In Sickness

"Alright, Ah need ya ta keep this under your tongue for about a minute." Applejack instructed, waiting for Rainbow to open her mouth. Earlier that morning, when she had awoken to the absence of hooves wrapped around her stomach, she immediately knew something was wrong. It was alarming, not waking up with Dash's body heat warming her, not that she was cold but she had fallen into the routine of the pegasus snuggling up to her and it was unnatural to wake up any other way.

Imagine her reaction when she rolled over to see the trembling, pale figure of the once turquoise pony. Her coat had turned into a colorless white, deeply contradicting the polychromatic mane and cutie mark. Nose sniffling, her violet eyes were clouded and blood shot, a cold sweat covering every inch of her. This was the honest-to-goodness cold in its heaviest, purest form. Having taken care of Applebloom and occasionally Big Macintosh in their times of sickness, that same maternal instinct kicked in and she hopped out of bed, galloping into the bathroom and digging in the cabinet for the glass thermometer.

Dash complied and, uttering a sickly groan, held out her tongue. The glass tasted weird and a vile thought crossed her mind that made her spit it out in disgust. "Where has that thing been?" she questioned, finding it difficult to lift her head, like gravity itself was trying to restrain her.

"Uh, in the bathroom."

The pegasus rolled her eyes, desperately wanting to drift back into a peaceful slumber. "Who else has had their mouth on that thing?"

"It's brand spankin' new," she bit her lip and frantically tried to keep eye contact, proving just why she held the title of honesty.

"Who else?" she barked, head beginning to pound.

"Mine alright, Ah've used it once or twice." Applejack confessed, prepared for an argument Rainbow was stubborn enough to begin but didn't really have the energy for.

"Oh, alright." She shrugged and reached for the thermometer that had landed on the blanket an inch from her, sliding it back under her tongue.

"Wait, that's it?"

"Well it's not the first time we've swapped spit AJ, it'd be pretty stupid to make a big deal out of it." She grinned, the usual spark in her eye visible for a brief moment. An orange hoof is promptly pressed against her forehead, a tad roughly but it's nothing compared to the pain in her stomach and head. When the minute passed the thermometer was pulled from between her teeth. The feathered pony began coughing, each time her head bobbed forward drastically. Judging from the look on AJ's face, she could already guess what the news might pertain.

"You're stayin' in bed today," she ordered.

"But there's a fog storm scheduled, I have to get to work." She protested, voice strained and gravelly. The pegasus fought to sit up, forearms quivering under her weight.

"Bed Rainbow!" Applejack ordered, gently pushing Dash back onto the pillow. Under normal circumstances that would probably have turned her on but she could only nod in agreement. The blond mare looked at the clock on the wall above her door frame, unaware of how so much time could pass in what felt like just ten minutes.

"Now Ah need to deliver today's orders, but Ah'll be back to check on you later, okay?" she leaned forward and kissed the pegasus' forehead, brushing strands of orange, red, and yellow hair out of the her eyes. Had she any choice Applejack might've crawled into the bed and risked catching the disease if it meant she could cheer up her marefriend and keep her company, but these orders paid the bills.

"Applejack," Dash called between another coughing fit as the earth pony was walking out of the room, biting the rim of her Stetson from a hook on the wall and stylishly flipping it onto her head.

"Yes sugarcube?" she turned her head to the right, waiting for Rainbow to continue.

Not once in her life had Rainbow Dash seen somepony so concerned over her wellbeing, not enough to take her temperature or order her to stay home. It was touching and sweet and dare she say romantic, no matter how much that word made her cringe. The pale blue pony wanted to come up with some brilliant speech to show just how much this meant to her. "I . . . um . . . thanks." Admittedly not what she had in mind, but it would have to do. She was tired and felt like sleeping for . . . ever.

"Ain't nothin' RD," she exclaimed, that previously mentioned concern twinkling in her emerald eyes. "Now go back to sleep."

"I love you," Dash moaned, pulling the blanket up to her neck and rolling over. Some instinct made her reach over to the other side of the bed for Applejack, who watched in amusement from the doorway, aching to be held in the pegasus' securing grip, if only for a minute or two.

"Ah love you too." She whispered, closing the door as she left.

A/N

So a few things, first I assume most of you have heard about Derpy's censorship. Shame, I didn't find her offensive and I'm not sure that the message this sends is a good one. I heard people have actually been sending death threats to animators of the show over this (whether or not this is true is beyond me). But yikes, that's heavy. Either way what's done is done, but we'll always have the fandom Derpy, a clumsy but brilliant companion for the Doctor in my opinion.

Second, a Christmas theme is coming soon, I just have to reread it and make sure it runs smoothly. If anyone cares expect to see it within the week.

Third, goodbye to you Cole Phelps, we had some good times.

And finally I'm really enjoying these drabbles, it's fun to just write out an idea and not make such a large deal about it.