Author's Notes:

Sorry for the wait. Just been having a lot of fun with Patric and The Pack. Will try to work more on this story whenever possible!

FIVE HOURS LATER: Cecil's POV

"We've filtered out the toxins from her blood but..." The doctor said.

"But?" Cross said as me and my friends waited anxiously for the news.

"But it's already done damage. Her kidney's are shutting down." The doctor said. Cross looked devastated, like he was about to fall to his knees and cry.

"Can you... Help her?" I asked.

"The only thing that would save her is if someone donated one to her." The doctor said.

"Of course!" Cross said, "She can take mine..."

"Well it's not that simple Cross, you know that... We have to do blood to see if it's a match... And if it's not then we will have to start looking for a suitable doner."

"You can test me." I said.

"And us." Twilight said, the other five of our friends nodding in agreement.

"Alright well... Come with me and we'll start right away." The doctor said, leading us back.

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THREE HOURS LATER:

"Thank you Cecil..." Cross said, pulling me into a hug.

"Anything to save her life..." I said weakly.

"You don't have to do this..." Fluttershy said, gripping my hand tightly.

"Fluttershy..." I said, looking up at her, "You know I do."

"We're ready." A doctor said, "You all will have to stay in the waiting room."

I looked at everyone as they stood over me.

"I'll be fine." I said with a smile as Fluttershy kissed me. I reached up, placing a hand on her cheek, "Later we'll go out to eat. Something fancy..."

"I'd like that." Fluttershy said.

"We'll be waiting." Twilight said, heading out to the waiting room with Fluttershy and the others.

I took a deep breath in, staring up at the ceiling.

"We will start the surgery in a few minutes. Until then, just relax." The doctor said, leaving the room. I looked down at the medical scrub I was in.

"Well..." I mumbled.

"Thank you mister..." A small voice said. I looked over to the bed next to me.

"It's nothing, really..." I said.

"I promise I'll take real good of Kiddy." Emma said.

"You named my kidney?" I laughed.

"Mmhm..." She said.

"Well Kiddy..." I said, patting my side, "I hope 'you' take real good care of Emma too."

"Don't worry I will! We'll be best friends!" I said, covering my mouth and changing the pitch of my voice slightly higher.

Emma giggled. Her smile faded back to a frown.

"I'm sorry I'm taking Kiddy away from you... You can keep him if you want." She said.

"Nah... He's a real slob. Eats nothing but sugar. I think you can really straighten him out." I said with a smile. Her face went back to its happy state as the doctor came in.

"Are you ready Cecil? Emma?" He questioned.

"Of course." I nodded, staring over at Emma. A mask was put on the both of us as a tube was fed onto it from a large metal tank.

"I'm scared..." Emma said weakly.

"Don't worry... I won't let anything happen to you." I said, extending my arm out. She took my hand as we looked at each other.

"Everything will be alright." I said.

"Count backwards from one hundred." The doctor said, turning the valve on the tank.

Emma looked like she was about to cry as her grip on my hand tightened.

"Ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall..." I started. She glanced over at me, "Ninety-nine bottles of milk..."

"Take one down..." She said.

"Pass it around..." I continued.

"Ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall." We both said, seeing that smile again through the transparent mask.

"Ninety-eight... Bottles of milk on the... wall. Nine-"

-----------------------------------

I looked over at Fluttershy, who was staring out the window.

"Are you alright?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll... Be fine Twilight." She said, "I'm just worried."

"Come on sugar cube..." Applejack said, "The doctors know what they're doin."

"That's very true dearie." Rarity interjected, "They are very good at what they do."

Fluttershy sat silently, staring out as a mechanical butterfly flew through the open window, landing on her shoulder. She looked down at it, smiling. The door to the hospital opened and Celestia walked in.

"Princess!" I said, jumping up and bowing.

"There's no need for that Twilight." She said.

"What brings you here?" Rarity asked.

"I came to see Cecil when he wakes up." Celestia said, sitting down next to me, "If that's alright."

"O'course!" Applejack said.

"I'm sure it would mean a lot to him." I said.

"What about Princess Luna?" I asked.

"She is busy dealing with Nicholas in the castle dungeon." Celestia said, "She will be here soon."

"She's not... Going to hurt him is she?" Fluttershy asked.

"Why the heck do you care what happens to him?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Yeah... I don't usually advise violence but... Whatever they have planned for him, he has it coming." Red said.

Fluttershy stared straight ahead, not making eye contact with anyone. I looked up at Celestia with worried eyes, receiving the same look.

"He will not be harmed." Celestia said sincerely. Fluttershy looked up at her. "I swear."

"Thank you..." Fluttershy said.

"The surgery is over, if you want... Princess Celestia!" Said a doctor coming around the corner, "I'm... I um... I didn't..."

"Calm down... Continue what you were saying." Celestia said.

"Well uh... Cecil should be waking up sometime in the next half hour." The doctor said, quickly regaining his composure.

"Good." Celestia said, standing and walking nimbly past him, "Well? Are you going to show us his room?"

"Oh! Of course Princess." The doctor said as he walked with her.

"Shall we?" I said, getting to my feet and holding a hand out to Fluttershy.

"Absolutely." Fluttershy said.

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I stared blankly up at the ceiling, turning onto my side as I heard the continuous drip of water. The door to the dungeon opened, flooding the room with light. I didn't even look to see who entered... I didn't care anymore.

"You must be Nicholas." A feminine voice said. I didn't respond.

"Come now... You must feel like your entire world was shattered, falling away from you." She said.

"What do you want..." I asked emotionlessly.

"Well that's very simple. I want the curse on Cecil to be removed." She said sternly.

I chuckled, "And why would I do that Luna?" I asked, turning to her.

"Because I won't ask again." Luna said.

"I could care less about what you do to me." I said, "I'm already dead..." Turning back to the wall.

"Oh don't worry... I won't do anything. In fact, I'm the one that is going to 'Prevent' you from dying." Luna said as the door clicked open again. I turned back again.

"Oh hello Patric..." I said with a grin, "How's your wing do- Oh right... I forgot."

Patric stuck the key in the lock, opening the cell door.

"Cecil has quite the craftsmanship. I see he repa-" I was cut off by his arm hitting my neck, slamming me into the wall. I choked, grabbing his arm as he held me there, staring at me angrily.

"Just shut up." He commanded, punching me in the gut with his other hand. I coughed out what little air I had left as his choke got tighter. I tried to breath but was unable to.

"You're going to fucking do it or I will make you suffer." Patric said.

"You mean... Like... Colin?" I said weakly. His anger subsided as his eyes widened, he dropped me. I fell to my hands and knees, coughing as I regaining my breath. I was about to stand up when I felt him kick my in the side, knocking me into the edge of the bed. My eyes shot open as I coughed up a bit of blood, watching it splatter against the white mattress.

"Don't you even DARE say his fucking name you got that?" He said, pulling me up and thrusting his knee to my stomach.

"How does... It feel to know your friend... Died all alone." I said with a smirk as blood ran from my mouth.

"How would... You know that." Patric said, taking a step back.

"Because... I killed him." I said. Patric froze, staring at me in horror.

"W...What?" He said.

"What did it feel like... I've always wondered. How ironic it is that you spent every day with him... Every moment of the last few years with him. It's sad that the one time you choose to leave him alone... Well..." I said with a weak laugh.

"You..." He mumbled to himself. There was a pause before he reached into his coat and grabbed a knife, lunging at me. I smiled, closing my eyes as I waited for the icy cold blade to come. But it didn't... I opened my eyes to see the blade merely inches from my face. Patric's hand had a blue glow around it.

"LET ME GO!" Patric screamed.

"Patric calm yourself..." Luna said, pulling him back.

"HE'S DEAD! HE IS A DEAD MAN!" Patric yelled furiously as two guards pulled the knife from his hand, dragging him away.

"We're not done here..." Luna said, glaring at me as they left the room. I walked to the bed, lying down and staring up at the ceiling. I waited there patiently. A grin slid onto my face as I looked down at my hand.

"Idiot..." I chuckled, staring at the key I took from his belt, placing it a hole in the mattress.

--------------------------------

"He's waking up!" Dash said, rushing to Cecil's side.

"Morning... What I miss?" Cecil asked in a drug induced haze.

"Nothing at all..." I said, bending down and pressing a long kiss onto his lips.

"Nice to see you too." Cecil said with a smile as he pulled me back to his face.

"Give him a little room to breathe Fluttershy..." Twilight joked.

"I don't think he'll let me." I said as he pulled me back down.

"Well I've been waiting here for awhile and I need to pee. Don't go anywhere..." Rainbow Dash said, bolting out of the room.

"How are you feeling?" Cross said, walking into the room in his doctor's outfit.

"Like I've been pumped with painkillers." I laughed.

Cross smiled, walking over to Emma, who was lying in the bed next to mine, "She's going to be just fine by the way... You're a hero."

"Glad I could help." Cecil said.

"You did more than just help." Celestia said, walking into the room.

"P... Princess!" I said in disbelief, "I think you gave me too much painkiller because... I'm hallucinating."

"I can assure you that I am one hundred percent real." Celestia said, approaching the bed. "You saved that girl's life. You are a hero after everything that you've been through."

"What... Happened to..." Cecil stammered..

"He's in the dungeon at my castle. Nicholas won't be harming anyone anytime soon." She said.

"Oh... Alright." Cecil said.

"Did you need anything?" I asked.

"A wheel chair? I just have to use the restroom." Cecil said as one was unfolded and put beside me. I was helped into the chair and wheeled to the door.

"I can do this myself, just wait here alright?" He asked.

-----------------------------------

I wheeled myself out and into the hallway, spotting the bathroom at the end. I approached it and knocked on the door.

"Anyone in there?" I asked. I heard coughing on the other side.

"You alright in there??" I questioned. I reached for the handle and pulled the door open. Rainbow Dash was standing there, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked at me.

"Rainbow Dash!" I said, absolutely shocked as I saw blood running down her mouth, "I'll get a doctor..."

"No!" She said, grabbing my chair and pulling me inside, slamming the door shut.

"But..." I said

"You can't tell anyone... Especially not Red." She said, clenching her chest as she wheezed softly.

"Why the hell not?" I asked in a concerned tone.

"What's the point... I only have about a week left, there's no sense in making people worry about something that can't be fixed." She said half heartedly. It was at that moment that Dash's incident flooded back to me. What Nicholas did... How long she has left, and what he did in the surgery. God damn it!

"Dash..." I pleaded.

"Just promise me you won't tell anyone Cecil... Please." She asked. I hesitated for a moment, thinking about what to do.

"Cecil!" She said, grabbing me.

"Alright! I won't..." I said quickly.

"Thank you..." She said with a relieved expression, a tear falling from her face.

"Rainbow Dash..." I said quietly.

"Just... Let me get cleaned up and I'll be out of your way." She said with a smile, "The summer sun festival is tomorrow... It's not often it get's rescheduled for a dying Pegasus..."

"Stop it... Just stop." I said as tears formed on my eyes.

"Come on... Don't cry for me." She said, pulling my head up, "We should be celebrating... You just saved that little girl's life. Today should be a happy day."

"A happy day..." She repeated.

--------------------------------------------
ONE MONTH LATER:

"How can it kick... It doesn't even have legs yet." Red said, feeling Rainbow Dash's stomach.

"I'm telling you I felt it..." She said, "Feel it again."

"You're imagining it..." Red replied, rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me! Twilight..." Dash said quickly.

"It's... Possible?" Twilight shrugged unsurely.

"Maybe we should leave them alone." I whispered to Fluttershy.

"Mmhm..." She mumbled, following me out of the room.

"What should we name him?" Red said.

"We should name HER Dusk Shimmer." Dash said.

"Really? Because Starlight is going to be a fantastic alchemist!" Red said.

Their voices faded as we closed the door, walking out of Twilight's house and down the road to town square.

"So where did you want to go?" I asked. There was no response.

"Fluttershy?" I said, turning back. She was gone. Her broach was on the road behind me. I walked over and picked it up, staring at it.

"Strange... Maybe she forgot something. I guess I'll just wait for her." I shrugged, sitting down at one of the benches.

"Hey Cecil. It's good to see you again!" A voice said from behind me. I turned.

"Oh! Hey Hugo." I said with a smile, patting the seat next to me, "Come on sit down."

He sat next to me, putting an arm around me as he pulled me close.

"How's my son doing?" He asked with a laugh.

"Red's doing just fine." I said.

"That's good to hear. Have they decided on a name for them?" He asked.

"Them?" I questioned, looking up at him.

"It's twins." He said.

"Twins?? How do you know that?" I asked in utter surprise.

"A father knows these things. Anyways... How are you and Fluttershy doing?" He asked.

"We're doing just fine. How about you? Been awhile since I've heard from you." I said.

"I've been doing just fine. business has been picking up lately." He said.

"Well that's good! That broach you gave Fluttershy has had quite a few new memories since you gave it to her." I joked.

"So I've heard. Well I have to be getting back to my stand, it's really good to see you." He said as he stood up.

"Hey uh... Dash's kid... 'kids'... Do you know their genders?" I asked curiously.

"Come on Cecil... I'm not psychic." He said with a smile. I laughed, shaking his hand.

"Have a good day." I said as I hugged him goodbye. I leaned back, staring up at the sky as I pondered about where I should take Fluttershy. There are a few good restaurants nearby... Maybe a trip to the spa?

"You!" A deep male voice called. I turned to see an armored guard resembling that of the Royal Guard.

"Yeah?" I asked, standing up to meet him.

"Are you Cecil?" He asked.

"Yeah... What about it?" I questioned.

"Your brother Nicholas... He's gone." The guard said.

My heart immediately sank.

"W...What...?" I questioned in a quiet tone. My eyes shot open as a realization hit me... I stared down at the broach that I was still holding in my hand.

Oh god... Fluttershy.