"I understand this is good news, but we need to check him out if you wouldn't mind letting him breath?" A voice asked, and as Anna moved away giving Brandon a sweet smile, before starting her way to the door. Which as Brandon looked, there was a doctor and a nurse standing near the door.

"Sure thing doc, just let me know okay?" Anna replied, making the doctor nod as she left.

"Alright, how you feeling?" The doctor asked only for Brandon to give a look of confusion. "I understand this is confusing, but this will go better if you answer our questions as best as you can, okay?"

"I-I understand..." Brandon was surprised as his voice came out strained as if he hadn't talked in a while.

"Good, good so how are you feeling?" The doctor asked again, as the nurse checked some monitors writing notes down. Though when she looked at him a wave of recognition came crashing down, from the blueish-green eyes to the blue hair, she even wore dark blue scrubs.

"I-I'm... tired and confused," Brandon answered.

"That's natural, but no pain?" The doctor asked making him shake his head. "That's good, now I'm sure you have a lot of questions but that can wait until you are more rested. For right now, Ms. Moon will give you a workup. I have a few other patients that need a bit more attention right now since you don't seem in pain."

"Understood," Ms. Moon said as the doctor walked out. "Such a lazy asshole, by the way, my actual name is Selene hence his little pet name. I've been looking after you since you were admitted, that asshole named Dave Dickson, and no I'm not kidding, was recently put on your chart. Unfortunately, the doctor who was looking after you at first was moved to a different hospital because his skills were needed more there."

"I-I will keep that in mind," Brandon replied making Selene give him a kind smile.

"Don't worry, as long as I'm around he ain't gonna pull his shit. Just tell me if anything hurts cause I need you to move around a bit okay?" Selene asked she gently started providing him support as she got him to move his arms and legs. When he moved his shoulder he found that familiar soreness making him wince. "Shoulder hurts a bit huh? Considering the damage it makes sense considering we pretty much had to rebuild it."

"Rebuilt it?" Brandon asked.

"Yes, you were in pretty bad shape. But try not to worry about that right now, other than the shoulder everything else feels fine?" Selene asked making him nod. "That's good, now I know you have a lot of questions but like the doctor said it might be best for you to get some rest before we answer any of them."

"Can I at least ask, are you always like this?" Brandon asked hoping it didn't come off as offensive or insensitive. It did make her pause before giving a sigh.

"I'm assuming you mean my attitude towards the doctor, and no I'm not always like this. But working with him can bring out this side of me, now I'll go get Anna but you are already fighting sleep so again, get some more rest okay?" Selene said as she left, though once she was out of the room Brandon gave a heavy and confused sigh. She looked like a human, no she pretty much was a human version of Luna except for not having the same regal attitude that he came to know but given the circumstances it only made sense.

What didn't make sense was how he ended back here in his world, was it really just all a dream that just felt real? He had heard that could happen to people in comas and what they feel in their dreams can relate to what is actually happening in the real world. Then why did his shoulder not have been injured, to begin within the dream? Maybe it was just his mind trying to process the trauma? Though he still had to wonder why it was still so sore?

"Still haven't fallen asleep I see," Anna said shaking her head as she walked into the room making a tsking sound. "You really need to rest, please?"

"Just have too many thoughts going through my head," Brandon admitted making Anna nod in understanding.

"What happed was hard for us, and as confused at it as we were we knew it would be nothing like what you would go through once you woke up. But I do have to ask, do you even remember what happened?" Anna asked making him shake his. "Well, if you can't sleep right now how about telling me what you do remember, that sounds good?"

Brandon hesitated for a moment but decided to go ahead and he started to recount what he remembered making Anna nod and even correct a few things. Though as he got to where he had tried to take his life for the first time she bit her bottom lip in concern. She didn't really pipe in much after making him wonder if he was remembering right or it brought back those painful memories for her as well.

"I see, so you don't remember the incident?" This made him shake his head. "Not a surprise, but you know I'm not gonna tell you until I think you're ready. Neither is Sally, she's still busy especially after what did happen. Besides, you're barely awake as it is so please just try to get some rest okay?"

Though at that point he wasn't putting up a fight anymore as he looked at Anna a sense of comfort and safety washed over him and soon his heavy eyelids shut. Over the next couple of days he was put through some physical therapy, through it he hadn't mentioned what he went through while he was in the coma because he still had conflicting emotions on which world is real. His recovery was going great with the cells in his body speeding up the process.

"You really are doing great, but you know I can tell something is on your mind. So, you ready to tell me?" Anna asked as they sipped on some tea in the cafeteria.

"What do you mean?" Brandon replied making Anna roll her eyes before giving him a hard stare.

"Don't play that game after everything that's happen, do you really think I wouldn't be able to read you?" Anna asked making him give a sigh.

"Guess you got me there, but before I tell you can we go back to my room?" This made Anna nod. "I am still surprised I have a private room though."

"That's thanks to me and Sally," Anna said making Brandon give a sigh.

"Still don't completely understand why she would help me, even with what I do remember," Brandon said as they made their way to his room. "Or exactly how you two know each other."

"Because despite how things originally ended between you two, she still cares about you. She feels guilty about it, granted even you agree you could see where she came from even if it wasn't quite what was needed on your end at the time though. But it is a reason why those kinds of things you should tell someone who has went through something similar," Anna explained making him nod.

"I understand all of that, but still with how things ended I never thought she would come back in any way. Especially when she did it was because of you," Brandon gave a heavy sigh.

"I'm a higher rank than what you remember being is why me and her got to know each other. I was already going to be stationed at her lab as head of security for her and her team. It was awkward at first but once we got to talking we became friends, and when I told her what you were planning and what you already tried she was horrified," Anna tried to explain.

"Sorry, I know I was over it before, but I guess not fully. Or maybe with everything that happened it just made my feelings that I pushed down resurface," Brandon said making Anna nod in understanding.

"Figured as much, feelings like that are hard to really get rid of. But even still something happened in your coma that really brought it back to the surface, so you gonna tell me where you went?" Anna asked as she shut the door to the hospital room behind her.

Brandon closed his eyes before letting out a sigh knowing she would be confused and a bit disgusted of where he went to, even if was a dreamscape he had lived in was just that. Though he really was conflicted about it since he could still remember feeling he was actually there, then again he could still feel things here the same way. From the softness of the bed to the smell of sanitation throughout the whole building. All of which he explained as he told Anna what he was going through and to her credit like she always did before she actually listened.

"I see..." Anna said as he wrapped up with him waking him up here. "At least that explains why you've been a bit distant since you've woke up. I had heard this might happen, I mean I'm not a psychologist but from my understanding what you just describe is very rare. Especially nowadays."

"That's all you have to say?" Brandon asked.

"I'm going to assume you're talking about you having sex with talking magical ponies? Honestly, with the line of work we were both in I wouldn't be surprised. Now I am not completely okay with the thought, but it's mostly out of thinking of you with another woman in general. Let alone with three others who, even as part of your dream world, sounded like they helped you a lot so for that in way I'm thankful," Anna replied making him start to laugh a bit.

"S-sorry, but I had a feeling you say that. But still I thought you would judge me..." Brandon started before Anna held her hand up to quiet him.

"For falling in love in a world you thought was real? Especially since in this world, you had no memory of who you were or what you did thus giving you a second chance? I mean to me it sounds like what you needed in order to really start healing, of course like I said not exactly a professional," Anna said giving him a smile. "But let me guess, you're conflicted because that world felt just as real as this one right?"

"Y-yeah," Brandon admitted.

"Then I guess I'll need to prove just how real this one is then," Anna said as she moved in placing a warm gentle hand on his cheek before moving in for a kiss, though he hesitated for a second feeling her so close allowed him to kiss her back. It was just as sweet and passionate as he remembered as he ran his fingers through her black hair, eventually, they broke the kiss with Anna giving him a little smile.

"Keep that up and we might need to lock the door," Brandon joked making her laugh.

"Yeah, from the feel of it you aren't kidding," Anna said giving him a wink, her blue eyes shined as she smiled. "But, afraid we're gonna have to save that for later. The others will be here in like forty minutes."

"Well, sure that's enough time even if not that then how about you tell me what happened to me?" Brandon asked his voice becoming more serious. This made Anna bite her lower lip a bit before shaking her head.

"It'll be best to wait until everyone is here okay?" Anna said in a tone that he knew meant she wasn't going to budge.

"Why can't you just tell me now? Because of my past?" Brandon stated making Anna narrow her eyes.

"You very well know I am going to be the last one to judge you on anything in your past Brandon. I know you've changed especially since you woke up, and now I know why. Because you went into your dream world it was to help you sort things out in a way. Now I know you are getting confused because that world felt so real to you but this is your world and I don't think that's something neither of us can ever accept that fact," Anna said making Brandon sigh.

"You're right, at least about not accepting this is our world but that is what Sally was working on wasn't it? A way to go to other worlds, right?" Brandon asked making Anna shake her head.

"Do we really have to do this now? Can we at least wait until the others get here and to hang out a bit? Or are you gonna be like this the whole time?" Anna asked making Brandon stop and take a breath.

"You are right and I am sorry, C-can you give me a minute?" Brandon asked making Anna look at him with hesitation in her eyes.

"Alright, I'm gonna go get another tea and maybe a snack. You want anything?" Anna asked.

"Maybe one of those frozen coffee drinks?" Brandon replied giving her a gentle smile.

"You really are different since you woke up, and I mean for the better. You remind me of bit like your old self when we first met," Anna said returning the smile reaching out to grab his hand to give it a little squeeze. After that she left leaving the door slightly ajar, and Brandon turned to look out of the window with a flurry of emotions.

He was very much confused about which world is real because of how real both felt to him, granted he understood how being in a coma could do that but to have such vivid memory of all it? From the smell in the air, to the feel of the grass, to even being able to fly, and of course there were his friends who he couldn't help but feel sadness at thinking about them. Especially since there were reminders here and again he knew his mind could have used those details from people who were constantly taking care of him and put them in a created world, but still it was hard to shake the feeling he no longer belonged here.

"I know it's confusing since to you you've lived in that world for felt like over a year, but you know you are here with people who care about you just as much right?" Brandon wasn't surprised to see Selene had come into the room.

"Yeah, and it's hard not to take it for granted when you're not even sure you're even here," Brandon replied making Selene sigh.

"Real or not, at the very least you have a chance to see everyone from your past. At the most you are actually here and able to fully make amends," Selene said making Brandon give a sad sigh.

"There will be no fully amending for what I've done, and I know the others feel the same. But at least in that other world, I felt..." Brandon shook his head not really knowing exactly how to describe it.

"You felt like you found your place there, even with everything you went through over there. Granted I don't know the full details of your service here, but I've seen my fair share of soldiers who are in pretty bad shape. Some of there stories are so horrible and I'm sure your's aren't any better, but you need to think if that other world was you just trying to run away from this one. Don't get me wrong, it was also so you could cope with your own mental trauma but it may have been mostly to escape this hellscape of a world," Selene said.

"Yeah, and I know that's what Anna has been telling me as well but I feel we've lost some of our connection we once had. I know you know why I feel a bit more comfortable with talking with you but I know I should trust her more. No offense," Brandon said closing his eyes.

"None taken, I mean even if I wasn't your nurse I would still be glad you told me. As for you and Anna, you two literally survived war together and have remained close. All you got to do is open yourself up to her once more," Selene said as she put a device on his arm that quickly read his blood pressure.

"True, and I have been trying but the feeling of this world not being the real one won't go away," Brandon said shaking his head. "I know they said it might be like that for a long time but it's just hard."

"I bet, from the sounds of it you've lead quite a life there. I mean I'm a princess there from the sounds of it, and Mr. Sunshine that roams the halls is a badass Lieutenant, even if isn't one now," That got him to smile a bit.

"Yeah, but are we done? I'm sure Anna is waiting for me," Brandon said making Selene give a small smile and a nod.

"All done, and just try to live in the moment okay? You never know when somepony will surprise you," Selene said though Brandon couldn't tell if she had actually said what he thought she said. "What? You feeling okay?"

"Y-yeah, just getting nervous is all. It's been a minute since I've seen the other originals is all," Brandon answered making Selene nod.

"Well, you go on and by the time you get back you'll have all new sheets," Selene said giving him a little wink.

Brandon then started to make his way down to the lobby area where Anna was most likely waiting, and sure enough as he saw her he couldn't help but give a deep breath and let himself melt in the moment. A wide smile spread across his face as he saw Anna talking to a young girl making the girl laugh. He approached just hoping no matter what, no matter which world was real he was going to enjoy it for now.

Author's Note

Hope you guys had some good holidays! Just remember to smile, smile, smile!