Author's Notes:

This is my first time writing Spike, so let me know how I did and what I need to improve!

"Spike, I'm back!" Twilight walked into her library, saddlebags bulging with fresh produce in one side and gems in the other. Walking into the kitchen, she levitated the bags onto the table and began putting her groceries away. The vegetables went in her refrigerator, and the gems were hidden up in the highest cabinets out of Spike's reach. She hated denying her little assistant, but it was for his own good, until he learned some self-restraint.

The purple drake walked in, still clad in the frilly apron he insisted on wearing and carrying a featherduster. Twilight rolled her eyes at the sight, but dismissed it. Just another side-effect of a boy living in a girl's world, she thought to herself. "Did you finish with the dusting?"

The aproned whelp crossed his arms and raised a brow-ridge. "Hello. Why yes, my day was wonderful, thanks for asking. How was yours?" Twilight turned towards him with a stern expression to reprimand him, but stopped herself with a sigh.

"Right...Sorry. So... did everything go well?" Twilight forced a smile, somewhat disappointed in her lapse in manners despite being labeled "The Princess of Friendship." Spike smiled and pulled a small scroll from behind his ear-fin, holding the rolled parchment for Twilight to take it in her telekinesis. Immediately doing so, she unrolled the note and began scanning. "Applejack...sick animal...book on how to cure infection?" She turned towards Spike with a questioning glance. "I don't understand, why wouldn't she just take it to Fluttershy?"

Spike shrugged, "maybe it's too big?"

Twilight shook her head. "For Big Macintosh? Spike, I've seen him haul an entire house, I don't think there's an animal he couldn't pull in a cart...except maybe a hydra or a grown dragon. And both of those have natural defenses against disease!" She crumpled the note and tossed it into the trash, before taking to the air and perusing her book shelves. "No matter, I guess I'll see it when I get there." Pulling a seemingly random book from one of the shelves with her magic, she descended and trotted out the door with Spike in tow.

"Hey, wait! I wanna come too!" Spike's indignant shout was too late to catch Twilight, who had taken off on a wobbly flight towards Sweet Apple Acres. Grumbling, the dejected drake stomped back inside, slammed the door, and grabbed a chair to help him reach the jewel-cabinet.

-----

I felt awful. No matter how much I focused my eyes, all I could see were blurs of color. My head was pounding, and my body was wracked with constant chills. I vaguely felt something touch my soaked forehead, and some muffled, garbled speech.

I didn't care that I couldn't understand. Someone was there. My thoughts wandered, never truly taking shape. Trying to concentrate on any one thing was impossible, even keeping track of time escaped me. I didn't know if I was laying there for minutes or days. My head lazily slumped to one side, and a massive blur of dark blue and lavender filled my vision. I gave a light, goofy smile. Purple was such a pretty color.

My eyes were heavy...and those voices were so nice. Maybe I could just rest for a bit.

Yeah...just a teensy little nap. Maybe Applejack would be here when I wake up.

-----

"Hey, love." I blearily opened my eyes, looking over to my right. I was in a hospital-bed, the rhythmic beeping of the heart-monitor and sterile scent familiar to me. I gave a tired smile and reached out, gently cupping the woman's smooth cheek. Long, straight black hair pulled back into a bun that had obviously been done without the aid of a mirror, dark circles under her eyes, and no makeup, and she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on.

"Hey, Amy." I muttered, idly stroking her cheek with my thumb. "Did they get it?"

She grinned, her smile so wide it nearly pushed her eyes closed. "Every last bit...Looks like you're here to stay, Pony-boy." I rolled my eyes. She had started calling me that as soon as she caught me watching that damn show. Even in front of my friends.

...Especially in front of my friends.

"C'mon, you know you like it," she lightly jostled me with her elbow, and we both gave a weak bout of laughter. After a moment of tense silence, Amy reached over and wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again..."

I returned the hug as best I could, closing my eyes. The door opened, but neither of us bothered to end the embrace. We stayed like that for what must've been five minutes, before the doctor cleared his throat and Amy reluctantly took her seat.

"Well Mr. Wright, the operation was a success." ...I sensed a 'but' coming. "The last of the cancerous tissue has been removed, and you seem to be perfectly healthy." Now I KNOW there's a catch. "But I've looked over your family history, and it looks like there may be a chance of recurrence."

I gave an involuntary, choked groan, punctuated by a shaky, half-formed sob. Just a moment ago, I'd felt...liberated. In control of my own destiny, for the first time in months. But a few simple words put an icy shard of dread right back in my chest. I felt Amy tightly grip my hand. I gave a grateful squeeze. If she wasn't there, I...I don't think I would've made it through this.

"What are the chances?" Her voice was shaky, as was her hand. I gave a shuddering breath—I was trying to be strong, but I was failing miserably.

The doctor hesitated for a moment, before replying in a cold, rehearsed tone. "There is no way to know for sure, it depends on several factors. But the general rule is to have regular checkups so that if you do have a recurrence, we can catch it early enough to treat.

-----

"Applejack, get it off." Twilight was trembling, eyes wide and voice frantic. "Applejack, please, it-it won't let go!" She tried prying the creature's claw off of her foreleg, but the human had an iron-grip. "Applejack!"

"Ahm comin' Ahm comin, jes' hold yer horses..." The earth-pony walked up to the feverish man, brushing his shaggy hair out of his face. "C'mon Sugarcube, wake up." No response. "...Jason?" She waved a foreleg in front of his eyes, but all he did was shift lightly and mumble to himself, off in his own little world. "Twilight...why won't he wake up?"

"Questions later, off NOW!" The naturally-spastic mare was on the verge of a full panic-attack, trying with increasing ferocity to dislodge the offending hand. The human shifted to his side, his hand going limp and Twilight's own efforts propelling her onto her back. Jason gave a low, keening whine, eyes screwed shut and tears streaming down his face.

"...Twi...What's wrong with 'im?" Applejack turned to the alicorn as she stood, shaking the hay off of her. Brushing her mane with a huff, she responded.

"Considering his current condition, I'd say he's hallucinating....I'll need to check his temperature." She magicked a thermometer from Applejack's bag and—

"Whoa whoa whoa, jes' wait an apple-buckin' minute here...exactly where are ya plannin' on stickin' that?" At the incredulous and almost angry question, Twilight turned towards Applejack with a befuddled gaze.

"...Where it's supposed to go...?"

"That there is an ORAL thermometer, Twi..." Applejack's flat look conveyed her annoyance perfectly, and the alicorn blushed a shade similar to Big Macintosh before quickly realigning the instrument.

After several moments, Twilight pulled the thermometer free to examine. "One-hundred and four...By pony standards, this should be causing seizures! How is he still—"

"Twi, grab him." Applejack's expression was between gravely serious and terrified.

"—Moving under his own power? I've never seen anything—"

"TWILIGHT!" Applejack shouted, and the alicorn jumped slightly. Blinking owlishly at Applejack, Twilight remained silent for Applejack to continue. "Grab Jason...And follow me." The alicorn shivered at Applejack's tone, and rushed to comply.

With Twilight and an unconscious Jason in tow, Applejack ran into the Apples' home. They'd made it to the hallway, but were blocked by a little filly. "Hey Applejack! Scootaloo n' Ah were wonderin'—hey, what's that?" Apple Bloom craned her neck to look at the unconscious form being suspended in midair, but was blocked by her elder sister.

"Apple Bloom, Ah want you ta go to yer room until Ah say ta come out." Her voice was still firm, despite being on the verge of panic.

"Hey, Ah've seen him! He was in the bathroom a couple nights ago! Didja knock 'im silly? Why's he still here?"

"To. Your. Room. Apple Bloom." Applejack was getting restless, shuffling from hoof to hoof.

"Why dontcha jes' take 'im back ta the Everfree?"

"APPLE BLOOM!" The orange mare shouted, "TO. YOUR. ROOM."

The filly stumbled back, falling on her rear. Her face twisted into a mask of anguish, and she galloped down the hall and out of sight.

The door slamming nearly knocked the photos off the walls.

Applejack continued to the bathroom without missing a beat, and had Twilight set Jason in the tub. "Twi, Ah need ya ta grab as much ice as ya can carry."

Twilight gave her friend a concerned, apprehensive look. "AJ...You just yelled at your sister! What's gotten into you?"

The apple-farmer shook her head. "A-Ahm fine, jes' fine..."

The lavender alicorn put a wing over Applejack's back, worry clear in her eyes. "Applejack...you're a terrible liar." Twilight blinked and looked at her friend, her worry increasing. "And you look terrible...Have you been sleeping?"

Applejack shrugged the wing off and scowled at the alicorn. "T'aint none o' yer business, way Ah see it. After what you did ta Jason, yer lucky ta be welcome to mah farm at all!" Twilight reeled back, utterly confused.

"What I did? I've never seen him before in my life!" She made to continue, but a long, agonizing groan escaped the feverish man in the tub.

Applejack's eyes instantly went from accusing to worried. "Ice! Now!"