Bailing out

I stood on my hind legs, staring off down towards the sixty story drop towards the hard, unforgiving pavement. The ground was unmerciful, cold and yet still better then what I was feeling right now. One little lean I could stop. Get away from this heart ache and death. No one was there for me. I was done. I'm bailing out...

3 months ago

Applejacks POV

The night sky was dark. Not even the stars shone in the black sky. Almost obscured, but Ah didn't notice. Ah was busy contemplating. Because Ah had felt alone. After Twilight had accepted that whole princess position, things had jut gone downhill from there. Rarity and Sweetie Bell had move to Canterlot to be closer to family. Flutershy had taken up a job as an expert veterinarian. Pinkie pie had made a world tour of happy partying. Rainbow Dash had left for every day of the week. But always made an extra weekend every month back to ponyville. And Twilight was... Well, princess of Manehatten. The only people Ah had was ma family.

Ah made ma way back towards the farm for left overs. Ah had spent a little too much time wandering around ponyville. Big Mac must'a noticed ma depression, he had demanded that ah ha taken the day off. So ah did. I got closer and closer until I was only a good half-mile away from the house. Then I saw the smoke. It's crackling of fire eating through wood was outdone by my screams.

1 month later

The funeral for Granny an Big Mac was being held in two weeks. Applebloom and I had taken stay in Fluttershy's old cottage, she couldn't come back to help, so ah guess that, that makes up for it. We had made our way back towards the cottage from the hospital, Applebloom was covered from her blank flank to her front right leg, her burns still evident. The door opened up and we stepped inside the rounded living room. She made her way to the couch while I closed and locked the door behind us. I turned back to face my little sister. She had been more distant than usual today.

I took a continued on back towards her, she seemed in thought, something wasn't right.

"Applebloom," I started, "Is something wrong?" I asked. She turned towards me, a look of anger on her face.

"Wrong?" She questioned. "Is something wrong! Half our family's dead, AND YOU ASK WHATS WRONG!" Her accusation soon turned into cry of anger. "Big Mac and Granny Smith died in a fire. One that AH caused because I wanted a  @#!*%  cutie mark!" Her hate began to deteriorate into depression. "Ah just wanted... Ah just wanted to ya know feel like ah had a purpose. Like ah wasn't just a nothing." Soon after her blast of emotion, tears began to steadily stream down her cheeks, holding to her muzzle before dropping to the ground. "Ah even got my cutie mark."

She turned her head to her bandages, took hold of them with her mouth and tugged three times before the they gave way. Her midsection and flank were still burned from the recent fire. Her cutie mark was barley visible due to previously mentioned scorch marks. An apple and a hammer.

"Ah just wanted to try and fix that old generator so we could finally have real lights again. Now we got a burned down house, a dead family, and ah got ma cutie mark."

At this point I couldn't take it anymore, I wiped my tears and took hold of her shoulder. She wouldn't look me the eyes but that wouldn't stop me.

"Applebloom, we are NOT a broken family, you are NOT worthless... And we're gonna get through this." I promised.

Her head titled up towards to meet my gaze. And then she spoke.

"I feel dead inside."

2 month later

The sun shone through the window of Fluttershy's room, burning my pupils, giving my eyelids even more reason to need sleep. But I couldn't even if I wanted to. The orange of my coat was soaked thoroughly with the blood of my little sister still staining the bed I rested on, if you could call balling your eyes out while holding onto the dead corpse of your sister rest. I promised her that I wouldn't leave her, but at this point, I couldn't hold onto anything anymore. Life wasn't worth living anymore. Applebloom was my last tie to life, i'm done.

Now

I stood on my hind legs, staring off down towards the sixty story drop towards the hard, unforgiving pavement. The ground was unmerciful, cold and yet still better then what I was feeling right now. One little lean I could stop. Get away from this heart ache and death. No one was there for me. I was done. I'm bailing out.

I took another look down at the ground, and soon saw Twilight standing down there with everypony else, she didn't care about me, she just wanted her fancy new city to stay clean. A strong breeze pushed my hat off of my head. I didn't reach for it. It's not like I was gonna miss it.

Before I began to make my way over the edge, I felt a pressure on my head. I looked up towards the object to find my hat, with a familiar cyan pegasus floating above me.

"Hey AJ." She attempted a nonchalant approach. It didn't work.

"Oh hey Rainbow, wanted to try talking to a dead horse again? No pony else could help me. Do you think that you will." I asked in a cold manner.

"No. I just wanted to... to. I just wanted to know. Why?" She answered with a question.

I turned back towards her.

"Because no pony loves me anymore. No pony cares about me. I might as well just get all of this pain out of me." I turned back towards her. Tears in my eyes. "Do you want me to be in pain?"

"NO! Oh sweet Celestia no. But Applejack, your wrong. We're your friends. We love you. I... I love you."

I looked back up towards her to find her gaze. She continued before I could respond.

"Applejack, I had made a deal with the Wonderbolts, that if I got to meet you every month, than I couldn't miss a single day. I missed eight because my mother died. I've lost my job, and I've lost the rest of my parents. Don't make me lose you too." She pleaded.

"I... I don't. Rainbow I had no idea..." I didn't finish.

"NO! NO YOU DON'T KNOW! Because you think that your the one that's been hurting! And you'r going to just up and leave me to myself?" Her wings gave up on trying to carry her body in the air anymore. She fell to the ground, her head in her hooves. "Please AJ... Please don't leave me." She begged. "I'm not asking you to be my marefriend, or to put on a smile every day or anything like that, but, just don't... Just don't leave me."

I stepped away from the ledge. She was right. I made my way to her body. I then placed my hoof under her chin to bring face up to mine.

"I'm sorry. And Rainbow..." She looked directly into my eyes.

"Yeah?"

I answered her with a kiss. She didn't refuse it either. I don't know if it was the depression, the loneliness or some type of unseen love, but, well that's just it. I loved her too.

I pulled away from her. "I guess life is worth it if I get to be with you." I declared.

I kissed her again. "One thing though." She said.

"What?"

"Give me a smile."

2 years later

I could officially say, life was worth living. With Dashie there to wake up next to me every day, I could look forward to waking up to the next day. I could look into her eyes and know that whatever happens she'll never leave me. Now, I'm happy.

Rainbow Dash's POV

I didn't love her. At least, not at first. I mean, don't judge me! I just, needed to keep her alive, and I figured that using guilt would work. I had always liked her, more than a friend that is, but love? I guess all of that farm work had really toned her nice and... STOP THAT! Look I just wanted her alive. But I have to admit, waking up while nuzzled up to her was pretty freaking awesome. I'm the element of loyalty, so I have the responsibility of keeping Applejack happy, keeping Applejack alive.

"What's wrong sugar cube?" Applejacks voice startled me from my deep thought. Her front hooves now wrapped around my neck from behind.

"Oh, nothing. Just, can't sleep is all." I replied lamely.

"Well, if you can't sleep..." Her hooves began to slowly descended down my stomach.

"Wait!" I halted.

Her hooves stopped at my command. "AJ, I need to tell you something." These weren't the words I wanted. But it was now or never. "Applejack, you know that I love you, right?" I asked hesitantly.

She nodded. "As sure as the sun is bright."

This was going to be difficult. "Well, you remember that night, where you tried to..." I couldn't bring my self to say it.

"Of course." She replied with anxious nod.

"That night I told you that I loved you. I... I... Lied..." I felt like I had just slit my own wrists.

"Ah... Ah don't... What?" Check that, I felt like I had just stabbed myself in the heart, a lot. "Why?" She pleaded.

"Because I wasn't lying. Because I did love you, just not like that."

She began to have tears stream from her eyes.

"I didn't love you then like I do now." Her sobs stopped there approach.

"I love you Applejack." Her reply seemed to be hesitant.

"I... Love you too Rainbow." Thank Celestia!

Epilogue

The next day

I woke to the familiar scent of apples. I opened my eyes to find a certain someponies blonde hair. I wrapped my hooves around the neck of my favorite mare.

"Someponies up nice and early." She greeted warmly.

"I did wake up next to you, didn't I?" My voice using a large drop of sarcasm. Her reply was an elbow to my stomach.

"Ow!" I grunted playfully, my vice-like grip let loose of it's prey. While I recovered from the blow, she took her chance and flipped herself around and took hold of my body by wrapping HER hooves around MY stomach.

"Oh no you do..." My challenge was outdone when she locked her lips with mine. Our kiss continued for quite a lot longer than I had anticipated. Soon I found that she was looming over me. Her eyes made me practically melted.

"Before we get too playful," she began to trace her hoof down my stomach. "I need eat something." She said quickly, pouncing off of me and heading into the small apartment kitchen.

"Aww come on!"