I really wanted to get this chapter out yesterday on Father's Day for a reason that will be explained in this chapter, but that did not work out due to multiple factors. Oh well.

I really do not feel it is worth mentioning much of what happened the last four days. Life in a hospital is pretty mundane. Although I have to say I have been receiving quite a few guests. I have gotten visits from Mitta, Derpy, Lyra, Button Mash, and even daily visits from my six dearest friends and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Spike has often tagged along with Twilight too. Button Mash even let me borrow his Joyboy to help me pass the time. Almost forgot what it is like to play those little 8-bit games on a handheld that has a pea soup colored screen, although the controls took some getting used to since they had been designed for hooves instead of hands.

The decorations my friends had placed around the room certainly helped make my surroundings feel less dull. There was a lovely white porcelain lamp on the nightstand to my left, a functional ceiling fan made of clouds, a familiar vase of flowers to my right, a phonograph in the room's corner, a wooden stool painted green, and a birdhouse hanging from the lopsided ceiling lamp. At least once, Rainbow Dash bumped her head on the latter. My friends revealed to me that they brought those items from their homes to help liven up my room during their visits and I certainly saw why. And just yesterday, when it was revealed that I would be discharged today on Sunday, my friends came by for one last visit to retrieve their belongings and took them home.

Breakfast was brought by on schedule. While bland, I did not mind it too much. Although I was really starting to crave a proper meal. The nurse who brought me my meal revealed that the doctors were running some final tests to insure my physical condition had improved enough for me to be released. Still, I was becoming increasingly impatient with the wait. I just wanted to go home.

Before another hour could pass, I heard a knock at the door. And a few seconds later it creaked open to reveal a stallion I was not expecting to see at all. He then stepped into the room and showed me a relieved smile. "Hey there, James. Feeling all right?"

"Captain?" I said in return while forcing myself to sit up. It was Shining Armor. And right behind him was his wife. Cadence soon stood before him, although there was something...somber about that smile she was showing.

Shining Armor chuckled at me and shook his hoof before walking over to me. "You don't have to call me that, you know. You're not one of my men and you're not on duty. Anyway, what's up? I heard you were about to be discharged from the hospital."

I felt the need to stretch and did so right there while letting out a yawn, my arms reaching high above me. I then began to speak while in the midst of that yawn, "Yeah... Can't wait to get outta here. Just so boring when stuck in a bed all day. I'd rather be taking a walk right now."

Shining Armor grinned, but then went and nudged Cadence towards me. When she glanced at him, he seemed to raise his hoof to his lips as if warning her to stay silent. It was odd for him to show such a gesture, but it did not seem to be an act of dominance in an unstable relationship. Cadence merely nodded in understanding before she approached my bedside while still showing such a somber smile. "It's been a while, James... When was the last time we met? The day you...found us in Canterlot's tennis courts? When you were with my aunts?"

Maybe I am just overthinking this, but there appeared to be something off about that brief pause between her words. Every time I have seen Cadence, she has always been in good spirits and quite happy. To see her visiting me while looking so down about something was...disquieting at that moment. "I think so... Are you OK though?"

"Oh... I... I was just concerned about you after what happened a few weeks ago. We visited once and... It was just so unsettling to see you in a coma like that." She said quietly and with some hesitation. However, I then saw her light blue magic aura cover her horn. But that gaze... What was with the way she glanced up at her horn and then back at me? It was as if she was being cautious about it or expected me to be startled by it. "If it's all right with you... May I?"

"Uh... Sure. Go ahead." I replied while puzzled by her show of unneeded caution. I did not even know what kind of spell she was casting, but I had no reason to be wary at the time. Shining Armor gently rested his hoof on her shoulder as a clear sign of support and encouragement before she stepped forward and lowered her horn towards me as she closed her eyes.

A moment of silence passed while I looked down at the lovely alicorn without saying a word. What was she doing? Which spell was she using? Finally, she spoke with a slight smile. "Thank goodness... Still just as overflowing with love as I remember. Unrestrained and flowing freely. Your heart is very healthy, James."

"Thanks... You OK though? Did something happen while I was out?" I asked in return while noticing just how... I cannot even find the right word for it. The looks they were giving me. Both Cadence and Shining Armor looked deeply bothered by something. And I had no idea what it could have been.

Finally, Armor seemed to become a bit flustered as he started glancing around while looking away from me. "Well...uh... It's not exactly easy seeing a good friend fall into a coma and not knowing when of if he's gonna ever wake up."

"You sound like you know exactly what happened to me." I spoke while starting to feel a bit amused. I gave the two of them a bit of a smirk and crossed my arms. "So then... What happened back there?"

At first, they both appeared very nervous. However, Cadence then smiled and turned to her husband. "That's right! Why don't you tell him, dear? After all, you're the one who found him."

It seemed like Shining Armor had no idea what she was talking about at first, if that stare he was giving her was of any indication. However, he then began to stutter. "Me?! Well... Uh... I... I... Oh yeah, I DID do that!"

"Uh... Guys...?" I mumbled while starting to wonder just what the deal was. It was almost becoming entertaining watching them.

Finally, Shining Armor cleared his throat before looking at me. "Anyway... I'm sure you were told how you were found collapsed in the labyrinth, right? From what I understand, my sister and her friends ultimately found the Elements of Harmony and defeated Discord again. But when they got back to the palace and found that you had not showed up either, Princess Luna summoned me and ordered me and a detachment of guards to search the labyrinth for you. Turns out that we didn't have to go far. You were only a few turns past the entry point. We got you to the hospital and... Well, that's where my part ended."

He certainly did not sound like he was lying. Although my eyes then glanced down at the bandage that was wrapped around my middle with it covering more space on my left side. "OK... What about this though? Is this injury what caused me to pass out for so long? And what made it?"

This question seemed to unnerve Armor and even Cadence. At first, they did not say anything. Finally, with ears drooped, Shining Armor spoke. "I really don't know... But I'm assuming you'll be able to take that off soon, right?"

"I think so. They said the sutures were absorbed and did not have to be removed. I should be able to remove this when I get home." I retorted while instinctively placing my hand over the bandage. I felt no pain, so whatever injury I had sustained was likely completely healed by then.

"Good..." Shining Armor said with a sigh. "I was kept in the dark for a while there, so I'm glad you've pulled through fine. You're a good friend, James. We'd hate to lose you."

Cadence then pulled herself up to the bed. Knowing what was coming, I reached out to her and soon found myself being held in a tender embrace. "I'm glad you're all right... Someone as full of love as you should never have to die before your time."

"Thanks... I'm glad I got to see you guys too." I whispered into her ear while Shining Armor looked on with a calm smile. It just felt so good seeing those two again, even if their behavior was a bit unusual. But I tried to not think much of it. I just wanted to hurry up and go home.

Once Cadence had released me from her grasp, she hopped back from the bed while her husband held out his hoof for a shake. "Well, it's been great checking on you, James. We're gonna head on over to pay a visit to Twilight before grabbing a bite for lunch and then heading back up to Canterlot. Wish we could stay longer, but I just got some new recruits in today who need to be shown the ropes. Let's meet up again real soon, all right?"

I nodded with a smile before grasping his hoof and briefly shaking it. "Sounds good to me. Take care, you two." The two lovebirds then made their way to the door, took one look back at me, waved goodbye, and were gone.

For the next few hours, I just lied there in bed. I played on Button Mash's Joyboy for a while, but then the batteries went dead. And with my heart monitor having been disconnected, the room was unbearably quiet. More than anything, I just wanted to go home, take a nice long walk, and maybe go to the park to feed the fish. It was just so...amazingly boring. And the fact that my friends had taken their knick knacks home did not help. Well, except for the ceiling fan Rainbow Dash made since it was made of clouds. That would probably have to be demolished before long.

Finally, sometime in the afternoon, I heard a knock at the door before it opened. And the first thing I saw was not a person of any sort, but a wheelchair that looked to be just my size. Out from behind it peeked Nurse Redheart. "Good afternoon, James. We've checked over the results of the tests and found that you're finally ready to check out."

That got a smile on my face as I promptly sat up in bed. "Oh, nice!"

"And even better than that..." Redheart said while coming closer as she also proceeded to drape a hospital shirt over the wheelchair that was just my size before pushing it closer to me. "Somepony will be seeing you out."

Right as she said that, someone stepped into view in the doorway. And the sight of her face brought a smile to my eyes. "Salutations, my friend. I trust you're ready to go home now?"

"You have no idea, Luna." I replied while swinging my legs forward and setting my feet on the floor. The Princess of the Night then trotted right over to me, rose up on her hind legs, and embraced me tenderly and without a word. I returned the favor in kind, holding her in my arms.

"Thank goodness it is finally over..." Luna whispered while she then enveloped me with her gorgeous wings the best she could. She sounded...unusually relieved for me getting out of the hospital despite the lack of complications. Before I could even think about it though, she pulled away from me and smiled right at me. "Now, let's get you home, my friend."

"Yeah, let's hurry and get this over with." I muttered while I pulled the shirt that was provided for me over my upper torso. There were no pants provided, but I was hardly surprised considering the usual attire of the ponies around me. At least I still had a pair of boxers on. Once I was...partially clothed, I took a seat in the wheelchair. Once seated, I felt the chair begin to roll towards the door as Redheart pushed it from behind. I made sure to keep Button's Joyboy in hand to make sure that it would not get left behind. I doubt he would be happy with me if I lost it.

I had forgotten the feeling of being on a moving platform of any sort. There is some sort of simple pleasure in rolling along on a chair with wheels that I can barely describe. I felt compelled to just sit back and relax. However, Luna trotted up alongside me and asked, "How are you this afternoon?"

"Bored, ready to go home, bored, hungry for a real meal... Oh, and did I mention I'm bored?" I retorted while getting a chuckle out of Redheart, whose head was right behind me as she pushed me along.

Luna got a good laugh from my attempts to throw some humor into the situation. "Oh, it does my heart so good to finally see the real you in the flesh again! We had some fun times in your dreams, but nothing quite amounts to a personal interaction in the real world, does it?"

It is such a shame I could not remember any of the dreams I had during my coma... Wait. I suppose it was nothing but one very long single dream since I never woke up once. "You visited my dream? Such a shame I can't remember a minute of it."

Luna was quick to provide a recounting of events. "Oh, we visited some interesting locales. We even stopped by the dreams of Pinkie Pie at one point. A world made of candy... I can still almost taste it. And we even paid a return visit to... What did you call that realm again? Skyrim?"

"Skyrim? Oh man, I wish I could remember that. Where did we end up?" I responded in some excitement, still remembering that fictional world well.

Luna seemed to take a moment to recall exactly what happened. "If I try to remember... We first encountered some wolves along the brook, but I scared them off by utilizing the Royal Canterlot Voice."

I felt myself smirk at that thought. "Really? Why not just yell out Ven Gaar Nos next time instead? That'll blow them off their feet."

"Uh... Yes, perhaps I will try this chant you speak of at the next opportunity we get... What does it even do?" Luna muttered before she suddenly called out towards the end of the hall. "Ven Gaar Nos!"

This even caused Nurse Redheart to outright stop in her tracks and peek around the wheelchair. "Uh... Your highness?"

Luna then looked the other way and shouted again. "Ven Gaar Nos! Am I doing it right?"

I was trying so hard to not laugh right then. Such a hilariously awkward sight. Finally, Luna turned to me with an exasperated look on her face. "The chant does nothing! What good would it do against a pack of wolves?"

"Huh... Maybe it only works in Skyrim... It is a fictional realm after all." I replied while being unable to stop myself from grinning broadly at her antics. Redheart merely rolled her eyes and continued to push me along while Luna trotted along to keep up. I then snickered under my breath, "Heaven forbid she tries that with the Royal Canterlot Voice instead."

And would you know it? A few seconds later, I heard Luna's voice suddenly bellow out from next to me with a voice that seemed to just howl from her! "VEN GAAR NOS!!!"

I actually almost jumped out of my seat while Redheart even lost her grip and dropped back down onto her hooves. And did the whole hospital shake?! Right after she said that, I saw the same doctor who had been checking on me peek out of a room with an irritated scowl on his face. "Your highness, please! With all due respect, keep your voice down! You're disturbing our patients!"

That look of utter embarrassment on Luna's face... I buried my face in my hand and just laughed while trying to muffle my voice the best I could. Her beautiful blue face turned a noticeably pinkish hue while she did not blink once. After he was given a silent nod, the doctor ducked back out of sight. It was then that I managed to stop laughing enough to offer a retort. "Wow, Luna... Now that was a shout."

The Princess of the Night chuckled lightly and nervously before she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "Yes... I think I will hold my tongue until the next time we visit Skyrim."

"Yeah... So, what happened next?" I asked while Redheart began to push my chair again. She remained silent the whole time, apparently just listening in on our conversation and nothing more.

Luna cocked her head to one side while trying to remember. She then cleared her throat as the blush on her face began to fade. "Uh... Yes. We... We soon came to a humble riverside village that... What did you call it again? It was aptly named, if memory serves... It had the word 'river' in its name."

That got a smile from me. "Ah, Riverwood. Excellent choice. One of my favorite places in Skyrim. And then?"

My friend seemed to become more and more relaxed while she talked. "Hmmm... Well, we stopped by the local blacksmith. Nightmare Moon then purchased a rather hefty longsword for you since it seemed to catch your eye with its polished brass appearance."

The design sounded familiar right away. "Brass? Must've been a Dwemer sword. I just love those weapon designs."

"Yes, I believe that's what you called it. But when you tried to place it on your back, it just fell right off and made a mess on the smith's table." Luna replied while she rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Wait... It didn't stick to my back... Oh, right... Duh." I snickered to myself while just trying to imagine me doing such a stupid move. "Well, how did I handle it? Pretty easily, right?"

"Ha! Far from it!" Luna said with a quick laugh. "You remarked about its amazing weight! You needed the aid of one of the town's guards just to hoist it to your shoulder! After it became clear that it was a weapon no man could effectively wield, we just left it in the ground nearby."

"Now that you mention it, those swords always seemed a bit too bulky to be effective..." I muttered under my breath while thinking back to the overall designs of those weapons. "Was that it though? Scare off some wolves, visit Riverwood, and then find out that Skyrim's weapons are too overbuilt?"

"Hardly. I ended up letting a local human child ride around on me after she was quite taken with my beauty. I even took her up to the rooftops." Luna explained with a calm smile.

"Yeah, that's not too surprising. Little girls always seem to love ponies." I said with a chuckle at the mere thought of it.

Luna giggled a bit as well before saying, "Yes, she quite enjoyed the ride. Although it got entertaining when Nightmare Moon captured that local whelp and started hurling him into the river. She even paid the guards the fine for assault ten times in advance to get them to leave her alone."

OK, that got a really good laugh out of me. "Oh, stop teasing me, Luna! I really wish I could've seen that one!"

"Well, it got even better after that. A dragon flew over town and my sister and I had to fend it off. It made for quite an interesting duel since it had capabilities Equestria's dragons do not. Although it was noticeably smaller too." My friend then said while we were starting to near the end of the hall that led out into the lobby.

"Whoa... The two of you taking on a dragon? That had to be a sight to see. What about me though? Did I help out in any way?" I asked in return. But what type of dragon was it? Not like she or Nightmare Moon would have known. It could have been a relatively weak frost dragon or a mighty legendary dragon for all I know.

Luna merely shook her head. "I'm afraid not. While the guards and one of the locals assisted us with bows and arrows, you were completely unarmed and without armor. You merely took shelter behind a tree while we repelled the dragon."

While I did feel a bit disappointed in myself for cowering behind a tree while my two friends handled such a dangerous beast, I could not see myself engaging such a mighty foe without my very specific enchanted armor. That armor is nothing short of a great equalizer, compensating for my physical shortcomings. And from what I heard, I had been entirely without it at the time. "I see... Well, I trust you and Nightmare Moon sent that thing packing?"

"In actuality, it was Nightmare Moon who dealt the final blow. After that, the dragon must've known he could not triumph and fled. After that, the townspeople rejoiced and threw us a grand feast at the local inn. And a short while after that, we had to depart. Quite a memorable dream." Luna said with a smile. However, she then smirked at me as we began to round the corner. "But enough of what I have to say. Somepony is waiting for you."

Before I could even suspect what was going on, I was greeted by several voices. "SURPRISE!!!"

The great volume at which those voices yelled actually startled me a bit. But when I actually took a second to get my bearings, I found quite a few faces I recognized. Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were standing before me while a couple of them were even holding a couple of balloons with a shiny metallic finish shaped like hearts. Even more surprising, the four Cutie Mark Crusaders were with them as well. That is Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Mitta. Yes, I know it is easy to forget, but Mitta is also a member of the group. They must have asked her to come along to welcome me out of the hospital. All I could really say to this greeting was, "Uh... Hey there, girls."

The first ones to really do anything were the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They all jumped right at me and pretty much glomped me. Is that even a real word? Glomp? Basically a diving tackle that immediately ends in a hug. Well, all except Mitta, that is. She probably would have knocked me and my wheelchair right on my back. Although she did trot right up alongside me and nuzzled my cheek. "We all missed you, James..."

"Has it really been around three weeks since that day? That's a long time to be out of it..." I asked while thinking about how long I had been hospitalized... Man, almost a full month. Thank goodness I was finally going home.

"Yup! Uh..." Apple Bloom said before she and her two little friends looked back at Applejack. For whatever reason, she proceeded to give them a rather worried frown before shaking her head. Why? Regardless, the three little fillies looked back up at me with big strangely identical smiles. "You were out for a good long while. But did ya like the vase and flowers we gotcha?"

"Yeah, I did! Those were azaleas, right?" I replied while thinking back to the flowers that had been on the nightstand next to my bed. It is just too bad they had wilted over the last couple of days and had to be thrown out.

"Uh huh! We tried looking up that stuff you told us about back on Hearts and Hooves Day. Um... The language of flowers? Well, the meaning of azaleas just sounded like what we should send you. But...uh...I hope you didn't eat any. Those flowers are kind of poisonous!" Sweetie Belle said with a smile before starting to look a bit panicked.

"Um... They are? And how did you find that out?" I asked while starting to suspect that maybe they had found out the hard way.

Mitta then spoke up, "I was there when they picked out the flowers. Scootaloo decided to try a few petals. And...well... She couldn't even stay on her scooter. She was that disoriented."

Scootaloo snickered and said, "Hey, at least it was kinda fun! It felt really weird to feel the world spinning like that!"

Finally, Rainbow Dash trotted over. "All right, pipsqueaks. I know you missed him, but James really wants to go home right now. Right, big guy?"

"You know it. Can I go home now?" I asked in return while I felt Luna using her levitation spell to pull my hospital shirt off only to hesitate and leave it where it was. Perhaps I was being permitted to keep it a while longer.

"That's what we're here for! Come on, let's get you home!" Pinkie Pie cheered before trotting up behind me and starting to push my wheelchair while the three youngest Cutie Mark Crusaders rode along with me.

Apple Bloom looked up at me and asked, "Hey, is it true yer Scootaloo's pa now?"

"Oh, I dunno. What did Scootaloo say?" I asked in turn with a playful smirk.

My little sis... I mean... Man, it is going to take some serious getting used to for me to get accustomed to referring to her as my daughter. We have been brother and sister for the last year, so this is quite a change. Anyway, my DAUGHTER... Just need to read that over a few times to let it sink in. My daughter looked at her two best friends and grinned very proudly. "You bet he is!"

"Wow, really?! That's pretty cool! It's awesome when your own dad is a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders with you!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed while looking up at me with a bright smile.

A moment later, we were all right outside the hospital. Luna was the first to say anything. "Well, it was grand to see you during the moment of release, but I truly must be returning to Canterlot. My sisters will be glad to hear of this."

I reached out to my royal friend and held her in a tender embrace. "Thanks for coming, Luna. It was great to see you."

With her beautiful blue wings spread, the Princess of the Night rose into the air. "Take care! And I will be seeing you again very soon!" While we all waved goodbye, she began to soar skyward before flying towards the nearby mountain as Canterlot loomed near the summit.

It was then that Applejack approached me and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "All righty, youngin's. I think y'all better scamper. James really wants ta get home right now and rest up. It's been a long three weeks."

"Awww... Well, I'll be home tonight, OK?" Scootaloo then asked while looking up at me. She did not look too bothered at all. I suspect she and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had one of their meetings planned and that she was completely OK with waiting until the evening to see me again. She knew she was not the only one who missed me.

I nodded and gently ran my fingers through her mane. "You bet. Have a good time, sweetheart. I'll see you this evening."

Scootaloo grinned brightly and embraced me the best she could. At that moment, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle let out a simultaneous aww. They seemed to find this show of affection between father and daughter to be extremely endearing. While Scootaloo did flinch in embarrassment at first and felt like she was on the verge of pushing herself away from me, she soon just smiled serenely and leaned into the embrace. I suppose she just did not care what anyone said about her feelings towards her new father.

Finally, Scootaloo hopped down from my lap along with her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. "All right! We've got a meeting to get to! Are you coming too, Mitta?"

Mitta merely grinned before looking at Rarity. "Well, I'd love to, but... Is there anything I need to take care of back home, Rarity?"

"Oh, of course not! The Carousel Boutique is closed on Sundays. You have the entire day to yourself, Mitta. Enjoy yourself!" Rarity replied with a grin while dismissively shaking her hoof. She always was a reasonable employer.

"I guess that means I can! Shall we go?" Mitta then asked her fellow blank flanked friends.

"You bet! C'mon, girls!" Apple Bloom said cheerfully while they began to trot off. And they were in a hurry.

Sweetie Belle then looked over her shoulder at me and called out, "See you tomorrow, James! Have a nice night!" I merely waved back at them before they got too far away to see me.

At last, it was just me and my six dearest friends. Although I did feel a little awkward about being almost naked, it did not feel so bad being exposed to the warm late summer sun. It felt like a day where I should be getting out my swimming trunks. Although I did not have much time to think about it before Fluttershy spoke up. "Wow... Finally, we can take you home."

"Yeah... Can't wait to be back on my own feet again. It sucks being stuck in bed all day." I grumbled with a smile, knowing I would soon be home and up and about on my own power.

"Saaaaay..... You wanna get home fast?" Rainbow Dash asked while giving me a sly smirk that, in hindsight, had trouble written all over it.

"Well, yeah! The sooner, the better!" I replied promptly without paying much mind to that look in her eyes. I was almost going stir crazy at the time from being stuck in bed for so long. But then I remembered what I had in my hand. "Wait a second. Um... Pinkie Pie?"

My perky pink friend then hopped forward. "Yes, James?"

I then held out the Joyboy in my hand. "Could you please drop this off at Button Mash's place for me? Just don't want to forget to return it."

"No problem! And just to make sure I will return it in time, I hereby Pinkie Promise to get it done right!" She said before performing that chant and the associated gestures. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! I'll make sure he gets it in a little bit!"

I was a little bewildered as to why she would make a Pinkie Promise over such a simple request, but I still let her take the little device into her jaws. "Uh... Sure. Thanks again. So, we going, Rainbow?"

"You got it! Just a sec." Rainbow Dash then suddenly flew behind me and... Well, I suddenly felt something being pulled over my eyes. They felt and looked like goggles.

After feeling around the edges, I found that these things over my eyes were indeed goggles with round lenses. "Uh... What's this for?"

I then felt my wheelchair lurch backwards on a slight angle as I think Rainbow Dash hooked her hooves over the bar just behind my shoulders. "My weather patrol goggles. Trust me, you're gonna need them. I'll see you girls back home, all right?"

Twilight then spoke from behind me while sounding a bit worried. "Oh boy, I hope you know what you're doing, Rainbow! Just be careful!"

"You got it! I'll see you there! Oh, and James? You might wanna hold onto those armrests for a moment." I did exactly as I was told. And a second later... What was she doing?! I was rocketing along the ground at ridiculous speed!

"Whoa whoa whoa!!! Rainbow, what the crap are you doing?!" I yelled while trying to make sure I was not about to fly out of my seat. Too bad wheelchairs do not normally come with seatbelts!

I heard Rainbow Dash laugh before she called out, "What does it look like?! I'm getting you home fast! So you better just sit back and enjoy the ride!"

From what I could see, she was probably flying while holding onto the wheelchair's backside. And man, we were really streaking through town! I was constantly in a bit of a reclined position and I soon realized why. The wheelchair had only a single pair of large wheels with the footrest serving as the brake. If that thing even so much as clipped the ground, I would most likely be catapulted from my seat. And I know Rainbow Dash would have hated to have me just get out of the hospital only to have me go right back in.

Even so, it was a fun ride! Something I wish I can do again sometime. We were blazing through the streets, zooming past everyone too quickly for me to make out their faces. The best I could do was try to identify them by their coat colors. I think I recall seeing Derpy and even Eleina at one point. While I was glancing around at my surroundings while they zipped past me, I had a brief thought. "Man, we should do this sometime with Scootaloo. She'd probably love to race us."

"Yeah! And that little sparkplug could probably keep up too!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed before she suddenly made a wide turn with the wheelchair tilting on a hard angle. It must have been on just one wheel while making that turn.

That little ride was fun, but far too short. In no more than five minutes, we were rolling across the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage from Ponyville. And it took us less than twenty seconds to span it before the wheelchair began to roll to a stop. Rainbow Dash must have been trying to fly in reverse to apply the brakes.

Just before the wheelchair could reach the little bridge that crosses the brook in front of the cottage, it came to a complete stop with the footrest being set down. I then felt Rainbow Dash sliding her arms under my shoulders before she began to lift me to my feet. "Phew, that was awesome! We gotta do this again sometime."

Once I was back on my feet, I removed the goggles and handed them back to her. "Yeah, and maybe take the time to go all around Ponyville next time... And just so you know, I think I swallowed a bug back there!"

"Whoa, don't tell Fluttershy! She'll flip!" Rainbow retorted while looking rather worried, although we both ended up laughing instead.

It was then that Rainbow Dash hovered over to me and yanked off my hospital shirt, leaving me stuck in just my shorts. "I guess you don't need this anymore!"

"Hey, I'm not inside yet!" I yelped while tempted to cover myself. I felt so uncomfortably bare in just some undergarments.

"Hey, it's not like anypony's around to see you. I mean, sure. Fluttershy's little animal buddies might be here, but they don't get the whole 'clothing' thing to begin with. Besides, gotta return this!" My brazen pegasus friend replied before going over to the wheelchair and getting the shirt properly secured to it. "I'm just gonna drop this back off at the hospital. I'll see you in a bit, OK?"

"All right then. You take care." I replied while waving goodbye. While still staying airborne, Rainbow Dash held onto the horizontal bar on the chair's backside before turning it around and taking off for Ponyville with the chair's wheels rolling along the path. "Man... I hope we can do that again sometime."

Right after I crossed the bridge, I found Fluttershy's front yard to be bustling with little bits of activity. Like many times before, I saw little animals scampering about while just doing their thing. Although I was quick to notice they seemed to all be looking at me. How long had it been since they last saw me?

"Hey, guys. What's up?" I asked while waving at them. However, I soon noticed what seemed to be a bird swooping down to me. I threw up my arm to try and ward it off from crashing into me, but then felt something perch upon my hand. And when I lowered it, I saw a familiar white dove looking right back at me. "Angela!"

I lifted my pet to my face and tenderly nuzzled her while she nuzzled me back. The beautiful little dove constantly cooed very loudly in an excited manner. She must have been far too happy to see me after so long. "Hey there, pretty bird. Sorry I've been gone so long. Have you and... Oh, right!"

Remembering another little white critter, I began to walk over to the little wooden house to the left of the cottage while tenderly holding Angela to my chest as I stroked her little head. As I expected, I saw Angel just lying around at the entrance. I tried waving at him to get his attention. The instant he happened to look my way, his ears perked up and he scampered right over to me with swift speed.

"Hey there, Angel. Have things been OK while I've been gone?" I asked while dropping to one knee and gently scratching him between the ears on his sweet spot. While Angel initially enjoyed the attention, Angela then fluttered down from my hand and stood beside him. She cooed at him for a second to apparently get his attention. His expression then became more somber while he bowed his head.

Back and forth, I gently stroked their little heads. "Have Fluttershy and Scootaloo been all right? They must've been pretty worried about me, huh?"

Angel and Angela appeared to just nod while pushing their heads against my fingers. "I see... Well, thanks for watching out for them over here. I appreciate it." I then stood up and began to make my way up to the front door without taking my eyes off them. "Well, I'm gonna go ahead and wash up before getting dressed. I'm sick of just lounging around in my boxers. Let me know when Fluttershy gets home, all right?"

They both nodded in agreement. But just as I was starting to reach for the door, I felt a firm tapping on my heel. When I turned to look, I found Angel thumping the bottom of his hind foot against me. "Uh... Yes, Angel? Did I forget something?"

He then started doing one of his many silent gestures, almost like playing a game of charades. He first reached for a few blades of tall grass nearby and pulled them down over his head with the tips curling upward at the bottom. It was an all too obvious imitation of Fluttershy's hairstyle. And to really finish the look, he looked at me with the very same reserved and shy gaze she almost always wears. "That's definitely Fluttershy. What about her?"

He then released his grip on the grass and then leaned back while patting his belly. I took a moment to think this over and asked, "Uh... She put on weight while I was in the hospital?"

I clearly got that wrong, but it did not stop him from falling on his back while laughing hysterically. Although to me, it sounded like types of chittering. I then noticed Angela perched upon the nearby fence in front of the door and shook her head while holding her face in her wing. I felt a twinge of embarrassment at that point. I must have screwed up bad if even my own pet was ashamed of my answer.

Once Angel had finished laughing himself silly, he hopped back up to his feet and waved his hands...er...paws from side to side frantically as if to say that was not the right answer. As if his laughter and Angela's reaction was not enough proof of that. He then brought his arms together and began to wave them back and forth as if cradling something in them.

At first, I was not entirely certain of what he was trying to imply with such a gesture. But before I could think about it for long, Angela waddled up beside him and suddenly smacked him in the back of the head with her wing to disrupt his performance. She then somehow lifted her wing with one of her long feathers being held up like a lone finger before shaking it at him in a manner that was obviously a sort of scolding. At this point, I just cracked up laughing while Angel slumped over in obvious reluctant submission. "Ahahaha! Atta girl, Angela! You keep that rascal in line!"

My little dove folded her wing again before holding her head high as if she was very proud of herself while Angel just crossed his arms while beginning to pout. I then made my way to the front door again. "Anyway, I'm in need of some real washing up. I'll see you little guys in a while. Keep an eye out for Fluttershy, OK?"

When I stepped inside the cottage, I found the place to be refreshingly empty. Well, aside from maybe a bird perched around the place or a chipmunk scampering along the tiny walkways hanging from the ceiling. I felt like I had not been home in too long. So much so, I just decided to take a walk around the first floor to take in the sights before walking up the stairs into our bedroom.

Knowing my current pair of boxers was likely dirty, I grabbed a new pair from my wardrobe along with a pair of blacks shorts and a green polo shirt before ducking into the bathroom. But once I had stripped myself of my clothes and left my cleaner attire draped over the sink, I then noticed the bandages wrapped around my middle while looking at the mirror above the sink.

"Huh, almost forgot about this." I muttered to myself while placing my hand on my left side, where the padding seemed thickest. Remembering what the doctor said about it, I felt it was the proper time to remove it.

Using a pair of scissors I found in the nearby cupboard, I started to snip through the bandage and surgical tape. Once the tape was snipped off, pretty much everything under it fell off without trouble while landing around my feet. "There we go... Wha... Whoa, where did that come from? That looks nasty..."

With the bandage removed, I saw what it had been hiding. And I almost felt myself cringe at the sight. A horizontal scar reaching around my waistline could be seen on the left side of my torso. It was...big. It probably encompassed roughly 40% of my waistline, reaching from just a few inches to the right of my spine before coming around and reaching just barely past my pelvis. And if that was not unsettling enough, the flesh over the scar was a bit...uneven. It was not a clean cut that had been made with the edge of a blade. It was a gash than had been torn open with a ripping motion. Something like this would have surely led to fatal bleeding if I had not been promptly hospitalized. "Is this what landed me in the hospital? What hit me like this back in the labyrinth?"

At least the good news was that it could easily be concealed by a shirt. And I felt no pain, showing that it had completely healed by that point. Still, I was disappointed that such a large scar was marring my body. Hopefully I would just get used to it or it would become less noticeable over time. Either way, I started to get the shower going and waited for the water to heat up. And once it did, I stepped into the tub, closed the curtains around it, and took a seat.

I cannot describe how enjoyable it was to feel that water just flowing over me. While the hospital personnel did try to keep my hygiene within acceptable levels, there is simply no comparison to actually washing up the traditional way. I wetted down my hair and then began to scrub Fluttershy's most fragrant cucumber and melon scented shampoo into my hair. I just felt so...cleansed at that time.

Once I had rinsed the lather from my hair, I took a look at the window that was just behind the showerhead. While still a bright and sunny day, it was not terribly warm so late in summer. I then decided to push the window open to better ventilate the room's buildup of steam. Steam has a harder time accumulating in warmer environments after all. And with the window not facing towards Ponyville, it was unlikely anyone would be able to see me through it very well anyway.

At least that is what I was thinking at first. Barely a minute after I turned away to start taking the opportunity to brush my teeth as well while using the warm water of the shower to counteract the chilling effects of the toothpaste on my mouth, I heard a voice right behind me coming from the window. "Heya, James! I'm back! I wasn't gone for too long, was I?"

That actually startled me a bit and I frantically turned around with the toothbrush still in my mouth. Rainbow Dash was sticking her head through the window with her head propped up on her hooves while standing on the grassy roof just outside the window. While I tried to put together a vocal response with my voice garbled by the toothpaste, Rainbow Dash tilted her head to one side while giving me a curious stare. "Wait a minute. You brush your teeth in the shower?"

Unable to speak clearly, I held up a single finger to ask her to wait a moment. I then quickly finished up my brushing, tilted my head up to fill my mouth with warm water, and then spat it all out into the tub to allow it all to go down the drain before looking at my friend. "Actually, yeah. You ever tried rinsing your mouth out with regular cool water from the tap after brushing with toothpaste that isn't cinnamon flavored? Really unpleasant level of coldness. The warm water of the shower prevents that."

"Oh yeah, you're right! Cinnamon has kind of a heat to it when you brush, but everything else feels cool! Yeah, that would kinda hurt. Clever way to get around it!" She replied with a surprised look in her eye. If you have ever brushed your teeth with cool mint toothpaste and then rinsed with water fresh from the tap, you know what kind of uncomfortable cold I am talking about.

However, while I reached for the shower brush, it was then that I realized what Rainbow Dash was doing and squirmed a bit while trying to cover myself. "Wait a second, what're you even doing here?! Can't I wash up in privacy?!"

My friend just burst into snickering laughter before she looked at me with an amused grin. "I'm just keeping an eye on you! I missed you, ya know. Besides, what you look like down there is old news to me."

"Right... Kinda wish you never told me that..." I grumbled while knowing that Rainbow Dash has gotten a glimpse of me in the nude before. With some reluctance, I began to go back to properly washing myself. However, Rainbow Dash then gasped lightly as if she suddenly had an idea. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Gimme just a second! I'll be right back!" She exclaimed before pulling away from the window and swooping out of sight. Not even twenty seconds later, I could vaguely hear the sound of hooves coming up the stairs not far from the bathroom door. When I peeked past the shower curtain, I saw Rainbow Dash push the door open before closing it behind her. "There we go! No more awkward peeking through the window, right?"

"I guess this is a little better..." I replied before ducking behind the curtain again. But mere seconds later, I heard the curtain being pulled back, causing me to jump when I found Rainbow Dash looking right at me. "What're you doing?!"

That rowdy mare just laughed at my nervousness. "You're way too easy to tease, you know that?" Before I could say anything, she suddenly reached out and...placed a kiss right on my lips before pulling away and smiling at me. "I just wanna be close to you right now. It's literally been weeks since the last time I got to spend this kind of time with you, right?"

She was being remarkably sincere and subdued while still keeping that usual spunky tone in her voice. I briefly brought my fingers to my lips, having almost forgotten what it is like to receive that type of affection from her. "I really don't see you act like this very often..."

Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes while a crooked smile spread across her lips. "Yeah... You're one of the only people I know who can get me to act like this... I guess even wild mares like me have their soft sides." She then stepped a bit closer and hung her hoof over the side of the tub. "So... Is it cool with you if I just stick with you for a while? At least until Fluttershy gets home?"

I briefly looked down at her hoof before gently placing my hand on her wrist. "You really missed me that bad, huh?"

With only the sound of the shower reaching my ears, I saw her frown while her ears drooped. "We all did, James... It was really scary just watching you lie there without waking up to anything..." However, she then tried to smile and reached out with her wing to snatch up a rough shower sponge on the end of a stick that was leaning against the tub. "Anyway... You want me to scrub your back?"

"Well...sure." I replied briefly. I then took the sponge and wet it down good in the shower before applying honey almond shower gel to it. Fluttershy sure knows how to find the most uplifting and fragrant shampoos and such. I then handed it back to Rainbow Dash and then just leaned forward while directing the showerhead away from my back. While I normally turn the water off when I'm scrubbing myself down, I was just feeling so relaxed and so relieved to be feeling this clean that I decided to keep the water going while Rainbow Dash scrubbed my backside.

"Man, you're looking kinda worn out. Can't wait to see you all back to normal. Maybe AJ can help you bulk back up with some more help around the place. Applebuck Season is still in full swing right now." Rainbow commented while she scrubbed my back. I must have lost a fair amount of muscle mass while being stuck in the hospital for that long. I was not feeling quite like myself at the time, but the daily routine of physical activity would likely fix that before long.

"I just might do that. And thanks, Rainbow." While she scrubbed me, I decided to apply conditioner to my hair next. I could not open my eyes while doing so, but soon rinsed my hair while I felt the scrubbing on my back stop. However, when I leaned back to get my head out of the falling water, I felt a curious weight being applied to my front side. Mildly startled, I wiped the water from my eyelids and looked down to find a familiar pegasus mare gazing at me from mere inches away from my face. "Whoa! Rainbow, what're you doing?!"

She snickered at me while displaying a broad toothy grin. "Hope you don't mind! Just wanted to get a little closer! And besides..." She then showed a more somber smile. "I'm really not in the mood for the sorta thing you're thinking about right now... So you don't have to worry about me jumping you, all right?"

She read me like a book. And it was especially awkward since my...pelvic area was likely aligned with her lower belly at that moment. "Uh... OK then. So...uh... What now? You're getting soaked too, you know."

Indeed, Rainbow Dash was becoming rapidly soaked by the shower as well. Not that she seemed to mind. "What? You don't like it when my mane's wet?"

"I thought you said you weren't in the mood for that stuff right now..." I grumbled a bit while noticing how appealing she was looking with her rainbow-striped mane being wetted down.

Rainbow merely chuckled quietly. "I'm not. I just know you like the whole wet mane look. But anyway..." She then lifted her hoof, which had another rough bath sponge on it. "Need me to get your chest?"

"Uh... Sure." I then leaned back a bit, allowing her to scrub my upper body. The sponge was still lathered with the same gel, leaving a trail of bubbles over my flesh. I got a bit more nervous when Rainbow began to rub it over my belly, but that was as far as she went with it.

I was genuinely touched with how sincerely caring Rainbow Dash was being with her treatment. She seldom spoke and rarely even looked at me, focusing on her work. It almost felt like there was some unknown tension in the air, oddly enough. Finally, I felt the need to let her know how much I appreciated what she was doing for me. "Rainbow."

"Hm?" She then glanced up from me and looked me in the eye.

I gently placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you. You're really sweet."

For whatever reason, this seemed to stun her despite us having kissed numerous times before. She did not initially respond, instead merely opting to stare at me. Finally, with an almost pained grin, she threw her arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder. I then heard her whisper, "Love you, big guy..."

I responded in kind by holding her in my arms while tenderly rubbing her back. My other hand ran its fingers through her soaked mane. "Love you too, Rainbow."

We just sat there for a moment, holding each other in a tender embrace. However, I soon felt her right hoof sliding down over me. Probably just to return the favor of my hands rubbing her back. But before long, I felt her rubbing stop when her hoof rubbed across the scar on my torso. I felt her lift her head away from me before looking down at it. That look of silent terror in her eyes... Did she initially think she saw an open wound?

"Rainbow...? Hey, are you all right?" I asked as I felt myself becoming increasingly concerned. That look in her eyes was completely different from a mere moment ago. It was a look of fear.

She looked at me in silence, those beautiful rose-colored eyes looking right at my own. Even with her head and face being soaked, I could still make out a lone tear spill over from her eyes. She then suddenly and very tightly wrapped her arms around me with her head once more on my shoulder. "I'll never fail you again, James..."

This was such a grim change in her mood. I was unsure of how to react to such powerful words, although I did tenderly hold her in my arms once more. "Rainbow... Is that injury what landed me in the hospital?"

She slowly pulled her head away from me until she was looking right at me. However, I still held her hoof in my hand to show her some form of support. "Ye... Yeah... It was bad... You almost bled to death... We never found out what caused the wound. I was the first to find you, and..." She bowed her head, the tears falling while her eyes seemed to scan my scar. It was the single most pathetic expression I had ever seen on her face in quite some time. "I really thought you were dead... That was the worst day of my life. I've never felt worse than the way I felt when I...held you in my arms while you didn't say anything..."

"Oh, Rainbow..." I muttered before holding her to my chest with her head right under my chin. It pained me to see her like that and to hear her say such things. I could not remember a thing of what happened, but I could tell that she was not faking her emotions. Whatever happened must have been hard on her. "It's OK now. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere..."

"Yeah... I know... I know you're all right now... But... Even though the doctors in Canterlot managed to patch you up, you... I think you already know. Coma and all that. But...I hated the whole thing. If there's one thing I hate more than losing, it's feeling helpless... I wanted to do something to help you... To make you wake up and say my name again...but nothing I did worked! I just wanted you to come back to us... To make things go back to normal..." She was sobbing, rubbing her head against my chest. "Please... Say my name... Let me know you're still here..."

It was such a simple, yet heartfelt request. And I almost felt tempted to cry myself. And so I tilted my head down and softly whispered into her ear. "Rainbow Dash..."

She shuddered hard against me, a choked sob coming from her throat. "One more time... Please..."

"Rainbow Dash." I whispered once more while gently caressing her wings. My hands tenderly held them from underneath and lifted up, causing them to spread despite her feathers being soaked.

She lifted her head to look at me, finally starting to show a smile. "Thanks... It's just... I can't lose you. Not now... You mean too much to me..." Once more, she rested her head on my shoulder while my hands rubbed up and down the lengths of her wings. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if I lost you... Probably just drink myself to death..."

I cringed at those final words. I could already imagine it. Rainbow Dash slumped over a tavern countertop with a bottle of vodka next to her hoof, eyes glazed over with a look of drunken emptiness. I could not bear the thought of such a strong dependable mare doing that to herself. Finally, I even felt a tear of my own slide down my cheek while I steeled my nerves to prevent myself from letting out a quiet sob. I then whispered, "Rainbow..."

My dear friend lifted her head until she was looking right at me. Before she could even say anything, I placed my hand on the base of her neck and pulled her towards me. I closed me eyes, feeling the touch of her lips upon my own.

She did not object in any way. If anything, I felt her relax at the touch, her body just melting onto me while she weakly held on. A muffled sigh escaped her nostrils while I felt Rainbow push into the kiss. Moments later, I parted my lips as she did as well. The taste upon her tongue... It was just...so her. A taste I came to recognize as being 'Rainbow Dash'. A faint whimper rumbled in her throat while her grasp around me tightened. I adore that mare... I do not know what I would do without her.

Ever so slowly, our kiss ended while we pulled away from each other. I felt so warm... Relaxed. Rainbow Dash looked at me with a hazy stare, mouth partially hanging open as fresh tears stained her wet cheeks. But she soon smiled and spoke, "Thanks, James... I really needed that..."

"Anytime, Rainbow." I whispered in return while my hand cupped her cheek.

Once again, Rainbow Dash rested her head against my shoulder while I gently held her. "Oh man, I love you... James... From now on, if you get into a tough spot, I'll be there for you. No questions asked."

"I appreciate it, Rainbow. There's no one I'd rather have backing me up than you. You're awesome." I said softly while placing a kiss on her ear.

My bold and loyal friend lifted her head and smiled adorably before kissing me on the nose. "So are you, big guy." However, she then tried to stretch a bit and laughed. "Man... You and Fluttershy need to get a bigger tub installed. There's barely enough room in here for the two of you!"

After getting a good laugh from Rainbow's observation, I decided to go ahead and finish washing up. Rainbow Dash climbed through the window and then shook herself off to dry before turning around and watching me through the window. However, I was hesitant to stand up due to the fact that it would give my friend an unobstructed view of my lower body. Thankfully, she respectfully turned away to let me finish without being watched.

Once I was washed and rinsed, I turned the shower off and stepped out of the tub. A quick glance at the window behind the tub showed that Rainbow Dash was just sitting there on the roof while watching the clouds go by. Although I soon heard a songbird tweet before Rainbow glanced in another direction. "Oh, hey! What's up?"

Seeing that she was adequately distracted, I quickly dried off my body before pulling up a fresh pair of boxers and shorts. Without even drying my hair, I pulled my shirt over myself. After having been stuck in a hospital bed for weeks, my clothes almost felt heavy. But it felt good to finally be fully clothed again. I then turned to look at Rainbow Dash and spoke up. "Rainbow, I'll all done here."

She turned around upon hearing her name and promptly smiled at me. "Now that's more like it! You're looking a lot more like your old self now." However, she then glanced at her right before looking back at me. "Anyway, I better let you just chill for a while now that you're getting settled back into your routine. I'm gonna go check on the girls. Just wanna make sure Fluttershy's on her way back."

"Thanks, Rainbow. Just let them know I'm all right. We'll see each other again soon, right?" I replied while reaching for a hair comb. I did not want to leave my soaked hair unattended now that it was in a prime condition to get set straight.

Rainbow Dash merely grinned at me while she went airborne. "You bet we will! Real soon! Anyway, gotta go! And make sure you take it easy!" And with that, she swooped out of sight and was gone.

I looked in the mirror while making strokes with my comb, although I noticed several very long strands of pink hair stuck between the plastic barbs that were clearly from Fluttershy. Is 'barb' even the proper term? Maybe the term is 'teeth'... Well, anyway... I made sure my hair was properly kempt before setting the comb down. With my hair so wet, there was no need to wet it down further. Although I also noticed that my hair was starting to hang over my ears. I need to remember to get a haircut sometime this week.

Feeling far more refreshed than what felt like in forever, I walked down the stairs to the living room without even bothering to put some socks on. It felt good to just feel the wood paneling below my feet. I almost just wanted to take a nap, but decided to wait until my hair dried out to avoid messing it up again. Even so, I soon found myself just lounging around on the nearby sofa with my leg draped up and over its back.

Minutes passed and I felt my eyes growing heavy. How ironic. After sleeping for literally weeks, you would think I would not want anything to do with sleep for a while. My body must have been remarkably weakened since being brought in because I was just so worn out. I finally made sure to set my head straight down on a pillow and closed my eyes. A short nap would not hurt.

Just when it felt like I was about to drift off to sleep, I was suddenly jolted awake by a sound. The front door was opening. "Hey? Whuzzat... Someone there?"

I promptly sat up, my drowsiness being quickly held at bay. And I soon felt myself smile when I saw who was walking in. Fluttershy. "Hey there, honey. You had a good walk?"

I do not believe she was expecting to find me sitting across the room from her since her wings suddenly sprang open when she heard my voice. They soon closed when she looked at me, a calm familiar reserved smile spreading across her lips. "Oh... Hi, dear. We had a nice walk. And it was nice of Rainbow Dash to keep an eye on you. Um... You must be hungry. Would you like me to whip up a snack for you?"

Those words quickly reminded me of just how long it had been since I last had a real meal. Getting some real food in my belly would probably also energize me and fight off drowsiness. "Oh, sure. Thank you."

Fluttershy responded with only a slight smile and began to walk towards the kitchen while glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. "All right. You just wait right here and I'll go get something ready for you."

I once more just reclined on the couch with my arm reaching above my head and hanging off the edge. It definitely felt like a Sunday. I heard the sound of a knife chopping and striking a wooden cutting board in the kitchen. Although I did not hear her place a pan on the stove or anything like that, so I assumed she was just putting together something light. I listened in out of boredom, hearing the refrigerator open and close twice. I think I heard the sound of lettuce being chopped along with the spurting noise of a plastic bottle being squeezed. You know what I mean. Everyone has heard that silly sound at some point. A moment later, I heard the sound of her hooves drawing closer before Fluttershy emerged into the living room again with a sandwich resting atop her wing. "Here you go, dear. And on your favorite whole wheat bread."

I felt my mouth water at the sight of it. Not much, but it would not be enough to weaken my appetite for dinner later. "Thanks, Fluttershy. Looks great."

Upon taking a bite, I found that the sandwich was completely devoid of any meats and was strictly vegetables. Not that I minded. There was lettuce, tomato slices, thinly sliced carrots, shredded cheeses, circles of cucumbers, and a thin layer of honey mustard. "Mmm... Oh, that's good. I missed the taste of real food."

While I ate the snack she had provided for me, Fluttershy looked on in silence. She seemed to be smiling just slightly, but said nothing. It was not until I finished eating, which took barely two minutes, that I finally looked at her and asked, "Hey... Are you OK? I'm surprised you're not saying all that much. Wasn't I out for a few weeks?"

It was as if those words proceeded to trigger some sort of stinging pain in her heart. Fluttershy's modest smile instantly dissolved into a guilt-ridden frown. As her ears drooped, she looked away briefly before looking back at me while I began to reach out to her. But as I did, she stepped backwards and out of my reach. "Honey...?"

"James... I'm sorry... I don't want to even bring this up, but... We need to talk." With those words, a new unwanted tension descended upon the room. Where did this come from? What was wrong with her?

I had no idea what she was wanting to talk to me about, but I decided to listen before saying much. "All right, Fluttershy... What's wrong?"

She bowed her head. She did not even look at me. "Do you remember last year? The day you came here?"

"Yeah..." I said in almost a whisper.

Fluttershy then asked, "Then...do you remember? Five days after you first arrived in Ponyville? What happened right in this very room?"

I said nothing. I lifted my head, looking straight ahead at the front door. And then my eyes followed an unseen path until they fell upon the corner in the room just to my left. "Yeah... The day you confessed to me."

My gaze fell upon Fluttershy once more. I could see a tiny smile even though she still was not looking at me. "I was so scared when you showed up. So terrified that you would reject me... But you didn't. When I backed away in fear, you came to me instead of staying away. You gave our relationship a chance. And...you became the single best thing to happen to me in a long time..."

"Then...what's wrong?" Something had definitely gone wrong. There was something she was not telling me. Something I was already dreading to hear.

She said nothing for a moment, but I could see them. Tears were forming at the edges of her eyes. "All those days we spent together... All the I love yous and the sweet pet names... It was...one of the best years of my life. But..." She finally lifted her head to look at me as the tears finally began to fall. "After all that has happened... Please tell me... Did I act too soon? Should I have waited a few years before telling you? Did I...make a mistake?"

It hurt to see Fluttershy in tears. What in the world had her so upset? "Honey... What do you mean?"

She looked away as her voice began to break. Her next words filled me with a type of fear and anxiety I had not experienced since before I came to Equestria. The time when the love of my life left me. "I... What I'm saying is...it would probably be best if...if we stopped this..."

I felt a jab to my heart as I suddenly climbed to my feet. "What?! Why?!"

Fluttershy cringed as she backed away again. "I don't want this... I don't want us to have to leave each other, but... I feel like I've become a burden to you... I don't want to weigh you down in any way..." She then looked at me as the tears fell to the floor. "James... Do you think...this relationship has been worthwhile?"

My skin burned. My stomach churned. Tears were already beginning to swell deep under my eyelids as I looked down at Fluttershy. She appeared so uncertain and afraid. With a deep breath, I took a seat back on the couch. I then motioned towards her with my hand. "Come here and I'll tell you."

With some hesitation, my girlfriend walked towards me. Once she was seated before me, I reached out to her and snatched her up in my arms before letting her rest atop me as I reclined on the couch. I brought my lips to her ear and spoke softly. "Honey... I understand that our relationship began very soon after we first met. But I don't regret it at all. I don't want you to leave. And I don't want to leave you. You've never been a burden to me and you never will be. You inspire me. You only give me the drive to do more, not less. Isn't that how you feel too?"

"Ye... Yes..." I heard her whisper in return while quivering in my grasp. She turned her head up slightly, allowing me to see her eye.

I felt a tear finally ooze down my own cheek. "Then...do you still love me?"

Choking on tears, Fluttershy turned herself over and threw her arms around me while she buried her face in my chest. "Yes...!"

My hand tenderly stroked her lovely long mane while my other arm held her against me. As brief as that crisis was, I felt like I had just gotten over an entire bad day. "I love you, Fluttershy..."

"I..." Fluttershy whimpered for a brief moment before looking me right in the eye as she managed to crack a tearful smile. "I...love you too, James..."

For the next minute or so, we just stayed there while holding each other in our arms. I had no idea what it was that caused Fluttershy to so strongly doubt herself like that, but I was relieved that I was able to help her let go of those feelings. I love her and I know she loves me. And after having such a great relationship for a full year, I did not want that to end.

A sound soon caught our attention. Was that applause? Fluttershy and I quickly glanced around, but we soon focused on the front of the house. Was there someone right outside the windows? Fluttershy then asked, "Uh... Is somepony there?"

Right after she said that, the front door swung open. And standing there was none other than Twilight Sparkle. "Did we startle you? Sorry... We felt like it would be a bad idea to go home right after walking you home, so we hung around for a bit."

Twilight then walked into the room and was immediately followed by Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Or rather the rest walked while Pinkie Pie hopped. Rarity was the first to speak while showing a very relieved smile. "Thank goodness you resolved this so quickly, darlings. It would be so tragic to see the two of you torn away from each other right after such an ordeal."

"I know... I guess I... I just needed to stop doubting myself so much." Fluttershy replied while she leaned against me. I responded in kind by gently gripping her opposite shoulder.

However, Rainbow Dash then seemed to smirk at us. "So... When are you gonna break the news to him, Fluttershy?"

"Huh? What news?" I asked as her words piqued my curiosity. What news had not been relayed to me just yet? From what I understood, there was nothing else I needed to know over what happened while I was in the hospital.

Whatever it was Rainbow was referring to, it got Fluttershy instantly nervous. She began to grin very awkwardly while beginning to sweat. "Oh, that? Um... Well..."

"Come on, Fluttershy! He's gonna wanna hear this! Tell him the big news!" Pinkie Pie practically shrieked while hopping excitedly in one place.

Finally, Applejack rolled her eyes and took a step forward. "Ya might as well tell 'im now, sugarcube. Not like yer gonna be able ta hide it in a few months."

"Uh... I really don't get it. What're you girls getting at?" I finally brought myself to ask as our five dearest friends began to gather around us. It was quite intriguing, if not somewhat puzzling.

After a moment of awkward silence and excited stares, Fluttershy took a deep breath to calm herself. "All right... I'll tell him." She then looked at me, but soon started to fluster again. "James... I... I'm..."

Just when it looked like she was about to tell me, she sighed loudly. "I can't do it..." I could only roll my eyes in amusement while our friends let out a simultaneous groan of disappointment. It was not entirely unexpected that she could not bring herself to say whatever she wanted to. However, she then smiled shyly and said, "But...I think I can still show you."

She began to crawl over me before standing tall above me. While gazing up at her, I began to reach for her face. Before I could though, she placed her hoof on my hand and guided it to her chest. Slowly, she slid my hand down until she rested it upon her belly. "Can you guess, honey?"

"Guess? Uh..." I mumbled while looking down to see my hand resting upon her. While giving her a gentle belly rub, I felt something. Her belly was still slim and slender, but... There was something there. A small firmness nestled just in front of her hind legs. Very slowly, a complex sense of shock and wonderment began to eclipse my mind. "Oh my god..."

All my friends looked on in tense silence while Pinkie Pie even went as far as to have stuffed her hoof into her mouth to keep herself quiet. I looked up at Fluttershy, who was blushing hard while showing a very warm smile. "Fluttershy... Are you...really...?"

Her hoof slid down her chest until it was resting upon my hand. While she was still showing a slight shy smile, she looked surprisingly more relaxed than before. A few tears began to slide down her cheeks as she very softly spoke the words that confirmed my suspicions. "It's yours."

I looked down at her belly once more after removing my hand from it. I could not see it, but I knew for certain what was there. Right there, nestled in her body, was a growing foal. Our foal. My foal. Fluttershy was...pregnant. In several months, she was going to be a mother. And I... I would be the father.

My mind was just awash with many new emotions. I was not even certain of what to think. Should I have been afraid? Joyous? Angry? Unsure of how to feel, I did the one thing that came naturally. I reached out and held my beautiful lover in my arms and pulled her down against me in a firm embrace.

"Honey...?" I heard her whisper into my ear. "Are you...all right?"

"I... I think so... It's...just a lot to take in on such short notice." I said softly while holding onto her. I mean...what is the proper response one can give upon discovering that one will soon become a parent? I mean it is one thing to adopt a girl who is around the age of ten, but... To actually know you and your lover created a new life between each other? That is... You have to experience it for yourself to actually comprehend it.

For a moment, there were no words. It was just the two of us. Us, and the child that was nestled between us. Every once in a while, Fluttershy and I had discussed having children. But I never once imagined it would be happening so soon. Even so, despite the many unanswered questions that lingered in my mind, I felt...safe with her. As if holding her in my arms reminded me that we would be fine as long as we stayed together.

Soon, I felt a light tap upon my shoulder. When I turned to look, I found that Rarity had come forward while showing a very concerned frown on her face. "Darlings? Would you prefer us to leave you be for now?"

"No... You don't have to go... I'd prefer it if you all stayed anyway." I said quietly while slowly pulling myself up to a sitting position, my arms still cradling Fluttershy against me. The tension was starting to very slowly wind down, although my nerves were still a bit shot from the rush that had hit me. Doubly so when factoring in my lingering physical fatigue.

"Hey... You guys..." Rainbow Dash began to speak up while displaying a somber frown. I suppose even she understood the weight of the situation. "Just so you know... We've all got your backs on this."

"Thank you, Rainbow..." I heard Fluttershy say while I merely nodded. "I just hope we're ready..."

"Same... Wait, how much longer until it finally comes?" I then asked while wondering exactly how much time we had left. How long ago had it been since she... Fluttershy had only gone into heat less than a week before I first met Discord. So... Maybe three weeks at the least?

Applejack then spoke up. "Oh, you've got a good long while before that happens. We ponies take around eleven months before we pop 'em out."

"Eleven months? Dang... That's plenty of time to plan ahead." It was definitely longer than I expected. But when considering the gestation period of equines in the world where I come from, it was not entirely surprising.

At last, Twilight stepped forward. "I know this is really big news for both of you, but... What's the verdict? Do you think you'll keep the baby?"

"I think it's a bit too soon to decide on that, Twi... I think we need to think this over for a few days. And besides, right now I just want to relax for a while since I only just got out of the hospital..." I said with a sigh. Physically exhausted, and now mentally and emotionally exhausted. I was in no mood for anything that required heavy thinking for a few days.

Fluttershy nodded in silence too before she spoke. "I agree... Right now, I don't want to stress James out anymore than he already is. We'll discuss this over the week before we decide on anything..."

"That's OK! I think we all could use a break from the drama..." Pinkie Pie said while also looking a bit tired out herself. Even her tone was a vaguely subdued compared to how she normally sounds. However, she then asked, "But now that we're all together again... How about we all treat you two to dinner? The two lovebirds with a little bundle of joy coming?"

"Pinkie, that's too cute... Sure, I could use a real meal now that I'm out of the hospital." I said with a bit of a chuckle. Just thinking about the café's food was getting me hungry. It had been so long since I last indulged in my usual routine there.

"Actually... It seems a bit early for dinner. Should we head over in another hour or so?" Fluttershy then asked while also looking quite famished herself.

Applejack was quick to glance at a clock on the wall. "Yup, it's just barely past 3. I reckon we hold out a bit longer ta let our appetites work themselves up. Besides, yer gonna be eatin' for two now, Fluttershy."

While Fluttershy giggled cutely at that remark, I rose to my feet and began to make my way towards the door after slipping on a pair of soft sandals that Rarity had put together for me earlier that summer. "Sounds good to me. Until then, I'm gonna head out and take a walk to help pass the time."

However, Rarity then spoke up as I was reaching for the door. "Splendid idea, darling. We'll come along too!"

I glanced behind me and found all six of them starting to approach me with smiles on their faces. While I would have adored to have them in my company at any other time, this time was entirely different. And why were all of them insisting on coming with me? "Uh... Well, if this were any other time, I'd be all for it. But... I guess I just have a lot on my mind. I want some time alone to process everything. All right?"

"Awwww... You sure we can't come?" Pinkie Pie asked while the rest of them looked just as disappointed as her. And I mean very disappointed.

Something felt wrong here... "Girls... What's wrong? Why're you being this clingy right now?"

Neither of them said a word. They looked very...nervous and possibly even distraught. However, Twilight then managed to form a response. "We... We just really missed you these past few weeks."

I sighed while I felt myself smile. "Thanks, Twilight... Well, right now, I just need some time to myself. But in an hour, I'll start to make my way over to the café. We can catch up on lost time there. I promise."

That got a bit of a smile out of them, even though they still looked rather concerned. Finally, Fluttershy spoke with a somber tone. "All right, dear... Just... Take it easy. Don't push yourself too hard. You only just got out of the hospital."

"Will do, honey. I'll see you girls in at least an hour." I replied while starting to head out the door. After we all shared a friendly parting wave, I headed out the door, stretched my arms and flexed my back, and then headed south. A walk through the park would probably do me a lot of good.

I cannot describe how refreshing it felt to just be walking out there in the meadow between my home and Sweet Apple Acres. It felt like I had not walked out there in quite some time. With no socks over my feet, I felt the tickle of tall grass brushing against my feet and ankles. The air smelled fresh and clean while the sound of the grass being blown by the wind reached my ears. It almost felt magical.

Before long, I found myself passing through Applejack's vast apple orchard. While the faint scent of apples was usually prevalent in the area, I found most of the trees had already been shaken bare of any fruit. This made sense, seeing as how summer is nearing its end at this time of writing. Although I did find one tree nearby that was still loaded down with apples. While tempted to pick one since I was still fairly famished, I decided against it due to its small red form being that of a Jonathan apple, a type of apple I am not terribly fond of due to its exceptionally tough pulp, and because I did not want to stifle my appetite for dinner. So I continued on while hoping to not bump into anyone. I simply was not really in the mood to work my vocal chords.

Just as I cleared Sweet Apple Acres, I started to get the strange feeling that I was not entirely alone. On occasion while looking to my left or right, I would sometimes catch a tiny glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. But whenever I turned to glance at the source of the movement directly, it was already gone. At first, I thought nothing of it. But after the next ten times or so, I started to get suspicious.

For the next full minute, I did not look to my sides at all. With every two steps, I counted a single second. And once I finally counted to sixty, I spun around to see who was there. This time, I caught a brief glimpse of something ducking behind one of the apple trees at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. It was too brief for me to get a look at what color it was, but I was convinced I was being tailed.

I considered my options. I probably was not in danger, although my pursuer was probably not going to leave me alone. If I walked towards its location to confront it, it would likely escape from its hiding spot before I could get to it. Perhaps if I made it come to me instead?

A smirk crossed my lips. Yes, I could make it come to me. I turned around and continued on my way. But after thinking for a moment of how to draw out the person who was following me, I had an idea. First, I started to walk in a more unsteady manner, swaying and staggering at times. Then I started to clutch at my chest. I coughed before hunkering over and then dropping to my knees. I made loud gasping noises while I clutched at my chest as I bent over and held myself up with one hand. I was doing all I could to make myself look as if I was in dire need of medical assistance.

Sure enough, I heard the sound of galloping hooves rushing through tall grass coming my way. But just before whoever it was could reach me, I suddenly pushed myself up and turned before pointing right at it. "Ha! Gotcha that time!"

My pursuer came to a screeching halt just a few feet from me. And I was not entirely surprised by who it was. Pinkie Pie was seated on her hindquarters while looking both nervous and embarrassed that I had caught her while she rubbed the back of her mane. "Hehee... Wow, James. You got me good.. How'd you know I was there?"

"I think the better question is why are you following me. I made it clear that I needed some time alone, right?" I asked while turning around and staying on my knees with the grass cushioning me.

It was all too clear that Pinkie Pie was aware that she defied my wishes due to how nervous she was. She initially could not look me in the eye. Although after maybe ten seconds, she lifted her head and looked right at me. "I know... But... Well, I decided to follow you to make sure nothing bad happened. The girls thought it was a good idea too. You only just got outta the hospital, you know?"

My thoughts went back to the scar I found on the side of my waist. Curious, I lifted the left side of my shirt to expose it. "Does it have something to do with this?"

Pinkie's reaction was more severe than I expected. She let out a loud gasp and brought both hooves to her mouth as tears very quickly poured down her cheeks. The very sight of it clearly horrified her, even though it was fully healed. She did not speak, but I did hear a muffled whimper or two from her. Feeling more concerned than annoyed with her by then, I then asked, "Do you know what did this?"

Her terrified eyes glanced left and right briefly before she suddenly cried out in tears, "I can't tell you! I just can't! But that's why you were in the hospital! And I don't want to see you get hurt again!"

She just sat there, bowing her head in what appeared to be shame. She sniffled and whimpered while the tears fell. As for me... I felt awful seeing her cry like that. But I also felt touched that she was so dearly concerned for me that she would even keep a constant vigil watching me from the shadows to insure my safety. I crawled forward on my knees and gently held her in my arms while placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Bless you, Pinkie... I appreciate it."

Very slowly, I felt her stop whimpering in my grasp. She soon looked up at me before I felt her place her hoof on my side. "You're not angry...?"

"Not at all... I mean I still want some time to myself, but... I'm touched you would be this protective of me. Thanks, Pinkie..." I whispered quietly before I held her head against my chest. I adore that silly mare, no matter how vastly different we are from each other. I just cannot imagine my life without her.

Pinkie Pie soon tightly hugged me back while drying her tears on my shirt. For a minute, we just stayed right there without moving. It was not until I felt Pinkie Pie start to let go of me that I released her from my grasp. She was looking a bit more at ease with that small smile she was showing me. "Hey... Sorry if I bugged you. I just... Well... You know, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Especially with you. Can't help wanting to make sure your friends stay happy and safe, right? Because you're Pinkie Pie." I said while showing my friend a warm smile.

"Mmhm, that's me." She spoke while starting to climb to her feet. With a quick sweep of her arm, she dried her eyes. "Sorry... I must seem like the biggest worrywart right now... We'll see you at dinner, right?"

I nodded and also rose to my feet while stroking my friend's head. "Yeah, just give me an hour. And don't worry. I only just got outta the hospital and I'm in no hurry to go back. I'll be careful. Now you head on back and let the girls know I'm fine."

"Sure thing, James... Just take it easy, all right?" Pinkie Pie said with another somber smile. The two of us shared one last hug before I continued on my way. Although I soon looked over my shoulder after a minute or two of walking. When I did, I saw Pinkie Pie standing right where I left her. We shared a friendly wave before I turned and continued on. I am sure she did not leave that spot until I was completely out of sight.

I eventually arrived in the northwestern edge of the town park. And it was there that I found my ideal destination. The local pond. I know I have documented myself arriving at this secluded location multiple times, so you know how it goes. I take a seat at the middle of the stretch of land that juts out into it, I feed the fish, and then I relax beside the food sack Fluttershy leaves there. I am surprised no one has ever made off with that sack. The only times I have found it missing is during exceptionally windy days. I suppose Fluttershy's connections with Rainbow Dash gives her preemptive knowledge of upcoming weather patterns.

Having taken a good thirty minutes or so just getting there, and maybe several more from being distracted by Pinkie Pie, I still had around half an hour before I would need to start heading for the café. Even so, there was a lot on my mind I needed to process.

Naturally, the first thing that came to my mind was Fluttershy's pregnancy. I still can hardly fathom it. A pony and a human having successfully conceived a child together? I honestly thought it was impossible. And I could only imagine what our child would look like. Which side of the genes would be more dominant? Would it look more human than pony or the other way around? Will it be a filly or a colt?

So many questions flooded my mind. And as I leaned back and just relaxed on my backside while looking up at the clouds, the two most important questions entered my mind. Firstly, would I be a good father? And lastly, am I ready for it?

I am no stranger to children. I have been interacting with kids for the last year on a nearly daily basis. And I even feel like I am a child at heart in some ways. Although a ten year old filly is not at all like a toddler. Scootaloo has been living with Fluttershy and I for the past year, so I suppose that does kind of count as a type of pseudo parenthood. And I really do adore Scootaloo. Although it will take some time to get used to her calling me 'Dad'. Heh, I love that filly.

Of course, I am no stranger to babies either. Especially babies that came as a result of an accident. But this is not the spot to elaborate on it. Regardless, my eyes gazed lazily at the lovely blue sky while heavy white clouds drifted by at a snail's pace. Am I ready to be a real father? Ten months is a lot of time, but is it enough?

It was stressful, to say the least. Just thinking about it almost hurt. What changes would be needed? Would I be able to adapt? Ugh, even thinking about it now is stressing me out. But there was one thing I knew for certain. I was not willing to do this without her. Without Fluttershy.

I was lacking in the confidence needed to rear a child. But knowing Fluttershy... She would want me to be there too. She would not want to raise her child without the man who gave it to her. Fluttershy would indeed make a great mother. But me?

I began to walk laps around the pond. And funnily enough, the fish I fed were following me at the water's edge. The more I thought about this stressful subject, the more I felt like I was overthinking it. Bit by bit, I pushed the thought out of my mind. For the moment, I would take it as it comes. One day at a time. And besides, it was not something I should debate by myself. I would need to discuss it with Fluttershy.

I spent almost the entire time there pacing around while just thinking and talking to myself. Every once in a while I would gaze down at the scar that lined my waist while lifting my shirt. I was relieved that no one came over to the pond. I was in no mood to have my train of thought derailed. Just... While it did become less and less hideous the more I looked at it, it still baffled me. I could not remember anything past those first dozen steps or so I took into the hedge maze. What in the world gutted me like that? And why was Pinkie Pie so upset from just looking at it? Should I ask them at dinner?

Dinner... It was then that I remembered what I was supposed to be doing before long. Having no means to tell the time, I decided to play it safe and started walking back towards town. Once I was back on the park's path, I did pass several ponies who were enjoying their Sunday. But probably because I had not been seen in town for the last few weeks, they all gave me passing greetings while I returned the favor. We never really engaged in full conversation. Besides, there was somewhere I needed to be.

As I expected, quite a few of the locals said hello and such as I walked through town. As big as Ponyville is, I do not personally know too many of the people who live here. And most who knew me had already visited me while I was recovering in the hospital over the last few days.

Before I went too much farther, I happened to pass by one of the local jewelry stores. The one owned by the parents of Diamond Tiara. What was her mom's name again? Something with Ruby in it? Regardless, I paused in my tracks and eyed it. It had been quite some time since I last went in there. And if memory served... Was I promised half off on my next purchase?

I felt myself smile. There was something I needed to get. Now and not any other time. I do not know what happened over the last few weeks, but today... The time felt right. As for what I was intending to purchase... Well, I feel I should just write on to show instead of tell. Fortunately, I had my wallet in my pocket at the time.

After I concealed the item I purchased in my other pocket, I continued on to the café. Once it came into view, I stopped. While I could not see all of my friends, I did see Rainbow Dash seated at one of the larger tables. And the instant she looked my way, she waved at me to get my attention.

I hastened my pace and took a seat beside my brazen pegasus friend. "You beat us to the café, huh?"

"Yeah, but that's just because I wanted to make sure we got a table before things got busy. Although it looks like I didn't need to worry about that. Sundays are pretty slow for just about everypony." She replied while keeping a constant eye out for the rest of our friends. "But anyway... Feeling better? You sounded like you had a lot on your mind."

"I did, actually... I mean... I wake up from a coma and find out my girlfriend is carrying my kid. Not exactly something you can take in stride, you know?" I replied while pulling the table's centerpiece closer and sniffing the flowers that stood out of it.

Rainbow Dash let out a long sigh. "I getcha... Still, Fluttershy's pretty good with kids. I bet she's already looking forward to it." However, she then smirked and nudged me with her elbow. "And I know you're looking forward to the following months too. Can't wait until she starts showing, right?"

Knowing Rainbow's perverted side pretty well by now, I knew what she was hinting at and tried to blow her off. "Hey, this isn't the time for that!"

"Oh come on, James. I know you've got a thing for pregnant mares. And I saw that special issue of Playcolt you were looking through once in the store aisle." My friend said with a smirk while she flicked her tail at me.

That got me to snicker in amusement. "Oh god, you saw that?! Hey, knock it off. We didn't come here for this..."

"Yeah, I know. Just can't help pushing your buttons when it comes to your sex life!" Rainbow Dash said with a laugh while I merely rolled my eyes. That mare is such a perv sometimes. Although I still could not help briefly thinking of Fluttershy with... Uh... No, better not think about that now. We only just finished with some bedroom fun time and I do not want to wake her up for a second round of it.

We did not have to wait much longer for the rest of our friends to arrive. We soon saw all five of them approaching us from the west and waved at them to get their attention. I was not even sure if they were on time or a bit late. Applejack was the first to greet us. "Howdy, you two. Sorry if we kept ya waitin' a bit."

"No worries. Although I take it you girls sent Pinkie Pie after me?" I asked in return while starting to give them a smirk. Pinkie Pie nervously grinned while looking away and whistling as if to act like she had no idea what I was talking about.

"Uh... Well... Yeah. We just wanted to make sure somepony would be there for you if you ended up having any complications." Twilight replied while the other five of them seemed a bit embarrassed by the revelation.

I certainly did not mind. If anything, I found it funny that I tricked Pinkie Pie into blowing her cover. "It's OK, girls. But really, I'm feeling fine. Maybe a bit weak and tired, but I'm good."

One by one, they all took their seats around the table with Fluttershy sitting just to my left while Rainbow Dash was still on my right. It was then that Pinkie Pie flagged down the waiter and had him bring by seven glasses of water and menus. Rarity then spoke up while using magic to keep her menu open before her. "Well, I would say that I'm quite famished. Let's see what's on the specials tonight..."

I was in for quite a surprise with some of the specials. Teriyaki noodle stir-fry with tofu. I could already barely smell it from the kitchen. But while I looked for anything I would like for an appetizer, I happened to notice Fluttershy looking at me out of the corner of my eye. "Yes, honey?"

Fluttershy merely giggled in some minor amusement at the fact that I noticed her eyeing me. "Oh, nothing... I'm just glad to see us all together again."

"Mmhm! It just isn't the same unless we've got all seven of us! And you know what they say! Seven is a lucky number!" Pinkie Pie added while looking over her menu. I heard a light chuckle from all my friends while I just smiled. She was right. It felt very good indeed to finally be hanging out with them again. Although Pinkie Pie then asked, "Speaking of that... What's Spike doing, Twilight? I almost thought you'd bring him along."

"Oh, I did ask if he wanted to come, but he's having some sort of boys club event at the library with the colts this evening. I let him do it as long as they don't make a mess and are gone by the time I get back." Twilight retorted as I was left wondering what sort of secret club Spike could be in. Is he its leader or something?

To make the atmosphere even better, I could hear jazz music being played over an intercom system on the outside of the café somewhere. It really helped living up such an otherwise lazy Sunday. Once the waiter came back and took our orders, all my friends dissolved into friendly conversation. I merely listened in, absorbing the information. Rarity mentioned how she had received a custom order from one of the princesses themselves recently, Rainbow Dash revealed how she attempted to pull off that move she calls the 'Buccaneer Blaze' over the last couple of days only to completely fail, and Applejack mentioned how the price for apples had become a bit inflated due to a recent dry spell in Baltimare, wherever that is. Looks like she will be making an extra bundle on her apple sales this year. I felt no real need to interject and just took some enjoyment in listening to the six wonderful mares I had come to cherish.

After a short while, I finally decided that the time had come to reveal my little surprise for Fluttershy. I tapped my girlfriend on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Hey, honey? I got you a little something on my way over here."

Her beautiful cyan eyes lit up while she also seemed to blush in modesty. "For me?! Oh, dear... You didn't have to."

"Oh, I think I did. It's something extra special." I said with a bit of a smirk. My words appeared to be getting our friends' attentions since they had all stopped talking and were beginning to look our way.

"Ooh, a surprise gift? What is it?" Twilight asked with intense interest. One by one, our friends leaned closer towards us for a better look.

"You'll see in a minute. But first, close your eyes, honey." I said while starting to reach into my pocket. I was getting unbearably nervous and had to make this count.

Fluttershy giggled a bit loudly in excitement while she closed her eyes as she also turned her head away from me. "OK... I wonder what it is. Maybe some butterfly clip-on earrings? Or a rose hairpin?"

"You'll see..." I said softly while then looking at our friends. "You too, girls. I don't want you ruining the surprise."

"Oki doki loki!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she nodded and placed her hooves over her eyes. One by one, the rest of our friends followed suit with Applejack even pulling the brim of her hat down to obstruct her view.

"Now then..." I muttered while pulling my hand out of my pocket. As excited as I was, I was also more nervous than I could ever recall. My heart was pounding and my skin was crawling with sweat. What I was about to say was going to be one of the hardest questions to ask in my life.

I gently took Fluttershy's right hoof in my hand and flexed her wrist down before sliding my gift to her over it until it rested upon her wrist. Or ankle, depending on how you look at it. I heard her giggle in excitement while feeling the metal band on her arm. With a deep sigh to calm myself a bit more, I spoke out. "OK, you all can look."

All six of my friends opened their eyes and looked on. Fluttershy was the first to look down at it. A simple golden bracelet. She blushed and smiled warmly before looking me in the eye. "Oh, James... It's lovely. Thank you..."

She clearly did not understand at first what it really was, but Rarity did. She suddenly gasped while leaning forward to get a better look. "Wait a moment, darling... James... Is that a...?"

I smirked in silence while I started to find myself having some fun in letting them guess. Fluttershy seemed puzzled by her friend's input and took a closer look at the jewelry on her wrist while I still held her hoof in my hand. And it was then that she looked at me with a gaze of shock. "James... Is this what I think it is?"

I nodded. And I then asked while all of our friends looked on. "Fluttershy... I've been giving this some thought and felt this would be the best time to ask... Will you marry me?"

My friends all gasped in shock while some of them even held their hooves to their mouths. But Pinkie Pie... She proceeded to try to take a drink from her glass of water only to find that it was empty. She then rushed around the table while checking all of ours. We had all drank them dry. She then rushed over to another table that was in use and asked, "Excuse me. May I borrow your water for a second?"

I do not know who it was, but the patron gave Pinkie a glass of water. "Thanks!" She then rushed back over to us, gulped it all down, but then turned and sprayed it right into Rainbow Dash's face!

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash yelped before turning and glaring at our shocked friend while her mane was completely soaked. I could not help laughing at this and almost dropped Fluttershy's hoof.

"What?! This situation called for a spit-take!" Pinkie exclaimed while lifting her hooves near her shoulders' height. Rainbow merely growled in annoyance, but then quickly looked back at Fluttershy and I.

It was then that I noticed Fluttershy did not move or even make the slightest sound. For sixty seconds... Yes, I counted. Sixty seconds went by without her showing any kind of a response. She merely looked down at her band with her face frozen in utter disbelief. I started to feel like I had made a mistake. However, I soon saw tears beginning to form at the edges of her eyelids. She began to tremble, her face starting to scrunch up as if she was about to burst into tears. And that is exactly what she did. With a muffled sob, she suddenly hopped forward and fell into my arms while she half sobbed, half wailed, "Yehehehess!!!!"

I threw my arms around her while feeling such relief filling me. One of the hardest things I had ever done and it turned out just as well as I had hoped. Fluttershy held onto me very tightly while continuously sobbing into my shirt, our friends looking on with concerned smiles as they began to applaud in unison.

"Yes... Yes, I will..." I heard her whisper while she trembled in my arms. I held her tightly, feeling like I wanted to laugh from just how happy I was feeling. I could not speak. I could only smile and lean my head against hers.

It was then that I heard Pinkie Pie gasp. "Hey! You know what this calls for?"

"Well, duh! A party, right?" Rainbow Dash snidely replied while showing a smirk.

"That was my line! You weren't supposed to say anything!" Pinkie Pie then groaned before pouting and looking away. The rest of our friends just laughed in unison while Fluttershy merely giggled lightly as she began to pull away from me and dry her tears. At least Pinkie helped the situation lighten up a bit.

"To be fair, it may be too soon to throw a party for this one, Pinkie Pie. Although..." For whatever reason, Rarity got a rather devious gleam in her eye as she began to grin. "I think the proper term would be 'bachelor party' in this case. And it's far too soon for it now! The two lovebirds need to plan the wedding first!"

"I don't think you've ever set up that kind of party before, Pinkie. You might want to research it first to make sure you know what you're doing." Twilight added before she glanced over at the café to see the waiter emerging from it with an ice bucket on his back that was holding a bottle of sparkling cider we had ordered. While I would have preferred some sweet sparkling wine, that was out of the question while Fluttershy is pregnant.

Pinkie Pie rubbed her hoof against her chin. "Hmmm... Yeah, this'll be something new for me! I better swing by your place tomorrow to look up bachelor party tips, Twilight. But... Um... Come to think of it, don't bachelor parties involve... What are they called? Strippers?"

I can only imagine the look on my and Fluttershy's faces upon hearing that word. Applejack spoke up first and practically yelled, "Whoa, Pinkie! Let's not go there! That ain't even James' sorta thing anyway, right?"

"Nope! I'd be too nervous to even enjoy myself." I said with a chuckle while Fluttershy held her own face in her wing while trying to not laugh.

Rainbow Dash then leaned towards me and rested against my shoulder. "You bet he'd be nervous. He's way too shy and modest for that stuff! Besides, he's the kinda guy who'd prefer to get to know a mare before sneaking away into her bedroom with her for a little fun. Right?"

I tried to suppress a chuckle as the waiter left our drink in the center of the table, but I ultimately failed. "Yep, you girls know me well."

I do not think a whole lot of what happened next is really worth mentioning. It was just such a nice dinner with all my dearest friends while engaging in pleasant conversation. It was mundane and none of the conversations that occurred are really worth mentioning, and the food was stellar as usual, but I enjoyed myself thoroughly. It is always a good time when the seven of us are together. At the end, we all shared a big group hug before we decided to go home to relax for the rest of the evening.

There was a noticeably different feel in the air as I walked home with Fluttershy beside me. Maybe because I was all too aware at that time that it was not just the two of us anymore. There was a third person with us. And we were no longer just lovers. In time, we would become husband and wife. She must have had just as much on her mind as I did since she barely said a thing during the walk home. It was not until we got home near 7 PM that she finally broke the silence. "Phew... What a long day..."

"Mmhm... Man, feels like it's been forever since I was last on my feet. I'm beat." I said before letting out a yawn and just slouching over the sofa at the back of the living room. Indeed, I was just dead tired.

While I gazed up at the ceiling, Fluttershy pulled herself up halfway onto the sofa and looked down at me with a smile. "I missed you."

I chuckled briefly before lifting my head and placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Missed you too, honey."

Fluttershy then climbed onto me and just relaxed atop me while my hand stroked down her back. But as relaxing as it was to be back together, there was still a silent tension in the air. And in a few minutes, Fluttershy brought it to my attention. "James... I still can't believe it..."

"I know, honey... I still can't believe you... With my baby... Do you think I'll be a good dad?" I asked in return without even really looking at her. My gaze was directed towards the ceiling, but I was not really looking at anything in particular at all.

I felt Fluttershy place a kiss on my chin before I heard her softly speak. "I know you'll be a good daddy, honey. Scootaloo loves having you as her dad already and you're really good with kids."

"Thanks... But...do you think we're ready?" I once again asked without even looking at my lover.

This time, Fluttershy hesitated before she spoke. "I...don't know... I mean I hope we are... I don't want to raise this child without you, James..."

"Likewise, Fluttershy... But...I just hope we'll be ready when it comes. I already have seen what it's like to be stuck with a kid you're not ready for." I said quietly while also taking the time to let out a sigh.

These words seemed to really catch my lover's attention since she pulled herself up and looked right down at me with a curious gaze. "You... Wait. You mean you've had a baby before?"

That actually got a snicker out of me. "No, no! God, no. It's about my brother, not me. I told you about him, right?"

"Oh, your little brother? I remember him. What about him?" Fluttershy replied while looking less bothered. I hope I did not freak her out too much right there.

I took a long deep breath while I began to recall relatively recent memories. Although I was uncertain about how much detail to go into. "I'll keep it short. My little brother has never been the kind of guy to think things through before acting. As my own mom put it, the guy is smart, but has no common sense. At one point not terribly long ago while traveling abroad, he got his girlfriend pregnant all because he was too cheap or absentminded to use birth control. And she was not even past her teens at the time. Despite being nowhere near ready to be a parent, they kept the baby and brought it home to me and the rest of our family. Needless to say, it was hard on all of us. Especially our parents."

I could tell Fluttershy was curious about the further details, but refrained from asking. "Oh my... And you were dragged into that too?"

"Yeah..." I said with a sigh while my hand stroked her backside. "I don't want to make the same mistake he did. I don't want to burden my friends with my problems."

I lifted my head and looked at Fluttershy before placing my hand on her hoof. What I was about to tell her was not going to be easy for me to say. "Honey... We need to promise each other this. If we are not ready by the time the baby comes..."

No good. Try as I might, I could not bring myself to finish the sentence. It was just too difficult to say. But Fluttershy knew what I was implying and rested her head against my chest. "I know, James... And I think you have a point. I don't want to give my child a hard life by just not being ready for it..."

"Yeah... But at least we have a long time to go. We'll just have to try to get ready before then, right?" I asked in return while knowing giving the child up for adoption was not our only option. Time is on our side, thankfully.

I could feel Fluttershy's cheeks move, signaling that she was smiling. "Mmhm... We have more than ten months to go... But wait!" She then lifted her head and looked at me with a rather alarmed expression. "What will we tell Scootaloo?"

I had all but forgotten about her at that moment. What would she do upon finding out that we were going to have a baby just after I officially became her adoptive father? "Scoot... Oh man, what will she do? I mean I only just now became her dad... You don't think she'll get jealous, do you? Because I know I was when my folks had my little brother a long time ago... As much as I don't like to admit it."

"Oh my, she just might... But...maybe she'll be excited to have a little sister. She never had a family until you came along. Maybe she'll just become excited instead?" Fluttershy suggested while she glanced over at Scootaloo's room nearby. She certainly had a point. Scootaloo just might jump at the news that she is going to be a big sister. But still, there is the possibility of her seeing our child as being a big distraction away from her. She would not want our attention to be taken away from her. But even moreso... How would we tell her that we would have to give the child up for adoption? If she wanted to have a little sibling and we would have to give it up, I would not want her to think that it is her fault that we cannot handle two kids if it came to that. It is just...so complicated.

Finally, I just decided to caress my lover's cheek. "Let's wait until we've got a better idea of what we're gonna do before we break the news to her. Maybe a week or two. I don't want to get her hopes up for nothing."

Fluttershy nodded with a tiny smile on her lips and kissed my nose softly. "Good idea. Let's just take it day by day for a little while."

The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful, although Scootaloo did not get home until around 8. I was still feeling quite tired, so Fluttershy cooked her dinner. And... Scootaloo was just so happy to have me put her to bed and give her a kiss goodnight. I still remember her last words. Goodnight, Dad. Just makes me smile thinking about it.

Fluttershy seemed unusually clingy tonight. Once we were in the bathroom washing up for the night... Well, she just could not contain herself. She must have been pretty pent up the last few weeks without me. Not that I did not enjoy it. And knowing that the mare I was making love to was carrying my child... It only added to a wonderful sense of pride in my heart. Made the whole experience...even more fulfilling.

It has actually been a struggle to keep writing this tonight. I am just so amazingly tired. Both physically and mentally. I just need to try to get my mind off of this most recent development for the night and try to relax. I only just got out of the hospital, darn it! I do not need more drama right now.

But more than anything, I keep noticing that scar on my side since I always sleep shirtless. Just... Fluttershy looked just as horrified as Pinkie Pie was when she saw it tonight. Why? I mean it would make sense if she showed that kind of expression upon seeing the injury itself, but just the scar?

What happened to me? Will I ever find out? Well, by this point, I really do not care. Right now, I just want to sleep. And that is exactly what I am going to do. Good night. And hopefully I will start feeling more like myself again very soon.