As the first week of January neared its end Fluttershy approached me on my Friday off and asked if I would accompany her to Sweet Apple Acres. She explained that she made monthly trips to the farm to check up on the various livestock that stayed in resident on the property. She shyly admitted she also liked to gossip with the cows as well.

After a hearty breakfast, Shy, Myself, and Scoots bundled up against the cold and began our trek to the farm. Shy was carrying her vet bag on her back while Scoots sat on her favorite perch, atop my shoulders and head, keeping my ears warm with her little wings. The snow on the ground made the trip to the Acres a bit longer than normal and I was relieved when forty-five minutes later we walked up to the gate.

As we approached the gate we were met by Applejack's brother Big Macintosh who was hard at work shoveling a path from gate to the house. "Howdy Mrs. Shy, likewise Bear and you too little Scootaloo!" greeted the buff pony.

"Howdy yourself neighbor, how goes the farm?" I politely asked as I leaned against the fence.

"Oh it's the quiet time of year, the fields are picked, the stocks are put up, all we're doin' is carein' for tha critters." He drawled.

"Well I my mate here is stopping by for their monthly checkup, Scoots why don't you go help Fluttershy."

"Awww but Papabear! I wanna hang out with you!" Came the petulant reply.

"You might get your veterinarian cutiemark." I replied smugly.

Scootaloo shot off like a missile towards the cow pasture while Fluttershy just rolled her eyes, fluttered up and kissed my cheek, then took off after Scootaloo. I sat there chuckling, leaning against the fence railing with Big Mac.

"Yer a lucky stallion to wrangle those two." Big Mac said after a moment of silence.

I sighed and smiled. "Yes, I supposed I am. I wonder if I bit off more than I can chew though at times."

"You love her right? You try to do good by the little filly what ain't got parents no more, you done saved mahself and mah kin. I think yah can handle tha pair." He drawled while rolling a hay stalk around in his mouth.

"You know, I thought you were the quiet one." I quipped.

"Only when ah ain't got nothin' of import to say." Came his deadpan reply.

"So what has you going like you kissed the Blarney Stone?" I asked.

The looked at me with a puzzled expression. I must be getting comfortable here if I am making cultural references they would have no way of understanding.

"What has you so talkative Big Mac?" I explained.

He reached up with a hoof and batted the bronzed feather around my neck.

"Lotta stallions and a fair few mares too are pretty jealous of you." He said.

I shook my head, "Don't tell me you had a thing for her too?"

"Shucks naw, Mrs. Shy is mighty sweet but she is a bit too delicate for my liking."

If only he knew...

"So any mare, or stallion, that you have your eyes on."

He chuckled a bit and scuffed at the snow with his hooves.

"You dog! Who is the lucky pony?"

"Well...ah been thinkin' tah court Ms. Rarity." He said with a distinctly darker tinge to his fur.

I grinned, "Well go for it big man, after the way she came after you at New Years I would say you have a fair shot."

"Yah reckon?" He asked as if the thought never crossed his mind.

"Mac, I'm no judge of stallions but I would say that you probably have more than a few admirers. And if you ware worried about her being too delicate. Trust me, it's always the prim and proper ones that are demons in the sack."

"Always?"

"Always."

Big Mac went quiet for a bit as we did what men often do on farms when there is little work to be done and simply sat in silence, leaning on the fence. After a time the wizened matriarch of the Apple clan stuck her head out the front door and called for Big Mac to hunt down his sister for lunch.

"So where's she at brother?" I asked.

"Well she could be in the south or the west field. She went out inspecting the trees for damage from the ice so we know which ones to replant come Winter Wrapup." Answered the stallion.

"Tell you what, I'll take the south field and you take the west. We can find her quicker that way and get a warm meal in us all the sooner."

"Eeeeyup!"

I made my way to the south field wandering among the snow covered trees. Snow was still a bit of a novelty to me since I came from one of the warmer states that rarely saw such weather. I was only half paying attention to my surroundings when something cold and wet slammed in to the side of my head. Ow. Iceball to the ear.

A moment later I heard a raspy chuckle from up in the trees, turning I saw a prismatic pegasus sitting in a branch ready to hoof another snowball at me.

"Not cool Dash." I said sternly.

"Awww widdle monkey no like the snow!" She taunted then threw another snowball at me which I managed to dodge.

"Seriously cut it out, you iceballed my ear. That crap hurt."

"Ha! I knew you weren't as awesome as you try to be!" She called back.

I had no idea what had gotten in to her. This wasn't normal playing and horsing around, she looked pretty angry. A moment later I had my clue as to what was up when my foot hit a cider bottle sticking out of the snow.

"Dash have you been drinking?"

Another iceball impacted my shoulder. Crap those things hurt.

"Show what if I have! Ish none of your business anyway!" She snapped.

"Dash why don't you come down here and we can talk, if something is wrong I'm willing to listen..."

Dash zipped out of the tree and right in to my face, her breath reeking of cider. "I'll tell yoush whash my problem is! It's you ya buckin monkey!" She screamed in my face.

I was momentarily taken aback by her hostility. I really never knew where I stood with her, one moment she wants to geld me, the next she saddles Shy and I with extended foal sitting. Now she is screaming profanity drunkenly in my face.

"Dash, calm yourself before you say something you regret." I say gravely.

"Regret? I'll tell yoush what I regret! You ever crawling out of that forest. Ever shince you showed up, I losht my besht friend, my little shister is an orphan now, and the worst part? They love you for it! You stupid horseapple!" With that she took a drunken swing at me which I easily sidestepped. Acting quickly I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest, pinning her wings and forelegs trying to keep her from hurting herself or me for that matter.

"Let me go! You bucking monkey! RAPE! RAPE!" She began screaming.

I slapped my hand over her mouth and was rewarded with her blunt teeth clamping down. I grimaced against the pain but didn't let go.

"Calm yourself Rainbow Dash!"

"Wmnk wuu!" Came her muffled reply around my hand.

"I am going to remove my hand and we will talk like civilized adults. Comprende?"

Silence was my reply. I carefully removed my hand wincing at the sight of the bloody teeth marks.

"Now, lets take this from the top. What do you mean you lost your best friend?"

She glared at me and pointed a hoof at Fluttershy's feather. At that moment the hamster decided to come back on duty and start powering the light bulb above my head.

"You are in love with Shy aren't you."

She nodded, the angry glare not leaving her face.

"You are also jealous of the time I have been spending with Scootaloo aren't you?"

Another nod.

I sighed heavily and leaned back against a tree and slid to the ground. "I can't imagine how much pain you must be in right now."

Dash sat down in the snow in front of me, "What the hay is that shupposed to mean?"

"I mean I see where you are coming from, a stranger comes to town, sweeps the mare of your dreams off her feet, then to top it off your little sister thinks he is the bee's knees too." I sighed again. "Yeah I can see where you would be upset."

"Ish that shupposed to make me feel better?"

"No, all I can do is assure you I am not trying to replace you. Shy chose me as her mate. I was...conflicted...at first...but I came to see the feelings were mutual. As for Scootaloo...Dash...I would give anything for her not to be living with us."

"What?"

"I should have been able to do more. I have all this magic in me and no frelling idea how to use it beyond getting really angry and hoping something useful happens. If I had better control maybe Scoot's parents would still be alive. Every time I try to play hero..." I sigh and let my face fall in to my hands.

"Hey...I'm shorry OK...I...it was the cider talking....I'm not sho good at this feelings shtuff..." Dash said hesitantly.

I just grunted a non-committal reply.

"Come on....I'm the one who's shupposed to be bucked up right now..."

"Dash...let me brood. I don't get to brood at home. Let me do it here."

I felt a hoof poke my rib, "Nuh uh....I may be jealous as buck of you but I'm not letting Shy's stallion be all mopey. Now cheer up, you have a mare who loves you and until I can get my weather schedule clear you got the best little sis in the world living with you."

I stand and dust the accumulated snow off my jeans. "Yeah, sorry, I haven't had a good brood in awhile. You know Shy, she freaks out if I get even a bit out of sorts."

"Tell me about it." Chuckles Dash.

"I don't suppose you have seen Applejack?"

"She is in the west fields, that's why I was doing my drinking here."

I shake my head, "Well next time you want to get sloshed come by the cottage when I am home and we will tilt one back together. Drinking alone is sad."

"You are sho on!"

We turned and started making our way back towards the farm house. As we walked I decided to broach a subject that had been weighing on my mind for some weeks. "Dash?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you think of Fluttershy and I officially adopting Scootaloo?"

Rainbow Dash was surprisingly OK with the idea. While Dash was her legal guardian now, as stipulated by the Heart's will, she could also choose to appoint and sponsor new adoptive parents. We discussed the issue at length the following day while Fluttershy and Scootaloo were at the market. We both agreed the little filly needed a stable home with two parents and assuming Fluttershy was on board with the idea that is what she would have. I asked Dash to return the next day after I had discussed it with Shy.

Scoots and Shy returned home with groceries while I was in the kitchen preparing a spaghetti dinner. Fortunately I hadn't needed any ingredients we didn't already have in stock. Over dinner my two mares regaled me with their day at the market. Fluttershy saw some new herbs that she thought she could make medicines with for her patients and I made note to budget for them. Scootaloo meanwhile was talking about how she nor the other Crusaders had seen much of Spike lately and Twilight had mentioned he wasn't receiving visitors. I promised her that I would look in to it when I resumed my training with Twilight after Winter Wrap up.

The night wore on and my little filly soon started nodding off. I picked her up and took her upstairs, tucking her in her bed. Planting a gentle kiss on her forehead I stood in the doorway watching her drift off to sleep. I felt Fluttershy slide up against me and lean her weight against my hip, "You are getting good at that." She remarked.

I smiled, "Practice makes perfect."

We made our way to the bedroom and climbed in for the night. I lay there and decided I had put the subject off long enough, "Shy."

"Mhhhmmm" came the half sleepy reply beside me.

"Do you still want a foal?"

Fluttershy perked up and rolled over resting her head on my chest, "I-if you don't mind..."

"Shy...there is a little filly in the next room who needs a mom and dad...I already talked to Dash about it..."

I was cut off by a pair of lips colliding with mine in a passionate kiss. It would seem I had two of the three answers I needed...and that second answer lasted well in to the night.

Winter Wrap up came and went and it was now mid February. It was quite the spectacle to watch the ponies literally put away a season. There was little I could contribute to the efforts with my limited magic and physical abilities so I mostly hung out with those too infirm, too young, or too old, to lend a hand hoof. Having a tablet full of books to read to the group made things go over swimmingly. Once Scootaloo was back in school Fluttershy and I met with Rainbow Dash to finalize the details of the adoption. We all three agreed it was in her best interest as Dash's aspirations for the Wonderbolts and as a reservist member would take her away from time to time leaving Scoots in our care anyway. So it came to pass on the holiday called Hearts and Hooves day, which ponies dedicate to the emotion of love, we decided that today would be the day we finally get the opinion that mattered most, Scootaloo's.

As the school bell rang signalling the beginning of the weekend, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Myself, and my now labrador-sized cat stood outside the schoolhouse watching little fillies and colts hold hooves and scamper off towards the town. After a few more moments I saw who I hopped would shortly be my daughter walk out with a short little pinto colt at her side. It looked like she was about to give him a peck on the cheek when she was us and stiffened up, her eyes going wide. Oh what I would have given for a camera...and a shotgun to clean.

"Um hey guys...what are you doing here?" She asked as the little colt scampered off like a scared rabbit. Smart lad.

"Young lady. We need to talk." I said in my best dad voice.

"What ever it is it was all Applebloom's idea!" she squeaked.

Fluttershy glared at me while Dash was having a beast of a time containing a giggle fit. Tripod sauntered over to the little filly he had grown to dwarf and curled around her giving me an unreadable look. Finally I said, "Walk with me Scoots."

We started down the road towards town hall, Fluttershy, Dash, and Tripod keeping some distance behind.

"Am I in trouble Papabear?"

"Nope."

"Then what's this about?"

"Scoots, did you like living with me and Shy during the winter?" I asked a little nervously.

"Yeah! You two are great! Fluttershy is an awesome cook but you aren't bad either! Tripod is a blast to play with and he keeps getting bigger!"

I smiled, her enthusiasm infectious.

"Scootaloo...what if...what if Shy and I wanted you to stay with us more often?"

"Well I guess that's OK as long as Dash doesn't mind."

"Scoots...what if we wanted you to live with us...permanently."

She stopped in her tracks and stood with her, watching the little cogs in her head spin as she added two plus two.

"Are...are you saying you want to adopt me?"

Fluttershy walked up beside me and Dash beside Scoots, "Yeah...I guess that's what I am saying."

Dash looked at her little sister, "What about it Scoots? They know they can never replace your real folks...but they are good people and love you just as much as I do and let's face it, they can take better care of you than I can."

Scootaloo sat there in stunned silence as for the second time in less than six months her little world was turned upside down. Fluttershy spoke up, "You don't have to decide right now and you can stay with either us or Dash as much as you want."

That seemed to snap her out of her shock, "I can still see Dash as much as I want?" She asked while looking between the three of us.

We all nodded in unison. Slowly Scootaloo got up and walked up to Fluttershy and wrapped her hooves around her neck and whispered, "Mamashy..."

We made our way to town hall and Mayor Mare smiled warmly on seeing our little group. She had been informed ahead of time about our potential visit and what it would entail. The paperwork was already waiting to be signed. The town register was officially updated to list:

Everfree Cottage

Occupants:

O'Hara, Bear Abraham - Human - Father - Town Clerk

O'Hara, Fluttershy - Pegasus - Mother - Town Veterinarian

O'Hara, Scootaloo Heart - Pegasus - Daughter - Student

I looked at the register with pride as our family grew by one that day. Next Chapter: 20 - Canticle Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 16 Minutes