Dash stared at the ceiling unsure of how much time had past, since she found out she would never fly as she used to, how much time had past since her best friend had abandoned her. She lied in the darkness trying not to think of Ray or her wings or her friend.

She hadn't realize she had fallen asleep until she felt somepony shake her. She quickly opened her eyes, but was blinded by the light of the room. It took a couple seconds for her eyes to adjust. A blurry figure stood before her, but quickly turned into her father as she rubbed her eyes. His breath reeked of apples and his eyes were slightly blood shot. This was the first time he had visited her while she was awake. “Dad?” She asked quietly. His head snapped towards her, as if he had just been awoken from a trance.

“Oh. Rainbow Dash. Your awake.” He spoke slowly, a pained expression on his face. “Its good to see you up....” He spat. “Do you know what you did?”

“No...” She shook her head.

“You killed him... You killed Ray!” He yelled as he moved to Dash's side. “How could you do this? How could you kill your brother!”

“I didn't kill...” She tried to plead, but he interrupted her.

“He....he had so much to live for...” His eyes were bulging with rage, he had been yelling the entire time. The dam of emotions Dash had been trying to hold back suddenly broke. She began to sob. “Don't cry! You don't deserve to cry! Your not dead!” Time seemed to slow as he spoke again. “I wish it was you instead of him.” His expression suddenly changed and he looked away from her. “Das...” He was interrupted by a sudden banging on the door.

“Is everpony okay? The doors locked!” A voice carried through the door. Her father turned towards the door, without so much as a glance back to her, opened it and left the room. A nurse quickly rushed in past him. She started to speak, but Dash couldn't understand her. She turned her head to the side, looking away from the worried nurse. “No....No more crying...” She repeated over and over.

“...Hungry.” Something called out to her, pulling her from the blackness of sleep. She shook her head, resisting the call and trying to edge back into sleeps hands. A sweet smell hit her nose and started to rouse her empty stomach. She opened her eyes.

Fluttershy was next to her, eating a shiny red apple. “Are you sure?” She said holding out an apple in her hoof. Dash tried to glare at her, but fluttershy's soft smile stopped her in her tracks. Dash grabbed the apple and quickly bit into it. As the sweet juices hit her tongue she smiled, then proceeded to devour the apple in record breaking time. Fluttershy giggled softly as Dash looked around for more apples. Fluttershy pulled a small basked full of apples from the floor and placed it onto the bed.

After clearing out the basket Dash began to feel better. “Where did you get those apples. They were awesome.” Dash said breaking the silence.

“There from Sweet Apple Acres. Its a farm near a small place called Ponyville.” She quickly looked at the floor. “Im sorry Rainbow Dash.” She suddenly squeaked. “I... didn't want you to see me cry...” She whispered, but suddenly spoke up again. "Also.. I wanted to cheer you up...so I got you this,” there was a slight blush on her face. She ducked her head down and came back up with a stuffed wonderbolt plush; Dash instantly recognized the orange mane pegasus as Spitfire.

“You came back.” Dash whispered, the spitfire plush tucked safely under her left fore-hoof.

“What was that Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked. Dash shook her head and smiled. She had a friend she could count on. Someone to help keep away the sadness. Ray wouldn't have wanted her to bed sad, he would tell her to fly. And she would try...

Dash spent the next month at the hospital. She was amazed at hoe much Fluttershy had learned about medical care. Everyday she would help Dash with her bandages and splints. Dash's Mother would come and visit her almost everyday for the first three weeks, but had suddenly stopped. As for her father, he hadn't come at all. She didn't know if she she should be worried or relieved. She didn't hate her father after what happened... She was just unsure how to feel.

Her fore-arm felt much better, the splint having been abandoned two weeks into her stay. Her wings had healed better then expected. To the doctors amazement they were almost as good as new. She was cleared to leave.

Dash left the hospital on her own. She took to the sky as quickly as she could. Even with a month of downtime she felt like she never left the sky. It did take her a couple tried to get off the ground and even longer still to gain decent speed. She relished the sunshine and the cool breeze, she had missed them dearly.

An old spark ignited in her as she rose higher and higher, struggling against her tired muscles. As she lifted herself above the cloud city the spark disappeared, feeling her with a sense of dread and fear she had never experienced in sky. She quickly guided back to the cloud floor and did something she hadn't done in years... walk home.