Broken Wings, Chapter 2 - Breakfast

>”Doctor…Doctor, wake up.”
>You grunt and cover your head with your pillow.
>Sleeping at the hospital was never a good night’s sleep.
>Your speech is muffled by the pillow.
>It smells like hospital disinfectant. Gross.
“…Nurse, someone better be dying.”
>Sweetheart just yanks the pillow off your face, assaulting your eyes with the sun.
>She giggles as you writhe and bemoan the coming of the day.
>”Doctor, your alarm clock’s going off. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were off duty as of yesterday evening.”
>You sit up and stretch, Nurse Sweetheart backing up a little to give you room.
>Man, these beds hurt your shoulder.
“Didn’t have the energy to make it home. Rough surgery last night…”
>Sweetheart nods. “The pegasus in room 37? She certainly looks like she’s had it rough.”
>You nod, getting to your feet.
“Who was the charge nurse for that patient last night?”
>”Coldheart.”
>You grimace. Great, Nurse Coldheart…
>excaliburface.jpg
>Her name is appropriate, especially considering her bedside manner.
“Thanks, Sweet. I think I’ll check in on Miss Dash before I get out of here. Her friends will want an update.”
>You yawn as you throw your white coat on over your scrubs, making your way to Rainbow Dash’s room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZHSR5VG0uU
>You open the door slowly as you step in to the sunlit room.
>The first thing you notice is Spike and one of Applebloom’s friends…Scootablue, was it?
>I don’t think so, brain.
>Whatever.
>Anyway, the two of them were asleep in the chairs, they seem to have spent the night.
>You’re amazed Coldheart didn’t throw them out.
>Finally, you turn your attention to Dash.
>Her front legs are in traction, extended up above her as her wings are held in place with splints. You can still see the stitchwork from your actions last night in the skin of her chest.
>Two plastic tubes extend from Rainbow’s snout and into a respirator, part of the treatment for her punctured lung.
>You smile as Spike mumbles in his sleep, reaching over and giving a glance-through of Rainbow’s chart.
>Well…Rainbow’s vitals aren’t really improving, but they’re not getting worse.
>You furrow your brow. Still a long way to go…
>Well, she’s stable. That’s always a plus.
>You set the chart down as you look Rainbow over.
>She looks like she’s sleeping.
“You’re a fighter alright. I bet what you went through would kill lesser p0nies.”
>”Ya did a fine job, Anon.”
>You turn and find AJ standing in the doorway, a soft smile on her face.
“AJ, why do you like sneaking up on me like that?”
>AJ lets out a soft giggle and walks over next to you, bumping your leg as she looks over Rainbow.
>”Because ya hate it when ah do it, o’ course!”
“Of course. If you’re here to visit Dash, she isn’t awake yet.”
>AJ shakes her head. “Nah, came to pick up the young’uns. Scoots insisted on staying the night, an’ Spike kept ‘er company.”
>You nod as AJ looks over Rainbow, her expression turning to worry.
>”It doesn’t look raht, Anon…all them tubes and machines an’ such.”
>You sigh and nod in agreement.
>Aj smiles and bumps you again. “Say, ya’ must be mighty hungry. Want t’grab a bite t’eat after we get these two home?”
“Why, Madam Jack, are you asking me out?”
>AJ chuckles and swats you on the back of the leg. “Just askin’ a friend out for breakfast, sugarcube.”
>You laugh as you swipe AJ’s hat.
“That sounds great.”
>”Good, it’s a date then…now gimme back mah hat and nop0ny gets hurt.”

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>You know, this is starting to become a routine for you two.
>You and Applejack slide in to your regular table at O’Mare’s, a greasy diner joint that opened up in town last year.
>When it did, you nearly wet yourself in delight.
>See, the place is run by griffins. And since they cater to P0nyville’s non-herbivore population, they carry an off menu selection of the good stuff.
>Bacon.
>Ham.
>Sausage!
>Steak!
>MEAT!
>AJ takes her hat off and hangs it off the back of her chair as the waitress comes up.
>It’s the owner’s wife, a kindly griffin with a big bouffant hairdo. Nobody knows her real name, but everyone calls her Darlin’.
>”Well hey there you two, the usual?”
>You nod.
“Yeah, thanks Darlin’.”
>”HEY FRANK, I NEED A PAN-FRIED HEART ATTACK AND A LAWNMOWER’S SPECIAL!”
>The griffin swaggers off, smacking the radio with a curled up talon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3aw9yLaZ8Y
>A smile creeps across AJ’s face as she stares at you, hooves folded across each other.
>It’s her favorite song.
>”Anon…ah wanted t’thank ya for all your hard work with Rainbow. We all do…it means a lot to us all.”
>You smile. You always got a little embarrassed when p0nies thanked you.
“Yeah…Rainbow’s got a ways to go, but for the time being, she’s stable.”
>AJ nods. “It would mean a lot t’us if you would keep an eye on ‘er while yer up at t’hospital.”
“Of course.”
>Your coffees are delivered as AJ adds cream and sugar.
>You like your coffee like you like your pepper: black.
>”So Anon, you spendin’ th’night at the hospital again?”
“Nah, I think I’m coming home. Hospital beds are a pain in the flank.”
>”Ah’ think we’d all be happy t’see that. Applebloom and Big Mac both miss ya an’ awful lot.”
>You smirk, leaning in closer over the table.
“Just them?”
>AJ laughs and pushes your face away with a hoof. “Am I ta’ assume a rascal such as yer’self is interested in p0nies now?”
>She got you there. You still weren’t used to the whole…interspecies thing.
>One too many stories and drunken escapades with creepy classmates in college.
“Not quite, Applejack.”
>AJ looks a little deflated, but keeps her smile up as your food is served.


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>Of course, by missing you, it means Big Mac and Applebloom wanted something.
>They always do.
>Applebloom already got you to string up her tire swing.
>Now…for Big Macintosh.
>You weren’t ever going to get rest today.
“You know, Mac, the p0nies at the spa are a lot better than I am at this.”
>The big red stallion just lowered his head bashfully.
>”Ah know, part’…it’s just…”
>Oh yes, of course…shy around mares.
>The “big” in this guy’s name must stand for “big baby.”
>You roll your eyes as you grunt with the file, rasping the hoof walls of Mac’s hoof so you can put the shoe back on.
>AJ, for her contribution, is standing against the barn wall, cracking up.
>This earns an annoyed glare from both you and her brother.
>”Yah know Mac, if ah were t’take a picture of you, hoof wedged between Anon’s legs like that…”
>The death glare Mac shoots at his sister just draws more laughter before she turns and leaves.
>Silence falls between you and Mac as you toil away.
“…you know Mac, you really should ask Cherilee out.”
>”…eeyup.”
“…but you aren’t going to any time soon, are you?”
>”…nope.”
“…you big baby.”
>”…part’, ah’d be careful about callin’ folk ‘baby’ if ah had a hoof so close t’mah oysters.”
>You chuckle as you start lowering the sole, scraping away the dead tissue.
“Still, you should do something soon. She won’t wait forever.
>”Speakin’ of which…what’cha think of mah sister AJ?”
>You pause.
>Where did that come from?
“I…uhh, she’s a real nice gal’. As good a friend as I could ask for.”
>”Ya’ know she thinks real high o’ you, Anon.”
“I know…it’s just, that whole interspecies thing and all. I know it’s not a big deal for p0nies, but for me, it’s just…”
>”Ah know, ya’ said it before. But ah don’t see no other humans round these parts.”
>Crud…he’s got you there.
>Damnit Macintosh. You may be a big lug, but you’re smarter than you let on.
>As much as family as the Apples treat you, you still get tired of waking up alone in the morning.
“I know, I know…it’s just….”
>You’re interrupted by the sound of Applejack busting through the barn door.
>”Anon, hurry up an’ finish with Big Mac, we gots t’git back to th’hospital!”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
>”It’s Rainbow…she’s awake!”