"Never again..." Rainbow groaned as she leaned against the doorway, Scootaloo's friends filing out of the house as they waved goodbye to her, "Birthday parties are Pinkie's thing. Keep me out of it until they cut the cake."

"You're such a wimp," Fluttershy teased, coming closer and kissing her.

"Yes, yes I am," Rainbow giggled, taking her by the waist and pulling her in for a proper kiss, bending her back like a tango dancer.

Their moment was interrupted when they heard what sounded like whimpering and whispering from behind the door, in the dining room.

"Hush!" came Twilight's voice, "Just hold still and stop struggling..."

"...What's going on?" Fluttershy wondered with worry, looking to the door in question.

Rainbow's head slowly lifted as she brought Fluttershy back up to stand upright, glaring at the door, "I bet I have an idea of what," she said, approaching the door and slowly pushing it open to peer through a crack.

Inside, Twilight was holding Ascentia against the table, her back to them and obscuring what it was she was doing. Though Rainbow had heard enough on the car ride to know exactly what. Opening the door, she quietly took hold of a tupperware container and chucked it square at the back of her head.

"Hey!" Twilight was faltered by the sudden strike, letting Ascentia go, "Rainbow, what are you doing?"

"The better question is what am I about to do?" Rainbow said, approaching and cracking her knuckles, looking at Ascentia. Her face was red and her eyes wet. Her clothes were messy and twisted around, "And the answer is kick your ass!"

"What in the world is going on?" Fluttershy came up behind Rainbow, and immediately put two and two together as she saw the sight of them, "....Twilight, how could you..."

Ascentia remained silent, not once moving from where Twilight had left her.

"It's not what you think it is," Twilight managed to say, holding her hands up, "I mean... in the fact that I was having a relapse, and just, I was trying to stop myself-but I couldn't. It was the same reason I scratched her arms the last time, so that it wasn't... that it wasn't overly harmful. It's incredibly difficult to control myself when-"

"Why haven't you been taking your medication?" Fluttershy wanted to know, her tone stern, "You have it for a reason, Twilight. You can't just decide not to take it."

"It's not... It's not because I have the delusion of thinking I'm fine," Twilight explained, "It's because I hate it. The side effects are terrible, and make me sick."

"Well this right here is making me sick!" Rainbow barked, "She's your wife. This is my house. What in Equestria makes you think it's okay to rape your fucking wife in MY house?!"

Fluttershy leaned in and whispered in Rainbow's ear.

"I mean AT ALL?!" Rainbow yelled, "What makes you think it's okay to rape your wife AT ALL?!"

Twilight's eyes widened, but she said nothing, only looking downward.

"And during Scootaloo's party," Fluttershy said bitterly, "I cannot believe you. You promised, Twilight... You promised you would do your best to make sure you wouldn't get out of control today. You promised! If you were feeling that... that overpowered, then you should have just gone home! Why didn't you just do that?!"

"I... I have no excuse for that. I was only trying to control myself of my own will and mind. But I can see that didn't work," Twilight managed to say, not looking at either of them.

"Yeah yeah yeah, Princess Twilight has an explanation for everything," Rainbow said, waving her excuses away, "You know what? I'm glad you tried to do this here. If you'd have gone home, you wouldn't have gotten caught. And who knows what other damage you'd have done to her."

Twilight let out a small noise, exhaling, "Look... there's nothing more I can say. If you want to go ahead and kick my ass, you're free to-"

"Twilight, stop," Fluttershy cut her off, "I don't know what you're thinking right now, but if you think we can somehow retribute this with even more violence-don't. You are an adult and need to face the consequences of your actions."

"... I don't know what you want me to say, or to do," Twilight admitted, moving away from the table, "I'm not even sure I'm myself right now."

"I'll help!" Rainbow grinned, before stepping forward and driving her fist into Twilight's nose, knocking her to the floor, "Shy, call the police. I want her out of my house."

Fluttershy nodded, going into the kitchen to use the phone there. Clutching her nose, Twilight stood back up, making no move to defend herself, and sniffled.

"I deserved that..." She said.

"Oh you deserve a LOT more than that," Rainbow said as she helped Ascentia off the table, straightening her clothes, "Scootaloo!"

"Yup?" Scootaloo said, poking her head around the doorway.

"Be a sweetheart and take your Aunt Ascentia upstairs to the empty bedroom. She's gonna stay here for a few days," Rainbow said softly.

Ascentia opened her mouth to object, but Rainbow hushed her.

"You're staying here," she said sternly, "Where I can make sure you're okay."

"C'mon, Aunt Ascentia!" Scootaloo said, coming into the room and taking the woman's hand, "You'll be all nice and comfortable!"

Once Scootaloo and Ascentia were out of the room, Rainbow turned back to Twilight.

"Sit down," she barked, "We're gonna have a little chat before the police get here."

Twilight did so, "I-I was going to say... she should stay here for a while. Away from me..."

"Yeah, you don't make that decision," Rainbow snapped, "I do. Now shut up. I'm gonna speak, you're gonna listen."

Nodding, Twilight took a handkerchief from her pocket and held it against her nose.

"I get that your meds suck, but suck it up or tell the doc to prescribe you something better. Because this is just as bad, if not worse than before! You've got a freaking BABY in the house right now, and you promised to get better for her. Go ahead, make more excuses and pretty little lies," Rainbow said in a light snarl, leaning back and folding her arms over her chest, "But how dare you come into MY house and abuse your wife like that. You've crossed the line, Twilight. You cross the line a lot."

She came around the table and leaned over her.

"Now she's going to stay here until she's ready to go home. Knowing her, that could be two hours from now. Celestia knows she'll forgive you for freaking murder. But until that time comes, you don't come near this house, you don't go near her, you don't call her, you don't try to make any contact whatsoever. She will come to you, not the other way around. Verstehen?"

Twilight gave a firm nod, pulling back the cloth from her nose, "Understood."

"You'd better. I mean it, because this is not going to continue like it is. Pay attention, because this is serious," Rainbow slapped her hand onto the table, "I don't know what kind of power trip you get out of abusing your wife, who loves you and has stood by you through fucking everything-but that stops, and I mean STOPS. Tell me, Twilight, how would you feel if I suddenly started hitting Fluttershy? Or, better yet, I started hitting all my friends? Including your wife? How'd that look to you? It'd sure make you feel angry, wouldn't it? Rushing in and pounding the life out of me for DARING touch her like that?"

Twilight shivered, tears starting to fall down her face.

"Dry it up, I'm not buying it this time." Rainbow looked down at her bleeding nose, "Is it broken?"

Twilight nodded.

"Good."

"...I would feel angry. I'd want to defend her against an attacker," Twilight managed to say.

"Oh, really. Then explain why YOU'RE the attacker, here. And why you're not defending yourself the way you would if someone else was attacking her. Go on, tell me. I'm dying to hear it," Rainbow said dryly.

"Mom, the police are here," Scootaloo said, poking her head in the doorway.

"Where's Ascentia?"

"Upstairs."

"Alright, bring them in," Rainbow said, "I'm almost done."

Twilight sniffled, grimacing from the pain, "I... I'll go quietly. I won't resist."

"You're damn right you won't," Rainbow barked.

"Rainbow?" came Shining Armor's voice from the doorway, "What happened?"

"Twilight got caught trying to rape Ascentia," Rainbow explained, turning around.

Shining Armor looked at his sister incredulously, "Again?!"

Twilight said nothing, she simply stood, with her hands in the air like a caught fugitive.

Shining Armor rolled his eyes and locked her into handcuffs as the other officer brought her to the car outside, "I'm sorry you got mixed up in all of this, Rainbow."

"Nah, don't be," Rainbow waved it off, "We've been keeping our mouths shut about it for too long, anyway. She needs to sit in jail for a while, so Ascentia can be safe."

"That's the problem, though, isn't it?" Shining Armor asked, "Ascentia's just going to keep letting her get off scott free. We catch the runaway pitbull and she just keeps letting it back out to bite another piece of her face off."

"I know, that's the problem," Rainbow shook her head, "But I'm not letting that happen anymore. Neither of us are. Enough's enough. Your sister has crossed the line and that's the end of it."

"Ascentia's okay to stay here?" Shining Armor asked, clapping a hand on Rainbow's shoulder.

Rainbow nodded, "Yep. That was the plan, she's going to stay here for a while, where she'll be safe, and then work things out on her own terms."

"Alright, I'll file for a peace bond while she's here," Shining Armor said, turning to the doorway, "She'll have to go to the courts to get it lifted. In the meantime, it'll keep them apart."

About to answer, Rainbow cut herself off as Fluttershy came into the room, "Ascentia's all right, she's just going to sleep for now. I checked on Twilight, she's in the squad car right now."

"Thanks, Fluttershy," Shining Armor smiled as he turned and left, hurrying back out to the car.

"...She wanted you, Mom," Scootaloo said quietly.

"Yes, you can go and talk to her," Fluttershy nodded.

"All right," Rainbow nodded back and ruffled Scootaloo's hair, "You girls go relax, I'll handle this."

Going upstairs, Rainbow reached the spare bedroom, coming in to find Ascentia culed up on the bed under the covers, holding a small cushion as some kind of a safety net.

"Hey," Rainbow greeted, coming over to the bed, "Feel any better?"

"It's only been a few minutes," Ascentia said shakily, sitting up and turning around, showing her tearful face to Rainbow, "...But thank you. If... if you hadn't have been there... she could have really hurt me."

Rainbow nodded grimly, "I know... Thank freaking Celestia we heard what was going on. Now look, I know you're pretty much ready to go run after the squad car right now, but at least sleep it off, okay?"

Ascentia nodded, "...Okay," she said, lifting her arms up for a hug.

Sitting on the bed, Rainbow gave her a hug, patting her back, "I don't hate Twilight, that's not why I'm doing this. I'm doing it because she's one of my best friends and I want to help her. You guys.. you guys have a lot going on and I know she loves you. Besides, you're my pal, too, and I'm not turning my back on you anymore. Nobody's going to."

Ascentia clung to her by the shoulders and kissed her cheek, "Thanks... I love you guys."

"And we love you too," Rainbow kissed her cheek too, "Don't forget that, okay?"

Ascentia shook her head, "I won't."

Some time later, after a much-needed shower, Rainbow came into the bedroom, finding her wife sitting up in bed and reading a book. Even though she would only remain this bedroom for a short period of time (excluding of course Scootaloo's plans for a vacation); she didn't dwell on that. It was time to focus on the here and now.

"Hey, babe," Rainbow said playfully, getting into bed with her and smirking, "Bed sure feels empty without me, doesn't it?"

"Oh, absolutely," Fluttershy set her book aside, and snuggled up against her, "How is Ascentia?"

"Eh, she's still shaken up. But she'll be all right," Rainbow said with a nod.

"I hope so... This is very worrysome. But at least she's safe," Fluttershy murmured.

"Yeah," Rainbow muttered, wrapping her arms more tightly around her, "Not gonna be much help if she just runs back into Twilight's claws, though."

"I know, that's the part that's worrying me the most," said Fluttershy, biting her lip nervously as she too tightened her hold, "I don't know what else we can do. She will fight against us if we try to stop her from being with Twilight."

There was a soft knock on the door and Ascentia's voice came hoarse and quiet from the other side, "Rainbow? Are you decent?"

"Yeah, come on in!" Rainbow called out.

Ascentia slowly pushed the door open, "H-hey. Um... not that I'm not grateful or anything, it's just... there's something I need to go home for..."

"Whatever is, I'll walk with you to your house and get it," Rainbow said, "So what did you forget there? Meds?"

Ascentia shook her head, "My little girl."

"Sunrise?" Fluttershy said, then it dawned on her, "Oh, right! Twilight said she had a sitter over there-oh, goodness. We should bring her back here, then."

"Oh yeah, it won't be a problem," Rainbow said as she got out of bed, throwing on a sweater and some pants over her sleeper clothes, "We've actually got a crib and some stuff, so she can stay here with us until the dust settles."

Ascentia smiled, "Thank you. I'm sorry to bother you like this..."

"No sweat," Rainbow said, "Flutters, give the nursery a quick once-over, will ya?"

Nodding, Fluttershy got out of bed as well and put on her robe, "Of course. I'll make sure it's ready for her by the time you get back."

"Great, so let's go," Rainbow said, ushering Ascentia to the hallway.

"There you are, Mrs Sparkle," Topsy Turvy sighed in relief, "It's almost midnight. You said nine!"

"I'm sorry, Tops," Ascentia said, rubbing her forehead, "Some stuff came up. I'm taking Sunny to Rainbow's for a while."

She fished a hundred bits out of her purse and handed it to her.

"Here, you can go home."

Her eyes widening at such a generous bonus, the fourteen year old nodded and dashed out the door, Rainbow eyeing her backside the entire way.

"Hey! That's the best babysitter we've ever had!" Ascentia said, smacking her shoulder.

"Sorry, she looked way older," Rainbow rubbed her shoulder, "Anyway, let's get back, now that Sunny's safe."

Ascentia went into the house and upstairs to Sunrise's room. Finding the baby wide awake, she leaned down to pick her up. Sunrise babbled excitedly at the return of her mother, waving her arms up at her as she latched her mouth onto her shoulder.

"Mama loves you too, Sunny," she whispered as she carried her back downstairs, "Alright, let's go."

"Heya, Sunny," Rainbow greeted the baby with a smile, gently tousling her thin patch of hair, "Don't ya worry, you're gonna be safe now, you little rascal."

Ascentia kissed her forehead as the two carried her out the door and down the street. Ascentia lovingly stroked her finger over Sunrise's little arm and shoulder as she kept her eyes on the road. Only faltering once when she felt a thin strip of something rough and crusty on her daughter's shoulder. Afraid to look down, she tried to convince herself that her supper had gotten a little messy and kept her eyes to the road. Next Chapter: Boys Will be Boys Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 18 Minutes