Forward Into Midnight
Chapter 4: 4. Hospital
Previous Chapter Next ChapterA/N: Decided that I wanted to do this on parts, or acts. This is the end of Act I, with more to come in Act II.
Hospital
Endless darkness engulfed his entire body, chilling his very bones for the first time in years with its icy cold breath. It felt as though ice itself was closing in around the fire that was in his chest, threatening to extinguish the flame that was his very life force. Shards of frozen liquid were poised to strike him at any given moment, but yet they did not.
In the distant shroud of shadow, a faint flicker of light shifted back and forth, almost like a dancing flame. With each passing second, he could see that the flicker was beginning to grow dim, threatening to remove the only source of light that he could find in the black abyss.
Though he tried to move closer to the flame, he found that he was unable to. It was as if some form of invisible hand was holding onto him, maybe using a clear wire that he could not see to restrain him. Breathing out what he thought was going to be his final breath, he let one name utter from his lips, the very name of the mare who had given him so much to live for, so much to fight for, and so much to die for. "Rarity."
Her name alone brought about a stirring fire inside of his heart that he had never felt before, a burning desire to find life once more, yet he knew it naught to be true. "Spike! Spike! Don't follow the flame!" Feeling his heart beat start to decline, he embraced the cold death that was starting to encircle him, pushing out the call of the voice that he knew to be his father's.
With his eyes drifting more together, he allowed for a final memory with the mare of his very dreams. The only memory that he truly wanted to remember as death took him.
'Roaring from the fast rushing water below drowned out all sound. Metal scraping against rock as it flowed past created an ill shriek that threatened to destroy his ear drums. Rising above the ground on the far side of the river was a field of thorny roses, each one looking as magnificent as his mother's sun. Red, blue, and the occasional white rose mingled together into one large bouquet that he wanted to reach out and snatch for the mare he held close in his arms.
'Tears fell from his eyes as he buried his nose into the crook of her silvery-white furred neck, allowing himself to take in her heavenly vanilla scent. Her scent, which had become so familiar to him that he thought it to be his own, brought a shiver to his core. "Rarity, I am so sorry. Y-You could h-h-have died in there. P-Please forgive me."
'An almost inaudible whimper escaped her as she buried her head further into his scaled chest, holding him closer. "No Spike, I have no reason to forgive you. Y-You saved me, not only with your strong spirit, but with your warm, caring heart. Thank you Spike. Thank you for gracing such a lowly mare such as myself with your friendship."
'Taking a step back, he raised her head so that he could look her in the eyes, seeing nothing but fear burning deep within her sapphire eyes. "No, it is I who should thank you Rarity. You have been the best friend that I have ever had. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing." Before any sense of rational thought could cling him, he leaned forward to place a long kiss on her cheek.
'Her eyes grew wide, her heart starting to pump her blood faster. Heat could be felt in her cheeks, and if she were to look into a mirror, she was sure that her face would look as red as a cherry. Sweat began to gather in the palms of her hands while she fought against her own voice to neither speak her enjoyment or to bite back a slight moan.
'As he pulled away, she could not help but return the favor with a quick kiss to his cheek. Now it was his turn to be blushing proudly. "S-Spike, I know I have said it many times before, but this time it is more true than ever. Your are not only the single b-best friend that any pony or dragon could ever hope to have, but you are the kindest, sweetest dragon to ever have lived. Besides your father of course."'
Her words echoed in the still silence surrounding him, bringing forth all of the time that they had spent together, and how close they had grown since that time. Almost never a day went by anymore that he did not stop by her shop to see her, to lend a hand or to help study for a big test. In his eyes, they were the couple already that he wanted them to be.
No matter what, he now wanted to return to her, but he also wanted to leave behind the pain of the world that he knew. Was she, the mare who was the only sole reason that he was living, really worth all of the pain that he was forced to endure? Was she truly worth the hell that he was faced with every waking second?
That night, before he was doomed to all but death, that night that he wanted to tell her how much he felt, how much that she meant to him, but he was unable to. That night that he was put into intensive care due to Thundelane's gang. If not for her, then he would never have fought back as he did. If not for her, he would have died a long time ago and never been able to see her smiling face, her wonderful laughter, and gaze upon her dazzling sapphire eyes."Spike! You can't leave me, not like this! Spike! Come back to me, please! Spike!"
"Rarity?" Her sweet, soothing voice echoed within the confines of the darkness. Light from behind him began to shine brightly over his shoulders, clearing away just enough of the shadow to reveal her smiling face, only to be shortly replaced by the same mare, with tears streaming down her face like a torrential river.
"You are worth facing Hell Rarity. Just to see you happy whenever I come around, to be able to hold your hand within mine, that is all worth the Hell that I am put through. I will gladly do it over again, for you. You are worthy fighting for! Rarity!"
Tears streamed down her face as she ran alongside of the gurney. Worry setting in as Spike tossed and turned on the soft bedding. Blood snaked down from his open jaw, soaking the white sheets beneath him a dark crimson. A single clear tube like hose was connected to a 'T' shaped hose that split into either side of his nasal passage. From what she could see, air was being pumped into his lungs, enough to keep him alive at least.
"We need a doctor, now! Otherwise he ain't going to last much longer. Quickly nurse, fetch Doctor Monitor! Tell him that Nurse Ellen said it was a code seven! Go now!" Running on the adjacent side of the gurney was a mare with golden yellow fur and a bright blue nurse's uniform. Atop her head was a small hat that she was required to wear, although it was turned backwards.
Looking down towards the drake that she was carting into the ICU, the nurse whispered just loud enough so that only Spike and Rarity could hear, "It's going to be okay Prince Guâlhoran, we aren't going to let anything happen to you. Your mother has not been notified yet, but I assume that your brother will make that call." Gazing back up towards the end of the hall she bellowed out, "Get him down here now! The boy's going to need rib replacements!"
Hesitantly, Spike's lips parted softly as he uttered a single name, "Rarity?" Glancing down towards his broken figure once more, Rarity had to grit her teeth as yet another wave of nausea assaulted her stomach. Blood stained his bare, toned chest with multiple lacerations from whatever cutting tool that Thunderlane and his gang of thugs had used. His left leg was swollen from being re-broken while his right leg was stained with gore from some unseen laceration beneath the tear in his jeans. Blood continued to ooze from his mouth, the source being the broken ribs in his chest. The nurse believed that maybe one had pierced his lungs.
"I'm here Spike", she spoke softly. When he did not respond, she shouted out to him, "Spike! Spike! You can't leave me, not like this! Spike! Come back to me, please! Spike!" No longer able to hold her sorrow inside, she placed a hand on his chest, not caring that there was blood as she allowed her tears to ruin her perfect make-up. Hours spent getting ready for their little outing wasted, but not in vain. He did after all get to see her beauty.
As though acting of its own accord, Spike's arm reached out for her. Her very name was upon his lips once more as his hand turned upwards, revealing what remained of a blue rose, freshly picked from Applejack's garden. Its intoxicating scent stung her nose, bringing hope to what little that she had left in him. Underneath of the rose was a small piece of paper that was folded into a tight, compact note.
Unable to resist herself, she took his hand within her own free one, slowly sliding his gift across to her own palm. Feeling the stem of the rose gave her pause, just enough to know that she was no longer able to follow him through the double doors that she always feared would take the love of her life away from her. Another nurse had emerged from some unseen room to hold her back, to keep her from being with the only dragon or pony to ever capture her heart the way that he did.
"Ma'am. Please ma'am. You can't go through there, I'm sorry." Sighing, defeated, the silvery-white mare simply turned to slowly shuffle over to the seat that was placed directly across from the open door. Knowing that she had to make the dreaded call that would undoubtedly end badly, she took a moment to think over what she was going to say.
Bright sapphire blue petals from the rose flashed in her mind's eye. His very scent was attached to the rose; the petals, the stem, the very bright, slightly golden center. Turning to look at it, she could still see the life that was in it. The beauty that it held always seemed to mesmerize her, and too often she would imagine Spike giving her this lovely rose on some special occasion. What he was doing with it this night of all nights was a mystery to her.
Her gaze then down fell to the hand that had been resting on his bleeding chest. Seeing his crimson pony-dragon blood mix did not disgust her, rather it gave her renewed courage and hope that Spike was going to pull through. He was a strong dragon, and he was going to make it. Nothing in the world could ever kill him, and nothing was ever going to.
Glancing down towards the folded, bloody note that was in her other hand, she allowed her curiosity to get the better of her. Letting her fingers run over the small piece of parchment, she could not help but feel the words on the paper calling to her. Setting the rose aside, she gently unfolded the note, catching his almost perfect penmanship on the paper.
It read, 'Rarity, you are my best friend and I am grateful for all that you have done for me, but I must admit something. I love you. This kind of love that I am feeling is more than our normal friendship love that we have always shared. No, it is more, stronger, better. What I feel in my heart, what I want to tell you, I can never have the courage to do. Your friendship means too much to me to lose you over some stupid feelings that I have grown for you.
To show you the true extent of what I feel for you, I wrote this poem for you:
Rarity
Fur as white as glittering snow
A smile as radiant as the sun
Beautiful sapphire eyes of the highest Rarity
With a beauty worthy of a Queen of the Moon
Rarity of Generosity unlike any other
Making my heart soar higher than the heavens
Taking away every last breath
Holding the key to my love
A nimble mind beyond compare
With a heart full of pure love
And a fire that can never be quenched
For you are a Rarity, unlike any other
True, pure even is my love for you Rarity. Everyday I try to deny it, to push it away, but I can't ever do that. My love for you is no simple little crush, it far exceeds that. I do not know whether or not you feel the same, but please, please do not be mad with me.
For too long though I have harbored these feelings inside, and if I don't let them out, then they could destroy me. If our friendship has to end, please do not let it be anytime soon. Please, let's just try to remain friends. The thought of losing you i...'
She was unable to read any further. In no simple way was she expecting him to declare his love for her tonight, least of all in a letter. Written words from his very own hands, written for her, to her alone.
Fresh tears began to fall from her eyes as the realization that she was never going to tell him just how much she loved him began to set in. Bringing her knees in close, she rocked back and forth in her chair as she read the poem over once more. As she read she imagined that his familiar, deep, yet serene voice was reading it to her. Sobbing uncontrollably, it was all she could do to not burst through those double doors and into his operating room.
Pain stung at her heart as it never had before. Passion, love, both were the same to her. But there was something special about the love that she felt for the drake. She was sure of it. Indeed her love for him was stronger than any other known to pony kind, but there was something more to it. The more that she thought about it, the more that she thought about all of the romance novels, and fables that she had read over the years. Then it clicked for her. What she was feeling was no normal love. What she was feeling, was true, unadulterated, unmolested, pure love.
Deep within her heart she knew that it was true. But how was she ever going to tell him that she had 'accidentally' found out about his feelings for her? How was she ever going to be able to look at him in the same light as before without wanting to explore the possibility that they could be more? She knew that no other male in existence could ever compare to Spike, and thus she was determined to let that remain true.
Words from his own lips, once spoken to her rang forth in her mind. "You know Rarity, you could have any stallion that you wanted. Hell, I bet that you could get any dragon that you wanted too." A flame was ignited within her mind, rekindling the dying flame that was about to wash out and let hope abandon her. But I already have the dragon that I want.
Thoughts of them flying together over the highest peaks of Equestria once more consumed her mind. Feeling the wind rushing through her silvery-white fur, feeling his warm, scaled chest against her back, brought about a sense of joy that she had never felt before. She felt alive, loved, and most of all, with the mate that she had wanted to start a family with for the last few years. To see his smiling face brought forth a new level of reality.
Vibrating in her pocket brought her back into the reality that she was in, and the reality that she would soon have to face with full force. Looking at the caller ID on her phone, she gulped. Hesitantly, she hit the little green vibrating phone icon on her screen before bringing it up to her ear. "H-Hello?"
"Thank the stars that I was able to reach you Rarity." The silvery-white mare knew the voice all too well. Though, it was shaky and held within its confines a hint of worry crashed with an overwhelming sense of pain. Although she loved the Princess greatly, she could not help but feel that the Princess might blame her for her son being where he was. "Ryder called me and told me what happened. What is his state right now? Is he stable?"
A pregnant silence hung in the air between them, her breathing being the only sound as her warped mind took in what the Princess had said. Dissecting the words, she was looking for any sense that she was being blamed, and was surprised when she found none. "I'm sorry, a nurse was talking to me Princess. Spike was just wheeled into the ICU. Nurse said that he might need a few ribs replaced, or at least that's what she thinks. Somehow she knew that he was your son too."
Again, another heavy pregnant silence shoved its way between them. "Well, there are a select few ponies that are allowed to know who he truly is for emergencies like this. Nurse Ellen I presume was her name correct?"
"Yes Princess, that was her." Rarity took in a deep breath as she thought about her next choice of words. "Princess? I found a letter that Spike wrote to me. In it was a poem that was written in the most beautiful penmanship that I have ever seen. I want to know, what do you know about this? What has he told you about his feelings for me? Please give me that, I have already read the letter, so I know how he feels about me, but I want to know what he has told you, to know that it is true."
She could hear the Princess sighing on her end before taking in a deep breath. "So, you know. Well, Spike told me everything that you have read and probably more. You know, he would die for you. You are his whole world, and I hate to see you two ruin your friendship over this."
Fresh tears began to leave the mare's eyes. So it was true, all of it. "Thank you Princess. If anything, our friendship is over. I can no longer see him as a friend." She could heard the Princess sighing through the small speaker against her ear.
Before she could respond, the silvery-white mare beat her to it. "Our friendship is over, but that is not a bad thing. When he wakes up, we are going to be..." She paused, deciding how to best word what she was going to say nest. "I wanted to let you know something too. I love your son, I mean truly love him. I have loved him since the Sleva river incident. Even before then I harbored feelings for him, but not like I do now." Taking a deep breath to steady her shaking nerves, the mare continued, "If he should die tonight, then so shall I. This life is not worth living without him in it." With that, she ended the call and stuffed the phone back into her pocket, letting her tears fall more freely as she buried her face into her knees.
Silence crept into the rather small waiting room as Rarity's sobs grew to a halt. Resting her head on the top of her knees, she allowed her eyes to finally take in her surroundings. Across from where she sat was a small desk where a nurse was currently filing through various forms of paperwork. Stacks of parchment lined most of the desk, obscuring the stallion who was sitting behind them from her view. The soft smack of his fingers against a keyboard was the only sound that told her she was not alone.
To either side of her were four seats, each one made of an acrylic metal alloy with soft blue cushions to sit on. Beside either end of the chairs was a small tan end table, holding on its plastic surface what she assumed were various magazines that those waiting could read to help pass the time.
Chancing a glance back at the rose resting atop the note in the seat beside her, she felt more tears staring to form again, her heart starting to once more constrict within her chest. Oh Spikey-Wikey, why?! Why did we wait this long? Our love was there all along, but I was too blind to see it. Please forgive me Princess, Spike. I have failed your both as a friend, and I broke my promise. How can I ever look at him the same again? Knowing that I hurt him all of these years.
Rarity's train of thoughts were derailed when she heard the soft whimper of one whom she held dear in her heart. "R-Rarity. I-Is S-Spike alright?" The soft, sweet, innocent voice of her little sister could always make her heart melt and bring a smile to her face, if only slightly. In response, the silvery-white mare wiped away what tears had come to her eyes.
Not even looking at her own sister, she sighed in response before patting the empty seat beside her. Hearing two sets of tennis shoes made the silvery-white mare realize that her sister was not completely alone. In a shaky voice, the mare spoke to her sister and her sister's girlfriend, "Spike is, well, he is..." A pregnant silence, like before, managed to worm its way into the room. "Nurse Ellen thinks that Spike is going to be alright, and Doctor Monitor agreed with her when I saw him last. For right now only his mother or brother are allowed to see him unless she says otherwise. Doubt that she will let me in there."
The younger silvery-white filly looked at her sister with a quizzical expression. "What do you mean sis? You are Spike's best friend. His mother should know that."
Sighing, the older mare finally looked towards her younger sister. Heavy bags were under her eyes from the lack of sleep that she had along with red lines underneath from where she was wiping away her tears. What little eyeliner she did have was washing away down her cheeks from the moist droplets that were falling from her lower eye lids. "Because I failed him as a best friend, and I have failed his mother. I promised her long ago that I would never allow any emotional harm to befall him. In that regard I have failed."
The younger filly was perplexed as to what exactly her sister was talking about. For she knew nothing about what the older mare was going on about. "Uh, one more time sis. And this time, in English."
"Spike wrote me a letter sometime ago, how long, only he knows. In it he told me what his true feelings for me are. Along with telling me his feelings, he wrote the most beautiful poem that I have ever read or heard. Sweetie Belle, Cobalt, I love Spikey to no end. I have no doubt anymore that he loves me the same way. I feel so lost without him. Anymore, I just want to run into that room and sit by his side until he wakes. Even then I really don't want to leave his side ever again." Her final words were quiet, yet they were not hesitant. But they still made her want to thrash around in a fit of sorrow that she hoped would either kill them both or bring him back to her.
Sweetie could see tears starting to form in her older sister's eyes once more as she looked back towards the double doors that Spike had disappeared through some time ago. Her breathing was shaky, as if she were hyperventilating. "There, there Rarity." Leaning over, Sweetie pulled her sister into a hug so tight that nothing could ever hope to harm them nor separate them. "I love Spike too, I have always known how much you love him sis. I still cling to the hope that one day I can call him my brother."
Rarity could not fully contain the joy of hearing those very words from her sister. Already she has accepted our love for each other before we are even together. Having to bite her lip before a rather loud sigh of happiness and content escaped her, she allowed her body to visibly relax into her sister's arms. "I hope you know Sweetie, that I have already accepted your lover as my own sister-in-law, or sister. I love Cobalt just as much as I love you sis, and if she makes you this happy, then I want to see her with you, forever." Both sisters smiled at one another, seemingly knowing that what had been held inside for so long was now out in the open.
"Thank you sis. I love you soo so much. I know that you could, and will make Spike the happiest dragon in the entire world, not just Equestria." Closing her eyes tightly, the little filly could not help but let a sly grin cross her face. "Something about your love for him, it's like I can sense it all around me. I can feel it flowing through my very veins. I don't know whether it is because he feels the same way and has something to do with dragon magic or not, but I feel it radiating off of you like a toxic spill."
Both sisters shared a laugh as they pulled apart, the older one wiping her tears once more. Looking back towards the doors as if they would suddenly open and spit out the very drake that she had fallen in love with all those years ago. I am sorry for not telling you sooner Spikey-Wikey, that was my fault. As was your situation leading you in here.
Warmth, radiating from somepony's hand on her shoulder once more derailed her train of thoughts. Only, this time, it had a lasting effect. Glancing at the hand, she saw that it was covered in soothing, snow white fur. Knowing without looking who it belonged to, she simply lowered her head until she was staring at the floor, tears threatening to once again surface. In a voice that was so shaky it almost sounded like she was pleading with her very life, she said, "I am so sorry Princess. I have failed you greatly tonight. I promised to watch over him, but he was the one watching over me. Please, let me stay long enough to see whether he made it or not, please."
Taking a knee, Celestia placed a hand underneath of the silvery-white mare's chin, making her look into the Princess's sparkling amethyst eyes. Such great sorrow swam in an eternal river behind those amethyst orbs, and more pain was seen than she had ever thought possible. Rather than being mad, having an angry expression, or staring daggers into the mare, the Princess simply pulled Rarity into a tight hug. The silvery-white mare's breath escaped her as she realized that she was not being punished as she thought she was going to.
"No my dear Rarity, you are like a daughter to me. My son's love for you will always rule above my own, and with the amount of passion that I feel radiating off of you, I fear that no matter what I do, you will be in that room before too long. Therefore I want you to come with me. Only Ryder and myself are allowed unless stated otherwise, and seeing as how you are practically family, I think that you should be there. If your face is the first one that he sees when he wakes up, then it will be all the better."
With a warm smile upon her lips, the older snow white mare took the hand of the much younger silvery-white mare's. Love, care. Both were heavily flowing out from the Princess as Rarity was pulled to her feet, her eyes locking into the doorway ahead. With Celestia leading the way, the two snaked their way into the ICU unit of the hospital, leaving behind those who were just now starting to arrive.
A massive hallway extended beyond the double doors that, only a moment ago, barricaded her from the drake who had been carted in some hours ago. Raven blue-white checkered tiles ran the length of the floor, with a light sky blue painted into the ceiling tiles. A long red strip spanned the length of the wall, running all the way down to the end of the hall where it split off into a 'T' junction.
Lining both sides of the hallways were multiple portable metallic stations that carried various antibiotics and bandages. Before each one was an empty gurney with freshly cleaned clothes resting atop them. Doors protruded from each side, some being open while others were closed. From inside of each they could either hear the soft sobbing of a loved one, or the screams of pain from the patients themselves. None of the screams sounded like Spike.
"Spike is a little ways in. Ryder is already there, room IC-12. Should be to the left of the junction at the end of the hallway, about three doors down." Walking steadily along, Celestia could not help but speak softly to the mare beside her. "In this wing are those who are going to make it or are going to be in surgery soon. When Ryder last called me he said that Spike was already out of surgery, but that he was still asleep."
Static was heard all around them before a voice echoed about in the hall, "Doctor Foresithe to IC-3 for surgery prep."
Sighing in unison, both mares looked towards each other. "Thought for sure that it was going to be about me being in here. Thank you Princess for bringing me in to see Spike, it means a lot to me."
Rounding the corner at the end of the hallway, Celestia said, "Well, I think that my future daughter-in-law ought to be with my son when he wakes. Besides, I have already accepted you into the family as my daughter. Meaning that whenever you come around me anymore, even in Public, I want you to call me mom. I am no longer Princess Celestia to you, but your mother."
"Thank you Pri... Mom." She had to admit, it felt rather natural, yet good at the same time to call Princess Celestia mom. "So, I have to ask. When did Spike first tell you about, uh, his feelings?"
"Oh that, well that was many years ago." She paused as they came up to the door marked IC-12. Glancing inside, she saw that Ryder was talking to his brother about his own love life as well as their father, who was standing at the foot of the bed, watching over his son. His gaze was so intent that Celestia thought that he was rather trying to ward off any influence that Spike's grandfather might have over him. "Why don't we wait out here for a moment."
Nodding, Rarity followed the snow white mare to a set of chairs that were outside of the door. Same build and color as the ones in the waiting room outside of the ICU wing. "You once told me that I could ask you anything Princess." Slowly, yet slightly hesitantly, the older mare nodded her head. "Well, I was wondering, what is it that dragons do as far as um, being together, magic, that sort of thing."
Adopting a rather pleased, yet sincere look, Celestia smiled. "Well, there is a lot to tell, and I really can't tell you all of it, but I can tell you what I do know about them. For example.." Reaching up to her mane, she brushed it past her shoulder so that Rarity could see the bite mark of four sharp fangs scared into the side of her neck.
Knowing that what she was about to tell was supposed to be kept only to dragon kind, she took the chance anyway. Celestia knew that Rarity would be able to keep what she was going to be told a secret. "Well, for starters, dragons do not really marry like we ponies do. Often, some ponies divorcee and marry another pony. For dragons, they pick a mate, and they are mated to that dragon for life, even beyond death. The mark on my neck signifies that I have been chosen, claimed. All males, dragons anyway, will know that I belong to that male, and he will kill any who try to violate me. His scent will also bask my own, unless he is to die, then my own will come about again.
"Spike's father has been reading up about this, but he thinks that if Spike were to mate with you, that you could gain eternal life like he has. A dragon's bond through a mate is greater than any pony could hope to have. Your hearts will beat as one, your minds will think alike, and you will always feel the presence of your male. Trust me when I say that the feeling will last forever, and it let's you know that you are always cared for and loved. Being a female pony, you will not lay an egg like a dragon would, instead you will give live birth.
"Also know that, during mating, it is customary for the male to mark you as his own. I want you to make sure that you know what dating my son could bring about for you. You would be crowned Princess of Ponies, and Queen of Dragons. I want to know, right now, that you are not trying to get with my son just for these titles. Many have tried before you, but he has always held himself pure of any physical intimacy just for you."
"As have I mom. I have held myself pure, true even for your son alone. I have never wanted to be with any other pony or dragon since I met him all those years ago, when we were just kids. In my heart, I always feel his presence, as if he has already mated with me. Mom, I love him, and I want to be with him for who he is, not what he is. The title, I could care less. All I ever wanted was to be able to call him my own, to start a family with him. By pony standards to, I do want to eventually marry him. But I understand the need to wait for that. He needs to graduate school first, and with a wife, mate actually, and a child or children, that is the last thing that he needs."
Smiling wider, Celestia brought her future daughter-in-law into a soothing, understanding hug. "I believe you Rarity. I believe every word that you said, and I believe that I am being honest when I say that there is no other mare nor dragon that is better for him than you. All his life if any mare showed interest in him it was because he was a dragon, same with him being a Prince, although that was with dragons. Either way, you are better than they are. You are the first to love him for who he truly is. For that, I am thankful."
Softly, Rarity responded, "I know. And I thank you for bringing him into my life that day. If not for you, then I would never have met him when I did, and things might be different. Thank you mom, thank you."
Together, with their hands held close together, both mares rose and entered the room.
Alongside the wall across from the door was a large open window, that, when opened, looked out over the city of Ponyville. Beside of the window was a TV hung high in the corner of the room, with the volume turned almost all the way to mute. Two chairs, which looked almost identical to the ones in the waiting room outside of ICU, were placed facing the sleeping drake.
Looking at the bed placed almost directly next to the door, they each had to hold their breath. Spike lie in a soft, remote controlled bed. Draped over his sleeping form was a mint green blanket, shielding the damage of his lower body from their view. His exposed chest was wrapped around almost to the neck in a white bandage, with a few running down either arm. Injected into his right arm were multiple tubes that ran back to the bags and machines on the IV pole beside of his bed.
Rarity watched as his chest rose and fell very slowly, indicating that he was still alive, that he was still with her. "Oh Spike." Slipping out of Celestia's grasp, she made her way over to the bed, where she leaned down to place a kiss upon his forehead. "I am here now Spike. I am never leaving you."
Falling to her knees beside of the bed, Rarity took his free hand within her own, relishing in the feel of his rough scales against her soft fur. Though his now dried blood was still coating her hand, she took no notice. In her heart all that she cared about was the fact that Spike was still alive. Placing a kiss on the backside of his hand, she began to whisper to him softly, "I am so sorry that you are here Spike. No matter what anypony tells me, I will always blame myself for this. If only I had of let you stay home, then all would be well."
Fear gripped her, fear that he was feeling the same way that she was. In her heart she knew that it was not true, but her mind was of a different opinion. Tear started to flow from her eyes once more, which was a miracle in itself. With as much crying as she had been doing, she could have filled the grand Sleva river by now.
Soft spoken words came drifting into her ear, though they were slow to catch. "No pony is blaming you Rarity. This was not your fault at all. Spike would die to protect you, and he nearly did. But that was not because he went out tonight, but because Thunderlane spotted you and him, happy together. Thunderlane will never rest until you are with him, he has his lustful eyes set on you, always has. I am truly sorry that you have to be in the middle of this, but I agree with mom. You are the best mare that Spike could find. Rarity, you are the one I want to see him with."
Rarity could feel the caring, yet strong grip of Ryder as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "What if Spike hates me now? What if he blames me for this as well?"
"Rarity. You know my brother on a deeper level than I do. But I do know that he loves you too much to allow you to blame yourself for this. You are not the bad one here Rarity. You got help before it was too late, you helped fight back Thunderlane when he was assaulting you after we broke him away from Spike." The silvery-white mare could not help but reach up to her face where she felt the swollen cheek from the punch that the silver stallion had thrown at her. "You should tell him what you feel Rarity. If you want, we can leave the room?"
"No, I want you all here to hear what I have to say to him." Taking a deep breath to steady her calming nerves, the mare rose to her feet. Bringing a seat closer to the bed so that she was sitting not even two inches from his side, she spoke softly once more, only this time, it was louder. "Spike, I don't know if you can here me or not, but I wanted you to know something. I read your letter for me. I never thought that you loved me like that, and I have to say, it was like a dream come true.
"Ever since the day at Sleva field, I have always thought about you as more than a friend. At the time, I thought that it was just a simple crush on my best friend. But I realize now that it is more than that." Her voice began to grow shaky as she was choking back her sobs, her very heart pouring out with her words. "I know now that what I was feeling was not just a crush, nor was it just love. No, what I feel for you is real, pure, and true to form. I am deeply in love with you, and I feel as though you are my true love, that what I feel for you is so much stronger than has even been recorded before in pony history. Spike, our hearts beat as one."
As though to prove her point further, the mare rested their combined hands over his heart. Feeling a surge of courage wash over her, she leaned forward until her lips were barely a few inches apart from his. "You are my Spikey-Wikey, and you always will be, forever." Leaning in gently, she closed her eyes as her lips came into contact with his. Though she was short with her kiss, she felt something that she had never felt before, she felt both complete, and a spark that ignited her heart into a raging inferno.
Gazing over his sleeping form, she could not help but let a soft giggle escape from her lips as she buried her head into his slowly rising chest. "I love you Spikey-Wikey." Without caring that there was anypony else in the room, she climbed into the bed, careful to not disturb the sleeping drake as she made herself comfortable. Resting her head on his toned, wrapped chest, she allowed the sound of his slow beating heart to lull her into sleep. Content washed over her, content that she was with the drake who had captured her heart, and content that he was still alive.
An endless dark abyss surrounded him, flushing him into what he assumed was the shrouded curtain of death. Yet, he felt that this was not indeed the end. He felt that he was going to see the light of day once more, feel the grass against his rather hard scales. With renowned courage, and tossing aside his despair, he rose to his feet.
Swiftly turning around, he could see that he was not in just any dark abyss. Rather, he was in a cave, that extended out far beyond where his sight failed him. Breathing in the fresh life of air that assailed him, he began to steadily progress forward. A hand was placed against the wall as he walked, holding out for anything that he assumed meant him harm.
Off in the distance he could hear the steady drip, drop of water splashing against the rock. Light began to filter into the cave from up ahead. Using this light to look around, he could see that some rather sharp rocks protruded higher up on the wall, while on the ceiling were finely sharpened stalactites. Many of these sharpened rock formations could easily enough pierce through his scaled hide.
Gulping quietly, he braved on. Here and there he could hear a whisper, making him look back to find that a small set of golden yellow orbs were following him. The orbs watched every movement that he made, almost as if it was waiting for a time to strike, or it was studying him. Brushing the orbs out os his mind, he turned back towards the light.
Rounding a corner, he could see that up ahead the light grew brighter until it opened up into the world outside. Quickening his pace, he made for the opening. His feet skidded to a halt as he reached the entrance to the cave. His mouth fell to his chest while his heart dropped to his feet.
Before the drake was a vast, barren wasteland. The likes of which he had only ever read about in the history books during the great dragon-pony war before his time. No life could be seen for miles, not even the tiniest blade of grass. Dust billowed all around, with the loose soil clinging tightly to the ground. Ash rained from the sky like snow, covering various ruins of old building and turning them a dark grey. Fire boomed in the distant skies, coming from the mountain city of Canterlot, or so he hoped. "What happened here?"
He fell to his knees as the realization washed over him. This land was not just any land, this was Equestria. This was his home. Staring him in the face at the mouth of the cave was what remained of Ponyville.
A river of pure pony blood flowed from the base of every home until it came together in a small pool in the center, where some unseen underground river washed it away. Looking out to where he knew his heart was hoping it was still standing, he saw what remained of the Carousel Boutique. Rising up out of the rubble and ash was a single spear, impaled on the tip was somepony that made tears form in his eyes. There Rarity lied with the tip of the spear through her heart, blood flowing down into the river. What remained of her fur and flesh was being pulled apart by wild timberwolves and gore crows, both of which sometimes fought each other over the remnants of the body.
Grasping the earth in his hands, he bellowed out a deathly roar that challenged any nearby to fight him, to kill him now and end the suffering that he was seeing. Nothing came, not even the creature that had been following him was trying to attack him. He was in so much pain that it hurt to even breath, let alone shout out towards the sky, "No! You lied to me! You said that this was never going to happen!"
Ash began to flow towards him, threatening to bury him beneath the bulk of it all. Taking in what he assumed was going to be his final sight of the sky, he said, "I hate you father."
Wind whisked away what ash had crowded him, freeing him of the prison that he was in. Looking up, he growled as he saw his father standing before him. Covering his torso was a heavy metal golden chest plate with the insignia of a rising sun, while on his lower body was his golden metallic leg armor. Two silver gauntlets were one his hands while his leather bracers were tightened around his wrists. "You will never hate me son."
His tone grew deep with anger at what his father was telling him. "What would you know?! You lied to me, told me that this would never happen again!" By this point he was snarling, but his father stood there as calm as ever. This made the amethyst drake more furious. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Answer me!"
With a hand over his heart, Lethnal spoke calmly to his son. "You are so very angry my son, but why? None of this you see is real, yet."
"W-What do you mean?" Spike could not fathom in a million years that his mother would allow the land to return to this state of decay, this state of destruction.
"You grandfather is planning another attack against the pony kingdom Spike. My father will never rest with peace, he wants war. His hunger for it grows everyday, and I can't seem to help any longer. I have tried everything within my power to either kill him or make him see reason. No longer is he the same loving father that I knew before my teen years. His greed spreads like a plague throughout the dragon kingdom. They need a new king son, they need you."
Spike wiped away the tears that coated his eyes, wondering if his father was truly right in what was happening. "I don't understand, the treaty with the dragons is in no danger. W-When is this supposed to happen?"
"Soon, but I cannot tell you exactly when. Even that is unknown to me, but I do know this. Son, keep yours eyes open for any of my father's treachery. My father now knows that you exist, that you are a viable threat to him. He will first try to contact you and see if you can be turned, if that fails, then he will try to kill you."
"W-Why are you telling me this?"
"Because this war is now your war too. I wanted to keep you out of this until it was truly over, but it seems that I have failed. You must not linger on these thoughts though. You will forget them when you wake up, but they will come back to you when the time is right. Son, I need you to promise me that you will not fail. All of Equestria will depend on the choices that you make in this war. Promise me that you will not allow this to happen." Lethnal outstretched his hand so that his son could see the devastation that his grandfather had caused.
"I will not fail you father, nor will I fail Rarity, nor Equestria! My grandfather will not be allowed to commit such atrocities so long as I have life within mine own body. Thank you father. I am sorry for before, you know, about me hating you." The young drake played with the scales behind his head as he avoided eye contact with his father.
"There is nothing to be sorry for Spike. I felt that way when I was fighting the war. Though I hated my father, I have come to the peace that I still love him. Yes he has changed so much that I no longer recognize him as my father, but I still love him. He did after all help to bring me into this world."
Stepping forward, Spike embraced his father in a warm, caring hug that seemed to stretch on for eons. "I love you dad."
Lethnal could not hold back a few tears from streaming down his face. "You, you have never called me that before Spike."
"I know dad, but I thought it was about time that I started."
"I love you too son."
Darkness once more enveloped Spike before he was pulled away from his father, his eyes remaining shut as he felt the push and pull of the swirling abyss around him. Lights began to make their way into the swirling shadow, illuminating him and him alone. Feeling the essence of life, feeling the presence of such vast amounts of love, and care, he felt alive. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes...
Rarity brushed a few strands of the sleeping drake's mane out of his face, letting her see the bruises that lined him. Multiple fresh laceration both from the other day and a few hours ago were present, some still slightly oozing very small trickles of blood. She watched as his eyes shifted beneath their lids in rapid movement, almost as if he was in a hurry.
Tracing the scar that forever marked his face, she felt that there was something that she had to do to make his 'beauty' mark vanish. Closing her eyes, she searched her mind for the flow of magic that was always coursing through her viens. Silently, she whispered a few words in the native tongue of dragons. A warm blue aura began to glow underneath of her hand as she allowed the power of her magic to surge through her into the spell that she was performing. Feeling her body shudder from the drain of energy, she ceased the flow of her magic to examine her handiwork.
A warm smile crossed her lips as she beheld his perfectly clean face, no evidence of scaring present in the slightest. Leaning down, she rested her head once more atop his chest as she listened to the soft beating of his heart. Placing her hand within his own, she linked their fingers together as she stared at the blood that was on her hand before she snuggled closer to the drake.
Shifting slightly, Spike opened his eyes to see the pure light sky blue ceiling that was above him. It was almost reminiscent of the sky that he always saw after a nap in the tree at lunch, yet there was no breeze to accompany it, nor were there the sounds of laughter or the smell of freshly made salads. Not even the sunlight was to be seen, only a faint light that came from some lamp on a bedside table in the far corner of the room.
Feeling the heat of a body pressed against him, the drake looked down to see that there was a silvery-white mare lying beside him, her fingers locked together with his while her head was buried into his chest. Disbelief washed over his mind as he looked up to see that his brother was sitting in a chair beside of the bed, his eyes closed while his snoring filled the room. Beside of him was their mother, who was fast asleep as well.
Letting his gaze come back to the mare that was lying with him, he leaned down slightly so that he could see her face more clearly. She was lost deep within her mind, gazing sternly at their connected hands. In a scratchy, yet slightly low voice, he said, "Hey you."
His voice was almost faint, but it was enough that the mare perked her ears up before she slowly turned to look at him. A perplexed expression met her, to which she softly giggled. "Hey yourself. I was, just thinking about you actually." Her voice was low, so as not to disturb her moment alone with the drake. "You know, you could have any mare or dragoness that you want." With the end of her words she pulled herself up so that her lips were close to his, feeling his breath against her.
A genuine smile crossed his lips as he said, "I already have my eye set on a mare. Besides, I think I already have the mare that I want." Before she could even hope to respond he pushed his lips against her own. Passion, the likes of which he had never felt before, raced through his veins. It felt like a spark was ignited within his heart, sparking what he hoped was their eternal love for each other. In his chest he felt love, he felt wanted, but most of all, he felt that this was the start of a new life for both himself, and Rarity.
Breaking away, he fixed her with a soft gaze, one that held so much love in it that it was insurmountable by any other form ever seen before. "I love you Rarity."
"I love you too Spikey-Wikey."