No Place I'd Rather Be - Silver Linings

>You try to lift yourself up off your bed.
>No…no good…
>Nothing is any good.
>Not your legs, not your future, not anything.
>All because some cosmic twist of fate landed you in Equestria, of all places.
>On top of all that, fate had to bring you face to face with…
>Her.
>That…that…
“…son of a BITCH!”
>You smack away your water cup, the feeling of powerlessness overcoming you.
>All you were doing was talking. Nothing more…
>Was that so bad? Huh?
>What the hell did you do to deserve this?
>The water splashes on the linoleum of the hospital floor as the cup bounces and rolls, coming to a stop at a set of white hooves standing in the doorway.
>You look up from the bed as the purple-maned unicorn picks up the cup, setting it on the end table next to your bed with her teeth.
“You…what are you doing here…”
>Rarity doesn’t answer, instead taking a step back and staring at you.
>She looks like she’s been crying.
“What…come to admire your handiwork?”
>She winces a little.
>Good. She should be ashamed!
>”Anonymous…”
“That’s my name. Glad we got that sorted out. Now get out before I have the nurses throw you ou-“
>”I came to take you home.”
>Now that makes you pause in surprise.
>Holy shit, this mare is serious.
“What, send me back to Earth?”
>”No…I’m taking you to my home, where we all agreed you will stay from now on.”
“You must be joking. What makes you think I want to stay with you?”
>”Well…Anon, seeing as the hospital is discharging you today, we can’t very well have you sleeping out in the street in your condit-“
“That you caused.”
>She pauses.
>Yes…that’s right…she’s the reason you’re here.
>She’s the reason you will never walk again.
“What, is making you take care of me this world’s idea of justice? Because I don’t care for it much.”
>…”Actually, I requested it.”
“What, so you can finish the job?”
>You rotate your arms to prove your point.
>”Because this is something that I must do.”
>You grit your teeth at those words.
“YOU must do? Like how you HAD to break my back for talking to your little sister?”
>Rarity winces again, approaching your bedside as you continue your tirade.
“What will you do for seconds? Break my arm if I don’t put the milk away? Chop off a finger if I don’t put the toilet seat down?!”
>You prop yourself up on your elbows, bringing you inches from the mare’s snout.
“Know what? If you really wanted to make it up to me, you SHOULD finish the job! Spare me a life of being a crippl-“
>You’re silenced as a hoof smacks you across the face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFkg3am3lOY
>It didn’t hurt as much as you would expect. Kinda felt like a hard marshmallow.
>Still you rub your cheek in shock as Rarity lowers her hoof, her chest heaving in ragged, angry breaths as she…
>…openly cries?
>”DON’T YOU DARE TALK LIKE THAT AGAIN? DO YOU HEAR ME?”
“What? Where do you get off…”
>”YES! It’s my fault…it’s all my fault…I did this to you…”
>She lowers her head as she openly weeps, her words labored through her sobbing.
>”Yes, I thought I was defending my sister, but…no p0ny…no p0ny deserves…”
>She places her hooves on the railing of your bed for support, causing you to scoot away as best as possible.
>To be honest, this is all kind of freaky and confusing.
>Her eyes furrow in anger despite her tears, lecturing you through gritted teeth.
>”What I did was horrible, something that should never be done…but that does NOT give you the excuse to think like that!”
“But…”
>”NO BUTS! You have a long, productive life ahead of you Anon…and I’m going to spend every minute of it with you…making this up to you.”
“What…you think playing nursemaid will make me forgive you? To forget what you did?”
>Rarity shakes her head. “No…no, I am not that naive…but still…I will take care of you, all the same…”
>You settle back a little as Rarity turns those sapphire blue orbs directly on you.
>”Not just for your sake…but for my own, too.”

------------

>You awaken with a gasp.
>You were dreaming about it again.
>The day you came to live with the mare who broke you.
>You go to wipe the sweat from your face, collecting yourself.
>Normally, you’d consider the dream more like a nightmare…
>You let your head sink back into your pillow with a sigh.
>A murmur comes from your chest as the white unicorn with the curly purple mane that was sleeping on it stirs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8UeeIAJ0a0&feature=related
>”mmmph…anon? What’s wrong?”
>Rarity groggily glances up at you as she rises up to nuzzle into your neck.
>You just shake your head and wrap your arms around the mare tightly, feeling her horn brush against your cheek.
“Just…just a bad dream, Rarity.”
>Your skin tingles as her lips brush against the skin of your neck.
>A smile crosses your face as you trace the base of her horn with your finger.
>”mmm…Anon, we have a train to catch to Fillydelphia in the morning, we don’t have time for you to get frisky…”
“Good thing I got us a private car, then.”
>”yes…but until then…sleep…”
>She closes her eyes and buries her face in the crook of your neck as you run your fingers through her mane.
>She said she’d spend the rest of her life taking care of you.
>First, it was a cruel joke.
>Then, you saw it as her penance, and you grew to accept it.
>Now?
>It’s a blessing.
>You simply can’t imagine your life without her.
>Whoever said that every dark cloud has a silver lining is a bloody liar.
>That lining is white and purple.
“Rarity…”
>”mmm?”
“I’m sorry…about everything…”
>Rarity opens her eyes again, sleepily looking up at you before a small smile crosses her face.
>She leans up and plants a soft kiss on your lips.
>”But Anon…you have nothing to be sorry for…”
>You can’t help but return it a hundred fold.
>For this mare who has done so much for you…
>Your mind passes to your trip tomorrow, and the ring stowed neatly in your bags.
>It’s time you did something for her.
“Yeah…and neither do you….”