She was Rainbow Dash. She wasn't afraid of anything. She was a legend a thousand times over. She had faced down mad gods, kicked a dragon in the face and brought back one of her best friend's from the brink of a psychotic breakdown. She had pulled off the legendary sonic rainboom and was the fastest Pegasus in all Equestria. The only reason she hadn't been flat out declared a Wonderbolt was because she hadn't yet passed her twenty-first birthday. When she did, she wouldn't be surprised if she became a captain right off. She didn't fear anything. Things feared her.

So, why was she standing in front of this damned door, her hoof raised in the air, just about to knock on it, shaking? She was Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash didn't shake. She gave the lightest of taps on the door. She didn't wait for a reply. Her hooves left the cloud and then she was off, soaring through the sky. Shame and guilt and an inwardly directed anger welled up inside of her. She bucked every cloud she came across till the sky was clear for miles. Still she flew, faster and faster, till sweat was pouring down her brow. Her lungs begged for air, but she didn't even begin to slow.

Stupid, stupid, STUPID! She cursed herself as she flapped her wings. She almost slammed into a mountain, veering up at the last minute. She knew she'd have to calm herself. Angry flyers made stupid mistakes. She slowed her flying, spreading out her wings and letting the wind flow between her feathers. She floated over the hills letting the wind blow away her worries, focusing only on the cocoon of air all around her.

…

"Daddy, Daddy, I'm doing it! I'm flying!"

"That's my girl!"

The elder Pegasus floated just under the little filly. She fell as her wings gave out and he caught her on his back. She smiled, wrapped her hooves around his neck and rested her face in his mane.

…

Dash softly landed on the hill. The wind had washed her mind of her guilt and anger for only a moment. She couldn't stop thinking of her father and every thought of him was like a thorn of guilt piercing her heart.

…

"The fires of friendship lives in our heart,

As long as it burns we will not drift apart…"

The smell of cinnamon cookies baking wafted through the house. Little Dash sat between her parents as they all sang the familiar carol. The winter wind whipped snow around their cloud-cottage, but between her parents she felt safe and warm.

…

She growled again. She kept having those stupid dreams about her dad. This morning she had woken up with tears in her eyes and that Hearth's Warming Carol stuck in her head. The winter was coming and Hearth's Warming inched ever closer. And every passing night the dreams became more intense. She wondered if she could get an audience with Luna. She had flown so far out. Getting to Canterlot shouldn't be a problem. As usual, the minute the thought sprang into her mind she put it into action. She was halfway to Canterlot before she started wondering about the logistics of getting an audience with the younger princess. The spires and flags of the great city were coming into view when she decided she didn't care about no logistics. Logic and reason had never stopped her before. She landed before the palace gates.

"Halt!" Called out a guard. "State your business."

"I'm Rainbow Dash and I need to see Princess Luna."

The two guards exchanged a look. "For what reason?"

Dash pawed nervously at the ground. "It's personal."

"You are an element bearer, correct?" One of the guards asked. "Loyalty if I'm not mistaken?"

"No, I'm the element of awesomeness." Dash responded, grinning.

The guard gave her a stern look.

"Sheesh, I was just kidding. Yeah, I'm loyalty."

"The princesses have ordered us to always give priority to any element bearers. Come with me."

The guard led her to the castle and through several winding halls till the pair reached a silver door with a golden crescent moon on it. The guard knocked on the door.

"Your Highness, Rainbow Dash is here to see you."

The door opened revealing a small, blue alicorn. She smiled warmly at the Pegasus.

"Welcome, Rainbow Dash. Please, come in."

Dash followed Luna into her room. The room was filled with bookshelves. A single desk was placed to one side with a set of scrolls placed on it. Luna trotted to her bed and sat down, motioning for Dash to do the same.

"What troubles you, Lady Dash?"

"Well, lately, I've been having these dreams. And I know you helped Scootaloo out with her nightmares."

"Describe these dreams." Luna said.

"I'm falling in them. And my dad is reaching for me. But I can't get to him. He disappears and…I fall into darkness. It's totally lame."

Luna gave her a questioning look. "What is your relationship like with your father?"

Dash looked to the ground. "We had an argument cause I did something stupid. We haven't talked in two years. At first it was cause I was mad at him, but then…I guess I feel bad about it."

"Your subconscious is trying to tell you to mend your relationship with him. I am nearly immortal as is my sister and our family. You are not. If you miss your chance to reconcile you will regret it."

Dash gulped. "I know. But I'm afraid. I said some things that were pretty unforgivable. Mom keeps saying he misses me, but…"

"Lady Dash, I stole my sister's cake, read her diary and tried to overthrow her and plunge the world into eternal darkness. The minute I was defeated she offered me unconditional mercy. Because that's what families do."

"I'm just…I'm afraid, alright?"

Luna was quiet for a while. "When I was brought back I was consumed with guilt. I just wanted to stay in my room and not come out. My sister spent an entire day in bed with me. She refused to leave my side. I spent an entire day in her embrace." She grinned. "The next day she got impatient and dragged me out of bed by my tail. She refused to give up on me. Because she really had forgiven me. If we could reconcile after the falling out we had I'm certain you can reconcile with your father."

Dash thought about the princess' words. "Yeah, you're right." She stood up. "Thanks for the talk."

"Anytime, Lady Dash."

…

Once again Dash stood at her father's door, memories of the last time she stood here playing out in her mind. She knocked on the door and, with every ounce of willpower she had cultivated in her long career as an athlete, forced herself not to fly away.

"Okay, who keeps knocking on my d-Rainbow Dash?" The Pegasus stallion that answered the door asked. He had the same rainbow mane as the younger Pegasus though he had a darker colored coat and was taller. He also looked older.

Older than when Dash had last seen him. It'd only been two years, but she didn't remember the wrinkles around his golden eyes.

"H-hi, Dad."

Rainbow Blaze swooped her up in his wings. She stood in the embrace, surprised, but then hugged him back.

"It's been a long time." She murmured, laying a head on his shoulder. If anyone asked she got something in her eyes in that moment and that's why she suddenly started crying on her father's shoulder while he cradled her in the embrace of his wings. He wiped away her tears, then his own.

"Please, come in." He said, as if afraid she would vanish if she didn't step inside immediately. As she walked inside she noticed not much had changed in the past two years. There was still the same old coffee table, the same old sports posters, the same old pictures of her parents and herself when she was a filly sitting on a shelf. She smiled at one where she was standing on her dad's head. She was certain she was the cutest filly ever.

"Make yourself at…" He trailed off. An awkward silence descended. She was home, her home as it had been her ancestor's home as far back as anyone could remember. She felt both completely at ease here and completely out of place.

"I guess I should say sorry." Dash started, staring at the ground.

"It's okay, Dash. I shouldn't have yelled at you back then. I guess I was wrong." He said.

"No you were right. I couldn't get anywhere without a degree from a flight school. I had to go back. I'm actually in a program right now. You and mom were freaking right and I was a freaking idiot. But you raised me so I guess that shouldn't surprise you."

"You're not an idiot Dash. You may have made a bad decision, but that doesn't make you an idiot. Besides, it's not like you aren't accomplished. I heard you became an element bearer and won the best young flier's competition. I'm proud of you."

Dash smiled. "Yeah, I guess I did turn out pretty awesome. Thanks to you."

The awkward silence returned.

"You could have visited me, y'know." Dash said.

"I thought you were mad at me."

"I thought you were mad at me."

They both looked away from each other, shuffling hooves.

"Oh for Poseidon's sake. Let's just admit we were both stupid. Wanna go for a fly?" Dash finally asked.

"That's my girl." Blaze said, grinning. They both walked out and spent the rest of the day showing off their flying stunts to one another.

(A/N-Nerd cred to anyone that can guess why I had Dash swear by Poseidon.)