That Night....

That night I was lying in my bed. I still felt emotionless with Pinkie lying next to me. How my mom allowed that I have no clue. She was cuddled up to me so close and a bit snug for me to try and get out of. I sighed and nudged her a bit. "Pinkie? Can you get up Pinkie? Please?" I said. She mumbled to herself and released me flipping over. I got up and steadied myself before going out of my room and down stairs.

My dad sat on the couch watching a late night talk show. He looked over and saw me at the last few steps. "Hey you've got work in the morning!" He said getting up. He followed me into the kitchen and waited till I grabbed the only soda I had left in the fridge.

"...Look I know I'm carpooling with Pinkie but I cant sleep knowing Big Mac is pissed at me... I mean... He invited me over to his place tonight and have a few drinks with Shining but... Pinkie threw me a party I did nothing to deserve... And kinda didn't even want." I cracked open my soda and sipped from it. "...Why I got fired from the garage is because I wrecked his families truck and I cost the entire garage money to fix it...." I went back out and sat on the couch setting my soda down. My father sat next to me.

"Well at least you said something about it too them and admitted it... Normally it's a 'Thanks for telling me, I forgive you, have a beer on me' or it's 'You gotta work off that thing you broke, see me how this will go.' You got the shit end of the stick." And didn't I know it? My friend. My BEST friend yelled at me, kicked me out of his home after paying money to throw me a party to make me happy and have a drink after work with another friend who gave me a ticket for an illegal park job. I thought guards didn't give tickets to those who were still in their running cars.

Just upstairs I hear a yawn and a ringing phone. "....Ryder!" Pinkie called out. "Your toast is done...." My dad got a little laugh just as I got back up. I looked at him and silently shushed him before hurrying up stairs.

I went in my room to see Pinkie still asleep holding my phone that was still on the charger. The picture on the screen was Shining Armor. I didn't know whether to screen it or answer but... Knowing a guard he could think something is wrong. I took my phone and unplugged it tossing the cord over Pinkie, hitting the wall. I tapped the green button and put it up to my ear just to hear Shining say: "Where are you?" I huffed.

"Fucking Big Mac doesn't want me around the house." I replied. "What's up with you why are you calling me at..." I look at my phone seeing it read 9 at night. "...N-nevermind..."

"Dude I need you down at Sweet Apple Acres NOW! Big Mac is drunk off his ass and he's getting beligerant and he's too big for me to handle and I cant call other guards on him."

"Why the hell should I help you? You gave me a ticket! I wasn't even parked I just dropped my fucking sister off!"

"OKAY FINE! I'll help you pay the whole ticket! JUST GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE AND-" The phone cut out. I huffed and looked to Pinkie. Then my phone. I went and grabbed my keys off my dresser and got my pants on and a pair of flip flops standing by before putting my phone in my pocket and going down stairs.

I looked at my father. "Dad. C'mon we gotta get going." He didn't even say anything before shutting off the TV and following me out the door to my car. Not long later we pulled up at Sweet Apple Acres with Big Mac struggling with Shining Armor on the ground with Applejack trying to pry them apart frantic.

We both ran up together. My dad pulled Applejack away and I jumped on both stallions pushing them apart. That's when I pinned Big Mac and head butted him knocking him out. That is something I thought I'd never have to do. Even though it is something Shining and I had agreed on if this ever happened. Big Mac gets drunk and starts knocking us around, we'd double team him and i'd try and knock him out without doing serious damage. I'm glad I held back in this case. Shining panted and got up. "You... Are LUCKY you showed Ryder..." He said dusting himself off. "Any longer and... This could've t-turned into a fucking domestic thing..."

I got up and Applejack ran up and hugged me. "I could just kiss ya sugarcube!" She said. "I didn't want him to do any of that.... Shining mentioned one thing, then it lead to talkin' about you... God I swear for a moment he was gonna get his shotgun!" Shining brought AJ over and looked into her eyes.

"You go get some things and go to Ryder's place. I'll stay here and keep Big Mac tied down just in case he wakes up..." He looked back at Big Mac who had a slight nose bleed and a black eye. "...IF he wakes up...."

I knelt down and put my ear to Big Mac's chest. Heart beat, slight breathing. "Yeah... He should wake up..." I said standing back up. "What about Applebloom is she safe?" Applejack nodded.

"Yeah... Dash took her over to Rarity's after Big Mac tossed you out... I called her and told her things might not be all good but... Shit was I right..."

My dad walked over to Shining. "If you don't mind I'm actually gonna help her get everything she needs... She seems shaken." He said. Shining nodded and my father took her hand walking her inside.

Shining bent down next to Big Mac and sat him up. "C'mon Ryder help me with this." He asked. I walked over and grabbed Big Mac's legs. "On three. Ready? THREE!" At the same time we both lifted the big stallion up off the ground, me at his legs, Shining at the head.

I sighed starting to walk towards the door going backwards. "You know I almost didn't come because of this asshole." I said. "But then I thought, this is my friend I'm talking about and Big Mac is a violent drunk at times. Your phone die or something? I could swear I was too late when the call cut."

"Yeah. My phone decides to crap out on me while I'm dodging punches and running my ass off. He downed an entire bottle of whiskey. When he said we'd only be having a few drinks I thought it would be shots and a few beers but not entire bottles." We put him on the couch. "Alright you clean up the blood off his face, I'll go to my truck get some restraints." I nodded and went into the kitchen just as he went outside. I looked at the kitchen table seeing empty beer cans and an empty whiskey bottle. Before I grabbed some paper towels I looked in a cabinet and grabbed the coffee grounds and opened one of the dishware cabinets hiding the container in there.

"Hope your hangover hurts like hell you jackass..." I said. I returned to the couch with wet paper towels and I started to wipe the blood off his face. It felt like I was cleaning his face off in slow motion. Probably because I didn't want to wake him up so he could kick my ass for even being here. With my luck Shining came back before I was done. Just as he latched the handcuffs on Big Mac groaned making me jump backing up. Quickly Shining shackled his legs and hurried outside with me. "Shit... I thought I was dead there...." I leaned against the wall.

"You just wait here for your dad and Applejack. I'll watch Big Mac."

I nodded and just before he went back inside I told him where the coffee was for when he wakes up. I waited for my father and Applejack to come out. Took but just a few minutes before they came out. Applejack was in tears with her bags in hand. My dad walked up to me. "I'll drive. You get in back with her." He said. I nodded and took Applejack's hand. Kept her close as we went back to my home. I gave her my bed with Pinkie while I took the couch.

The next morning my mom was the first up. Dad crashed from the loss of adrenaline and stayed out. My mom went down stairs and saw me sprawled out on the couch. She came over and nudged me getting me awake. I jumped and yelped thinking it was Big Mac coming to kill me. Why do nightmares feel so real some times? "Were you being smothered last night Ry?" My mother asked. I shook my head sitting up yawning. "You feeling okay today? You really should've stayed upstairs."

I sighed. "...Well its hard when you get a call from a friend saying theres a problem needing to be fixed..." I said. "I got a call last night saying Big Mac was drunk trying to fight Shining. I took dad out to the orchard and I ended up knocking Big Mac out and bringing Applejack here because she was freaking out... So now I got Pinkie and AJ in my bed... And... Why did you have Pinkie in my room instead of the guest bedroom?" My mother sighed sitting next to me.

"It's because she's a nice mare I know wont even try anything with you and she wanted to help you and not hurt you." I gave a smile.

"Yeah... Always keeping everypony happy any way she can." I said. "I'll see if Pinkie can get Applejack to come with us to Sugarcube corner. There is no way in hell I'm letting her go back home with Big Mac still probably feeling an entire whiskey bottle in him."

"Oh I could not agree more Ry. When ever grandpa was drunk I had to go with grandma to stay with my aunt until the next morning but even then we didn't go back home. Maybe you should wake both Pinkie and Applejack. Make sure they both know what could be happening."

I nodded and stood up. Just as I got to the top of the stairs Scootaloo's bedroom door opened and she walked out rubbing her eyes before going in to the bathroom. I went into my room and looked in at Applejack and Pinkie from the door. AJ looked like her crying took a lot out of her. I hesitantly nudged her and Pinkie. Pinkie woke up with a jolt while Applejack shifted and pulled the covers up more. Pinkie yawned looking over at me. "....Ryder? Already time for work...?" She asked. I nodded. She noticed Applejack in my half of the bed. "....Where did Applejack come from? Is Big Mac coming to get her?" I shook my head.

"No." I said. "We are taking her to Sugarcube corner with us... Big Mac got drunk and started a fight with Shining Armor and I dont want him to do anything to her. He drank an entire bottle of whiskey and I had to knock him out. Shining is with him now making sure he doesn't do anything stupid... Frankly I'm glad I didn't stick around for that drink. We probably would've ended up in the drunk tank or me out in the orchard hanging by my boxers..." Pinkie gave me a weird look. I blushed a bit. "Just... Get her up... I gotta get ready for work." Pinkie smiled.

"Get something colorful to wear! The more sugary you look the more you fit in!" I nodded and went immediately to my dresser.

Dont ask me why I have this outfit but I came out minutes later in what looked to be a pink shirt too small for me with ice cream cones with smiley faces, wrapped candies around them in a heart shape and cotton candy blue jeans. Lucky for me I didn't have any hair below my chest. Berrie got me to bring myself to clean myself up from looking like a bum from off the street who got into a mares dresser. As I left my room Pinkie and Applejack followed. It's obvious Pinkie needed to change clothes because hers were wrinkled. Applejack yawned. "...Damn... Bed's lumpier than a burlap sack full of hay..." She said. "But... Greatful nonetheless... Thanks for letting me sleep here... Ry... And... Pinkie I never knew you were that much of a cuddler..." Pinkie blushed.

"Sorry AJ. You know I normally sleep with a stuffed toy. I might be a grown mare but I still enjoy a nice stuffed animal in bed with me."

Applejack chuckled a bit as she followed me down stairs. On the couch where I slept I saw Scootaloo curled up still in her Pajamas shivering lying on our mothers lap. My mother looked up at me. "Ry you just go to work." She said. "Scootaloo's staying home. She got up last night and threw up and again this morning. I'm surprised you didn't hear her!"

I did hear her losing her dinner while I was getting dressed but I had other things on my mind. I knelt down next to the couch and put my hand up to my sisters head. "Oh... She's burning up..." I said. "...and... I think Rarity might be driving by to snag Scoot since Applebloom was staying there last night. I don't even wanna be near Big Mac after last night." I looked to Scootaloo. "You can stay in my room, watch some TV. I'll call in on my lunch break and see how you're doing okay Scoot?" Scootaloo weakly nodded coughing a bit. "Try and stay away from the soda unless its a ginger ale okay?" She nodded again before I stood up. I felt my pockets and remembered I still had my keys in my pocket. I took them out and put them on the coffee table. "You guys use my car if you need anywhere to go. That truck worries me that something is gonna break and you're gonna crash. If you do have to... Please be careful that car is my baby!" My mother nodded stroking Scootaloo's cheek.

Not long later I was in the back of Pinkie's party van. I sat on where the wheel well was with a bunch of party supplies I had to keep up so it wouldn't fall down on me. Applejack sat up front in the passenger seat with a candy bar in hand. I sighed as we came to a stop at a red light. AJ looked back at me because Pinkie was too busy brushing her mane so it looked poofier. "'S wrong sugarcube?" She asked. "Need something to eat? Pinkie still has some candy in the glove compartment!" I looked up at her.

"I'm good AJ thanks...." I replied. "It's just... I told both of you about the truck and Big Mac flips out while you tell me you accept my apology that I never gave.... Sure that truck meant a lot to the family but.... Why doesn't he accept the fact that I fessed up to doing that and forgive me instead of wanting to beat the living crap out of me?" Applejack sighed.

"He basically thinks that truck is better than the family...." She said. "...He was working on the truck himself one day, Applebloom climbed in to the back... One wrong cut and the damn horn goes off and our little sister falls out of the bed and on to her back. He was so busy trying to stop the horn to even stop and check on her! I had to call Fluttershy to bring her car over to help me get her to the hospital but thank Celestia 'twerent serious. That truck was where he was born, I was just short of being born in the front seat and we managed to get Applebloom to that hospital right before she popped out of momma and took the life outta her... A shame Daddy followed..."

"Well please dont cry thinking about your parents AJ. Pinkie would want us both happy." And how right I was. Pinkie cranked the radio up blasting music from Vynil Scratch. She always kept a CD. Always. She never takes it out of the CD player. I yelled for her to turn it off but she couldn't hear it. Not long later we pulled up to Sugarcube Corner.

"Pinkie...." Applejack said as Pinkie shut the van off. "Did you have to do that...?"

Pinkie nodded. "Get's your mind away from the bad stuff doesn't it?" She said. AJ and I nodded as we had our fingers in our ears cleaning them out. "Well that's great! Ryder I'll be around to get you out." I groaned a bit as both Pinkie and Applejack stepped out. My ears felt as if they wouldn't ever stop ringing. You'd think because of the little area I had it would be muffled but no. Pinkie had a sound system hidden behind the boxes that I guess she had hooked up to the radio and forgot to turn off. The door opened and I stumbled out. I didn't have time to get anything to drink before I left the house. "There we go! You guys go in and sit down. We aren't open yet to the public. I'll send Mr. and Mrs. Cake down to tell you what to do!"

What it actually turned out to be was just a five minute rules session with a soda in my hand. Pinkie offered me one of her energy drinks but the last time I had a Blue Buffalo I was in high school and I got sent to the principals office for distracting other students with my movement. I was hopped up on caffeine and I had to be sent home. In other words it wasn't my cup of coffee. or preferred drink in particular. I worked the register while Pinkie and Applejack waited tables and stocked everything. About fourty five minutes into the shift the one stallion I did not even want to talk to for a while. Not even through the phone. Yep. Big Mac. He was with Shining looking like shit. I left the register and went for the door to a storage room. "Hold it Ryder!" Shining said forcing me to stop. "Outside. Now."

I hesitantly turned around. Shining had his arms crossed and he looked at me ticked. "I'm busy." I said. "Come back later without him and I'll be happy to talk." Shining huffed digging into his pocket. He huffed and I went right in to the room. It was the cakes personal dining room and kitchen back there. I sat down at the table and put my head down giving a sigh. The door opened again and this time Shining came in.

"So this is being busy huh?" He said. "Walking away to put your head down?" I blushed averting my gaze. "Look I didn't bring Big Mac in here, he's with AJ apologizing for what he did. He's got a huge hangover and he couldn't find the coffee for about an hour this morning so I basically let him do that and showed him the coffee. Told him it was payback for even trying to fight with me. Doesn't even remember you came over and did what you did."

"Fine... What the fuck do you want? I'm supposed to be working here." He pulled up a chair and sat next to me.

"Ry look I came to give you the money for the ticket for helping me. I told Big Mac not to even go near you or I'd toss him in the drunk tank." He dug in his pocket and pulled out a bit bag placing it on the table in front of me. "Just take this and pay the ticket down at the court house. If you need call me, I'll give you a ride down there to do it. Okay?"

I gave a bit of a smile and nodded taking the bag and stuffing it into my pocket. A few hours later after he did that I was just going on break. Just as I sit down with Applejack my phone went off. I took it out of my pocket to see my mom calling. I answer and put it up to my ear. "Ryder?" My mom said. "You said you would call during lunch its 10:45!"

I sighed. "That's because I just sat down to lunch." I said. "I was gonna call you. Anyways how is Scootaloo? Is she doing okay?"

"Scootaloo is taking a nap in your bed. She just ate some soup and your father went to get her some ginger ale. I actually think she might be going through a twenty four hour flu. I had it the other day and she must have caught it."

"Well you need to send me a picture of Scoot. Been a while since I've seen her asleep in my bed when I wasn't in it. Now I gotta get go-"

"Alright I'll text it to you just-"

"Mom Pinkie's brining us-"

"Ryder mommy doesn't like it when you-"

I grunted and just hung up. Yeah. I hung up on my mother. Applejack chuckled a bit. "Mommy getting on your nerves?" She asked getting me to blush embarrassed. "I'm sorry sugarcube! Pinkie's puns got me joking with ya too!" I sighed and lied my head down. "Aww don't fret Ry. You know my big brother aint gonna hurt ya!" I looked up at AJ.

"It's not about Big Mac! It's what Shining did! He knows I don't like getting things without working for them! If I didn't need the money to pay off a ticket I'd've tossed it right back in his face... But... Then again he'd make me take it or put me in the back of his truck in hand cuffs.... It makes me feel like a beggar on a street corner..."

"C'mon Ryder lighten up! It aint a handout. He's just being nice and I'd say you did work for that money by helping last night. You can probably chalk this day up as work for that money." Applejack turned around and looked out the window just as Pinkie's van pulled up. "Anyways lunch is here." She looked back at me and stood up. "You think about what I said. If you need to talk with me or Pinkie just take one of us in the back and chat it up."

I nodded and she left me at the table. It felt sort of nice being left alone but that would soon come to an end when Pinkie walked up with paper bags from a local fast food place. Hayburgers. Mine had peppers on it along with some fries. Pinkie's was just a plain cheese hayburger. Applejack the same. Even had drinks with it but we just grabbed what we could from the fridge. Pinkie paid for it all. Guilt: Plus ten. As we ate Pinkie looked over at me. "Everything okay there Ryder?" She asked. I nodded having a mouthful of peppery hayburger. "That's great! I've arranged for the cakes to give you a little 'get well' package for Scootaloo." Applejack looked over at me.

"No worries about pay, I got the whole thing paid for!" She said.

"Yup! It's got medicine, cupcakes, cookies and even a little something for both of you to share!"

I gave a smile swallowing what I had in my mouth. "...Thanks girls..." I said. "I... I honestly don't know how I could thank you..." As I went back to eating my phone went off. I held my burger with one hand and took my phone out to see my mom's text with 'New Picture Message' as the text. I swiped and it pulled up a picture of Scootaloo with one of her stuffed animals curled up in my bed asleep. I gave a little laugh and sighed.

"What's gotcha laughing sugarcube?" Applejack asked. I showed her the picture of Scootaloo and she laughed same as me. "Aww sugarcube that is so cute!" Pinkie looked at my phone too.

"Awwww that reminds me of me when I was little! Heck that reminds me of me now!" Applejack and I gave Pinkie a weird look but she didn't seem to mind. "Sleeping with stuffed animals has ALWAYS been my thing! I think I even saw Fluttershy sleeping with a stuffed bunny rabbit! Either that or Angel was just cuddly."

"...Pinkie I'm as right rain when I say she's been sleeping with stuffed animals since she was just a filly. Besides I'm pretty sure each one of us had one of them sleepy time snuggle buddies but I haven't had one since we first got Winona." I gave a sigh taking my phone back.

I texted my mom back.

'Sorry I hung up like that. Mrs. Cake was trying to talk with me. That's why I needed to go. Anyways give her a little kiss for me. Bringing home something just for her.' I texted.

I put my phone on the table and went back to eating my hayburger. I spent my last few hours at Sugarcube Corner working harder than ever. I mopped floors, I cleaned the ovens, counters, took more orders and even stayed till close. Applejack waited with me. It was about seven at night. Lovely spring night. Cool but not freezing cold and not too uncomfortably warm. Pinkie could still be seen inside with Mrs. Cake at her side putting together the basket mentioned earlier. The stars above me and Applejack making me sigh. "...Beautiful night isn't it?" I asked blushing a bit. I heard AJ give me a 'mmmhmm'. I looked over at her. "...can I ask you something Applejack? Something.... Kinda personal?"

Applejack looked at me. "Everythin' okay sugarcube?" She asked. I took a deep breath and grabbed her hands.

"...Applejack... I... I want to thank you for helping me out of my slum these past few days..." I said. "...You forgave me for a mistake I made... You brought me in for work and even said screw it to what I owed multiple times.... Maybe here I can actually get a paycheck and do things for you..." I saw Applejack blush. Her eyes looked deeply into mine.

"W-what're you sayin' here...?"

"....What I'm saying... Would you want to... I don't know... Mend this stallion's heart by being his marefriend?" She smiled brightly and hugged me.

"Course I will Sugarcube! Why the hell've I been doin' all this stuff for ya anyways?" She brought her head up and kissed me on my cheek.

I felt my heart skip a beat as the shards came together. Tears came to my eyes as a warm feeling came over me. If it weren't for my mother and my sister at my place and Big Mac at hers I'd be getting her in bed I was so excited. A car squealed by startling me and her forcing us to break the kiss. That and Pinkie had just come out the door with the basket wrapped in plastic. "Oooooh! Somepony's having a makeout party without the party pony here!" She said giggling. Applejack and I blushed. Thank goodness for those pants. Tight enough to hide what I was packing. Almost too tight. Pinkie gave me the basket. "You two want a room to use for fun?"

"P-pinkie aint that far yet..." AJ said. "Besides we gotta get home to our loved ones! Maybe you could take us home!" Just then a black truck pulled up and honked its horn. Yeah it was Shining's truck.

"That's my ride girls." I said starting for the truck. "Maybe I can take you to dinner tomorrow night AJ? I'm pretty sure Mr. and Mrs. Cake can give me a two day paycheck first." Applejack smiled.

"I... I'd like that but.... Let me get myself to your place. I'm supposed to be getting an ATV tomorrow and I can test it out by riding up to your place."

I smiled brightly and gave Applejack a quick smooch before hurrying to the truck and hopping in. As said earlier Shining took me to pay my ticket and then back home where I actually had a great night sleep but on the couch. My mom didn't want to move Scootaloo. How could I say no?