Grounded

That had all been one week ago. She had not seen Derpy since, and there was no way she was going to go out in public in her condition. She had not bathed in weeks and had a foal odor which made the whole room smell. Applejack had tried reasoning with her, but Dashes answer was always the same. "Maybe tomorrow..."

She had been staying with Applejack. Having gotten out of the hospital and not being able to live in her own home was horrible. She had been waiting to get home ever since she found out about...it.  She still didn't like to admit it was true. Her cloud home was in the sky, a place she was not able to go to. It was all to complex to take in at once, but little by little was just as hard.

Applejack supplied her with a small room, where she spent most of her time. She normally didn't move, just lay there, which concerned the Apple family. Rainbow Dash, however, was perfectly content with staying in her new home. She couldn't call it her home, of course, but it was close enough. It was better than staying in the hospital, where anypony who wanted to could come in and stare at the once, amazing, not to mention great flyer, completely helpless. She was once the one to help the helpless. Not any more.

One day, Applejack passed by her room, and dropped a sack of letters on her bed. Curiously, she grabbed a bright pink one, and opened it. After reading it, she smiled. Same after two more, then ten more. An hour later she had finished reading all the letters, except one. It was a deep purple. She opened it like all of the others. After scanning only the first sentence, she burst in to tears. Crying like a filly, she curled up under her blanket and didn't move, just like every other day had been.

Dear Rainbow Dash

I'm so sorry. This was all my fault. I should have been the one to get crushed. I was a distraction. If hadn't been in the Everfree in the first place, then none of this would have happened. I couldn't see you in the hospital. I would have, but I was afraid to see your wing. I afraid to hear what you would say to me. You don't deserve this. I understand if you hate me.

-Scootaloo