As they entered the second month of pregnancy, Blue and Mist were starting to ease into their situation. What had seemed so terrifying a few weeks ago was almost tame at the moment (though Mist's bizarre cravings tested Blue's resolve, as he was often called on to go out and buy the unusual foodstuffs). Even the morning sickness was being taken in stride.

The foal was starting to show, but Mist continued her studies at the castle, reasoning that they were hardly the most exhausting activity in the world, so she didn't need to lay off them just yet. Blue was just fine with this, figuring that Mist would prefer to be doing what she loved, rather than sitting around all day. For quite some time, he would occasionally take time off from the bar to come visit her, and the present was no different.

After being allowed through the main gates, Blue made his way to the castle library, knowing without a doubt that Mist would be there. Sure enough, she was seated at a table in the middle of the room, one hoof holding a book, and another stroking their ever-growing stomach. A cup of herbal tea and a plate of wheat biscuits with treacle and marmalade on top (another one of her cravings) sat on the table in front of her. Smirking widely, Blue snuck up on Mist, using his wife to lift him off the floor a few inches. He hovered across until he was just behind Mist, then gently placed his hooves over her eyes.

"Guess who?" He whispered in her ear.

"Hmm..." Mist said playfully. "Let's see... strong hooves, gorgeous voice... could it be... that dashing fellow, Trenderhoof?"

"Yeah, right." Blue snorted, as he removed his hooves. "That guy wishes he had moves like mine!"

"Hi, Blue." Mist hugged her coltfriend. "So glad you could visit."

"What can I say?" Blue chuckled. "You're not the only one with cravings. And right now, I've got a fierce craving for those tasty lips of yours."

"Then come and get 'em." Mist purred.

"With pleasure." Blue embraced her, and the couple indulged in a minute-long makeout session.

Eventually, they pulled apart slightly, still holding each other in their hooves.

"Not that I'm complaining, but shouldn't be working at the bar?" Mist asked.

"Thought I'd take an early lunch today." Blue smiled. "One of the benefits of running your own business. Means I don't have to wait until the end of the working day to see you."

"Smart thinking." Mist beamed.

"Good book?" Blue asked, pointing out the tome Mist had been reading.

"Really good." Mist nodded. "'The Rise And Fall Of Griffonstone'. It's a fantastic record of Griffonstone's history."

"I'll have to take your word for it." Blue shrugged. "History books are a real yawner for me. Seriously, I've never been able to read more than two pages before passing out from boredom."

"Poor baby." Mist nudged him playfully. "You don't know what you're missing."

"Says you." Blue nudged her back. "But if that boring junk makes you happy, who am I to judge?"

"That's what I love about you." Mist beamed. "You're always so supportive."

"That's kind of in the coltfriend job description." Blue pointed out.

"True." Mist chuckled.

After spending the next twenty minutes together, Blue was forced to return to the bar.

"Gotta go, babe." He sighed. "Enjoy your books."

"I will." Mist planted one last kiss on him.

As Blue made his way through the castle corridors, he crossed paths with Shine.

"Hey, Blue." Shine smiled. "Nice to see you."

"You too, Shine." Blue grinned. "I just dropped in pay Mist a visit."

"Of course." Shine nodded. "How are things between you guys right now?"

"As good as you can expect." Blue shrugged.

"You handling your... situation okay?" Shine asked. "I know it can be tough, expecting a foal."

"We're hanging in there." Blue smiled. "Well, I gotta get going..."

"Can I have a quick chat with you?" Shine asked. "In private?"

"Ah, geez, I'm kinda in a rush." Blue frowned. "I've gotta get back to the bar..."

"It'll only take a minute or two." Shine promised. "Please? It's important."

"Okay, fine." Blue gave in. "Just make it quick."

"Will do." Shine looked around for a suitable place for their private talk, settling for an empty study. "In here."

Blue followed Shine into the study.

"So, what's the important thing you wanna talk to me about?" Blue asked.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't think you're taking Mist's pregnancy seriously enough." Shine said bluntly.

"...Excuse me?" Blue raised a brow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You both seem to be acting like nothing's really changed." Shine declared. "You're only seeing each other as often as you did before the pregnancy."

"And your point would be?" Blue asked.

"My point is, neither of you seem to be taking this matter seriously enough." Shine declared. "Especially you."

"Me?" Blue frowned. "What did I do?"

"It's not what you did, it's what you're not doing." Shine said sternly.

"Come again?" Blue asked.

"You're Mist's coltfriend, not to mention the father of her foal." Shine declared. "You're supposed to watch out for her, support her protect her..."

"That's just what I'm doing!" Blue protested.

"But you're not doing nearly as much of that as you should be." Shine countered. "I expected more from you, Blue. I thought you'd be a dutiful and unflinchingly protective carer for my little sister in this most trying of times. But I'm disappointed to say you've fallen short of my expectations. Instead of tending to Mist's every need, you've barely acknowledged her needs at all."

"Now wait a minute..." Blue growled.

"You're a sorry excuse for both a coltfriend, and a father to be." Shine shook his head. "For shame."

"Oh, yeah?" Blue said defensively. "And what exactly gives you the right to judge me?"

"The fact that Mist is my little sister." Shine retorted. "And no matter how old she gets, it's my duty as her big brother to look out for her."

"Look, I'm doing everything a supportive coltfriend can do." Blue declared. "I help her through her morning sickness, I pick up food when she has cravings, and I take time out of work to come visit her."

"That's all well and good." Shine admitted. "But it's not enough."

"Then what exactly am I missing?" Blue asked petulantly.

"You need to be more active regarding Mist." Shine declared. "You need to keep a close eye on her, just in case anything goes wrong."

"What makes you think something could go wrong?" Blue asked.

"Pregnancy can be unpredictable." Shine frowned. "Anything could happen."

"Did anything go wrong when Celestia had Miracle?" Blue asked.

"No. But we were lucky." Shine defended, as his expression turned dark, "But my mom wasn't. There were some... complications when she was carrying Mist."

"What kind of 'complications'?" Blue asked.

"Everything was okay for a good long while. Mom had very little in the way of mood swings, the morning sickness was tough at first, but eased off before long, and her cravings were for food we could easily get." Shine recalled. "Then, one month before it should have happened, mom's water broke, and Mist came early."

"Mist was a premature birth?" Blue gaped. "Nopony ever told me..."

"It's a sensitive subject." Shine declared. "In fact, it's because she came out prematurely that Mist's immune system is the way it is. Mom later told me that it was because of the number of times she got sick throughout her pregnancy due to her own bad immune system that Mist was born a month early. She herself had been born too early. If the same thing happened to her and Mist, it stands to reason that the same thing could happen to your foal."

"Okay, I get it..." Blue frowned.

"Do you really?" Shine asked with a frown. "Because I still remember the months after Mist was born. Mom and dad were both so tense and worried bout her, knowing that she was so frail and vulnerable. Whenever something went wrong, like Mist losing her appetite, or getting a fever, they both came close to tears. Dad took it the hardest. No matter what, he always thought he hadn't done enough to protect Mist, and keep her safe and well. Every time she fell ill, he'd spend his nights blaming himself, calling himself things like 'unfit father' and 'poor excuse for a parent', and nothing mom and I could say or do could convince him otherwise." His eyes grew misty for a moment, before he shook his head. "That is why you need to be keeping a closer eye on Mist. I don't want you or her to go through the same thing."

"Look, with all due respect, I think you're taking the 'protective brother' thing just a feather too far." Blue declared. "I know Mist, and the last thing she'd want is somepony hovering over her all the time, waiting for her to sneeze or something. Besides, Mist is tougher than you think."

"I know how tough Mist is. Out of anypony, I would know." Shine retorted. "But the foal might not be. Can you honestly say that you're sure nothing will happen to it? That some unforeseen event won't occur, causing damage to the foal, or worse?"

"Well, I..." Blue mumbled, shaken by Shine's words.

"Do you want that to happen?" Shine asked. "For you to lose the foal, or even Mist, because you didn't think you needed to watch out for them?"

"No, of course I don't!" Blue yelled.

"Then you think about what I said." Shine said sternly. "You think long and hard." He marched towards the door. As he reached it, he stopped and turned to Blue, as his stern expression softened. "I know you think I'm being overprotective, but I'm saying this for your benefit, too. I can't make you do the right thing here. I just have to point you in the right direction, and hope you come to the right conclusion. Good luck."

As he walked back to Blazin' Blues, Blue couldn't help but focus on Shine's words. What if he was right? What if something terrible happened to Mist, or the foal, because he wasn't keeping a close enough watch on them?

Once Blue opened the tavern back up, he found that Luxury was his first customer of the afternoon.

"Hi, Blue." He smiled. "How are things?"

"Y'know... the usual." Blue declared.

"I saw you on your way to castle earlier." Luxury grinned. "Spending some alone time with the little lady, huh? Yeah, I was down there this morning, paying Constell a visit. So, how about some of that premium cider you've got in the back?"

"Coming right up." Blue smiled half-heartedly.

Blue fetched a bottle of the cider, and poured it into a tankard. Luxury gulped it down in seconds.

"Ah, that's good." He lipped some bits onto the counter. "Same again, please?"

"For you pal, anything." Blue refilled the tankard, less than enthusiastically.

"Something wrong, Blue?" Luxury asked. "You look a little... out of it."

"Ah, it's nothing." Blue shrugged. "Just feeling a little... overwhelmed at the moment."

"I don't blame you." Luxury admitted. "A surprise foal on the way is enough to overwhelm anypony. If you ask me, you're dealing with it better than I could."

"You're just saying that." Blue frowned.

"No, really." Luxury declared. "If Constell suddenly became pregnant, I honestly don't know what I'd do. I'd totally lose it. But you? You'll handling this really well."

"You think?" Blue said sarcastically. "Expecting a foal is no picnic, you know."

"I know, but..." Luxury started.

"And you're right." Blue scowled. "You don't know what you'd do. You don't have a clue. There's no way of knowing how you'll react to something like this until it's out in the open, when all the responsibility and worry is on your shoulders."

"...Did I come at a bad time?" Luxury winced.

"...No, it's cool." Blue sighed. "Sorry, pal. I just needed to vent."

"No worries." Luxury waved his hoof. "It's better than getting it all bottled up inside."

"How about another cider? On the house." Blue offered.

"Yes to the cider, no to the freebie." Luxury said firmly. "I may be your friend, but this is still a business you're running. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't pay my way like anypony else."

"Suit yourself." Blue shrugged, filling the tankard once.

Luxury downed the third serving.

"Well, I'd better get going." Luxury sighed. "Mom and dad are holding this charity garden party, and they're expecting me to help with the set up."

"Yowch." Blue chuckled. "Too bad for some, huh?"

"You said it." Luxury sniggered, as he headed for the door. "Catch you later, pal."

Once Luxury departed, Blue was once again alone with his thoughts. Without Luxury to help take his mind off things, what happened at the castle started to flood his mind again.

'Just when I thought I was getting it together.' He thought. 'Just when I thought I was easing into this expectant parent thing... bam! It's all turned topsy-turvy. I want to give Mist her space, but what if Shine's right? What if something goes wrong when I'm not around? What if Mist or the foal get hurt, because I wasn't there to watch over them?'

Sighing deeply, Blue buried his face in his hooves, his confidence shattered.

Just as Blue was closing up the bar for the evening, he got a pleasant surprise; Mist had come by to meet him.

"Hi, Blue." Mist smiled. "Thought I'd drop by and surprise you, the way you did me."

"Hey, Mist." Blue said, forcing a smile.

"Is everything okay?" Mist asked, finding her usually upbeat coltfriend in low spirits.

"Everything's fine." Blue declared. "But what about you? Were there any... problems today?"

"Nope." Mist shook her head. "Not a problem."

"Great." Blue smiled with relief. "Say, do you want to stay over at my place tonight?"

"Okay, sure." Mist nodded. "Just let me go to the castle and let them know."

"I'll come with you." Blue offered, deciding to take Shine's advice to heart.

"Why?" Mist asked. "It's not exactly a two-pony job."

"I... just can't stand to be apart from you any longer." Blue stretched the truth, planting a kiss on his marefriend's cheek.

"Well, when you put it like that..." Mist blushed. "Okay, you're on."

Blue walked with Mist back to the castle. Outside the gates, Mist talked to one of the guards.

"Kindly let the others know that I'll be staying over at Blue's tonight." She declared.

"Yes, your highness." The guard bowed.

Blue noticed Shine looking at him through the window, giving him a silent nod of approval.

Once they made their way to Blue's apartment, Blue rushed around, gathering up cushions and placing them on the couch.

"There you go." He smiled. "A nice, soft spot for you to relax on."

"Thanks, Blue." Mist smiled.

"Anything for you." Blue grinned. "How about a back rub?"

"Ooh, yes please..." Mist smiled. "My back's been killing me..."

"Not for much longer." Blue declared.

After delivering a back rub, Blue brushed Mist's mane.

"What's gotten into you?" Mist chuckled. "You're suddenly so attentive..."

"Nothing's gotten into me." Blue countered. "I'm just doing everything I can to make you comfortable."

"And I appreciate that," Mist smiled.

"How about some soup?" Blue offered.

"I'd love some." Mist beamed.

Blue rushed into the kitchen and prepared from leek and onion soup.

"Oh, that does look good..." Mist reached for it.

"No need to put yourself out, babe." Blue told her. "I've got this."

Blue dipped a spoon into the soup, blew on it, then fed to Mist.

"That's really sweet of you." Mist told him. "But I can feed myself."

"Don't get up." Blue urged. "You just relax. That's the best thing you can do for the foal. Let dutiful dad-to-be Blue take care of everything."

"Okay..." Mist frowned, nonplussed, as Blue offered another spoonful of soup.

Blue only got worse from there. Everything time Mist tried to get up, he would stop her, offering to get it himself (and refusing to take "no" for an answer). As the time came for bed, he practically carried her into the bathroom, and even offered to brush her teeth for her.

"I can brush my own teeth, thanks." Mist said irritably.

"I know." Blue nodded. "Just offering to help."

"Well kindly don't." Mist growled.

As they got into bed, Blue let Mist get in first, then eased in himself.

"Good night." He smiled.

"Night." Mist kissed him.

After placing her head on the pillow, Mist found herself lacking in comfort, and eased herself to the side. Blue suddenly sat upright.

"What's wrong?!" He asked, his face ashen with worry.

"Nothing." Mist frowned. "Just trying to get comfortable."

"Oh. Okay." Blue said sheepishly.

As Mist lay back in bed, trying to get to sleep, she stretched out, making a groaning noise as her tired joints stretched. Barely a second later, she felt Blue's hoof on her shoulder.

"Everything okay?" Blue whispered.

"It's fine." Mist scowled.

"Alright." Blue stroked her side. "Night."

As Mist laid back down, her stomach growled slightly, the soup she had earlier settling.

"What was that?!" Blue yelped.

"Okay, that's it!" Mist groaned, turning on the bedside lamp. "What is going on with you? Ever since we got there, you've been treating me like I'm made out of glass or something!"

"I'm just making sure you're okay..." Blue said feebly.

"You didn't need to make sure so much yesterday." Mist growled. "So what happened between then and now?"

"Well, I..." Blue sighed. "Shine and me... we had a little talk."

"Oh no." Mist rolled her eyes. "Is he the one who put this in your head?"

"He just told me about what happened when your mom had you." Blue told her. "And that I should be keeping a closer eye on you."

"I'm going to kill him..." Mist snarled. "When is he going to realize that I'm not a helpless filly anymore?"

"He has a point, though." Blue pointed out. "I mean, you do have that whole 'weak immune system' thing going on. If something went wrong with you or the foal, and I wasn't there to help, I'd never forgive myself."

"I understand that." Mist smiled. "But all this fussing and watching over me is just too much. It's starting to stress me out, and stress is bad for the foal, too."

"It is, isn't it?" Blue gulped.

"And if something did happen, I wouldn't be completely helpless." Mist continued. "And even if you're not with me, I have friends and family to watch out for my well-being. They care about me just as much as you do... even if some of them are a little overbearing."

Blue's worries started to fade, the light of Mist's reasoning clearing his clouded mind.

"You're right, babe." Blue said sheepishly. "Guess I let Shine's warnings get inside my head."

"He means well." Mist admitted. "But he's still gonna get an earful from me tomorrow."

"Sorry about all the coddling tonight, by the way." Blue apologised.

"Honestly, it wasn't all bad." Mist shrugged. "That back rub was heavenly..."

"Well in that case, I'll have more for you in future." Blue smirked.

"Goody." Mist grinned.

"But you know, Shine wasn't totally wrong." Blue declared. "I really should be watching out for you more, but not enough that you feel suffocated. Just enough to be sure you're okay."

"The middle ground." Mist summarised. "Sounds perfect to me."

"And me." Blue grinned.

"Now, let's get to sleep at last." Mist remarked, switching off the lamp. "This mess has totally worn me out."

"Me, too." Blue sighed. "All this concern has worn me out." He kissed Mist. "Night, babe."

"Goodnight, my noble protector." Mist joked, as she returned the kiss.

As they snuggled back under the covers, Blue wrapped his hooves protectively around Mist. Mist didn't complain, instead nuzzling deeper against him. She really couldn't ask for a better coltfriend, even if he had been briefly led astray by her brother's advice.