“Mornin’, Granny Smith!” Applejack chirped as she slipped into the white room. In her mouth was a basket full of Ponyville’s finest flowers, courtesy of Roseluck. The scent of daisies and roses filled her head as she set the basket down gently onto the small bedside table. After doing so, Applejack sighed. “It sure is dark in here.” She quickly made her way to the window and yanked open the beige curtains, grinning as warm sunlight spilled into the room. It was still early, but then again Applejack's Sunday visits always were, as they were every day the orange mare stopped by.

“There,” she said as she spun around. “That’s better.” Her cheerful smile faded slowly as she gazed at her grandmother, unmoving in the hospital bed. The young mare shuffled her hooves quietly, glancing toward the door. The only sounds to be heard was the beeping of the monitors and smalltalk of the nurses outside. She looked back at Granny Smith and slowly made her way to the bed, pulling the small wheeled chair in the corner with her. As she situated the chair to her liking, she sat down and grasped a wrinkled green hoof between her’s. She could feel the dull beating of a pulse in Granny Smith’s wrist, and it made her shiver.

Applejack sighed for what could have been the hundredth time that day. Her green eyes searched the older mare’s face for something, for some sign that she was coherent in the least bit. Her search came up fruitless, however, and Applejack gripped the hoof tighter as she gritted her teeth.

“Oh, Granny,” she began with a deep breath. “I know it’s only been a few months, but…” Applejack swallowed and grinned. “You should see Applebloom. She’s grown so much in the past few months, it’s incredible. I don’t know if I told you last time I was here, but she was offered a job in Manehattan.” Applejack smiled. “Big carpentry company, a company that’s reignin’ in more money in a single year than the farm does in three. ‘Course, she ain’t old enough to accept the offer just yet. She’s still got a couple of years til she can work legally.” Applejack let out a humorless laugh and shook her head. “But, you already know that.”

Her grandmother didn’t respond, but that didn’t surprise Applejack.

Applejack lifted a hoof to her chest, feeling the tiny thunderbolt charm on her necklace. “Soarin’ and I got some news.” She took her hoof away from her necklace and back to Granny Smith’s hoof. She swallowed before continuing. “I’m expectin’ foals.” she finished with a laugh and blinked tears back, leaning in close to the unmoving mare. “That’s right, Granny. Foals, with ‘s’. Applejack leaned back and smiled. “If you could, you’d smack me right upside the head.” She giggled again. “‘Yer too young for foals ya big goof’” She mimicked her grandmother’s voice. She stopped laughing and squeezed her hoof again. “But inside, you’d be happy. You’d be thrilled, just like how you were with Mac and Shy’s kids. Like you were with Mama when...”
She bit her lip and diverted her gaze to the floor. She stood up with a whimper, walking quickly back to the window. She stared at the curtains through a tear-filled gaze, a hoof clamped tightly over her mouth. Dropping her hoof, she took a deep breath and whipped around. “Dammit!” She yelled at the comatosed mare. “Why you, why now?” Tears poured freely from her eyes. “I asked, I begged Celestia to fix you, but—” Applejack stumbled slightly and took a deep breath as she plopped down onto the floor, allowing her sobs to wrack through her body.
So much time passed, so many words left unsaid. Granny Smith was an honorable and hardworking mare, she didn’t deserve to spend the remainder of her days locked in a sterile, cold room. Applejack could still remember the loud fight she and her brother had gotten into.

She’ll be better off there, Applejack.”
“No,” she shook her head. “She wouldn’t be happy, she deserves to stay here, in her home.”
Mac took a deep breath and lowered his voice. “AJ, you knew this day was comin’.”
“No, you’re wrong!” She cried. “She’s—”
“—gettin’ worse!” Big Macintosh bellowed. Applejack flinched at her brother’s voice and looked at the floor. The red stallion sighed, trying to calm himself down. “Look, she’s goin’. That’s that.”
Applejack stood silently for a moment before looking up and lunging at her brother, pounding her forehooves into his chest, making the stallion stumble in surprise. His sister was stronger than a lot of stallions, but not him. He stood, grunting at each softening blow until she collapsed into tears on the carpet. He caught her and held her tight, letting her cry. He understood her anger. He was angry at himself too, for locking up Granny Smith and hurting his sister. To him, Granny Smith was his grandmother, but to Applejack she was the closest thing to a parent she could remember; to both her and the younger filly downstairs.
“I’m sorry, AJ.”

Applejack flinched at the memory. She still couldn’t believe she’d gotten physical with Macintosh, and she felt guilty every day for it. Sure, Big Mac had told her he’d forgiven her, and Applejack could find nothing but sincerity in the depths of his green eyes, but her actions still haunted her.
As her crying died down, Applejack allowed the soft voices outside the door calm her racing heart. She took a deep, shaky breath and raised her head quickly, the movement making her head spin. She groaned and put her hoof to her temple. She blinked open her eyes and focused her blurry gaze on her grandmother. “I… I’m sorry, Granny Smith. I’m sorry you’re here, I’m sorry for lettin’ that happen.” She stood and made her way back to the bed, raising a hoof and setting it softly on Granny Smith’s cool cheek. “You deserve better than this,” she whispered. Her watery eyes travelled down the oxygen mask that was keeping the old mare alive. The clear tube lead from her cheek, down her chest, onto the sheets, and somewhere underneath the bed. And attached to that was the fancy contraption, whose name Applejack was in no mood to try and remember. Her eyes flew to Granny Smith’s face before closing as she took a deep breath.
Applejack slowly opened her eyes before leaning over, putting her shaking hooves on both sides of the mask. She looked down at Granny Smith’s face, so deflated and pale. From this angle, she could still catch a brief whiff of the honey-dew scented shampoo she once used. Applejack smiled at that. Even after all of the medication and the scrubbings, it was still there. After bracing herself, she gripped the mask and gently pulled it away from her beloved Granny’s face. She set the mask down, listening to the harsh sound of unused oxygen billowing out into the room. She gently swept a whisp of white hair behind her fragile ear, trailing her hoof down to her chin. Looking at her then, Applejack could still see a glimmer of the old exuberant mare that had raised her.
She looked up then, noticing that something was quieter. Granny Smith’s ragged breathing had stopped, and despite the loudness of the oxygen, the room now felt eerily silent. With a small grin, Applejack wiped a tear off her cheek as she bent over, and as her lips met Granny Smith’s forehead, she shivered. The heat had rushed out the Granny Smith’s body quickly, warmed only by the tears that were spilling from her granddaughter’s eyes.
“You’re free.”

Author's Note

This idea's been in my head for awhile. I'm a huge Applejack fan, and I've always wanted to write something like this.

Also, I ship Soarin'Jack so hard that I nearly pee myself every time I see the ship name.

If you see any errors, please let me know!