock at the door broke the monotony. "Come in!"

Mrs. Cake entered cautiously, a basket in her mouth. She looked at the chaos around her. "Pinkamina Pie, what in Equestria is this mess?"

"Sorry Mrs. Cake." Pinkie gave a weak smile. "I know I need to clean."

Mrs. Cake rolled her eyes and motioned to the door. "Come on then, we'll get those bandages off."

"Oh." She'd completely forgotten that today was the day. Walking as spritely as she dared, she followed Mrs. Cake to the bathroom. She hopped a little with excitement as Mrs. Cake started to cut off the bandages. They were really itchy, and it would be such a relief to be rid of them. "Thanks for the help Mrs. Cake."

"Anytime dear." Mrs. Cake dropped the last of the cloth on the ground and gave a sharp intake of breath.

"What's wrong?" Pinkie looked nervously at the blue mare who had gone very silent.

"Nothing dear, it's just-" She sighed, thinking on how best to explain it to Pinkie. "-did the doctors tell you about the scarring?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah they said I'd have a scar." She grinned back at the middle aged mare. "But it can't be so bad, can it? Can I see?"

Mrs. Cake clenched her teeth, and pointed to the large mirror they kept in the corner. Pinkie walked over to it, a little nervous now. She gasped, and stared for a while, trying to comprehend all she saw. There, on her left side, stretching from the top of her withers, over her chest, and to the middle of her belly, was a three inch wide scar. It was an angry red, and all the hair around it had been shaven down. "Oh."

Mrs. Cake walked up and placed a hoof on Pinkie's back. "It's okay dear. I'm sure it'll heal up till you forget all about it."

Pinkie gulped, and tried to smile. She did not know much about injuries, but it was obvious that it would be a scar for life. "Yeah."
Turning, she made her way out and to her room. "I'll just pick up my room now. Sorry for the mess."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hmmm." Harvey walked around the cabinet Cheese had constructed for the house, pondering. He knocked his hooves against the doors and sides, and felt the carvings. His stubbled face broke into a broad grin. "Excellent work Cheese. Truly a fine job."
Cheese breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you sir." He smiled at the cabinet lying in the grass. The day was hot as usual, and the sun beat down on the glossy finish of the finely sanded wood. Around them construction was in full swing, and ponies crawled over the site like ants.

The job was nearly done, and Harvey was anxious to get the wood work finished up. Even now he watched nervously as a young stallion carried a crate full of supplies into the house. "Hey Brahm? When can we install these cabinets?"

The young stallion turned to Harvey. He was the older pony all over again, only about twenty five years younger. He rolled his amber eyes. "Relax Dad. We're just about ready."

Harvey frowned at his younger reflection. "You should have been finished with that tiling an hour ago. What's the hold up?"

Brahm glowered at his father. "Me an the boys are workin' as fast as we can."

"Well you're not on schedule. I not payin' you to laze about kid." Harvey's face grew serious and he glared back at Brahm. "We got ponies depending on us finishing on time. It's you're responsibility to get it done."

Brahm's ears laid back, and he shuffled uncomfortably. "Yes Dad. I'll get it done."

Harvey nodded and watched as the stallion scooped up the box and trotted into the house. He gave a good natured wink to Cheese. "Colts, eh? What you gonna do with 'em?"

Cheese could not help but stare at Harvey. He thought for certain the hard headed stallion would have screamed at Brahm. Harvey motioned for Cheese to follow, and they found a suitable shade tree. "Can't do nothin' till he's finished, so might as well rest."

"Yeah." Cheese sighed, watching the afternoon sun spread over the site. At first, he had been unsure about having a permanent job, but now he felt right at home in Ponyville. As if on cue, that familiar twitch came over him and he leapt up, accordion music playing once again. Stupid Cheesie sense!

"You okay?" Harvey was looking with concern at the lank stallion. "What was that?"

Cheese flushed crimson. "My Cheesie sense."

Harvey cocked his head in confusion. "You're what?"

"My Cheesie sense. It lets me know where parties are so I can travel to them." Cheese could not help but feel a sense of urgency after a Cheesie sense, try as he may to ignore it. He pranced in place, trying to settle the jittery sensation filling his body. "There's a big wedding party coming up in Armania."

"You know all that from a freaky twitch?"

"Yeah." The tingling finally ebbed, and he relaxed. Why won't it stop going off? "Sorry."

Harvey gave one of his booming laughs. "It's okay, just never seen a pony act quite that strange before." He looked over to the busy town and chuckled again. "Well except for your mare, she's nigh as crazy as you are."

"My mare?" Cheese felt his face grow hot and he looked toward the town too. My mare. Can I even call her that?

"Yup. Pinkie Pie and you make quite the pair." Harvey slapped Cheese on the back playfully. "Say, how's she doin' anyway?"

"I haven't seen her much since she got out of the hospital. But she seemed okay yesterday." Truth be told, Pinkie had been acting weird for days now. I hope it's not something I did.

Harvey stood up and gestured to the worksite. "Come on then scawny. We'll get these cabinets installed, then you can go spooning with your girl."

Cheese flushed crimson and jumped to his hooves. "We aren't spooning!" The older stallion chuckled the whole way back to the site.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was laying in the shade of a large oak tree across from Rainbow Dash. Her friend had been keeping her company all day, and she could not be happier about it. They were playing a rousing game of Chutes and Ladders, though Rainbow was taking it a touch too seriously. "Nooo!" She threw her hooves to her head as she rolled the dice and her piece moved to the chute.

Pinkie giggled, rolled the dice, and moved her own piece up a ladder. "Rainbow, you're so silly."

"Argh! How do you keep winning?" Rainbow stared at Pinkie, trying to decipher her secret. She lifted Pinkie's hoof, checking for wires.
"You want to play a different game?"

Pinkie grinned and made to stand. Then winced and fell back to the ground. Rainbow looked over her friend with concern. "You sit still. I'll pick it up." She swept up the board into the box, frowning. Despite her best efforts, Rainbow could not help but stare at the massive scar on Pinkie's side.

Pinkie flushed, and subconsciously tried to cover the scar with her mane, but it was not long enough. She looked at the ground. "Say Rainbow, you had fun today right?"

"Yeah. It was awesome." She flew over to the mare, and lifted Pinkie's head with her hoof. "It's never boring playing with my friends."
Pinkie smiled, but did not feel much better. "I've just been feeling super useless. I can't make anypony smile while I'm sick."

"Naw, you made me smile today didn't ya? You'll be back to your old tricks in no time." Rainbow puffed her chest out confidently, and pointed to the bustling town around them. "No pony in all of Ponyville is as cheerful as you. Nopony."

Pinkie giggled, and made to respond, when she saw a familiar shape coming close. "Cheesie! There you are." Her tail swished with excitement and she beamed up at the stallion.

"Here I am." Cheese chuckled, smiling brightly under his hard hat and safety vest. He turned to Rainbow with a smile. "Hey Rainbow, how's it going?"

"Great. Just great." Rainbow enjoyed Cheese, especially his positive attitude that mimicked Pinkie's so well. Still, he had been spending an awful lot of time with the mare. She's my friend too you know!

Cheese lifted the hat off, brown curls springing back to their default setting. "I had a good day too. I finally got to install my cabinets."

Rainbow rolled her eyes and gave a sarcastic smirk. "Yeah, that's so thrilling."

"Oooh. It is, how'd they turn out Cheesie?" Pinkie was staring as intently at Cheesie as though he were telling about alligator wrestling instead of carpentry.

Cheese puffed his chest out. "Great! Harvey said they were really well done."

"Uggh. Way too boring if you ask me!" Rainbow stuck out her tongue and mimed gagging. She glanced over at Pinkie as the pink mare chatted to Cheese about the cabinets. What's she got to be so excited for? The pair were deep in conversation, and Rainbow was beginning to feel like awkward. "So, I guess I'll be going now."

Pinkie looked up and frowned. "So soon Rainbow?"

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do." Rainbow gave an ugly scowl at Cheese before she dashed off. Stupid stallion! What's he getting all buddy buddy with Pinkie for?

Cheese watched the pegasus fly off with interest. "Well that was strange. She mad at me for something?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe she doesn't like cabinets?" She patted the grass next to her. "Come on and relax Cheesie."

"All right." As they conversed, Cheese began to notice how strange Pinkie was acting. Whenever some pony would pass by the road, she would turn her head, lower her neck, and avoid eye contact with them. What the? "Pinkie Pie, what's wrong?"

"Oh nothing." She rolled her eyes a little too casually.

"Yes it is something. Why aren't you greeting ponies like normal?" He leaned closer, looking into her eyes with concern and warm breath mixing with hers. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah…" Pinkie tried to avoid looking into Cheese's eyes. Eventually, the desire to look at him overwhelmed her, and turned to face the stallion. "It's just, the scar."

"Oh." Cheese glanced down at the long gash and winced. It looked terribly painful, and he wished more than anything to be able to help Pinkie out. "Don't worry about it."

"I can't help but worry Cheesie." Pinkie's eyes misted over, and she tried buried her head in her hooves. "How am I going to make ponies smile if I'm so scary looking?"

Cheese laughed. "You aren't scary looking Pinkie."

She moaned under her hooves. "Yes I am."

Leaning forward, Cheese lifted Pinkie's head. He stared intently into her blue eyes. "You are the most beautiful mare I've ever met. With or without that scar. You have no reason to call yourself scary." He leaned in, and gave Pinkie a long kiss right on the muzzle.

Pinkie closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of Cheese's muzzle pressed to hers. She wanted it to last forever, but it soon ended. She smiled, her eyes very soft and pressed her head close to his. "I love you."

Cheese held the mare close. "I love you too."

Comments

[Sofibeth]

Something tells me the other mane 6 is gonna to have little conversation among themselves about this, (especially Fluttershy)

[OmniFox]

They have to tell the others about their relationship.

[timeblitz]

I'm really enjoying the story so far. Keep up the good work! ^_^

[Ginger2729]

OMG so cute especially the ending!!!!!

[SageBrony07]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WitlessTheSmall]

Really Cute! I totally feel Pinkie in this chapter. I have a thick scar running from between my shoulder blades to my waist from a spinal fusion I had last year.I understand how self conscious she feels

[OfficialDerp]

Now she's scarred for life, too.
Sounding more and more like me every chapter. (Except I'm mentally scarred for life, not physically.)

[Panzertank]

"It's never boring playing with my friends."

If it's not a boring friend that is xP

[silentrock]

He love me back!

I think it should be He loves me back.
Really good chapter none the less

[Water Lilly]

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah they said I'd have a scar." She grinned back at the middle aged mare. "But it can't be so bad, can it? Can I see?"

Uh oh. I hop this doesn't mean what I think it does.

[Party Splat]

Oooh I wonder if there are cyborg ponies?

The pink female is erratic. She is incompatible. SHE WILL BE DELETED. (Hooray for Whovian references! Thumbs up if you get it, plz)

[PartyCentral]

Is it just me? Or does Cheese seem a bit OOC? He feels a bit...dark...

[NotSoWickedWitch]

Did I say something? "Say Cheese, why are you standing so far away?"

He flushed and chuckled. "Well, you may not remember, but every time you woke up, you went a little crazy."

Pinkie flushed a little herself. "Crazy?"

"Yeah. Well, the medicine was making you delirious. That's what the doctors said. You were rather obsessed with getting up."

She nodded knowingly. "That makes sense. Hospitals are no fun."

"You'd start to panic every time I wasn't around. The doctors couldn't get you to lie still unless I was right next to you." Cheese pawed nervously at the ground. "So, they asked me to stay in the hospital until you came to your senses."

Is it weird that I really-really wanna see this part?

[Cassafrass]

7447130 not at all i woundt mind seeing more cuteness

[TwibraFlattercordlover]

Pinkie closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of Cheese's muzzle pressed to hers. She wanted it to last forever, but it soon ended. She smiled, her eyes very soft and pressed her head close to his. "I love you."

*Hears dying frog like sounds in the background*

Cheese held the mare close. "I love you too."

*Hears dying dragon like sounds in the background*

My ship.