What if?

Her head in her hooves, the purple unicorn lay on the center of the kitchen floor, un-moving. Her once racing mind was now quiet, and.. Slightly buzzed.

Knock knock knock

After a moments hesitation the door to the library seemed to open slowly, and with trepidation

"H-hello? Is anypony home?" Came a soft and timid voice from the opening. When she opened the door just far enough to see her friend laying on the floor, the door carelessly flung open and a rapid clop of hooves ran towards Twilight. Seeming to go unnoticed by the pony in question, Fluttershy continued searching her friend for any sign of life, but when she noticed her chest expanding and contracting she let out an exasperated sigh.

Twilight spoke under her breath. "Hey, Flutters..."

"Twilight... are you alright?"

The question itself seemed simple. Yet, at the same time, so complex. Three, no four different answers -- two answers simple, and two explanatory -- can answer this question with an ease of heart.

Why was she not feeling this ease then?

Her heart felt like molten lead, her lungs like they were weighed down with a million hot coals just cooling from a recent fire. But, why, oh why could she not bring herself to lie, to not give into the sorrowful pit of helplessness that was her letting go of most of the heavy weight of a self-induced-burden.

Instead of choosing one of the four easy answers, she went with the simplest one that came to mind. An answer so intricate, so finely detailed, so.. exasperatedly understood with ease. That it would take nothing else to answer her question.

"Eeeerrrrr..."

Fluttershy smiled at that.

"I'm glad to see you're still coherent. How about we get you into that chair and I'll make you something to ease the pain."

Surprisingly without waiting for an answer, Fluttershy walked over to the nearest table in the kitchen and pulled out a chair, waiting patiently for a hesitant Twilight to pick herself up so she could help her sit. When she was finally set in stone -- or, on a chair in this case -- Fluttershy quietly trotted over to the coffee maker.

"...Have I ever told you how much I hate hangovers?" Twilight groggily said in a pained voice.

"I can certainly imagine. When I was younger, I was a party animal. I wasn't the 'life of the party', mind, but I was more of a... crazed mare that would take on any dare."

Twilight stared at Fluttershy in disbelief.

"What." She smartly replied.

This got Fluttershy to airily giggle.

"It's true," she replied in her usual whisper tone.

"Then why are you so... quiet. Timid, almost like you're scared."

Fluttershy looked down.

"This, Twilight... is just a face I put on to not scare anybody away. I've never 'really' had any friends until I calmed down. Not since..." Her eyes closed.

Twilight almost began to speak, but Fluttershy beat her to it.

"Well.. That doesn't matter, now. The past is the past. We can't afford to wallow in sorrow for what 'could have been', instead we should settle for what is, what we have." A single tear streamed down the cheek of yellow timid, she reflexively sniffed and wiped it away.

Her physical pain forgotten for the moment, Twilight laid a hoof on Fluttershy's.

"I'll always be here for you if you need someone to talk to..."

Fluttershy smiled.

"Thank you."

As if on queue the timer buzzed for the coffee maker, signaling that the coffee's done. Much to the thanks of Twilight, as she received a fresh cup.

"I have a question, Twilight, if you wouldn't mind."

"Go ahead."

"Why were you lying on the floor?"