The Autumn sunlight warmed the land of Equestria as it peaked over the horizon. The morning birds came out of their roosts and began singing new songs of new journeys to be had as the day began anew. The clouds moved along on their paths slowly and surely, the white puffs billowing out into the expanse of the sky...The sunlight shined through a certain window in a certain farmhouse...

And right into the eyes of a certain sleeping cyan, rainbow-maned pegasus.

Rainbow Dash groaned loudly as she rolled over in her bed. Well, it wasn't just her bed. Her wife, Applejack, slept soundly next to her and giggled at her disgruntled partners reaction to the sunlight.

"Sometimes Ah wonder if you're a vampire, sweet girl."

"If I tell you that I am, will you let me stay in bed for another hour?"

"That's a negative, Dash."

"Oh...ponyfeathers." The pegasus cursed as she sat up. "Might as well get up before you buck me out of bed like yesterday." Rainbow looked back at Applejack and raised an eyebrow. Applejack giggled and sat up in the bed as well.

"Well, if Ah hadn't, ya would've been late for work...again. And Rolling Storm would have threatened to fire ya...again." Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. Rainbow shrugged and sighed to herself as she looked forward.

"Still, I wish I could just hang out with you, you know?" Rainbow said. "Buck apples and drink cider and stuff."

"There'll be time for that later." Applejack said. "When's your work shift today, anyway?"

"Five." Rainbow replied. "But I have to be at the academy at ten. We're having some sort of evaluation."

"Well, you better get out there and wow them Wonderbolts." Applejack said to her wife, to which the daredevil scoffed.

"As if I don't already every time I'm there!" Rainbow said, giving off one of her overly-cheeky smiles. "Geez, I kinda feel bad for you." To this quip, Applejack scooted closer to Rainbow Dash.

"And why is that, my dear?" Applejack asked, a smirk on her face.

"Because while I'm cruising in the clouds with the Wonderbolts and acing that evaluation, you'll be here...bucking some trees for your namesake fruit." Rainbow said, furrowing her eyebrows at Applejack and cracking a wide smile. "Must be envious, huh?"

"Well hey, now." Applejack said. "Ah happen to enjoy applebuckin' very much."

"Well yeah, but can it truly compare to-"

"Alright, c'mere, you!" Applejack cried out before grabbing Rainbow Dash and pulling her back onto the bed. They wrestled in the sheets, laughing and crying out to try to best each other. Eventually, Applejack ended up pinning Rainbow Dash against the mattress. Rainbow huffed and rolled her eyes preparing for the gloating of Applejack. This was the third time in a row she'd gotten Rainbow pinned while wrestling.

The rainbow-maned mare was pleasantly surprised to feel her wife's lips upon hers. She smiled into the kiss and held Applejack close to herself. Their bodies pressed together and they shared a beautiful warmth. As they disconnected from the kiss, they each looked into the eyes of the other. Applejack let Rainbow's forelegs loose which the pegasus immediately used to caress her wife's cheek and stroke her mane.

Applejack, even early in the morning, looked stunning. Her mane, though a bit tangled, was absolutely radiant and her eyes gleamed like emeralds. Her lips curved into a loving, yet slightly sultry smile. A small, adorable blush adorned her freckled face as she let out a small giggle.

"You look amazing." Rainbow almost whispered.

"You're just sayin' that." Applejack responded. "Ah probably look like a twister hit me."

"No seriously." Rainbow said. "I mean, your mane's a little messed up, but you always manage to stun me every time I wake up next to you."

"Oh, why thank you." Applejack said before giving Rainbow Dash a small nuzzle on her cheek. Rainbow giggled quietly and returned the affection by giving Applejack's cheek a small lick. "You're lookin' mighty fine yourself."

Applejack wasn't lying with that statement. Rainbow's mane, in contrast to Applejack's seemed to be exactly as it always was. Mostly straight and just a little messy. The looked worked perfectly for Rainbow Dash. This, coupled with her rose irises and cyan coat made Rainbow a living explosion of color no matter where she was or what she did.

"Oh, I know." Rainbow said. "I don't have to do anything. It all comes naturally."

"Oh, shut up, you." Applejack said, beginning to tickle Rainbow Dash's back hooves. Rainbow almost immediately burst into hearty laughter. She struggled against Applejack as the farm mare attempted to keep her back legs held fast, but Rainbow eventually bucked loose and began to wrestle with Applejack once more. It looked as if Rainbow would be victorious this time. But Applejack caught Rainbow's lips with her own again. The kiss nearly made the pegasus melt. Their kiss escalated as Rainbow slipped her tongue into Applejack's mouth.

"Goddesses, your kisses just..." Rainbow gasped, barely taking her lips off of Applejack's.

"Yeah, Ah know." Applejack said, giving Rainbow a quick wink before continuing.

"Y'all wanna wake up all of Equestria or what?" Granny Smith asked from the doorway. Applejack and Rainbow Dash immediately stopped kissing and flashed their eyes toward the doorway. Granny Smith stood there with a raised eyebrow that just barely implied a sense of knowing. Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other quickly before jumping out of the bed.

"Uh...Well, uh...Good morning, Granny Smith." Rainbow said before coughing awkwardly into her hoof.

"We were just uh..." Applejack began.

"Yeah, yeah y'all were just..." Granny Smith made an exorbitant gesture and widened her eyes, making Rainbow and Applejack blush intensely. Granny Smith winked at the two of them. "If yall're gonna do that, keep the door closed and make it quick! Breakfast is gonna be ready in ten!" The old mare closed the door. Once her hoof steps became distant enough, Rainbow Dash immediately grabbed Applejack and pulled her onto the bed.

"C'mon, AJ." Rainbow said before pressing her lips upon Applejack's once again. "You heard the mare."

"Rainbow, come on!" Applejack said, pulling her head back and raising an eyebrow at her. "You can't seriously-"

"Well, she did just give us clearance." Rainbow said.

"Well Ah was wantin' a shower anyway." Applejack said after getting off of the bed again. Rainbow immediately zipped across the room and caressed Applejack from behind before giving her ear a quick nip. Applejack shuddered.

"Let's do it...then we can wash off together." Rainbow whispered in her wife's ear.

"No, Rainbow." Applejack said, mentally stopping herself from being lured in by Rainbow Dash, no matter how hard it was. Her wife didn't boast about her charm for nothing. "Ah ain't gonna do it with my granny plainly aware of it."

"Well, you're no fun." Rainbow said, getting off of Applejack and giving her wife a pouting face. Applejack laughed and kissed Rainbow's lips softly.

"Ah'll make it up to ya tonight. Ah promise." Applejack said.

"Yeah, yeah." Rainbow said as she rolled her eyes and moved toward the bathroom.

"Well, think about it, sugarcube." Applejack said before dropping her voice to a sultry tone. "You're gonna be all worked up and sore from work...and my hooves can do some pretty special things..." Applejack gave Rainbow's cheek a quick kiss. "to your wings."

"Sold." Rainbow said almost immediately.

"Applejack! Applejack!" Applebloom cried out happily as she balanced a spoon handle first on her hoof. The top swiveled around, but Applebloom moved her foreleg around enough to keep it suspended. "Look, sis!"

"Ah can't believe you broke the bucket, Big Mac!" Applejack said to Big Mac, who looked down at the floor guility. She didn't seem to hear Applebloom's cries for attention.

"Ah'm sorry, sis." Big Mac said. "It just kinda happened."

"How'd it break, huh?" Rainbow asked. "Maybe a little somethin' somethin' to do with Miss Cheerilee?"

"Rainbow!" Applejack scolded.

"What? It's a completely legitimate question." Rainbow responded.

"Ah stood on the bucket to get somethin' down from one of the lower lofts." Big Mac said.

"And that's it?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack! Look!" Applebloom cried. "Ah think Ah'm about to lose it!"

"Eeeyup." Big Mac said to Applejack, giving a quick nod.

"And you're sure it wasn't for anything else?" Rainbow asked him.

"Eeeyup." Big Mac said promptly.

"Applejack!" Applebloom said again.

"Nothing to do with Cheerilee?" Rainbow pried futher, making Big Mac all the more nervous.

"Rainbow, leave him alone!" Applejack said, giving Rainbow's shoulder a quick slap. "He don't have to-:

"Okay, fine." Big Mac said quickly. "She just wanted to lay down in some hay. We had some extra in one of the lower lofts and Ah used to bucket to try to get to it." Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof into the table.

"Called it!" Rainbow said happily.

"Siiiisss!" Applebloom nearly wailed.

"You didn't-" Applejack began.

"No! No we didn't do nothin' like that." Big Mac said before blushing deeply. "Just some cuddlin'."

"Awww." Rainbow mewed. "That's cute." Big Mac raised an eyebrow at her.

"She likes to cuddle." He said.

"Well, Ah guess Ah'll go to town and get a new bucket before Ah start Applebuckin' today." Applejack said with a sigh. "Don't worry, Big Mac, Ah ain't gonna fault ya. Just tryin' to do somethin' nice for your lady." Big Mac nodded.

"Applejack!" Applebloom cried out once more.

"What, Applebloom?" Applejack replied, turning around quickly.

"Ah balanced the spoon on my hoof like Ah told ya Ah could, but it fell before ya looked." Applebloom said, furrowing her eyebrows at her sister.

"Oh, Applebloom, Ah'm sorry." Applejack said. "Do it again, so Ah can see."

"Nope. Too late now. You've gone and missed it." Applebloom said.

"I saw it." Rainbow said. "It was totally rad." Rainbow did a quick hoof bump with the filly before smirking at Applejack, who merely furrowed her eyebrows and frowned at the pegasus.

"Funny." Applejack deadpanned. Rainbow looked at the clock and jumped from her seat.

"Oh no! I'm late." Rainbow said. "I've gotta get down to the academy." The pegasus patted Big Mac on the shoulder and rustled Applebloom's mane, earning a small "Hey!" from the filly. Her last order of business was to give Applejack a quick kiss on the lips.

"Be safe." Applejack said to Dash, who on the way to the door, turned around and walked backwards.

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow said casually. "It's me!" Rainbow Dash then bolted out the door and into the sky. Applebloom looked on after her and sighed.

"She's as awesome as you are lucky, Applejack." Applebloom said to her sister.

"Don't Ah know it." Applejack replied with a wistful smile.

"Rainbow Dash! You're late." Spitfire called to the cyan pegasus as she bashfully moved into formation before the Wonderbolt captain. Rainbow rubbed the back of her head and blushed deeply.

"Yeah, I'm...I'm sorry." Rainbow said. "Just got caught up with Applejack and-"

"I don't care what happened, Rainbow." Spitfire said. "Next time, keep your eyes on the clock or you'll be doing fifty-five laps. Am I clear?!" Spitfire lowered her sunglasses and stared into Rainbow's eyes.

"Yes ma'am!" Rainbow barked.

"Good." Spitfire said. "As you all know, your midterm evaluation begins today. By the time we're through here, you'll all be bone tired and I'll be laughing my flank off...probably. The only way I wouldn't be laughing my flank off is if one of you mess up our equipment again...Snowflake." Spitfire glared at the musclebound pony from behind her glasses, making him nearly instantly start sweating. He gulped.

"S-Sorry...ma'am." He said timidly, very unlike his appearance.

"Yeah, I'll bet." Spitfire said before straightening almost instantly.

"Now all of you! Ten laps for a warmup! NOW!" She growled angrily at the trainees, who all took to flight and headed for the flight track. "Rainbow Dash!" Spitfire called suddenly, earning the attention of the pegasus who cringed and flew toward the captain.

"Spitfire ma'am, I'm so sorry that I was late, I-" Rainbow began as she landed before her instructor.

"Rainbow Dash, look-" Spitfire said, interrupting the pegasus and dropping the tone of her voice. "I know you have a family and a wife to keep up with now, and I don't want to punish you for fulfilling your obligations to them, whatever they may be. But what does that make me look like if I just let it go every time you're late?"

"A captain that plays favorites." Rainbow said with a slow nod.

"Precisely." Spitfire said before she furrowed her eyebrows. "This is the third straight time."

"I know." Rainbow said. "I'm really sorry. It won't happen again."

"I know it won't." Spitfire said before giving Rainbow a small nod. "Dismissed." Rainbow immediately turned around and flew toward the course and began to fly along it for her laps. She was a tough pony and she knew it, but it always stung when Spitfire got mad at her. She brushed it off and continued to fly until she came into a rhythm with the rest of the trainees. She flew beside Thunderlane, who raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why the long face, Rainbow?" Thunderlane asked her, to which she seemed to snap out of a stupor.

"Oh, me?" Rainbow said. "Nothing, don't worry about it, Thunderlane. It's nothing."

"You're not a very good liar, Dash." He said. Rainbow sighed heavily and nodded at the stallion.

"Okay, fine, I guess...something's up." Rainbow said. "But it's not bothering me much. Seriously."

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked her as he neared his third lap and Rainbow neared her second.

"I mean...If you really wanted to know..." Rainbow said, looking to the side and blushing mildly. "Everypony here thinks I'm Spitfire's favorite."

"Well, yeah." Thunderlane said. "You kind of are."

"No I'm not!" Rainbow said before looking at the stallion angrily. He brought his forelegs up in an 'I surrender' gesture.

"Okay, okay you're not." He said. "I just don't see what the big deal is about it."

"Okay, look...I'm only telling you this because we've known each other for a while, okay?" Rainbow said. "You cannot tell anypony else."

"Alright, then." Thunderlane said with a small nod.

"Swear." Rainbow said to him, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I swear, alright?" He said. "Now what's up?"

"Well, Spitfire's been letting me off the hook a lot recently because I have a wife and a family back where I live..." Rainbow said.

"I didn't know you went that way, Rainbow Dash." Thunderlane said. Rainbow immediately narrowed her eyes at him menacingly.

"Your point?" Rainbow said.

"Calm down, I meant no offense." Thunderlane said. "Go ahead and continue."

"Well, I just get the feeling that the others treat me different because of it." Rainbow said. "I mean, it's not like I'm just late without a good reason."

"There are ponies here that talk about you, sure." Thunderlane said. "Sometimes the things they say are unsavory, sure. But I'll tell you something that I know for sure."

"What's that?" Rainbow inquired.

"They're all intimidated by you." He said to her, raising an eyebrow. "Every single one of them. Hay, you even intimidate me."

"Huh." Rainbow said. "I thought they all just resented me."

"Well, some of them do, but you'll find that everywhere." Thunderlane said. "But you're good. Trust me. No one really singles you out unless they're talking about how awesome you always do in comparison to their own mediocrity." Rainbow smiled and looked at Thunderlane.

"Well, that's a load off my back." Rainbow said happily.

"Glad to hear it." The dark grey stallion said. They flew for a bit before Rainbow addressed Thunderlane once more.

"And Thunderlane...thanks. I appreciate it." Rainbow said with a small nod.

"Happy to help." He said just as Rainbow began speeding around the course, finishing her laps before anypony else. She stood in formation, her body straight and ready to work as hard as it possible could to finish the evaluation. Her renewed vigor empowered her. To help her perform to the best of her ability, she began to imagine Applejack sitting in the sidelines, cheering her on.

"Glad to see that you finished the warm up so quickly, Rainbow Dash." Spitfire said as she looked at the rest of the ponies, who were all noticeably winded, then at Rainbow Dash, who looked absolutely fine.

"Pumped up and ready for more, ma'am!" Rainbow spouted. As Spitfire walked along the line of recruits, she couldn't help but crack a small smile.

Applejack mulled around the Ponyville market for what seemed like an hour before she finally found a bucket that was at least similar to the one Big Macintosh had broken. The farm mare found herself wishing several times that Rainbow was there with her...if only just to have her wife's company for this short time at the market. She examined it, and upon finding no blemishes or cracks in the wood, she took the bucket to the front desk of this particular sector of the market and placed the bucket up before the cashier.

"Ah'll just take this here bucket and be on my way." Applejack said.

"Very well, three gold bits, please." The cashier said. After Applejack paid the meager fee, she took the bucket and began to leave. "Thank you for shopping here today. Have a nice day!"

"Yeah, you too." Applejack said as she tipped her Stetson to the cashier. The farm mare turned and headed back toward the farm before a familiar voice stopped her.

"Applejack!" Rarity called happily. Applejack turned and smiled at her friend, who approached her at a quick trot.

"Heya, Rarity." Applejack said. "What're you up to?"

"I just finished up with my most recent order, so I'm just trying to kill some time before I have to go get Sweetie Belle." Rarity said. "That's a....nice bucket." Rarity cracked a smirk.

"Big Mac broke one while he was in the barn with Cheerilee." Applejack said.

"Oooohh." Rarity said, delighted to hear some new gossip. "Do tell, do tell."

"Ah don't know if Big Mac would want me tellin' ya, Rarity." Applejack said. "Ah mean, it's nothin' too mind blowin', but still..."

"Oh, come on." Rarity said. "I promise, I won't tell a soul."

"Ya promise?" Applejack asked.

"Well, yes, I just said the words 'I promise.'" Rarity said smartly, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, okay, then." Applejack said, smirking at Rarity's humor. "Ah'll just head home now."

"Oh, Applejack, I was just teasing." Rarity said to the farm pony. "Come on. Please. I haven't heard anything juicy in weeks and I'm starting to starve."

"Well, Big Mac took Cheerilee into the barn. They wanted to snuggle, so he stood up on a bucket to get some hey from one of the lower lofts. It broke." Applejack said. A brief moment of silence passed between the two of them.

"...That's it?" Rarity asked.

"That's it." Applejack said with a nod.

"Well..." Rarity said. "You were right. My mind certainly isn't blown."

"Told ya." Applejack said with a small chuckle.

"So how are you and Rainbow Dash coming along?" Rarity asked the farm mare. Applejack almost immediately perked up upon hearing the question.

"Oh, we're great!" Applejack said. "Ah can't believe it's already almost been a year since she became my wife."

"I'm so glad to hear it, my dear." Rarity said. "The two of you...I honestly can't think of a better match other than myself and Fancypants." Applejack chuckled.

"Ah always knew ya harbored a little unconscious lech for that stallion." Applejack said, elbowing Rarity in her side, to which the unicorn rolled her eyes.

"While it is true that he is still in a relationship with a certain Miss Fleur Dis Lee..." Rarity growled her competitor's name through her teeth spitefully. "It is well known that their relationship is strained right now and that it won't last much longer. I'm simply waiting for the opportune moment to strike."

"Sound's like you've got this planned out." Applejack said. "Ah mean, 'Waitin' for the opportune moment to strike.' That's just kind of creepy." Applejack furrowed her eyebrows and smirked at the prim white unicorn, who slapped Applejack on the shoulder.

"Oh, shut up, you." Rarity said. "So, have you and Rainbow thought about...it yet?" Applejack looked at Rarity, confused and shrugged.

"It?" Applejack repeated. "What's it?"

"Oh, you know, the hallowed thing that remains the one of the main reasons that most of the ponies in Equestria plan to get married..." Rarity said, trying to give Applejack as many hints as possible without being too obvious.

"...And ya lost me." Applejack said.

"Oh, for Celestia's sake." Rarity said. "Have either of you thought about having a foal?" Rarity smiled widely at Applejack.

The question certainly took Applejack off guard, as she merely stood straight up and raised an eyebrow. The prospect was completely intimidating, but for some reason, Applejack couldn't shake the feeling that it was something that should happen.

"Well...Neither of us have really talked to each other about it..." Applejack said. "Ah mean, who hasn't thought about what their children would be like?"

"Precisely." Rarity said. "You know, having a child and starting a family of your very own. One that you can look after..." The more and more Rarity described the situation, the more and more Applejack's chest hurt.

"Ah...Ah dunno, Rarity." Applejack said. "Ah just don't think either of us are ready."

"Well, many ponies who wind up pregnant with a foal rarely are." Rarity said before stopping herself. "Although it's physically impossible for you and Rainbow to biologically produce a child."

"Thanks for that." Applejack said, raising a cold eyebrow.

"Oh, Applejack, I meant no offense!" Rarity said, worried that she hurt her friend's feelings.

"Ah know ya didn't, Rarity." Applejack said with a small nod. "Ah know ya didn't. Ah have to get back to the farm...Do some applebuckin'." Applejack turned around and began walking back toward Sweet Apple Acres with the new bucket.

"Oh, well...have a splendid day!" Rarity called, giving Applejack a nice smile. As if it mattered when the farm mare's back was turned to her. Applejack turned around and tipped her Stetson toward Rarity.

"You as well, Rarity." Applejack said.

There was no way Applejack and Rainbow Dash could have a child right now. They were so busy working to stay afloat and a pregnancy could put a lynch in all that...Applejack forgot that they couldn't get each other pregnant. It just seemed so...Intimidating. She knew that they definitely couldn't do it, especially seeing as how they'd just very recently paid off the debt for the wedding. As if it was some sort of salt in the metaphorical wound, a couple walked by, seemingly very in love, with two young foals walking with them. They had what looked to be one central emotion on their faces.

Happiness.

"Hey, nice job, Rainbow Dash!" Cloud kicker cried out happily as she witnessed Rainbow expertly buck a cloud into a oblivion. She was partnered with the awesomely daring pegasus, and she struggled just to keep up. Cloud Kicker didn't really mind all that much, though. When it came to besting Rainbow Dash...well...no one else in the weather patrol could do it. Cloud Kicker still held her own though and she couldn't help but smile after she saw all the work she and Rainbow Dash had done. As they sat, Rainbow Dash smiled at her.

"Whoo! How about that?" Rainbow said happily. "We've positively kicked flank today."

"Yeah. It's awesome being teamed up with a future Wonderbolt." Cloud Kicker said, making Rainbow blush. But despite her current blushing, Rainbow threw a hoof in the air.

"Hay, yeah!" Rainbow said as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Tired, are ya, Dash?" Cloud Kicker asked, elbowing Rainbow in the side.

"Oh, shut it." Rainbow said, playfully shoving her friend. "I've had to go through some pretty intense stuff already today."

"Yeah? Like what?" Cloud Kicker inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Like going through the midterm evaluation at the Wonderbolts Academy." Rainbow moved her head slowly and looked at Cloud Kicker.

"Touché." Cloud Kicker said with a small laugh. "You think Rolling Storm will let us off early today? Y'know, seeing as how we've pretty much gone above and far...far beyond our requirement for today?"

"I dunno." Rainbow said. "It would be cool, though. Why don't we go talk to him about it?"

"Sure." Cloud Kicker said as they both stood and moved toward their boss' office. "You wanna grab a bite to eat if he does let us go?"

"Sounds good to me." Rainbow said. "Yeah, I could go for some grub."

"Cool." Cloud Kicker said right as they opened the door to the weather patrol offices. They moved inside and found their boss, Rolling Storm. He sat at his desk and viewed what looked to be several documents. He looked up at the two mares from behind his glasses.

"Good work today, you two." Rolling Storm said. "Nothing short of what I expected."

"Glad to hear it, sir." Rainbow said.

"How have things been with Applejack recently, Rainbow Dash?" Rolling Storm asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking at her. Rainbow's stomach bubbled a bit at the mention of her wife.

"Oh, they've been going good, sir." Rainbow said with a smile. "I mean, as well as they could go, I guess."

"Well, that's good." He said before looking back at the documents and giving off a sigh. "I suppose you've both come to inquire whether or not you can take the rest of the day off." Rainbow Dash and Cloud Kicker looked at each other, their eyebrows raised, before looking back at him.

"Well...yes sir." Cloud Kicker said. "I mean...unless there was anything else you wanted us to do..."

"No, I think you're both cleared for today." Rolling Storm said. "You've both done much more than what was assigned to you. So go ahead and go clock out. Just don't let any of the others see you. Don't want them getting jealous now, do we?" Rolling Storm raised his eyebrow at the two mares, who nodded happily.

"Yes sir." Rainbow said happily.

"Thank you, Mr. Storm." Cloud Kicker said. "See you Monday!"

"Bye." He said with a nod as they left happily. They both clocked out and replaced their time cards where they were. They both then immediately flew toward Ponyville toward what had come to be one of Rainbow Dash's favorite places to eat. Café du Mane. They entered the restaurant and took their seats in a booth next to a bright window.

"Here are the menus, ladies." The waiter said in a funny accent. "And what can I get for you to drink?"

"I'll have a water." Cloud Kicker said.

"What do you have on draft?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Little early in the day for that, don't you think, Rainbow?" Cloud Kicker asked. Rainbow Dash giggled.

"We have the rest of the day off." Rainbow said. "I figure 'what the hay?'."

"We have icy chill, burnam and griffon's tail." The waiter said.

"Gimme some griffon's tail and a water." Rainbow said with a small nod.

"A-And let me get some griffon's tail too." Cloud Kicker said quickly.

"Certainly. I'll be back soon to take your orders." The waiter said with a small smile and a nod.

"Well, well..." Rainbow said, looking slowly at Cloud Kicker. "Little early in the day, isn't it?"

"Can it, Rainbow." Cloud Kicker said. "What the hay."

"Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about ." Rainbow said with a happy nod. Cloud Kicker looked at the menu for a short while before looking up at Rainbow Dash and giggling slightly.

"Aren't you gonna look at a menu?" She asked.

"Oh, no." Rainbow said. "I already know what I want. I come here a lot." After Cloud Kicker seemed to finally decide on something to eat, she put the menu down and looked at Rainbow Dash.

"So, how are things really going with Applejack?" She asked.

"Oh, they're good." Rainbow said happily. "Better than good, actually. We've just paid off the debt from the wedding, and we've got some good money coming in from Weather Patrol and apple sales. Applebloom's gonna have a heck of a birthday, this year. She's been so patient and understanding."

"That's great." Cloud Kicker said. "I happy to hear that. But...there's one thing I've been wondering about for a while."

"And that is..." Rainbow said as the waiter approached.

"I'll tell you after we place our orders." Cloud Kicker said.

"Griffon's tail for the two beautiful mares." The waiter said. "And waters. Do you know what you'd like to order?"

"Yeah, I'd like a grilled daffodil and cheese sandwich with some hay fries please." Rainbow said.

"Okay. Lunch portion or dinner portion?" The waiter asked.

"Lunch." Rainbow said, taking a small sip of her beer.

"Very well, and you?" He asked Cloud Kicker.

"I'm going to have the garden salad with some blue cheese crumbles and a light bit of dressing." Cloud Kicker said.

"Okay. Thank you very much. Your orders will be out shortly." The waiter said with a curt nod before leaving the two of them.

"You were saying?" Rainbow said.

"Well, I heard a while ago that before you and Applejack really became a public thing, there was a time that you weren't speaking to each other." Cloud Kicker said. "And I was just curious-"

"On what the argument was about?" Rainbow said. Cloud Kicker nodded.

"But I totally understand if you didn't want to tell me." Cloud Kicker said. "I'm just curious."

"Well...it happened a long time ago, and Applejack and I are really happy now, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you." Rainbow said. "But I'm swearing you to secrecy right here." Cloud Kicker nodded and placed a hoof over her heart.

"I won't tell a soul." She said.

"When Applejack and I first got together, it wasn't really anything all that official. We just hooked up one night and we started dating. It didn't get too serious for a while, and Applejack didn't want anypony to know about us, which was understandable. But as time went on and we got more and more serious, she still was ashamed of me. Sure, she denied it, but it was true. Eventually, she just broke up with me and went off and started dating Caramel." Rainbow said.

"Isn't he with Berry Punch?" Cloud Kicker asked.

"They'd broken up a couple weeks earlier." Rainbow said. "She started deluding herself, and I started trying to get her back. I failed. I tried so many times, but I still failed. Things got really heated one night and we ended up splitting up completely. So for a while, we weren't talking. Eventually, AJ realized how much she really did love me and we got back together."

"Sounds like a romance novel." Cloud Kicker said with a giggle. "It's cute."

"You say that now, but it wasn't cute when it was happening." Rainbow said before taking another sip of her beer.

"Do you ever find yourself wishing you hadn't taken her back?" Cloud Kicker asked, earning a small glare from Rainbow. The blonde maned pegasus put her fore hooves up. "I don't mean any offense."

"Never." Rainbow said.

Applejack finished up bucking the last of the day's quota of apples out of their perches in the tree. They fell in their buckets and Applejack moved to the stragglers on the ground, picking the up and putting them into the bins. Big Mac whistled quietly, standing hitched to the cart he would take the apples back to the farm in. Applejack moved the bins to the cart and picked each individual one up before putting it into the cart. She huffed and wiped her forehead just as she closed the back door of the cart.

"Alrighty, Big Mac." Applejack said. "This one's ready. Go on ahead and take it back." Big Mac nodded, moving the hay sprig in his mouth.

"Eeeyup." He said simply as he began to walk. Applejack trotted along next to him happily, slightly elated that the day's work was done. Finishing a good, honest day's work always gave the farm mare a small high.

"Almost done." Applejack said. "Finally."

"Eeeyup." Big Mac said simply.

"You about ready to get some grub?"

"Eeeyup."

Applejack looked toward the setting sun and sighed happily, but she wasn't without one small worry.

"Ah wonder what Rainbow's up to. Ah haven't seen her come home. You seen Rainbow at all, Big Mac?"

"Nope." He replied.

"Where do ya think she is?"

"Ah'd wager she's still at work, or on her way back, sis." Big Mac said with a small nod. "Most likely."

"Well, she'd better get back quick, or she's gonna be missin' out on some pretty amazing cookin'." Applejack said. "Ah can't wait to see what Granny's got on the menu tonight."

"Maybe cowpony stew." Big Mac said. "Ah am a might peckish, Ah must say." As they kept moving, a Rainbow blur appeared in the sky above them, metamorphosing into Rainbow Dash, sticking an awesome landing in front of them.

"Hey, guys." Rainbow said as she ambled toward the siblings. "What's up?"

"Always got an entrace." Big Macintosh said after giving Rainbow a quick hoof-bump.

"Well, it is me." Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Ah was just wonderin' where ya were, hun." Applejack said, moving up to Rainbow Dash and giving her a quick kiss.

"Oh, well me and Cloudkicker got off work early, so we went and grabbed some lunch. Afterward, we went and messed around town for a bit." Rainbow said.

"Yeah?" Applejack said. "What'd y'all do?"

"We went and checked out the music store and chilled with Pinkie Pie for a bit down at Sugarcube corner." Rainbow said. "She let us demo some strawberry temptation truffles."

"And?" Applejack said.

"Oh my gosh, they were heaven you could eat." Rainbow said, making Applejack laugh and Big Mac let out a small chuckle. They went into the farmhouse to find Applebloom sitting in the middle of the living room with a coloring book, alone.

"Where's Granny, Applebloom?" Applejack asked her little sister.

"Her back was actin' up, so she didn't feel like cookin' much tonight." The filly said. "But she said that there were still salad leftovers in the fridge if y'all wanted any."

"Well, Ah guess there's no gettin' her up." Applejack said. "Let's heat up some leftovers."

"Yeah." Rainbow said. "If it's alright with you guys, I'm gonna eat and hit the hay. I'm bushed."

"The great Rainbow Dash, tired?" Applejack said with a raised eyebrow. "My, oh my. Someone get Princess Celestia down here. Somethin' is wrong!"

"Oh, can it." Rainbow said. "You try doing a Wonderbolt evaluation and going to work straight afterward."

"Alright, alright." Applejack said.

The two mares ate some leftover salad while Big Macintosh sat in the living room with Applebloom. They talked idly and ate at the same time, which only served to increase the speed at which they ate. When they finished, they both stood and took their dishes to the sink and washed them quickly. They then moved toward their bedroom.

"Alright, y'all." Applejack said, giving her brother a hug and her sister a kiss on the head. "We're headed to bed."

"Night." Rainbow said, doing exactly what Applejack did.

"G'night!" Applebloom said with a wide smile.

"G'night, y'all." Big Macintosh said with a nod.

The two mares entered their bedroom and laid down on the bed and got down underneath the covers together. Applejack moved on top of Rainbow Dash and began kissing her. Rainbow smiled and held her wife close, accepting the kiss gratefully. As Applejack dipped her hoof down and began to rub Rainbow Dash's inner thigh, Rainbow pushed her wife away softly.

"What's this for?" Rainbow asked, holding back a pleasurable shudder.

"What does it look like?" Applejack asked before giving her wife's neck a kiss. "Ah'm makin' up for this morning." Rainbow pushed her wife away again, softly.

"AJ, I know you don't wanna hear this, but could we postpone this until tomorrow?" Rainbow asked. "I'm sorry."

"Wow." Applejack said, her eyes widening slightly. "You really must be tired."

"Spitfire worked me to the bone today." Rainbow said with a sigh. "I'm so tired. Could we just...snuggle instead?"

"You got it." Applejack said. "Ya want a massage?" Rainbow Dash thought for a moment and softly shook her head.

"I want to hold you." Rainbow said. "It's what I've been wanting all day long."

"Well, that can be arranged, my beautiful." Applejack said, moving into Rainbow's forelegs. The pegasus held her close as Applejack laid her head on her chest.

"So how was your day?" Applejack asked.

"It was cool." Rainbow said after giving her wife's head a kiss. "The Wonderbolt midterm was terrible, though."

"What'd you have to do?" Applejack asked. "Fly laps or something?"

"Oh, goddesses, I wish." Rainbow said. "We had to do different endurance tests like flying with five pound weights hanging from our wings."

"Five pounds?" Applejack said.

"I know it doesn't sound like much, but you just try tying five pound weights to your forelegs and flapping them for twenty minutes straight." Rainbow said.

"That does sound pretty hard." Applejack said.

"And that wasn't the worst of it." Rainbow said. "There was one test where we'd have to fly against hurricane force winds for ten seconds before doing fifteen pushups. We had to do that six times in a row as steadily as we could."

"Geez." Applejack marveled.

"Yeah." Rainbow said. "But work was pretty easy. I was already sore from the midterm, but I've never had a tough time with clouds. Even the thick ones."

"Ah'm glad it worked out for ya, baby." Applejack said.

"Well, what about you?" Rainbow asked the farm mare who sighed heavily.

"Ah went into town to replace the bucket that Big Mac broke." Applejack said. This reminded her of the sight of the two lovers with their foal, and how happy they looked. Once she realized that she was zoning out, Applejack continued. "And then Ah came home and bucked apples all day."

"Wow..." Rainbow said.

"Yeah." Applejack agreed.

"Your days really are that boring." Rainbow finished. Applejack slapped her wife's arm.

"Oh, shut up!" Applejack said, earning a small laugh from Rainbow Dash. They sat and cuddled in with each other contentedly, feeling the warmth of the other against the autumn chill. Rainbow sighed heavily as she began to doze off.

"Hey, Rainbow?" Applejack said, waking her wife.

"Hmm?" Rainbow replied drowsily.

"Come on, wake up." Applejack said quietly as she shook her wife's nearly-asleep body.

"Whaaat?" Rainbow said as she brought her head up.

"Come on, this is somethin' Ah really wanna talk to ya about." Applejack said. Rainbow sighed and nodded slowly before sitting up in the bed. Applejack moved and sat next to her wife.

"Okay. Okay, Applejack." Rainbow said. "What is it?"

"Rainbow..." The farm mare said. "Let's have a baby."

The statement made Rainbow look at her wife wide-eyed for a few moments. This sparked genuine confusion in Applejack, as she raised an eyebrow at the pegasus. Rainbow cracked a smirk and giggled quietly.

"Ohh, wow." Rainbow said. "That was a good one. Really had me going there for a second." The pegasus shifted in the bed uncomfortably for a moment.

"Ah'm serious, Rainbow." Applejack stated, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Uh huh. Sure." Rainbow giggled. The expression on her face changed when she saw Applejack frowning at her. "Oh, wow. You are serious."

"Yeah."

"AJ, I...I don't know about that. We just paid off the debt from the wedding, and that's not all we have to worry about. I mean...I mean, where would we keep it?"

"In here."

"But this house is already so crowded..."

"There's enough room for a small little baby."

"They make a lot of noise at night."

"Nopony here would mind."

"But-"

"Rainbow." Applejack said, taking the pegasus' hoof in her own. "My family has always had a new generation come in from the old. And in town today, Ah saw a mare and a stallion...they had a sweet little foal with them...and they looked so...happy."

"Applejack, that was a mare and a stallion." Rainbow said. "Now two mares. They aren't like us."

"What makes you think we should care what they think about us?" Applejack said.

"I don't give a buck what they think about us." Rainbow said, putting a hoof on Applejack's cheek. "I only care about how they'd treat our child. How badly she'd be bullied in school."

"None of that would matter as long as she could come home to a family that loves her unconditionally." Applejack said. "You've seen the way ponies here see us. Sure there's a couple naysayers, but most of everypony likes us as a couple."

"Applejack, I..." Rainbow said with a sigh.

"Rainbow Dash, please." Applejack said. "Think about it. You and me...and a beautiful son or daughter to call our own. Raising a child...just you and me. Ah'm ready to take our relationship just a little further. Please. Ah wanna raise a child...But most of all, Ah wanna raise a child with you." Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a soft kiss on the cheek. Rainbow sighed and shook her head.

"You're gonna be the death of me, you know that?" Rainbow said, giving Applejack a raised eyebrow and a cheeky smirk. Applejack smiled widely. "Okay."

Applejack laughed happily as tears brimmed in her eyes. She tackled Rainbow to the bed and kissed her passionately. They fell asleep holding each other, and whether or not they'd be prepared for the challenges that lied ahead, they'd face them side by side.

Author's Notes:

So there's the first chapter of Only For Her. As it says in the description of the story, this is the sequel to The Only Thing Better Than Flying. If I were you, I'd read that first if you haven't already. There will be a couple things you'll miss out on in this story if you're not familiar with the first. For those of you wondering about the possible Rarishy side to this, the story will alternate between AppleDash and (possible) Rarishy chapters, focusing on each couple in separate chapters, with the exception of a few chapters featuring the whole group. I'm really excited for this story! I hope you are too. Cheers!