I hadn’t moved in a long time. I couldn’t even remember how long I’d been sitting there, but I didn’t care. They weren’t going to let Pops stay in the hospital anymore. There was no way I could pay for it again, not without selling the house, and all of our memories with it.

Small streams gently trickled down my cheeks. My eyes stung from the amount of tears I had shed. The grass around me swayed in unison with the wind. The water splashed against the shore, hitting my hooves ever so lightly. It was just like all those years ago, when I first returned. This is where I stayed, for three days. And on that third day, he found me.

I couldn’t bear the thought of his death. I promised myself I would leave the lake soon, and check on him. I knew I was lying to myself, forcing myself ever so deeper into the abyss. If five years didn’t wake him up, an extra day wouldn’t, either.

I stood up and shook the grass out of my tail. I wiped my eyes with my hooves and started to walk. Flying wasn’t really an interest of mine anymore. There was no point. I was too distracted thinking of him to concentrate. I was barely as fast as Fluttershy, and being beat in a race by Twilight really took the fun out of it all.

I wasn’t really sure where I was going, or what I was doing. I must have circled around the lake twice, and I still wasn’t able to find peace. A part of me wanted to just throw myself into the water and give up, but something held me right on the edge of the lake. A feeling in my gut. I just knew, somehow, things were going to change.

I heard rustling coming from the trees. Somepony was running.

“Hello?” I called out.

There was no response, but the noise was getting closer. Whoever it was, they had every intention of seeking me. Yet, this didn’t strike me as scary or creepy. Once again, that gut feeling kept me there, frozen in place. I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, I just knew I needed to find out. And find out I did. I picked up a stick off the ground and threw it towards the noise. The beings emerged from the treeline.

I stepped back in shock. There was no way in Equestria he could be here.

“No,” I yelled, “get back!”

“Rainbow,” Twilight replied, “it’s-”

“Twilight,” I shouted at her, “it’s a changeling! Don’t listen to it!” I grabbed my friend's hoof, scooping her away from that bug.

“RAINBOW DASH!” Twilight pulled back, slipping from my grip.

I stopped. Twilight and the ‘changeling’ approached me. “It’s not a changeling,” Twilight said. “He woke up.”

“D...Dad?” Water began building up in my eyes.

“Dashie!” My dad kneeled down to me with open arms.

I stood up on my hind legs and embraced Pops. I was getting shaky, my eyes were blurring, and I was at a loss for words. I hadn’t been that happy for five years.

“I’ve missed you,” he cried. “I’ve missed you so so much.”

“I missed you too,” I replied. I let go, and trying to contain my tears, I turned to Twilight. “Twilight, how did you find me?”

“I didn’t,” she said. “He did.”

“I just had a feeling you were here,” said Pops. “I just did.”

“Dad?”

“Yes, Dashie?”

“Let’s go home.”

***

I shut the door behind us. The hole in my heart was filled. My daughter had kept the place as I had left it. She walked over to the living room and started picking up wadded up tissues off the floor. I didn’t dare ask, rather, I helped her clean up.

“Rainbow,” I said, “after we pick up a bit, how about we go get something to eat? I’m starving.”

“Sure!” She exclaimed. “I haven’t eaten in days.”

“Years,” I replied with a grin. “Years, for me.”

She giggled. “Oh! That reminds me!”

Dashie trotted over to the wall and pointed. It was blank. “I took your picture down.”

“What? Why?”

“I-I had to sell it.” She lowered her ears.

“You sold it?”

“There was no other way! I had to get the bits to keep you in there, so I started selling stuff.”

“We’ve got to get it back, Dashie, I need that picture!”

“I-I’m sorry,” she said, “If it makes you feel better, I sold everything I owned first! I even sold all of my wonderbolt merchandise!”

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I know it's been tough. I really do. Who did you sell it to?”

“Forest.”

“Huh? Forest is still around, is he?”

“Yeah. We can go there after dinner.”

“I can just go talk to him and get it back-”

“-No! Er…” She bit her tongue. “Look, he’s not really such a great pony as of late. I don’t know what got into him, but… it’d be best if I go.”

“O...kay,” I said, “if you say so.”

I could tell when my daugher was lying, and she wasn’t. But, I could also tell when she was leaving out details. Dashie was hiding something. She knew something. Something nopony else knew. Regardless, I put that aside. My stomach was about to implode, and I wanted to spend some quality time with my little girl.

***

I held the door open and let Pops in before me. I hadn’t even passed through the doorway when I heard all the gasps, the inevitable “Brian’s back”, and the rather surprising “Mommy, what is that?” shooting throughout the room. I giggled, and Pops shrugged. 

“Table for two,” I said.

The waiter was completely stunned. She shook her head and levitated some menus in front of him. “Yes, of course.”

Dad and I followed him to our booth. The moment we were seated, our order was taken. The menu hadn't changed at all since the last time I was here with him. Moments after, I had a sandwich on my platter. It was nice treatment, but it was unfair to the rest of their customers.

I turned to Pops. “Is it just me, or are we being treated like-”

“Gods? Yeah. It makes me kind of uneasy.”

“It's probably because you're back,” I suggested with a mouthful of food.

“Probably,” he agreed, “doesn't mean it's okay.”

We sat for a short while longer, reminiscing our past lives together. We were a family again, and so long as he didn't have another heart attack, we were ready to stay that way.

The waiter approached us.

“Hey guys, the manager has decided to clear your bill!”

“That's awesome,” I said.

“That's nice of you guys,” Dad butted in, “but my girl here came with the bits to buy me a dinner and that's what she's gonna do. Right Dashie?”

I was disappointed that he would make me do such a thing, but I also knew deep down it was definitely the right thing to do. “Yep,” I agreed.

“Um, okay.” The waiter looked confused, but she handed us the check regardless. I gave her everything I had on me.

“Keep the change,” I demanded. I'd always wanted to say that.

Happy we had just prevented starvation for a little while, yet also a bit annoyed at the amount of attention we received. We left as soon as possible. At least we filled our stomachs for our next walk.

***

Dashie and I approached Forest’s house. On the door was a sign that read “DO NOT DISTURB”. Regardless, Rainbow Dash bashed her hoof on the door. Shortly after, a brown stallion swung it open angrily.

“Rainbow Dash,” Forest said gritting his teeth, “read the sign on the door! What do you want?!”

“I want that painting back.”

“Who’s that?”

He pointed at me. Yep, something suspicious was going on.

“That’s Brian. You seriously don’t remember Brian?” My daughter lowered one of her eyebrows.

“I do,” Forest quickly answered, “I do. It’s just been so long.”

“So,” I questioned him, “raced at all lately?”

“Racing?” Forest shifted uncomfortably.  “I… Uh, oh, yeah. Gotta love racing.” 

“Look,” Dashie said, “just give me the picture back.”

“Get me the bits back and you’ve got a deal. And keep that hairless monkey off my property.” With that, Forest slammed the door on us, causing a strong breeze to brush against my face.

“Dammit,” Dashie stomped one of her hooves, “I knew that was going to happen.”

“You were right,” I sighed, “he’s changed.”

“Yeah. How are we gonna get the bits?”

“I can always take a job.” 

“You sure?”

“Of course. How bad could it be?” I put on a smile.

Oh man, how wrong I was.