RIIING RIIING

The metallic sound of the rotary phone scares me and makes me jump in Qwick's embrace.

"Calm down, it's just the phone," He reassures me, running a hoof over the top of my head. Flustered, I wave his hoof away and stand up. One to the phone I pick it up.

"Hello?" I speak into the receiver.

"Ms. Reigns? It's Tango. I got done with the magic dating. You're gonna wanna be here for the results,"

"How'd you get this number?" I ask, confused.

"Called the front desk. They gave me this number." Tango tells me before hastily hanging up the phone. The clack of the hoofpiece on his side hurts my ear and reminds me of my hangover. Groaning, I replace my hoofset and turn to Qwick.

"That was Tango. He said the magic dating was a success and I'm going to want to be there to hear the results," I tell him before falling onto the bed. "I'll go later. My headache is too much."

"Nuh-uh! You've already spent too much time away from this case. You're going to finish this," He reprimands, standing up. I wave a hoof at him without lifting my head to look. Only to feel his muzzle push under my stomach and lift me up. Making me slide onto his back. I feel his holster jab into me from under his jacket.

"Hey!"

"This is how this works. I'm going to carry you to the Taxi carriage. Then you walk yourself,"

"Fiiiiiine!" I whine.

"Tango!" I shout, walking into the morgue. Moments later he walks in behind me.

"Yes?"

"Why-?"

"No phone in here. Had to tell Trent."

"Ah," I nod. "So, the results?"

"You're not gonna believe it!" He says excitedly, prancing over to the table. I follow him, sans prancing.

"So, what is it?" I press.

"These remains," He waves a hoof over the bones. "Are over two hundred years old! About two-fifty to two-seventy I'd say!" His excitement contagious and I began to smile.

"So we're not dealing with a current murder," I stress the word current. There's nothing I can do if this child was killed two hundred years ago.

"And hear this. I tested the chest as well, just to avoid any misreading, and i'm sure the chest was made just before she died! Now Trent is talking to the divers again, and he's going to see if they found anything else down there. A sunken ship maybe,"

"You think these were transported from some other land via ship?" I ask, he nods. "That's pretty damn cool, aside from the dead child part."

We were both silent fore some time, looking at the remains.

"So what now? There's no family to release these to. And it's not like we can investigate these," I say, turning to look at him.

"Yea. I dunno now. I'd say a museum after we fully examine and write all the reports. That'd be something up to Note though." He tells me.

"Alright. I guess you can go talk to Note. Call 'em up, I'll start doin' these."

We both nod and start out respective jobs.

Qwick's point of view

"Qwick?" A voice breaks through my nap, making me open my eyes. The hospital guest chair uncomfortable under me.

I look up to the hospital bed ahead of me. The bed Silver lay upon has it's blankets neatly covering him. His forelegs over the comforter and a bandage loosely wrapped around his head.

"Why are you here?" He asks me, I can hear a hint of confusion, relief, and sadness in his voice.

"I'm here to make sure you're okay," I tell him, though that being only part of the truth. I watch as a small smile spread across his muzzle before his eyes squinted in pain.

"I'm lucky you're a weak bucker. Doc says I'll be outta here soon. They didn't even have to wrap this dammed bandage too tight," Another small smile showed itself on his muzzle.

"I didn't intend to break your jaw. I simply wanted that gun out of my face," His smile falters as my words reach his ears. He looks away sadly.

"Yea, man. I'm really sorry about that. It's these dammed drugs my therapist has me on. They make me kinda crazy."

"Unless your doctor prescribed you medical morphine I doubt it's those," I say, my tone flat. He hastily looks over to me, his eyes wide with shock.

"How the hell?!" His ears lay flat against his head.

"That's the other reason I'm here, Silver. After your... Episode... I took the liberty of searching your motel room. Chief Note's the one who found the morphine and the Barbituates you were proscribed. But you've been failing to take them. Haven't you?" I press, hopping off of the chair and walking closer to him.

"So what?! What's it matter? And who gave you the right to search my shit!?" He starts to yell, pointing a hoof at me.

"Silver," I say calmly. "You've got to understand. I had to figure out why my partner, and my friend, suddenly was yelling at me and pointing a live gun at my face." I explain. He lowers the hoof.

"Yeah. You're right," He nods as I walk closer.

"I thought you might like to keep this..." I verbalize, pulling out the polaroid of Andreah out of my jacket and placing it onto the bedside stand.

"Thanks, Qwick. " He voices. Then puts his forelegs out, asking for a hug. Deciding that refusing it would be wrong, I step to the bed and start to place my right foreleg around him.

Without warning, he wraps his hooves around my neck and pulls me towards him, pressing his lips onto mine. I squirm, unable to release myself from his grip. His lips are uncomfortably warm an his scent unorthodox in it's comfort.

Finally, I'm released and I jump back as far as I can.

"You're insane," I say, a low growl in my voice. I try to act unaffected despite the obvious burning in my ears.

"I'm not insane. Just looking for a different road," He says, smirking wildly. Damn this stallion.

"I'll tell Andreah you're still unconscious," I stab, walking out of the room.

"HEY! COME BACK HERE!"

"So, what are you thinking?" I ask the doctor, standing just outside of Silver's closed room door.

"He's definitely breaking apart. I'm not a psychologist,, and I recommend one to determine his mental state, but the use of delauded mixed with the withdrawal from his prescribed meds definitely is lessening his physical health," The doctor tells me. "And, with what you've told me. I'm sure his mental health Is breaking down. And for both physical and mental health. I'm going to commit him to Canterlot Sanatorium for at least a month. After that I'll send in a psychologist to evaluate him."

"Okay, thank you," I say, shaking his hoof before he walks away. I turn to look into the room window.

"Dammit Silver. Andreah still loved you."

Author's Note

That is the end of "Treasured Bones"! Thanks for reading!