Fluttershy and AJ were the first to leave the party. Big Mac and Caramel had arrived outside to escort the ladies home.

“It sure as sugar was good to see ya again, Twi.”

“Come back soon, you'll have to meet the foals– eep!”

Fluttershy protested having to ride in the cart behind Big Mac, but none of the others would allow her to walk all the way home to Sweet Apple Acres so late in her term.

“Well, Twi. I'll miss you. Luna, you take good care of the egghead for us.”

Even though he knew he would pay for it next training session with her, Spike couldn’t help but rib Rainbow for leaving early.

“Bailing already, Dashie? The wittle wonderbolt getting sweepy?” That earned him a punch in the arm.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom followed, to see if they could find any nightlife around Ponyville to keep the party going. If they couldn't find any, Sweetie assured Apple Bloom they could create some.

“You two head on home. I’m going to stick around and help Pinkie Pie clean up.” Spike saw Twilight and Luna to the door. “And Twi, you two can have the upstairs bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Oh, Spike! I couldn’t take your bed,” Twilight protested. “It’s your home now, not mine. I should sleep on the couch.”

“Yes, it’s my home now, so I make the decisions. Take the bed, okay?”

“Okay,” Twilight hugged him. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

Spike turned to look around the store. Despite Pinkie Pie’s protestations, he was not convinced she was capable of cleaning everything before opening the next morning. She was still trying to find where Discord was hiding, adamant he needed to fix the floor before customers arrived.

“Pinkie, come over here.” Spike sat her down. Walking into the kitchen, he filled a tall glass of water and brought it back to her. “Here, drink this, or you’ll wake up feeling terrible tomorrow morning.” He helped hold the glass for her.

“Thanks Spikey,” Pinkie giggled like a schoolfilly.

“Okay, lets get started with this cleaning.” He moved about the shopfront cleaning the decorations. Pinkie remained seated, but he didn’t mind.

‘She’d probably make more of a mess anyway.’

He hummed a tune as he worked. “Sweetie Belle, that song is too catchy!”

“Pinkie, what do you do with the leftover decorations?” Spike turned to find her asleep in the chair. He looked at the ball of streamers and confetti, and was struck with an idea. Walking to the counter, he found a piece of paper, as well as a pen.

Dear Princess Celestia,

It was most unfortunate you were unable to attend the celebration of Twilight and Luna’s engagement. Please accept this gift, and know you were in our hearts and minds throughout the party.

Your friend,

Spike

Letting out a mischievous laugh, he took a streamer and tied the letter to the ball of decorations. For good measure, he grabbed a slice of cake and placed that on top. “This is for sending that set of Encyclopedia’s I asked for by dragon fire!”

Breathing a gentle fire across the package, the magical flames sent it off towards Canterlot. Chuckling to himself, he closed the window and continued cleaning.

“Pinkie,” Spike whispered. “It’s time to go to bed.”

She attempted to swat him away. Smiling, he gently lifted his sleeping friend and carried her to her room.

“Thanks for the party Pinkie,” he whispered as he tucked the mare under her duvet. “I had a great time.”

Pinkie Pie muttered in her sleep. “Thanks for coming, Spikey.”

Spike smiled as he left Sugarcube Corner.

Spike’s smile faltered when he reached the library. He did not recognise the four faces standing outside. ‘Change of the guard, great! What's to make a bet that–’

“Stop right there, dragon scum!” One of Luna’s bat-winged guards called as he approached to door.

Spike groaned. This had stopped being funny hours earlier. Did these guards not talk to each other as they changed shifts. ‘Oh, hey guys, by the way: there might be a dragon that comes by, don’t worry, he’s just Twilight’s little brother.’

“Guys, I am cold, tired, and this joke is growing old. Let me in so I can get some sleep.”

The guards leveled their spears at him.

“Auuuugghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just wake Twilight and she’ll tell you I live here.”

The vocal guard laughed. “A likely story, dragon.” His voice practically spat the word. “We will not be waking Her Highness for the likes of you.”

“D-didn’t the Princess say her brother was coming home later?” One of Twilight’s guards stepped forward.

“Does the Princess look in the least bit like a dragon?” the first guard snapped.

“N-no sir!”

“Then it stands to reason they are not related. Now you, –” He turned back to Spike “– begone!”

Spike was in no mood for this. “You” – he pointed at the scurrilous guardspony – “What is your name?”

The guardspony drew himself up to his full height, head proud in the air. “My name is Midnight Watch. Do not forget my name! Do not forget me. Leave now, dragon scum.”

“Where am I supposed to go now?” he asked nopony in particular. He wasn’t entirely sure where to go, and he didn’t particularly fancy sleeping in the park. He walked back to Sugarcube Corner, hoping that Pinkie would not mind him sleeping in the store front.

Curling up on the uncomfortable hard floor, he desperately wished for a book to help him sleep. The thought amused him, as he’d always teased Twilight for packing extra books whenever she travelled, even just for sleepovers.

‘Item one for tomorrow’s checklist: Prepare emergency bookpack!’

He wondered if Pinkie Pie might have had a cookbook or something he could ‘borrow’ to help him find slumber, but he knew all too well that was a dangerous road to travel. He’d finally resigned himself to a restless nights sleep when somepony tripped over his tail.

“Whuh?” the mare asked as she pulled herself to her hooves. “Iss someone there?”

“Sorry Pinkie, it’s me.” Spike answered. “Did I wake you?”

“No, s’right. I was just going to get a glass of water,” she slurred. She continued through to the kitchen, Spike could hear the sound of the faucet running. She returned moments later.

“Why are you on the floor?” Pinkie yawned. “Floors aren’t for sleeping, silly.”

“Twilight and Luna locked me out tonight.” Spike yawned in sympathy. “Didn’t want to sleep in the park, hoped you wouldn’t mind me sleeping here.”

“Okie–” Yawn.

“Dokie–” Yawn.

“Lokie.” Pinkie Pie grabbed Spike by the claws, and dragged the stunned dragon up to her room.

She nudged him over and onto the bed. Spike went rigid as she crawled into bed next to him.

“Mmm, you’re warm.” She spooned into his chest. “Night, Spikey.”

Spike could smell a faint scent of nutmeg and vanilla in her mane.

He gulped audibly. ‘I don’t think even an entire wing of the Canterlot Archives would help me sleep tonight.’

Spike awoke, feeling the warm sunlight streaming into the room. Slowly opening his eyes, he took in the room around him.

‘Where are my books?’ He panicked, jumping out from under the warm duvet, searching for his missing books. As his mind finally slowed and he truly took in his surroundings, he noticed the room was pink. Very, very pink.

It dawned on him where he was.

He spun back around to face the bed. ‘Where I slept next to Pinkie.’ She was no longer there, which he reasoned was a good thing; she could have been injured by him when he launched from the bed.

‘She is a baker though, so she is probably already downst–’

“Good morning, Spikey!” Pinkie sang, as she burst into the room. “Wakey wakey, hands of drakey!” She stopped short, watching Spike clutch at his chest. “Oh, you’re already awake!”

Grinning wildly, she bounced the tray she had balanced on her back to the bedside table. “There’s breakfast, I made your favorite: cinnamon and citrine swirls. Gotta go, Sugar Forest is looking after the counter all by himself!”

She bounced out of the room, leaving Spike to his breakfast.

After he finished the delicious breakfast, he made his way down the stairs to the shop main. It was, as usual, packed with customers looking for a quick breakfast or sugarfix to get them through the work day. He paused at the bottom of the steps. Everypony was looking right at him.

He walked stiffly towards the door, aware that nearly every pair of eyes watched him as he crossed the room.

A thought struck him, and he turned back. “Thanks, Pinkie. F-for letting me look through the Cakes old recipe books,” he stammered. “Sorry to bother you so early.”

This satisfied the curiosity of a good deal of the patrons, but he was certain he could still hear some whispers. He hurried towards the door.

“Pinkie says any time, lover-boy!” Pinkie’s apprentice, Sugar Forest, called from the counter. This earned a round of laughter from most of the stallions in line. Spike exited before his blush ignited anything flammable.

Midnight Watch was still on guard at the front door as Spike walked towards the library. A nervous tic twitched as he spied the obnoxious guardspony.

Before Midnight could speak, Spike roared in his loudest voice. “Twilight Sparkle! Get your rump down here now before I turn this obnoxious little guard into pony flambé. I had to sleep in the park last night, and I will not be denied my morning coffee.”

It was a little white lie, but sure enough it worked. Twilight burst out the front door in a flash, knocking the guards to the ground.

“Oh Spike, I am so sorry!” she panicked as she ran up to him. “I told them you were coming back, why didn’t they let you in?”

“You neglected to tell them your ‘little brother’ was a dragon, didn’t you?” He rolled his eyes and smiled at the look of horror that washed over her face. “It’s kind of an important detail, you know?”

“Oh Spike,” Twilight began to tear up. “Oh, it’s horrible, you had to sleep in the park, and it’s all my fault.”

He ignored Midnight’s scowl and the nervousness of the other guards, and drew her into a hug. “It’s okay Twilight,” he whispered into her ear. “I didn’t really sleep in the park. I managed to find somewhere to stay. But let’s get inside, I really do need a coffee.”

“Midnight Watch,” Spike nodded as he walked by the fuming guardspony. As Spike stepped through the door, he called out, “Oh Luna, would you be so kind as to tell Midnight he will be on latrine duty for a month for making the Princess’s brother sleep in the park like a common vagrant.”

“He did what?” Luna yelled in the Royal Canterlot Voice as Spike closed the door behind him.

Spike descended the stairs after taking a shower. Twilight eyed him curiously, as she levitated his large coffee mug to the table. He was carrying bulging messenger bag, which he placed by the door.

“Going somewhere, Spike?” She continued to gaze at the curious messenger bag. She recognised it as his overnight bag.

“Nope, not going anywhere –” he shook his head and sat at the table “– boy, I sure am looking forward to this coffee!”

Twilight darted around him as he lifted the mug to his lips. He whipped his tail out to trip her as she ran past, but she vanished in a flash of light, and reappeared at the door.

“No!” Spike yelled, slamming down his mug and diving towards Twilight. Claws out, he almost had her. Another flash of magic and Spike crashed into the wall, wall, Twilight's chortling reaching him from where she stood in the kitchen.

Luna watched the entire performance in silent amusement. She continued to gracefully sip her coffee as the dragon tore around the room, chasing her laughing fiancé.

“So what is Spikey-wikey hiding? Hmmm?”

Spike dove, managing to catch her by the rear fetlocks. As the two of them crashed to the ground, the bag tumbled open and spilled a sizeable pile of books on the floor. Twilight levitated a few of the titles in front of her eyes, hoping for something embarrassing. To her disappointment, there was nothing particularly salacious amongst them.

“They’re just books. I mean, they are good books.” Twilight mused as she flipped through a few pages of the Luna’s Night: A Celestial Almanack. “But why have you packed all of these?”

“Emergency bookpack,” Spike muttered under his breath.

Twilight burst out laughing. “A what?”

“Emergency bookpack! In case I get kicked out of home again,” he sighed. An embarrassed blush ran across his face. “I can’t get to sleep without a few books.”

Luna chortled, but all humor drained from Twilight’s face. She nodded solemnly. “Emergency reading is no joke.”

With a flick of her horn and a flash of magic, two gladstone bags bearing the familiar six pointed star appeared before them. She opened the first bag, and pulled out a few books.

Luna chuckled to herself and continued sipping her coffee as the two others fell into deep discussion about the books Twilight had acquired during their recent diplomatic mission to Saddle Arabia.

“A Thousand and One Nights!” Spike gasped. “Oh, Twilight, please, please, pleeeeeeease let me borrow that when you are done. I promise I will so careful with it! I’ve asked Written Script if he could order a copy for me, but he hasn’t been able to track it down.”

“Oh, whatever happened to that young dragon who told me books were boring,” Twilight swooned dramatically.

“You rubbed off on him, egghead!”

"Coming from somepony that actually hatched from an egg, that's rich!"

A polite cough alerted the pair to the other pony in the room. Luna smiled at the two who hadn’t even bothered getting off the floor from where they both first fell. “We are sorry to interrupt thy conversation, but we must return to Canterlot soon.”

“Oh, I am so sorry, my love!” Twilight jumped up. “I lost track of time.”

“Tis one of the things We love most about thee.” Luna smiled. “But we really must make haste. The chariot is soon to arrive.”

Twilight smiled, handing the book to Spike. “Here, you keep it. I can always get another copy ordered in Canterlot.”

“You know I can’t accept that Twi.” Spike shook his head as he passed the book back to her. He knew that he couldn’t accept it. “I can borrow it later, but if I want a copy, I need to buy it myself.”

He looked at it forlornly, Celestia knows when he’d get a chance to find his own copy.

“Oh, yeah! Sorry,” Twilight mumbled. “I forgot.”

“It’s okay. Anyway, you have a chariot to catch, and I have a class to teach after lunch.”

“A class? Oh that’s wonderful, Spike. I didn’t realise it was that time of year again.” A grin spread across Twilight’s muzzle and she clapped her hooves. “What are you going to teach this year?”

“Dragon poetry.” Spike enthused with a smirk.

Twilight’s grin dropped, and she shook her head. “Poor Cheerilee!”