I never really did like photography... Her eyes slowly fluttered open in a groggy haze, gazing around her room. It was different some how, it was really clean for one but aside from that everything just seemed too still. She got up, confused, and headed down stairs. Her trot slowed as her body began to tremble slightly, collapsing at the very last step. A loud thud resounded through the house, her sister on the spot immediately “You’re awake!” She exclaimed as she embraced her sister.
A sharp pain shook her as she received the hug; she glanced back, wondering if she had hurt herself and noticed an unfamiliar scar. It was coming back to her slowly, she quickly returned the hug, squeezing as hard as her weak body would allow, “Forget about being awake, I’m surprised I’m even alive,” her voice frail but full of gratitude.
“You had us all going there for a while,” droned a deeper voice coming from the stallion standing by the door frame to the other room.
“Doc...” She swayed slightly feeling weaker then ever.
“Welcome home honey,” said her sister, even though her attention was acutely trained on her.
“Oh that’s right, you guys are married now aren’t you.”
Doc chuckled a bit and went over to his wife, who still was hugging her sister, and kissed her forehead, “Yep, me and Sols’ 4 month anniversary is next week.”
Sol blushed, still teary eyed and took a step away from her sister smiling, “Why don’t we move to the living room”
The house was just as she remembered it, the warm summer colors on the walls and the embarrassing family pictures hung about the fireplace and Sol’s book shelf. “How long was I out?” She spit out the question as soon as she had sat down on the sofa, looking at Doc and Sol desperately.
Doc sighed, answering slowly, “I think counting today it makes twenty-one days.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief “three whole weeks…..” She looked over at her sister, “Sol, I’m sorry….”
Sol tried to smile, remembering when her sister was still in the hospital. “You had us really scared after the surgery, you almost didn’t pull through” She barely whispered, looking away.
Her sisters words where much more than that, she could notice sols yellow coat had faded to a murky shade and her beautiful white mane, which she had always admired, was matted. She realized just how hard these last few weeks had been on her sister, and even so, she knew that if she mentioned it, it wouldn’t help much. The best she could do right now for her sister was get better. Doc, on the other hand. didn’t seem too bad; his sky blue coat was as gallant as ever with his stethoscope cutie mark. Although his eyes did seem to be very tired and have dark circles, he was probably just better at hiding how worried he was.
“Do you remember what happened to you?” Sol questioned, now being able to smile a little easier,
“A lot seems to be very fuzzy after your guys’ wedding” She replied, worried now that she actually thought about it.
“That's alright, its not uncommon to have some memory lapses after such a major surgery. I’m sure that if we give it time it will all come back on its own.” Docs words where reassuring to the confused mare. She seemed to be a little more at ease, glancing at the couple. She was finally smiling and seemed to have a little of her strength back when she noticed one of the pictures framed on the wall in front of her, it was Doc, Sol, Her and... “Isn’t that….”
Ladies and Gentle colts for the first time dancing Mr. and Mrs...
She chuckled at herself, “ Doc is still such a klutz when it comes to dancing”
Sol looked beautiful and very happy with her husband, but if dancing was involved, she would leave her sister to enjoy herself before somepony decided to ask if she would also want to dance. She was scurried away from the dance floor, heading straight to the open bar.
“Hey” a smooth voice called to her gently “I’m…”
The colt was cut off by her before he could even get his own name out. “Let me see….gray coat, wings, styled mane and a camera for a cutie mark. You must be Vincent, the best man and coincidentally, because of horrible traffic, the wedding photographer.”
Vincent grinned looking at her confident, winking at her. “My reputation precedes me then”
She couldn’t help but laugh a little bit, “Wow, don’t get get ahead of yourself. I planned the wedding, I’m supposed to know everypony”.
Vincent chuckled a little, the cocky grin remained etched across his features. “Well I am a photographer that has to be kind of hot right? You know, tortured artistic soul and what not.”
“Not my type at all” She replied not even looking at him anymore, casting her attention to the bartender.
He kept his eyes trained on her, shrugging his shoulders, “Good, because I’m defiantly not that guy.”
She couldn't help but smile at the remark. He was charming, she would admit that much, but Doc warned her about him ahead of time.
The bartender passed them both their drinks, and after Vincent had a sip he moved a little closer to her. “So why the bar? Doc and Sol don’t drink.”
Slowly, she swirled the liquid around in her glass, staring at it absentmindedly before replying. “As far as I know, it was your condition for accepting to be Docs best man”
“You knew about that huh,” he replied as if he was proud of his accomplishment, yet it still kept a hint of embarrassment.
Their conversation was interrupted by a stallion who came in between both of them facing her, “Would you like to dance?”
She eyed Vincent to see his reaction before gazing back at the stallion. “I’d love too.”
Almost immediately after she started dancing, she showed little to no interest. She had almost forgot how much she detested dancing, but was quickly reminded.
Doc strayed over to the bar where Vincent was, now that Sol was talking with a family member, “Hey, you enjoying yourself?”
He muttered a soft “Uh huh,” obviously distracted.
Doc directed to where Vincent’s' eyes were directed before he smacked Vincent in the back of his head. “Will you stop looking at her flank for Pete’s sake.” Though, Vincent didn't reply, lost in thought. Doc sighed and then spoke when Vincent finally turned to look at him, anxious to hear the answer, he inquired gently “Why don’t you go over and cut in?”
“I hate dancing.” He turned around and took his drink, heading over to talk to some other mare at a table.
The dance finally ended and she could not be more relieved to escape back to the bar. She trotted back and immediately noticed Vincent already talking to some other mare at a table near by. “Doc did say he was a lady killer.” She mumbled to herself as she walked over back to Sol.
Ponies started to disperse as the night slowly drew to an end, and Sol had just taken off with Doc to their honeymoon suit. She was left to watch over the clean up and make sure everything was back in order. She didn’t really mind though, it was her sisters wedding so she would do all she could to help.
Out of a corner a flash went off. Slightly startled, she looked over to only to find Vincent taking her picture. Her look of shock was replaced with a slight glare, beginning to scold him from a distance.“You should really ask permission before taking my picture.”
He lowered his camera and walked over to her, “So, stuck with the clean up I see” He blatantly ignored what she had said, giving her the cocky grin he had used earlier.
“I offered” she replied picking up some dishes. “Where did your little friend go?” She asked, trying to sound curious as she headed over to the kitchen.
“Oh, she should be around.” He chuckled to himself, following her.
“Vincent, what are you still doing here anyway?” She frowned slightly, loading her armload of dishes into the kitchen sink.
“You looked like you might need a little help.” His voice actually sounded sincere instead of having the normal arrogant hint as he spoke to her, emptying his armload into the sink as well.
“I didn't think there was a gentlecolt in you.” For the first time that night, she was being serious with that compliment, though it came off as more of an insult.
“I’ve been talking to you all night and I never asked for your name” He replied, ignoring the half compliment, half insult, as he turned a slight shade of red from realizing just now that he hadn’t asked her this.
“I’m glad you finally realized that little detail.” She smiled, “My name is Stella, Stella Stargazer”
