A short while later, as Applejack was locking up for the night, she saw Apple Bloom perched up against the fence, looking up toward the sky. Feeling a little concerned that something was troubling her sister she walked outside. “Hey there, Sugarcube,” she said lightly. “What are ya doin' out here?”

In a bit of a distracted voice she said, “I couldn’t sleep, so I’m just lookin’ at the stars.”

**********

“Diamond Tiara?” called out Nurse Sweetheart, seeing her daughter standing in the middle of the yard. “Are you alright, dear?”

“I can’t sleep,” she responded, looking up at the sky.

“You’ve been irritable all night, pacing around your room for the past hour. What’s bothering you?”

“Why?” she said, though she seemed to be talking to herself. “Why?” In her mind she could hear Apple Bloom’s words. ‘If ya want more attention… you could always join the Cutie Mark Crusaders.’ She just didn’t get it. Why would she say that, after all that they had been through? She certainly didn’t consider adding Apple Bloom to her friends. Or, at least, she hadn’t considered it before. But maybe…

She suddenly looked over at her mom, wondering if she had the answer. After all, they were starting to become close again now. “I’m… confused. I got in a fight with one of my classmates who I hate. But she still offered to be my friend.”

“Why do you hate her?” she asked, a neutral expression on her face.

Diamond turned away, an irritated look on her face, trying to word things to dodge her role in the way things were, but it just didn’t come as easy as it usually did. “I was jealous of her, because I wanted us to be close like she was to her family. She was the one who told me to come talk to you. I don’t know why, but I gave her some of the pictures from our trip to the carnival last week for her birthday.”

“Is that right?” she asked, a smile on her face. “I think you do understand, or else you never would have given them to her in the first place.”

Diamond Tiara looked at her mother perplexedly at that statement, before looking back up at the sky.

She began thinking of what had happened last week. She had actually started crying like a weakling, begging for time with them. They had looked at each other, looking guilty as anything. Her dad cancelled his meeting, turning down the offer, and her mom told her that, because of her reaction to the last time her mom tried to spend time with her, that she just didn’t think Diamond was interested in spending time together.

Taking Randolph along at her insistence they asked her what she wanted to do. She had said she didn’t care, as long as it was something they could all do together. Her mom suggested the amusement park. Mother’s Day became more about her than her mother, but she thought that her mom didn’t mind, as it meant they got to enjoy the day together.

Randolph took a bunch of pictures of the day, and sometimes she would go on rides with just him, letting her mom or dad take the photo. It took a little time to drop her guard, as she still wasn’t sure if she could trust them, but each of them promised to be more considerate of her emotional needs instead of just her physical needs. Her mom went to the hospital and carefully explained that she needed a steady schedule that didn’t go all over the place, and her dad decided to leave things more in the hands of his employees rather than going in all the time and almost never taking his mind off of work. Those actions on their part spoke to their sincerity to change. She was starting to find herself trusting in them again, just a bit.

*********

“The stars are really pretty tonight, don’t ya think?” said Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom certainly didn’t sound upset, so Applejack dropped her cautious tone. “Why can’t ya sleep, Sis?”

“Things finally worked out.”

“What do ya mean?”

“I’m just really happy! Diamond Tiara gave me a card fer my birthday. Her parents didn’t ignore her at all. She…” She stopped for a moment, before reminding herself the card only said she didn’t want Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to know. It had said nothing about Applejack. “She gave me pictures of them at the carnival, and Diamond Tiara looked so happy. She was just acting the way she was because she didn’t want ta admit it ta me.”

“Well, that’s just grand!” said Applejack joyfully.

“Maybe we really can be friends. You can never have too many friends.”

“Well, Pinkie Pie would certainly say so, being friends with everyone in Ponyville,” Applejack responded with a chuckle.

Apple Bloom laughed too, but then sighed. “I wonder if it’ll actually work out.”

“Well, it don’t hurt none ta try. Ya took the first step, and today she took the second. You’ll just have ta see what happens at school tomorrow. After all, everyone has some similarities. At the very least we all watch the same moon and the same stars at night.”

“Yeah…” Her voice trailed off.

“Come on now, Sugarcube. It’s late, and it’s time ta go ta bed.”

“Just a little longer?”

“Heh. As yer sister I would probably have ta insist that ya go ta bed, but… as a mom maybe I let ya have a little while longer.” A big smile lit up Apple Bloom’s face, but then it faded away. “Is there something wrong?”

“Is it… is it really okay fer me ta call ya Mom? Do ya think our real mom is gonna be upset?”

Applejack walked until she was standing next to her sister, giving her a loving nuzzle. “As I told ya before our mother’s final hour was spent just holding ya and telling ya how much she loved ya, and her last wish was that we take care of ya and love ya in a way she no longer can. I don’t think our mother minds, as long as it makes you happy. As long as ya don’t ever forget what our mom did fer ya, I don’t think she’ll be hurt.” She looked up at the sky like her sister. “Yer right, ya know. The sky really is beautiful tonight.”

“Oh!” Apple Bloom cried out. “Shooting stars!”

“Two of them at the same time,” Applejack said meaningfully. “Right before our family reunion, when I was thinking about how I wanted our reunion ta be the best ever because we didn’t know if everyone would be able ta make it next year, I remember seeing two shooting stars, just like now. I didn’t think nothin’ of it at the time but…,” a smile lit up her face as a happy tear came down her eyes, “…maybe it was our parents saying hi.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said, a teary smile also on her face, and then she yelled out, “HI, MOM AND DAD!”

Applejack winced as she heard some of the animals stir. “Please don’t do that,” she said with an exasperated laugh.

“I just wanted ta make sure they heard me,” Apple Bloom responded cheerily, unfazed. “They were finally able ta give me a birthday gift. This has been the best birthday ever!”

“I’m so glad ta hear that.”

“What about you, Applejack? Yer birthday is in two months. What do ya want?”

Applejack looked back at the sky where the shooting stars had disappeared. “It doesn’t matter. As long as I have ya ta take care of, then that’s all I really need.”

Apple Bloom jumped up onto her back, holding her tight. “Yeah. As long as ya have a hug fer me every year that’s all I really need too, because we Apple’s always stick together. Even if they’re not here next ta us…,” she looked up at the sky, “…they can still talk to us from time to time.”

“Yes, yer right.”

“Well, now I’m ready. Can ya tuck me in, Mom?”

“Ya catchin’ a free ride up there, Bloomy?” Applejack asked with a laugh.

“Yep!” she said proudly, a big smile on her face.

Applejack laughed. “Well, it still is yer birthday, so I guess that’s okay. I’d be happy ta tuck ya in.”

A bit of Apple Bloom’s cheeriness vanished as she asked hesitantly, “Can I sleep with you? I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”

“Of course, my little Apple.”

“Thank you,” she said, sounding choked up.

“Come on now,” said Applejack, walking back toward the house. “There’s no need ta cry, Apple Bloom.”

“I’m just…” She sniffed as tears streamed down her face as she held her sister tight. “I’m just sooooo so so happy! I finally have someone I can call my mom. ”

Applejack paused for a second, feeling those tender feelings bubbling up again. “I’m glad too.” Glancing one last time at the sky she thought, ‘Just watch me, Mom and Dad. I’ll always keep my promise ta ya. I’ll take care of her the way you would.’

As the two lay in bed Apple Bloom asked, “Ya won’t ever leave me, will ya? I finally have a mom again, and if I lost ya I would lose a mom AND a sister.”

“Don’t worry,” ahe said in a reassuring voice, holding Apple Bloom tightly, putting all her love into a hug. “I’m never goin' anywhere. Yer too important ta me fer me ta even think of leaving ya.”

“I love ya, Applejack.”

“And I love ya too, my little Apple.”

Apple Bloom closed her eyes, feeling so warm and safe from Applejack’s tender embrace. She slowly began settling down, and soon enough drifted off.

Tender tears trickled down Applejack’s face as an outpouring of love filled her entire being. She would give her all to protect her sister. After all, Apple Bloom was, as Big Mac had said, the last gift their mother had given the family. And a wonderful gift it was. “Sleep well, my child,” she said as she closed her eyes.

********************

“Come on, Diamond Tiara.” said Nurse Sweetheart. “You should go to bed. You won’t find the answer to your question in the sky.”

Diamond Tiara spared her mother a glance. Her mom was always so happy, so outgoing, and she spent her life helping others, because she said it made her feel like she was helping herself as well. Was that why Apple Bloom offered to be her friend? Because she was the same way? “Our family has been close with the Apple family… up until me and Apple Bloom. Maybe… maybe that can change.”

“Well, that would just be splendid. I think everyone needs some good friends. Just remember that friendship requires compromise. It can’t always be about you. When you help someone else, or give up what you want to do for someone else’s sake, you feel something special inside of you, a feeling that I experience every day I work at the hospital.

"Every time a patient makes improvement, or gets to go home, I feel such a rush of positive feelings it’s almost hard to describe. You can look at yourself proudly in the mirror and say, 'I did that.' And when that pony comes to you, grateful and thankful, you feel the reward of your good deed coming full circle back to you. Helping others is the same as helping yourself.

"However, I’m afraid that your father did spoil you a bit. You tend to try to find what you can get out of a situation instead of what’s in it for others. And if you’re selfish like that you’ll never make any true friends. I think Apple Bloom is having a good influence on you.

"I know it will be difficult for a time, because you’re not used to acting in that way. but when you feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from helping others you’ll want to have that feeling all the time. That’s why I became a nurse in the first place. It’s the easiest place to help a lot of others.”

Diamond Tiara wondered about that. Having lived for herself most of her life she didn’t know what this feeling her mother spoke of felt like… but she was curious. As she looked at her mom she heard Apple Bloom’s words, telling her that she was lucky she still had parents to spend time with. In a hesitant voice she asked, “Will you give me a ride?”

Nurse Sweetheart gazed tenderly at her child, letting out a little laugh at the blush on her face. “Sure, dear.” It had been so long since her daughter had asked for such a thing. She always played at being independent because of her father’s teachings.

She laid down in a sitting position, and Diamond Tiara gazed awkwardly before she allowed herself to climb onto her mom’s back. She kept that look as her mom stood up, walking her back inside. She enjoyed it deep down, but it was all still too new for her to admit her true feelings to herself. When they reached her room Nurse Sweetheart helped her into her bed, tucking her in. “Goodnight, Diamond Tiara,” she said kindly.

“Goodnight,”she said in a distracted voice. As her mother went to leave it felt like she was going in slow motion. She struggled with herself, her emotions rising high. And just as her mom was at the door, about to close it, she finally managed to cry out, “Wait!”

Nurse Sweetheart turned back towards her daughter. “Yes?”

She just stared at her mom, still struggling with the words she wanted to say. Once more Apple Bloom’s words forced their way into her thoughts. She didn’t have an unlimited time with her parents. Anything could happen to them and take them away from her at any time. She wanted to say what she had to now, because there might not be a later.

“I love you, Mom.” The words came out raspy, little more than a whisper, those feelings she had learned not to deal with holding her back.

Another thing her daughter hadn’t said to her in a while. Diamond Tiara had learned well to try to appear strong, despite what she was feeling inside. She walked back into her daughter’s room, giving her a kiss. “I love you too, my wonderful child.” Guessing her daughters thoughts from her squirming discomfort she asked, “Would you like to sleep with me tonight?”

Her face went red again as she averted her eyes and said, “…Yes.”

A short while later as she laid in her mom's bed her mom put her hooves around her, hugging her close, and Diamond Tiara had to fight her natural urge to push her mother away. Once the impulse passed she slowly returned the hug. It actually felt kind of nice. She had forgotten how nice it was. She snuggled in closer, putting aside her pride for the moment to just let herself be babied, a small smile she couldn't suppress upon her face.

As she started drifting off she wondered if she could actually change. She wouldn’t be able to know the answer until the morning, when she went to school…