Scootaloo sat in the embrace of Virtue, a feeling of guilt lifted off her back. For the first time in a while she was starting to see things clearly. It was time to move on, she knew this now. Her and Sweetie Belle shared something special but they were just school fillies then. This, this was real life. Somewhere in the process of growing up life became so complicated and the damages became irreparable. She would end it all and go about her life and maybe, just maybe she could lean to love again. In time perhaps... in time.

The door to the hotel room swung open and none other than Sweetie Belle walked into the room. How in Equestria did she find me? I never told her where I was staying.

Sweetie Belle's frowned as she looked about the trashed room. She saw a suitcase laying upside down against the wall, broken furniture and a small bag in the center of the mess, she almost missed it. She saw Scootaloo in the embrace of another mare and Sweetie Belle felt the blood drain out of her face.

"Sweetie? How did you find me?" Scootaloo asked awkwardly. She released herself from Virtue's grip. Without a word Sweetie Belle levitated brown leather saddlebags off her and threw them on the floor, Scootaloo instantly recognized them as hers.

"There was a card inside, the front desk told me which room." Sweetie Belle said trying to keep her tone even. She could feel the tears behind her eyes as she eyed the other mare in the room.

As Sweetie Belle turned and left the room Scootaloo thought she heard a sob. "Wait Sweetie, I can explain!" Scootaloo yelled.

"Go to her Scootaloo and remember all we have talked about. Be strong." Virtue said still sitting in the same spot. "I'll leave my card here. Please call me if you want to talk or need guidance."

"Thank you Virtue, you've helped tons." Scootaloo rushed out the door and out of the hotel, she found Sweetie Belle across the street in a park sobbing on a bench. She crossed the road and approached the bench slowly.

"What do you want? Just - just leave me alone." Sweetie Belle sobbed harder, tears were running down her pearly white cheeks. "I should have known. I was being stupid. I should have known you had already found somepony else. Somepony to shack up with." Sweetie mumbled bitterly to herelf.

"Sweetie please, it's not like that." Scootaloo sat on the bench next to her but she didn't sit too close, she knew Sweetie Belle didn't understand everything yet. Scootaloo had to admit what Sweetie Belle must have seen looked pretty bad. "Let me explain, it's really not how it looks."

Sweetie Belle stared at Scootaloo with a blank expression. So much about here was still the rambunctious daredevil she fell in love with but there was also this darkness, this other pony she didn't know. "Okay." She responded flatly.

"First off that other mare is my counselor..." Scootaloo trailed off, she wasn't sure where to begin.

"Okay" Sweetie Belle said in the same flat tone.

"Do you want to know why I came to Manehatten? Scootaloo asked abruptly. Sweetie Belle's fake apathy was getting the best of her. "After I was forced to leave the circus I was torn up inside. I lost you, I lost the circus and yeah I just didn't care anymore. I started hanging out with a bad crowd and I got addicted to some really bad stuff. It started at parties you know, just to have a bit of fun. It made the pain go away and I could be me again, what I thought was me. It wasn't. It took a hold of me and it came to the point where I couldn't stop, I needed it. I spiraled pretty low, I was out of control. I didn't care if I lived or not, I had hit rock bottom. Rainbow Dash tried to help, she did everything she could." Scootaloo paused as a tear ran down her cheek before she continued. "All those nights she stayed up to find a way to help me. I called her a lot of horrible things but she didn't leave my side. All those nights she took me in to keep me safe because I was passed out in some alleyway. She finally told me if I couldn't help myself then she couldn't help me and it was too painful for her see me slowly killing myself." Scootaloo paused again as more tears flowed from her. "As I watched her fly away, I had that moment of clarity as they call it in recovery. I realized I had truly lost everything. I hopped on a the next train and ended up here. I checked myself into a rehab and that's where I was. My last meeting was two days ago and as you can see from in my room I'm still having trouble. But I never touched it, I called my counselor, Virtue for support." Scootaloo felt a foreleg warp around her neck and a body against hers. She looked at Sweetie Belle's crying eyes.

"Scootaloo, I'm so sorry. You've been though a lot." Sweetie Belle couldn't believe what she had just heard. It frightened her to know this dark past of Scootaloo. She felt like this was all her fault. I should have never left Ponyville. As much as it scared her, she admired her bravery, her strong will. That was the Scootalo she knew and loved. The one that overcame all odds, the one that never gave up.

"Not your fault Sweetie."

"Why did you run away this morning?"

"You don't know?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle shook her head. Scootaloo touched Sweetie Belle's face with her hoof right under her left eye where she knew a scar was concealed by makeup. Tears rolling down Scootaoo's face as she held her face. "I did the most horrible thing. Everything around me was changing too quickly, I couldn't cope. My daddy died, my mother trying to steal everything he owned and you - you running off to Manehatten with some shady pony, I just snapped."

"Scoots, I was horrible to you, I got what I deserved. What I said... If I could take it back you know I would. I was so stupid, blinded by my ambitions. I never stopped to think you were looking out for me, I never even considered your emotions, what you were going though at the time. It took me longer than it should have to realize you were right all along. For that I'm so sorry." She tightened her grip on Scootaloo and nuzzled her neck.

"I should have never hit you." Scootaloo said as she looked at the ground.

"We both messed up pretty badly but after last night, I know we got caught up in lust but I think we could possibly start over."

"I - I want to Sweetie, I just don't know. You wouldn't want me. I'm pretty messed up and you deserve somepony better"

"Shhh, hey back there you had a choice and you chose not to go back down that road of misery. You are strong Scootaloo and I'm proud of you." Sweetie Belle rested her head on Scootaloo's shoulder an closed her eyes. "You are still the same Scootaloo I fell in love with, damaged and down trotted but the same nonetheless. I hope we can go back to the way we used to be, lovers. But it's me that doesn't deserve you. If we took it slow this time... you don't have to decide right now." She kissed Scootalo on the cheek. "At least we'll always have Ponyville."