In the morning, an exhausted Caramel lounged back on the couch, with Cinnamon cradled against his side as he fed her her morning bottle. "Cinnamon, I think I've been had." Caramel said out loud to the filly with a yawn. "Dr. Kind is not kind at all, he's mean, and I can't believe I let nurse Soft Touch kiss me. She's just as bad as he is, maybe even worse. I bet they're laughing right now, at having pulled this con on me." Flopping his head to the side, he looked down at Cinnamon. "And you! You knew what they were doing and you didn't warn me! So much for family loyalty." He accused the little filly, as she suckled her bottle.

Caramel let out another yawn, and shut his eyes. Nearly two days without any sleep, followed by a night of broken sleep did not make for a well rested pony. He felt himself starting to slump over as his mind drifted, and only when Cinnamon let out a plaintive cry did he jerk his eyes back open, and brought Cinnamon's bottle back to her mouth. "Sorry. I'm just a little out of sorts right now."

Cinnamon ignored him as she resumed eating. "I'll tell you what, how about tonight you feed me every couple hours and change my diaper followed by rocking me to blissful sleep. How does that sound?" The only response that Cinnamon gave was a toot as she let out a small fart. "Yeah, I knew you were too smart to fall for it." Looking out the window, Caramel could see the city as it started to wake up. The sun had just risen over the horizon, and the pegasi weather team was already busy at work clearing out the evening overcast. The sound of Cinnamon sucking on an empty bottle drew him back to the events at hoof. Setting the bottle aside, Caramel wiped the milk from her lips with a small cloth. Lifting her up to his shoulder, he began to gently pat her. During the night, he had developed a rhythm of three. Three pats, then a slight pause, before three pats again.

As he patted her back Caramel couldn't help but feel that he was forgetting something. Suddenly it hit him, the burp rag! BLURP...Too late. Caramel let out a sigh as he lowering Cinnamon down to his lap, and wiped her mouth clean with the same burp towel that he was supposed to have on his shoulder to catch the spit up that was now soaking into his fur. "Don't fret about it, it was my fault. I'll remember one of these times." He said to Cinnamon as he kissed her on her head to let her know he wasn't mad at her. "I need a bath." He commented as he sniffed at his rather sour smelling shoulder. Lifting Cinnamon up, he held her close to his face. "How would you like to join me?" Cinnamon only comment was a line of spittle that fell from her mouth. "I'll take that as a yes." Lowering her down he set off for the bathroom.

The bath was certainly an interesting experience, when done with a flatulent little filly, but Caramel managed to make it work, though not without some tears and wailing from Cinnamon, when he clumsily got soap in her eyes. Now smelling much nicer and with Cinnamon snug in her carrier, Caramel rode the trolley down to the hospital, where he met with Dr. Kind again.

"It's so good to see that she is doing well." Dr. Kind said as he tickled Cinnamon's chin.

"Well, it was a challenging night, to say the least." Caramel said while stifling a yawn.

Dr. Kind gave him a knowing smirk. "It certainly looks that way." He gave a pat on Caramel's back. "But don't worry, it'll get easier." Dr. Kind then turned and levitated a file off his desk with his magic and held it out to Caramel, his face taking on a more solemn look. "I got your sisters files ready, just take this to our legal department on the third floor. Ask for Whorl Void, he'll help you out."

Taking the file, Caramel reached around and slipped it into the diaper bag on his back. "Thank you Dr. Kind."

"Your welcome." Dr. Kind reached out his hoof for Caramel to shake. "Tell me. Do you have any regret taking her?" He asked curiously as they hooked their fetlocks and shook.

"None at all." Caramel answered simply, meeting Dr. Kind's eyes. Dropping his hoof down, Caramel started for the door. "Thank you again." He said as he opened the door.

"Take care, Caramel." Dr. Kind replied, as Caramel stepped out.

Whorl Void turned out to be a middle aged, balding unicorn with glasses. He was a bit mopey, but otherwise he was quite friendly and helpful. It took some time to work though the forms, and Cinnamon became fussy during it. Caramel was forced to cut the meeting with Whorl Void short to see to her, as she really started to kick up quite a fuss. Walking down the hospital hallway, Caramel rocked and bounced Cinnamon while murmuring to her, trying to calm her, as she kicked and wailed.

It took some time but Cinnamon was coming around, and had finally quieted down a bit, when Caramel felt somepony tap him on his shoulder. Looking up from Cinnamon he saw nurse Soft Touch's smiling face looking at him. "Hi! I heard you were here." She greeted him.

"Ah, hello nurse Soft Touch, I didn't expect to see you." Caramel greeted her warmly, surprised to find her in the administration department.

"I heard from Dr. Kind that you were here, and well..." Nurse Soft Touch's smile dropped completely, as she considered him. "I came here to ask you for some help, if your willing."

Caramel wondered what it could be that she would need his help for. Whatever it was, because of what she did for him the other day, he felt that helping her would be the least he could do to repay her for her generosity, and support. "Sure, I'll be happy to help."

At his answer, nurse Soft Touch suddenly leaped forward and hugged him. "Oh, good! Please come with me." Nurse Soft Touch trotted off down the hall, forcing Caramel to hurry after her. After a series of hallways and down a flight of stairs, she came to a stop by a closed patient's room door. Caramel was about to ask her what she needed from him, but she forestalled him by lifting her hoof. Turing she stopped a passing nurse with an unfurled wing. "Nurse Misty Eyes, would you please watch over Cinnamon here for a bit, Caramel's going to be helping me."

Nurse Misty Eyes smiled down at Cinnamon as she took her from Caramel. "She'll be hungry in an hour or so, and she was last changed about two hours ago." Caramel notified Misty Eyes, who nodded her understanding. Watching her leave with Cinnamon, Caramel then turned back to nurse Soft Touch. "Okay, I'm all yours. What is it you need?"

Nurse Soft Touch stepped closer, and set her hoof on his shoulder. "Caramel, I appreciate your agreeing to help, there is an unfortunate situation that I believe you would be very suitable in helping out with." She turned and waved her wing towards the door. "In there is a filly who is going into labor, her coltfriend got her pregnant and left her to deal with it on her own, and her parents will have nothing to do with her anymore. So she's going through this all alone, and she is a very scared filly." Nurse Soft Touch lowered her hoof from his shoulder so that she could face him directly. "Would you please go in there and spend time with her and help her out? She really needs a friend right now."

Caramel hesitated a moment, not sure what to do. What she told him of the filly in the room was heartbreaking, but he wasn't sure he was the right one to help out in this. "I'm not very good at this sort of stuff, isn't there somepony better suited for this sort of thing?"

Nurse Soft Touch draped her wing over his shoulder. "Caramel, when I heard you were here in the hospital, I went and found you because I believed that your are the most suited to help her. Caramel please, I know you can do this, she needs you." Her voice was soft, but full of a desperate need. "All I ask of you is to stay with her, help her when she needs something and comfort her. We're busy right now and we can't spend a lot of time with her. So whatever you can do to help her out would be a blessing."

Nurse Soft Touch met his eyes, pleading. Caramel felt his weak resistance crumble quickly, and he looked at the door. There was a scared filly in there who needed a friend. How could he say no to something like that? "I'll... do what I can." Nurse Soft Touch let out a relieved breath as Caramel stepped forward and opened the door before going in. She followed behind him.

In the room was a simple hospital bed, occupied by a plum colored unicorn filly, with a dark blue mane. As they walked in, she looked up at them with puffy red eyes, that showed that she had been recently crying. Quickly she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hoof, as Caramel and nurse Soft Touch approached. Caramel could see that she was young, about five years younger than him. Her pregnant belly dwarfed her small body, as she lay in the hospital bed.

"Hello Dawn Sparks, has there been any change?" Nurse Soft Touch asked as she stepped around Caramel.

Dawn Sparks sniffed and wiped at her nose. "Um..It's been hurting more, about every fifteen to twenty minutes I think, and I've been feeling a stabbing pain in my stomach." She glanced quickly at Caramel curiously before looking back to nurse Soft Touch. "Um, where's the doctor? He keeps checking on me and telling me everything's going fine, but then he leaves. I've been alone for a while now."

"I sorry about that, the doctor is busy with several patients at the moment, so he can only be with one at a time." Nurse Soft Touch said as she walked to the side of Down's bed. She gestured to Caramel with her wing. "This is Caramel, he just became a parent just yesterday, and when he heard about you, he wanted to come and see if you wanted some company."

Caramel came up on the other side of her bed and smiled down at her. When she looked at him, he could see that she was shivering. The filly had been here all alone, with nopony who cared for her sitting by her side, giving her comfort, no wonder she was so scared. Caramel's heart went out to her. "Hello Dawn, I thought you could use a friend." Caramel kept his voice warm and open, hoping to sooth her.

"Caramel is one of the sweetest stallions I know." Nurse Soft Touch added, as she stepped up next to him.

Dawn Sparks looked between nurse Soft Touch and Caramel nervously, appearing to be unsure about what she wanted. Only when her eyes locked onto Caramel's did she gave a nervous nod. "You can stay if you don't mind, that is if your not busy and all."

Hooking a nearby chair, Caramel drugged it over next to the bed, and sat down. "Not at all! I'll be happy to keep you company." Caramel kept his voice warm and friendly.

Nurse Soft Touch smiled at them and gave a happy nod. "Good! Now Caramel, while you're here would you time her contractions please, the doctor will be back shortly, I'll go and find him." She turned and quietly left the room.

Dawn Sparks nervously looked over at Caramel, her hoof fidgeting with the edge of her blanket. "So ah, you just became a father?"

"In a way, yes I did. Her name is Cinnamon Sugar, and she was born just a couple of days ago." Caramel answered. Glancing down at her hooves as they rested on her belly, he saw that they were no longer shivering. Caramel took that as a good sign that she was more at ease now.

Dawn was looking at him confused. "In a way? What do you mean by that?"

Caramel leaned forward, as he rubbed his chin. "I lost my only sister in a terrible accident, but before she passed, she delivered Cinnamon. I am the only family she has so I am going to raise her myself." As he spoke, he saw Dawn's expression shift, her eyes widened as she gaped at him.

"Alone!?" Dawn seemed shocked. She looked him up and down, taking in his young age. "But your a stallion! And you're actually willing to be burdened with a foal?"

Caramel raised his eyebrow, and leaned back into his chair. He wondered what experiences Dawn had with stallions to shade her opinions of them in such a way "Dawn, Cinnamon is my family, she needs me and I will not let her down. I will give her everything I can to make her happy, and not being her actual father, will not dissuade me from being her father." Caramel met her eyes with an inquisitive look. "Your comment surprises me, it sounds like you have a low opinion of stallions."

Dawn quickly shook her head. "No! No, it's just... I never expected..." Dawn Sparks tailed off as she looked down.

"You never expected what? That a young stallion would be willing to accept such a terrible burden?" Caramel finished for her. Dawn looked back up at him, thinking he might be mad, but saw that Caramel was grinning instead. "I'll tell you something. I don't see Cinnamon as a burden. No, she is a little gem, to be looked after and protected. It's hard work polishing gems, but I believe that its worth it in the end." Caramel said. "Don't you think so too?"

"I... I never heard a stallion talk like you before... I... wish my coltfriend had been more like you, then maybe I..." Dawn broke off, her eyes drifting down sadly. Caramel internally raged, was there no worthy stallions in her life? She deserved better! Caramel flexed his fetlock thinking of what he would do if he ever came face to face with this coltfriend of hers, for abandoning her to face this alone. That is NOT how a stallion, or colt in this case, should act.

Dawn Spark's suddenly let out a gasp and clutched at her stomach, her face scrunching up in pain. "Nnnnhgg"

Caramel stood and hesitantly touched a hoof on her shoulder. "Does it hurt bad?"

Dawn let out a grunt and vigorously nodded, unable to speak. Caramel glanced at the clock on the wall, noting the time. "The book I was reading last night mentioned how important it was to breath during the contractions." Caramel offered helpfully, as Dawn suffered through the contraction. The book he mentioned was the foal care book he was reading out loud to Cinnamon, the first chapter was on birthing. Caramel now regretted not finishing that chapter.

After a few minutes the contraction eased, and Dawn began huffing as she caught her breath. Caramel rubbed the back of her shoulder, before he sat back down. "Nurse Soft Touch told me the same thing. She even showed me what to do, but it just seems so silly, breathing all funny, like that." Dawn said with a scoff. "She probably thought that I was young enough to fall for such a silly thing, with the hope that it would actually help."

Caramel reached forward and gave Dawn a light smack to the back of her head, lightly reprimanding her. "If a nurse of many years of helping mares give birth tells you that something helps, then you should listen to her." Caramel berated her. Dawn looked up at him in surprise, her lip quivered like the was about to cry. Caramel suddenly felt horrible, he didn't mean to hurt her feelings. "Look I'm sorry for smacking you, my sister did the same thing to me whenever I was acting like an idiot, and with what you said, I felt you needed one as well." Caramel said apologetically. "Now, please show me what she showed you."

"I ah, probably deserved it." Dawn admitted sullenly. Then when she saw that he was still waiting for her to show him what nurse Soft Touch had shown her, she let out a sigh. "She told me to breath with huffing breaths like this, he he he he hooo." Caramel asked for her to do it again, this time he mimicked her as she did it. He wanted to learn it for when her next contraction came, he thought that perhaps he could urge her to follow along with him. He was here to help, and he was determined to do his best. That is how he got his cutie mark after all.

As he did the breathing exercise with her a third time, Dawn cracked a smile and started giggling. "What?" Caramel asked, as Dawn covered her mouth and boisterously laughed.

"The look of concentration on your face, while you're doing the silly breathing exercise, was really funny." Dawn said while wiping a tears from her eyes

Caramel smiled back at her. "Well I'm glad to see you laughing at something." Caramel said with a smirk. He was relieved that she was now able to laugh, she had been so scared when he had first come in, and seeing her laughing now, meant that she was doing better. Laughter was, after all sometimes the best medicine. "So, have you thought of any names for your foal yet?" Caramel asked curiously.

Dawn's smile slipped a bit, and she shook her head. "I haven't really thought about it much." She answered. Caramel could tell that she was troubled about the question.

"What's the matter?" Caramel asked with concern. "I think picking out a name is rather important."

"I know!" Dawn snapped back, before sighing. She reached down and rubbed her belly. "Its just... when this happened, it just didn't seem real, like it was a dream or something, and If I ignored it, it would just go away. I kept it from my mom and stepdad, and just pretended that it wasn't happening." Dawn flinched and shifted herself in bed. "Ow, my back is killing me."

Caramel saw the discomfort that Dawn was in as she shifted trying to alleviate the ache in her back. "Would you like it if I rubbed your back?" He offered.

Dawn gave him a grateful look. "Please! If you wouldn't mind that is." Caramel leaned over and helper her roll over onto her side, when he did, he noticed her cutie mark. A silver ring caped with a multifaceted emerald. Reaching out he began to knead her back. "Lower please." She said, and Caramel complied, and shifted himself down lower until he heard her let out a moan. Focusing on that spot in her lower back, he rubbed and kneaded it.

"I was an idiot." Down suddenly said, causing Caramel to pause for a moment.

"Everypony is at some point in their lives. It's what you do after, that matters." Caramel said, before resuming his ministrations.

"But that's just it, I kept being an idiot. Over and over again. First, I let my coltfriend pressure me into something I wasn't ready for. And then... I ignored it. Like it was something that had never occurred. But then one day it happened, I felt it..." She paused. Caramel waited, for he felt that she needed to get it out, but he didn't want to rush her. She was opening up to him, and he felt that in so doing she would let out some of her fears that she had been holding deep down. Lifting her hoof, she rubbed it on her belly once again. "I felt the foal move for the first time. It happened when I was in the middle of class, I felt the foal shift in me. It was right then, at that moment that it became truly real for me, and it scared me to death. I panicked, and ran from class, and hid in the bathroom. I cried for hours, until one of the teachers eventually found me."

Caramel listened as he worked, he could tell that what he was doing was helping her, she was more relaxed now, and she flinched less when he pressed in. "Then what happened?" He asked gently.

"My parents found out and freaked!" She exclaimed. "They yelled at me, told me that I was a shame to the family. My stepfather was all for kicking me out of the house right then and there, but mother convinced him to let me stay, at least until the foal came. My stepfather hates me, he's always has, and now that the foal is coming, he's going to kick me out, and mother isn't going to stop him this time, she's too afraid of him."

Caramel stopped rubbing her back and pulled her back over so he could meet her eyes. "What about any other family? Will any of them help you?"

"My mom has a sister, but I haven't seen her in years." Dawn let out an angry sigh. "I wish this never happened to me! This foal has ruined my life!" She slapped her hoof to the mattress next to herself angrily.

Caramel reached out and gave her a light swat to the back of her head again. Dawn looked up at him, with a slightly peeved look on her face, but Caramel didn't care, she was targeting her anger at the wrong thing. "Foals don't ruin lives, they only change them. Its up to you to decide if its to be a good change or a bad change." Caramel berated her. "I had the same thing happen to me after all. I wasn't expecting a foal in my life. At this time yesterday I was on a train, with nopony to look after but myself. And by the time I went to bed that night I was a parent to a little filly, that I never expected to inherit." Sitting back on his hunches, Caramel set his hoof to his chest. "I made a choice, and now my life is going to change drastically, and I'm not prepared for this. I just learned how to change a diaper just yesterday, and I won't even go into all the rest I had to go though, and even though it's hard, exhausting work, and at times very gross, I am going to stick with it and do the best I can, because Cinnamon needs someone to love and care for her." Caramel lightly set his hoof atop Dawns pregnant belly. "Just like this little foal you have here." Caramel lowered his voice, and spoke softly. "Your foal doesn't want to ruin your life, so blaming it doesn't do anybody any good, especially your foal."

Dawn's eyes brimmed up with tears, as his words sunk in. "Your right. I'm being an idiot again." Covering her eyes she started to wail. "I don't deserve this foal! I'm horrible! Nothing I do is ever right!"

Caramel reached forward and pulled her hooves down, and used a tissue that was sitting on a stand next to the bed to wipe at her eyes. "You're not horrible. You're just scared. But you know what? I'll tell you a secret" Caramel leaned in close. "I'm scared too."

"But you seem to be handling things just fine!" Dawn whimpered, as she allowed Caramel to dry her face.

"That's because I am not letting the fear control my actions, only to motivate my actions. But believe me when I tell you that I've had to resist finding a corner to hide in and cry." Dawn smiled at the image that played out in her mind, of him doing just that. "My life is changing and so is yours. Change happens, it's part of growing up. Your young and you're facing the wide world for the first time, but you forget that you don't have to face it alone, you have friends who can help you."

"All my friends abandoned me, and now laugh behind my back. My coltfriend dumped me and won't admit the foal is even his! Even my family won't see me! I have nopony! I'm alone in this." Dawn exclaimed, rocking her head on her pillow.

Caramel put his hoof atop hers. "You're not alone! You have me, I am your friend! Those so called friends you just spoke of that abandoned you, forget them! Friends stick with you though the troubled times, and support you! I am here right now, in your time of need being your friend, I have made this choice and I am sticking with it, because you deserve it!" Caramel made sure to keep eye contact, never letting his gaze waver as he spoke. He needed her to understand his earnestness in this.

Dawn's eyes watered up as she looked at him, suddenly she reached out and drew him into a hug, as she wept into his shoulder. Caramel remained silent, rubbing her back as she wept. Suddenly she tighten her hold and let out a gasp.

"Ahhhhh." She moaned, as she released him and fall back to her pillow, with a look of pain.

Caramel quickly looked at the clock and saw that only nine minutes had passed since the last contraction. Nine minutes! They were getting closer! Where was the doctor? Nurse Soft Touch said she was going to get him, so what was taking them? Turning back to Dawn he clamped his hoof over hers and leaned down to her. "Dawn! You need to do the breaths! I don't care how silly or stupid they seem, just do them! Here, follow me, just like how you showed me. He he he he hooo, he he he he hooo." Caramel did the breathing exercise that Dawn had showed him, and urged her to follow along. It took a few repetitions, but she finally fell in with him, and as they did it together, Caramel noticed that it did indeed seem to help her, as she appeared to be not as tensed up, while she was focused on the task.

This went on for several minutes before she started to relax and catch her breath as the contraction passed. "That one was worse than the last." She groaned out.

Caramel was feeling light headed from the breathing thing, and was trying to not to fall over. "Should I get the nurse?" He asked, steadying himself against the side of the bed

Dawn nodded. Caramel turned to leave when Dawn suddenly spoke up. "Can you also get me something to drink?"

"I'll see what I can do." Caramel assured her as he stepped out of the room. Finding a nurse, Caramel spoke to her about Dawn. The nurse agreed to have nurse Soft Touch, come by to check up on her. Caramel returned carrying a cup of water with a straw. "I got you some water, she said for you to not drink too much, but a little would be good. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like something is trying to crawl out of me." She answered glumly before giving him a weak smile. "But otherwise I feel fine, well at least for now." Caramel came up next to her bed and held out the cup for her to drink. She drained half of it before she let the straw go. "Thank you." She said in relief.

Caramel set the half full cup down next to her bed, and settled himself back into the chair. "I take it your parents haven't been very supportive of your pregnancy."

Dawn snorted in disdain. "You could say that again. My stepfather never much cared for me, and my mother has always been subservient to him, never standing up for herself. I was just lucky that he agreed to let me stay until the foal came, though I believe that he only did that because of how it would have looked, if he had kicked out his pregnant step daughter."

Caramel truly wanted to just punch her stepfather right in the face, with how angry he was feeling towards him right now. It was just so heartless with how he was treating his stepdaughter, and as for how Dawn's mother was going along with it, not even standing up for her own daughter, just made him sick. As far as he was concerned she should be stripped of the privilege of being Dawn's mother. "Do you have a place to stay?"

Dawn shook her head. "I wrote to my aunt but I haven't heard anything back from her. So I don't know what's going to happen." She paused while staring down at her belly. "I... should probably give up the foal, there's no way I can take care of it, not without a home." She said sullenly. Her eyes took on a distant look, as she slowly rubbed her belly. Her ears drooping down. "I don't know what to do."

Caramel racked his brain for what could be done to help her, if she wanted to keep the foal, he wanted to find a way to help her. There were many programs that the crown supported to help out young mothers who were in need, but the help that they provided was often inadequate, and too many young mothers failed to get the care that they truly needed.

As he considered some options, an idea came to him. "I know of a couple that would love to take you in for a bit, until you get your hooves under you that is." Caramel offered hopefully. "They're a nice couple who are like family to me. I can send a message to them if your willing to go. I know that they would gladly accept both you and your foal into their home, in fact, I know that they would just love it." Chisel Plow and Lily Pad never could have foals of their own, and Caramel knew that they would jump at the chance to help out a young mother.

Hope came go Dawn's eyes as she looked up at him. "They would do that for me?" Caramel could hear the excitement in her voice, as her ears perked up. "I...can keep my foal?"

Caramel happily nodded, glad he managed to think of something. "Of course they would, they are the nicest ponies I know. They once tried to adopt me from my sister when I was younger, just after my parents died, but my sister was too strong willed to let me go." Caramel remembered that time. Fudge was about the same age as Dawn is now, and he saw the struggle she went though right after their parents died in that fire. She worked at a diner during the day attended culinary school at night, and eventually graduated top of her class.

Dawn considered his offer, and for the first time since he came in, she looked happy. Looking up she met his gaze. "That just sounds too wonderful, I can't tell you how much this means to me. Thank you." Caramel could see the joy, that was now in her sky blue eyes as she thanked him.

Caramel was overjoyed that he was able to think of something that not only helped her, but also brought her joy and hope. Reaching over Caramel picked up the cup of water. "Would you like another drink?"

"Yes, that would be ni~..." Suddenly she paused as her face grimaced in pain. "Another contraction, and this one feels like it's going to be bad." She let out a long moan.

Already!? Caramel checked the clock. It had only been four minutes since the last contraction. Setting down the cup, Caramel hurriedly stepped up to the side of her bed. "Breathe! The breathing thing, come on follow with me." This time she quickly joined with him as they started the breaths.

The door opened and nurse Soft Touch came in. Seeing her, Caramel felt relief. "Nurse! The doctor hasn't been by yet, and her last contraction was only four minutes ago!"

"Four minutes? Things are progressing! Let's take a look." Nurse Soft Touch said as she walked up to Dawn's bed. Caramel rubbed Dawn reassuringly on her shoulder as nurse Soft Touch pulled Dawn's blanket down. Caramel realized where nurse Soft Touch was about to check and quickly turned away, blushing furiously. After a few moments nurse Soft Touch looked back up. "Well good news, you're fully dilated, so when the next contractions start up, I want you to start pushing, okay?"

The current contraction was winding down and Dawn was starting to relax and catch her breath. "What about the doctor? Isn't he going to be here?" Dawn asked, and Caramel nodded with her.

Nurse Soft Touch shook her head. "I'm sorry hun, he's doing a c section right now, so I am going to be your midwife. I've done this hundreds of times, so you're in good hooves. Nothing to worry about." Nurse Soft Touch patted Dawn and gave her a cheery smile. "I saw you were doing the breathing technique, that was very good." She praised her.

Dawn gave Caramel a grateful glance. "It was Caramel who pushed me into using it, he's been very helpful, and a truly good friend."

"Good! I knew he would be great at this." Looking over at Caramel. "Okay, now that things have settled down for the moment, this is what I am going to need you to do. Very quickly now, things are going to get rather intense, and I am going to need you to stay calm and be there for Dawn. She is going to be scared and she is going to need somepony to help reassure her and help her through this, and that is where you come in. Can I count on you to do this?" She asked seriously, meeting his eyes.

Caramel swallowed nervously before he gave her a nod. Dawn was going to need him there, and he was determined to not let her down. She was just so young and sweet, that Caramel couldn't help but feel like a big brother, needing to help out a younger sister.

"Good, and now Dawn. I want you to remember to breathe, it will be very bad if you pass out during this." She told Dawn before she turned back to Caramel. "Help me pile pillows behind her so that she is sitting up. Her next contraction will be coming very soon so we'll need to hurry."

Caramel did as she asked and helped move the pillows. Once Dawn was propped up with them, he returned back to her side, where he was surprised when Dawn nervously clasped her fetlock around his. Meeting her eyes he saw that she was afraid, so he tightened his fetlock around hers and gave her a smile.

Nurse Soft Touch positioned herself at the foot of the bed and pulled Dawn's legs apart, and when she saw Caramel blush and avert his eyes, she gave him a smirk. "Caramel, its okay to look. How else are you going to tell her what is happening. She's going to need you to be her eyes."

Caramel nervously looked at Dawn. "She's right, and you've been such a gentlecolt. I... suppose that its okay with me." She said sheepishly, as she blushed.

"Now Caramel, there are going to be things you're going to see that are going to be a bit disturbing, so whatever you do, do not faint, Dawn needs you. And second, if you think your going to throw up, there is a pail next to you under the table. And please don't miss, or I will have you clean up the mess. Do you understand." Caramel was seeing a new nurse Soft Touch. She was putting out a very commanding presence, as she took charge.

Caramel was still clasping Dawn fetlock with his own, as he nodded to nurse Soft Touch. "Got it, don't faint, and don't miss the pail. And of course to be there for Dawn, because she needs me."

"Very good! Now does anypony have any questions?" She waited a moment before she continued. "Very well. Let's get this little bundle of foal out of you then. Dawn, when the next contraction starts, I am going to need you to start pushing, okay?" Dawn glanced nervously between Caramel and nurse Soft Touch.

Dawn looked scared as things suddenly escalated, and Caramel could feel her tighten her grip, as her lip started to tremble."You're going to do great." Caramel said reassuringly to Dawn, as he squeezed her fetlock in his.

"No! I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to be a mother!" Dawn suddenly said with an edge of panic in her voice, as the realization of what was about to happen very shortly became very real to her. "I can't do this!" Her voice held a frantic edge to it, and Caramel realized that she was on the verge of a panic attack.

"You can do this! I know you can." Caramel racked his brain trying to think of something to say, that would alleviate her of her fears. "Listen Dawn, nopony is ever really ready to become a parent. It's new and scary, with so much that could go wrong. A brand new life, will be totally dependent on you, and all of your decisions will affect everything about it. All parents go through this. I am going through it and now you're about too as well. But let me tell you something that I was told by somepony very smart. All your foal really needs is a bit of food, warmth, and love, with a little cleaning mixed in." Dawn listened as he spoke, the wild look she had in her eyes slowly faded. "Look at me! If a doofus like me can do it, then you most certainly can! So quit this I can't do this talk, before you make me smack the back of your head again! You hear me!"

Dawn gaped at him. "But it's all just so much to handle? I don't know if I can do it."

Caramel waved his hoof dismissively. "Forget about the complicated details, and just focus on the simple things. Once you have a grasp on that you can move up from there. If you keep things simple, they won't overwhelm you." Caramel then gave her a smile. "And besides, you don't haft to be alone in this, I will be there to help whenever you want, all you haft to do is ask."

Dawns cheeks were flushed as she blinked at him. "I... don't know what to say. That is just the sweetest thing." Her eyes suddenly widened. "Oh my...!"

Nurse Soft Touch who was quietly listening up to this point, suddenly perked up. "Contraction? Good! Now bare down and start pushing!"

"Nggghhh!" Dawn grunted and groaned as she did what the nurse told her and pushed, Caramel felt her grip tighten, as he anxiously watched.

"Good! Keep it up, keep it up! A little more!" Caramel held onto Dawn's hoof as she bent forwards and strained.

"Aahhhggg!" Dawn let out a gasp and flopped back down panting, with sweat coating her fur. Caramel grabbed a towel and wiped her brow.

"Very good! That was a good start." She turned to Caramel. "Caramel, you did really good back there. She really needed to hear that from you."

"That's what big brothers are for." Caramel said without thinking.

"Big Brother!?" Dawn exclaimed, snapping her head over to him.

Caramel grinned and scratched at the back of his head. He had been thinking about how it would be nice to have a little sister like Dawn, and he sort of let it slip out. "Well... it's kind of nice being like a big brother to you Dawn, and I sort of just let it slip out." Caramel looked at Dawn, gauging her reaction. He was surprised to see that she wasn't snickering, or even giving him strange looks. Feeling emboldened he continued. "I lost my big sister, but with you, it feels like I just found my little sister." Caramel cast his eyes down to the floor. "I know that it sounds silly and is stupid."

"Its not silly or stupid!" Dawn exclaimed, reaching out she lifted Caramel's head up to look him in the eyes. "You've been very good to me, very much like a big brother should be, and I would be very happy indeed to have you as my brother." Dawn gave him a smile.

Caramel returned her smile. "You would?"

"I would." Hooking her hoof behind his head, she drew him closer and place a chaste kiss to his cheek, sealing the bond.

Nurse Soft Touch watched them, as she smooshed her hoof into her cheek. She was hoping that Caramel could help Dawn a bit when she brought him here, but she never expected something like this! It was so incredibly touching, and endearing, that she felt like she was going to melt on the spot! Never before had she seen such a sight, Caramel had done more for Dawn than she ever hoped he could.

Dawn clutched at Caramel as her next contraction started. Gripping him tightly she let out a painful groan. "Oooowwwwww."

"Okay Dawn! Just like last time. Push!" Nurse Soft Touch said. "Push, push, push, push."

"Hnnnggg, mnnnngh!" Caramel helped support Dawn as she bore down and pushed. Dawn's face was grimacing in pain as she strained. Finally she collapsed and panted for breath. "This...huff... is...huff... exhausting."

"You're doing very good! Just keep it up." Nurse Soft Touch praised.

Caramel held out the cup of water to let Dawn take a drink. She gave him a grateful look as she took a drink. Setting down the cup, Caramel used a towel to mop at her brow. It was less then a minutes latter that the next contraction started.

For the next half hour, this continued. The contractions rolled one after the other, and Nurse Soft Touch continuously urged Dawn to push during each one. Over time, Dawn increasingly struggled to gather enough strength to push through the contraction, as she became exhausted. Caramel was getting concerned for her as she strained. Nurse Soft Touch was also looking quite concerned, as she held a stethoscope to Dawn's belly and listened to the foals heartbeat.

"Dawn, your going to need to put more effort into pushing, the foal's heartbeat has increased, and it needs to come out soon." Nurse Soft Touch said, as she put her stethoscope down.

"I...huff ...am trying... but its...huff ... getting hard..." Dawn's head was lolling about as she talked. "I just...huff ... don't know if I can...huff ... do it."

"Dawn, honey. Trust me. The foal is going to be much cuter out here then in there, you're going to need to push." She turned to Caramel. "Caramel, I have a new job for you, I need you to get your little sister here to push even harder, no matter what, you need to get her to PUSH!"

Caramel was surprised at the sternness of nurse Soft Touch's words. Rounding on Dawn, he helped set her back up higher. "Dawn! You need to listen to nurse Soft Touch, you need to push! Don't you want to see your foal?"

"Too tired..." Dawn muttered.

She was giving up. Caramel wilted, what was he to do? He needed to motivate her. Reaching forward he whacked her upside the back of her head. "Tired!? You're giving up and letting your foal die because you're TIRED!" He gave her another whack to help sink in his point. "I am very disappointed in you! You're going to give up this foolishness and get down to the hard work!" It seemed to be working as Dawn sat back up. "Now PUSH!" Caramel yelled it in her face.

"Aaaahng!" Dawn redoubled her efforts and strained, pushing as hard as she could. For the first time in all of her straining something finally emerged.

"I see something!" Caramel cried out to Dawn excitedly. Watching as something tiny started to slip out.

"What!?...gulp ... do you...huff... see?" Dawn bent her head down trying to see herself, but her large belly was in the way.

Caramel looked closer. "It's a hoof! I see a hoof! A little powder blue hoof!" A tiny little hoof now protruded out of her vagina, and as he looked at it he saw it give a little jerk, as the foal struggled.

"Dawn, your almost there! You just need push a few more times!" Nurse Soft Touch said. "Now push!"

Caramel held Dawn up as she mustered her strength, and pushed again. "Aaaaahhnnnnnggg!"

Looking down, Caramel watched as the little hoof slid farther out.

"Push, push, push, push, push." Nurse Soft Touch urged over and over again.

Now he saw something else start to emerge as it stretched out her vagina further, Caramel held his breath when he realized what he was looking at. "I see a snout!" Caramel turned to Dawn. "I see your foals snout."

"The foal is starting to crown, it will be very soon now!" Nurse Soft Touch rolled over a cart with supplies and a padded bin on top to hold the foal.

Dawn gripped Caramel's fetlock with a death grip, as she panted. Caramel gazed down at the foal in wonder. Most of one leg was out and another one had just emerged with the snout. Caramel couldn't believe what he was witnessing, it was a new life, emerging for the first time.

"Okay, just like last time. Give me a real good one." Nurse Soft Touch said.

"Your doing great." Caramel praised Dawn as he mopped her face.

"Push!" Nurse Soft Touch ordered.

"Mnnnnngh... aaaaahgggg!"

Dawn's vagina stretched out more, as more of the foal slid out, along with some viscous fluids. But then Dawn released her breath in a gasp and stopped pushing, and the foal pulled back in, losing much of the progress just gained.

"No! no no no. Dawn, you're almost there! Just a little bit more." Nurse Soft Touch urgently exclaimed.

Caramel moved in closer to Dawn's exhausted face. "You almost did it, the foal's head almost came out."

Dawn rocked her head as she panted. "I...huff... can't...huff..."

"You can, and you will. Don't make me whack you upside the back of your head again. This is no time to quit, I can see your foal's cute little nose. Just push a bit more!" Caramel anxiously looked at Dawn as her head rolled back forward. A light came into her eyes as she took a deep breath and bore down hard.

Looking down, Caramel saw Dawn vagina stretch out again, as the foal moved. Quickly the muzzle came clear and he was able to see the foal's closed eyes, then the forehead come clear. "A unicorn!" Atop the foal's head was a little stubby rounded horn.

Dawn let out a agonized cry as she felt herself stretched out painfully

"More, just a little more, you're almost there!" Caramels urging spurred Dawn on, as she bore down again. Now the ears came free, and he could see a tuft of maroon mane plastered atop the foal's head. Suddenly the foal stopped moving, as it seemed to become stuck.

Dawn grunted and strained. But it seemed for naught. The pain she was feeling was beyond anything she had ever experienced before, as she felt herself stretched beyond endurance. It felt like she was being torn open.

"Big push now!" Nurse Soft Touch shouted.

Dawn released her breath and took a large breath and scrunched her face up tight and pushed as hard as she could. "Aaaaahhwwww!" Bubbles and fluids leaked and squirted from around the foal, as she strained, but it remained immobile, as it was tightly wedged in her passage. Nurse Soft Touch clasped her fetlock around the foal's freed hooves and gently shifted and gave a light tug, suddenly something gave and the foal suddenly pushed out past its head, and up to its shoulders then stopped for a moment. Dawn let out a loud cry and then the foal slipped the rest of the way out and dropped into nurse Soft Touch's waiting hooves.

"Congratulations! It's a colt!" Nurse Soft Touch cried out, as Dawn let out a gasp and collapsed back, suddenly weeping, with the look of joy on her face. She strained her head down, trying and see her colt, as Nurse Soft Touch pulled the rest of his hind legs free. At first the foal just laid there limply, and Caramel's heart leaped up to his throat in a panic, worried that there was something wrong with the foal. He remained limp and motionless for a moment before suddenly he took a breath and let out a wailing cry, followed by another, as he kicked his little hooves around. Caramel never heard anything so sweet before as the colt continued to loudly wail. Nurse Soft Touch gave a big smile and quickly used a squeeze bulb to clear the fluids out of the foal's mouth and nose.

Taking a pair of clamps, she clamped off the umbilical cord, then she took a pair of surgical scissors. "Caramel? Would you like to cut the cord?" She asked holding out the scissors.

Caramel was dumbstruck as he came closer. Nurse Soft Touch smiled at him as she held out the scissors for him. Gingerly he took the scissors that was made to be operated by the mouth, from her with his lips and looked down at the powder blue colt. Nurse Soft Touch pointed her hoof near where she had the clamp. "Cut right here."

Lowering his head down he positioned the scissors to where she had indicated and then forced the scissors closed, he felt the resistance as the scissors cut through the cord, but with a little force the sharp scissors cut all the way through. Caramel let nurse Soft Touch take the scissors back from him as he looked down at the now newborn foal. Looking back up at Dawn, he saw the unbridled joy on her tear streaked face as she looked down at her little colt.

Nurse Soft Touch picked up the colt and moved him over to the cart and set him into the bin on top. Taking some towels she began to wipe the colt down. Turning to Caramel, nurse Soft Touch waved him over. When he stepped up, she held out a towel to him. "Keep cleaning him will you? I need to get back to Dawn and help get the afterbirth out, and you don't want to see that, believe me. This will only be a moment.

Caramel took the towel, and was left to be alone with the newborn colt. Looking in he saw that the colts mossy green eyes were open as he looked up at him. "Hi there." Caramel greeted the colt softly. "Welcome to the world." Gingerly he reached in and began to wipe the towel over the colts body, wiping the various birthing fluids off. He took several fresh towels from the underside of the cart as he switched out the dirty ones for fresh ones as he worked. Soon he had the colt wiped dry and comparably clean.

"When your done there put a diaper on him will you? You'll find them underneath." Nurse Soft Touch said from behind him.

Looking under the cart he soon found the diapers and quickly put one on the colt. Just then some nurses came in and talked with nurse Soft Touch, and soon they were working on cleaning and changing the bedding. In very short order, everything had been cleaned, and a nurse had put a band with Dawn Sparks name written on it on the little colts front hoof.

"Caramel, would you please be so kind as to bring Dawn her son so that she can meet him?" Nurse Soft Touch asked Caramel with a smile.

Looking in at the colt, Caramel bit his lip as he carefully lifted him out. Once the colt was settled comfortably in the crook of his leg, he hobbled over to Dawn's bed. Dawn watched as he approached, her eyes were glued to the foal he carried. Stopping by the head of her bed, he turned and carefully deposited the colt into his mother's waiting hooves.

With the colt cuddled up next to her chest, Dawn gazed down with her eyes wide in wonder, as she murmured and cooed to the newborn. It seemed that all fear had vanished from her eyes as she looked down at her colt, and Caramel couldn't help but feel his heart swell at the sight of Dawn as she affectionately nuzzled her colt. Picking up a clean towel, Caramel wiped at Dawn face, drying her tears. "Have you thought of a name yet?" He asked.

Dawn thought for a bit as she looked into the colts eyes. "I think I will name him... Stellar Prize."

"That's a wonderful name." Caramel said, as he sat down, enjoying the sight of Dawn with her colt.

Nurse Soft Touch quietly left, leaving the new mother to bond with her son, but no sooner did she leave then the door opened again and a unicorn mare with a stallion walked in. "Little Dawny!" The mare said as she looked at Dawn.

"Aunt Morning Glow? What are you doing here?" Dawn asked in surprise as she looked up shocked.

"Oh my gosh! You had the foal!" Morning Glow exclaimed, as she rushed up to the bed. "I got your letter and when I talked to your mother, I just had to rush over. I have never been so furious with my sister before, she has done some stupid things in her time but this really takes the cake!" She leaned over and looked over the colt. "He's so adorable! What's his name?"

"Stellar Prize." Dawn couldn't help but smile as her aunt admired her colt.

Morning Glow noticed Caramel as he stayed back out of the way. "And who is this handsome young stallion? The father, perhaps?" Caramel's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly shook his head.

Dawn giggled and blushed. "No Aunt Morning, that's Caramel. He's been like a big brother to me, and has been an amazing help and comfort to me."

Morning Glow eyed Caramel a moment, before she rushed over and gave him a hug. Caramel stood there shocked as Morning Glow held him close for a moment, before she released him. "Thank you for being there for Dawn, it's a comfort to know that at least somepony was gracious enough to be here for her, unlike my no good sister and her pompous husband." She practically spat the last part out, before she shook head dismissively. Releasing him she turned back to Dawn. "When you're released from the hospital, your coming home with us. We have plenty of room so don't worry about that, and we'll enroll you back into school. I'll be happy to watch over little Stellar while you're attending."

Dawn suddenly looked at Caramel, as she thought about the offer that he had made, but he knew that it would be better for her to be with her family. "Isn't this wonderful? You have a family that wants you. You're going to have a home! I'm so happy for you!" Caramel said, giving her a big smile.

Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes as she looked away from Caramel to her aunt, lifting her free hoof, she drew her aunt into a grateful hug. "Thank you aunt Morning."

"Think nothing of it! We're happy to take you and your little adorable colt in." She said. Turning she waved her hoof. For the first time Caramel noticed a filly quietly standing next to the stallion. At Morning Glow's gesture, she shyly approached. "Do you remember Meadow Mist? The last time you saw her she was in diapers."

"Meadow? Is that you? You've gotten so big!" Dawn said as Meadow Mist came up to the side of the bed and reared up to rest her upper haft on the side of the bed so that she could see over.

"Your colt is really cute." She said, as she leaned over to look at him.

"Thank you Meadow." Dawn replied, as she tipped Stellar up a little so that Meadow could get a better look at him.

Caramel felt it was time for him let himself out, but he didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. Quietly he moved over and caught Dawn's eye. With a sad smile he nodded towards the door. Her eyes widened when she caught his meaning. "Are you leaving!?"

"Yeah, It seemed like the time for me to go. Your family is here and I'm just in the way, so I'll just go and let you all get reacquainted." As he spoke he could see Dawn's face become anxious . "Don't worry, I'll come back to visit before you go. This isn't goodbye forever, after all, we're friends now."

As he was about to turn away, Dawn suddenly held out a hoof, wanting him to come and hug her. Caramel had never been hugged so much before in a single day, but then this day wasn't a normal one anyways, it was a special day.

Awkwardly, in front of her family, Caramel approached her. Leaning over the bed, he felt her hoof wrap around him tightly and pull him in close. Caramel found his face pressed up close to the now sleeping Stellar. Lifting his hoof around her, he hugged her back. Releasing her was hard but he managed, but Dawn held on for a few more seconds before she finally released him.

Once he was free, Caramel stepped back and smiled down at her. "I'll see you before you leave. And I'll bring Cinnamon, so you can meet her too."

Dawn smiled back. "I would really like that."

As he went to the door, he passed by the stallion, who met his eyes and gave him a nod. Caramel gave him a nod in return. Opening the door, Caramel took a look back at Dawn and Stellar before stepping out into the hallway. Letting out a sigh, he looked around to find a nurse to lead him to Cinnamon.

Author's Notes:

This chapter ended up longer then I had planned. I meant it as a character development chapter, to help Caramel grow as a stallion. There are times in this chapter were I feel things are a bit forced and rushed, but then I was trying to fit a lot into just one chapter. And if anyone has any helpful advice to clean up anything in this chapter please let me know, I struggled with much of the dialog, as I tried to express many complex feelings.