Chapters Chapter One. Cold and Alone
Written by King Galaxy
Chapter One. Cold and Alone
It was cold and late, the town clock just striking 11:00pm, He walked through the streets. His head held down and his coat held close at the winter winds whipped wildly around. He was a wanderer, never staying in one place for long. He was getting up there in age, now 43 with his once dark brown hair showing spots of grey. He walked down the sidewalk watching his breathe in the air and feeling the rush of cold as cars passed by. "Brrrr I'm tired of these cold times... makes my joints stiffen..." he said, turning to face a sign for an old motel. "Better place than being out here.." watching cautiously, he crossed the road to the motel but was upset to see the lobby lights off and a "closed" sign hanging on the door. He sighed heavily as he walked to a near by bus stop and sat on the bench; sheltered from the wind and the incoming snow. A while passed before he finally got up and headed to a diner down the street. He shook some snow from his coat and head before opening the Diner's door, walking in. There was no one there. except for a lone waitress. She was young. slim yet Hourglass-like figure, skirt and apron with her mane done up in a pony-tail. She turned and gave him a small smile as he sat down at the counter. "Hello Mister." She said cheerfully. "Sure is cold out there huh?" she giggled slightly handing him a menu. "Yeah... Seems to be cold every year I come around..." He said reaching out, coat sleeve slipping slightly showing a slightly damaged robotic limb. The young waitress gasped slightly looking closely at the Strangers robotic arm. "Sir... If you don't mind my asking, what happened and where did you get a fancy limb like that?". He sighed and looked up at her, "I was in a fire when I was younger.... This is a replacement to what I lost... My own design..". The waitress felt slightly sorry for him but was amazed that someone could come up with such a unique and wonderful creation. She broke from her pause and looked at him" S-Sorry sir. What can I get you? Mr.... I'm sorry.. I didn't catch your name.. He looked up at her once more," Adam. Adam Estrada.... My friends called me Atom..", He looked back at his menu slightly saddened thinking about what he'd left behind those years ago," Tea please... unsweet, and please make sure its warm." The waitress nodded and hurried to get his tea. She came back shortly later setting down his tea. "There you go Mr. Estrada. Do you think you're ready to order now? Adam shook his head and sipped his tea, letting the warmth fill him," Not quite yet... I need some time to think things over tonight. Thank you though...." He held his tea in both hooves looking down at it going silent. The waitress watched him for a moment then sighed and turned to pick up a tray of dishes and carry them to the back room to wash them. Adam watched his tea, as if expecting it to move or something to move from it. "All those years... Brilliant invention after another.... only to be run off...", he sighed heavily," I only wish I could get a second chance... to do everything over. Fix my mess-ups..." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes going quiet once more leaving nothing but the sound of cars passing by fill the air.
Chapter Two Waiting for Help
Adam had fallen asleep and had his head laid down on the table next to his tea. The waitress had come back from washing dishes and raised an eyebrow sighing. "Poor stallion... I wonder how long he's been up and about...." She looked at the clock, 1:18. "Oh dear My shifts almost ended...", She started shutting the kitchen down turning off the lights and walked back over to Adam, " I don't have the heart to wake him up... But he can't stay here..." She set a hoof on his back and gently shook him," Mr. Estrada.... You've got to wake up... I've got to close up the Diner so I can go home." Adam slowly woke up rubbing his eyes. "Sorry..... didn't mean to fall asleep on you. I've had a bit of a rough day...". He slowly got up adjusting his coat. "Thank you for the tea...", He reached in his pocket for his wallet to pay. "Uh- no need sir.. it's on me..". She smiled kindly, "Go on home and get some rest and have a good evening." Adam nodded and turned to the door slowly opening it walking out without another word. He didn't have a home, and he knew that, but he never liked to fuss, or make others worry. Facing the storm once more he headed back down the sidewalk searching for some form of shelter to rest. It seemed like hours but he finally found shelter at an abandoned shop, He started to cross the road not paying attention when he was suddenly struck by a small car. He hit the snow unconscious. What happened after that was nothing short of a gift in disguise.
Adam woke up several hours later, he rubbed his head slowly, groaning slightly. "Ugh.... I feel as if I've been hit by a truck...." Suddenly his eyes were wide open as he sat up abruptly looking around at his surroundings. He was in a bedroom, but it was strange. It was not as if he was back home, but instead in what seemed to be, a mares room. Sun light peeking through the frilly curtains onto the deep red blanket on the queen sized bed. He peered next to him at a glass of water sitting on the side table next to him. "Hmmm don't mind if I do...", He reaches and took the cup sipping it before putting it down realizing he'd been undressed! " Awww...!" Suddenly the door creaked open and a familiar face peered through. It was the waitress from the Diner. "Good Morning Mr. Estrada... S-Sorry for last night.... I didn't mean to hit you... please don't be upset!" She looked upset and Adam just couldn't be too cross and he gave her a small smile. " Don't worry... it was my fault for not paying attention..." He picked the blanket up slightly peering down at his bare bandaged torso and looked back up at her. "Uh... How did I get undressed....." He watched a small blush form on her face, "W-Well I couldn't just leave you in those cold wet things... I-I undressed you and put your clothes in the wash... I-I promise I didn't look at anything! d-down there....
Adam chuckled and blushed slightly, "Thank you... for the Tea and for not leaving me to freeze... I.. I didn't even get your name.." She smiled, " Rose.. Rose de Quartez... You can just call me Rose..." Adam smiled, "Lovely name.. Thanks again Ms. Rose... You've a lovely home.." Rose walked over and gave him some medicine to help the pain and headed back to the door. "Breakfast will be ready soon.... If you're feeling well enough you can come down and enjoy it with me... o-or I can bring it up to you if you're still hurting..." Adam nodded and took the medicine slowly moving out of the bed wearing only his thermal leggings. Moving slowly following her down stairs to a quaint little kitchen, everything neatly arranged. He sat down and a small oak table and watched Rose move to the stove starting to cook.
Chapter Three Rose by Any Other Name
Adam and Rose had both remained quiet while they ate their breakfast. Rose had started cleaning up and carried the dishes off to the sink before Adam finally spoke, " Ms. Rose... Thank you for everything.. but... I must leave you.." Rose looked at him slightly confused, " Mr. Estrada... You are still hurt... but... if you want I suppose I can drive you home... Adam looked at her and sighed getting up, "It would be hard to find my house... I'll just gather my things and be on my way..." Rose went off coming back with his clothes, neatly folded, and the rest of his belongings. "Mr. Estrada... I'm sure I'd be able to find your house if you just give directions... its still awful cold out there..." Adam got dressed quite quickly and put hit items in his pockets. " Like I said.. it would be quite hard to find my home.." He turned to the door and zipped his jacket up before reaching out to the door. Rose quickly grabbed his arm before retracting her hoof looking down. "Mister...I don't see why I can't just drive you home instead of you walking through the cold and the snow..."
Adam looked down at the door knob not speaking for a moment then taking a deep breathe. "It's because I don't have a home. not anymore...." Without another word he opened the door and headed out shutting the door hard behind himself walking out into the snow and the cold. Rose was awestruck, she felt bad for him but wasn't sure what to do. "A pony without a home.... Why... Everypony should have a home.." She sat down and looked at the door wondering what she should do. The same thought rushing through her mind "anymore" What had happened, was that the fire he mentioned that made him lose his arm?
Adam walked out of the neighborhood and sighed looking down at the snow covered side walk. She was sweet and kind, too kind. He couldn't bare to hurt another soul. It was better to just leave. Leave the town, leave the whole area, and just keep moving. Money, respect, a family, all had been stripped from him.... He was left to walk the plains, mountains, valleys...., Equestria, alone. Why had it all come crashing down. Why had he lost all credibility. Someone had to be behind it all, but who... and why him... he walked a while longer and his ears perked up hearing a steam whistle cut through the sound of the wind, he looked up to see an express train racing through the air high above him. "Hmph... My flying designs... Those railways wouldn't be created had it not been for my designs... but... who would believe me..." He looked ahead and kept walking feeling sorry for himself.
The day went on, cold, windy, and hard. Adam had been walking for so long his ears had turned slightly blue. The sun was lower in the sky and it would soon be dark and it would be getting colder in no time. He soon found himself sitting at another bus stop keeping his jacket closed tight slowly closing his eyes. He heard a vehicle pull up and opened one eye expecting to see a bus, only to see a familiar little red car and Rose stepping out of it. "Listen... I-I'm sorry I'm following you but I c-can't stand to see you out here in the cold... You'll freeze to death out here..." she said worriedly clutching her coat close. Adam slowly opened both eyes and looked up at her. "You don't know what you're getting into...." He got up slowly "I don't care.. You're clearly to well educated to be stuck out wandering alone.. I-I'm bringing you back to my place!" She looked up at him sternly, shaking slightly from the cold. Adam sighed and nodded, "fine, fine... if it will keep you from freezing trying to argue...
Chapter Four: Understanding
(Warning: Starting in this chapter there will be Scenes that are rated for 18 and older)
Rose had talked Adam into getting into the car, He wasn't sure what to think about it all. "Rose... You really don't know what you might be getting into..." Rose drove through the snow and clenched the steering wheel slightly harder. " Yes I do.... Atom..." That name shot through his mind like a rocket on steroids. "H-How do y-you know that name....." He said shuddering. Rose sighed, now was the time to let it all out... to stop pretending. "It's your rightfully earned name... at first I wasn't sure.. but your face... I remember your face.. Soft.. Kind... The face your patients looked for... You could cure or help heal anypony... You're a brilliant stallion.. I've l-looked up to you since I was in high school..." Her words moved through his mind and he looked down at his hooves gently rubbing his robotic one. "I'm not a Doctor anymore... Atom was lost years ago when I lost everything else... Times have changed... I became feared.. called Mad... Crazy..." His voice softened and he went quiet looking down at his hooves. Rose pulled into her drive way and set hoof on his looking at him. " Look at me..." Adam turned to meet her gaze, locking eyes with her a faint blush beginning to form on both their faces. Rose continued, "Dr. Atom Estrada... You're not mad... You're an insanely talented stallion who I hate to see has been thrown out! There has to be a reason they turned on you and I intend to help you find out b-because I-", she trailed off blushing more. Adam watched her and slowly moved closer kissing her softly. "Thank you.... It means the world to me knowing someone has my back..." He opened the door and stepped out of the car, "coming...?" Rose shoot from her trance blushing more nodding, "Uh- O-Oh yeah..." She turned off the car and got out shutting her door walking back into the house with Adam.
Her heart humming with new found feelings for the strange wonderful stallion. She placed a hoof to her lips thinking about the soft kiss, it had feeling... though it was not a long kiss, I meant so much. Adam had made his way to her library and was sitting by a ready made fire reading a book. Rose peered in watching him, he seemed to be deep in thought as his eyes scanned the pages reading each word. It took a moment before she finally stepped in, "A-Adam... d-did you have a wife...? Kids...?" Adam marked his page and finally put his book down. "Yes.... and odd family but one non-the-less... I was married to a spunky Alien named Tak.. we had a son named Chase and He himself had become close with a creation of mine... a young lioness..." He let out a slightly depressed chuckle, "but that was 4 years ago... No doubt they've moved on..." He sighed heavily and looked down for a few moments to only look up seeing Rose had moved much closer. "I know it must be hard... missing your family... b-but... you've always got me now...." She was blushing faintly wanting to hug and kiss him but holding her self back. Adam smiled weakly watching her, "You're truly a gift Rose...."
Adam had gone back to reading and rose went into the other room leaning against the wall holding her hoof to her heart. It was wrong... having feelings for him, she knew that he still loved his wife... She wanted to be with him... Adam had fallen asleep with his book held close to his chest and Rose had found her chance. She moved in closer to him and slowly moved her lips to his closing her eyes kissing him softly, she was so enveloped in the moment, she hadn't noticed it had woken Adam up and he was slowly wrapping his arms around her pulling her closer kissing her. They kissed for a couple moments, locked in the bliss of feeling one another's touch. They parted their lips and Adam opened his eyes blushing and smiling warmly. "I can't say I've ever had a mare try to be so sneaky..." Rose's blush deepened, "I-I couldn't help myself.. I-I know you still love and miss your family... I'm s-sorry..." She looked down slightly ashamed. Adam lifted her chin up locking eyes with her once more. "Don't ever be ashamed about having feelings for someone.... If My family can move on.... maybe I can too.. but.. give it a bit of time for us to get to know each other first.." He chuckled and smiled. Rose's heart felt like it was about to burst, This amazing stallion even considering her was such a dream, all she could do was give him a great big hug.