The pegasus and the earth pony trotted through the gates to Sweet Apple Acres at a snail's pace. Not so much because of the cart Applejack was pulling, but because the sky blue pegasus couldn't walk straight on her own and had her body weight pressed against her best friend. Every so often the flustered filly would nuzzle into Applejack's neck resulting in a blush from the mare before a smirk crossed her maw.

"Hey Applejack?"

The first words out of the mare drew a confused look from the farmer before she realized Rainbow Dash was actually speaking and not just muttering to herself. "What's up, sugarcube?"

"Wh... what am I gonna do now?" The prismatic mare gave her friend a longing look knowing that the Element of Honesty would tell her what she needed to hear.

"Well, Ah recon yer gonna get some chow in ya an' a shower, an' get yerself some sleep." She knew what Rainbow meant, but she also didn't know what answer to tell the flustered pegasus. Her dreams had come crashing down around her. It was no fault of her own, but it happened none the less. Applejack had no idea if she'd get a second chance or if she'd be forced to something else.

Rainbow Dash gave AJ a deadpan stare before calling her out on her blatant dismissal of the question. "You know what I mean, AJ." She leaned into the earth pony and gave her a nuzzle along her cheek, garnering a blush that would give Big Mac a run for the color of his coat. "But thanksh..."

Unhitching the cart from her back as she got to the front door, Applejack lead her friend inside, sitting her at the table. Big Macintosh was still working the fields, Granny Smith was asleep in her rocking chair, and judging by the absent sounds of chaos the crusaders were off wreaking havoc somewhere else. Grabbing a plate of apple cobbler and a glass of water, she set the two before Rainbow as she sat with her at the table. Rainbow struggled to keep her eyes open and her face off of the plate as she began what seemed like an overly complicated process to eat what was before her.

"I just don't get it, AJ... I mean I... thish... *hic* it was all I had. I let you down. I let our friendsh down... I've got nothing to go back to. I'm alone here. All the washted time passing everything else by for what, a shtupid dream?" The mare was clearly fighting back tears as the corners of her eyes glistened. Her resolve held fast and no tears fell.

AJ sat across from her friend a concerned look on her face. Scooting her chair closer to Rainbow she draped a foreleg over her shoulders and wrapped the teary eyed pegasus in a tight hug. "It weren't stupid, Rainbow. If it's yer dream it ain't stupid, an' yer not alone. Ya got me an Twi, Shy, Pinkie, Rares... we ain't goin' anywhere ya hear?"

The corners of Rainbows muzzle turned up ever so slightly before falling back down at Applejack's words. "Thanks AJ, but that's not really what I meant." A confused expression washed over Applejack, her eyes softening and brow raised trying to understand.

"It's jusht... empty. My family ish all... we're not that close anymore. I guessh I always planned on getting a fresh start with the Wonderbolts... start over... meet new ponies beshides you guys... meet somepony..." Rainbow's eyes glazed over before she turned away, fighting the tears that threatened to cascade down her cheeks.  Applejack just squeezed her closer.

"Shhhh sugarcube, it'll be alright." Leaning into the hug she nuzzled Rainbow close. "Ya wanna get cleaned up or do ya just want ta go to bed? Whatcha wanna do, Dash?" The pegasus' head bobbed in defeat as she fought away the sleep.

"Well Ah recon that answers that. C'mon now, let's get you upstairs and ta bed." Helping support her flightless friend the two slowly made their way up the stairs. Stopping outside the guest room, AJ quietly opened the door before walking Rainbow inside to the edge of the bed.

"All right now sugarcube. Time for bed. You just rest up and I'll be here for ya in the mornin'... heck I'll be here all night if ya need me. Just holler mmk?"

Her flanks on the bed, legs still wrapped over AJ, the mare looked towards her best friend. "mmmm thanksh. G'night AJ..." before letting go she leaned in and kissed the farmer quickly on the nose. Leaving the stunned earth pony in a state of shock she leaned back and rolled under the covers, her snores starting almost immediately.

AJ brought a hoof to her nose. Did she just... but she.... Ah thought she.... Stallions? But I... does she know? A relentless cavalcade of thoughts crossed her mind before a smile crept up on her maw. She slowly backed out of the room. Closing the door she turned her back to the wall and slid down to her haunches, sitting in the hallway. What in the hay just happened?

Big Macintosh trotted into the house. Taking off his yoke with a grunt as he hung it in it's place by the door he saw his sister sitting at the top of the stairs. "AJ? Ya alright?" It took several seconds before he even caught a reaction from the mare.

"Hmm what?" Being snapped out of her confusion the orange earth pony slowly rose to her hooves and quickly slipped down the stairs towards the kitchen. "Oh, hey big brother. Yeah, Ah'm alright Ah guess. Just confused." Grabbing a glass of water she sat at the table, the condensation dripping slowly to the wood below.

"Well Ah recon it must be somethin' a might heavy given how out of it ya seemed. Wanna talk about it?" Big Macintosh's deep voice resonated through the kitchen having an a calming effect on the troubled pony.

"Thanks Big Mac, but Ah uh... Ah think this is somethin' Ah'm gonna have to figure out on mah own."

Big Mac watched his sister as he saddled on over to the table. Her words told him "no" but as he watched her head drop and her eyes focus on the water glass--or rather anything in the room other than himself--he could tell something was definitely not right. "Well Ah recon you'll be able ta figure it out. But if'n ya need me, Ah always got an ear for ya, lil' sis." He smiled, hoping to bring some comfort to her.

"Thanks Big Mac, Ah just.... need some time." Giving an uneasy smirk she attempted to paint a picture of serenity on her face.... the opposite seeming to be true. Rather than press the issue, Big Mac seemed to sense her uneasiness and said exactly what she needed to hear.

"Eeyup." He trotted to the next room, leaving his sister to her thoughts.

"Hey Big Mac?" Applejack tried to get his attention before he left. The large stallion stopped in the doorway before sticking his head back in. "We're gonna have a guest tonight, maybe more. She's already asleep in the guest room upstairs, so if'n ya could keep it down?" Offering her best smile to him he simply nodded and walked off.

Applejack returned to staring at her now mostly empty glass of water, the dripping condensation forming a ring around the glass on the table.  Deciding that something a little stronger might better serve to calm her nerves she began a slow climb up the stairs to her room. Walking to the back corner she found the floorboard with a small knot hole in it. Providing a swift kick to the wall just next to it, the board popped up revealing a small opening in which sat a bottle of her namesake whiskey, a rusty old harmonica, and  a ticket stub from a Wonderbolts show two years prior. Picking up the ticket stub she held it to her face and sighed.

The stub was from the first Wonderbolts show that she ever went to. Actually, "went to" would be only one way to put it, more accurately it was the first Wonderbolts show that Rainbow Dash had dragged her to, begging the farmer to try and experience the excitement she felt. After her initial misgivings, the day had actually been quite wonderful. The two had spent the entire day walking around the show field enjoying a beautiful day, having silly contests with one another, and finally capped off with Rainbow sitting right up against her explaining each aerial move in detail as the Wonderbolts shattered all expectations.

Putting the stub back in its place she withdrew the whiskey bottle. Taking several long swigs of the fiery nectar she replaced the bottle as well. Walking back towards the kitchen with a slight fog she stopped outside of Rainbow's door, not quite sure if she heard a sound or not. She had not drank enough to feel buzzed, but not so little as to be completely unaffected. A warmth radiated through her enough to bring her emotions out and provide the mare with a pleasant feeling through her whole body. Her ear twitched as she placed it too the door, there was a muffled noise from inside the room. Opening the door a crack she could see a pony sized mass under the covers slowly rising and falling with each breath and sob. Not sure what had woken the sleeping pegasus, the pragmatic farmer gingerly stepped into the room. First one step, then another, closing the door behind her.

"Sugarcube, ya alright?" She took another step forward as the blue mass stopped. "Dash, what's wrong, ya can talk to me ya know."

Rainbow Dash gave a sniffle before sitting up, staring at the farmer who had nothing but concern in her eyes.  "He...hey AJ. Look, before you even say anything, I'm sorry you had to see me like this." Clearly not sober, but sobering up, her slurred speech had at least started to fade.

"Hey, 't'ain't nothin, Rainbow. Yer just havin' a rough patch is all. Yer gonna get through it, ya always do. Heck, Ah'll be here every step o' the way if'n ya want me to." She tried to give her downtrodden friend the warmest smile she could, but Rainbow's gesture earlier in the night only served to float back to her mind, flustering the farmer a tad. "Ya ain't got ta be goin' through this by yerself." The rainbow colored mare pulled AJ in to a tight hug.

"Thanks AJ. I'm just... this isn't me. I shouldn't be like this... I shouldn't be afraid to be here... to be on my own and unsure about everything. I'm Rainbow Dash! I'm supposed to be awesome!" She chuckled to herself, more in an attempt of false bravado than anything, but it was a genuine effort at least.

The farmer couldn't bear to see her friend like this. Her mind screamed one thing but her emotions another, trying to figure out the best course of action to help her best--neigh--her oldest non-familial friend. "Yer not alone..." she whispered. Rainbow looked up into her jade green eyes, trying to comprehend what she just said. Applejack just leaned forward and pressed her muzzle to Rainbow's, their lips on top of each other, neither trying to part, just savoring the closeness.

Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide as saucers, not quite sure what just happened. Pulling back after several seconds revealed the shock on her face to the orange earth pony. "Umm.... woh. Uhh... ok..." for once the chatty pegasus was at a loss for words.

Applejack stared into her magenta orbs, but what she saw made her recoil. It was fear. Uncertainty.

"Aj, I'll.... be right back." With that and a new found sense of sobriety (and stability) the pegasus dashed from the room to the bathroom down the hall, leaving AJ sitting on the edge of the bed, a mixture of pain and fear blanketed her face.

What in the hay did Ah jus' do... She had kissed her long time crush. Sure it was to make her feel better, but why did it make Applejack feel so... rotten? Years of pent up emotion and feelings spilling out in the heat of the moment, a moment she was now worried she exploited taking advantage of her friend. Ah know full well that she goes fer the stallions, what in the hay is wrong with me?

The sounds of the shower running in the background slowly came to a stop before the creaking steps of the hallway floorboards and the squeak of the door resounded through the room minutes later. Rainbow Dash came back in, her mane and tail, still wet, hung straight down, hugging every curve of her neck and flanks. Applejack had to fight to keep her eyes off of the mare as she came and sat back down next to her.

"AJ look, I-" an orange hoof silenced her muzzle.

"Rainbow, Ah'm sorry, Ah just.... Ah didn't want ya to find out this way but ya looked so hurt, so... alone. Ah wanted to be there for ya, to let ya know it'll all be ok. Ah know yer attracted to stallions an' Ah should've kept mahself in check." She sighed to herself, the cat was out of the bag now, so it was all or nothing. "Ah like ya, Rainbow, an' Ah can't bear to see ya hurtin' like ya were. But Ah don't want ta make things awkward between us... I hope ya can forgive me."

"AJ... I... don't be sorry for how you feel. Ok? I just needed to clear my head because I didn't know what to say. When this all happened you were the first pony I thought to tell and wanted to come to for a reason. I trust you and still do. I... I was hurt, still am. But it helped." She smiled at Applejack and embraced her in a hug, tightly wrapping both her forelegs around Applejack's shoulders.

"It was weird, but, I don't know. I may not be attracted to mares, but I'm attracted to you." The orange farm pony raised her chin slightly as she peered into Rainbow's eyes. Eyes that were speckled with uncertainty, with tears, but most of all, passion. "Applejack I just... I need to go to bed. Stay?"

She smiled at the earth pony, who's muzzle was now hanging slightly open. Applejack wasn't quite sure what she had just heard, whether it was a dream or real, or if she was hallucinating after getting a bad batch of the Applejack Daniels. Rainbow Dash saw the confusion and leaned forward, kissing the farmer gently before nuzzling her cheek. Applejack just nodded as the pegasus crawled under the covers. Applejack crawled in next to her and lay up against the flyer who had already closed her eyes and drifted off to a much more peaceful sleep than before. She removed her trademark stetson, placing it on the side table before saddling up next to Rainbow dash. Draping a foreleg over Rainbow before closing her eyes in contentment, she drifted off to sleep feeling the warmth of her friend and the gentle rise and fall of her chest.