Fifty Days After the Outbreak

     Spike was standing in the kitchen of Applejack's home, preparing Applebloom something for lunch. She had asked for a daisy sandwich, which was actually turning into a slight problem. There were always daisies outside so that was simple enough, but bread; bread was a problem. After a few days the grocery stores were emptied, bread was one of the first things to go.

     The little dragon placed a few flowers onto a plate and then he made his way over to the sink. He knew he didn't have to, but washing his hands had become a bit of a habit. Nowadays it was a rather good habit.

As he scrubbed his scales, Spike glanced up at the window and gazed upon two small crosses. The memory of digging those graves would be burned into his mind forever. But what he'd probably remember the most was the smell; that awful smell.

"Spike?" called Applebloom.

The young dragon snapped out of his daze. "I'm coming."

     Quickly, Spike shook the water off of his hands and picked up the plate. The little dragon walked down the hall and into Applebloom's room, to see her sitting up in bed. She had been watching the television. The little filly looked up at him with a slightly sad expression. It was as if she were trying to hide her feelings about something.

"So what's the death toll now?" asked Spike as he laid the plate onto her lap.

"One hundred fifty million infected with ninety five million dead."

"Dear god."

Applebloom looked down at her plate and then back to Spike. "Hey, where's the bread?"

"There wasn't any. Not even the stores have some."

"Oh." The filly paused for a moment. "Spike, I tried calling Sweetiebell when you were out and Rarity answered. She sounded like she'd been crying. I asked to talk to Sweetiebell and she said 'Twilight should tell you.' I may be a filly, but I still know what that means." Applebloom's lips began to quiver slightly before she broke down crying.

     The little dragon moved the plate aside and quickly wrapped her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry." Applebloom would have said something, but her sobs quickly choked off any words she tried to utter. The little dragon quickly kissed Applebloom on the forehead.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Okay?"

The little filly just nodded in reply.

Spike pulled away from their embrace slightly and began to lift her head up until her, tearful, eyes met his. "Applebloom, I love you."

Those words helped calm the filly's crying, but it was no wear near enough to stop it entirely. "I love you too," she replied in between a sobbing fit.

     Spike was about to pull her into another embrace, when suddenly the phone rang. The little dragon looked over to it and lifted the cool surface to his face. "Hello?" he asked.

"Spike you need to get to the library now!" cried a frantic Rainbow Dash.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Spike, Twilight has it a-and she's real bad. Y-you need-" Rainbow stopped speaking for a moment to let out a few tears. "Just get here now."

     Spike's blood ran cold at her words. He'd always dreaded hearing this, but he always assumed it'd never happen. After all Twilight was a very smart and careful pony.

"Spike?" asked a still crying Rainbow Dash.

The little dragon snapped out of his daze when he heard his friend's voice. "Y-yeah, I'm still here."

"Just hurry. Okay?"

"Okay."

      The little dragon slowly hung up the phone and just stared off into the room. His blank and pale face instantly let Applebloom know something was wrong.

"Spike?" she asked.

"T-Twilight has it."

     Rainbow Dash ran through the library with a glass of water and a bottle of vitamins. She was wearing a N95 respirator, a yellow raincoat, and a pair of latex gloves, which were duct taped to the coat. Obviously she was taking no chances after what she'd seen happen to Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

"Rainbow?" called a weak Twilight.

"I'm coming Twi," she said as she walked into the lavender mare's bedroom.

      Twilight was lying in her bed with at least five blankets atop her. She was sweating a lot, but would always insist that she was cold. Her eyes were blood shot and had large bags underneath them.

"Here you go," Rainbow Dash said as she lifted the cool glass to the mare's lips.

Twilight took a few sips before stopping to cough. The blue coated Pegasus began to move the glass back to her lips, but the lavender unicorn moved her head away; showing she'd had enough.

     "I'm glad to see you're awake Twi," said a teary eyed Pegasus. "Hey, I also brought you something." The blue mare lifted up the bottle and quickly unscrewed the cap. She poured a few of the golden colored tablets into her hoof. "I know it isn't Tamiflu, but vitamin D is the next best thing we have." Rainbow Dash slowly moved, a trembling hoof, forward to Twilight's mouth. The unicorn opened it in response. The blue mare carefully placed the tablets into her friend's mouth and quickly reached for the glass of water. "Here, you'll need to take them with this." She moved the glass to her friend's lips and the lavender mare  took a few sips, but soon she turned her head away.

     Just as Rainbow Dash placed the glass onto Twilight's night stand, she heard the sound of the door opening. Quickly, she jumped up and ran out of the room.

"Stay here. I don't want you to see this," said Spike to Applebloom, who was standing next to him and wearing a white face mask.

"Spike!" called Rainbow Dash, "Up here."

     The little dragon wasted no time and quickly bolted up the stairs. He'd been bracing himself for this ever since Rainbow Dash told him about his friend, but he feared nothing could prepare him for this.

"How did she get sick?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I think it happened when she went out to the store the other day. We were running low on water so she went to get some."

"Did she have a mask?"

"Yes."

"Then how…" The little dragon trailed off the second Twilight came into sight. He wasn't expecting anything like this.

"Hey Spike," she said in a barely audible tone, with a slight smile forming on her face.

"Hey Twi," replied the little dragon as tears began to form in his eyes.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too Twilight."

     The little dragon slowly made his way over to her bed and sat down beside her. Gradually he moved a hand under her neck in a half way decent attempt at a hug.

"Hey Spike?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah?"

"I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

The purple mare attempted to sit up, but was having a bit of trouble. Spike saw this and helped her up the rest of the way.

"Thanks Spike… You always were my number one assistant." Twilight smiled at him slightly, but Spike didn't return it. He was just too scared to smile.

"Spike, what I wanted to tell you is just encase something happens to me-"

Spike quickly cut her off there. "Hey don't talk like that. You're going to be just fine."

"Spike please. You need to hear this," begged the lavender mare.

"Okay Twi," Spike said as a tear began to roll down his cheek.

     "Spike, I know you don't think of me in the same way, but I just want you to know that I love you. I always have. You were always there when I needed somepony, you were always on my side no matter what, and you've always been my best friend. And I want you to know that I'm sorry for all the pain I've put you through. Please, can you forgive me?" A few tears began to roll off of Twilight's face when she finished.

     The little dragon lifted the mare's head slightly closer and looked into her tearful eyes. "Twilight, I've always loved you and I still do. And yes I forgive you." Spike couldn't hold his emotions in anymore; he began to sob at that very moment. Twilight couldn't resist letting a few tears of her own out.

     "Spike you don't have to lie to me. I know you d-" Twilight was quickly cut off when Spike suddenly pressed his lips to hers. The lavender mare was quite surprised by the sudden display of affection, but needless to say, she enjoyed it. It was just as she had always dreamed of, but she only wished it was under better circumstances.

     Unknown to the two of them, was the fact that Rainbow Dash and Applebloom had been watching the whole time. The little filly just stared in shock, but quickly walked away. Spike didn't mind Rainbow Dash being there, but if he knew Applebloom was there, he may not have been so straight forward with Twilight.

After a long moment, the little dragon slowly pulled his lips away from hers and said "Twilight, I do love you."

The lavender mare was blushing and had a look of pure shock on her face. "Sp-Spike, Th-That… I love you too."

The little dragon smiled slightly, through a mask of tears, but it quickly faded, when suddenly, the lavender mare began to cough very violently. She turned her head away from Spike, but he still held her in his arms.

     "Twilight? Are you ok?" he asked with tears still flowing like a river. Unfortunately, his only reply was that relentless cough, and it seemed to be getting worse. Suddenly Twilight began to gasp, but it sounded like no air would enter her lungs. "Twilight?!" Spike yelped with fear mounting in his voice.

     Quickly, Twilight looked backed to Spike with the most horrified look he'd ever seen. Her eyes were wide with terror and her mouth kept trying to take in any air she could, but none would reach her lungs.

    "Twilight!" Spike screamed, as he bawled more than he ever had in his life. He'd never been this scared before.

     The lavender mare just stared at him with eyes wide and pupils shrunk in fear. Then, just as quickly as it had started, the gasping stopped. Twilight's eyes continued to stare into his, but they seemed cold, like something was off. "Twilight?" Spike asked while still sobbing heavily. There was no reply, but that same cold stare. "Twilight!?" Still there was no reply. "TWILIGHT!?" Next Chapter: Chapter Ten: Any Day Now Estimated time remaining: 7 Minutes