Applejack stood by the bed where Ben lay, Twilight at her side. Ben’s head had a fresh bandage and his face was covered by a mask that supplied him oxygen. A drip had been inserted through which he would be fed until he awakened. A catheter had also been inserted, as is was unknown when he would wake up. Ben did not move. The rise and fall of his barrel was nearly imperceptible. Were it not for the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor, the two would have thought him dead.

Applejack stared at the half-dead colt lying there. She did not know what to do or even think. She wanted to scream at Ben for doing something so stupid. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to smack some sense into him. She wanted to tell him not to worry. She wanted to buck him right back to where he came from. She wanted to let him cry over her wither. She felt fury. She felt pity. She raged. She understood.

“Are you okay?”

Applejack felt Twilight’s hoof on her wither and slowly tore her eyes away from Ben. Twilight’s face wore that look of concern she always had whenever she knew her friends needed her.

Applejack bowed her head with a heavy sigh. “Ah don’t rightly know, Twilight.” She closed her eyes. “Ah don’t rightly know.”

Twilight reached over and pulled her into a side-hug. “He’ll wake up. I know he will.”

“Ah know, but what if he tries that again? He’s awful desperate, Twilight. Why else would he do somethin’ so dumb? Ah’m supposed ta help ‘im, but Ah don’t know how. He ain’t gonna listen, so how’m Ah supposed ta keep ‘im from hurtin’ ‘imself like this again?”

Twilight did not answer at first. She took a moment to ponder her friend’s question. “I don’t know if he’ll learn from this or not,” she replied, “The best thing I can think of is to remind him of what will happen if he does something this dangerous again. If a foal puts their hoof on a hot stove, they don’t do it again, right? Ben’s supposed to be an adult, so he’s got to have that kind of common sense.”

“But he’s basically a colt here,” Applejack pointed out, “And he ain’t exactly been makin’ smart choices. Ah have no idea what he’s gonna do when he wakes up.”

It was Twilight’s turn to sigh. “I don’t really know either. Hopefully, he’ll wake up in time for the portal in Canterlot to reopen. If that one can send him home, I’d hate for him to miss it. He’s already upset enough as it is. Missing an opportunity to go home to his family like that would break his heart, or worse.”

Ben’s utter despair from when Applejack first met him came unbidden to the farm mare’s mind. She had heard of ponies taking their own lives, but never understood why. Perhaps that was because she always had family who loved her dearly. Dread filled her at the thought of what Ben might do when he eventually recovered. Surely he wouldn’t do something like that if he knew there was still a way to go home. Right?

Applejack and Twilight eventually left the hospital. They still had responsibilities and sitting in a room staring at Ben wasn’t doing anypony any good. Twilight returned to the library to continue her research. Applejack went back to the farm to finish her chores. It wasn’t fair to Big Mac to keep foisting her work onto him because she kept having to take care of Ben.

It took only a few minutes to reach Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack went to find her brother. She found Big Mac in the barn, moving a few hay bales up into the loft.

“Want some help?” she asked.

“Eeyup,” he answered.

With the two earth ponies working together, all of the hay was soon secure in the loft, waiting to be taking down for food or some other purpose later. Applejack found herself smiling in contentment. Few things were more satisfying than a job well done.

“Ah reckon that about does it,” she declared.

“Eeyup.”

Applejack’s smile disappeared. “Ah’m sorry Ah ain’t been much help lately, Big Mac. Been too distracted thinkin’ about Ben an’ tryin’ ta take care of ‘im.”

“Ah understand,” said Big Mac, “How is he? That gash looked pretty bad.”

Applejack hung her head. “He’s in a coma. The doctors don’t know when he’ll wake up.”

Big Mac silently took in the news. There was little he could say that had not already been said. “You alright?” he asked.

Applejack’s response was a sound akin to a weary sigh and an aggressive snort as she raised her head. “Ah don’t know! Ah’m worried what he’s gonna do when he wakes up and Ah wanna buck ‘im inta next week fer bein’ such an idjit! Ah know he misses his family. Hay, Ah’d likely do the same thing if Ah were him, but supposin’ he tries this again? Supposin’ he… he…” She stomped with one hoof before taking a breath to calm herself. “Ya were there the mornin’ he got here, Big Mac. Ya heard what he said.”

Her brother nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

“Ah can’t let him do that,” Applejack continued, “Not on mah watch. Ah just don’t know how ta stop ‘im. Twilight’s the one who knows all that stuff about magic and Ah’ll bet mah hat she told ‘im how dangerous it were, but Ben just up and tried anyway! How’m Ah supposed ta keep ‘im from doing this ta ‘imself?”

Big Mac put a hoof on her wither as she took several deep breaths. “Maybe ya ain’t supposed ta,” he said after several minutes of silence.

Applejack’s eyes went wide in sheer incredulity. “WHAT?” she shouted, eyes narrowing in anger. “Are you sayin’ that colt-? human-? You sayin’ Ben ain’t mah responsibility? You telling me ta give up?”

“Enope.”

“Then what the hay do ya mean?”

“Well, ain’t he supposed ta have a counselor? Ah ain’t an expert, but maybe she can stop ‘im from gettin’ hurt again.”

Applejack opened her mouth to protest, but stopped. Ever since they learned that Ben was simultaneously an adult and a child, it hadn’t occurred to Applejack to contact Warm Light. Since Ben wasn’t actually abused or suppressing memories, everypony had simply assumed that there was no need for counseling. However, if Ben was willing to take drastic measures to leave, then perhaps he did need Warm Light’s help.

Applejack grinned and hugged her brother. “Big Mac, yer a genius!”

“Eeyup.”

“Ah‘ll head fer the hospital and see if they can tell me where she lives so Ah can talk to ‘er.”

Filled with determination, Applejack took off at a gallop. Ben needed help and he was going to get it.

Author's Note

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

To be honest, haven’t had much motivation to write. I fear that putting Ben in a coma may have been a mistake. I knew the character was desperate enough to try teleporting and therefore I wanted consequences. He’ll wake up, but the problem is what the other characters will do in the interim without it feeling like filler. I’m open to suggestions.