Later that day...

The three humans rushed the two mares to the hospital. They were placed in a room, and were in pretty bad condition.

"What's gonna happen now?" Luke asked a nurse.

"Well," she said, "They have been hit many times...just blood loss and some holes. They need rest...and maybe a transfusion. All we need to do is keep an eye on them."

Twilight and Pinkie lay unconscious in their beds. The heart monitors are still going, but blood levels were a little lower than normal. Will sighed.

"This whole thing is my fault. I shouldn't have fled when I saw those guys following me." he said.

"No...It's not your fault." Luke said with a monotone voice, "It's those damn bunker moles...they'll never leave me alone until they get me. Either that, or I'll have to kill every last one of them."

"Come on, guys," James said, "We've still got work to do. Explaining everything to the royals, things like that."

"No. I'm not going."

"Come o-"

"I said," Luke started, and plopped himself in a chair between the two mares, "I'm. Not. Leaving."

He sat his gun bag on the floor, and started reading a book. He really seemed ready to stay. Will and James looked at each other, and then Rainbow stepped into the room.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

Luke slammed his book shut. He looked at Rainbow with fire in his eyes. He stood above her, his shadow surrounding her with darkness...only lit by his burning gaze.

"You..." he said, "Where were you when we had to rush them to the hospital?! We had to carry them on FOOT to this place, which took forever!"

"I was on the ground! I had to hide when those guys were using those weird weapons!" she said.

"Didn't you hear me yelling that we had to carry them?!"

"I was hiding...far away..."

"You LEFT US?!"

"Well...yes.....but..."

"I don't want to hear any more. We were in trouble, Twi and Pink were hurt, and you fled! You're supposed to be the element of loyalty, for Celestia's sake!"

Rainbow scowled, some tears falling from her face...and she ran out of the room.

"I'll go after her," James said, leaving the room to go find Rainbow.

Will looked at Luke, who was already sitting back in the chair.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Will asked.

"Sure as shit." Luke replied.

"Okay..."

With that, Will exited the room. Luke waited for his footsteps to face away...before he did something he didn't do in a long time: He cried. Hard. Bawled his eyes out.

"I'm such an asshole!" Luke said through his tears, "I make all my friends feel uncomfortable, I'm ungrateful, and pushy! I hurt Rainbow's feelings..."

Luke cried for so long, his tears formed a small puddle in the floor. He looked down, and gazed upon a face. A red-eyed face scarred and scratched by the hardships of the world. He hardly ever looked at himself in the mirror at all...so it took him a while to realize that this person was him. He hated this person. This was the face that belonged to someone who was ungrateful, mean, and unaware of how lucky he is to exist. Luke stomped his boot onto the puddle to cover up that face. He didn't ever want to see that man again.

Days passed by, but Pinkie and Princess Twilight was still in a coma. Ponies came by every day to leave flowers and get well cards, but they wouldn't even open their eyes. They weren't alone, though. Luke spent every day sitting in that chair, refusing to leave them. He slept, and ate in that chair. He would read stories to them such as Daring Do, and other Equestrian classics. Whatever happened, he didn't leave the chair.

Three days after the two mares first entered the hospital, Will tried to convince Luke to come out.

"Come on, Luke. Go outside, get some light. Get some fresh air!" Will said, pacing the floor.

"I'm not leaving them." Luke said.

"Luke, you can't stay here forever."

"No. I'll just be here until they wake up."

"Luke...I don't mean to be a downer....but..."

"But what?"

"What if...they...."

Luke furrowed his brow, "That won't happen. I know it won't."

Will sighed. Luke was determined to not leave that spot if it meant it would kill him.

Fast-forward to ten days after the shooting. Luke was sitting by the beds, reading his favorite book from Earth to the unconscious mares.

"He struck his hatchet against the wall, and turned the ball of tree bark into a nice comforting fire." Luke read, and turned the page.

A doctor stepped in, carrying a clipboard in his teeth...and a sad expression on his face. Luke glanced up from the book, and made eye contact with him. The doctor approached Luke...who refused to even blink. Luke gave the doctor a stare...the kind of stare that means "If you don't have anything good to tell me, I'm NOT going to be a happy person." When the doctor reached Luke, he finally spoke...hesitation in his voice.

"Sir...we've been...running some tests..." he started.

"Yeees..?" Luke said, his toes curling up in his boots.

"Well..." he sighs again, "There's no easy way for me to say this..."

"For the love of Celestia, what is it?!"

"The life support is doing nothing...their lives are...coming to an end..."

It hit Luke like a brick.

"What did you say..?" He said, hoping that if he asked again...he would get a different response.

"Princess Twilight and Miss Pinkie Pie...they're...near death..." he repeated.

Luke looked at the two mares. Their eyes were still closed, hearts still beating...blissfully unaware of the danger they're in.

"No...it can't be...you're lying, you're lying!" Luke said, standing up.

"I'm sorry, sir...but it's true. We will alert their loved ones right now and...let you have a few moments with them." the doctor said, before leaving the room.

Time seemed to stop at that moment for Luke. He felt a pain. A deep, aching pain in the pit of his stomach and heart. It was agonizing, like hot magma below the surface of the planet. It hurt so much...even more so than when his ex-girlfriend had committed suicide. He looked down at Twilight, and then at Pinkie. He placed his hands on both their heads, and then the tears began falling down.

"Pinkie...you're the one who got me started in this world. I was lost, and without a guide...even when nobody else accepted me, you gave me a chance. You helped me when I needed you most. Your happy attitude and cheery outlook never failed to brighten my day a little, and I thank you for that." he said.

He turned his head back to Twilight, "And Princess...you mean so much to me. Your beauty, your intelligence, and the fact that you were willing to stick up for my pals and I when we needed some help. You never held anything against me, no matter how much of a pain in the ass I was. Thank you." he said.

Luke's eyes were pouring tears all over his shirt and floor.

"I love you...both of you. You both mean so much to me...and when you are gone...." he chokes on his words, "Who would I have out there to live for anymore? Who will be the Princess of Friendship? Who would be the Element of Happiness?"

Luke slumped down in the plastic chair.

"You may be dying, but if you think if I'm going anywhere...you couldn't be more wrong. I'd sooner shoot myself." Luke said.

Suddenly, Pinkie started to shift a little. Luke looked up, and saw her lifting her head. Her eyes opened, and she looked around. Then, Twilight did the same. She blinked a bit, adjusting her eyes to the light. Luke was at a loss for words. The two mares turned to Luke, and blushed.

"Was...all of that true..?" Twilight asked, her face a deep crimson.

"Did you mean that?" Pinkie asked, her face pinker than usual.

"E-every word. I'm so grateful to know such amazing mares. I love you two...both of you with all my heart." Luke said, his sadness turning to a combination of relief...and gratefulness.

Will, James, the Mane 6, Twilight's closest family members, and Pinkie's family members came to the hospital. They crowded the whole waiting room. Everyone was going through agonizing sadness. Especially the Mane Six. After barging past several hospital staff, they found the room where Twilight and Pinkie were in. Will opened the door, and let everyone inside.

In the room, they found Twilight and Pinkie sitting on Luke's lap...snuggling in his warm embrace. Luke held on to them tight, never wanting to let them go. They all gasped. Twilight and Pinkie looked at them, and smiled.

"Mom! Dad!" both mares said.

"Luke!" Luke said, "Oh wait...that's me."

Twilight Velvet ran to her daughter, "Twilight...We were told...you were gone..."

Pinkie got mobbed by her sisters in a big hug.

A huge wave of relief surrounded everypony. Either a medical error, or a miracle...it didn't matter. They were alive.

After some documents were signed, and bills were paid, Pinkie and Twilight were sent out into the real world. Just a few bandages in a few places.

"I was so scared," James said, "I thought they were gone for good."

"Me too...but I promised them I would never leave them." Luke responded.

Rainbow Dash was seen walking close by, not looking at Luke. Luke sighed, and approached her.

"Hey, Rainbow." Luke said.

"What, Luke? You gonna yell at me again?" she asked, bitterly.

Luke then kneeled and hugged her, "I'm sorry for what I said, Rainbow. I was mad that day, and I didn't control my temper. I'm sorry...do you forgive me?"

Rainbow was silent for a second, "I forgive you, Luke. I'm sorry too. I should never have left you guys."

"Uhh...hello?" Pinkie said, "Are you forgetting us?"

Luke turned to Pinkie and Twilight, who were both looking at him. Luke released his hug with Rainbow and kneeled to hug Princess Twilight and Pinkie. He kissed Twilight, then Pinkie. Twilight and then Pinkie shared a kiss as well. James raised an eyebrow.

"A Triad?" Will asked.

"Appears that way." James said.

"Whatever makes them happy, if you ask me."

"I agree. Come on, let's let them be for a bit."

"I'm glad this turned out well."

"Me too."

Author's Note

Ahh, sad but happy in the end. Just the way I like it!

Thank you guys for reading this chapter. If you liked it, leave me a comment down below. As always: Have a nice day!