Some time later Charles awoke with a start. His entire body was aching. Even taking a breath hurt. He coughed a couple times then stopped, holding his chest. Hoofsteps could be heard from outside the room. The door slowly opened revealing a large crowd of ponies. He raised an aching hand and waved them in. Several tiny hoofbeats came quickly around his bed as three tiny fillies jumped onto the bed all hugging him in unison. Charles hadn't seen these other fillies before, and was quite stunned to see this reaction to say the least. He looked to the door seeing the others coming in.

AJ, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, Rarity, and Twilight were all around him. Applebloom moved up onto his chest wrapping her little hooves around his neck, crying quietly into his chest. The other two fillies were at his shoulders doing the same. He hugged back as best he could looking to AJ for a little help.

"Ok girls, thats enough, lets give poor Charlie here a bit o'breathing room. They all looked back to AJ and started to move away. Applebloom stopped though and walked along Charles and lay down just above his shoulder, her face resting on his chest as she nuzzled him quietly.

"Now come on..." AJ began but stopped as Charles raised his hand to stop her.

"Shes fine AJ. Let her stay." He smiled pulling his hand up placing it on her back, stroking her gently. He could see tears running down her now tear stained face. Her eyes closed as she continued nuzzling him. He gave her a soft smile as he looked around.

"That was amazin how you helped save her." AJ spoke quietly. "How in tarnation did you do that?"

"Its a life saving technique from my world. I didn't know if it would save her but I tried anyway. I wasn't about to let her go." He smiled as Appleblooms nuzzling slowed, the gentle stroking and the tears slowly putting her to sleep.

"May I ask though. Who are the other 2 youngins? I've yet to be introduced. He smiled giving a change a subject. Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo hopped back onto the bed laying down at either side of Charles on the bed. Both of their faces stained from crying. They introduced themselves.

"I'm Sweetiebelle."

"I'm Scootaloo."

"Thank you for saving our friend." They said in unison nuzzling into Charles.

"Its ok girls. Applebloom is ok and you have no worries. I'm just glad I could help." He smiled hugging them all gently.

"Ok girls lets give him some time to rest. AJ needs to talk to him alone for a few minutes." Twilight said as she picked up the now sleeping Applebloom with her magic, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle each kissed either of his cheeks as they hugged him one final time and jumped off the bed heading out of the room behind Big Mac and Granny Smith. AJ was now left in the room alone with Charles.

Her head was slightly lowered, her hat covering most of her face. She began as soon as the door closed.

"Ah........ ah don't know how ta thank ya for what ya did................. I feel so awful that you were willing to give your life to save Applebloom. I don't know if I can ever repay ya for your kindness." She cried.

Charles smiled at her reaching a hand out to her from his spot on the bed. She removed her hat letting her golden hair fall down as she pressed her tear stained face to Charles hand looking up to him with her loving green eyes. Charles brushed her cheek gently with his thumb causing her to nuzzle his hand further.

"You don't have to repay me. I'm just glad I saved a life today. Don't ever think you have to repay me for that. Your a friend. Thats what friends do for one another." He smiled moving his hand to remove the hair from her face. She smile giving a slight blush. AJ hopped up onto the side of the bed pulling Charles into an embrace. He wrapped his arms around the little orange pony hugging her. She cried softly into his neck as he told her everything is ok.

A few more minutes of this and AJ finally broke the hug heading to the door. "Get some rest now ya hear?" She smiled exiting the room closing the door but leaving it cracked slightly. He laid back with a a sigh, his entire body still ached but now that he had seen how worried and happy his friends were to see everyone safe, he felt more at ease and soon drifted off to sleep.

XXX

The next morning Charles awoke to the smell of apples. He hadn't really thought about where he had fallen asleep last night, and looked around to see an unfamiliar setting. The bedroom he was in was fairly small, it had a tiny desk and chest at the foot of his bed. Small lamps were around the room. He raised up pulling his legs over the side of the bed sitting there for a moment then heaving himself upright walking slowly to the window. He could see the sun just above the horizon as a low fog crept across the ground outside. To his right outside he could see the fallen barn that he had saved Applebloom from, He then realized that he was staying in the Apples farm house. "That would explain the apple smell." He laughed hearing his stomach growl.

He made his way slowly downstairs seeing Granny Smith sitting in her rocking chair next to the stairs. "Well good morning to ya Charlie, Sleep well?" Granny Smith chirped

"Actually yes. That's probably the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in." He laughed.

"Well don't be shy sonny, go on into the kitchen and grab ya some grub." She smiled

Charles made his way into the kitchen seeing AJ and Big Mac cooking up a storm. Upon entering Applebloom jumped onto his chest hugging his neck. "CHARLIE!" she shouted.

Charles was taken aback by this, chuckling a little as he hugged the little filly. AJ and Big Mac spun around startled by the sudden outburst from their younger sister, then smiled seeing Charles hugging the small one.

"G'morning there Charlie. Glad to see you up'n'about." AJ smirked seeing Applebloom hugging him tightly.

"Morning ya'll." He laughed pulling the little filly from his neck and setting her down in her seat, taking the seat right next to her. He reached out ruffling her mane making her giggle.

"Thanks for taking care of me last night." He said giving a sheepish smile.

"Now don't ya'll start, its the least we could do with having you save our lil sis there. Dont think nothin of it." AJ smiled as she brought over a huge stack of cinnamon apple pancakes placing them in the center of the table. Big Mac brought over a pitcher of Apple juice. "Dig in!" Applejack smiled watching Charles intently, a small smile on her face.

After breakfast was finished, Charles helped with the dishes cleaning them rather quickly in pony standards. I guess thats because he has fingers instead of hooves. He made his way outside to the barn to take a look at it. AJ and Big mac were already pulling boards from the fallen barn and tossing them to the side.

"Need some help you two?" Charles said coming up to them. AJ fanned herself with her hat as beads of sweat dripped down from her.

"Now ya'll don't have ta help us none. You've done more than enough already." AJ said catching her breath.

"Now don't give me that, I know this is going to take a while to tear down and even more to rebuild. At least I can help shrink that amount of time." Charles smirked raising an eyebrow. AJ gave a defeated sigh and nodded to the spot were Charles could begin. AJ watched Charles for a few minutes until he started dripping with sweat. After a few more minutes he removed his shirt tossing it to the side. He wasn't extremely fit but very well built. His toned body dripping with sweat caused AJ's attention to wane from what she was doing as she couldn't keep it on the task at hand or hoof. Big Mac smirked at his sister giving her a whistle to get her attention. She turned seeing Big Mac motion for her to come over to him.

"I see the way yer looking at him AJ." Big Mack smirked causing AJ to blush furiously.

"Ah am not looking at him. Well, maybe a little." She bit her bottom lip as she turned her sight back to the human pulling boards from the barn, dislodging yet another but throwing him off balance and sending him to the dirt. He gave a loud laugh as he stood up brushing himself off and tossing the board into the pile of others behind him.

"AJ, I know he saved our little sis, but I can't help but think you might have some feelings for him over this. He does look to be a hard worker, he has a little accent like us also. I've seen this look from you before toward other stallions. Maybe you should try again." Big Mac smiled giving her a nudge. She gave a small whinny of surprise.

"I don't know big brother. I've never had much luck in the past. What makes ya think ah'll have any this time, and with a different species ta beat all."

Big Mac just smiled. "You never know until you try sis."

At that he walked back to his spot to continue working.

AJ was stuck in conflict with her decision for the rest of the day working on the barn. It had taken almost twelve hours but they had almost finished tearing apart the barn and organizing most of the rubble. Charles was sitting back against the porch relaxing as his sweat began to dry on him. He gave a big yawn looking up to the setting sun. It was almost eight and Charles had worked all day. His eyelids began to get heavy as he sat there.

"Hey Charlie. Wanna go grab a drink?" AJ spoke up bringing Charles to attention. He Turned seeing AJ sitting next to him giving him a sheepish smile. He let out a loud laugh thinking back to when Twilight and Rarity had gotten a drink.

"What in tarnation is so funny?" AJ said raising an eyebrow.

"Its nothing heh. That just reminded me of Twilight and Rarity the other night. We went to the diner in town to grab some food and ended up inviting the princess to join us. We all had a single drink. I didn't even get a buzz from one drink, but the others, well they can't hold their liquor." He laughed "Even the princess had one and she was still having a little trouble walking., I ended up having to carry Twilight home while Rarity leaned on me to get her home." AJ let out a hardy laugh.

"Yeah, they ain't never been to good at holdin their drinks. I on the other hoof drink more often than they do so i'm guessing I could drink them, if not you, under the table." She smirked tilting her hat down looking at Charles from the side.

Charles smirked finding a new vigor of energy. "Is that a challenge AJ?"

"Eeeyup." She laughed

XXX

After a short walk they had made it to the local watering hole. It was a small spot but lively none the less. They made way inside and sat down at the bar. The barkeep came over and looked the human up and down. "What'll ya have pardner?"

"Whats on tap?" Charles smiled as AJ hopped up onto a stool next to him

"Hard Cider, Extra Hard Cider, Phillydelphia Brew, Manehattan tophat, and my personal favorite, Sweet Apple Bomb"

Charles hmmmmed for a moment then looked to AJ for help. "I think i'll let the lady choose for us tonight." AJ blushed but picked out the Hard Cider. It was always more filling and took longer to get drunk off of.

After a minute the bartender brought over two pints of the hard cider. AJ took a drink just as Charles began.

"So what got ya to ask me out for a drink AJ?" He asked giving her a smile as he took a drink of the cider.

"PFFFFFFT *cough cough*" Now what in tarnation?!" AJ had spit out her drink halfway across the bar in front of her as she looked up at Charles with a disgruntled look.

Charles laughed loudly at AJ's reaction taking another drink. She smirked. "I didnt see you sayin no ta going out."

"PFFFFFFFTTT *cough*" Charles spat out his drink this time as a loud cheer came from the bar. A series of laughter followed.

"Well ...... I...." Charles began to feel a light blush filling his face causing AJ to laugh again taking another drink. "Ah don'tcha worry none about it. This is just a friendly get tagether. No harm having a drink with a good friend, AM I RIGHT BOYS?" She yelled causing everyone in the bar to cheer.

They sat there for a couple hours talking back and forth as the drinks kept coming. AJ's words began to slur slightly as the night went on. Charles had start feeling a buzz slightly and decided to move to the Extra hard cider. Many of the bars participants had come to watch the two drink and were placing bets on who would be the first to pass out. AJ's ears drooped slightly as her eyes began to part somewhat looking into different directions.

"Ain'tcha drunk yet Charlie boy?" AJ said giving a hiccup.

"Just buzzed right now. These drinks aren't all that strong." He laughed as he finished off his second Extra hard cider. AJ looked at her drink then fell forward out cold on the bar. A lot of the ponies in the bar yelled in awe and laughter as the winner had been decided. Charles laughed paying for the drinks and giving a couple hoofbumps as he picked up AJ and carried her home.