So there I was lying on my bed, looking up at the ceiling with no real interest as flashes of Cadance's hurt expression haunted my mind.

Until...

"Alex...can I come in?"

"Oh no...Why did she follow me back here?"

I remained silent to Cadance's question. My door had a peculiar magic recently weaved into it that made it automatically lock itself and stop ponies from teleporting in. So unless I actually opened the door then she wasn't coming in. She would need to have power rivaling Celestia herself to get in, which I seriously doubted she did.

"Alex I'm so confused, just let me in please," she continued to plead, her voice tight as she did so.

The door handle moved but stopped when it hit the resistant lock, making me sigh in relief as well as despair. I never wanted to hurt her, I never wanted to hurt anypony...but it seemed like it was too late for that.

"Why won't you let me in?" Cadance whimpered sadly.

"She's...whimpering? Cadance never...oh what have I done."

I had never heard her whimper before. Cadance was always such a confident mare with a competitive streak to boot. She wiped the tears away...she was never the one crying. But she was...I could hear the muffled sniffles and held back hiccups from the other side of the door.

And I think that was what made me speak.

"Cadance...just leave me alone please." I asked pleadingly, my own voice strained as I forced the words out.

I heard her gasp at the sound of my voice which was followed up by her scrabbling at my door, the handle moving again and again only to hit the lock every time.

"Cadance please-"

"No I'm not going away, let me in right now!" she demanded, interrupting me before I had a chance to finish.

There was the Cadance I went to school with.

The confident, no nonsense mare that wouldn't take shit from anypony. And by that I don't mean she beat them up, she just humiliated them verbally if they refused to back off. To be honest I had no idea she was really like this. I always thought she was kind of...meek, shy and a lovesick puppy for Shining.

At least in the show. In real life she couldn't be more different.

"I swear if you don't let me in then I will eat all of your hazelnut ice cream." She continued, albeit with a more humorous tone then before.

"It'll go straight to your ass." I quipped bemusedly, simultaneously hoping for her to just give up and leave.

"Then you'll have more to stare at." She replied cheekily.

I closed my eyes briefly and let out a rather tired sigh. You see I always loved it when we flirted like this. It made me feel...so happy inside, to know that somepony actually found me interesting enough to flirt with. I mean with me stuck in a world that had no Human other than myself...it felt good to treated more or less like everypony else.

It made me feel normal...she made me feel normal, real...wanted.

These were just one of the many reasons I came to love her.

I stood up and made my way towards the door, reaching for the handle but hesitating as I gripped it firmly. In an instant the magic weaved into the door vanished with a rather peculiar sucking sound.

Cadance must have been able to tell that I was practically right next to her, save for the magical door that separated us. And thus I heard her breathing deeply, as if she were right in front of me. My hand stayed on the handle as I rested my head against the door, creating an audible thump as it connected with the hard wood.

It was only then that I heard a softer thump on the other side, exactly where my own head rested. I could hear her breath a lot easier...and although I believe it was my imagination...I could feel it touching my skin, warming it slightly.

"Alex..."

I shivered ever so slightly. The longing in that one word...it made my breath catch in my throat, my heart skip a beat...my brain remind me that we could never be.

But none the less...I drew back from the door and pulled the handle down, opening it fully...revealing the young Alicorn to me.

She was still in the same black dress as before...but her once picture perfect face was stained with purple coloured tears. Her eyes were slightly red, signifying just how many tears she had shed because of me.

And her expression...she looked so hurt.

But none the less, the moment her gaze met my own a smile wormed its way onto her muzzle.

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly, her eyes imploring me to agree.

I nodded once and moved to the side, allowing her to slip past me and into my room where she jumped onto my bed and laid down on her front. I breathed deeply and closed the door, before making my way over to my bed and sitting down on it.

I made sure to sit as far away from her as I could...I didn't want to find out what her touch would make me do.

"So..." I said randomly, looking over at Cadance without meeting her gaze.

Said mare breathed in deeply for a few moments, as if she were trying to collect her thoughts.

"Because we weren't ever meant to be." She said suddenly, momentarily snapping my eyes onto her own inquisitive ones.

"Pardon?" I asked questioningly.

"It's what you said when we were...when we danced." She replied, her words catching for but a second before she regained control of her speech. "What did you mean by that?"

I looked down at my bed covers blankly, not really seeing them as I thought of every lie I could to keep my secret safe.

"Don't lie."

I looked back up at her in surprise as she said this, only to find myself held under her intelligent glare.

"I can tell when you're about to lie," she explained. "Don't...if you're my friend then don't lie to me."

How she was able to tell this, I had no idea. At first I suspected it was because of her inherent ability to sense emotions, rather than just love like most ponies believed. But my brain kicked in and I remembered that magic didn't work on me, whether it was passive or not.

"Then I don't think that I can tell you Cadance," I replied quietly, my head hanging in shame as the reality of those words hit me.

I had just told my best friend, the only pony in this world that I loved...and loved me back, that I could never explain my reasoning for us to not be together. To me it felt horrible...but to Cadance it must have been like a buck in the face.

"Why?" She asked pleadingly.

"Because...because I don't want to ruin anything." I replied tiredly.

There was a moment of silence between us that seemed to go on forever. But...then she spoke once more, another question...another clever question that kept me silent.

"You said you've influenced the future, but how do you know that?"

Like I said I kept silent, unable to meet her gaze as I turned away and placed my head in my hands.

"How do I answer that?" I thought wearily.

I had no idea why I felt so exhausted. Perhaps it was because of all the lies and secrets I made were catching up to me. Or perhaps it was the bitter fear I possessed that kept reminding me of the consequences should I reveal my greatest secret.

I felt the bed creak slightly as a certain somepony made her way over to me. I saw her hooves wrap themselves around my stomach...I felt her nuzzle her face into the crook of my neck, her warm breath tickling my skin.

"Do you remember that promise we made under the Benzivlian oak tree?" she asked quietly.

The Benzivlian oak tree was the largest oak tree in Equestria and was found in the Palace's private garden. It was said to have been the first of its kind, planted by the first Alicorn under an eclipse.

Cadance and I had laid under its comforting shade on a hot summer's day. We didn't do much, just talked about whatever was on our minds at the time.

We were both sixteen.

"Hey Alex...do you think we'll always be friends?" Cadance asked curiously, turning on her side to look at me.

I blinked at the question in surprise, but quickly regained my senses and turned over as well.

"I don't see why we wouldn't be." I replied honestly, smiling at her comfortingly.

Cadance gained a rather large smile herself and held her hoof out to me. My own smile widened a touch as she placed it in my open palm, her smile turning into a sigh of satisfaction as I wrapped my fingers around her hoof and squeezed gently.

"Then let's promise right here to always be friends, no lies and no secrets."

I felt a stab of guilt for a brief moment, but nodded at her and closed my eyes happily.

"I promise."

It's so strange...but what I remember most about that memory is the last few moments where Cadance attempted to tickle me, only to get a dose of her own medicine as she laughed hysterically...musically almost.

"I remember," I replied honestly.

"Then tell me...please," she implored, pulling her muzzle out from my neck and nuzzling my cheek hopefully.

I...I almost couldn't do it anymore. Not after that, not after she was near begging me for answers...but even as my resolve began to crumble, I still held onto whatever willpower I had left.

"Cadance please don't make me tell you," I begged, tears beginning to form in the corners of my eyes.

The teenage Alicorn apparently noticed my despair and instantly turned my head around to face her, to look right into her eyes...her warm and loving eyes.

"I'd never make you do anything you didn't want to Alex," she soothed softly. "But this is different, I need to know this...can't you understand why?"

Oh I understood. I understood perfectly why she desperately wanted to know...to know why I refused her affection for me when I had blatantly told her how much I adored her at the dance.

Except it ran much deeper than that...as I was about to understand.

"Because you care for me a lot?"

At this Cadance's eyes actually flashed with obvious anger. Her loving hooves left my face and she backed away awkwardly until she was a few more inches away from me.

And of course I had the all the common sense of a doorknob...because otherwise I would have kept my mouth shut.

"Or I've seriously misread the signs." I added cleverly.

As if I had pressed her angry button, Cadance moved over to me as quick as a flash and slapped me.

"Yes I think you really have Alexander!" She snapped furiously, not an apologetic bone in her body as I rubbed the oncoming bruise tenderly.

"What was that for?" I asked incredulously.

Her glare was actually getting kind of scary.

"You think that I merely care for you?" she asked rhetorically.

I opened my mouth to respond but was quickly silenced by another harsh slap.

"Cadance what the fuck!"

I was about to complain about the pain but from the thunderous look on her face I decided it was wise to remain silent.

"I don't just care for you Alex!" she continued, albeit not as angrily as before.

She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, before opening them again and gazing at me tenderly. She moved a hoof to my cheek and began to slowly rub the now quite visible bruise. And despite it being there because of her...I couldn't deny how nice it felt when she soothed away the stinging pain.

She smiled when I relaxed and began to lean into it.

"I want to be your mare Alex," she confessed longingly. "Do you have any idea how long I've ached for you?"

"A year and a bit..." I thought sadly.

"A while I guess." I replied sheepishly.

Cadance cocked an eyebrow at my reply, but merely shook her head and leaned her forehead against mine, mindful of her horn.

"I didn't understand why at first," she began to explain. "But one day I looked at you and my breath caught in my throat, I couldn't stop staring at you...and I didn't understand why."

Oh why was she telling me this...The emotion in her voice made me feel weak.

"And then there were all those times where you were there for me," she continued happily. "You looked after me when I was sick. You comforted me when I was upset...and you never spoke behind my back, you never once abandoned me."

She put her hooves on my cheeks and moved her face back a few inches so as to let me see her properly...and her me. Her expression was near tearful, something that until that day was quite a rarity. And yet...she was smiling softly at me, her tears running down her cheeks and onto her muzzle ever so slowly.

I moved my right hand to her cheek and gently wiped away the tears with my thumb, a flash of my similar action at the dance flickering through my mind before it vanished just as quickly as it came.

Cadance's smile widened at my touch and she sighed blissfully, leaning into my hand and closing her eyes whilst she began to nuzzle it absentmindedly.

I smiled at this...but suddenly remembered just why I had ran away from her.

To stop myself...us from getting any closer. And by the looks of it that was exactly what we were doing. Cadance was nuzzling my hand, smiling and cooing ever so quietly as I rubbed her cheek...Oh my touch was obliviously so much more than just friendly. And as for her touch...

She tenderly explored my face with her tender hooves. She was so loving yet so...desperate, as if she was trying to make a point.

My thoughts bombarded me with this dilemma as they fought for dominance.

"I shouldn't do this, I'll mess up the timeline!"

"But it's already messed up. Shining's with some other mare."

"It's probably just a one night stand...there's still hope for them!"

"Look at her...does it look like she wants somepony else?"

"I..."

"I should tell her, I can trust her to keep it to herself...she loves me, she hasn't said it but I know she loves me."

"Alex?"

I snapped out of my thoughtful tirade and focused back on Cadance. Said mare had inched herself over to me ever so sneakily, her face being close enough for me to feel her breath on my lips.

"Cadance...please, we can't..." I tried to explain, but only ended up leaving the Alicorn with a tired yet confused expression.

"Why?" she asked. "Please...just tell me why."

"I...I can't."

I quickly got off the bed and stood up, walking away from Cadance who had almost comically fell on her front. The Alicorn huffed and sat up, and although I wasn't looking at her directly, I could still feel the familiar glare aimed in my general direction.

"Why won't you tell me? What have you been hiding from me all this time?"

All this time? Heh, I told you she was clever.

"I can't tell you Cadance," I replied, my voice surprisingly steady for all the guilt eating away at me on the inside.

"Can't or won't?" she asked sternly.

"Both."

"Why?"

"Because you're not supposed to know," I replied yet again, finality heavy in my tone...not that it helped me any.

Quicker then I could blink Cadance was off the bed and right in my face, breathing hot air through her nostrils whilst she looked at me angrily.

"And who are you to say what I should and shouldn't know?" she demanded icily.

I distinctly remember my slight shock at her beginning to lose her temper. I mean yeah she took no nonsense from anypony but she never spoke to them with such venom in her voice.

"Do you really think that I'd want to know my future?!" I blurted out furiously, my own anger taking root.

Although in my mind I groaned in despair...for what I had just said...

Cadance blinked and moved back slightly, staring at me in shock.

"You know my future?" she asked incredulously.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I couldn't believe that I had allowed my anger to make me blurt out one of my biggest secrets.

"Yes." I replied with difficulty, looking right at her face and grimacing when her expression became temporarily excited, only to twist into a betrayed and hurtful one.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice sounding so upset. "I thought we promised to keep no secrets from each other..."

"I know...but I had no choice."

To be honest I was actually surprised with how quickly she believed me. The fact that she actually did believe me was nothing short of incredible...but then again she was apparently able to tell when I lied.

She got off of my bed and slowly trotted over to me, stopping only to put a hoof on my leg to get my attention. And my attention she got as I looked down at her, taking in her concerned expression as she looked back at me.

And then she told me something that I remember even now...

"We all have a choice Alex," she said comfortingly.

I smiled at this but shook my head none the less. How did I have a choice with this?

"Not with this Cadance...not with this."

There was a pregnant pause between us, until she breathed in deeply and stood on her hind legs, wrapping her hooves around my neck, much like she had done only a short time earlier. I should have pushed her off, I WANTED to push her off, to show her that I didn't want this...want her...

But I did want her...and I hated that she could make me feel this way.

I had tried to ignore her hints of affection. I had deliberately appeared oblivious to her adoring touch and loving words. I lied to her and broke our promise...just to keep the timeline safe and secure.

And even when I wanted to hold her and show her just how much I ached for her...I still sacrificed my personal happiness for the future she was supposed to have.

She was supposed to eventually love Shining Armor...not me.

"Tell me my future."

I blinked, once, twice...I couldn't believe that she had just asked me that.

"What?" I asked intelligently.

Cadance's expression was still full of concern, yet her eyes radiated confidence and firm certainty.

"I want to know why you won't let yourself love me," she replied determinedly.

Love her? I hadn't actually mentioned love to her at all. My feelings sure...but I hadn't used the L word when I confessed to her on the dance floor.

But then again neither did she...and yet her love for me was unbelievably apparent.

As Shining had once pointed out, even a blind stallion could see how much she cared for me.

"If I tell you then the consequences could be astronomical," I told her warningly. "The whole timeline could be affected."

To my utmost surprise the mare simply smiled at me and giggled musically when I said this. She then looked back up at me with a small grin plastered on her muzzle.

"Do you not think that with you here it hasn't already been affected?" she asked questioningly.

That...actually shook me slightly.

The show never once mentioned anything even remotely connected to a Human, let alone me. And Cadance's wedding never had a Human as best man...or stallion.

I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of it before...I mean I was so focused on trying to keep Cadance's timeline on track that I never stopped to think that it may already be too late, especially with Cadance, Shining and I being really good friends.

But even so...there was something that could still happen.

Cadance apparently noticed the sudden apprehension in my expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously. "You look...Alex why does my future make you like this?"

I closed my eyes briefly as she said this, moving my hand back onto her cheek for but a moment.

"Because you were never meant to feel this way for me." I confessed.

I opened my eyes and looked back at her face. She looked...confused, annoyed and curious all at once. I could tell that she was about to say something...but I interrupted her and continued before she could. Because if I stopped then...I would never be able to work up the courage to tell her again.

"I shouldn't even exist," I continued sadly. "You were never supposed to care for me as you do. You were never supposed to spend almost all of your time with me."

"Why?" she interrupted quickly, her voice laced with some emotion that I failed to recognize.

I blinked at this question in sheer disbelief, hadn't she heard what I had just said?

"Because I'm not supposed to exist here Ca-"

It was the third time that night she slapped me.

Cadance had pushed herself off of me angrily but kept her stern glare locked with my rather angrily one.

"How you dare say that!" she growled dangerously. "Don't you dare tell me that you shouldn't exist here when you have every right to. You belong here!"

"How dare I?" I replied furiously, my anger laced within my tone as everything I had held back began to pour out of me. "No how dare you tell me where I belong, do you have any fucking idea what me being here is doing to your future?!"

"Oh stop it with the future excuse Alex!" she yelled back, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "It's not the future and you know it. You're just too frightened to admit that you feel something for me!"

"It's not that at all!"

"No?" she asked almost mockingly. "Then what is it hmm? Tell me and be bucking honest for once you coward!"

And that was the moment I snapped.

I rushed over to Cadance furiously, picked her up almost effortlessly and pinned her against the wall harshly, causing her to yelp in pain. She tried to talk but before she could say anything I slammed my lips against her own aggressively.

The Alicorn gasped in surprise at this and for a few seconds simply remained motionless. It was only when she began to return it that I wrenched my lips from hers and merely held her against the wall firmly, both of us panting shallowly.

I moved my lips back over to hers but stopped just short of touching them again, something that caused Cadance to squirm and quietly moan in desperation.

"I want you so badly Cadance," I growled deeply, a small smirk worming its way onto my face as I noticed her eyes darken slightly. "Did you think that I didn't notice all the signs, all the hints and so called innocent touches you gave me?"

I moved from her lips and affectionately nibbled her left ear, causing the young Alicorn to growl quietly herself.

It surprised me actually.

"Because I did. I noticed every single one of them, all the way back since we made that promise under the Benzivlian."

I noticed Cadance's chest rising and falling rapidly, and wondered absentmindedly whether it was my touch that made her like this or my words. Unfortunately for her I had no intention of progressing any further past that point, and thus made it so by removing my grip and allowing her to slide down the wall.

"You wanted to know your future?" I asked rhetorically, gaining her attention however dazed it was.

"Shining Armor." I said bitterly. "You fall in love with him and eventually get married."

Cadance's eyes widened in surprise as I finished, which I suppose was to be expected. If someone ever told me that I eventually fell in love with someone I knew then I'd be surprised too.

"I suppose I'll just have to move away," I muttered tiredly. "I'll be out of your way and one day you start to feel something for him...and that something will save Canterlot from the Changeling army."

Feel something was all I could say...I couldn't muster the strength to say that she'd love him.

It just hurt too much...but I'd savour that one kiss we had just shared. After all it would be all I had to remember her by for a long time.

I waited for her to say something but the Alicorn merely stared into space...and so I took this as my cue to leave and find Celestia.

Although I really wasn't looking forward to that chat.

It was only as I turned away and made to move that Cadance finally said something.

"Don't leave me."

I blinked in surprise and turned back around. Cadance was slowly climbing back onto her hooves...but her eyes were trained solely on me...and their expression.

She had tears running down her cheeks, albeit a lot slower than before.

"Please Alex..."

She held out her right hoof as she made her way over to me at a snails pace, her eyes imploring me to take it and pull her into my embrace.

How I knew this I did not know...I just did.

"Cadance I...Shining Armor, I can't..."

She either wasn't listening or simply refused to, because she still made her way over to me...her hoof now close enough for me to grasp it.

"Please..." she repeated yet again.

Her voice sounded so...hollow and sad...but why?

I was so enveloped in my thoughts that I failed to notice just how close Cadance was too me. It was only as she wrapped her hooves around my legs that I snapped out of my trance and looked down. The Alicorn had ensnared my legs so tightly with her hooves that I feared falling down if I dared to move. She had placed her right cheek on my foot and was looking up at me so...pathetically. Her tears were falling onto the foot she was resting her head on, but she seemed not to care as she absentmindedly nuzzled it.

I have to admit that I was in shock.

Where had the angry, confident mare that had slapped and yelled at me gone?

"Was it what I said?"

"Cadance...let me go," I asked quietly, only for her to shake her head as best she could and tighten her hold around me legs.

"Cadance ple-"

"Do you have any idea what you just told me?" she interrupted quietly, keeping her teary gaze locked on mine.

"You wanted to know Cadance," I reminded her bitterly. "And now you know that you and Shining will-

"NO!" she yelled loudly, actually using the Royal Canterlot Voice for the first time.

She let go of my legs and stood on her hind ones so quickly that I barely had enough time to blink. Her hooves pressed against the side of my head and pulled my face towards her...and then her lips were suddenly pressing against my own as she caressed them with everything she had. I tried to pull back but her hooves moved to the back of my head and kept me still. I felt her tongue flicking against my teeth and instinctively opened my mouth, turning our once innocent kiss into a passionate fight for dominance.

And I let it happen...what else could I do?

After what felt like forever Cadance slowly removed her lips from my own with a soft squelching sound, a small string of saliva still linking us together before it broke. I wiped her mouth gently with my thumb, whilst she licked the slight drool away, uncaring of how distasteful it may have been.

She sniffled sadly and looked into my eyes, her twinkling nowhere to be found as I stared back.

"I don't love Shining," she whispered truthfully.

"Maybe not yet," I replied. "But without me to interfere it can still happen."

Cadance merely smiled and shook her head slowly, looking at me all the while.

"I don't love him," she repeated.

"But he's your future."

At this she actually giggled and gave me a quick but intense kiss, before pulling back and sighing happily.

"No he's not Alex," she denied fervently. "I don't care who told this and I don't care if it's true...because right now all I want in my future is you."

I actually felt my eyes becoming moist as she confessed this. Never in all my life had I felt so...wanted. And the way she sounded and looked so sincere...

I blinked away any oncoming tears and merely stared at her. I had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. I mean...she was denying her future, but it was it really that simple?

"Cadance," I began, her ears perking up at my voice before laying flat in pleasure as I stroked her mane affectionately. "I...I really want nothing more than to be yours, but just denying and destroying a happiness that has yet to happen...I don't think I can do that."

Cadance looked down at the floor for all of about three seconds before looking back at me and smiling sincerely.

"Is it really up to you?" she asked questioningly.

"What do you mean?" I replied confusedly.

The Alicorn grinned victoriously at me, as though she had just figured out something incredible.

"What I mean is...what if I want to deny and destroy this happiness?"

I had absolutely no idea what to say.

A part of me was a tad put off that she would so easily want to destroy what had yet to come before it did so. But the other and much louder part of me was applauding and doing an Irish jig.

Don't ask why with the Irish jig.

Cadance put her right hoof on my cheek and began to caress it tentatively, before sighing happily yet again as she started to speak.

"Alex I'm not going to lie, what you've told me is startling, incredible and at one point quite believable. But I'm really upset that you never told me about this, especially after so many years."

I lowered my head as she finished, the guilt that I had previously been trying to ignore now the foremost thought in my mind. But I was quickly snapped out of it by a hoof under my chin raising my head once more, making me look back at her.

To my surprise however she didn't look upset but rather understanding.

"However I understand why you didn't though," she continued supportively. "I actually feel sorry that you had to carry this burden all by yourself."

She wasn't mad at me...and that made me feel so much better.

"But there is one thing you need to get into that thick head of yours," she growled in annoyance.

I merely cocked an eyebrow unsurely at her, although I was secretly happy that her tears had long since stopped.

It hurt me to see her cry.

"Whatever future you may have seen for me, it's not going to happen and before you argue I'll tell you why."

She exhaled noisily before kissing my nose cutely and smiling contently.

"Nothing is set in stone Alex. Not my future or your future or even Celestia's future. I don't know much about how time works, but I'm willing to bet my life that they're different paths for us to take. And I'm fairly sure that like you say I could fall in love with Shining and end up marrying him...but I won't because I don't and won't ever feel anything other than friendship towards him."

Whoa...I had never thought of it like that before. To be honest all that was ever on my mind in accordance to the timeline was to make sure that Cadance fell in love with Shining...but she didn't love him and according to her she never would.

I didn't realize it at the time but Cadance was actually moving backwards with me unconsciously following her. It was only when I heard her hooves hit the bottom of the bed that I noticed what she had done.

"And it will always be that way...because...because I love you." She confessed happily.

Cadance let go of me and climbed onto the bed, laying down on her side and using her magic to remove her dress before placing it on a nearby chair. She then looked up at me and motioned with her hoof for me to join her.

I hesitated for a moment but gave in when I saw the calm yet imploring look in Cadance's eyes. And so I climbed on after her and laid next to her on my side, looking at her unsurely whilst she looked at me affectionately.

"I love you," she told me again, her voice tender and oh so sweet as she did so.

She wiggled her way over to me and more or less rolled me over and placed herself on top of me. We had been like this before when we had been messing around with each other, you know tickling and mock wrestling...not the other thing. However her half lidded gaze was doing nothing to cease the fuel on my imagination.

"C-Cadance I'm not sure if-"

I suddenly found myself silenced by a soft and furry hoof, followed up by a small lick on my cheek.

"Tell me what you feel for me again, I want to know," Cadance asked hopefully.

I cocked an eyebrow at her but relaxed and moved my hand to her cheek once more, stroking and caressing it ever so tenderly as she leaned into it and sighed joyously.

"I want you so much Cadance," I started smoothly, the words coming out of my mouth rather easily to my surprise. "I want to take comfort in you and I always have done...because even though I feared that it would destroy your future, a part of me didn't care."

Cadance looked at me and smiled at my words, her half lidded gaze becoming almost sultry at my need to take comfort in her. And by take comfort I meant love...making love...with her.

"I love you so much Cadance," I admitted shakily. "I don't know how long I have...but there's nopony else but you...and there never will be."

Cadance's sultry expression had long since been replaced by a tender one, tears trickling down her face yet again as she took in all I had to say.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say those words," she said happily, smiling even wider as I brushed her tears away.

She quickly lowered her lips to my own and kissed me, giggling somewhat when I flicked my tongue against her flat teeth. She opened her mouth and allowed me entry, yet we did not battle for dominance like before but rather explored the others mouth. We both touched and flicked and caressed every part we could find. My hands were touching her back, massaging it tenderly without moving down to her flank, although only because I was uncertain of where we were going with this.

Cadance it seemed was not so unsure. She moved her muzzle away from me and wiggled her body until my hands rested on her flanks. Said wiggling did far more than that however, although I did try my utmost to keep that hidden. With my hands now carefully massaging her flanks, something she seemed to enjoy if her quiet moans were anything to go by, Cadance moved her muzzle away from my lips and started nibbling on my neck.

It felt...nice, weird but nice.

"That feels good Cadance..." I admitted, receiving a small giggle in response as she continued to trace my skin with her mouth and teeth.

As I continued to massage her flanks, one of my fingers accidently traced something damp and slightly sticky. Cadance instantly stopped nibbling at this and moaned a little louder than she did before. She brought her head back and stared at me rather seductively, her tongue poking out of her mouth ever so slightly.

"Alex...how far are you willing to go tonight?" she asked me breathlessly.

Okay now I was certain I knew where this was going. And although my hormones were screaming at me to continue, my head told me to calm down and ask her as well.

"As far as you're willing Cadey," I replied gently...although I had no idea where the nickname came from.

Cadance however didn't seem to mind it one bit. She was actually blushing as she held a hoof to her mouth...it was quite cute to be honest.

"I love you Alex...and I want you to be my first...and last," she confessed nervously, all traces of the confident seductress gone. "But only if you want to, I can wait for as long as you want."

I smiled up at her and pulled her down so I could kiss her. Cadance just moved with it and followed my deep and intense kissing, nibbling and blatant display of lust. It was only when we parted that she smiled albeit a little nervously, although her eyes shone with longing as they gazed down at me.

"I want you Cadance...I ache for you."

The young Alicorn smiled widely at my admittance, before she buried her face into my chest momentarily and breathed in deeply, something that at the time I found confusing. She then looked up at me, and with a rather saucy wink motioned for me to sit up as she helped me take off my shirt.

Once it was off and thrown somewhere on the floor, Cadance just stared at my admittedly toned upper body. I'm no detective but judging by her smile she was quite happy with what she saw. Before she could ogle me any further, I quickly flipped us over so that she was underneath me. Cadance yelped in surprise but was rapidly silenced when I began to kiss and nibble at her neck, much like she had recently done with me.

"Mhmm you're right Alex, this feels so good," she crooned happily.

I merely grinned proudly before moving my lips and teeth down from her neck and onto her barrel. I quickly changed my routine of kissing and nibbling to just plain kissing, not wanting to hurt her sensitive skin under the thin coat of fur. This seemed like the right thing to do if her giggles and moans were anything to go by.

And so I continued my descent onto her even more sensitive tummy. But my attention was quickly stolen by the sight of something unfamiliar yet quite obvious. All my ministrations had obviously been quite nice for Cadance, seeing that her glistening marehood was already inflamed from arousal. The mare in question looked over at me, probably wondering why I had stopped kissing her body. When she noticed where I was looking however she merely blushed and smiled awkwardly at me.

"I...I hope it doesn't disgust you," she said quietly. "I know we're not the same species but-"

The mare promptly stopped talking as I edged forwards and tentatively licked her arousal, resulting in a rather loud moan from the self conscious Alicorn. What I did was a bit bold on my behalf, but it stopped her from needlessly worrying so the result was worth it.

Anyway seeing that she seemed to enjoy what I had just did, I continued albeit a little faster.

"Ohh Alex that's so wonderful, please don't stop."

I grinned mentally at those words, having no intention of actually stopping at all until she climaxed. However I refused to quicken the pace. I wanted Cadance to always remember that it was me who had first sexual contact with her.

They say you never really forget your first, so I had a lot riding on this being nothing short of spectacular.

Eventually as I continued to lick, touch and pleasure the mare I loved, I noticed her breathing becoming nothing more than short and shallow gasps. I could see the inside of her marehood twitching and contracting as if to grasp something inside. And as though the bulb turned on, an idea came to me.

I moved my tongue upwards and began to trace her inflamed nub, something that she instantly squealed at. Then whilst she was distracted by that I ever so carefully inserted my index finger into her marehood. Cadance apparently noticed this right away as a number of rather unusual yet arousing words left her beautiful mouth.

"Oh fuck yes, that feels so bucking nice."

I still don't understand how ponies have two versions of the same swear word, but what the hell.

Seeing that she seemed to enjoy it, I pushed my finger in as far as it could go before I felt it touch some sort of barrier. I didn't have to be a genius to figure out what that was, especially when Cadance let out a pained whine.

"Sorry Cadey," I apologized.

"It's fine honey, just be careful."

And thus my pet name was born.

Anyway I carefully continued to pleasure her, whilst still using enough stimulation to keep her heading towards her finish. And so a few minutes later Cadance began to shake and whisper incoherent words. Her hind legs were twitching and her flank was rising off the bed as though to give me more incentive. I merely grinned and held her down with my hands, using only my tongue to bring her to climax.

And climax she did.

"Oh buck, oh fuck, oh buck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!"

Cadance's lower body began to shake helplessly as her orgasm hit her. Her hooves were twitching constantly and her stomach was rising and falling at a near frightening speed. Being that it was only my tongue that had brought her to climax, it was apparently my honour for it to get drenched in her orgasmic fluids.

Not that I minded seeing that she actually didn't taste that bad. In fact the taste reminded me of a lollypop I used to buy on back on Earth, but with my memory loss the name of said sweet was beyond me.

After a few minutes of heavy breathing from Cadance, she slowly began to laugh and look at me with such happiness that I was rendered silent.

"Hehe, oh Alex that was amazing. Thank you so much," she breathed joyously.

I smiled and crawled up to her, intending to kiss her only to stop when I remembered where my mouth had been. Cadance however didn't seem to care as she leaned forwards and captured my lips with her own.

Say what you like but that was fucking hot.

The next thing I knew, Cadance had sneakily turned us over so that she was the one on top of me. I looked up at her nervously, only for her to smile comfortingly in response.

"Just relax honey, it's your turn," she crooned lovingly.

I hesitated but nodded in response and received a happy smile in return.

Cadance then somehow managed to undue my trousers and slide them down my legs with almost no help from me whatsoever. This left me with only my boxers protecting my already aroused manhood from whatever the grinning Alicorn had planned.

"Is it for me?" she asked innocently, although her predatory stare contradicted her tone of voice.

I wasn't able to get more than an approving groan in response, seeing that she had already began to rub its underside through my boxers. Cadance merely giggled and used her teeth to pull my pants down, where I assisted by kicking them into oblivion.

For a few moments Cadance just stared at my arousal with interest, moving it this way and that way as she studied it intently. She then suddenly looked up at me, still stroking its underside and said one word that to this day still manages to make me shiver.

And not in the uncomfortable way either.

"Mine," she said simply, as if she were a child claiming a toy from her sibling.

Except she was a teenage mare and said toy being claimed was...well you know.

Then to my sheer pleasure and disbelief she began to precisely lick the tip rapidly, causing something akin to a vibration where her tongue touched. She kept this up for a few more seconds before stopping and looking over at me with a small smirk on her muzzle.

"Does it feel good honey?" she asked curiously.

"Y-Yeah it does," I replied dazedly.

Cadance merely giggled and resumed her precise flicking of her tongue. Then to my surprise she changed from merely flicking to literally engulfing the entire head. This may have lead me to let slip a number of interesting words, but seeing as they made Cadance giggle, which added even more pleasure, it was totally worth it.

The Alicorn quickly began to bob up and down on my member, choosing to stop around the middle before moving back up and repeating the motion. Eventually I began to feel my climax approaching at attempted to warn Cadance.

"Ahh Cadey, if you don't ah slow down I'm not gonna last."

Unfortunately...or fortunately for me she had no intention of slowing down. In fact all she responded with was another giggle before she increased her speed and the amount of force when she swallowed.

If you've never gotten anything like this before...well sorry but you're missing out.

With all that she was doing to me I didn't last much longer. Cadance didn't move back and show her disgust like I imagined either. She actually just hummed her approval as my climax tore through me and I finished inside her muzzle.

And when my release finally ceased she merely removed her muzzle with an audible pop and swallowed right in front of me.

Fucking. Hot.

"How was it honey?" she asked hopefully. Her hopeful tone actually surprised me, but then again I was worried that I hadn't pleased her as well, even though her moaning was a clear answer in that regard.

Still she was worried, even if she had no reason to be.

"It was fantastic Cadance...I mean...wow," I replied, my dazed mind just about steady enough to allow speech.

Cadance smiled happily up at me and made her way onto my chest once more, before moving her muzzle down and capturing my lips in a fiery kiss. It...didn't actually disgust me like I thought it would, although I was probably too aroused to tell the difference.

Being both seventeen and about to have sex...yeah, enough said really.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Cadance asked worriedly.

"I should be asking you that," I quipped, yet smiled at her comfortingly in order to answer her question.

"I know but...you were so set on the whole future and timeline thing before," she continued, gazing down at me fearfully, as though I were about to just get up and leave her there and then.

"Well yeah, but there's no point in worrying about it if you're threatening to ruin it is there," I replied bemusedly.

Cadance laughed musically and shook her head in response.

"I suppose not."

She looked into my eyes suddenly before kissing my lips tenderly, drawing back afterwards only to gaze at me affectionately.

"I love you so much," she said, sighing happily for the billionth time that night.

"I love you too," I replied honestly, smiling up at her as I caressed her cheek.

And for a time all we did was touch and caress the other. Cadance's body was so soft and warm, yet also extremely arousing, especially when she shuffled and grinded her marehood on my re-hardened member.

She let out quiet moans of satisfaction as she did so, her muzzle graced by a blissful smile whilst her cheeks were tinged with red.

"Oh Alex, I want this...please," she cried passionately, before locking our mouths together once again and thrusting her tongue into my mouth with a groan.

I kept up with her kiss as best I could, although I had to admit she seemed to be quite a natural when it came down to it. But just like Cadance my patience had reached its peak and I simply couldn't deny her any longer.

And thus I flipped our positions so that I was the one leaning over her. She seemed to like this immensely as a low growl escaped her throat, something that I couldn't help but find so damn sexy.

The Alicorn let out a low whine as I brushed the tip of my arousal against her damp marehood, looking up at me with an almost...feral grin on her muzzle.

"This is going to hurt Cadey," I said worriedly.

"I don't care," she replied with finality, surprising me at the sheer intensity in her voice.

She bit her lip as she stared up at me, before wrapping her front hooves around my shoulders, followed up by her hind legs clinging to my behind tightly. I smiled at her almost unnoticeable nervousness and kissed her comfortingly, before drawing back and looking at her for conformation.

Cadance merely smiled up at me and nodded, nuzzling her muzzle into my neck in preparation for the oncoming pain. I kissed her neck tentatively and decided to quickly thrust inside of her, instantly breaking through her barrier and causing her to yelp in pain. Her hooves tightened around my shoulders and behind as she grit her teeth.

She felt so warm and unbelievably tight. The Alicorn's walls were clenched around my member securely, her inner muscles already working their magic on me and causing me to hiss with pleasure.

But no matter the pleasure, Cadance came first.

I didn't move an inch as she breathed shallowly, a few tears falling onto my skin as she kept her muzzle buried in my neck. I carefully moved my right hand under her back and stroked it tenderly whilst I waited for her to recover. This seemed to please her immensely as she let loose a shuddering sigh and kissed my neck.

"Thanks for being so patient with me," she muttered contently.

She moved her muzzle from out of my neck and looked at me happily, her eyes shining brightly as they practically radiated with affection.

"I'd wait forever for you Cadance," I admitted shamelessly, prompting a wide and honest smile from the mare...my mare.

"As I would for you," she replied sincerely.

The mare then nodded and grinned up at me, causing me to take some infinitive and pull myself back until only the head remained. This was quickly remedied by pushing back inside her with a firm yet careful force.

"Oh buck yes," Cadance moaned breathlessly.

I took that as a good sign.

And so I continued with the motion, in and out, pull and push. Until she was literally panting and begging for me to speed up, to be harder and rougher as she pleaded with me to claim her. I never suspected in all my life that Cadance was loud, but she wasn't just that.

She was a howler, and I'd be hard pressed to believe that nopony heard her that night.

"Faster my love, take me harder, make me yours!"

Eventually her entire body began to convulse with small shakes as she purred animalistically, her climax evidently on its way.

It was in these last few minutes that she went...a little wild.

Her eyes suddenly glazed over and she began to growl gutturally. In all honesty I found it unbelievably hot to see the normally kind and slightly shy mare become feral and assertive.

And assertive she was, using the sudden moment of surprise to spin me over with my length still inside of her. I opened my mouth to say...something, but found myself quickly silenced by her lips slamming against mine, her tongue forcing its way inside my mouth and playing dominantly with my own.

And in between all of this she had begun to rapidly pound herself up and down on my arousal, not caring in the slightest on how loud and wild a mare she had rapidly become.

To be honest neither did I.

There was no warning whatsoever when she climaxed on top of me, her howling and screams nearly deafening as she slipped in and out of the Royal Canterlot Voice. I gritted my teeth as I fought to keep my own orgasm in, hoping that she would slow down and allow me to finish elsewhere.

It's not that I wanted to, but at the time I knew next to nothing about Equestrian heat cycles.

Unfortunately Cadance showed no signs of stopping and kept up her merciless pounding as she stared at me with a purpose. And even as I put my hands on her flank to stop her, she merely used her subtle muscle control to such a pleasurable extent that I found myself unable to any strength and stop her.

"Finish for me honey," she crooned lovingly, her face tantalizingly close as her eyes bored into my own. She suddenly stuck her tongue out and licked my cheek affectionately before moving onto my neck where she began to nibble and suck on my sensitive skin.

And then she stopped, moving her muzzle up to my ear and nibbling on the lobe roughly.

"I want you to come inside me Alex," she whispered seductively. "I want to feel your warmth fill me until I can't think anymore."

I distinctly remember feeling rather surprised as those words left her once innocent lips.

Who knew that the Princess of love became so dirty minded during sex.

A few more assertive movements from Cadance was all it took for my held back climax to rip through me for the second time that night. The Alicorn moaned happily as I emptied myself within her and promptly claimed my lips passionately in the heat of the moment.

Eventually both our thrusting and pounding ceased, causing Cadance to sigh into our kiss and collapse on my chest. She drew back from me with the biggest and happiest smile I had ever seen on her face. Her eyes shone with joyous tears as rested her snout against my nose, her magenta orbs becoming all I could see.

"I love you so much honey," she whispered tearfully. "I just...I love you so badly."

My heart skipped a beat at her raw confession...but it only made what I was about to say that much easier.

"Then would you do me the honour of being my special somepony?" I asked fearlessly.

To my surprise however Cadance merely laughed and bit the tip of my nose playfully.

"I already am Alex," she replied bemusedly. "Because there's no way in Tartarus that I'm letting this merely be a one night stand."

And there she was again. The bold, no nonsense mare that I'd come to know...and love.

"Good because it's not," I told her assuredly.

"Good," she said, smiling softly before she rested her head under my chin and closed her eyes contently.

I put my arms around her and smiled myself at the warm sensation I felt inside, closing my eyes in satisfaction, not really noticing a sudden glow beneath my eyelids.

What we had done was truly magical...because of all the scenarios I pictured between Cadance and I, I had never once suspected it would lead to us confessing our love for each other...and then joining as one in the oldest dance known to everypony.

There were going to be consequences...I wasn't so blinded by what we had done to have forgotten that. Cadance and I had made love and were now a couple. She had also admitted rather fiercely that she could and would destroy any notions of her and Shining falling in love, let alone marrying.

Because she only loved me...she only wanted my love and not Shining's

I had a feeling that she wouldn't tell anypony what I knew about the future, even Celestia herself...

But that wasn't the question running through my mind at that point.

The question...was how would our relationship affect what could now only be a possible future, a path not taken. Would Chrysalis simply not invade now that there was no wedding for her to ruin? Or would she just try another way...perhaps even my own wedding if Cadance and I decided to one day take that next step.

And what about Sombre? Without Shining there to help defend the Crystal Kingdom, what would become of it?

Although to be honest I hadn't been told anything more about said kingdom other than it was "Out of our reach for now".

What did that mean?

Well...at the time I didn't know.

I smiled as Cadance nuzzled my neck sleepily and decided to call it a night. I kissed her forehead tenderly, resulting in a sleepy yet happy smile from the mare. And with the satisfaction of seeing that, I closed my eyes again and merely enjoyed the comfort of both my covers and Cadance's warm body.

At least until my eyes snapped open and stared not at the now snoozing mare...but rather my covers.

What was the problem? Well...I never pulled them over us, and Cadance hadn't moved enough to give me the conclusion that she had done it for us. But then I remembered that faint glow I had seen beneath my eyelids...just before I had opened them and looked at the sleepy Alicorn.

Only one conclusion came to me...however impossible it was.

Cadance...had used magic...while touching me.

As for how...Well that's a story for another time.

For that night was just the start.

The start of an adventure that I would never ever forget.

And maybe one day...I'll tell you.

Author's Notes:

Holy sweet Jesus I'm happy that I finally finished this one shot.

I do apologize for any typo's however, I am quite tired :(

I also apologize for not updating it any quicker like I promised...I hate breaking promises >:(

But on a happier note the chapter is done and now I await the comments :D

Peace ;)