Chapter 12

Despair.

A great, sinking feeling of despair was all Applejack felt course through her as she watched Rainbow Dash's unconcious body on a gurney being rolled back into the ER of Ponyville General. She had been held back from walking alongside the gurney by Nurse Redheart, who tried as hard as she possibly could to assure Applejack that everything was going to be okay. Applejack never listened to a single word the nurse said. Dried tears streaked her face as the mare fruitlessly attempted to calm her down.

Applejack finally stepped back and attemped to wrap her head around what had just happened. Just under an hour earlier, she was at Swingin' Manes with Rainbow, having what was quite possibly the best time of her life. The attack seemed to come out of nowhere...so random, so unwarranted. The only reason she had been standing there, attempting to get back into the ER with Rainbow Dash was because Rainbow had acted so quickly and saved her from heinous injury or certain death, with only Applejack's safety in mind.

"Miss Applejack. Are you alright?" The farm mare finally registered the nurse say to her. She looked at Redheart, exhausted and stricken with a myriad of awful, fearful emotions. "You look pretty banged up." Applejack slowly looked over herself, finally seeing just how awful she really did look.

Dried blood caked her sides, and scrapes ungracefully appeared on her legs and body. The sight of Rainbow's blood, brought fresh tears to her eyes as she looked at the nurse.

"Ah...Ah..." Applejack struggled to speak. Her legs trembled beneath her as the pure shock from what had just happened took precedence within her. The tears broke free of their prison and ran down Applejack's cheek once more as she let out a choked up sob as she moved her head down. Nurse Redheart frowned and turned to the mare behind the desk, still slightly in shock at what had happened.

"Applejack..." Nurse Redheart said. "We've dispatched a messenger to your home to retrieve your family. Is there anypony else that you would like to have here?" Applejack's legs continued to tremble as she slowly nodded and looked up at Redheart.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle...Pinkie Pie...Rarity...Fluttershy..." Applejack said, her voice catching in her throat as she sniffled. "Bring them here." Nurse Redheart nodded slowly and looked to the mare behind the counter. She nodded and proceeded to call a messenger to the lobby for his orders. Nurse Redheart put a front leg around Applejack and began to lead her away from the lobby, where janitors were currently cleaning up droplets of Rainbow Dash's blood.

"Okay, Applejack...your friends and family will be here soon." Nurse Redheart said in a calm, reassuring voice. "Let's get you cleaned up." Applejack said nothing as they walked through the white, intimidating hallway to the washrooms, where the showers were located. The kind, gentle nurse led Applejack to one of the shower stalls and put a towel on the counter for her.

"Here's some soap and shampoo for you." Nurse Redheart said, reaching into the sink cabinets. "Do you need help?" Applejack, who had at least regained partial control of herself at this point sniffled as she shook her head.

"No ma'am." The farm mare said, removing her stetson hat and hair ties. "A-Ah can do it. Thank you." The nurse nodded and smiled sweetly at Applejack.

"I'll be right outside if you need me." She said. Applejack nodded. The earth pony turned on the shower and stepped inside, feeling the warm water coursing down her body. It was a small solace in the deep torrential abyss of fear and worry she felt. She slowly used the rag provided for her to lather up her body with the soap, effectively cleaning the blood, before rinsing it away. She slowly washed her mane and tail and let the warm water run down her face. Applejack suddenly recalled a previous moment she had shared with Rainbow, and what had taken place afterwards. Applejack's legs began to shake beneath her again as she braced herself on the wall. She felt breathless, weak, helpless. Her mind went foggy as she began to sway in the shower, despair completely took the place of worry as she quickly turned off the shower and got out. She dried off and after replacing her hat and hair ties, she walked out of the bathroom to find Nurse Redheart, true to her word, waiting for her.

"We need to get those scrapes bandaged up." Nurse Redheart said, removing some bandages and antibiotic cream from the lower cabinets of the bathroom. "Here. Let me. Hop up on the counter for a minute." Applejack nodded and sat on the counter, letting the nurse apply the ointment before covering her superficial wounds with bandages.

"There we go! All set. Ready to go to the waiting room, Applejack? Your family is already here for you." She said with a smile. Applejack nodded and walked with Nurse Redheart to find her family sitting in the waiting room for her. Big Macintosh, Granny Smith and Applebloom all laid their eyes upon her and immediately jumped up to embrace her, Granny Smith being helped by Big Mac. The family said nothing until they all disconnected from the hug.

"Is...Is she..." Applebloom said through tears. "Is she gonna be okay?" Applejack looked down at her little sister and could not hold back a fresh wave of her own tears from falling. The farm mare hopelessly shrugged.

"Ah don't know, AB." She said with a sob. "Ah don't know."

"Rainbow's a tough mare." Granny Smith said. "She'll pull through, and don't you think otherwise."

"Eeeyup." Big Mac interjected. Applejack wiped her eyes and smiled at her family.

"Thank y'all." She said as she sat down next to her familiy. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Spike were the first to arrive, being caught awake in the middle of their nightly duties by the messenger. Pinkie Pie cried, wiping her eyes and sobbing. Spike hugged Applebloom comfortingly.

"You alright?" He asked her. The filly nodded.

"Ah'm just scared..." Applebloom responded.

"What happened?" Twilight asked Applejack.

"We need to wait for the others, first." Applejack said. "I'll explain when we're all here." As she said this, Nurse Sweetheart entered the room and regarded everypony.

"Miss Applejack." She said. "We need you to come and make a report for hospital records, when you're ready."

"Alright." Applejack said. The nurse, looking worried, frowned at Applejack and opened her mouth for a moment before speaking in reply.

"You don't have to do it now if you don't want to." She said. Applejack shook her head and began to walk toward the nurse pony.

"No, Ah can do it." Applejack said as she turned to Twilight. "Tell the others where Ah've gone when they get here. Ah'll be back soon." The young princess nodded as Applejack left the room and followed the nurse into a room with a desk and a chair across from the desk for Applejack to sit in. Nurse Sweetheart regarded Applejack with sympathy.

"I just need you to give me the name of the patient." She said.

"Rainbow Dash." Applejack said. The nurse nodded as she scribbled on the hospital form.

"Now, I need you to tell me what the cause of injury was." Nurse Sweetheart said.

"Timber Wolf attack." Applejack responded. The nurse frowned as she copied the information down on the form.

"And any close family she has..." The nurse said.

"She never knew her parents, and she doesn't really know any members of her extended family." Applejack said. "Ah'm the closest thing she's got." The nurse looked at her.

"And you are..." The nurse said.

"Her partner." Applejack said. The nurse nodded as she wrote down the information. Applejack was mildly suprised that the nurse showed no sign of disbelief or uneasyness. After sliding the paper into a file, the nurse looked at Applejack.

"You must care for her very much." She said with a small smile.

"Most definitely." Applejack confirmed with a small nod. "She actually saved my life. The timber wolf jumped on me first. She bucked it off. If it wasn't for her, Ah probably wouldn't be here now." Nurse Sweetheart nodded as she closed the file into the small cabinet behind the desk after writing down the rest of the official information. The nurse looked at Applejack and smiled once more.

"If you ask me, that was an extremely brave thing she did. You're lucky to have her." The nurse said. Applejack nodded and smiled back at her as they stood and exited the room, heading for the waiting room. Upon her return, Applejack layed her eyes upon Fluttershy and Rarity, who had arrived while she was away. Fluttershy still was crying, and Rarity's mane was out of order and disheveled. The two mares approached Applejack and wrapped her in a hug.

"W-what h-happened?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes red and filled with tears. Rarity sniffled and nodded.

"All they told us was that Rainbow Dash was badly injured and that it was an emergency." Rarity said. Applejack looked at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who had seemingly tagged along with Rarity. The white unicorn noticed this and turned back to Applejack. "Scootaloo was actually spending the night with Sweetie Belle when the messenger arrived." Applejack nodded and sighed.

"Ah suppose Ah oughta tell all of you now." Applejack said. "Rainbow and Ah had gone to Swingin' Manes for a good time...ya know...dancin', and alla that. After it was all over, we were on the way back to the farm and passin' the Everfree Forest. Out of nowhere, a Timber Wolf jumped on me. Neither of us could have ever suspected it...but Rainbow acted so quickly. She bucked it off of me, tackled it and flew into the Everfree with it fightin' with it. Ah followed the trail and found the two of 'em in the woods. Rainbow had defeated the Timber Wolf...but it fought back, apparently. She was cut up really bad and Ah think her leg's broken...She was losin' so much blood..." Applejack's voice caught in her throat as more tears began to fall down her cheeks. Big Macintosh walked up to her and put a front leg around her.

"Shh...it's okay, sis." Big Mac said soothingly. Everypony in the room was crying, most notably Scootaloo, who had buried her face in Sweetie Belle's shoulder.

"She was bleedin' so much...she was in so much pain, but she took it so well. She took it so well... Ah was doubtin' myself, saying that Ah couldn't go on, but she told me Ah could. It was like even when she was in the state she was in, she had no fear." Applejack said before realizing she was going into a small rant. She sniffled and looked at Everypony in the room. "Excuse me. Ah'm gettin' ahead of myself." The farm mare went and sat down next to Big Macintosh as he rubbed her shoulders.

They waited. Everyone in the room waited for what seemed like an eternity. To state that time passed by at a snail's pace was a complete and unmistakable understatement. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had all fallen asleep together. Twilight, adjusting her wings slightly, moved in her seat as she seemed to be in deep thought. She looked down at Spike, who seemed to be repeatedly nodding off.

"Spike...you should go to sleep too. It's okay." Twilight said. Spike brightened up for a moment before hunching back down.

"It's okay, Twilight...I'm alright." He mumbled, his eyes opening and closing slower with every passing second. Twilight contented herself with the knowledge that the baby dragon would fall asleep involuntarily eventually. Pinkie Pie sat in her chair, her mane straight, continuing to cry as Rarity put a front leg around her shoulders.

"It's alright, Pinkie Pie." Rarity said through residual tears. "I'm sure Rainbow will be alright. She's always been a fighter. We all know that." Pinkie Pie nodded.

"I know, I know." Pinkie Pie said dejectedly. "But I can't help it. I keep thinking about what it would be like if she...she...sh.." Pinkie Pie could speak no more as she buried her face in Rarity's shoulder. As Rarity held onto the crying Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy had seemingly shut down where she sat. She didn't seem to react to any stimuli or situation around her. She simply stared forward, a look of fear in her eyes. Every so often, she'd shiver slightly indicating she was still aware of the events taking place around her.

Twilight stood up and walked over to Applejack before sitting in front of the farm mare. Applejack looked at her, tired and beaten down by her emotions. Twilight frowed at Applejack as she placed a hoof on the farm mare's shoulder.

"Applejack..." Twilight said. "I would like to tell you something." Applejack nodded as she looked at Twilight. The alicorn princess sighed before beginning.

"Regarding the Timber Wolf...I would like to tell you that you were most likely attacked by it not out of predatory instinct or spite, but rather out of desperation. Whenever a Timber Wolf is alone...it, in all proabability, has been ostracized from it's pack. This Timber Wolf was an outcast and it was probably starving. This usually makes the Timber Wolf venture into unfamiliar territory in search of food." She said. Applejack slowly blinked at her and frowned.

"Thanks for the info, Twi, but how is that supposed to help?" Applejack asked her. Twilight, mildly hurt, looked down for a moment.

"I just wanted to tell you that what happened was not through either you or Rainbow's fault. It wasn't anything either of you did. It was just bad luck." The princess said. Applejack, not in the mood to talk anymore nodded slowly. Twilight frowned before walking back to her seat. Time passed by for what seemed like hours. Pinkie Pie had cried herself to sleep, along with Fluttershy who slept soundly in her seat, leaning back. Suddenly, the door to the waiting room opened as a unicorn doctor walked in levitating a clipboard with his magic.

"May I see a Miss..." He scanned the clipboard, looking for the appropriate name to announce. "Applejack outside for a moment?" Applejack's stomach lurched as she jerked out of her seat, and looked back at everypony in the room. The doctor had woken up all who were sleeping. Turning back around, Applejack followed the doctor outside the waiting room.

"How is she, doctor?" Applejack asked him as he scanned his clipboard for a moment before looking at her.

"Well, let me just say first that I am extremely impressed with Miss Rainbow Dash." He said. "Not everypony would take on a timber wolf in a fight like that. That was very brave of her." Applejack nodded before reaffirming her previous question.

"How is she?"

"Oh, my apologies. She's stable for now..." Applejack sighed with complete and utter relief. "We closed up all the lacerations. Her wings are remarkably unharmed, save for a few minor scratches, but the radius in her front right leg is fractured, so we went ahead and put that in a cast. She's lost a very large amount of blood. She had actually almost bled to death by the time we were able to perform a blood transfusion. Just how well her body will take it is difficult to say at this point."

"So, she'll recover?" Applejack asked the doctor, a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"Well, I can't say for certain. It all depends on how her body adjusts to the transfusion. She was without a stable blood supply for so long, her body...acclimated to it. That's not to say that there's no hope. At this point, I'd say it could go either way." The doctor said.

"So...basically what you're tellin' me is that she has a fifty-fifty chance to survive?" Applejack asked the doctor. He nodded.

"Yes ma'am, by my estimation." The doctor said. "She's actually awake. She's been asking to see you." Applejack's eyes lit up.

"Could Ah see her?" Applejack asked.

"I'm not sure that's the right thing to do...she's very weak." He said, sympathetically raising his eyebrows. Applejack looked down, not feeling up at causing a confrontation over the subject. "But...under the current circumstances...I think I could make an exception." Applejack nodded with a grateful smile on her face.

"Thank you so much, Doctor..." She said.

"Pulse. Life Pulse. But please, for her sake...keep it brief. She needs her rest." He said. Applejack nodded. "Room 249. Take a right, walk down the hall and it'll be near the end on your left." Applejack took off in a quick trot toward the door, followed by the doctor. Nurse Coldheart, who was walking away from the room, attempted to stop the farm mare.

"Let her pass, nurse." Doctor Pulse said. The nurse nodded as Applejack continued to the room. Ever so gingerly, Applejack nudged the door open and walked inside. What she saw nearly made her break down where she stood. Rainbow Dash layed back in the bed, a cast encasing her front right leg. Her face was covered in cuts and bruises. Her wings were folded neatly at her sides over the massive, bandage that covered her bodily lacerations like some ridiculous anatomical oxymoron. Rainbow, who was currently doped up on anesthetic, brightened up as much as the pain-numbing drug allowed her to. Applejack silently sobbed to herself.

"Applejack." She said, smiling brightly, her voice weak and raspy.

"Hey, darlin'." Applejack said, walking across the room to her marefriend. "How are ya?"

"Oh...I'm...fine..." Rainbow said. "I don't need these...stupid bandages." Applejack stroked her mane. Even drugged, Rainbow Dash layed her ears back. "Are...you okay?" The pegasus asked, her words slurring as if she was drunk.

"Look at you, askin' if Ah'm okay." Applejack said. Rainbow lazily smiled.

"I know I'll be fine." Rainbow said before looking around the room. "Goddesses, I hate hospitals." Applejack nodded.

"Ya gotta be here right now, sugarcube." Applejack said. "But we'll be leavin' soon, don't worry."

"Yeah..." Rainbow said, her eyes beginning to droop sleepily. "I'm...tired..." Applejack wiped her eyes.

"Then go to sleep, Dash." Applejack said. Rainbow looked at her momentarily.

"Stay..." Rainbow said. "With me."

"Ah can't sugarcube...ya need your rest." Applejack responded.

"Please..." Rainbow said before falling completely asleep. Tears flowed down Appleajck's cheeks as she sniffled, stroking Rainbow Dash's mane once more. Applejack leaned over Rainbow and placed a small kiss on her forehead. Applejack sobbed silently as she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Rainbow Dash to slumber.

"What did he say?" Granny Smith said. "You were out there an awful long time." Applejack stopped for a moment and considered the many possibilities of what to say. To describe the delicate situation to her friends and family was a very slippery slope to be certain. Passions were high and malleable as molten steel. She could have told the truth, and sent many of her friends into a state of intense worry.

Or, she could have said something else.

"They got her gashes closed, and her front leg cast, because it's fractured. They had to do a blood transfusion, because of the blood loss, but the doctor said she has a good chance and that she'll proably be fine." Big Macintosh and Granny Smith smiled widely and nodded.

"Ah told ya, sweetie." Granny Smith said, winking at her. Applejack put on a fake-feeling smile.

'Fifty percent is a good chance...isn't it?' Applejack thought.

"Oh, that's a relief." Twilight said, Spike hugging her neck as a state of relaxation fell over the room. Pinkie Pie, who had been woken up by the doctor, shook her head momentarily, her mane popping back up into the curly, adorable mess everypony was used to. Rarity smiled wider than she had in a while and nodded. Scootaloo threw a hoof in the air and jumped over her friends, her small wings fluttering, and landed in front of them, making them giggle.

"YES! I knew that stupid Timber Wolf couldn't beat Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo boasted for her idol. Fluttershy shed tears of joy, each tear sending pangs of premature guilt shooting through Applejack. Nurse Redheart stepped into the waiting room and regarded the different celebrating ponies. Applejack quickly walked to her and whispered in her ear.

"Ah'm uh...tryin' to keep their spirits up." Applejack said. Nurse Redheart, getting the situation immediately, nodded at Applejack.

"How is everypony doing?" Nurse Redheart asked the group. She recieved various versions of "Better." from all the ponies, Pinkie Pie's version going on about three times longer than everypony else's. "Well, that's wonderful." Applejack looked up at the clock, and silently gasped at herself at seeing how it was 4:45 in the morning. Applejack looked around at all of her noticeably tired friends.

"Alright, everyone." Applejack said. "It's almost five in the morning. Y'all should go home and get some rest." All of her friends reacted with suprise.

"Has it truly been that long?" Rarity said, astounded. "My word, that seems impossible!"

"Indeed." Twilight said. "Spike has been nodding off for the past three hours. I'd better take him back home. Come on, Pinkie."

"No I haven't!" Spike argued as they walked over to Applejack.

"Rainbow is strong. She'll be back to normal in no time." Twilight said with a genuine smile before hugging Applejack. Pinkie Pie joined in the hug before the three left the room. Rarity stood as well.

"Alright...now that we know Rainbow Dash will recover, I simply must catch up on my beauty sleep." Rarity said before wrapping Applejack in a tight hug. "Everything worked out, dear. I'm happy for you. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, come along." Applebloom's friends stood before the farm filly stood as well and looked up at Granny Smith.

"Can Ah go with 'em?" Applebloom asked. "Pleeease?" Granny Smith raised an eyebrow before smiling.

"Aw, what the heck!" Granny said. "Ah don't mind it. But y'all get to sleep as soon as ya get there. There'll be plenty of time for playin' tomorrow...or uh...later on today..." Granny Smith trailed off slightly as Applebloom nodded.

"Thanks, Granny!" Applebloom said before running in the direction of her friends.

"That is..." Granny Smith said, making Applebloom stop in her tracks and look back at her. "If your sister's okay with it." Applebloom looked at her sister and widened her eyes seemingly to the size of dinner plates.

"Pleeeease?" She begged. Applejack smiled at her little sister and nodded. Applebloom happily followed her friends out the door.

"All of you listen to Granny Smith. Go to sleep when we get to the boutique." Rarity said, a slight stern tone lacing her words. "I don't want to wake up to the disasterous results of 'Cutie Mark Crusaders dress makers.' or something of that sort..." Granny Smith, who looked on after them, looked back at Applejack and smiled at her.

"It must've been quite a shock ya've gone through tonight." Granny Smith said. "That kinda stuff doesn't usually happen." Applejack nodded and sighed.

"Ah'm just happy that everything's gonna be okay..." Applejack said, smiling at her grandmother.

"What a fighter Rainbow is, eh?" Granny Smith said. "You should be proud."

"Ah couldn't be prouder if Ah tried." Applejack said. "Y'all gonna head home or stay here?"

"Ah'm thinkin' we'll head back to the house for now. This chair ain't doin' nothin' good for my back." Granny Smith said before hopping up. "Besides, Ah need one of you to help me home, and Ah don't think you're gonna want to be leavin' Rainbow." Applejack shook her head.

"No ma'am. Ah'm gonna stay right here." Applejack said.

"Applejack." Big Macintosh said. "Ah just wanted to tell ya that Ah'm proud of how ya handled this. You're stickin' it out for Miss Rainbow, and Ah wouldn't expect any less from you." Granny Smith and Big Macintosh hugged Applejack, making the farm mare feel temporarily soothed.

"Thanks...Love y'all. Be safe on the way home." Applejack said. Granny Smith smiled back at her.

"We will." The old mare said. "Give Rainbow our love when ya see her. We'll be back to visit very soon." Applejack's smile faded to a frown as she sat down in a seat, a dejected look on her face. Applejack buried her face in her front hooves as Nurse Redheart sat down next to her.

"I don't mean to pry...really, I don't." Nurse Redheart said. "But...why did you sugarcoat it to them like that?" Applejack looked at the Nurse, her eyes half-lidded in exhaustion.

"If Ah told them the truth...If they actually knew the real chances... Well, they might lose hope. And Ah know everyone says that...but it holds so much truth, it can't help but be repeated. Hope is such a dangerous thing to lose, and Ah just didn't want 'em to be heartbroken." Applejack said.

"But Rainbow still has a decent chance to make it." Nurse Redheart said.

"The chance is also just as decent that she won't." Applejack said. "And it's always best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best in these situations." Nurse Redheart nodded.

"I can definitely see where you're coming from." Nurse Redheart said before standing up. "Are you sure you'll be alright here? Maybe you should go home and rest and come back tomorrow."

"Ah'm not leavin' her!" Applejack said a little louder than she had planned, making the nurse step back slightly. Applejack brought a hoof to her forehead. "Ah'm sorry...Ah'm just...so tired. But with all due respect, Nurse Redheart...Ah'm not leavin' her." Nurse Redheart nodded.

"It's alright...I understand." She said. "If you ask me...I know she'll make it....I'll be back in a moment." Nurse Redheart stepped out of the room leaving Applejack alone. The farm mare then sat in that suddenly uncomfortable chair in the waiting room, solitary and filled with worry and fear. Before long, Nurse Redheart returned with a pillow and a blanket.

"I was able to snag these for you." She said. "That chair may not be very comfy, but these will help." Applejack smiled and nodded appreciatively at Nurse Redheart.

"Thank you, nurse. Ah appreciate that." Nurse Redheart nodded and smiled, handing the blanket and pillow to Applejack before leaving the room, most likely to perform her other duties. Applejack removed her stetson and placed it in the chair next to her, resting her head back on the pillow and covering up with the blanket. They were a generous and thoughtful gesture by Nurse Redheart to be certain, but compared to Applejack's current situation, they were mere trifles that helped only slightly.

Applejack wished that she could cry it out, just to sob, bawl and heave until the sorrow went away...but she had cried as much as she possibly could all throughout the night, and the sorrow did not leave her being. No longer able to shed tears, Applejack merely repositioned in her chair and got as comfortable as she possibly could. Her sheer physical and emotional exhaustion helped tremendously in pushing her closer and closer to sleep.

But, in a sense, Applejack didn't want to sleep, for she feared with every fiber of her being what she may have discovered when she would wake up.

Obligatory End-of-Chapter Author's Note: Here, have a sad chapter. Yeah, yeah I know, It's all heavy on the dismal and depressing, but hey, that's how I roll, jack. I've actually been watching Duck Dynasty an awful lot lately. It's an incredibly charming show about a redneck family who have become millionaires selling duck calls, but make sure not to part with their southern ways. Oh, man, the things you come to love when you live in the southern U.S. Also, I have noticed that Rainbow Dash getting hurt in the previous chapter has been getting some relatively mixed reviews, due to it apparently being a cliche in Appledash stories. I read quite a lot of Appledash and I haven't really seen much of it, but maybe that's just me. Oh, well. I'm just gonna continue to write. Cheers!