Warning: final part of the story
Enjoy :)

The doctor finished up wrapping Rainbow's ankle. He pressed it on firmly to make sure it was good enough.

"There you go." He said, smiling. "All done."

Rainbow looked down at her ankle.

"Thanks." She said. "How long do I keep this on??."

The doctor moved his rolling chair back a foot or two.

"Um, You need to keep it wrapped up for at least three weeks. Use crutches so you don't walk on it. Keep it elevated went you sit down and put ice on it for an hour every five hours."

Rainbow nodded, committing what he had said to memory.

The doctor stood up. "I'll go get you the medication for the pain. I'll be right back. The nurse'll come in to hook up an IV to give you the medication in fluid form right now. You take the medication in the morning when you eat breakfast and the at night before you go to sleep.

Rainbow nodded. The man walked out, closing the door behind him. Rainbow sighed, laying back on the hospital bed. She turned her head and looked at Applejack who was sitting in a chair beside her bed.

"You didn't have to stick around." She said. "It's been a long day. How long have we been here??."

Applejack looked at the clock. It was almost ten in the morning. After giving giving a statement about what happened and then having to wait for x-rays and talk to doctors and police, it took a while.

"About three hours." She responded.

Rainbow sighed. "Why is my life such a mess??."

"Rainbow."

Applejack got up and sat on the edge of the hospital bed.

"Are you sure you're okay??."

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah. Just sleepy."

She then smiled. "So um..... about what you told me earlier. You said you like me?."

Applejack chuckled. "Yeah. Ah do. A lot. Which is why ah guess ah was so protective over ya."

Rainbow shrugged, grinning.

"How long have you had a crush on me?"

Applejack thought for a second.

"Since high school, shortly after we became friends. Remember that day??."

"How could I forget??." Rainbow said, looking at her lap. "Trixie was picking on me that day. It was humiliating."

She then looked up at Applejack.

"You know." She said. "I don't think I'll ever be same because of high school. I mean I'm not that constantly scared little kid anymore. But I'm not exactly the most confident, either. Sometimes I still look myself in the mirror and I can see why those kids picked on me. I'm a freak."

Applejack frowned. "Rainbow. You are not a freak. Look at me."

Rainbow turned her head away. Applejack took her by the chin and made her look at her.

"You are not a freak."

"Maybe not. But I'm still weak and a pushover and ugly and-."

"Woah woah woah!!."

Applejack shook her head, laughing.

"Who said you were ugly??."

Rainbow shrugged meekly. "People."

Applejack frowned. "You're beautiful, Rainbow. Very beautiful. You were beautiful in high school and you're still beautiful now."

Rainbow smiled. "You think so?."

Applejack nodded, resting her hand the other side of Rainbow Dash, leaning on it. "You betcha ah do. That little nerd you used to be was the most beautiful girl in school ta me."

Rainbow blushed.

Applejack smirked. "How long you had a crush on me. Sometime ah would see you starin' at me in class. Or I'd see n' Pinkie freak out after every time ah talked to ya. It was kinda cute."

Rainbow blushed harder, sliding down in the bed, covering her face with her hands.

"Aaaand." Applejack added. "One of the girls saw you scribbling mah name in a notebook. Kinda stereotypical."

Rainbow thought she might faint. She pulled the blanket up and over her head. Her face was burning up with embarrassment.

"Yeah. That's all true." She grumbled. "Can you do me a favor and kill me? I don't get how you find that stuff cute and not creepy at all."

Applejack tried to pull the blanket off of her, but Rainbow held on tight. AJ laughed.

"It was cute." She said. "Ah was very flattered that you had such a crush on me. So ah decided ta get ta know you better. You were a big, adorable dork."

Rainbow slid down lower in the bed, groaning.

"Don't talk about my nerd days."

"Remember how you'd listen to music and mouth the words like you performin??. And remember how you use to quote books??"

She laughed. "Remember Daring Do??."

Rainbow ripped off the blanket.

"AK Yearling's books are enthralling and a wonderful original series for people of all ages." She argued.

Applejack smirked. "Using words like enthralling furthers mah point, Nerdy."

Rainbow blushed red once again and tried to hide under the covers. Applejack pinned her wrists down, stopping her from doing so. Rainbow didn't make eye contact with the other young woman. Rainbow Dash looked at her lap.

"I hated those years. I was a loser and got picked on everyone in school. Even the teachers and janitors took pity on me. I honestly.........."

"Honestly what??." Applejack asked.

Rainbow shook her head.

"Nothing. Never mind. You don't wanna hear it."

This got Applejack's interest.

"Yeah, ah do." She said, frowning. "Is somethin' wrong??."

Rainbow shook her head.

"Rainbow." Applejack said. "Tell me. I don't care how bad it is. Ah wanna know, if it's botherin' ya."

Rainbow sighed. "Fine. I sometimes I use to wish I would die. Happy??."

Applejack let go.

Rainbow crossed her arms and looked away.

It was silent. Rainbow pursed her lips together. She glanced at Applejack. Applejack had an unreadable expression on her face. It made Rainbow nervous.

"Say something."

Applejack blinked. "Um...... wow. That was unexpected."

She shook her herself out of her thoughts. She looked at Rainbow. She slowly reached out and took her hand. Rainbow looked away.

"Yeah. I........ wasn't in a good mindset back then."

Applejack couldn't imagine Rainbow wanting to die.

"Did you ever try ta...... you know...."

Rainbow shrugged. That was a good enough answer for Applejack.

"I think it all started after my mom died." Rainbow explained. "I had a rough time and I was lonely."

"You don't have ta explain yirself ta me." Applejack told her. "We don't have ta talk about it anymore."

Rainbow sighed. "Thanks."

Suddenly there was a gentle knock at the door. It slid open and the curtain was pulled back to reveal the nurse. She had a bag of IV fluid, tubes, and a needle.

Rainbow hated needles.

"Hey." The nurse said, smiling. She walked up to the bed and started setting the stuff up, hanging the fluid bag up and all that.

"How're you feeling, honey??." She asked.

"Tired."

The nurse hummed. "Then this medication will finish the job. It'll make you a little drowsy. Take a nice nap."

The woman finished setting the stuff up went to put on some hand sanitizer and gloves, taking an elastic tie thing with her. She went over to the bed. She picked up Rainbow right arm. She tied the elastic band around Rainbow's upper arm. She then searched for a good vein in Rainbow's forearm, tapping her arm the get the veins to noticeably pop up.

"There were go." She said, smiling. "Had me worried there for a moment."

Rainbow looked over at Applejack. She saw Applejack smirking at her. Rainbow looked back at her arm.

The nurse picked up the IV and took it off the cap, revealing the actual IV.

"Just relax and it won't hurt." She said to Rainbow Dash.

The nurse then ripped open a disinfectant wipe packet and rubbed the wipe on Rainbow's arm where the IV would be. She carefully inserted the IV. Rainbow tensed up at the pain in her arm.

The nurse inserted the IV catheter and took off the elastic band. She taped the needle down and then taped the tube to Rainbow hand as well. She gathered up the scraps and stuff. She looked up at Rainbow.

"All done. Now you can relax and take a mid morning nap. You look exhausted."

She turned and walked out.

Rainbow sighed. She looked at Applejack. Applejack was still smirking.

"Nerd."

Rainbow shooed her away, whining.

"Go away."

Applejack leaned over. "How much did you think of me?? Ever thought of me while mast-."

"NEVER!." Rainbow shouted.

She yawned suddenly. Rainbow covered her mouth, blinking. Her eyelids felt suddenly heavy.

Rainbow lowered her hand.

"Man. This medicine works fast."

Rainbow relaxed. She turned to lay on her side, facing Applejack. Rainbow shifted around, trying to get comfortable.

"You need help?." Applejack asked.

Rainbow nodded. Applejack stood up and helped the younger woman get into a comfortable position. Rainbow sighed in contentment. She looked at Applejack.

"You know." She said. "I was always afraid to talk to you in middle school and high school because of our social statuses."

Applejack leaned on the bed. She played with Rainbow's hair.

"Why was that?." She asked quietly.

Rainbow shrugged. "Because you were Applejack Smith. The most popular girl in school and I was Rainbow Dash. A loser with no friends and who got picked on by everyone. I was a nobody. I couldn't just go up to you and say hi. I thought you'd laugh in my face for even talking to you. I had no chance with you on my own."

Applejack frowned. "That wasn't true. You would've had a chance. Ah wouldn't've laughed at you."

"Well nerds don't just got up to popular people. That's not how it works. They have to have the populars talk to them first and even then that's a miracle."

Rainbow yawned. "I just had a bit of luck that you're nice. I was sure I was dreaming when you were standing up for me against Trixie that day. I thought that it couldn't be real. No way way Applejack Smith helping me. And then you started to talk to me. I was in cloud nine. Me and Pinkie squealed like fan girls when you left. It was so crazy."

Rainbow giggled in delight. She squealed suddenly.

"Like oh my god. Applejack Smith just talked to me. ME. It was crazy."

Rainbow blushed as she gushed She looked at Applejack and froze.

"You didn't hear any of that." She said.

Applejack laughed.

"It's fine, Rainbow."

Rainbow looked away, embarrassed. She glanced down at her arm.

"So um."

Applejack stared at her.

Rainbow shrugged. "What are we??. A couple??."

Applejack reached out and took her good hand. Rainbow looked up at AJ.

"Whatever you feel comfortable witb." Applejack said. "Cmon. Get some sleep, Rainbow."

Rainbow closed her eyes.

"I wanna be a couple." She giggled. "That would be a dream come true."

Applejack giggled. She leaned over and planted a kiss on Rainbow's forehead.

"Don't fight it. Go ta sleep."

Rainbow closed her eyes. She snuggled into the hospital blanket she was given and relaxed.

"I love you."

Applejack smiled and leaned in. She hovered over Rainbow's ear, pressing a kiss to her skin.

"Ah love you too, RD."

Applejack sat there rubbing her arm, pressing soft kisses to her temple every so often. Rainbow suddenly whined and groaned in frustration.

"I'm cold." She mumbled. "Stupid blanket isn't warm enough."

Applejack looked at the jacket on her. She immediately, without a second thought, took it off. She laid it on top of Rainbow Dash like a blanket.

Rainbow smiled, her eyes still closed.

"You're sweet. What did I do to deserve you, Applejack. I'm a nobody. I'm nothing."

Rainbow giggled tiredly, half conscious.

Applejack frowned at the degrading words. She took her hand and leaned in to her ear.

"If you're nothin', then why do you mean everythin' to me??."

Rainbow smiled. She opened her eyes groggily. She blinked. She reached a hand up and cupped Applejack's cheek.

"You're such a sweetheart. Thank you for saving me, Applejack."

Rainbow leaned up and pecked her on the lips. Applejack was the one to blush now. Rainbow smiled and laid her arm back down, relaxing.

"I love you."

Applejack smiled and brushed Rainbow's hair out of her face. "Ah love you too. Ah'll make sure you always know that. Now, sleep. Stop fighting the medicine."

Rainbow nodded. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Applejack played with her hair. They laid there for at least an hour, Rainbow trying to fall asleep, but because of another medication she was given, she was jittery which fought the drowsiness. Applejack texted their friends and her dad and Strike, updating them and sending them pictures of a irritated Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow talked every few minutes, telling Applejack something funny or weird or to complain about how she couldn't fall asleep.

The doctor came in eventually and gave them the pain meds and discharged Rainbow Dash. Rainbow had to wake herself up to sign the papers. The IV was taken out and a clear sticky bandaid over the gauze sponge.

Applejack had to pick up a half conscious Rainbow Dash, since Rainbow hardly function her own body when she was half asleep and drugged up on medication. She didn't mind it. She had Rainbow's uncle and the girls come to meet her.

Strike came up to them and Applejack handed him his niece. Strike held Rainbow in his arms.

"Uncle Strike." She mumbled. "I'm okay. Applejack and her daddy and my friends saved me."

Rainbow smiled. Strike looked at Applejack.

"I can't thank you enough, AJ. This means everything to me. Thank you. You went all the way out there just to save Rainbow Dash."

Applejack shrugged. "We had ta do somethin' police wouldn't have found her in time. Or at all. We had to go as soon as possible. It was just a stroke of luck we just so happened to end up at the same place at the same time."

"Cmon. Let's get you girls home and to bed. You've had a long night and morning."

"I'm hungry." Rainbow whined. "We didn't get to eat anything."

"Thank you!." Pinkie exclaimed, motioned to Rainbow. "I'm not the only one!!."

"Okay. We'll stop somewhere." Twilight said. "Just so Rainbow can fall asleep and shut up and so Pinkie can just talk talking about food."

"Food is life." Rainbow mumbled. "Pancakes. Hot chocolate."

Her head lifted off of Strike's chest, still still closed.

"Let's go to a pancake place."

And they did. They went to a nearby IHOP. Pinkie stuffed her face with chocolate chip pancakes while Rainbow tiredly ate small bites of her buttermilk pancakes.

Applejack felt like a mom, having to assist Rainbow and to shake her when would nearly fall asleep on top of her pancakes while eating her own set of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Applejack thought it was funny. The others watched as they ate.

Finally they finished and were in their way home.

Applejack sat with Rainbow Dash in her arms, her head resting on her chest. The drive took hours. So Applejack wasn't surprised when she suddenly heard a soft snore a few minutes into the drive. She looked down at Rainbow Dash who was fast asleep. She smiled.

"Cute."

Finally. Rainbow Dash needed it. Applejack made sure she would be warm and sat back in her seat, putting in her earbuds. She looked out the window, feeling quite sleepy herself. She rested her arm on the window and laid her head down, resting her tired eyes.

Both women were soon asleep, their friends joining them not too much later. Strike and Jackson looked at each other. Both men smiled.

"Those two are somethin' else." Jackson said.

Strike chuckled. He frowned.

"Sorry for my brother causing so much trouble. I don't why he took Rainbow. Applejack and the girls and you shouldn't have had to go after them. Y'all could've gotten into serious trouble with my brother."

Jackson looked at him surprised.

"That guy was yir brother??. How?? You seem like the nicest guy ever and you have an abusive, kinda troubled dude for a brother. What happened??."

"My sister, aka his wife, died."

Jackson softened. "Ah'm sorry. May ah ask how??."

Strike sighed. "She was killed when my brother got blacked out drunk one night. He honestly didn't remember doing it and he was devastated. Ah guess his guilt turned him to alcohol. He became a monster after that. But ah never thought he'd hurt Rainbow Dash. When she was small, he loved her to death. She was his princess, his little girl, but...... she just became a nuisance and a worthless piece of crap to him. Rainbow told me stories of when he'd beat her and toss her like a rag doll and yell horrible things at her. Or every so often he'd mumbled stupid or dyke, or disappointment, or tell her that she should be the one dead, not her mom. It really affected her."

Jackson shook his head. "How do you do that? How are so nice despite all these horrible things in yir family??."

Strike shrugged. "I don't know. I try my best to be a good example to Rainbow. She got her dad's temper and patience. So I try to simmer that down by teaching her kindness and what it means to love. Try to wrestle all those bad things her dad might've installed into her brain. She was having trouble in school for a while with bullying and stuff. She had no friends until she met Pinkie. Then she met Applejack and the others one day, even though she has the hugest crush on her since middle school."

Strike chuckled. "She's a funny thing. She was always by herself, boxing or playing video games or reading or homework. She told me how weird it was to have friends for the very first time. I told her she'd get use to it, eventually. She did."

Jackson smiled at Strike.

"You're a pretty great guy. Ah can tell Rainbow loves you a lot."

Strike nodded. "That's a good thing. No that I think about it, I think being antisocial runs in the family. Our mom wasn't so outgoing and neither was our dad. I'm not exactly great with people. Embarrassingly, I realize I have no friends."

Jackson reached out and touched Strike's right knee in a comforting manner.

"Well you have me." He said. "And antisocial people are kinda cute. Ah guess mah family goes for that kind of type. Applejack's mom did and so did Applejack."

He took his hand off.

"You're married?." Strike asked in surprise. "Rainbow didn't say anything about Applejack's mom."

Jackson shook his head.

"Nope. Orange died when Applejack was just a lil girl. She don't remember her much and mah youngest daughter, Applebloom was just a baby so she don't remember her. Mah son helped raised the girls. Applebloom's livin' with him. He's very protective of the girls. Got that from me, ah guess."

He sighed. "It was hard, but we got past it and ah just gotta find the right one again."

"I'm sorry." Strike said, glancing at Jackson for a moment. "That really must've been hard."

"It's okay." Jackson shrugged with a grin. "Ah had mah kids. We're apples. We tend ta turn out strong."

Jackson looked back at the sleeping girls in the back rows, specifically at Rainbow and Applejack. He noticed they were holding hands. Applejack had her other arm around Rainbow's waist.

He smiled and looked at Strike.

"You know." He said. "Since our daughters are dating, me and you should be gettin' ya know each other better. Finally have a friend fir you and ah can have someone in mah life that ah know will take care of AJ if ah'm not there. Ta make things less lonely for the both of us, too."

Strike looked at him and smiled. The two men locked eyes.

"That sounds like a great idea."

The End.

So yeah. Comment what you think about this ending, this chapter, and this story IN GENERAL. How did it make you feel?? How do you feel about it?? WHAT SCENES DID YOU LIKE THE MOST??

I'll be expecting quite a few long comments from you guys ;) see ya in the next update