Rainbow Dash walked to the door of the room with a desolate look on her face. After three years of searching and disappointment, she was finally within grasp of the one she truly loved. She vowed to hide bury her feelings and move on but now, now she had to face them head on. Rainbow Dash pushed the door open and was attacked with the feeling she had been suppressing. Remorse and relief hit her at the same time. She looked at the sad excuse for a being laying on the hospital bed and felt something wet roll down her cheek. She whipped it away with a hoof and looked at it for a moment before looking back up at the bed. Pinkie Pie was staring back at her with a weak smile on her face. Rainbow Dash smiled back.

"Come here you," said the pink mare with open arms.

Rainbow Dash didn't object and swiftly trotted over to the bed. As soon as Rainbow Dash was within the embrace she held nothing back. Tears came out in a waterfall from both of their eyes. They remained like this for a few more minutes until Pinkie pulled away and said "Rainbow I need to say that I want to apologize..."

Rainbow Dash - though only just able to speak - replied "w...what for?"

"You were the only pony who had faith that I was still alive, the only pony other than Luna who visited me, even if it was only in a dream, and what did I do? I pushed you away then hung myself."

Rainbow Dash carefully mulled over how she would respond to this. Here lay the mare she loved in an extremely weak condition - a condition many, if not all, would never have expected to see her in - and full of tubes. She was clearly a physical wreck at the moment, yet Rainbow Dash saw that it was but a variation on the beautiful and unique pink mare she had once known. However, she did not want to throw her into even more emotional turmoil by unwisely selecting her words "Look Pinkie, I was just a bit upset because I thought you didn't want to see me. It was me who over reacted. I think I owe you an apology."

"I did act kind of hostile to you though, I didn't mean it, I was just surprised to see you, and i really do appreciate that you bothered after so long Dashie."

Though it was only a small feat, Rainbow Dash felt more hope for Pinkie Pie just by hearing Pinkie's designated pet name for her, Dashie. She knew Pinkie Pie had a really strong bounce-back ability, meaning when she felt upset, it took very little to return her to her usual energetic self. An example of this would have been when she thought nopony wanted her around anymore. The time where she had thrown the party for the sack of flour, the heap of lint, the pile of rocks and the bucket of turnips. She had gotten over that quite quickly. This was...well..a lot more traumatic, but the use of pet names gave Rainbow Dash hope. However, Rainbow Dash decided not to speak of this, instead, opting to instead speak about the shrine and how she found her. "yeah well...everypony else thought you were dead. There is even a shrine built in your honor. It looks really good actually, but I had a feeling you were still alive. I vowed to spend a bit of time at the shrine every day until you were found..."

Pinkie Pie cut in "but why would you do that Dashie? especially for me."

Because I love you Pinkie Pie ""I did it b...bec...because you're my best friend Pinkie. Surely the others are my best friends, but your like my best best friend."

Pinkie Pie appeared deep in thought, whilst, somehow, seeming to be doing some form of imaginary calculus with her hooves. "so, I'm like your best^2 friend?"

"yeah, whatever best^2 means"

"you know, best to the power of two, or best squared, or best times best"

"Is Twilight responsible for this freaky maths knowledge?"

"yep"

"anyway, as I was saying before I found some..." egg headed "...Very interesting maths stuff out, Princess Celestia paid me a visit, and Twilight was around at the time. She said Princess Luna might be able to find you, long story short, she brought me into your dream."

Pinkie Pie was honestly interested in asking many questions. However, there was one she really needed to ask. A question that she wanted to ask Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity aswell. "Dashie, what do you think I should do"
,
"huh?"

"you know, with Applejack?"

"Ohhh. Well it's really up to you Pinkie, We've all forgiven her. Well Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity never seemed to be mad at her, but I forgave her, even if it was a bit of back hoofed forgiveness first. I just couldn't bare to see her how she was. I honestly think she is really sorry. I can't speak for her, but I'm just saying what I think. If you want to forgive her, that's all good, if you don't, it's your choice, I know for sure myself and all the others will be both your friends either way."

"Thank you for the advise Rainbow Dash. What's the time by the way?"

Rainbow Dash looked up towards the clock in the room. "Well it's only mid day." Rainbow Dash truly regretted what she had to do now. It was, however, for the benefit of Pinkie Pie, as well as for the rest of her friends, and honestly, herself. Her rumbling, empty and starving stomach punctuated this. "Look Pinkie, I'd love to stay a lot longer, believe me...." believe me, I'd stay every moment until you were better given the chance

"...but there are a lot of ponies who want to see you, and I sure am hungry right now. You don't mind me leaving do you?"

Pinkie Pie had a look of pure understanding, followed by one of pure concern "Only if you answer me one more question?"

"Fire away"

"do you forgive me? For running away, for pushing you away, and then for this" Pinkie said motioning her fore hooves to display that 'this' was what she did to herself.

"Of course I do Pinkie Pie, I missed you, and i never wanted to see you in this condition..." in fact, seeing you in this condition is killing me "...but the important thing is that you are alive and on the mend."

Pinkie Pie's look of pure understanding returned. "Ok my best^2 friend. You may leave for now. I hope to see you soon."

"Well of course you will, honestly, I might even drop by again after every pony else has had there turn with their favorite Pinkie Pie, but less of the maths. My brains hurting now."

"okie dokie lokie."

Once again, this showed Rainbow Dash further that somewhere in the hollow body and the hollow voice, there was a trace of her pink treasure. The pony she longed to be with as soon as the time was right her Pinkie Pie.

"So, who do you want to see next?"

"urmm, well I've seen Applebloom, Zecora, Applejack and you. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Twilight and Spike if they are there."

"Spike and Twilight coming straight up." Rainbow said with a salute, taking off of the ground for a brief second before quietly landing. And walking out of the door she entered through.

Author's Notes:

So here it is. Another miracle chapter. Once again helped by Bringer of the Ends. Enjoy.

P.s thanks to all who sent me a message wishing me a speedy recovery. The worst of it is gone *touches wooden thing*, just a bit of a cough and mucus build up, should be all clear by Sunday at latest for a guess.