Rainbow’s whimperin’ woke me up. Ah opened my eyes ta see the back of her head. Ah listened fer a minute and before I started ta fall back asleep she moved her wings, makin’ her whimper more. Her feathers brushin’ against my belly didn’t tickle, they just felt soft.

She whimpered again. Ah knew she was in pain before, but Ah didn’t think how much. Ah wonder how much more it hurts her inside known' she can't fulfill her dreams fer a month and some.

Takin’ the rainbow out’a the sky is like takin’ the apples outta my orchard.

Ah turned and rolled outta bed, shakin’ my mane from mah face and rollin’ my back, gettin’ the kinks out, ‘fore I went and walked around the bed to look into her face.

I felt the corners of my mouth tuggin’ a bit as Ah looked at her.

She was in pain.

Ev’ry time she’d move her wings she’d get the look like she was ‘bout ta cry.

Musta been horrible ta be her right now. More’n half her body hurts’n all Ah can do is give her medicine’n hope fer the best.

She whimpered again and that’s when Ah felt somethin’ I hadn’t felt fer her before. Ah felt like a mother lookin’ at her baby; all I wanted ta do was stop her pain. Ah sat and laid my hoof on her forehead.

She was cool. I felt my the right side’a my mouth smirk’n. She’s cool. That’s all she ever wanted ta be, all she ever was. She always will be.

I whispered to her. “How can Ah make ya better, my little rainbow?”

She smile a bit and sighed.

Can ya hear me in yer slumbers, Sugarcube?

I watch yer eyelids flutterin’ as ya dream. Ah hope they’re sweet dreams of ya flyin’ through the sky. Makin’ yer rainbows as ya move from cloud ta cloud.

Are ya dreamin’ of me? Of Scootaloo?

Are ya dreamin’ of our baby? Playin’ in the grass? Teachin’ her ta fly? Teachin’ her ta buck tree’s with me? Takin’ her ta school with Twilight ta learn magic?

Here I am, bein’ selfish all day tryin’ ta be strong fer the both’a us, and here ya are, the real you, safe in our bed. Our safe place. The gentle mare that’s honest and afraid. Soft and gentle. Funny and sweet.

The mare who cries from admitting her fears as much as from the powerful love we have for each other, even without gettin’ our muzzles wet.

Ah’m sorry fer makin’ ya wait weeks ta have sex, Sugarplum, Ah really am bein’ selfish; makin’ ya wait ‘til I felt like ya earned it, deserved it. Now, all Ah wanna do is make ya happy; but it ain’t right ta cause ya pain just ta get our tingles.

...

You’re so soft and sweet. Ah can’t help but pet yer mane, it’s as soft as the sides of yer feathers, softer’n any pony’d ever believe. But Ah know, it’s as soft as yer eyes when ya look inta mine.

Even if we fight, Ah can’t help but love ya more.

Oh no, please, don’t whimper. Ah know it hurts, Ah’ll get yer medicine.

Ya move yer head up and whine when Ah take my hoof from yer mane; are ya askin’ me ta keep pettin’ ya?

Ah yawn as Ah put my hoof back on yer head and pet ya again. Ya smile and moan, movin’ yer head deeper inta the pillow.

Yer in a happy place. Yer comfy right now. Ah’ll stay right here as long as Ah hafta, just ta see ya smile like that.

Ya wince and yer face pains fer a second before ya smile again. Ah let my hoof move to yer cheek and lean in ta kiss ya. You purse yer lips when mine touch yours.

Ya have such soft lips.

Yer breath smells like the apple treats Ah gave ya before Ah cooked Scoots and me dinner and ya spent some time alone.

Alone again. Tryin’ ta solve yer troubles by yerself? Sugarplum, ya know we’re here fer ya. Me. Scoots. Our friends.

Oh, Celestia, what’re we gonna tell ‘em? Ya got pregnant by accident? That won’t fly. Darlin’, Ah think yer right, maybe we should wait a tick ‘fore we tell ‘em all. Hearths Warmin’. That’d be the perfect gift.

I take my hoof from yer face and sigh. The moonlight from behind ya, the window ya let me look out when I turn away from yer side’a the bed, shined through yer mane at just the right way ta make it look like ya have a halo.

“Mah angel; the best thing ta happen ta me,” I whisper again as I get up and go around the bed again.

I get in and you whine.

“A~J?”

“Yeah, Rainbow?” Ah ask quietly as Ah lay my head on the pillow.

Ya move and whinney as ya turn over. It must hurt so much…

“Ouch,” you say with a smile as yer sleepy eyes look at me, “AJ, I’m scared again,” ya say. Yer voice cracks as yer eyelids start to close again.

“Scared’a what?” I ask as I reach my head down and bite the blankets, pullin’ ‘em up and layin’ my head down. Darn hair, I think as I move ‘em outta my face and behind my ears.

Ya yawn and as yer eyes close ya say it. “Of bein’ without you.”

Then yer asleep.

I feel my heart beating. I swear I can hear your heartbeat.

My deepest dreams never held anything as amazing as you.

Ah choked back tears as Ah watched yer eyes flutterin’ again. You swirled in my vision as tears began to spill from me and I to cover my muzzle with my hoof, and it doesn’t work. I start cryin’, lookin’ at ya as you sleep and can’t help but fall so deep in love with ya; more than I didn’t know was missing before.

Rainbow Dash, I think as I swallow and start to compose myself, Ah’ll love ya for the rest of my life, and beyond.

Ah start ta fall asleep looking at you. You’ll be in my dreams tonight, and tomorrow Ah’ll take care’a you, like a good wife should.

This is one of my three favorite chapters of this entire story. It seems to hold everything that Applejack and Rainbow feels in such a short chapter.