The drive home seemed to drag on since the adrenaline from earlier had worn off completely, I kept looking in the little mirror on the visor at my face studying the stitches that made a trail from between my eyebrows down the bridge of my nose to the top of my right nostril.

"Alec," Sunset called to me in a soft voice as she gently shook my left shoulder.

I snap out of my trance by shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I flip the visor up with a small thump as I turn my head to look at Sunset as she calls my name again, all I hear is a faint ringing in my ears while sunset's voice is slowly drown out by the noise of traffic.

"Hello, earth to Alec anyone home?" Sunset said a bit louder and shook my shoulder a bit harder this time.

I blink slowly at her studying her face the best I could, I take a deep breath and only mouth out one word. "Why?"

"What do you mean?" She asked keeping her focus on driving.

"Why, why did this happen. What did I do to warrant this happening to me?" I ask in a quiet shaky voice.

"I don't know Alec, I don't know." Sunset replied to me as she gently rolled to a stop in the turn lane waiting for a break in traffic.

"Do you think I'm broken?" I ask as I lean my head on my hand as I look out the passenger side window.

Sunset took a breath and exhaled not knowing what to say to my question, turning after a break in the long line of oncoming traffic she gets down the road a little bit before pulling over on the side with her hazard lights on, the soft rhythmic click of the relay fills the car as she turns to me placing a hand on my shoulder and another hand interlacing with mine.

"You've had to shoulder a lot from a young age and yet you're top of our class besides Twilight, what you've been through I do not wish on my most hated enemy. You've shown to a lot of people that you can overcome anything, you've proven to me that you are strong and don't give up on anything," Sunset says to me tears forming at the corners of here eyes, "did you deserve what you've been through, no, do I think that you are strong, very much so; stronger than anyone that I've met besides two other people from a previous life that I left behind."

"You’re a good friend Sunny, let’s go home and I’ll make us some lunch.” I say to her as I wipe a year off her cheek with my thumb.

The rest of the drive home was the longest I've ever experienced, longer than the constant cross country drives when we were relocating.

♡♡♡

The house reeked of stale booze when I opened the front door, the thick stagnant air was suffocating to breath in as we moved further towards the living room.

Looking to my right and seeing the pool of my blood on the floor and soaked into the rug that lay in the dining room, I shook my head and gingerly placed a hand over my stitches.

I turn back to what I was doing, walking over to the record player that sat atop the stereo stand along the wall I open the plastic lid and look down at the album sitting on the deck of the turn table.

"What are you doing?" Sunset asked as she slowly looked over the carnage of what happened earlier.

"Music, not only for the distraction but for calming me down," I say as I press in the power button on the stereo, turning the knob from the FM band to the Phono setting.

"Whatare you putting on?" Sunset curiously asked as I felt her hand on my shoulder.

"You'll see, one of my favorite albums by this band. It inspired me to teach myself guitar and write my own music," I told her as I carefully lay the needle on the edge of the record.

The soft rhythmic popping and low thrum of slight static filled the empty house before the first notes of music filled the air.

"Country music, really. This is something Applejack would listen to." Sunset scoffed slightly as she gently removed her hand from my shoulder and wormed it around my waist.

"Not country exactly, southwestern rock," I reply as I move my arm to wrap around her shoulder holding Sunset close to me as I watched the center of the record spin around in circles.

"What's the difference cause I'm not hearing one, there's a harmonica and guitars, a small hint of a banjo probably."

I look over to Sunset and whisper in her ear, "I'm not getting into this with you right now."

"I'm just teasing you Alec, don't get too hung over it," she whispers back in my ear, having to stand on her toes to reach.

"I know, Sunny. It's that music and art have been my only friend since I was introduced at a young age. Until I met you that is." I say in soft tone.

"So you haven't had friends at the other schools before coming to Canterlot high?" She says in disbelief.

"Nope, not true friends that I've actually let into my life like I have with you," I tell her as I give her shoulder a small playful squeeze.

"Must be lonely," Sunset muttered under her breath as she moved around to where we were face to face.

"It is, constantly moving every few months to a year. Not really connecting with anyone on a deep level, always being the new kid in school." I say while I let go of Sunset.

I slowly walk over to the wet bar, knowing that my stash is in plain sight and no one has noticed in the last 5 years.

"What are you getting Alec?" Sunset asked.

"Just something to take the edge of," I say as I open the upper cabinet of the bar, running my hand on the upper shelf trying to find what I was looking for.

The soft thump of the turntable needle up against the paper label in the center notified me to turn the record to the B side.

Author's Note

How is everyone doing, late update on this one cause life and those adult responsibilities get in the way of writing or expanding upon chapters. I've tried to stick to a regular release schedule of anywhere from 5-7 days but sometimes things happen.