"So, what did he say?" Steven asked.

Me, Fluttershy and Steven were sitting in Gregg's once again, talking over some small pastries. Steven had battled his hangover to meet us here, desperate for information about what the professor – or more accurately, his assistant – had said.

"Not much. He mentioned he might be able to help, but first he wanted proof that Florence here was actually who we say."

Fluttershy looked up from nibbling her pastry at the mention of her name.

"Huh." Steven muttered. "I mentioned her Cutie Mark when I first mailed him." he added.

I nodded. "Yeah, they wanted a picture of it and her face, like in a passport."

"But, um," Fluttershy piped up, joining the conversation properly for the first time. "How would they know it's actually… me? I mean, I don't normally, well, um, look like this." She said gesturing to herself.

Steven nodded and turned to me. "She's got a good point," Fluttershy smiled at the comment. "Shouldn't the Cutie Mark be enough?"

I shrugged looked at Fluttershy, tipping my head. "I suppose… well, you have to admit that you at least look a little similar, Shy." I said. "For being a different species, anyway."

Steven shrugged. "Also a good point. But that's still not conclusive proof, is it?"

"I guess not." I admitted. "But we won't know until he gets back to us." I said ultimately, taking a bite of gingerbread.

"When will that be?" Steven asked.

"No idea. He just said soon." I answered.

He sighed. "But hey, on the bright side, we're on the path to getting you back home Florence." Steven smiled, keeping quiet about Fluttershy's identity.

She nodded simply, smiling back kindly, and took another bite of her pastry.

At that moment Brit walked in, shivering despite a scarf and thick coat. She spotted us and walked over quickly.

"Why is it so cold?" was the first thing she said, ignoring the tradition of hellos.

"It's England." Steven said simply.

"But it was warm last night." She said, exasperated, sitting down and undoing her coat. She noticed Steven's hangover attire. "Steven, take off your sunglasses, we're inside."

"Turn the sun off, then get back to me." He retorted.

Brit rolled her eyes and turned to me and Shy. "Hey guys. So, what's going down?"

I quickly explained to her about the assistant's email and what it meant for getting Fluttershy back to Equestria. I found myself not particularly chatty, but put it down to the fact I was just repeating everything I'd said so far.

"So you've just gotta wait?" Brit asked when I'd finished.

I nodded.

Brit looked surprised. "That sounds easy. Why the long face Jamester?"

My mood was that noticeable? I shrugged. "Mits got really hurt last night." I said, feeling even more down suddenly.

"Who's Mits?" Brit asked, concerned. "Are they alright?"

"Mits is Jamie's demon cat." Steven said.

"She's at a veterinary hospital." Fluttershy added.

"Oh god, I'm sorry Jamie, I didn't know." Brit gushed apologetically, looking embarrassed.

I waved it off. "Nah, you didn't know. She should be alright, with any luck."

"Well that's good to hear, right?" Brit said, nudging my arm. I didn't catch her mood.

She turned to Steven and started speaking again, but I failed to listen properly. Fluttershy nudged my side, trying to get my attention. I turned my head to her and she leant forward to whisper something.

"Is there a bathroom here?" she said in a barely audible whisper. I smiled, breaking out of my slump mood for a second and nodded.

"Just around the corner there." I whispered back. Fluttershy smiled gratefully and left to find it.

"Where're you off to Flut- Florence?" Brit asked, saving herself at the last second, as Fluttershy's chair grated backwards and she stood up.

"O-oh, I-I-I was just going to the b-bathroom." She replied quietly, embarrassed.

Brit and Steven shared a quick glance and Brit stood up and joined Fluttershy. "I'll come with you. I could use the loo." She said, walking with Fluttershy towards the lady's room.

Steven knocked on the table to get my attention. I looked back to him.

"Hey, Jamie, what's eating ya?" He asked, concerned. The fact Steven sounded serious was a cause for concern in itself. I knew I was feeling down about Mits and all, but…

I shrugged off both my thoughts and Steven's comment.

"Come on man. I have a hangover and even I can tell you're depressed about something."

I sighed, realising he wouldn't let up until he got a straight answer.

"Guess I'm just worried about Mits and all." I said, mimicking my thoughts.

"And..?" Steven pushed.

I shrugged for what seemed like the millionth time. "And I don't know. I'm not feeling too good either." I added, sniffling for emphasis.

"Nothing else?"

"Nope." I muttered, looking down at my legless gingerbread man.

"Sure? You can tell me anything, you know." He said, leaning forward and propping his head up with both arms.

I sighed, and thought back to my troubled mind the last day or so, made that much worse since the thing in the forest. I had a bad feeling that I already knew what that meant, but I still wasn't sure exactly. Should I tell Steven? Could he help?

"Well, the thing is, my heads been messed up since Jas left." I started to explain, deciding that it was worth a shot. "I've been feeling weird inside. I can't really place what it is either…" I muttered.

"Horny?" Steven asked.

"Steven!" I gasped. "It's not… guuuuh." I threw my hands in the air, exasperated. Yeah, so much for that.

"Alright, alright, joking aside, what is it that's got you down?"

I sighed. "I don't know." I muttered, reluctantly continuing. "It's like… like I'm missing something, maybe."

"Jas just left you," Steven said whimsically after a second. "And you were both pretty close. You even said it was like love, right?" I nodded. "If it was it would explain the emptiness. Maybe it's just loneliness?" Steven offered.

"Maybe. Are you normally this thoughtful with a hangover?"

"I always am." Steven said, modest as always. "So it's just feeling lonely that's got you discombobulated?"

"No, that's not the only thing that's been messing me up. There's other stuff too."

"Like what?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be confused Steven, trust me." I slumped forward on the table, laying head on arms. I was getting fed up of thinking. And it was cold. And I was ill. What did the world have against me?

A few minutes later Fluttershy and Brit returned together, re-joining me and Steven.

"Are you okay Jamie?" Fluttershy asked quietly, sitting down next to me.

"Mm-hm." I muttered, looking up. Brit was whispering to Steven about something. "Just a little tired."

"Do you want to go back and rest?" Fluttershy asked.

I smiled at the small sign of affection. "Maybe in a minute."

"What's the matter Jamie?" Brit asked.

"Tired." I replied.

"You should probably go home then, get some rest." Steven suggested.

"You sure?" I asked, a little surprised at the idea after Steven had made me come out to meet him with a hangover.

"Oh yeah, go on. It might be good for ya." Steven grinned.

"Are you okay with that Shy?" She nodded, wearing her trademark soft smile. "If you're sure then, I guess." I finished, shrugging for the millionth and first time.

"You gonna finish that?" Brit asked nonchalantly as I stood up, pointing at my snack. I pushed the plate over to her.

"Knock yourself out. I'm not too hungry, I already ate." I explained, pulling my coat on. Fluttershy was doing the same with one I'd given her.

"See you later. But remember, talk to me any time." Steven said.

"Bye Jamie, bye Florence." Brit goodbye'd, overly loud. I heard Steven mutter something along the lines of 'Damn you' as we left.

I put my hands in my pockets as we walked through the door into the crisp air, made worse by a sharp wind.

"Are you feeling a bit better Jamie?" Fluttershy asked.

"A little bit." I admitted. "Thanks for asking." I thought back to my talk with Steven. "You were in the bathroom a while with Brit. Did you talk about anything?" I asked.

I watched as Fluttershy blushed and looked away. "U-u-um, n-not really."

I was curious for her embarrassment, but didn't push it. "I won't ask if it makes you uncomfortable."

"T-thank you." She muttered, still looking away.

I decided to battle the puzzle of my mind with a nice brain dead yet productive activity: a much needed spring clean of my flat. And hey, it was spring and all, so why not?

As I sorted through the hamper of clothes in my bedroom I thought back to my conversation with Steven in Gregg's. His immaturity aside, it had at least been a little helpful in helping me pinpoint one of the emotions that had thrown me into such a foul mood. Some of it, I now knew, was just simple loneliness after Jas broke up with me – which still caused me misery whenever I thought about it. It wasn't just normal loneliness, I knew, because Fluttershy was here with me. It was losing someone close to me.

Speaking of which, I couldn't be feeling as bad as Fluttershy was in that aspect. She'd even said how homesick she was feeling after just a few days, and my heart swelled at the thought of her feeling so lost.

And that brought me onto the next feeling, I realized with shock. The one I had thought was just compassion to help Shy get home was… something more. I didn't want to admit it, but it made sense. The little things, like just that morning when I was lying in bed next to her, and accidentally telling her she was beautiful when we were taking the pictures. I had meant it, but not meant to say it.

But that wasn't conclusive, was it? I'd help anyone in her position, I'm compassionate like that, and I like to think others would do the same. And that morning, I was barely conscious, so-

Fluttershy appeared in the doorway, interrupting my thoughts at the perfect time to make me feel embarrassed.

"Hello Jamie. Um, I was just wondering if you wanted any help." She said politely. "Oh, are you okay? You look flushed. Are you feeling ill?" She asked, stepping into the room, concerned.

Superb, I was blushing. I stood up to meet her, the washing pretty much sorted. "No, I'm fine." I assured her quickly.

She stepped up to me, placing a hand on my forehead. "Are you sure? You're burning up."

I shivered at her touch, and gently brushed her hand away and smiled "I'm sure." I was blushing harder at her concern for me. I changed the subject fast.

"So, uh, do you want to help me then?"

Fluttershy blushed herself and smiled apologetically. "Oh, sorry. U-um, yes. D-do you need any?"

I nodded, smiling. "It would be helpful. I think I'm done sorting the clothes," I glanced back at the two piles of folded laundry. "…so, if you wanted, you could help me wash the dishes."

She nodded, so I grabbed the clothes and led her out to the kitchen. I tossed one pile into the washing machine and set the other pile down on the table, then turned to Fluttershy.

"So, I'll wash them and you dry them?" I asked.

She nodded. "Okay."

So Fluttershy and I set about washing the dishes. After adorning some rubber gloves I scrubbed and soaked each one then passed them onto Fluttershy who dried them. It was awkward just standing next to each other silently, especially with… whatever it was, so I scrambled for something to talk about.

"So, Fluttershy," Alright, good start, now add something. "Have, have you ever had a special someone?"

"A sp-special somepony?" Fluttershy stammered.

"Yeah."

"O-o-oh…" Her cheeks flushed again as I handed her a plate. "N-not really."

"Not ever?" I asked.

"…w-well, I've had crushes before, b-but I've never really had a truly special special somepony."

I didn't say anything in response. Just contemplated what she'd said.

"Why do you ask?" Fluttershy replied a second later.

"Just wondering." I said back. "Don't you want to find your special somepony?" I continued, mimicking the other worldly phrase.

"One day. Rarity talks about meeting her special somepony a lot, though, mainly at our spa trips, and she once gave me some romantic books to read." She sighed when she finished speaking.

"You miss her?" I guessed.

She nodded silently.

I pulled off a glove and rubbed her arm in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. "Don't worry Shy. I'm here for you." It seemed like the right thing to say.

"Thank you Jamie." She stood still for a second, then turned around suddenly and hugged me, her head against my shoulder.

My eyes went wide. I wasn't expecting the affectionate action, and it caught me by surprise, so much so that I dropped the plate I was still holding. It hit the side of the counter with a clunk and bounced off onto the floor, smashing almost perfectly in half.

Fluttershy gasped in shock, letting go and jumping back, a hand over her mouth. "O-o-oh my, I'm so sorry, I d-didn't mean-"

I waved her off, shushing her. "Not your fault, don't worry. I'm the clumsy one." I tore off the other glove and knelt down to pick up the major pieces, partly just to hide my now red cheeks. All this blushing was ridiculous now.

"I-is there anything I can do?" Fluttershy asked meekly.

"N-no, it's fine. Just stay there, there's pieces everywhere and I don't want you to cut your feet." I put down the two major pieces and grabbed a dustpan and brush from the cupboard, sweeping up the little shards.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you drop the plate." Fluttershy stammered, standing dead still.

"I know, I know, it's okay. You just, surprised me is all." I explained, finding the last little pieces.

"S-sorry." She said again. "I don't know what came over me." Fluttershy whispered, apparently only now fully realising what she had done.

"I don't mind, honestly," I assured her, tipping the pieces of china into an already pretty-much full bin. "I'm just gonna, take the rubbish out." I gestured at the bin.

Fluttershy nodded. "You're not… angry, are you Jamie?" She asked timidly.

As I did up the bin bag I shook my head quickly, desperate to get rid of that idea. "No, of course not. It was my fault anyway."

I pulled the bag out of the bin and head towards the front door. "Be back in a second." I said quickly, needing a second to think.

I headed down the stairs to the back door, mind reeling at Fluttershy's hug. That really wasn't helping to settle my mind.

Or perhaps it had, I realised with a shock as I stepped out into the brisk, windy air. But it really wasn't a result I was content with. Part of me had been trying to avoid it, and another part of me had known it all along. Or at least guessed.

I put the bag in the green wheelie bin and crashed the lid down while I thought about what that revelation meant. I remembered what Steven had said, and pulled my phone, now charged and dry, out of my trouser pocket and dialled his number.

I leant back against the wall while it rang. Steven picked up a couple of moments later.

"Jamie?" He answered.

"Steven, you know how I said I could talk to you about anything?"

"I remember mentioning it. Why?"

"I have a bit of a problem."

"What is it Jamie?" Steven asked.

"...I think I have a crush on Fluttershy."