Chapter Four: *Beep* *Beep*

“Is he alright?”
“I’m not sure, he is alive that much is true.”
“I’m so sorry Rarity, I lost control”
“Don’t worry Rainbow, he’s in safe hoofs now.”
Dan stirred under the covers. He recognised one of the voices as Rarity’s, and another as the thing that hit him. “Covers?” he thought “I was just outside the boutique!” His eyes slowly opened as he groaned in discomfort. “Wha...”
“Oh Daniel darling! Thank goodness!” Rarity’s voice crackled, as if she was holding back tears. She darted next to him and nuzzled at his neck.
“Wha... Rarity? What happened?”
“Umm... It’s my fault” piped up Rainbow Dash “I lost control and well... crashed into you. I’m so sorry.” Her head dropped in shame.
“Is anything broken?” Dan asked.
“Nothing, just bruises and a small cut on the back of your head.” Rarity replied. “Nurse Redheart informed me.”
“Well then everything is alright. I appreciate the apology, because that impact hurt, but with nothing broken there’s nothing to worry about.” Dan smiled at the two ponies.
“In that case... Would it be cool if we went, I don’t know, to dinner or lunch... or something?” Rainbow piped up again, scratching behind her head nervously “You know, to get a friendship going on the right hoof and for me to repay you in a way.”
“Rainbow, that’s very uncharacteristic of you?” Rarity butted in.
“Well I feel bad for what happened; I think it’s only fair I repay him for basically catching me.”
“I’d love to, Rainbow” Dan chirped in.
She blushed hard “Tonight? I’ll come get you from the Library.”
“It’s a date” Dan smiled at her, starting to get out of the bed. “ooff... yeah those bruises hurt a bit.”
The two ponies giggled “silly, of course they will. You took quite an impact” Rarity said.
Dan took his time to stand up, holding the bed as he balanced himself. “well... that was harder than I thought it would be.”
“You are okay aren’t you?” Rainbow asked, still looking concerned.
“Yeah... I’m fine, just hurting. Been in worse pain believe me.” He said, gripping at his arm squirming at the memory.
“Well so long as you are okay, I’ll see you later. I’ve got a date to get ready for” She winked at him “laters!” she soon dashed out (hah... dashed) of the room.
“Rarity? Are you okay with that?” Dan asked, turning to her.
“Yes Dan, you said yourself that you have to settle in. It’s just not like her to do something like that.”
“What? Dating?”
Rarity nodded. “Come on, I’ll get your suit ready for you. Don’t worry about me, you said yourself we’re still going to be friends. Oh and I do know about Spike.”
“Oh... Maybe you should give him a chance? Never know.” Dan said, making his way to the door.
“Hmm... Maybe...” Rarity replied.
Hours passed, Dan had his suit on and was pacing around the library. Twilight was giggling in between her studies, and Spike had gone out with Rarity on a Gem hunt.
“Where is she...” Dan said to himself.
“She’ll be here Dan, calm down. Rainbow is loyal to her friends; she would never leave you hanging.” Twilight said, behind one of her books. “Any anyway, why are you nervous?”
Dan stopped pacing and stared at the space in front of him. Only the day before had he told Rarity that he didn’t want any sort of relationship, so why was he nervous about an apology date with Rainbow Dash? Nothing was to come of it... Right? He stood there, convincing himself that nothing was going to happen. He was brought back into reality by the sound of three knocks on the door.
“That’ll be her Dan, go on then!”
Dan slowly approached the door, shaking slightly. He was nervous, and he didn’t know why. He grasped the door handle and twisted it slowly. As the door swung open he saw Rainbow Dash standing there. She was totally different to how he last saw her, or in fact anypony had seen her outside of the Grand Galloping Gala. Her hair was straight, she had powdered her face with blush and mascara.
“Wow... You look...” Dan blurted, looking over her.
“What?” She returned “I look good... right?”
“Good? You’re joking! You look stunning!”
She blushed and looked away shyly. “Thanks... You look great too. Rarity made that for you?”
“She did.” He said, showing off his suit. “Rather proud of her for it in all honesty.”
“Well shall we get going? I want to see that suit glisten in the moonlight.” She turned around and began walking slowly, shaking her hips as she stepped.
“See you later Twilight, don’t be up all night.” Dan said, poking his head past the door one last time before shutting it, seeing Twilight smile at him before he did so. He quickly caught up with Rainbow after closing the door. “So where are you taking me Miss Dash?”
“Miss Dash?” She giggled “please just Rainbow is fine... or even Dashie if you really want.”
“Okay... Dashie... Huh... that’s rather cute.” He mused for a while.
She chuckled more “Just a local place by the way, nowhere really really special, but good food and good drink is what they do best!”
“I look forward to it Dashie” Dan smiled at her as he spoke, to which she blushed hard.
They chatted as they walked, which lasted half an hour before they arrived at the restaurant. They laughed at shared memories of racing, playing games with friends and being idiots with each other. Pushing, shoving and more laughter happened as they walked through the restaurant door.
The meal, constructed of Salad and Hay Fries, was more than Dan expected it to be. He had never expected something vegetarian to taste so good. Maybe it was the magic; maybe it was just that good. He and Rainbow enjoyed their meals, still talking about memories past.
“Offft... I am full!” Rainbow claimed, patting her belly in satisfaction.
“Me too... That was such a good meal. Thanks Dashie” Dan said, patting his belly. “Never thought salad would be so good.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Told you it was good.”
“Yeah but... That good? No way.”
“Your bill sir” Came the waiter’s voice from beside the pair.
Dan looked at the bill, as the sound of bits hitting the table rang into his ears. “It’s okay Dan, I got it. After all it is my apology meal.”
“Don’t you want any towards it?” Dan asked.
Rainbow simply shook her head, as the waiter took the money away with the empty plates. “Let’s go Dan, I’m pretty tired and could use a walk.”
Dan nodded, and stood up to make his way out. Rainbow soon followed suit and lead the way out, still flicking her hips at him as she walked.
They walked side by side for a few minutes on their way back to the library before Dan spoke. “Rainbow... Are you wiggling your hips at me to... umm... get me in the mood?”
Rainbow stopped walking in shock “Wiggling my hips to get you in the mood?”
“You know... Sexually...”
“Oh... I was doing it yes... Okay no sense lying, I was rather hoping to apologise in other ways as well as the meal Dan.”
Dan stopped walking and turned to Rainbow “Do you find me attractive Rainbow? Or do you think sex cures every wrong?”
“What’s that suppose to mean? Yes I find you attractive alright? I was there for hours at the hospital waiting for you, Rarity wasn’t. She had to go deal with things and then came back. She saw the doctor on the way back in and told me that you were going to be alright, right before you woke up.”
“Listen, Rainbow. I’m just... not ready for anything...”
“Why? Did Rarity flutter her eyes and suck you in the boutique right before I crashed into you?”
“WHAT? NO! She kissed me that is all. And I gave her the same reason as I just gave you Rainbow.” They stopped outside the library. “Thank you, for the meal Rainbow Dash. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
She flew off, leaving Dan to stand their alone. He stepped in the library and sat at Twilights desk.
“Meal good?” Floated down Twilights voice from the stairs.
“Was very, just didn’t end the way either of us planned.” Dan replied, looking down away from her.
“She wanted sex didn’t she?” Dan looked up at her “Don’t worry, she tries it with every date, even me.” Dan’s eyes widened.
“You two... Dated?” He asked.
“Yeah, for two dates, nothing serious came of it. We’re too good friends to be fair.”
“I don’t know Twi... I think I’m not ready for a relationship, but I dunno... there might be somepony I like...”
“Oh? Word on the grapevine is that somepony likes you too... and she’s rather close to you...”
“You?” Dan said, rising an eyebrow.
“wow... that obvious huh?”
“Guess what though Twi” He stood up and walked over to her.
“What?” She said, tilting her head.
“I like you that way too.” He said softly under breath, before pushing his lips to hers.