The sounds of a ringing alarm echoed throughout Spitfires bedroom in an attempt to get her out of bed in the wee hours of the morning. She moaned inaudible words of annoyance as she clumsily smacked the alarm clock to shut it off. She missed the end table where the clock sat the first few times, but after hearing the sudden sound of a shattering device. She smiled in sadistic glee that the thing that woke her up on a Sunday was dead.

Spitfire snuggled back underneath her blanket, hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep before her mare-friend, Feather Flight, kicked her ass awake to do her job of training the new recruits into proper soldiers. She liked her job, as it allowed her to vent her frustrations out on a bunch of rookies who think they are tough shit, but in reality, they are just a bunch of pansy’s. Well, that's what she wants to believe.

In truth, she missed her friends in the Wonderbolts. She missed doing her shows that brought joy to all her fans. Sure it was all a ruse, a big disguise for her real job to take out targets that threatened the safety of Equestria. The money was good. Real good, but she never did it for the money. All she cared about was seeing the little fillies and colts gape in awe to her performance in the air.

Though, what she would miss most about that time, was her friends. Spitfire thought about what they would think if they learned that she left. What was she kidding? They already knew. The many death threats that she received from Soarin alone was proof enough that they hated her. Well, almost everyone. Fleet Foot was the only one that talked to her, in person no less, as to why she left. She was understanding for the most part and even asked if she could defect too.

Spitfire thought that was strange that she wanted to abandon Equestria just like she did, but after hearing that Celestia was sending them on genocidal death hunts on the humans for no apparent reason. She couldn't stand being loyal to Equestria after the murder of innocent foals from one mission after the other. Spitfire almost cried right there in the bar after hearing that Soarin, the stallion that was like a brother to her, kill a group of fillies just because they liked Luna more than Celestia. What made it worse was the fact that they were orphans hiding in an abandoned apartment complex in Manehatten.

All she could think about after they parted ways for the moment was Rose. She knew she was a human from the start when she was asked to take care of her. Celestia and Luna told her that she was a really smart and extremely clever human too, but they never told her Roses real age. That didn't matter, however. They all knew that if Rose didn't act the way she did on that faithful day, then she would have been placed in an orphanage instead of her care. If Rose went down the path she was walking now. Spitfire couldn't bare watching her die to the hooves of the ponies she once called, friends.

That fear quickly died after they preen each other for the first time later that day. She was so happy that Rose was finally letting her in through that closed door to her heart for the first time. Spitfire loved hearing the cute little moans escape Roses lips as she helped sort out that mess she called her wings, but she didn't dare do anything to make her uncomfortable. They talked a lot about what they liked and what they could do to improve their relationship with each other. Spitfire almost cried that Rose wanted to be closer to her and that she was willing to do the “flock-thing,” as she called it, but at a later date. After Rose turned her into putty as she preened her wings. They just enjoyed each others company while soaking in the soothingly warm bath water.

Spitfire couldn't help but feel like a little school filly again that her little Rose was giving her a chance to be more than just a simple guardian. Rose truly wanted her to be there for her. To erase the bad memories of her past and replace them with good ones. Just knowing that made it easier to bear the scrutiny from the other guards and castle staff. Rose was her daughter and there was no changing that fact.

Just as Spitfire was about to fall back to sleep, she felt something strange nestled against her side. She frowned for a moment as she tried to figure out what it was in her tired daze, but she couldn't put heads or tails to what it was. She opened her eyes with a sigh to see who was invading her bed at three o'clock in the morning and the second she laid her blurry gaze on the tiny form, she instantly knew who it was. Sleeping in a little ball of fur was her little Rose.

Spitfire couldn't think of any reason as to why she was in her bed. Especially since she specifically said that she wanted to be alone for the night. Her rational part of her mind said that she must have had a nightmare that woke her up, which she must have fled to her room for some comfort. Of course, that was just one thought out of many, but none of them seemed to fit. The only reason that she could think of that would cause her little Rose to leave the safety of her room is if she was scared of something.

What was she scared of, she might never know. Rose loved to keep secrets, and she rarely talks about things that bother her as well. Though, when she does talk about what troubles her. She is quite becoming of herself with the amount of honesty she puts into her words. Rose knew that she wasn't perfect, but tries her best to show it and with Nightingale calling her "Big Sister," now. She was trying her best to be a positive role model for the little filly. She rarely swears's around her. When Rose spends her free time playing games with Nightingale or teaching her how to fly. She puts on a barrier to show that she was strong, despite the stress she hides behind her eyes.

Spitfire knows without a doubt that something was bothering her little Rose. With all the positive things like Nightingale and her mare-friend, Summer Rose. Something got to her. Whatever it was, she was going to make sure that it doesn't effect her little Rose. She already had enough on her plate to worry about than a creature that lurks in the shadows.

Spitfire holding a soft gaze to the little filly at her side leaned in and left a gentle kiss on Roses' head before she curled around her, and draped a wing over her like a blanket. She let out a quiet chuckle as she felt Rose nestled closer to her side seeking even more warmth for her little body. Once she was done moving around, Spitfire closed her eyes again, hoping to get some sleep, but that wasn't happening as she heard the quiet sniffles of a certain filly at her side.

Spitfire sighed in defeat and lifted up her wing to see what was wrong with Rose now. Without warning, Spitfire was pulled into a bear hug by a flash of fur and feathers. She felt her little Rose nuzzled under her chin as she tried to wrap her little wings around her chest. "Hey, it's okay," Spitfire whispered into the ears of the trembling filly, as she wrapped her wings around her like a protective cocoon.

"No...*Sniffles*...It's not. I fucked up. I fucked up so bad that she could get to me, and no one can stop her if she tries," she said in a choked voice.

"What do you mean?" Spitfire said in puzzlement. "Who can get to you?"

"Teresa, my birth mother, she can get to me! I...Please don't let her get to me..." She whimpered though quiet, fear-filled. sobs.

Spitfire's heart dropped into her stomach at that name that her little Rose said. Her little Rose was afraid of a mare that sounds like she was looking for her. This mare that has frightened her little Rose was, indeed without a doubt her mother. Then Rose was in grave danger. It was bad enough that everyone that supports Empress Rose hates her guts for being near her.

In fact, some of the councilmen were looking for ways to get rid of her, but they ran into a problem. They couldn't prove that Spitfire wasn't Roses mother as no one came up to challenge that claim. If this mare, was to be proven that she was the pony that gave birth to Rose, then she will be kicked out of the castle while Teresa takes the throne.

The mere fact that this bitch was looking for her little Rose enraged her! She knew from confirmation from Luna that she will abuse Rose again once she takes her out of the spotlight. This bitch utterly tortured Rose to the point that it would take years to undo the damage that was done to her. She knew that the second Rose sees her again, she will become too petrified to defend herself, and follow her around like a lost puppy.

Spitifre and all of the councilmen knew that Rose was just a figurehead and can't do anything unless she has the proof to dismantle the counsel. Once this bitch proves that she is Roses mother, she wouldn't be able to do anything. The guards will stop her. The zealots will try to kill her. Not even Luna would be able to do anything. Spitfire held Rose as tightly as she could while the little filly buried her face in the nook of her neck. Spitfire nuzzled the affectionate filly and left little pecks on her head to soothe her worries, just like her mother did to her. They stayed like this for a few hours, Rose holding her while she cried her troubles away, and Spitfire doing her best to sooth them.

'No,' Spitfire thought as she rubbed Roses mane. 'I have been through hell and back to keep her safe and to see her smile. I will find a way to keep it that way, even if it means a life in prison if I have to.'

Author's Notes:

How's my third? Is it good? Yes? No? No...Okay.

Anyway. I have been thinking of Celestia's MO regarding Humans and her knowledge of the portal. So, what ya'll think about her doing something with that?

1.She makes it easier for humans that don't follow her to be hunted down.
2.She tries to banish all humans to the other side of the mirror.
3.She does nothing and moves on.

Choose if you want one of the three, but I won't be doing this often.