At The Weakest

Two days later, Soarin was almost recovered from his illness. All the color had come back to his face, his cough had vanished, and his temperature was normal again. He felt amazing.

But... Soarin had noticed something strange. Rainbow and Twilight both seemed to be avoiding him. Not so much Dash, but Twilight had walked away whenever Soarin had approached. Rainbow just made sure that Soarin was still feeling okay, made sure he didn't need anything, then she went on her way.

Soarin was thinking about Dash. He'd promised himself that he would take the chance soon of telling her those three words.

Sitting at Applejack's, drinking hot apple tea, Soarin looked up to see Dash approaching him. She ordered a apple juice, then sat beside Soarin.

"Hey." She greeted. "Feelin better?"

Soarin smiled at her. "Yeah. Dash... I- I uh, wanted to um... Thank you. For taking care of me while I was sick. It means a lot."

Rainbow moved a little closer to him. "You don't have to thank me. I'm your friend. Friends do that kind of thing."

Soarin felt disappointment rising in his stomach. Dash only thought of them as friends? He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was gazing in the other direction. Soarin sighed. Should he ask her if that was how she really felt? Or should he let her bring it up? He didn't think of them as 'just friends'. He was... In love with her. He had to tell her somehow. What could he do? And why was love so complicated?

"But why not?!" Soarin demanded of Twilight. "I'm fully recovered, and if I don't start practicing again to build back up my strength, there's no CHANCE of us winning the Equestrian Flying Championship."

The two were in Twilight's library, and had been in an argument for the past half hour. Soarin felt that he had to get back to the track. If he didn't get back to practice SOON, he'd fall behind in standings.

Twilight, on the other hand, did NOT want Soarin to go back to the track. If his theory of the stomach disease was correct, then the only reason Soarin's symptoms began at such a young age was because of the strain that racing put on his body. It had caused Soarin's symptoms to start. For Soarin to go back to racing would cause RAPID deterioration, and Soarin would only live a few more months.

"No." Twilight said firmly. "You're not ready to get back out on the track." Twilight was still trying to keep the truth, well the suspected truth, of the disease from him.

"Please, Twilight?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please, Please, Please?"

"No!" Twilight said, then stopped. Soarin had seemed extremely more energetic than anyone else who had stomach disease. Maybe he just had a weak immune system. Maybe it was something else entirely. She sighed. There were always these moments in life when decisions had to be made. And she had to make one.

"Alright, fine."

"Yes!-"

Twilight sighed. Had that been a wise decision?

Twilight was bewildered. "Why not?"

"He says that he's not allowed to release his patients records and information like that, even to the patient's parents." Dash stopped for a breath. "But, he says that he will give them to you, or me, personally. What do you want to do?"

Twilight was struck with an idea. "Rainbow, why don't you come with Soarin and me to the race track? The next race is in Colt Lake City. Isn't that where Soarin's doctor lives?"

Rainbow's jaw dropped. "You're letting Soarin keep racing?" She asked. "Twilight, he'll kill himself!"

"He'll be fine. And if there's a problem, I'll be right there with him." Twilight said, trying to get her to see reason.

"You're just going to watch him get hurt?!" Dash asked, still distraught.

"Why are you so concerned?" Twilight asked gruffly. "A few months ago, you couldn't stand the sight of him."

"Because I love-" Dash started, but then realized what she'd just let slip.

"I knew it." Twilight said superiorly.

"Twi, please don't tell him." Dash pleaded. "I have to. In my own time."

Twilight nudged her. "I won't tell him. Now you'd better go pack up if you're going with us. After all, we have to go get those records."

So Dash left the clinic to go get ready.

That night, Dash had just finished packing and was on the way to go place her luggage in Soarin's personal moving trailer so the moving guys will be ready in the morning. Rainbow flew out of her house, landed on the ground and turned the corner, only to nearly ram into Soarin.

"Whoa!" Soarin exclaimed. "You scared me."

"Oh!" Dash said. "I scared myself, scaring you, scaring me

Soarin just looked at her a minute. "Hey listen, I uh, I overheard you talking to Twilight earlier."

Rainbow drew back. "Wha- What did you hear?"

"That you agreed to come with us." Soarin said with a smile. "Rainbow, I'm really glad that you're coming along. I'll feel a lot better if you're there." Soarin glanced down and saw her carrying her suitcase in one of her hooves. He reached out and took her other on his. "Come on. I'll show you where to put your stuff."

She walked up the ramp, Soarin following her. It was dark in the trailer until Soarin reached up and turned on the light. He placed Dash's suitcase inside, then slowly turned around and turned to face her. She was looking around at the interior of the trailer. On the walls were mostly posters of Soarin, and on one wall was a photo of all the Wonderbolts. There was a phone in the corner. Up on the ceiling was a sunroof, and on the floor were two soft mats.

"Oh yeah." Soarin said, breaking the silence. "I forgot, you've never been in here."

Rainbow looked at him, a reluctant look on her face. "Are-um, are w-we going in here?" Though she wasn't complaining about being in a trailer with Soarin for an eight hour flight with a few breaks.

Soarin nodded. "Yeah, we'll both be able to get in here. It might be kinda boring, but we'll make it. By the way, you're cute when you stutter."

Rainbow blushed and Soarin hastily apologized. "Sorry. No offense." He said, mentally hitting himself for just saying that. They both walked out of the trailer. As they slowly walked, Soarin tried to think of something to say.

'Think of something, stupid! It's getting awkward!' Soarin thought as Dash looked up in they sky looking at her house made out of clouds. "Goodnight, Rainbow." He said softly. "See you in the morning."

"Night." She said to him, walking forwards slightly. "What time tomorrow?"

"Early." He replied. "Probably five." But Soarin wasn't focusing on his words. He was watching the way that her coat shown in the moonlight. It was breathtaking. He had never seen anything prettier. And her eyes... They were sparkling like the stars above them. Lightning moved a little closer, noticing Sally also walked towards him.

Rainbow was awestruck by Soarin's spiked, blue mane. She'd never seen it glow the way that it did when the moonlight struck it. And his eyes... The curves of his lips... She found herself looking at every little detail of his appearance. He was so sexy. The way that he looked at her made her heart speed up. The way that every angle and his muscles caught the lights from the evening. She'd never seemed to notice it like she did now. Rainbow continued to lean forward, her lips nearly touching his.

Soarin hesitated, unsure now. Suddenly he realized that he couldn't kiss her yet. He didn't feel ready. He quickly pulled back and he could almost see the disappointment on Dash's face.

'Darn me. Chickening out', Soarin thought.

Rainbow smiled. "Right. See you in the morning." Then she flew away.

"See ya." Soarin called, then sighed and walked into his office which he called home. Bed time.

Rainbow sighed as she lied on her bed and crawled under the covers. So close! She'd been so close to kissing him. She sighed again. Maybe another time.