I'll Never Let You Go...

The night didn't pass quickly for Rarity.

She spent the whole time tossing and turning, thinking of all the things that could go wrong with her treatment. Oh, her mane! Her fur! It was all too much. She even spent some of the night sobbing, alone. She could swear that she heard Sweetie Belle tapping on her door from time to time, but she took no notice.

After a couple of hours of solid crying, the unicorn finally passed out from her over-exertion. She was so emotionally drained, that she couldn't find the energy to stay awake any longer. Perhaps it was for the best.

In her dreams, however, she was tormented by the same thoughts that plagued her whilst she was awake. Would she ever get a reprieve from these horrible images?!

Just as quickly as they came, they were washed away as the peeking sun on the horizon shone through the unicorn's uncovered window, and bathed Rarity's face in it's glow. It painted her room in with a soft, orange hue that would, on normal occasions, fill her with sense of warmth. But that wasn't what she was feeling. No, today was marred with a particular feeling of dread that had been haunting the alabaster unicorn since she left the hospital.

Sighing, she plopped down off of her bed and moved into her en-suite. After a few moments of personal grooming: Mane styling, brushing her teeth, and rinsing with mouthwash, she made her way downstairs to the main floor of the boutique.

Ever since she came back from the hospital, nothing had changed. Her most recent work was strewn across one corner of the room, covering her work bench and dotting the floor in different, cascading shades of fabric. This drew out another sigh from the mare. Should she clean up? It was only dawn, so she had a while before she had to go to the hospital again.

She was beginning to hate that word: Hospital. Now she understood why Rainbow Dash despised such establishments. "Although, it seems our reasoning is rather different..." This mumble was met by a deafening silence. Sweetie was still asleep, of course. Unless there was something important that the filly needed to do, she never got up until mid-morning. That didn't bother Rarity though. At least she'd have a couple of hours of silence before she had to get ready.

Or so she thought.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the boutique door. Did she forget to put the sign up again? Random visitors to Ponyville often tried to visit in the early hours of the morning. Celestia knows why they do it, maybe it's to try and get some sort of one-up on everypony else? Ugh, she had no idea.

"Coming, coming." Her voice was insincere. She did not want to deal with anypony this morning, and she wasn't afraid to let this mare or stallion know that, forthright. She pulled the latch on both sides of the door, top and bottom, and gripped the handle with her magic. Pulling the door open, she began to speak. "I'm so sorry, but the Carousel Boutique is not-" She was cut off as a familiar figure stood in her doorway. "... Open."

"Heh, mornin' Rares... How're ya feeling?" It was Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was standing in her doorway, at Goddesses knows what hour. She looked... Tired. Her eyes were puffy, and red. Was she... Was she crying?

"Rainbow, darling, what are you doing here? You know that I don't have the time to be hanging around with friends today." Rarity's eyes were the exact same way. She noticed it when she was looking in the mirror in her bathroom. Sighing, she stepped to the side and offered her friend to, at least, come inside.

Scratching her head, nervously, Rainbow gave a nod at Rarity's statement. She stepped inside, and plopped her flank down on the floor. "I know, I know, but..." She took a breath, she was never used to going outside of her comfort zone like this. "I couldn't let you go on your own today, Rares. I hate hospitals so much, I know how bad this must be for you."

"You have no idea..." Rarity mumbled, internally.

"So, I wanted to go with you... Y'know, offer you support and all that junk." The pegasus was greeted by an air of tense silence... Until she was pulled into a hug that could rival Pinkie Pie's!

Rarity nuzzled into the rainbow-mare's neck, fresh tears stinging at her eyes. "Thank you..." Was all she whispered. This was so amazing of Rainbow Dash. She was doing something so kind, so thoughtful... All for her. The mere thought made her stomach flutter with a mixture of warmth and nerves. A feeling that she was not accustomed to.

"You're... Uhh... You're welcome." Dash seemed rather tense. There was a prominent blush on the pegasus' muzzle. The close proximity of Rarity's face simply increased the perfumed scent that always hung about her. She didn't douse herself in the stuff, but it seemed like she was constantly wearing it in some amount.

The two stood in a rather thick aura of awkwardness for a few moments. Rarity had released the pegasus at this stage, and was now standing a fair bit back.

Rainbow scratched at her foreleg with the other, biting her lower lip in visible nervousness. "So, uhh... Breakfast?" A rather audible grumble gave the distinct impression that she had not eaten recently. She was much more occupied with other matters.

Rewarding that suggestion with a warm smile, the unicorn gave a nod. "Of course, darling! I'll get on that right..." She was cut off by the pegasus trotting ahead of her rather briskly. "... Away."

"Don't sweat it, Rares! I'll do it, you just... Relax! What'cha want?" She paused at the doorway that separated the main room of the boutique from the rest: The kitchen, downstairs bathroom, utility closet, etc. Turning, she set her eyes on Rarity, and awaited her response. She seemed... More pleased than usual to be doing something like this.

Blinking, the unicorn had to get her bearings. Rainbow Dash was going to attempt making food? She hoped that this wouldn't be another disaster, like when Sweetie Belle offers to do these things. Rarity's heart immediately sunk. The recurring realisation of the fact that she'd need to tell her little sister about her 'condition' re-assumed it's place in her brain.

"Anything, darling..." She huffed, making her way over to her chaise lounge and plopping upon it.

Narrowing her eyes, slightly, Rainbow simply shrugged and disappeared into the kitchen to prepare... Well, something! She rummaged through some of the cupboards in the kitchen, as well as Rarity's refrigerator. All she found were some eggs, flour, and tea. "How can a pony live on so little...?" The pegasus made sure that she didn't say that too loud, the unicorn in the next room was feeling sensitive enough, as it seemed.

And sensitive she was. Rarity remained, plopped onto the chaise, and staring into space. Her mind was racing with the ever-present issue of breaking the news to Sweetie Belle.

Her thoughts then drifted to the kind pegasus that was preparing breakfast for the two of them. "It was so nice of her..." Blinking, the unicorn noticed that a warmth had graced her cheeks. An unfamiliar warmth. Standing, she made her way over to a nearby mirror and looked at her reflection.

Her face was alight with the soft tint of pink. It tinted her cheeks in such a way, that she looked like a gushing school-filly. Scratching the back of her head, she was perplexed as to what could have caused such a reaction. And then another stray thought of Rainbow Dash entered her mind, causing the blush to darken. "Oh my... It's her?"

Continually confused, Rarity resumed her position on the chaise. The only thoughts running through her head now, were of Rainbow. But... Why? What was so significant about that toned, athletic... Beautiful. Wait, beautiful? Where did that come from? Shaking her head, she gave a small grunt and tried to force the thoughts from her mind.

"I'm probably suffering from elevated stress... Yes. That must be it. There is no other explanation."

"Hey, Rares, how d'you like your eggs?" It would seem that Rainbow had decided to go with eggs, due to the sparse nature of the unicorn's food supply.

Pondering for a moment, Rarity was glad that her attention was diverted. Although, it was diverted to the very source of her thoughts in the first place. "Oh, uhm... Scrambled, I suppose." She didn't care, she just wanted everything to fast forward. Today, the treatment, the aftermath. Everything.

Soon enough, Rainbow re-entered the room with two plates of scrambled eggs, one balanced on her tail, and the other between her teeth. It wasn't the most extravagant of breakfasts, but it was something. "Here ya go," She stated, after handing the plate between her teeth, to the unicorn.

"Thank you darling. It looks wonderful." This compliment seemed to make Dash blush, for some reason. It was the same reaction that Rarity got when the pegasus simply entered her mind. How bizarre.

They sat in relative silence as they ate, neither one saying much to the other. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, and of Rarity occasionally glancing in Rainbow's direction, the pegasus piped up.

"So... Have you told Sweetie, yet?" She winced at this question, she knew it wasn't an easy subject for anypony, let alone Rarity. She was surprised to see a rather collected expression on the unicorn's face.

Rarity shook her head, simply. She said nothing, and this just made the tension in the air between them even thicker.

"When are you gonna tell her?" Once again, no words. Just a shrug.

"Rarity, you have to tell her, she's your sister." Nothing. This irritated Rainbow just a little. "She has a right to know, Rarity."

"Don't you think I know that?!" The sudden height and tone of Rarity's voice startled Rainbow, and she flinched in response. Her ears splayed back and she drooped her head, as if she had just been chastised for acting out.

Having the unicorn look at her now, dead on, Rainbow could see that she was trying to maintain her composure. But her eyes... Those gorgeous, azure eyes. They showed more pain and uncertainty than any words could ever express.

"Gorgeous?" Rainbow thought. Where did that come from? It must've been her lack of sleep, that's all it could be!

... Right?

Immediately, Rarity felt bad for snapping at her friend. She knew that Rainbow had a point, she would have to tell Sweetie, eventually. "I'm sorry, Rainbow... I'm just under such a heavy amount of stress."

Shaking her head, the pegasus draped a wing over Rarity's shoulder and tugged her into a hug. "I know... Don't worry, Rares. You'll be fine."

You'll be fine...

Those words rang out in Rarity's head for so long. They brought her so much comfort, but why? Why Rainbow Dash? Everypony else had tried to comfort her to the best of their ability, and yet Rainbow was the only one that made her feel... Safe.

Absent-mindedly, Rarity's forelegs wrapped around the pegasus' waist, and huddled in close, to her. She caught Dash's natural scent on in her breath. It was sweetly spiced... Did all pegasi smell like this? It was... Wonderful. Intoxicating, even.

"How long until your appointment?" Rainbow's voice broke the steady silence between the two of them, but the question just made Rarity wince.

"In a couple of hours..." It was still early, at least another hour or two until she would have to leave for the hospital.

After a few more moments silence, the pegasus forced out another question: "What're you gonna do? Treatment, I mean..."

That was something that Rarity was expecting. She had thought about it, long and hard, "Chemotherapy. It will be arduous... But it's the most effective procedure."

Rainbow nodded. She didn't know enough about the situation, or indeed, Rarity's condition in order to give more than a simple vote of encouragement, "Well, I'll be there for you today... And through the treatment. You gotta have somepony there, right?"

Once again, words of encouragement battered Rarity's heart. Why was she feeling such a strong reaction from Rainbow's assurances? Why was she feeling this warmth in her cheeks every time that she heard her light, raspy voice? Or when she felt that soft, silken wing drape over her shoulder for comfort? A wing that was just like an angel's...

Maybe Rainbow was an angel...

Issuing a sigh, Rainbow pulled back, and allowed Rarity her personal space, "We should get you ready, though... Can't have ya goin' to the hospital lookin' like that, can we?" It was a joke, of course... Rarity was always gorgeous, even if her face was smudged with mascara, or her hooves were streaked with lipstick.

Rarity smiled a little. The first, genuine smile she managed since she returned from the hospital. Dear Celestia, it felt like an eternity... "I believe you're right, darling. You remain here, I shall return momentarily." With that, Rarity slipped herself down from the chaise and began the minuscule trek up towards her room.

Rainbow simply stared on... A light blush on her cheeks as she truly took in every facet of Rarity's form. Was she always that beautiful?

She had the distinct feeling that there was more to what she was feeling than she thought.