Rainbow Dash rapped impatiently on Fluttershy's front door. "Come on, answer!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She knocked again.

Fluttershy opened the door and smiled. "Hi, Rainbow."

She could instantly tell Fluttershy was covering up. Still hot from what had happened at the barn, she seized Fluttershy's arm and pulled up her sleeve before she could protest. I'm too late, she lamented. A bandage was concealing what Dash knew to be a self-induced wound.

Was it weird she wanted to kiss it all better?

"I-I was playing with one of my ferret friends…" Fluttershy began, trying to come up with a convincing lie.

Rainbow cut her off. "You know you're just hurting yourself even more." She looked boldly into Fluttershy's eyes, then her gaze softened. "Why won't you let me help you?"

Fluttershy swallowed and looked down. Her soft pink hair covered half her face.

Rainbow Dash brushed it out of the way and gently ran her fingers across her cheek. She was so tender, so fragile. Rainbow's lips trembled and she began to lean in.

Fluttershy's large, beautiful eyes were filled with terror. She shrunk back, her arms protectively across her chest. "Rainbow Dash, you're scaring me," she whispered. Her hair fell back over her eyes.

Rainbow swallowed over a lump in her throat as she realized what she'd almost done. Her face reddened and she cast her eyes downward. A thousand thoughts flooded her mind. Ashamed and confused, she simply muttered, "I-I'm sorry."

"Um… I'm really tired, so…" Fluttershy put her hand on the door, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"But… I was just trying to…" What, "help"? You're not helping her—you're just freaking her out! Rainbow's thoughts accused. "I mean… I just—I'm sorry. Okay? I'm, I'm sorry." She turned and flew away, utterly mortified.

-o-

Back at home, Rainbow Dash held her pet tortoise, Tank, and cursed at herself. What if Fluttershy didn't want to be friends anymore? Who would take care of her? Who would protect her? And why had she tried to kiss her? She nervously pulled on a piece of her hair and murmured, "Am I really… gay?" She sighed in frustrated despair and rested her head on Tank's shell.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling Rainbow. She groaned miserably and slumped back down. "No one's home!"

The doorbell kept ringing and ringing until Rainbow Dash was so exasperated that she jumped up, threw open the door, and yelled, "What do you want?"

A Pegasus stallion winced. "Sorry to bother you, ma'am! The Cakes sent me. Pinkie Pie is in the hospital!"

"What?"